Is it the Media’s Fault Studio 60 Suffered?
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, NBC, Cancellations, Ratings,
The much-hyped Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip suffered a short season on NBC (the network that’s currently falling behind all competitors – ABC, CBS, even FOX when it comes to ratings), possibly because of tension between show creator Aaron Sorkin and the general media. Sorkin, the writer of A Few Good Men, watched (no doubt in despair) as his Studio was bashed by critics and ignored by viewers. Sure, the show’s subject matter – comedy writers – couldn’t have had anything to do with the public’s failure to connect with Studio 60. Right. Sorkin is moving on to other projects, many of them to debut on Broadway, and thank goodness. Chalk up yet another failure for NBC, the network that’s still trying to salvage its success from the 90s.
Read More 
| LA Times
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Singing Bee is a Hit
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Games, Prime Time, NBC, Ratings,
Call me crazy, but I don’t know what all the “buzz” about The Singing Bee is. Get it? Buzz? Lame, right? Well, almost as lame as my joke, is the actual show, which I caught about half of last night. It’s mediocre at best and not even happy-go-lucky N’ Sync-er Joey Fatone can inject excitement into it. Still, I suppose it beats that Bingo show that was on awhile ago. So lame was that, the name completely escapes me. The Singing Bee, on NBC, is a game show that combines karaoke and Name That Tune as contestants compete for the grand money prize. The first episode drew 13 million people, so I guess it’s not all bad. Then again, with the summer slim pickins, what else is there to watch? Oh, and the dancing Honey Bees may be an extra draw, but I’m not seein’ it. Over on Fox, the similarly themed game show Don’t Forget the Lyrics (hosted by Wayne Brady) didn’t fare quite so well in ratings, earning 8.4 million viewers. Will either of these shows have any longevity beyond the summer months? And will I cave like a deck of cards and start watching Singing Bee because there’s nothing better to watch? Given my glimpse at it last night, not likely… although those uber-peppy contestants are a hoot to watch.
Read More | Yahoo! News
Seinfeld to Appear on 30 Rock
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, NBC,
I’m giddy. Absolutely giddy… over the news that Jerry Seinfeld will appear on the season premiere of 30 Rock in the fall. I was already over the moon when this little engine-that-could of a show managed to beat the odds and get a renewal. Tina Fey has crafted one of the most unique comedies on television and the cast is excellent. Even Alec Baldwin’s bad voicemail etiquette couldn’t dissuade me from tuning in (although, I’m still ticked at him!). And now, I find out that Jerry Seinfeld will be making an appearance as himself. I’m a diehard Seinfeld fan and a faithful 30 Rock watcher, so this is the equivalent of a Reese’s peanut butter cup. You know—two great tastes that taste great together. So maybe my reference is obscure, but you get the picture. A union of talent that is likely to provide the recipe for comedy gold. Gold, Jerry! Gold! Get ready for the season premiere of 30 Rock on October 4th. I promise it won’t disappoint.
Read More | Zap2it
Consuelos Gets His Own Piece of the Spotlight
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Rumors,
Though he’s probably more famously known as Mr. Ripa, plenty of fans will still recognize Mark Consuelos from ABC’s All My Children. The former daytime star will be in the spotlight as the host NBC’s new reality dating drama, Age of Love. Though the concept sounds frighteningly similar to the bevy of other love-related shows out there, Age of Love puts at least one twist on an age-old reality setup. Imagine one 30-year-old hunk (Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis) and a group of women all vying for his affection. Now imagine that the women are separated into two distinct categories: 20-somethings and 40-somethings. Now, that might be something.
Click to continue reading Consuelos Gets His Own Piece of the Spotlight
Read More | TV Guide
Victoria Beckham Stalls Reality Program
For those of you chomping at the bit to see Victoria Beckham’s (aka Posh Spice) reality show that documents her and hubby David Beckham’s move to the U.S., sorry folks. You’re going to have to wait. How long? Well, Victoria has put things on hold while David finishes up his duties with the English national soccer team. Apparently, family comes before reality television, as the Posh one is putting the six-ep series on hold. It was originally reported that the entire show would be canceled, with a “source” telling People magazine that “It might end up being a one-hour special instead of a series.” In fact, the change of plan to complete the series is because she has “decided to put David and her children first.” Will she finish out her commitment and wrap up the series? Logic would tell us that yes, when there’s a multimillion-dollar deal at stake, she will most definitely complete the series. Of course, David’s deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy will bring the family bank account up another $250 million, so perhaps she’s not hurting for the extra reality show income. The family will get settled into their Beverly Hills home in mid-July. NBC execs will make the ultimate decision about the fate of the series.
Read More | Reality TV World
The Donald Calls It Quits
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Apprentice, The - Donald, Talent, News,
Self-made businessman and New York celebrity Donald Trump has pulled his most surprising stunt of all: he’s fired himself from The Apprentice. Well, sort of. The Donald decided that after six seasons, he’s done with the reality TV show that made him (and his catchphrase) an even bigger household name. Trump says the show has been a success, but he no longer has the time to continue with the project – though the entrepreneur stated he will miss doing the show. Trump’s departure from The Apprentice and NBC doesn’t mean he’s out of the TV loop for good – the tycoon stated that three different networks have asked him to do “a certain show,” and he just might. If it does happen, Trump promises, it’ll be very big. What else could we expect from the Donald?
Read More | TV Guide
The End of Super Sizing
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, NBC, The Office,
Okay, so NBC fired chief programming executive Kevin Reilly to bring in some new blood. The first order of business with the new regime? Getting rid of NBC’s signature “super-sized” episodes. Man, I love those—any time I can get a little bit extra of one of my favorite Thursday night comedies is good for me. Not so anymore, as it apparently isn’t a very effective gimmick these days—in the era of DVRs, these devices are confused by the quirky scheduling. NBC’s head of scheduling said, “It was a good idea when we started it. It was very novel. But it’s just not a good idea to have shows starting at 9:23 p.m. I don’t think anyone here thinks, at this point, super-sizing often is good for the shows. We’re going to do our best to not have to do it next year.” That said, they will still honor the plan for five hour long episodes of The Office. Well, at least we have that.
Read More | Zap2it
Stone Phillips Gets Walking Papers
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, NBC, Gossip,
Kind of startling to find out that newsman Stone Phillips, who is the cornerstone of NBC’s Dateline, was canned due to budget cuts. You wouldn’t think that a big name like Phillips would be one they would cut loose, but NBC opted not to extend his contract after it expires in June. No replacement has been named, so that should really save the net some money. Instead, Ann Curry, who currently co-anchors Dateline NBC, will go it solo, with other NBC reporters pitching in to present their respective new pieces. Phillips released a statement, saying, “It’s been a wonderful 15 years. I’m profoundly appreciative of the many friends and colleagues, past and present, who have been a part of the Dateline family. This is a great news division with a bright future. I wish the people of NBC News all the best.” What a trooper, huh? Pity they’re letting him go too—with a name like ‘Stone,’ he’s born to do the news.
Read More | Yahoo! News
News from The Office
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, FOX, NBC, The Office, Gossip,
Get ready for the finale of The Office tonight—strangely enough, they filmed four separate endings of the finale and now it’s a little more clear why. As you may recall from last week’s episode, Tim, Michael and Karen were all hopefuls for a big job at corporate. Rashida Jones, who plays Karen, just got word this morning that her Fox pilot has been picked up. Putting two and two together, it seems likely that Karen will get the corporate job over Michael and Jim, so that she can be written off the show. Her new comedy, The Rules for Starting Over also stars Craig Bierko and is the brainchild of the Farrelly brothers. So long Karen, hello Pam/Jim sexual tension. And speaking of Pam… sweetie Jenna Fischer slipped and fell down a staircase on Monday and got pretty banged up. She’s fractured her back in four places, with a recovery time of four to six weeks. Doesn’t sound like a very fun summer for Fischer.
Read More | E! Online
Randy Jackson’s Reality Show
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, FOX, NBC, American Idol,
It was only a matter of time before American Idol‘s Randy Jackson jumped on the reality show bandwagon. After all, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul are both in the reality programming zone, why not Jackson? His new show, World Moves, will feature dance teams competing for an international touring contract. NBC has already picked up the series, to air in 2007/2008. Not quite the same as So You Think You Can Dance, given the team competition, but still a very familiar reality premise. Since Jackson doesn’t have dancing expertise, he’ll team up with the World Hip Hop Championship. Auditions should be underway soon, with teams of five to seven dancers around the world showing their moves. Those that make the cut, go to Los Angeles to dance off for the finals. Yada, yada, yada, viewers vote and one team is axed each week until the final team is left standing. Be on the lookout for this series sometime in late fall.
Read More | Reality TV World
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