The Spin-off
Re-boot Nation, the News Host Blues, Cable Domination
A slew of new re-boots is headed our way. How much of the original gang must be on board to make a re-boot a success? The Trevor Noah backlash was swift and fierce. Do we have unrealistic expectations for hosts of news shows, comedy or otherwise? The cable-broadcast divide continues to fall and cable continues its ratings takeover. Finally, our monthly downloads.
By Michael Schneider • • 40m ListenGiven that spring is traditionally the season of rebirth, on this episode of The Spin-off we talk about a couple of big TV reboots that have made news recently -- Full House! The X-Files! And Mr. Show...sort of. While there’s a creative, nostalgic appeal to re-doing these shows, there’s also a huge commercial interest at stake.
It sounds like David Lynch may have pulled out of Showtime’s reboot of Twin Peaks, but in the long run, this may just prove to be a negotiating tactic. We ask how much of the original cast and creators need to be involved in order to pull off a successful revival.
And by now you've heard Comedy Central has named a new Daily Show host in Trevor Noah. There’s been a lot of talk and backlash about his appointment, but we’ll use that as a jumping off point for a larger conversation about just what we’re looking for in a news show...and if that varies if you’re talking comedy news or "traditional" news.
How did we come to a place where we’re holding comedy TV hosts to higher standards than politicians? And it’s a sign of strange times when John Oliver flies to Russia to interview Edward Snowden for his HBO show and the next day, Diane Sawyer announces she also has a big upcoming interview...with Bruce Jenner.
Finally, Mark Burnett’s AD opened strong on NBC on Easter Sunday, but didn't do nearly as well as his show The Bible did on The History Channel. It’s just one example that proves networks can no longer assume they’ve automatically got a huge platform, but many of them are still operating that way.
End of show Downloads:
Joe: James Corden, the new host of The Late Late Show on CBS, has so far managed to create a show that's both charming and endearingly strange.
Sonia: The FX animated show for grownups, Archer, is still going strong in its sixth season, with a welcome dose of romantic drama between Lana and Archer that has long-time fans of the show especially happy.
Mike: Fans of Breaking Bad were right to be wary of a spin-off, but in the hands of Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould and a stellar cast, Better Call Saul has become a successful, stunning show in its own right. The first season has just wrapped, and there will be more to come.
