Archive: August 2009 (118-129 of 129)

Aug 4 2009 01:41 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: 'The Beautiful Life'

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Categories: The Beautiful Life

Beautiful-Life_lWHO: Corbin Bleu, Elle Macpherson, Sara Paxton, and exec producers Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, and Karey Burke. MIA: Mischa Barton.
PREMISE: America’s Next Top Model: The Drama.

10:08 am/PST: The male lead is not based on Kutcher’s own Iowa-to-New York story. “There are similarities, but my story is actually closer to [the female lead] Raina’s,” he says.

10:13 am: Kutcher claims that when he was approached to become a model he didn’t even know there was such a thing as male modeling. “I thought the Marlboro Man was a real guy.” READ FULL STORY »

Aug 4 2009 12:49 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: 'The Vampire Diaries'

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Categories: The Vampire Diaries

vampire-diaries_lWHO: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Katerina Graham, and exec producers Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, and Bob Levy. MIA: Ian Somerhalder
PREMISE: It’s Supernatural meets Twilight meets Dawson’s Creek. Was totally prepared for this thing to suck. Much to my surprise, it didn’t!

9:18 am/PST: When will the vampire fad go away? “Hopefully not before Sept. 10,” cracks exec producer Julie Plec, referring to the show’s premiere date.

9:23 am: I’m still not clear on why Ian Somerhalder isn’t here.

9:24 am: Kevin Williamson insists Diaries is “not just a high school show. It’s a small town show. Once you get past the vampire premise, we get to telling the story about this town.”

9:25 am: All three actors on the panel claim to have read the books on which the show is based. I believe maybe one of them.

9:26 am: Paul Wesley (Diaries‘ answer to Robert Pattinson) went out of his way not to watch Twilight. “If there are similarities to Robert’s character in Twilight, so be it,” he says. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 08:24 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: Emmy preview with Neil Patrick Harris!

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Categories: Emmy Awards, How I Met Your Mother

Neil-Patrick-Harris_lWHO: Host Neil Patrick Harris (via satellite from Canada where he’s shooting a movie) and exec producers Don Mischer and Emmy chairman John Shaffner.
PREDICTIONS: Lots of funny courtesy of NPH.

4:49 pm/PST: Discussing the controversial decision to eliminate certain writing awards from the telecast, Mischer says it’s all part of an effort to “protect the Emmys as a major television event.” Research found that “potential viewers were not tuning in because it featured shows mainstream viewers didn’t know or weren’t interested in.” The result will be a focus on more popular programs via clip packages spotlighting high points and memorable moments of the past season. “We’re [still] going to honor the best in television,” he insists. “That’s not going to change.”

4:50 pm: We interrupt this panel for some How I Met Your Mother scoop. Here’s the season premiere’s semi-official logline: READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 07:21 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: 'Medium'

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Categories: Medium

Patricia-Arquette-Medium_dlWHO: Patricia Arquette, Jake Weber, and exec producer Glenn Gordon Caron
PREDICTIONS: Lots of Qs about the move from NBC to CBS.

4:01 pm/PST: The family element will remain a “huge” part of the show, says Caron. “We’ve got a bounty of stories to tell [about the kids] growing up.”

4:03 pm: Caron thought that by ending last season with a cliff-hanger NBC would feel compelled to renew it. “We saw how well that worked out.”

4:09 pm: Caron just dissed Heroes! Asked what it’s like being paired with Ghost Whisperer on CBS, the exec says, “Given our history, it’s nice to follow a show that people really like.”

4:11 pm: Spoiler alert! When the new season starts, “Allison comes out of the coma and she’s on a different network,” Caron jokes. Now for some real scoop: He’s planning a Mischief Night episode that inserts Allison into scenes from the original Night of the Living Dead. “It’s going to be the landscape of Allison’s dreams.”

4:18 pm: “We’re not in the buzz business,” says Caron of Medium‘s lack of hype. “We’re in the broadcast business.” For example, Chuck has a tremendous amount of buzz but that “hasn’t translated into people actually watching the show.” Wait a sec, he’s going after Chuck now! Be careful, buddy. That’s not going to play well with this crowd. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 06:45 PM ET

This just in: Another '90210' vet returns (again)!

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Categories: 90210 Casting News!

Relax, it’s just Ann Gillespie. Sources confirm to me exclusively that Kelly and Silver’s train wreck of a mother has signed a deal to return for multiple episodes, the first of which airs in October. Per my 90210 mole, Jackie returns “to mend the broken relationships with her daughters, with several shocking surprises.” 90210‘s second season kicks off on Sept. 8.

Aug 3 2009 06:05 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: 'Accidentally on Purpose'

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Categories:

Jenna-Elfman-Purpose_lWHO: Jenna Elfman, Ashley Jensen, Jon Foster, Grant Show, Lennon Parham, Nicolas Wright, and exec producer Claudia Lonow.
PREMISE: Knocked Up for TV. With half the laughs.

2:34 pm/PST: CBS handed out bowls of condoms prior to the session. And Skittles. Still debating which one I’m going to tear into first. Decisions, decisions…

2:35 pm: Elfman says the show is not a rip-off of Knocked Up. Rather, it’s a rip-off of based on a book called Accidentally on Purpose.

2:38 pm: Ashley Jensen’s real-life pregnancy will not be written into the show. On leaving the New York-based Ugly Betty for the L.A.-based Accidentally on Purpose, Jensen says, “I’m not getting as many air miles.”

2:41 pm: Regarding her numerous failed attempts to find sitcom success after Dharma & Greg, Elfman says, “I love comedy so much. And I was bound and determined to find another great show.” Wait, she’s already lined up another project after Accidentally?

2:44 pm: Opted to go with the condoms. Now comes the fun part: Deciding which critic I’m going to have sex with tonight. [Scanning the room] No. No. Maybe with a blindfold. No. Ew. Changed my mind. I’m going with the Skittles. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 02:56 PM ET

Ratings: 'Big Brother' still hot, 'Defying Gravity' not

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Categories: Big Brother, TV Ratings

Summer viewers continued to prefer reality fluff and hard news to any new scripted series Sunday, as the stalwart 60 Minutes and Big Brother 11 helped CBS win the night. The premiere of ABC’s sci-fi soap-in-space Defying Gravity, on the other hand, notched less-than-stellar ratings.

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
7 p.m. 60 Minutes (CBS)
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
Dateline: NBC (NBC)
‘Til Death (Fox)
Easy Money (The CW)		 9.2
5.1 (repeat)
5.0
1.7 (repeat)
.7
7:30 p.m. American Dad (Fox) 1.8 (repeat)
8 p.m. Big Brother 11 (CBS)
Ty’s Great British Adventure (ABC)
Merlin (NBC)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Overboard (The CW)		 6.9
4.5
4.5
3.2 (repeat)
2.1
8:30 p.m. The Simpsons (Fox) 4.1 (repeat)
9 p.m. Cold Case (CBS)
Family Guy (Fox)
The Storm (NBC)
Defying Gravity (ABC)		 6.6 (repeat)
4.6 (repeat)
4.1
3.7
9:30 p.m. The Simpsons (Fox) 4.3 (repeat)
10 p.m. Without a Trace (CBS) 6.3 (repeat)
Aug 3 2009 01:32 PM ET

Press Tour Diary: 'The Good Wife'

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Categories:

Julianna-Margulies-Good-Wife_lWHO: Leading lady Julianna Margulies and exec producers Robert and Michelle King
PREMISE: Imagine if Elizabeth Edwards left her adulterous husband and became a high-powered lawyer. One of the strongest drama pilots of the year, IMHO. Added bonus: There’s a Gilmore Girls connection (Matt Czuchry’s in it)!

10:01 am/PST: Margulies is late! But she runs on stage giggling and being cute so all’s forgiven.

10:03 am: Margulies really did slap co-star Chris Noth (a.k.a. the lyin’, cheating spouse) in the pilot. “He was like, ‘Oh, please. I’ve been hit so many times.’”

10:07 am: On doing the The Good Wife so soon after the failure of her last legal drama, Fox’s Canterbury’s Law: “I wasn’t eager at all to get back into a court drama because they’re hard… in the shooting process and the language of it. But I found [this] incredibly different.” Biggest difference: This one’s good!

10:14 am: Chris Noth is “an important” part of the series moving forward, says e.p. Robert King.

10:15 am: On why a full-time TV gig makes sense for her now, Margulies says, “I’m a mom and a wife and I need to stay in one place.” READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 01:05 PM ET

CBS' Nina Tassler ribs NBC, Ben Silverman

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Categories: Misc.

A feisty Nina Tassler – CBS’ entertainment president – talked a little trash Monday about the ongoing late-night wars and NBC’s decision last week to replace the beleaguered NBC co-chairman Ben Silverman last week.  Speaking at the network’s annual press gathering in Pasadena, Calif., Tassler quipped that she couldn’t comment on Silverman’s departure because “I’m really just a D-girl” – a sarcastic reference to a controversial swipe he made at rival execs early on in his tenure. Tassler also said that while CBS was feeling bullish about their 10 p.m. dramas opposite the new Jay Leno show this fall, NBC will “declare victory [for] whatever ratings he gets, so it really doesn’t matter.”

Buoyed by the success of new shows like The Mentalist and returning series like Big Bang Theory and NCIS, CBS was the only network to post gains in every ratings category last season, Tassler said. And on a more serious note, she isn’t too worried about NBC’s decision to strip Leno five days a week this fall. “Ten o’ clock is a phenomenal time period for us. There’s a lot of strength leading into Dave Letterman. He’s very excited…raring to go.”

In other news, CBS announced today that an updated version of Let’s Make A Deal hosted by comedian Wayne Brady will replace the outgoing sudser Guiding Light in October.  And CBS still has nine unaired episodes of the cop drama Flashpoint that it’ll likely air sometime next season. – Lynette Rice

Aug 3 2009 11:59 AM ET

Press Tour Diary: CBS Executive Session

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Categories:

Laurence-Fishburne_lWHO: Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment
PREDICTIONS: Lots of questions about the health of the CSI franchise, the decision to cancel Without a Trace, and the latest Big Brother scandal that no one really cares about.

9:13 am/PST: A reporter starts things off with a bang by erroneously calling Nina by her predecessor’s name, Nancy. “I’m Nina,” she responds. Could’ve been worse. He could’ve called her Les.

9:16 am: Twelve hours after news broke that a new version of Let’s Make a Deal would replace Guiding Light this fall, a reporter asks Nancy Nina which show Let’s Make a Deal will be replacing. It’s going to be a loooooooooong week.

9:17 am: Sounds like Flashpoint is a goner. “There are no plans” to produce new episodes beyond the nine already in the can.

9:19 am: “It seemed premature” for NBC to issue a press release declaring Conan the new king of late night, adding, “Dave is at the top of his game… We see this as a great opportunity.”

9:22 am: In response to the failing grade CBS just received from GLAAD, Tassler concedes that “we certainly have to improve our scripted content… hopefully we’ll do better next year.”

9:27 am: How does CBS plan to reverse CSI‘s ratings slide this season? They’re giving Laurence Fishburne some new duds, of course! Tassler reveals that they’re listening to fans who “wanted to see him more comfortable in his clothes” by giving Langston a “little bit of a wardrobe makeover.” Additionally, READ FULL STORY »

Aug 3 2009 10:52 AM ET

2009 Summer Press Tour: Here's what you need to know

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Categories:

The broadcast portion of the 2009 Television Critics Assoc. summer press tour has arrived! Woo-hoo! Here’s a snapshot of the schedule so you can plan your week accordingly:

Today: CBS
Tuesday: The CW
Wednesday: NBC
Thursday: Fox
Friday: FX
Saturday: ABC

As per usual, I’ll be posting newsy highlights and random observations from all the major panels and parties right here in my blog, starting with the CBS exec session this morning. I’ll also be tweeting up a storm throughout the six-day scoopapalooza, so if you’re not following me, now would be a very good time to start.

Any questions?

Aug 3 2009 12:07 AM ET

'Ugly Betty' exclusive: Look who's returning!

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Categories: Ugly Betty

ugly_betty_lI didn’t think he’d stay away for long, and goshdarnit, I was right: Grant Bowler has inked a deal with Ugly Betty to reprise his role as Wilhelmina’s crooked ex, Connor, for multiple episodes, sources confirm to me exclusively.

Last seen at the end of season 3, Connor fled town after Betty discovered that he had embezzled millions from Meade Publications. Willie spent the rest of the season mending her broken heart — a process I’m guessing will spill over into the fall.

Happy the little thief is back? Sound off below!

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