ABC and The CW may be seeking ways to knock off the phenomenal success of Glee, but Fox is content to have just one musical dramedy, thank you very much.
“I like the fact we’ve had a monopoly [on the genre], but I’m not going to clone ‘Glee,’” Reilly told critics at press tour.
Which isn’t to say the network would never-ever consider a Glee spin-off… READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagicA series of breathless reports about Two and A Half Men’s Charlie Sheen and how he reportedly went on a bender in Las Vegas with porn stars this weekend prompted a ”will he show up to work?” watch by a couple of internet sites today - enough to prompt his spokesman to issue this statement about his whereabouts:
“I keep reading that Charlie Sheen did not show up for work today,” says spokesman Stan Rosenfield. “I read those remarks two hours before his scheduled time of arrival. Charlie Sheen arrived at work today and is there as I send this. Memo to Chicken Little: The sky remains in place.” READ FULL STORY »
An eloquent TV critic asked top Fox executives at press tour: When your acclaimed fall drama Lone Star performed an epic out-of-the-gate ratings bellyflop this fall, was that a real “punch to the nuts”?
“We went online and [the headline] was like, ‘Lone Star Dead!’” said Fox entertainment chairman Peter Rice.
“It was a real bummer,” agreed programming president Kevin Reilly. READ FULL STORY »
Fox executives told TV critics at press tour that just because Fringe is moving to Fox’s sci-fi death slot on Fridays doesn’t mean the show is necessarily going to suffer the same fate as Dollhouse … and Sarah Connor Chronicles … and Prison Break … and Wonderfalls … and Dark Angel … and — sniff — Firefly.
“I appreciate the support in this room, and I beg you not to write the eulogy prematurely,” said entertainment president Kevin Reilly. “Friday is a troubled night. We are continually looking for a solution on the night. I was happy that Fringe turned up on a number of top-10 lists. We’re looking for it to go a little bit broader with ratings. I really hope fans go with it. Right now, we’re down to a core loyal audience.” READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox
For the first time today, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez met with the nation’s TV critics, who showered the new American Idol judges with questions about who’ll replace Simon Cowell as the big meanie and what type of criticism they’ll offer to the legions of wannabes. “We are both spontaneous,” Lopez told the critics in Pasadena, Calif. “We’re very honest and in the moment with what we say and do. We have different perspectives from the previous judges. We’ve auditioned, we’ve been through the ranks.” READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FoxAfter a season on the bench, Mary Murphy is returning to Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance as a resident judge.
The opinionated dancer and choreographer is returning to the show after the series suffered a rather dramatic ratings dip last summer.
“I am delighted to have Mary back on the show,” says producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe, who will sit alongside Murphy during critiques. “Her expertise in dance, coupled with her warmth, compassion and humor, make her an excellent judge and fun to work with.”
Image Credit: Kharen Hill/Fox
Quick — try to imagine a hot female superintendent of cops working somewhere, anywhere, in the country. Coming up empty? Executive producer Shawn Ryan doesn’t think it’s that unrealistic, which is why he felt strongly about casting Jennifer Beals (The L Word) as Superintendent Teresa Colvin in Fox’s midseason drama The Chicago Code. She plays the ex-partner of Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke) who’s now in a position of power to fight corruption in the city – most of which seems to originate from building-magnate-turned-politician Alderman Ronin Gibbons (Delroy Lindo). READ FULL STORY »
Terra Nova has a premiere date: Fox’s big budget Steven Spielberg-produced adventure series will have a two-night debut in May.
The first hour will air Monday, May 23 at 9 p.m., with the second hour running Tuesday, May 24 at 9 p.m.
Those familiar with Fox’s schedule and usual midseason strategy might give this news a double take: Fox is going to air the first episode without an American Idol lead-in? READ FULL STORY »
Fox’s Raising Hope is getting a second season.
Hardly a shocker, the comedy is the first fully functioning live-action sitcom the network has developed in years.
“I’m happy that the show is getting another year,” says creator Greg Garcia. “But the fact I’ve been trying to think of a funny quote for the last two hours and this is the best I could come up with makes me a little nervous about season two.”
Image Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic.comDr. Drew Pinsky is expanding his sphere of influence. EW has confirmed that Pinsky, who has a eponymous show debuting on HLN in the spring and hosts Celebrity Rehab on VH1, will headline a new daily half-hour talk show dubbed Dr. Drew’s Lifechangers on the CW this fall.
Pinsky will tackle everything from addiction to relationship woes and also bring in experts. The network will air an original episode at 3 p.m. and follow it with a repeat. The news was first reported by Broadcasting & Cable.
The show comes courtesy of Telepictures, which previously produced The Tyra Banks Show for the CW’s daytime hour at 3. Repeats of the yakker continue to air in the slot.
ABC is set to pick up a new comedy pilot with a title that could make waves like $#*! My Dad Says if it makes it to primetime intact.
20th Century Fox TV has sold a project titled Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23, which earns points for being funny and memorable, if not exactly G-rated. Tough to see ABC not brainstorming something softer (then again, the network does have Cougar Town). READ FULL STORY »
From the home office in a Seaside Heights jacuzzi, Snooki presents the Top 10 reasons to buy the Jersey Shore star’s new novel on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight (No. 3 is, “Complimentary Valtrex sample with every copy”*).
Here’s a sneak peek … READ FULL STORY »
With Shonda Rhimes unleashing another ensemble medical drama staffed by hotties into ABC primetime, critics at press tour want to know: How is her latest production, Off the Map, not just Grey’s Anatomy in the jungle? (Or, as Ken Tucker dubs it, “Grey’s Anatomy with flies”).
“Because it’s not,” insists Rhimes, who then passes the baton to the series creator and showrunner Jenna Bans. “It’s really Jenna’s characters and I’m just lucky enough to get a part of it.”
Bans elaborated: READ FULL STORY »
James Hibberd
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Lynette Rice
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