Once again, American television viewers aren't putting their remote controls where their mouths are.
Oh, Americans tend to talk a good game, at least when they're being polled. "We want more family shows" is a common refrain when viewers are questioned about television.And concern about sex and violence on network television always crops up.
There's just one little problem with all of these good intentions. They don't often translate into viewing habits.
Case in point: NBC's "Against the Grain." This pro-family, values-driven series currently ranks 81st among 90 shows that have aired on the four networks this season.
In other words, the ratings are lousy. Most of those people out there screaming for family entertainment aren't tuning in.
In contrast, ABC's controversial "NYPD Blue" - which everyone involved in the series admits is not for the entire family - currently ranks 12th. Almost 21/2 times as many viewers are watching "Blue" as are watching "Grain."
And it's crunch time for "Against the Grain." If the ratings don't perk up this week and next, it's a goner.
That would be a shame, because this is an above-average hour of television.
Briefly, it revolves around a small-town Texas high school football coach (John Terry) who's not only trying to win games but teach his players there's more to life than just the gridiron. At the same time, he's muddling through as a husband and father.
The characters are appealing, the stories are good, the performances are top-notch - and not much of anybody is watching.
Part of the blame - a big part of the blame - for that has to go to NBC itself, which has misscheduled the show by placing it on Fridays at 7 p.m.
Tonight's episode (7 p.m., Ch. 2) is not the series' best, but it's still pretty good. The town is celebrating the 20th anniversary of a state championship football team (for which the current coach was the star quarterback). The story involves life choices and missed opportunities - as well as contentment with basic family values.
Unfortunately, there's a good bit of silliness bordering on the slapstick. And that's not what this series is about.
But that's quibbling. This is still the sort of series so many viewers say they're looking for.
Let's hope they start tuning in. Because the failure of a series like this would make it less likely we'll see other family-oriented shows of this type in the future.
`DIAGNOSIS MURDER': Although this is a new series from CBS, it seems more like a comfortable old friend who's been around for a while.
And not just because this Dick Van Dyke vehicle has already been made into a trio of TV movies.
Van Dyke stars as Mark Sloan, an affable, roller-blading doctor who also solves murders. If that sounds sort of like an affable mystery writer who solves murders, that's because there are definite parallels between "Diagnosis Murder" and "Murder, She Wrote."
That's not meant as criticism. This is a nice, entertaining little show that doesn't break any new ground but provides a bit of a diversion as Sloan solves contrived but interesting little murders.
Unlike "Murder, She Wrote," however, this is no whodunit. In tonight's premiere, for example, we know the killer is a priest played by Robert Guillaume. The fun is watching as Sloan figures it out.
The supporting cast includes Scott Baio as a young doctor and Van Dyke's son, Barry, as Sloan's son - a police detective.
If you like Jessica Fletcher, you'll like Mark Sloan.
And it's great to see Van Dyke back on the air.