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puppy bowl
Zooey Deschanel, Rachel Bilson in Talks to Join Pilots, Tracy Morgan Back at '30 Rock' and More
by Jean Bentley, posted Feb 8th 2011 7:00PM
Zooey Deschanel might be a movie star already, but she could be following in her big sister's footsteps and joining a TV series full time.TV Line reports that Deschanel is reportedly in talks to star in the Fox comedy pilot 'Chicks and Dicks,' from 'No Strings Attached' writer Liz Merriwether. The actress would play Jessica, an elementary school teacher who moves in with a group of immature guys after breaking up with her live-in boyfriend.
Nothing's set in stone yet, especially not the title of the show -- that'll probably change if the series ever makes it to air.
Deschanel's sister, Emily, stars on the Fox hit 'Bones.'
Also in contention to star in one of the season's biggest pilots is Rachel Bilson, who is in talks for a lead role in Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage's new show, 'Hart of Dixie.' Bilson would play a New York City doctor who inherits a small Southern medical practice, reports Deadline.
In other TV news ...
• Following a successful kidney transplant, Tracy Morgan is back on the '30 Rock' set. The actor missed several episodes while he recovered from the surgery. [EW]
• When Gwyneth Paltrow heads back to 'Glee,' she'll be sharing a 'Kiss' with Matthew Morrison. At least musically -- her character, Holly Holiday, will duet on the Prince song with Mr. Schuester. [TV Line]
• Almost 10 million people tuned in to Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl on Sunday. The Super Bowl counter-programming attracted an audience of 9.2 million over 12 hours. [EW]
Big Red Scores a Touchdown on 'Puppy Bowl VII'! (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Feb 7th 2011 5:20AM
Several of the players in 'Puppy Bowl VII' (Sun., 3PM ET on Animal Planet) got a little distracted, happy to just roughhouse with each other. That's OK: The cuteness factor goes a long way in this game. And two puppies did cooperate, competing for possession of the Big Red -- an aptly named enormous puppy -- fumbled the toy but got it back and made it to the end zone. Puppy Touchdown! The hamsters (piloting a blimp above the action) and the chicken cheerleaders went wild. Time for the kitten halftime show?
Behind the Scenes at 'Puppy Bowl VII' (VIDEO)
by Jean Bentley, posted Feb 2nd 2011 3:00PM
Watching puppies run around on a tiny replica football field is certainly the most adorable Super Bowl counter-programming you'll see on Sunday. As you'd expect, going behind the scenes at the taping of 'Puppy Bowl VII' (Sun., 3PM ET, Animal Planet) in the fall was just as "awwwww"-inducing."I do have the best job on the planet," 'Puppy Bowl' executive producer Melinda Toporoff told TV Squad when we visited the set.
This is Toporoff's fourth year in charge of 'Puppy Bowl,' which is shot over two long days in October. (The kitten halftime show is taped on a separate day to keep the cats and dogs from fighting.) We spoke with Toporoff about casting the puppies, picking the gameday lineup and calling puppy penalties.
Watch our video after the jump, and contemplate your career path as you think about how all referee Andrew had to do to get his sweet gig was volunteer at a staff meeting. Lucky duck.
What to Watch: January 31 - February 6
by Stephanie Earp, posted Jan 30th 2011 2:00AM
Puppy Bowl VI - Sunday February 6, 6PM ET, Animal Planet
Returning to compete against the Super Bowl, Puppy Bowl is sort of like a live-action version of Cute Overload. To put it bluntly, it's a bunch of cute puppies on a miniature football field. They lick each other, cuddle with each other and pee on stuff. There a puppy's-eye-view cam and a water dish cam, a kitten half-time show and at the end of the 'game,' there's even an MVP. If this wasn't all adorable enough, it turns out all the puppies on screen are available for adoption through the SPCA. Canadians can follow up here.
Puppy Bowl VI Preview
by Adam Keleman, posted Feb 7th 2010 1:00PM
Forget the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, this Sunday's Super Bowl is all about puppies! Well, that's what Animal Planet wants you to believe, as their Puppy Bowl VI airs Sunday afternoon before the actual football game commences. The starting line-up for the sixth annual event showcases a fiercely cute bunch of, you guessed it, puppies. Make sure to keep your eyes on the 10-week-old Bandit, a Border Collie Mix; and the clearly menacing, 16-week-old Fava (He just started teething!), a Cattle Dog Mix. The bunny-cheerleaders should be pretty darn cute, as well.
What's On Tonight: Super Bowl, 'Puppy Bowl,' 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force'
by Bob Sassone, posted Feb 7th 2010 12:25PM
Here's tonight's TV line-up (all times Eastern).- TV Land has a 'Home Improvement' marathon all night.
- Discovery has a 'Destroyed in Seconds' marathons all night.
- TNT has a 'Law & Order' marathon all night.
- Hallmark continues their 'I Love Lucy' marathon.
- At 6, CBS has the Super Bowl, followed by the series premiere of 'Undercover Boss.'
- At 7, FOX has two new episodes of 'Til Death.'
- Animal Planet has 'Puppy Bowl VI' at 7.
- ABC Family has 'The Sound of Music' at 7.
- At 9, PBS has a new 'Masterpiece Classic.'
- HBO has a new 'Big Love' at 9.
- WE has a new 'Platinum Weddings' at 9.
- At 10, TruTV has two new episodes of 'Las Vegas Jailhouse.'
- IFC has two 'Arrested Development' episodes at 10.
- Also at 10: WE has a new 'Rich Bride Poor Bride.'
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force.'
Check your local TV listings for more.
Puppy Bowl VI Aims to Out-Cute Super Bowl XLIV
by Danny Gallagher, posted Feb 2nd 2010 1:29PM
Sure the National Football League might have the money, the talent and the millions of dollars in hotly contested advertising revenue, but they don't have puppies. That's why Animal Planet is returning their annual festival of cute that is the Puppy Bowl for their sixth year, set to air from 3 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 7.
This year's showdown will include old favorite such as shots from the world-famous "bowl cam" and some new twists such as a new blimp-cam and bunnies dressed as cheerleaders. Warning: it's bound to be so cute that Discovery Networks will not be held responsible for broken TV due to excessive hugging.
What's On Tonight: Super Bowl, Big Love, Wipeout, Robot Chicken
by Bob Sassone, posted Feb 1st 2009 4:04PM
Disney has a Phineas & Ferb marathon all night.- TV Land is showing I Love Lucy all night.
- At 6, NBC has The Super Bowl, followed by a new episode of The Office.
- At 7, CBS has a new CBS Reports: Road To The White House.
- Animal Planet has Puppy Bowl V at 7.
- At 8, VH-1 has a new Confessions of a Teen Idol.
- ESPN has two new episodes of The World Series of Poker: Europe at 8.
- At 9, HBO has a new Big Love, then a new Flight of the Conchords.
- Showtime has a new episode of The L Word at 9, followed by new episodes of United States of Tara and Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
- At 10, ABC has Wipeout Bowl 1: Cheerleaders vs. Couch Potatoes.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.
- At 12:15am, Cartoon Network reruns the Drinky Crow Show pilot.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Sick of the Super Bowl? Here's a sampler platter of what else you can watch
by Danny Gallagher, posted Feb 1st 2009 1:15PM
If you're like me (you have my deepest sympathy), you don't have a dog in this Sunday's hunt. Thanks to the Arizona Cardinals' first appearance this weekend, my hometown team, the New Orleans Saints, will now be one of only five left in the NFL that have never made a Super Bowl appearance. Three if you don't count the expansion clubs.
So if you're a Cardinals fan and don't have the stomach to endure their slow, agonizing and inevitable defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are some alternative shows you can watch instead of the Super Bowl.
Coming soon...Puppy Bowl V
by Brad Trechak, posted Jan 11th 2009 9:56AM
Animal Planet has once again slated the Puppy Bowl (this one is number 5) to take place on February 1st, the same day as the Super Bowl. The National Anthem will be sung by a parrot and there will be a half-time show involving kitties. Sometimes you just can't make this stuff up.I was informed that there was some excitement last year when one of the puppies knocked down a dalmatian who was carrying the ball and was penalized as a result and taken out of the game. I don't know exactly how that works, but it sounds exciting.
It's a cute gimmick that the Animal Planet has developed. You can't get much cheaper and cuter than filming puppies playing in a faux football stadium and people that watch puppies are definitely a different niche than those that watch football.
Still, there is some room for improvement. Why not throw a few bunnies and hamsters in there to liven things up? How would you improve the Puppy Bowl?
Seven reasons I watch Animal Planet
by Jackie Schnoop, posted Feb 6th 2008 10:00AM
Growing up as a child of the television generation, I was always mesmerized by any shows having to do with nature or animals. I'd glue myself to the set as Marlin Perkins and Jacques Cousteau took me on fantastic adventures far removed from my own life of domesticated animals.But I always loved the domestic animals as well. Dogs and cats have always been a part of my life and I'm enriched by their presence in our world. What I didn't have when I was growing up was an Animal Planet exploring the world of animals from pets to deadly predators. From sentimental to educational to outright odd and scary, Animal Planet explores both the worlds of the wilds and the inner cities -- as long as there are animals involved. And, it's not just for kids.
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What to watch on Sunday if you don't like football
by Bob Sassone, posted Feb 1st 2008 3:28PM
I'm not into football, but I do watch the Super Bowl every single year. I watch it for the new expensive commercials (which we'll be covering here at TV Squad). But if you're the type of person who doesn't like the game or the commercials, here's what you can watch instead on Sunday (not just during the game at night but during the all-day pre-game show too). Puppies and Klingons and Beatles, oh my!
Behind the scenes at Puppy Bowl
by Julia Ward, posted Feb 7th 2007 10:03AM
There are so many jobs I'd love to have. I'd love to ghostwrite Melanie Griffith's blog "In 2 Me C." I'd love to join Jackie Chan's stunt team, but mostly, I'd love to produce Puppy Bowl. Sadly, the job has already been taken by Discovery Productions' Molly Hermann. For those of you who turn a blind eye to Super Bowl counter programming, the Puppy Bowl is the annual Animal Planet alternative to the blockbuster sporting event.Puppy Bowl is the furry equivalent of those Yule Log or Aquarium DVDs that you pop in your player to create party time ambiance. It's like watching a traffic camera trained on one corner for three hours. Puppies come. Puppies go. Puppies drink water from a see-through bowl with a "water cam" attached to its underside. This year, Puppy Bowl included a Puppy Tailgate party and a Kitty Halftime Show to spice things up, but mostly, it really is just puppies running around in front of a handful of still cameras for three hours. It's the most adorable Warhol film ever.
Washington Post readers were lucky enough to chat with Hermann online prior to Puppy Bowl airtime. She provided some behind-the-scenes details to the annual pooch extravaganza. Among the shocking revelations:
What's On Tonight: Super Bowl, Criminal Minds, Rome, Extras
by Bob Sassone, posted Feb 4th 2007 4:15PM
The Super Bowl officially begins at 6:30, but CBS' pre-game coverage started at noon. After the game there's a new episode of Criminal Minds. - TBS has a My Boys marathon starting at 5.
- Animal Bowl has Puppy Bowl III all night (starts at 6).
- ABC, NBC, and FOX all have repeats all night (they don't want to compete with the game).
- At 10, HGTV has a new episode of Living With Ed.
- HBO has a new Rome at 10, followed by a new Extras.
- Also at 10: Showtime has a new episode of The L Word.
- At 11:30 (or after local news), CBS has a special Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson, with Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Williams, Jr, Gloria Estefan, Dan Marino, and Mike Ditka.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Check out clips from Puppy Bowl II
by Adam Finley, posted Feb 9th 2006 4:02PM
Is it possible to be paralyzed by cuteness? Because I think that's what happened
while I watched these
highlights from Puppy Bowl II on Animal
Planet. Puppy Bowl was aired during the Super Bowl and consisted of three hours of different breeds of puppies
frolicking on a tiny football field. The show was then repeated for a total of twelve hours. How could even the most
jaded person not find this adorable? I think they should run this all the time. It would be the perfect respite from
the nightly news.
Oh yeah, and halftime featured kittens, of course.
[via Onion AV Club blog]
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