Archive: May 2009 (1-10 of 101)

May 29 2009 07:01 PM ET

Ratings: 'So You Think You Can Dance,' CBS reruns dominate Thursday

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So You Think You Can Dance was last night’s only new, regularly scheduled series, and Fox reaped some of the benefits. The dance show posted better and better ratings each half-hour over the night, narrowly edging out CBS’ reruns in the 9-9:30 p.m. slot and flat-out winning the night in the 18-49 demo. Still, CBS’ procedurals did well, besting Fox in overall viewers for the night. ABC’s spelling bee spiked as the hours wore on, garnering 7.5 million viewers in its last half hour, while NBC’s comedy reruns posted anemic returns.

 

 

Time Show Ratings (in millions)
8:00 p.m. NCIS (CBS)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
The 2009 Scripps National Bee (ABC)
My Name Is Earl (NBC)
Smallville (The CW)
9.6 (repeat)
9.1
5.4
3.5 (repeat)
1.5 (repeat)
8:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 3.1 (repeat)
9:00 p.m. CSI (CBS)
The Office (NBC)
Supernatural (The CW)
9.9 (repeat)
3.2 (repeat)
1.4 (repeat)
9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 3.1 (repeat)
10:00 p.m. Without a Trace (CBS)
The Office (NBC)
9.7 (repeat)
3.6 (repeat)
10:30 p.m. The Office (NBC)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
3.5 (repeat)
3.3 (repeat)
May 29 2009 05:33 PM ET

Dream Emmy Ballot part 5: Best Comedy and Drama Series

Dreamemmyballot_lThe final installment of my Dream Emmy Ballot has arrived, and, not surprisingly, I saved the biggest races for last: best drama and comedy series. Emmy voters, do me a solid and transfer these recommendations onto your official ballots when they go out next week. It may very well be the only thing standing in the way of a ‘Til Death sweep come nominations day July 16. Oh, and if you missed any of my picks in the acting categories, click here to view the entire ballot.

Best Drama
Big Love (HBO): TV’s most addictive, entertaining, and unpredictable family drama.
Breaking Bad (AMC): You’ve heard of the sophomore-season slump? This is its opposite.
Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC): They shot, they scored their best season since the first. Touchdown!
Mad Men (AMC): I don’t remember anything that happened, but I know it looked and sounded brilliant.
Rescue Me (FX): Bounced back from last season’s creative rut by once again stirring the embers of 9/11.
The Shield (FX): One of the most satisfying (and gut-wrenching) TV swan songs ever.

Best Comedy
30 Rock (NBC): Shaky start, but by the end, we were shaking ourselves — with laughter.
The Big Bang Theory (CBS): I still don’t know what the hell string theory is. But I’m laughing, anyway!
Chuck (NBC): You saved the show. Great. Now how’s about saving it from an Emmy snub?
How I Met Your Mother (CBS): The fact that it’s never been nominated is — wait for it — unacceptable.
The Office (NBC): Splitting the office in two was a swell idea. Bringing Amy Ryan back? Even sweller.
Pushing Daisies (ABC): Good idea, good writing, good directing, good acting, good… bye. [Sigh]

Dream Emmy Ballot Part 1: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (comedy)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 2: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (drama)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 3: Best Lead Actor and Actress (comedy)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 4: Best Lead Actor and Actress (drama)

May 29 2009 12:35 AM ET

Dream Emmy Ballot part 4: Best Lead Actor and Actress (drama)

Dreamemmyballot_l
Let’s get serious for a moment, Emmy voters. Below you’ll find the penultimate installment of my 2009 Dream Emmy Ballot, this one focused on two of this year’s most competitive categories — lead actor and actress in a drama series. (My suggestions for outstanding comedy and drama series will be posted tomorrow.) Please use this list of recommendations as your own personal cheat sheet when the real balloting process begins next week. Sound good? Cool. Oh, and I will be checking my picks against the official nominations when they come out on July 16. You know, just to see if you copied correctly.

Best Actor (Drama)
•    Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment): He bared his soul as his shrink got shrunk.
•    Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights): The series’ heart and soul never punts. Ever.
•    Michael Chiklis (The Shield): He made his character sympathetic right down to his final despicable act. That’s art.
•    Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad): I’m not a fan of reruns, but c’mon, last year’s winner deserves a repeat. 
•    Hugh Laurie (House): He kissed Cuddy, lost Kutner, saw dead people, and got committed. ‘Nuff said.
•    Denis Leary (Rescue Me): Fired up about the show’s creative resurgence? Thank the guy who fanned the flame.

Best Actress (Drama)
•    January Jones (Mad Men): Played the ultimate desperate housewife with remarkable restraint.
•    Regina King (Southland): Her complicated, compassionate cop is the standout in a top-notch ensemble.
•    Jeanne Tripplehorn (Big Love): When her devout character was excommunicated, it was a religious experience for me, too!
•    Glenn Close (Damages): So sharp, she cut clean through a scattered season 2.
•    Evangeline Lilly (Lost): She parted ways with "son" Aaron and delivered the mother of all performances.
•    Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men): Masterfully conveyed the quiet pain of giving up a child.

Dream Emmy Ballot Part 1: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (comedy)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 2: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (drama)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 3: Best Lead Actor and Actress (comedy)

addCredit(“Chandler: Bill Records/NBC; Lilly: Art Streiber/ABC; King: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC; Chiklis: Prashant Gupta/FX”)

May 29 2009 12:32 AM ET

'Jon & Kate Plus 8': Gosselins remain under contract for 39 more episodes

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Judging by the body language in the May 25 series premiere of TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8,
it seemed as if Jon and Kate Gosselin could barely stay in
the same room together. But for right now, they (appear to) have no
other choice: The parents of multiples are contracted for a total of
40 episodes this year. This won’t make for the show’s longest season — last year, TLC aired 52 episodes — but it’s a significant number when you consider that the standard reality show on broadcast TV only runs for either 13 or 22 weeks. But then, most of the unscripted shows on the Big Four nets are hour-longs and aren’t shot docu-style (read: inexpensive), like Jon & Kate, TLC’s most successful franchise.

Fortunately for the Gosselins, the producers aren’t typically filming the
Pennsylvania clan around the clock. Kate Gosselin recently told EW that they only average
three production days a week and the crew can either be in their house
all day or for as little as two hours. Before any filming can begin, however,
the producers pow-wow with the Gosselins to decide what’s suitable to film. Camera-ready moments can be as simple as the sextuplets’ talking over the dinner table — this year, in fact, two of the kids will have a rather enlightened discussion about whether pterodactyls can fly — or as elaborate as following the family to get their passports for an overseas trip (that’s coming up this season, too).

“Sometimes they have ideas, but usually I say, ‘I don’t think
so,’” Kate told EW. “I’m not an actor. It has to be stuff I would do anyway.” But they like to plan in advance; in fact, the family already banked several episodes from the last round of filming before the fifth season even began this month.

The burning question, of course, is whether the family’s circumstances might change to the point where the show is dramatically impacted (i.e. if Jon & Kate suddenly finds itself without the Jon part). A contract is a contract, but it doesn’t appear that TLC would hold the couple over a barrel should the relationship crumble under the intense media scrutiny. “The show’s ratings have grown consistently, as
there has been interest in these real-life issues of this real-life family,” a TLC spokeswoman told the New York Times. “We will continue to air as the interest continues, and the family wants to
do it.”

May 28 2009 11:42 PM ET

Jay Leno has logged more than 30,000 jokes about politicians, says report

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Jay Leno, who will step down from The Tonight Show on Friday, has told more than 33,000 jokes about political figures since he took over the late-night spot in 1992, according to a study from the Center for Media and Public Affairs. Leno’s favorite target was Bill Clinton, who was ridiculed more than 4,400 times. George W. Bush, in comparison, was only poked at 2,999 times, the study said. During the same period, Conan O’Brien, who will take over The Tonight Show on June 1, told 7,057 jokes about public figures on his 12:30 p.m. show. Unlike Leno, O’Brien directed most of his teasing toward Bush.

Leno’s favorite non-political subjects were O.J. Simpson (737 jokes) and Michael Jackson (488 jokes). O’Brien also poked fun of Jackson (140 jokes), as well as Paris Hilton (34 jokes). The Center for Media and Public Affairs, which has been monitoring political jokes in late-night TV since 1988, is a non-partisan research organization affiliated with George Mason University in Virginia.

 


May 28 2009 09:48 PM ET

Ratings: CBS' George Strait special wins Wednesday

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With no Dancing With the Stars or American Idol to totally dominate the night, CBS drew big numbers for its George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All-Star Concert. And with no DWTS lead-in, ABC’s Surviving Suburbia, which followed the series premiere of animated series Goode Family, posted a nearly 70 percent drop in viewership. (Suburbia‘s last new episode aired April 27.)

 
   
   
      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. George Strait Concert (CBS)
Wipeout (ABC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Law & Order: CI (NBC)
America’s Next Top Model (The CW)
9.2
8.6
7.5
5.1
1.2 (repeat)
9:00 George Strait Concert (CBS)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Goode Family (ABC)
Hitched or Ditched (The CW)
12.1 (continued)
9.7 (continued)
6.9 (repeat)
3.9
1.1 (repeat)
9:30 Surviving Suburbia (ABC) 2.8
10:00 Criminal Minds (CBS)
Law & Order (NBC)
The Unusuals (ABC)
8.8 (repeat)
6.5 (repeat)
3.9
May 28 2009 07:02 PM ET

Dream Emmy Ballot part 3: Best Lead Actor and Actress (comedy)

Bestleadcomedy_l
Hey, Emmy voters, tired of me yet? No? Good, because we still have six more categories to get through, including the two below — lead actor and actress in a comedy. (My suggestions for lead actor and actress in a drama will be posted later this evening, followed by outstanding comedy series and drama series tomorrow.) To recap: Use this list of recommendations as your guide when the balloting process gets underway next week. I’ll be checking to see how closely you paid attention when the nods come out on July 16.

Best Lead Actor (Comedy)
•    Alec Baldwin (30 Rock): Ironically, he soared by bringing his loopy character down to earth.
•    Kyle Bornheimer (Worst Week): The (super-funny) show didn’t last. But let’s keep its Everyman star as a souvenir.
•    Steve Carell (The Office): With the help of Amy Ryan’s Holly, he gave Michael some heart and depth.
•    Zachary Levi (Chuck): Who else shifts as easily between comedy, drama, and kung fu? That’s right, no one.
•    Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory): Revenge of the nerd!
•    James Roday (Psych): My sixth sense says this is the underrated comic’s year.

Best Lead Actress (Comedy)
•    Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) Made trying to be good look good.
•    Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory): Only a real dork would write her off as just another pretty face.
•    America Ferrera (Ugly Betty): Deserves major props for hiding the series’ signs of wear. Without a poncho, even!
•    Tina Fey (30 Rock): I want her to go to there. Again.
•    Joanna Garcia (Privileged): If Emmy didn’t shun The CW, it’d admit it loved Garcia.
•    Eva Longoria-Parker (Desperate Housewives): The most unsung member
of the ensemble is also its funniest. Let’s give her some love.

Dream Emmy Ballot Part 1: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (comedy)
Dream Emmy Ballot Part 2: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (drama)

May 28 2009 04:56 PM ET

Casting scoops on 'Glee,' 'Greek,' 'BSG,' and more!

Filed under: News and tagged: , , ,

Castingscoop_l
•    Former Battlestar Galactica toasters Tricia Helfer and Michael Hogan are staying in Sci Fi’s orbit, signing on to guest star on the net’s new paranormal dramedy Warehouse 13 (premiering July 7). Helfer will play a Chicago-based FBI agent, while Hogan has been cast as the father of Warehouse heroine Myka (Joanne Kelly). In a fun little twist, Hogan’s real-life wife, Susan, will play the role of Myka’s mom. And if that’s not enough BSG for you, Mark Sheppard (who portrayed the Fleet’s morally flexible lawyer, Romo Lampkin) will appear as enigmatic figure who represents the organization that controls the Warehouse.

•    Everwood‘s Sarah Drew — whose ABC pilot Inside the Box didn’t make the cut for fall — is taking the crazy train over to Fox’s Glee. Sources confirm that the actress has landed the role of Suzy Pepper, an unstable senior who develops an obsessively creepy crush on her teacher. Drew is booked for one episode, but I hear there’s recurring potential.

•    Rumer Willis is having a baby! At least she’ll be pretending to have one on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Bruce and Demi’s actress-offspring will play a pregnant teen in an episode to air in mid-August. Secret Life‘s second season gets underway June 22.

•    It sounds like the third season of Greek will be quite the religious experience. The show is casting the roles of a Mary-Elyse, a flirty Catholic girl who tries to recruit Cappie and Dale, and Pastor Dan, a laid-back minister who helps Dale get over his guilt issues. Season 3 kicks off Aug. 31.

More TV Scoop:
Freddie Prinze Jr. finds time for 24
Dollhouse makes room for Summer Glau
True Blood spoilers
Smallville casting Zod?

May 28 2009 02:42 AM ET

Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Dollhouse,' '24,' 'Burn Notice,' 'True Blood,' 'Lost,' 'Eureka,' 'Bones,' and more!

Elizasummer_lQuestion: With Sarah Connor Chronicles canceled, please tell me there is a possibility of Summer Glau making an appearance on Dollhouse! –Jenn
Ausiello:
The noise you’re about to hear is the sound of the Whedonverse exploding. Joss confirms to me exclusively that, well, he’s one step ahead of you. "If anybody thinks [bringing Summer onto Dollhouse] hasn’t occurred to me already then they have not met me," he says. "I mentioned it to her before [SCC] was canceled. I was like, ‘You know, we should get you in the ‘house.’ But first we have to come up with something that works." And casting her as a doll would not work, insists Whedon. "Summer would be perfect to play an active, but she’s done that [type of role] a lot," he says. "I’d rather see her play someone who talks too much. The most fun I have is when I get somebody who’s good and comfortable at doing something, and then I make them do something else. Summer said to me, ‘I would like to play a normal girl before I die of extreme old age.’" Got any ideas? Head to the comments section!

Question: Since you’ve seen the first four True Blood episodes of season 2, is there anything you can share? –Sanna
Ausiello:
They’re bloody fangtastic! (Never. Gets. Old.) Seriously,
season 2 — premiering June 14 — gets off to a thrilling, gory, scary,
sexy, disgusting, funny, suspenseful start. Alan Ball would drive a
wooden stake through my heart if I spoiled any of the big twists (i.e. my lips are sealed about the fate of a certain flamboyant vampire blood
dealer), but here are a few juicy morsels to whet your appetite:

•    There are three orgies, all of them powered by Maryann’s (Michelle Forbes) aphrodisiac fairy dust.
•    Alexander Skarsgard’s Nordic vamp has an extremely homoerotic
encounter with a character who shall remain nameless. In related news,
there are about two dozen gratuitous shirtless shots in the first four episodes, all of them belonging to either Mechad Brooks (Tara’s new BF, Eggs) or Ryan Kwanten (Jason).
•    Sookie has a very revealing conversation with a new character in episode 4.
•    If you’re wondering what secret Merlotte’s newest waitress (played
by Ashley Jones) is harboring, a clue can be found on her skin.

Question: Got any Dexter casting scoop? Who will be this year’s Jimmy Smits? –Medve
Ausiello:
None other than John Lithgow!

Question: Got anything on 24? –Chris
Ausiello:
Big casting scoop: Freddie Prinze Jr. has been tapped to play CTU’s head of Field Ops. Thoughts?!

Question: Any scooplets on the end of Nip/Tuck? –Ellen
Ausiello:
Patience, Ellen. Patience. Oh, sorry, I meant patients. Among the last
clients looking to go under the knife will be an elderly Holocaust
survivor keeping a nasty secret from his wife and middle-aged daughter,
and a 60-something Asian porn star who wants his open-heart surgery
scar removed before trying to, er, score in the American market.

Question: Any chance Bill Lawrence will keep any of Scrubs‘ new interns around next season? –Joel
Ausiello:
I’m willing to bet he’ll keep at least one. "I really
responded to Eliza Coupe," he tells me. "But there’s nothing set in
stone."

Question: Are you going to post a summer premiere schedule? –Sara
Ausiello:
I have no plans to. Why, did someone tell you otherwise?

Question: In December, Lisa Edelstein was your best supporting actress
in a drama on your Best of ’08 list. So imagine my shock when she
didn’t even make the cut for your Dream Emmy Ballot.  What happened to
the love? –Megan
Ausiello:
Nothing happened to the love, but a lot happened to the
supporting actress category. First and foremost: Chloe Sevigny,
Ginnifer Goodwin, and Connie Britton all decided to enter the supporting
race instead of lead, creating the mother of all logjams. If it’s any
consolation, look at the amazing actresses joining Lisa on my standby
list: Callie Thorne, Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Hicks, Elizabeth
Mitchell, Cherry Jones, Chandra Wilson, and Sandra Oh.

Question: I just finished watching the pilot episode of Glee and it was
amazing! Do you have any info/spoilers about the show that can hold me
over until fall? –Heather
Ausiello:
The club’s token gay (a.k.a. Kurt) gets a love interest in the third episode, but not one he was expecting.

Question: What are the chances you could link to our Save Samantha Who? petition? –Michelle
Ausiello:
I’d say the chances are good.

Question: We’re so close to the new season of Burn Notice. Can we get some info on our favorite ex-spy? –Brad
Ausiello:
Next Thursday’s premiere picks up right where season 2 left off: with Michael up to his neck in the Atlantic Ocean. By the end of the episode, he’s back in hot water. Literally. (I’m talkin’ ’bout the water being on fire!)

Question: Any news on the CW drama Body Politic? Will it be picked up for mid-season? –Corinne
Ausiello:
It won’t. But I keep hearing rumors that one of the show’s
stars may find work on another high-profile CW drama. If it happens,
and all of my sources insist it probably won’t, it would create quite the
hubbubaloo.

Question: This is probably a long shot, but got any Lost scoop? –Jeff
Ausiello:
Yeah, having Lost scoop in late May is about as unlikely as me combing through my old
transcripts and finding an unused Damon Lindelof quote pertaining to
the show’s series finale. OMG, looky here: "We’ve been planning out the
final season for four years now. And of all the talks we have had about
the show, [reuniting all the castaways] is the subject that has come up
the most. The ending was almost where we began, and we had to figure
out how to get there. It’s like a wedding where the reception is the
part that requires the most planning and is the most fun to plan. We’ve
exchanged our vows and I am ready to go party."

Question: You single? You are cute as all get-out! –Bob
Ausiello:
No, but thanks for the perfect segue: Voting for PETA’s annual Sexiest Vegetarian contest ends in the next 24 hours and sources confirm to me
exclusively that I’m getting beat by Joaquin freakin’ Phoenix! What the
hell?! Luckily, there’s still time to prevent this travesty. All you have to do is
click on this link and vote for me. And when you’re done with that,
forward the link to 10 friends and have them vote for me. Then take a 10-minute break and start the process over again. You guys are always talking about wanting to do something positive with your lives. Well, here’s your chance!

Question: Why did The CW kill the Gossip Girl spin-off? –Tammy
Ausiello:
I’m told the higher-ups never embraced the whole ’80s
conceit. I’m also told the reason CW boss Dawn Ostroff stopped short of
declaring the project dead last week was because there’s a chance it could be
reconceived down the road.

Question: Realistically, how many episodes of Lost do you think Elizabeth Mitchell will be in next year? –Derek
Ausiello:
My gut is telling me we’ll see her in two episodes max. But
my gut has been wrong before. Oh, who am I kidding, no, it hasn’t.

Question: Any Eureka scoop? –Paige
Ausiello:
Three of the show’s stars — Joe Morton, Erica Cerra and
Niall Matter — have signed on to guest star on Sci Fi’s new paranormal
series, Warehouse 13, which debuts on July 7. Cerra and Matter will
play small-town thieves who hit the jackpot thanks to a luck-inducing
artifact, while Morton has been cast as a charismatic religious leader
doing time in a Florida prison. Eureka, meanwhile, returns with new episodes three days
later on July 10.

Question: Do you have any scoops on the new season of The Secret Life of The American Teenager? –Laura
Ausiello:
I have a scoop: Brando Eaton (Mental, Bones) has been cast as Ashley’s new gay sidekick, Griffin.

Question: Have you seen the Melrose Place pilot? Thoughts? –Doug
Ausiello:
I thought I would hate it, but I didn’t. It was 10 times
better than the 90210 pilot, that’s for sure. But I’m a sucker for
murder mysteries.

Question: Any more Bones scoop? Pretty please? –Charlee Ann
Ausiello:
Since it doesn’t look like Brennan and Booth will be having
real sex anytime soon, how about Brennan and her bisexual BFF Angela? "We’ve never discussed
that but I wouldn’t put it past [producers]," says Emily Deschanel with a
chuckle. "I feel like Brennan’s the type of character that if she had
feelings for a woman she wouldn’t question that and she’d go for it.
But it would be kind of complicated with her best friend."

That’s a wrap! Send questions/anonymous tips/summer travel tips to ausielloscoop@ew.com. Thanks for playing!

May 27 2009 10:40 PM ET

Ratings: 'American Idol' finale tops the weekly ratings

Filed under: News and tagged: ,

Surprise, surprise: Last Wednesday’s American Idol finale was the top-rated show of the week, drawing a healthy 28.8 million viewers to the showdown that saw Kris Allen triumph over Adam Lambert. However, the night was still down 9 percent from the previous season’s finale, which pulled in 31.7 million viewers. The Tuesday night performance episode drew 23.8 million viewers and took the No. 2 spot for the week.

Of course, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars followed Idol, with the final results show (which crowned Olympian Shawn Johnson the season’s winner) ending up at No. 3 with 20.3 million viewers (a 200,000-viewer increase from a year ago) and the Monday performance show clocking in at No. 4 with 19.2 million viewers.

Nos. 5-12 on the chart were all CBS shows, from the season finale of The Mentalist at No. 5 (16.8 million viewers) to a repeat of CSI at No. 12 (9.9 million viewers). Several other finales on CBS, all scripted, fell in between.

Of note in the rest of the Top 20 was the premiere of Fox’s heavily promoted Glee, which showed up at No. 14 with 9.6 million viewers. While that’s not a bad number, the show’s ratings were seen as disappointing, since Glee lost 60 percent of it’s lead-in audience from Idol. The season 5 premiere of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance showed up right after Glee, at No. 15, with 8.8 million viewers — a 1 percent bump over last season’s premiere. The full Top 20 — with total viewership numbers — is after the jump.

1. American Idol Wednesday | Fox | 28.8 million
2. American Idol Tuesday | Fox | 23.8 million
3. Dancing With the Stars Tuesday | ABC | 20.3 million
4. Dancing With the Stars Monday | ABC | 19.2 million
5. The Mentalist | CBS | 16.8 million
6. NCIS | CBS | 16.8 million
7. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 16.2 million
8. CSI: Miami | CBS | 14.2 million
9. Criminal Minds | CBS | 14.0 million
10. Rules of Engagement | CBS | 12.9 million
11. Without a Trace | CBS | 11.2 million
12. CSI (R) | CBS | 9.9 million
13. 24 | Fox | 9.6 million
14. Glee | Fox | 9.6 million
15. So You Think You Can Dance | Fox | 8.8 million
16. How I Met Your Mother | CBS | 8.7 million
17. NBA Playoffs: Los Angeles at Denver | ABC | 8.7 million
18. The Bachelorette | ABC | 8.7 million
19. 60 Minutes (R) | CBS | 8.1 million
20. Dancing with the Stars (R) | ABC | 7.6 million

More recent ratings news from EW:
Tuesday: CBS dominates while ‘Mental’ and ‘Hitched or Ditched’ debut
‘Jon & Kate Plus 8′ season 5 premiere shatters TLC records
Thursday: Fox wins with ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ return
Wednesday: ‘American Idol’ Ratings: Lambert/Allen can’t compete with Archuleta/Cook
Tuesday: ‘Idol’ + ‘Dancing’ does not = ‘Glee’
Monday: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ wins, ‘The Bachelorette’ comes up roses

READ FULL STORY »

May 27 2009 10:11 PM ET

'Smallville' scoop: Are they casting Zod?!

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It sure sounds like it based on this season 9 casting notice that just fell into my lap:

MASON: Late 20′s early 30′s. He’s a handsome charismatic charmer who savors life. He appreciates good food, loves fast cars and sees beauty in every woman. There isn’t a detail in life that eludes his senses. He is a master of seduction… knowing what everyone wants and needs before they do. But don’t let his magnetism fool you. There’s more than meets the eye. His intelligence can’t be matched. He outmaneuvers everyone in his path. Though he longs to find a home, that vulnerability can be twisted — making him a force to be reckoned with.”

Thoughts?!

May 27 2009 07:18 PM ET

'American Idol' voting controversy: AT&T and Fox deny impact on results

Filed under: News, Television and tagged:

AT&T and Fox have issued statements refuting accusations that tutorials in power-texting at two American Idol viewing parties in Arkansas helped hometown boy Kris Allen defeat Adam Lambert for the season 8 crown.

“Last week, countless parties were held in homes, bars, and other public places across America to watch the American Idol finale. In Arkansas, a few local AT&T employees were invited to attend two local watch parties organized by the community,” AT&T says. “Caught up in the enthusiasm of rooting for their hometown contestant, they brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested.

“Going forward, we will make sure our employees understand our sponsorship celebrates the competition, not individual contestants. That said, it’s quite a leap to suggest that a few individuals could have impacted the final results.” Nearly 100 million votes were cast on the evening of May 19. In the run-up to the Idol season finale, fan-sites for both Kris Allen and Adam Lambert provided instructions on how to ‘power-text’ votes on behalf of their favorites.

As for Fox and Idol producers FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, their statement says, “Fox and the producers of American Idol are absolutely certain that the results of this competition are fair, accurate and verified. Kris Allen is, without a doubt, the American Idol. We have an independent third-party monitoring procedure in place to ensure the integrity of the voting process. In no way did any individuals unfairly influence the outcome of the competition.” (Additional reporting by Michael Slezak)

Visit EW’s American Idol HQ for Idolatry, interviews, recaps, and more

May 27 2009 05:58 PM ET

Dream Emmy Ballot part 2: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (drama)

Ausiellofiles_lThink my job is easy? You try narrowing down the potential nominees for the best supporting actress in a drama Emmy to just six finalists. I could make the case for at least a dozen candidates, but alas, Emmy rules allow for only half that many (I stretched it to a seventh, because I literally could not eliminate any of the women below). And the supporting actor category wasn’t exactly a cakewalk, either. Anyway, you know the drill, voters: Use this list of recommendations as your guide when the balloting process gets underway next week. We’ll see how closely you paid attention when the nods come out on July 16. (Coming up tomorrow: my picks for best lead actor and actress in a comedy and drama.)

Best Supporting Actress (Drama)
* Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights): Episode 8. When her character
realizes she isn’t going to be getting her new dream home. Excitement.
Desperation. Resignation. All in three minutes. She deserves her own
category.

* Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love): It’d be easy to overlook her sunny character as mere comic relief. Easy and wrong.
* Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy): Though the cancer arc tested my
patience, damned if she didn’t sell the material like her life depended
on it. (Memo to Shonda Rhimes: As such, please don’t kill her off.)
* Christina Hendricks (Mad Men): If it takes a strong woman to show her
soft side, this one’s Hercules in heels. Hers is my favorite Mad Men character
by far.
* Alison Pill (In Treatment): As a young cancer patient purging her soul, she was part sad, part inspiring, all perfection.
* CCH Pounder (The Shield): She fought two evil foes (lupus, Mackey) with
fierce determination. If Mackey was this show’s driving force,
Claudette was its secret weapon.   
* Chloe Sevigny (Big Love): The sneakier her character got, the more I wanted to give her a hug. Oh, and an Emmy!

Best Supporting Actor (Drama)
* Walton Goggins (The Shield): Right down to his character’s dying breath, he kept us gasping in awe. A mesmerizing performance.
* Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad): Slowly stepping out of Bryan Cranston’s
shadow, he revealed himself to be a powerhouse actor in his own right.
* John Noble (Fringe): You know how the show kinda feels familiar? Well,
there’s nothing familiar about Noble’s kooky, quirky scientist.
* Jeremy Davies (Lost): As the show was nearly swallowed up by mythology, he supplied much of the heart that kept us invested.
* Ryan Kwanten (True Blood): Yes, he’s pretty. He’s also pretty amazing.
(You can argue with me after you’ve played an extended-erection subplot
with the kind of go-for-broke abandon that he did.)
* Jon Voight (24): The acting vet’s challenge: Play a power hungry,
murdering evildoer without coming off as a cartoon. Mission
accomplished! 

More Dream Emmy
Best supporting actor and actress (comedy)

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