‘Biggest Loser’ Signed on for Fifth Season
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Renewals,
Who would have imagined that a show called The Biggest Loser would continue to be such a success? I remember the first season, thinking “no way that show is going to last.” I’ve got news for you. This show has staying power… the latest proof is the announcement that the show has been renewed for a fifth season. The show takes overweight folks and puts them through their paces—with huge results. I’ve never really watched a full season, but I enjoy tuning in at the end to see the before and after shots. It’s amazing to me that these people can work so hard and make big changes in their lives. Makes me wonder how come I can’t even manage to lose 10 pounds and stick to any kind of exercise schedule. According to Craig Plestis, the head of alternative series at NBC, “The Biggest Loser’ continues to be a top performer and important franchise for NBC, and season four is already off to a great start. We look forward to the fifth cycle of the show, and continuing to entertain and inspire viewers all over the country.” The show averaged 7.85 million viewers so far this season. Next season promises to add a new spin, with teams of competitors (rather than individuals) looking to collectively lose weight. Production begins later this fall, with the intention to air it early in 2008. Allison Sweeney, star of Days of Our Lives, will be returning as the host.
Read More 
| Zap2it
Gallery: ‘Biggest Loser’ Signed on for Fifth Season
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AMC’s ‘Mad Men’ Renewed
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Drama, Prime Time, Cable, Desperate Housewives, Cable/Satellite, Renewals,
Have you see AMC Mad Men? Interesting, smart… different. Yep, I didn’t think it would make it past season one either. But, I stand corrected. AMC has picked up the series for a second season—13 more episodes. If you haven’t seen it, it takes place in the advertising world of 1960. That alone is interesting enough (to me, anyway), but the characters are intriguing and acting is top-notch too. And why not? Created by Sopranos writer and producer Matthew Weiner, you couldn’t possibly expect a sub-par series. The ratings, however, have been less than stellar, with 1.1 million viewers tuning in initially. Of course, it is AMC we’re talking about, so I don’t think they can count on ratings gold, plus this is the network’s first original series, so cut them some slack. Catch dashing Jon Hamm as Don Draper, the ad agency’s creative director and man of mystery (and adultery); Vincent Kartheiser, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, Christina Hendricks and John Slattery (I’m guessing that means we’ll be seeing less of him on Desperate Housewives this season?) also star. The next season of Mad Men will air in summer 2008.
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: AMC’s ‘Mad Men’ Renewed
Dead Like Me Film Announced - New Season Discussed
Posted by Shannon Bennett Categories: Comedy, Renewals,
Dead Like Me fans will soon have solace for their abruptly ended series. The show has been dug up, dusted off, and given a new coat of shine for a full-length feature film, that began shooting in late July! With the exception of Mandy Patinkin, who played the dearly-promoted Rube, the cast has been reassembled to pick up where we left off. New to the line up is Lost‘s Henry Ian Cusack (should I mention that he once played Jesus?) playing the professional and aloof new leader of our ragtag group of reapers.
I’ve got two questions - does Ellen Muth still look 18, and does sexy Callum Blue, who’s splitting his time between the new film and his role in The Tudors, have lots of screentime? The official website states that if the film does well enough, Dead Like Me may be resuscitated for a
third season, which is great news for those of us who felt the show was unduly canceled, and strangely appropriate news for a canceled show about the undead.
Read More | Dead Like Me Movie Official Site
Gallery: Dead Like Me Film Announced - New Season Discussed
‘Buffy’ Star On Board For Celebrity Apprentice
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Apprentice, The - Donald, Renewals,
While it’s doubtful a retooling of The Apprentice could bring back Season One ratings, NBC keeps plugging away on next season’s production. As reported, Donald Trump will be pulling a stunt out of the VH1 bag of tricks for his next outing. This time around, the apprentice pool will be comprised of camera-desperate celebrities. (What exactly would they win anyway? The chance to stay for free at his next hotel?)
For Joss Whedon fans, this ratings ploy may give them at least one thing to care about: Charisma Carpenter. According to TV Guide, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star will be competing to get in Trump’s good graces. Given Donald’s inappropriate tendency to comment on his ‘attractive’ candidates, Carpenter (also a former Playboy subject) could make it far in the competition. But I’m just hoping her inner-Cordelia will surface to kick monster butt the next time he makes a creepy remark about his daughter.
NOTE: Click here to find an update to this story.
Read More | TV Guide
Gallery: ‘Buffy’ Star On Board For Celebrity Apprentice
Fore! Another Hit for the Golf Channel
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Games, Reality, Sports, Cable, Gossip, Renewals,
Honestly, I didn’t know the channel existed. Even more, I didn’t know the Golf Channel is chock-full of reality shows, like The Big Break (currently celebrating several successful seasons). So it was with a dubious eye that I watched the brand-new Fore Inventors Only, a show hosted by Golf Channel alum Vince Cellini. For the past few weeks, each Tuesday at 10 pm I’ve found myself tuning in. First it was a little bit of a freak show – auditioning before a panel in an American Idol-esque set up, would-be inventors paraded their golfing devices in hopes of finding fame and acclaim. Some of these inventions were unwieldy, some silly, some totally nonsensical. But a few – okay, something like forty – made it through round one. And, before I knew what was happening, I was hooked. On a show that’s on the Golf Channel. Go figure.
Click to continue reading Fore! Another Hit for the Golf Channel
Read More | The Golf Channel
Gallery: Fore! Another Hit for the Golf Channel
Comedy Central Signs On For Three More Seasons of South Park
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Animation, Comedy, Prime Time, Cable, Renewals,
Comedy Central has announced a $75 million deal with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of the animated hit South Park. Through the terms of the deal, three more 14-episode seasons of South Park will come to the cable channel. This will carry the series through 2011, marking a decade and a half of those four foully potty-mouthed tikes. Now that the animated cable show has scored such a big payout, which includes a share of digital revenues, questions are being raised. Will other big ratings-grabbers demand similar payouts, and a stake in Web share? Meanwhile, Comedy Central is in negotiations with Jon Stewart, beloved host of The Daily Show. Stewart’s current contract expires in 2008.
Read More | CNN
Gallery: Comedy Central Signs On For Three More Seasons of South Park
Is Disney’s Musical Efron Headed for Fame?
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Cable, Gossip, Ratings, Renewals,
Disney has discovered their fair share of teen culture phenomena. To be honest, Disney has created their fare share of teen culture. From child stars-turned-superstars like Lindsay Lohan to Shia LaBeouf, Disney can make and break careers. For the young, Disney becomes a fabulous opportunity – or a dead-end. For others, like Tim Allen, their careers just might end in Disney movie mania. So, what’s the next step for Zac Efron, the teen star of Disney’s huge High School Musical franchise? The 19-year-old star rocketed to nationwide fame through the efforts of one made-for-TV-movie that was made to become the next big thing for every female teenager in the country. The fad can no longer be denied now that Disney’s second effort, High School Musical 2, earned a cool $33 million in its opening weekend alone. And though the original Musical has aired twenty-four times on the Disney channel, it’s still getting at least 5 million viewers each and every time. Those are ratings that simply can’t be denied.
Click to continue reading Is Disney’s Musical Efron Headed for Fame?
Read More | LA Times
Gallery: Is Disney’s Musical Efron Headed for Fame?
A lot of cross promotion called my attention to what could be the most unique reality show on TV. It sounds a little offbeat, sure – Animal Planet, using fiber optics and other technologies, tracks the lives of meerkats in the desert. Instead of using some dry, low-voiced commentator to describe the behavior and social structure of the meerkats, however, Animal Planet uses Sean Astin. You know, the actor. And the script plays out a bit like a soap opera – Desperate Housewives meets Wild Kingdom…sort of. As strange as it sounds, Meerkat Manor is in its third season, and the show’s getting a fair amount of press. The promotions have picked up, the LA Times has reported on the series, and rumor has it that production is planned for two more years’ worth of soap operatic meerkat drama. New episodes of Meerkat Manor air on Animal Planet every Friday at 8:30 pm EST.
Click to continue reading Meerkats as Reality Stars?
Read More | Animal Planet
Gallery: Meerkats as Reality Stars?
Scott Baio is 45… and Renewed
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, Cable, Renewals,
Have any of you been watching Scott Baio is 45… and Single? Talk about guilty pleasure. Baio, whose career has been in the dumps for quite awhile, has carved himself a nice little comeback with this reality show gem. Alright, maybe “gem” is too generous, but it’s been a fun ride nevertheless. And with the summer winding down, it was a nice little diversion—especially if you grew up loving Chachi. Which I did. Charles in Charge? Not so much… I had moved on from Scott Baio at that point. Anyway, the VH1 series chronicled his two months with a life coach to get him on the marriage track so he doesn’t die a lonely old Casanova. Did it work? As many suspected, Baio was ready to marry his girlfriend by the end of the series, which aired on Sunday… what no one guessed was that his girlfriend would whisper to him that she was pregnant in the final seconds of the finale. Here’s what many did predict—a second season of the popular series that would involve wedding planning (and now, impending daddyhood). And you thought Baio was afraid of getting married? How phobic is he going to be about having a kid? Stay tuned for next season, which begins production in the fall and will air nine episodes. How did the show do with viewers? Seems people (besides me) are still interested in Chachi—it averaged 1.3 million viewers.
Read More | Yahoo!
Gallery: Scott Baio is 45… and Renewed
The Return of ‘American Gladiators’
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Action, Prime Time, Reality, Sports, Cable, NBC, Renewals,
The sick voyeur in me has always loved seeing Average Joes fight for their lives—which probably explains why Schwarzenegger’s The Running Man still remains a guilty pleasure for me to this day. This fascination also fueled my enthusiasm for the horribly addictive show from the 90’s known as American Gladiators.
The series pitted male and female contestants against the Gladiators who reigned over their arena. The poor souls would do their best to score points by navigating various obstacle courses. They would also try and avoid being taken down along the way. I would compare the show to Iron Chef+Battle of the Network Stars+WWE.
Gladiators, which ended its run in 1996, is now being resurrected by NBC as a mid-season addition. Unfortunately, the show will be subject to an ‘updating’....which could mean just about anything. (Having tried to watch Battle of the Network Reality Stars, I’m hesitant about anything that’s tweaked).
Here’s to hoping that some of my favorite challenges like The Assault and Breakthrough & Conquer will return. If not, I may have to turn to the re-runs currently airing on ESPN Classic.
What were your favorite challenges? How about your favorite Gladiators? Let us know!
Click here for an update to this story.
Read More | Variety
Gallery: The Return of ‘American Gladiators’
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