Showspoilers

This month,however,Star World offers a glimmer of hope with its two new shows. Glee,starting from June 25,is an American musical comedy-drama,about the triumphs of an ordinary bunch of people through the ‘Glee club’. Whereas White Collar,starting from June 30,is a crime investigation series infused with a tinge of comedy. “Our expectations from these shows are good. Glee is a very positive show and it should resonate well,” says Jyotsna Viriyala,Vice-President,Star World,about the programming overhaul.

Star World—that leads the English entertainment on Indian television—seems to play it safe when it comes to programme selection. For,the upcoming shows indicate that they are opting for comedy and crime. “Comedy and crime have always worked well in the Indian market. Now,the audiences also want drama and reality,” says Anurag Bedi,Business Head,Zee Café,explaining the channel’s strategy to cash in on the demand for variety by launching two new shows,The Minimalist and The Vampire Diaries,that are crime-based thriller and horror shows respectively.

Viriyala echoes Anurag’s views. “Star World is hoping for a 50 per cent increase in their viewership with the new shows. The English general entertainment pie is very small compared to the other English genres and hence,has a lot of potential for growth.” Providing an ink link to increase in variety in Star World’s shows,Viriyala further adds,“In terms of genre,reality will be our next big bet.”

However,reality shows don’t always guarantee an increase in eyeballs. A case in point is AXN. Its shows have always revolved around the action-cum-thriller genre. But with the increase in reality shows on the menu,content variety is evident while loyal audiences are absent. Other players in this segment,like WB India,air repeats of old shows,though Zee Café cites public demand to be the reason for airing their ‘Old School Shows’ series.

In case of genres,the content providers might be giving in to audience demand,but that does not always guarantee success. For several channels,the success of a show in the US market is imperative before bringing it to India. “Aim is to air the best shows that have lasted multiple seasons in the US and have the potential to do the same in India,” says Bedi.

Glee fulfills this criteria,having won the 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy. However,White Collar—that generated mixed reviews—raises doubts about its selection for the Indian market. But,standing by the channel’s decision,Viriyala says,“It would be an apt replacement for their recent successful crime investigation show Castle.” A similar situation confronts Zee Café,since The Minimalist has been well-received in the US,while The Vampire Diaries has got a cold response.

Finding a hit formula seems far-fetched,since critically acclaimed shows like 30 Rock and Psych have also failed to boost the TRP ratings. “30 Rocks was a great show,it’s a pity it did not work for us. There are many nuances that make a show resonate with the audience,” shares Viriyala,who is positive about Glee’s success. But considering the past record,a highly fickle TV audience and the clout of unsuccessful shows—bringing audiences back and turning them into ‘Gleeks’ will not be easy.