Tassler becomes a serial defender

A look at some of the highlights as the TV industry unveils its upcoming shows to the entertainment press at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena:

Tell us, television viewer, when you turn on the tube at night and decide what shows to watch, do you ask yourself, “Am I in the mood for a procedural, or is this a serialized drama kind of night?”

This fall, the five networks will air hefty dramas, replete with mega stars, complex story lines, and plots that don’t quit. Across the board, there will be fewer reality shows, fewer comedies and more series that require the commitment of “Lost” and “24.”

CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler views this as an encouraging thing, even though some critics have noted that the serial format has the potential to turn off those who haven’t tuned in from the beginning or irritate those who do tune in -- only to be left hanging if the show gets canceled.

Tassler says CBS is keeping that in mind: “In this climate right now, with as many different changes that are happening in multiplatform, there might be opportunity to provide resolution for audiences in other platforms for shows that don’t continue on broadcast.”

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Maria Elena Fernandez