CBS and Warner Bros. announced today that The CW and Hulu have struck a five-year licensing deal to allow the website to stream CW shows on Hulu and Hulu Plus. This encompasses network tentpoles 90210, America’s Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Supernatural, and The Vampire Diaries, as well as Ringer, Hart of Dixie, The Secret Circle, and Nikita. Under the agreement, up to five in-season episodes will only be featured on Hulu Plus for eight days following the broadcast, at which point they will be available on the ad-supported free Hulu site. “The CW programming is a great example of the kind of in-season content we want to make available,” said Hulu’s SVP of Content Andy Forssell. “Making these shows available on Hulu and Hulu Plus will allow new and existing fans to get their fix of The CW’s great shows anytime and anywhere.”
Tag: Industry News (1-10 of 16)
Mandy Moore set to star in new ABC comedy, rep confirms
Image Credit: Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion W
After numerous guest appearances on TV shows, Mandy Moore seems poised to make a more permanent move to the small-screen.
The actress has just signed on to star in the single-camera ABC sitcom, Us and Them, her publicist confirmed Wednesday. READ FULL STORY »
Lester Holt replacing Ann Curry as the host of 'Dateline'
Image Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC
When Dateline NBC returns for its 20th season this Friday, it will have a new lead anchor: Lester Holt, previously a Dateline correspondent. As NBC announced today in a press release, Holt — an NBC News fixture who also anchors the weekend editions of NBC Nightly News and Today — replaces Ann Curry, who has already taken over for Meredith Vieira as co-host of Today. The news of Holt’s promotion comes at an evolving moment for NBC News, which recently announced the creation of an original newsmagazine, Rock Center with Brian Williams. Dateline has continued to garner solid ratings on Friday, a night when “solid ratings” earn instant grade inflation to “spectacular.”
Nancy Grace departing 'Swift Justice'
That was swift, indeed: Nancy Grace is exiting her syndicated courtroom series Swift Justice with Nancy Grace after only one season. In a statement released by CBS Television Distribution on Tuesday, Grace attributed her departure to the move of the show’s production to Los Angeles from Atlanta, where she resides with her family and also hosts HLN’s Nancy Grace. “I am so proud of the work we have done on Swift Justice,” she said. “Leaving such a successful show was a tough decision, but, with the increased requirements of the production’s relocation to Los Angeles, it became challenging to balance my most important job — mother to John David and Lucy — back home.”
Grace’s replacement for next season will be Jackie Glass, a state District Court judge from Nevada who presided over O.J. Simpson’s 2008 armed robbery trial. Swift Justice, which recently earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program category, is this season’s top-rated new first-run syndication series.
'Fringe': Cool new promo teases cameo by 'Lost' dude. PLUS: Is 'Fringe' preparing for the end? -- EXCLUSIVE
Image Credit: Liane Hentscher/FoxIt may be a down week for Fringe, but Fox is trying its best to make sure we don’t forget about its Friday night sci-fi saga. The network’s promo department — which has been turning out cool, clever work for the buzz-y, but ratings-challenged, cult fave all season long — has produced another must-see 90-second spot, this one an atmospheric summing up of the season’s War of the Parallel Worlds story that points to a cataclysmic climax. I’m convinced the commercial also contains a few Easter Eggs. At least one is easy to see: Hurley! Yep, Lost alum and Face of Weezer Jorge Garcia — who has been cast in a new J.J. Abrams-produced series called Alcatraz – will be making a cameo in next week’s episode, playing (SPOILER ALERT!) a Massive Dynamic employee. The spot also includes quotes from certain critics who’ve praised Fringe’s fine third season, as well as one nutty media person known for being a crazed fan of the Bad Robot brand of cryptotainment. Behold: READ FULL STORY »
Kelsey Grammer forms reality TV production company
Looks like Camille won’t be the only Grammer in reality show business: Kelsey Grammer has formed a production company, G3, that will focus on unscripted programming. The company unites Grammer with producer Stella Bulochnikov Stolper (Paris Hilton’s My New BFF), who are already co-producing Grammer’s upcoming Starz show Boss. [Variety]
'The Kennedys' miniseries: Who will buy?
Image Credit: Splash NewsNow that The History Channel has opted not to broadcast the eight-part miniseries The Kennedys, the rumor mill was on overdrive Monday that producer Muse Entertainment was working to secure a new home for the controversial project. Indeed, the Canadian-based Muse executive told the New York Times today that “there has been interest expressed by several networks,” but he declined to name them.
That said, you can count HBO out. READ FULL STORY »
Nicollette Sheridan drops abuse charges in 'Desperate Housewives' lawsuit
Former Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan has dropped the most incendiary claims of abuse from the $20 million lawsuit she filed this spring against ABC, the show’s creator Marc Cherry, and Touchstone Television. Sheridan, who played Edie Britt on the series, filed the suit in April after being dropped from the show, alleging that she had been assaulted by Cherry on the set and then fired when she reported the abuse to ABC. In a joint stipulation filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sheridan agreed not to pursue her claim that she had been subjected to intentional emotional distress or seek any damages for emotional or physical abuse. In exchange, Sheridan will not have to submit to a mental or physical examination.
'24' to end this season; film version in the works
Image Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FoxFox confirmed Friday that after eight seasons, 24 will air its series finale on May 24. Star Kiefer Sutherland told EW.com that producing a ninth season for another network like NBC was not an option because he and executive producer Howard Gordon were ready to call it quits.
“The writers are producing the equivalent of 12 films a year, which is unheard of, and Howard felt to do a ninth would be potentially damaging,” said Sutherland. “We both felt strongly that there has been a demand and an interest in a 24 film, which would be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day, so we felt it was time to move in that direction.”
Sutherland promised the series finale would tee up the 24 movie that’s in the works at 20th Century Fox. Billy Ray (State of Play) is writing the screenplay. “We wanted to create a definitive end for Jack Bauer,” explains Sutherland. “Since we do have the intention to make the feature film, it would lead into that and certainly set that up.
“Something we’ve dealt with in the series is how the crisis always has to come to us because we don’t have time to move anywhere in a real time world,” he continued. “In a two-hour (movie) representation of the 24 world, planes, trains, and automobiles all of a sudden become a factor because you are not required to go scene by scene in real time. That’s something I can say I am very excited about.”
As for the actual series finale, Gordon told EW.com that he and Sutherland considered everything from a happy to a tragic ending for Jack Bauer and ended up with episodes that take some risks: “We go to a very definitive, very complex place.”
Exclusive: 'Fringe' picked up for a third season
Sci-fi fans who may be concerned about the state of the genre on network TV (we’re looking at you, V and FlashForward) have at least one reason to rejoice: EW has learned exclusively that Fox has picked up Fringe for a third season. Though the show isn’t exactly blowing the roof off of Nielsen — it’s been averaging just 7.6 million viewers and is ranked No. 50 in the all-important adults 18-49 demographic this season — it managed to survive in a tough new time period on Thursdays. The show returns with new episodes — and the promise of more visits from Leonard Nimoy and to the parallel universe — on April 1.
Exclusive: Eric Braeden talks about return to 'Young and the Restless' today
The moustache is back! After an intense negotiation that had many fans worrying whether their favorite character was gone for good, Victor Newman, aka Eric Braeden, finally re-appeared at the end of today’s episode of The Young and the Restless (to relive the moment, click here). EW talked exclusively to Braeden about being back on TV’s No. 1 daytime drama and what fans can expect now that the boss is back.
EW: What was your first day back like on the set?
Eric Braeden: It was actually very nice. It started with the security guys at the gate who welcomed me back. And there was a special welcome back sign in my parking place. The crew throughout the day was very nice…they even came from other shows. It was very nice, very humbling.
Did anyone think you weren’t coming back at all?
Yes, some people thought that I wouldn’t. They were afraid I wouldn’t. Others said they knew I’d be back.
How long is your new contract for?
Three years.
How do you feel about the way head writer Maria Bell brought Victor back?
I feel very good about Maria, period. She’s done a wonderful job and I liked what she intends to do. If had not talked to her, I would not have come back. She had a great deal to do with it. So did (CBS Corp CEO) Les Moonves.
Did Les call you personally?
We talked at the very end (of the negotiations). He has been very loyal and has been a friend. If I had thought they (CBS and Y&R’s home studio, Sony) were united, I would have been gone.
Now that Victor’s back, what will be his first order of business? Repairing the rift between Adam and Nick? Divorcing Ashley?
Victor will be at his Machiavellian best. He is going to get even. This is payback time for a number of people.
Will we see yet another wedding with Nikki this year?
I don’t know. We have been through a few. Who knows? Hope springs eternal. Maybe that’s the definition of insanity, making the same mistakes over and over.
What has fan reaction been like?
I don’t mean to sound corny but it’s really meant a great deal to me. There was an enormous outpouring and I deeply appreciate that. It was one of the most heartwarming aspects of the whole miserable period.
What do you think about the cancellation of CBS’ As the World Turns?
I have not really thought about the implications. My question is how they are going to replace it? With more game shows?
What do you think it means to Y&R’s future?
I think Y&R’s future is contingent upon the ratings. Obviously none of the soaps are kept alive for the sake of loyalty. It’s all about ratings. It’s show business. Period.
Photo Credit: Robert Voets/CBS
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