Why Happy Town was Bound To Fail

Happy Town

Happy Town

So Happy Town is pretty much gone. I have noticed something about T.V. shows. If I love a new show, it is bound to get canceled. Now there is a really rare exception to this rule. House survived because it is a medical drama. So despite the show being lead by a doctor that is totally nuts and has no filter as far as knowing what he should say or do to other people, this show is enjoying a great run. That is the clincher though. It can’t be too original. It has to be a “proven” (read worn out) idea. It can’t challenge our minds in any way. If it does, it will fail. People don’t want to think when it comes to entertainment.

Look at shows like Dancing With The Stars, American Idol, Survivor, and the rest of the so called “Reality Shows” (I know I won’t). They are the most brainless tripe Hollywood can drum up. It offers the public nothing of substance in any way. It is shallow, mindless, and petty. People with boring little lives can tune into their little soap opera and see if “that bitch gets what she deserves”. It’s so predictable that last time I posted a rant about these kinds of shows a friend pointed out that I hit the nail on the head with where the show was at that exact moment in time. I have never watched a single episode of any of them, but yet knew what was happening. That is how little they offer your brain. It is mindless entertainment for the mindless public. Although most of the people watching are brainless twats who just need something to occupy their time when not playing Farmville, many are just unplugging their brain after a long day. My point is that people want mindless entertainment.

Even when it comes to scripted drama people want something that isn’t too adventurous. Either it’s the third rate copies of the 90′s version of Melrose Place on CW, or it’s another idea that has been beaten to death. Medical dramas, police dramas, family dramas, and reality shows. Can drama not exist outside of these walls? Not too often. And don’t look to the past or future for this to change. This has been the case for about half a century now. Yes, I know you can list several shows that do not fall into these categories. How many of them survived 100 episodes on the major networks? So let’s compare. Count the shows that are currently on major networks, have made it past 100 episodes, and DO fit into one of those four categories. Now count the shows that are currently on major networks, have made it past 100 episodes, and DO NOT fit into one of those four categories. You will be shocked.

So what killed Happy Town? Even though it wasn’t the newest idea to ever come across the tv waves, it was more fresh than a great majority of network shows. It was kind of the Twin Peaks of this decade, but even that show only lasted 30 episodes! It didn’t fit into one of the three staples of television dramas. There are endless lists of shows like this that have done well on cable. Heck, X-Files would fall like a lead balloon if Fox tried to air it today. Back then it treated shows like Cable does now. If they tried this show on Syfy I think it would have kicked but, but ABC is the super wussy channel. Happy Town was way too dark. It made Lost look like a children’s ride at Disneyland. That being said I think Lost was a fluke. So is the show Supernatural. Shows like this almost never survive. It is a major gamble to try them on a major network.

So is it a curse when I like a show? Kind of. I like something other than the staus quo. Which means that if I like it, it will not fit into the pretty little predictable box that the general public likes. So in a way my love of a show isn’t a curse, but it is maybe a canary in the coal mine. Now if only I could get a job testing out new shows. I could tell if they will make it in ten minutes or less. So please stop trying to put new ideas on the networks. If you have a great and fresh idea for television, please push it to cable. I don’t care how much more money the majors offer you. In the long run you will make more if the show lasts. Poor Happy Town. It never had a chance.