Nobody really thinks much about WE, that other women’s network (from Rainbow Media) that’s not as established as Lifetime, as hip as Oxygen or as gay-friendly as Bravo.
And yet, they solider on at WE, announcing new shows and declaring big growth in non-sexy categories such as household ratings and women 25-54. They’ve even got a mssion: "Providing viewers with entertaining, timely stories about topics the modern woman cares most about – her children, her partner, her aging parents, the economy…and, of course, fashion."
Of course.
Some of the projects revealed today by WE (or as they call themselves, WE tv), have been out there for a while. Michael Musto broke the sorta news a few weeks ago that Joan and Melissa Rivers were teaming (again) for a reality show called "Mother Knows Best." Word has also been out about "Sunset Daze," which sort of sounds like "The Golden Girls" as a reality show, with a dose of "Sex and the City" (it bows April 28.)
We also knew that WE had picked up rights to the old WB series "Charmed." Since there are 178 episodes in the can, the show will air twice daily, from 5-7 p.m.
Stuff we hadn’t heard about:
–"Downsized," a reality show for the Great Recession. It revolves around a blended family of nine who have to radically change their lives when both their homes go into foreclosure. They even have to grow their own food! Look for this in the fall or early winter.
–"Fix My Family," a life makeover show for entire families (or "Supernanny," but not just for bad kids). It stars Dr. Tara Fields, described by WE as "a take-no-baloney psychiatrist." (Fields will accept salami, however). The show is set to debut next year.
–"Wayne’s World" and "Wild Flowers": WE has in the works not one but two shows set in Las Vegas.
"Wayne’s World" (it’s a working titled because the folks at WE known darn well that a certain movie studio ain’t never gonna let ’em use it) revolves around the women who allegedly run Wayne Newton’s life. (It’s "The Girls Next Door," with Wayne playing Hef. Only even more creepily, if that’s possible).
"Wild Flowers," meanwhile, is about a group of ladies who work at a flower store in Las Vegas. Really.
Both projects are just in development and haven’t been greenlit to series. Yet.
–"Staten Island Cakes," also just in development, is exactly what it sounds like: A rip-off cake show set in Staten Island. How sweet it ain’t.
