Ask Matt: Did ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Go Too Far? Is the Mockumentary Format Overdone & More
Welcome to the Q&A with TV critic — also known to some TV fans as their “TV therapist” — Matt Roush, who’ll try to address whatever you love, loathe, are confused or frustrated or thrilled by in today’s vast TV landscape. (We know background music is too loud, it’s the most frequent complaint, but there’s always closed-captioning. Check out this story for more tips.)
One caution: This is a spoiler-free zone, so we won’t be addressing upcoming storylines here unless it’s already common knowledge. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]). Look for Ask Matt columns on most Tuesdays.
Another Mockumentary?
Question: St. Denis Medical finally debuted on NBC in November, and while it’s not a bad show, I couldn’t help but notice it’s using that same old idea of a “mockumentary,” where characters talk to a camera crew filming their exploits. This was once a great idea, but I’m wondering if you find what I do, that this gimmick has been overused on TV over the past decade or more. Consider the number of shows that have already done this: Modern Family, Reno 911!, The Office, What We Do In The Shadows, The Comeback, Parks and Recreation, and even Abbott Elementary. Now you can add St. Denis to the list. It’s a great storytelling device, I suppose, but how many of them do we need before it’s not original anymore? As old-time-radio comedian Fred Allen noted, “Imitation is the sincerest form of television.” It seems not much has changed.
But if they’re going to keep this up, here’s an idea: How about a mockumentary show about the fictional crew filming all these supposed TV shows? Imagine: You could have them shooting a different sitcom every week or even temporarily reunite casts from shows like Modern Family, The Office, and more, creating the ultimate TV meta moment. Although time itself may implode if they tried it. It’s too late to save the St. Denis patient from quickly becoming an overused televised cliché, but I’d humbly suggest TV creators give it a rest for a while. Because in the case of the new NBC show, there’s plenty of doctors, but too many “docs.” — Aaron F.
Matt Roush: I started my review of St. Denis Medical with a reflection on this same topic, noting that the mockumentary is “no longer a new or innovative format, and often begs the question of why those omnipresent camera crews never leave.” But I also noted that in the right hands, this style of TV comedy allows insights into character that might not be as effectively achieved in another format. Is it overused? Possibly, but given that this show’s creators have worked on similar shows, I’ll cut them some slack. My bottom line is that I don’t judge a show so much on its format (mockumentary, studio audience, traditionally filmed), focusing instead on the depth of its characters, the cast, and writing. So far, St. Denis mostly passes muster, but I agree the format should continue to be used sparingly.
Three’s a Crowd, and Also a Problem
Comment: I tuned into the Nov. 7 Doctor Odyssey wedding episode thinking it would be light and frothy. I turned it off afterward feeling like I’d just been exposed to softcore porn. This is considered appropriate for prime time on a network available to all ages?? Guess I’m old-fashioned, but I’m thankful I’m not raising kids in today’s environment where the networks race to be the sleaziest. (Obviously, I won’t tune in to Doctor Odyssey again!) Thanks for letting me vent. — Dawn J.
Matt Roush: You’re hardly alone in seeing the “throuple” of Dr. Max and nurses Avery and Tristan as a turnoff. C. Burrus wrote in, saying, “It’s one thing to hint at something, but something else entirely when we see what is going on.” The ick factor was considerable, I agree, and the comparison to softcore porn also applicable, mainly because of the ineptitude and cheesiness of the execution. Since that episode aired, two-thirds of the triangle have expressed some measure of regret, if that helps. (It probably doesn’t.)
Fall’s Paltry Harvest of New Programming
Question: Is ABC following The CW’s lead? Remember when ABC used to have like 15 new shows premiere in a season? (Or I suppose, remember when any network did that?) Anyway, I know that rising costs and decreasing TV viewership makes making new shows harder every year. But isn’t it concerning that ABC, which used to have a packed scripted primetime schedule, is now down to FIVE scripted series airing this fall? (Well, four now that High Potential is on break.) Plus, The Conners is ending come midseason, and I personally feel a bit uneasy about the security of both The Rookie and Doctor Odyssey securing renewals next season. Do you think that ABC’s yearly decrease in programming is a cause for concern for the network? Sure, they have massive hits like 9-1-1 and High Potential, and Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary, but I miss when ABC would offer FOUR half-hour comedies and an hourlong drama all in one Wednesday. — Shirley
Matt Roush: Out of curiosity, I went back to TV Guide Magazine’s 2014 Fall Preview issue to see what the situation was a decade ago, and that fall, roughly 24 shows were premiering that season on the five broadcast networks, compared to 16 this year (a number somewhat inflated by The CW’s change in format). In 2014, ABC alone launched six new scripted shows, including black-ish and How to Get Away with Murder. I went back another decade to the banner year of 2004, when 27 new shows premiered, including eight on ABC (including Desperate Housewives and Lost, with Grey’s Anatomy waiting in the wings.) ABC only accounted for three new series this fall (if you count The Golden Bachelorette, which I kind of don’t).
All of which leads me to state the obvious, that fall TV isn’t what it used to be, and with so many time periods locked down for sports and reality-TV franchises, there isn’t as much real estate as there used to be to launch new dramas and comedies in the fall. (And their parent companies also tend to put more emphasis on developing quality shows for their streaming platforms.) ABC’s situation is exacerbated by the fact that they’ve pretty much given up on Sundays (Disney movies), with most Mondays now turned over (understandably) to Monday Night Football simulcasts. The Wednesday situation, with Abbott Elementary the sole beacon of comedy for the entire week (not counting the inadvertent comedy of Doctor Odyssey), is harder to fathom. But I’m not sure the powers that be at ABC are losing sleep over this. Many of these measures can be seen as cost-effective, even at the expense of the network’s reputation for providing a variety of programming.
Could a New Friday Night Lights Recapture the Magic?
Question: I’ve read that Universal TV is considering a potential reboot of Friday Night Lights. You introduced me to that show back during its original run. And while it makes me feel old to realize that a show I watched starting when I was in high school is now old enough to be rebooted, I’m also not really sure I want a reboot. While it appears that executive producer Jason Katims is involved in the discussions, I feel like he stuck the landing with one of the best series finales that I’ve ever seen. I’m really not sure what would be gained in a creative sense from opening that up again. I hold the original series in such high regard that, even if it is all new characters, I worry about damaging the legacy of the original. It really felt like a lightning-in-a-bottle situation with that show and that cast at that time. It was so special that I feel like any new version living up to it would be an enormous challenge. They’d really have to get it perfect or it’s better not to do it. I’d almost rather they leave it in peace. I say this as an overprotective fan. What do you think? — Jake
Matt Roush: I would agree wholeheartedly that any new version of Friday Night Lights faces the daunting challenge of living up to the original series, although this was never what you’d call a hit during its five-season run (the last three shared between DirecTV’s 101 Network and NBC to keep the lights on). It appears that any reboot would feature entirely new characters, but I’d love it if Coach Taylor’s (Kyle Chandler) legacy in the next generation could be shown by one of his former players being a coach (as often happens in real life) or some other connection. The environment for the show’s return might actually be more friendly given that FNL has enjoyed an afterlife in streaming, and the threshold for success on broadcast TV (if that’s where this would even land) is lower than it was when Friday Night Lights first aired from 2006-11, so anything’s possible. I’d simply hope that if the series does return in some form, that it has the authenticity and full heart of what came before. Won’t be easy.
At Cross Purposes
Question: I just finished watching Cross on Prime Video and [SPOILER ALERT] was wondering how the police caught Ramsey after he killed the medical examiner. I didn’t find that satisfying at all. I actually thought there would be a rematch between them in Season 2. (BTW, I did call the Ramsey and Nancy twists before they were shown.) — Bessie F, Middletown, NY
Matt Roush: That was your problem with that scene? Not arch-villain Ramsey (Ryan Eggold) rising from the dead, faking his death, unseen by anyone else in the morgue? I suppose that in the time it took him to change into scrubs and murder the poor cop outside his victim’s hospital room, someone might have picked up on what was going on, and the ever-intuitive Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) already had his Spidey Sense tingling, which may explain his perfect timing. But yes, it was an improbable moment in an improbable show that, as I noted in my review, sometimes crossed the line into the “incredibly insane.” And I hope we don’t get a rematch. I expect Cross will find an equally baroque madman (or woman) for Season 2. I’ve had enough of this creep.
And Finally …
Question: I might be in the minority, but I think Ryan Seacrest is doing a good job as host of Wheel of Fortune. He’s finally starting to develop his own style. I wonder, though, if he didn’t bring some bad luck to the wheel with him. Is it just me, or do players hit the Bankrupt [wedge] much, much more often than they used to? It seems like every third spin is a Bankrupt. — Mark
Matt Roush: Not that I’m looking, but if there’s any significant backlash to Wheel’s ubiquitous new host, I’m not seeing it. As for the Bankrupts, apparently others have noticed their recent frequency and have even commented on Reddit that they wished the producers would take one of the Bankrupts off the wheel. For now, though, that’s the way the wheel spins, and let the player beware.
That’s all for now. We can’t do this without your participation, so please keep sending questions and comments about TV to [email protected]. (Please include a first name with your question.)
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