It has been announced that Peter MacNicol, widely remembered for his role as John Cage on Fox’s Ally McBeal, will be returning to his old network next season. But fans of Numb3rs need not worry—MacNicol will be wearing two hats this fall. In addition to his role on the CBS drama, MacNicol will also be a series regular on the hit 24. His character will be a ‘high-ranking government official’. As if they needed another one.
As appealing as he is, I’m already predicting that MacNicol’s appearance will cause massive confusion . I mean—it is just me, or does he already look like that Miles Papazian guy from last year?
Read More 
| The Hollywood Reporter
Gallery: New Character Announced for ‘24’
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Finally Some Reality Stars With Skills
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: Food & Home, Reality, Bravo, FOX, Hell’s Kitchen, American Idol, Survivor, The Bachelor,
Too often the stars of reality television are famous simply for being famous. Their only talent is the shamelessness of appearing on one of these shows. The Real World was originally an experiment in human nature – “what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real?” – but after seventeen seasons it has become simply a pageant for those that want to be on TV but lack the talent and dedication to do so legitimately.
There have been a few exceptions to this rule. American Idol contestants choose to compete on the show not just for a chance at winning, but for a chance at gaining exposure. That is, exposure that they can actually use. Very few cast members of reality shows like The Real World, Survivor, Big Brother, or The Bachelor actually are able to use their “exposure” to jump-start their careers. However the contestants of talent showcases such as American Idol, America’s Got Talent, or Making the Band have the potential to hold on to their “fame” after the shows end.
Lately there have been more and more shows that take this concept to the next level: the contestants are aiming not just for “fame”, but for success. Programs like the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon vehicle for aspiring filmmakers, Project Greenlight, or Project Runway - which premieres its third season tomorrow at 10pm EST – both focus on people with actual skills such as fashion design.
Other shows that followed people being creative include three cooking programs, Bravo’s Top Chef, FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen, and The Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star. HGTV Design Star, which premieres July 23, will feature competing home designers.
These shows all have the potential not only to be quality TV, but to serve as stepping-stones for the cast members. Their prize – whether they win or lose – will not simply be fifteen minutes of fame, but hopefully a lasting career. They aspire not to be the world’s next big celebrities, but rather the “next big thing” in their respective fields… even after the cameras stop rolling.
Read More | Time
Gallery: Finally Some Reality Stars With Skills
The Best (and Worst) Shows of 2005-06
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Comedy, Drama, Reality, ABC, Cable, CBS, FX, FOX, HBO, NBC, 24, Amazing Race, The, American Idol, Apprentice, The - Donald, Degrassi, Lost, My Name Is Earl, Prison Break, Scrubs, The Office, The Sopranos,
In a recent edition of Broadcasting & Cable, the trade magazine presented a list of the Best Shows on TV for the 2005-06 season. The 2nd annual poll, based on the views of 111 critics, didn’t reveal many shocking choices overall…but does give much love to some underappreciated gems. Let’s see how your choices compare:
BEST SHOW
BEST DRAMA:
Gold: Lost (ABC)—Really not much of a surprise on any of these choices. It’s only shocking to remember that Lost is the only one of these three to be shut out of the Best Drama category for the upcoming Emmys.
Silver: 24 (FOX)
Bronze: The Sopranos (HBO)
BEST COMEDY:
Gold: The Office (NBC)
Silver: My Name is Earl (NBC)
Bronze: Scrubs (NBC)—Woo hoo! Even if NBC doesn’t respect the comedic gem enough to give it a regular time slot (and a fall start), it’s reassuring to know that the show is still being noticed.
BEST REALITY:
Gold: American Idol (FOX)
Silver: The Amazing Race (CBS)—Race may not be able to compete against Idol in the ratings department, but it still wins in my heart. No popularity contests here. The prize goes to those who simply stick it out.
Bronze: Project Runway (Bravo)—Heidi Klum has it all. Good looks, two cute kids, a sexy husband—and now a highly respected show. I hate her. I may enjoy watching her show..but I still hate her.
BEST NEW SHOW:
Gold: My Name is Earl (NBC)
Silver: Prison Break (FOX)
Bronze: Big Love (HBO)—Although I’m personally obsessed with polygamy-based stories, I feared the subject might be too taboo for the average audience. Regardless of the subject matter, this show has been a hoot to watch..and it doesn’t hurt that Bill Paxton is still quite easy on the eyes. No wonder three women want to bear his children.
WORST SHOW:
Gold: Unan1mous (FOX)
Silver: The War at Home (FOX)
Bronze: The Apprentice (NBC)—While I will have to admit that my interest in this show has waned over the past year or so, I don’t think it’s one of the worst shows out there. But if Donald continues to make creepy remarks about the attractive females on his show, I may have to call the FCC myself.
CABLE NETWORK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD WATCH:
Gold: BBC America
Silver: FX
Bronze: The N—- Degrassi, Degrassi, Degrassi. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The N is home to the best drama for teens…ever.
MOST MEMORABLE TV MOMENT:
Gold: Coverage of Hurricane Katrina
Silver: Uncle Junior shoots Tony on The Sopranos (HBO)
Bronze: Michael shoots Ana-Lucia and Libby on Lost (ABC)—I admit, I don’t watch The Sopranos so I may be a bit biased here. But Michael shot two people. That should definitely earn him a higher medal than Uncle Junior. I dare say Michael even deserves the gold, but he can’t compete with Nature.
Read More | Broadcasting & Cable
Gallery: The Best (and Worst) Shows of 2005-06
Jack Bauer to Save Himself Next Season on 24
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Drama, Prime Time, FOX, 24, News,
On the next season of 24, Jack Bauer will take a break from saving the world—he’s going to be too busy saving himself. In a British newspaper interview on Sunday, Kiefer Sutherland reveals, “This one’s much more about him saving his own [expletive deleted]. He’ll go from being the one who hunts people down to the one who’s being hunted, so that in itself turns the show around.”
I think this makes a lot of sense, since Jack has certainly pissed off a great many people during five seasons of really long days. Also, perhaps a slight change of format will help recharge the show creatively—how many times can you save the world without repeating the same tricks?—though the Emmys think the show is just fine, artistically. Even so, I do have to admit to giving up on it out of boredom partway through last season, though I hear that it got a lot better at the end.
Jack Bauer is also well on his way to being a franchise, what with Read More | NY Post
Gallery: Jack Bauer to Save Himself Next Season on 24
Cable and Big Networks Team for Wider Exposure
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, ABC, FOX, NBC, Ratings,
The trend to air cable shows on their sister networks is becoming more prevalent these days. We had reported earlier about the move by Fox to air episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia before the second season premiere of the show began on FX. More networks are following this model, including:
- Kyle XY – an ABC Family series that airs Mondays at 8 PM, also airs on ABC on Fridays
- The 4400 – shown on USA on Sundays at 9 PM, NBC also aired The 4400 on June 3
According to an article in USA Today, corporate synergy is fueling this pairing since there are a number of cable channels with big network connections. In the case of Sunny in Philadelphia, the final episode that Fox aired averaged 4.1 million viewers and won its time slot among young adults. FX president John Landgraf believes the additional exposure works, saying “They have such a larger reach than we do, it’s a great way of exposing new viewers to our shows… we’re turning over every stone we possibly can.”
Read More | USA Today
Gallery: Cable and Big Networks Team for Wider Exposure
Big Week Ahead—American Idol and Emmy Nominations
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Award Shows, Music, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Talent, News,
This week has two biggies:
First, beginning Wednesday, July 5th, the American Idol Top 10 will start their American Idols Live tour. The 60-day tour will begin in Manchester, New Hampshire and end in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on September 24th. Now’s your time to catch Ace Young’s wicked falsetto again. Of course, I bet the big draw will be Chris Daughtry—the biggest upset of the Idol season.
Second, it’s almost time for the Emmy nominations! On Thursday, July 6th, at 5:39 AM (huh? why not 5:40?), Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Garrett will announce the Emmy noms. We’ll have a rundown of the categories here, so check back for details.
Gallery: Big Week Ahead—American Idol and Emmy Nominations
The O.C. Moving To Friday Night
Posted by Stephanie Whiteside Categories: Drama, FOX, The O.C., Renewals,
Fox’s rich kid drama “The O.C.” is moving to a new night! The network has only ordered 16 new episodes of the hit show, instead of the usual 22, possibly indicating that the end is near for the show.
Fox has also announced that rather than put “The O.C.” up against hit shows “CSI” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” which will both be airing at 9 PM Thursday in the 2006-2007 season, the show will now air on Friday nights. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m excited about the change—I’ve never seen “The O.C” because of the time slot (I’ve heard it’s possible to watch something else when Jorja Fox is on TV, but honestly, I don’t believe it) and now maybe I’ll get a chance to watch and finally understand what everyone else is talking about!
Read More | E! Online
Gallery: The O.C. Moving To Friday Night
No X-Files Movie for Gillian Anderson
Posted by Stephanie Whiteside Categories: Drama, Sci-Fi/Horror, FOX, Talent,
Gillian Anderson claims she has no intention of reprising her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully for another X-Files movie. In fact, when asked if she would consider a reunion with former co-star David Duchovney, her response was “God no.” This is a change from two years ago, when the project was reported to be in the works. Not sure what changed here, but it seems that - for at least the time being - X-Files fans are going to have to stick with DVD for their fix.
Read More | Female First
Gallery: No X-Files Movie for Gillian Anderson
Teen Choice Awards Voting Open Until August 11
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: Award Shows, Kids, Music, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, The Hills,
This week teens can vote for their favorite stars in the Teen Choice Awards.
Nominees include new celebs such as Brandon Routh of Superman Returns and American Idol‘s Katharine McPhee, as well as familiar faces like Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, and pop culture icons Flavor Flav (Flavor of Love) and Hulk Hogan (Hogan Knows Best).
The competition between Laguna Beach‘s Kristin Cavallari and Lauren “LC” Conrad continues as they are both nominted for Female “Choice Reality Star”.
Also nominated for an award is Jessica Simpson, her ex-brother-in-law Drew Lachey (for his stint on Dancing with the Stars), and many more.
The awards will air on FOX, August 20 at 8:00 EST, following a “red carpet” pre-show at 7:30. Ballots are available on-line at Teenpeople.com, MySpace.com, IGN.com and FOX.com. Voting will run until August 11 and is open to anyone between the ages of 13 and 19.
Read More | Reality TV Magazine
Gallery: Teen Choice Awards Voting Open Until August 11
Which New Shows Have “Old” Viewers?
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: CBS, FOX, 24, Commander In Chief, West Wing, The,
The “median age” of a show is the age at which an equal amount of its viewers are above and below that age. For instance, The West Wing’s median age is 54 (meaning that half of the show’s viewers are younger than 54 and half are older than 54). E-Ring, the new West Wing spin-off based in the Pentagon, also has a median age of 54.
Many of today’s new shows have relatively high median ages; something that might cause concern in an industry that tends to cater to a younger demographic. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that last season’s Commander in Chief had a median age of 55 years, while CBS’s NCIS has a median age of 56. Cold Case also had a median age of 56.
What was unpredictable was the median age of Fox’s Bones: 44. Any show starring heartthrob David Boreanaz (of Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) certainly expected a younger audience than that! 24 also had a relatively high median age at 45 years, which is interesting considering Fox’s youth-centric reputation.
On the other hand, The Simpsons – which has been on the air for a whopping seventeen seasons – has the same low median age of 29 that it had several years ago. Despite being an “old” show, it hasn’t had any trouble engaging younger viewers.
Read More | Washington Post
Gallery: Which New Shows Have “Old” Viewers?
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