Creators of the season's freshman achievers talk on how to score with viewers -- and keep them.
IN A television season that largely saw shows with unlikely premises ("Knights of Prosperity," "The Nine") fail to deliver on their promise of originality, that saw Aaron Sorkin's highly touted "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" turn out to be a big buzz kill, a few gleaming gems emerged.
This handful of shows excited and inspired audiences; they dared to be different and succeeded on some level — some became instant fodder for Internet chatter, while others are perhaps ratings challenged but have a loyal and slowly growing fan base. Will any of it be enough for an Emmy nod?
ABC's "Ugly Betty" proved that comedy can handle an hourlong format even when the heroine is only an emotional swan. "Heroes" showed us what the future of the prime-time serial might look like — no lingering unsolved mysteries, just a bunch of good cliffhangers.
"Dexter" did the unthinkable by giving us a serial killer to root for and "Brothers & Sisters" updated the "thirtysomething" model for the new century.
And finally, the tragic dignity of "Friday Night Lights" showed us that HBO isn't the only home for critically acclaimed televised storytelling, even if viewers aren't yet swarming to it.
Here's what the creators of these outstanding freshman shows of the 2006-07 season had to say about how they stood out, and what they need to do to keep their audiences interested and moving forward.
