Tag Archives: Kevin Reilly

TCA 13: FOX’s Kevin Reilly admits a poor fall, plans for a bolder future

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FOX’s entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly took the stage today at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour in Pasadena, California to discuss his network’s programming slate. The tides have turned against FOX this round; while The Voice and Revolution helped NBC jump to #1 in the coveted 18-49 demo this fall, FOX’s dead-out-of-the-gate Mob Doctor and its creatively sound but low rated Tuesday night comedy block (including Raising Hope, Ben and Kate, New Girl, and The Mindy Project) contributed to the net’s 24 percent decline in ratings (falling from #1 to #3) for the 18-49 crowd. Reilly came out and admitted the obvious after a critic messed up a question aimed at the network exec: “We all screw up — look at my fall,” he said and the audience erupted in laughter. “Here at FOX we are leaping into the new year, [and] no one is happier than us to turn the page.” And with that he focused the remainder of the session on specific shows like The X Factor, Glee, the upcoming thriller The Following and the violent themes surrounding it, and he shared the fate of the In Living Color reboot and when you can expect The Goodwin Games to air. Follow the bullet-points after the break. Continue reading TCA 13: FOX’s Kevin Reilly admits a poor fall, plans for a bolder future →

2012 Upfronts: FOX orders 5 new series for next season

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Following NBC’s onslaught of new programming, FOX stepped up to the plate second today and introduced a decidedly teensier menu of new shows. FOX unveiled 5 new series coming to the network next season; three comedies and two dramas. Two comedies and a drama will premiere this fall, and the remaining comedy and drama series will wait for midseason. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

Also posted after the break is FOX’s 2012-13 programming schedule. Significant changes include Tuesday becoming an all-comedy block filled with four half-hour comedies; Glee is moving to Thursdays to be paired with X-Factor in the fall and American Idol in midseason; and Touch has relocated to Fridays and will serve as a lead-in to Fringe.

FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly took the stage at Upfronts to address the scheduling changes. “Four comedies on Tuesday is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. These are the kind of shows we’ve wanted to do for a long time and we’ve been building momentum on Tuesdays. We finally have shots that have exactly the right tone we are looking for.” He added, “Since the first day I walked into Fox, this is the kind of comedy lineup I’ve wanted present to you.” On moving Glee to Thursdays: “I think we’ve seen before that Glee is very compatible [with music shows]. This is just a way to propel it through the next couple of seasons. For us it’s a win win. If we didn’t have shows on Tuesday, we wouldn’t be able to do it.” On Touch/Fringe Fridays: “Friday is a curious time. Live plus same day ratings may look a little puny, but over the next 7 days, there is a real audience there. We have been winning Fridays with quality shows. We are investing in Fridays.”

Two major announcements were made regarding The X Factor and Glee. The reality show has enlisted Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell on the judges panel for season 2. The Ryan Murphy musical dramedy will feature guests stars Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex in the City) in season 4. Both will have multi-episode arcs and their roles remain under wraps. What will happen to the graduates? We still don’t know exactly how season 4 play out, but it was revealed today that it will contain a “show within a show” and manage to follow the McKinley High students in Ohio (some old faces, some new) as well as Kurt, Rachel and maybe Finn in New York. When the season 3 finale comes and goes perhaps we’ll have a better idea of what we can expect. (5/15 update: It is being reported that Hudson and Parker will serve as mentors to Rachel and Kurt, respectively, in NYC.) Continue reading 2012 Upfronts: FOX orders 5 new series for next season →

The current season of ‘House’ will be its last

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Everybody lies. But in this particular situation, the creators of the long-running medical drama House are not. In a joint statement released today series creator David Shore, executive producer Katie Jacobs, and star Hugh Laurie announced that the current eighth season of House will be the show’s last. Here is an excerpt from the statement (jump after the break to read it in full):

The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years – but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.

Since it began, House has aspired to offer a coherent and satisfying world in which everlasting human questions of ethics and emotion, logic and truth, could be examined, played out, and occasionally answered. This sounds like fancy talk, but it really isn’t. House has, in its time, intrigued audiences around the world in vast numbers, and has shown that there is a strong appetite for television drama that relies on more than prettiness or gun play.

But now that time is drawing to a close.  The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature;  he should never be the last one to leave the party.  How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air.

Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly said this: “While it’s with much regret, and a lump in our throats, we respect the decision Hugh, David and Katie have made. A true original, on the page and amazingly brought to life by Hugh Laurie, there is only one Dr. House. For eight seasons, the entire House team has given us – and fans around the world – some of the most compelling characters and affecting stories ever seen on television. They have been creatively tenacious and collaborative throughout this incredible run, and they are amongst the most superior talents in the business. For all the above, we wholeheartedly thank them, and the fans who have supported the show.”

Though House‘s ratings have been on a decline since last season, the show is still creatively strong and like Reilly I have much respect for Shore and his team and their decision to end the show on their terms and before things get too stale for viewers. Now that Shore knows that the show will end this May, he has plenty of time to imagine a proper series finale to satisfy fans. “I want to do [the ending] right,” he told TVLine. And now that the end is in sight, he can.

As a fan from nearly the beginning, I must say that no House next year is going to a strange feeling to overcome. Even network head Reilly admitted that it’s going to be hard to imagine FOX without veteran drama House. But like they say, out with the old and in with the new. House‘s departure will make way for new pilots and give shows like Terra Nova, Alcatraz, and Touch an opportunity to land a place on next fall’s schedule.

In the end, what I think people will remember most about House is House himself played by the brilliant Hugh Laurie. All the drama born out of the patients of the week and the rotating diagnostic team have been entertaining (to say the least), but the show has always hinged on House and Laurie’s breathtaking portrayal of an emotional, curious, broken genius. And that is what I will fondly remember when I look back on House.

[Via TVLine] Continue reading The current season of ‘House’ will be its last →

2012 Winter TCAs: FOX’s Kevin Reilly on future of ‘House’, ‘Glee’, ‘Terra Nova’ & ‘Fringe’

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Today at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, FOX became the second big network to address its current status. Network president Kevin Reilly spent most of his time on stage addressing the future of FOX’s staple shows like House and Glee. He also made sure to feed critics with status updates on newbie Terra Nova and cult-hit Fringe. While NBC’s Greenblatt made it his mission to address head-on the ratings woes at his panel, Deadline reports that FOX’s Reilly barely had time to discuss his network’s 14 percent year-to-year ratings increase because so many of his shows are on the bubble. Let’s dive in.

Reilly on House: “It’s hard to imagine the network without House. This is not going to be the pink slip goes out and this is the end of House. We haven’t had the big meeting [with the producers] about what we want to do. It is no secret that it will be a close call, we said in May that it would probably be the show’s last year, but we just haven’t made the decision. Should it be the last season, this is not going to be an unceremonious finish, I can tell you that…It will absolutely have a satisfying conclusion on FOX. There’s no way [series creator] David Shore isn’t going to let fans feel it wasn’t properly capped off.” Though there was a period when Reilly and Shore discussed a potential House spinoff, Reilly confirms “that time has come and gone.”

On Glee: Reilly confirms that there will not be a Glee spinoff following Rachel and Kurt to New York City. In a nutshell he explained, “We’re graduating the characters that are arcing toward graduation. What’s come out of it is [series co-creator] Ryan Murphy has come up with a really cool idea. There will not be a Glee spinoff. But those characters will graduate and that’s led to a really interesting idea that I think will give us something to dig into next season, and it [starts with] the spring batch of episodes. That’s all I can say about it now.” He added that Lea Michele is definitely back next season (should Glee be renewed and it will), but he wouldn’t confirm the return of Chris Colfer and some other actors. “What I said before is creatively, we’d want everybody back,” he explained. “I’ve got to look at the contractual situation for all of those. And we will…I’m just trying to whet your appetite. But I think [what’s planned] is going to be a good thing for the show…It’s cool. It’s different.”

On Terra Nova: “It was an exciting bet to take, and it’s proven it was worthwhile. It is the second highest-rated new drama, one of the highest-rated new shows of the season. It has a distinct audience [and they] enjoyed it; they had amble opportunity to reject it and they didn’t. There’s a show there to bring back, there’s an audience to access. There were a lot of chefs in the kitchen. The show was hunting for itself creatively through the season. Creatively it was hunting. I loved some of the episodes. If this is all we make [of Terra Nova], we made money on it, the studio made money on it, and it seems to have resonated with the family audience. If we had more holes in our network, we’d be thrilled to lock that right in.” He admitted that “we won’t be able to drag our feet for much longer because it does need to get back into production in the next month” if it’s granted season 2 renewal.

On Fringe: You take the good and take the bad. First, the good: “Fringe has been a point of pride for me, I share the fans’ passion for the show. I love the fact that with it FOX put genre back on the network. I’m grateful to the fans who followed the show to Fridays, and with Fringe there, we have a real Friday night for the first time.” And now, the bad: “We lose a lot of money on the show. At that rating on that night it’s almost impossible for us to make money. We are not in the business of losing money, so we’re trying to figure out if there is a number at which we can continue with the series. He added, “I do not want to drop the ball on the end and let the fans down. Please don’t start the letter writing campaign now. I can’t take it. We haven’t even sat down with the producers and the studio yet. I hope we get some credit with the fans for seeing through a great show.”

Series co-creator J.J. Abrams even through in his two cents on the matter. “For some sick reason I’m hopeful,” Abrams said. “There’s some stuff coming up this season that’s so great. Maybe it’s dumb optimism that the good work [of the Fringe showrunners] will be rewarded. “And if not on FOX, maybe somewhere else,” he teased. Executive producer Jeff Pinkner addressed fans of the show as well. “Worst case scenario, if this were the last aired season of Fringe — and as we’ve said before, there are other outlets where we could continue our stories, be they graphic novels or webisodes — we know what the end of this season is going to be, and it can function as a series finale.” He matter-of-factly shared that even last season’s finale could have rightfully served as a proper series finale. “Had Peter, the lynchpin for the reason the show existed, been the one to sacrifice himself heroically to save the two universes and the woman he loved, it would have been a very authentic end.” And it seems like things will go the same way this time around, too. Reilly says that Pinkner and fellow exec producer J.H. Wyman will not know if the show is coming back as they come up with the season 4 finale. The episode will be written before FOX and Warner Bros. talk about a potential renewal. But if there’s anything we’ve learned from the Fringe creators thus far, it is that we can trust them.

Reilly wrapped up the panel by touching on failed animated series Allen Gregory, the fate of Ryan Seacrest on American Idol, and changes to The X Factor. On Allen Gregory: “We will not be making more Allen Gregory. Our goal was to keep as many as possible of our the legacy shows intact but continue to take shots with the next-generation (animated) shows. It turned out Allen Gregory wasn’t one of them.” On a related note, Reilly sees Bob’s Burgers joining FOX’s next generation of animated shows. On Ryan Seacrest: “As we know it is a much harder job than meets the eye. I think everyone has come to realize the value of Ryan Seacrest. It’s very hard to imagine American Idol without Ryan. We certainly want to keep him.” Seacrest’s contract is up after this upcoming season of American Idol and the network is working hard to land a new deal with him. On The X Factor, Reilly teases that “there will be some changes” and one of them might be replacing host Steve Jones with someone new. Says Reilly, “Whether Steve is the guy or not, it comes under the heading of growth in general.”

All in all, many of FOX’s shows are up in the air concerning their renewal status. With Alcatraz, Touch, The Finder, and Napoleon Dynamite still waiting to be thrown into the midseason schedule, Reilly has many things to take into consideration before making final decisions to bring back the aging House, the potential hit Terra Nova, and the genre darling Fringe.

[Via Deadline; EW 1, 2; TVLine 1, 2]

FOX prez Kevin Reilly on the future of ‘Fringe’, ‘House’, ‘Breaking In’, ‘Glee’, ‘Touch’

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This month at the Television Critics Association press tour, FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly shared his thoughts on some of the network’s most popular shows.

Fortunately Reilly is an outspoken fan of the genre series Fringe. Thanks to his support and fan encouragement, he made the final decision to renew the show for another season. At the TCAs he shared his outlook for the upcoming season: “I don’t expect Fringe to grow. It’s a pretty complex show. If Fringe can do exactly what Fringe did last year, we’re going to be very happy. They’re right in the pocket creatively once again.” He understands going into season 4 that the ratings probably won’t grow past the stabilization that took place last year when the show moved Friday nights. As long as the cult following remains true to the series, I trust that Reilly will let Fringe run its course until the creators decide it’s time to end the story on their terms. He describes Fringe as “a creative show that deserve[s] to be on the air.”

Many expect that the upcoming season of House will be its last. Reilly commented on the speculation: “I can’t confirm that it’s the last season [though] we’ve talked pretty publicly about the potential for that. I’ve spoken to [the producers] and they want to go out strong, so we’re going to revisit that later in the fall.” In a recent interview with TVLine, House creator David Shore admitted that he’s not approaching this season as if it’s the last. He said, “Fox wants another season. I think enough of our fans want another season. [Universal Media Studios] wants another season. It may well be [the final season]. And we will know earlier rather then later because I want to do [the ending] right.” Reilly mentioned that if FOX were to drop the show before Shore has properly concluded the series, Universal Media Studios (the production house behind the show) might opt to shop it to other networks. But don’t bet on that happening. Either FOX will say they’re willing to renew the show later this fall, or they’ll advise Shore to start wrapping things up and mark season eight as the last.

After cancelling the breakout comedy Breaking In last season, FOX quickly extended the cast options so that if they were to figure out a way to bring it back from the dead in a timely manner the cast (consisting of Christian Slater, Brett Harrison and Odette Annable) would remain attached to the program. Reilly confirms that Breaking In will be a contender for the network’s two-hour midseason comedy block. It will battle returning series Raising Hope and newcomers I Hate My Teenage Daughter, New Girl, Little In Common, and Family Album for a spot. “We will revisit what makes that two-hour block later in the fall and make a decision [on Breaking In],” said Reilly.

Reilly also took time to comment on the recent Glee controversy involving graduating stars Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, and Cory Monteith. “I think it has taken on a little more heat and momentum than it in fact is. This show is a big management undertaking. There are many successful shows on the air that have genuine controversy and fighting. That has really not been the case. It is a good group of people with [different] personalities.” He confirmed that Rachel, Kurt, and Finn will be graduating at the end of the season 3 and that a spinoff series starring these characters might be developed. “We collectively decided to revisit [the spinoff] in the back half of the [season] when it should be visited. It got out [in the media early] and then got a little bit crazy.” These comments support what Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy told Deadline this month. Reilly also visited the rumored fractured relationship between Murphy and other co-creator Brad Falchuk. “Those guys get along really well. Brad is the most even-keeled, mild-mannered guy in the world. And Ryan is who he is. And that’s why we love him. He is a creative force… When that spinoff came around, I think his wheels started turning… and this got out. And I think the second it did, I think all of us were really surprised at how it took on a life of its own. This is something that was probably a two-day issue, that somehow it has taken on a bigger life.” Reilly went on to describe how the upcoming season will be “focused” and “back to basics.” He maintained, “There aren’t going to be any big guest stars, there aren’t going to be any tribute [episodes]. We’re focused on our core characters and relationships. [There will be] an incredibly clean arc. There will be a graduation at the end [of the season]. We know the three characters who will be graduating. How that’s going to play out I’m not going to say. There are some surprises; it’s not going to be predictable.”

Last, Reilly also made sure to share his excitement over the Tim Kring (Heroes) pilot starring Kiefer Sutherland (24) called Touch. He describes the pilot as “extraordinary” and says Sutherland’s role is “a new character but it does have some dose of Jack Bauer in it.” The show has yet to be scheduled and Reilly held that he “can’t confirm [the series order] yet, but [they’re] staffed on Touch and they’re writing scripts now.” He added, “Look, to be honest with you, if the pilot was lousy, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. But I think the pilot is potentially great.” In case you forget, the show will focus on a father (Sutherland) who discovers that his autistic, mute son (David Mazouz) can predict events before they happen. Danny Glover costars as “a professor and expert on children who possess special gifts,” reports TVLine. Lookout for Touch to premiere in midseason.

[Via Deadline; TVLine 1, 2, 3]

‘Fringe’ producers hint at epic season 3 finale [Updates: Ratings slip, FOX prez speaks]

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Fringe fans, the move to Friday hasn’t been too bad now has it? Ratings are holding steady (actually they’re not, see below), and it appears that the loyal hardcare fanbase is sticking with it. And according to FOX execs that’s all they need to confidently renew the fantastic sci-fi series thereby granting it a fourth season. This week producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman shared some intriguing thoughts about the near-term future of the show. “Largely this season has been about the march to war, and it will continue to be so, driven equally by the relationship of Peter and the two Olivias,” Pinkner tells TVLine. “But we’ve got more stuff coming.” Wyman teases, “We can definitely guarantee that the last stretch [of episodes] is going to be very complicated, because you’re going to understand our show in a different capacity. It’s going to stretch your mind and make you think, ‘I never saw that coming.’ We have a few cards to lay down that I don’t think anybody expects. That’s what we feel we owe the fans.”

If you couldn’t process this before, they clearly they have another season on their collective mind. The May finale “will be as much as anything about setting up next season,” says Pinkner. Adds Wyman, “It’s like when you read a great novel and you finish a chapter, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, something happened that’s going to propel me forward!’ That’s something we desire to emulate.”

Bring it. Fringe airs Fridays at 9PM on FOX.

Update: Looks like Fringe isn’t exactly maintaining viewers like I had previously thought. Let’s take a look at the trend since it moved to Friday. “The Firefly”, Fringe‘s Friday debut, attracted 4.8 million viewers (1.9/6 in 18-49 demo); that was up 12% from its last original Thursday airing. Great start. The following week FOX aired “Reciprocity” and the ratings held steady at 4.6 million viewers (1.9/6 in 18-49 demo). The next episode “Concentrate and Ask Again” started the rocky spiral descent; viewership dropped 16% to 4.2 million viewers (1.6/5). And that brings us to last night’s episode; “Immortality” garnered 3.7 million viewers (1.4/6)–that’s a 13% drop from the previous ep. This is certainly a cause for concern when it comes to thinking about season renewal. The hardcore fanbase needs to stick with this show if FOX is going to pick it up for another season. Obviously these early numbers do not take into consideration DVR numbers (Fringe typically picks up the slack in time-shifted viewership), so these low figures may increase over the next few days. The bottom line is this: if Fringe wants to see another year to live, YOU have to tune into the show when it airs Fridays @ 9PM. Plain and simple. If you must, DVR it and watch it later. Tell your friends about it. The producers have promised they have “years of story left to tell” so it would be nothing short of a catastrophe if FOX eliminated it from its schedule prematurely.

Update 2: Recently FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly shared his thoughts on Fringe‘s early surge when it first moved to Friday nights. He said, “I’m so psyched about it. It does go to show you the loyalty of the genre audience, when you get the right show. I’m so grateful to that audience, I’d like to shake their hands. We have a lot of passion for that show here.” Even though Reilly released this statement before last Friday’s dip in ratings, it does go to show his massive amount of support behind the show. If ratings can pick up again and begin to level out, I have no doubt in my mind Fringe will return for another season next fall.

[Via TVLine 1, 2; EW]