Thoughts on Rom-Coms and the Upfronts

I recently read an article in People Magazine entitled “How to Fix Romantic Comedies” and that set off all kinds of bells and whistles in my mind, especially considering how I feel about the recent glut of supposed romantic comedies (or as they are better known “rom-coms”) that have been released over the last few years.

First of all, whatever happened to the “real” romantic comedy? You know the premise: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy eventually gets girl back by the end of the movie. The places, people and stories would vary but the premise was always the same. Yes, that is predictable, but they would nearly always work and be box office winners or at the very least become a cult favorite.

However, more likely than not in recent years, the rom-coms have degenerated into lame jokes that borderline on juvenile behavior, are filled with actors who lack less than believable chemistry and have stories that are – well – in a word: pathetic.

Cases in point: The Back-Up Plan, The Bounty Hunter, When In Rome, hell, even Knocked Up and The Ugly Truth. These movies may star big names, but are they really romantic comedies? Or are these the new type of romantic comedies that moviegoers have to look forward to from now on?

Also, can these movies stand up to “classic” romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Never Been Kissed, Love Actually, Sweet Home Alabama or even Pretty Woman. In a word (again): NO! I could list countless movies (Jane Austen-inspired or not) that make these supposed new version of rom-coms, that are nearly being force-fed to movie goers, look like bottom-barrel movies that go straight to DVD. And, to be honest, most if not all of them, should actually go that route.

I’d also gladly take the indie movies like Penelope, Miss Pettigrew Saves the Day or even The Princess Bride over the rom-coms that are being shoved down our throats. C’mon movie studios?! Can’t you even make an effort anymore? Perhaps the only way for movie goers like me – who WANT good rom-coms in our mutliplexes – to get what we demand is to see nothing but Nicholas Sparks’ books made into movies.

Letters to Juliet

However, I saw a special screening of the new movie Letters to Juliet this past Sunday – which opens on May 14 – that could slowly change this disastrous new trend in rom-coms. This sweet, touching romantic comedy – in the truest sense – stars Amanda Seyfried, Christopher Egan and Vanessa Redgrave in a wonderful story of lost love that is rediscovered after 50 years and new love discovered on a unique journey between two very different people. After walking out of the theatre, my movie-going companions and I agreed that when a rom-com is done well it looks like Letters to Juliet. Now if only more studios would follow this perfect example.

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Coming up next week is one of the most important weeks in all of the industry: the New York City Upfront presentations. If you are not familiar by now with these annual fetes that take place in the Big Apple, the upfronts are when the networks announce their new fall line-ups to advertisers in order to gain what has become the most valuable of all commodities: commercials.

If not for the advertisers who fill up all that advertising space between scenes of your favorite programs (dramas or comedies) as well as during movies and the news (not to mention all those reality “shows”), that big box in the middle of your living/family room, den or bedroom would be very, very empty.

While all the networks have upfront presentations, the most focus, of course, is paid to the major networks. The list below shows when each network will make their presentations:

Monday, May 17 – FOX and NBC
Tuesday, May 18 – ABC
Wednesday, May 19 – CBS
Thursday, May 20 – The CW

Let’s hope that the network honchos have made “sound” decisions in regards to their weekly schedules (but then again, don’t hold your breath). As avid viewers and followers of all things TV related, NiceGirlsTV will be following the announcements closely. At the very least you can expect some surprises in the form of expected renewals, introductions of unexpected series and the loss of fan favorites, as that is exactly what happens every year.