“All channels, but the big four networks especially, need to take more chances in their searches for the next big show — and the next big showrunner.” — Michael Errigo

 

At some point in 2013, the golden era of television that began at about the turn of the century with the premiere of The Sopranos and subsequently flooded our living rooms with quality content throughout the 2000s died a quiet death.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment of departure. It might have happened on Sept. 29 with the finale of Breaking Bad. Or maybe it was the first Thursday night last October when NBC aired neither 30 Rock nor The Office. In the same comedic vein, one could argue that it came to a complete end Sept. 17, the premiere date of Dads. No golden epoch could survive the advent of Dads.

It was a slow, painful passing for the greatest period of prosperity for America’s favorite medium. The descent began at about the start of this decade, when shows such as The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and American Horror Story pushed their ways to the forefront. While popular and at times entertaining, these programs marked a shift from carefully crafted original scripting to stories adapted from comic books and fantasy novels centered on shock value and mythical creatures. It’s a disappointing devolution for TV fans who salivated over the beautiful writing and thematic complexity of shows such as The Wire, The West Wing and Lost. But to TV execs who can speak only the language of money, shows such as The Walking Dead — which boasts the highest ratings of any cable show ever — are welcome ratings boosts.

But escapist novels — graphic and otherwise — are not the only source of recycled material. Many spinoffs are in the works for next year. While this formula has its share of hits (The Simpsons, Frasier, The Jeffersons), the coming Better Call Saul and How I Met Your Dad seem lazy and unnecessary. Spinoffs are a cop-out and leave networks AMC and CBS, respectively, in desperate need of something new.

Stars are also being regurgitated. Sean Saves the World and The Michael J. Fox Show are just two of many desperate grabs at past successes — in those cases, Will & Grace and Family Ties. The Crazy Ones, meanwhile, is a sad excuse to give Robin Williams a paycheck. Hopefully the show Is canceled before everyone realizes Patch Adams has his own sitcom. The same goes for Don Cheadle (House of Lies), William H. Macy (Shameless) and even Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men), all trapped in shows that don’t deserve them. TV should be a vehicle for creating stars, not a retirement home for those looking to cash in on their legacies.

Among the rubble left behind by the golden age, there remain a few diamonds in the rough. Mad Men, arguably the best show on television, still has one season left. Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David’s brilliant comedy, hasn’t been canceled and can start cranking out episodes whenever David feels like it. FX’s The Americans and The Bridge have lots of promise. Alternate sources such as the BBC (Luther, Sherlock, Top of the Lake) and Netflix (House of Cards, Orange is the New Black) are other bright spots amid the darkness.

What can bring TV back to life? Good writing and good characters make good shows. The best programs are driven by strong writing staffs. All channels, but the big four networks especially, need to take more chances in their searches for the next big show — and the next big showrunner. They also need to stay away from the norm, the formulas that might get viewers but lack originality. These channels need to try something new because what they’re doing now killed TV and is not going to bring it back.

Hopefully, TV creators will come to their senses. But for now, television lovers who find themselves lost in the barren wasteland of content can take shelter in HBO GO or Netflix. Because when it comes to quality TV, at present, it’s better to live in the past.