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Don't Laugh at Conan's Move to TBS... It's the Future
by Rich Keller, posted Apr 16th 2010 11:50AM
A few days ago, Joel gave four reasons why Conan O'Brien made the right move to TBS. He mentioned, among other things, the control Conan will have over the new program and not having to fight for affiliates to air the program instead of 'Seinfeld' or 'The Simpsons.' A fifth reason can also be added. A broader reason encompassing not just Conan's show, but the current talk shows that populate the cable horizon. You see, cable is the future of late night talk shows. I see you rolling your eyes and chuckling! However, I would hold off in calling me various versions of 'idiot' until you hear me out.
Mega Piranha: The Most Ridiculous SyFy Trailer Ever?
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 15th 2010 12:03PM
The trailer for the SyFy television movie 'Mega Piranha' is pretty ridiculous. It makes the "Imagine Greater" tagline of the channel seem ironic. Even more ridiculous, however, is the fact that the television movie got higher ratings than 'Caprica' and was the channel's most-watched movie for the year.
One would hope that a cable network specializing in science fiction would promote philosophical programming about the human condition rather than a silly television movie about mutated fish. Obviously, the majority of people in the United States that stay in on a Saturday night disagree with me. Perhaps everyone just wanted to see what Barry "Greg Brady" Williams was up to nowadays.
On the other hand, everybody has guilty pleasures (which would explain the success of many reality shows) and perhaps 'Mega Pirahna' is one of them. If that's what it takes to keep 'Caprica' on the air, then I'm all for it.
One would hope that a cable network specializing in science fiction would promote philosophical programming about the human condition rather than a silly television movie about mutated fish. Obviously, the majority of people in the United States that stay in on a Saturday night disagree with me. Perhaps everyone just wanted to see what Barry "Greg Brady" Williams was up to nowadays.
On the other hand, everybody has guilty pleasures (which would explain the success of many reality shows) and perhaps 'Mega Pirahna' is one of them. If that's what it takes to keep 'Caprica' on the air, then I'm all for it.
Onion Sports Network on Comedy Central
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 14th 2010 4:00PM
Comedy Central and The Onion are teaming up to produce a new comedy series about sports. Well, not so much series ... more like a parody of ESPN. The show will be called the 'Onion Sports Network' and Comedy Central has ordered ten episodes. This should not be confused with the Onion News Network.I can't recall anybody doing a half-hour comedy news program focusing on sports. 'The Daily Show' pretty much has cornered the parody news and politics market (although the same could be argued about the 'Weekend Update' segment on 'Saturday Night Live'). The concept has potential. There are many sports fans that love comedy and vice-versa. There is also already a built-in audience from using The Onion's brand.
Other attempts have been made at genre news parody with the only stand-out being 'The Colbert Report' parodying opinion-style news. 'Chocolate News' didn't last long and don't get me started on 'The Half Hour News Hour.' Hopefully this show will have a longer run.
Billy Campbell Joins AMC's 'The Killing'
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 14th 2010 9:30AM
AMC is getting even more serious about original programming, particularly in the wake of the success of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Mad Men.' First the network greenlit a full season for the television adaptation of 'The Walking Dead,' and now they've cast Billy Campbell in the lead of their new series pilot about an investigation into the murder of a young girl titled 'The Killing.'
'The Killing' actually sounds far more interesting than that brief description, as the police end up investigating three interlocking stories that led to the murder. If 'The Killing' ends up becoming a series, it could be about season-long, very complex series of crime investigations, like a really long episode of 'CSI.'
All of this is speculation as the series is currently only slated for a pilot. The possibility of a series is up in the air and if it comes down to either this show or 'The Walking Dead,' I would go with the latter.
Microsoft Courted Conan to Plug His Show Into XBox Live
by Danny Gallagher, posted Apr 14th 2010 9:03AM
Conan O'Brien's deal with TBS may have thrown every TV pundit and pontificator for a loop, but here's one that will make your head spin clear around your neck. (WARNING: TV Squad and its parent companies will not be held responsible for any head and/or neck trauma that may occur while reading this article).
While everyone thought Conan would simply jump to Fox because it was the last remaining network without a strong late night slot, Coco and company were being courted by all sorts of networks and media outlets, including ... Microsoft???
That's right, the technology giant had been talking to Conan about a deal that would have brought his nightly talk show to their XBox Live service.
Starz Eyes 'Insatiable'
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 13th 2010 3:00PM
Leave it to a premium cable network like Starz to figure out a way to combine The Food Network with Cinemax. They will be producing a series based on former New York magazine writer Gael Greene's 2006 memoir of her time as a food critic.Greene has most recently been seen on television as a judge for 'Top Chef Masters' on Bravo. She's been writing about food for over 40 years.
But don't let her career as a writer fool you into thinking of this as another cookbook. She slept with porn stars, famous chefs and the Studio 54 set (including a tryst with the King of Rock and Roll). In other words, it's perfect fodder for one of those cable adult dramas that creep into the softcore porn territory (and can use the analogy of eating as sex).
Starz itself is becoming a player in the game with the success of its 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' series. It looks like the network seeks to continue the streak.
Items From 'Star Trek: The Experience' Go on Sale This Weekend
by Rich Keller, posted Apr 9th 2010 2:01PM
If you're a fan of 'Star Trek' in any of its incarnations and truly loved 'Star Trek: The Experience' at the Las Vegas Hilton, then you want to make that city your destination this Saturday.Popworx, the auction house that specializes in sales of television and movie assets, is having a sale at their warehouse (66 Spectrum Boulevard, Las Vegas) of various props and settings from the former resort hotel attraction. It was built during the era when Las Vegas thought it was going to be a family-friendly destination (what many call "The Bad Years").
The sale will be focusing on the larger items from 'ST:TE,' including wall panels, furniture from Quark's Bar, Starfleet costumes, and seats from the Klingon Encounter ride. Also on sale will be transporter room and hallway pieces from the Enterprise D replica that was part of the attraction.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Everything is cash and carry (so, rent that moving van now) and no credit cards will be accepted.
Diane Lane to Star in HBO's 'Cinema Verite'
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 9th 2010 10:30AM
Diane Lane has been cast as the lead role in HBO's new film 'Cinema Verite.' She'll be playing Pat Loud, the mother and main character of the ground-breaking 1973 PBS documentary 'An American Family.' When the documentary was first released, it stunned viewers with its frank discussion on issues such as divorce and sexual identity. Pat even historically asked her husband for a divorce on camera.In short, this is to be a scripted movie about a documentary behind the filming of a documentary. With such convolution, it's sure to cause some sort of rupture in the space-time continuum. Doc Brown is probably having a conniption as this is being written.
It does sounds like a pretty good movie, though. In 30 years or so, we'll be seeing television movies about the backstage antics in shows like 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' or 'The Simple Life.' It's likely that whomever they cast as Paris Hilton will be more convincing in the role than Paris Hilton.
TLC Orders New Kate Gosselin Series
by Annie Wu, posted Apr 9th 2010 9:45AM
Listen, the television industry is tough. There are so many hours of airtime to fill, and not every family with more than six children is guaranteed to be super-cute. So you can imagine TLC's challenge trying to come up with new material. This is probably why they went back to one of their stand-out personalities, Kate Gosselin of 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' fame, to kick off a new series called 'Twist of Kate,' in which Gosselin will interact with a variety of American families and "see what she can do to help."Well, the concept is surprising but it is probably a smart move for TLC to bring back one of their big ratings heavy hitters. The channel's obviously part of the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. Or rather "If it broke, then scrape together the remaining pieces and put a handful of them back on TV with a slightly better haircut."
Glenn Beck Made $32 Million in Past Year, But Not Much from Fox
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 8th 2010 3:32PM
Forbes has an interesting article about the sources of Glenn Beck's income. Interestingly, only $2 million of his $32 million annual salary comes from his Fox News show where he gets most of his publicity. The majority of the money comes from his radio and publishing empire. It could be said that Fox News is the platform from which he hawks the rest of his wares.But as Master Yogurt said, merchandising is where the real money from the movie comes from. Pretty soon I'm sure we'll be seeing the Glenn Beck action figure, the Glenn Beck cookbook, the Glenn Beck barbecue grill and the Glenn Beck video game for the Wii which will come with its own interactive chalkboard.
However, to put things in perspective: no matter how much the man makes from his media empire, Glenn Beck will still make a lot less in annual income than Oprah.
HBO Says Yes to Laura Dern TV Show
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 8th 2010 11:50AM
HBO has another new comedy to add to its unstoppable onslaught of original programming. Laura Dern is set to star in 'Enlightened,' which is about a "self-destructive woman who has a revelatory experience at a treatment center." The pilot was co-written by Dern and Mike White, who is best known for his work on 'Freaks and Geeks' and the movie 'School of Rock.' The two have previously worked together on the movie 'Year of the Dog.'While the premise sounds good, it's also fairly vague. This is a good thing because it allows for the creators to take the concept in whatever direction they prefer. Still, it sounds suspiciously a lot like an HBO series called 'My Name is Earl,' but with a female lead. Of course that depends on one's definition of "self-destructive."
Production of the series is set to begin this summer. The pilot has already been filmed but HBO has ordered nine additional episodes. They'll probably be broadcast either late 2010 or early 2011.
TV 101: Podcasts That Could Be TV Shows
by Jay Black, posted Apr 8th 2010 10:02AM
Do you know why stand-up comics have so many lame jokes about flying? It's because we spend so much (expletive deleted) time on (expletive deleted) planes. (My own lame joke about flying involves overweight people next to you: "So much of her was on me that we hit turbulence and I technically cheated on my wife.")That much time in coach turns your brain into pudding - you need a crutch to get you through it. I've turned into a podcast junkie. At any given time of the day or night, I'm probably flying over you, listening to some guy in his basement rant about the whether the "Blackest Night" event is good or bad for the DC universe.
I'm like an awkward, misshapen George Clooney from 'Up in the Air.' Except instead of hot sex with Vera Farmiga, I'm snuggling with Leo Laporte.
After all this podcast listening (not to mention the success of the 'Ricky Gervais Show'), it occurred to me that a few of my favorites would make excellent TV shows.
Does Max Weinberg Want to Leave Conan for Jay?
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 7th 2010 7:27PM
Let's hear it for high profile defections. According to Movieline, rumor has it that longtime Conan O'Brien bandleader Max Weinberg is seeking the coveted position of bandleader for 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno', a role that is soon to be abandoned by Kevin Eubanks.While it's somewhat understandable that Weinberg would want the position, it is a bit of a slap to Conan. On the other hand, it's all about what's best for Max Weinberg and while things with Conan are currently up in the air, 'The Tonight Show' is a pretty solid position to be in. Like it or not, there are still a lot of viewers on Team Jay and he continues to pull in ratings despite his brief absence from the 11:30 spot.
At least Weinberg would also now have a lot to talk about with Stuttering John Melendez, who defected to Jay from 'The Howard Stern Show' ages ago.
[via TVWeek]
Fox Upping the Music for a Week
by Brad Trechak, posted Apr 7th 2010 3:04PM
With the success of 'American Idol,' 'Glee,' and other music-related franchises, it should be no wonder that Fox wants to milk it by having music-themed episodes of several of its shows for the end of April and beginning of May. These shows include 'The Simpsons,' 'Family Guy,' 'Bones,' 'Fringe,' and 'House.'Before anybody panics and starts envisioning David Boreanaz or Hugh Laurie breaking out in a rendition of 'Feelings' in the middle of a dramatic moment, the article states that the episodes will be music-themed but not necessarily musicals. 'Family Guy' often has musical numbers in their episodes and it's not even a stretch to have Homer and Marge to break out in song. But the character of Bones? Or House? No way.
House will most likely treat a rock star patient and Bones will have to investigate something involving an opera singer or some such plot device. Yes, it's silly, but it could be worse. Remember when NBC went green for a week and introduced Greenzo? I rest my case.
What's On Tonight: 'In Plain Sight,' 'Ugly Betty,' 'Human Target'
by Rich Keller, posted Apr 7th 2010 12:30PM
Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times are Eastern). All shows mentioned are new, except where otherwise noted.
8:00 to 9:00
- CBS: 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' and 'Accidentally on Purpose'
- The CW: 'America's Next Top Model'
- FOX: 'Human Target'
- NBC: The recently renewed 'Minute to Win It'
- Cartoon Network: 'Dude, What Would Happen?'
- CBS: 'Criminal Minds'
- The CW: 'Fly Girls' and 'High Society'
- FOX: Another 'American Idol' results show
- BBC America: season premieres of 'Peep Show' and 'That Mitchell and Webb Look'
- Discovery: 'Mythbusters'
- Fine Living Network (FLN): 'Whatever, Martha!'
- SyFy: 'Ghost Hunters'
- ABC: 'Ugly Betty' (yes, it's still on!)
- CBS: 'CSI:NY'
- NBC: 'Law & Order: SVU'
- A&E: 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' and 'Billy the Exterminator'
- Bravo: 'Shear Genius' and 'Top Chef Masters'
- Comedy Central: 'South Park' and 'Ugly Americans'
- Food Network: 'Diner: Impossible'
- SyFy: 'Destination Truth'
- USA: More witness relocation hilarity on 'In Plain Sight'
After the jump, the late night talk shows.
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