NBC hurting for new ideas

It's sort of tempting to blame NBC's latest foray into reality programming on the ongoing writers' strike, but the network has been plotting "American Gladiators"' return to the air since last spring.

So it's just a sign of how devoid of original ideas the people running the network are.

When Ben Silverman was hired as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, NBC Universal chieftain Jeff Zucker touted him as one of the hottest young executives in Hollywood. And Silverman had some big success as a producer, bringing both "The Office" and "Ugly Betty" to America.

Neither, however, was an original idea. Both were adapted from hit shows in other countries. (And his track record isn't spotless in that genre. Silverman was involved in NBC's disastrous attempt to translate the British comedy "Coupling" for NBC.)

Silverman isn't responsible for the current remake of "Bionic Woman," which has sunk so far in the ratings that the only reason it's still on the schedule is that the network doesn't have anything to replace it. But he is responsible for the remake of "Knight Rider" NBC is producing as a TV movie/series pilot for later this season.

Not exactly an original idea.

Silverman's other TV credits are mostly in the reality genre — from such network shows as "The Biggest Loser" to "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" to the incredibly tacky MTV show "Parental Control." (Parents, it you're not paying attention to what your teens and preteens are watching, you should.)

Silverman's idea of program development is to travel to other countries and watch TV. After watching an Israeli show about the search for the next great mentalist, he was convinced that would be a big hit for NBC.

You may have noticed a little show called "Phenomenon" that aired on NBC this fall. On the other hand, you might not have noticed the show. It bombed.

And from the moment Silverman was announced as NBC's new chief programmer, the "American Gladiators" announcement was only a matter of time. The production company he founded, Reveille, owns the rights to the syndicated series from the '90s.

"American Gladiators," you may recall, was nominally an athletic competition. But what it was really all about was muscle men and buxom women in skintight spandex.

And, given the current situation in Hollywood, it has the great advantage of not needing the involvement of anyone from the Writers Guild of America.