Oprah Welcomes 4 New Shows and 1 Game Show to the OWN Network. Is It Too Late?

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Oprah, fresh off a CBS interview where she admits that she has made a ton of mistakes with her OWN network has announced that there are 4 new shows and one game show being added to the station.  She is hopeful that thee shows will give her the ratings boost that the struggling network so desperately needs.

As I read the list of shows, just as I did last year, I immediately know which ones are going to be dogs, and which ones might actually turn out to be gems.  Let me know if you agree with my assessment.

The new shows will include:

• ARE YOU NORMAL, AMERICA?
  A game show that will be hosted by Kim Coles, who I love.  The show basically asked contestants questions to see how normal they really are by comparing their answers with a cross-sectional majority.  The premise of the show is taken from a bit Oprah used to do on her show.

• Verdict: This should stay a segment.  Viewers will get bored with the show quickly and Kim will be looking for another gig.  Thumbs Down!

• SIX LITTLE MCGHEES
  Another series about a couple raising sextuplets.
•  Verdict: Been there done that way too many times.  People are just burned out on other parents and their kids.  The McGhees will be McHistory pretty quick. Thumbs Down.

• IIYANA FIX MY LIFE
• 
  A talk show hosted by self-help guru and inspirational speaker, Iyanla Vanzant.  She will basically helping your everyday people fix issues in their lives.
• Verdict: If this show is weekly, then it can fly.  Daily will not work.  Iyanla is a one trick pony and with today’s 10 second attention spans, we will tire of her quickly. She’s not well rounded enough to keep audiences engaged and my personal opinion….and I’m sorry to say his, she’s just too ethnic to really cast a wide net.  Oprah needs to be concentrating on the masses in these early years.  I’m Neutral unless the show will be daily.  then I’m Thumbs Down.

• ELURA AND MICHELLE TAKE STATEN ISLAND
  The only description of this series I can find says the same thing, “Two former prosecutors who are friends and tell it like it is. WTF is that supposed to mean?  “Tell it like it is”.  Tell what like what is?  WTF??
• Verdict: This actually sounds like it has legs.  I want to hear about “Like it is”.  Anything involving prosecution and litigation can arry it’s on weight.  If done right this might have some longevity.  Thumbs up!

• MARRIED TO THE ARMY: ALASKA
  Unscripted series about wives of soldiers living in Alaska.
• Verdict: This has all the makings of a winner.  It doesn’t get any better then this.  Thumbs up!

 OUR CARRYOVERS FROM LAST SEASON

Oprah’s master Class will be back and Sweetie Pie’s will also return.  If she can keep two out of the five new additions, then next year she will start off with 4 solid shows.  A station is not made overnight and I feel now, Oprah knows how much work and effort is really required to make this a success and plans to get the job done.

What do you think about the new line-up?

COSMO