Tag Archives: ABC

‘Once Upon a Time’ returns Sunday night: watch the first 8 minutes of “Desperate Souls” and flick through new cast photos

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ABC’s fairy tale series Once Upon a Time returns this Sunday night at 8PM on ABC. Can’t wait until then to get your Snow White and Prince Charming fix? Head over to Hulu to watch the first eight minutes (another Lost reference!) of the new episode “Desperate Souls.” The logline: Regina and Mr. Gold play dirty politics and take opposite sides when Emma runs for a coveted Storybrooke public office against Sidney (Giancarlo Esposito). Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, Rumplestiltskin tries to track down the ultimate power source in order to help his son avert the horrors of a meaningless war.

In addition, ABC has released a bunch of new cast photos that are simply stunning. They include looks at fairy tale-world and real-world versions of Snow White/Mary Margaret, the Evil Queen/Regina, Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold, as well as shots of John Doe, little Henry, and Archie. Scrub through them all in the gallery below. And in the gallery below that you’ll find stills from the episode!

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[Via TVLine; IGN]

ABC announces 2012 midseason schedule

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Shortly after NBC announced its 2012 midseason schedule, ABC followed and did the same. The alphabet network’s schedule, however, isn’t entirely complete. First let’s start with what’s there. Crossing-dressing comedy Work It will replace Man Up! in the Tuesday 8:30PM slot to be paired with Tim Allen’s new sitcom Last Man Standing. A game of musical chairs will be played in the Tuesday 9PM-10PM slot. In January Celebrity Wife Swap returns and will occupy that hour until Oren Peli’s thriller The River premieres in February. That will have a limited 8-episode run and end in late March. That same month Dancing with the Stars comes back and the results show will take over the hour. With Charlie’s Angels dead and gone, Winter Wipeout will have no trouble fitting in on Thursdays at 8PM and another reality show Shark Tank will move Fridays at 8PM. Wipeout‘s spell won’t last long; in March Missing, a new drama starring Ashley Judd, will take over. And finally there’s GCB, formally known as Good Christian Bitches and Good Christian Belles. The soap will air in Pam Am‘s current position at Sundays at 10PM. What this means for Pan Am‘s future is still unknown. And now we can discuss what’s missing: the buzzy Don’t Trust The  B**** In Apt. 23, Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal, and Cougar Town (it’s being reported that the Courtney Cox comedy is being reduced from 22 to 15 episodes this season). ABC likely won’t wait long to schedule this shows with spring premiere dates, so make sure check back here soon.

Jump after the break to see the premiere dates, and click here to preview all the new shows. Continue reading ABC announces 2012 midseason schedule →

TV reminder: ‘Once Upon a Time’ premieres tonight at 8PM on ABC

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The imaginative new show from Lost scribes Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis premieres tonight at 8PM on ABC. Once Upon a Time takes place in Storybrooke, Maine, a magical place that appears normal at first glance but when examined a bit more closely it actually is home to a myriad of fairytale characters who lead ordinary lives and have forgotten their true identities. Emma Swan (House‘s Jennifer Morrison) is the show’s protagonist, and her son Henry (Jared Gilmore) is the one who draws her to the mysterious Storybrooke in an attempt to find answers and ultimately lift the Evil Queen’s (Lana Parilla) amnesic cruse. Sounds like fun to me. Once also stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Joshua Dallas as Prince Charming, and Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin. Lost fans, pay close attention during tonight’s pilot; Horowitz and Kitsis have made it known that the episode contains numerous references to their old show. For example, the giant clock in Storybrooke is frozen in time at precisely 8:15. See what else you can find. Character stills and pictures from the pilot hang in the galleries below.

Bonus! Can’t wait a minute longer to watch? IMDb is streaming the episode right here, right now!

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[Images via IGN]

NBC nabs J.J. Abrams’ ‘Revolution’; ABC gets ‘Stronger’ by way of Carlton Cuse

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The connective tissue tying together these two TV news bites: the pedigree behind the new respective projects come from a show you probably heard of…Lost.

First let’s see what’s up with the creator of the Island. J.J. Abrams has much on his plate already. This TV season he has three shows airing: Fringe (FOX), Person of Interest (CBS), and Alcatraz (FOX) premieres in midseason. He’s also working on the Star Trek movie sequel. But all of this isn’t enough for the mastermind behind some of the greatest shows produced for TV. He’s ready to dip his wand in a new Warner Bros. TV/Bad Robot project and it’s called Revolution. According to Deadline, the show is being described as “an epic adventure thriller.” Since it’s an Abrams project, don’t expect the plot to leak until the man behind the curtain allows that to happen. Abrams has teamed with Supernatural creator and executive producer Eric Kripke for Revolution; Kripke will pen the pilot script which recently got pilot production commitment from NBC. More as the story develops…

In other news, Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse has a new project up his sleeve too. His is titled Stronger and Deadline describes it as “a drama project with spiritual overtones.” Cuse’s partner in crime is author/pastor Rob Bell, and he will serve as co-writer and executive producer. Bell is leaving Michigan’s Mars Hill Bible Church (which he created) to develop the series which was recently sold to ABC. Deadline reports that the show “revolves around Tom Stronger, a musician and teacher, and his spiritual journey as he becomes a benefactor and guide to others.” Stronger won’t hide its autobiographical roots; Bell is in fact a former musician and he will likely incorporate his experiences into the script. Now don’t forget–like his former Lost cohort Cuse is keeping busy with multiple projects in consideration, too. Look out for his ABC civil war drama Point of Honor on the horizon.

[Via Deadline 1, 2]

Comic Con 2011: ‘The River’

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Like the Alcatraz panel, The River‘s consisted of a pilot screening and an extremely brief session with the cast and crew. Producer Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity) led the panel discussion, but before I get into that, I want to give my initial impressions surrounding the spooky premiere episode. In my humble opinion, the pilot is a raging success. Why? One simple reason: it is extremely engaging. It manages to not only introduce viewers to the heap of main characters, but it also get them emotionally invested in their actions and purpose. And all the while the situation that these people are placed in is horrifying, mysterious, and intriguing all at once.

In a nutshell, The River is about a man who goes missing (Emmett Cole played by Bruce Greenwood) and the rescue mission led by his wife (24‘s Leslie Hope) and son (Joe Anderson) to find him. Peli borrows immensely from his Paranormal Activity style of shooting; lots of shaky-cam footage is used here. You see, before Emmett Cole went missing he was a well-know TV personality who hosted a nature show called The Undiscovered Country for nearly 20 years; a camera crew led by another 24 alum Paul Blackthorne is documenting and paying for the rescue mission. Another page ripped out of Paranormal: this show is set up to be a supernatural, genuinely scary series. In the first episode alone the Cole family has to deal with a ghostly demon of sorts that’ll make you jump off your couch more than once. I won’t say more beyond that, but you get the idea.

In the pilot, Peli has masterfully transferred his ability to spook viewers from the big screen to network TV. ABC assured Peli that he can “go as scary as [he] wants to go.” Peli said that he wants viewers to “experience real fear” while watching his new show. But don’t expect The River to be a gory bloodbath. Peli described the show as “less Saw and more Poltergeist” and you definitely get that sense after watching the pilot.

It seems obvious that this show will be highly serialized, and viewers will have to tune in each week to discover the mystery behind Cole’s disappearance. I won’t spoil anything, but there’s something that the crew finds shortly after they embark on the rescue mission that’ll likely pull you in for the ride. Shaky-cam, spooks and all, The River is primed to be a must-see TV event this midseason.

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Watch this never-before-seen ‘Lost’ deleted scene

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At Comic Con, Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse crashed EW’s Totally Lost: One Year Later panel and brought with them a never-before-seen clip, an alternate ending to the pivotal season one finale. Lindelof and Cuse ultimately decided against keeping this scene in the finale “for fear that it revealed too much about how the series would eventually end.” Watch it, and decide for yourself whether or not it was wise to remove it.

Psht, and people thought they were making it all up as they were going along!

TV posters: Meet the cast of ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time’

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Here are a bunch of super cool posters highlighting the cast of characters from the upcoming ABC fairy tale series Once Upon a Time. Lost scribes Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis have dreamed up modern day versions of the Evil Queen (played by Lana Parilla), Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Gazing at you above is House vet Jennifer Morrison; she plays lead Emma Swan, the one who holds the key to saving all the fairy tale characters from their amnesic lives. Refresh your memory concerning the show’s plot by reading the full synopsis and watching the first look trailer right here.

[Via TVLine]

Upfronts: ABC 2011-2012 Schedule

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Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the alphabet network’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.

ABC’s 2011-12 schedule includes 13 new series. New comedies include Last Man Standing, Man Up, Suburgatory, Apartment 23, and Work It. New dramas include Revenge, Charlie’s Angels, Once Upon a Time, Pan Am, Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.

When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Nothing new on Mondays; there you’ll hit Dancing with the Stars (two hour performance show) and Castle. Tuesday packs two new comedies, more reality TV, and a returning drama; Tim Allen makes his return to primetime in Last Man Standing at 8PM, followed by Man Up, Dancing with the Stars (one hour results show), and Body of Proof. Wednesday night is still comedy night for ABC; new comedy Suburgatory is sandwiched between The Middle and Modern Family at the 8:30PM slot and the buzzy newcomer Happy Endings will return for a second season in the comfy post-Modern Family slot. New drama Revenge closes out the night at 10PM. Thursday is still home to Grey’s Anatomy and spin-off Private Practice, but now the night is anchored by the Charlie’s Angels remake. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has moved to Friday at 8PM to join Shark Tank and 20/20. Saturday has Saturday Night College Football. And Sunday is stuffed with three scripted dramas; new dramas Once Upon a Time and Pan Am surround ABC vet Desperate Housewives. America’s Funniest Home Videos will air that night in the early 7:30PM slot.

A number of ABC shows are being held for mid-season premieres. Cougar Town will return for a third season in the spring, as will The Bachelor, Secret Millionaire, What Would You Do?, and Wipeout; and the following new series will enter the fray around this time as well: comedies Apartment 23, Work It and dramas Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.

And if you’re keeping track, the following ABC shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: No Ordinary Family, V, Brothers & Sisters, Detroit 1-8-7, Off the Map, The Whole Truth, Mr. Sunshine, Better With You, and My Generation.

*In case you’re wondering, ABC opted not to bring to series the Terry O’Quinn (Lost) starrer Hallelujah from Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives).

Continue reading Upfronts: ABC 2011-2012 Schedule →

ABC moves ‘No Ordinary Family’ penultimate episode to a Saturday

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If the episode order cut wasn’t enough to make you accept the fact that ABC is just about ready to remove No Ordinary Family from its schedule after this season, this should: the network has bumped the first season’s penultimate (second-to-last) episode to Saturday, March 26th at 10PM. An airing of Dancing with the Stars has been selected to take over NOF‘s normal slot Tuesdays at 8PM starting March 29. It’s being reported that Lucy Lawless will return in the Saturday episode “No Ordinary Future” as the mysterious Mrs. X. As things stand now, the season (likely series) finale is set to air on Tuesday, April 5th at 8PM. So mark your calendars accordingly. And if you haven’t started to mourn the loss of this fun superhero family show, let them tears roll now.

Update: Everyone’s favorite pop-soul artist Sara Bareilles guest stars in this week’s upcoming ep “No Ordinary Animal”! Check out stills in the gallery below.

[Via IGN 1, 2]

‘V’ exec producer hints the best has yet to come

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If you thought the V season 2 finale was phenomenal, apparently the best has yet to come. In an interview with EW, V executive producer Scott Rosenbaum shared his gripes about the shortened season and what he has planned for a third season if ABC decides to pick it up again.

“We had been given an initial episode order of 13, so I had planned a 22-episode season,” Rosenbaum told EW. “When they reduced the order, I had to make a decision. I didn’t feel like it was possible to wrap the show in that amount of time, so I said, ‘You know, I’m going to hope there’s another season, because I’ve pushed the story too far [and] it won’t make sense [to conclude it this soon]. I don’t feel like the audience will feel like we’ve earned those moments.’ So I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and leave it organically where I think the show should end after 10 episodes. I went with hope, and tried to make it feel like a satisfying conclusion.”

He continued, “It’s risky to cancel a show that’s actually garnering some buzz for the network and instead role the dice on something untested.” While that is true, unfortunately it all comes down to ratings. Though this week’s finale managed to reel in 5.3 million viewers (1.8/5 rating in the 18-49 demo) and jump 6% compared to last week, the episode was down 14% from last year’s finale. V is not the ratings boon it deserves to be, but it’s also not ABC’s worst performer; Detroit 1-8-7 (1.3/4) and No Ordinarily Family (0.9/3) have seen their better days.

But let’s end things on a positive note. According to EW, “Rosenbaum says he’s always wanted at least one full season to properly set up the conflict” between the Fifth Column (erm, Project Aries) and the Visitors. Unfortunately he has never received the opportunity to do so since this season was shortened and season one was only alloted 12 episodes in total. He concludes, “What’s so interesting is I feel like the best of the show is ahead of itself.”

Adds star Elizabeth Mitchell: “I fought so hard and so did everyone else. All of the writers, all of the actors, we all tried to put our best foot forward. I feel like we’ve given it everything we can. We’ll see what happens.”

“Mother’s Day” left viewers with a major cliffhanger, so many deaths, and most importantly it opened up windows of imaginative opportunity. This show has never felt so alive; it would be a damn shame if ABC doesn’t give it a chance to shine.

[Via EW (1) (2), Deadline]

Terry O’Quinn lands villainous role in ABC pilot ‘Hallelujah’

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The man known ’round the world for his phenomenal performance as John Locke in Lost is returning to ABC this fall in a drama from Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives) called Hallelujah. Described as “a drama with musical elements,” the show is set in the town of Hallelujah, Tenn., which is being torn apart by the forces of good and evil and whose fortunes change when a stranger comes to town, bringing justice, peace and possibly restoring faith.” The stranger is played by Law & Order’s Jesse L. Martin and O’Quinn is Del, a charming yet wholly corrupt local millionaire who virtually owns the town.

O’Quinn joins Lost partners-in-crime Jorge Garcia and Michael Emerson in the fall pilot pool. Garcia and Emerson was recently cast in projects attached to Lost creator J.J. Abrams–Alcatraz and Person of Interest, respectively. Odd Jobs, the Abrams-backed project that was planning to bring O’Quinn and Emerson back together as suburban hit men, will simply have to wait.

[Via Deadline; TVLine]