The TV Zone

OK, this whole "green" thing has now officially Gone Too Far.

The sure sign of overkill: NBC crowed at press tour that's it's devoting an entire week of fall shows -- hours and hours and hours of shows, in prime time and cable and news and yada yada -- to a Nov. 4-10 ecological-awareness campaign oh-so-cleverly (and promotionally) called Green Is Universal.

The network's NBC Universal corporate umbrella is spearheading this "pro-social" "global event," where "green-friendly and environmentally oriented messages" will be shoehorned into -- I mean, included in -- the likes of "My Name Is Earl," "Heroes" and, God forbid, "Deal or No Deal." Even in (I swear I'm not making this up) NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast of the Nov. 4 Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game.

This wall-to-wall week will also encompass such NBC Universal cable properties as Bravo, where stylists and chefs will further get on our case. CNBC shouting heads should hash over "green" stocks. Universal HD foists upon us short films about protecting the environment. Sci Fi plans a "Eureka" marathon carrying the theme Technology and Science to the Rescue.

What if you don't wanna be rescued?

I'm not against green. My recycle bin is full, and not just on the computer. But this wholesale hijacking of our airwaves for such a sledgehammer approach does nobody any favors. Viewers will be sick of the incessant sermonizing looooong before it's over, creating not a save-the-planet groundswell but a shut-up-about-it-already backlash.

Which may have started moments later.

"We're screwed," said John Krasinski of "The Office" at NBC's press tour session for its Thursday night comedies. "We're a paper company. We're going to get hammered."

"My Name Is Earl" creator Greg Garcia said it might not be so bad if fed-up viewers bailed by midweek. "If they turn off their TVs, think how much energy that will save."

Bill Lawrence, the mastermind behind "Scrubs," actually thinks the save-the-planet "burden is less for comedies. I doubt that any show here" -- "30 Rock's" Tina Fey was also on the panel -- "is going to be preachy, and is [instead] going to handle it in a comedic way. And although 'Law & Order' is usually pretty funny, I doubt they'll do the same jokes we all do."

"Saves a lot of energy if they cut all the 'dun-duns' out."

We'll let sound effects maven (and "Scrubs" star) Zach Braff have that last word.