Commentary

Looking For New Shows From Old -- Even Mediocre -- Ones

TV producers keep trying to create something new, from the old.

"WWE Tough Enough," which was taken off the air by MTV back in 2003, looks to make another try on USA Network, which is the long-time TV distributor of "WWE Monday Night Raw," still one of the top-rated cable TV shows.

"Tough Enough" works in a now regular TV framework: a reality show where contestants vie to join an establish group of professionals. In this case, it's not singing, dancing, cooking, nor fashion designing -- but the chance to work in the cartoon-like athletic/celebrity/character world of WWE wrestling.

It's one thing to revive a long-time TV program, like CBS' "Hawaii Five-0." It's another to revive a TV show that never made the grade. Still, everyone knows the WWE brand. And though MTV couldn't make a go of it, perhaps USA Network can use its marketing muscle to find some new weight to throw around -- so to speak.

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What's not being said, of course, is how WWE's long-time ambition to start its own cable TV network plays into this. Starting a new cable network is now tougher than ever.

We are not sure of USA Network's ambition with "Tough Enough." Surely, it would like a nice cable TV reality hit -- a "Jersey Shore," "Project Runway" or "Top Chef" -- to add to its stable of high-rated hour-long scripted dramas. But in taking on the show, perhaps USA is also checking for NBC Universal that there is still a growing audience for wrestling -- beyond its appeal to a mostly male and young demographic.

It's hard to start up a new cable network these days. Sometimes a big celebrity name helps. USA has a lot of older viewers, including women viewers. If OWN doesn't work for Oprah Winfrey, maybe she should look elsewhere. Just think of it: OprahWinfreyWorldWrestling, or OWWW.

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