Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.
CBS has opted to cancel dramas The Unit, Without a Trace, and Eleventh Hour and will renew dramas Cold Case and NUMB3RS and comedies The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried. (Hollywood Reporter)
CW has ordered three new drama series for next season, giving the greenlight to Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries, and The Beautiful Life, while Privileged, Reaper, Everybody Hates Chris, and The Game have all been officially cancelled. Meanwhile, the CW has announced that it will not go ahead with the planned spin-off of Gossip Girl but has indicated that drama Life Unexpected remains in contention for a midseason order. The network will unveil its schedule to advertisers tomorrow. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)
After NBC's cancellation of comedy series My Name is Earl, producers on the 20th Century Fox Television-produced series are said to be shopping it elsewhere, including to FOX and ABC. Series co-star Ethan Suplee has started a Save Our Show campaign on Twitter and urges fans of Earl to spread the word. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ABC Entertainment Group president Steve McPherson has defended the network's decision to move dramedy Ugly Betty to Friday nights, saying that it's not a sign that Betty is on her way to the grave. "I love the show [and] America [Ferrera] is one of our biggest stars," said McPherson. "[But] you look at [Betty's declining ratings on] Thursday night and we think we have a big opportunity with Flash Forward. You have to make some bold moves sometimes. To me, I'd love to see [Betty] have a great run on Friday night the way Ghost Whisperer has [for CBS]." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Meanwhile, My Name is Earl creator Greg Garcia lashed out at NBC, which announced that it was not bringing Earl back next season. "It’s hard to be too upset about being thrown off the Titanic," said Garcia, who said he intends to shop the series to other networks. "They woke me up at 7:30 to let me know. I e-mailed Jeff Zucker [president and chief executive of NBC Universal] on Sunday, and I never got a response. But this is show business. The writing was on the wall. When you go to bed the night before the schedule is out, and no one has spoken to you, you know what’s happening. You get somewhat frustrated with how it’s being handled, but that’s the business we work in. I’ve never fooled myself that it’s a fair or friendly business." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)
Richard Coyle (Coupling) will be recast on CBS' new series Miami Trauma. (Futon Critic via Twitter)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talked with Privileged creator Rina Mimoun about the CW's decision not to bring back the series for a second season. "It's truly heartbreaking," Mimoun told Ausiello via e-mail. "I'm so grateful to everyone out there who supported our little show and fell in love with Megan Smith. She was the most delightful character I've ever had the pleasure to write and watching JoAnna Garcia bring her to life every day was a gift I will never forget. I'm incredibly proud of the work we did and forever indebted to all the fans, critics and to Warner Bros. for being so wonderful and supportive. I will miss this more than you know." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
A&E will launch Season Two of drama The Closer, starring Benjamin Bratt, on June 23rd. Guest stars for the upcoming series include Christine Lahti, Whoopi Goldberg, and Lori Petty. (via press release)
Nickelodeon has given a pilot order for a series based on DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens feature film. Also on tap for DreamWorks Animation: a Shrek Halloween special entitled Scared Shrekless and a Kung Fu Panda holiday special. (Hollywood Reporter)
Day Two of the 2009 network upfronts continues as NBC (finally!) announced their 2009-10 primetime schedule.
"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with The Jay Leno Show at 10 pm," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "We're incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, Community and Parenthood. We can't wait for the fall."
"We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC's schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."
As previously reported, NBC ordered several new series including Mercy, Trauma, Day One, Parenthood, 100 Questions, and Community and renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation back on May 4th, when it also ordered six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday. (The pickups and renewals joined The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Apprentice, and Friday Night Lights, all of which received early pickups a few months back.)
NBC made news earlier today when it officially announced, via press release, that it would be bringing back Chuck for a third season, although it would hold off on returning the series until after the Winter Olympics, when it would rejoin the schedule in its Monday nights at 8 pm timeslot. Also joining Chuck in midseason are dramas Day One and Mercy and unscripted series The Marriage Ref, all of which will turn up following the Olympics.
Heroes will wrap its season in the fall, vacating the Mondays at 8 pm timeslot for Chuck. My Name is Earl has been officially canceled by NBC, as has Medium. It's unclear at the moment whether CBS will pick up Medium for their own schedule.
Also left off of the midseason schedule: Friday Night Lights, which will instead return to NBC in Summer 2010 after its run on DirecTV's Channel 101.
UPDATED: NBC's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network.
NBC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE
MONDAY 8-9 pm: Heroes 9-10 pm: Trauma (new drama) 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
TUESDAY 8-10 pm: The Biggest Loser 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
WEDNESDAY 8-9 pm: Parenthood (new drama) 9-10 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
THURSDAY 8-8:30 pm: SNL Weekend Update Thursday 8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation 9-9:30 pm: The Office 9:30-10 pm: Community 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
THURSDAY (after SNL ends) 8-8:30 pm: Community 8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation 9-9:30 pm: The Office 9:30- 10 pm: 30 Rock 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
FRIDAY 8-9 pm: Law & Order 9-10 pm: Southland 10-11 pm: Jay Leno
SUNDAY 7-8 pm: Dateline NBC 8-9 pm: The Marriage Ref (new reality) 9-11 pm: Celebrity Apprentice
For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the NBC schedule stacks up.
Returning Series: 30 Rock, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Football Night in America, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Southland, Sunday Night Football
New Series: 100 Questions, Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, Community, Day One, The Jay Leno Show, The Marriage Ref, Mercy, Parenthood, The Sing Off, Trauma, Who Do You Think You Are?
New Timeslots for Returning Series: Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Southland
Midseason Launches/Returns: Chuck, Day One, Friday Night Lights (Summer 2010), Mercy, The Marriage Ref
Cancelled/Ended: America's Toughest Jobs, Chopping Block, Crusoe, ER, Kath & Kim, Kings, Knight Rider, Life, Lipstick Jungle, Momma's Boys, My Name is Earl, My Own Worst Enemy
Reactions: I've gone into enough detail in the past about what I think of the decision to air Jay Leno five nights a week at 10 pm, so I won't say anything more about it here other than I think it's a sad state of the industry when we're seeing a major broadcast net give up the 10 pm hour to a daily talk show rather than schedule scripted programming. Sigh. Will NBC's gambit pay off? We'll see this fall and we'll see just how happy the advertisers are versus their spending on scripted first-run programming in the same timeslot last year.
I think it's a good decision to program shorter runs of scripted drama series, with Heroes and Trauma set to air their full seasons before the start of the Olympics, after which we'll see Mondays turned over to Chuck (yay!) and Jesse Alexander's sci-fi drama Day One. With the reduction of available real estate (thanks to the Jay Leno deal), I think it's a smart decision and will hopefully produce a higher concentration of quality episodes than in a typical 22-episode season.
I am, however, a little concerned about yet another huge hiatus between seasons for Chuck, which saw significant downturn in the ratings when it wasn't returned quickly enough to the schedule after the WGA strike. Given its current momentum and fan and critical support, I would have thought that NBC would have wanted to rush this back on air as quickly as possible. Hmmmm.
No surprise that NBC would keep reality competition series The Biggest Loser in a two-hour edition on Tuesdays, though I do think that the combination on Wednesdays of Parenthood and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an odd one, to say the least. Will the same audience really stick around for SVU after watching a family drama? I don't know. The same applies to Mercy in midseason as well.
SNL Weekend Update Thursday is a no brainer. It worked quite well for NBC in the lead-up to the presidential election last fall and gives the net more of a lead-in cushion for floundering comedy Parks and Recreation at 8:30 pm and allow Community to get some sampling after The Office for a few weeks before it kicks off the night roughly six weeks later. Happy to see that NBC didn't mess around with its 9 pm combo of The Office and 30 Rock, which will join the schedule after SNL Weekend Update Thursday wraps its run.
Friday nights will either be a blessing or a curse for NBC, with their new lineup of veteran drama Law & Order and newbie Southland taking over the graveyard shift. Given Southland's plummeting ratings on Thursdays at 10 pm this season, I fully anticipate the series' viewers to flee once it moves to a less desirable Friday evening locale.
NBC ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE BOLSTERED BY MORE ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING THAN EVER BEFORE
Shared Time Period Strategy Around NBC's Broadcast of 2010 Winter Olympics Along with Jay Leno at 10 p.m. Enables Network to Broadcast Original Programming Year-Round
Network Renews Returning Series "Law & Order" and "Chuck"
NEW YORK CITY -- May 19, 2009 – NBC announced today its 2009-2010 schedule featuring more original programming than ever before and a shared time-period strategy around NBC's Olympics platform that, along with "The Jay Leno Show" (Mondays-Fridays 10-11 p.m. ET), allows the network to broadcast all-new content year-round.
In addition, NBC issued renewals to "Law & Order" and "Chuck" (see accompanying release) as part of its strong slate of new and returning shows announced recently at the network's highly successful Infront.
"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m.," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "We're incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, 'Community' and 'Parenthood.' We can't wait for the fall."
"We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC's schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."
NBC's shared time period strategy will kick off this fall on Mondays with the premiere of "Heroes" (8-9 p.m. ET) continuing with all originals before "Chuck" assumes the time period after the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which will be a powerful launching platform with its broad, female appeal and strong ratings as the most-watched event of the year. Using "NBC Sunday Night Football's" potent promotional platform, the new high-octane drama "Trauma" will debut Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) with the epic event series "Day One" taking over the time period following the Olympics.
NBC's successful "The Biggest Loser" series continues Tuesdays (8-10 p.m.) and will help launch the new Wednesday lineup this fall, with the new family drama "Parenthood" debuting (8-9 p.m. ET) and the new hospital drama "Mercy" assuming the time period post-Olympics. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will air 9-10 p.m. ET following "Parenthood."
NBC's Thursday marquee comedy night will begin with the only live comedy between 8-10 p.m. on any network, "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" (8-8:30 p.m. ET), followed by "Parks and Recreation" (8:30-9 p.m. ET), "The Office" (9-9:30 p.m. ET) and the new comedy "Community" (9:30-10 p.m. ET). After "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" completes its multi-week run, "Community" will move to 8 p.m. and "30 Rock" will debut at 9:30 p.m., enabling NBC to feature more original comedy than ever before.
On Fridays in the fall, the enduring drama "Law & Order" will return for its record 20th season (tying "Gunsmoke" as the longest running drama series in primetime) and will lead off at 8-9 p.m. (ET) while "Southland" follows at 9-10 p.m. (ET), building a great crime block.
Saturdays will be a showcase for "Dateline NBC" (8-9 p.m. ET) and encore episodes of "Trauma" (9-10 p.m. ET) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10-11 p.m. ET).
"Football Night in America" (7-8:20 p.m. ET) and " NBC Sunday Night Football" (8:20-11 p.m. ET) – the number one show of the fall -- will return on Sundays in the fall with a fan-pleasing schedule of games to round out the fall season.
Utilizing the compatible demographics provided by the Olympics, NBC will launch the premieres of "The Marriage Ref" from executive producers Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Rakieten ("Oprah") on Sundays (8-9 p.m. ET) and the third season premiere of "The Celebrity Apprentice" on Sundays with two-hour editions (9-11 p.m. ET). In addition, the new comedy "100 Questions" will debut on Tuesdays (9:30-10 p.m. ET) following a 90-minute edition of "The Biggest Loser" (8-9:30 p.m. ET).
And coming in the summer 2010, NBC will telecast all original episodes of "The Jay Leno Show," "Friday Night Lights," "America's Got Talent," "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins," "Dateline NBC," with additional programs to be announced later.
You read it here the other day but NBC has now officially announced the return of Chuck for the 2009-10 season via a press release that signals a partnership between the Peacock and Subway.
The renewal for Chuck, from Warner Bros. Television, marks an order for a third season of the much beloved action comedy which returns to NBC, thanks to an innovative partnership between the network and sponsor Subway.
"This innovative partnership is a perfect example of the effectiveness of the NBC Infront," said NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman. "By involving Subway early in the process, we were able to bring a quality show like Chuck back to NBC for next season. Everybody wins -- NBC, Subway, and the loyal fans who so enthusiastically lobbied for Chuck's renewal."
The partnership with Subway marks a multi-platform deal that will "offer a variety of opportunities that will include significant integration into the show, as well as traditional advertising tie-ins."
One downer, however: Chuck isn't expected to return now until midseason but it WILL return to its old stomping ground at Mondays at 8 pm, according to The New York Times, following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics. NBC has ordered thirteen episodes of Chuck but Silverman indicated that number could increase and Chuck could in fact continue to run through the summer.
Chuck co-creator Josh Schwartz, meanwhile, emailed TV Week's Josef Adalian when news went out about the official renewal. "We are happy to be back," said Schwartz via email. "Ready to serve - whenever. Wherever. We have the best audience in the world and we will do everything we can to make this worth the wait.
The full press release from NBC, announcing the third season renewal of Chuck, can be found below.
NBC RENEWS POPULAR ACTION-COMEDY 'CHUCK' FOR THE 2009-2010 SEASON WITH SUBWAY AS MAJOR SPONSOR
Innovative Advertising Partnership With Subway Validates NBC's Early "Infront" Process
Renewal Represents Triumph for Fans and TV Critics Who Waged Successful Online and Twitter "Save Chuck" Campaign Supported by Subway
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - May 19, 2009 - NBC is pleased to announce that due to an innovative advertising partnership with Subway, the fan-favorite and critically-lauded series "Chuck" will return for the 2009-10 season. The announcement was made by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, and Mike Pilot, President, Sales and Marketing, NBC Universal.
"This innovative partnership is a perfect example of the effectiveness of the NBC Infront," said Silverman. "By involving Subway early in the process, we were able to bring a quality show like 'Chuck' back to NBC for next season. Everybody wins -- NBC, Subway, and the loyal fans who so enthusiastically lobbied for 'Chuck's' renewal."
"The synergy of the deal with Subway validates the Infront process," added Pilot. "Our goal with the Infront is to initiate early and ongoing dialogue with our advertising clients regarding the network's programming. We were thrilled when Subway, who had been integrated into the show lately, expressed a desire to expand their relationship with the series in a creative way."
"Our customers love 'Chuck' so we are happy to help bring the show back through our partnership with NBC," said Tony Pace, Chief Marketing Officer, SFAFT. "We have been working with NBC Universal extensively, well beyond the traditional upfront marketplace discussions, to craft ground-breaking, multi-platform deals, which we believe provide a more engaging way of getting our messages to our consumer audiences. And, since program development is essentially year round, we have found NBC's Infront process to be helpful in that we can be part of the conversation as programming decisions are made."
The multi-platform partnership with Subway will offer a variety of opportunities that will include significant integration into the show, as well as traditional advertising tie-ins.
"Chuck" has been heralded by TV Guide as classic TV escapism -- a funny, smart, stylish, silly action comedy, a hoot with heart, pure entertainment that mixes danger, humor and romance in a satisfying package."
In its second season, "Chuck" averaged a 2.8 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall in a highly competitive time period that includes competition from Fox's "House," ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and CBS's "Big Bang Theory" and "How I Met Your Mother." "Chuck" over-delivered in upscale households, scoring a 115 index of adults 18-49 living in homes with $75,000+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes in the general 18-49 population) and generated 28 percent of its adult 18-49 audience through DVR time-shifting. The February 2 "3-D" episode of "Chuck" (3.0 rating, 7 share in 18-49, 8.5 million viewers overall) nabbed NBC's highest non-Olympic 18-49 rating in the time period since February 25, 2008.
From executive producer, Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall"), the one-hour, action-comedy series follows Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") -- a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent. When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at a Buy More Electronics store. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must now confront assassins and international terrorists.
With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey of the National Security Agency (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") assumes the responsibility of protecting him. His partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's first date in years), Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski, "Gone"). They'll try to keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest. Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Morgan Grimes, Chuck's best buddy, and Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister, Ellie. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote, "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Welcome to Day Two of the 2009 network upfronts. Up next is ABC, which has unveiled its fall schedule to advertisers.
So far, the Alphabet has picked up the most new programming out of any broadcast network to date, with orders for Cougar Town, The Deep End, Eastwick, Flash Forward, The Forgotten, Hank, Happy Town, The Middle, Modern Family, Shark Tank, and Vas expected.
Returning series include America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Saturday Night College Football, Scrubs, Supernanny, True Beauty, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap, and 20/20.
"Our focus is always on delivering the best stories with the most memorable characters on TV, whether that’s established audience favorites or innovative new shows," said ABC Entertainment Group president Steve McPherson. "This year we’ve got the best of both. We’re headed into the season with a strong slate of returning series as well as great new shows from one of our best development seasons ever."
Immediately noticeable is the creation of a two-hour comedy block on Wednesdays, with Hank, The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town airing between 8-10 pm, followed by Eastwick. The comedy block comprises ABC's "biggest risk but also our biggest upside," said McPherson on a conference call with press this morning.
Meanwhile, ABC has shifted Ugly Betty to Friday nights at 9 pm. Given the dwindling ratings for the series, which will enter its fourth season this fall, I had anticipated ABC moving Betty to a softer timeslot and opening up the timeslot to a more competitive series... like Flash Forward, which will air at 8 pm on Thursdays.
Genre fans will be happy as, so far anyway, Flash Forward will air at 8 pm on ABC, followed by Fringe at 9 pm on FOX. McPherson described Flash Forward as an "intimate, personal story about the nature of fate... love, loss." He also noted that the series has "an extensive multi-season arc" and that "each season has its own cycle."
Hotly anticipated sci-fi series V will air in four season-long arcs and will have "a beginning, middle, and end," according to McPherson. Whether each season will be comprised of 13 episodes or 22 remains to be worked out, though McPherson did tease that Elizabeth Mitchell may be seen on both V and Lost next season.
Not on the schedule: According to Jim, Samantha Who, The Unusuals, and Cupid, all of which have been officially axed. "It was really frustrating," said McPherson of Samantha Who's decline this year. "It launched really well and then ran out of steam. This year, it was really hurt when we couldn't get In the Motherhood to be really viable and it was hurt by that."
UPDATED: ABC's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network, promo videos, and photography for the new series.
ABC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE
ABC’s fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern):
MONDAY 8-10 pm: Dancing with the Stars (two-hours) 10-11 pm: Castle
TUESDAY 8-9 pm: Shark Tank 9-10 pm: Dancing with the Stars Results Show 10-11 pm: The Forgotten
WEDNESDAY 8-8:30 pm: Hank 8:30-9 pm: The Middle 9-9:30 pm: Modern Family 9:30-10 pm: Cougar Town 10-11 pm: Eastwick
N.B.: The Bachelor will air Monday nights from 8-10 pm following the run of Dancing with the Stars, and Scrubs and Better Off Ted will air at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, following the run of Dancing with the Stars Results Show.
For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the ABC schedule stacks up.
Returning Series: 20/20, America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Scrubs, Supernanny, True Beauty, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap
New Series: Awesome Hank, Cougar Town, The Deep End, Eastwick, Flash Forward, The Forgotten, Happy Town, The Middle, Modern Family, The Shark Tank, V
New Timeslots for Returning Series: Supernanny, Ugly Betty
Midseason Launches/Returns: The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, The Deep End, Happy Town, Lost, Scrubs, V
Cancelled/Ended: According to Jim, Boston Legal, Cupid, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Homeland Security USA, In the Motherhood, Life on Mars, Opportunity Knocks, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who, The Unusuals
Reactions: ABC's fall schedule shows the network setting into some stability while also determined to take some risks, as seen by their decision to launch a night around scripted comedies on Wednesday, with the launches of new series Hank, The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town. Whether this strategy will pay off remains to be seen but, given the network's problem this past fall on Wednesdays with the ratings hit of strike-affected series like Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money, I think it's a good sign that they are looking to do something different on the night after situating Scrubs and Better Off Ted on the night this spring. Scripted comedies are a Good Thing and it's a genre that networks have gotten too comfortable bypassing altogether.
No one expected ABC to change up its Sunday night lineup or shift Dancing with the Stars and Sundays and Monday nights look exactly the same as it did this season with Mondays comprised of Dancing from 8-10 pm, followed by Castle, which gets a shot at a second season. Not sure that The Forgotten will win viewers over at 10 pm on Tuesdays, given the difference in key demo with lead-in Dancing, but thanks to less competition over at NBC (thanks to Jay Leno at 10 pm), this could score with viewers looking for scripted post-watershed drama.
It makes sense for ABC to hold onto such new dramas as V, Happy Town, and The Deep End until midseason and it will be interesting to see how Flash Forward (easily my favorite project of the season) will perform at 8 pm on Thursdays. It doesn't have a lot of competition on the drama side and ABC did originally launch Lost at 8 pm, so it will likely get a lot of sampling initially. (And, as I mentioned above, I love that genre fans will get back-to-back sci-fi on Thursdays with Flash Forward at 8 pm and the Fringe at 9 pm on FOX.)
Ugly Betty moving to Fridays? I've assumed for a long time that ABC would dump the declining Betty on a less competitive night, where it will go up against FOX's Dollhouse in the hour. (Do the two series really share the same fan base?) Given the creative and ratings decline this series has faced in recent years, I was surprised when ABC picked it up but judging from McPherson's tone this morning on the press call, it seems like Betty's days are numbered after this year, unless they can turn things around.
All in all, a promising lineup that boasts a slew of proven ratings hits as well as some risky new ventures, many of which are exciting and original.
The full press release from ABC, announcing their fall schedule along with official series descriptions, can be found below.
ABC UNVEILS 2009-10 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
New Series Include “Cougar Town,” “The Deep End,” “Eastwick,” “Flash Forward,” “The Forgotten,” “Hank,” “Happy Town,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family,” “Shark Tank” and “V”
“Better Off Ted,” “Castle,” “Scrubs” and “True Beauty” Join Previously Announced Returning Series “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty,” “Wife Swap” and “20/20”
Stephen McPherson, president, ABC Entertainment Group, today outlined ABC’s plans for next season and unveiled the network’s 2009-10 fall schedule before the advertising and media communities at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.
New fall and midseason series include “Cougar Town,” “The Deep End,” “Eastwick,” “Flash Forward,” “The Forgotten,” “Hank,” “Happy Town,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family,” “Shark Tank” and “V.”
“Better Off Ted,” “Castle,” “Scrubs” and “True Beauty” join previously announced returning series “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty,” “Wife Swap” and “20/20.” “Saturday Night College Football” will also return.
“Our focus is always on delivering the best stories with the most memorable characters on TV, whether that’s established audience favorites or innovative new shows,” said McPherson. “This year we’ve got the best of both. We’re headed into the season with a strong slate of returning series as well as great new shows from one of our best development seasons ever.”
For the 2008-09 TV season, ABC claims four of the top 10 highest-rated TV series in Adults 18-49, including the top two scripted shows with “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” For the fourth straight season, the Network remains a top destination for upscale viewers, delivering five of the top 15 highest-rated TV series and three of the top four scripted shows among Adults 18-49 in homes w/$100K+ annual income. During the fall, the Net finished No. 1 in the November Sweep among Adults 18-49 for the fourth year in a row. ABC’s audience is growing in 2009, delivering across-the-board gains over the same point last year: Total Viewers +2%, Adults 18-34 +14%, Adults 18-49 +4% and Adults 25-54 +3%.
Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. However “Shark Tank” will premiere over the summer following the special 10th anniversary primetime return of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” and will then move to Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2009-10 season.
NEW FALL AND MIDSEASON SERIES:
DRAMA
THE DEEP END
Each year one of LA’s most prestigious law firms recruits four young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. The only way for these first-years to survive is to support each other…even as they compete against one another in the cutthroat arena of high-end law. Sex, greed, romance, betrayal – it’s all part of being a first year associate at Sterling Law.
“The Deep End” stars Matt Long as Dylan Hewitt, Ben Lawson as Liam Priory, Tina Majorino as Addy Fisher, Norbert Leo Butz as Rowdy Kaiser, Leah Pipes as Beth Bancroft, Billy Zane as Cliff Huddle, Sherri Saum as Susan Oppenheim and Clancy Brown as Hart Sterling.
The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. David Hemingson is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by Michael Fresco.
EASTWICK
Three very different women find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them, and this small New England town will never be the same. The series is based on the popular movie “The Witches of Eastwick” and on the novel of the same title by John Updike.
“Eastwick” stars Rebecca Romijn as Roxie Torcoletti, Lindsay Price as Joanna Frankel, Jamie Ray Newman as Kat Gardener, Paul Gross as Darryl Van Horne, Sara Rue as Penny, Veronica Cartwright as Bun, Johann Urb as Will, Jon Bernthal as Raymond and Ashley Benson as Mia.
The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Maggie Friedman is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by David Nutter.
FLASH FORWARD
When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled.
Adapting award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer’s revolutionary novel, executive producers David S. Goyer (visionary co-writer of “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”) and Brannon Braga (“24,” “Star Trek: Enterprise”) invite you to embark on a journey to answer the question, “if you knew what your future held, what would you do?”
“Flash Forward” stars Joseph Fiennes as Mark Benford, John Cho as Demetri Noh, Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe, Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford, Courtney B. Vance as Stan Wedeck, Brian O’Byrne as Aaron Stark, Christine Woods as Janis Hawk, Zachary Knighton as Bryce Varley and Peyton List as Nicole.
The series is from ABC Studios. David S. Goyer is executive producer/writer/director. Brannon Braga is executive producer and co-wrote the pilot. Other executive producers are Marc Guggenheim, Jessika Goyer, Vince Gerardis and Ralph Vicinanza. Guggenheim will be the showrunner, along with Goyer.
THE FORGOTTEN
From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes a crime show in which a team of dedicated amateurs work on cases involving unidentified victims. After the police have given up, this group must first solve the puzzle of the victim's identity in order to then help catch the killer. They work to give the deceased back their names, lest they become -- The Forgotten.
“The Forgotten” stars Rupert Penry-Jones as Alex, Reiko Aylesworth as Linda, Michelle Borth as Candace, Bob Stephenson as Walter, Anthony Carrigan as Tyler and Rochelle Aytes as Detective Grace Russell.
The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Mark Friedman is executive producer/writer, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producers, KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer and Danny Cannon is executive producer/director.
HAPPY TOWN
Haplin, Minnesota, “Happy Town,” is approaching almost a decade of peace after being riddled for years by unsolved kidnappings. But in the wake of this small town’s first crime in seven years, some dark truths are being revealed about some familiar faces. They say every town has its secrets… that doesn’t even begin to describe Happy Town.
“Happy Town” stars Geoff Stults as Tommy Conroy, Lauren German as Henley, Amy Acker as Rachel Conroy, Dean Winters as John Haplin, John Patrick Amedori as Andrew Haplin, Sarah Gadon as Georgia Bravin, Jay Paulson as Larry ‘Root Beer’ Rogers, Robert Wisdom as Roger Hobbes and Sam Neill as Merritt Grieves.
The series is from ABC Studios. Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg are executive producers and co-writers. The pilot was directed by Gary Fleder, who is also an executive producer.
V
V is a re-imagining of the 1980’s miniseries about the world’s first encounter with an alien race in which the aliens call themselves The Visitors, and have a seemingly friendly agenda that may or may not be a cover for something more malevolent.
“V” stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack Landry, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie Stevens, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker.
The series is produced by HDFilms in association with Warner Bros. Television. Scott Peters is executive producer/writer and Steve Pearlman and Jace Hall are executive producers. The pilot was directed and executive produced by Yves Simoneau.
COMEDY
COUGAR TOWN
Courteney Cox stars as a recently divorced single mother exploring the honest truths about dating and aging in our beauty and youth obsessed culture.
“Cougar Town” stars Courteney Cox as Jules, Christa Miller as Elle, Busy Philipps as Laurie, Dan Byrd as Travis, Brian Van Holt as Bobby, Josh Hopkins as Grayson and Ian Gomez as Andy.
The series is from ABC Studios. Bill Lawrence is executive producer/writer/director, Kevin Biegel is writer/co-executive producer, and Courteney Cox and David Arquette are executive producers.
HANK
Kelsey Grammer stars in this timely comedy as Hank Pryor, a titan of industry who suddenly finds himself out of work, almost out of money and around a wife and kids for whom he's never made much time. Despite his recent setbacks, however, Hank is confident he's on the road back to the top. He knows he is destined to return to greatness. And he is — just not the greatness he imagines.
“Hank” stars Kelsey Grammer as Hank, Melinda McGraw as Tilly, David Koechner as Grady, Macey Cruthird as Maddie and Ryan Wynott as Henry.
The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with McMonkey Inc., Grammnet Productions, Werner Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. It is written by Tucker Cawley. Tom Werner, Tucker Cawley, Kelsey Grammer and Mike Clements serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by James Burrows.
THE MIDDLE
The Hecks are a middle class family living in the middle of Indiana, just trying to keep their heads above water. Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars as a wife and mother of three in a comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations.
“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Eden Sher as Sue, Atticus Shaffer as Brick and Charlie McDermott as Axel.
The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline are executive producers/writers and Werner Walian is producer. The pilot was directed by Julie Anne Robinson.
MODERN FAMILY
Today’s American families come in all shapes and sizes. Shot from the perspective of an unseen documentary filmmaker, this comedy takes a modern look at the complications that come with being a family in 2009.
“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sofía Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Ty Burrell as Phil, Julie Bowen as Claire, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Nolan Gould as Luke and Ariel Winter as Alex.
The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd are executive producers. The pilot was directed by Jason Winer.
ALTERNATIVE SERIES
SHARK TANK
From Mark Burnett, executive producer of “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” and Sony Pictures Television comes “Shark Tank,” an exciting new reality show that gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and become successful – and possibly wealthy – business people. But the entrepreneurs must first try to convince five tough, multi-millionaire tycoons to part with their own hard-earned cash and give them the funding they need to jumpstart their ideas.
In these trying economic times, it’s difficult for an individual possessing a dream or even a working small business poised for growth to get a loan for a risky venture. Whether it be an imaginative enhancement for an existing product, a family recipe that has all the ingredients to become a profitable culinary treat, or the latest technological gadget that could take the world by storm, most of these dreams die an early death because no one dared take a financial chance on someone with an unproven and oftentimes outrageous proposal. Many of these people now see “Shark Tank” as their last chance at success. Some have been laboring on their ideas for years or even decades, have invested large amounts of money, and are being pressured to throw in the towel by friends and family. Others have simply never had access to the means to live out their dreams, until now.
Enter the Sharks of “Shark Tank” – Barbara Corcoran (Manhattan real estate titan), Kevin Harrington (king of infomercials), Robert Herjavec (technology tycoon), Daymond John (fashion mogul) and Kevin O'Leary (venture capitalist) – five multi-millionaires who lifted themselves up by their bootstraps to make their own entrepreneurial dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.
Each week ambitious entrepreneurs from across the country will present their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to the panel of ruthless investors. Their goal is to convince these merciless moguls to invest their own dollars in the concept. Convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, “I’m out!” -- sending them running for the exit.
But these Sharks aren’t just out for blood, they too have a goal: to own a piece of the next big idea. Entrepreneurs will be asked to give up a percentage of their companies’ equity to the Sharks in order to get the investment they need. But when the Sharks hear a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them will erupt. Then the once-desperate entrepreneur can rejoice when the Sharks reveal their true interest in the product and bid up the price of the investment.
RETURNING SERIES:
DRAMA
“BROTHERS & SISTERS” “Brothers & Sisters” continues to follow the California-based Walker family through the complicated maze of American life today. The compelling one-hour drama series is about a collection of five enmeshed and somewhat damaged adult siblings, their spouses and their strong and passionately devoted mother, Nora Holden (Oscar and Emmy Award winner Sally Field).
The Walkers’ lives have not been without challenge; romance, parenting, divorce, infidelity, addiction, war, birth and even death have pushed each of them to the limit, but they continue to work toward living their lives as individuals, while loving each other unconditionally and trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy after the loss of their larger-than-life family patriarch, William Walker.
“Brothers & Sisters” stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Balthazar Getty as Thomas Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon, Rob Lowe as Senator Robert McCallister, Sarah Jane Morris as Julia Walker, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden, Emily VanCamp as Rebecca Harper and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.
The series produced by ABC Studios. Ken Olin (“Alias,” “thirtysomething”), Greg Berlanti (“Dirty Sexy Money,” “Everwood”), Monica Owusu-Breen (“Alias”), Alison Schapker (“Alias”), Sarah Caplan and Molly Newman are executive producers.
“CASTLE” When viewers first met Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) -- a famous mystery novelist and divorced father raising his teenage daughter (Molly Quinn as Alexis), while being kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother (Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers) -- he was bored with his own success. He then found out that a real-world killer was staging murder scenes depicted in his novels. Castle was questioned by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), a bright and aggressive detective who kept her investigations under tight reins, especially the years-old unsolved murder of her own mother. Though they instantly clashed, sparks of another sort began to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle stepped in to help find the copycat killer. Once that initial case was solved, together Castle and Beckett built on their new relationship investigating more strange homicides in New York – as much fun as one could have with death and murder. In the season finale, Castle, against Beckett’s direct order to stay out of her mom’s case, unearthed information in that homicide which may end his relationship with her forever.
Also starring in the series are Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.
“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe serves as executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, Armyan Bernstein and Laurie Zaks.
“DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES” After jumping five years ahead into the lives of the women of Wisteria Lane, critically acclaimed series “Desperate Housewives” returns for its sixth season on ABC. Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike (James Denton) are brought together by their worst fears; Lynette’s (Felicity Huffman) unexpected pregnancy tests her family; as Bree’s (Marcia Cross) marriage dissolves, she finds herself in the arms of another man; Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker) is in for a surprise when she and Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) welcome their niece into their home; and Katherine (Dana Delany) struggles over the thought of losing Mike.
“Desperate Housewives” stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge, Eva Longoria Parker as Gabrielle Solis, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Doug Savant as Tom Scavo, Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van De Kamp, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Charlie Carver as Porter Scavo, Max Carver as Preston Scavo, Joshua Moore as Parker Scavo, and Kendall Applegate as Penny Scavo.
Marc Cherry serves as executive producer and creator. Sabrina Wind, George Perkins, Larry Shaw and David Grossman are executive producers. “Desperate Housewives” is produced by ABC Studios and is the winner of both the 2005 and 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
“GREY’S ANATOMY” “Grey's Anatomy” is the recipient of the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and multiple Emmy nominations including two for Outstanding Drama Series.
The doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital deal with life-or-death consequences on a daily basis - it's in one another that they find comfort, friendship and, at times, more than friendship. Together they're discovering that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white. Real life only comes in shades of grey.
“Grey's Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Katherine Heigl as Isobel “Izzie” Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George O’Malley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Eric Dane as Mark Sloan, Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey and Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt.
“Grey's Anatomy” was created and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes (“Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”). Betsy Beers (“Casanova”), Mark Gordon (“Saving Private Ryan”), Krista Vernoff (“Law & Order”), Rob Corn (“Chicago Hope”), Mark Wilding (“Jake: 2.0”) and Allan Heinberg (“The O.C.) are executive producers. “Grey’s Anatomy” is an ABC Studios production.
“LOST” After Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, its survivors were forced to find inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. But they discovered that the island holds many secrets, including a mysterious smoke monster, polar bears, housing and hatches with electricity and hot & cold running water, a group of island residents known as “The Others,” and a mysterious man named Jacob. The survivors have also found signs of those who came to the island before them, including a 19th century sailing ship called The Black Rock, a downed Beechcraft plane from a failed drug run, the remains of an ancient statue, as well as bunkers belonging to the Dharma Initiative -- a group of scientific researchers who inhabited the island in the recent past. They also encountered a freighter stationed off the island that some thought would lead to their rescue, but ultimately almost caused their extinction. The band of friends, family, enemies and strangers must continue to work together against all odds if they want to stay alive. But as they have discovered during their journey, nothing is what it seems, and danger and mystery loom behind every corner, with even those they thought could be trusted turning against them. Even heroes have secrets.
“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Michael Emerson as Ben, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet and Terry O’Quinn as Locke.
A 2008 recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award, “Lost” was created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof. Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz and Carlton Cuse serve as executive producers. “Lost,” which is filmed entirely on location in Hawaii and premiered on September 22, 2004, is from ABC Studios.
“PRIVATE PRACTICE” From Shonda Rhimes, the Golden Globe-winning creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” comes a story about finding a way to begin the rest of your life. Addison Forbes Montgomery is a renowned neonatal surgeon at the pinnacle of her profession. Having left behind Seattle Grace Hospital and a broken marriage, Addison has moved to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. Now reunited with her friends from medical school, Naomi and Sam Bennett, Addison has joined their co-op practice at Oceanside Wellness Group in Santa Monica. The practice’s resident pediatrician is Dr. Cooper Freedman, Dr. Pete Wilder is the alternative medicine specialist, psychiatrist Dr. Violet Turner and office manager/nurse, William Dell Parker, round out the tightly knit group of professionals. The doctors of Oceanside work together to find solutions to their patients’ needs, but along the way they encounter medical cases that challenge their ethical and moral ideals and their abilities as doctors. For Addison, an old friend’s invitation has brought her to a new city and a new life full of promise - now it’s up to her to take chances in dating and find her place in this new medical environment. At Oceanside Wellness Group, the doctors are dedicated pros; it’s their private lives that need a little practice.
“Private Practice” stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery, Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder, Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett, Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman, KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King, Chris Lowell as William Dell Parker, with Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett and Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner.
“Private Practice” was created and is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes. Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Mark Tinker, Jon Cowan and Robert Rovner are executive producers. The series is produced by ABC Studios.
“UGLY BETTY” In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the super thin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl from Queens possibly fit in? Sweet, intelligent, hard-working and – undoubtedly – fashion-challenged, Betty Suarez dreams of a successful career in magazine publishing. After taking a job at Mode Magazine, the bible of the fashion industry, Betty's indomitable spirit and bright ideas win over the respect of her Mode cohorts despite continuous predictions of failure. She thrives in the ultra-competitive environment in spite of her lack of fashion sense. Betty forms an unlikely team with her boss, Daniel Meade, the co-editor in chief of Mode Magazine, as they help one another navigate the choppy waters of NYC’s shark infested fashion scene. Now she must prove that she is not just a super assistant with no fashion sense, but an aspiring career woman and editor-to-be while balancing her tumultuous love life and her family responsibilities.
“Ugly Betty” stars America Ferrera as Betty Suarez, Eric Mabius as Daniel Meade, Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater, Ana Ortiz as Hilda, Tony Plana as Ignacio, Becki Newton as Amanda, Mark Indelicato as Justin, Michael Urie as Marc and Judith Light as Claire Meade.
Based on “Yo Soy Betty La Fea,” the groundbreaking Colombian telenovela that became an international phenomenon, “Ugly Betty” is from ABC Studios. The series has been awarded the Golden Globe, Peabody, NAACP, ALMA, GLAAD and Imagen awards and earned 3 Emmy awards and 17 nominations. Executive producers are Silvio Horta (“Urban Legend”), Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award winner Salma Hayek, Jose Tamez, Richard Heus, Ben Silverman, Teri Weinberg, Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally.
COMEDY
“BETTER OFF TED” “Better Off Ted” is a satirical office comedy about successful good guy, Ted, who runs research and development at the morally questionable Veridian Dynamics. No achievement is too far-fetched and no invention too unorthodox for Veridian. Need cow-less meat grown in a test tube? Done. Need pumpkins that also double as weapons of mass destruction? No problem. Ted’s a single dad to a seven-year-old girl, and he loves his job, but he’s starting to take a closer look at the company’s extremely dubious practices. Do you manufacture the best teeth whitener ever if it could also kill off all of the planet’s fish? Probably not, but...
Ted’s also fighting an attraction to co-worker Linda, who enjoys small acts of rebellion against Veridian (she’s secretly stealing and hoarding all the company’s creamer packets). But he holds back about his true feelings. He’s already had his self imposed “one office affair” with überboss Veronica. Incredibly beautiful (if seemingly devoid of conscience and also emotion-free), Veronica lets nothing get in her way when it comes to serving Veridian’s needs… even if it means doing something like cryogenically freezing an employee for testing purposes. And after all, the employee, research scientist Phil, survived (after he thawed out). So what if he screams like an eagle at the slightest provocation? He and his best friend, fellow research scientist Lem, are both geniuses and when they’re not bickering, they’re responsible for many of Veridian’s miracles of weird science.
“Better Off Ted” stars Jay Harrington as Ted, Portia de Rossi as Veronica, Andrea Anders as Linda, Jonathan Slavin as Phil, Malcolm Barrett as Lem and Isabella Acres as Rose.
“Better Off Ted” is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. Victor Fresco (“My Name Is Earl,” “Andy Richter Controls the Universe”) is executive producer and creator of the series.
“SCRUBS” This irreverent and offbeat comedy received two consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2005 and 2006, and was named TV.com’s “Best of 2007” in Comedy.
“Scrubs” focuses on the unique point of view of Dr. John Dorian, or “J.D.” (Zach Braff). After surviving his internship and residency, and year as an attending physician with his own class of unmanageable interns at Sacred Heart Hospital, J.D. is moving on to greener pastures. He continues to face many challenges in his personal and professional life trying to balance his roles as doctor, father to Sam, devoted live-in boyfriend and friend to his very quirky companions at Sacred Heart.
In its debut year, “Scrubs” was nominated for two Emmy Awards and a People’s Choice Award. It has received a total of 16 Emmy nominations, and it won an Emmy for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing in 2005 and another for Outstanding Sound Mixing in 2007. In 2004 the series was honored with a prestigious Humanitas Prize. Beginning that same year, it received three consecutive Producers Guild Award nominations, from 2004-2006.
“Scrubs” is produced by ABC Studios. Bill Lawrence (“Spin City”) is the executive producer and creator.
ALTERNATIVE
“AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS” “America’s Funniest Home Videos” will celebrate its 20th season when it returns in the fall. Hosted by Tom Bergeron, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” is the longest-running primetime show in ABC history and has been entertaining viewers for decades by showing what happens when adults, children and even inanimate objects are at their spontaneous best, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has given
away over $10 million in prize money and evaluated more than half a million videotapes from home viewers. Viewers wishing to submit home videos to “America’s Funniest Home Videos” should visit www.ABC.com for details.
Vin Di Bona is executive producer, with Todd Thicke and Michele Nasraway serving as co-executive producers.
“THE BACHELOR” ABC’s “The Bachelor” is the original primetime romance reality series that offers one lucky man and 25 lucky women the unique opportunity to find true love. The new Bachelor will get to know 25 women via a series of social gatherings and exotic, romantic dates – some in groups, some individually. He will introduce some of the women to his family, and will visit their hometowns for a slice of their life in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible.
“The Bachelor” is hosted by Chris Harrison and produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers.
“DANCING WITH THE STARS” Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) and Samantha Harris (“The Insider”), “Dancing with the Stars” challenges celebrities from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, and beyond, to perform choreographed ballroom routines ranging from the foxtrot to the cha cha cha. Celebrities are paired with some of the top professional ballroom dancers in the world and their live televised performances are judged by renowned ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
“Dancing with the Stars” is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, “Strictly Come Dancing.” This version is produced by BBC Worldwide Americas. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Rob Wade and Matilda Zoltowski are co-executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs.
“EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” Put together one very run-down house, a deserving family, several opinionated designers, seven days and what do you get? The answer is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The show has won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program, plus the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Reality Show/Makeover and the Family Television Award for Best Alternative/Reality Program. Each episode is self-contained and features a race against time on a project that would ordinarily take at least four months to achieve, involving a team of designers, contractors and several hundred workers who have just seven days to totally rebuild an entire house – every single room, plus the exterior and landscaping. The lives of the lucky families are forever changed when they learn that they’ve been selected to have their home walls moved, their floors replaced and even their facades radically changed. The result should be a decorator’s delight… if it can be done in time.
The design team includes team leader Ty Pennington, with designers Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney, Ed Sanders, Tracy Hutson, Eduardo Xol, John Littlefield, Rib Hillis and Didiayer Snyder.
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The executive producer is Anthony Dominici (“America’s Next Top Model,” “The Amazing Race”).
“SUPERNANNY” “Supernanny” is in its fifth season with Jo Frost criss-crossing America, taking on some of its toughest parenting challenges. She can tame the wildest toddler, soothe the savage six-year-old and get the most difficult child to overcome problems with behavior, sleep, mealtime, potty training and other
challenges that have vexed parents around the world for centuries. The series debuted in America in early 2005 and captivated the country with Jo’s practical, no-nonsense style, honed over 20 years of nannying. “Supernanny” is now an international phenomenon; it airs in 172 territories, almost all of them with Frost as Supernanny. The series has been nominated for a People’s Choice Award.
Nick Powell is the creator and executive producer of both the American and British versions of the show. Nick Emmerson and Stephanie Schwam are executive producers of the American version. “Supernanny” is produced by Shed Media US.
“TRUE BEAUTY” What makes a person truly beautiful? From executive producers Tyra Banks (“The Tyra Banks Show,” “America’s Next Top Model”) and Ashton Kutcher (executive producer of “Punk’d” and “Beauty and the Geek”), beauty is redefined in the popular ABC series “True Beauty.”
Gorgeous female and handsome male contestants assume they’re being judged solely on their outer appearance, but they’re only half right; outer beauty is just one component the judges are looking for. Contestants, unbeknownst to them, are also being evaluated for their INNER beauty as they’re tested in challenging situations that require them to make moral decisions.
Each episode will showcase an outer beauty and an inner beauty challenge, during which contestants will be judged on everything from how well they perform in photo shoots to how well they respect their elders. The three judges will observe and critique the contestants’ behavior and eliminate one person each week. Only after someone is eliminated will the truth about the show be revealed to him/her, as they watch a video montage of their behavior captured by a hidden camera during the shoot. At the end of eight episodes, one winner will be declared, a person who is truly beautiful inside and out. That person will receive a cash prize and a spot in PEOPLE magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People issue.
Executive producers of “True Beauty” are Denise Cramsey (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), Tyra Banks and Laura Armstrong for Bankable Productions, and Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke and Rod Aissa for Katalyst Productions. The series is a production of Warner Horizon Television.
“WIFE SWAP” Each week two very contradictory families from across the country participate in a two-week-long challenge: The wives exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover daily life in another woman’s shoes. This astonishing experiment repeatedly changes lives and redefines families.
In the first week of the swap, the wives move in and adopt their new family’s lifestyle, no matter how different it may be. They agree to follow a manual written by the departing wife that sets out the rules of their new household – how they parent, shop, do the house work, manage their budgets and their social life. In the second week, everything changes. The new wives take charge. They introduce their own set of rules and get to run the new household their way. It’s a radical shock to both families. The results are explosive, enlightening, emotional and often comical.
At the end of the show, the two couples meet for the first time. In a highly-charged exchange of views, both couples make a frank assessment of each other and talk about what they’ve learned from the experience.
“Wife Swap” is an RDF USA production. The show was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Mike Gamson, and Michael Davies of Embassy Row (“Who Wants to be a Millionaire”). Neil Regan, Julie Cooper and Will Nothacker are co-executive producers.
“20/20” ABC News’ acclaimed series “20/20” has distinguished itself as one of the most esteemed news programs in broadcast journalism. Amid the heated, competitive environment of primetime entertainment, “20/20” has demonstrated its ability to consistently attract a significant segment of the viewing audience by offering viewers more choices and more chances to learn about the world around them. For over three decades, “20/20” has continued to combine hard-hitting investigative reports, newsmaker interviews and compelling human interest and feature stories that have changes lives.
The program is co-anchored by the broadcast team of Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel, both award-winning journalists.
"Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway." - Emory Austin
Sometimes as a critic you need to take what could be an unpopular stand when just about everyone is gushing about a particular television series or feature film.
That time, my friends, is right now.
Despite the overwhelming love and support for FOX's impassioned new series Glee, which will offer viewers a sneak peak at the pilot episode following tonight's American Idol, I have to say that I'm not jumping on this particular bandwagon, as much as the publicity machine at FOX might want me to. Call me a cynic, call me jaded, but I just can't muster any, well, glee for Ryan Murphy's new series.
For those of you who haven't seen the series' ubiquitous commercials, billboards, and print ads, Glee, written and directed by Murphy, tells the story of sad sack Spanish teacher Will Shuester (Matthew Morrison), the type of guy who is married to his high school sweetheart and still clings to his glory days of glee club championship. When the principal (Iqbal Theba) of McKinley High, the Ohio high school where Will works, threatens to shut down glee club following an incident involving the club's last faculty adviser Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) and a male student, Will offers to step in and keep glee going, even at the expense of his wallet... and possibly his marriage to the bitter Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), a woman so ego-centric that it seems impossible for her swollen head to fit through doorways.
Despite Terri's protestations, Will does take over the school's glee club, now populated by social outcasts and misfits, and sets about trying to find some new talent, a position which pits him against award-winning cheerleading coach Sue (Jane Lynch) and PE teacher/football coach Ken Tanaka (Patrick Gallagher), who happens to be his romantic rival in a love triangle with the adorable OCD-afflicted careers counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). A triangle that Will seems to be oblivious that he's even enmeshed in.
As for the kids, they are a motley bunch. There's headstrong Tracy Flick wannabe Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), wheerchair-bound Arty (Kevin McHale), stuttering Asian punk Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), fashion-forward Kurt (Chris Colfer), and brash Mercedes (Amber Riley). But despite their dreams of superstardom, they are missing that elusive X-factor and Will discovers it when he overhears star quarterback Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) singing in the locker room shower. Desperate to lure Finn to the glee club, he blackmails him into participating by pretending to have discovered pot in his locker during a random inspection.
Despite the insanity of the situation, Will believes that this is best for everyone involved, even a reluctant Finn, so desperate is he to relive his glory days with his own glee club. Finn, meanwhile, is caught by Will's trickery between the singing that feeds his soul and the football that provides his popularity. Forced to choose one or the other by his moronic friend Puck (Mark Salling), Finn chooses ultimately to do both because neither one of the groups can win without him.
As Glee follows American Idol, there's no end to the musical numbers, montages, and performances in the pilot episode and this series will definitely be placing a strong emphasis on the musical element of its formula. There's a head-turning and rollicking rendition of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" performed by the kids' glee club rivals and the gang finally comes together in the face of adversity (when Will is nearly trapped into leaving his position at the school) to perform Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" together in front of various onlookers.
It's a joyful moment of musical exuberance and youthful optimism which seems diametrically opposed to the tone set at the beginning of the pilot episode, which seems more in line with Murphy's trademark wicked sense of humor. It's this caustic element which falls by the wayside as the pilot episode goes on and I wish that Murphy and Company had sought to balance the sweet with a little bit more of the bitter as well. (Indeed, the only holdout from causing the audience a tooth ache completely is the wonderfully acerbic Jane Lynch.)
As it is, Glee comes across as more than a little saccharine and it's hard for this critic to shake the feeling. Given Ryan Murphy's history with dark teen comedy--before Nip/Tuck Murphy created the short-lived but much-beloved Popular--I expected more of a balance in tone but the pilot episode can't quite find its footing tonally, swerving from mordancy to earnestness with a whiplash-like movement.
Not helping matters is that here the characters, including students and faculty alike, are drawn in one-dimensional terms that allow them as much breathing room as logline archetypes and reduce them to little more than cartoons. There's the angry former beauty queen, tyrannical coach, surly disabled kid, effeminate fashion plate, manipulative diva wannabe, quiet punk, brooding jock, overbearing bully, etc. Yes, this is just the pilot episode of Glee but these characters should spring to life and fill us with excitement, given the subject matter at hand. Instead, you'd be hard pressed to remember their names, much less any real defining attributes, once the credits roll.
Ultimately, Glee might extol us to don't stop believing, but with an overabundance of such forced glee, it's hard to give into the magic of belief when you're being relentlessly hammered over the head with such a message.
Glee premieres tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on FOX. It's set to return this fall.
Full disclosure: I wasn't crazy about Alan Ball's HBO vampire series, True Blood, based on a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, when I first saw the pilot early last year. After watching the first few episodes of True Blood, I gave up and moved on to other summer series and didn't really look back.
I had a second chance to fall under True Blood's seductive spell when HBO graciously sent me a copy of the True Blood Season One DVD a few weeks back. I put aside my prejudices against the series and watched it from the beginning... and ultimately ended up devouring the entire first season in about three days' time.
While I still think that it takes way too long for the series to find its feet, finally settling into its tone and breathing a little somewhere about the sixth episode or so. The early episodes, particularly the first three (all scripted by Ball himself) are jarring and the characters somewhat unsympathetic and unlikable. However, by the time the halfway point in the season arrives, the characters have softened somewhat and their dynamics shifted into compelling new directions.
The five-disc set, arriving in stores today, tells the story of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, a rural village where the arrival of an actual vampire--in this case the nearly 200-year-old Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer)--throws the town into chaos. Set in the near future, True Blood posits what would happen if vampires finally came out of the coffin and intermingled with the human populace. The Japanese creation of synthetic blood, bottled under the name Tru Blood, means that vamps don't have to kill to survive.
But not all vampires want to "mainstream" as the noble Bill Compton does. Some want to continue feeding on humans and treating them as little more than running, screaming blood bags. Meanwhile, an entire subset of human society nicknamed fangbangers discovers that they are drawn to these dark creatures, offering up their blood and bodies for sustenance and sex. Others become addicted to V, a drug derived from vampire blood that has hallucinatory and physical (not to mention sexual) effects. There are vampire bars, such as the one in Shreveport where several Bon Temps women frequent. Women who, over the course of the first season, keep winding up dead, the victims of an unknown murderer who is striking with impunity.
The identity of the killer becomes a taut throughline running underneath the surface of the first season. But it's not all slashings, hangings, and exsanguinations. There are a number of romantic triangles, including one between Sookie, Bill, and Sookie's boss Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell), the owner of Merlotte's Bar and Grill, who is concealing a dark secret of his own. And another between Sookie's best friend Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley), Sookie's brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten), and, well, just about every woman in Bon Temps. There's also a host of compelling supporting characters, including Sookie and Jason's adorable grandmother Adele (Lois Smith), gay short order cook Layfayette (Nelsan Ellis), sassy waitress Arlene Fowler (Carrie Preson), Cajun Rene Lenier (Michael Raymond-James), uppity detective Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer), naive manboy Hoyt Fortenberry (Jim Parrack), and steely-nerved sherrif Bud Dearborne (William Sanderson). Plus, Lizzy Caplan gives a star turn as a guest star in the later half of the season as V-obsessed Yankie Amy Burley.
Throw in some vampires, such as Alexander Skarsgard's noble Eric Northman, Kristin Bauer's icy Pam, Raoul Trujillo's frightening Longshadow, and Stephen Root's sadsack Eddie Gautier and you have the makings of a gripping ensemble drama. Yet still, the most terrifying character in all of True Blood's diverse populace as got to be Tara's alcoholic mother Lettie Mae Thornton (Adina Porter), whose cruelty and malice is a match for any of the series' vampiric denizens. An exorcism storyline involving Tara and Lettie Mae is one of the more intriguing storylines in the season and it puts Tara firmly in the crosshairs of the enigmatic Maryann (Michelle Forbes), a mysterious Samaritan who has designs on the wayward Tara and who shares a past with Sam Merlotte himself.
I don't want to give too much away about True Blood's plot but I will say that if you're able to stick through the first few relatively weak episodes (which, in my opinion, trade too heavily on metaphor and obvious subtext), you will be more than rewarded by what comes after. Halfway through its freshman season, True Blood becomes a taut supernatural drama blending together romantic intrigue, over-the-top gore, murder mystery, brusque sexuality, and more twists and turns that you can shake a stick at.
The five-disc set includes a slew of bonus material, including public service announcements for both pro- and anti-vampire rights, six audio commentaries with the cast and crew (including creator/executive producer Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Moyer), a mockumentary about vampires entitled "In Focus: Vampires in America," French and American Tru Blood beverage commercials, and vampire service ads for such services as vampire dating, vampire hotels, and lawyers serving the vampire community.
With the second season of True Blood just around the corner (June 8th, in fact), there's no better time to sink your teeth into this compelling and mesmerizing Southern Gothic series. Just don't forget to hide your fang marks.
Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.
In a surprise twist, ABC has opted to cancel comedy series Samantha Who, after it was widely believed that the network would renew the Christina Applegate-led comedy. The reason behind the cancellation was budget-cutting by the network and the comedy series was unable to reduce its budget enough to make a third season financially viable for ABC. The network had attempted to transition Samantha to a multi-camera format from single-camera in efforts to cut as much as half a million dollars per episode. (Variety)
NBC has given out an eleventh hour renewal to long-running legal procedural Law & Order, bringing the series' total to twenty seasons, tying it with Gunsmoke for the longest running drama series on television. It's believed that the order is for sixteen episodes. NBC will unveil their fall schedule to advertisers later today. (Hollywood Reporter)
CBS is set to unveil its fall schedule to advertisers on Wednesday but some details are leaking out about which series will land a place on the lineup. CBS is said to have given series orders to the untitled NCIS spin-off (referred to by some outlets as NCIS: Legend), The Good Wife, Three Rivers, Miami Trauma, and comedy Accidentally on Purpose. All series got the go-ahead to start staffing, along with dramas House Rules and U.S. Attorney, a likely sign that the latter series will also be ordered to series, possibly for midseason. CBS also ordered an unscripted series called Undercover Boss, which follows an executive who goes undercover as an entry-level drone at their own company. It's also believed that Old Christine will return, possibly paired with Accidentally on Purpose, as will comedies Gary Unmarried and Rules of Engagement. (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)
Meanwhile, the CW is set to announce the addition of Melrose Place and Kevin Williamson-executive produced supernatural drama Vampire Diaries when it unveils its schedule on Thursday. Privileged, however, which had been rumored to get a second season renewal, will not go ahead at the network. (Los Angeles Times)
Following FOX's announcement that it would renew Dollhouse for a second season, The Live Feed's James Hibberd chatted with series creator Joss Whedon about the news and asked whether fans would notice if the budget were cut. "My hope is “No.” In the fifth year of “Angel” we cut our budget significantly, yet we built a completely new set, we had an episode set on a submarine in the ‘40s," said Whedon. "Nobody felt like it was a cut back. Ultimately if the stories aren’t involving and somebody is going, [snobbish voice] “This doesn’t look as expensive as the last episode,” then the person has strange priorities." As for what to expect next season, Whedon offered a few thoughts. "The last few episodes we got to play "the man behind the curtain" a lot. We did less of, “And this week, she’s a neurosurgeon!” Which we’ll still do to an extent, it’s part of the fun. But we got into what makes the place tick, what makes it wrong. It was less, “Murder She Was Imprinted to Write.” The episodes were more satisfying and the network responded to that. And we also responded to their ideas about pacing and it being more of a thriller and a conspiracy so they were seeing what they were hoping for when we got the aspect we were looking for." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)
Meanwhile, TV Guide.com's Matt Mitovich caught up with Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku to talk to her about the FOX series' renewal. "I was in Uganda the past two weeks. I landed Friday night about midnight, and when I touched down the first message was a text from Joss saying, "We're back on, kid! Get ready to raise hell!" [Laughs] It was a nice homecoming," said Dushku, who said that the reason the series returned for another season was down to the fans. "We are so grateful and just bowled over by the support and the love and the loyalty. We are so excited to do the second season because it took us until the last six or so episodes to hit our stride; now we get to really have some fun." (TVGuide.com)
Lifetime has ordered twelve episodes of comedy Sherri, starring The View's Sherri Shepherd as a woman who juggles being a single mother, a paralegal, and an actress. Series, from executive producers Sherri Shepherd, Terri Minksy, Nina Wass, and Gene Stein, does not yet have an air date. It also stars Tammy Townsend, Kali Rocha, Elizabeth Regan, and Kate Reinders. (Variety)
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan checks in with Friday Night Lights star Zach Gilford about his recent appearance on the season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, what is in store for his character next season on Friday Night Lights, and what's next for the actor. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)
Cabler G4 will launch two new series in the next few months. First up is The International Sexy Ladies Show, which launches June 7th and features comedians--such as Doug Benson, Steve Byrne, John Caparule, Mitch Fatel, Joy Koy, Sherrod Small, and Alex Zane--as they offer humor-based commentary on clips from around the world featuring women "participating in unusual activities." Ten episodes of the series, from Colour TV, are on tap. In August, the cabler will launch 2 Months, $2 Million, a reality competition series where "four online players will hunker down in a Las Vegas mansion and, using their own money, try to accumulate a vast amount of cash by competing against anonymous players on the Internet." (Variety)
Welcome to the first day of network upfronts 2009.
FOX is up first and this morning announced its plans both for fall and midseason, unveiling a schedule that includes several new scripted series, including dramas Past Life, Glee, and Human Target and comedies Brothers and The Cleveland Show.
What's immediately noticeable is the decision to shift sophomore drama series Fringe to Thursdays (where it will be paired with Bones) and hold off launching the majority of its new scripted series (other than Glee, The Cleveland Show, and Brothers) until the New Year, a wise move considering the massive promotional machine that is American Idol. (Traditionally, FOX has had a hell of a time trying to launch new series in the fall.)
Fridays, meanwhile, will remain the home of Dollhouse at 9 pm ET/PT, this time being paired with two live-action comedies, Brothers and 'Til Death, which take over the 8 pm timeslot vacated by the now-canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
"As the No.1 network for the last five years, FOX is the first place viewers go to connect with the stories and characters they love," said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment in a statement. "With next year's slate of distinctive shows, we're continuing to invest in creativity to give viewers the rich, emotional experience they can only get on television."
"The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off," said Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. "We've created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we're bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive."
UPDATED: FOX's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network and photos and descriptions for the new fall and midseason series.... and now video promos as well.
FOX FALL 2009 SCHEDULE:
MONDAY 8-9 pm: HOUSE 9-10 pm: LIE TO ME
TUESDAY 8-10 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show
WEDNESDAY 8-9 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show 9-10 pm: GLEE
SATURDAY 8-8:30 pm: COPS 8:30-9 pm: COPS 9-10 pm: AMERICA’S MOST WANTED 11-12 am: THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title) 12-12:30 am: ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
SUNDAY 7-7:30 pm: ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES 7:30-8 pm: AMERICAN DAD 8-8:30 pm: THE SIMPSONS 8:30-9 pm: SONS OF TUCSON 9-9:30 pm: FAMILY GUY 9:30-10 pm: THE CLEVELAND SHOW
For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the FOX schedule stacks up.
Returning Series: 24, American Dad, American Idol, America's Most Wanted, Bones, COPS, Dollhouse, Family Guy, Fringe, Glee, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Lie to Me, The Simpsons, So You Think You Can Dance, 'Til Death
New Series: Brothers, The Cleveland Show, Human Target, Past Life, Sons of Tucson, The Wanda Sykes Show
New Timeslots for Returning Series: Fringe, So You Think You Can Dance, Lie to Me, 'Til Death
Midseason Launches/Returns: American Idol, 24, Sons of Tucson, Human Target, Past Life
Cancelled/Ended: Do Not Disturb, Hole in the Wall, Osborunes: Reloaded, Prison Break, Secret Millionaire, Sit Down, Shut Up, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Reactions: Overall, not too many shocking announcements and I think that FOX was wise to hold off on launching its new series until the spring when it has the added support of American Idol. I don't necessarily agree with the thought that more So You Think You Can Dance in the fall (right after the conclusion of the summer cycle) is a good thing, as reality franchises typically do well resting between cycles. Will it be overkill? That remains to be seen; FOX clearly wants to mirror its spring schedule with So You Think You Can Dance taking over for American Idol as a launchpad and ratings boost.
I'm more curious about the decision to shift Fringe to Thursdays, where it will go up against ABC's Grey's Anatomy and CBS' CSI. While Grey's has a higher female audience, this move will either make or break Fringe, which returns for a second season. Will viewers follow Fringe to another night, where it doesn't have the support of an American Idol as a lead-in?
Fridays are another odd evening, with Dollhouse airing out of two live-action comedies, the dismal 'Til Death (somehow resurrected yet again) and new comedy Brothers. Not sure this is the best way to keep Dollhouse afloat on a tough night but I don't know what else they would have paired Dollhouse with as the network was upfront about its decision to keep Dollhouse put on Fridays. And the ratings didn't exactly sing when Dollhouse was paired with fellow genre series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Smart decision to hold off on Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares and deploy these at a later date, giving FOX the ability to replace a sagging series with one of these series at any given time (they have a cycle of each already in the can). All in all, we're seeing a FOX making some safe moves and implementing scheduling that attempts to achieve stability in both the fall and spring segments.
The full press release from FOX, announcing its primetime schedule, can be found below:
FOX ANNOUNCES PRIMETIME SLATE FOR 2009-2010 SEASON
FOUR NEW COMEDIES, TWO NEW DRAMAS AND ONE LATE-NIGHT SHOW JOIN SCHEDULE
RYAN MURPHY'S NEW COMEDY "GLEE" TO PREMIERE IN FALL AFTER UNPRECEDENTED PREVIEW EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT
NEW COMEDIES "BROTHERS" AND "THE CLEVELAND SHOW" DEBUT IN FALL
NEW SATURDAY LATE-NIGHT ENTRY "THE WANDA SYKES SHOW" (working title) SLATED FOR FALL LAUNCH
NEW ACTION DRAMA SERIES "HUMAN TARGET," MYSTERIOUS DRAMA "PAST LIFE" AND COMEDY "SONS OF TUCSON" DEBUT MIDSEASON
"SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" Returns in the Fall
"HUMAN TARGET" and "24" Premiere Sunday, January 17 Following NFC Divisional Playoff Game
New York (Monday, May 18, 2009) Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment; and Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2009-2010 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at New York City Center.
"As the No.1 network for the last five years, FOX is the first place viewers go to connect with the stories and characters they love," said Rice. "With next year's slate of distinctive shows, we're continuing to invest in creativity to give viewers the rich, emotional experience they can only get on television."
Reilly added, "The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off. We've created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we're bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive."
After a special preview event airing Tuesday, May 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE, the distinctive new comedy from Ryan Murphy ("Nip/Tuck") starring Jane Lynch ("The 40 Year Old Virgin") and newcomers Matthew Morrison (Broadway's "Hairspray"), Lea Michele ("Spring Awakening") and Cory Monteith ("Kyle XY"), will enter its freshman year this fall. Combining biting humor with a soundtrack of hit music from past to present, the inventive series follows an optimistic high school teacher who against all odds attempts to restore McKinley High's fading Glee Club to its former glory, while helping a group of underdogs realize their true star potential.
Two additional new comedies will premiere this fall. From the producers of FAMILY GUY, comes THE CLEVELAND SHOW. The new Sunday night animated comedy follows everyone's favorite soft-spoken FAMILY GUY neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), who moves with his son back to his hometown in Virginia and settles down with his high school sweetheart and her unruly kids. Copy/pasted from The Futon Critic BROTHERS, starring Michael Strahan ("FOX NFL Sunday") and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell ("Ed," "Veronica's Closet"), is a new half-hour comedy about a former big-city NFL hot shot who returns home to his family and his mother's house to get his life back on track.
On Saturday, Nov. 7 (11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT), late night will never be the same when Emmy Award winner Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The irreverent Saturday late-night series will feature Sykes' outspoken comedic perspective on current events along with topical, high-energy roundtable discussions.
The new event drama, HUMAN TARGET, premieres with a special preview Sunday, Jan. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) following the NFC Divisional Playoff game. HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle, action-packed thrill ride from executive producers McG ("Terminator Salvation") and Simon West ("Con Air," "Tomb Raider"). Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel and starring Mark Valley (FRINGE), Chi McBride ("Pushing Daisies") and Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley ("Watchmen"), the series follows CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Valley), a unique private contractor who will stop at nothing even if it means becoming a human target to keep his clients alive.
The other drama for midseason is PAST LIFE, a fast-paced emotional thriller inspired by the book "The Reincarnationist." The series stars Kelli Giddish ("All My Children") as a gifted psychologist and Nicholas Bishop ("Home and Away") as a former NYPD detective who work together to explore and unravel mysteries that must be solved in both the past and the present.
One new comedy is scheduled to premiere in midseason. From three-time Emmy Award winner Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle"), the non-traditional family comedy SONS OF TUCSON stars Tyler Labine ("Reaper") as a charming but wayward schemer hired by three young brothers whose father is in prison.
Summer sensation SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE moves to the fall with its sixth season. Hosted by Cat Deeley and featuring renowned judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, the original dance competition series will continue to inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer.
It was also announced that the eighth season of 24 will return to the FOX schedule with a two-night, four-hour premiere as part of a special extended primetime on Sunday, Jan. 17 (9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT), immediately following the premiere of HUMAN TARGET. The next installment of the Emmy Award-winning series starring Kiefer Sutherland will unfold in New York City, amidst the shadows of the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations.
Other FOX series returning in 2009-2010 include: AMERICAN DAD, AMERICAN IDOL, AMERICA'S MOST WANTED, BONES, COPS, DOLLHOUSE, FAMILY GUY, FRINGE, HELL'S KITCHEN, HOUSE, KITCHEN NIGHTMARES, LIE TO ME, THE SIMPSONS and 'TIL DEATH. Specials returning to the FOX schedule include: THE 41st NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE and TEEN CHOICE 2009.
NEW SERIES SYNOPSES
The following new comedies will premiere this fall on FOX:
GLEE
McKinley High School's Glee Club used to be at the top of the show choir world, but years later, it has turned into a haven for misfits and social outcasts. But at McKinley, things for the Glee Club are about to change. From Ryan Murphy, the creator of "Nip/Tuck," comes GLEE, an uplifting comedy musical series with biting humor that features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. The show follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion for singing while reinventing the school's glee club and challenging a group of underdogs to realize their star potential. WILL SCHUESTER (Matthew Morrison) has offered to take on the Herculean task of restoring McKinley's Glee Club to its former glory with the help of fellow teacher and germaphobe EMMA PILLSBURY (Jayma Mays). It's a tall order when the brightest stars of the club include KURT (Chris Colfer), a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; MERCEDES (Amber Riley), a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up; ARTIE (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist who spends more time avoiding bullies than chasing girls; and TINA (Jenna Ushkowitz), an awkward girl who needs to suppress her stutter before she can take center stage. Will's only hope lies with two true talents: RACHEL BERRY (Lea Michele), a perfectionist firecracker who is convinced that show choir is her ticket to stardom; and FINN HUDSON (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks and a Motown voice who must protect his reputation with his holier-than-thou girlfriend and head cheerleader, QUINN (Dianna Agron), and his arrogant football teammate, PUCK (Mark Salling). Driven by his secret past, Will is determined to do whatever it takes to make Glee great again, even though everyone around him thinks he's nuts. He's out to prove them all wrong from his tough-as-nails wife TERRI SCHUESTER (Jessalyn Gilsig) to McKinley's scheming cheerleading coach SUE SYLVESTER (Jane Lynch) to an ber-hip world that thinks jazz hands and sequined tuxedos litter the road to infamy rather than pave the way to Hollywood dreams.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Century Fox Television, Ryan Murphy Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ian Brennan, John Peter Kousakis
DIRECTOR: Ryan Murphy
CAST: Dianna Agron as Quinn, Chris Colfer as Kurt, Jessalyn Gilsig as Terri Schuester, Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury, Kevin McHale as Artie, Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson, Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, Amber Riley as Mercedes, Mark Salling as Puck, Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina
THE CLEVELAND SHOW
THE CLEVELAND SHOW is a new animated series that follows everyone's favorite soft-spoken neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son, CLEVELAND JR. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Many years ago, Cleveland was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named DONNA (Sanaa Lathan). Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he'd be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna's husband ran off, leaving Donna with a teenage daughter and a young son. Now she's open to Cleveland and has offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously reunites with Donna, and he and Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to join their new family. Once in Virginia, there are a few surprises in store for Cleveland, including ROBERTA (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; RALLO (Henry), his new 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, LESTER (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, HOLT (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a religious pair of talking bears, TIM (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife ARIANNA (guest voice Arianna Huffington).
PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
CO-CREATORS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Seth MacFarlane, Rich Appel, Mike Henry
VOICE CAST: Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown, Rallo and others; Sanaa Lathan as Donna Tubbs; Reagan Gomez-Preston as Roberta Tubbs; Kevin Michael Richardson as Lester and Cleveland Jr.
GUEST VOICES: Arianna Huffington as Arianna, Jason Sudeikis as Holt
BROTHERS
Starring Michael Strahan ("FOX NFL Sunday") and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell ("Ed," "Veronica's Closet"), BROTHERS is a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think. MIKE TRAINOR (Strahan) seemingly has it all he's a good-looking, wealthy and recently retired NFL player living the high-life in New York City, but he's about to get sidelined. When Mike gets a phone call from his MOM (CCH Pounder, "The Shield") who orders him home to Houston, he quickly realizes the more his life has changed, the more his family has stayed the same. His brother CHILL (Daryl "Chill" Mitchell), whose life was altered drastically after a car accident left him in a wheelchair, is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat with the help of his loudmouth associate, ROSCOE (Colton Dunn, "MADtv"). The dynamics between Mike and Chill are the same as when they were kids, and their sibling rivalry hasn't lessened with age. If they can stop their bickering, put aside their differences and learn to be teammates, the brothers might just turn out to be each other's biggest asset. Copy/pasted from The Futon Critic Wedged between Mike and Chill are their parents. Their father, whom everyone refers to as COACH (Carl Weathers, "Rocky"), is the local high school football coach and the conservative, opinionated alpha male of his clan. Coach thinks he runs the show, but really it's Mom who calls the shots. Saucy, stern and a schemer, she is the mastermind of the family. And when she learns that Mike's business manager took off with all his money, she orchestrates a plan to keep Mike in Houston, save Chill's restaurant and bring the family back together under one roof again all without anyone realizing what she's up to. Mom's plan helps Mike realize that his family however dysfunctional they may be is the only family he's got. And although he may not have a penny to his name, as long as he's surrounded by people who love him, he'll always be a rich man.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Sony Pictures Television; Tantamount Studios; Impact Zone Productions, Inc.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Mitch Hurwitz, Don Reo
DIRECTOR: Ted Wass
CAST: Michael Strahan as Mike, Daryl "Chill" Mitchell as Chill, CCH Pounder as Mom, Carl Weathers as Coach, Colton Dunn as Roscoe
The following new late-night series will premiere this fall:
THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The high-energy one-hour show will feature biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series' unique format will highlight Sykes' outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Fox Television Studios
HOST: Wanda Sykes
The following new dramas are slated for a midseason launch:
HUMAN TARGET
It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a "human target" in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it's about one thing only: saving his clients' lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can't be solved through "normal" means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients' lives to become the human target. If you're a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you're the president of a bank who's been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, "Pushing Daisies") and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, "Watchmen"), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance's dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bonanza Productions Inc., Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jon Steinberg, McG, Simon West, Brad Kern
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Peter Johnson
DIRECTOR: Simon West
WRITER: Jon Steinberg
CAST: Mark Valley as Christopher Chance, Jackie Earle Haley as Guerrero, Chi McBride as Winston
PAST LIFE
Have you ever experienced dj vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins ("Friday Night Lights"), and inspired by the book "The Reincarnationist" by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before. DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish, "All My Children") is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can't begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop, "Home and Away"), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It's a volatile relationship, but with Price's solid detective skills, and Kate's penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team. A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff, "The West Wing") is Kate's mentor and the center's namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel, "Scrubs") is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bonanza Productions Inc., Warner Bros. Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: David Hudgins, Lou Pitt
DIRECTOR: Deran Sarafian
WRITER: David Hudgins
CAST: Kelli Giddish as Dr. Kate McGinn, Nicholas Bishop as Price Whatley, Richard Schiff as Dr. Malachi Talmadge, Ravi Patel as Dr. Rishi Karna
The following new comedy is slated for a midseason launch:
SONS OF TUCSON
In the tradition of "Malcolm in the Middle" and "The Bernie Mac Show," SONS OF TUCSON is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we've ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, RON SNUFFKIN (Tyler Labine, "Reaper"), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. ROBBY GUNDERSON (Davis Cleveland, "How I Met Your Mother"), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn't respond well to authority; GARY GUNDERSON (Frank Dolce, "Doubt"), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and BRANDON GUNDERSON (Troy Gentile, "Entourage"), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. MAGGIE MORALES (Natalie Martinez, "Saints & Sinners"), Robby's second-grade teacher and the object of Ron's affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While SONS OF TUCSON is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Justin Berfield, Jason Felts, Harvey Myman, Todd Holland
DIRECTOR: Todd Holland
WRITERS: Tommy Dewey, Greg Bratman
CAST: Tyler Labine as Ron Snuffkin, Davis Cleveland as Robby Gunderson, Frank Dolce as Gary Gunderson, Troy Gentile as Brandon Gunderson, Natalie Martinez as Maggie Morales
We can all finally exhale. After weeks of feverish anticipation, NBC has finally ended the guessing games, rumor trading, and prayer-filed hopes and done the impossible!
Yes, true believers: the promised day is finally here. Thanks to the support of fans and critics alike (along with some hefty leaning from advertisers, I am sure!), NBC has miraculously renewed Chuck for a third season.
Chuck, from creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak and Warner Bros. Television, will return for Season Three on NBC this fall, albeit with a smaller budget than previous seasons and thirteen episodes.
While the Peacock has yet to release its schedule (hang tight until Tuesday), it's believed that Chuck will likely land on Friday evenings at 8 pm this fall.
I don't know about you but I think this calls for celebration! It goes without saying that massive, heartfelt thanks go out to Subway and all of Chuck's generous sponsors for their continued support of this fantastic series and congratulations to the entire cast and crew of Chuck not only for weathering this renewal storm but also for giving us one of the most consistently entertaining and enjoyable series on television today.
One caveat, however: it's expected that, in order to secure a renewal, there will be cuts, likely on both the cast and writing staff ends. I will scream if Adam Baldwin's John Casey doesn't return but I could see the Powers That Be downgrading Sarah Lancaster, Julia Ling, or Ryan McPartlin from series regular status to recurring (and/or eliminating at least one of them). That's just speculation on my part for now but it seems that there will definitely be budget cuts and they have to come from somewhere...
Chuck will return this fall with Season Three on NBC.
I had the opportunity last week to see tonight's season finale of the CW's Gossip Girl ("Goodbye Gossip Girl"), in which all signs point to the elusive trash talker being, well, trashed herself after the muckraking maven unveils a series of shocking scandals at the graduation commencement ceremony.
Just who could be behind the juicy blasts? Well, that would be telling but this wouldn't be Gossip Girl without several plot twists being involved. (Hell, I'm not even saying whether Gossip Girl is even really unmasked.)
It's an intriguing storyline that pays homage to the role that the never-seen GG has played on the eponymous series. Her blasts--and ubiquitous narration--have provided no end of groan-inducing pun-based wordplay on the series but there's no way that Kristin Bell, who voices the elusive blogger, would turn up in the flesh on Gossip Girl proper, so don't hold your breath waiting for Bell to walk into the Oak Bar or similar.
What else can I tell you about tonight's episode? It features resolutions to some of the season's romantic storylines, with several twists in store for Lily and Rufus, Chuck and Blair, and Nate and Vanessa. Just who will end up together and who will be torn asunder? You'll have to watch to find out.
Meanwhile, there's a subplot that involves Eric's boyfriend Jonathan and Blair selecting her heir to the throne at Constance Billard School for Girls. To whom will Blair pass her scepter and tiara? That would be telling but look for there to be much in-fighting between Jenny and Mean Girls Penelope, Nelly Yuki, and Hazel as they each set about to win the right to choose Blair's successor for a variety of reasons.
And Georgina Sparks makes a decision that could have major consequences for several characters on the series but it's not quite what you might expect. (One fly in the ointment, however, is that Michelle Trachtenberg's NBC medical drama Mercy was ordered to series, so I don't know how much time Trachtenberg will have come next season.)
Plus, the gang graduates in one of the most unimpressive and unimportant graduating scenes ever to air on television. But given this group's interest in gossip rather than (caps and) gowns, is it really a surprise that the series would downplay this rite of passage? Serena braiding her tassel into her hair rather than wear a traditional mortarboard? Really? Where were the yearbooks, the photographs, the excitement and nerves of graduation? Sure, these kids are oh-so sophisticated but it is the end of an era, an important stepping stone on the path to adulthood.
Basically, I was hoping for a bit more fun here (even if not pomp and circumstance) and for anything of interest to happen to characters like Dan, Vanessa (hiss!), and Jenny. There's a rather intriguing subplot involving Serena that I won't spoil here and the set-up for a major confrontation in Season Three with a mystery figure but overall I wanted the series to rediscover its way a little and recapture the frothy fun and exuberant spirit of excess that defined its first season. One can't help but hope that the summer allows both Gossip Girls' characters--and its writing staff--the opportunity to recharge their batteries.
As it is, the road to college would seem to be just more of the same for these Upper East Siders. Let's hope that it winds up being the blank slate that Serena and Company (and Schwartz and Savage) need in spades.
Gossip Girl returns with a third season this fall on the CW.
ABC has confirmed that it will not be renewing freshman drama series The Unusuals for a second season. The Sony Pictures Television-produced series, created by Noah Hawley, had struggled in the ratings this season, launching in the post-Lost berth on Wednesdays at 10 pm (traditionally a show killer). ABC attempted to test The Unusuals in an alternate timeslot, airing one episode in a Tuesday slot at 10 pm but the series, about the cops in Manhattan's quirky 2nd Precinct, never quite gelled with audiences.
Which is a shame as the series offered a fantastic character study each week, some bizarro crimes, and one of the best ensembles on television today, with all of the actors--including Amber Tamblyn, Jeremy Renner, Adam Goldberg, Harold Perrineau, Kai Lennox, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Joshua Close, and Terry Kinney--turning in memorable and fully realized performances. The Unusuals is slated to wrap its first season run with a handful of unaired episodes beginning May 27th.
Meanwhile, FOX has finally confirmed what many have known for some time now: it has terminated Sarah Connor Chronicles. The series, from Warner Bros. Television, will not be returning for a third season, despite an outpouring of fan support for another go-around.
While it seemed like on-the-bubble Privileged, which wrapped its freshman season earlier this year, could be returning for a second season on the CW, it's now thought to be extremely unlikely that Privileged will return.
CBS reached a deal with studio Warner Bros. Television to renew cop procedural Cold Case for a seventh season this fall. However, it's thought very unlikely that fellow procedural Without a Trace will return.
And should NBC not be decide in the eleventh hour to renew supernatural drama Medium, CBS has reached a deal with sister studio CBS Television Studios (formerly CBS Paramount Network Television) to pick up the Patricia Arquette-led drama, much like ABC picked up Scrubs after NBC passed on continuing the series.
Meanwhile, ABC has a deal in place to pick up The New Adventures of Old Christine, should CBS not renew, but it's thought that Old Christine will get a spot on CBS' fall schedule, after all.
A few days ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers on Tuesday, ABC indicated several early pickups and renewals, creating a diverse slate of programming that includes six new dramas and two new comedies (in addition to several already previously announced) and a slew of surprising renewals.
ABC has gone ahead and reportedly handed out series orders to dramas The Forgotten, Happy Town, The Associates (which is also being referring to by some outlets as The Deep End), and Eastwick and comedies Cougar Town, Hank (a.k.a. Awesome Hank), and The Middle.
An updated version of sci-fi cult hit V, from The 4400 creator Scott Peters, is said to be on tap for midseason, though as of press time discussions are still ongoing between the network and studio Warner Bros. Television about the episodic order, with ABC said to have offered six episodes in a limited series format and the studio pushing for a larger episodic count.
Additionally, the Alphabet has announced renewals for freshman drama series Castle, starring Nathan Fillion, and comedies Scrubs and Better Off Ted, the latter of which made me jump with joy. (I had seriously considered a Ted a goner.)
Not such good news, however, for fans of ABC's freshman drama The Unusuals, which is not expected to return next season. (As I consider myself one of the series' few devoted viewers, it is bad news indeed.)
Scrubs is returning next season with Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, and Neil Flynn set to reprise their roles on the long-running comedy series. Zach Braff has signed on to appear in six episodes in order to help the series transition into a new storylines. However, one fly in the ointment: E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that Sarah Chalke has yet to sign a similar deal and Judy Reyes is not yet under contract to return and "would more than likely be billed as a guest star." Additionally, series creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence is reportedly looking into altering the series' single-camera format as well, likely in order to reduce costs.
Castle and Better Off Ted, meanwhile, are both expected to return next season with thirteen episodes a piece. Given the number of comedies which were either ordered to series or renewed, it seems extremely likely that ABC will look to expand its comedy offerings to more than one evening next season. (Just don't expect any pickups for comedy pilots Canned, No Heroics, and Best Thing Ever, all of which are said to be out of the running completely.)
Looking for some more info on ABC's new series, expected to be announced on Tuesday? Look no further.
Flash Forward, from ABC Studios and creators Brannon Braga (24) and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight), follows a group of diverse strangers across the planet after a strange incident renders the entire planet's population unconscious for two minutes and seventeen seconds, during which they all glimpse into a period six months into their own future. A group of FBI agents attempts to construct a pattern of this occurence--codenamed The Mosaic--and find out its origins and just what these fragments are trying to tell them. Series stars Joseph Fiennes (Pretty/Handsome), John Cho (Star Trek), Jack Davenport (Swingtown), Sonya Walger (Lost), Zachary Knighton (Life on a Stick), Peyton List (Mad Men), Courtney B. Vance (ER), and Christine Woods (Welcome to the Captain). (For more on Flash Forward, you can read my advance review of the pilot script from December here.)
The Forgotten, from Warner Bros. Television and Jerry Bruckheimer Films & Television, stars Reiko Aylesworth (24), Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks), Rochelle Aytes (Drive), Michelle Borth (Tell Me You Love Me), Anthony Carrigan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), and Bob Stephenson (Jericho) and revolves around a group of amateur crimefighters who belong to a group called the Identity Network that seeks to solve John Doe murder cases and bring their killers to justice.
Happy Town, from ABC Studios and executive producers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg (all of whom worked on ABC's Life on Mars this season), focuses on a seemingly idyllic small town in Minnesota (nicknamed "Happy Town"), only just recoved after a slew of child abductions seven years earlier, is once again shaken to its core when another crime occurs. The series' ensemble cast includes Geoff Stults (October Road), Amy Acker (Dollhouse), John Patrick Amedori (Gossip Girl), Lauren German (Hostel: Part II), Sarah Gadon (Being Erica), Sam Neill (The Tudors), Dean Winters (Rescue Me), Robert Wisdom (The Wire), and Jay Paulson (October Road).
The Associates (a.k.a. The Deep End), from 20th Century Fox Television, was originally developed for this season and then retooled. Written and executive produced by David Hemingson (Kitchen Confidential), it follows a group of young associates and the well-dressed partners at a high-profile and cutthroat Los Angeles law firm both in and out of the office. It stars Tina Majorino (Big Love), Billy Zane (Samantha Who?), Ben Lawson (Neighbours), Matthew Long (Jack & Bobby), Clancy Brown (Carnivale), Norbert Leo Butz (Dan in Real Life), Leah Pipes (Life is Wild), and Sherri Saum (In Treatment).
Eastwick, from Warner Bros. Television, writer Maggie Friedman, and director David Nutter, is based on the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick and follows a group of very different women in small town New England who are blessed (or is it cursed?) with supernatural powers and whose lives become intimately entangled with a devilishly seductive mystery man. The series stars Rebecca Romjin (Ugly Betty), Jaime Ray Newman (Veronica Mars), Lindsay Price (Lipstick Jungle), Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect), Ashley Benson (Days of Our Lives), Veronica Cartwright (The Nine), Paul Gross (Slings and Arrows) and Johann Urb (Dirt).
V, from writer/executive producer Scott Peters (The 4400), is expected to bow midseason as a limited "event" series and is based on the cult 1980s series about an alien invasion by manipulative reptilian aliens (albeit disguised behind human-like flesh) known as The Visitors. The series stars Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Morena Baccarin (Firefly), Joel Gretsch (The 4400), Morris Chestnut (The Perfect Holiday), Scott Wolf (The Nine), Alan Tudyk (Dollhouse), Lourdes Benedicto (Cashmere Mafia), and Logan Huffman (America).
Cougar Town, from Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, stars Courteney Cox (Dirt) as a newly divorced 40-year-old Florida realtor who faces reentry to the dating scene after raising a 17-year-old son (Dan Byrd). Series, from ABC Studios, also stars Christa Miller (Scrubs), Ian Gomez (Felicity), Josh Hopkins (Swingtown), Busy Phillipps (ER), and Brian Van Holt (John From Cincinnati).
Hank (a.k.a. Awesome Hank), from Warner Bros. Television and writer/executive producer Tucker Cawley (Everybody Loves Raymond), revolves around a laid-off Wall Street executive (Kelsey Grammer) who is forced on hard times and must return to his hometown with his wife and kids and reconnect with his family. Series also stars David Koechner (American Dad), Melinda McGraw (Mad Men), Macey Cruthird (Hope & Faith), and Ryan Wynott (Tell Me You Love Me).
The Middle, also from Warner Bros. Television and creators Eileen Heisler and Deanne Heline (Lipstick Jungle), was originally developed for ABC several years ago as a Ricki Lake vehicle. This time around it stars Patricia Heaton (Back to You), Neil Flynn (Scrubs), Charlie McDermott (Frozen River), Atticus Shafer (The Unborn), and Eden Sher (Sons & Daughters) as the members of a typical middle-class American family living in the Mid-west.
Modern Family, from 20th Century Fox Television and creators Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd (Back to You), tracks the lives of three American families--one a traditional nuclear family, one a gay couple with an adopted Vietnamese baby, and the last an older man with a young Latina wife--as they are filmed by a Dutch documentary crew. Series stars Ed O'Neil (John from Cincinnati), Ty Burrell (Back to You), Sofia Vergara (Dirty Sexy Money), Julie Bowen (Boston Legal), Eric Stonestreet (This Might Hurt), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Do Not Disturb), Sarah Hyland (Lipstick Jungle), Nolan Gould (Eleventh Hour), and Ariel Winter (ER).
Earlier this year, ABC announced renewals for such series as Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, America's Funniest Home Videos, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing with the Stars, Ugly Betty, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Supernanny, and Wife Swap.
ABC will unveil its full schedule to advertisers on Tuesday.
Welcome to (a very early edition of) your Monday morning television briefing on the first day of the 2009 network upfronts.
In a surprising twist, FOX has renewed drama series Dollhouse for a second season. Dollhouse, which secured a thirteen-episode order from the network, is expected to remain on Friday evenings next season. Variety's Cynthia Littleton writes, "The 20th Century Fox TV fantasy drama starring Eliza Dushku has delivered modest but consistent ratings on a low-trafficked night, thanks to Whedon's built-in fan base." It's believed that the renewal was secured after the studio agreed to drastically reduce the series' budget and accept a significantly lower license fee. Just what that decision will mean for the writing staff and cast of Dollhouse remains to be seen. (Variety)
Good news for Bones fans (even those irked by the season finale's twist): FOX and studio 20th Century Fox Television have signed a deal to renew Bones for not one but two seasons. The eleventh hour renewal came down to the wire as the two sides had to hammer out a new license fee for the series, which is returning for its fifth season this fall. News of Bones' renewal was announced by creator Hart Hanson via his Twitter account. Hanson also indicated that frequent guest star Stephen Fry would reprise his role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the series. "There is every chance," said Hart, again via Twitter, "that Stephen Fry will be on Bones in the future." (Variety)
Elsewhere at FOX, the network is expected to announce a first-ever fall outing for reality franchise So You Think You Can Dance next season, likely to be paired with drama Glee on Wednesdays. Other potential timeslot pairings include House and Lie to Me on Mondays,Fringe and Human Target on Tuesdays, and Bones and So You Think You Can Dance's result show on Thursday. Just what will be paired with Dollhouse on Fridays? Past Life perhaps? Meanwhile, comedies Brothers and Sons of Tucson are expected to bow in midseason. (Hollywood Reporter)
Still more FOX news: FOX has ordered 13 episodes of comedy Brothers, starring Michael Strahan, Darryl "Chill" Mitchell, and CCH Pounder. Series, from Sony Pictures Television and Tantamount, revolves around the strained relationship between two brothers, one a retired NFL player (Strahan) and other a wheelchair bound man (Mitchell) whose own dreams of NFL glory were sidelined by a car accident. Meanwhile, drama Maggie Hill is said to still be in contention for a midseason slot. (Hollywood Reporter)
CBS has reportedly given a go-ahead to begin staffing on three new drama series, making their official series orders all the more likely later this week. The untitled NCIS spin-off, medical drama Three Rivers (starring Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin), and legal drama The Good Wife (starring Julianna Margulies), all of which hail from CBS Television Studios (formerly known as CBS Paramount Network Television) have all been told to begin staffing ahead of CBS' official upfront presentation on Wednesday. (Variety)
Meanwhile, Nikki Finke is reporting that CBS has given medical drama Miami Trauma a greenlight to start staffing and that the Eye is considering launching U.S. Attorney in midseason. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
ABC has renewed reality series True Beauty for a second season. Project, from executive producers Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher, featured ten handsome contestants who live together in a house and undergo a series of challenges to determine which of them has the most inner beauty. (Futon Critic)
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a fantastic interview/profile of Jane Lynch, currently on the small screen in Starz's Party Down and FOX's Glee. Lynch said that Party Down, created by Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd, was the most fun she'd had in her life. "It’s what I really love to do. I love being part of a team where everybody’s kind of got equal weight, Lynch told Ryan. "It’s about teamwork. There’s really no room for the big ego-trip thing that you hear about." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)
SPOILER: Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello catches up with Prison Break executive producer Matt Olmstead after Friday evening's season finale to discuss the shocking ending of the series, which saw the death of Wentworth Miller's Michael Scofield. "For me, it is a happy ending," Olmstead told Ausiello. "Look at the very first episode of the season when Michael realizes Sara's alive. They have a chance to run away, and they both elect not to because, as two people of conscience, they can't live with what they both now have experienced. And at the end of the finale, when they're on the beach and talking about the baby that's coming, that's a huge victory in that they both stood their ground and, with the help of other people, brought down the ultimate antagonist. So they have their moment." Olmstead also teases the plot of the two-hour direct-to-DVD Prison Break film, which is due to be released on July 28th. "Sara is on the hook for [killing] Michael's mother and she gets locked up while pregnant," said Olmstead. "The tables are turned… once a doctor in prison now imprisoned, and Michael's on the outside. The majority of the cast is back. It's Michael, Lincoln, Sara, Sucre, T-Bag, Mahone... all the heavy-hitters." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
HBO has handed out a series order to animated series The Ricky Gervais Show, which will feature Gervais, his longtime writing partner and friend Stephen Merchant and the quirky Karl Pilkington, who has appeared with Gervais and Merchant on their podcast and will be the focal point for the series. Series, which has been ordered for thirteen episodes, hails from Media Rights Capital and Wildbrain and is expected to launch in 2010. "Karl is a man who believes that a sea lion is a cross between a fish and a dog," said Gervais and Merchant in a statement. "Hopefully, Karl will enter the pantheon of animated greats."(Variety)
Reports are swirling that ITV sci-fi drama Primeval, which airs Stateside on BBC America and Sci Fi, could birth a spin-off of its own. Executive producers Jonathan Drake and Tim Haines have reportedly begun drafting plans for a second Primeval-based project that could expand the series' mythology outside the UK and could be set in the United States. (Digital Spy)
Former CSI castmember Jorja Fox will guest star on an upcoming episode of Lifetime's dramedy Drop Dead Diva, which premieres July 12th. Fox will play a "soccer mom with a criminal past" on an episode of the Lifetime series about a dead model who is reborn into the body of an overweight attorney. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
20th Century Fox Television has signed a deal with Columbia Records to release music from the upcoming series Glee on iTunes and other digital platforms as well as on compact disc. (Hollywood Reporter)
E! Online's Watch with Kristin talks with Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr about what's to come on the CW drama series. Szohr teases that Vanessa will definitely get over Nate ditching her for Blair and that there could be the potential for another encounter with Chuck Bass. "Obviously, Vanessa's a little bit hurt because that's her boyfriend, but what comes around goes around, so I'm sure Vanessa will be all right. [...] Vanessa hates Chuck... that's what's fun about it. We'll see." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
FOX and animation studio Aniboom have teamed up on a contest where animates can submit short films. The prize: a development deal at FOX and the opportunity to create the "next great animated holiday special" or, potentially, a weekly series. "FOX has long been the sole primetime animation powerhouse, and we're searching for a fresh new animated holiday special that could potentially become an instant classic and maybe even a weekly series," said FOX president Kevin Reilly. "By tapping into Aniboom's community of undiscovered talent, we hope to find the next original hit holiday concept, like Simpsons Treehouse of Horror or A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas." (Hollywood Reporter)
Ryan Seacrest has indicated that there could be some major changes in store for next season of FOX's American Idol. "I don't know what they'll do next year. I don't know if they'll keep the tweaks that they've made this season or if they're going to implement new ones," Seacrest told Broadcasting & Cable's Marisa Guthrie. "But it's no secret that Simon is thinking about it being his last season. Everyone's deal is up next year except for Paula's." (Broadcasting & Cable)
CBS Television Studios have signed a two-year first-look deal with Drew Carey, currently the host of daytime game show The Price Is Right. Under the terms of the deal, Carey will develop projects via his International Mammoth TV shingle. (Hollywood Reporter)
Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation.
Elsewhere in the sophisticated TV-obsessed section of the blogosphere, members of the TV Blog Coalition were discussing the following items...
Buzz got pumped about the upcoming sneak peek of Glee and shared some tidbits she learned from the cast. (BuzzSugar)
So we finally get to see who Jacob is on Lost, and then his nemesis turned out to be... Richard Hatch? (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
Vance celebrated his 2000th post on the blog by remembering some of his favorites over the years, including Everwood, Lost and Friday Night Lights. (Tapeworthy)
Dan watched the premiere of The Fashion Show and found a temporary filler for the Project Runway-sized hole left in his heart. He still misses Tim Gunn, though. (TiFaux)
It's (VERY) early, but Matt is already excited about the second season of Fringe. (TV Fanatic.)
Kate was bemused and befuddled when Food Network renewed lying, cheating Robert Levine's show (TV Filter)
After its six-episode first season, NBC's Parks and Recreation still isn't reaching anywhere near its actual potential.
Given the strengths of creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and the comedic timing of the talented cast, Parks and Recreation should have been a home run but it's been hampered by an unnecessary and clunky format that sucks the energy out of every scene and an over-reliance on unfunny talking heads.
However, last night's season finale of Parks and Recreation ("Rock Show") was at least a step in the right direction. Written by Norm Hiscock and directed by Mike Schur, it played down the mockumentary aspects of the format that are typically overused and irritating, focusing the energy of the piece on several storylines--Andy (Chris Pratt) getting his casts off, Leslie (Amy Poehler) going on a date with a much older man, and Ann (Rashida Jones) discovering that Andy had lied to her--all of which dovetailed quite nicely at Andy's first rock gig with his band, Scarecrow Boat, since he fell in the pit and broke his legs.
Parks and Recreation tends to go off the rails when it relies too heavily on the documentary angle, with the cameras forced to shoot from behind windows, trees, or blinds at the action going on inside tiny, cramped offices. The documentary aspect works a hell of a lot better over on The Office, thanks to the physical arrangement of the workplace set. By using an open-plan bullpen-style environment, The Office is able to imbue each scene with a vibrancy that's missing here; at any time the camera can swing around to grab a reactions shot or a snatch of dialogue and this openness gives The Office some of its best bits.
By contrast, much of Parks and Recreation is set in a series of separate offices and there's none of the community and spirit of its predecessor. The talking heads--which don't always work quite as well on The Office as they should either (as opposed to the British original)--typically share information that is either obvious, implied, or could be shared with the audience in a better (and typically more humorous) way. Every time the action on Parks and Recreation is limited to workplace scenes, the energy plummets. But get the cast outside the confined walls of the Pawnee seat of power and the cast can surprise with their vivacity.
Last night's episode, for example, found Leslie on a date with a man she believed was going to help her with zoning regulations but was in fact a blind date arranged by her overbearing mother. That Amy Poehler looked so gorgeous in this scene (and, hell, even breathtaking for Leslie) was a plus; it gave Leslie an aura of normalcy and made her optimism not the freakishness of a loser (as it's been portrayed for much of the season) but the hopefulness of someone who knows they are fighting an uphill battle. Hell, Leslie and Mark (Paul Schneider) even address this issue head-on and Leslie is given the opportunity to make her cockeyed optimism something to root for rather than deride.
Additionally, the complex shadings of their relationship took a turn for the awkward last night as Mark tried to make a move on Leslie... after his advances towards Ann were brutally rebuffed. That Leslie, who previously mooned over Mark (they did, you'll remember, share a one-night stand four years earlier), would also spurn his proposition shows some real character growth. Could Leslie be becoming a more three-dimensional character (finally)? The entire episode seemed an effort to humanize Poehler's Leslie Knope, to make her character more sympathetic and relatable to the audience. (And, I'll admit that I laughed my butt off when Mark fell into the pit.)
So is there hope for Parks and Recreation, which has already been renewed by NBC for a second season? I'd greatly suggest they follow last night's episode as a model and either cut back or altogether ditch the awkward mockumentary format and give the series a straightforward single-camera comedy aesthetic. I'd also say that having the cast spend time together as a group offsite--whether that's at a local bar, an event, or just anywhere other than the claustrophobic office--is a Very Good Thing.
Plus, I'd advise Daniels and Schur to not try quite so hard to make the characters quirky and just let the actors breathe a bit more. Aziz Ansari's Tom was a hell of a lot more amusing last night because he seemed more at ease and less like Ansari was working overtime to please. And that goes for all of the actors, with the exception of maybe Nick Offerman and Chris Pratt, whose characters remain the most nuanced and real, possibly because they seem to be giving them a more naturalistic air, as though they are unaware that they are being filmed. (And, since I'm thinking about it, please upgrade the always likable Pratt to series regular.)
Make Leslie's optimism both her strength and her weakness but also don't allow it to overtake her character completely and make her a clueless buffoon. I'd rather see her as misguided at times than a total moron. She can still be funny without being the butt of every joke on the series. She can be Pollyannish, she can be peppy, but I'd prefer she didn't become another deluded boss along the lines of Michael Scott and instead becomes a fully realized character in her own right, rather than a punchline.
All in all, NBC has given Parks and Recreation an incredible opportunity to find its footing next season. Will it be another hit along the lines of 30 Rock or The Office? I don't know. But I will say that now is the time for Schur and Daniels--and NBC--to take some risks and try to find the core of this series by retooling a bit. Could it work as a series? I'm not entirely sure but I know that eternal optimistic Leslie Knope would offer a resounding yes.
What did you think of last night's season finale and of Parks and Recreations' season as a whole? What changes would you suggest Daniels and Schur implement for the second season? Discuss.
Parks and Recreation returns for a sophomore run next season on NBC.
Last night's season finale of 30 Rock ("Kidney Now") featured a host of celebrity cameos, including Sheryl Crow, the Beastie Boys, Mary J Blige, Elvis Costello, Clay Aiken, Adam Levine, Cindi Lauper, Michael Stipe, and a ton of others.
But, if I'm being honest, the real joy of the episode, written by Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock, wasn't seeing an impressive batch of musical talent performing a hilarious benefit song for Kidney Now but seeing Jack Donaghy playing catch with his father Milton (played with relish by Alan Alda).
And while Jack wasn't ultimately a match for the kidney that Milton desperately needs to survive, partially so he can finish that three-volume biography of Jimmy Carter, I do hope that Alda's Milton returns next season. I love seeing Jack alternately child-like and suspicious around his biological father and it would be fantastic to see Alda on a more regular basis.
Meanwhile, I loved how Liz's story--with her new found fame for the "Deal Breaker" lady sketches skewering the trajectory of the phrase "he's just not that into you"--propelled her to superstardom, landing her a spot on a raucous daily talk show and a book deal. That Liz is completely unqualified to give out relationship advice (and only screws up both Pete and Tracy's relationships with their wives) is precisely the point. She's a writer and her own romantic relationships have been disasters on par with the Hindenburg.
What else did I love about last night's gleeful season finale? Liz's biology-related song about kidneys, brains, and colons; Jenna's murderous half-sister Courtney; Leo Spaceman's insistence that he would remember to do the opposite of what was on those medical forms; "You have sexually transmitted crazy mouth!"; Liz's insistence that bisexuality was something "invented in the 90s to sell hair products"; Tracy's crying montage; the aforementioned game of catch; Steven Killer; Jack telling Liz that TGS has maybe two more years left and invoking Wings; Tracy's promise to the graduating class of his alma mater that they would all become president of the United States one day; Sheryl Crow and Adam Levine's European alter egos; Rainstorm Katrina. (Really, the list goes on and on.)
Best line of the evening: "A guy crying about a chicken and a baby? I thought this was a comedy show." - Milton (Go, MASH series finale shout-out!)
All in all, "Kidney Now" was a fantastic ender to another wonderful season of 30 Rock, television's best comedy. Or as Liz might say, "We sure had quite a year." Yes, Liz, we did.
30 Rock returns for a fourth season this fall on NBC.
With my one year wedding anniversary just around the corner (quite literally: it's less than a month away), it's hard not to think back to last summer and full year that my wife and I spent planning our wedding: the stresses, the joys, and the little problems that cropped up out of nowhere.
Planning any event is a demanding endeavor but when it's a wedding--especially your own--there's a heightened sense that everything has to be absolutely perfect.
So imagine then if the bride had absolutely no say over her wedding day and the planning and execution of the entire event fell to the groom. That's just the premise of BBC America's new reality series, Don't Tell the Bride, which kicks off tonight.
Each episode, narrated by Gavin & Stacey's Ruth Jones and No Heroics' Rebekah Staton, features a different bride and groom who are about to get married. They receive roughly $20,000 (or £12,000) to plan the wedding of their dreams but there are quite a few strings attached. For one, the bride has no say over what the groom is doing and can't contact her fiance to influence his decisions. Second, the two will live apart during the wedding planning stage, which is the four weeks leading up to the blissful day. And third, the bride will turn up on her wedding day with no clue about just what her groom has been up to... and will have to live with the results.
Sound like a dream? Or a hellish nightmare? It's a little bit of both in fact.
I had the opportunity, thanks to the good folks at BBC America, to watch the first three episodes of Don't Tell the Bride and quickly fell under its dizzying spell. Perhaps it's because I recently underwent a similar process myself (planning a wedding though thankfully hand-in-hand with my wife) but I was completely captivated by the proceedings. It's a situation that could quickly turn into an utter trainwreck (and, believe me, it often does) but it's also a fascinating glimpse into couples' relationships.
Just how well do these two people know each other? Was the groom really listening to his fiancee when she expressed the details of the "dream" wedding she's been planning all of these years? Did the bride ever express her distaste for the color red or her love for all things Rococo? Do these people know each other inside and out or are they really strangers when it comes to their personal preferences?
Each episode captures the stress, panic, and jittery nerves of a couple standing on the brink of their nuptials. And, yes, the gift of £12,000 is a huge thing but the pressure to go it alone and plan an entire wedding--including the bride's dress and accessories, venues, invitations, catering, cake, flowers, and every little detail that go into pulling off a wedding--are often too much to bear for the poor groom. Some will rise to the occasion, others will make catastrophically wrong decisions... and it's not always the ones you think.
As for the brides, some are more than willing to place the happiness of their wedding day into the hands of their beloved, excited by the prospect of being utterly surprised on the day. While others, such as Episode Three's Katy, are so controlling and have such a precise picture of their perfect wedding day in their heads that it's mind-boggling to think why they even went on this reality series in the first place. (One can only hope that the marriages themselves turned out better than the weddings.)
And that's perhaps the beauty of the series itself: the ability to live vicariously through these individuals. If, like me, you've been through the process, you can sincerely appreciate the groom's situation and dilemma with the sort of sympathy reserved for those who have been through the fire themselves. And if you haven't been married, you can thank your lucky stars that you'll be planning the fateful day with your partner and not on your own... or with television cameras trailing your every move. Either way, Don't Tell the Bride is the perfect summer reality series: fun, frothy, and at times painfully funny.
Don't Tell the Bride premieres tonight with two back-to-back episodes at 8 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.
Still reeling from last night's season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy? Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has an exclusive interview with series creator Shonda Rhimes about some of the shocking plot twists in last night's season ender. Responding to rumors about whether Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight wanted off of Grey's Anatomy and how this impacted their characters' fates, Rhimes said simply, "I don't think there are any coincidences. I think Katherine's stated publicly that she's happy to stay. I think that there have been lots of rumors about TR, but TR's never said anything. Take from it what you will." Rhimes also discusses the fates of Izzie and George, Mer and Der's wedding day, Jessica Capshaw, and a host of other Grey's related issues. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
FOX has given a series order to supernatural drama Past Life (formerly known as The Reincarnationist), about a psychologist and a former NYPD homicide detective who assist people in solving "their past-life traumas and present-day crimes." Project, from Warner Bros. Television, is written and executive produced by David Hudgins. Cast includes Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Richard Schiff, and Ravi Patel. (Variety)
The CW has reportedly locked Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries into its fall schedule. Both series were given the go-ahead yesterday to bring staffing, which points rather strongly to both projects getting ordered to series. Meanwhile, Beautiful Life, Life Unexpected, and Privileged continue to battle it out for the last remaining slot on the schedule and the Gossip Girl spin-off is said to still be in contention for a midseason bow. (Hollywood Reporter)
ABC is said to be considering making some rather big changes to bubble comedy Samantha Who? and is reportedly even debating whether to change the series' format into a traditional multi-camera comedy, albeit it one that follows a similar format to 20th Century Fox Television's How I Met Your Mother, which shoots over four days on a soundstage with multiple cameras but without a live audience. The network still has seven unaired episodes of Samantha Who?, which would mean that it's unlikely ABC would renew it for a full 22-episode order. (Variety)
Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke have signed on to appear in six episodes of Scrubs, should ABC opt to renew the series for a ninth season. Additionally, John C. McGinley, Donald Faison, and Neil Flynn are set to return full-time for a potential ninth season if their pilots aren't ordered to series. The short-term return of Braff and Chalke would help the series set up new storylines for the younger doctors. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
Meanwhile, ABC is said to be high on Patricia Heaton comedy vehicle The Middle, along with Bill Lawrence's Cougar Town (starring Courteney Cox), and The Law. Network was said to be less than pleased with the pilots for Romantically Challenged and Awesome Hank yet may still order one or both of them to series. On the drama front, The Forgotten has the best chances of landing on the schedule but the net is also considering such projects as V, Inside the Box, Eastwick, and Happy Town. (Variety)
Janeane Garofalo will not be returning for Day Eight of FOX's 24 next season. "I think the secret of this show is knowing when characters have had their story," executive producer Howard Gordon told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "And to transpose everybody [from D.C. to New York] starts feeling very coincidental. Even getting Chloe there ... you have to explain how she got from Washington to New York and what happened. You can't do that for everybody." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
NBC has renewed Last Call with Carson Daly for the 2009-10 season, a move which solidifies NBC's latenight strategy. Series, entering its ninth season, will return with a significantly lower budget next season. (Broadcasting & Cable)
Pushing Daisies' Anna Friel is set to star as Holly Golightly opposite Joseph Cross (Milk) in an upcoming stage adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany's, set to preview beginning September 9th for a September 29th launch at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. (Variety)
Hilarie Burton has told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello about her departure--which she says was "not a rash decision"--from CW's One Tree Hill at the end of the current season, which wraps on Monday evening. "There really wasn't a lot of turmoil," said Burton about her departure. "It was a fabulous six-year run, which is how long my contract was for, and I feel really lucky to have been a part of the show. So when I hear that there's turmoil or negotiations based on money it kind of hurts my feelings, because it's not what's been going on at all. I think my fan base in particular knows that money isn't necessarily a big motivator for me, that's why I work in the world of independent film... I've known for a little while. For me, it was definitely an emotional decision. And a professional decision as well. I got really, really lucky. One Tree Hill was my very first television audition; it was a fairytale. I feel really lucky to have that level of success right out of the gate." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Confirming a rumor swirling several weeks ago, Warner Bros has acquired screen rights to ITV series Primeval, which airs in the US on BBC America and Sci Fi, with the aim to adapt it into a feature film, set in the US, under the aegis of Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster. "There is a solid mythology to the series, but the movie has the dinosaur element of Jurassic Park and the time travel element of Lost, and it just feels like the kind of big movie that Warner Bros. does well," said Foster. (Variety)
UK network Sky1 has scored the world premiere of two Prison Break episodes that are being billed as a special event movie entitled Prison Break: The Final Break. The network will air the two-hour movie on Wednesday, May 27th at 10 pm, a week after airing the fourth season finale which marks the end of the series. (Digital Spy)
Comedy Central has ordered seven episodes of animated comedy Ugly Americans, about an alternate universe where mythological creatures live among everyday people. Project, from writer David Stern (The Simpsons), will feature the voice talents of Matt Oberg, Randy Pearlstein, Mike Britt, Kurt Metzger, Rebekka Johnson, and Pete Holmes. The cabler also announced several projects in development, including: Judah Friedlander and Jordan Rubin's animated comedy Gypsy Cab, about a taxi driver in Manhattan who looks to pick up celebrity fares; single-cam workplace comedy The Sklar Brothers Sports Comedy Show; Midwest Teen Sex Show; The Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down; procedural cop comedy The Fuzz, where police are played by humans and puppets; buddy comedy Workaholics; Ghost/Aliens; and several others. (Variety)
Cabler The N (which will be rebranded as TeenNick this fall) has ordered thirteen episodes of half-hour dramedy Gigantic, described as a "a coming-of-age story set in the world of the Hollywood elite packed with parties and privilege" which will feature "testimonials by real-life Hollywood teenagers as well as celebrity cameos." Project, from Reveille, is executive produced by Marti Noxon and Dawn Parouse. (Hollywood Reporter)
Former Survivor executive producer Tom Shelly has signed an overall deal with Endemol USA, under which he will serve as executive producer on ABC's upcoming reality series Dating in the Dark as well as develop format ideas. (Variety)
It's up to the storyteller to determine just how much they need to parcel out, what pattern they're making, and when to cut it short and tie it off.
With last night's penultimate season finale of Lost ("The Incident, Parts One and Two"), written by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, we began to see the pattern that Lindelof and Cuse have been designing towards the last five seasons of this serpentine series. And it was only fitting that the two-hour finale, which pushes us on the road to the final season of Lost, should begin with thread, a loom, and a tapestry.
Would Jack follow through on his plan to detonate the island and therefore reset their lives aboard Oceanic Flight 815? Why did Locke want to kill Jacob? What caused The Incident? What was in the box and just what lies in the shadow of the statue? We got the answers to these in a two-hour season finale that didn't quite pack the same emotional wallop of previous season enders or reveal as jaw-dropping a game-changer as, say, the finales of Season One or Three, but with "The Incident" we did finally get to see just what tapestry Team Darlton have been building toward.
So what did I think of the season finale? Put on your Dharma jumpsuit, take a swig of your sedative-laced OJ, sneak a peek inside the box, and let's discuss "The Incident."
Beginnings and Endings. I absolutely loved the season finale's opening which showed the enigmatic Jacob working on a tapestry depicting some Egyptian hieroglyphs before he catches a fish and shares it with a Stranger (given Jacob's Biblical name, let's call him "Esau") as they watch a ship in the distance heading towards the island. The ship, of course, is the Black Rock, although I'm still not sure just how it got onto the middle of the island from its perch on the ocean. Here, Jacob and Esau seem to be the literal embodiments of Good and Evil. Jacob believes in the innate goodness of man, in his right to choose, and of free will. Esau, on the other hand, believes that men are corrupt and inherently bad and that these latest visitors to the island will bring with them sin and war.
Together then, Jacob and Esau represent the two sides of mankind and of the universe itself: the Creator and the Destroyer. We see that Jacob is the Creator and this is shown via his actual handiwork, standing at the loom. Esau, on the other hand, is the Trickster, the destructive nature of the universe to tear down, to destroy, to murder... even if it's indirectly. Thanks to some fundamental laws on the island, Esau can't murder Jacob, but it's not for want of trying. However, in order to achieve this end, he must discover a loophole, a means of destroying the seemingly immortal Jacob.
And seemingly he does, though it takes him several hundred years to do so. It's still not clear how Richard Alpert fits into the picture here with Jacob and Esau, ageless as he is but it's likely that several of the island's strictest rules were created to avoid such a loophole that Esau, in his trickery, would look to take advantage of. Only the Leader could receive messages from Jacob, typically passed along by spiritual adviser Richard Alpert. And only the Leader could be received into Jacob's presence to obtain his instructions. (Aside: very interesting to me that it was Eloise Hawking, not Widmore, who was the Leader of the Others in 1977.)
Which is how Esau eventually manages to enact his vengeance on Jacob. If their Biblical names hold true, Esau's rage stems from the fact that he feels that Jacob has stolen his birthright. In this case, it would be the island itself. Jacob seems to be a largely benevolent presence on the island and has a seemingly unerring belief in what is Right but allows the denizens of the island to make their own choices. As Esau can't directly take action against Jacob (he would have stabbed him himself ages ago if he could have), he would have to persuade someone else to do so, to work on their faith and ego and vanity and force them to pick up that knife.
Time travel is a funny thing, particularly when you are diving around in the past. We tend to accept the world of time travelers at face value, as if they know the outcome of all possible actions. Richard Alpert, because he had run into John Locke at several points in the past, accepts the word of the seemingly resurrected Locke, who takes him and Benjamin Linus to the scene of the beechcraft in the jungle, where Locke is bleeding to death after being shot by Ethan. It is "Locke"--whom we later learn is Esau (more on that in a bit)--who tells Richard that he needs to give instructions to Locke: he will need to bring the Oceanic 6 back to the island and he will have to die.
Of course, it's the perfect long con from a malevolent force that thrives on trickery and subterfuge: "Locke" has to know what he's talking about, thanks to the twisty logic of time travel, and in giving the real John Locke these instructions, Richard Alpert has unwittingly sealed Jacob's fate, giving Esau a form to use and allowing him to maneuver the pieces into position. This cosmic game of chess has been played for quite some time and with Esau's assumption of Locke's form, Esau finally moves Jacob into checkmate.
The Box. So what was in the box that Ilana and Bram were so hellbent on lugging all over the island, from Jacob's cabin--which they burn to the ground--to the foot of the Statue (again, more on that in a second)? It turns out that they discovered something very interesting in the cargo hold of Ajira Flight 316: the corpse of the real John Locke. It's a staggering reveal which has lasting implications for the series. Richard Alpert mentioned that he had seen many things on the island but he had never seen anyone come back to life... because Locke hadn't been resurrected. We assumed because his corpse was on the plane and he was seen on the beach that it was him but that was an erronious assumption. It's only fitting that the first shot we see of the "resurrected" Locke is him cloaked in black. Locke is dead and it would seem that dead really does mean dead on this series. The reveal of him within the box is clearly meant to echo the reveal in the Season Four finale, in which we learn that it's Locke who is in the coffin. By substituting a steel cargo box for a coffin, Team Darlton have been shouting at us all along to realize just what was inside.
Locke. So is this the end of John Locke? If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say no. I don't know that we'll see Terry O'Quinn channeling Esau for the remainder of the series but O'Quinn gives us a hell of a performance as the calculating Esau. I'd be really quite sad if the corpse is the last we see of the "real" John Locke and that his story ended under quite such tragic circumstances: he believes he is fulfilling his destiny, the one the island set out for him, by killing himself. That it's Ben who would kill both Locke and Jacob has to be significant; Ben and Locke seem to be avatars of Esau and Jacob, playing over the same story time and time again. He's pushed by his ego and rage in both cases to murder but I believe that both will be resurrected in either physical or spiritual terms. After all, Christian Shepherd--another Christ figure in this story--seemingly achieved life after death on the island. So why not Locke as well?
The Monster. Esau's long con was completely brilliant. After all, it's he who says that they have to summon the smoke monster at The Temple... and Ben's run-in with the monster leads to a face-to-face confrontation with Ben's dead daughter Alex. Or at least the monster in the guise of Alex. And it's "Alex" who tells Ben that he has to follow all of "Locke's" instructions without question, forcing him into a pattern of blind faith that leads to Jacob's murder.
That the smoke monster is aware of Esau's ruse makes me wonder if the smoke monster and Esau haven't been in league together this entire time. After all, one side is light (Jacob) and one is dark (Esau). Locke saw something in the jungle in Season One, the heart of the island, which he said was beautiful. I now believe that this "something" was in fact aligned with Jacob, rather than Esau's smoke monster. The smoke monster, with its Temple-based connections to Anubis, clearly belong on the dark side with Esau and he was able to masterfully manipulate Ben using the monster, which can impersonate the dead as we've seen with Yemi, Alex, etc.
The Statue. Last night's episode also gave us a closer look at the face of the island's four-toed statue and it is clearly NOT Anubis, the jackal-headed god who is the subject of the statue. Instead, the face on the massive statue appeared to be more akin to a crocodile than that of Anubis' jackal. If it is a crocodile, the obvious subject is therefore Sobek, the ancient Egyptian deity linked to the creation of the world. Given the previous discussion about Jacob being the Creator, it's a fitting visage for the statue, which appears to be where Jacob lives. And given Jacob's methods (the passing along of lists, instructions, and indirect assistance), it also fits given the mythological M.O. of Sobek himself, who often only was indirectly involved in situations rather than an active participant. Sobek has also at times been linked to the Egyptian sun god Ra. It's not the first time a sun god has been named on the series; the omnipresent Apollo chocolate bar is named for the Roman sun god...
What Lies in the Shadow of the Statue. We finally learned the answer to Ilana's riddle about what lies in the shadow of the statue. After Frank failed to have the correct answer and was knocked unconscious as a result, I began to wonder about just what answer Ilana wanted to receive. I didn't think that it would be Jughead or anything so concrete. Instead, the answer is the Latin phrase Ile qui nos omnes servabit, which translates to something along the lines of He who will save us all. The implication being that the "He" in that phrase is Jacob, who is connected to the statue, a benevolent and powerful deity who is pushing the pieces around the board.
Ilana. We see Jacob appear to Ilana in flashback as she lies in hospital, badly injured (from what exactly?), and he asks her for help. It's clear that the two have met before and Ilana is loyal to Jacob's cause... but just who are Ilana and Bram? How are they connected to the island? Are they former hostiles? Immortals like Jacob? We know that Jacob knew about Ajira Flight 316 (as it was he who instructed Hurley to get aboard the flight) and it was very likely Jacob who constructed Ilana's cover story in order to engineer Sayid's appearance on the plane. So are they followers of Jacob/Sobek? A cult that is designed to worship and protect him? It's interesting to me that the answer to the riddle was in Latin and that she referred to Richard Alpert by his Latin name, "Ricardus." Given that we know that the Others are all taught Latin, it stands to reason that Ilana's team are some sort of offshoot of the island natives, still loyal to Jacob off the island. But why burn the cabin to the ground? Hmmm....
Jacob. As for Jacob himself, it now appears that he crossed paths very intentionally with several members of Oceanic Flight 815, appearing to them at various points in their lives, often at critical moments that defined their characters. He turns up at the hospital, after Jack botches a spinal surgery and severs a nerve sac in the body of a young girl he and Christian were operating on. Afterward, he rails at Christian for humiliating him in front of his surgical team... and then receives the Apollo (aha!) bar he sought to purchase from Jacob himself. We see Kate as a young girl, with her friend Tom Brennan (who later is shot as Kate flees authorities) attempt to steal a New Kids on the Block lunchbox; Jacob prevents the store owner from calling the police and gives the lunchbox to Kate. Jacob also appears at Sun and Jin's wedding, giving them his blessing, and is seen (reading Flannery O'Connor's ''Everything That Rises Must Converge'') when Locke is pushed out of the window by Anthony Cooper. There, he touches Locke's shoulder and causes him to open his eyes, possibly even bringing him back to life. (That's what it seemed to me, anyway.) Jacob asks Sayid for directions in Los Angeles, mere seconds before Nadia is run over in the street by a hit-and-run driver.
He also appears to James Ford as a child at his parents' funeral as he attempts to write the letter to Anthony Cooper (a.k.a. Sawyer); he gives James a pen to continue writing the letter. And Jacob makes contact with Hurley after he is released from jail, waiting for himself outside in a taxi. It's the only time where Jacob's connection to the island is made clear to the person in question and he tells Hurley that returning to the island is his choice. He gives him a mysterious guitar case... the contents of which are still a mystery, as is why Hurley would need to bring this object back to the island. He also makes Hurley see that the ghostly visitations aren't a curse, but perhaps a blessing.
So what we have here is that Jacob went to great lengths to connect with these particular people and in all of the cases, he very noticeably touches them in some way, perhaps marking them or protecting them. His hand touches Jack's, his fingers graze James; he taps Kate on the nose; he touches Jin and Sun's shoulders; he softly grabs Locke's shoulder and he touches both Sayid and Hurley's shoulders as well. The fact that he makes physical contact is significant. After all, it's these people who remain alive on the island throughout everything that happens. I also believe that they are Jacob's chosen people, those who will rise up to stop Esau's plan, and he has marked them for this purpose. It's them that Jacob refers to when he tells Esau, "They are coming." (Which leads me to believe that Jack and the others will find themselves in 2007 on the island after The Incident.)
So what is the loophole by which Jacob can be killed then? By someone's hand other than Esau's? Or is it that Jacob has to allow himself to die? He offers Ben a choice, that he can either do what Esau has told him or he can leave. Yet when Ben rails against Jacob, revealing his hurt and anger for not being one of Jacob's chosen ones, never being allowed in his presence, and asking "What about me?" Jacob's reply, "What about you?" leads directly to Ben stabbing him savagely. Does Jacob willingly sacrifice himself as he knows that it is the right thing to do? Has he in fact somehow tricked Esau all along into believing that his physical death will be the end of him? Does he die for everyone's sins?
The Incident. I was glad to see that Miles was once again the voice of reason and (caustic) sanity on this week's episode. As Jack believes that they can use the bomb to somehow cancel out The Incident and thus prevent the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, Miles believes that their actions may in fact cause the very thing they are seeking to prevent. Sure enough, Miles is right: by attempting to detonate Jughead's core inside the energy pocket, Jack and the others actually bring about The Incident itself.
The Incident isn't just the rupture of the electromagnetic pocket of energy, it's the combination of this energy with the hydrogen bomb, unleashing a wave of energy that leads to the Swan computer protocol and, yes, ends up causing the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. The past can't be altered but their presence there actually causes things to occur just as they always had. Jack and the others had always been in 1977 and had always caused The Incident itself. Just as Miles being there led to Pierre Cheng losing his arm (crushed when the electromagnetic pocket began pulling things in) and walking away with his life.
Juliet. I was completely heartbroken when Juliet got pulled into the pit by the electromagnetic energy. And while I assumed something awful was going to happen to Juliet (thanks to Elizabeth Mitchell's casting in ABC drama pilot V), I still didn't expect to get quite so choked up as Sawyer and Kate attempted to pull her out of the pit. Juliet has been a particular favorite of mine and it was brutal to watch Sawyer and Kate attempt to rescue her, even as she knew that she would have to let go. Sawyer and Juliet's relationship was always going to be doomed by tragedy, whether that would be the return of Kate, their decision to get off of the sub, or her letting go in order to save Sawyer's life.
But Juliet didn't die. Still alive at the bottom of the pit and in agony, she finds herself laying right next to the undetonated Jughead core. Knowing what she must do, she makes the ultimate sacrifice, picking up a stone and bludgeoning the core until it detonates, causing The Incident. And then everything burns to white. So is Juliet dead? Sadly, it does look that way, unless she's somehow pulled out of the time stream before she is incinerated by the blast. The fact that Jacob didn't appear to her in her flashback this week (which depicted her and sister Rachel as children learning that their parents were divorcing and discovering that love isn't forever) makes me believe that, sadly, this might be the very last we see of Juliet. Which makes me very sad indeed.
Bernard and Rose. Just a quick aside to say thank you to Team Darlton for giving us a glimpse at a very happy Bernard and Rose (not to mention Vincent) who have taken to living off of the land and staying out of the island dramas that have ensnared the others. The speech Bernard gave about just wanting to be with Rose, even in death, was absolutely poignant and profound. And it deeply saddened Juliet, who knew that she wouldn't be with Sawyer forever.
Sawyer. I think we've all been waiting for a nasty smackdown between Sawyer and Jack for five years and this episode didn't disappoint. It was a brutal, ugly, and vicious battle between the two rivals with Kate hovering between them the whole time. In a single stroke, Jack has torn down the life Sawyer has built over the last three years, a life that includes Juliet. And by coming back, by looking to erase the past, Jack has essentially spit on his memories. And, yes, I literally cheered out loud when Sawyer kicked Jack in the groin.
Jack. I think Jack wanted to escape the hardship and pain of the last few years, whether that meant somehow magically resetting their lives so that the plane landed in Los Angeles or obliterating all of them. That Jack would be acting on blind faith alone is at strong contrast with his character in the first few seasons. Did Locke's letter make him believe? Did he just want a second chance with Kate? Did he refuse to believe that what's done is done?
But life doesn't give us blank slates. We are the sum conclusion to all of our experiences, the good and ill that we've done in our lives, the choices we've made and those made for us.
So will the castaways find themselves back aboard Oceanic Flight 815? Or will they open their eyes and discover that they're on the island in 2007, about to face their toughest situation yet? Will Juliet and Sayid survive? What did you think of the season finale? And just what do you think the final season of Lost will hold for the castaways? Discuss.
The sixth and final season of Lost will premiere in 2010.
Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.
Just what will happen with bubble series like Chuck and Dollhouse? It looks like the fate of many of this year's bubble series, including those and such series as Cold Case, The Unit, My Name is Earl, Scrubs, Gary Unmarried, and Old Christine, will come down to the wire. "Negotiations continue on fan favorites Chuck and Dollhouse, with the shows facing cost-cutting requests from their respective networks, NBC and Fox, and their pickup odds seeming to shift from moment to moment," writes Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "Both could go down to the wire." (Hollywood Reporter)
FOX and NBC are close to locking their fall schedules and will do so by tomorrow. FOX is said to be considering ordering a sixth season of reality series So You Think You Can Dance to air this fall, immediately after the fifth season runs this summer. Other possibilities include overweight dating series The Fatchelor, which was originally expected to air this summer, or another cycle of Hell's Kitchen. Lie to Me, which was renewed for 13 episodes, is expected to launch in midseason rather than fall and the network has series like Glee, Fringe, Sons of Tucson, Human Target, House, Bones, Cleveland, and others to play around with. (Dollhouse is still said to be in contention as well.) NBC, meanwhile, is mulling splitting The Biggest Loser's two-hour weekly run into two one-hour installments and it's thought likely that the Peacock will bring back Medium, Law & Order, and--yes--Chuck, which appeared on some leaked potential schedules yesterday. (Variety)
ABC Studios is reportedly shopping dramedy Reaper to CW affiliate stations as a syndicated series for Sunday evenings (which are now under control of the affiliates rather than the netlet) or on cable. Several problems, however, make either scenario a bit of a longshot. For one, series co-star Tyler Labine is set to star in FOX comedy series Sons of Tucson next season (though there are discussions about whether he might be contractually obligated to return to Reaper) and Reaper creators Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters have been signed to an overall deal at rival studio 20th Century Fox Television. (Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Kristin Cavallari will replace Lauren Conrad on MTV's The Hills next season. She'll first appear in the May 31st season finale and will appear in ten episodes of The Hills next season, which kicks off in the fall. "I’m a completely different person than Lauren," said Cavallari about how the series will be different with her. "I have a lot more energy. I’m more outgoing. I’m a little more spontaneous. And she has a boyfriend so she’s not dating on the show. I’m very open to dating and finding a guy." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)
Nikki Finke is reporting that FOX has passed on comedy pilots AbFab and Two Dollar Beer and drama pilot Eva Adams. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
Meanwhile in other pilot-related news, ABC is said to be high on dramas Happy Town, Eastwick, and The Forgotten, while Empire State and Inside the Box remain in contention and V could bow as a midseason series as well as being high on comedies Cougar Town, The Middle, Romantically Challenged, and The Law. FOX is said to be strongly favoring comedy Brothers and wavering on drama Past Life. Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries are considered locks for the CW's fall schedule, with the last remaining spot going to either Privileged, Life Unexpected (formerly known as Light Years), or The Beautiful Life. CBS is said to be strong on Accidentally on Purpose and Waiting to Die as well as Happiness Isn't Everything, which could launch in midseason. On the drama side, it's the untitled NCIS spin-off, Three Rivers, and The Good Wife looking the most certain for series orders. (Hollywood Reporter)
Say goodbye to Remote Free TV. Yes, FOX has decided to put the initiative, which saw the network air fewer ads during series Fringe and Dollhouse at a higher premium, out to pasture. Next season Fringe will decrease its content time and typically run a more normal batch of commercials. (Wall Street Journal)
Doctor Who's David Tennant has been hired as the new host of PBS' Masterpiece Contemporary. His first appearance on the revamped anthology series will take place this fall. (Televisionary)
The CW has confirmed that Paulina Porizkova is no longer a judge on reality staple America's Next Top Model. Porizkova broke the news herself during an appearance on CBS' Late Late Show, in which she said that the network had fired her. "Do you know why I'm in Los Angeles?" she asked Ferguson. "... Because I'm looking for a job, because I was fired by America's Next Top Model -- on my birthday." The CW gave no explanation for her dismissal but Porizkova contends that it was a financial decision and that the series had to reduce its budget, dismissing any claims of friction between her and Tyra Banks. (Zap2it)
Los Angeles Times' Joe Flint takes a look at the scaleback facing this year's upfront presentations, with many networks scaling back on lavish parties and overt signs of excess. CBS has moved its post-upfront party from Tavern on the Green to the more sedate Terminal Five, William Morris Agency has cancelled its annual upfront shindig after 25 years, and ABC's party is at an undisclosed location and only open to media buyers. (Los Angeles Times) Nickelodeon has ordered an animated series from Dreamworks Animation based on the feature film Kung Fu Panda, following the success of the studio's The Penguins of Madagascar on the channel. The series, which is expected to launch in 2010, will follows the adventures of Po, the martial arts master panda. Just don't expect Jack Black to reprise his role as Po here (though he will in a feature-based Kung Fu Panda sequel to be released in 2011); sound-a-likes will be used in the animated series. (New York Times)
Susan Levison, the head of comedy development at FOX, is expected to announce her departure from the network soon. Following her departure, the department will be overseed by VPs of comedy development Suzanna Makkos and Marcus Wiley, who will serve as co-heads and report to Matt Cherniss. (Variety)
The Wire's Clarke Peters will appear in an upcoming storyline on BBC One drama Holby City, where he will play Derek Newman, the father of Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs), who is admitted to the hospital and learns that he has "cancer of the splenic flexure, pancreas and abdominal wall." It soon falls to Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) to save his life. Peters' first appearance on Holby City is scheduled to air July 14th. (BBC)
Teri Weinberg has hired former NBC manager of comedy programming Rachel Israel to be her VP of programming at Weinberg's new production company Yellow Brick Road. The two have worked together since 2004, when they were both at Reveille, where Israel worked as an intern and Weinberg's assistant. (Variety)
Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.
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