Television, Everything Old Is... Even Older

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By Marc Peyser

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Television has long had an unhealthy appetite for nostalgia--how else do you explain two "Dukes of Hazzard" movies? Even so, the networks are planning a retro feeding frenzy in May, with reunion programs that revisit the good ("M*A*S*H," "L.A. Law," "The Cosby Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") the bad ("That's Incredible!," "Laverne & Shirley") and the truly ancient ("American Bandstand," "The Honeymooners"). Other than TV's usual dearth of fresh ideas, a big reason for the backward glance is the success of "The Carol Burnett Show: Show Stoppers," a clip job that pulled in almost 30 million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched program of 2001. Network executives took that as a sign that since September 11 viewers want video comfort food, programs that take us back to a time when the week's big worry was whether Michael Kuzak and Grace Van Owen would break up. But there's another explanation for these walks down memory lane. For the first time in years, the networks have failed to produce a single new show that could be called a breakout hit. "Bernie Mac," "The Guardian" and "Crossing Jordan" have gotten attention, but the only program generating sustained buzz is "The Osbournes"--and that's on MTV. Given that track record, it's no wonder the networks are placing their bets on the likes of Lenny and Squiggy.

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