GRAND Magazine - October 2009 - 32

header G R A N D PA Rt N e R s f o R G R A N D PA R e N ts Fall Season Leaves Families in the Lurch Much has already been written about the new fall television season. There’s already been a lot of speculation about which shows are likely to succeed, and which are likely to fail. But little or no attention has been paid to how families will be impacted by the new TV lineup. The quiet demise of the CW’s Everybody Hates Chris, a humorous, often warm, coming of age comedy marks the end of an era. The CW, built in part on the dismantled remains of a network that was once characterized by clean, upbeat and inoffensive shows intended for family viewing, is now entirely given over to hyper-sexed, teen targeted dramas like One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, 90210 and the new Melrose Place and super-natural thrillers like Supernatural and Vampire Diaries. a motley group of students representing all of the typical high school stereotypes are brought together through their mutual love of music. This innocent-sounding premise is enough to entice unsuspecting youngsters and to get the nod from unwitting parents, but episodes have already touched on a faked-pregnancy, teen abstinence clubs held up for ridicule, and thinly veiled references to fellatio. Similarly, The Cleveland Show, a spin-off of Fox’s ultra-raunchy Family Guy, will likely lure children with its animated format . Although Jay Leno’s experimental foray into primetime will unquestionably the network promises it will be sweeter than Family Guy, one has to leave its mark on primetime. That 10:00 timeslot was traditionally doubt whether MacFarlane – the man who jokes about handicapped home to adult-targeted dramas, too racy to air earlier in the evening children being trampled by a horse—is capable of producing anything when children were still awake and watching television. Those series, “sweet.” on NBC at least, now have nowhere to go except to earlier timeslots. So the police drama Southland, which debuted last spring in the Offerings on the other networks are no better—between a show 10:00 timeslot and contained graphic violence as well as scripted, about a woman who gets pregnant “Accidentally on Purpose” after a bleeped-expletives, will now be airing at 9:00. NBC’s schedule one-night-stand, a series about a divorcee on the prowl for younger shake-up has the potential to impact other networks, as well. As men, and a drama based loosely on the Elliott Spitzer scandal—the NBC moves its adult dramas up to earlier timeslots, other networks, broadcast networks are once again leaving family audiences with no place to turn. inevitably will follow-suit. The Fox features three (relatively) new offerings from past offenders. And although Lie to Me (from Shawn Ryan, creator of the violent and profane FX series The Shield) is unlikely to appeal to children, Glee (from the creator of the ultra-offensive FX series Nip/Tuck) and The Cleveland Show (from Seth McFarlane, creator of Family Guy and American Dad) both possess qualities likely to make them attractive to children. Glee is clearly intended to tap into the cultural zeitgeist of the Disney’s High School Musical phenomenon. Set in high school, For more information about these and other new and returning shows, visit the PTC’s Family Guide at www.ParentsTV.org. The Parents Television Council (PTC) is recognized under Federal tax code as a 501 (c)(3) public charity and receives 90% of its support from individual donors throughout the United States. 52 GRAND JANUARY FEBRUARY 2008

http://www.parentstv.org

GRAND Magazine - October 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - October 2009