Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 05/22/23

The National Religious Broadcasters Convention kicks off tonight night in Orlando with opening remarks from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis, of course, is expected to soon join the growing list of challengers to former President Donald Trump, the far-and-away front-runner (as of now) for the GOP presidential nomination. So, what are voters of faith thinking as the race shapes up? Here’s what a new Trafalgar Group polling conducted for the conservative Convention of States tells us. The survey of of over 1,000 likely general election voters was conducted from May 9th through May 12th.

• A Strong Majority of Faith Voters Want 2024 Presidential Candidates to Prioritize Religious Freedom, Candidates to Express Faith—74 percent of faith voters say they are more likely to support a candidate in 2024 presidential election who expresses their religious beliefs and personal faith, 85.8 percent of faith voters say it is important for Americans to be able to freely express their religious beliefs in news media and on social media.

• A Majority of Faith Voters Believe Christians Should Hold Firm in Their Traditional Beliefs—66.7 percent of faith voters should not adjust their traditional beliefs to fit into modern America but should hold to their traditional beliefs, 52 percent of voters overall agree.​

• Faith Voters Continue Strong Support for Israel—84 percent of faith voters agree it is important for America to have a strong relationship with Israel, 78 percent of voters overall support maintaining strong relationship with Israel.

• Faith Voters are More Likely Than Average Voters to See Important Role Alternative News and Podcasts Play in Keeping Public Informed—81 percent of faith voters say alternative news media sources and podcasts are important to having a fully informed American public, 77 percent of voter overall say alternative news and podcasts are important.
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Eye on CBS’ fall schedule. Meanwhile, as promised in my last post, I’m taking a look at each of the five broadcast networks announced fall schedules with a focus on their likely appeal to mainstream viewers of faith. These are people, IMHO, who are not expecting (or even necessarily want) all television fare to look like it was produced by and for their respective denominations. What they do expect and want though is programming that is inclusive and respectful of all Americans — including them. What they’re tired of is seeing their faith, conservative values and American heritage either subtly (or not so subtly) subjected to double standards and treated with apparent disdain. They want to see characters and issues presented in a way that, ultimately, reflects mutual respect for people of different cultural backgrounds and points of view. They want old-style Big Tent Television that brings people together while lifting them up in hope.

Without further ado, here’s a look at CBS’ 2023-24 season programming along with my thoughts on the likelihood that they will connect with the mainstream public. You can view the network’s fall schedule here.

Elsbeth (Thursday, 10:00 PM ET)

IMHO: This spin-off from both The Good Wife and The Good Wife seems to be going for something of a Columbo vibe with the arrogant killer underestimating a disarmingly quirky-but-intrepid investigator he or she (probably mostly he) looks down on. What both the trailer and the show’s pedigree (married producers Robert and Michelle King) seems to suggest though is a show that’s likely to lean heavily into Woke tropes. The Kings, by the way, are also the creators of Evil, which began its life on CBS but now streams on Paramount+ and which, from what I’ve seen, focuses its attention on the most negative (and, dare I say, nutty) aspects of the Catholic faith.
The Bottom Line: I have very low expectations for Elsbeth.

Matlock (Sunday, 8:00 PM ET)

IMHO: Ripping off the name of the long-running legal mystery starring Andy Griffith and airing in the longtime time slot of the classic Angela Lansbury whodunnit Murder, She Wrote, this Kathy Bates vehicle can look forward to — a much shorter run than either of its predecessors. Those who fondly remember the original Matlock are apt to find this citified gender-swapped remake a travesty. Younger viewers will, of course, find the connection meaningless and the premise nothing to text home about. BTW, at one point in the trailer, Bates’s character Madeline Matlock quips that her name is indeed Matlock “like the old TV show.” That’s actually not bad as a running gag but the show itself should not be called Matlock. At the very least call it Madeline Matlock. That way it would at least have it’s own identity – not a stolen one.
The Bottom Line: See Elsbeth.

Poppa’s House (Midseason, Time Slot: TBD)
IMHO: No trailer available here but the premise of a multi-cam camera sitcom with Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. starring as, respectively, a divorced opinionated black radio host and his adult son struggling with the challenges of marriage and fatherhood has potential. The fact that the pilot was written by Wayans Sr. and Kevin Hench, a writer for Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing (one of the relatively few network shows of recent years to favorably present a somewhat conservative POV) offers some additional hope.
The Bottom Line: I’ll keep an open mind.

Tracker (Midseason, Time Slot: TBD)

IMHO: While the above blinked-and-you-missed-it trailer doesn’t offer a lot to go on, the premise (based on the Jeffrey Deaver novel The Never Game) involves a survivalist named Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley of This Is Us) who travels the country locating missing people and solving mysteries has a certain meat-and-potatoes appeal.
The Bottom Line: Personally, I’d name the show after the lead character rather than the generic-sounding Tracker but, other than that quibble, I’m in for checking it out.

The Network Bottom Line: Of all the broadcasters, it’s CBS (not Fox) that does the best job of programming for Mainstream America. As Deadline reports, the number-one television network currently averages more than six-million viewers every weeknight and offers a schedule that includes an array of hit shows that includes TV’s #1 drama (NCIS), #1 new drama (Fire Country) and #1 comedy (as well as  my personal favorite current show) Young Sheldon. The network actually has 14 series that consistently win their time periods, including Blue Bloods, Ghosts, The Neighborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola – all shows that can be seen as taking a mostly positive view of faith. As for the upcoming season, the two shows they’re leading out of the gate with (Elsbeth and Matlock) appear less than promising. Don’t rest on your laurels, CBS.

Three Free Suggestions for CBS
1. How about filling the Sunday at 8:00 PM (ET) slot with an hour of The Twilight Zone? Take the old classic scripts (and Rod Serling‘s classic voice), update them appropriately (including with more diverse casting) and let a new generation discover it’s top-notch writing and provocative themes (some of which seem more timely now than when they were written).

2. Make better use of talented producer DeVon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven). CBS has had a development deal with the successful producer of faith-themed films for years but has, thus far, kept his shows relegated to Paramount’s BET cable network, most notably the gospel music drama Kingdom Business (the title of which I think should be shortened to the less cynical-sounding Kingdom). Last season he had a sequel to CBS’ uplifting nineties fantasy drama Early Edition under consideration at the network. It’s a great match between producer and concept. They should reach back and pick it up.

3. Pull the Frasier follow-up from Paramount+ and put it on (free) CBS where it belongs. Even better (from my point of view), revamp the currently planned concept with The Frasier Crane Mysteries and put it on Thursday nights in the slot currently going to Elsbeth).

You’re welcome, CBS. Next: NBC.