| Talk of a looming writer's strike reminds me | | | | 'Top Model' producers Ken Mok and Anthony |
| of 1988. Back then, studios were momentarily | | | | Dominici. |
| caught out, wondering what they'd produce, | | | | |
| sans scribes, until they realized that | | | | 3.) Who Whines To Be A Millionaire |
| "reality" shows were a cheap, popular | | | | |
| alternative. | | | | ABC has teamed up with Regis Philbin to |
| | | | produce this ultra-efficient show. The set is |
| Since then, writers have managed to claw back | | | | simply a bare stage with a microphone stand. |
| a few time slots. But with past lessons fresh | | | | Eight audience members are selected at random |
| in their minds, producers are ready to wield | | | | and each is given two minutes to argue, |
| new reality shows like strike-breakers' | | | | harangue, beg and plead with the audience, |
| batons. | | | | which then votes to determine which |
| | | | contestant gets the money. |
| You might think that today's audiences have | | | | |
| rediscovered a taste for writer-driven shows | | | | 4.) Drumming With The Stars |
| like Pushing Daisies, with genuine plots and | | | | |
| dialogue. You might think that the remarkable | | | | CBS is another network worried that, without |
| proliferation of reality shows leaves nothing | | | | new dramas, its audience will vanish without |
| new in that genre. As a writer myself, I | | | | a trace. As a stopgap measure, the network |
| obviously like the idea of audiences that | | | | plans to air this spinoff. Stars will be |
| are, again, hooked by stories. Unfortunately, | | | | judged by Tommy Lee, eccentric poet Robert |
| new reality shows are being green-lighted | | | | Bly, and a visiting judge from a different |
| faster than Vespas in Roman traffic. No new | | | | musical genre each week. |
| ideas in the reality genre? You wish. Here | | | | |
| are six shows currently in development... | | | | 5.) The Cat Whisperer |
| | | | |
| 1.) Survivor: Red State, Blue State | | | | "Cats are the new dogs," says Cesar Millan, |
| | | | who hopes that this show, which he's exec |
| With CBS' writer-driven Big Bang Theory | | | | producing, will be his bridge to basic cable. |
| threatened, they've turned to Jeff Probst for | | | | Felicity Horn will star; she's the niece of |
| this politically timely spinoff. Survivor: | | | | magician Roy Horn. |
| Red State, Blue State is actually two shows | | | | |
| in one. In 'Red State', 16 conservative | | | | 6.) The Biggest Gainer |
| Republicans from the Midwest will relocate to | | | | |
| Berkeley, where their tolerance and | | | | Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen hope American |
| flexibility will be tested with a variety of | | | | girls in the coveted 75-90 pound demographic |
| challenges including yoga and a worshiping at | | | | will have an appetite for this show, which |
| a Wiccan solstice festival. In 'Blue State', | | | | NBC will run in its hot 'Bionic Woman' slot. |
| 16 metrosexual hipsters from the coasts will | | | | It will go behind the usually closed doors of |
| relocate to a dorm at Oral Roberts University | | | | a renowned eating disorder clinic. 16 |
| in Tulsa, OK. | | | | anorexic teenagers will compete to see who |
| | | | can gain the most weight in six weeks. Alison |
| 2.) America's Next Top Reality Show Host | | | | Sweeney is producing. "We've got product |
| | | | placement deals lined up out the door," she |
| Another timely show, since a long strike will | | | | says. Rumor has it that Häagen Daz has |
| create even more demand for new reality | | | | already signed a seven-figure deal for title |
| shows. Participants in this CW show will | | | | sponsorship. |
| pitch their own shows to a panel including | | | | |