• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, July 26, 2010

Some TV producers say the networks don't want good -- but sometimes modestly rated -- serialized shows like "Lost," "24" or "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" anymore. Is the same true for advertisers?

According to big-name executive producers J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon, who appeared on a panel at Comic-Con last week, networks want a more simplified approach when it comes to TV development.

Whedon says networks now want more self-contained shows that repeat well -- especially during periods when the networks can't afford original programming. They want easily digestible shows to take advantage of healthy after-markets

But producers like Whedon ("Buffy") and Abrams ("Lost") have gone to much trouble to make deeply interesting shows where viewers can invest their time. All this seems to denote quality. 

But one needs to ask: What about CBS's "The Mentalist" or "Big Bang Theory"? Are those shows not quality? Fans of those series would say so. Then, of course, CBS also gets the benefit of decent ratings in repeats. The same can't be said for shows like ABC's "Desperate Housewives" or "Grey's Anatomy."

Abrams says TV producers are now trying to do both things: tell ongoing story lines, but also offer, as much as they can, a self-contained story in one episode. He says Fox's "Fringe" is trying this strategy.

Even when "Lost" was becoming a big hit, Abrams says the networks were saying they didn't want shows like it. They also weren't all that interested in getting Emmys, and, I suppose, all the press it could deliver.

For advertisers? If  viewers are deeply engaged with the content of a serialized show, then this is good news for marketers. Ultimately this translates into engaged consumers.

The rub? The common currency for network's financial wealth is still measured in traditional high ratings for the 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54 groups.