![]() The premiere of “Queen of the South” last month earned about 1.4 million viewers (not including on-demand or online viewing). Robot” averaged about 2.8 million viewers in its first season. Plus, there’s the challenge of figuring out which shows will continue to get ratings in today’s ultra-competitive TV business. “Queen of the South,” about a woman trying to bring down a Mexican drug ring, is currently airing “Shooter,” starring Ryan Phillippe as an ex-Marine sniper, premieres in two weeks. However, sci-fi drama “Colony” has been picked up for a second season. Same with “Dig” and “Rush,” both dramas canceled shortly after they started. Robot,” there’s a “Complications,” a medical drama canceled after one season. ![]() Still, as USA has gone toward the more serious fare over the last few years, the series have been hit-or-miss: For every “Mr. Or maybe CIA.” “So nobody’s a lawyer?” Finally, one inmate pipes up, totally confused: “Man, I thought that was just one long show.” The joke even continued last month as the most recent season of “Orange is the New Black” featured a scene of the inmates discussing USA programming in prison, trying to figure out one particular show: “Are they lawyers or are they FBI guys?” “The FBI guys were in Miami.” “Uh, that’s not Miami, it’s Long Island.” “Mmm-mmm. The contestants stare blankly and hazard guesses: “A show about handsome firemen?” “A sexy doctor who can start fires with his mind?” Even seeing a commercial for the series gives no clues: “Is it a reality show about sunglasses?” one ventures. The indistinguishable (but highly rated) USA dramas are a running joke in pop culture, starting with the viral “Saturday Night Live” sketch in 2010 featuring a game show called “What is ‘Burn Notice?'” A host implores contestants to describe literally anything about the “immensely popular” show. It’s no surprise USA is trying to change the narrative. “‘We the Bold’ is better aligned with the new mainstream. “With so much competition, your brand needs to stand for something,” NBCUniversal marketing vice president Alexandra Shapiro said. In April, Variety reported that the network, in looking to target millennials, found the age group now has a “darker and grittier” mood and craves shows that reflect it. Robot,” the successful freshman drama about vigilante Web hackers that won the Golden Globe this year for best drama the second season premieres July 13. While it’s been moving in this direction for the last several years, the network only recently dropped its famous “Characters Welcome” tag line for an entire brand overhaul, going with the new motto “We the Bold.” Leading the charge for this new chapter at USA is “Mr. ![]() ![]() Now, with the departure of “Royal Pains” and the rapid aging of “Suits” (lawyers in New York), USA is doubling down on darker, more intense scripted shows. ![]() “Royal Pains,” about doctors in the Hamptons, fell squarely into this category. But unlike most mediocre cable dramas that end these days, this one has an extra significance: With the departure of “Royal Pains,” USA is one step closer to officially slamming the door on its “blue-skies” era, which has defined the network for the last decade.įor the unfamiliar, “blue-sky shows” is the colloquialism for USA’s past slate of breezy dramas, including “Burn Notice” (investigators in Miami) “In Plain Sight” (witness protection program in Albuquerque) “Psych” (cops in Santa Barbara, Calif.) “White Collar” (FBI in New York) “Cover Affairs” (CIA in Washington) “Necessary Roughness” (athletes in New York) and more. USA Network’s “Royal Pains” aired its series finale Wednesday after a solid eight-season run. ![]()
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