It’s no secret that it’s been a tough Fall Premiere season for the TV networks, especially NBC. Now the mid-season retreats, retoolings, returns and premieres are being announced, and a number of the shows featuring Latino performers are suffering the consequences of the ‘soft’ season opener.
Free Agents and H8R are already gone. Now Harry’s Law, despite a strong season opener with Alfred Molina and the arrival of Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo, is being moved yet again, to Sunday night–not quite the Land of the Dead that is Saturday, but not exactly the ratings super-highway, either. Prime Suspect, with Kirk Acevedo and Elizabeth Rodriguez, has ceased production, and no one believes that this prestigious but unnoticed cop drama will be back. And now we hear that Awake, a sci-fi-parallel-worlds drama starring (among many others) Wilmer Valderrama, is nowhere to be found on the recently published mid-season schedule for NBC; it’s gone back to drawing board to “work on scripts.” Not a good sign. And ABC has put a crimp in Ian Gomez’ future plans: Cougar Town, a mini-cult hit starring an ensemble that includes Courtney Cox, Busy Phillips, and Gomez, has seen its order cut from 22 episodes to 15, and it won’t be back until the Spring.
Yes, the future seems bright, with all the Latino-centric shows in development, and there are at least two programs with Latinos in lead roles appearing sometime soon–Rob Schneider’s CBS sitcom and ABC’s Work It! with Amaury Nolasco–but it’s a shame to see so many programs (some good, some not so) fading before they even make it to the stretch.
Mi gente, it’s a tough year for everybody. Including Latinos in front and behind the camera.
