First Casualities of the Fall Season?
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Reality, CBS, FOX, NBC, Cancellations, Ratings,
While not officially canceled, two shows have received the kiss of death—being put on hiatus. It seems pretty early in the season to pull the plug already, but Fox’s Happy Hour and Justice have already been put on “hiatus” status. Fox is saying that the comedy Happy Hour will return in November, citing the upcoming baseball playoffs and World Series as their reason for shelving the show, if only briefly. Until baseball takes over, Fox will be running a rerun of ‘Til Death during Happy Hour‘s Thursday time slot.
Justice will also take a break, with a repeat of House airing in its place on October 4th. The network will, however, be airing a repeat of Justice‘s pilot on Friday, September 29th at 8:00 p.m. This time will cut the finale of Celebrity Duets short by one hour.
Neither of these new shows really stood a chance against the competition (even though neither is officially canceled yet)—up against Survivor: Cook Island and The Office.
Read More 
| The Futon Critic
Gallery: First Casualities of the Fall Season?
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Which New Series Will be Canceled?
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, UPN, WB, Cancellations, HDTV,
Website Brilliant But Cancelled is offering visitors the chance to vote on which new series they think will get the axe. Their contest, Death Watch Fall ‘06 offers weekly iPOD prizes and a grand prize of a 37 inch Aquos flatscreen HDTV. Hey, not too shabby, considering you probably have your own ideas about which shows will succeed or fail. Just log in each week and make your selection—each correct bet puts you into a drawing for the prizes. Place your bets now, since the contest starts today, September 8th and runs for nine weeks. Visit http://www.brilliantbutcancelled.com/deathwatch/ for more details. The odds change often, with 2:1 most likely to get the axe.
Read More | Brilliant But Cancelled
Gallery: Which New Series Will be Canceled?
Second Season Will Be the Last for HBO’s Rome
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Drama, Prime Time, HBO, The Sopranos, Cable/Satellite, Cancellations,
On Wednesday, HBO announced that the upcoming second season of its original series Rome will be the last. The show, which is currently filming in Italy, will come back on Jan. 7, 2007.
The show had okay ratings, but is very expensive to produce, with the first season costing something like $100 million dollars. I’m sure that price tag figured into HBO’s decision, even though it’s a co-production with the BBC, which helps foot the bill. The second season will pick up after the death of Julius Caesar, which occurred in last season’s finale.
While Rome does have its flaws, I have always enjoyed it, and am sad it will only be getting one more season. That being said, however, I am pleased that they are announcing the cancellation before shooting wraps in October, so that the show’s creators will have the chance to wrap things up properly. This is more consideration than the network gave to David Milch and Deadwood, after all. Also, though I understand this move in terms of the network’s bottom line, it leads me to continue to question HBO’s seemingly wavering commitment to producing artistic, groundbreaking television.
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: Second Season Will Be the Last for HBO’s Rome
Controversial Book of Daniel Coming to DVD
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: NBC, Cancellations, DVD,
NBC’s short-lived, controversial series, The Book of Daniel, which starred Aidan Quinn as a Vicodin-popping Episcopalian priest who talks to Jesus, will be coming to DVD in September. The two-disc set, priced at $29.98, will feature all eight produced episodes of the show; only four episodes aired, though NBC did offer the rest online. The show had already stopped airing in a few markets, though, due to its controversial treatment of religion. Despite its being about a priest, the show was a bit soap opera-esque, what with the pill popping, the visits from Jesus, the alcoholic wife, the gay son, and the drug dealing daughter. Even so, I thought it had its amusing and charming moments, so I’m glad all the episodes will be available. It may not be worth buying, but it can’t hurt to add it to the Netflix queue. Look for the set to hit the street on September 26th.
Read More | TV Shows on DVD
Gallery: Controversial Book of Daniel Coming to DVD
Showtime Cancels Huff
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Drama, Cable, Showtime, Cancellations, News, Ratings,
After two low-rated but critically acclaimed seasons, Showtime has pulled the plug on its drama Huff, according to a report in Variety yesterday. The cast of the show, that focuses on a psychiatrist played by Hank Azaria and his family, was apparently notified earlier in the week. The show was noted for a huge Emmy campaign after its first low-rated season, resulting in an Emmy for Blythe Danner. A second season only aired, however, because Showtime exec Robert Greenblatt had been so impressed by the show that he green-lit a second season before the first even aired. The second season still failed to increase its numbers, so the season finale on Sunday night will also be its series finale. Huff also stars Oliver Platt, and Season One is available on DVD.
Read More | Coming Soon
Gallery: Showtime Cancels Huff
Join the Viral Revolution – Connie Chung Sings
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Talent, Cable/Satellite, Cancellations, Internet, News,
Yikes, this one is scary…Connie Chung singing. If you’re not one of the 300,000+ people who have checked out the video of Connie singing on the final episode of Weekends With Maury & Connie following its cancellation, you might want to count yourself lucky. I’ve seen the video clip (the horror!) and heard it (my eardrums will never be the same), and I have to say it probably is much more horrific than you could imagine. But the curious nature of Internet users cannot be denied – and so the clip has become an instant hit in terms of viewer-ship. Sadly, the amount of viewers who have seen this online, surpasses the viewer-ship that Weekends with Maury & Connie ever had.
If you’d like to check it out, visit YouTube, but I warn you, you’ll never be the same again and you’ll never get those 3 minutes of your life back.
Read More | YouTube
Gallery: Join the Viral Revolution – Connie Chung Sings
Failed Sitcom Pilot Now on YouTube
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, WB, Family Guy, Scrubs, Cancellations, Internet,
Here’s something new – a sitcom for the WB that the network didn’t pick up can be viewed on YouTube. Kind of an interesting way to get a glimpse at something that didn’t make it, and in this case wasn’t good enough even for the WB. Who knew they were so discerning in their sitcom choices?
The show is called, interestingly enough, Nobody’s Watching, about two friends who think they can do better developing a sitcom than what’s currently available. The fictitious WB execs hook the boys up with their own show, complete with a sitcom set to live and work on and their own studio audience. The show was created by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and two Family Guy writers, so it’s got a pretty good pedigree. Take a look – it’s not great, but it showed some potential.
Read More | YouTube
Gallery: Failed Sitcom Pilot Now on YouTube
MSNBC’s Top 5 Missed Shows
Posted by Eric Chaloux Categories: CBS, FOX, NBC, WB, Arrested Development, West Wing, The, Cancellations, Internet, Ratings,
The new summer season is about to take over the steamy airwaves. As we laugh, cry and look for the remote while watching these new shows it will give us sometime to think about what’s on the horizon. A lot of shows won’t be back this fall.
Here’s what MSNBC has as the Top 5 shows they’ll miss.
- Arrested Development
- Alias
- The West Wing
- Everwood
- That ‘70s Show
A lot of big names are not on their Top 5 list. Some of those obvious ones are Will & Grace, Malcolm in the Middle and the Bernie Mac Show. I’m not that heartbroken over a season without Hope & Faith and Joey.
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| MSNBC
Gallery: MSNBC’s Top 5 Missed Shows
Deadwood Looks Like It Really Will Bite The Dust
Posted by Eric Chaloux Categories: Cable, HBO, Cancellations, Rumors,
Season 3 of Deadwood on HBO is just days away from starting on June 11th, but a new statement from the show’s creator makes it look like season 3 maybe the nail in the coffin for the show. Deadwood creator David Milch is speaking out. “I am deeply disappointed by the way things turned out,” Milch said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
HBO revealed last month that, because of money considerations, Deadwood - one of the network’s top four original series after The Sopranos - was offered a “short-order” of 6 episodes instead of the normal 12 for season 4, but it was turned down. Looks like the efforts of Deadwood fans to save the show failed. Diehard Deads started the Web site Save Deadwood in hopes of keeping it alive for a 4th season.
Read More | TV Guide
Gallery: Deadwood Looks Like It Really Will Bite The Dust
Alias Coming To iTunes
Posted by Rhys Alexander Categories: Action, Drama, Specials, ABC, Alias, Cancellations, Internet, News,
Great news for fans of the long-running spy gal show - you can now purchase Alias episodes at the iTunes music store. Each episode (all episodes from seasons 4 and 5 are available) costs $1.99. Producers and the ABC network are hoping this decision will boost awareness—and excitement—regarding the long-awaited return of Alias tonight. This episode is a two-hour special event beginning at 8pm. Alias will then remain in this time slot in its usual hour-long format for the rest of the season.
Though crushed that this is the final season of the series, fans will no doubt rejoice at its return. Perhaps there will even be a spin-off…it is television, after all.
Read More | The Futon Critic
Gallery: Alias Coming To iTunes
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