Archive: January 2011 (27-39 of 323)

Jan 28 2011 05:13 PM ET

Ratings: 'Archer' return slips; 'Jersey Shore' ties high

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Categories: Television, TV Biz, TV Ratings

Image Credit: FX

This surprised me: FX’s Archer felt like it had the buzz to climb for its second season premiere but, nope, the animated series cult favorite slipped a bit.

Archer returned last night to 1.5 million viewers, down 17 percent from last January’s series premiere, with 0.8 in the adult demo. The numbers are higher, however, than the show’s first season average. (“Like that makes it better” — I know).

Meanwhile, over in Crazy Blockbuster Cable Ratings Land, MTV’s Jersey Shore nearly tied last week’s all-time high with 8.8 million viewers (Archer faced Shore, btw, which may have impacted things. Shore is arguably, as one FX insider put it, “the American Idol of basic cable”). READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 04:40 PM ET

Aaron Sorkin's cable news network drama earns HBO pilot order

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Categories: Deals, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Jonathan Fickies/Bloomberg/Getty Images

HBO has taken a major step forward in launching a series by Aaron Sorkin that chronicles the backstage drama at a cable news network.

The pay cabler has officially given a pilot order to Sorkin’s project, which could mark the much-anticipated return of The Social Network scribe to the small screen. To prepare, Sorkin spent time on Keith Olbermann’s set while penning the behind-the-scenes script (think Sports Night meets Countdown), something he did while juggling The Social Network and working on an early draft of the upcoming film Moneyball (starring Brad Pitt). READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 04:22 PM ET

'Buffy' writers sell Grimm's Fairy Tales pilot to NBC

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Categories: Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

NBC has picked up another pilot mixing fantasy with a crime drama: The network has greenlit Grimm, described as a “dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales exist.” (Gotta love mining expired copyrights in the public domain!).

The project is from Jim Kouf (Angel) and David Greenwalt (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), with executive producers Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner.

The order comes on top of Battlestar guru Ron Moore’s 17th Precinct, also at NBC, about cops working a town where people have magical powers.

(Is it just me, or is that illustration the most molest-y depiction ever of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?).

Jan 28 2011 03:11 PM ET

'The Simpsons': Andy Garcia to guest star, nod to his 'Ocean's Eleven' character -- EXCLUSIVE

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Categories: Casting Scoops, Television, The Simpsons

Andy-Garcia-SimpsonsImage Credit: Everett Collection; FoxFans of The Simpsons, our advice to you is to run and hide: Andy Garcia is lending his voice to an episode of the animated comedy that winks at the Ocean’s Eleven franchise, EW has learned exclusively. In a playful nod to his Ocean’s character, menacing casino magnate Terry Benedict, the film actor guest stars as an evil children’s fantasy book publisher, says Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman, who reveals only this about the plot: “Homer and some people in Springfield have to perpetrate an Ocean’s Eleven–style heist in the non-Ocean’s Eleven world of children’s fantasy book publishing.” Garcia recorded his lines earlier this week, and although the character hasn’t been designed yet, Selman hopes to include a reference to Benedict’s love of fine art: “No matter where he is, he’ll always have a famous painting behind him.” Should viewers expect to see/hear some other big names from the movie? “We thought about going for Clooney, Pitt, and Damon, but why do that when you can have Homer, Skinner, and Frink?” quips Selman. Fantasy author Neil Gaiman also pops up (as himself) in this episode, which is titled “The Book Job” and is scheduled to air on Fox early next season.

(Twitter: @dansnierson)

Read more:
‘Simpsons’ takes another jab at Fox News
Jane Lynch to guest as Homer’s work rival

Jan 28 2011 01:53 PM ET

Holy $#*!, a trend: Another show in the works with an expletive (kind of) in the title

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Categories: Deals, TV Pilots

Cover your ears, grandma: There’s another comedy coming down the pipeline that hints to an expletive in the title. ABC just announced it has ordered a comedy pilot titled My Frickin’ Family, a single-camera project from Brillstein Entertainment that was penned by Erica Rivinoja (South Park). The logline: Two young parents’  lives change after they have a baby and the four grandparents with very different cultural backgrounds descend upon their lives to fight for the soul of their grandchild. (Or should we say, the little f–ker?)

A naughty word in the title certainly hasn’t hurt CBS’ $#*! My Dad Says, which has averaged 10.6 million and a 3.1 rating/9 share in adults 18-49. Before American Idol began, the William Shatner comedy was typically winning its timeslot. The Eye has yet to order another season, but it seems likely that The Shat will be back.

But back to ABC: The net also picked up a comedy pilot called Bad Mom, a single-camera project from Sharon Horgan and Aaron Kaplan about a woman who goes from having the best mom in the world to being the best mom in the world.

Fall 2011 development: Will remakes of Charlie’s Angels and Wonder Woman become great hits?

Jan 28 2011 11:53 AM ET

'Vampire Diaries,' 'Nikita' return strong

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Categories: Television, TV Biz, TV Ratings

Image Credit: Bob Mahoney/The CW; Ben Mark Holzberg/The CW

The Vampire Diaries and Nikita returned strong in the ratings Thursday night despite the threatening presence of Fox’s American Idol.

Vampire (3.5 million viewers, 1.6 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) was up 23 percent from its last original telecast in early December, and Nikita (2.7 million, 1.1) climbed 38 percent.

CW had some pre-emptions last night in a couple markets, so these numbers could shift a bit in the nationals, but as things stand, this is the network’s most-watched Thursday since early November. If these ratings hold up, then the episodes wouldn’t really need to be repeated tonight, pushing the return of Supernatural and Smallville back a week, but the extra sampling can’t hurt either (Vampire Diaries recap here, and go here for that “Got Wood” teaser video). More ratings after the jump… READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 11:32 AM ET

TNT apologizes for Tracy Morgan's crude Sarah Palin remark

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Categories: 30 Rock, Politics, Television

TNT has released a statement, apologizing for Tracy Morgan’s crude remark about Sarah Palin on last night’s Inside the NBA pregame show: “It’s unfortunate Mr. Morgan showed a lack of judgment on our air with his inappropriate comments. We apologize for any embarrassment or offense it may have caused.”

During yesterday’s live broadcast, co-hosts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley handed 30 Rock‘s Morgan a microphone and asked him to settle a bet: Tina Fey or Sarah Palin? “Me and him have this argument all the time, ” crowed Smith, referring to Barkley. “[Morgan's] the only one who can settle it. Tina Fey or Sarah Palin?” They were clearly not asking which woman was smarter or faster in a race.

Morgan responded as he would if he were on stage. “Yo, let me tell you something about Sarah Palin. She’s good masturbation material.” Co-host Ernie Johnson quickly pulled down the curtain, saying “I want to thank Tracy Morgan for stopping by.” Full video after the jump. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 10:29 AM ET

Zombie show coming to The CW

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Categories: Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Renee Keith/Vetta

Zombies, the latest in primetime TV fashion.

The brain-eating living dead are now shambling their way over to The CW, which is developing a script for The Awakening, about two sisters who face off against each other just as the zombie apocalypse kicks in.

The project is written by William Laurin and Glenn Davis (The Listener) and comes on the heels of NBC developing Zombies vs. Vampires (which, of course, follows the success of AMC’s The Walking Dead — I know, October can’t come soon enough!).

Jan 28 2011 09:37 AM ET

Lea Michele to kick-off Super Bowl with 'America the Beautiful'

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Categories: Glee, TV Biz

lea-micheleImage Credit: Michael Caulfield/Getty ImagesNext week’s Super Bowl is going to be sandwiched by Glee. In addition to the post-game Thriller-themed episode, Lea Michele’s publicist has confirmed an E! report that the actress will sing before the game. Christina Aguilera will sing the national anthem, but the Glee star will also perform “America the Beautiful.”

Read more:
‘Glee’ Super Bowl promos feature fire, football zombies, and plenty of Sue
‘Glee’: On the set for the Super Bowl episode’s huge ‘Thriller’ performance — EXCLUSIVE
This week’s cover: How ‘Glee’ is leading TV’s gay-teen revolution

Jan 28 2011 09:00 AM ET

'Gossip Girl,' 'Good Wife,' 'Supernatural': Find out what's next in the Spoiler Room

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Categories: Being Human, Blue Bloods, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Community, Detroit 1-8-7, Fringe, Gossip Girl, Greek, Nikita, Off the Map, Parks and Recreation, Southland, Supernatural, Television, The Good Wife, The Spoiler Room, True Blood, TV Biz, TV Scoop

Spoiler-RoomImage Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS; Giovanni Rufino/The CW; Jordan Nuttal/The CW; Adam Taylor/CBSWhat is it about Leighton Meester that makes her so incredibly pair-able with others? Whether she’s standing beside Chuck or Dan (or Minka Kelly, for that matter), she simply oozes chemistry. Well, whatever “it” is, it makes for great TV (and perhaps also movies that you really want to see despite a fear of losing self respect). This week, I talked chemistry and more with Blair Waldorf’s amazing puppetmasters, Stephanie Savage and Josh Safran, who dish about what we can expect next from our favorite schemer and the rest of the gang. I also spoke with Matt Czuchry (insert tiny cartoon hearts here) about The Good Wife, dug up some dirt on Supernatural‘s (now postponed) return, spoke with Rachelle Lefevre about Off the Map, and much more. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 08:01 AM ET

'Million Dollar Money Drop' adds online play-along -- EXCLUSIVE

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Categories: Scoop, Television, TV Biz

For the season finale of game show Million Dollar Money Drop next week, Fox is introducing a new element that’s only previously been available in overseas version of the show: online play-along. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 28 2011 01:11 AM ET

Charlie Sheen: What 'Men' team can (and can't) do to help its biggest star

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Categories: Two and a Half Men

Michael Bezjian/WireImage.com

UPDATE (1/28): Charlie Sheen enters rehab; Two and a Half Men going on production hiatus

Whenever Charlie Sheen makes the kind of shocking headlines like he did on Thursday, the attention always turns to the home of — and the producers behind – Two and A Half Men and what role, if any, they should play in his recovery. The answer is a significant one, even though attempts made by CBS and Warner Bros. TV have apparently fallen on deaf ears.

Here’s what we know: Representatives from both companies have recently approached Sheen with offers to temporarily halt production so the actor/father can seek the help that he needs. (Sheen, who was rushed to the hospital Thursday after complaining of severe stomach pains, went home later that evening.) Clearly, both companies are looking to protect their investment: Averaging 14.7 million viewers, Men is the most-watched comedy on TV and commands well north of $200,000 per 30-second spot in advertising rates.  As for WBTV, the production company not only has a deal in place with CBS to deliver Men episodes through 2012, it recently closed a rich new syndication pact to deliver Men reruns to Tribune and Sinclair TV stations through 2021. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 27 2011 10:11 PM ET

Why 'Jersey Shore' is a Huge Hit

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Categories: Jersey Shore, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: MTV

– “Frightening. I fear for the future of our nation.”

– “Oh look, another sign of the Apocalypse.”

– “This makes me sad.”

– “There you go, 8.6 million reasons why abortion should exist.”

These comments from EW.com readers are familiar to anybody who follows Jersey Shore online. After every mind-blowing viewership record set by the MTV hit (its ratings were bigger than Grey’s Anatomy a couple weeks back), there’s a wailing “oh the humanity” outcry. Love or hate the series, there’s no other TV program whose success yields more outrage and depression.

So for haters and fans seeking validation alike, here is why Jersey Shore is popular. The reasons might even make you feel better about the “future of our nation:”

– Jersey Shore created its own world. Most cultural-shifting mega hits — from Star Wars to Survivor — introduce their own unique self-contained universe. Shore has specialized characters (so-called guidos and guidettes), setting (skeezy beach clubs), fashion (Ed Hardy, exploded) and language (“smush,” “robbery,” “grenades”). It’s like Middle Earth, except the hobbits are humpy with fake tans.

More reasons below … READ FULL STORY »

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