Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and Fall of the WB and UPN

This predictable look at the ""unpredictable business"" of television tells the tale of upstart networks the WB and UPN, whose eventual failures were both ""symptom"" and ""byproduct"" of ""an industry in transition"" amid ""a broader business environment gone bananas."" A former executive at the WB, Daniels recounts the 11-year history of the ""netlet"" and its main competitor, UPN, in exacting detail. Daniels and her co-writer Littleton (of Variety magazine) bring what gossip they have-noting, for instance, that Katie Holmes nearly passed on Dawson's Creek for the lead in her high school musical-but the majority of the writing is strictly business. Unfortunately, neither Daniels nor Littleton have the knack for developing characters; the majority of the large cast (listed helpfully up front) are introduced with lazy cliches (screenwriter Kevin Williamson ""was all youthful exuberance that day, sporting a sweet grin, tousled sandy blonde hair and deep-blue eyes""), drawing life from behind-the-scenes discussion of deals, partnerships, creative development and ratings wars. This chronicle should appeal to future network executives, but fans will probably be happier watching Buffy reruns-or even Star Trek: Voyager.