Tag Archives: renewal

FOX renews ‘House’, ‘Bones’, ‘Family Guy’ & ‘The Cleveland Show’

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Well at least there’s one network that’s confident in their primetime lineup. The execs at FOX have greenlit the following shows to return for the fall 2011-12 season: House will return for it’s eighth and likely last season; Bones will be entering its seventh season; and Seth MacFarlane’s cartoons Family Guy and The Cleveland Show will continue to shine on Animation Domination Sunday, each entering their tenth and fourth seasons, respectively. These programs will join the previously renewed Fringe and American Dad on the network next season. FOX president of entertainment Kevin Reilly had a few words to say about the return of all these shows.

“Over the past seven seasons, House has redefined the medical drama and has given us one of television’s most compelling and iconic characters. From the producers to the incredible writers to the unbelievably talented cast and crew, the Houseteam is fearless in its creativity and I can’t wait to see what they have in store next year.”

“Bones is creatively fresh, it’s a rock-solid player every time it airs and this season it has helped us win on Thursday nights for the first time in our history. Hart Hanson and the fantastic cast and crew, as well as the millions of loyal Bones fans, make this show really special, and I’m excited to have it on our air for another stellar season.”

“For nine seasons, our viewers have been cracked up, delighted, surprised and, at times, gloriously disturbed by the mind of Seth MacFarlane — and they keep coming back for more. The Griffins and the Browns have become cornerstones of our Sunday nights, and we can’t wait to find out what new adventures Seth, Mike and Rich cook up for them next season.”

[Via Deadline 1, 2, 3]

FOX renews ‘American Dad’ for seventh season

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Good morning USA! I got a feelin’ that it’s gonna be a wonderful day. That it is for animator/creator Seth MacFarlane. The man known for dominating FOX’s “Animation Domination” lineup with his imaginative and relevant comedies must be feeling an enormous sense of relief after hearing today’s news that American Dad will be joining long-time staple Family Guy and newcomer The Cleveland Show for the 2011-13 TV seasons. No, that’s not a typo and I’ll explain why. The Smiths have been guaranteed a seventh season with a full 22-episode order. However, because FOX has ordered two new animated shows Allen Gregory and Napoleon Dynamite (yes, based on the movie) for next season, scheduling only an undisclosed portion of American Dad episodes will air in 2011-12, and the remaining eps will overflow into the 2012-13 season. And believe it or not, this is the way the show has aired since the 2005 Super Bowl. So no harm done here. Packaged with this news of renewal is a hint of what’s to come later this season; upcoming guest voices include Anjelica Huston, Elisabeth Shue, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Burt Reynolds, and Cee-Lo Green.

“This is fantastic news,” said Roger the Alien in a statement. “But you do realize I’m not real, right?”

[Via Deadline]

‘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]

CBS renews ‘The Big Bang Theory’ through the 2013-14 season

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Hope you like The Big Bang Theory because it’s not going anywhere for a very long time.  Today CBS renewed the nerd-tastic comedy three times over, confirming its stay on the most-watched network through the 2013-2014 season.  The news comes shortly after the show was crowned primetime’s #1 scripted series in adults 18-49 and the #2 comedy among viewers for the 2009-2010 season.  The show managed to successfully transition to its new Thursday 8PM slot where it’s been averaging 13.8 million viewers, that’s up 7 percent versus the year-ago time period.

CBS Nina Tassler: “It doesn’t take a theoretical physicist to see why this show is a BIG part of our comedy future. From ratings to critical acclaim to pop culture buzz, it’s struck a chord on all levels.  The creative genius of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady and the on-camera talents of an amazing young ensemble have created a comedy that will entertain viewers for a long time.  We’re proud to partner with Warner Bros. on another highly successful, long-running comedy.”

Warner Bros. Television head Peter Roth: “We are delighted and grateful that CBS has once again rewarded The Big Bang Theory with a multiyear renewal. This is a testament to the inspired and brilliant work of the show’s entire creative team, and we look forward to continuing this highly successful partnership.”

I couldn’t be happier to know that Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, and Rajesh will be sticking around for years to come.  And here’s a nice TBBT scoop for you: Jessica Walter (aka Arrested Development‘s Lucille Bluth) will guest star in an upcoming episode slated to air in February.  According to TV Line, she will play “Barbara Latham, a wealthy donor to the university whose upcoming grant to the science department may be contingent upon Leonard compromising his virtue.”

[Via Deadline]

FOX renews ‘Raising Hope’ early, comments on cancelled shows & Fringe’s move [Update: J.J. Abrams addresses the move, too]

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One day after ABC granted early renewals to six of its series, competitor FOX decided to show its muscle by renewing its freshman series Raising Hope.  The Greg Garcia comedy was actually the first freshman series of the year to receive a back-nine episode order, so it’s certainly fitting that today it became the first freshman program to be renewed for a second season.  Go Hope!  The laugh-out-loud family comedy is FOX’s highest-rated new series; having that Glee lead-in doesn’t hurt.  The show’s creator Garcia said, “I’m happy that the show is getting another year. But the fact that I’ve been trying to think of a funny quote for the last two hours and this is the best I could come up with makes me a little nervous about season two.”  FOX prez Kevin Reilly also shared his excitement about the continuation of Hope: “Raising Hope has emerged as a comedic standout: wickedly smart, hilarious and full of heart. Greg Garcia and his great cast have established an appointment show on Tuesday nights this season and we’re confident it’s just the beginning of great things to come.”  Raising Hope returns with new episodes Tuesday February 8 at 9PM.  If you’re not watching this show, it’s never too late to start.

Update 3: Click here to watch Hope‘s Golden Globes plea.  Greg Garcia and the cast put together this “For Your Consideration” video and sent it to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hoping it would help their chances at landing a nomination.  It didn’t, but it’s still well worth a watch.  Let’s just say Cloris Leachman brings down the house with her wildly NSFW language. Continue reading FOX renews ‘Raising Hope’ early, comments on cancelled shows & Fringe’s move [Update: J.J. Abrams addresses the move, too] →

ABC grants early renewals to six series

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At this week’s Television Critics Association press tour ABC officially renewed six series and they include comedies Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town, drama Grey’s Anatomy and crime dramedy Castle.  Sunday nighters Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters are noticeably absent from the early renewal lineup; the former is expected to be picked up later this spring while the latter remains on the bubble.

New ABC president Paul Lee shared his thoughts on the network’s current lineup.  On Cougar Town: The comedy “has found its voice.”  On Detroit 1-8-7 (which has yet to be picked up for a second season): It’s “a gritty, brilliantly written show which we’re very proud of”, a “very, very high-quality show” that “gets better.”  On freshman comedy Better with You: It’s “a really funny show.”  On V: The network is “very pleased” with the season 2 premiere ratings.  “We made sure it was ten episodes so we could quality control those episodes.  And we also brought a whole load of new ideas into it, so we’ve tried to really amp up the level of adrenaline in that show.”

And lastly, Lee talked about how he hopes to pave a successful future for ABC by granting showrunners additional freedom: “My real ambition is to make ABC Studios and ABC a real showrunner culture. From my perspective, the ability to allow showrunners to take risks, and for us to give them the air support that they can do that, is one of the most important parts of my job… So from my perspective, that combination between a potent brand and empowered showrunners can really give us a chance to succeed going forward into the future.”

We can expect to receive renewal/cancellation news about the freshman slate of ABC programming, including No Ordinary Family, within the next two to three months, according to Lee.

[Via Deadline]

NBC announces midseason schedule

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Parks and Rec is coming, Parks and Rec is coming!  Sorry, I can hardly contain my excitement for the return of Leslie Knope and the entire Pawnee gang.  Today NBC announced its midseason schedule, which includes the return of The Biggest Loser, Minute to Win It, Parks and Recreation, and The Marriage Ref and Who Do You Think You Are?, four series premieres (The Cape, Harry’s Law, Perfect Couples, America’s Next Great Restaurant), and some program shuffling.  The biggest shakeup?  Starting January 20 NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup will include six–count ’em–six comedies in the extended 8PM to 11PM block.  It’s the first time since the 1991-92 season that NBC is pulling such a stunt.  The lineup includes Community, Perfect Couples, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Outsourced.  Other scheduling shifts: Parenthood moves to Monday, Law & Order: Los Angeles to Tuesday, Chase to Wednesday, and Law & Order: SVU to 10PM on Wednesday.  In related news, NBC renewed 30 Rock for a sixth season.  Jump after the break to review the full sched.  Click here to preview the new NBC shows.

[Via Deadline] Continue reading NBC announces midseason schedule →

AMC renews ‘The Walking Dead’

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As a series reaching more adults 18-49 than any other show in the history of cable television, it doesn’t come to much surprise that AMC has greenlit The Walking Dead for a second season.  While the first season includes just six episodes, season two will pack 13 of ’em!  AMC prez Charlie Collier had this to say about the renewal: “The ‘Dead’ has spread!  No other cable series has ever attracted as many Adults 18-49 as ‘The Walking Dead.’  This reaffirms viewers’ hunger for premium television on basic cable.  We are so proud to be bringing back ‘The Walking Dead’ again, across the globe.”  Dead aired on FOX International Channel, and it was the highest-rated original series premiere ever to air on FIC simultaneously worldwide.  If you want to read some more impressive stats, look after the break for the full PR.

If you haven’t been sucked into the Dead universe yet (comic books or otherwise), you need to starting watching this show!  It’s not too late to play catch-up.  Head over to AMC’s website to watch the pilot episode in its entirety, and episode 2 is already available on iTunes (AMC also airs it multiple times throughout the week).  Catch the fever, that is if you’re not of the faint of heart.

[Via Deadline] Continue reading AMC renews ‘The Walking Dead’ →

Childrens Hospital renewed for third season

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Actress Malin Akerman hinted at it a while back and now it’s official.  Cartoon Network has ordered a third season of Rob Corddry’s web series-turned-TV show Childrens Hospital.  The hilarious ensemble cast, including Malin Akerman, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Ken Marino, Megan Mullally and Henry Winkler, are expected to return when the third season picks up sometime next year.  Childrens Hospital airs Sunday nights at midnight on Adult Swim.  The season 2 finale is slated to air this November.

[Via IGN; TVGuide]

The Cleveland Show gets picked up for a third season

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Well would you look at that?  Following in Glee‘s footsteps, FOX has decided to green light a third season for its hit animated program The Cleveland Show.  Yes, there’s a solid reason why the Family Guy spin-off got renewed for a third season so early in the game: it was the highest rated new scripted half-hour program among the 18-34 demographic.  Voice of Cleveland Brown/co-creator/executive producer Mike Henry on the early pickup: “Thanks to FOX for their continued support.  I’m thrilled to keep my multiracial existence going for another season.”  Renewal news comes as a big relief for Henry and co. since the turnaround time for animation creation is very time intensive.  Henry: “It’s about a ten month process from start to finish.  But we don’t really try to be too topical and…I think it works to our advantage because hopefully in five years the episodes will still be as funny as they are now.”

Season 3 is so far out.  Want some details about what’s planned for season 2?  Will.I.Am, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West (to reprise “Kenny West”), Tony Hawk, Carl Reiner, and the cast members of Glee are planned to lend their voices to the series; a Family Guy crossover episode is planned that’ll land Peter, Joe and Quagmire in LOCALE; and in the finale episode the Browns will journey to Comic Con.  Says Henry: “[In the finale] the whole family goes to Comic-Con for summer vacation.  Co-creator Rich Appel: “I think it’s safe to say that the nerds on our staff will not disappoint the nerds in our viewing public.”  The Cleveland Show is here to stay, folks.

[Via IGN, here & here]

Glee renewed for season three (already!)

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You might be wondering why Mr. Will Shuester is giving us that smirk.  Maybe it’s because FOX has gone ahead and renewed Glee for a third season!  Though this news does come early, it is definitely not a surprise.  The numbers say it all: Glee is the number one new scripted series among adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, and has averaged 9.4 million total viewers, according to EW.  Here’s what some people had to say about the early pickup.  Peter Rice, the Fox Networks Group Entertainment Chairman: “In just one year, Glee has transcended the television landscape and emerged as a global pop culture phenomenon.”  Kevin Reilly, Fox Entertainment President: “Everything about Glee – from the concept to the characters to the marketing – has been innovative and risky, but with [series creator] Ryan Murphy tapping into the zeitgeist, the risk has paid off with this truly remarkable series. Glee has one of the most active, devoted fan bases I’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give Gleeks a third season of their favorite show.”  Creator Ryan Murphy: “It’s been a whirlwind year – from shooting the pilot to performing at the White House to the concert tour that began last week – and yet we all feel like we’ve just begun this amazing musical journey. We think our Gleeks worldwide are going to love what we’ll have in store for them in seasons two and three.”  So in other words…Glee isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.  Gleek out!

[Via EW-HollywoodInsider]

ABC renews Castle

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ABC’s hit crime/comedy show Castle starring Nathon Fillion and Stana Katic has just been renewed for a 22-episode third season!  The show is doing extremely well these days so news of a renewal does not come to much surprise, only excitement.  This past Monday’s episode (the second part of the Dana Delany “event”) attracted huge numbers for the show, 14.5 million viewers to be precise.  That’s the largest audience the show has on record.  Ausiello reports that this high viewership “gave ABC its best scripted performance in the time-slot in 14 years.”  Way to go, Castle!

[Via EW-AusielloFiles]