This morning, during my daily scan of the TV news sites, I read a report from Michael Ausiello on Entertainment Weekly that Scrubs, a show that I’ve avidly watched for eight seasons, is completely changing its format for its ninth season (you know, the season that wasn’t supposed to happen).
I won’t recount exactly what those changes are for those who don’t like spoilers (see Ausiello’s article for that), but considering I loved the heartwarming goodbye we got from season eight’s finale, I can’t imagine season nine carrying on the same way. That finale delivered the message that life goes on, people change, and by golly, the writers want to do something different. It’s almost impossible after that many episodes to spin the different story lines with new cast members in the same setting. New directions are the circle of life.
Given my love/hate relationship with the TV industry in general, not to mention the sometimes overzealous online fans, I normally would have dismissed the negative reaction over these changes as bull, but it got me thinking. I get it. We love our TV shows. Plain and simple. Except I think we love them too much at times, and minds close up faster than a collapsing worm hole when anything outside of our comfort zone comes along. After looking into viewing habits further though, I can see why.
I Trust Bill Lawrence
In the case of Scrubs, creator and writer Bill Lawrence has earned my respect and trust and I’m willing to give his new vision a shot. I’m also inspired by how he went on with the show so that the people who’ve worked there for so long can keep working. I know it won’t be the same old show, but that’s okay. I’m open to new ideas.
Now granted other TV shows have tried new ideas and they aren’t always good. I hate the so-called "creative direction" House took in season four with the new team. The idea was fine, but the execution and team selection was awful. Ditto in season five when the smart medicine was replaced by personal soap operas and "shipping." However, that’s my opinion. Sure, I’ve made my thoughts known here and there, but I did what any logical viewer would do in that circumstance. I walked away. I didn’t want to spoil the experience for those who did love the changes. Now House represents casual viewing on my TiVo when I’m bored. Which is pretty much never these days.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
"The King of Queens" a classic?!
2 - Alice Jester
Actually El Bicho, I was going to say the same of "Mork and Mindy." Everyone has a different definition of "classic." I just listed it because I was having trouble coming up with recent spinoffs off the top of my head. :)