In today's column, I look at the return of "Burn Notice" and the debut of its new (and very familiar-looking) USA partner, "Royal Pains":Imitation is the sincerest form of television. Once a network has a hit, it's going to do everything possible to copy it and copy it until viewers lose interest. It's why most of the shows on CBS involve the solving of crime with the help of electron microscopes, why every NBC sitcom of the late '90s was about attractive New Yorkers looking for love, and why tonight USA follows the return of "Burn Notice" (still the most fun you can have in front of your TV set in the summer) with the debut of "Royal Pains," which is more or less "Burn Notice, MD."You can read the full column here. My interview with "Burn Notice" creator Matt Nix should be right above this post. I'll have some kind of post up tonight for "Burn Notice" and possibly a separate one for "Royal Pains," but given time constraints and how much I've already written, it may be a simple "What did you all think?"
11 comments:
It is SO VERY WRONG that Burn Notice is on at 9:00 and RP at 10:00. Burn should have the later, sexier hour. Pains is the cute lead in; who wants cute after the cool of Burns. It just won't taste right. Why would USA reverse what is clearly the natural order of things?
Because you use an established hit to funnel audience into a new show.
I'd watch a show called Burn Notice, M.D.
If you read the Nix interview, it looks like we're going to get at least one episode of Burn Notice, MD.
Michael did a few medical things in the bank episode, didn't he? It's not that big of a leap to Burn Notice, MD, I think.
Captcha = sulush (who knew Sulu had an alcohol prob?)
Alan - How long does Royal Pain run over tonight? I previously set my DVR to catch it, will readjust if you can give me an estimation. Many thanks.
Best line of the day so far from Variety's review: "nothing more than a second-degree 'Burn'." Ouch.
Alan - How long does Royal Pain run over tonight? I previously set my DVR to catch it, will readjust if you can give me an estimation. Many thanks.
I think it's supposed to run until 11:17 or thereabouts.
I'm still waiting for Dr. Acula, M.D.
But, man, USA is doing everything they can to make this look like Burn Notice, aren't they? The same promos, the bright colors, the unconventional location, the good doctor is "blacklisted" etc...
Not to say I won't watch it tonight, just sayin...
COLDO: What your friend-o is in the winter. Or maybe what your condo is when there's no heat.
Thanks, Alan!
It's funny that you talk about networks trying to copy their own successes, because I just got around to watching that new FOX show today, "Mental," which immediately smacks of being an attempt at ripping off "House"...
... Except they curiously strip the lead character of the kind of edge and darkness that makes Greg House so interesting. It's like some d-bag at FOX said, "Man, 'House' is doing really well for us despite Greg House being a hobbled misanthrope druggie. Imagine how much better the show would be if Chase were the lead character."
And then that guy somehow got greenlit to go create "Mental" pretty much on that basis alone.
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