Archive: October 2010 (66-78 of 132)

Oct 15 2010 05:15 PM ET

Letterman ties Leno among adults 18-49 for first time this season

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Categories: Late Night, Television, TV Ratings

late-night-ratingsAll eyes have been on the winners and losers in prime time since the 2010-11 season started last month, but the competition in late night has stayed no less fascinating. To wit: For the week ending Oct. 8, David Letterman matched Jay Leno among adults 18-49 for the first time this TV season and won the week in adults 25-54, according to Nielsen ratings.

The Late Show and The Tonight Show both posted a 0.9 rating/4 share in the key demographic. Leno still led Letterman in total viewers (3.5 million versus 3.4 million) but its always worth noting when the CBS host manages to catch up (or even beat) the chinned one in the demo NBC traditionally dominates in the 11:30 hour. Each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers.

But the season is still young. In fact, Tonight has led Late Show by a 5 percent margin in 18-49 viewers (1.2 million vs. 1.2 million) for the first three weeks of the season, NBC reports, which reverses the order at this same point a year ago, when Late Show held a 12 percent lead (1.5 million vs. 1.3 million). In total viewers, Tonight also leads Late Show through three weeks of the new season by a 3 percent margin (3.7 million vs. 3.6 million).

Season to date, Leno is leading in 18-49 in late night with a 1.0/4, followed by Nightline (1.0/4), Letterman (0.9/4), Jimmy Fallon (0.6/3), Jimmy Kimmel (0.5/3), Craig Ferguson (0.5/3) and Carson Daly (0.4/3). In total viewers, Leno also leads with 3.7 million, followed by Nightline (3.7 million), Letterman (3.6 million), Kimmel (1.7 million), Late Night (1.7 million), Late Late Show (1.8 million) and Daly (1 million).

Oct 15 2010 02:40 PM ET

'HIMYM' First Look: Watch Jennifer Morrison's debut!

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Categories: First Look, House, How I Met Your Mother, Scoop

himymImage Credit: Ron P. Jaffe/CBSWill she turn out to be the mother? Beats me! All I know for sure is that ex-House doc Jennifer Morrison is joining How I Met Your Mother this Monday as an extremely significant other in Ted’s life. Her character, an architecture nut named Zoey, is smitten with Ted…until she discovers that the fancy new building he’s designing is going to replace the historic one she’s trying to preserve. The following clip from Monday’s episode takes place before the you-know-what hits the fan… READ FULL STORY »

Oct 15 2010 02:05 PM ET

Random Scooplets: A '24' star heads to 'The Event,' pilot intel, and... a 'Mad Men' suicide?!

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Categories: 24, Mad Men, Scoop, The Event, Treme

ausiello-scoopletsImage Credit: Everett Collection; Art Streiber/CBS; Mike Yarish/AMC* NBC’s The Event — which has been giving off some serious 24 vibes in recent weeks — has tapped one of that show’s stars for a potentially recurring gig. Actress Necar Zadegan, who recurred as the wife of IRK President Omar Hassan during the show’s eighth and final season, will play a mysterious character named Isabelle. It’s probably worth noting that former 24 boss Evan Katz is now an exec producer on The Event. It’s all starting to make sense, right?

* ABC Family has opted not to move forward with Strut, a cast-contingent pilot about a Las Vegas showgirl-turned-drill team instructor. Rumor has it producers were wooing Jenna Elfman for the title role, but Dharma wasn’t interested.

* Tennis legend Jimmy Connors will play himself in an episode of Matthew Perry’s upcoming ABC comedy Mr. Sunshine. Perry’s character Ben challenges his longtime idol to a tennis match—all in the name of charity.

* Mad Men‘s season finale is this Sunday and I have a bad feeling a major character will attempt suicide. Who? Listen to the latest edition of the TV Insiders Podcast (below) and find out! READ FULL STORY »

Oct 15 2010 01:27 PM ET

ABC schedules 'Skating with the Stars' and 'V'

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Categories: Television, TV Biz

v-show-remakeImage Credit: Sergei Bachlakov/ABCGood news for fans of the lizard people: ABC announced today that V will return Jan. 4 at 9 p.m., behind a new timeslot for No Ordinary Family on Tuesdays. The network promises that season two of the high-concept show will feature more character and lizard reveals, along with more details about the V’s mythology.

In the meantime, ABC has decided to replace Dancing With the Stars when its current season ends with a program that features even more (B-level? C-Level?) celebrities making awkward dance moves in front of a live audience! But this time, they’ll do it on ice: Beginning Monday, Nov. 22, ABC will kick off a six-episode run of Skating With the Stars. The new series from BBC Worldwide Prods. will pair celebrities with “world class ice skaters” who’ll compete in front of a live audience. The skating pairs will be critiqued by a panel of expert judges and will receive a set of scores based on artistry and technique and by viewers at home, with one couple being eliminated each week.

The Skating With the Stars cast will be revealed Nov. 2, during the live Dancing With the Stars Results show.

Here’s the ABC schedule through January:

Nov. 22

8-9: Dancing With the Stars
9-11: Skating With the Stars (premiere)

Nov. 29

8-9:30: Skating With the Stars

Nov. 30

9-10: No Ordinary Family (new time period premiere)

Dec. 6

8-9:30: Skating With the Stars

Dec. 13

8-9: Skating With the Stars

Dec. 20

8-9: Skating With the Stars
9-10: Castle (repeat)
10-11: Castle (repeat)

Dec. 21

8-9: Skating With the Stars (season finale)

Jan. 4

8-9: No Ordinary Family (new time period)
9-10: V (season premiere)

Oct 15 2010 12:34 PM ET

'30 Rock' live episode posts much-needed gains on Thursday

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Categories: Television, TV Ratings

live-30-rockImage Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCMaybe NBC should schedule a live episode of The Apprentice. Last night’s special live treatment of 30 Rock helped the struggling laugher to post a 43% increase among adults 18-49 versus last week (a 3.0 rating/9 share), according to early estimates. It was oh-so-close to beating CBS’ $#*! My Dad Says in the demo (3.1/9) at 8:30 p.m., but its ratings will likely improve when the final national numbers come out this afternoon — to say nothing of the DVR results that are due two weeks from now.

Each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers.

30 Rock averaged 6.6 million viewers, finishing in third place among eyeballs for the timeslot behind Dad (10.1 million) and the second half of Bones on Fox (9.8 million).

The Tina Fey comedy still wasn’t NBC’s highest-rated show for the night: That distinction continues to belong to The Office, which averaged a 3.7/10 in the demo and lured 7.3 million viewers. The hype over 30 Rock certainly boosted interest in Steve Carell’s show, however: The Office was up 7% in the demo versus last week. But the NBC audience dropped off substantially at 9:30, with the new comedy Outsourced continuing to hobble along with only 5.4 million viewers and a 2.5/7 in the demo (which ties it with its lowest-rated episode so far this season). And The Apprentice averaged a 1.3/4 and an audience of….oh, bollocks, what does it matter? You’re not watching, anyway. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 15 2010 12:01 PM ET

InsideTV podcast: EW experts weigh in on the 'Mad Men' finale, Florence Henderson sexing it up on 'DWTS', and a big 'Survivor' switcheroo

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Categories: Dancing With the Stars, InsideTV Podcast, Mad Men, Survivor

 

Image Credit: AMC; Adam Larkey/ABC; Monty Brinton/CBS

 

Could Sally Draper not be long for this world? If you’re looking for a big shock to come on Sunday’s Mad Men finale, perhaps little Sally holds the key. While the rest of us are wondering whether Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Price can survive the loss of Lucky Strike, Michael Ausiello thinks that Sally’s recent depression could manifest itself in a horrific way. Hear his theory as he joins Michael Slezak, Annie Barrett, Jeff “Doc” Jensen, and yours truly for another exciting edition of InsideTV podcast. Also on the menu: READ FULL STORY »

Oct 15 2010 11:27 AM ET

'Glee' Exclusive: Kurt's new (boy)friend speaks!

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Categories: Glee, Scoop

darren-criss-gleeImage Credit: Rebecca Sanabria; Miranda Penn Turin/Fox“My guess is as good as anybody’s,” shrugs newest Glee cast member Darren Criss of reports that his character Blaine—a charismatic, out-and-proud gay teen from a rival school—is being groomed as a love interest for Chris Colfer’s Kurt. “It’s a really big secret.” READ FULL STORY »

Oct 14 2010 10:39 PM ET

'The Rockford Files' and 'Prime Suspect': Don't look for them on NBC's midseason lineup

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Categories: Television, TV Biz, TV Pilots

prime-suspect-rockford-filesImage Credit: Everett CollectionIf Hawaii Five-0 has proven anything, it’s that reboots can work if they involve the right writers and stars (thank goodness for Scott Caan as Danno). Too bad NBC didn’t strike while the iron was hot: Though its reboots of The Rockford Files and Prime Suspect generated a lot of interest before the May upfronts, both projects remain in development hell and aren’t likely to resurface until next season (at least).

An NBC insider confirmed that both dramas are being re-developed but neither are up for mid-season consideration at this time (the network has yet to see new scripts, either). NBC shot a Files pilot last spring that featured Dermot Mulroney as Jim Rockford, but it didn’t make the cut. As one source bemoaned to NYMag.com’s Joe Adalian, “It looked like it was shot in the ’70s. You didn’t even know it was the current day until Jim pulled out his cell phone.” Peter Berg’s Film 44 has since taken over the project with plans to start fresh, such as finding a new Rockford. EW’s Michael Ausiello reported in August that Lost’s Josh Holloway was a “viable choice” to take over the marquee role but writer David Shore said “it’s too premature to name names.” Still, fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, Berg will also shepherd NBC’s reboot of Prime Suspect, the British police procedural drama from the ’90s that starred Helen Mirren. That project never made it to pilot for a number of reasons, including NBC’s inability to find someone to play the very demanding role of Det. Jane Tennison. (Memo to Berg: Just hire your Friday Nights Lights leading lady Connie Britton and be done with it!).

Meanwhile, CBS continues to have the last laugh with its reboot of 5-0, which still ranks as the most watched new show of the 2010-11 season with 14.2 million viewers. The producers are definitely embracing the notion that they were inspired by a classic: Showrunner Peter Lenkov told EW that it remains a goal to persuade James MacArthur — aka “Danno” on the series that first aired from 1968 to 1980 — to make a cameo on the CBS drama. He also wants to lure Al Harrington, who played Det. Ben Kokua on the original series from 1969 to 1975. Both he and MacArthur are now in their 70s.

Oct 14 2010 05:45 PM ET

Chilean miners: Next stop, Hollywood?

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Categories: Television, TV Biz

chile-miners-rescueImage Credit: Hugo Infante/Chilean government/AP ImagesThe heroic effort to rescue the 33 miners in Chile may be over, but their time in the international spotlight has only just begun. The intense interest in their plight has already triggered a documentary on Discovery while at least two — possibly three — books are in the works, to say nothing of the cash offers that foreign publications have reportedly offered the miners in exchange for their personal stories.

Discovery was the first network out of the gate with an announcement that it had exclusive footage of the rescue, including interviews with miners and their families. Discovery Latin America snagged a front row seat early and was able to negotiate exclusive access early with the engineers and technicians on site. The one-hour special will be simulcast on Oct. 28 on Discovery Channel, Discovery en Espanol in the U.S. and on Discovery Channel across Latin America and will air in Europe, Africa and the Middle East in November.

“The story we’re focusing on is how they did it — how do you get out 33 guys trapped a half mile down,” says Brooke Runnette, an executive producer for Discovery Channel U.S. “Our Latin America division was on this right away before anybody knew they were alive in the beginning. So our producers have been embedded in the story and have been shooting for months.”

What’s yet to be told in a more comprehensive form are the personal stories, though we might not have to wait for long to read what it was like for Super Mario Sepulveda and his compadres to subsist on tuna and milk rations in a tight space. ABC News reporter Jeffrey Kofman, who’s been covering the story since August, says he knows of at least two books that are already in the works — one of which is being written by The Guardian’s Jonathan Franklin. Word is the latter tome may have already generated interest from a U.S. filmmaker. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 14 2010 05:41 PM ET

Scoop: The CW orders more 'Life Unexpected'

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Categories: Brothers & Sisters, Life Unexpected, No Ordinary Family, Scoop

Sources confirm that Life Unexpected has received an order for two additional scripts. The second-year CW drama—which received an initial order of 13 episodes—hit a season high in total viewers (1.7 million) this week. ABC, meanwhile, has ordered four more No Ordinary Family scripts. Brothers & Sisters also received a four script pickup.

Oct 14 2010 04:37 PM ET

Exclusive First Look: 'The Event' gets CREEPY

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Categories: Scoop, The Event

event-scott-patersonImage Credit: Jordin Althaus/NBCJust in time for Halloween, NBC’s The Event jacks up the creep factor this Monday when the ailing, zombie-esque “survivors” of Avias Air Flight 514 take a turn for the worse. “They’re [undergoing] a transformation that could eventually lead to death,” explains series creator Nick Wauters, who adds that Thomas — the possibly-alien puppet master who gave them the mysterious illness — will continue to “use them as leverage to try and get the president to free his people.” Based on the new, disturbing set of symptoms that crop up this Monday, something tells me Mr. Prez is going to strongly consider meeting his demands. See for yourself in the following sneak peek… READ FULL STORY »

Oct 14 2010 03:03 PM ET

Exclusive: Wentworth Miller eyeing 'Spartacus'?

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Categories: Scoop, Spartacus

wentworth-miller-andy-whitfieldImage Credit: C. Hodes/FoxI’m hearing ex-Prison Break con Wentworth Miller has expressed interest in taking over the title role in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 14 2010 01:13 PM ET

CBS wins Wednesday thanks to strong performance by 'The Defenders' and 'Criminal Minds'

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Categories: Reality TV, TV Ratings

defenders-criminal-mindsImage Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS; Ron P. Jaffe/CBS Record 20863302Looks like no one should underestimate the appeal of Jim Belushi! The Defenders had a great night Wednesday and swept its timeslot among viewers (9.9 million) and adults 18-49 (a 2.5 rating/7 share). Compared to last week, the legal drama that also stars Jerry O’Connell was up 14% in the key demographic and 6% in viewers.

But then the freshman series got a great deal of help from Criminal Minds, which was the night’s most-watched show (13.8 million). The drama won its timeslot among adults 25-54 but trailed in second place in the key demo with a 3.5/9. Each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers.

Overall, CBS won the night in viewers  (11.9 million) and adults 18-49 (3.2/9), with Survivor: Nicaragua enjoying another winning performance at 8 p.m. The reality show reigned in viewers (12.1 million) and adults 18-49 (3.7/11) and gained an additional 80,000 viewers versus last week. CBS has won the 8 p.m. timeslot for five consecutive weeks.

Fox came in second for the night among adults 18-49 (3.1/9) because of another impressive performance by a two-hour version of Hell’s Kitchen. The show is especially popular with adults 18-34 and teens; It ranked No. 1 in both demos. Overall, the show averaged 6.7 million viewers.

Over at ABC, Modern Family won its timeslot yet again among adults 18-49 (4.7/13) and all the major demographics. It averaged 11.3 million viewers, placing second in the timeslot behind Minds. The drop off to Cougar Town, however, was substantial: The comedy posted a 3.2/9 in 18-49 and averaged 7.2 million viewers. And its tough going for ABC’s new Better With You at 8:30:  That laugher rounded up a mere 2.1/6 among 18-49 and 6.4 million viewers.

Overall, ABC finished second for the night in viewers (7.5 million) and third in adults 18-49 (2.7/8).

Onto NBC and its struggling freshman drama Undercovers. J.J. Abrams’ groundbreaking drama that features two black leads just hasn’t gelled with fans. It only averaged 5.9 million viewers last night  and a 1.4/4 in 18-49. It barely beat the CW in the first hour. Law & Order: LA is faring a little better; it averaged 7.1 million viewers at 10 and came in second behind The Defenders.

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