Part of our series, “Looking at Latino Hollywood, 2012”
The good news, as we’ve said before: there are more than thirty original programs featuring Latinos as cast members or regulars on network and cable this fall. The not-quite-as-good news: most of those shows have now premiered, and none of the shows have proven to be ‘breakthroughs’ straight out of the gate. A couple, in fact, may already know that the light at the end of their tunnel is an oncoming train.
NBC brought in the most new shows and add-ins this season, and unfortunately the cracks are already starting to show. One of their very first new shows to premiere was Free Agents, where comedian Al Madrigal had a supporting role. Its numbers were low to begin with and, sadly, are getting lower. It’s already getting high scores on the cancellometer. The new Office appears invulnerable, even with the departure of Steve Carell, so Oscar Nuñez may have a place to stay for as long as he likes. The same goes for most of its other returning shows (though Harry’s Law, now with Karen Olivo, is looking dubious), and Parenthood with Sarah Ramos, barely renewed to begin with, is still looking a little weak. The worst news is about Eddie Cibrian’s The Playboy Club; it’s been a disappointment for everyone involved–the critics, the viewers and the network. Even its first episode started soft; the second attracted a tragic 25% fewer viewers than the premiere, and there’s no sign of turnaround. Chase, the show it replaced, did better in this spot this time last year. Most industry watchers are already calling it a Dead Show Walking, though the network will probably let the first set of episodes run anyway.
Meanwhile, the news over on CBS is…no news at all. The net with the least Latino content continues to putter along with Cote de Pablo in NCIS, Adam Rodriguez and Eva La Rue in CSI: Miami and not much else. Blue Bloods will be adding Lie to Me’s Monica Raymund for an arc, but that hasn’t happened yet, and the show’s ratings, though solid enough, aren’t rocking anyone’s world.
ABC, with a host of new and returning Latino-related shows, is showing continued strength with Modern Family, Rico Rodriguez and the ubiquitous Sofia Vergara (how many commercials is she doing?). And Castle, where Jon Huertas resides, continues to deliver. But Desperate Housewives is in its final year; the new Charlie’s Angels with Ramon Rodriguez didn’t ‘wow’ anybody, and the jury’s still out on Revenge, with Madeline Stowe.
FOX is celebrating the only legitimate breakout hit of the season, Zoe Deschanel’s The New Girl, and at the same time looking with considerable concern at Glee, where Naya Rivera and the gang didn’t get a great set of numbers in either the first or second week, after a truly disastrous box-office performance of their 3D concert film. And they’re keeping their fingers crossed for Terra Nova, where Rene Echeverria is an exec producer. So far so good, but this is one expensive show that needs big numbers to stay viable.
And then there’s the CW. Though their established shows–the ones that have already returned-are doing fine, the two Latino-involved shows they premiered this fall are both already in trouble. H8r, the reality show hosted by Mario Lopez, took the prize as the lowest-rated premiere of the season (so far). Now it’s racing to be the first real cancel-and-pull for Fall 2012. Meanwhile, Nestor Carbonell should probably be recirculating his resume yet again; Sarah Michelle Geller’s quasi-thriller Ringer is going absolutely nowhere but down, even by CW standards; the returning numbers were uuuughly. Given that it’s SMG, and there’s nothing all that exciting in the wings, the CW will probably let the show finish its initial run, but don’t expect much more.
All is not lost, of course. Half a dozen new and returning shows are coming in October, including House on FOX, where Odette Anable is joining the cast, Last Man Standing on ABC, with Hector Elizondo as Tim Allen’s buddy, and Psych with the redoubtable James Roday on the USA Network. And–finally!–David Zayas and Lauren Velez will be back on Dexter.
And there are still plenty of new episodes of everything to watch, with Latino talent on display…just no fireworks so far. More of a…fizzle.
