Hal Boedeker: What are the best shows TV has to offer?
Get ready for another deluge. The fall TV season officially starts Sept. 19.
Through July, 322 scripted programs had played, and that number could climb to as many as 450 before year’s end, cable channel FX estimated this month in annual research. The 450 is a staggering increase from 210 in 2009 and a rise from 417 last year.
The numbers present challenges for any TV fan: So many programs, so little time. The professionals are stumped, too.
“While there’s more great television than at any time in history, and I think that is indisputably true, audiences are having more trouble than ever distinguishing the great from the merely competent,” John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, told TV critics. “I do this for a living. I think I have a pretty good memory. And I certainly can’t come close to keep-
ing track of it all.”
Streaming services, especially Netflix, are driving the boom, Landgraf said.
But which programs merit attention? Broadcast networks still reach the biggest audiences and pack great punch. With the Rio Olympics, NBC alerted viewers to “This Is Us,” an unusual family drama. ABC has done an expert job of letting viewers know “24” star Kiefer Sutherland will return in “Designated Survivor.”
Some cable channels are more skilled at grabbing attention. Critics are high on HBO’s “Insecure,” a comedy arriving Oct. 9 that Larry Wilmore created with star Issa Rae. A lavish new take on “Westworld,” debuting Oct. 2 on HBO, has a strong cast headed by Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and James Marsden.
Old favorites have an edge in a packed field. “The Walking Dead” starts its seventh season Oct. 23 on AMC. “Homeland” won’t be back until January with its sixth season on Showtime. (On the streaming side, Netflix brings back “Gilmore Girls” Nov. 25.)
FX, which compiled the TV stats, has two comedies that could have people talking. “Atlanta” with Donald Glover arrives Sept. 6, and “Better Things” with Pamela Adlon as a single actor raising three daughters debuts Sept. 8.
FX has bolstered interest in “American Horror Story,” which returns Sept. 14, by saying nothing about premise or cast. That’s another way to stand out.