Fall 2012 marks the start of the new television season for broadcast networks, and I don’t know about you guys, but I am beyond excited.
I got the chance to view new fall 2012 pilots this summer. As always, there’s some good shows and some bad shows — and sadly, not every show will last through the season.
In order to give their shows lasting power, networks try to capitalize on current television trends. This help shows get the most viewers possible, which, in turn, means that they’ll earn the most money possible.
And this year, the moneymaking word is “anti-hero.”
Related to the success of “Breaking Bad,” “House,” and other dark dramas, the anti-hero has never been so popular on television. The anti-hero is common on cable, where producers have more creative freedom, so having so many anti-heroes on broadcast television is a pretty big deal.
Fox’s “The Mob Doctor,” a drama about a surgeon (Jordana Spiro) who works at a prominent Chicago hospital and the South Chicago mob, puts a unique spin on the trend. Out of all new anti-hero shows, “The Mob Doctor” will probably see the most success this season.
Other new on-trend shows include NBC’s “Hannibal,” which follows the infamous Hannibal Lecter, and ABC’s “Red Widow,” which details a woman’s (Radha Mitchell) transformation from grieving widow to crime boss. If you’re suffering from Walter White-withdrawal, these anti-heroes (and anti-heroines!) might help ease your pain.
As TV trends go, the anti-hero can be placed in multiple environments and his/her inner conflicts make for consistently compelling drama, which gives this trend lasting power that will continue past this fall.
Will you be watching?