Originality is apparently overrated

Quite the busy afternoon - a couple of interviews, searching down a lot of dead links to that rumored "Fringe" pilot online (more on that later) and, of course, preparing an artful commentary on CBS's new fall shows.

But first, a lamentation on the death of originality in the broadcast networks' programming. It's not that a bunch of new shows are derivative - it's that they're all Americanizations of successful overseas TV shows or books. Is this the networks' payback for the writers strike - not allowing writers to come up with original ideas but instead simply retool old ones?

Herewith, a complete collection of upcoming shows and their source material, and this isn't even counting NBC's "My Own Worst Enemy," which is "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" meets "True Stories," or CBS's "The Mentalist," which is a more serious version of USA's "Psych." They may not be entirely original but at least the writers stole the ideas honestly instead of just buying the rights to some other show. The shows below signal an industry throwing its hands up as one and saying, "That's it - we're out of ideas."

NBC (85% of new scripted series from another source)
"Office Spinoff:" "The Office," itself based on the British series.
"Kath and Kim:" Australian sitcom.
"Crusoe:" Daniel Defoe novel.
"Knight Rider:" '80s NBC show.
"Merlin:" Arthurian legend.
"Kings:" David and Goliath story from the Bible.

ABC (50% of new scripted series from another source)
"Life on Mars:" British show.
"In the Motherhood:" An online series.

CBS (60% of new scripted series from another source)
"Worst Week:" British sitcom.
"Eleventh Hour:" British drama.
"The Ex-List:" Israeli show.

Fox (33% of new scripted series from another source)
"Sit Down, Shut Up:" Animated version of live-action British show.
"The Cleveland Show:" "Family Guy" spinoff.

The CW (50% of new scripted series from another source)
"Surviving the Filthy Rich:" Book by Zoey Dean, "How To Teach Filthy Rich Girls." Does the new title really represent an improvement?