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FORTUNES OF FOX TV NETWORK MAY REST ON “IDOL” OVERHAUL
A Special Article by Tim Riley

The nation’s TV critics meet twice a year to participate in panel discussions about upcoming TV shows and special programs. Last January, the big talk during the FOX TV network portion centered around Simon Cowell’s surprise appearance before hordes of scribes to end all speculation about his future on “American Idol.” At the time, Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment, called Simon “irreplaceable,” before remarking that it would be “incumbent upon us to make sure the show remains vital and entertaining and compelling.” Let’s face it, with or without Cowell, FOX has a lot riding on the future of a franchise which factors mightily in the network’s competitive edge.

In the recent summer gathering of the wretched press corps, FOX Chairman Rice and Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, managed to open their press conference with a head-on response to the news about Ellen DeGeneres’ departure from “American Idol.” Unlike Cowell, DeGeneres did not appear on stage for a bombshell announcement; that cat was already out of the bag. Rice reported that DeGeneres “wasn’t comfortable” and didn’t feel like the show was “a good fit for her.” He said he tried to persuade her that the show “would be different in the future, but ultimately we came to an agreement that we would begin to look for new judges.”

Knowing that this revelation would be equivalent to tossing red meat into a cage full of lions, Rice observed that disclosing DeGeneres’ exit would create “another round of speculation about who would be replacing Ellen and who would be replacing Simon on the judges’ panel next year.” Then he claimed that no one has signed a deal yet “on either side of the camera to join ‘American Idol’ next year who wasn’t on it last year.” Adding more layers to potential speculation, Rice told everyone that wildly inaccurate information is floating around, but he doesn’t want to speculate about the panel of judges for next year and won’t answer questions to that effect. Naturally, about half the questions that followed involved some variation of enticing the type of speculation the Chairman so deftly sought to avoid.

For the time being, we’ll just have to settle for breaking news to emanate from the “National Enquirer” or gossip on Twitter. So let’s move on to what is knowable about the fall schedule. FOX would love to find the next “Glee,” but that could be a tall order. Meanwhile, a provocative soap opera set against the backdrop of big Texas oil can’t quite figure if its title is one word or two. “Lone Star,” as it was billed at one panel, is found to be “Lonestar” in other printed press releases. I’ll stick with “Lone Star” because that is more fitting for Texas. In any event, the primary character is either Robert or Bob (James Wolk), depending on where he decides to spend the night.

Robert/Bob is a charismatic schemer who has meticulously constructed two lives in two different parts of the Lone Star state. In Houston, he is married to Cat (Adrienne Palicki), the daughter of Clint (Jon Voight), the wealthy patriarch of Texas oil family. More than 400 miles away in the suburban west Texas town of Midland, he plays the perfect boyfriend to sweet, naïve Lindsay (Eloise Mumford). In Midland, he’s conning local investors out of their savings. In Houston, he schemes to deplete the family business of its riches. All the while, he has to deal with his con artist father (David Keith), while keeping a suspicious brother-in-law at bay. “Lone Star” will test how Robert/Bob keeps his secret lives from unraveling.

On Tuesday nights, “Glee” will anchor the evening schedule as the lead-in for two new comedies. “Raising Hope” follows the Chance family as they find themselves adding an unexpected new member into their already terribly flawed household. At 23 years old, Jimmy Chance (Lucas Neff) skims pools for a living, parties every night and still lives at home with his family, including his daffy grandmother (Cloris Leachman), his mother Virginia (Martha Plimpton) and father Burt (Garret Dillahunt). Jimmy’s life takes a drastic turn when a chance romantic encounter with Lucy (Bijou Phillips) goes awry once he discovers she is a wanted felon.

Months later, when Jimmy pays a visit to the local prison, he discovers Lucy gave birth to their baby, who he is now charged with raising. At home with his new daughter, Jimmy finds his family is less than enthused about the new addition to the household. Burt and Martha were teenaged parents who never knew anything about raising a child and have no interest in trying again. Meanwhile, Jimmy figures if he can work up the nerve to ask the sardonic checkout clerk Sabrina (Shannon Woodward) on a date, he might get some help. On the other hand, Jimmy’s cousin Mike (Skyler Stone) is only concerned about how the baby will impinge on everyone’s social life. “Raising Hope” will seek laughs in the immensely challenging world of parenting.

Just reading the show description about “Running Wilde” should be enough to realize this show is wildly inspired by “Arrested Development.” Suspicions are confirmed when realizing that writer-producer Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of “Arrested Development,” is behind this new comedy starring Will Arnett, another veteran of “Arrested Development.” For his part, Arnett fits perfectly in the role of Steve Wilde, a filthy rich, immature and spoiled playboy trying desperately to win (or buy) the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell), a socially conscious humanitarian who is on a crusade to save an indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest. The son of an oil tycoon, Steve hasn’t had to work a day in his life and always gotten everything he’s wanted except the woman he loves.

Emmy, the earnest do-gooder, is happy to live in the jungle with her 12-year-old daughter Puddle (Stefania Owen), who would like to experience a normal childhood in a normal place. When Wilde Oil’s expansion into the rainforest threatens her adopted tribe, Emmy decides to attend Steve’s self-thrown “Humanitarian of the Year” award ceremony in hopes of convincing him to help her cause, and also because she may still have a thing for him. Steve is unwilling to put his meal ticket in jeopardy, but he can’t risk letting Emmy slip away again. With Emmy committed to doing good for nothing, and Steve being a good for nothing, “Running Wilde” will look for the laughs as a mismatched pair tries to reconcile their differences.

In case you forgot, “Glee” is the network’s premier show, and for that reason FOX announced that a very special “Glee” will air following Super Bowl XLV on Sunday, February 6, 2010, and the musical series will make its spring premiere on Wednesdays following “American Idol,” which we can speculate will have a panel of judges made up of Madonna, Lady Gaga and Billy Idol.

NBC TV NETWORK LOOKING FOR A TURNAROUND IN ITS FALL LINEUP
A Special Article by Tim Riley

Twice a year, TV critics from around the country gather at a posh hotel in the Los Angeles area to get the lowdown on upcoming programs from the broadcast and cable networks. It’s not a bad gig for someone who loves entertainment, when the opportunity to mix and mingle with celebrities and executives presents itself not just during interview panels but at the evening cocktail parties. Over the past couple of years, the situation for NBC television has been pretty grim, and on more than one occasion I have discussed the “sagging fortunes” of the peacock network.

Well, the feathers on the old bird may look a little brighter and shinier this fall. Things can only look up after last year’s debacle when the NBC brass misguidedly moved Jay Leno to the 10 o’clock hour. The Chicago Cubs, for that matter, have already endured a bad century. But misfortune doesn’t cling to network television in the same fashion. After all, a network doesn’t have to contend with New York Yankee imperialism or the curse of a goat. With the right team of writers, stars and producers converging in a slew of successful programs, a network can outperform even the most talented baseball managers.

When the nation’s TV critics gathered at the Beverly Hilton, a hotel with a celebrity pedigree of its own when it was owned by Merv Griffin, to hear about new shows, Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment, signaled the network’s change of pace. The Chairman acknowledged that NBC has been “trying to rebuild” while striving for more stability and putting “a lot more money into development this year.” Often a network on the ropes will try to do too much too soon, a situation that Gaspin recognized when he said that the network “made too many changes too quickly from a position of weakness. And so it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. The goal is to rebuild, get stronger.”

Judging from an ambitious fall schedule, I’d say the network may yet achieve its goal, and far sooner than the woeful Cubs will go the distance. Progress is made when risks are taken and new series are given a chance. NBC is targeting a number of action-oriented drama series, starting with a retooling of the “Law & Order” franchise. “Law & Order,” as we know it from its 20-year run, is moving away from its setting in New York, to be replaced by “Law & Order: Los Angeles.” The show’s creators have pointed out that there will be an episode about surfers and the beach. How’s that for a break from gritty crime in the Big Apple?

How do you get sexy fun in a spy drama that does not involve James Bond? “Undercovers,” starring Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a married couple brought out of retirement from the CIA, may do the trick. This fun couple, Steven and Samantha Bloom who met on the job as spies, has settled down in Los Angeles to operate a small catering company. When a fellow spy and good friend goes missing while on the trail of a Russian arms dealer, the Blooms are reinstated to locate and rescue their friend. Now thrust back into the world of espionage, the Blooms find that the undercover lifestyle provides the kind of excitement they have been missing by leading a normal existence.

Jimmy Smits is back on screen as playboy Supreme Court Justice Cyrus Garza who has an epiphany and decides to retire so that he can enter private practice in “Outlaw.” That’s a curious title for a legal drama in which former Justice Garza’s first case is a last ditch attempt to save a condemned client from death. Making his mark as a legal crusader may have consequences, because flouting the system and turning maverick may have made some dangerous enemies in very places. Without the political intrigue, “Outlaw” would probably be just another courtroom drama.

I haven’t taken the time to figure out what “The Event” is all about. But what from little I know, it’s an emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Jason Ritter’s Sean Walker, an everyman who investigates the baffling disappearance of his girlfriend (Sarah Roemer). Apparently, he unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history, and Sean’s quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including the newly elected U.S. president and the leader of a mysterious group of detainees. There’s something about everyone’s future being on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could change the fate of mankind. If I am watching this show, I may have to wear a hat made of tinfoil.

Jerry Bruckheimer, the master of the action adventure genre in TV and movies, is bringing the action of the U.S. Marshal into full view in “Chase.” The tough, cowboy boot-wearing Marshal Annie Frost (Kelli Giddish) is on the hunt for dangerous fugitive Mason Boyle (Travis Fimmel) in the series’ pilot. The members of Frost’s elite team who help her anticipate Boyle’s moves and track him down include true American cowboy Jimmy Godfrey (Cole Hauser), intelligence specialist Marco Martinez (Amaury Nolasco), weapons/tactical specialist Daisy Ogbaa (Rose Rollins) and the newest member of the team, Luke Watson (Jesse Metcalfe).

To prove it’s not all serious business on the NBC schedule, the comedy “Outsourced” is an intriguing choice, to say the least, for tickling the funny bone during this most depressing year of our worsening economy. As the title implies, it’s all about a call center outsourced to a foreign land. When new manager Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) returns to work after management training, he learns that Mid America Novelties call center has been outsourced to Mumbai, India. In order to keep his job, Todd is left with no choice but to relocate to India, where he is to teach his employees to understand America. Though the subject matter of outsourcing may be a sore point for many, the pilot episode has plenty of laughs. With Steve Carell leaving “The Office,” this may be the opportune time to launch a comedy about the dysfunctional workplace.

Last January, NBC was talking about reviving the 1970s private eye drama “The Rockford Files.” There was no mention of it this time around. Maybe NBC decided to see how CBS will fare with its reboot of the “Hawaii Five-O” franchise before committing to the revival of a vintage series. However, I think a replacement for James Garner may be the biggest challenge. But this will be the least of NBC’s concerns if the fall season does not mark an improvement in its fortunes.

ESPN TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON L.A. RAIDERS “GANGSTA RAP” IMAGE
A Special Article by Tim Riley

ESPN has been celebrating its 30th anniversary by engaging well-known filmmakers to create documentaries centered on the last 30 years in sports. As part of ESPN Films’ “30 for 30” initiative, rapper-turned-filmmaker Ice Cube, relying on his background as a member of the controversial rap group N.W.A., directed “Straight Outta L.A.” as a documentary on the transition of the Oakland Raiders to their new hometown of Los Angeles, beginning in 1982. ESPN airs this special film on Tuesday, May 11, 2010.

Beginning in 1979, I started attending Raider games at the Oakland Coliseum, and so I was naturally drawn to this documentary as a fan over the last three decades, regardless of the team’s domicile. Admittedly, I never wanted the Raiders to leave Oakland, but when I moved to Los Angeles in 1987 I would attend several games each season. Unfortunately, as this “Straight Outta L.A.” documentary makes clear, the Los Angeles Raiders morphed into an unfortunate worldwide rebel brand as the team’s colors, swagger and anti-establishment ethos became linked with “Gangsta Rap” and the hip-hop scene. That’s why just as many rappers, from Chuck D to Snoop Dogg, as former players are interviewed.

In the early years of the Raiders’ tenure in the Southland, the team won Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa Bay in a lopsided victory over the Washington Redskins. The best part of this documentary is commentary from players like Marcus Allen, Howie Long and Todd Christensen, as they recount the glory days of the Raiders in Los Angeles. For a brief time, the goodwill of a victory cemented the Raiders’ appeal to the larger community. There is video clip of President Reagan congratulating Coach Tom Flores. Mayor Tom Bradley speaks glowingly of this bright moment in Los Angeles’ sports history at a post-Super Bowl downtown celebration.

For a while, the Raiders had a winning streak that kept faith with its ubiquitous “Commitment to Excellence” slogan. But as the team began its decline into mediocrity later in the decade, the atmosphere at Raider games crumbled into a regrettable scene of unruly crowds. Increasingly, unsavory elements proved so disruptive that police routinely arrested dozens of troublemakers. “Straight Outta L.A.” explores the sociological reasons that gang members, among others, latched on to the Silver and Black culture to the extent that Raiders hats and jackets became the best-selling NFL merchandise.

“Straight Outta L.A.” takes an interesting measure of how the NFL’s rebel franchise became the toast of America’s glamour city before it all came crumbling down. Even the race riots of 1992 played significantly into the ultimate unwillingness of owner Al Davis to stay in Los Angeles. Well, at least, this is the insight provided by Ice Cube, Ice-T or Snoop Dogg, as they weigh in on the cultural impact of Gangsta Rap and the affinity for the Raiders’ colors. Clips of an interview with Al Davis are interspersed throughout the film, and though he remains cagey and inscrutable, he faults the NFL and Los Angeles for his inability to get a deal on a new football stadium. He reminds everyone that if Los Angeles put together a deal for a new venue, they could always knock on his door.

In a concluding narrative, Ice Cube says that the Silver and Black may call another place home, but the Raiders will always belong to Los Angeles. Unless Al Davis pulls a surprise move again, I doubt the Raiders belong to Los Angeles, Inglewood’s Hollywood Park or even the gravel pit in Irwindale. The Raiders are once again the Oakland Raiders and have been for more than 15 years.

They are back where they belong, with the infamous Black Hole and the tailgates parties where the participants look like characters out of “Mad Max.” But Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke observes that at the Coliseum in South Central L.A. the tailgate parties took the spirit of “Mad Max” to the extreme, including fist fights all the time and tackle football games played on concrete pavement.

Oakland Raiders fans should view “Straight Outta L.A.” as not just a dark chapter in their favorite team’s fabled history, but a fascinating cultural study of the Silver and Black’s appeal to various segments of society.

Reverberations from the messy divorce between NBC and Conan O’Brien are likely to linger for a time. For some parties the future of TV may be unclear. However, the failed experiment of placing Jay Leno on the 10 o’clock hour redounded to the benefit of the other major networks. Speaking to a gathering of TV critics from around the nation, Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, proclaimed that the fall season propelled her network to the number one spot in primetime, daytime and late night programming.

Alluding to the recent fall schedule, when CBS introduced the new series of “The Good Wife” and “NCIS: Los Angeles,” Tassler said it has been “a great season for network television” with an “outstanding freshman class across the board,” citing the successful examples of “Modern Family” on ABC, “Glee” on FOX, and “The Vampire Diaries” on the CW network. Noticeably absent from her praise of vital programming on other networks was any mention of NBC. Actually, all of NBC’s competitors should be thankful that the peacock network completely bungled its 10 o’clock schedule, allowing the rest of them to move in on the valuable primetime real estate.

No doubt, CBS is riding high right now, and things look great on the immediate horizon with the upcoming Super Bowl and “The Grammy” awards, not to mention the new season launches for “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor.” As Tassler so notably observed, “there is no substitute for developing great shows, working with great talent, and getting your program on the air.” Viewed as a three-part strategy, the last piece of her observation is even more critical when considering the timing of a new program’s debut. The new reality series “Undercover Boss” will be unveiled after the Super Bowl on Super Sunday, February 7th.

“Undercover Boss” is a reality series that follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the rank and file of their own companies. Each week, a different executive will leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their corporation. In theory, while working alongside their employees, these executives will learn about themselves, the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organization, and the perception of their company.

The producers of “Undercover Boss” are hoping to find that the executives, as a bonus, may discover the unsung heroes of their work force. I am wondering if they might instead uncover some old-fashioned featherbedding. Too bad we can’t get the Postmaster General to work in the back room sorting through sacks of mail. This program is not likely to work all that well with smaller companies where the boss may be more visible to the workers. The element of surprise is essential. This should fairly well remove any possibility that we will be treated to Donald Trump working on a construction crew for one of his real estate development projects.

Another element to the timing strategy is the upcoming 20th installment of “Survivor.” It premieres with a special two-hour episode on Thursday, February 11th. What is the significance of that date, you ask? The launch of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” is the day before the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which is being broadcast by the struggling NBC network with the hope if not expectation of a ratings bonanza. “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” reunites twenty former castaways, including some of the most heroic and controversial contestants.

The unforgettable castaways will compete deep in the South Pacific on the breathtaking island of Samoa and will be divided into two tribes of 10 comprised of the best “heroes” and the biggest “villains” to ever play the game. According to the handy notes provided by the CBS publicity machine, the “heroes” have been defined by their decisions of integrity, courage and honor, while the “villains” have mastered their skills of deception, manipulation and duplicity.

The series will follow the relationships and conflicts that develop among the two divergent groups. In the “villain” category is Jerri Manthey, who achieved her own degree of notoriety for making a big splash with the cover and an inside pictorial feature in “Playboy.” She’s in fine company with Kim Kardashian.

If there is one guy in Hollywood who will never be out of work, it must be producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the prolific mover behind just about any big action movie and TV program in the last ten to twenty years. His name is synonymous with high-octane action and explosive adventure. His feature film resume includes “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Bad Boys,” “Top Gun” and more recently “National Treasure.” On television, he’s produced “Without a Trace,” “CSI: NY” and “CSI: Miami,” to name a few.

For the first time ever, Bruckheimer will now produce a medical drama. “Miami Medical,” coming on the CBS schedule in early April, is about a team of expert surgeons who thrive on the adrenaline rush of working at one of the premiere trauma facilities in the country while drawing upon their wit and irreverence to survive on the edge. The “Alpha Team” of doctors includes Jeremy Northam’s Dr.

Matthew Proctor, new to the trauma team after leaving a lucrative private practice following his return from a tour of duty in a MASH unit during the first Gulf War. Lana Parrilla’s Dr. Eva Zambrano is a workaholic surgeon who wishes she had more time for a personal life. Mike Vogel’s Dr. Chris Deleo is a playboy who thrives on the high-stakes of trauma medicine.

Fresh out of medical school, Elisabeth Harnois’ Dr. Serena Warren is quickly learning the meaning of trial by fire. The glue that holds this team of doctors together, Omar Gooding’s head nurse Tuck Brody seeks to bring balance to this chaotic corner of the medical profession.

With a solid schedule, CBS only needs to tinker on the margins to maintain its edge. Another round of “Survivor” and a possible hit show from Jerry Bruckheimer should do the trick.

ABC TV NETWORK HAS STABILITY BUT NOW RISKS LOSING “LOST”
A Special Article by Tim Riley

The fortunes of network television rise and fall on the success of programming decisions made by the executives who must nervously await public validation of their actions. Only a few short years ago, Stephen McPherson, president of the ABC Entertainment Group, gambled his fall schedule on ten new series, which is kind of like replacing all five cards dealt in a poker game. In any case, stability now reigns at the ABC television network, and McPherson continues in his position as head honcho.

Speaking to a gathering of the nation’s TV critics, McPherson acknowledged indirectly that success comes not just from stability in a schedule, but the willingness to gamble when necessary. “I think we are going to continue to be ambitious,” he said, adding “that’s where we succeed.” On the flip side, he also noted that “where we have been derivative and played it safe, I think we fail.” In this regard, it’s evident that ABC is going to miss “Lost” when its run comes to an end.

I confess that I never get caught up in the hoopla over “Lost,” the drama that launched in September 2004 and has been nominated, by McPherson’s count, for 146 awards. Having won the prestigious Peabody Award as well as the Emmy and Golden Globe for Best Drama Series, “Lost” is a creative force to be reckoned with, but still I never succumbed to its appeal. Frankly, I found myself “lost” when watching “Lost,” which is likely to happen when you tune in briefly to show that requires total commitment to faithful viewing and understanding of the key players.

In any case, ABC has announced that “Lost” comes to an end in a primetime special event on Sunday, May 23rd, a two-hour episode from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. Preceding the finale will be a recap special from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m., something like a Cliff Notes for the occasional viewer. McPherson issued a statement that the ABC network is “giving the producers an unprecedented opportunity to respect the fans and really satisfy the viewers with a spectacular conclusion.” Fans of “Lost” now have a challenge to see if the network lives up to its promise.

Stability in a network is also evident when commitments are made early to renew viable series. ABC has solidified its Wednesday Night Comedy lineup by announcing early pick-ups of “Cougar Town,” “The Middle,” and “Modern Family,” all of which are freshman shows. “Modern Family,” which makes the cookie cutter mold of man and wife and 2.5 kids a thing of the past, is the network’s top-rated new comedy. Starring Patricia Heaton, “The Middle” has found success with the traditional family and solid Midwestern values. As for “Cougar Town,” Courteney Cox is all the rage as a newly divorced single mother of a certain age submerged in the dating scene.

In case you missed it, ABC recently premiered the new legal drama “The Deep End,” making up for the fact that “Boston Legal” ran its course. Instead of delving primarily into the quirks of senior partners, “The Deep End” focuses on the tragedies and triumphs of five earnest twenty-something first-year associates fighting to stay afloat in one of Los Angeles’ top law firms. Not surprisingly, the neophytes are tossed into the shark-infested waters of a cutthroat environment. The five associates struggle with ethical decisions, while the firm’s partners are up to their eyeballs in backstabbing and the occasional office romances. Billy Zane’s partner is married to another partner (Nicole Ari Parker), but that doesn’t keep him from sleeping with the paralegal.

Arriving later this spring as a midseason replacement is the quirky drama “Happy Town,” a show that producer Scott Rosenberg told TV critics would generate inevitable comparisons to “Twin Peaks.” In fact, Rosenberg recounted how he bet someone involved with that show that he would provide a dollar for every review of his new show that doesn’t mention “Twin Peaks” and that he guaranteed he would wind up not owing a nickel. According to the producer, the comparison is inevitable because “Happy Town” is a “spooky, small-town show.” I am expecting Rosenberg to send me a dollar because I will not directly bring up a comparison to David Lynch’s cult favorite creation.

Haplin, Minnesota is a small town haunted by a number of unsolved kidnappings. After an uneasy peace for five years, the town now faces a dark new crime that brings all its unresolved fears to the surface. Has the elusive “Magic Man,” who many believe is responsible for the bizarre abductions, returned to claim another victim?

The motives of prominent citizens come under scrutiny as their own secrets and personalities are peeled back one layer at a time. Dragged away from his idyllic family life to investigate the new spate of crimes, Tommy Conroy (Geoff Stults), a small town deputy under the wing of his dad, long-time popular Sheriff Griffin Conroy (M.C. Gainey), has never had to take charge of Haplin’s law enforcement.

On the other side of town, the long shadow of the Haplin founding family, represented by mysterious matriarch Peggy Haplin (Frances Conroy) and her son, John (Steven Weber), who runs the local bread factory, try to maintain control. John’s daughter was one of the “Magic Man’s” victims, and he has not given up hope of finding her and seeing justice. Like some other show I won’t mention, “Happy Town” is full of colorful characters caught in webs of intrigue and mystery. Producer Rosenberg claims that his show looks to give answers in swift fashion.

Every time a question is raised, it should be answered in the next episode, though the answer is likely to open up another question. “The idea is to really be giving individual satisfactions within each episode to reassure the audience that answers are coming and that it’s not just going to be dragging something else,” says the producer in his comforting words.

Though not ready yet to announce its all-star cast, ABC kicks off the tenth season of the hit reality series “Dancing with the Stars” with a huge two-hour premiere on Monday, March 22nd. I had no idea we’re already upon a double-digit season. Sometimes I feel like Rip Van Winkle, rising from a deep slumber and unaware of important cultural news like this.

In years past the FOX TV network would just start getting revved up during the winter months, in no small measure due to the inevitable ratings boost from a new season of “American Idol” that has always launched in January. Though it is no longer news to anyone, Simon Cowell made a surprise appearance at the recent TV critics press tour to end all speculation about his future on “American Idol.” Most surprisingly, the brash Simon humbly likened his departure to that of a good football player retiring, while noting “the team will continue to be successful.”

No sooner had Simon, in what was totally out of character, taken an unassuming, self-effacing stance about his pivotal role, FOX Chairman Peter Rice stepped in to boost his flagging ego. While expressing commitment to “American Idol” for as long as it lasts, Rice noted that “Simon is irreplaceable, but it’s going to be incumbent upon us to make sure the show remains vital and entertaining and compelling.” Nobody knows, or nobody is saying, who will take over for Simon, but someone other than Ryan Seacrest will just have to become available.

For his part, Cowell will be devoting himself after the end of this season’s “American Idol” to launching “The X Factor” in the fall of 2011. Having created the show in the United Kingdom, Cowell seeks to duplicate “The X Factor” formula in the United States, bringing us another singing competition reality program, but one in which there is no upper age limit for contestants. Cowell noted the logistical challenge of launching “The X Factor,” because in the United Kingdom the show generated 250,000 applicants every year. The program is not yet ready to accept applications, but stay tuned, as they say in television.

I hate getting into the ratings business, but FOX Chairman Peter Rice insisted that his network was Number One for the first time ever entering the month of January. It used to be that FOX could only achieve that status during the winter due to the success of the show that Simon Cowell is soon abandoning. Maybe with the success of “Glee” and “The Cleveland Show” FOX no longer has to rely on the whims of a maniacal British talent show judge. Nevertheless, television programming is never a static affair, and new programs always have to be in the pipeline.

One new series that just premiered is “Human Target,” based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel of the same name. Mark Valley stars as Christopher Chance, a unique private contractor/security expert/bodyguard who literally turns himself into a human target for the benefit of his clients. He solves protection issues through unusual means. If, for example, you’re the president of a bank who’s been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance gets help from his partner Winston (Chi McBride) and hired gun Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley), as he puts himself directly in the line of fire to save the lives of his clients.

Family comedy “Sons of Tucson” has an interesting premise. Three brothers hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. The kids wisely don’t want to end up in foster care, but their dad-for-hire Ron Snuffkin (Tyler Labine) is not exactly qualified for parental duty. A lovable slacker working at a sporting goods store, Ron has his hands full dealing with the brothers, one of which is a con man like his father, the oldest one is a committed optimist with a unique world view and the youngest is a loose cannon who doesn’t respond well to authority.

Have you ever experienced déjà vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? DO you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? Have you ever had an out-of-body experience? I don’t know about you, but I might answer in the affirmative to at least two of these questions. In any case, these queries are set forth as a preface to the new drama series “Past Life,” which investigates the world of the unexplained through the eyes of a doctor and a former detective who must work together to solve decades-old mysteries.

In “Past Life,” Kelli Giddish’s Dr. Kate McGinn is a psychologist working at a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. A believer in reincarnation, Kate uses therapy and her natural gift for reading people to solve the mysteries of her troubled clients. Kate’s partner, Nicholas Bishop’s Price Whatley, is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, the pragmatic and cynical Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Kate and Price make a formidable, albeit somewhat dysfunctional team that works with other colleagues in each episode to unravel a new mystery.

One show that I think sounds intriguing won’t be around until May and by then may have a new title other than its working one of “Code 58.” For one thing, this new action comedy is produced by Matt Nix, who serves the same function with “Burn Notice,” one of the best shows running. “Code 58” is about what happens when an old-school cop and a modern-day detective expose the big picture of small crime. Once upon the 1970s, Bradley Whitford’s Dan Stark was a big-shot Dallas detective and local hero. Thirty years later, Dan is a washed-up detective who spends most of his time drunk or rehashing his glory days. A stranger to modern police work, Dan has the reputation of being a bit of a wild card.

Almost obligatory in cop shows, “Code 58” requires that Dan must have a partner, in this case a mismatch with Colin Hanks’ Jack Bailey, a younger, ambitious, by-the-book and overall good detective who is sometimes too snarky for his own good. Jack’s habit of undermining himself has earned him a dead-end position in the department, so naturally he’s a good fit for Dan. Both of them are stuck solving annoying petty theft cases that nobody else wants. But worse of all for Dan is that he has the thankless job of babysitting Dan, the drunk pariah who can never keep partners for long.

Fans of “24” are so dedicated that viewing parties are typically organized for each episode. So I don’t need to remind you that Season Eight just got underway, and Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer is once again doing what he does best.

Once again, another year gone by, and I am standing in the lobby of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, pondering my first move in covering the annual American Film Market (AFM), the international swap meet for films, TV programs and stuff you’ll never see because even Netflix doesn’t carry all the direct-to-video titles in its seemingly endless inventory. Usually, it’s just fun to scope out the players milling around the beachfront hotel’s grand entry, watching the inevitable hustle of film deals about to go down. But then, I gaze out the windows facing the expansive beach, wishing that I were somehow magically transported to the French Riviera.

Waking from my reverie, I realize that November’s chilly air in Southern California will guarantee that starlets in bikinis won’t be catching the eye of grateful paparazzi. Glamour gives way to the hard realities of the AFM’s prime reason for existence, namely bringing together buyers and sellers of films, TV programs and videos into one big, glorious orgy of screening 445 motion pictures in 27 languages over the span of eight days. Who can possibly watch that many movies? I calculated that it might be possible to see approximately 100 films, give or take a few, over that period of time if only one endured them in a 24-hour per day marathon.

Foregoing an impossible film schedule, the next best thing appeared to be a visit to the hospitality suite of the infamous Troma Pictures, a company that embraces schlock cinema with the blind devotion normally found in a cult. Troma made a name for itself with “Surf Nazis Must Die” and “The Toxic Avenger” series, classic films that remain prominent in the company’s catalog. I was hoping for something really outrageous, but discovered Troma is still pushing “Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead,” a film so bad that it got the nerds from “Ain’t It Cool News” worked up into an approving frenzy. Realizing that sex sells around the globe, the Troma folks are also pushing “The Sexy Box,” which is nothing but a descriptive term for the packaging of four sex comedies that were apparently made long before anyone thought “Porky’s” was a good idea.

Despite the garish displays in its suite, Troma hasn’t cornered the market on bad taste or even low-rent horror films. Still, it’s a challenge to find advertising flyers that trump the delightful grotesqueness of the Troma marketing plan. Giving it a try is a company called Imagination, which promotes “Smash Cut” with the picture of a leggy young nurse holding two bloody, severed hands. Idream Independent Pictures is selling “Fired” by using the imagery of a woman’s naked torso as she holds a decapitated head in her bloody hands behind her back.

All in all, the bad taste award goes to Amadeus Pictures for its film “Polanski,” which illustrates the vile Polish film director in the throes of forcing himself upon an underage girl. Incredibly enough, the advertising flyer notes that Roman Polanski was involved in a “sex scandal and fled to France where he has lived a rather reclusive life.” A sex scandal is when a prominent politician is fooling around with an intern of legal age, paying an expensive call girl for kinky sex, and running off to Argentina for a tryst with a “soul mate.” Unlike dumb politicians, Polanski is a criminal who belongs in jail, notwithstanding what some dimwitted Hollywood types would like to believe.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and this idiom is perfectly useful at AFM. Fred Dryer, not heard from since his TV series “Hunter,” is starring as a county sheriff in “Death Valley.” He’s not to be confused with the considerably younger Eric Christian Olsen, who’s starring in another “Death Valley,” which is about a violent motorcycle gang. Imitation also takes shape in the similarity of advertising. Two beautiful blondes are featured in similar seductive poses for the films “Women in Trouble” and “Stripped Naked,” with the only difference being that the babe in the latter film is also holding a gun, mainly because she’s described as having “a killer body and a gun.”

AFM is the place to come to find the forgotten stars of yesterday. Look, it’s Peter Falk and George Segal starring as old cronies on a road trip from Florida to Sin City in “3 Days to Vegas.” I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t know Peter Falk is still alive, but the Internet says he’s been placed in a conservatorship. Hey, that probably beats working in a film that might not even get a video release. Amazingly, Dolph Lundgren is still making movies, but it should not be surprising that in “Icarus” he plays a trained KGB assassin. As long as filmmakers need someone to pay a Soviet heavy, Lundgren’s career remains safe, at least for now.

Action pictures will always be a staple for the AFM crowd, as these pictures, unlike comedies, often translate well to foreign markets. I particularly like the advertising flyer for “Rambo V: The Savage Hunt.” After recently completing “Rocky XXII,” Sylvester Stallone, likely qualifying any day now for Medicare, remains an unstoppable force. The same probably can’t be said for Arnold Schwarzenegger, even as his political career winds down. The Governator is not going to be starring in the 2010 version of “Conan,” a project being promoted by Nu Image, even though no actor has apparently yet signed on to flex his muscles.

I’d like to end on an upbeat note, but first I must point out that the spirit of Mel Brooks still lives, though now in a foreign land. “Hitler Goes Kaput” looks like a piece of inspired lunacy. The film is billed as “the best action comedy to come out of Russia ever.” Given the gloomy past of the old Soviet Empire, that’s probably not an overstatement. In any case, it should be observed that AFM does deliver some promising films of great artistic merit.

One to keep an eye on is “From Time to Time,” starring the venerable Maggie Smith as the grandmother to a young boy who discovers he has the power to travel through time.

Attending the AFM is a fun, interesting exercise for any who loves the movies. Much like browsing through a flea market, it’s a joy to discover some gems. I now recall that last year “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” with its impressive cast, looked like a possible winner as it was being sold at the market, and now a year later that impression proved to be prescient.