The Six-Pack: The Top Six Trends of the Upcoming Season

Every year, the networks tend to have similar ideas and concepts. Last year it was supernatural shows (especially talking to the dead) and slightly improvised comedies (Sons & Daughters, Free Ride, and many cable shows all used this concept). Here are the things you will see on many networks this year:

1) Short (and Boring) Titles-Three out of four of CBS's new fall shows only have one word in their title. NBC has three. FOX has four. I have no idea why the networks are doing this. A title can be one of the biggest selling points so why would you make it short and nondescript. If I didn't already know, I wouldn't be able to tell you what any of CBS's shows were about based only on the name. Titles like Smith and Shark don't jump out at you and make you want to watch.

2) Saturday Night Live-esque shows-NBC has two of them-Tina Fey's comedy 30 Rock and Aaron Sorkin's dramatic Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. With SNL wearing down of late, I don't know if it was a smart move to add two similar shows to the lineup.

3) Running/Kidnapping/Vanishing-FOX has Vanished (about a Senator's vanished wife), The CW has Runaway (a family running from a crime they didn't commit), and NBC has Kidnapped (about a plot to kidnap a child from a wealthy family). To make matters worse, Vanished and Runaway are airing in the same spot. I can already tell that these three shows will get confusing to viewers and I'm afraid that all of them will be failures (even though they look like great ideas).

4) Soap Operas-My Network TV will be running two "telenovelas" every day of the week in September. ABC has a new soap Brothers & Sister that gets the comfy spot after Desperate Housewives. This has been a big category for years (thanks to Housewives) but this may be the biggest year yet for soap fans.

5) Great Show Concepts-I haven't ever seen a season so ripe with good ideas. I will probably watch most (if not all) of these new shows throughout the year. There are very few stinkers in this group. NBC especially blew me away with their lineup. 20 Good Years, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Kidnapped, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and 30 Rock all look spectacular. ABC and FOX both have solid ideas for serialized dramas. CBS has Jericho which could be the next Lost. There will be just too much good tv next season.

6) Feel-Good Type Comedies-On the heels of the success of My Name is Earl and Everybody Hates Chris comes a deluge of positive comedies. NBC has 20 Good Years (about two friends who realize they have twenty good years left in them and set out to make them the best ever) and Andy Barker, P.I. CBS has The Class (where a group of friends reunite at a class reunion). ABC has a pair of comedies about a wedding and a baby. Comedies are becoming less cruel and relying on other things to be funny.