Networks look abroad for the next big television hit

America isn't just importing more and more goods in this global economy. We're also importing more and more concepts for television shows.

For the proof in the programming, one need only look at the major broadcast networks' Thursday lineups. There are three new Thursday series this fall: two dramas and a comedy. All three are based on successful shows from other countries.

NBC's "Kath & Kim," which stars Molly Shannon, is an American version of an Australian comedy about a free-spirited mother and her self-absorbed daughter. ABC's "Life on Mars," which stars Jason O'Mara, is based on a British science-fiction crime drama about a detective sent back in time to the 1970s. And CBS' "Eleventh Hour," starring Rufus Sewell, is a U.S. reworking of a British miniseries about a brilliant biophysicist investigating scientific crises and oddities.

There's more. The new CBS Monday comedy "Worst Week" is based on the British series "The Worst Week of My Life." The new CBS Friday drama "The Ex List" is based on the Israeli series "Mythological X."

The four major broadcast networks have fielded 14 rookie shows this fall. Five of them have roots in foreign soil.

And there's more on the way. "Secret Millionaire," a Fox reality show on the bench for midseason, is based on a British show of the same title.

Is Hollywood so bankrupt in the idea department? Well, last season it was, due to the three-month writers strike.

"Some of this is unquestionably a temporary effect of the writers strike," said David Bianculli, the author and TV historian who operates the Web site tvworthwatching.com. "The networks went looking overseas last year for fully formed concepts with completed scripts and story ideas. ... "

Some of this is the cyclical nature of television. Since the early 1970s, when English comedies were turned into megahits "All in the Family" and "Sanford and Son," the networks periodically have fallen under the spell of foreign programming. The lure was greater last year with the already shaky network financial model rocked by the writers strike.

Programmers not only looked overseas for ideas but also for business partners.

"Those kind of things where we're looking overseas to try to keep our costs down and to also try to get new voices into the mix, I think you're going to see more of that," said Marc Graboff, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

"And are these the result of a strike? You know, strikes by necessity forced us to look in places that we didn't look before as much, and we found we liked what we saw, so we're starting to do more and more of that. And time will tell what works and what doesn't work."

But there's more going on than just a response to an industry work stoppage and challenging economic times. There's also the realization that foreign shopping can pay huge dividends.

The enormous ratings success of Fox's "American Idol" and the great critical success of NBC's "The Office," both based on British shows, had an impact that long predated the writers strike.

Some of the biggest flops in TV history have been based on foreign shows. Remember "Coupling" and "Viva Laughlin"? It's a mercy if you don't.

But some of the biggest hits of the last 37 years also have been based on foreign shows.

"The thing to keep in mind is that the hits were so big, they either changed the nature of television or the fortunes of a network," said Bianculli, who teaches TV and film history at Rowan University in New Jersey. "Starting with the first wave, 'All in the Family' changed the nature of television. When 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' launched another wave in 2000, it changed the fortunes of ABC. Later that year, 'Survivor' changed the fortunes of CBS. Then 'American Idol' changed the fortunes of Fox. You can see why they're looking overseas for the next great phenomenon."