The NEW UPN this fall...

[Vin]

I don't know how many of you have heard, but CBS announced in December that Leslie Moonves (CBS president) was taking over UPN and was looking for a new president for the network. CBS and UPN were going to work together closer with each other (like what the WB and the Turner networks did starting last year), with UPN keeping it's own unique brand.

This past week, Lifetime's new president was announced this past week, Dawn Tarnofsky-Ostroff, Lifetime's current president. She hopes to work close with Leslie Moonves (the head of CBS and UPN, CEO). Tarnofsky-Ostroff hopes to draw top talent to the network and give it a new brand. I'm thinking shows like "Smackdown!" and "Roswell" will be gone come fall. "Buffy" and "Enterprise" have set the new tone for the network and UPN is going to continue to make dramas.

Back in December before Moonves took over, UPN second-in-command Adam Ware said UPN was actively interested in creating a new Saturday block which would could include current Viacom properties and possibly Disney. Now that Fox Kids is 4Kids, the new "Buffy" toon could head there. The network which I used to pretend didn't exist seems like it may be getting much better.

[John-Paul]

I hope it's better.UPN sucks!

[Vin]

Originally posted by John-Paul
I hope it's better.UPN sucks!

Yes, indeed. Although, with "Buffy" and "Enterprise," the network has improved quality-wise. The WB mockingly had called the network, the "Used Parts Network."

[The Dork Knight]

Just to let you know, Smackdown! won't be gone. SD has been getting some good ratings recently. With the return of the nWo, I'm sure it will get more good ratings. Frankly I think UPN should dump Enterprise. You know why? Cause Star Trek is ghetto. Star Wars is a hell of a lot better.

- Foley Is Good

[Calhoun07]

If they did a quality Star Wars weekly series, I could get over Star Trek being off of UPN, but right now I think Enterprise is the best new Trek series since DS9.

[Samhaine]

Any chance of us seeing Desmond Pfiefer during this new season??

[Vin]

Originally posted by bloodone
Any chance of us seeing Desmond Pfiefer during this new season??

LOL. You're kidding, right? :p

[Samhaine]

Originally posted by Vincent Benenati


LOL. You're kidding, right? :p
Not at all. I want to see the exploits of Lincoln's black bodyguard during the Civil War. That and I want to eat at one of those Pfiefer burger joints. :wakko:

[Vin]

Originally posted by bloodone

Not at all. I want to see the exploits of Lincoln's black bodyguard during the Civil War. That and I want to eat at one of those Pfiefer burger joints. :wakko:

LOL. :)

Interesting to note, the actor who played Desmond Pfiefer, now plays the principal on "Boston Public."

[John-Paul]

I liked that show!

[The Clown Prince]

I gotta agree with Foley is Good. UPN won't drop Smackdown. I know there a lot of non-wrestling fans on here, but for those that are fans like me, I'm gonna say what I have to say...

The WWF's product recently could get better. The return of the nWo storyline and the returns of 3 big name wrestlers Hulk Hogan(not official yet but close), and Scott Hall and Kevin Nash (both official) could bring in really good ratings. If they botch this story line like they did with the WCW/ECW alliance story, the WWF might be screwed.

The Clown Prince

[Calhoun07]

I am not a wrestling fan, but I think UPN should keep Smackdown. While I will never watch the show, I think it's important to have a good variety of programming on TV. I just wish other networks would consider this before they put the axe to shows that give our TV nights some great variety. Such as Tick and Fox....

[pencilsharp]

Kids, there is exactly one reason why UPN is still on the air...
Smackdown! pays the bills.
BTW, locker room scuttlebutt has it that the WWF talent are none too thrilled with this development. Hogan, Nash and Hall each have massive egos and reps as primadonnas. I wonder if they will be able to accept that they are "guys" again instead of "big boys"?
Doubt it.
Aaaand... how will that affect the upcoming WCW spinoff this summer or fall?

As for Trek... I still think that a Klingon-centric series would breathe a LOT of fresh air into the entire concept. (well, except for that Klingonesque Bean Dip... :eek: )

[DarkAngel]

Originally posted by Calhoun07
If they did a quality Star Wars weekly series, I could get over Star Trek being off of UPN, but right now I think Enterprise is the best new Trek series since DS9.

I don't think Star Wars would translate well to a tv-series format, though I could be wrong. That epic quality it possesses would be lost.

Enterprise is truly a disappointment in my eyes. I'm really hoping the new leadership for UPN will result in Rick Berman getting fired. Enterprise badly needs people like Ron Moore, Behr, and Wolf (of DS9) to get something going. If Enterprise continues like this, it's going to be a disasterous series, worse than Voyager. Usually, a show with poor ratings will be cancelled. Somehow that didn't phase any of the top guys at UPN (or whoevers in charge) and Voyager went seven years. That needs to change. If the Enterprise people can't get the job done, either new people need to be brought in (like some of the guys I mentioned above) or they need to pull the plug.

[Vin]

Maybe "Smackdown" will return, but this network again will be headed by someone who worked at Lifetime. Besides this, wouldn't it make sense that if WWF ratings are down, that they go to just one weekly two hour show (with the exemption of TNN's Saturday WWF show) on TNN. I used to be a fan of wrestling, but I really just got sick of it. It seems like WWF is making the same mistakes WCW did.

[DarkAngel]

Originally posted by Vincent Benenati
Maybe "Smackdown" will return, but this network again will be headed by someone who worked at Lifetime. Besides this, wouldn't it make sense that if WWF ratings are down, that they go to just one weekly two hour show (with the exemption of TNN's Saturday WWF show) on TNN. I used to be a fan of wrestling, but I really just got sick of it. It seems like WWF is making the same mistakes WCW did.

With WCW, it was management that was the problem. WWF doesn't really appear to have that problem. I lost interest in wrestling a year ago, but "just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in". I'm getting interested in it again. And with the nwo coming and the roster split apparantly about to happen, I think interest will start to rise. If not now, then at some point in the near future. Slips in the ratings for the WWF isn't new. It's happened in the past. It has to for something that's been running for so long. But eventually, they pull back up.

[JM2]

Originally posted by Vincent Benenati

Back in December before Moonves took over, UPN second-in-command Adam Ware said UPN was actively interested in creating a new Saturday block which would could include current Viacom properties and possibly Disney. Now that Fox Kids is 4Kids, the new "Buffy" toon could head there. The network which I used to pretend didn't exist seems like it may be getting much better.

That's assuming UPN is even still considering such a thing. Since that remark, I have heard not a peep from any UPN officials on the issue at all. Does anyone think they'll really do it?

[Calhoun07]

I don't think Star Wars would translate well to a tv-series format, though I could be wrong. That epic quality it possesses would be lost.

It depends how it was done. A live action series would inevitably suck. I just don't think they could sustain the quality of the show with the CGI and all from a week to week basis and keep an epic story line.

The series would really have to be more like the old Marvel comic series, where interlinking stories from week to week would tie the series together more as a epic series rather than a weekly adventure format.

I really think the only way such a series could be well done is if it was animated. I have longed to see a serious, hard hitting Star Wars animated series, well, at least as hard hitting as the old Marvel series. Or as hard hitting as Dark Empire. And having the series begin at Dark Empire and go from there would be awesome.

[DarkAngel]

Originally posted by Calhoun07

I really think the only way such a series could be well done is if it was animated. I have longed to see a serious, hard hitting Star Wars animated series, well, at least as hard hitting as the old Marvel series. Or as hard hitting as Dark Empire. And having the series begin at Dark Empire and go from there would be awesome.

An animated series would be great. If something like that were to happen, I'd like to see it take place after the current New Jedi Order story. That way it wouldn't contradict anything. The central characters could be Anakin, Jacen, and Jaina. Or maybe even jump ahead further and center the show on Ben Skywalker and other Knights, with the Solo kids possibly being Masters by that point. But whatever time period's chosen, the potential is really great.

Animated or otherwise, though, I'd love to see higher quality shows on UPN. Some of their current programming isn't bad, but UPN still doesn't come across as great in any sense. Hopefully we'll see some major improvement soon.

[Crickett]

Originally posted by Vincent Benenati
Maybe "Smackdown" will return, but this network again will be headed by someone who worked at Lifetime. Besides this, wouldn't it make sense that if WWF ratings are down, that they go to just one weekly two hour show (with the exemption of TNN's Saturday WWF show) on TNN. I used to be a fan of wrestling, but I really just got sick of it. It seems like WWF is making the same mistakes WCW did.




Raw's ratings dropped about 1.0 when they jumped from USA to TNN. Yeah, that really was a bad decision. USA used to let the WWF get away with ANYTHING because it was the best thing going on cable tv. Viacom isn't the same and the WWF has had to tone down substantially. For me, the final straw was when Shane McMahon turned heel and took the entire WCW with him making the whole thing the WWF (good guys) vs. WCW (bad guys) instead of just WWF vs. WCW. Especially since the Raw before, all of the WCW heels had attacked him and Booker T.