Ad Age's Take on the New TV Shows

By AdvertisingAge

Ben Kalle Fox is light on the details of "Fringe," a sci-fi/mystery hybrid from "Lost" producer J.J. Abrams, but even without information, it's capturing media buyers' fancy. Plus, Fox intends to run it with fewer-than-normal commercials.

'TRUTH IN ADVERTISING'

Can Turner's ad drama ride the hype of AMC's "Mad Men"? Buyers think the characters will draw interest and don't see the drama being hampered by the inside-baseball aspects of the ad biz.

'90210'

Sure, it's cheese, but it's tasty cheese. The CW will revive the old Fox teen serial about rich kids. Added bonus: Stars from the original series will turn up on occasion. Of course, it will only work if the CW can persuade the audience to tune in on TV rather than on their computers.

How'd we do last year? Not so hot on this side. Only the CW's "Reaper" returns, not "Back to You" or "Big Shots."

Chris Haston Scenes from this show about a hapless guy and the messes he gets into to impress his in-laws bowled audiences over at the CBS upfront. But no one is sure the program can sustain the oh-no-he-didn't level of pratfalls seen in the minutes-long clip of this "Meet the Parents"-esque sitcom.

'DO NOT DISTURB'

Expect this low-brow Jerry O'Connell-Niecy Nash hotel sitcom to check out early on Fox. "Maybe they should've kept 'Back to You,'" Horizon's Brad Adgate said of the canceled Kelsey Grammer comedy.

'LIFE ON MARS'
Apparently ABC didn't learn from NBC's "Journeyman" and Fox's "New Amsterdam": Time-travel dramas are a tough sell. Also tough: The central premise is flimsy. A guy is hit by a car and transported to the 1970s? Really?

We were hotter with the "Nots." Gone are "Cavemen," "Moonlight" and "Journeyman."