BEVERLY HILLS -- It's reality TV's version of an arms race. With each hiring of a new judge, the star power gets mightier, the price tags higher.
Pop diva Mariah Carey became the latest big name to bolster the trend when she agreed earlier this week to become a judge on Fox's "American Idol" in a deal reportedly worth $18 million.
"We've got the biggest recording artist any of these shows has ever had," Kevin Reilly, Fox entertainment chief, boasted to journalists gathered here for the TV critics summer press tour. You practically expected him to flex his muscles and kick sand in the direction of other networks.
Carey follows a parade of marquee personalities who have joined reality talent competitions in recent years, including Christina Aguilera ("The Voice"), Britney Spears ("The X Factor"), Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez ("Idol") and Howard Stern ("America's Got Talent").
All this my-judge-is-bigger-than-your-judge maneuvering underscores just how desperate the networks are to seize our attention in an era of waning ratings and multiplying channels. Superstars generate headlines and pique curiosities.
"We want to provide the best viewing experience," Reilly said. "And if that means bringing in some of the biggest names in the business to generate a new dynamic and more interest, I think that's a smart investment."
But this weapons race seems a little silly when you consider "American Idol" became TV's biggest hit with a judges' panel that at the time featured two unknowns -- Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson -- and a pop has-been in Paula Abdul. Why, then, are big guns needed now?
Because "Idol" is going into its 12th season, which is old in TV years. And while ratings have been sliding, it's still prime-time's most popular show and a very valuable commodity for Fox. Rather than let it slip away into oblivion, the network hopes to reinvent it and generate new buzz.
Moreover, there's evidence that supports their tactics: When Tyler and Lopez came on two years ago, the show experienced a temporary ratings jump.
"I think change is going to be part of the show going forward," said Reilly, who doesn't rule out changing judges on "Idol" every year from here on out. "We're 12 years old. I think we've got to keep it fresh. It's a lot of work and not without some risk, but I think the audience wants to see the discovery of something new on the bench. So we're going to keep playing with the formula." Continued...
Meanwhile, it's easy to see why pop stars, who once might have looked down their noses at a reality show, are now taking calls from networks. Not only is the money enticing, but TV exposure can do a lot to breathe new fire into a career. Just ask Lopez and Tyler, who are suddenly busier than ever with concert tours and albums.
"The music business is difficult," Reilly said. "You have to do a lot of touring and sell a lot of downloads to make the money you used to make and to keep your profile. That's why they're interested in doing 'Idol.' It's still the gold standard."
HIGH ON 'GLEE': Another Fox show getting a bit of a makeover is "Glee." In the fourth season, the musical comedy will swivel between New York, where some of our McKinley High School graduates have moved to study acting, and Ohio, where students remain.
"I'm very happy with how seamless it is," Reilly said. "There are going to be thematic linkages between the two."
At one point, producers considered splitting the season down the middle, with one part focusing on New York and the other on Ohio. But that idea was scrapped because it would be too "jarring."
"I don't think that's the way fans want to watch the show," he said.
Cast member Darren Criss, one of the kids still in school, has mixed feelings about the changes.
"It will be a bummer not doing scenes with certain people. I'll miss them," he said. "But the show is about moving on and growing up and how those changes affect young people. It's good to explore that."
THIS 'N' THAT: Undoubtedly inspired by the success of "True Blood" and the "Twilight" movie series, NBC is sinking its fangs into "Dracula." The network has ordered a 10-episode adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic vampire saga, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the title role. No air date has been set. ... Hoping to take advantage of the Olympics as a promotional platform, NBC, for the first time, will air commercial-free sneak previews of two shows within the 17-day window of the Games. "Go On," starring Matthew Perry is set for Aug. 8, and "Animal Practice," a sitcom set in a veterinarian clinic, will premiere Aug. 12 after the closing ceremonies.
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Read his TV blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/category/tv and follow him at Twitter.com/chuckbarney and Facebook.com/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.
BEVERLY HILLS -- It's reality TV's version of an arms race. With each hiring of a new judge, the star power gets mightier, the price tags higher.
Pop diva Mariah Carey became the latest big name to bolster the trend when she agreed earlier this week to become a judge on Fox's "American Idol" in a deal reportedly worth $18 million.
"We've got the biggest recording artist any of these shows has ever had," Kevin Reilly, Fox entertainment chief, boasted to journalists gathered here for the TV critics summer press tour. You practically expected him to flex his muscles and kick sand in the direction of other networks.
Carey follows a parade of marquee personalities who have joined reality talent competitions in recent years, including Christina Aguilera ("The Voice"), Britney Spears ("The X Factor"), Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez ("Idol") and Howard Stern ("America's Got Talent").
All this my-judge-is-bigger-than-your-judge maneuvering underscores just how desperate the networks are to seize our attention in an era of waning ratings and multiplying channels. Superstars generate headlines and pique curiosities.
"We want to provide the best viewing experience," Reilly said. "And if that means bringing in some of the biggest names in the business to generate a new dynamic and more interest, I think that's a smart investment."
But this weapons race seems a little silly when you consider "American Idol" became TV's biggest hit with a judges' panel that at the time featured two unknowns -- Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson -- and a pop has-been in Paula Abdul. Why, then, are big guns needed now?
Because "Idol" is going into its 12th season, which is old in TV years. And while ratings have been sliding, it's still prime-time's most popular show and a very valuable commodity for Fox. Rather than let it slip away into oblivion, the network hopes to reinvent it and generate new buzz.
Moreover, there's evidence that supports their tactics: When Tyler and Lopez came on two years ago, the show experienced a temporary ratings jump.
"I think change is going to be part of the show going forward," said Reilly, who doesn't rule out changing judges on "Idol" every year from here on out. "We're 12 years old. I think we've got to keep it fresh. It's a lot of work and not without some risk, but I think the audience wants to see the discovery of something new on the bench. So we're going to keep playing with the formula."
Meanwhile, it's easy to see why pop stars, who once might have looked down their noses at a reality show, are now taking calls from networks. Not only is the money enticing, but TV exposure can do a lot to breathe new fire into a career. Just ask Lopez and Tyler, who are suddenly busier than ever with concert tours and albums.
"The music business is difficult," Reilly said. "You have to do a lot of touring and sell a lot of downloads to make the money you used to make and to keep your profile. That's why they're interested in doing 'Idol.' It's still the gold standard."
HIGH ON 'GLEE': Another Fox show getting a bit of a makeover is "Glee." In the fourth season, the musical comedy will swivel between New York, where some of our McKinley High School graduates have moved to study acting, and Ohio, where students remain.
"I'm very happy with how seamless it is," Reilly said. "There are going to be thematic linkages between the two."
At one point, producers considered splitting the season down the middle, with one part focusing on New York and the other on Ohio. But that idea was scrapped because it would be too "jarring."
"I don't think that's the way fans want to watch the show," he said.
Cast member Darren Criss, one of the kids still in school, has mixed feelings about the changes.
"It will be a bummer not doing scenes with certain people. I'll miss them," he said. "But the show is about moving on and growing up and how those changes affect young people. It's good to explore that."
THIS 'N' THAT: Undoubtedly inspired by the success of "True Blood" and the "Twilight" movie series, NBC is sinking its fangs into "Dracula." The network has ordered a 10-episode adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic vampire saga, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the title role. No air date has been set. ... Hoping to take advantage of the Olympics as a promotional platform, NBC, for the first time, will air commercial-free sneak previews of two shows within the 17-day window of the Games. "Go On," starring Matthew Perry is set for Aug. 8, and "Animal Practice," a sitcom set in a veterinarian clinic, will premiere Aug. 12 after the closing ceremonies.
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Read his TV blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/category/tv and follow him at Twitter.com/chuckbarney and Facebook.com/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.
