Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeThe cold, icy death hand of economic uncertainty and depression-era apple bargaining has finally pointed its bony finger at the TV industry and said, "I choose you." The Hollywood Reporter reports that NBC Universal has already laid off 30 people as part of their ongoing effort to cut costs across the board. So far, the 30 people who have been given their pink slips worked in the sales departments. More pink slips are expected to land on desks later this week in the news division, the first areas of the media industry that normally take a bullet...
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeElle Woods Bishop might be dead, but the rumors of Kristen Bell reprising the role of Veronica Mars for a big screen outing are still circulating. Actually, a script is being written and a movie deal might already be in place. At least that's what former Veronica Mars cast member Enrico Colantoni is saying. In a recent red carpet interview with The TV Addict, Colantoni said that VM creator Rob Thomas is working on a script for a film version of the short-lived CW series. Colantoni is the latest Mars associate to get fans'...
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeBaby, if you've ever wondered, wondered whatever became of WKRP...well, it didn't really exist. It was a TV show. But now it's back, and it's even in Cincinnati.However, there's a twist: this time it's the call letters of a small TV station. WBQC-TV has changed it's call letters to WKRP-TV. I can already sense the backlash that this move will inspire, fans of the show calling it "lame" and rival TV stations saying that they must have been "desperate" to make such a move. Personally, I think it's a great idea. I'm not saying...
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeThe sixth and final season of Showtime's The L Word is about to kick off (January 18th at 9:00 p.m. EST), so that means the new promos are on their way. Check out this piece of work right here and please excuse me as I reveal my art snobbery. When I first saw this poster, I thought it was some fan art from a Photoshop beginner. What happened to the days of solid design, when stuff like this totally wouldn't fly outside of Graphic Design I? If basic cable shows like Mad Men can...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeUsually known for their violent soap opera on television and pay-per-view, World Wrestling Entertainment has quietly launched their own social networking site called WWE Universe.The article mentions that they already have 200,000 members without spending any money on advertising. Well, they have two shows weekly which have among the biggest audiences on cable television. One casual mention on those shows and they get advertising without spending any additional budget. Ditto for mentioning it on their website, which is one of the most popular destinations on the Internet.Continue reading WWE offers social networking Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeThe Obama campaign has put a line in the sand regarding which networks will broadcast its prime-time campaign advertisement air on Wednesday night. The campaign has passed on ABC, which will be showing a new episode of Pushing Daisies against the ad to be shown on CBS, NBC, Fox and Univision at 8 p.m.If the Obama campaign was going to pass on a network, you'd think it would be Fox since Fox News is the mortal enemy of his political party. What does the campaign have against the House of the Mouse? You can't get more American...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeIt was the first theatrical release of the franchise. The first two were direct-to-television movies on the Disney Channel. However, High School Musical 3 stomped the competition with a $42 million opening and the number one spot for this past weekend.Given the amount of merchandising and publicity the entire franchise has (walk into any Toys R Us to see it), this outcome is really no surprise. It's a wonder the second movie wasn't released directly to the theater rather than the Disney Channel.I was once forced to watch the first movie and found it to be this...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeMonths ago I suggested that all of TV Squad's writers and readers should pool their money and buy TV Guide. Turns out that if we had done that we would have paid too much money. The magazine just sold for $1.00.That's not a typo, and I'm not talking about the cover price being reduced. TV Guide itself was actually bought from Macrovision this week for $1.00.Continue reading TV Guide sold for a dollar Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeIt's looking like David E. Kelley's plan is to have at least one of his legal shows on the air at all times.The producer/writer is now pitching a new legal drama series to the networks. CBS and NBC are particularly interested. No word on whether or not ABC is interested in the new show, which would be odd since they've had some success with one of Kelley's other legal shows, Boston Legal, which is ending after this season. To refresh your memory, here are the other legal shows that Kelley has created, written, and/or...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeObviously, this is in the "rumor" category, but Elizabeth Hasselbeck might be leaving The View for Fox News. It's probably just a stunt anyway to get a higher salary. It's not likely there aren't other women of conservative ideologies in the world who couldn't replace her. If it does end up being true, it would be a mistake for her to leave.Even if you don't agree with her views, the mainstream publicity of her on-air feuds (such as the one with Rosie O'Donnell that made Rosie leave the show and start her own variety show. Let's blame...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeSince when is David Gordon Green a comedic director? I mean, sure the guy did Pineapple Express -- and it was funny, but have you ever caught any of his previous movies, like All the Real Girls, Undertow or Snow Angels? All of them have their merit (my personal fave is All the Real Girls, starring Zooey Deschanel and the undersung Paul Schneider), but there's really nothing in them that would hint that Green, who wrote and directed them all, had a comedic bone in his body. But apparently, not only is he a writer-director of funny...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeAs everyone knows, there are no new ideas in Hollywood. So, it's no surprise TV is looking to the past for future new shows.Variety reports that The Partridge Family is getting a "tongue-in-cheek, modern-day" remake. A former Cashmere Mafia writer is on board and insiders say the project will be getting a network deal soon.Meanwhile, E! Online has scoop from former Melrose Place star Lisa Rinna that the soapy drama might follow in 90210's footsteps at the CW, though that network denies the rumor.Continue reading What's old is new again: Partridge Family, Melrose Place being remade? Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeHonesty in Hollywood is a rare commodity, so when producers confess their television show is not very good, you've got to give credit where credit's due.According to Variety, the team responsible for Fox's poorly-reviewed new comedy Do Not Disturb sent a letter to select TV critics (uh, where's mine guys?) acknowledging the poor quality of the premiere episode. But they try to defend themselves by giving those critics a DVD of the second episode, which they claim is the actual pilot and should have aired first.Continue reading Do Not Disturb creators sorry for perpetrating...
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeIf you're like me, you raced out to your local book merchant last Tuesday and got yourself a copy of Neal Stephenson's latest book, Anathem. Then, more than likely, you tore through it before you realized, "Crap, it's going to be another five years before there is another one." But this isn't Book Squad, so what am I on about? You might recall a January 2007 post by Kevin about Stephenson's earlier novel, The Diamond Age, being adapted for the Sci Fi Channel. As a longtime fan, I was thrilled to hear the news....
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeThere's no way that the creator/executive producer of a new series walking away from the show before the season premiere can be a good thing. In fact, it's down right ominous. Therefore, the news that Diane Ruggiero has walked off The Ex List before the October 3rd premiere does not bode well for the comedy-drama. It's not like the prospect of succeeding in the dreaded Friday at 9 P.M. ET on CBS (the place where Moonlight died) was a sign of good things to come, but having seen the pilot, I was keeping my...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeIt looks like Google is taking a step towards having a television station all its own. The Internet search company will be helping NBC Universal sell advertisements for some of NBC's cable stations (including Sci Fi, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC, Sleuth and Chiller).This is yet another step in the inevitable merger of television and the Internet. It wouldn't surprise me if in the future, Google either acquires a television network (it could be NBC or some other one) or starts one all its own. It's certainly ubiquitous enough in Internet advertising to break into another medium (sort of...
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeGuillermo del Toro is a busy guy. Aside from helming the much anticipated The Hobbit prequel films to the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy, he's got so many films on his schedule that he's practically booked through 2017. But what does that have to do with television, you say? Well, Variety wrote this big old long article about the esteemed del Toro, and one of the last topics discussed was the possibility of a third Hellboy movie. The second didn't achieve the success domestically as the first film but has performed well.What's kind...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-FreeIt's somewhat a contradiction in terms to hear of the British Broadcasting Corporation setting up a division in Los Angeles, but it's happening anyway. Jane Tranter, the executive who was in charge of such hits as the revamped Doctor Who and Life on Mars is spearheading the effort.It's a good idea and long overdue. BBC programming is incredibly popular here in the states (at first due to PBS and now due to cable, particularly BBC America). With this in mind, the Beeb can now have more content take place directly in the United States. Personally, I find...
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Reality-FreeIs it just me, or does the phrase "A Sci Fi Original" kind of make you cringe? They use it a lot when promoting the very special Saturday night movies, and let's be honest, a lot of them are really bad. Rick Schroder is hoping to change all that. He's signed on with RHI Entertainment to direct Hellhounds. Scott Elrod gets the starring role. He'll play Kleitos, a Greek warrior, who leads his men in a battle against the hellhounds of Hades in an effort to rescue his bride from the Underworld. It appears...
Filed under: Industry, Reality-Free, Burn NoticeI like to think that I read more than the average bear, and I certainly have my favorites. I've been counting down the days to the new Neal Stephenson novel, Anathem, since a release date was announced. That being said, I've never really been lured in by any of the television tie-in books. However, a guest article at the LA Times site by Tod Goldberg has left me curious about Burn Notice: The Fix.In the linked article, Goldberg details the thought process behind him making the jump to television tie-ins. He has an interesting perspective...
