Stay Tuned
Reviews, previews and much more on "The Real Housewives," "How I Met Your Mother," "NCIS" and many more of your favorite shows. This is the place to talk about all of the things that make us "Stay Tuned"…

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Pick of the Week: A Supermodel Showdown and a Bravo Bonus

One of my Bravo faves comes to an end this week, so how could it not be my Pick?

My Pick of the Week is the season finale of “Make Me a Supermodel.”

Last week, the judges pulled a bit of a surprise—although an extremely welcome one—by keeping Branden in the competition and sending Mountaha home. That leaves Branden, Jonathan and Sandhurst to fight it out for the title.

Personally, I think it would be a total travesty if anyone but Jonathan won, but that’s why they play the game, or in this case, walk the catwalk…

The season finale of “Make Me a Supermodel” airs Wednesday, June 3rd at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Speaking of Bravo, here’s a bonus for you. You can whet your appetite for my all-time guilty pleasure, “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” with the special “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List The Footage You Weren’t Meant to See.”

The special will look back at the four seasons of the show with some footage we’ve never seen before.

The special airs Monday, June 1st at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

By the way, I’ll have a review of next week’s “D-List” premiere later this week…

Photo Credits: Barbara Nitke/Bravo & Mike Ruiz/Bravo

Two Faves Finally End Their Seasons...

Two weeks ago I mistakenly posted the season finale dates of “Medium” and “Law & Order: SVU.”

I knew that NBC hadn’t said anything about them being finales, but I couldn’t believe that they’d hold them until June, so I went ahead and listed them. But sure enough, both shows are wrapping up this week…

The “SVU” delay can probably be blamed on President Obama. I have no explanation for the “Medium” delay, other than it’s NBC and they don’t do anything logical…

The season finale of “Medium” will deliver a doozy of a cliffhanger, so thank goodness CBS swept in and rescued it from cancellation. The finale of “SVU” is promising that one major character may not survive the hour. I don’t know who it is, but I’ve got two pretty good guesses…

The season finale of “Medium” airs Monday, June 1st at 10 p.m. while the season finale of “Law & Order: SVU” airs Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Will Hart/NBC

Goodbye, Jay! We'll Miss You...Until September

So Jay Leno said goodbye to “The Tonight Show” Friday night and yes, I cried like a baby.

For the record, I kept it together until Jay lost it talking about his wife…

Jay said he was happy to turn the show over to Conan O’Brien, and even though I don’t believe him for a second, I decided that if Jay was okay with it, I would be too. I decided that I would stop giving Conan such a hard time and give him the benefit of the doubt.

But then something happened that changed my mind…

At the end of his interview with Conan, Jay took a minute to gush about Conan, telling him how he was the only person for the job and how proud of him he was. But Conan said nothing. There was a slight point to Jay during the applause, but that was it. Other than saying at the beginning of the interview that people kept telling him he had “big shoes to fill,” Conan never complimented Jay. At all.

No “Thank you Jay for everything you’ve done for me and for this show.” Or “It’s an honor to take your place.” Jay gushed for a whole minute about Conan and Conan said nothing. And that made me mad.

Jay used his final show to promote Conan. The least Conan could have done was said thank you.

So sure, I’ll tune in to see Conan’s first show to see what he’s got planned. And I’ll probably watch when he has guests on the show I want to see. But other than that, I’m done. And come September, I’ll be there to watch Jay, hoping that he’ll succeed more than everyone thinks he will.

I know that’s not what Jay would want, but I just can’t help it. I guess I’m just not as classy as he is…

You can see Jay’s super sweet and super classy goodbye here…

Friday, May 29, 2009

The Classiest Guy in Show Business

Last night, as Jay Leno encouraged viewers to tune in to his final ‘Tonight Show,” he seemed to be having a hard time keeping it together.

I have long since given up…

As I type this, NBC has just aired a promo for tonight’s show and I am already on the verge of tears. And no surprise, the promo shows Jay being a true company man and wishing his guest, Conan O’Brien, all the best.

Is there any classier guy in all of show business? No, I don’t think there is…

You guys know very well my feelings about this whole situation because I’ve talked about it a lot. And in all honesty, it will be a while before I get over it. But if Jay can be classy about it, I will too.

If you’ve never seen the movie, “The Late Shift,” I encourage you to rent it/buy it and watch it as soon as possible. It’s a HUGE eye-opener (The book is even more so.) and will completely explain why Jay was willing to go along with NBC’s plan. He just didn’t want someone else to go through what he did.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true definition of class…

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure I have extra tissues…

"Maneater" Review: Not What You'd Expect, But...

If you’ve seen the promos or posters for or even just heard the title of the new Lifetime mini-series, “Maneater,” you probably think you know what it’s about.

But unless you’ve read Gigi Levangie Grazer’s (“The Starter Wife”) book that it’s based on, trust me. You have no idea…

Sarah Chalke is Clarissa Alpert, a Hollywood it girl who is the very definition of a maneater. But after her latest one-night stand is a bust, Clarissa decides she’s ready to settle down and sets out to plan her wedding. All she needs is the groom. And so she sets her sights on Aaron (Phillip Winchester, “Crusoe”), an up-and-coming movie producer. But what Clarissa doesn’t count on is that Aaron can play the game as well as she can.

Helping her along the way are her friends, Gravy (Judy Greer), a drug addict in love with a married man; Jennifer (Marla Sokoloff), a too sweet woman who refuses to stand up to her rich parents; and Polo (Noureen Dewulf), a self-involved hypochondriac. Standing in her way is her ex-boyfriend Simon (Paul Leyden). Also there to cause her strife are her divorced parents Teddy (Gregory Harrison) and Alejandra (Maria Conchita Alonso).

There are few actresses on television as charming as Sarah Chalke and that is no different here. And if you’re concerned about seeing her as a self-involved socialite, don’t worry. That role doesn’t last long as the movie plunges into a roller coaster of drama, humor, romance and tragedy.

As I said, it’s not at all what you might think…

But in this case, that’s a good thing, because instead of another shallow woman learns the meaning of caring about other people story, you get something with more layers and enough twists to make your head spin. Granted, you’ll probably see those twists coming, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting.

The real highlight of the mini-series, however is the outstanding cast. Judy Greer is always phenomenal and Phillip Winchester is a great leading man. And Gregory Harrison is still sexy, even with gray hair. Plus, he gets a moment in part two that is guaranteed to make you reach for the tissues.

“Maneater” may not be what you’d expect, but it’s definitely what you’ll want to spend your weekend watching.

In fact, my only disappointment with the mini-series is that there is no Hall and Oates...

“Maneater” airs Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st at 9 p.m. on Lifetime…

Photos Credit: Richard Foreman/Lifetime Networks

Thursday, May 28, 2009

My Apologies...

So I just want to take a moment and apologize to all of you for not updating my blog more this week.

After the rush of everything “Idol,” May sweeps and the Upfronts, I tend to get a little lazy.
Don’t worry, I’ll snap out of it soon and get you caught up on all of the latest news…

I have to because I have a TON of reviews to post on new shows from Bravo and TNT…

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

So Pathetic I Want to Cry...

Sometimes I read something so pathetic and sad that it instantly makes me want to cry…

That’s what happened today while reading my copy of “TV Guide”…

The latest celebrity to join the NBC reality disaster “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” is none other than Lou Diamond Phillips.

LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS?! Are you kidding me? I know this is for charity, but seriously?!

Is he taking a page out of the C. Thomas Howell playbook and using a cheesy reality show to make a comeback?

But more importantly, does Phillips even need to make a comeback? I mean, he was just in the season finale of “Numb3rs,” which is a pretty popular show. And it’s a recurring character after all…

I will never be able to watch “Young Guns” the same way again…

Photo Credit: Randy Tepper/CBS

Monday, May 25, 2009

Pick of the Week: A Bittersweet Goodbye

It’s always sad to say goodbye to a long time fave. But this one will bring tears of anger as much as it will tears of sadness…

My Pick of the Week is the final episode of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

A company man to the very end, Jay’s final guest will be Conan O’Brien, who will replace him beginning June 1st.

I am keeping this post short, because I will have MUCH more to say about this later in the week…

The final episode of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” airs Friday, May 29th at 11:35 p.m. on NBC…

Thursday, May 21, 2009

My Thoughts on the CW Schedule...

I really don't have many thoughts about The CW schedule, other than to say that I'm a little surprised about them booting "Smallville" to Friday nights. I think that will seriously hurt that show since Friday nights are not a big viewing night for its demographic.

As for new shows, "The Vampire Diaries" sounds like "Twilight" for TV, which I'm sure is exactly what The CW is hoping for.

I have no idea what happened to the "Gossip Girl" spin-off, but I'm sure that will come out eventually...

Notice that "Privileged," "Reaper," "Everybody Hates Chris," and "The Game" have all been cancelled...

Meet the New CW Shows...

“MELROSE PLACE”

In an elegant Spanish-style apartment building in the trendy Melrose neighborhood of Los Angeles, a diverse group of 20-somethings have formed a close-knit surrogate family. Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton, the original “Melrose Place”) is the landlady, still beautiful at 40, and a central figure in the lives of all her tenants, especially handsome and rebellious David Breck (Shaun Sipos, “Shark”). Sydney started an affair with David despite her turbulent history with his estranged father, Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro, the original “Melrose Place”). Both father and son learned through experience that Sydney was not above using blackmail to control people. Another tenant, high-powered publicist Ella Simms (Katie Cassidy, “Supernatural”), once considered Sydney her mentor, but their friendship was destroyed by betrayal, and Sydney threatened to evict Ella and ruin her career. Sydney also played a pivotal role in the career of Auggie Kirkpatrick (Colin Egglesfield, “All My Children”). After they met at an AA meeting, she became Auggie’s sponsor and encouraged his dream to become a chef. Now a successful sous chef at the trendy restaurant Coal, Auggie has been avoiding Sydney since she began drinking again. The other tenants include Lauren Yung (Stephanie Jacobsen, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”), a medical student in desperate need of money to pay her student loans, and Jonah Miller (Michael Rady, “Swingtown”), an aspiring filmmaker who has just proposed to his live-in girlfriend Riley Richmond (Jessica Lucas, “Cloverfield”), a first-grade teacher. The newest tenant, 18-year-old Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, “7th Heaven”), has just arrived in LA with her own secret connection to Sydney. When a bloody body is found floating in the courtyard pool, David is the leading suspect. However, as the police are soon to discover, almost everyone living at Melrose Place had a reason to want the deceased out of the way. An updated version of the popular 1990s series, MELROSE PLACE is from CBS Television Studios with executive producers Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer (“Smallville”). Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) is the director and executive producer of the pilot.

“THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE”

The life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy, but as every new model quickly learns, behind the beautiful façade is a world of insecurity and cutthroat competition. Two teenage models who are about to discover this world for themselves are Raina Collins (Sara Paxton, “Last House on the Left”), a stunning beauty with a secret past, and Chris Andrews (Benjamin Hollingsworth, “The Line”), a strikingly handsome Iowa farm boy. When Raina makes an unforgettable impression at a show introducing the new line from designer Zac Posen (appearing in a cameo role), she steals the spotlight from her friend Sonja (Mischa Barton, “The O.C.”). Sonja has been out of the country for mysterious reasons and is now desperate to reclaim her standing as the reigning supermodel. While Raina and Sonja live at the top of the fashion food chain, Chris is starting at the bottom, having just been discovered by agent Simon Lockridge (newcomer Dusan Dukic) of the Covet Modeling Agency, which is owned by former supermodel Claudia Foster (Elle Macpherson, “Friends”). At his first photo shoot, Chris’ inexperience almost derails his career until Raina comes to his rescue, showing him how to relax and work the camera. That afternoon, Raina brings Chris to the “models’ residence” where she lives along with other young hopefuls, including Marissa Delfina (Ashley Madekwe, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl”), Egan (Jordan Woolley, “As The World Turns”), Issac (Corbin Bleu, “High School Musical 2”) and the current alpha-male-model known as Kai (Nico Tortorella, “Twelve”). At an exclusive industry party that night, Chris is again impressed by Raina’s generosity when she steps aside to make sure Sonja lands a job that will resurrect her career. However, after an ugly scene with Simon, Chris is left to question whether he can survive in this world of dangerous excess and fleeting fame. THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE is from Katalyst Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Ashton Kutcher & Jason Goldberg (“True Beauty,” “Punk’d”), Karey Burke (“True Beauty”), Mike Kelley (“Swingtown,” “Jericho”) and Carol Barbee (“Swingtown,” “Jericho”). Christian Duguay (“Coco Chanel”) directed the pilot.

“THE VAMPIRE DIARIES”

Four months after the tragic car accident that killed their parents, 17-year-old Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, “DeGrassi: The Next Generation”) and her 15-year-old brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen, “Everwood”) are still trying to cope with their grief and move on with their lives. Elena has always been the star student; beautiful, popular and involved with school and friends, but now she finds herself struggling to hide her sadness from the world. As the school year begins, Elena and her friends are fascinated by a handsome and mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley, “Army Wives”). Stefan and Elena are immediately drawn to one another, and Elena has no way of knowing that Stefan is a centuries-old vampire, struggling to live peacefully among humans, while his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder, “Lost”) is the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality. Now these two vampire brothers ─ one good, one evil ─ are at war for Elena’s soul and for the souls of her friends, family and all the residents of the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is from Alloy Entertainment and Bonanza Productions Inc in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer”), Julie Plec (“Kyle XY,” “Wasteland”), Leslie Morgenstein (“Gossip Girl,” “Privileged”) and Bob Levy (“Gossip Girl,” “Privileged”). Marcos Siega (“Dexter”) directed the pilot.

“PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED”

After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux (Britt Robertson, “Swingtown”) has decided it’s time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate “Baze” Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha, “Mad Men”), who owns a bar, lives like an aging frat-boy with two slacker roommates, and is astonished to learn that he has a teenage daughter. Lux is equally astonished when Baze reveals that her mother is Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby, “E.R.”), a star on the local “Morning Madness” radio show, along with her on-air partner and real-life boyfriend, Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith, “Eli Stone”). Lux has been listening to Cate’s voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she’s never met. Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care, but thrilled to finally meet her beautiful daughter. When a judge decides that Lux isn’t ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves. PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is produced by Mojo Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Liz Tigelaar (“Brothers and Sisters,” “What About Brian”) and Gary Fleder (“October Road”). Gary Fleder directed the pilot.

The CW Presents Its 2009-2010 Schedule

Here is The CW's 2009-2010 schedule, straight from the official press release...

THE CW’s 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL
9:00-10:00 PM ONE TREE HILL

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM 90210
9:00-10:00 PM MELROSE PLACE (New Series)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL
9:00-10:00 PM THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE (New Series)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (New Series)
9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SMALLVILLE (New night)

"Parental Discretion Advised" will debut in mid-season...

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

My Thoughts on the CBS Schedule...

I don’t usually question the decisions of CBS, but my very first look at their schedule produced a few for me…

I understand that they want to give the “NCIS” spin-off a good lead-in, but to put it right after the original? I think that’s a big mistake.

I also question moving “The Mentalist” to Thursdays at 10. I know that’s been a weak spot for CBS and they’re smelling blood with Jay Leno in that spot, but I think they should’ve used it to help launch a new show instead of putting it in that spot. I think it has a good shot of winning its time period, though, and I’m sure that’s what CBS was thinking as well.

I applaud CBS rescuing “Medium,” but I wonder if putting it on Fridays after “Ghost Whisperer” doesn’t give us an overdose on women who see things. However, I think the block will score well with women.

And I totally understand why they would move “The Big Bang Theory” behind “Two and a Half Men” on Monday, I just hate it because it totally messes up my viewing schedule.

As for new shows, CBS dramas have never really been my thing, but “The Good Wife” has a killer cast—including Chris Noth—so I will definitely check it out.

What do you guys think? Are you excited about anything on CBS’ schedule? Or are you just sad that “Without a Trace” and “The Unit” aren’t on it?

Meet the New CBS Shows...

Here is a look at CBS' new shows with descriptions from the official CBS press release...

The new DRAMAS:

NCIS: LOS ANGELES is a drama about the high stakes world of undercover surveillance at the Office of Special Projects (OSP), a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals that pose a threat to the nation's security. By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets. Special Agent "G" Callen (Chris O'Donnell) is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld. His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J), a former U.S. Navy SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and a surveillance expert who uses state of the art monitoring equipment to look out for those in the field and feed them crucial information. Both Callen and Hanna report to Special Agent Lara Macy (Louise Lombard), the OSP team leader responsible for directing the operations and making life-or-death decisions. Assisting the team is Special Agent Kensi Lo (Daniela Ruah), the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenalin rush that comes with undercover work, and Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), adept at getting into anybody's head, profiling the target and monitoring agents' states of mind before, during and after missions. Armed with the latest in high tech gear and sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit team relies on each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests. Shane Brennan ("NCIS") is the executive producer for CBS Television Studios.

THE GOOD WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing public humiliation caused by her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Alicia Florrick (Margulies) starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney. As a junior associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner (Josh Charles), who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm's top litigator, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has conditions and realizes she's going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia's main competition among the firm's 20-something new recruits is Cary (Matt Czuchry), a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but will use any means to ensure that he, not Alicia, secures the one full-time associate position that's available. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), the firm's tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia transforms herself from embarrassed politician's scorned wife to resilient career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year-old Zach (Graham Phillips) and 13-year-old Grace (Makenzie Vega). For the first time in years, Alicia trades in her identity as the "good wife" and takes charge of her own destiny. Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, Robert King, Michelle King, Dee Johnson and David Zucker are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

THREE RIVERS is a medical drama that goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country where every moment counts. However, dealing with donor families in their darkest hour and managing the fears and concerns of apprehensive recipients takes much more than just a sharp scalpel. Leading the elite team is Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O'Loughlin), the highly-skilled workaholic lead organ transplant surgeon, whose good-natured personality and sarcastic wit makes him popular with his patients and colleagues. His colleagues include Dr. Miranda Foster (Katherine Moennig), a surgical fellow with a rebellious streak and fiery temper who strives to live up to her deceased father's excellent surgical reputation; Dr. David Lee (Daniel Henney), a womanizing surgical resident who's broken as many hearts as he's replaced; Ryan Abbott (Christopher J. Hanke), the inexperienced new transplant coordinator who arranges the intricately choreographed process of quickly and carefully transporting organs from donor to patient; Dr. Sophia Jordan (Julia Ormond), the head of surgery and a dedicated medical professional; and Pam Acosta (Justina Machado), Andy's no-nonsense operating assistant and best friend. In this high stakes arena, in which every case is a race against the clock, these tenacious surgeons and medical professionals are the last hope for their patients. Carol Barbee, Curtis Hanson and Carol Fenelon are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.


The new COMEDY:

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE is a comedy starring Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman as Billie, a single woman who finds herself "accidentally" pregnant after a one-night stand with a much younger guy, and decides to keep the baby... and the guy. A newspaper film critic, Billie is barely surviving a humiliating breakup with her charming boss, James (Grant Show), who's still trying to resume their relationship. Suddenly expecting a child with her "boy toy," Zack (Jon Foster), Billie and Zack make an arrangement: to live together platonically. Billie's party girl best friend Olivia (Ashley Jensen), and Abby (Lennon Parham), her conventional, younger married sister, eagerly look forward to the new addition and offer their own brands of advice and encouragement. But when Zack and his freeloading friends, including Davis (Nicolas Wright), start to turn her place into a frat house, Billie isn't sure if she's living with a boyfriend, a roommate, or if she just has another child to raise. Lloyd Braun, Gail Berman, Gene Stein and Claudia Lonow are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Pamela Fryman directed the pilot.


The new MIDSEASON DRAMAS:

THE BRIDGE is a drama about a tough and dedicated police officer who is voted to become the police union's dynamic leader. To serve the public as well as his 8,000 fellow officers, charismatic Frank Leo (Aaron Douglas) battles criminals on the street, corruption in the ranks and his own bosses. On the force is his able partner and confidante Tommy Dunn (Paul Popowich), who rides with Frank across the bridge that spans the divide between the rich and the poor in the area they patrol; Staff Sergeant Bernie Kantor (Frank Cassini), a voice of reason and moral sounding board; Jill (Inga Cadranel), a detective with a lot of attitude who is moving up the ranks; Billy (Theresa Joy), a young female cop who is determined to prove herself to the guys; and Ed Wycoff (Michael Murphy), the shrewd Chief of Police. Abby St. James (Ona Grauer) is a sharp prosecutor who begins working with the police union, and shares a mutual attraction with Frank. In his new position, Frank Leo takes on the politically-motivated department brass... and makes many powerful enemies in the process. Craig Bromell, Adam J. Shully, Laszlo Barna, Alan Di Fiore and Robert Wertheimer are executive producers for E1 Entertainment, 990 Multi Media Entertainment Company and Jonsworth Productions in association with CTV and CBS Television Studios.

MIAMI TRAUMA is about a team of expert surgeons who work at one of the premiere trauma facilities in the country, where only patients with life threatening injuries are treated. Dr. Matthew Proctor (Jeremy Northam) is new to the trauma team, after a tour of duty in a MASH unit during the Gulf war. Dr. Eva Zambrano (Lana Parrilla) is a workaholic surgeon who is more comfortable in her scrubs than she is out in the real world. Dr. Christopher Deleo, "Dr. C.," is a playboy who thrives on the high-stakes of trauma medicine and is, by his own description, a genius redneck. Dr. Serena Warren (Elisabeth Harnois) is fresh out of medical school, and head nurse Tuck Brody (Omar Gooding) keeps the doctors on track and the patients' families updated in this chaotic corner of the medical profession. Together, this team of doctors excels in the "golden hour," the 60 minutes after being critically injured, when a patient's life hangs in the balance. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jeffrey Lieber and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution.


The new MIDSEASON ALTERNATIVE series:

ARRANGED MARRIAGE is a series that brings the tradition of arranged marriages, which is still practiced successfully by many cultures throughout the world, to the U.S., where it is virtually an inconceivable option for most single Americans. Three adults who are anxious to get married, but who have been unsuccessful in their own search for a mate, choose a life-altering path. They rely on their closest family and friends, those who love and know them best, to choose someone for them to marry based on shared goals, values, experiences and the commitment to make it work. The series intimately documents these three arranged marriages, starting with the first meetings of the families and the wedding day; and then follows the couple through the day-to-day joys, challenges, and emotional tumult that results from their arranged union. Emmy Award nominees Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth are executive producers for Magical Elves Inc.

UNDERCOVER BOSS is a new reality series that follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the lowest level jobs within their companies. Once undercover, they'll get their hands dirty with the rank and file, find out what their employees REALLY think of them and discover how smoothly their companies are REALLY run. In the process, these senior executives learn about themselves, the perception of their company and the spirit of their work force. Stephen Lambert is the executive producer for Studio Lambert, Ltd.

CBS Announces Its 2009-2010 Schedule

Here is CBS' schedule, from its official press release. There are some interesting changes...

CBS TELEVISON NETWORK
2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (NT)
8:30-9:00 PM ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (N)
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:30-10:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (N)
10:00-11:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE (N)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
8:30-9:00 PM GARY UNMARRIED
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: NY

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (NT)

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GHOST WHISPERER
9:00-10:00 PM MEDIUM
10:00-11:00 PM NUMB3RS

SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THREE RIVERS (N)
10:00-11:00 PM COLD CASE (NT)

Scheduled to premiere in mid-season are new shows "Miami Trauma," "The Bridge," "Arranged Marriage" and "Undercover Boss." "Rules of Engagement" will also return mid-season.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

And the Mirror Ball Trophy Goes To...

So we have a new “Dancing With the Stars” champion…

Warning: Stop reading this if you have not yet seen the season finale of “Dancing With the Stars”…

She didn’t win the all-around gold in the Olympics, but she did win the mirror ball trophy. Shawn Johnson and her partner Mark Ballas won “Dancing With the Stars” tonight over Gilles Martin and Cheryl Burke.

According to the show, less than one percent separated the two couples.

Personally, I think that the judges should have been a little less generous with their paddles on those final dances because I thought Gilles was head and shoulders over everybody else.

So what did you think? Were you as surprised as Mark was that Gilles didn’t win?

"Without a Trace" Disappears...

Tomorrow, CBS announces their 2009-2010 schedule, but some details are already leaking out about what will and won’t be on it…

EW.com’s Michael Ausiello is reporting that “Without a Trace” has been cancelled. According to his report, CBS had one slot left and decided to give it to “Numb3rs” because it’s less expensive to produce.

Ausiello also reports that CBS has renewed “How I Met Your Mother,” “Rules of Engagement,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Gary Unmarried.” “Eleventh Hour” and “The Unit” have been cancelled, according to Ausiello.

He also reports that CBS will announce it has added “Medium” to its schedule and will pair it on Friday nights with “Ghost Whisperer”…
I’ll have much more tomorrow…

My Thoughts on the ABC and NBC schedules…

On paper, I think ABC has put together a good schedule. But honestly, I’m afraid to get excited about any of the new shows because every time I get into an ABC show, they ruin it.

However, I will say I’m intrigued by “V,” since I was a big fan of the original. And with Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet, “Lost”) as the lead, it should be good.

And just for the record “Lost” fans, this does not mean Mitchell is done with “Lost.” McPherson said today that he expects her to still be on “Lost.” EW.com’s Michael Ausiello is reporting that Mitchell will appear in a limited number of episodes and will no longer be a series regular.

I’m also rooting for “Cougar Town” because of Courteney Cox Arquette and Josh Hopkins.

As for NBC, their schedule is pretty interesting. And quite honestly it has potential trainwreck written all over it. With Jay Leno on five nights at 10, NBC’s 10 p.m. shows have to move to early, trickier timeslots. Who would have thought “Law & Order” would ever air at 8 p.m.?

I do, however, applaud them for recognizing the benefits of a split schedule. Maybe condensed seasons of shows like “Chuck” and “Heroes” will actually help them…

What do you guys think? Are you super psyched for any of ABC or NBC’s shows? And are you as worried about this whole Jay Leno thing as I am?

Thoughts From the ABC Conference Call...

So since I got up at the crack of dawn to participate, I figured I should say something about the ABC schedule presentation conference call.

But honestly there wasn’t much to say and since they were just piping audio from a press conference over the phone, there was a lot of times I didn’t know what was going on or what was being said.

I guess I just wanted to hear the voice of my TV enemy, ABC President Steve McPherson. And I was surprised to find him to be charming and good-natured—much more charming than FOX’s Kevin Reilly was to reporters yesterday.

But if you think a couple of good jokes at a press conference is going to change my mind about him, you’re mistaken—especially since he cancelled “Cupid,” which I was just starting to fall for.

Here is some of what McPherson had to say about ABC’s schedule…

On Leno moving to 10 p.m. on NBC: “The Leno move opens up a lot of opportunities.” McPherson especially pointed out Tuesdays at 10 p.m. as a real opportunity since “Law & Order: SVU” is moving to 9. ABC has scheduled Jerry Bruckheimer’s “The Forgotten” for that slot. “Leno’s a different audience, an older audience. We’ll just wait and see.”

On the return of “Scrubs”: Zach Braff will be back for at least six episodes, but they probably won’t be the first six. Executive Producer Bill Lawrence has two ideas on what to do with the show—a complete rethink or following the new generation.

On the new Thursday lineup: “There is no better Thursday lineup on TV.”

On “Grey’s Anatomy”: “People jumped the gun on the Izzie stuff.”

On why Shonda Rhimes’ new pilot was not picked up: “It needs some work. We’ll go back and look at it after summer. We decided to take our time and not rush it.”

On “Surviving Suburbia”: “We’ll see how it does during the summer.”

Meet the New NBC Shows...

Here are the descriptions of the new NBC shows direct from the NBC press release...

New Dramas

"Parenthood"
From the executive producers of the box-office hit "Parenthood" -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it’s clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.

"Trauma"
Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC’s "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city’s Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.

"Mercy"
"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica’s husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC’s "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC’s "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.

"Day One"
From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.

New Comedies

"100 Questions"
Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren’t easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women’s Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC’s "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.

"Community"
From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin’ lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.

"The Marriage Ref," from Jerry Seinfeld, was previously announced. According to a separate news release, it will feature opinionated celebrities, comedians and sports stars who will candidly comment, judge and offer different strategies for real-life couples in the midst of a classic marital dispute.

NBC Announces Its 2009-2010 Schedule

Here's NBC's fall schedule from the official press release...

Notice two things: 1) The schedule is split in half, a la FOX, to accomodate the Winter Olympics. 2) "Medium" and "My Name Is Earl" are not on the schedule.

NBC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE *New programs in UPPER CASE
MONDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Heroes"
9-10 p.m.—"TRAUMA"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

TUESDAY 8-10 p.m. – "The Biggest Loser" (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. – "PARENTHOOD"
9-10 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. – "SNL WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY" (multi-episode run)
8:30-9 p.m. – "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. – "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. – "COMMUNITY" (moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. after multi-episode run "30 Rock" returns)
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. – "TRAUMA" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY 7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC MID-SEASON 2010 SCHEDULE (2010 WINTER OLYMPICS preempt regularly scheduled programming from February 12-28, 2010) *New programs in UPPER CASE

MONDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Chuck" (season premiere)
9-10 p.m.—"DAY ONE"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

TUESDAY 8-9:30 p.m. – "The Biggest Loser" (90-minute edition)
9:30-10 p.m. – "100 QUESTIONS"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. – "MERCY"
9-10 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. – "COMMUNITY"
8:30-9 p.m. – "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. – "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. – "30 Rock"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY 7-8 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. – THE MARRIAGE REF
9-11 p.m. – "The Celebrity Apprentice" (season premiere; two-hour edition)

Meet ABC's New Shows

Here, from the official ABC press release, are the descriptions of ABC's new shows...

"Cougar Town"
Courteney Cox stars as a recently divorced single mother exploring the honest truths about dating and aging in our beauty and youth obsessed culture.

“Cougar Town” stars Courteney Cox as Jules, Christa Miller as Elle, Busy Philipps as Laurie, Dan Byrd as Travis, Brian Van Holt as Bobby, Josh Hopkins as Grayson and Ian Gomez as Andy.

"Hank"
Kelsey Grammer stars in this timely comedy as Hank Pryor, a titan of industry who suddenly finds himself out of work, almost out of money and around a wife and kids for whom he's never made much time. Despite his recent setbacks, however, Hank is confident he's on the road back to the top. He knows he is destined to return to greatness. And he is — just not the greatness he imagines.

“Hank” stars Kelsey Grammer as Hank, Melinda McGraw as Tilly, David Koechner as Grady, Macey Cruthird as Maddie and Ryan Wynott as Henry.

"The Middle"
The Hecks are a middle class family living in the middle of Indiana, just trying to keep their heads above water. Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars as a wife and mother of three in a comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations.

“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Eden Sher as Sue, Atticus Shaffer as Brick and Charlie McDermott as Axel.

"Modern Family"
Today’s American families come in all shapes and sizes. Shot from the perspective of an unseen documentary filmmaker, this comedy takes a modern look at the complications that come with being a family in 2009.

“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sofía Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Ty Burrell as Phil, Julie Bowen as Claire, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Nolan Gould as Luke and Ariel Winter as Alex.

"The Deep End"
Each year one of LA's most prestigious law firms recruits four young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. The only way for these first-years to survive is to support each other...even as they compete against one another in the cutthroat arena of high-end law. Sex, greed, romance, betrayal - it's all part of being a first year associate at Sterling Law.

"The Deep End" stars Matt Long as Dylan Hewitt, Ben Lawson as Liam Priory, Tina Majorino as Addy Fisher, Norbert Leo Butz as Rowdy Kaiser, Leah Pipes as Beth Bancroft, Billy Zane as Cliff Huddle, Sherri Saum as Susan Oppenheim and Clancy Brown as Hart Sterling.

"Eastwood"
Three very different women find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them, and this small New England town will never be the same. The series is based on the popular movie "The Witches of Eastwick" and on the novel of the same title by John Updike.

"Eastwick" stars Rebecca Romijn as Roxie Torcoletti, Lindsay Price as Joanna Frankel, Jamie Ray Newman as Kat Gardener, Paul Gross as Darryl Van Horne, Sara Rue as Penny, Veronica Cartwright as Bun, Johann Urb as Will, Jon Bernthal as Raymond and Ashley Benson as Mia.

"Flash Forward"
When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled.

Adapting award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer's revolutionary novel, executive producers David S. Goyer (visionary co-writer of "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight") and Brannon Braga ("24," "Star Trek: Enterprise") invite you to embark on a journey to answer the question, "if you knew what your future held, what would you do?"

"Flash Forward" stars Joseph Fiennes as Mark Benford, John Cho as Demetri Noh, Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe, Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford, Courtney B. Vance as Stan Wedeck, Brian O'Byrne as Aaron Stark, Christine Woods as Janis Hawk, Zachary Knighton as Bryce Varley and Peyton List as Nicole.

"The Forgotten"
From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes a crime show in which a team of dedicated amateurs work on cases involving unidentified victims. After the police have given up, this group must first solve the puzzle of the victim's identity in order to then help catch the killer. They work to give the deceased back their names, lest they become -- The Forgotten.

"The Forgotten" stars Rupert Penry-Jones as Alex, Reiko Aylesworth as Linda, Michelle Borth as Candace, Bob Stephenson as Walter, Anthony Carrigan as Tyler and Rochelle Aytes as Detective Grace Russell.

"Happy Town"
Haplin, Minnesota, "Happy Town," is approaching almost a decade of peace after being riddled for years by unsolved kidnappings. But in the wake of this small town's first crime in seven years, some dark truths are being revealed about some familiar faces. They say every town has its secrets... that doesn't even begin to describe Happy Town.

"Happy Town" stars Geoff Stults as Tommy Conroy, Lauren German as Henley, Amy Acker as Rachel Conroy, Dean Winters as John Haplin, John Patrick Amedori as Andrew Haplin, Sarah Gadon as Georgia Bravin, Jay Paulson as Larry 'Root Beer' Rogers, Robert Wisdom as Roger Hobbes and Sam Neill as Merritt Grieves.

"V"
"V" is a re-imagining of the 1980's miniseries about the world's first encounter with an alien race in which the aliens call themselves The Visitors, and have a seemingly friendly agenda that may or may not be a cover for something more malevolent."V" stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack Landry, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie Stevens, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker

"Shark Tank"
From Mark Burnett, executive producer of “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” and Sony Pictures Television comes “Shark Tank,” an exciting new reality show that gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and become successful – and possibly wealthy – business people. But the entrepreneurs must first try to convince five tough, multi-millionaire tycoons to part with their own hard-earned cash and give them the funding they need to jumpstart their ideas.

In these trying economic times, it’s difficult for an individual possessing a dream or even a working small business poised for growth to get a loan for a risky venture. Whether it be an imaginative enhancement for an existing product, a family recipe that has all the ingredients to become a profitable culinary treat, or the latest technological gadget that could take the world by storm, most of these dreams die an early death because no one dared take a financial chance on someone with an unproven and oftentimes outrageous proposal. Many of these people now see “Shark Tank” as their last chance at success. Some have been laboring on their ideas for years or even decades, have invested large amounts of money, and are being pressured to throw in the towel by friends and family. Others have simply never had access to the means to live out their dreams, until now.

Enter the Sharks of “Shark Tank” – Barbara Corcoran (Manhattan real estate titan), Kevin Harrington (king of infomercials), Robert Herjavec (technology tycoon), Daymond John (fashion mogul) and Kevin O'Leary (venture capitalist) – five multi-millionaires who lifted themselves up by their bootstraps to make their own entrepreneurial dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.

Each week ambitious entrepreneurs from across the country will present their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to the panel of ruthless investors. Their goal is to convince these merciless moguls to invest their own dollars in the concept. Convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, “I’m out!” -- sending them running for the exit.

But these Sharks aren’t just out for blood, they too have a goal: to own a piece of the next big idea. Entrepreneurs will be asked to give up a percentage of their companies’ equity to the Sharks in order to get the investment they need. But when the Sharks hear a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them will erupt. Then the once-desperate entrepreneur can rejoice when the Sharks reveal their true interest in the product and bid up the price of the investment.

I'll have thoughts from the press conference and my own thoughts about the schedule, coming up later...

ABC's 2009-2010 Schedule

Here is ABC's 2009-2010 schedule:

MONDAY: 8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" (two-hours)
10:00 p.m. "Castle"

TUESDAY: 8:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
10:00 p.m. "The Forgotten"

WEDNESDAY: 8:00 p.m. "Hank"
8:30 p.m. "The Middle"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "Cougar Town"
10:00 p.m. "Eastwick"

THURSDAY: 8:00 p.m. "Flash Forward"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Private Practice"

FRIDAY: 8:00 p.m. "Supernanny"
9:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
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"

“The Bachelor” will air Monday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. following the run of “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Scrubs” and “Better Off Ted” will air at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, following the run of “Dancing with the Stars The Results Show.”

"Lost," "Wife Swap" and "True Beauty" will also return midseason, along with new shows "V," "Happy Town," and "The Deep End."

"Samantha Who" Gets Cancelled

I am listening to the ABC Upfront Press Conference right now and ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson just addressed the cancellation of "Samantha Who?"

"I feel really responsible for that. It was really very frustrating. It launched very well, and then kind of lost its steam."

McPherson praised both the show and Christina Applegate and admitted that the failure of "In the Motherhood" really hurt it.

More on ABC's schedule coming up...

"How I Met Your Mother" Season Finale: A-Ha!

Okay, so it’s very late and ABC is making its schedule presentation very early tomorrow morning—or should I say later this morning. But I couldn’t go to bed until I saw “How I Met Your Mother”…

Warning: If you haven’t seen the season finale of “How I Met Your Mother” stop reading now…

Yes, I got what I wanted. Barney told Robin he loved her and she told him she felt the same. But this being something involving Barney, it couldn’t just be straightforward. The two tried to out-Moseby (declaring feelings to scare the other one off) each other until they finally just ended up kissing. It wasn’t what I would call classic romance, but for these two, it worked.

But with “Mother,” you have to take the good with the bad and in this case, the bad was the running joke about the goat. We finally saw the full story of the goat tonight, and quite frankly, I didn’t think it was anywhere near the wait.

And speaking of waiting, we’re still waiting to learn the identity of the mother. But we did get an important clue. She was in Ted’s first class as an architecture professor. You may remember that it was Stella’s boyfriend, Tony, who helped get him the job—thus explaining why running into Stella helped him meet the mother.

All together now. A-HAAAAAAH!

So, maybe next season we’ll get a few more clues. But honestly, isn’t the only thing we care about next season that Barney and Robin are together?

Monday, May 18, 2009

"CSI: Miami" Finale: Points for Creativity

So I have no idea who that Ivan guy was and why he was important to the story.

And I still don’t quite understand that whole thing with Erik and his father, but I have to give “CSI: Miami” points for creativity with its cliffhanger tonight…

Warning: If you have not yet seen the season finale of “CSI: Miami,” stop reading now…

Although Calleigh warned him not to go see his father, who was an accessory to a murder of a police officer, Erik did anyway and tried to convince his father to find a way out of the Russian mob.

The next we saw of Erik, he was driving his father through a shootout between the mob and police, as Calleigh, his girlfriend, was shooting at him. When Calleigh realized it was Erik, she stopped shooting.

But did she stop soon enough?

At the end of the episode, Horatio and Tripp found the car Erik was driving, but Erik was nowhere to be found. His father was unconscious in the passenger seat, and when he came to, he told them he didn’t know where Erik was.

When Calleigh ran up on the scene, she yelled at Erik’s father to tell her if she hit Erik with a bullet, but he said he didn’t know. He just knew that Erik was bleeding and that he lost control of the car and that was the last thing he remembered.

The episode ended with Calleigh walking away from the scene in tears, followed by a dramatic Horatio pose as the camera swept over the swamp.

In all honesty, I don’t know how the show is going to get out of this one. But you can bet it probably won’t make much sense and it will probably be extremely cheesy.

And that’s just the way I like it…

"24" Season Finale: Making a Believer Out of Me Once Again

Usually in the hour leading up to the “24”finale I am a bundle of nerves. I can’t sit still, I pace around the room…

Tonight, however, I was perfectly calm. I was more worked up about “How I Met Your Mother” than I was about “24.”

But by the 75 minute mark, I was clutching my throw pillow in anticipation of what was going to happen next…

I didn’t expect to get so emotionally involved in the episode, because I didn’t think I cared that much. I thought I had become ambivalent because of the whole Tony thing. I thought that tonight I would watch Tony die—again—and I would continue to be ambivalent about the show until next season.

But something happened that made me care and also made me believe in my beloved “24” once again…

Warning: If you have not yet seen the season finale of “24,” stop reading now…

All along I have said that the only way to come anywhere close to justifying Tony’s actions was to show that he was doing all of this to flush out Charles Logan so he could kill him to avenge Michelle’s death. Well, I turned out to be right, but it wasn’t Logan he was flushing out. It was the mysterious Alan Wilson that Cara had been working with over the last few weeks. Apparently, he was the head cheese in the death of David Palmer and therefore responsible for Michelle’s death.

Now, I have to admit that I don’t really like the addition of another person to muddle up the storyline from the best season of “24” ever, but I’m actually willing to forgive it. Because it led to one of the most amazing moments of the season and the best performance I’ve ever seen Carlos Bernard (Tony) give.

Because Tony wasn’t just avenging Michelle. He was also avenging the death of his unborn son. Even after everything Tony did this season—murdering Larry, trying to kill Jack—when he yelled, “You killed my son!” I nearly burst into tears. And then, as Tony crawled across the floor after being shot by Renee, trying to get his gun, I clutched my pillow even harder and waited for the moment to come—the moment when Jack would take Tony’s life.

But it never happened. Instead, Jack only shot Tony in the hand to keep him from picking up his gun. As they took Tony into custody, Tony railed at his former friend, telling him he had become “one of them” and playing that cruel Teri card one more time.

It was a good way to end the story. And yes, it does allow Tony to come back…

The B storyline also had me engrossed as everyone’s favorite Secret Service agent, Aaron, with the help of former Chief of Staff Ethan, managed to bring down the First Daughter, Olivia, for hiring someone to kill Jonas Hodges.

And President Taylor showed that she is truly honorable by turning her daughter in, even though it will most likely cost her her marriage—although I have a sneaking suspicion that Ethan could be there to pick up the pieces if necessary.

That huge whoop of hooray that you heard across the country tonight was “24” fans celebrating Kim finally showing she’s a true Bauer by outsmarting the enemy operatives and risking her life to get the necessary information to find her father.

And speaking of her father, I was sure that we would see a big kiss between Jack and Renee—and you know how I feel about Jack and women—but instead we got a moment much more intimate than that as Renee looked for Jack’s advice about what to do with Alan Wilson. In one of the most enlightening passages of dialogue ever heard on “24,” Jack told her “Make decisions you can live with” as he wiped the tears from her face. The last we saw of Renee, she had laid down her badge and headed into the interrogation room to talk with Wilson. That moment almost made me wish Jack had kissed her.

And that haunting Sean Callery score throughout the episode was amazing. It made me want to take back all of the criticism I gave him all season long...

So, with everything else out of the way, the focus fell on Jack, who was coming ever closer to death. As the minutes ticked away, I wasn’t sure how they were going to get him out of this one. And technically they didn’t, as the show ended with Kim vowing to do the stem cell treatment and save her father’s life. As ambiguous as the ending may have been, you have to give credit to the writers for not saving Jack in a speedy quantum leap ending and instead giving us the possibility that maybe things won’t work out after all.

But of course we know that things will work out and Jack will be back next season. My biggest concern is how he will be back. With Jack finding God and asking for forgiveness for all of the things he’s done, you have to wonder how he’ll emerge from all of this. If the show decided to be realistic, then Jack would probably emerge as a different person.

However, I think I speak for “24” fans everywhere when I say we don’t want Jack to be a different person. We love him just the way he is.

And we can’t wait to see him back next year…

The seventh season of “24” will be available on DVD beginning tomorrow…

"Dancing With the Stars": Who's Going to Win?

Okay, “Dancing With the Stars” fans, now’s your chance.

Since I didn’t see any of the performances tonight, I need you guys to tell me who’s going to win.

Is it Shawn and Mark? Gilles and Cheryl? Melissa and Tony?

Sound off now by posting a comment…

It's Just Another Manic Monday...

Tonight will be a return to Manic Monday, so I hope you’ll stick it out with me…

The two-hour season finale of “24” is from 8-10 p.m., which means I won’t see “How I Met Your Mother” live. But since I can’t wait to see what happens with Barney and Robin, I’ll stay up late and watch it after 11 and then offer my thoughts after that.

I won’t see any of “Dancing With the Stars,” so at some point during the night, I’ll do a post for all of you to tell me who’s going to win.

Sometime after 10, I’ll have some thoughts on the “24” season finale, and then sometime after 11, I’ll no doubt have something to say about the season finale of “CSI: Miami.”

I hope you’ll join me throughout the evening…

“It’s just another Manic Monday…”

Pick of the Week: "Glee"

It’s highly unusual to premiere a show in May and then not air any more episodes until fall. But when you’ve got something with this much potential, it’s really hard to keep it on the shelf…

My Pick of the Week is “Glee.”

It’s easy to think from the promos that “Glee” is just another “High School Musical,” but the show is really like nothing I’ve seen on TV before. The camera angles are unique, the narration device is turned on its ear by switching it back and forth between characters and the musical cues between scenes are like nothing I’ve ever heard before.

Honestly, “Glee” has much more in common with the movie “Election” than it does with “HSM”…

Matthew Morrison is Will, an optimistic high school teacher who decides he wants to take over the McKinley High Glee Club after the director is fired after a scandal. McKinley’s Glee Club was once an award-winning machine. But now, McKinley is a cheerleading school, and Glee Club is home to the outcasts of high school society.

But Will believes he can restore the club to its former glory despite his detractors—including his wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), the cheerleading coach, Sue (Jane Lynch), and even the school’s principal. However, in order to get the club to its ultimate goal of the Nationals, Will has to recruit some more talent to surround the self-proclaimed star of the club, Rachel (Lea Michele). And he finds it in the school’s popular quarterback, Finn (Cory Monteith). But will Finn be willing to risk his reputation to join the geeks and sing?

Because the plot of “Glee” does sound so similar to “HSM,” it’s easy to go into the show with certain expectations. But I encourage you to have an open mind, because the show won’t meet those expectations. It will totally go around them and give you something completely new and fresh. “Glee” is smart and funny, but it’s also an edge and plenty of attitude.

And once you hear the club take the stage to sing “Don’t Stop Believin’’” you will be so on board, you’ll forget all those expectations and just want to stand up and cheer.

I think I actually did…


The special preview of “Glee” airs Tuesday, May 19th at 9 p.m. (time approximate after “American Idol”) on FOX…


Photo Credits: Matthias Clamer/FOX and Carin Baer/FOX

My Thoughts On the FOX Schedule...

Normally, whenever I share the FOX schedule with you, I tell you to mark it in pencil because it will definitely change.

But this year I’m not going to say that because I believe that FOX has put together its most stable schedule in four years…

Usually they overschedule the fall and then either have to scramble to find places in the spring for the shows that succeed, or the fall comes apart and they have to totally start over in January.

But by mirroring the January schedule with “So You Think You Can Dance” and by leaving “House” and “Bones” in the same place, FOX has got a good thing here.

I’m thrilled to see “Lie to Me” given such a strong lead-in with “House,” but I’m a little concerned that the two leads of those shows may be viewed as too similar. But new “Lie to Me” showrunner Shawn Ryan should help that out considerably.

I’m also quite intrigued by the move of “Fringe” to Thursdays. What FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly told reporters today, without really telling us, is that he smells blood. He knows that “CSI” is on the decline, so why not put the most buzzworthy show you’ve got up against it?

The new show I am most excited about is “Human Target.” Mark Valley deserves to be a TV star and I’m hoping this one will do it for him.

And let me just weigh in on the “Dollhouse” debate by saying that I completely support FOX’s decision. Though I gave up on the show very early, from everything I’ve read, it was getting better. And let’s face it. FOX owed Joss Whedon one. I think the show will show some improvement after the DVD release.

I do, however, question putting two comedies as the lead-in for “Dollhouse” on Fridays. Michael Strahan starring in a series? I’m a fan of Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, but I’m really not sure about that one. And after keeping “’Til Death” off the air for an entire year, do they really think anyone will still care? That hour could be a problem for FOX and for “Dollhouse.”

So what do you guys think? What new FOX shows are you excited about? Do you think “So You Think You Can Dance” can survive in the fall? And will you follow “Fringe” to Thursdays?

FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly Talks About the Schedule

Not surprisingly, most of the early questions this morning for Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment at FOX and Peter Rice, the Chairman of Entertainment at FOX, revolved around the renewal of “Dollhouse.” Most of the questions seemed supportive, but one reporter almost seemed to be mocking them for the decision.

And the “Dollhouse” discussion did lead into questions about “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and Reilly’s answers are not going to make “Connor” fans happy…

Here’s a sample of some of the things Reilly had to say about FOX’s line-up…

On moving “So You Think You Can Dance” to the fall: “We didn’t want to reconstitute the schedule in January like we usually do. It creates a mirror of our mid-season schedule…It has a different audience than the other dance show…Most competition shows have two cycles. Nigel has some interesting ideas to bridge the gap between the summer and fall.” Reilly admitted there are one or two weeks of the show they’ll have to play around with a little because of baseball.

On having a two-hour edition of “SYTYCD” on Tuesdays, instead of trying to launch a new show: “The show has an established pattern. If you look at the mechanics of it, we really didn’t want to mess with something that’s working.”

On “Brothers”: “You’ll see a real chemistry there. It’s not afraid to be real at its core.” Reilly said that “Brothers” and “’Til Death” will create a “strong family comedy block.” I’ve never known Daryl “Chill” Mitchell to appear in a family anything, but whatever…

On “The Cleveland Show”: “It’s a little sweeter at its core” than “Family Guy.”

On “Dollhouse”: “It’s a bet on Joss Whedon. He has an unbelievable fan base. We’re placing our bet on Joss that he’ll keep it going next year…It’s a bet on creativity. DVR numbers are a factor. You’re gonna see it grow next season…If we had put new shows on Friday, it would have been met with cynicism. It’s better to bet on something that has a core that you believe will work.”

On “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”: “Terminator has completed its run. It was not an either/or [with “Dollhouse”]…Ultimately, we made the bet on ‘Dollhouse.’ That’s it for ‘Terminator.’” Later, in response to a question from Michael Ausiello, Reilly said, “Cost was a factor, but we looked at the ratings track and the trend lines were not moving in the right direction. We tried, but we thought it was time to move on.”

On “Sons of Tucson”: “Tyler Labine [last seen in “Reaper”] is a real talent.”

On “Human Target”: “It has real FOX DNA. Both male and female audiences will embrace Mark Valley.” Reilly said they plan to launch “Human Target” on January 17th after the NFC playoff game, which will lead right into the two-hour premiere of “24.”

On the “Glee” preview after “American Idol”: “It’s an audience we cannot buy in marketing dollars. It’s locked in on Wednesdays at 9. It’s going there regardless [of what Tuesday’s ratings are].” Reilly said there will be 13 episodes in the fall. Then the show will take a break to accommodate Ryan Murphy making a movie with Julia Roberts and will return in the spring (if it gets a full order, of course).

On how economics affected the scheduling: “Economics did not lead the discussion. Creativity led the discussion. Once we set the schedule, then we go back and look at the economic profile.”

On “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Kitchen Nightmares”: “We can really use those shows opportunistically. They’re self-starting and very flexible.” Reilly does expect to see at least one of them make their way onto the schedule at some point.

On moving “Fringe” to Thursdays opposite “CSI” and “Grey’s Anatomy”: “‘CSI’ has had quite a lot of decline. The door is more open on that night than it has been in a long time.” The appointment shows are down. ‘Fringe’ finished strong. There’s been a huge amount of buzz. It’s a real alternative to both of those shows.”

Meet the New FOX Shows...

Direct from the FOX press release, here are descriptions of the new FOX shows, not including "Glee"...

"The Cleveland Show"
THE CLEVELAND SHOW is a new animated series that follows everyone’s favorite soft-spoken neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son, CLEVELAND JR. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Many years ago, Cleveland was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named DONNA (Sanaa Lathan). Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he’d be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna’s husband ran off, leaving Donna with a teenage daughter and a young son. Now she’s open to Cleveland and has offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously reunites with Donna, and he and Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to join their new family. Once in Virginia, there are a few surprises in store for Cleveland, including ROBERTA (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; RALLO (Henry), his new 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, LESTER (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, HOLT (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a religious pair of talking bears, TIM (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife ARIANNA (guest voice Arianna Huffington).

"Brothers"
Starring Michael Strahan (“FOX NFL Sunday”) and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (“Ed,” “Veronica’s Closet”), BROTHERS is a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think. MIKE TRAINOR (Strahan) seemingly has it all – he’s a good-looking, wealthy and recently retired NFL player living the high-life in New York City, but he’s about to get sidelined. When Mike gets a phone call from his MOM (CCH Pounder, “The Shield”) who orders him home to Houston, he quickly realizes the more his life has changed, the more his family has stayed the same. His brother CHILL (Daryl “Chill” Mitchell), whose life was altered drastically after a car accident left him in a wheelchair, is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat with the help of his loudmouth associate, ROSCOE (Colton Dunn, “MADtv”). The dynamics between Mike and Chill are the same as when they were kids, and their sibling rivalry hasn’t lessened with age. If they can stop their bickering, put aside their differences and learn to be teammates, the brothers might just turn out to be each other’s biggest asset. Wedged between Mike and Chill are their parents. Their father, whom everyone refers to as COACH (Carl Weathers, “Rocky”), is the local high school football coach and the conservative, opinionated alpha male of his clan. Coach thinks he runs the show, but really it’s Mom who calls the shots. Saucy, stern and a schemer, she is the mastermind of the family. And when she learns that Mike’s business manager took off with all his money, she orchestrates a plan to keep Mike in Houston, save Chill’s restaurant and bring the family back together under one roof again – all without anyone realizing what she’s up to. Mom’s plan helps Mike realize that his family – however dysfunctional they may be – is the only family he’s got. And although he may not have a penny to his name, as long as he’s surrounded by people who love him, he’ll always be a rich man.

"The Wanda Sykes Show"
Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The high-energy one-hour show will feature biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series’ unique format will highlight Sykes’ outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field.

"Human Target"
It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a “human target” in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it’s about one thing only: saving his clients’ lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can’t be solved through “normal” means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients’ lives – to become the human target. If you’re a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you’re the president of a bank who’s been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, “Pushing Daisies”) and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, “Watchmen”), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance’s dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?

"Past Life"
Have you ever experienced déjà vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins (“Friday Night Lights”), and inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before. DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish, “All My Children”) is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can’t begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop, “Home and Away”), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It’s a volatile relationship, but with Price’s solid detective skills, and Kate’s penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team. A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff, “The West Wing”) is Kate’s mentor and the center’s namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel, “Scrubs”) is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.

"Sons of Tucson"
In the tradition of “Malcolm in the Middle” and “The Bernie Mac Show,” SONS OF TUCSON is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we’ve ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, RON SNUFFKIN (Tyler Labine, “Reaper”), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. ROBBY GUNDERSON (Davis Cleveland, “How I Met Your Mother”), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn’t respond well to authority; GARY GUNDERSON (Frank Dolce, “Doubt”), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and BRANDON GUNDERSON (Troy Gentile, “Entourage”), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. MAGGIE MORALES (Natalie Martinez, “Saints & Sinners”), Robby’s second-grade teacher and the object of Ron’s affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While SONS OF TUCSON is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.

FOX Announces Its 2009-2010 Schedule

Here, straight from the FOX press release is the FOX schedule, I'll have more after the conference call is completed...

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: FALL 2009
(All Times ET/PT)
MONDAY 8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM LIE TO ME

TUESDAY 8:00-10:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show

WEDNESDAY 8:00-9:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

THURSDAY 8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY 8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY 8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY 7:00-8:00 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: MIDSEASON 2010
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY 8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24

TUESDAY 8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE

WEDNESDAY 8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (January) / GLEE (spring)

THURSDAY 8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY 8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY 8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY 7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW

Renewal News: "Chuck" Lives and More...

TV Guru Michael Ausiello of EW.com is reporting that “Chuck” has been saved and that NBC has ordered 13 episodes for next season.

However, Ausiello is also reporting that the renewal came with significant cost cuts, which could lessen the number of episodes each actor appears in and could also lead to a cast cut.

Ausiello is also reporting that “Cold Case” is close to a renewal, which could hurt the chances of “Without A Trace” to return, and “The Unusuals” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” are officially cancelled.

“TV Week” is reporting that NBC’s “Medium” could be headed to CBS…

Stay Tuned…

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The "Desperate Housewives" Season Finale: Too Creepy?

So how about that “Desperate Housewives” season finale?

Warning: If you have not yet seen the season finale of “Desperate Housewives,” stop reading now…

Okay, let’s start with the bad…

Lynette is pregnant with twins? Am I the only one who thinks that’s beyond wrong? And didn’t they do that time jump to age her kids and avoid the baby thing? Now they want to do it again? Couldn’t they have just gone with her dealing with Tom going back to college?

Gaby and Carlos are raising a teenager who’s exactly like Gaby? Is that really necessary?

And did we really have to go through all of that creepiness just to get a Mike and Susan kiss? I thought that last shot of Dave was extremely reminiscent of the Joker, and it completely creeped me out—though I would give real kudos to Neal McDonough (Dave) for doing such a good job with the story. And I did love Edie reappearing to haunt him.

I do like the whole Bree-Karl thing because I think the show owes Richard Burgi (Karl) one, but it bothered me to see her and Orson still together two months later.

And speaking of two months later, just who is the bride underneath that huge veil that no bride would ever wear marrying Mike? The obvious guess would be Susan—especially since I think that would be the only reason that Karl would be at the wedding, and even that would be weird—but maybe that’s too obvious. Creator Marc Cherry has said that he plans for Mike and Susan to be together in the end, but maybe this is too early for that.

What do you guys think? And did you like the way the season wrapped up?

"Gossip Girl" Season Finale Review: I'm On Board Again

A season finale is good when it convinces the viewer to tune in next season.

But when a season finale convinces you to start watching a show again after you’d already given up on it, well, I would say that’s a really good finale.

And that’s exactly what I would say about the season finale of “Gossip Girl”…

I haven’t seen “Gossip Girl” in quite a while, but when the season finale ended up on my doorstep, I couldn’t resist. And surprisingly, I wasn’t all that lost.

It’s graduation day for Nate, Chuck, Dan, Serena and Blair. It’s a time for celebration until everyone receives a gift they weren’t expecting from Gossip Girl, who promises to follow them to college. But Serena decides enough is enough and declares war on our unseen narrator. But unfortunately, that leads to even more problems for her and her friends.

However, it helps Jenny, who’s in the running to be the new Queen Bee. She doesn’t want the title, but she wants to abolish the whole “monarchy.” However, in order to make that happen, she has to give a present to the girls making the decision—the juiciest piece of gossip possible.

Meanwhile, Lily and Rufus are still trying to sort out their relationship, or figure out whether or not they even still have a relationship.

But the stars of the episode are absolutely Chuck and Blair. It’s hard for me to believe that after despising Chuck so strongly after the series premiere that I could actually be rooting so hard for him to get together with Blair. But since they’re so perfect together, it would be really hard not to root for them. And they have A LOT of great scenes in the hour.

Not surprisingly the episode ends with more than one cliffhanger. There’s a bombshell for Serena, a possible re-coupling, a mysterious stranger and a Georgina sighting.

But it’s the ending that will hook you in because it is awesome.

And even though I know Josh Schwartz will find a way to mess it all up, I’m still on board for next season. And I think you will be too…

The season finale of “Gossip Girl” airs Monday, May 18th at 8 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit: Giovanni Ruffino/The CW

Is Your Favorite Show In Trouble?

This week is Upfront Week. That’s when the networks officially announce their 2009-2010 schedules and we find out once and for all which shows are not coming back.

So, before we get to those announcements, let’s ask the important question, is your favorite show in trouble?

We’ll look at each network in the order of how they will present this week…

FOX comes up first on Monday, and since renewing “Dollhouse” on Friday, really has no questions at all about renewals. “Sit Down, Shut Up” and “Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles” are done, although no formal announcement has been made. The biggest questions surrounding FOX are about what scheduling chances the network will take. One that’s already been announced is a fall edition of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

ABC comes up early in the morning on Tuesday with just a few questions remaining. “Samantha Who?” is the biggest question remaining, since “The Unusuals,” “Surviving Suburbia,” “Cupid” and “In the Motherhood” are all believed to be done. “Castle,” “Better Off Ted” and even “Scrubs” have all been renewed.

NBC will also announce their complete schedule on Tuesday, after doing its “Infront” earlier this month. “Chuck,” “Medium” and “My Name Is Earl,” and “Law & Order” are the remaining questions. Reports have “Medium” and “Law & Order” as sure things, with “Chuck” as a good bet and “Earl” most likely as a goner. If NBC cancels “Earl,” FOX could pick it up.

CBS takes the stage on Wednesday with a lot more questions than what you would expect from the #1 network. The problem for CBS is money and some fairly successful dramas could find themselves on the chopping block: “Cold Case,” “The Unit,” and “Without a Trace.” Comedies “Gary Unmarried,” “Rules of Engagement” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine” are also on the bubble. If CBS cancels “Christine,” it could get picked up by ABC. “Eleventh Hour” is believed to be a goner.

The week wraps up with The CW on Thursday. The only renewal question is “Privileged” since “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Game” and “Reaper” are all believed to be goners. The biggest question for The CW is whether or not the “Gossip Girl” spin-off will make its schedule. Once believed to be a sure thing, its stock has faltered as of late.

I am firmly entrenched in the network publicity machines this week, so for all of the news on the renewals, pick-ups and scheduling changes keep checking right here throughout the week…




Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX, Mitchell Haaseth/NBC, and Eric Ogden/CW

"Prison Break" Series Finale: A Happy Ending?

So now that you’ve seen it, let’s talk about the series finale of “Prison Break.”

Warning: If you haven’t seen it, stop reading now…

On my Facebook page after I watched the finale I said the following, “Any "Prison Break" fans out there? I watched the series finale tonight and it's 45 minutes of "What's going on?" followed by 10 minutes of "Seriously?" followed by five minutes of "Are you kidding me?"

Wouldn’t you agree?

The first 45 minutes were pretty much a blur as we tried to figure out whose side everybody was on and whether Michael was going to save Lincoln or Sara. In other words, it was classic “Prison Break.” And the return of Kellerman was a great twist I didn’t see coming.

But then, after those manic 45 minutes—not to mention four seasons of insanity—we got hit with a big “Quantum Leap” ending to The Company as somehow everything just got washed away by Kellerman, who suddenly had important government contacts. And Lincoln, who had been near death’s door minutes earlier, was suddenly without a scratch. It was a little jarring.

However not nearly as jarring as what came next. As we appeared to finally get our happy ending with Sara and Michael walking down the beach together talking about becoming parents—BAM!—Michael’s nose started bleeding—a signal that The Company did not cure him of his tumor.

So it was no surprise to me what happened next. Four years into the future, we saw Sucre, Mahone, and Lincoln all leaving to go somewhere. Even before the reveal that the Michael Sara was talking to was her son, I knew that they were gathering to meet at Michael’s grave. And that’s when I got mad…

Now, I understand that “Break” is not really the kind of show that you would expect to have a happy ending. But Lincoln got a happy ending. Sucre got a happy ending. C-Note got a happy ending. Mahone got a happy ending. Even Kellerman got a happy ending, so to speak. So, with all of those happy endings, didn’t Michael and Sara deserve one as well?

In an interview with EW.com’s Michael Ausiello, Executive Producer Matt Olmstead defends the ending, saying “it is a happy ending.” Though I disagree with his assessment, he did say something that makes me feel a little better…

There is apparently more to the story…

Remember I told you about the “Prison Break: The Final Break” DVD which has an unseen two hours? Well, those two hours show what happens when Sara is arrested for killing Christina (Apparently Kellerman’s exoneration didn’t completely work.) and Michael has to find a way to save her and their child.

In the interview, Olmstead hints that Michael’s death was due to more than just his health issues. Apparently, there’s a sacrifice involved for his loved ones and friends.

And if so, I think that might actually justify killing him. After all, this is a guy who sacrificed his freedom just to save his brother. It wouldn’t be out of character for him to sacrifice his life for the woman he loves.

What do you guys think? Is there any justification for killing Michael or was a happy ending the only way to end this thing?

You can read the interview here. "Prison Break: The Final Break" hits stores July 21st...

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX and FOX Home Entertainment