Should TV Shows Face New Yorks Reality?
Even the most casual of viewers knows that many TV shows are set in New York City. From the gang on “Friends” to the cops and lawyers on “Law & Order,” New York City is the place a lot of television characters live. But as the rubble is cleared, one of the many questions waiting for an answer in the weeks to come is what are all the New York-based shows going to do? How will they deal with the tragedy and its aftermath? Reality will force the writers and producers of all these fictional shows to make a choice – one that many aren’t yet willing to address publicily. One option is to continue with a simulation of a New York City that no longer exists. The other is to move into some television version of the new New York City. Last week’s tragedy seems too big, too powerful, too overwhelming for anyone – even TV characters – to escape. The entertainment industry has taken a few steps in response: Columbia TriStar plans to check episodes of two New York-centered syndication franchises – “S
