Spring Break
Get ready for fall television
by Michael Epstein
Staff Writer
Arts | 9/16/08
Posted online at 7:57 PM EST on 9/15/08
The transition from season to season in the television world is blurring more and more each year. There was a time when every single show would have its first episode one specific week and its last another similar week. The timing was almost second nature to the television realm. Now, though, the exploration of seasonal programming has produced half seasons, strategic breaks and all sorts of other techniques to separate shows from the pack, and we have come to a place where there is always something new on.
The official kickoff week for fall TV begins Sept. 22. In spite of this, there are some shows that are starting before then. Don't worry; I will be there to hold your hand as we wade through the dark waters, making sure you only watch the best that NBC, CBS, ABC and the rest have to offer. But before we dive into the deeper waters, we're going to start in shallow end of the pool and look at an old favorite that's jumped the gun a little: HBO's Entourage, which began airing new episodes Sept. 7 rather than on the traditional start date.
Now two episodes deep, Entourage is back on the air back after an extended break. As bad as last year's writers strike was for most programs, it came at an especially bad time for the Entourage team. After both sides finally came to terms in mid-February, it was painfully clear that creators Doug Ellin and Co. wouldn't have time to give the scripts the polish necessary in order to get the show on the air by the beginning of June (the time when the show has premiered in past years). Given that, they decided to push back the entire production process in order to make sure that the world of Vinnie Chase was captivating as ever. The question is, did all that extra time translate into a better show? Last season was choppy (officially, the first eight episodes of last summer were "Season 3, Part 2") and while it had great moments, overall the story didn't take the time to build an engaging arc the way it had in past seasons.
The official kickoff week for fall TV begins Sept. 22. In spite of this, there are some shows that are starting before then. Don't worry; I will be there to hold your hand as we wade through the dark waters, making sure you only watch the best that NBC, CBS, ABC and the rest have to offer. But before we dive into the deeper waters, we're going to start in shallow end of the pool and look at an old favorite that's jumped the gun a little: HBO's Entourage, which began airing new episodes Sept. 7 rather than on the traditional start date.
Now two episodes deep, Entourage is back on the air back after an extended break. As bad as last year's writers strike was for most programs, it came at an especially bad time for the Entourage team. After both sides finally came to terms in mid-February, it was painfully clear that creators Doug Ellin and Co. wouldn't have time to give the scripts the polish necessary in order to get the show on the air by the beginning of June (the time when the show has premiered in past years). Given that, they decided to push back the entire production process in order to make sure that the world of Vinnie Chase was captivating as ever. The question is, did all that extra time translate into a better show? Last season was choppy (officially, the first eight episodes of last summer were "Season 3, Part 2") and while it had great moments, overall the story didn't take the time to build an engaging arc the way it had in past seasons.
Be the first to comment on this story