It’s time to stage a network TV intervention before they order yet another talent show.
ABC execs apparently didn’t get the memo that this genre is on the way out, with the network ordering 10 episodes of “Rising Star,” a live talent show that was a big hit in Israel.
“Rising Star” is expected to premiere next summer, a traditionally slower time in the land of TV (translation: fewer people watching television). It’s notable for incorporating real-time voting and for not having any audition rounds — everything is live from Day One.
And, yes, it’s from Keshet, the same folks who brought you the Emmy Award-winning “Homeland,” currently nearing the end of its third season on Showtime.
But still — does anyone really care about these types of shows anymore?
If you’re going purely by ratings, the answer would be a resounding meh.
The writing has been on the programming wall for some time now, ever since “American Idol” began its inexorable viewership decline, which it has yet to stanch with a new season looming on the horizon.
It hasn’t been much better for Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor,” which started out weakly and has sunk into the abyss, hitting embarrassingly low viewership levels this season.
NBC’s “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent” are hanging in there, but aren’t exactly setting the world on fire from a ratings perspective — either in total viewers or in that 18-49 demo advertisers love so much.
That’s not an indictment on the artistic merits of these shows, only a reflection on the fickle tastes of TV viewers. Let’s face it, people are easily bored, especially when they begin to see the same genre exploited time and again. And we get that these shows are cheaper to produce than an hour-long drama or even a sitcom — unless you’re paying the likes of Jennifer Lopez (“Idol”) or Britney Spears (late of “The X Factor”) untold millions to get you mediocre ratings.
So while ABC prepares its summer launch of “Rising Star,” we thought we’d take a look back at other TV talent shows that have come and gone over the past few years — barely eliciting a flicker of recognition in their short lives.
“The Next: Fame is at Your Doorstep”
(Aired from August to October, 2012)
This CW series, produced by Queen Latifah, focused on local music talent who’d made it big via social media. Despite featuring big-name mentors Gloria Estefan, Joe Jonas and Nelly, “The Next” failed to make a dent in the reality/talent TV world, never cracking the 1 million-viewer mark and losing over 200,000 viewers from its premiere to its finale. Never a good sign.
“Duets”
(Aired from May to July, 2012)
This ABC singing competition show starred Kelly Clarkson, a pre-“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke, John Legend and Jennifer Nettles as mentors seeking singers who could duet with them, live, in front of a studio audience. Fun idea, but no one watched and its finale barely reached 4.5 million viewers. J Rome was the ultimate winner. Never heard of him? Exactly.
“Karaoke Battle USA”
(Aired from August to September, 2011)
Another ABC offering, this one was hosted by former ‘N Syncer Joey Fatone with judges including Carnie Wilson. The title says it all. It was cancelled after six episodes.
“The Winner Is…”
(Aired from June to August, 2013)
Hosted by Nick Lachey, this NBC series featured singers of all ages competing for a $1 million grand prize. It was axed after seven episode despite having two more episodes left in its run. No one cared. ‘Nuf said.