Thursday, May 28, 2009

Big Brother returns July 9th

For those of you looking for your summer Julie Chen reality fix, fear not! 'Big Brother' returns to CBS for an 11th edition beginning on Thursday July 9th at 8:00 pm.

The series will then continue on Sundays at 8:00 pm and Tuesdays at 9:00 pm.

My guess is that a 3rd night will be added at some point during the summer.

No word yet on whether Showtime will be carrying the 'Big Brother After Dark' companion series this year.

John Lithgow joining the cast of 'Dexter'

EW is reporting that John Lithgow will be joining the season 4 cast of Showtime's 'Dexter.'

He will play Walter Simmons, a seemingly normal person, who has been living a dual life as one of America's most prolific serial killers, the Trinity Killer. He's called that because he kills in threes, get it?

When the Trinity Killer moves to Miami, Dexter becomes obsessed with him.

Dexter's 4th season begins September 27th on Showtime.

T. R. Knight not returning to 'Grey's Anatomy' Heigl still up in the air

E! is reporting that T.R. Knight will not be returning to 'Grey's Anatomy' next season.

This really should come as too much of a surprise since Knight had asked to be released from his contract back in December, and the tension between him and creator Shonda Rhimes had reached a point where something needed to be done.

Knight's character, George O' Malley, was flatlining the last time we saw him on 'Grey's' finale.

The shows other problem child, Katherine Heigl, has yet to learn her fate. Her character, Izzie, was also flatlining when last we saw her.

Heigl's problems with Rhimes began last year when she refused to submit her name for Emmy consideration, claiming that the writers hadn't given her enough good material to work with.

Interestingly enough, Heigl is reportedly submitting her name for Emmy consideration this year.

Friday, May 22, 2009

My Emmy Wish List

With the 2008-09 TV season officially over, it's time to start thinking about the Emmy's. The nominations will be announced in July, and i have a wish list of who i'd like to see nominated this year for their work. Remember that this is my wish list. I didn't include people who will most likely be nominated anyway, these are the ones that normally do not get recognized.

Matthew Fox for Best Actor (Drama), Lost - Lost, in my opinion boasts the best acting on television, and Matthew Fox leads the way. He's been overlooked in recent years but this really should be his year to take home the prize for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

Walton Goggins for Best Supporting Actor (Drama), The Shield - Goggins portrayal of disgraced cop Shane Vendrell on The Shield was truly one of the great performances of this or any other year. Best Supporting Actor should be his to lose.

Donald Faison, Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) Scrubs - This should have an asterisk next to it. Faison's work as Dr. Christopher Turk on Scrubs is comedic gold, but this year wasn't particularly special. This would be more to make up for all the years he has been overlooked. Not likely to happen, but this is a wish list, remember?

Calista Flockhart for Best Actress (Drama), Brothers and Sisters - Although this show took a turn this year and not for the better, it still boasts an impressive cast. Calista shines week in and week out as Kitty, I'd like to see her nominated.

Christina Applegate for Best Actress (Comedy), Samantha Who? - I really wish this show was given more of a chance. It was a very funny show and Christina Applegate was perfect in the role. She's a very gifted comedic actress.

'Chuck' for Best Comedy Series - Next to 'Lost' this show is the most consistently entertaining show on TV. The only thing I wonder is whether the Academy will classify it as a drama or a comedy. My guess is comedy.

Adam Baldwin for Best Supporting Actor (Comedy), Chuck - His character of Casey could be the funniest character on TV along with Barney from 'HIMYM.' His deadpan delivery and dark humor are perfect for this show, and he is perfect in the role.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Winner of American Idol 2009 is.......

...Kris Allen!!! For many people this came as a huge shock. Adam Lambert was supposedly the overwhelming favorite going into this week. Oddsmakers made Lambert a 1-3 favorite. Adam didn't really seem too upset, he knows he has a big career ahead of him.

A couple of things that people didn't count on...

Danny Gokey's fans, it seems, were much more on the Kris Allen side than Adam Lambert's side. The vast majority of Gokey voters gave their vote this week to Allen. About 100 million votes were cast altogether, reportedly 38 million from Allen's home state of Arkansas.

I also think some people were put off by Adam's screaming. Don't get me wrong, Adam has a magnificent singing voice and will go on to be a major star I'm sure. But 'Idol' fans, on average, do not go for the screaming. In my opinion, Adam is much better when you can watch him, instead of just listening to him.

The heaps of praise piled on Adam week after week might have annoyed some people too. The standing O's, the tears from Paula, I mean enough was enough, we get it he's good.

Kris Allen really gained steam in the last few weeks, and carried it right into the finale. His performances on finale night were just ok, but he probably already had it sealed by then.

I think this may actually turn out to be a good thing for Adam. He is now free to choose his own path. If the rumors out there about Queen asking him to be their new lead singer are true, then he is now free to do that.

So for all the people who want to create a controversy over last nights results, take it easy. Kris and Adam, and most likely Danny and Allison as well, will all have big careers. In 5 years when Adam is churning out hits, no one is going to care that he didn't win 'Idol.' Chris Daughtry is the most successful singer to come out of season 5 and he finished 4th. Taylor Hicks was the eventual winner that year.

One thing I need to say... Last nights show was excellent. With performances by the top 13 contestants, last years winner David Cook, the Black Eyed Peas, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, Keith Urban, Steve Martin, Carlos Santana, Queen, and KISS it was really an amazing show to watch. Top notch entertainment.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

'Medium' finds a new home on CBS

Not long after NBC announced the cancellation of 'Medium', CBS jumped in and saved it.

The eye network has renewed the show, which is produced by CBS already, so this switch was not a huge surprise.

However, there seemed to be a little bad blood between NBC and CBS over the switch.

Following NBC co-chairman Ben Silverman's comments, in which he called 'Medium' and fellow canceled veteran 'My Name is Earl' -- both from outside studios -- "an aging franchise, without a single fan letter, with no passion," CBS Studios came out with a sternly worded statement.

"NBC's cancellation of 'Medium' is inexplicable to us," the statement said. "The ratings don't lie: 'Medium' outperforms many of NBC's renewed shows."

"Despite inconsistent scheduling, 'Medium' -- under the creative vision of (creator) Glenn Gordon Caron, one of the most preeminent producers in television -- has always performed with distinction both creatively and commercially. Multiple award-winning actress Patricia Arquette and the cast have delivered a stellar series for five consistent seasons. The awards and ratings speak for themselves."

"We believe the show has a significant future and await developments."

'Medium' will be placed right between 'Ghost Whisperer' and 'Numbers' on CBS Friday night schedule.

'Without A Trace' cancelled by CBS, 'Numbers' renewed

Just in case anyone was wondering while watching last night's finale of 'Without A Trace', it was the series finale and not just a season finale.

CBS has decided to cancel the popular show after seven seasons. They did decide to renew 'Numbers' however.

We're hearing that CBS executives has one slot left and it was between 'Numbers' and 'Without A Trace' and they went with 'Numbers' because it's less expensive to produce.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

BREAKING NEWS: 'Earl,' 'Medium' and 'The Unit' cancelled

Three cancellation announcements just came in. NBC has decided to cancel 'Medium' and 'My Name is Earl.'

CBS has cancelled 'The Unit.' This is a bit of a surprise. 'The Unit' had a loyal following and drew modest ratings. My guess is the cost of the show was just a little too much for CBS.

There are also reports that Fox or ABC may be interested in picking up 'Earl' and that CBS is interested in picking up 'Medium.'

'Law and Order' returns for a 20th season

NBC is expected to announce that 'Law and Order' has been renewed for a 20th season.

This means that it will match 'Gunsmoke' as the longest running drama series in TV history.

A 20th season of 'L&O' was never really in doubt. Although the show doesn't perform like it once did, it's still a signature player for NBC - and executive produce Dick Wolf was keen to see the show mark its 20th anniversary.

Monday, May 18, 2009

ABC says no to a 'Samantha Who?' renewal

After long consideration, ABC has decided to cancel 'Samantha Who?'

The comedy, starring Christina Applegate, was expected to return. However the show got caught up in the budget trimming going on at the networks. According to an insider close to the show, the decision to scrap 'Samantha' came down to numbers. The show couldn’t slash its budget deep enough to make a third-season pickup work.

ABC had been mulling a plan to decrease 'Samantha’s' budget by changing the way the show is shot -- moving from single-cam to a multicamera format. ABC was looking to slash as much as $500,000 per episode from the show’s budget.

But 'Samantha' became expendable once ABC picked up such a hefty number of series for next year -- 10 in total. With that large a crop of new series, it no longer made sense to bring 'Samantha' back.

'Samantha' was initially a strong performer for the Alphabet network on Monday nights in its debut season, but faltered this season after moving to Thursdays.

'The Unusuals' will not be back

ABC has cancelled 'The Unusuals.'

The news came directly from Executive Producer Noah Hawley, who said on his twitter page:

"Friends, just heard The Unusuals will not be back for a second season. Thanks for all your amazing support. Last 4 episodes start May 27th."

The quirky cop dramedy, which premiered this spring and starred such familiar faces as Amber Tamblyn and Harold Perrineau, was given a fair shot by ABC even running double episodes one week, on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Still, it's numbers hovered around the 5 million viewer mark.

Fox shows a commitment to 'Bones'

According to Entertainment Weekly, Fox has renewed 'Bones' for not 1 but 2 seasons.

The renewal had come on the heels of weeks of rumors that the show would jump networks if a deal couldn't be made over licensing fees.

The network will announce its schedule in New York City on Monday, and the lineup promises to be filled with familiar faces since Fox has already renewed: 'American Idol,' 'Fringe,' '24,' 'Family Guy,' 'The Simpsons,' 'American Dad,' 'Kitchen Nightmares,' 'Til Death,' 'Lie To Me' and 'Dollhouse.'

'House' has not officially been announced as being renewed, but it is expected to be announced later today as well.

'Survivor: Tocantins' crowns its sole survivor

The 18th season of 'Survivor' came to a rousing and satisfying end last night.

James Thomas, Jr., or J.T. as he was known to Survivor fans this season, walked away with the $1 million dollar prize on 'Survivor: Tocantins.'

The soft-spoken country boy never received a vote this season, until the end, when he won by a unanimous decision.

As if that wasn't enough, J.T. also was named the 'Fan Favorite' award winner and added $100,000 to his winnings.

On top of all of his winnings, J.T. was seemingly untouchable throughout the entire finale, winning the immunity idol twice and earning all seven votes in the final tribal council.

Samoa will be the site of the 19th season, which heads back to CBS this fall.

'Sarah Connor Chronicles' gets the axe

Fox has cancelled 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.'

The show had been in limbo since the end of its second season, having failed to garner the ratings success required, albeit hampered by some unwelcome Friday night scheduling in the end from Fox.

Fox has yet to officially confirm the cancellation, however it is being reported by multiple outlets.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

NBC Renews 'Chuck'

Some good news to report for all the 'Chuck' fans out there.

NBC has decided to bring the show back for a 13 episode 3rd season, but with a tighter budget.

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that NBC and Warner Bros. TV were close to finalizing a third-season renewal deal on Sunday for the action-comedy that has a modest but passionate fanbase.

According to Michael Ausiello, the 13-episode pickup came after Warner Bros. agreed to make significant budget concessions, including scaling back the number of episodes several members of the show's stellar supporting cast will appear in and, per one insider, possibly eliminating one actor all together.

'Chuck' joins 'Southland' as the shows NBC has renewed for fall. Given that 10 p.m. will be off the board due to Jay Leno's talk show, the network has considerably fewer slots than usual to fill.

Confidence has been pretty high that 'Chuck' would return. Once Fox found a way to make the much lesser-rated 'Dollhouse' work for fall late last week, 'Chuck' returning to NBC seemed almost certain.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

ABC renews 'Scrubs,' 'Castle,' and 'Better Off Ted'

ABC has given 2nd season orders to 'Castle' and 'Better Off Ted', and has renewed 'Scrubs' for a 9th season.

All 3 of these shows are a bit of a surprise to be returning. 'Scrubs' had been treating this season as a final season and 'Castle' and 'Better Off Ted's' ratings weren't exactly stellar.

We had earlier reported that Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke had agreed to return for 6 episodes if 'Scrubs" was renewed.

A formal announcement of the renewals will come on Tuesday when the network announces its fall schedule.

'Dollhouse' gets a second season

Fox has decided to give 'Dollhouse' another shot. The network has renewed the show for a 13 episode second season.

This is a pretty surprising move, the low-rated series was not expected to be renewed. In fact, 'Dollhouse' might very well be the lowest-rated in-season scripted drama to ever get a renewal on a major broadcast network. Almost certainly if based on where the show concluded -- a 1.0 among adults 18-49. But the show's DVR numbers are huge (averaging a 40% bump), online streaming is strong. It’s a sci-fi show, which tend to bring in strong ancillary revenue such as DVD sales for sister-company studio 20th TV. And it’s said that Fox execs rather like the series, especially the latter half of the season.

One big factor was the show's unaired 13th episode, which Joss Whedon shot on a shoestring budget for the first season DVD set. Whedon presented it to the network as an example of how 'Dollhouse' can achieve a high-quality production with a lesser budget.

The renewal also means Fox is bringing back all three of its freshman dramas for a second season -- 'Fringe,' 'Lie to Me' and 'Dollhouse'" -- which is a nice boast in challenging year for broadcasters.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Questions about TV?

Do you have any questions about your favorite TV show? Has it been renewed? Cancelled? Where is it? Or any other TV related questions. Just drop me a line at tvnewsandnotes@gmail.com

All questions will be answered in a future "Mailbag" post.

Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke agree to more 'Scrubs'

It's beginning to look more and more like 'Scrubs' will be returning for a 9th season.

Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke have agreed to appear in 6 episodes next season in order to transition the show to its new set-up, which is still being worked out.

Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and Neil Flynn have all closed deals to continue as regulars in second position to their pilots. Faison and Flynn co-star in hot ABC pilots, 'The Law,' which is already unofficially staffing, and 'The Middle,' respectively. McGinley is on the CBS' drama pilot 'Back.'

Meanwhile, Judy Reyes has not been approached for a deal but may appear as a guest star if 'Scrubs' is renewed.

ABC and creator Bill Lawrence had said they envision the show continuing with a mix of original cast members and some of the interns introduced this past season.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

'Idol' Final 2 set!

The final 2 are set for all you 'Idol' fans out there.

88 million votes!! Really? Anyway, going into this week, it was wide open. All 3 contestants could make a decent argument why they should win.

This weeks performances would be huge and they were. We'll recap them after the jump...


It was judges choice/ singers choice this week. When it came to picking a song, the judges chose one and the singer chose one.

Danny sang "Dance Little Sister" by Terence Trent Darby (chosen by Paula). For the most part the judges liked it, yet Kara has to criticize Danny's dancing and Simon reminds her that it's a singing competition not a dancing competition.

His next song, that he chose, was Joe Cocker's "You are So Beautiful". Danny nails this one. This was a great song choice. Right up his alley. Randy says that Danny can "really, really, really really sing," and Simon calls it a "master-class vocal.'

Adam's judges choice song was "One" by U2 (chosen by Simon.) As usual the judges were drooling over Adam. When I heard what soing he was going to sing, I thought it was perfect for him. But I felt that he didn't sing it quite that well. He stuck in his trademark shriek in a song where it just didn't belong.

Adam's personal choice song was "Cryin" by Aerosmith, and again, it just didn't work for me. This was not even as good as "One" in my opinion. Once again, the judges can't say enough about how great Adam is.

Then we had Kris Allen. Kris was given One Republic's "Apologize" to sing by Randy and Kara. He did just OK with it. Not great. The judges were mixed.

But then came his choice. Kanye West's and The Fray's "Heartless." Kris knocked this one out of the park. Putting his own spin on it with his acoustic guitar.

So now come the results. After 88 million votes, Kris is the first one sent to safety. That pretyy much tells us all we need to know. The producers would have been better off sending Adam to safety first. Then at least there would have been some suspense between Kris and Danny. Ryan then reveals that Adam is also safe and Danny has come to the end of the road. The judges seem genuinely sad. They really like Danny, and I think they would hav been equally sad no matter who went home this week.

I'm hoping that Kris can pull off the huge upset next week. Stay tuned!

'Lost' does it again. Finale gives us more jaw dropping moments

Has anyone thought where TV would be without 'Lost?' Has there ever been anything on TV so thought provoking? So intelligent? But more importantly... So enjoyable?

I won't go into a recap of last night's finale here, but if you want you can read a recap here.

'The Incident' didn't quite top the season 3 finale 'Through the Looking Glass' but it came damn close. So many memorable scenes last night. The fight scene between Jack and Sawyer. Every scene that showed Jacob interacting with the castaways prior to their being stranded. Juliet and Sawyer (probably the best scene of the episode.)

There are just so many places to go with this episode. I've heard the theory that the blast will propel the gang back to 2007. I think that's probably accurate. It makes sense. It could be what Jacob meant when he said, "They're coming."

What about the fate of Juliet and Sayid? One thing to notice is that Juliet was not visited by Jacob, at least not in the flashback we saw last night. What does that mean? Does it mean that she isn't as important as the rest of them? That she doesn't play a key role in the events on the island?

One thing I found interesting was that in each flashback, did you notice that Jacob made sure to physically touch each castaway? What does this do? Does it give them some special bond with the island? Does it give Jacob the power of suggestion over them? Why did Jacob meet some people when they were children, some before the Oceanic 815 flight, and some after they got off the island?

What about the whole Locke and the loophole story. Obviously Locke is very important to the island. Is he really dead for good? Can some part of him be alive in the current form? Obviously all of his memories of the island are there. How?

Why do I somehow get the feeling that Ben knew all along that Locke wasn't really Locke?

Lots of questions. I'd love to get a discussion going here. Tell me what you think.

My biggest question though? Is it January yet?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Fox renews 'Lie to Me'

Fox has renewed the Tim Roth series 'Lie to Me.' However the network has only ordered 13 episodes of the show.

We're not sure of the reason for the half season order. We'll have to wait until Fox makes it's official announcement.

NBC passes on 'Legally Mad'... Good news for 'Chuck?'

NBC has decided to pass on David E. Kelley's new legal show 'Legally Mad.'

The show is reported to be about a young woman who takes a job at her dad's law firm and the band of eccentrics who work there. Sounds an awful lot like one of Kelly's other shows 'Ally McBeal.'

Since NBC decided to pass on the show that means they will have to pay a seven-figure penalty to producer Warner Bros. TV as a result, since the network ordered the pilot with a play it-or-pay up provision.

There was speculation that NBC would agree to pick up a third season of 'Chuck' if the studio agreed to drop the penalty for 'Legally Mad.' Variety, however, is now reporting that the 2 are not related and that 'Chuck' is a good bet to return next season.

At the very least, this opens up a spot for 'Chuck' or some other show such as 'Law and Order' or 'Medium.'

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Tonight's TV Pick

Grey's Anatomy - 9:00 ABC-TV

The season finale isn't until next week, but Meredith and Derek's wedding is scheduled for tonight. It's also the series' 100th episode, so what better way to celebrate, right? But whether the bride and groom will get to the church on time is an open question.

TV News and Notes

Some news from the world of TV...

  • CBS 'Cold Case' has been making a strong case for renewal with a ratings surge.
  • Will Kiefer Sutherland's latest run in with the law interfere with next season of '24'?
  • Ew.com is running a 'Greatest TV Mom' game. I prefer Mrs. Cunningham.
  • Zachary Quinto will return to 'Heroes' next season.
  • Yet another "Save Chuck" campaign has been started.

'Idol' has it's Top 3

The Top 3 were revealed on last night's Idol when one of the 4 hopefuls was sent packing. Back when the season started, one of the people in the Top 3 was my pick to be there on finale night.

Find out who was sent home last night after the jump.

This was Rock Week on 'Idol' and it was a little rough for a couple of the contestants.

Danny Gokey, my pick for this year's Idol winner, had a tough week. He performed Aerosmith's "Dream On". It wasn't terrible, but clearly the worst of the 4 performances. The judges understood that it isn't quite his genre and said as much during their critique of his performance.

Allison Iraheta performed Janis Joplin's "Cry." I thought she was very good. She would be my pick to be standing up there with Danny on finale night. The judges are so-so on her performance.

Adam Lambert performed Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." This is a very good song choice for him. His style and his voice lend themselves very well to Robert Plant's style. Naturally, the judges loved Adam.

Kris Allen performed The Beatles "Come Together." Not a great performance, not terrible either, it was just OK. The judges are not too impressed.

The results were a surprise for me. I thought possible Kris would be going home this week. But he is actually the first one sent to safety by Ryan, leaving Adam, Danny, and Allison.

Ryan saves Adam next, no surprise there. After a few grueling seconds. Danny is sent to safety. Alison has reached the end.

Now being a Danny fan, I was a little nervous here. Out of him and Allison, I think Danny is better overall, but based on this week, Danny was worse. Like I said earlier, this not being quite the genre for him may have saved him.

Up next for the Idol hopefuls, they will perform 2 songs each. One of their choice, and one of the judges choice. Should be interesting!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Dom DeLuise Dies at 75

TMZ is reporting that legendary funnyman Dom DeLuise has died at the age of 75.

DeLuise, a star of the big screen and the small screen, was best known for his roles in 'Blazing Saddles,' 'Cannonball Run,' and his regular appearances on the popular Dean Martin TV show.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol Arthur, and his three sons, Peter, David and Michael.

'Christine' assured of a renewal by ABC

ABC has sealed a deal with Warner Bros. TV that guarantees a full season order to 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' if CBS doesn't renew the show.

This is the second consecutive year ABC has made such a pact for the sitcom starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a neurotic divorcee.

For now, the odds are in favor of CBS renewing "Christine," which helped the network open a second comedy block on Wednesdays.

But with the comedy going down to the wire every year with 11th-hour pickups at CBS, the back-up deal with ABC gives reassurances to "Christine's" producers, who are seeking to sell the series in syndication.

Monday, May 4, 2009

'Life' cancelled by NBC

NBC announced at their upfront presentation today that 'Life' would not be returning for a 3rd season.

The show ran for 2 seasons to modest ratings, but NBC has decided to move on. It starred Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews who returns to his life as a cop after being released from prison when it is determined he was wrongly accused of the crime.

The series was rumored to be on the bubble, and the network made it official today saying it was cancelled.

Fox Renews 'Fringe'

Fox has renewed the J.J. Abrams thriller 'Fringe' for a second season. The renewal is for a full 22 episode order.

"Fringe proved to be a notable addition to our schedule all season, and it really has fans buzzing as it builds to a fantastic season finale," said Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment at Fox. "J.J. and the whole Bad Robot team have been phenomenal partners, and we look forward to years of making great television with them.”

Helped by a strong lead-in from House in the fall and American Idol during the spring, Fringe is the No. 1 rated new series among the adult demo.

NBC Unveils Fall Schedule, 'Chuck' and 'L&O' in limbo

NBC unveiled their fall schedule today and many favorites were missing. 'Chuck,' 'Law and Order,' 'Medium,' 'My Name is Earl,' and 'Life' were all missing.

As reported yesterday on this site, 'Medium' will return at mid-season. Rumor is that 'Chuck' and 'Law and Order' will also get mid-season pickups. But no official announcement will come until May 19th.

NBC did confirm the renewals of 'Southland,' 'Heroes,' and 'Parks and Recreation.' They will join already renewed shows 'The Office,' '30 Rock,' 'Law and Order: SVU,' 'Friday Night Lights,' 'Celebrity Apprentice' and 'The Biggest Loser.'

6 new series were also announced today.You can read about them after the jump.


'Parenthood' - Based on the 1989 film, it will star Craig T. Nelson, Maura Tierney, and Peter Krause.


'Trauma' - A medical drama from the producers of 'Friday Night Lights' centering on first responder paramedics.


'Mercy' - This show, another medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of its nurses.

'Day One' - This apocalyptic drama tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. A band of survivors, all residents of the same Van Nuys apartment building, strive to rebuild society.

'100 Questions' - From the creators of 'Friends' and 'Will and Grace.' When Charlotte joins a popular dating site she is required to take a 100 question compatibility test. Each questions requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life.

'Community' - This is from the directors of 'Arrested Development' and it deals with the student body at Greendale Community College. The group is made up of high school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

'Southland' renewed by NBC

NBC has ordered 13 more episodes of 'Southland', probably for a fall slot.

'Southland' has delivered solid numbers to NBC in the Thursday 10 p.m. time slot since its debut April 9, and the show has been warmly received by critics. The hard-boiled cop drama will presumably slide to a 9 p.m. berth in the fall, as NBC plans to strip 'The Jay Leno Show' Monday-Friday at 10 p.m. hour.

13 episode orders could be something NBC is doing next fall in order to save more shows. The 'Leno' show eliminates 5 spots from the prime time schedule and 13 episode orders, instead a full 22-26 could give spots to extra shows.

Friday, May 1, 2009

The Best and Worst of this TV Season, Part 4

In the final part of my series on the Best and Worst of the TV season, I am covering the worst in TV Comedies. I had discussed the best and worst in TV Drama and the best in Comedy in Parts 1, 2, and 3.

Worst - Comedy

Do Not Disturb - This show featured Jerry O' Connell, and it was about the goings-on at an NYC Hotel. Not as bad as some past Fox comedies, like 'The War at Home', but with Abraham Higginbotham as the creator, I had high hopes. Higginbotham was part of the team from the brilliant 'Arrested Development' and also worked as executive producer on the very funny 'Back to You'. The show was cancelled after just 3 episodes. Good move.

Kath and Kim - NBC's American version of the Australian comedy just fails in so many places. The show features Molly Shannon and Selma Blair in the title roles. They play a mother and daughter in a dysfunctional relationship. The jokes are just so unfunny, it's almost not watchable. For example, Kathy's last name is Day, and her new boyfriends last name is Knight. They play on that so much and drill it into your head in the first episode. NBC let 'Scrubs" go to ABC to make room for this??? I've read that they re-shot the pilot and made it funnier. I'd hate to see what it was like before.

Gary UnMarried - Gary, a father of two who runs his own house painting business in LA, but still acts like a frat boy. To show you how bad this show is, in the first scene, we meet Gary as he is in bed with his girlfriend Vanessa and he calls her a "whore". Hilarious, huh? Jay Mohr plays Gary, and Paula Marshall plays his ex-wife Allison. One bad joke after another fills the episodes and you can't turn of the TV fast enough. Hopefully CBS comes to it's senses and cans this show.