Here are the major highlights from NBC’s just-concluded executive session at Winter Press Tour that don’t involve the words Leno or O’Brien (although if those are the words you’re looking for, click here)…
* Howie Mandel will replace David Hasselhoff on America’s Got Talent.
* Among the pilots NBC has ordered (some of this you already know): A remake of the UK crime drama Prime Suspect, a Rockford Files update from House creator David Shore, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action procedural Chase, the David E. Kelley legal drama Kindreds, and the romantic comedy Love Bites from Sex and the City writer Cindy Chupack.
* SPOILER ALERT: Pam and Jim will experience the birth of their baby in a special two-part Office airing March 4 and 11. “It’s big,” exec producer Greg Daniels later told me. “Part of the concept of it is that Pam is trying to hold the baby in until after midnight so she can get the maximum time in the hospital because of the HMO. So she’s trying to keep the baby in while she’s at work. She pushes it maybe too far.” Kathy Bates, meanwhile, will join the cast as the CEO of the company that buys Dunder Mifflin. Her multi-episode arc kicks off Feb. 4. “She’s a larger-than-life character,” explained Daniels. “She has two giant Great Danes that accompany her when she first visits the office.”
* Jon Hamm reprises his 30 Rock role as Liz’s doctor ex on Feb. 11.
* NBC is in talks with Dick Wolf on a new Law & Order set in Los Angeles. The mothership, meanwhile, is expected back next fall.
* No decision has been made on a Heroes renewal, but NBC prez Angela Bromstad says she’s pleased with the show’s ratings performance at 8 and series creator Tim Kring is “pitching out his view of the next season.”
* Although Bromstad “personally loved” Southland, she has no regrets canceling it. ”It probably found a better home on cable,” she said.
* Contractually, the new season of Friday Night Lights can start airing on NBC as early as March.
Please, no more Law & Order shows. I like the original (and even SVU), but i am tired of carbon copy shows. It feels like new shows are more of the same old, same old. I’d rather see something new.
Couldn’t agree more, I lost interest after the third one. Turned me off the entire series, esp. with it constantly running in syndication. I wouldn’t watch it no matter who the actors are.
Speak for yourself. I love all Law and Order (well, maybe not CI so much), especially the original, and I’ll gladly see a new spinoff.
My favorite of all the Law & Order spin offs was CI. I love the orginal actors and was sad that it is no longer.
Law & Order: Bobby Goren’s Bedroom. Yes.Please.
CI was favorite too, but the recent cast upheaval may change that. A new spinoff doesn’t seem like bad idea.
@ kribbons: Oh please yes.
This is all network television can think of…either a spin-off or another reality show. That’s why cable is doing so much better! When NBC canceled Southland, and ABC canceled Pushing Daisies..you know they suck!
And don’t forget The Unusuals! A cop show finally came around that was different. Not the same old intensely dramatic cop show (no offense to Southland, which was at least a good version of that), but a quirky, refreshing take on a cop show. And what did ABC do? They canceled it!
Dave, I loved the Unusuals too – what a cast!
My wife and I also loved The Unusuals. It was canceled before it had a chance to find an audience. What a refreshing piece of entertainment. I have my fingers crossed that someone will release it on dvd.
I’d rather have more L&O spinoffs than more crappy reality shows!
The Unusuals was excellent. The poor show was cancelled before it even aired.
Don’t forget LIFE!! Cancelling that was the biggest mistake NBC ever made.
Don’t forget Journeyman! Such a travesty that NBC canceled an amazing show like that before it had any chance at a full season.
They canceled Life and replaced it with nothing.
Put a hat on John Krasinski in this photo and he looks like Woody from Toy Story.
There’s a snake in my boots! Looks like someone poisoned the waterhole!
AGREED! NO MORE LAW AND ORDER CRAP.. OR BETTER CANCEL THAT CRAPFEST “SVU” IT’S HORRIFIC.
Please, not more Law and Order. You can’t change a channel without seeing one of the shows. I haven’t watched in years and am tired of just about every cable channel showing a rerun.
The thing is, if they didn’t stick the “law and order” pretitle on it, no one would think anything about it being “more law and order.” Trashing legal procedurals is just the latest form of TV snobbery.
To Tego Livi:
I wouldn’t say snobbery so much as people are getting sick and tired of seeing them at all hours of the day. When 80% of TV is either a procedural or a reality show, it doesn’t give much leeway for programs that want to go outside of the box. I understand that procedurals are easier for potential ratings, but this is getting ridiculous.
So NBC is still creatively inept. They get rid of the talk show but replace with what, the fifth L&O franchise? Geez, Hooray for originality!!
L&O – parks and rect. unit would be good.
I can honestly say that I have never watched a Law and Order show. None. Ever. In my house, L.O.’s stand for “leftovers”.
What is wrong with you people? I love Law and Order. Some of the best character actors or cameos by major stars take place on Law and Order. The acting is so much better than what you usually see on TV and, well, it’s not a reality show but I guess you people would complain about that too.
Kathy Bates ruling The Office? BRILLIANT.
I don’t know. I love Bates as much as the next guy, but I kind of feel like she’s a big enough personality on her own to violate the basic idea of The Office retaining its reality by not bringing in superstars.
I am looking forward to another spin off of Law and Order. If we don’t like it, we don’t have to watch it. Just as long and the stories are good, I shall enjoy the new show! Criminal Intent, though, seems to be losing interest for me though.
Where did I look my grammar? Sheesh!
I will never tire of the Law & Order shows.I love SVU and hopefully NBC will reinstate the other Sister shows once Leno moves back to 11:35 PM.
From the looks of all the pilots being developed, this year maybe exciting after all!
Not another L & O, please! I haven’t cared for the original since Jesse Martin left and don’t watch it anymore, and SVU is barely holding my attention. Now it looks like they’re trying to copy the CBS procedurals (CSI, NCIS) and adding LA to their list. Please, enough is enough. Besides, my favorite of these kinds of shows now is Criminal Minds, forget the L & O stuff.
Here’s a thought – don’t watch.
The problem is PJ, these shows are cluttering up the schedule and it’s hard to find anything else.
Thank you!!!! If U don’t wanna watch a new L&O then ….. DON’T WATCH!!!!
God, I am so sick of all the idiots that say “If you don’t like it don’t watch.” The truth is we probably aren’t watching. What we’re complaining about is that a show we don’t like is taking a spot in the schedule that could be filled with a show we do. Or that a show we loved got canceled while one we hate is still on. A legitimate complaint.
I agree with Chi and RJ. Just about every cable channel is showing the reruns. Give us a break already.
And you know what PJ and Kayla, I DON”T WATCH!!!!!
RJ you are so right. Like shows such as Journeyman, Life, etc. getting canceled, yet there is such inane drivel still on NBC that should have been dropped before it was even started.
I haven’t watched SUV in 3 years but I still hate that NBC is keeping that crappy show on instead of trying something new.
Maybe you should try watching SVU then.
I only watch SVU reruns now. The last three seasons have been pretty atrocious. When I saw that episode with the pedophile using an online game’s avatar to find someone, I had enough. The hardcore gamer in me couldn’t let that crap go, and amazingly, the few episodes I caught since then were even worse.
By the way, didn’t they do another “update” of Rockford Files not too long ago? See where that got them. Talk about running out of ideas, how about having the writers actually CREATE a new show?
Finally news about when FNL will air on NBC! Thanks Ausiello!
Can’t wait. I’ve been avoiding all FNL news and recaps so it won’t get ruined.
Please, pleeeease, put Heroes out of its misery already. It hasn’t been even half decent for a good long while now.
I KNOW!!! Please!!! but somehow, I keep watching it like a bad car accident on the highway. Please..cancel it I need that hour of my life back each week.
You cannot remake ‘Prime Suspect.’ Helen Mirren is one of a kind. U.S. TV tried to remake “Cracker” and “Touching Evil” and both were terrible watered down versions of originals
There’s a thought, why not hire British writers to create interesting shows for American Television.
Or just buy the rights and run the actualy British shows. They’re usually much better anyway.
I think PBS buys the rights to most of those shows- network doesn’t seem to want to do them.
I am cringing to hear casting on Prime Suspect and Rockford Files. I just can’t imagine it.
I agree. The same with the comedies such as Coupling. It was great on the BBC – totally stunk here.
Dont forget the two awful versions of Fawlty Towers the US tried to remake. One with Bea Arthur and the other with John Larrouquette(sp).
put mary mcdonnell in the lead. she has the chops and would do it justice.
No Chuck stuff?
It’s on tonight? Watch it? Tell your friends? There’s some.
How can Angela Bromstad be pleased with the ratings for Heroes? The show has less than 5 million viewers and comes in fourth place in that 8pm timeslot.
that is not correct.
In the 8pm timeslot, Dancing With The Stars (ABC) is 1st, House on Fox is 2nd, followed by How I Met Your Mother & Accidentally on Purpose on CBS. So yes, Heroes does come in fourth during that time period.
Heroes is getting better. I think they should give it a chance to get back to where it was.
Too little improvement a little too late.
Actually this season of L&O has been the best it’s been in years. I hope with news of a renewal, S. Epatha will be back as well. I’m not surprised about an LA version. I’m not sure it’s necessary. I wouldn’t mind seeing the British version though.
The british version ROCKS!!!!
I admit to having a bit of trouble understanding what Jamie Bamber and Bradley walsh are talking about when they talk too fast, though. Their accents and slang take a while to process in my brain.
And no, we do not need a L&O Los Angeles.
I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing another L&O in another city. But why LA? Sure it’s probably easier to film there but it’s too easy.
Totally agree. The writing on L & O keepsgetting better and better. I hope it’s not Ms. Merkerson’s last season.
You know on second thought a new L&O isn’t a bad idea. I hear Alex O’Laughlin’s looking for a job…hint…hint.
Oooh, O’Laughlin on L&O, now that’s a thought. I can’t decide whether I’d like him better as a cop or as a lawyer.
stripper? Yes please
No no no! I want him for the criminal minds spin off!!!!
Seriously? They killed his character from that episode. Plus he was the bad guy. What would it be Criminal Minds: The Haunting?
Honestly, Heroes must die now. It’s just as much a waste of primetime space as Leno’s five nights was.
I am really anxious about who they’ll cast in Prime Suspect. It better be huge.
And FNL should be a candidate for a 10pm slot right? A nice little Olympic push in time for March?
heroes is dead…
i mean c’mon she CANT say its dead cause then the ratings will dive like a stuka.
its dead meat.
I keep wondering who they could possibly cast as Jim Rockford. James Garner made that show, and I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with an actor who would wear as well as Garner. Unless they can crack that, this will go the way of Knight Rider and The Bionic Woman.
As for Prime Suspect, unless they can make the show as gritty and uncompromising as the original, and find an actress of the caliber of Helen Mirren, who is willing to forego all vanity, it’s likely to tank as well.
Prime suspect will never work on network TV any more than Cracker did. They cannot be true to the source material because it is too dark and too main-character-centric.
Having a single main character that’s an addict or not likable on some level seems to be something that Networks can’t pull off.
A couple of places have suggested Bruce Campbell for Rockford- he’s great on Burn Notice.
I’ve no ideas for PS though….
YES!
Jon Hamm is back on 30 Rock!
How about a L&O show not set in LA? Try a different city. Detroit? Phoenix?
Hamm really brought the funny in his last episode; I’m looking forward to his return.
‘Boo’! to the “Prime Suspect” remake… it just can’t match up.
Jon Hamm = win.
I knew TV would cure my mad men fix somehow, and boom, here it is. I adore that man…
Agreed! JH back on 30 Rock is pretty much the only thing that matters to me in this article. Oh, and finding out when FNL season 4 will finally air…but knowing NBC, they’ll probably still wait and put it on in the dead months of summer.
Now here’s a question: how can we get the hilarious Kyle Chandler a guest spot on 30 Rock?? Is anyone with me on this? I know Tina Fey is a FNL fan…
Well that’s a good thing for Leno being booted…now they have an excuse to put FNL in during the SPRING, not SUMMER cause they have nothing else to put in last minute! Yay!!!
Seriously though can they bring back Life?
Agreed. I want Damian Lewis back on my TV!!!!
I still have an ax to grind with NBC over Life. I don’t blame Jay for moving to 10 PM. He would have been happy if they left him at 11:30 where he was #1 in the ratings.
Let me join the bring back life chorus: “Second Life”!
Life, Life, Life!!! Bring back Life!!