Tag Archives: CBS

CBS announces midseason schedule

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CBS waited and waited, and now we finally have a better look at what’ll be on the dominantly procedural network come January 2011 and beyond.  First let’s take a look at program day and time shifts.  Freshman cop drama Blue Bloods is moving to Wednesday nights at 10PM on January 19; it will stay there for four weeks and eventually move back to its regular Friday 10PM slot on April 1.  After the network airs the series finale of Medium, freshman legal dramedy The Defenders will take over the Friday 8PM position starting February 4.  When Blue Bloods departs its four week run on Wednesday nights, the spinoff show Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior will assume the 10PM spot, immediately following 9PM’s Criminal Minds.  (As you can see, CBS is using the Tuesday night NCIS/NCIS:LA formula here.)  New midseason shows include: Live to Dance (premiering 1/19 at 9PM), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (see above), Mad Love (2/21 at 8:30PM; Rules of Engagement moves to Thursdays 8:30PM replacing $#*! My Dad Says), Chaos (4/1 at 8PM; The Defenders season finale will have aired a week prior).  And don’t for get about the latest installment of Survivor: Redemption Island which begins 2/16 at 8PM.

Kelly Kahl, CBS Senior EVP primetime: “We’re in the fortunate position of having a schedule with many successful shows and very few holes. This allows us to be very targeted with our mid-season series.  These are moves that maintain the core stability of a successful schedule, while giving us multiple looks for the future at a few time periods.”

Look after the break to view the CBS midseason schedule.

[Via EW; Deadline] Continue reading CBS announces midseason schedule →

All 5 CBS freshman series get the full season order treatment

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Today CBS followed direct competitor NBC in announcing which of their new fall shows will tack on an additional nine episodes.  Spilling the news was easy and why?  CBS has granted all five CBS freshman series a full season order.  Hawaii Five-O, The Defenders, Blue Bloods, Mike and Molly, and $#*! My Dad Says are safe and won’t have to worry about cancellation for the remainder of the ’10-’11 TV season.  Deadline reports some fascinating figures.  These five shows are the five most watched new shows on TV right now and Hawaii, Mike & Molly and $#*! claim to be the top three new series in the adults 18-49 demographic.  And here’s some hard data for ya.  Hawaii averages 14.2 million viewers per episode and happens to be DVR king raking in an additional 3.4 million viewers in recordings.  Defenders averages 11.3 million viewers;  Blue Bloods 12.7 million; Mike & Molly 12.3 million; and $#*! 11.3 million.  CBS is America’s most watched network and now you know why.  Crime prodedurals draw huge audiences and people are really digging all this new programming.  Hawaii Five-O is my favorite new fall series, just sayin’.

Says CBS Entertainment prez Nina Tassler: “Everything has clicked so far this year–from development in January, to scheduling in May, to production over the summer, to marketing and publicity in the fall.  It’s all testimony to the executives in our halls who remain restless for more success, and the amazing creative talent on our sets who continue to deliver the goods.”

[Via Deadline]

Network TV says HALT! to Google TV

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Didcha get yourself a new Sony Internet TV or Blu-ray player or are you thinking about impulse buying the Logitech Revue powered by Google TV?  If you’re contemplating such a purchase did you think you’d have the ability to watch network TV content off their respective websites using the built-in Chrome browser?  Well you thought wrong, unfortunately.  Today the Wall Street Journal confirms that CBS, NBC, and ABC have blocked TV programming on their websites from being accessed on the Google TV platform.  NBC and ABC are allowing select promotional content to be viewed, but if you attempt to stream a full episode of The Office you will fail miserably.  And to top all this off, Hulu is blocked too; and not because it’s Flash-based–Chrome runs Flash content just fine–it’s the networks’ fault.  So what’s Google going to do about this?  In a word, nothing.  In more words: “Google TV enables access to all the Web content you already get today on your phone and PC, but it is ultimately the content owners’ choice to restrict their fans from accessing their content on the platform,” said a Google spokeswoman.  News Corp., for the time being, has not opted to block FOX content.

Why is this happening, you ask?  Well in the end it all comes down to making money.  And networks know TV ads bring in a whole lot more cashola than Internet-based ads.  Right now we’re stuck in this weird transition state where TV has snuck into bed with the Internet and just doesn’t know what to do next.  Here’s to hoping that something is figured out real soon.  Because I want my on-demand teevee streaming content this very second.  Boxee, good luck.

[Via WSJ]

2010 Fall TV Preview

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It’s mid-September, my favorite time of year.  Brand new television programming begins and old favorites return.  I’m going to run through the new network and cable shows that I’m most anticipating, let you know which returning shows you should be watching, and I’ll hypothesize about which new shows are likely to get the axe.  Not so interested in my opinions?  Simply click here to view the 2010 fall schedule for the big four networks (including synopses, cast/creator info, and trailers) and decide what to watch on your own terms.

CBS: There’s a reason why CBS is the most watched network–they mostly air procedural crime dramas that do not force viewers to tune in every week.  Take, for example, the CSI franchise (which now includes CSI, CSI: NY & CSI: Miami) and the NCIS franchise (NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles).  Sprinkle in some fantastic comedies like The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother plus popular reality shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race, and Undercover Boss and you’ve got a worthy lineup that does not require weekly viewing.  Though I am not not the biggest fan of the procedurals, The Mentalist does a fine job of drawing me in when I happen to channel surf to the network.  Also, I’ve only heard good things about The Good Wife, so you might want to give that a try as well.

Of the five new shows premiering this fall on CBS, there’s only one that I’m fully interested in: Hawaii Five-O.  Again, crime procedurals are usually not my cup of tea but there’s no denying how action-packed and fun this 1960s reboot looks.  (The show originally aired on CBS for 12 seasons from 1968-1980.)   Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Fringe) serve as executive producers and stars Alex O’Loughlin (Three Rivers), Scott Caan (Entourage), Daniel Dae Kim (Lost), and the beautiful Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica: The Plan) will work together to take down the villains.  Except tons of explosions, violent action scenes, and quick, witty banter from Caan.  It only helps that the backdrop to all of this is Oahu!  Premieres Monday, September 20 at 10PM.

Getting the axe?  $#*@ My Dad Says.

Continue reading 2010 Fall TV Preview →

J.J. Abrams imagines two new dramas

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J.J. Abrams, creator of Felicity, Alias, Lost, Fringe, and the upcoming NBC spy show Undercovers, is readying two new dramas for network TV.  Variety reports that FOX has picked up Alcatraz, a series based on the famous island prison that was shut down in 1963.  The spec script was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff (Lost, Deadwood).  Sarnoff will serve as executive producer along with Abrams and Bryan Burk (Alias, Lost) on the Warner Bros. TV/Bad Robot project.

Next up is Person of Interest, another Abrams-backed project that was just picked up by CBS, according to NYMag.  The source describes it as an hour-long crime thriller.  Jonah Nolan, brother of film director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), is penning the pilot script and serves as co-creator with Abrams.  Can someone say dream team?!  This marks the first time Nolan contributing to a TV series.  He is best known for his collaboration work with his brother on The Dark Knight & The Prestige; he also wrote the short story that inspired Memento.  The fact that CBS of all networks reportedly picked up this particular series is somewhat startling.  CBS is known for playing it safe by strictly airing procedural shows that people can tune into at any time without worrying about missing key plot developments (think the CSI franchise, The Mentalist, etc.).  The Abrams/Nolan series might just break the CBS mold by premiering a more serialized show that demands weekly viewing.  And that makes me very, very giddy.

As you might guess, very little to no information regarding plot and casting has leaked about these new Abrams projects.  But you can be sure I’ll report back when things start to ramp up.  If all goes according to plan, I’m hoping the new dramas will be ready to premiere next fall.

[Via Variety; NYMag; IGN, here & here]

Joaquin Phoenix returns back to Letterman later this month

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Way back on February 11, 2009 actor-turned-rapper Joaquin Phoenix made his memorable visit to the Late Show with David Letterman.  Next Wednesday (Sept. 22) Phoenix is set to return to the late night show and will not be reprising his role as a crazy rude bearded freak show.  Instead he will be there promoting his new (mock?)-umentary film I’m Still Here.  Relive the craziness here and anticipate an explanation for all this next week.

In related news, director Casey Affleck told The New York Times that Phoenix’s two-year stint as a retired actor-turned-rapper riddled with drug abuse was “a terrific performance.”  In other words, it was all an act.  “I never intended to trick anybody,” said Affleck.  Well there’s goes all the hype leading up to the movie.  Now that we know almost everything was fake, are you still interested in seeing the movie?

[Via IGN; NYT]

CBS 2010-2011 Schedule

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As one TV season ends, another begins.  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 program information to the public like the creators, producers, and cast behind their new fall and mid-season shows.  Be sure to look after the break for trailers, synopses, and creator/producer/cast information behind CBS’s upcoming TV lineup.

6 new series :: 4 new dramas (Hawaii Five-O, The Defenders, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds spinoff) – 2 new comedies (Mike & Molly, $#*! My Dad Says)

7 cancellations :: The New Adventures of Old Christine, Accidentally on Purpose, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, Cold Case, Miami Medical

Notable program shuffling :: Survivor to Wednesdays @ 8PM, The Big Bang Theory to Thursdays @ 8PM, CSI:NY to Fridays @ 9PM, CSI:Miami to Sundays @ 10PM

Drama

 

Hawaii Five-O: From the writers behind the blockbuster “Star Trek” (2009) (and FOX’s Fringe: Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci) comes a clever, adrenaline-fueled update of one of the most iconic shows in television history. When there’s trouble in paradise, Steve McGarrett returns to the islands and joins fish-out-of-water Danny Williams to launch an elite branch of the Hawaii State Police. In this ultimate adventure series, complete with big action and charming characters, the team hunts down ruthless criminal kingpins, who inevitably hear those three feared words: “Book ’em, Danno.”

Starring Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, and Grace Park.  [Mondays @ 10PM]

Continue reading CBS 2010-2011 Schedule →

Conan O’Brien appears on 60 Minutes, shares thoughts about NBC, Leno

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This past Sunday former The Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien appeared on television for the first time since he was outed back in December.  In an interview with 60 Minutes‘ Steve Kroft, he shed some light on his feelings towards NBC and Jay Leno.  He also made sure to let America know he is doing just fine.  He’s having a blast on tour (it saved him from nosediving into depression and dispair) and he’s really looking forward to his new show on TBS set to debut in November.  Look after the break for a bunch of extra videos 60 Minutes posted to the ‘Net.

[Via The Huffington Post] Continue reading Conan O’Brien appears on 60 Minutes, shares thoughts about NBC, Leno →

The Big Bang Theory sans laugh track makes things ..awkward

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The laugh track is something we all take for granted in today’s sitcoms.  (Although it is worthy to note that a handful of shows like The Office, Parks & Rec, and Modern Family are taking a different route.)  Watch how things quickly become awkward for Sheldon Cooper in this scene from an episode of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory that’s stripped of a laugh track.

[Via EW]

NBC renews Parks & Rec

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This is very, very good news!  NBC has decided to pick up Parks & Recreation for a third season to debut next fall.  Apparently the show had “production timing issues” which made such an early renewal necessary.  Whatever that means…it looks like Parks & Rec is here to stay.  Just can’t get enough of Leslie Knope, Tom Haverford, Ann Perkins, Ron Swanson, and Andy Dwyer.  Oh yeah, Jerry too.  Season 2 has brought Parks & Rec into the mainstream and has already proved itself to be a worthy contender in TV comedy.  Having dropped the overly recurring theme of building Leslie’s dream park, the writers have taken the show in a new, better direction this season, following the antics of the bumbling yet lovable Leslie Knop.  If you haven’t seen The Office-esque Parks & Rec, please do yourself a huge favor and watch “Hunting Trip.”  It’s not only the funniest episode of this season thus far, it also happens to be one of my all-time favorite episodes from any comedy.

In other related TV show renewal news, CBS picked up How I Met Your Mother, NCIS: LA; and The Good Wife.

[Via The Wrap; EW, here, here, & here]

Fall TV season pickups galore

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Oh how much I love it when networks decide to give great TV shows a deserved chance at prolonged success.  And oh do I hate it when they stab us in the back (read: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Pushing Daisies).  Here’s a roundup of some of the great shows that were given “the back nine” and will complete their first seasons with 20+ episodes. (Note: Full season pickups are usually granted to new series; it is assumed that third+ year series will be given full seasons prior to the shows premieres.)

ABC:  FlashForward, Modern Family, Castle

FOX: Glee, The Cleveland Show (it’s also been picked up for a second season)

NBC: Community, Parks & Recreation

All shows were granted a full 22 episode season.  FlashForward, interestingly, was granted an above-average 25 episodes.  Music to my ears if you ask me.

Others I don’t care much for: ABC’s Cougar Town, The Middle; CBS’s Accidentally on Purpose, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Good Wife.

What got cancelled? NBC’s Trauma.  I don’t think the man in the helicoptor loves his job anymore.

I will update this space as the remainder of fall TV series are renewed and/or cancelled.

For now, celebrate by krumping along with Community’s Abed and Troy after the break!

[Via EW, here, here, here, & here]

Continue reading Fall TV season pickups galore →

And the Emmy goes to…

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This year’s Emmy winners are in bold.

Outstanding Comedy Series: Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, 30 Rock, Weeds, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Family Guy  [Tough to choose; my selection – FOTC; my prediction – 30 Rock]

Oustanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) (!), Steve Carrell (The Office), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Jemaine Clement (FOTC)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Kevin Dillon (Entourage), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), Rainn Wilson (The Office), Neil Patrick Harris (HIMYM), Tracy Morgan (30 Rock), Jack McBrayer (30 Rock)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: 4 nominations for 30 Rock, 1 nomination for Flight of the Conchords (James Bobin, Writer; Jemaine Clement, Writer; Bret McKenzie, Writer)

Continue reading And the Emmy goes to… →