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Inspired by the success of serialized hits like "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," the major U.S. TV networks are launching a new wave of shows this fall designed to lure viewers with week-to-week cliff-hangers.
Some critics, however, are questioning the networks' strategy, given that millions of TV fans who got hooked on such shows last season were left hanging when several of those programs got canceled or failed to win renewal.
A spirited debate over whether audiences will invest their time and attention on the next crop of prime-time serials took center stage this week at the Television Critics Association's annual summer press tour, where broadcasters show off their upcoming wares for the 2006-07 season.
It was a particularly hot topic during a presentation by ABC President Steve McPherson, whose network sparked the trend two years ago with instant hits like castaway mystery "Lost" and suburban soap opera "Desperate Housewives" and now plans to launch four new serialized dramas next season.
McPherson said a key strength of such shows, which led a ratings turnaround at the Walt Disney Co.'s network, is that they require greater week-to-week loyalty from viewers than traditional programs with self-contained episodes.
Networks are more eager than ever to create such "appointment" television as they face the growing challenge of new technologies, like TiVo, that make it easier for viewers to watch shows whenever they want and skip the commercials.
"You have to have shows that people need to watch at a specific time, otherwise it's going to be ruined for them and they don't feel they're part of the experience," he said.
The downside is that serial dramas, like any show, sometimes fail, and those viewers who did go along for the ride are left without a payoff.
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