Tag Archives: pickup

ABC grants full season orders to ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ & ‘Black-ish’

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ABC is the first of the Big Four networks to announce full season orders for its new fall series. Drama How to Get Away with Murder, from Shonda Rhimes and starring Viola Davis, and comedy Black-ish starring Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne, will both live to see full seasons this year. Murder will wrap up its first season with a grand total of 15 episodes, while Black-ish will play out over the course of a more typical 22 episodes. (Murder‘s debut season was always envisioned to have a shorter run; this allots movie star Davis to work on other projects if she so chooses.)

The pickups are no shocker. Murder was the fall’s #1 rated new series drawing 14 million viewers and a 3.8 rating among the coveted adults 18-49 demo. Black-ish debuted with 10.8 million viewers and a 3.3 rating and continues to attract Modern Family viewers in its plum post MF timeslot.

In the case of Shonda’s new show, it didn’t take any time to get completely invested. Viola Davis fully embraces her outside-the-lines criminal lawyer character Annalise Keating from the get-go, and her rag-tag students embroiled in a mysterious murder give way to tantalizing flashbacks and fun storytelling. Black-ish, on the other hand, took some time to accept but by the end of episode 2 it was easy to acknowledge its honest and rather unapologetic nature.

Murder airs Thursdays at 10pm, and Black-ish airs Wednesdays at 9:30pm.

Still no word on the fate of ABC’s other new comedies Manhattan Love Story and Selfie, but if ratings are any indication neither of them will be lasting that long.

Showtime renews ‘Homeland’ & ‘Masters of Sex’

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Showtime has renewed Homeland and Masters of Sex for a fourth and second season, respectively. The Emmy-award winning Homeland is the network’s #1 rated show averaging 6.5 million weekly viewers. The CIA drama is exploring new avenues this season with intense character studies of its two main protagonists Carrie Mathison and Nicholas Brody, both of whom are experiencing extreme isolation as they remain worlds apart from each other. Some think it to be too slow, but I am appreciating the shift in pace and the focus on character. If you’re caught up you know the game has changed with a surprise twist so things are expected to ramp up in terms of sheer fast-paced action Homeland is famous for.

Freshman Masters of Sex has proven to be a hit as well, averaging 5.4 million viewers. Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, who portray real-life human sexuality pioneers William Masters and Virginia Johnson, lead a great cast in a show that everybody knew would be sexual and risqué yet also addicting and very intriguing.

“Homeland continues to prove its strength for Showtime, and is one of television’s most exciting, provocative and widely-discussed shows. It has grown its audience significantly in each of its three seasons,” said Showtime President David Nevins. “And, the critical and audience reaction to Masters of Sex since its great launch has been incredibly gratifying. It’s a privilege to get to work with such talented and creative people as Alex Gansa and Michelle Ashford, as well as their tremendous casts. They have each created truly original shows, with distinctive voices that are among the most admired series on television.”

Homeland and Masters of Sex air Sunday nights starting at 9PM on Showtime.

ABC grants full season order to ‘Nashville’, cancels ‘Last Resort’ & ‘666 Park Avenue’; NBC picks up ‘Chicago Fire’; CBS cancels ‘Partners’; and other order updates

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As we start to approach midseason, broadcast networks take a close look at the ratings and decide whether or not to keep the new shows they introduced earlier this fall. In addition to reporting the latest pickups and cancellations, I will take a grander look at the status of each network’s programs to give you an idea as to what is likely to stay and go before the new year rolls around.

ABC: On Monday, ABC picked up the Connie Britton-Hayden Panettiere country music drama Nashville. This serialized soap had a ton of buzz going into the pilot and word of mouth helped this show perform to respectable ratings; leading up to its back-nine order it was averaging 9.4 million viewers and a 3.2 in adults 18-49.

PREVIOUS: The Alphabet is still sitting on new dramas Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue as ratings continue to bottom-out for the submarine and supernatural thrillers. Ratings are not good for either shows. This week Last Resort drew a 1.3 in adults 18-49 (a series low) and 666 saw that same number in its most recent outing. While Last Resort continues to fluctuate, it appears as though 666 has found the bottom since this is the second consecutive week it scored a 1.3 in the coveted demo. Insiders bet that ABC will likely renew Last Resort and dump 666 when all is said and done, but with ratings so neck-and-neck, it’s a tough call at the moment.

UPDATE: As I was putting together this post, news broke that ABC has cancelled both Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue. That 1.3 demo ratings must’ve really spooked the execs at top and gave them no choice but to let the Colorado and Drake go. It’s sad, really. Both of these shows were refreshingly ambitious in their storytelling. Fans will likely be vocal about this somber news because over the course of the last few weeks both shows managed to get ahead creatively and their potential to grow into truly memorable series jumped significantly. The acting on Last Resort (a show from The Chicago Code creator  Shawn Ryan who just can’t catch a break) is superb led by Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman. In 666, the enigmatic Rachael Taylor only just ventured down the rabbit hole. I tip my hat to ABC for giving these serialized dramas wrapped in mystery and intrigue a shot in its schedule; it’s unfortunate that neither of them managed to retain an audience. They will sorely be missed.

Now here’s a sprinkle of good news on top of all this: ABC will allow both series to finish out their respective 13-episode runs; whether or not this gives the writers and producers enough time to properly wrap some things up remains to be seen. Also, ABC is not letting go of these show entirely just yet; the network has the option to revive them next season, but without a back-nine order now this is likely a formality and you shouldn’t hold your breath.

Elsewhere, The Neighbors miraculously received a pickup and the new Reba McEntire sitcom Malibu Country dropped significantly after opening to huge ratings a couple weeks back; ABC recently ordered three additional scripts.

NBC: Last Thursday, NBC gave a back-nine order to the Dick Wolfe drama Chicago Fire. Though the procedural didn’t have much buzz a the get-go, it managed to reach 8 million viewers on average and a decent 2.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demo leading up to its pickup. NBC’s other new drama Revolution was picked up over a month ago and continues to be a strong performer for the network.

Elsewhere on the Peacock, comedies Go On and The New Normal were also granted full season orders. Animal Practice has been cancelled, and multi-cam comedy Guys with Kids is still alive. Though it has been sitting on the fence ratings-wise (it attracted 3.8 million viewers and a 1.3 demo in its last two installments), this week NBC has shown a spark of faith by ordering an additional four scripts increasing the Jimmy Fallon-produced comedy episode count from 13 to 17. It’s not a back-nine order, but it’s certainly good news for fans of the show. Whether or not the network decides bring the season’s episode count up to the typical 22 remains to be seen.

CBS: Today, CBS cancelled the David Krumholtz-Michael Urie comedy Partners after six episodes. Though it averaged 6.5 million viewers and a 2.4/6 in adults 18-49, in its most recent outing it sunk to 5.6 million viewers and a 1.8. With ratings giants like The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men on its schedule, Partners is obviously a weak link for the network and did not perform up to its high standards. The show has been pulled from the schedule effective immediately and CBS comedy repeats will air in its Monday at 9:30PM slot starting next week. Though the sitcom was packed to the brim with gay jokes, I enjoyed engaging in the excellent rapport between stars Krumholz and Urie and I will sorely miss seeing the stunning Sophia Bush on a weekly basis. Also cancelled by CBS earlier this season was Made in Jersey.

CBS dramas fared better this season as the network picked up the Sherlock Homles-inspired Elementary and the Dennis Quaid-Michael Chiklis period drama Vegas. This week the network played around with these series’ episode orders: Elementary has gained an additional two episodes bringing its grand season 1 total to 24 and Vegas is losing one so its debut season will consist of 21 episodes.

FOX: Nothing new to report here. Comedies The Mindy Project and Ben And Kate were given “full season orders;” Mindy will run 24 episodes and Kate 19. The Mob Doctor continues to practice, for now.

The CW: Over at The CW, Arrow and Beauty and the Beast have been given the back-nine. Emily Owens, M.D. is still awaiting its fate.

CBS grants full season orders to ‘Elementary’ & ‘Vegas’

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A female Watson? Who’s laughing now. Today CBS made the decision to pick up full seasons of new dramas Elementary and Vegas. The Sherlock Holmes-inspired procedural starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu averages 14.3 million viewers and a 3.5/10 rating in the adults 18-49 demo. The American period drama starring a cowboy sheriff (Dennis Quaid) and a Chicago mobster (Michael Chiklis) averages 14.9 million viewers and a 2.7/8 in adults 18-49. Full season orders (22 episodes to be exact) were expected.

CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler on the back-nine orders: “Vegas and Elementary have opened strong, delivering big audiences and winning performances in important time periods. Each of the shows has rich characters, big stars and a unique visual style that have stood out in the crowd, helping make two of our strongest nights even stronger.”

With drama Made In Jersey dead and gone, the only new fall show from CBS that has yet to receive its fate is multi-cam sitcom Partners. In its most recent outing the comedy scored a 2.1/6 rating, up 11% from the week prior. Such a stat is nothing to call home about, but I’d say things are looking positive for Partners.

TNT picks up Frank Darabont’s period drama ‘L.A. Noir’ with six episode order

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Earlier this year Frank Darabont divulged his next TV project following his exit from AMC’s The Walking Dead. Today TNT greenlit the project ordering a total of six episodes that will comprise season one. For the uninitiated, here’s a newly released series synopsis.

This new series tells the true story of a decades-long conflict between the Los Angeles Police Department, under the determined leadership of Police Chief William Parker, and ruthless criminal elements led by Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of L.A.’s criminal world. The series is a fast-paced crime drama set in Los Angeles during the 1940s and ’50s. It’s a world of glamorous movie stars, powerful studio heads, returning war heroes, a powerful and corrupt police force and an even more dangerous criminal network determined to make L.A. its West Coast base.

If you’re like me and following Darabont from Atlanta to Los Angeles, you’ll be happy to hear that he’s recruited not one but two stars from his acclaimed zombie drama. Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead’s Shane) stars as Joe Teague, an ex-Marine now working as an LAPD cop in an era rampant with police corruption. Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale) plays Det. Hal Morrison, who heads up the LAPD’s new mob squad. The series also stars Neal McDonough (Captain America) as Capt. William Parker, Teague’s boss who is determined to weed out corruption and bring down Mickey Cohen; and Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) plays Ned Stax, who fought alongside Teague during World War II but who now works as a lawyer with connections to the mob.

TNT president and head of programming Michael Wright on the pickup: “This series is an intense, exciting drama that takes viewers back to a truly fascinating time in the history of Los Angeles. Frank Darabont, Michael De Luca and Elliott Webb have delivered an outstanding opening episode that evokes the time and place in stunning detail. Together with a pitch-perfect ensemble cast and top-notch production crew, they have woven an engrossing tale of heroism in the face of greed and corruption. We’re very excited to be working with such talented storytellers in bringing this project to life.”

L.A.Noir, based on the book L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City by John Buntin, will premiere in 2013.

[Via TNT]

FOX orders full season of ‘The Mindy Project’, extends ‘Ben And Kate’s run

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FOX believes in its Tuesday night comedy lineup. Today the network handed out additional episodes for its two new fall comedies. The Mindy Project has been given “the back nine,” meaning it has received a full season order and will produce a total of 22 episodes. Ben And Kate, meanwhile, will air six more episodes on top of its original 13 episode order and so its first season will comprise of 19 installments. Why didn’t Ben And Kate receive the typical “back nine?” Well that’s simply because FOX has another new comedy on tap for midseason that is set up to take its place, The Goodwin Games.

FOX chairman Kevin Reilly on the pickups: “Ben And Kate and The Mindy Project have everything we want to stand for in comedy: smart writing, hugely appealing casts and comedy that feels contemporary and real–which is why we’re confident they will continue to build on what is already an appointment comedy night for young, influential audiences on Tuesdays.”

The ratings for these two so far haven’t been exceptional, but this is further proof that FOX is invested in them. The Mindy Project pilot received a 2.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demo and attracted 4.6 million viewers; these numbers dropped (as they do) in week 2 to a 1.9 share and 3.68 million viewers. Ben And Kate‘s premiere received a 2.1 rating in 18-49 and attracted 4.2 million viewers; these dropped to 1.6 and 3.2 million viewers the following week.

In its first outing, The Mindy Project didn’t sit entirely well with me. Come episode 2, however, I was fully engaged and excited for more from Mindy Kaling. Ben And Kate, on the other hand, managed to surprise me by how incredibly hysterical and perfectly casted it is so early in its run.

[Via Deadline; EW]

Fall 2011 network pickups & cancellations (UPDATED 1/15)

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This is an “evolving post.” This means that I will be coming back to it throughout the fall TV season and updating it accordingly when news breaks concerning the fate of new programming. Get it? Got it? Good.

*Bolded shows denote the latest updates

CBS

Pickups: 2 Broke Girls, Unforgettable, Person of Interest

Cancellations: How to Be a Gentleman

Other: A Gifted Man (received 3 additional scripts on 11/15, season will contain 16 episodes total)

NBC

Pickups: Up All Night (episode count increase to 24 on 11/21), Whitney, Grimm

Cancellations: The Playboy Club, Free Agents, Prime Suspect

Still waiting on:  (received additional 6 scripts on 10/12)

Sophomore status: Harry’s Law (received full season order on 11/15)

FOX

Pickups: New Girl, Terra Nova (before the season started FOX committed to do 13 episodes), The X Factor

Cancellations: Allen Gregory

Still waiting on: Napoleon Dynamite, Alcatraz

ABC

Pickups: Suburgatory, Revenge, Last Man Standing, Once Upon a Time

Cancellations: Charlie’s Angels, Work It

Still waiting on: Pan Am* (received 5 additional scripts on 11/3, 1 additional script on 11/29), Man Up! (pulled from schedule on 12/8, 8 of 13 episodes produced have aired)

*ABC released this statement: “Pan Am will wrap production on its first season in early January after completion of its 14th episode. A decision about about a second season will be made in May.”

*At the 2012 TCA winter press tour ABC said regarding Pan Am: “We have new and original shows right through February.”

Sophomore status: Happy Endings received full season order on 11/3, season will contain 22 episodes total; Body of Proof received full season order on 11/18, season will contain 20 episodes total

The CW

Pickups: Ringer, The Secret Circle, Hart Of Dixie

Cancellations: H8R

FOX picks up ‘New Girl’ with full season order

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Don’t act like you’re surprised. With all the “adorkable” marketing promoting New Girl before its big premiere last week we all knew that Zooey Deschanel wouldn’t let us down. A ratings boon during its first two weeks on air, the laugh-out-loud FOX comedy becomes the first new show of the fall 2011 season to be granted a full season order. The network has tacked on an additional 11 episodes to the original 13-episode order bringing the season one grand total to 24 episodes. The pilot received an impressive 4.8 rating among adults 18-49 (this is FOX’s highest-rated sitcom premiere of all-time); 10.1 million viewers tuned into the premiere. In week 2 the show scored a 5.2 rating and retained 92 percent of its series premiere ratings; 9.2 million viewers returned.

Network prez Kevin Reilly commented on the show’s early surge of success. “We love the charming Zooey Deschanel and the entire cast, we’re knocked out with the work that Liz Meriwether and the whole staff is doing and we are really psyched about the upcoming episodes in the pipeline. It’s great that audiences have responded so positively so far and we’re confident that even more people will embrace the show — and more comedy on Fox — this season.”

New Girl airs Tuesday nights at 9PM on FOX.

[Via Deadline; EW]

Chris Hardwick to host live after-show “Talking Dead” on AMC

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So you know that feeling after you watch an episode of The Walking Dead and you want to burst out in excitement about just how awesome that episode really was? Well AMC is giving you an outlet to do that. Prepare for (what for it) Talking Dead, a live after-show to be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (Web Soup, Attack of the Show). According to a press release the show “features Hardwick spending time with fans, actors, producers and tv enthusiasts, recapping that most recent Dead episode, and taking questions and comments from viewers. Fans may continue to engage with the Aftershow following the on-air conclusion, online, at amctv.com for more conversations, questions and trivia.”

Says fanboy Hardwick: “As an enormous fan of both The Walking Dead comic and television show, I pretty much begged for this job. I’m fairly certain I slobbered on the phone while doing it. Dissecting the moves of Rick Grimes and the remaining survivors after every episode is something I would be doing with my friends anyway, so the fact that AMC is actually paying to do so is a bonus. This half-hour after-show gives fans the opportunity to nerd out about the story in a very public forum: what they like, what they don’t like, or what questions they may have. Additionally, it will better inform viewers on making intelligent decisions when faced with the zombie apocalypse which will probably happen sooner or later.”

Adds AMC’s Joel Stillerman: “Fans of The Walking Dead are incredibly engaged with every aspect of the show. They tweet, blog, and post comments in very large numbers, and we wanted to give them an opportunity to interact with the show in a way that they don’t currently have – a kind of live water cooler. And, we knew we needed a great host, and are thrilled to have Chris Hardwick on board. He is genuinely knowledgeable about the genre, and truly entertaining.”

So there you have it. Now here’s how it’ll air. Talking Dead will debut immediately following the encore airing of The Walking Dead season 2 premiere (that is on Sunday, October 16) and then beginning on Friday, November 4th it’ll follow TWD‘s encore at 11PM.

[Via Nerdist; image via Flickr]

FOX officially picks up Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’

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We all knew it was going to happen, but now it’s official: FOX has picked up Touch, a new series from creator Tim Kring (Heroes) and starring Kiefer Sutherland (24), to series for a midseason debut. The network has ordered a 13-episode arc expected to premiere in the spring of 2012.

Fox prez Kevin Reilly on the pickup: “Touch is another ambitious series from Tim Kring that is beautifully executed and has incredibly resonant themes for our times. With Kiefer back on the network as the face and force behind this creative new series, I’m confident it will resonate with viewers this spring.”

Adds Sutherland: “Every once in a while, you encounter a piece of material that you just cannot say no to. That, combined with the opportunity to work again with Peter Chernin and the Fox studio and network, makes me thrilled to be a part of this project. I also look forward to working with an extraordinary writer and producer like Tim Kring.”

Need to be reminded of what Touch is all about? The latest press release describes it like this: “Touch is a distinct and colorful drama in which science and spirituality intersect with the hopeful premise that we are all interconnected, tied in invisible ways to those whose lives we are destined to alter and impact.” Hop after the break to read a juicier plot description. Touch stars Sutherland, David Mazouz, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Danny Glover. Kring, Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants, I Am Legend), Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, Sutherland, Suzan Bymel, and Carol Barbee serve as executive producers; Lawrence helmed the pilot.

[Via Deadline] Continue reading FOX officially picks up Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’ →

‘The Guild’ gets picked up for season 5

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Do you watch the fantastic web series The Guild? Well I’ve got some great news for you: sponsors Microsoft and Sprint have picked up The Guild for a fifth season! In case you’re living inside a bubble, the long-running web series follows the on- and off-line lives of a group of MMORPG gamers. The wildly colorful characters and the laugh-out-loud words they speak to one another were imagined by co-creator and writer Felicia Day. Says Day to GigaOm, “We’re lucky that we have such an eager fanbase and that our numbers have stayed so high. Partnering with Xbox increased our fanbase in a real way–it introduced us to millions of people who never would have seen it before.” She adds, “Every season has had a different style and sensibility. That has been on purpose. We’re always exploring different aspects of our characters. This season will be no different!”

After last season’s cliffhanger of an ending, it’s expected that Day will take the gang to a convention for the game they play. According to co-creator Kim Evey, cosplayers may or may not be involved. Director Sean Becker, confirmed to helm season 5, adds to the conversation. “The convention based story line will allow us to take these characters further out into the unknown (meaning away from their computers), which will be new to us as well on the production side,” he told Tubefilter. “I look forward to personally exploring this new environment as well as seeing the characters interact in it. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and by fun I mean extremely hard work.”

If you aren’t caught up on all the seasons, run–don’t walk–to portals like Xbox Live, MSN Video and the Zune Marketplace to watch them. I can confidently say that The Guild is bar none the greatest web series of all time. And I’m not just saying that because I contributed to the production of season 4. It’s smart, funny, witty, and best of all it’s a feel-good comedy that always leaves you wanting for more. Expect season 5 to hit the ‘Net this summer. But will season 5 be the last? According to Day, don’t even think about. “For the end of this season, I have an idea for what I want to do and it’s definitely not closing a door. I’m definitely not planning to make Season 5 the final one. The characters are a vast well. I can’t stop coming up with ideas for them.”

[Via GigaOm; Tubefilter]

Adult Swim picks up Paul Scheer’s action parody ‘NTSF:SD:SUV’

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NTSF:SD:SUV.  That stands for National Terrorism Strikeforce: San Diego: Sport Utility Vehicle, and it’s an action parody series coming to Adult Swim.  If you happen to a fan of Rob Corddry’s Childrens Hospital there’s no way you can forget the totally insane mock commercial for NTSF:SD:SUV that aired during a season 2 episode a few months back.  The commercial, directed by Eric Appel, was strong enough by itself to sway the network past the pilot stage and directly to a 12 episode season order.  The show’s mastermind is Paul Sheer (Human Giant) and it follows in the footsteps of Childrens Hospital.  While the Corddry web series turned TV show is an over-the-top self-referential parody of medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and many others, Sheer’s NTSF:SD:SUV promises to play the same game spoofing all the crime procedurals.  Sheer will serve as creator, writer, and star and will executive produce with Jon Stern (Childrens Hospital).  The trailer embedded above features actors Rob Riggle, Brandon Johnson, and June Raphael but they are not confirmed as series regulars.  Expect NTSF:SD:SUV to air on Adult Swim sometime in 2011.  NTSF:SD:SUV.  Sorry, it’s so much fun to say.

[Via Deadline]