Every year, I look forward to the latest batch of sitcoms. And this year is no exception.
Ever since the networks announced which shows would be on their fall schedules, I’ve wondered how many of them would become favorites that I discuss with family and friends.
Unlike in years past, however, I haven’t had to wait until the actual fall premier of new shows to watch some of them.
These days some shows are available online prior to their Fall TV debuts. So far, NBC has made “Animal Practice,” “Go On,” and “The New Normal” available at NBC.com.
Fox has made episodes of “Ben and Kate” and “The Mindy Project” available for viewing on a variety of platforms, including Fox.com.
For the broadcast networks, there is a risk involved in making a show available early. If the viewers who sample the shows early don’t like them, they could tell their friends that viewing the show is a waste of time. Bad word of mouth could easily spell doom for a show even before it’s on TV.
I think the potential rewards of making shows available online far outweigh the risks.
If the pilot episode of a show is a hit with viewers, then those people will certainly talk it up to friends, growing the potential audience for the show.
This summer, I’ve watched “Go On” starring Matthew Perry and liked the pilot enough that I will tune to the show when it premiers later this month.
While I wasn’t bowled over by the jokes in the pilot episode of “Animal Practice,” I see enough potential in the characters that I think the show could become a lot better.
I’ve watched enough sitcoms over the years to know that weak pilots don’t necessarily mean a show will not get better.
The trick for “Animal Practice” and all other new series is to stay on the air long enough for that to happen.
