The WB Returns!

With the CW flailing in the ratings race (some nights it doesn't even manage a 1 rating) something interesting is about to happen online.

Get ready for the return of The WB.

Warner Bros. announced today that they're putting together a nostalgic website (tentatively wb.com) that will feature advertiser supported episodes of Warner Bros. produced series that ran on the little network we miss so much.

Let's face it, The CW knows young and stylin' about as well as CBS does. Could that be because CBS owns 50% - yeah, probably so.

There's no word yet whether old WB shows that were produced by outside studios (BUFFY or ANGEL were produced by 20th Television) will be included, but there is an expectation that new micro-series will be available, featuring 5 minute long episodes of programs that would have been at home on the old WB.

Here's to hoping Michigan J. Frog will be back at work soon.

Will it work? Who knows? But, God bless 'em for trying. The WB's presence is sorely lacking on TV today. A rebirth online would be kinda cool.

That website again: dubba-dubba-dubba-wb.com.

Dig it.

Zucker Keeps Digging NBC's Grave

Jeff Zucker has lost his mind.

Several publications are reporting that NBC has reached a production agreement with DirecTV that will enable FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS to remain on the air for another season. DirecTV will premiere the new episodes before NBC.

This is one giant step way beyond sharing a telecast window with a co-owned cable entity like USA. NBC is farming out a marginal show that will most likely never be a ratings giant to a satellite television distributor.

I don't get it. NBC/Universal doesn't have enough venues to share the telecast window within their own enormous vertically integrated mega-corporation? NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, A&E, Sci-Fi, Bravo, Sleuth, or Chiller not good enough?

What's the point of being so vertically intertwined if you can't even manage to produce a marginal show like FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS?

Do you get it? NBC will now be aring re-runs of programming produced for a satellite distributor. That's nuts!

What's next? Why not give away preview episodes THE BIGGEST LOSER on DVD with a Happy Meal at McDonald's?

Fire Zucker. Save the network.