That’s not to say the golden age of network TV was filled with creative triumph; the schedules presented at upfronts have always included cheaper cash-ins. But the already announced lineups from NBC and Fox are heavy with supposed “safe bets” that harken back to the days before cable and streaming networks started crowding the market. Meanwhile, more daring work like The Carmichael Show, a marginal hit on NBC, struggled to even get renewed, while CBS (perhaps the fustiest of the “Big Four”) apparently passed on a modern update of Nancy Drew because it skewed “too female.” That’s how risk-averse these networks have become: They’re afraid of shows that might appeal to half of the viewing audience.
CBS’s full lineup hasn’t yet been announced, but for years the network has thrived by embracing classic staples like procedural crime dramas (the CSI, NCIS, and Criminal Minds franchises) and broad laugh-track sitcoms (like Two and a Half Men, Two Broke Girls, and The Big Bang Theory). The approach has kept CBS at the top for more than a decade—though its programming doesn’t skew young (the 18-49 age bracket is the most crucial to advertisers), it’s broadly popular enough for that not to matter. Which explains the network’s reluctance to take chances: The female-led Supergirl, which debuted to big ratings that later declined, is being shuffled over to The CW, which already airs several superhero shows. That move, coupled with the fear that a Nancy Drew reboot was too niche for the network, casts a harsh light on CBS’s fierce commitment to the middle of the road.
Yet it isn’t an approach other networks are looking to copy. NBC’s lineup includes one exciting prospect, The Good Place (from the Parks & Recreation creator Michael Schur), a comedy set in the afterlife starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. But other than that, the network looks nothing like its more creatively adventurous days, when its schedule included low-rated but critically acclaimed shows like Community, Friday Night Lights, and 30 Rock. The bulk of new shows are related to existing hits, so the silly spy thriller The Blacklist gets a spinoff called The Blacklist: Redemption, while Dick Wolf’s empire of Chicago procedurals (Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med) gets a fourth entry called Chicago Justice. NBC has also taken to sprucing up hoary old pieces of intellectual property: There’s the Wizard of Oz-inspired epic drama Emerald City, a Game of Thrones knock-off that transforms the world of Oz into a darker copy of Westeros, filled with magic and political intrigue.
Fox’s lineup is even more reboot-happy. Along with existing adaptations like Gotham and Lucifer, the network is trying out new versions of Lethal Weapon and The Exorcist. Reworking film franchises that haven’t been popular since the mid-’90s may not make a lot of sense, but in the world of Peak TV, any kind of brand recognition is key—that’s probably how a misguided adaptation of Uncle Buck is making its way to the airwaves this summer. Fox has good reason to believe the nostalgia hype: One of its biggest hits last season was its six-episode reboot of The X-Files, which got great ratings with viewers young and old. It also capitalized on the show’s streaming resurgence (the original episodes are all available on Netflix) to get huge attention online, even though reviews were generally negative.