Sep 7, 2014 5 min read

Back in the day, previews of new fall TV shows were given only to select TV critics. As a further security measure, critics often had to travel to local TV affiliates to watch the shows lest the critics make copies or invite neighbors over for a preview party.

In the last few years, however, networks did an about-face, making multiple preview episodes available on the Internet as well as on cable sites. I suppose the theory was that positive word of mouth would generate more eyeballs on the official premiere date.

It must have been a misguided theory. This year, most new shows are once again shrouded in secrecy. Not only are premiere episodes not available to the general public, networks aren’t even heavily promoting most new shows on the air. Last week, for instance, NBC used its top-rated “America’s Got Talent” primarily to tout its returning “The Black List.”

Evidently, the only new series previews available for the 2014-15 season are NBC’s “A to Z,” ABC’s “Selfie” and Fox’s “Red Band Society.” To be fair, CBS doesn’t have much to promote. Its No. 1 new series, spin-off “NCIS: New Orleans,” was already incorporated into an episode of the parent “NCIS” this spring.

By the way, there is logic to early exposure for those select three shows. The concept of “A to Z” isn’t readily definable by its title. Likewise, “Selfie” is a poor title choice for an updating of “My Fair Lady,” and “Red Band Society” could be mistaken as an old folks series (as in Red Hat Society) or, for the more informed, a series aimed directly at teens. A simple solution would be to modify the titles, but that’s evidently not going to happen.

I doubt many who preview “Selfie” are going to tune in again. Despite its aspirations, the show never even sniffs at “My Fair Lady” quality. While it’s not fatal to have a known outcome, writers at least have to make the journey to that outcome worth the effort. “Selfie” should be as short-lived as the same-titled novelty tune of a few months ago.

“A to Z” has a better cast and concept. It follows a couple through 26 episodes of dating (one storyline for each letter of the alphabet). Dating stops after the “Z” episode – but it’s not clear if it all ends in a breakup, death, engagement or wedding. It’s a cute comedy, to be sure, but certainly not letter perfect.

“Red Band Society” has been touted as the best new series of the season; it’s certainly the best of the three previews available to the public. It successfully overcomes some rather serious turnoffs for TV viewers. It focuses almost entirely on teens, it dwells on sobering plotlines, and its humor is rather dark. Yet, each time you reach for the remote, the plot, cast or mere curiosity pulls you back. It’s especially admirable that it settles for brief happiness over sappiness. A few teens in this hospital-set drama may not survive the first few episodes, but the series successfully set up a much longer lifespan.

While the bulk of fall series won’t premiere until the week of Sept. 21, a few will be trotted out early. Those include “Sons of Anarchy” (tomorrow, FX); “Hell’s Kitchen (Wednesday, Fox); “The Biggest Loser” (Thursday, NBC) and “Thursday Night Football (CBS).

The week of Sept. 14, five more are added to the mix, with “Dancing with the Stars (Monday, ABC); “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project” (Tuesday, Fox), “Red Band Society” (Wednesday, Fox) and “The Mysteries of Laura” Wednesday, NBC).

Note that just two of those are actually new series.

Many readers have asked if Jim Quinn and Rose Tennant would surface on WJAS-AM, where several of its companion syndicated conservative talk shows are now airing. It’s evidently not going to happen. Reportedly, Pittsburgh Radio Partners LLC, owners of WJAS, were negotiating with Quinn and Rose, but no accord could be reached.

As you may know, the former home of Quinn and Rose, WPGB, flipped formats to “Big Country” at the same time WJAS picked up its talk shows. So why three country music stations in Pittsburgh? Because WPGB owners are clearly betting there soon will be just two. We don’t know which country station may go down, but, to my knowledge, no Pittsburgh-sized market has ever sustained three country stations. On the flip side, mid-sized markets have supported two Top 40 stations, so one suspects WKST may soon have some competition.

Since we last wrote about the format change at WJAS, there’s been another shakeup on area radio. Dan Dunlap, a veteran Pittsburgh personality, has exited WSHH as part of a revamping of the lineup. Chris Shovlin, formerly of WJAS, and Cris Winter are doing the morning show, Sara Lockard is handling mid-days, and Ron Antill steers the afternoon drive. By the way, Shovlin is not new to WSHH. While doing afternoons at WJAS, he also did morning news for his current station.

Canonsburg’s WWCS (540-AM) is changing its sports network affiliation from Fox Sports Radio to Yahoo! Sports Radio next Monday. The station discontinued local programming long ago.

While it would be difficult to fault Billy Crystal’s heartfelt tribute to Robin Williams on the Emmy Awards, one has to wonder why no clips from either of his television series – “Mork and Mindy” or “The Crazy Ones” – were shown. It was, after all, a TV awards show. And – with absolutely no disrespect intended – it might well have been more fitting for a separate tribute to James Garner, who was certainly the biggest television star to pass away during the past year.