TiVo and CBS Bring Early Preview of The Class
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, CBS, DVR, Ratings,
One of CBS’ new (and heavily promoted) fall shows is about to get a one week bump for TiVo subscribers. The Class, an ensemble sitcom that includes Jason Ritter, will be available to TiVo subscribers as a free preview. This type of partnership is a first, and will likely be the first of many. George Schweitzer, head of marketing for CBS, commented that “CBS’ partnership with TiVo is a creative new way to use DVR technology to help drive television network viewing. Our goal is to introduce our fresh new comedy The Class... to a broad, diversified, receptive audience that has the ability to start trends and generate buzz, which is exactly what TiVo offers.”
CBS also has agreed to give TiVo users previews of three other new series: Jericho, Smith and Shark. TiVo users total around 4.4 million, while the number of households in the U.S. with DVRs is somewhere in the 8 to 12 million range. This type of arrangement could allow TiVo to set themselves apart from the other DVR services.
Read More 
| Zap2it
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Rosie’s First Day on The View a Success
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows,
Now that Rosie O’Donnell has her first day at The View under her belt, the verdict is in—she done good. Critics found the new co-host to be a breath of fresh air, as she took to the post left by Meredith Vieira. “It’s my first day on The View, I’m in the Meredith chair and it’s exciting,” she said. Then she made a comment about her ill-fated haircut, saying, “I had that crazy haircut that scared America to death. I’ve been taking my medication.” She also proved to be a crowd-pleaser—members of the audience received two-day cruises courtesy of The View, saying “This is just the beginning.”
O’Donnell addressed the beef that Barbara Walters had over her blog during the Hot Topics segment of the show, saying “She doesn’t know how to get on Internet Explorer, what are they talking about?” She implied that Walters probably never even saw the post. All water under the bridge, as O’Donnell sent Walters a note of apology and flowers to make amends.
Read More | E! Online
Scrubs Comes to Comedy Central
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Cable, NBC, Syndication, Scrubs, Cable/Satellite,
Great news for Scrubs fans everywhere—Comedy Central has acquired the NBC sitcom and will begin airing old episodes of the series on September 18th at 7:00 p.m. The network will show the sitcom weeknights and Saturday mornings. David Bernath, senior vice president of Comedy Central said, “We’re thrilled to have Scrubs join the network. It is a very funny show with a great cast. Not many off-network sitcoms fit our brand and this one fits perfectly.”
If you’ve never seen the series, now’s your time to jump on the bandwagon of one of the funniest little shows out there. Follow J.D. (Zach Braff) and the gang (including John C. McGinley, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison) as they experience love, loss, humiliation (and more) at the hospital where they work. The ensemble cast is fantastic; the stories funny, but often touching. Overall, a nice mix of drama and comedy.
Read More | Comedy Central
Jeopardy and Wheel in High Definition
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Games, Prime Time, HDTV, News,
While most of the country will be acknowledging the 5-year anniversary of 9/11, fans of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune will be celebrating the debut of HD programming. That is, of course, assuming those viewers even have an high-definition TV to appreciate the technology.
King World Productions and Sony Pictures Television are spending over $4 million dollars to get the production and sets ready for this big launch on September 11. Upgrades will include wider and more detailed sets. For Jeopardy, this will also include a new video wall to replace the individual TV monitors. But the question is—will the shows’ primary fan base like change?
And more importantly— how will the personalities be affected by the change? Let’s be honest—they’ve been around for a while. Is it really in their best interest to have their features highlighted? Poor Vanna has probably had enough trouble making sure obsessed viewers don’t see her in the same outfit twice, now she’ll have to make sure her dresses don’t come off bland under increased scrutiny. And what about Alex Trebek? If he continues to go back and forth again between his clean-shaven and mustached looks, will we be able to see his in-between stubble? And let’s not get into Pat Sajak’s ‘laugh lines’...
But then again - who cares? We’ll all be focusing on more important things that day, right?
Read More | TV Week
Barbara Walters Asks Rosie to Stop Blogging
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows, Internet,
Rosie O’Donnell’s web site features a blog in haiku format, but Barbara Walters wants Rosie to stop blogging about The View. Walters told Newsweek that she “didn’t like the blog,” referring to a post that O’Donnell put up in response to a promo for her upcoming co-hosting role on The View. O’Donnell wrote, “I saw the new view promos/Found myself/ in the position/ I loathe the most/ powerless.” Walters also said that she was “counting on Rosie’s intelligence and sensitivity and humor,” as The View is “based on people who like each other and are having a good time, not on people who are arguing and unhappy.”
Ro did right by Walters, sending her flowers and a card reading, “Barbara, I only want the promos and the show to be great. And I love you. Love, Ro.” O’Donnell begins her co-hosting gig on on the chatfest on Tuesday.
Read More | People
Tom Sizemore, Andrew Dice Clay Reality Shows on VH1
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Reality, Internet,
Those of you dying to see the next screw-ups on their own reality show won’t have to wait much longer. VH1 announced that two reality shows will focus on a couple of has-beens working on their comebacks. I’m sure you’re chomping at the bit to see what Andrew Dice Clay and Tom Sizemore have been up to. I’m all for comeback stories, but these two don’t seem to bring much to the table. You may remember crude Clay in the 1980s—he of the stand-up featuring dirty Mother Goose rhymes (“Little Boy Blue. He needed the money.”), movie roles and even his own sitcom. Where has he been since then? Look no further than the latest reality show to answer that question. His series will follow his current career as author, Sirius satellite radio show producer, and his jump back into a comedy CD. The series will premiere on VH1 in March and will provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of him touring and dealing with parenting and relationship issues.
Sizemore, on the other hand, had a credible film career, which slowly fell apart with his sex and drug addictions, conviction for assault and battery against “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss, and sex tape plastered on the Internet. Sizemore’s reality show will take a look at his climb back up the acting ladder, as he goes on jobs and films a BBC movie in Canada. To fill in his story, his own flashback footage of his sex and drug days will probably provide more info than you wanted to know. No word yet on when Sizemore’s show will air.
Read More | Reality TV World
Desperate Housewives Sex Scene Makes Way to YouTube
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, ABC, Desperate Housewives, Internet,
An upcoming sex scene from the fall season of Desperate Housewives is now on YouTube for everyone’s viewing enjoyment. The rough cut of the scene, featuring Bree (Marcia Cross) and Orson (Kyle MacLachlan), was leaked on YouTube and ABC is not happy. The scene was not even supposed to air for another month. “We are looking into the unauthorized clips of Desperate Housewives on YouTube and will be having them taken down,” an ABC rep commented. Interestingly enough, two separate YouTube posters put the clip up last Sunday, with one of the posts being removed so far.
This sneak peek gave Housewives fans a pretty good idea of what’s coming up this season, with Bree moving on to her next baggage-ridden boyfriend. The scene has Bree protesting in bed: “I don’t do that. I’m a Republican.” Orson replies, “I’m a Libertarian. I believe in minimizing the role of the state and maximizing individual rights. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” The clip runs just over a minute, with part of it having been featured in the promo for the third season of the series.
Rumors are buzzing that ABC leaked the footage to boost interest in the series again, following a disappointing second season for many fans. ABC insists that it was not an attempt to gain more interest, but it’s easy to dispute that whether they planted the clip or not, there has been noticeable interest. Desperate Housewives is set to begin its third season on September 24th.
Read More | Yahoo! News
Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Killed By Stingray
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Kids, Cable, Talent, News,
In what has turned out to be sad and shocking news, the man known as The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, was killed while filming an underwater documentary. While swimming in Batt Reef in north Queensland, Irwin was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest (although, one doctor thinks he may have suffered from a form of cardiac arrest, as this type of stingray injury is extremely rare.) Steve Irwin was 44, and is survived by his wife Terri, and children Bob and Bindi.
Read More | Sydney Morning Herald
The Week Ahead in TV
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Reality, ABC, FX, FOX, House, My Name Is Earl, Nip/Tuck, Survivor, Talent,
Here’s a look at the highlights for the upcoming week. In addition to more Fox premieres, we have several new personalities to prepare for:
TUESDAY
CBS Evening News: The long awaited debut of Katie (or Katherine?) Couric. Will she be able to turn the perkiness off at night?
The View (ABC syndication): The premiere of of Rosie O’Donnell. My Tivo is ready…let the catfights begin!
House (8pm on Fox): Will House’s limp return? And will Hugh Laurie’s British accent come back with it?
Standoff (9pm on Fox): Romance between hostage negotiators? Now that we already know the plot, do we have to watch?
Nip/Tuck (10pm on FX): The Carver is gone but Kimber’s vanity was still attacked. I’m guessing she still won’t be fat anytime soon.
THURSDAY
‘til Death (8pm on Fox): Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher play an old married couple who have to contend with annoying newlyweds…and My Name is Earl, and Survivor and Ugly Betty...
Happy Hour (8:30pm on Fox): It’s has something to do with a newly single dude, his new roommate and the neighbors he meets. Kind of sounds like Joey and in a similar time slot. We can guess what will happen from here.
FRIDAY
Nanny 911 (8pm on Fox): Do parents home on a Friday night really want to be reminded about why they aren’t going out?
Rock Star: INXS Contestant Gets Record Deal
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Music, Reality, CBS, Rock Star, Talent,
If you’ve been following along with this season’s Rock Star and wondering what ever happened to last year’s Rock Star: INXS contestants, this one’s for you. Fans of last season’s MiG, one of the three finalists, has signed a record deal. His self-titled debut will be released in January and will feature covers of “A Kiss From A Rose,” by Seal, David Bowie’s “Life On Mars,” The Police’s “Wrapped Around Your Finger” and Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” He also recorded “Baby I Love Your Way,” with Peter Frampton—the first single is already available for download on Yahoo!
If you recall, MiG grew up in Australia, but lived in London, appearing in the musicals Rent and We Will Rock You. Then he took on the challenge of Rock Star: INXS, proving to be a worthy competitor. No word yet on whether or not the entire album will be covers (let’s hope there’s something original in there) or when it will be released.
Read More | People
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