Attention daytime talk show syndication gods- May I present yet another piece of evidence in my ongoing effort to TEACH YOU WHY daytime talk shows fail year after year!
Todays example- "The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet". Also known as "the old-gay-guy-who-is-in-denial-about-his-real-age-and-the-young-hottie-who-has-no-substance-and-would-never-be-allowed-near-any-of-the-viewer's-husbands-because-she-just-looks-like-a-funny-yet-untrsutworthy-homewrecker"!
So you may say, "but this show isn't cancelled yet? Why the doom and gloom Tara?" And to you I reply, "My predictions are always ahead of their time." In the past 6 years of predicting hits and misses of daytime tv, I have been 100% correct! From The Jane Pauley Show to Danza, to Mullaly, to Behrendt, (someone should be fired for that one!) to Ablow and of course now I tell you with 100% assurity, Mike & Juliet are on their way to the daytime tv cemetary as well.
Long-time readers and worshippers of my column can now explain for themselves why this show was doomed from the start. But for you newbies, let me once again outline the formula for a successful show to make it in daytime tv here in the 2000's.
The next run-away hit in daytime syndication will adhere to the following formula:
It will be hosted by a non-celebrity. It will likely be a male who is loved by the female viewers but viewed as a buddy/equal by the males. This host must be married. This host must be a parent to children still living at home. The show must draw heavily on the conservative values of middle America, not the west coast lifestyle. The show must mix humor and drama. the show should use celebrity content only sparingly.
Fox had the right idea in using the momentum of their Fox News Channel to spin off additional programming. But Roger Ailes and company blew it big-time when they cast the show with two people who have absolutely NOTHING in common with the daytime audience! How obvious is this people? Cater to your audience! Stay-at-home mothers who are raising children and working on relationships want to spend their time with people who are more successful versions of themselves! Not these completely unrelatable Barbie and Ken (or should I call him Grandpa Ken) who currently host The Morning Show!
My suggestion for saving this potential asset for Fox News; Begin playing UP the title of the show as "The Morning Show" and play DOWN the names of the current hosts. Then quietly begin conducting casting calls and focus groups to find the hosts that can save this otherwise VERY generic, dare I say vanilla, daytime offering.
To the rest of you daytime talk show syndication gurus- listen up. Do not be afraid of daytime talk. But DO be afraid of letting out-of-touch develeopment staffers try and convince you of any show concept that does NOT hold to the formula outlined above. America hungers for a fresh offering of something with more fiber in it than the current lite fare of daytime talk.
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