Review of WIOU

WIOU (1990–1991)
Another show about TV and news that didn't get an audience (alas).
13 February 2002
Along with the only other person to comment on this fine but short-lived series (produced by GTG Entertainment, which makes up for the fact that they also did the first season of "Baywatch"), I've noticed that most TV shows set in television don't last long. To which I'd add "Most TV shows set in the news milieu also don't last long."

If you don't believe me, look at "Capital News," "Making News," "The Andros Targets," "The American Girls" (or "Have Girls, Will Travel" if you're British), "New York News," "Fitz and Bones," "Mobile One," "E.N.G."... of course, there are exceptions, but they're either comedies ("Murphy Brown") or spinoffs of comedies ("Lou Grant"). On the other hand, there's always Superman and Lois Lane...

But anyway, this series was set in a TV station jokingly called "WIOU" because it was about as financially secure as I am. This show had a good cast going for it (John Shea, Harris Yulin, Helen Shaver - herself from yet another short-lived series about the news, "Jessica Novak" - etc) and tried and often succeeded to use a Steven Bochco/MTM-type ensemble feel, but the show's last episode was open-ended - not a cliffhanger fortunately (the news show was taken over by a man with a gun and a grievance; the crisis was resolved with his death), but it did leave you wondering what would have happened next.

Lots of cancelled series deserve it, but for every "Berrenger's" there's a "Domestic Life"; for every "Bette" there's a "Cupid." "WIOU" was ultimately on the "Cupid" side.
7 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed