TVSquad

As we all get ready to welcome in the new CW network, it stands to reason that the merger must have left a few stations out there holding the bag. What is to become of them? The answer for some is that they will now be a part of News Corporation's myNetworkTV. The network begins airing its two original programs Tuesday, September 5th.

Those programs are Desire and Fashion House. Modeled after the popular telenovelas, each show will run five days a week, Monday through Friday, with a recap on Saturday. Rather than the endless run that normal American soap operas have, the myNetworkTV shows are each planned to run 65 episodes. As they come crashing to what promises to be a hectic conclusion after 13 weeks, two new shows will debut to run for the next 13.

Desire kicks off the night at 8PM. It is the story of brothers Louis and Alex Thomas. On the run from the mob, they make their way to Los Angeles. There, they both fall for the same woman and complications ensue as they deal with that and the mob gets ever closer. Desire is adapted from 2004's Mesa Para Tres (Table For Three).

Following at 9PM is Fashion House. Bo Derek stars as ruthless fashion mogul Maria Gianni. As she does battle with a host of adversaries, including Morgan Fairchild's Sophia Blakely, we also follow the story of Michelle, following her dream to be a fashion designer. Fashion House is inspired by Cuba's Salir de Noche (Out in the Night).

It does seem risky to fire up a brand new network just as the big boys are getting ready to unleash all of their new programming. I think myNetworkTV would have been better served to kick off this experiment over the summer, giving them time to build an audience. That said, they do have counter programming going for them. Offering daily prime-time soaps is something nobody else is doing. And I think the casting of Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild is perfect. If there is anyone that can lure me into the Americanized telenovela waters, it's Morgan Fairchild.

If all of this sounds like it's in your entertainment wheelhouse, head on over to the myNetworkTV website. They have a bunch of prequel video to get you up to speed on the shows before the big premieres. They also have a handy tool to help you find the myNetworkTV station in your area.

[ via Netscape.com ]