January 15, 2009
Conan O'Brien Maintains 11:35 Is "Sacred Territory"
Late-night host shoots down notion that Jay Leno's move to 10 p.m. hurts Tonight Show cache.>>>
New NBC Exec Team Using Spring to Plant for Fall
Angela Bromstad says 'Lipstick Jungle', 'Chuck', 'Life' remain contenders to return>>>
Blogging TCA: John Wells on Leno...And Fewer Broadcast Hours for Drama
"As someone who makes or tries to make adult dramas, I'm sad that we lost another place that you can make those dramas... There are four or five fewer hours that they can be broadcast.">>>
Blogging TCA: Jimmy Fallon, Meet The Television Critics
What those in the audience didn't see was Jimmy sneak a picture of them in. A picture that he has since posted to his Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Check it out see if you can spot your favorite critic or reporter.>>>
Blogging TCA: Don't Walk Out On Jimmy Fallon!
Jimmy Fallon is already practicing fighting for his audience before his new NBC latenight show debuts March 2.>>>
Conan’s Last ‘Late Night’ Feb. 20, Fallon’s First March 2
Conan O’Brien will host his last episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien February 20th, while his successor Jimmy Fallon will take the reigns of the show March 2nd, NBC said Thursday.>>>
Still Hope For NBC’s ‘Lipstick Jungle’
NBC Primetime Entertainment President Angela Bromstad said the network had not officially canceled Lipstick Jungle at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Thursday.>>>
January 14, 2009
Showtime Execs Say Original Programming Is ‘The Thing’
Following what Showtime Chairman-CEO Matt Blank says was a “terrific” 2008, with record revenue and financial performance, the network’s executives are focused on rolling out and slotting new original series, they told critics at the Television Critics Association press tour Wednesday afternoon.>>>
Showtime’s Greenblatt Reveals Details on ‘L Word’ Spin-off
Showtime President of Entertainment Bob Greenblatt spilled some details of the recently-piloted The L-Word spin-off: It will star The L Word’s Leisha Hayley and will be a “very different, substantially different show” from L-Word, he says.>>>
Blogging TCA: The Ladies Of "The L Word" Come Out To Talk Final Season
Going into the show's sixth and final season, executive producer, writer and director Ilene Chaiken and several cast members, including Jennifer Beals, gave insights into the series, the fans and the upcoming season.>>>
Blogging TCA: ‘Tara’ Is Full Of Personality
There were indeed multiple personalities on the “United States of Tara” panel, the show about a wife and mother openly living with dissociative identity disorder.>>>
Craig Ferguson Not Affected “Creatively” By Leno Move
'Late Late Show' host urges critics to give Jimmy Fallon time before reviewing him.>>>
CBS’s Nina Tassler Says ‘Network Television Still Works’
CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler insisted that network television is still kicking during a session at the Television Critics Association press tour Wednesday morning. It’s just kicking a little differently.>>>
CBS Says Swingtown Not Coming Back
Its official: Swingtown won’t be swinging by CBS anytime in the near future. CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler confirmed the program’s end at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Los Angeles Wednesday.>>>
CBS Piloting John Mayer Variety Show
Musician John Mayer is shooting a variety show pilot for CBS, network entertainment president Nina Tassler said at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Los Angeles Wednesday.>>>
January 13, 2009
Fox Focusing on Rebuilding Live-Action Comedy Brand
Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly calls NBC's Leno move 'smart,' the network his 'crazy ex-wife'.>>>
Blogging TCA: No Paula-Kara Catfight...Yet
Critics at TCA’s American Idol panel wasted no time asking the question on every Idol fan’s mind as the show returns tonight: When will Paula Abdul and new judge Kara DioGuardi throw down?>>>
Blogging TCA: ‘Sit Down, Shut Up’...Now, Let’s Talk About ‘Arrested Development’
For its luncheon panel at the TCA press tour Tuesday, Fox offered critics mac ‘n’ cheese, chocolate milk and other school-lunch fare on cafeteria trays in honor of its new animated sitcom Sit Down, Shut Up from the creators of Arrested Development.>>>
Fox Ending Prison Break
Prison Break is finally getting locked up for good. Fox announced Tuesday that the current season of the program will be its last. The fourth and final season will return to the air Friday, April 17 at 8 p.m.>>>
Blogging TCA: Fox Trots Out Lie To Me in a City Where "No One Lies"
“I know no one lies in Los Angeles," joked Lie To Me creator Scott Baum at TCA panel this morning, "so we are limited to set stories here.">>>
January 10, 2009
Starz Creates Friday-Night Comedy Block
Starz, continuing its expansion into original programming, is creating a one-hour Friday-night comedy block starting March 20, scheduling a veteran show and a new series back to back, officials said Saturday.>>>
Current TV Partners With Rotten Tomatoes On Review Show
Film review series will appear on-air, online.>>>
BET Steps Up Obama Inauguration Coverage
Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, Cedric The Entertainer, Magic Johnson on tap for festivities kicking off Jan. 17.>>>
January 9, 2009
HBO's 'Detective Agency' Out of Africa
New series No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency shot in Botswana.>>>
Ferrell Bids Farewell to Bush
You're Welcome, America: A Final Night With George W Bush to premiere March 14 live on HBO.>>>
Gabriel Byrne Cancels Press Tour Appearance
Star of HBO's In Treatment marks second cancellation after ailing Patrick Swayze drops out.>>>
Bacon Reflects On HBO's Emotional 'Taking Chances'
Los Angeles—Actor Kevin Bacon Friday said that his new HBO movie, Taking Chances, will help drive home the meaning of casualties of war, no matter how you feel about the conflict.>>>
Logo Rolls Out 'RuPaul's Drags Race'
Look out, America's Next Top Model. Logo's about to roll out its own glamour competition with RuPaul's Drag Race where nine drag queens will compete for cash and makeup. >>
Swayze Cancels A&E Appearance After Being Hospitalized
In a surprise turn, actor Patrick Swayze, who is fighting pancreatic cancer, cancelled his appearance at the Television Critics Association winter press tour for A&E Network Friday after checking himself into a hospital for pneumonia.
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Comedy Central Tackles 'Important Things'
Daily Show contributor and stand-up comedian Demetri Martin gets his own gig in Important Things with Demetri Martin, beginning in February on Comedy Central.
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Jesse James Ratchets Up Risk in New Spike Series
Motorcycle designer Jesse James leaves the Monster Garage for the daredevil world in Spike's upcoming Jesse James Is a Dead Man, a series showing him attempting the death-defying stunts he's always wanted to try.
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MTV's DiSanto Touts Two New Programs
The MTV executive vice president of series development and programming, promised critics "an unprecedented set of series launches" during 2009, but the network decided to promote two to TV critics here: T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go and How's Your News?
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'NASCAR Wives' and Wedding Bells at TLC
TLC is debuting its new series NASCAR Wives January 24 at 10 p.m. Away from the fast track, the world’s largest man is getting married and TLC is covering it along with other programs about extraordinary marriages.
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Inventors, BBC Co-Production On Discovery Slate
Discovery Channel unveiled its slate of new spring programming Friday. New shows include But Wait… There’s More featuring infomercial pitchmen Billy Mays and Anthony “Sully” Sullivan.>>
Animal Planet Prepares To ‘Walk The Lion’
Dave Salmoni's 'Walk the Lion,' 'Jockeys' premiering on network this spring.>>
Style Network Bringing Back 'Ruby'
New season will show her living her life after losing more than 150 pounds.>>
E! Picks Up 'Candy Girls'
Network will air new series after 'Keeping Up with The Kardashians'.>>
January 8, 2009
Nat Geo Specials Take To Air, Sea
Los Angeles—Research firsts, including the first video footage of a blue whale calf and the necropsy of a 37,000-year-old baby mammoth, are the topics of two of nature specials upcoming on National Geographic Channel.>>
AMC's Breaking Bad Promises More Fun Mistakes
Los Angeles—Fans of AMC's Breaking Bad may wonder where the macabre ideas come from for plot points in the award-winning series, and creator Vince Gilligan gave TV critics a simple answer: He's always been a big fan of Popular Science.>>
WeTV Introduces Healthy Programming Alternative
WeTV had a tough job Thursday, kicking off the cable portion of the Television Critics Association meeting here by selling writers who normally subsist on energy drinks, cookies and fatty snacks from the mini-bar on a show devoted to healthy eating. >>
Chris Kattan’s 'Hero' Takes on Mumbai
It's hard to say what's more challenging about IFC's upcoming original mini-series: trying to generate interest in a Bollywood-themed story starring Saturday Night Live alum Chris Kattan as a leading man, or the fact the production will be shot in Mumbai, the site of deadly terrorist attacks in November. >>
Sundance Channel Books 'Eco Trip'
Sundance Channel will bolster its "green" programming block with new series and documentaries debuting this spring, including a show tracking popular products such as a cotton T-shirt from raw components to its finished product. >>
