TV News Roundup – November 2009 – Week 1
Parents Television Council praises Microsoft for dumping ‘Family Guy’
“The Parents Television Council praises Microsoft for waking up to the risk that was posed to its brand by serving as sole sponsor for a Seth MacFarlane special. The content on MacFarlane’s ‘Family Guy,’ ‘American Dad,’ and now the ‘The Cleveland Show’ every week on Fox should be more than enough evidence to make responsible advertisers head for the hills. The presumption that a Seth MacFarlane special would be any less offensive is simply naïve,”
‘V’ voice revisits familiar turf
Original creator Kenny Johnson happy with remake
As the creator of the original “V” miniseries in 1983, Johnson knows interest in the new “V” will also spur nostalgia for his original. And Johnson, who didn’t retain TV rights to the title, still has big feature plans for his own “V” remake. “If the show succeeds, it gives us an opportunity to go out with a one sheet that says, ‘You like the show, now see the original classic reborn,’ ” Johnson says. “And if the show doesn’t do well, we can always say, ‘Here is the “V” you’ve been waiting for.’ ”
Robert Carlyle talks ‘Stargate: Universe’
“He’s very isolated, very much on his own,” Carlyle says. “He only goes to people if he needs them.” When he was sought for the role, Carlyle says he was told, “We’re looking for someone who can make dislikable things seem quick likable.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m potentially your man.’”
William Atherton cast on ‘Lost’
“Die Hard” and “Ghostbusters” star William Atherton will have a guest starring role on the final season of ABC’s “Lost.” Executive producer Carlton Cuse revealed the casting in a series of Tweets last night: “Damon & I are die hard fans of this impeckable actor who keeps the bar high and just signed to guest star. Life is good!” he wrote …. then added that “yes it is a clue”…Atherton played the memorably douche-y “Walter Peck” in “Ghostbusters” and similarly douche-y “Dick Thornburg” in “Die Hard” (the 1980s weren’t very subtle with character names, were they?). He also had a recurring role on “Life.”
NBC: More ‘Chuck,’ no more ‘Trauma’
‘Chuck’ expected to launch in Jan.
The network has ordered six more episodes of dramedy “Chuck” and has opted not to pick up additional episodes from “Trauma” beyond the freshman drama’s original 13-episode order. The pickup for “Chuck” brings the show’s total third-season order to 19 episodes. With the expanded order, “Chuck,” originally not supposed to come on until after the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, is rumored to launch in January. The series now will finish production on its 13-episode order before winding down.
Syfy greenlights ‘Being Human’
Syfy has handed out a 13-episode order to a U.S. version of the BBC show from RDF Media USA. “Human” revolves around three twentysomething roommates — who happen to be a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf — as they help one another navigate the complexities of living double lives.
‘Holmes’ spies MacFarlane special
Warner Bros. to replace Microsoft
Warner Bros. Pictures has agreed to step in and replace Microsoft as the sole sponsor of Fox’s Seth MacFarlane variety special, set to air Nov. 8. The studio plans to use the time to promote its Christmas tentpole “Sherlock Holmes” via an extended trailer during “Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show.”
McKellen enrolls in ‘Academy’
Actor to star in half-hour mockumentary series
The thesp has signed to star in a half-hour mockumentary series, “The Academy,” that is being shopped to U.K. and U.S. buyers by DLT Entertainment. McKellen would play his fictional brother, Murray McKellen, who heads a run-down drama school, the Clapham Academy of Creative Arts, that is hoping to secure new funding through a docu on the school.
Nathan Fillion Says ‘Dr. Horrible’ Sequel Has A Title, Several Songs Written
“There are plans,” Fillion told MTV News. “The media for the sequel has not yet been decided, but there is a title. Joss, I was talking to him right before we won the Emmy,” said Fillion. “He said that he’s finished writing a song or two. He told me a couple of verses to the song. It’s going to be great,” he said. “I know a bunch of cast members of Dr. Horrible who would love to get back into it.”
Ultraman creator wins a battle
Tsuburaya defends rights to kiddie TV fave
A court in Guangdong, China, has ruled in favor of Tsuburaya Prods. in its rights dispute with Sompote Saengduenchai, prexy of Bangkok-based Tsuburaya Chaiyo and Chaiyo Production, who claims to be co-inventor of the series. The Guangdong court issued the first ruling on the case on Oct. 23. A second, final ruling, is expected within 30 days. At stake are the merchandising, broadcasting and other rights to the Ultraman series outside Japan.
A ‘Lost’ Q&A: Damon Lindelof answers (most of) your questions!
“I think it is our intention to end the story of Lost in the final episode of the television series. We have no desire whatsoever to make a movie or leave any threads hanging. That being said, some people will think it’s enormously satisfying. Other people will think it’s not satisfying enough. It all depends on the way that you watch the show. But the worst thing we could ever do is just answer some things and then say we’ll answer other things in the Lost movie in theaters two years from now.”
‘Criminal Intent’ has a new captain
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio joining USA’s drama series
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio has joined USA Network’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” completing the casting transformation on the police procedural for its upcoming ninth season. She will play the new captain taking over the Major Case Squad.
NBC has ‘Zeroes’ interest in drama project
Feature writer-helmers look at last hour of crisis situations
The feature writing-directing team of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor are venturing into television with a one-hour project for NBC. “Zeroes,” from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun, is described as a high-intensity drama chronicling the last hour of a crisis situation. “We want to drop right into it and sustain the absolute most berserk state of crisis, when all of the options have been exhausted,” he said. “We want to take that last 60 minutes and sustain it for the entire show.” “Zeroes” refers to a fictional team of guys called in as a last resort who are “absolutely ruthless” in their use of force, Taylor said.
Official: TNT picks up ‘Southland’
In a rare industry move, a cable network has picked up a discarded broadcast series. TNT has obtained the exclusive rights to run the six unaired episodes of “Southland” which were on NBC’s fall schedule before the broadcaster unexpectedly axed the show two weeks before its premiere. TNT will air all 13 produced episodes of Warner Bros. drama, including its seven-episode first season when it premiered as NBC’s midseason replacement last April. TNT will then decide whether to commission additional episodes.
TV ratings: Every fall sci-fi show compared by number of viewers
ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox need more live viewers than The CW and Syfy for their shows to be considered successful. And if you’re worried about your favorite show, watch it live and watch the commercials. Those initial ratings are still the most important, although terms like “time shift,” “DVR +7″ and “7 day viewing” are becoming a fact of life we’re going to want to embrace, because they’re going to keep some of our shows alive.
But Wait, There’s More…
- ABC scraps plans for ‘V’ skywriting campaign
- 5 major spoilers about Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
- Comedy Central inks two talent deals
- Hieroglyphics on the Poster for the Final Season of LOST Explained
- Hugh Jackman opts out of Oscarcast gig
- Bret Easton Ellis to adapt ‘The Follower’ for HBO, Lionsgate
- ABC announces ‘Scrubs’ premiere date
- Study: Violence against women on TV surges
- Ad agency claims it invented TV product integration
- Oliver Platt joining Showtime’s ‘C Word’
- Canal Plus takes a page from HBO
- ‘Glee’ music team: Nobody has turned us down
- Canuck pubcaster CBC makes changes for market share
- Jim Belushi sets up courtroom drama
- Exec producers behind ‘Ghost Whisperer’ duo set dramas for ABC
- 6 reasons fans of the old V should watch the new one
The Fine Print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
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