This question has been going through my head for the past few months, as a new TV season has begun. Just like every year that I remember, the broadcast television networks brought back many of their biggest shows for their season premieres. Also, new series debuted with the hopes of becoming big hits on their own. Many of those new shows get cancelled while others live on to “maybe” to become a big hit, lasting numerous seasons and making stars of its cast.
1. Netflix/Hulu/Amazon: Their original programs tend to premiere outside of the Fall window. “House of Cards” seasons have launched in February. “Orange is the New Black” premieres during the summer. Amazon has been an exception, with its original shows like “Transparent” going live in the fall. Outside of their constant new programming, these services have entire runs of series that are no longer on the air, but were huge successes. Why watch a new series on CBS when Netflix has every episode of “Lost” or “Breaking Bad”?
2. Cable: Speaking of “Breaking Bad”, AMC will bring its spinoff “Better Call Saul” to air in February. The cable networks have year-round launches for new shows. HBO has some of its biggest hits like “Game of Thrones” and “Girls” premiering early in the year.
3. The increasing role of the “midseason replacement”. NBC programs its spring schedule around the fact that “Sunday Night Football” only happens in the fall. Fox only airs “American Idol” (which spent most of the 2000’s as the highest rated show on TV) in the spring. No longer is the cream of the crop of broadcast offerings reserved for just the fall.