As we said in our Boomer Creative Collectives story, it's now not only beneficial, but downright essential, that various Media sectors court "Gray" Americans aged 50 and over.
Nowhere is this more important than in the realm of conventional - i.e. not Internet-based - television, which claims to have experienced a significant drop-off in viewing rates over the past year or so.
To be quite frank, we think this may have much to do with regulators' decision to allow a greater percentage of airtime to be given over to advertising. There are simply too many ads on conventional TV, and too many of them are ineffective and sometimes offensive, especially age-targeted advertisements, which were frowned upon until quite recently. (See my story, A Fine Line Between Marketing and Harassment: The Case Against Age-Targeted Advertising)
Nevertheless - and despite the ad-aversion factor - there has been one very bright spot in recent statistics about conventional television. Those under age 50 may be viewing somewhat more Internet-based TV. Meanwhile, viewers over age 50 are watching as much or more TV-on-TV-sets than ever.
So which audience, exactly, does conventional TV need to cater to and please and coddle? (Hint: our hair is gray.)
In that spirit, and drawing on the premise of our Boomer Creative Collectives idea, I have formed a temporary Boomer Creative Collective of Me, Myself, and . . . . Myself.
In an intense hour of espresso drinking and internal brainstorming, we came up with 20 concepts (some admittedly derivative, some quite original) for potential television series we believe Boomers and others in America's Gray Population would like:
1. Spinsters: Call it the anti-Charlie's Angels. Many Boomers are familiar with classic detective novels and, therefore, fans of the great Dorothy L. Sayers and her superlative sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey.
Among the most intriguing concepts in the Wimsey books was Lord Peter's backing of a first-rate collective of "intelligence gatherers," wholly consisting of bright unmarried women over age 50. There were numerous women in this category throughout Europe - and in the U.S. - in the 1920s into the 1930s, because of the vast number of marriageable males lost in World War I.
Today in the U.S., we have a vast number of unmarried women and men over the age of 50 - although for quite different reasons, discussed elsewhere in this series. Among Boomers, people in our 50s and 60s, fully 1/2 - Yes, 1/2! - are currently single.
We will draw on this theme in other series ideas below.
Here, however, we'd like to suggest a television series about an "intelligence gathering" agency consisting of current "spinsters" - unmarried women over 50. Like Lord Peter's savvy - and often brilliant - "gentlewomen," these skilled modern women would prove perfect covert operatives in a broad and diverting array of circumstances in which younger or male operatives would prove far less skilled.
2. Landed: It hasn't happened to a vast degree yet in today's America. But already, we're seeing a new "commune" - communal farming - movement among people over 50 in other parts of the world, including much of Europe.
American Baby Boomers, of course, were gung ho for communal farming in our 1960s-70s bohemian phase, and there are stirrings of renewed interest - mostly for purely financial reasons - now.
We're suggesting a TV series about a group of over-50 friends, who decide to go "back to the land" as communal farmers.
One advantage of such a series is that you could stage it in a locale that has not gotten much coverage on national TV - Oregon, say, where there actually are a fair number of communal farms, or - in a totally different region - rural Alabama or Mississippi.
And like many of the great "family" series of an earlier period - Family itself comes to mind or Seventh Heaven - this one lends itself to a gentle treatment with both dramatic and comedic elements.
3. Gated: It may be time for the return of the classic prime time Soap, a la Dynasty or Knots Landing, this time centered around a group of both single and married Boomers, denizens of a midscale (most Boomers can no longer afford upscale) planned community somewhere in the Sunbelt.
Although serious themes would be introduced at times, this kind of series could get away with being mostly campy. And it could feature all sorts of cameos from former Big Stars one hasn't heard about for years. ("Did you see Reginald on Gated last week? Doesn't he look wonderful/terrible/sunburnt/a bit chubby but still sexy?")
4. ExPats: By its nature, this series probably has to be mostly comedic, not dramatic. But with so many older Americans deciding to live outside the U.S. - usually in order to conserve cash, although a quest for new adventure is also a motive - it's high time for a series about a group of American "Grays" living semi-exotically abroad.
Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America have become top destinations for our ExPats. I think I would choose Central America, perhaps Costa Rica or Panama, for the series locale. Mexico - too political. The Caribbean - too expensive.
Central American ExPats, in contrast, tend to be people just like you and me - provided we were brave and romantic enough to pull up roots and start anew somewhere English is a second language.
5. Old Men and the Sea: Yes, some women want to become "beach bums," too. But pretty much all American men have sand-and-surf fantasies somewhere in their psychic makeup.
This series would focus on at least 2 - maybe 3 or 4 - currently single men over 50, who've decided to live out a long-held dream by purchasing a charter fishing boat operating off Florida or the Gulf Coast or maybe Baja California.
This could be a pure comedy or another "dramedy," a form I believe many of today's Grays would like to see revived, because we find today's crop of youth-conceived and originated sitcoms both coarse and unfunny, while just about the only drama shows left are either cop shows or medical dramas.
6. Snake River: But talking about cop shows, good ones are always appreciated and quite popular among Boomers. One or more police dramas with major protagonists age 50-plus will likely appear over the next few years.
I've always thought a good name for a police show might be Snake River, for obvious thematic reasons. And while the Snake spans one city in Wyoming - Jackson (and nearby Jackson Hole), as well as Washington's Tri-Cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland, this quintessential American river spends much of its time in Idaho and meanders through various cities in that state - Boise, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, and Lewiston.
This is significant, because demographers tell us Idaho has now become an immensely popular state for Grays to relocate after leaving jobs elsewhere in America. And I'm not sure there's ever been a major television series based there.
7. The Rez: Still on the topic of unusual locales and situations, we've long wondered why no one has come up with a regular series focusing on a community of Native Americans - unless you count A&E's Longmire, which had some Indian characters, or CBS's Northern Exposure, in which Alaskans with tribal connections were prominent.
In neither case, however, were they the primary Star characters. And it's high time to attempt a show in which a broad spectrum of Native American characters have the starring roles.
This concept is Boomer-related, not only because since our youth, Boomers have been fascinated with Native American culture, mores, and lifestyles, but also because the current crop of elders in most tribes includes many Boomers.
If you set a series like this on a reservation plus its surrounding communities, perhaps adding some thematic spice by choosing a tribe with diverse business interests - resources? tourism? casinos? - I think you'd have a hit on your hands.
8. Pollifax Redux: Besides cop shows and Western themes, what do Grays like to watch? Why, Spy shows, of course, along with everybody else.
And I have long wondered why no one has tried to translate to television another classic series of novels, the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gilman, which focused on a tiny 60-ish widow from New Jersey, who somehow helped solved a case of espionage; was recruited as a CIA consultant, then an operative; became skilled at judo, karate, skydiving (I seem to remember), and Goddess knows what else; and found true love on a safari with a dashing elderly judge.
This series started in 1966, meaning Mrs. Pollifax was a member of Baby Boomers' grandparents' generation, not our own. But reviving it or creating a copycat series with a tiny widow - or divorcee - or never-married woman - in her 60s as the accidental-but-eventually-accomplished Spy, should be tried.
9. The Gray Matchmaker: And while we are focusing on romance and adventure, with, again, fully 1/2 - Yes, 1/2! - of Baby Boomers now single, we deserve a matchmaking show of our own.
The very successful Bravo series, Millionaire Matchmaker, is occasionally compelling and funny, mostly because some of the folks being paired up are - there's no kind way to say it - grotesque and, therefore, fascinating in the way a car accident might be.
But we'd like to see something different and, frankly, better in a reality match-up show which features people 50 and above: a matchmaker with integrity and values; clients with integrity and values; and an emphasis on participants' non-surface qualities - intelligence, sophistication, a moral compass - rather than on the swell clothes they're wearing or whether their cleavage and/or wavy hair is satisfactory.
10. Wide World of Senior Sports: Perhaps this has been attempted before, but we've never seen it.
How about an extremely diverse weekly series of sporting events featuring over-50 athletes? We think, if correctly publicized, this might become quite popular - and not only among our fellow Grays.
One way to make it interesting would be featuring at least some sports not generally touted on American television. Some exotic possibilities, which have many older participants: Curling. Bocce. Highland Games. Fencing. Dogsled-racing. Equine events.
And there are many mature - and highly-skilled - athletes who now participate in so-called extreme sports, like mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater canoeing and kayaking, and wilderness skiing.
11. Beautiful Losers: You could also call this Meritocracy, as in our Meritocracy Project, which I hope all our Readers know about. (Find a link at the bottom of this story.) But I've always liked the title of the 1966 novel by Canadian writer and songwriter Leonard Cohen, and I think it applies well to this proposed show.
Another "dramedy," this one would follow the fortunes of a group of 60-plus friends, who re-meet at . . . a college reunion? a concert? a Caribbean resort?
Although all are well-educated professionals with top-tier degrees and decades of solid career experience, in one way or another, they're all suffering financially after - take your pick - downsizing, stock market disasters, expensive divorces, small businesses failing . . . .
They're all feeling, at best, sorry for themselves, or at worst, outright despondent. But in the course of renewing their friendships, they decide to pick up stakes and rent a decrepit mansion or somewhere else large enough and cheap enough to be renovated gradually and house them all, while they figure out what to do with the last third of their lives.
That's how this story would start. But it could, of course, go off in numerous directions as the series evolves. Some members of this group of "60-somethings" might go into business together; turn hobbies into new careers; fall in love; run for public office; become keen athletes; undergo religious conversions; cure cancer; promote world peace . . . . Hey, we can take them anywhere!
12. The Good Gray Company: No, it's not about Walt Whitman and his Entourage - although that wouldn't make a bad show, either.
This is a possible reality show version of the series above, with both hosts and all participants age 50-and-over.
I say "participants," rather than "contestants" or "pleaders for funding," because this would be a wholly cooperative show, in which everyone is meant to win.
What we have in mind is, after an open application and screening process, choosing a team of perhaps 10 well-educated, experienced Grays who are currently down on their luck financially and want to commit to something new. They'll come from different disciplines useful in forming new businesses: engineering, finance, law, operations, sales, content development, IT.
They will have six months, living and working together and with a limited initial budget from the show's producers, to come up with, design, create, and bring to market a new product or service specifically geared to America's Gray population. The series will follow their progress in by now tried-and-true reality show fashion.
What will be different, besides the ages and strong experience levels of all participants, is that this show will not seek to foment and record dissension and conflict, but will rather emphasize creativity, problem-solving, progress, and decency towards one's fellow business owners.
It would be hoped that each 6-month sequence would result in a significant and possibly important new product or service, with the owners going on to establish profitable and exciting companies.
13. Reunion: This one's a lighter show, albeit with more heart and less vulgarity than today's average sitcom.
What we'd like to do is translate the delightful - the best word is "sweet" - British sitcom, As Time Goes By, into a similar vehicle for American actors and audience.
That BBC show, which featured the fabulous Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer, ran from 1992 to 2002. It was the tale of quintessential star-crossed lovers, who lost their chance to be together in their early 20s, and later, he divorced, she widowed, found each other and rekindled their romance.
Clearly, with fully 1/2 - Yes, 1/2! - of Boomers being single, there's now an enthusiastic ready-made audience for this kind of show, particularly - again - if it chooses to concentrate on character and true-to-life situations and forgoes the childish vulgarity that still makes many American comedy shows hard to stomach.
An interesting twist might be to seek out and find real-life stories of star-crossed lovers who broke off their relationships after high school, college, the Army, early jobs, but who - 30 or 40 years later - found each other and are now together.
I personally know of several such romantic stories - and I'm sure you've heard of some, too. We could feature one such vignette every episode in the last five minutes of the show.
14. Newer Tricks: Another British show I'm surprised has not been translated into a series for American Gray audiences is the still-running New Tricks, which began in 2004.
I just love this show (partly, I confess, because I have a mad crush on Dennis Waterman), which follows the adventures of a special kind of "very cold case" police squad, which consists of a still-on-active-duty inspector in her late 40s, and three retired-then-reinstated policemen in their 50s to 70s, given the job of solving ice-cold cases, sometimes decades old, for which brand-new evidence has just been discovered.
And Yes, U.S. television has had cold-case series galore - but never one with a cadre of elderly but sophisticated and savvy - and often downright wise - detectives, adept at sussing out the long-forgotten motives and actions of "persons of interest" who have aged right along with the main characters.
15. Winterglow: We think there's also room for an over-the-top campy novela-like series with mostly Gray characters, which, in fact, might be produced in both English and Spanish versions for an "all-Americas" audience.
Clearly, the location of choice is Florida, and we came up with the fictional town of Winterglow, which, besides having allegorical overtones, would be right at home among other Florida towns, which include Winter Park, Winter Garden, Winter Haven, and Winter Springs.
We envision a Carl Hiaasen-like cast of characters. (If you haven't read any Hiaasen, you should.) And since Mr. Hiaasen is alive, well, and only 62, perhaps he'd want to participate in this kind of series.
16. Professor Smith Goes to D.C.: OK, that's a bit awkward. But Boomers are now so passionately interested in politics - in percentages not seen since our Golden Youth days of the 1960s and 70s - I think we'd like to see a series with a protagonist over 50 - male or female - who becomes involved politically because of a local issue; gains a bit of fame because of it; decides to run for Congress; wins; and despite being a well-educated and sophisticated citizen - that's why we've tentatively made her/him a college teacher - has to learn the ropes in the wild-and-crazy world of Washington politics today.
We'd want this show, another "dramedy," to be more in the cinematic tradition of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or Meet John Doe than the propaganda-heavy - and usually Left-wing-biased - "political" shows of recent years.
In fact, it would be beneficial to make Professor Smith a down-the-center Moderate, with an unclear Party affiliation. And the series should focus as much on the basic realities of becoming a Congressperson - we'd want several ex-Congresspeople as series advisors - as on specific issues.
Since the protagonist will be a Baby Boomer, we can make much or most of his/her staff fellow Grays, a refreshing change from typical political series which often skew towards a very young cast.
17. Remarkable: Since people who've passed their 50th birthdays are naturally interested in the topic of longevity, we think there would be a solid audience for a "This Is Your Life"-type series celebrating the current activities and achievements of Grays who are, by any measure, Remarkable.
Actually, while Boomers in their 50s and 60s might be the producers and hosts of such a series, it might want to focus primarily on people significantly older than Boomers, in their late 70s, 80s, or occasionally 90s - highlighting a "You're never too old" theme.
When I was writing for the magazine Parade, I did a popular and widely-read cover story on Older Entrepreneurs and another on Centenarians - the ultimate champions of longevity and resilience. I mention this, only because I think I could come up with the first 20 - or 50 - or 300 - possible "subjects" for a series like this in ten minutes flat.
Here are just 20 possible Remarkables to find and profile: a chef, a mountain climber, a crusading judge, the chief of an Indian tribe, a Civil War re-enactor, a game designer, a dress designer, a ski instructor, a champion fisherman, an ambassador, a general, a dog breeder, a horse trainer, a small-town mayor, a large-city mayor, a prison chaplain, a visionary architect, a futurist, a medical researcher, a gentlewoman rancher. Yes, that's 20!
18. The Longevity Report: Speaking of longevity, Boomers and other Grays might like watching a prime-time magazine show on the general topic of living longer, healthier, and better.
The trick, though, is to make sure it is not skewed to medical procedures and pharmaceuticals, which we believe the vast majority of people under the age of, say, 95 are not anywhere near as interested in as some zealous Kiddie marketers seem to think we are.
Instead, the show should focus on exercise, diet, non-invasive health procedures, and folk remedies, as well as offering short pieces on breakthroughs in the science of longevity and . . . well, essentially anything that fits in.
It is important that all hosts and segment producers are themselves over the age of 50. This needs to be a show about, for, and by us - Grays ourselves, not some 22-year-old's vision of who the typical over-50 American is.
19. Make Me Beautiful Again: The Longevity Report would focus on Gray health and fitness topics from the inside-out. This possible companion show would focus on people over 50 from the outside-in.
You'll remember our previous Boomer Business Idea story about a Make Me Beautiful Internet site. (Baby Boomer Business Ideas/ Idea Two: Make Me Beautiful Again) This series would bring the concept to television - with a twist.
What we'd want to add to the Internet site's format is filmed illustrations of actual beauty practices or procedures, with guest subjects serving as the (happy-to-do-it) "guinea pigs" for segments about, for example, hair restoration; under-eye circles; eyeliner tattooing; tooth-capping or anchoring; abdominal core slimming and strengthening . . . . We all know what we want to hear about and improve, and this show should appeal as much to male Boomers as to females.
20. Team Sage: This series is linked to concepts from our Meritocracy Project, which we referenced above.
The eventual centerpiece of this University-based Project will be setting up mechanisms for matching the now very large pool of the "Highly-Educated But Under-Employed," which we believe numbers about 400 million individuals worldwide - the majority of them over age 50 - with the true "Unmet Needs" of our planet: in infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and social services.
Team Sage would be a purely fictional, somewhat romantic, but tied-to-core-truths series that stems from the above idea.
It would center around a Project-based think tank somewhere in the U.S. - perhaps on a University campus - headed by the charismatic Dr. Sage (female or male) and his/her crack team of development and project experts, all or most of them over age 50.
The Team would be called in by nations - mostly poor ones - around the world to handle a specific and acute problem that needs to be solved quickly and efficiently: digging out after a mudslide? a standoff between poor farmers and an agricultural agency? an outbreak of a strange disease? a mission school under attack by rebels? a teensy weensy stock market crash?
Whatever the problem, our Sage and Gray think tank can assemble and send in a proper Team to help.
21. To Be Continued . . . .
This batch of television concepts took me just an hour of internal brainstorming to come up with - and slightly longer to flesh out into an article.
So just think what a Boomer Creative Cooperative could accomplish!
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