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'Blade,' Spike and the pursuit of men Half-man, half-vampire works to rescue Detroit Jun 26, 2006
The former TNN, freshly renamed Spike, thought it had it all figured out: manly programming. It was an intriguing idea, ambitious too, and timely, at a time when other general-interest networks were rebranding around themes. Why not? It's been a struggle for Spike, a huge one, and so far it hasn't really worked. A good part of the problem has been in finding that signature program that would define Spike as a men's network in all of its intended nuances, something it could build around, not just another tagline. Three years later, Spike may have that series: "Blade: The Series," whose two-hour premiere airs on Wednesday night at 10. The program draws on the trilogy of "Blade" films which, in turn, were inspired by the cult Marvel comic book character. The series, starring Wesley Snipes, did well at the box office, grossing more than $200 million, though the third installment, "Blade: Trinity," released in 2004, began to fade, grossing the least, $52 million. The TV series picks up where "Blade: Trinity" left off. The show follows the exploits of Blade, a half-man, half-vampire warrior who has made it his life’s mission to destroy the vampires who threaten Detroit. He teams up with Krista, a woman hell-bent on avenging her twin brother's death at the hands of a vampire. Rapper-actor Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones plays the gravely voiced hero. Jill Wagner plays Krista. "Blade" has several things working for it. It's already a franchise, bringing with it a built-in audience. In addition to films and comics, the character has spawned two video games, and a third is on the way. And as Spike likes to think, it's a series guys can identify with, having lots of action, a certain sex appeal, high-tech weaponry and the edginess that often defines original cable programming. It also has continuity. The pilot was written by David Goyer and Geoff Johns, both respected comic book writers. Goyer wrote the three "Blade" movies and directed the third. He will also executive produce the series. Primetime viewership among 18-34 males is down 13 percent this year, to 174,000 from 203,000 in 2005, though "WWE's" exit accounts for much of that. Women in that demo are down as well, by 17 percent, to 124,000 from 157,000.
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