Alan Jacobson

The Winter TV Lineup: Finding the Best New Shows

The Winter TV lineup usually brings a few very good shows, but there are also many that are weak and will not survive to be aired again.  A little insight into why a new winter show is being scheduled for this less popular TV season can help a viewer find the best new programs on the winter schedule.  The winter tv season no longer has to be a boring period of time spent waiting for the "regular" lineup to start up again.

The Winter TV Season often brings a few new shows to each network's lineup that are true gems, but they are often mixed in with duds that were better off on the cutting room floor. Wading through or even trying to preview a lineup filled with shows with problems to find the ones worth watching can be difficult, but it is often worth it. All it takes is a little knowledge of why a new winter show was scheduled for this less popular season instead of the fall or spring lineup to help the viewer find the best new programs on the winter schedule.

The winter TV season often has shows in the lineup that fall into the following categories:

1. Reality and other unscripted shows that can be cobbled together quickly and without the need for months' worth of scheduling, filming, and set design. These shows are perfect replacements in the schedule for other programs the networks hoped to air but were not filmed in time or were deemed such a disaster after being previewed that they were never even tried.

2. Shows that were prime time ready in the fall lineup, but due to delays in filming or scheduling, or "problems" with the actors (pregnancy, injury, interference with other projects), were not ready in time.

3. Show that were scheduled for the fall lineup but were deemed too risky for this prime advertising season due to controversial content, surprisingly weak initial critical reviews, or faltering story lines after the first few episodes.

4. A new show may be deemed perfect for the winter TV season because of its content, such as a holiday themed show, a reality show where winter is the prime season, or a spin-off of a fall season show.

5. A TV series that did not do well in its first or second season but is still positively acclaimed by critics or has a loyal following of viewers may not be worth using in the highly competitive and financially important fall TV season. However, it may very well be perfect for a shot at a jump start in the winter lineup.

The Winter TV season actually creates a unique opportunity for networks to promote new shows against less competition, and to schedule them for times when they will not be overshadowed by popular established shows. All you, the viewer, has to do is use your own judgment about why a new show is being previewed in the winter, and what its prospects are for survival. For example, a new show in category #2 above probably has better prospects than a show in category #1. A show in category #5 may be risky to get in to and attached to the characters if it might eventually be headed for cancellation despite its strong following.

Understanding the Winter TV season, and knowing the reasons why individual shows have been scheduled to air during this unconventional time period, can help you find the true gems. This can make the time in the yearly schedule between your favorite popular "established" shows more exciting and interesting.

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