Tag: Alcatraz (1-10 of 13)

May 15 2012 07:55 PM ET

The nine highest-rated canceled shows

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More than any year in recent memory, the survival of shows this season did not hinge on ratings.

You had Fox’s Fringe getting renewed for a final GTFO season with only 4.2 million viewers and slight 1.6 average rating. Then you had Terra Nova getting axed with 10.8 million viewers and a 3.6 rating. The biggest mitigating factor was a show’s cost — which usually rises along with its age — along with the difficulty of a time period, who owns the program, how intensely critics and fans feel about the series and, believe it or not, whether a network’s executives like the show. Here are the top nine highest-rated canceled shows this season:

1. Rob (CBS: 12 million viewers, 3.7 adults 18-49 rating): A 3.7? If NBC had a freshman comedy with a 3.7 average, it would run the show five nights a week this fall (Community was renewed with almost half this rating). Bully for CBS that their table scraps have these kind of numbers. The issue here was Rob Schneider’s comedy was shedding too much of its massive Big Bang Theory lead-in, and was trending the wrong direction. CBS suspects the time slot can do better. READ FULL STORY »

Mar 27 2012 11:54 AM ET

'Alcatraz' finale drops to ratings low

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Image Credit: Fox

The inmates of Alcatraz keep coming back, but don’t bet on the show making a return appearance next season with these numbers.

The finale of Fox’s freshman drama delivered 4.7 million viewers and a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49, putting Fox into fourth place on Monday night. The two-hour finale also fell 6 percent from last week to a season-low rating. Ending on a low note is never a good sign for a first-year show, especially since Alcatraz‘s only major broadcast scripted competition — CBS’ comedy block — was in repeats.

That left ABC’s Dancing With the Stars (17.6 million, 3.1) and NBC’s The Voice (11.8 million, 4.4) to duke it out. Dancing had more viewers, but Voice won the night in the demo. Both shows dipped from last week, with Dancing falling 11 percent and Voice off 4 percent.

In the 10 p.m. arena, ABC’s Castle (12.1 million, 2.4) was up slightly, while NBC’s newly renewed Smash (6.4 million, 2.2) was thankfully steady.

Mar 8 2012 10:00 PM ET

'Alcatraz' crew helps save woman in Bay Area

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Image Credit: Justin Stephens/Fox

The Alcatraz team got a scare Thursday that didn’t involve criminals haunting the city.

During a shoot in a residential area of San Francisco, a show producer knocked on someone’s door hoping to find the owner of a car that was in production’s way but instead met a girl who thought her mother was having a stroke. The Alcatraz security team then called an ambulance and found the girl’s mother, who had fainted. She was brought to the hospital, treated, and released.

SFgate.com spoke with the victim, Dr. Janice Zakin. “They were filming downstairs and I knew I had to move the car but I couldn’t get up,” Zakin told SFgate. “They saved my life,” she said.

Filming continued on the Alcatraz season finale Thursday in San Francisco, where the team shot an homage to a classic car chase through the streets of the city. Several streets were shut down while two stunt drivers filmed the scene, a rep for the show told EW.

The Alcatraz season finale will air March 26 on Fox.

Read more:
‘Alcatraz’ recap: Silver, Gold and Peeping Tommy Madsen
‘Alcatraz’: Jorge Garcia on what to expect from new J.J. Abrams show — VIDEO
On the scene from the Rock for the ‘Alcatraz’ premiere

Feb 14 2012 11:33 AM ET

'Smash,' 'Alcatraz,' 'Voice' dip as NBC wins Monday

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Image Credit: Fox

NBC won Monday night with another impressive performance from The Voice, but its new drama series Smash fell a worrisome amount in the ratings.

Smash (8.1 million viewers, 2.8 adults 18-49 rating) was down 26 percent from last week’s premiere, yet still won the 10 p.m. hour. Smash‘s dip partly reflects a drop from its lead-in, The Voice (16.1 million, 5.9), which fell 12 percent from last week’s debut.

You don’t want to paint Monday’s ratings poorly for NBC because, when taken as a snapshot, this was a great night for the network — NBC won every time period and put pressure on rivals (usual victor CBS watched its sitcom block fall to season lows). Yet when looking at ratings, you’re also following the trends. The Voice dip is actually good news, declining a mere 12 percent the week after a show’s huge Super Bowl-fueled launch is as strong as one can reasonably expect. The Smash drop is problematic, however. The musical was at a fine level — you just hope the brakes come on during the next couple weeks. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 31 2012 01:20 PM ET

'House' and 'Alcatraz' help Fox win Monday ratings

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House and Alcatraz both took a small step down in the ratings Monday, yet nonetheless led Fox to win the night.

With CBS airing repeats of its powerful comedy block, veteran House (8.6 million viewers, 2.8 adults 18-49 rating) and newcomer Alcatraz (8.3 million, 2.7) both were at the top of their respective hours. (Well, Alcatraz tied for the win.) Both were down 10 percent from last week.

ABC’s The Bachelor (8.1 million, 2.6) was down a tenth. NBC had a repeat of Fear Factor, the Who’s Still Standing finale (6.6 million, 1.7) and Rock Center With Brian Williams (3.3 million, 0.8). Over in the magical CW Land, Gossip Girl (1.4 million, 0.7) and Hart of Dixie (1.5 million, 0.6) both perked up a tenth.

Read more:
‘Alcatraz’ recap: Cracking the Secrets of the Rock
‘The Bachelor’ recap: Nude Awakening
‘Gossip Girl’ 100th episode shocker: Producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Safran tease what’s next 

Jan 24 2012 11:43 AM ET

'Alcatraz' ratings remain solid; 'Bachelor' rises

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The second week of Alcatraz performed solidly for Fox, though didn’t seem to benefit from some scheduling changes that might have otherwise boosted its numbers.

Alcatraz (9 million viewers, 3.0 adults 18-49 rating) was down 9 percent from last week’s two-hour premiere. That drop is a little less than you expect for a Week 2 episode, but also little more than you’d hope for when adding a lead-in from House (8.7 million, 3.1) and CBS airing repeats. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 19 2012 02:15 PM ET

InsideTV Podcast: Is Steven Tyler crossing the line on 'American Idol'? Plus: 'Alcatraz' and what the Golden Globes got right and wrong

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Image Credit: Fox

Oh, Steven Tyler, you lovable rascal! That was the prevailing sentiment about the Aerosmith singer when he would not so subtly hit on female contestants last season after he joined American Idol. But did his vaguely creepy Horny Grandpa shtick cross the line last night on Idol’s season 11 premiere? On the newest edition of the InsideTV Podcast, Jessica Shaw, Kristen Baldwin, and I discuss 63-year-old Steven’s decision to tell former pro-baseball pitcher Joe Magrane that the weather in Boston was “hot, humid, and happening — just like your daughter.” His 15-year-old-daughter. As in, still barely in high school. As in, ewwwwwwwwwwwww. That’s just one of the head-scratching moments up for discussion as we also debate which show is the king of the television singing-competition mountain: American Idol or The Voice.

Also on the menu, we offer initial thoughts on J.J. Abrams’ newest drama, Alcatraz. Can the Fox series successfully integrate a serialized mythology into what is basically a procedural criminal-of-the-week format? And does the show have some casting issues? Finally, we break down the Golden Globes: rating Ricky Gervais’ much ballyhooed return, as well as offering a category-by-category assessment of all the TV winners. (Kelsey Grammer over Damian Lewis?)

To join in on the fun, just click on the audio player icon below. Or, since we’re on iTunes, you can subscribe for free and take the podcast with you on the go. No iTunes? No problem. You can also download the entire podcast right here. And to send a question to the InsideTV Podcast team, follow us on Twitter @InsideTVPodcast. But first let us know what you think: Does Steven Tyler need to tone done his ogling of teenage contestants? Are you in or out for Alcatraz? And did the right shows and actors win at the Golden Globes? The message boards are open for business!

Jan 17 2012 02:22 PM ET

'Alcatraz': Jorge Garcia and producers dish on the show's mythology and characters

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Image Credit: Justin Stephens/Fox

Ten million people were in the mood for some captivating drama last night, as Fox unleashed the premiere of Alcatraz. Want some more insight into the J.J. Abrams-produced series, which follows a detective (Sarah Jones), an Alcatraz expert (Jorge Garcia), and a cryptic government official (Sam Neill) as they investigate why the inmates of the famous prison are suddenly reappearing unaged in current-day San Francisco? Read on to see what Garcia and exec producers/showrunners Jennifer Johnson and Daniel Pyne told EW about Alcatraz.

On the mysterious prisoners
DANIEL PYNE: They’re committing the crimes that put them in Alcatraz, which was the prison where people who couldn’t be in other prisons went. They’re resuming their criminal activities, so anything from kidnapping, bank robbery, murder, serial killers, sharp shooters, car robbery. I mean, serious, federal, just badass crimes. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 17 2012 01:35 PM ET

'Alcatraz': Where are the prisoners? When will we get answers? Scoop on the season to come

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Image Credit: James Dittiger/Fox

Alcatraz opened to strong ratings last night, but as is the case with any supernatural crime procedural with mythology as thick as Jorge Garcia’s curl mane, you’re probably wondering where it all goes from here.

When in Vancouver last year, a group of reporters — including EW — got a chance to tour the set and pick the brains of cast members and EP-director Jack Bender about what’s coming up on the show. Here are five scooplets from our sit-downs. (To watch our chat with Jorge Garcia, click here.)

WHERE ARE THE PRISONERS?/WHY ARE THEY HERE? READ FULL STORY »

Jan 17 2012 11:18 AM ET

'Alcatraz' ratings breakout; Betty White boosts NBC

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Image Credit: Fox

Fox and J.J. Abrams’ new thriller Alcatraz got off to a very solid start Monday night. Plus, Betty White gives NBC a birthday surprise, The Bachelor reverses, and Gossip Girl returns.

The sci-fi crime drama opened to 10 million viewers and a 3.3 rating among adults 18-49 in its two-hour premiere. That’s up 6 percent from the debut of Terra Nova in the slot and up 38 percent from the premiere of last year’s Chicago Code. Alcatraz, about former prisoners of the infamous prison who are inexplicably returning to the present day after a 50-year disappearance, tied ABC’s Revenge as the second-highest rated new fall drama series premiere. (Once Upon a Time was tops.) Another good sign: Alcatraz aired as a pair of back-to-back episodes and both hours had the same rating, so there wasn’t a noticeable drop off after people watched the pilot.

The performance of Alcatraz might impact the fate of Terra Nova, a show Fox executives have held off making a decision about until they’ve seen the performance of their new January dramas (including Bones spinoff The Finder, whose debut last week disappointed).

CBS won the night with a fairy steady comedy lineup: HIMYM (10.1 million, 4.4 — and check out what we learned about the show from its press tour panel here) was up 13 percent, 2 Broke Girls (11.3 million, 4.5 — and if you didn’t see it already, you must read what happened at its press tour panel here) was steady, Two and a Half Men (12.9 million, 4.6) was up 5 percent, and Mike & Molly (11.2 million, 3.8) was unchanged. The Eye had Hawaii Five-0 (10.5 million, 2.8) steady at 10 p.m. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 16 2012 03:01 PM ET

'Alcatraz': Jorge Garcia on what to expect from new J.J. Abrams show -- VIDEO

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Image Credit: EW

In October, a group of reporters descended upon the set of Alcatraz on a chilly Vancouver morning to get a first-hand peek at the latest mind-bending show from J.J. Abrams.

The show, debuting tonight, follows a group of investigators who, in the face of an unidentified supernatural occurrence, find themselves hunting down hundreds of convicts who disappeared from the legendary prison island in 1963. Jorge Garcia, who worked with Abrams on Lost, plays Dr. Diego “Doc” Soto, an Alcatraz expert — and raging comic book nerd — who is recruited into the special task force for his expertise (and wit).

While in Vancouver, EW got a chance to chat with Garcia about how he never quite lost touch with Abrams, his role, and what viewers can expect from his first post-Lost return to television. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 12 2012 08:42 AM ET

On the scene from the Rock for the 'Alcatraz' premiere

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Image Credit: Max Morse/Getty Images

The red carpet is typically the focal point of any premiere. But at last night’s party for Alcatraz, the new J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi show on Fox, the infamous prison itself was the star. Creepy enough during the day, with rows of vacant cell blocks and park rangers telling stories of how prisoners stared longingly at the San Francisco skyline, last night the nearly full moon cast an even eerier chill over the Rock. (The show is now mostly shot in Vancouver, where they’ve re-created the prison.)

From interviews with the cast in the shower room (“It’s creepy!” Parminder Nagra, who plays Dr. Lucy Banerjee, admitted) to the tin plates and cups at dinner, Fox and Warner Brothers pulled out all the stops to make it feel like a place where strange things might happen. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2011 12:54 PM ET

'Alcatraz' moody official teaser art revealed -- EXCLUSIVE PHOTO

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Gray, stony, cold, isolated, lonely, formidable — pretty much exactly the sort of thoughts that the word “Alcatraz” is supposed to inspire.

Here’s a first look at Fox’s handsome official key art for J.J. Abrams’ new mystery drama Alcatraz, which premieres on Monday, Jan. 16 and stars Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, and Sam Neill. (Fox released its full midseason schedule yesterday here). See the art, below (you can almost hear the fog horn), and afterward check out the show’s teaser trailer: READ FULL STORY »

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