'18 Wheels': Drama key to TNN's makeover

While violent grapplers and skaters have clicked with the highly coveted male 18-34 demo, TNN's overall ratings have dropped. But the downturn is likely temporary as the channel alienates its core music-loving audience in favor of a broader viewer base.

'18 Wheels of Justice': Drama
is key to TNN's country makeover

Talking truck may do the trick in luring young

By Andrew Wallenstein

     To broaden its scope beyond country music, The Nashville Network could do worse than "18 Wheels of Justice" (Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m. ET, beginning tonight), the network's first original drama series.
     Over the past year, TNN has been gradually widening its programming net to include anything that fits the so-called "country lifestyle." Music showcases like "Crook & Chase Tonight" and "Prime Time Country" were jettisoned in favor of non-music series, including "ECW Wrestling" and "Rollerjam."
   The new direction has met with mixed results: While violent grapplers and skaters have clicked with the highly coveted male 18-34 demo, TNN's overall ratings dropped from 0.9 in 1998 to 0.8 in 1999. The downturn is likely a temporary phase as the cable channel alienates its core music-loving audience in favor of a broader viewer base.
    "Wheels" will probably help smooth the transition. Although it's a traditional action drama, the series also boasts plenty of cameos from country music's top performers. In addition, the real star of "Wheels" is a souped-up truck that presumably would be the vehicle of choice to "country lifestyle" enthusiasts.
     "Wheels" is basically the NBC series "Knight Rider" with a truck instead of a car. When handsome federal agent Chance Bowman (Lucky Vanous) crosses crime boss Jacob Calder (G. Gordon Liddy-how's that for stunt casting?) with a thirst for vengeance, he joins what might be described as the mobile unit of the federal witness protection program: They hand him the keys to a Kenworth T2000, a truck that can do everything but fly and make cappuccino.
     Of course, his new anonymous, itinerant status will be backed by the government, provided he refrains from gunning for Calder, who wants to kill Bowman.
    Oh, and did I mention Calder has Bowman's wife and daughter killed in the first episode? Gee, I wonder if the two will meet again.
    "Wheels" is by-the-numbers action drama, filled with car chases, flying fists and cocked guns. Vanous and Liddy probably won't be mentioned come Emmy time, but that's not really the point: Slickly produced, mindless entertainment with a "country" twist is, and TNN hits it on the head.
    Available in 81 million homes, the network will be making improvements to its primetime lineup all year long. Serving as lead-in to "Wheels" is "Dead Man's Gun," a 44-episode drama anthology that aired 1997-99 on Showtime. "Gun" also begins its run on Jan. 12. "Rockin' Bowl," a wacky collegiate bowling showcase, begins its run one day earlier.
     In the coming months, expanded coverage of the rodeo circuit will begin, as will exclusive rights to arena football.
     As for "Wheels," TNN may be on to something: Trucks may actually be the next big primetime trend. To build on its success with males 12-34, UPN is reportedly readying a monster-truck showcase to complement WWF wrestling for the 2000-01 season.

- Andrew Wallenstein covers television programming for Media Life.