New hopes spring from networks' replacement shows

By TODD RITTER
Collegian Arts Writer

In the early weeks of October, television networks stuff the airwaves with dozens of new shows guaranteed to thrill and entertain fickle viewers. In the early weeks of November, most of those shows have already vanished, having failed to thrill or entertain anyone.

So in the early weeks of February, it is no surprise that networks stuff the airwaves again with newer shows guaranteed to, well, you get the point.

Upcoming months will see the debut of no fewer than 15 shows, in addition to two new networks which have already started broadcasting. Among the new shows, expectations are high for Star Trek: Voyager and Cybill, which has already done well on CBS. Others, like Delta Burke's Women of the House and Double Rush, both on CBS, seem likely candidates for cancellation.

The networks try to air as many shows in the spring as possible. This way, if they do well, they can be included on the fall schedule, which is announced in May. To the networks, February is a whole new season, a chance to introduce new shows, improve old ones and hopefully boost the ratings during the freezing winter months.

"Basically the networks think of the year as having two seasons," said Pat Trimble, professor of integrative arts.

The first season, Trimble said, occurs in the fall. The second starts after the new year and reaches its peak in February and March. Known as 'The Spring Season', it is the networks' opportunity to experiment with their schedules in hopes of higher ratings.

One of the two main reasons for the spring season is to boost ratings after a lackluster fall season. The networks buy more shows than they need to fill their schedules. They then broadcast the best of the lot -- those that seem likely to garner high ratings -- and save the others for later use as mid-season replacements for unsuccessful shows.

"(The networks) make more than they need because they assume they'll have failures," said Warren Reed, president and general manager of WNEP-TV, an ABC affiliate based in Wilkes-Barre.

If the replacement shows are successful, they'll most likely have a slot in the fall schedule. Sometimes replacement shows can become long-running successes. Popular series like Seinfeld, Kate and Allie, and Night Court started out as replacement shows.

"It's a matter of trying to get your schedule working," said Patricia Schultz, NBC spokesperson. Established shows can be tried out in different time slots while new shows can be given test runs.

The second reason for the spring season, depending on who you talk to, is to cut network costs.

"The money that you can make or break for each episode is so large," Trimble said.

In past seasons, the networks would order 26 episodes of a particular series. If the show failed after a few weeks, the network was stuck with the remaining episodes, Trimble said.

Now the networks order around 13 episodes twice a year. If the show is a hit, there is no problem. The network can order more. If the show isn't a hit, the network has less surplus episodes to deal with.

But Schultz said splitting seasons just to cut costs is not entirely true.

"It's just as expensive to put on a replacement show," she said. Publicity and production expenses usually cost the same for all series.