Television: Beg, borrow OR STEAL

Wow, look at all the news releases touting upcoming new shows! So much freshness, finally coming our way:

NBC has picked up a sitcom called "Kath & Kim," about the dysfunctional relationship of a cheery divorcee and her whiny adult daughter.

Oh, wait. "Kath" was an Australian hit in 2002, and has aired here on the late great Trio channel as well as Sundance.

Let's look at CBS, which has announced a couple of intriguingly titled drama pilots, "Ny-Lon" and "Mythological X."

Oh, wait. "Ny-Lon's" cross-continental romance first aired on Britain's BBC; "Mythological X" adapts an Israeli series.

At least the CW has a new reality show, "Farmer Wants a Wife," premiering April 30. Oops. That's an Americanized version of a spouse-seeking competition produced in the Netherlands, Norway, Australia and other countries.

We could go on, and on. Sad to say, American television doesn't seem to have an original idea left in its collective head. Why should it? Look how well the networks have done with imports since "Survivor's" 2000 arrival unleashed the unscripted series flood, swamping us with "American Idol," "Big Brother," "Hell's Kitchen" (back next Tuesday for another Fox season) and "Deal or No Deal," to name only a few.

Have we seen the last original American TV idea?

We're just a week away from NBC adding two USA cable series, "Monk" and "Psych," to its Sunday night lineup. Why not, since CBS is airing its Showtime sibling's critical hit "Dexter" that night already. This summer, NBC is also swiping USA's country music contest "Nashville Star."

This trend isn't happening for no reason. TV networks are being pummeled by competition on all sides -- cable, video on demand, online video, DVDs, video games. With viewership dropping, they feel pressured to downsize budgets to match. So we get cheapola/pilfered programming that might be fun in the short run. But in the long run, network television is abdicating precisely what established its long-held pre-eminent place in the pop-culture landscape. TV has always had game shows and borrowed concepts. What it was known and loved for, however, was high-quality original comedy and drama -- series that were creative, lavishly produced, star-making and uniquely American.

I don't think reality witch Omarosa or "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell can compete in the star pantheon with TV-made icons such as "ER's" George Clooney or the funny folks of "Seinfeld." Or that viewers of TV Land 2025 will treasure "encores" of "Joe Millionaire," or "Wife Swap" over classic episode arcs from "Lost" or "House."

The problem when the networks stop swinging big for the fences is that the batting skills of casts and creators wither. If it's freshness they're seeking, you can't identify new talent if you can't see it in action.