Some folks say that there’s nothing original out there anymore. Well, more like everyone says that. It's that feeling when you see a movie trailer, a new fashion trend, or a new menu item at Taco Bell. I mean, how many more combinations are you gonna’ get out of your five ingredients? I don’t care what quasi-Spanish names you use, I’m not in the mood for a “Picranto” or a “Forjito”. Just give me my grade-E beef taco’s and a fistful of “fire” packets.
And if I don’t see another traditional restaurant turned into a “wacky and fresh” new franchise, it’ll probably be because I’ve moved to Kosovo. Down here in the South we have a place that rhymes with “Joe’s Southwest Grill”. They’re a Southwest franchise… but they’re wacky! They have crazy menu items, zany posters littered with awful puns, and they obnoxiously yell “welcome to Moe’s!” at their customers. It’s Richard Simmons and Andy Dick meet Taco Bell. And they have their adver-mobiles all over the road, along with the slew of other new franchises trying to take a zany spin on traditional menus. I don’t care if you call it a “Buttafuoco Burrito”, it’s a burrito, and that extra dollar doesn’t separate it from the crap at Taco Bell.
OK, the TV is rife with S.O.S. Take Fox’es former Arrested Development. It was a funny, clever show that actually got good reviews, but apparently Fox has a thing against having two decent shows in its lineup at the same time. So instead of axing the Simpsons, they cut Arrested Development in place of two new shows that borrowed its sans-audience, reality camera style format: The Loop and Free Ride. What they didn’t borrow was a single funny idea.
My personal favorite is this new show, “Desire”. It’s like the creator’s didn’t even take the time to give it a solid concept. “Enh, it’s these two or three people, and they, uh, desire each other, see?” Of course there's nothing new to this show, but it doesn't matter to TV execs. Their idea is, make a show that’s risqué, soapy, and over-dramatic in a PG-13 sorta way, and your ratings will float on that adolescent teen market looking for the successor to Baywatch. It doesn’t matter if your idea is original or even remotely makes sense – just keep the love triangles and cleavage shots constant, and they’re will always be someone willing to see your crap.
My shot at it...
SO, in the “can’t beat them, join them” spirit, I’ve got an idea of my own: Catfight.
It's about five women who've recently moved to Orange County, Hawaii, where they begin work for a large legal firm laden with hunky, non-offensive white men. Through each week's adventures, the women settle their rash of colliding encounters through semi-violent, slow motion wrestling, generally where standing water or some viscous fluid (such as Jell-O) is present. And, just to keep those faith based viewers from screaming to the FCC, one of the girls will be a nun who fights terrorists plotting against local orphanages. It's a sure thing.
Really the premise could be five lumberjacks who own a trolley; the point is, there's gonna be Catfights! Brace yourself UPN, either you or one of your crappier affiliates is just a phone call away from pure gold.
How do I know? Because it worked for Aaron Spelling for years.
OK, the TV is rife with S.O.S. Take Fox’es former 
SO, in the “can’t beat them, join them” spirit, I’ve got an idea of my own: Catfight. 
Really the premise could be five lumberjacks who own a trolley; the point is, there's gonna be Catfights! Brace yourself UPN, either you or one of your crappier affiliates is just a phone call away from pure gold.