In ABC, Brothers & Sisters, Burn Notice, CBS, Friday Night Lights, Gilmore girls, Grey's Anatomy, House of Payne, Lil' Bush, Monk, NBC, National Bingo Night, Psych, Rosie O'Donnell, Scheduling, Studio 60, The CW, The King of Queens, The Starter Wife, The View, Weeds on May 28, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
Apparently, the upfronts (and, let’s face it, last season in general) went poorly enough for NBC that they’ll be making some changes. The network is expected to announce tomorrow that Kevin Reilly is out as NBC entertainment president. Nikki Finke has the scoop. …
I haven’t watched Rosie’s final episodes of The View yet, but I’ll be interested to see the video of what went down that led O’Donnell to bail on the Barbara Walters chatfest three weeks early. I’ve always found her compelling to watch. I was floored when she came onboard The View last year, and I guess it was just too good to last. I’m sure Ro will pop up on TV again before too long. Her reign as the Queen of Nice may have ended a few years ago, but it may not be long before she’s crowned Queen of the Comeback. …
There’s certainly a lot to look forward to this summer on TV, and I’m not just talking about original summer series. Sure, The Starter Wife premieres Thursday on USA, and it won’t be long before the network rolls out new drama Burn Notice (June 28) and returning favorites Monk and Psych (July 13). Tyler Perry’s sitcom House of Payne makes its TBS debut (June 6) a week before Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States takes aim on Comedy Central (June 13). Studio 60, Aaron Sorkin’s bastard child, is already burning off its final episodes Thursdays at 10 p.m. EDT on NBC. And who could forget ABC’s third-place Friday night sensation, National Bingo Night? …
But that’s not all. After a jam-packed season that saw live viewership off by 10%, there’s a pretty good chance some people (like me) missed out on a few things altogether. Thankfully, several shows are starting over from the beginning, giving folks a chance to catch up on things they missed.
Brothers & Sisters began again last night on ABC. It’ll soon cede its spot to NBA games on the network, but the entire season of the freshman series is available on ABC.com. … NBC is offering encores of Friday Night Lights Sundays at 9 p.m. this summer. … The final season of Gilmore girls begins again tomorrow night at 8 p.m. on The CW. And there’s talk of a possible reunion movie over at TV Guide. … The final season of The King of Queens starts over again Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBS with back-to-back episodes. …
Also catching you up this summer is Showtime’s Weeds, which will return for a third season in August. As the new season looms, more casting news has emerged. First, Andy Milder (Dean Hodges) has been promoted to series regular. Second, and more provocative, Mary-Kate Olsen (of Full House fame, yes) will make the show her first major solo role when she joins the cast this year. …
Finally, a little Grey’s Anatomy news. Isaiah Washington’s pro-gay PSA, his mea culpa after a nearly year-long scandal over an on-set dustup involving fellow actor T.R. Knight, debuted Thursday during Grey’s (watch on YouTube). Following a cliffhanger season finale, it seems both actors’ futures on the show may be up in the air. Knight tells Access Hollywood he’s not been told whether he’s expected to return. Meanwhile, Us Weekly is reporting that Washington is out as a series regular, though he may make an appearance in a few episodes next season. As is often the case with Grey’s, the off-screen drama is once again as interesting as the scripted angst. …
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
In Fox, Upfronts on May 17, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08
*New programs in bold; all times Eastern
MONDAY
8 p.m. “Prison Break”
9 p.m. “K-VILLE“
TUESDAY
8 p.m. “New Amsterdam“
9 p.m. “House”
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. “Back to You“
8:30 p.m. “‘Til Death”
9 p.m. “Bones”
THURSDAY
8 p.m. “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?”
9 p.m. “Kitchen Nightmares“
FRIDAY
8 p.m. “The Search for the Next Great American Band“
9 p.m. “Nashville“
SATURDAY
8 p.m. “Cops”
8:30 p.m. “Cops”
9 p.m. “America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back”
11 p.m. “MADtv”
12 a.m. “Talk Show with Spike Feresten”
SUNDAY
7 p.m. “The OT” (NFL post-game)
8 p.m. “The Simpsons”
8:30 p.m. “King of the Hill”
9 p.m. “Family Guy”
9:30 p.m. “American Dad”
Press release here.
In The CW, Upfronts on May 17, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
THE CW PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08
*New programs in bold; all times Eastern
MONDAY
8 p.m. “Everybody Hates Chris”
8:30 p.m. “Aliens in America“
9 p.m. “Girlfriends”
9:30 p.m. “The Game”
TUESDAY
8 p.m. “Beauty and the Geek”
9 p.m. “Reaper“
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. “America’s Next Top Model”
9 p.m. “Gossip Girl” (New Series)
THURSDAY
8 p.m. “Smallville”
9 p.m. “Supernatural”
FRIDAY
8 p.m. “Friday Night Smackdown!”
SUNDAY
7 p.m. “Online Nation“
7:30 p.m. “CW Now“
8 p.m. “Life is Wild“
9 p.m. “America’s Next Top Model” (Encore)
“‘One Tree Hill,’ ‘Pussycat Dolls Present’ and two new reality series — ‘Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants’ and ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ — are lined up for midseason.” Read the story.
Later today: Fox.
In CBS, Upfronts on May 16, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
CBS PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08
*New programs in bold; new times in italics; all times Eastern
MONDAY
8 p.m. “How I Met Your Mother”
8:30 p.m. “The Big Bang Theory“
9 p.m. “Two and a Half Men”
9:30 p.m. “Rules of Engagement”
10 p.m. “CSI: Miami”
TUESDAY
8 p.m. “NCIS”
9 p.m. “The Unit”
10 p.m. “Cane“
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. “Kid Nation“
9 p.m. “Criminal Minds”
10 p.m. “CSI: New York”
THURSDAY
8 p.m. “Survivor”
9 p.m. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”
10 p.m. “Without a Trace“
FRIDAY
8 p.m. “Ghost Whisperer”
9 p.m. “Moonlight“
10 p.m. “NUMB3RS”
SATURDAY
8 p.m. “Crimetime Saturday”
9 p.m. “Crimetime Saturday”
10 p.m. “48 Hours: Mystery”
SUNDAY
7 p.m. “60 Minutes”
8 p.m. “Viva Laughlin“
9 p.m. “Cold Case”
10 p.m. “Shark“
Midseason: “The Amazing Race,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” and new drama “Swingtown.” Read the full press release.
Tomorrow: Fox and The CW.
In ABC, Big Shots, Cashmere Mafia, Cavemen, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Gilmore girls, Private Practice, Sam I Am, Upfronts on May 16, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
ABC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08
*New programs in bold; new times in italics; all times Eastern
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
9:30 p.m. “Sam I Am“
10:00 p.m. “The Bachelor”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Cavemen“
8:30 p.m. “Carpoolers“
9:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
10:00 p.m. “Boston Legal”
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Pushing Daisies“
9:00 p.m. “Private Practice“
10:00 p.m. “Dirty Sexy Money“
THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Ugly Betty”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Big Shots“
FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Men in Trees“
9:00 p.m. “Women’s Murder Club“
10:00 p.m. “20/20″
SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
9:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”
“Cashmere Mafia,” “Notes from the Underbelly” and “October Road” will premiere after “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Bachelor” conclude their fall seasons.
Here’s the full press release. …
I think it’s unbelievable that they’re making a sitcom about the cavemen from the Geico commercials. I’d like that to be on the record. …
I also don’t have high hopes for another Christina Applegate sitcom in Sam I Am. Perhaps Gilmore girls alum Melissa McCarthy will at least bring this show some good energy. …
There are a lot of familiar faces on the ABC schedule this fall. Michael Vartan, Dylan McDermott, Christopher Titus and Joshua Malina are the new Big Shots following Grey’s Anatomy. … Lucy Liu heads up Darren Star’s new midseason entry Cashmere Mafia. … Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland and William Baldwin head the cast of Greg Berlanti’s Dirty Sexy Money (a terrible name for a show, if you ask me, but what else is new). … Victor Garber and Loretta Devine have supporting roles in Eli Stone. … And you can’t turn around without running into a familiar face on the Grey’s spinoff Private Practice, which boasts Tim Daly, Taye Diggs and Amy Brennemen along with Kate Walsh’s Addison and others on a California beachfront.
ABC’s lineup, like NBC’s, is heavily reliant on dramas. But there’s an interesting mix of returning faces on the comedy slate as well, including Faith Ford, Jerry O’Connell and Jonathan Sadowski.
Tomorrow: CBS.
In ER, Early Edition, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Journeyman, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, My Name Is Earl, NBC, Quantum Leap, The Bionic Woman, The Office, The Singing Bee, The West Wing, Upfronts on May 15, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
Rumors are swirling that this may be the final season for ER. It’s probably about time, I’d guess. …
Journeyman sounds like a cross between Early Edition and Quantum Leap. The Peacock is remaking The Bionic Woman. What’s with all these tired ideas and recycled formulas? Not exactly the innovative thinking NBC’s Jeff Zucker patted himself on the back for yesterday in discussing the new Law & Order deals. …
Speaking of Law & Order, the flagship series won’t return until January, once the NFL season concludes. The 8 p.m. Sunday slot is where The West Wing went to die. Fred Thompson is unlikely to return as district attorney Arthur Branch next season, the AP reports. No mention was made today about when the new season of Criminal Intent, which will premiere new episodes on USA, will begin its rerun window on NBC. …
The network ordered 30 episodes of The Office, including five one-hour editions. My Name is Earl received a 25-episode order. Heroes and its spinoff will run for a combined 30 episodes next season. …
I thought the reason they didn’t put Friday Night Lights on Fridays last fall was because high school football fans spend their fall Fridays at high school football games. And as poorly as Law & Order did in that slot this year, what is NBC expecting? …
Seriously…The Singing Bee? …
Tomorrow: ABC
In NBC, Upfronts on May 14, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08
*New programs in bold; new times in italics
MONDAY
8-9 p.m. “Deal or No Deal”
9-10 p.m. “Heroes”
10-11 p.m. “Journeyman“
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. “The Biggest Loser”
9-10 p.m. “Chuck“
10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. “Deal or No Deal”
9-10 p.m. “Bionic Woman“
10-11 p.m. “Life“
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. “My Name Is Earl”
8:30-9 p.m. “30 Rock“
9-9:30 p.m. “The Office“
9:30-10 p.m. “Scrubs”
10-11 p.m. “ER”
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. “1 vs 100″/”The Singing Bee“
9-10 p.m. “Las Vegas”
10-11 p.m. “Friday Night Lights“
SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores
SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m. “Football Night in America”
8-11 p.m. “NBC Sunday Night Football”
SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. “Law & Order“
9-10 p.m. “Medium“
10-11 p.m. “Lipstick Jungle“
The Futon has the full press release.
In ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW, Upfronts on May 14, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
It’s an exciting time of year in television. This week, the broadcast networks unveil their fall programming slates to advertisers and the media.
It all begins this afternoon at 3 p.m. Eastern, when NBC will introduce its fall lineup at Radio City Music Hall.
Tomorrow at 4 p.m. Eastern, ABC will give its presentation at New York’s Lincoln Center. Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern, CBS takes its turn at Carnegie Hall.
Thursday, there are two presentations. First, The CW at 10:30 a.m. Eastern at Madison Square Garden. Then, Fox concludes the week at 4 p.m. Eastern at the New York City Center.
The TV Manifesto will have news, reaction and commentary throughout the week.
In ABC, Gilmore girls, Showtime, The CW, The View, Weeds on May 3, 2007 by thetvmanifesto
The LA Times reports that Warner Bros. and The CW were unable to reach an agreement for an eighth season of Gilmore girls, meaning that the show will take its final bow Tuesday, May 15. I’ve come a little late to the Gilmore party (I’m currently catching up on season 4 DVDs; the first two seasons were especially brilliant, I thought), so I can’t comment on the effect the departure of the Palladinos had on the series. But I can say that the May 15 finale was written as a potential series end, so hopefully there won’t be too many loose ends left unresolved. …
Matthew Modine is apparently joining the cast of Weeds for 10 of the upcoming third season’s 15 episodes (follow the link for more info about his character). This is the first I’ve read about the upcoming season, which ended on a suspenseful note involving the police, a Mexican standoff in the grow house, and the murder of Agent Wonderbread. I’ll be interested to see how they tidy up all these loose ends. …
And Rosie, who broke my heart last week by announcing her impending departure from The View, has now promised to stop arguing with Bush-supporting co-host Elisabeth Hasselback…because she’s pregnant. Whatever, Rosie. I never claimed to understand everything you were saying. I just find it entertaining most of the time. It should be interesting to see where the former Queen of Nice lands after ankling the Babs chatfest. First reports suggested she’d have a show by fall 2008, but everything I’ve read since her announcement last week suggests it’ll be fall of 2009 before she’s got her own gig. What’s that about?
