'Ugly Betty' Leads Pack of New TV Series

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ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Well, now more about what is on television and what is succeeding and what's not succeeding this fall. Joining us to talk about the network television fall season is Marisa Guthrie, television reporter for the New York Daily News.

Welcome to the program.

Ms. MARISA GUTHRIE (New York Daily News): Thank you very much.

SIEGEL: And as we've heard, there are some NBC programs that are not performing very well this fall season. Which ones are the disappointments?

Ms. GUTHRIE: Well, certainly Kidnapped has been a disappointment for NBC. It had a high-profile time slot on Wednesday night. They've moved it to Saturday and declined to pick up any additional episodes.

SIEGEL: Then we have something quite fascinating, which is two programs from NBC, both based on or spin-offs from Saturday Night Live.

Ms. GUTHRIE: Yes. One is a mad-cap comedy called 30 Rock, and that's from Tina Fey, who was the head writer and one of the stars of Saturday Night Live, and the other is Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip from Aaron Sorkin, creator of the West Wing and Sports Night. And that is a very Sorkin-esque aspirational drama about the politicking that goes on at a network such as NBC.

SIEGEL: Yeah, here is an example of a very Aaron Sorkin-esque dialogue from Studio 60:

(Soundbite of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip")

Ms. AMANDA PEET (Actress): (As Jordan McDeere) Hey, you know what this is? It's the sketch that got cut. I just read it. I thought it was inspired, but I'm not an expert. Matt, read it and tell me what you think.

Mr. MATTHEW PERRY (Actor): (As Matt Albie) No, I'm not going to read it.

Ms. PEET: (As Jordan McDeere) Just read it and tell me if it should have gone on the air.

Mr. PERRY: (As Matt Albie) I don't need to read it.

Ms. PEET: (As Jordan McDeere) Matt.

Mr. BRADLEY WHITFORD (Actor): (As Danny Tripp) He doesn't need to read it.

Ms. PEET: (As Jordan McDeere) Why?

Mr. PERRY: (As Matt Albie) Because I wrote it.

SIEGEL: That's Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, who play a writer/director team brought back to a program very much like Saturday Night Live, and they're sparring with the very young broadcast executive, Jordan McDeere, played by Amanda Peet.

The show's doing alright or not?

Ms. GUTHRIE: It's been a little discouraging. It premiered with about 13 million people and this week's episode was watched by just under eight million, which is never a good sign and is something that makes broadcast network executives very, very nervous.

SIEGEL: Now, there's a new NBC show I know you like a lot. I finally saw the first episode to it. It's Friday Night Lights. It's about high school football in Texas, based on the movie, which was based on the book. Very interesting program, and I gather not a huge ratings success.

Ms. GUTHRIE: Terrible. Wonderful show, one of my favorites, but no one is watching it. Just no one. It's on at 8:00 o'clock. It might be a little early for a show like that. It might be a little too realistic.

In the first episode, the show's star quarterback is catastrophically injured. He's paralyzed. The whole show, the whole tenor of the show is about getting out of a dead end life.

SIEGEL: But the realism that you spoke of is what struck me, that this town with its strip malls, with its rather modest houses half the size of the houses on the Desperate Housewives or something like that - it looks real. People are supposed to come home from work at the end of Friday, turn on escapist network television, and they're going to see their real lives pretty realistically depicted in all of these scenes.

Ms. GUTHRIE: They are, and that's a fine balance. I mean, you may have some people who don't live that life that will watch it and will find it compelling. But most people - I mean, they use television as a narcoleptic tool and they don't want to come home from a hard day of work and see this desolation. They'd much rather sit in front of a game show or Dancing With the Stars.

SIEGEL: Dancing With The Stars is an ABC program, I gather very successful, and ABC has some other returning hits and also a new surprising hit program.

Ms. GUTHRIE: Ugly Betty, yes. It has really connected with viewers in a way that most of the other new programs, with the possible exception of Heroes, have not.

SIEGEL: Let's hear a little clip of Ugly Betty. This is the star of the series, America Ferrera, and she's trying to get into an exclusive joint for a party.

(Soundbite of "Ugly Betty")

Ms. AMERICA FERRERA (Actor): (As Betty Suarez) This is a party for my boss, Daniel Meade. I'm his assistant.

Unidentified Man (Actor): (As Doorman) (Unintelligible)

Ms. FERRERA: (As Betty Suarez) No, I am. I am. Here, look, I have my Xerox card. Here. Somewhere. I know I have it. They don't just give these to anybody.

Oh, see, she knows me. Amanda!

Unidentified Man: (As Doorman) Why don't you come back on Monday night. That's when we let anybody in.

SIEGEL: And that is - she's a rather plain young woman who works at a fashion magazine surrounded by glamorous people.

Ms. GUTHRIE: Yes. And she wants to be in, and can't we all relate to that? Which is why viewers are watching.

SIEGEL: Well, may they succeed.

Thank you very much for talking with us, Marisa.

Ms. GUTHRIE: Thank you.

SIEGEL: That's Marisa Guthrie, who is television reporter for the New York Daily News.

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