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The CW’s Fall Premiere Dates
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Uncategorized on June 26th, 2009
Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick in "Gossip Girl."
With the change of every TV season comes a flurry of inevitable rearrangements.
And if you’re talking about a network that re-brands itself every other year, let’s just say nothing should be written in stone until its series actually go on the air. Especially not show titles. Or, for that matter, cast lists…but more on that in a few weeks.
The CW recently unveiled its premiere schedule, and with it, several title makeovers. To wit: Midseason drama “Parental Discretion Advised” is now to be known as “Life UneXpected.”
Ashton Kutcher’s behind-the-scenes model drama “The Beautiful Life” is now “The Beautiful Life: TBL” to ensure maximum Tweetability.
On to the relevant stuff: The second season of “90210″ starts Sept. 8, and is followed by the premiere of the updated and deliciously trashy “Melrose Place,” just like in ye olden days on another network.
“America’s Next Top Model” is back on Sept. 9 with a petite model edition.
“Supernatural” returns on Sept. 10 along with the series premiere of “The Vampire Diaries.”
“Smallville” moves to Fridays as of Sept. 25.
Lastly (and best of all) “Gossip Girl” is back on Sept. 14, flipping timeslots with “One Tree Hill” to air at 9 p.m. The full schedule is, you guessed it, after the jump.
CBS Announces Fall Premiere Schedule
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Uncategorized on June 26th, 2009
Mark Harmon stars in "NCIS."
CBS traditionally waits until the official start of the television season (i.e., the week following the Emmy awards broadcast) to roll out its season premieres. This time around is no different.
The only pre-season launch on the network will be the premiere of “Survivor: Samoa,” due to strike on Thursday, Sept. 17.
“NCIS” returns on Tuesday, Sept. 22 along with the debut of its spinoff “NCIS: Los Angeles” and new series “The Good Wife.” “CSI” is back on Sept. 24, and for the 2009-2010 season it has been paired with “The Mentalist” on Thursday nights.
Lastly, new seasons of “Ghost Whisperer” and “NUMB3RS” will be joined by the season premiere (and network debut) of “Medium” on Sept. 25.
Read on after the jump for the full schedule.
ABC Reveals Fall Premiere Dates
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Uncategorized on June 10th, 2009
"Desperate Housewives." Copyright ABC/Photo by Randee St. Nicholas.
We’re barely into the summer TV season, and ABC already has started shaping up its fall schedule.
Mind you, these dates are subject to change depending on what other networks do and the kind of buzz the new series end up getting. But at least we know when our favorites will be back. Among the highlights: “Dancing with the Stars” returns Monday, Sept. 21. “Grey’s Anatomy” will be back, presumably Gizzie-less, on Sept. 24. “Desperate Housewives” fans find out who Mike Delfino married on Sept. 27.
“Ugly Betty” returns a bit later and on a new night, Fridays, starting October 9.
A reminder to “Lost” fans — the final leg of the journey starts in midseason (probably January) and runs straight through with no repeats.
Keep reading for the schedule. All times are ET/PT.
NBC Renews “Chuck”, Announces Next Year’s Schedule
Posted by Heather Campbell in Casting alert, The Pick-Up Game, TV News, Uncategorized on May 19th, 2009
Chuck Bartowski has plenty of reasons to smile today.
A collective sigh of relief was heard ’round the (TV) world this morning, as NBC announced Tuesday morning that “Chuck” would be returning to their network next season. Crediting the strong support of fans and their participation in the Subway “Save Chuck” campaign, NBC revealed that Chuck Bartowski and friends will continue their special brand of fighting evil for at least 13 more episodes — which likely won’t reappear on screens until next spring, after the network’s Winter Olympics coverage has ended. “Chuck”‘s return was also bolstered by a special sponsorship deal with Subway, which will involve a franchise being integrated into the show itself.
NBC followed the “Chuck” announcement with the release of their full schedule for next season, which will be split into two as a result of their aforementioned Olympics coverage. Of the other shows on the bubble, only “Law and Order” will be returning, with “My Name Is Earl” and “Medium“, and the much-beloved “Life” canceled. Since “The Jay Leno Show” will be occupying an hour of the primetime line-up each night, the number of new shows premiering will be limited to “Trauma“, “Parenthood“,”Community”, “Mercy”,”Day One” and “The Marriage Ref”.
See a full breakdown of the split-in-two NBC season after the jump:
“Stargate Universe” Adds Guest Stars, Familiar Faces
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Uncategorized on April 16th, 2009
Amanda Tapping and Richard Dean Anderson sign on to guest star on the upcoming "SGU: Stargate Universe."
Some entertainment franchises refuse to lay down. “Stargate,” for example. That ‘verse just keeps on chugging, from “Stargate SG-1” to its spinoff “Stargate: Atlantis“…and as of this fall, fifteen years after the original film’s theatrical release, “SGU: Stargate Universe.” Now that “Star Trek” lives in theaters, “Stargate” is free to step in and boldly go where just about nobody else in TV is going anymore. With a number of relatively well-known actors in its cast, including Ming-Na, Lou Diamond Phillips and Richard Carlyle, it certainly seems to be higher profile than its predecessors were when they started.
Months ahead of its planned two-hour premiere in October, the cable channel already has recognizable guest stars lined up, including a number of “SG-1″ alumni: Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Gary Jones and naturally, Richard Dean Anderson.
Also stopping by “SGU” is “24′s” Carlo Rota, Christopher McDonald and recording artist Janelle Monae, playing herself.
Of course, Sci Fi/SyFy has another highly anticipated title premiering within the next year: “Caprica.”
You’ll find an array of recently uploaded video clips at the top of the series homepage, or by clicking here.
Peabody Award Winners Announced
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Uncategorized on April 1st, 2009
From left: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte in "Breaking Bad."
HBO’s “Entourage,” AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” and ABC’s “Lost” were among three dozen Peabody Award winners announced today by The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The thirty-six recipients listed here represent what the Peabody board considers to be the best in electronic media for 2008, culled from radio, television and the Web. Links to IMDb pages and official program sites are available below. (To see a list that includes short citations, visit the official Peabody Awards site.)
Some of the winning entries, including excepts from The Onion News Network, clips of “Saturday Night Live’s” political satire, and the entire Independent Lens documentary “Mapping Stem Cell Research -Terra Incognita,” are available for viewing on IMDb.com. You’ll find the first two by clicking here, and here. “SNL’s” political skits are sprinkled throughout the show’s video gallery, but for the prime cuts go here, or click here and work your way down the page.
The 68th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony will be held May 18 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. NBC News anchor Brian Williams is scheduled to host.
Keep reading…
Is the story intensifying on “Dollhouse”?
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Casting alert, Commentary, TV News, Uncategorized on March 16th, 2009
Eliza Dushku stars in Fox's "Dollhouse," Fridays at 9 ET/PT.
We want it to work. We drooled over the buzz…and yet, so many fans seem disappointed in Fox’s “Dollhouse.” True, it has served up a weak brew in its initial episodes, and ratings aren’t what they should be (although last Friday’s numbers were up — a good sign). Even so, it’s a Joss Whedon series, and knowing that is enough to keep the faithful hanging on. The man hasn’t broken our hearts yet, which is more than you can say of many TV auteurs.
Now Whedon wants to assure us that our patience will soon be rewarded. In a recent note to critics, he promised that this week’s episode, “Man on the Street,” will increase the intensity. If that tease isn’t tasty enough for you, how about this — io9.com has pictures from the set of the actor rumored to be playing Echo’s mysterious nemesis Alpha. For that matter, he’s already listed in the credits for an upcoming episode on IMDb. So if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t click here, or here, or here. Consider yourself warned.
Check out previous episodes on IMDb whenever you want, and discuss the series with other users on our message boards.
Happy Returns: Summer TV’s Almost Here!
Posted by Melanie McFarland in Casting alert, Commentary, Tune In Info, Uncategorized on May 9th, 2009
Reaching the end of a TV season, even one as mediocre as 2008-2009′s has been, can be bittersweet. The forced break from our favorite series — for three months in most cases, seven or more in others — is bad enough. Worse is the sting that accompanies the permanent loss of a favorite show. (Every Wednesday evening this writer mourns the death of her “Life.”)
But for every pain, there is a balm…and for couch potatoes, it’s knowing that summertime brings its own special brand of boob tube crutches that make the living even easier. Here are are few things we’ll be looking forward to, ranked in order of excitement level:
Jeffrey Donovan in "Burn Notice."
1. The return of USA’s “Burn Notice.” That would be at 9 PM ET/PT on June 4, less than a month away, and if you have yet to discover this show, you’re missing out one of TV’s greatest pleasures. Action, comedy, a little romance — all of that (and Bruce Campbell too!) makes the adventures of former spy/ current badass Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) a must-see on hot nights (and cold ones; the second half of this past season made midwinter bearable).
Last season ended with Michael jumping into the ocean from a helicopter in defiance of the shadowy organization that ruined his life. We don’t yet know if the third season premiere picks up with him mid-swim, but it’s a safe bet that a few “Burn Notice” fans hope it will at least include a few shots of Donovan in a wet shirt.
2. The return of “True Blood” at 9 PM ET/PT on June 14, which we’re hoping also means the return of Lafayette Reynolds (Nelsan Ellis), easily the most entertaining character on a show that grew from a guilty pleasure into an utter addiction over the course of its first season. His loss would be a heartbreaker, but not a deal-breaker — the buzz about season two sounds too good to give this thing up.
3. A new season of TNT’s “The Closer” kicks off at 9 PM ET/PT on June 8. Surely at some point we’ll tire of watching Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) frighten the living bejeesus out of perps in the interrogation room…but not yet. Plus, she just got married, adding a new dynamic to her already complex personal life.
4. At long last, the return of “Project Runway“ at 10 PM ET/PT on August 20, this time on Lifetime. So what if its final season on Bravo felt as if it had been phoned in from Valiumland? We’re still suckers for this series, especially after watching “The Fashion Show”…sorry, Bravo.
6. Showtime’s “Weeds” kicks off its fifth season at 10 PM ET/PT on June 8, followed by the series launch of “Nurse Jackie“ at 10:30 ET/PT. Granted, my “Weeds” buzz has worn off a touch, but the fourth season certainly did end in an interesting place. Plus, Jennifer Jason Leigh is set to appear in at least two episodes this summer playing Nancy Botwin’s (Mary-Louise Parker) sister Jill Price-Gray. As for “Nurse Jackie,” the pilot left a bit to be desired, but something in us is pulling for Edie Falco to score a solid post-”Sopranos” hit.
7. The five-part miniseries “Torchwood: Children of Earth,” is due at some point this summer — June, we hear? — but BBC America still hasn’t announced a date. Regardless, we can’t wait for the sci-fi swashbuckler’s return — Captain Jack Harness (John Barrowman) is one the most exciting heroes on TV at the moment, and the preview clip makes “Children of Earth” look like a cross between a souped up “X-Files” episode and “Village of the Damned.”
Others as-yet-unscheduled-but-traditionally summertime series we’re looking forward to? AMC’s “Mad Men” and HBO’s “Entourage.”
9. Fresh episodes of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance“ step out on Thursday, May 21. Even non-fans tune in to this show at some point over the summer because a.) it’s on twice a week; b) it’s a handsome combination of the two most successful unscripted behemoths on television; and c) in terms of reliability and entertainment value, this thing is to television what Japanese economy automobiles are to the world of cars: it gets us from point A to point B without requiring us to expend much energy in the process.
10. Finally, NBC premieres the limited series “Merlin“ on June 21. Will it be a smash-hit? We doubt it. Will it be slightly goofy? You can pretty much count on that. What would summer be without a little scripted cheese? Then again, we should not not pooh-pooh this thing before it even airs — it features the excellent Anthony Stewart Head portraying Uther Pendragon. We’re always happy to see Giles on our TV screens.
Keep reading for a list of other summertime premiere dates…
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