'Buffy' loss takes a bite out of WB
'Smallville' could ease Frog's p'gramming pain
While the 20th Century Fox TV-produced skein isn't the Frog's top-rated show -- that honor belongs to Monday powerhouse "7th Heaven" -- "Buffy" is the anchor of the WB's Tuesday lineup, with an average aud of about 4.5 million viewers. Star Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of the Frog's icons.
It's too early to say just what the WB will do on Tuesday nights next season. First up, the net must decide whether to keep or kill "Buffy" spinoff "Angel."
Ratings-wise, some industry insiders believe "Angel" would suffer without the benefit of a "Buffy" lead-in. The net may also want to make a clean break from the entire "Buffy" franchise.
On the other hand, canceling "Angel" would mean giving UPN another hour of successful programming, which the latter netlet would likely use to build a whole new Tuesday.
Superman to the rescue?
Assuming "Angel" flies, one leading contender for the 8 p.m. Tuesday slot would be "Smallville," the young Superman skein from Warner Bros. TV that already has a 13-episode commitment. Show's superhero-as-teen plot mirrors that of early "Buffy."
Another possibility would be "Dead Last," which revolves around a "Scooby Doo"-like rock band that solves mysteries. It also has a 13-episode order.
In addition to its Tuesday problem, the WB will have other holes to plug next season.
On Mondays, the 20th-produced "Roswell" was all but dead before the "Buffy" move. It's now buried. On Fridays, the WB will have to fill an hour left by the likely cancellation of teen drama "Popular." Frog will also need at least another hour of programming on Sunday, and quite possibly two hours.
Perhaps most importantly, losing "Buffy" means losing the most-praised series the WB has. Last year, the series snagged Emmy and Golden Globe nods and made the 10-best lists of critics from Time, TV Guide and USA Today.
While plaudits don't always equal ratings, the WB has used praise for "Buffy" -- and other shows, including newcomer "Gilmore Girls" -- to build a brand as a home for quality young adult drama. That mission gets a bit tougher without the net's signature show.
