January 22, 2008 - "Moment of Truth" for Network TV?

The Fox network, which in the past has presented such reprehensible unscripted TV as Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?, The Littlest Groom, When Animals Attack and so many others, tomorrow night at presents another new series sure to attract headlines - and, most likely, lots of viewers. It's Moment of Truth... in more ways than one.

Fox sent out only snippets for preview, and is counting on the show's American Idol lead-in, audacious promos and train-wreck premise to lure viewers instead. It's a trick that has worked for Fox before, and most probably will again. When the premise of the show is, in essence, a Newlywed Game with lie detectors, asking contestants embarrassing questions they're required to answer "truthfully," what can come of it other than coast-to-coast embarrassment?

Fox used to be known primarily for this type of bottom-feeding high-concept stuff. (That's in concept, since I haven't seen the full show. Despite the promos, it could be a warm family show with uplifting messages and high entertainment values. Whoops, better duck! Watch out for that flying pig!)

But these days, when you think of Fox, you're most likely to think of American Idol, House, 24, The Simpsons - pretty good stuff, overall. Fox even has given us Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, the one scripted series this season that looks to have caught on big with viewers.

Elsewhere, though, what are we getting? NBC is proud of its American Gladiators circus, and next month will present Baby Borrowers, a reality show that might make Kid Nation look like a responsible programming experiment. CBS is polluting its airwaves with another Big Brother, this time in the middle of a TV season rather than the summer and ABC - well, Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann about says it all.

These network heads actually think they're performing well and intelligently, during the writers' strike, by filling hours with programs that are a) not generated by members of the Writers Guild of America, b) cheaper to make than scripted dramas and sitcoms, and c) often draw higher ratings in the time slots than the scripted shows they're replacing.

And yes, short term, that all makes sense, as well as dollars. But no one on the network side appears to be looking at the long-term impact of introducing such tacky trash into the prime-time network bloodstream. How is a network devalued when some of the stuff it's presenting is no better or less demeaning than a Flavor of Love on VH1?

They're not asking that question. But I am... and this year, in the midst of the strike, may turn out, in hindsight, to have been the Moment of Truth.