Variety reports Sunday afternoon that production has been halted on the new UPN series "Sex, Love & Secrets". The show premiered just last Tuesday at 9 PM ET/PT, got a miniscule 1.0 rating and 1 share.

Eight episodes of an initial order of 13 azre already in the can. And despite the fact that te show has not yet officially been canceled, it is unknown how many, if any, of those remaining eight episodes will actually be telecast by UPN.

“Threshold”: Don't Call It Science Fiction

By DAVE ITZKOFF The New York Times October 2, 2005

Sometimes, when devoted fans of fantasy and science-fiction entertainment - for economy's sake, let's just call them geeks - get together, they like to debate whether a particular red-caped superhero could best a certain green-skinned goliath in combat. Or whether a scenery-chewing starship captain was superior to his Shakespeare-quoting successor. But on occasion they want to talk about contingency planners.

"There's all these contingency plans that the government orders, for the most bizarre things that would never happen," said the screenwriter David S. Goyer, sounding less like the man who was a co-writer of "Batman Begins" and more like an excitable conspiracy theorist. "Our own government has a plan for what would happen if we made contact with aliens. I tried to get it, and it's all top secret, of course."

Despite the setback, Mr. Goyer continued to discuss his obsession with other open-minded geeks, including his next-door neighbor on the Warner Brothers lot, the producer David Heyman, who is best known for bringing J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" novels to the screen. And though their conversations on the subject could have resulted in many happily wasted man-hours, they ultimately yielded a television series.

The new CBS drama "Threshold," which is broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m., follows the adventures of a contingency planner (played by Carla Gugino) and her ad hoc group of military and scientific specialists (including Brian Van Holt, Charles S. Dutton and Peter Dinklage) as they chase a malevolent alien life form that is spreading across the Earth.

Behind the scenes, "Threshold" has brought together a team with a decidedly different area of expertise: Mr. Heyman, Mr. Goyer and Brannon Braga, a veteran writer and producer of the "Star Trek" movies and television shows.

"We're like the Super Friends," Mr. Braga said, invoking the old Hanna-Barbera superhero cartoon. "We're a highly animated group."

Of the three, Mr. Goyer - a compact, sinewy man with a goatee and colorful tattoos running up his forearms - has the most experience with costumed crime-fighters. Starting with his script for "Blade," the 1998 film starring Wesley Snipes as the stylish vampire hunter from Marvel Comics, Mr. Goyer has become Hollywood's go-to guy for comic-book adaptations. In addition to "Batman Begins" and three "Blade" movies, he has written forthcoming films based on "The Flash" and "Ghost Rider."

The bespectacled, floppy-haired Mr. Braga hails from a decidedly different quadrant of the geek universe. He started out as an intern on the television show "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1990 and spent several months with Mr. Goyer expanding the idea for "Threshold" into a full-fledged television pitch.

"We wanted the science fiction to be accessible, that it not be like 'Star Trek,' that it not be technical, and everything has to be explained," Mr. Braga said in his office on the Paramount lot during a joint interview with Mr. Goyer. "We wanted it to be much scarier in the way it's presented."

Mr. Heyman, who splits his time between his Los Angeles office and his base of operations in London, may be the odd man out among "Threshold's" executive producers: his association with the fencing team at Harvard, where he was twice an all-American in the 1980's, is perhaps the geekiest entry on his résumé. But while Mr. Heyman does not consider himself a die-hard enthusiast of science fiction or fantasy works, he said he could identify with their underlying themes. "I'm drawn to stories about outsiders," he said in a telephone interview, en route to a scoring session for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." "I'm interested in people on the fringe, ordinary people who have to deal with extraordinary things."

Like his colleagues, Mr. Heyman was just as adamant that "Threshold's" paranormal elements be tempered with a healthy dose of reality. "It's all played real and true, and it's not played as science fiction," he said. "It's played as science fact."

Sure enough, the extraterrestrial being pursued by the "Threshold" team isn't a bug-eyed little green man, but rather a mysterious signal that propagates itself through everyday technology - radios, computers, MP3 players - and creates chaos wherever it turns up. Were it stripped of this one otherworldly component, "Threshold," with its emphasis on forensic investigations and the interpersonal dynamics of its cast, could pass for another spinoff of "CSI."

And that, say "Threshold's" creators, is partly the point: for a contemporary sci-fi series to find a place on a network's schedule, it can't look too much like a sci-fi series. "There haven't been an enormous number of successful science-fiction shows on prime-time network television," Mr. Braga said. "You've got your 'X-Files' and now 'Lost,' which is arguably science fiction, though one could say it's something else."

While shows like "Battlestar Galactica" have more recently found success on basic cable, he said, "the sci-fi shows that are successful on cable have relatively small audiences. We want to reach a big audience."

At the same time, "Threshold" is just one of several new network series to offer varying degrees of science fiction or fantasy cloaked in real-world scenarios, including NBC's "Surface," ABC's "Invasion" and WB's "Supernatural." This trend, say the producers of "Threshold," is partly the result of viewers' reawakened appetite for escapist fare in an age of global terrorism. "It's unexplained phenomena which cause a threat to mankind, and that threat is not contained to one area," Mr. Heyman said. "It can happen any time, any place, to anyone. It's something people can really relate to right now."

But shows like "Threshold" may also reflect the networks' belated appreciation of the value of genre entertainment. "Have you seen the box office numbers on 'War of the Worlds,' by the way?" asked a "Threshold" co-star, Brett Spiner, who played the android Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." "I don't think the networks are in the business of doing things people aren't going to watch. I think they sniff some dollars here."

For all the conventions that "Threshold" is trying to upend, there was one its creators simply could not avoid: Comic-Con International in San Diego, where each July, geek consumers and industry members convene to trade memorabilia and learn about new projects. On hand to introduce "Threshold" to a potentially receptive demographic, the show's producers also came face to face with some of their most worshipful admirers. "At an autograph signing," Mr. Goyer said, "one guy came up and literally had tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you for saving him.' And I said, 'Who?' And he said, 'Batman.' Then he asked me to sign his Bat-a-Rang."

For Mr. Braga, who had just wrapped the final season of "Star Trek: Enterprise," the convention appearance was more bittersweet. "A guy came up to me," he recalled, "and said: 'Don't listen to what they say, Mr. Braga. You are a good writer.' "

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/02/arts/television/02itzk.html?pagewanted=print

TV SEASON PREVIEW: TUESDAY (10/4)
“Close to Home”

The Los Angeles Times

Stars: Jennifer Finnigan, Kimberly Elise ("Diary of a Mad Black Woman"), John Carroll Lynch ("Carnivàle," "The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H."), Christian Kane ("Angel," "Into the West").

The premise: The glow of new motherhood alternates with the fire of righteous indignation as spunky, unbeatable Midwestern Assistant D.A. Finnigan returns from maternity leave to find Condi Rice dress-alike Elise promoted above her and the world still full of bad men menacing good women. Postpartum crying jags in the office bathroom and breast milk in the communal fridge proclaim that the Bruckheimer Galactic Domination Procedural Drama Machine has its sights set on you, female America.

http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/suncal/cl-ca-chris4sep04,2,3134676,print.htmlstory

TV SEASON PREVIEW: TUESDAY (10/4)
“Close to Home”

By Rick Kushman Sacramento Bee TV Columnist

New mom/tough prosecutor (Jennifer Finnigan) takes on those shocking suburban crimes that fascinate the hacks on cable news. Oh, and she has a new baby but is still tough.

What’s What: We may be topping out on good ways to do procedurals. This is from superproducer Jerry Bruckheimer, has Bruckheimer's sharp production values and features an appealing star. And yet: It never gets really interesting, despite a nifty twist in the pilot. And yet, part two: This is from Bruckheimer and has an appealing star. It could get better.

Rickster Scale: 2.5

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/columns/kushman/v-print/story/13573084p-14413378c.html

TV SEASON PREVIEW: TUESDAY (10/4)
“Close to Home”

By Amy Amatangelo The Washington Post

The tagline you'll never see: Close to "Cold Case."

The basics: Prosecutor Annabeth Chase (Jennifer Finnigan) is back on the job in Indiana after a three-month maternity leave. She returns to discover that her promotion went to her single co-worker Maureen (Kimberly Elise), and her boss (John Carroll Lynch) doesn't understand why she needs her own refrigerator for breast milk. Her supportive and perfect husband (Christian Kane) is left to care for the baby and look sexy. For Chase, getting a conviction is just as important as getting the baby to sleep through the night. Her first case upon returning to work involves a mom who set her house on fire with her two children trapped inside. But any fan of Jerry Bruckheimer's dramas knows that things aren't always as they seem.

The lowdown: The network has replaced "Judging Amy" with another show about a working lawyer mom trying to do right by the world and by her family. But this time it's from hit-maker Bruckheimer -- who works every possible ounce of melodrama into the pilot. Cue the slow-motion montages and poignant songs. And, in a welcome change of pace, the violence against the woman in the pilot episode is more implied than graphically depicted.

Reality check: Chase confronts the juggling act facing many working moms, and it's kind of nice to see this familiar conundrum played out on the small screen. Things would be a lot better still if Chase didn't say things such as "I want to be a mommy and I want to work" -- and if her boss refrained from doling out pithy wisdom such as "You can't have it both ways." We get it. The characters don't need to spell out the whole thing for viewers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092701159_pf.html

FYI:

Paramount to offer movies on HD-DVD and Blu-ray
By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

Paramount Home Entertainment has decided to offer high-definition versions of its movies on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, the company said Sunday.

The announcement makes Viacom Inc.-unit Paramount the first major content provider to publically support both formats and comes as the two competing high-definition video disc systems prepare for commercial launch.

Until now major content providers and equipment makers have expressed a preference for one or the other format and thus set the stage for a format fight that many are comparing to the VHS versus Betamax battle of the 1970s and 1980s.

Both DVD formats offer significantly more storage capacity than current discs: HD-DVD provides 15GB or 30GB and Blu-ray Disc 25GB or 50GB, depending on the disc. but the two are incompatible with each other due to a difference in the depth of the recording layer inside the disc. HD-DVD follows DVD and puts the recording layer midway through the disc while Blu-ray Disc has it much closer to the surface.

Paramount was one of the first major content providers to back HD-DVD, a format developed by Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. and backed by the DVD Forum. Other major backers include Warner Home Video, New Line Cinema, HBO, Universal Pictures and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. Last week both Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. announced support for HD-DVD.

Blu-ray Disc is backed by a much larger number of equipment makers including Sony Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Apple Computer Inc. and Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV. Content provider support has come from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Universal Music Group.

Recognizing that consumers will be forced to chose between the formats should they want to watch high-definition movies at home, Paramount decided to make content available on both formats.

Support for Blu-ray Disc, particularly in the PlayStation 3 games console, was influential in the decision to also offer Blu-ray Disc content, Paramount said in a statement.

The PlayStation 3 is expected on sale sometime in the first half of 2006 and could be a cheap way for consumers to get a high-definition disc player. If that happens it would mirror the PlayStation 2, which was purchased by many because at launch time it was cheaper than many DVD players on the market yet offered the same DVD playback features.

“After a detailed assessment and new data on cost, manufacturability and copy-protection solutions, we have now made the decision to move ahead with the Blu-ray format,” Paramount said.

Reacting to the news Toshiba said in a statement that it saw Paramount’s continued commitment to the HD-DVD format as “proof that the studio still recognizes HD-DVD’s advantages.”

HD-DVD will offer cost and productivity advantages over Blu-ray Disc in manufacturing, said Toshiba. The company is convinced such advantages will lead other Hollywood studios and content producers to adopt HD-DVD, it said.

The test will come when HD-DVD comes to market at the end of 2005 in Japan, and early next year in the U.S., when consumers will see which format really delivers the benefits of high-definition TV, Toshiba said.

http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/10/03/paramount/index.php?lsrc=mwrss

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
Are There No Blockbusters to Be Found?

By Bill Carter The New York Times October 3, 2005

One year ago, after the first two weeks of the new network television season, all anyone was talking about was "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives."

A year later, two weeks into the new season, all anyone is talking about is "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives."

ABC's two blockbuster hits of last fall, which are back and overpowering their competition again, may have led network executives to think that other shows could perform that kind of instant magic this fall. But early ratings suggest that, far from duplicating that kind of outsize success, the new television season will offer nothing even to approach it.

"There are no home runs this season," concluded Leslie Moonves, the chief executive of CBS, who has seen more new seasons than any other network entertainment executive. He pointed to a number of new shows that started out with some real promise, like the comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" on UPN (which Mr. Moonves oversees), the comedy "My Name Is Earl" on NBC and the drama "Prison Break" on Fox.

Mr. Moonves and other network executives cited a few other new entries as potential keepers, like "Commander in Chief" on ABC, "Supernatural" on the WB, "Bones" on Fox and "Criminal Minds" on CBS.

But as Preston Beckman, the executive vice president of Fox Entertainment, put it, the season has supplied none of the spectacular surprises of a year ago. "This season, it has mostly been negative surprises," he said.

Chief among these is "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" on NBC, which had widely been expected at least to start strongly, thanks to all the attention surrounding the star's release from prison. The new NBC reality series - mainly another iteration of the Donald Trump version that exploded on the scene two years ago - has thus far achieved results so tepid that Ms. Stewart could not boil pasta with them.

And the second "Apprentice" may be hurting the first: the early ratings for Mr. Trump's version have skidded in two appearances this season, though it ticked up a bit in its second outing.

On Friday, NBC announced that "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" would be shifted to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays from 8 p.m., putting it up against the "Lost" juggernaut but away from the reality-show competition of "America's Next Top Model" on UPN. But at least "Martha" is still on the air. The Fox network looked at the ratings for the first two episodes of the drama "Head Cases" and immediately took it out back for a ritual cancellation. A new Fox comedy, "Kitchen Confidential," was yanked almost as quickly (though not officially canceled.)

NBC also has had dismal news from a couple of other new dramas: the Pentagon thriller "E-Ring" on Wednesday (which will shift back to 8 p.m. from 9 p.m.) and the almost unnoticed (and unwatched) fertility clinic series, "Inconceivable," on Friday.

Still, at least in terms of falling short of expectations, ABC may be the most victimized. ABC had so much momentum coming into the season that expectations ran high that the network would come up with new talked-about hits and run away with the network competition this season. Following the pattern that produced that double-header of smashing results last September, ABC loaded up its promotion machine on behalf of two more new series this year.

The early results have been considerably different from what ABC achieved right off the bat with "Lost" and "Housewives." One of the favored new shows, a sci-fi drama called "Invasion," was handed ABC's best position on the schedule, 10 p.m. on Wednesdays, immediately following "Lost."

The castaways-on-an-island series, fresh off the Emmy Award for best drama, has more than held up its end of the bargain, racking up huge ratings in its first two outings.

But "Invasion," a show about aliens taking over human bodies, has showed vulnerability from the start. It lost a large part of the giant "Lost" audience in its first week, and then a huge portion - almost half - in its second. Both weeks, "Invasion" saw its audience drift away significantly from the first half hour to the second, usually a sign that viewers are not enjoying what they are seeing.

ABC's other big new hope for the season is the drama "Commander in Chief" on Tuesday night, with Geena Davis playing the first woman president. ABC spent much of last week promoting the numbers from the show's first episode, saying that with more than 16 million viewers, it was the new season's most-watched new show.

True. But ABC's competitors universally noted that the vast majority of those viewers were older women (over 50). ABC, perhaps more than any network, has declared that all that matters in television ratings are viewers between the ages of 18 and 49. In that category, "Commander" finished fourth in its first half hour (well behind another new entry, "My Name Is Earl" from NBC), surely not the result ABC hoped for after its publicity blitz on behalf of the show.

"Commander" did pick up in its second half hour, but it was still skewed heavily toward the over-50 set. ABC is now counting on the show to grow and to pull in so many viewers that it will edge its way upward in the 18-49 competition. It may get a boost in that endeavor next week, because the other classy drama in that hour, "House," which does far better with younger adults, will be off for several weeks while Fox devotes itself to postseason baseball.

Most prominent on the plus side of the surprises is surely "My Name Is Earl," the one sign of salvation in what has otherwise been a scratch-and-claw first couple of weeks for NBC. "Earl" won its time period twice in a row against perhaps the most ferocious competition on television. It did fall off in its second week, as most new series do (except the ones that are instant monsters, like those two ABC year-olds), but any rating near what "Earl" has scored so far provides a glimmer of hope for NBC after a run of grim ratings luck.

NBC is still a bit shell-shocked by the decline of the "Friends" spinoff "Joey," which lost in its first week to Chris Rock's new series about his life as a child in Brooklyn, "Everybody Hates Chris," on UPN. "Chris" came down to earth in its second outing, sparing "Joey" further humiliation. But "Joey" also declined in its second week, and its long-term prospects are now in serious doubt.

With "Earl" showing more promise than any other new series, and that good first week for "Chris," at least one senior network executive started to talk about seeing the faint glimmerings of a comeback for the sitcom genre, which has seemed to be doing a slow dance toward endangerment in recent years. Those outlines may get fainter after the falloff for "Chris." But comedy has gotten some tiny bits of further positive results, notably the continued strong performance on Sundays at 9 by Fox's "Family Guy," which came back for new episodes only last spring, and some respectable early results for "How I Met Your Mother," a CBS comedy at 8:30 on Mondays.

Of course, CBS also needs to worry about its new 9:30 Monday comedy, "Out of Practice," which has dropped far too many viewers from its lead-in show, "Two and a Half Men." The latter comedy is already showing signs that it won't be a stellar performer like the show it replaced, "Everybody Loves Raymond." Mr. Moonves says he is satisfied with the results for his "Men" show, knowing "it is replacing a classic."

A few new network entries have yet to have their premieres, including a couple of ABC comedies and a CBS drama, "Close to Home," that Mr. Moonves expects to do well. But none are likely to break the new season trend, which so far might be summarized as "lost" opportunities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/03/business/media/03ratings.html?pagewanted=print

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: TUESDAY
“Close To Home”

Work vs. family on CBS: Crime does pay. And pay and pay

By Kay McFadden Seattle Times October 3, 2005

No network has leveraged the police procedural with greater success than CBS. A resurgence built on the spine of "CSI" has added the vertebrae of "Cold Case," "Without A Trace," "Numb3rs," "Criminal Minds" and more "CSI."

But even a Tyrannosaurus rex runs out of tail, and so let's hope "Close to Home" represents a final flourish of CBS' criminal ability to eat the competition.

"Close to Home," debuting at 10 p.m. tomorrow, stars Jennifer Finnigan ("The Bold and The Beautiful") as an aggressive young prosecutor and married mom who's just getting back to work after maternity leave.

The opening's a beauty. Snippets of Annabeth Chase (Finnigan) cooing to her infant are interspersed with suburban serenity — the trees, the newspaper boy, the wending streets. A soothing score plays underneath.

Then a house erupts in flames. Without relinquishing the lyrical photography or music, "Close to Home" zeroes in on a nail-biting rescue. Firefighters emerge with a terrified mother and two children.

"Close to Home" has been described as a law-and-order "Desperate Housewives." It actually resembles newcomer "Commander In Chief." Both are efforts to update the eternal dilemma of furthering one's career while embracing the full range of female identity.

Where "Commander In Chief" has chosen to convey this struggle in lofty and occasionally absurd rhetoric, however, "Close to Home" is more nuts and bolts.

Annabeth lies awake at night listening to her newborn daughter cry and shows up at work in a semi-zombie state. When she's assigned to prosecute a woman charged with attempting to burn down her house and kill her two kids, we're brought back to consider that first scene and the complex nature of maternity.

To create a built-in carom for this topic, "Close to Home" co-stars Kimberly Elise as Annabeth's hard-driving boss — a promotion obtained while Annabeth was on leave.

Thankfully, the show's producers want to get beyond the usual standoff between single woman and married mother. In barbed conversations set in the ladies room, Maureen Scofield (Elise) and Annabeth attack and defend their choices. What emerges is respect with a sharp edge tempered by the practicality of getting the job done.

Creator Jim Leonard's script for "Close to Home" skillfully weaves these insights into the crime-solving process. The cast generally is quite adept, including John Carroll Lynch as a district attorney and Christian Kane as Annabeth's in-the-background husband, Jack.

Yet it ultimately is hard to forget that "Close to Home" is a police procedural, with the pat formulaic demands of that genre and, at least tomorrow, an unsurprising conclusion.

Maybe CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler could make a vow to thrust the next one-hour heroine into some other gritty job where women are rare. Astronaut? Physicist? TV network executive?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2002533903&zsection_id=2002119662&slug=kay03&date=20051003

Is this the proper place for news of the CBC lockout finally ending?

The weekend network prime-time ratings – andMedia Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

I have said for quite a while that the networks will find a way to bypass their affiliates and sell their programming directly to viewers. Here is a story detailing what could be the first step in that process:

ABC, CBS and NBC Inch Closer to Launching Entertainment VOD

By John Consoli (—with Mike Shields) MediaWeek.com October 03, 2005

Talks between the broadcast networks and cable operators to bring prime-time entertainment shows to video-on-demand platforms are beginning to take on a more serious tone. There’s a strong chance that some networks could launch on-demand services on some systems as early as next summer and almost certainly by the start of the 2006-07 season.

What’s fueling this new sense of urgency is the broadcasters’ desire to come up with a new revenue stream as the costs of producing scripted shows continue to soar. Meanwhile, cable operators are concerned that if they do not have these deals in place sooner than later, broadcasters will instead look to the Internet as a plausible VOD vehicle (thanks in part to the explosion of broadband penetration).

How high a priority is it? Disney CEO Bob Iger recently met with Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts, according to sources, to see what needed to be put on the table to get a VOD deal done between the No. 1 cable operator and Disney-owned ABC. And Viacom co-president and co-COO Leslie Moonves has been meeting with financial analysts, touting the positives of offering CBS’ prime-time lineup to viewers via VOD.

Meanwhile, CBS has been in contact with Nielsen Media Research to find out what kind of ratings and demographic information can be assembled on VOD viewership. “This is a potential new money pit we are sitting on, and we want to take advantage of it,” said one executive inside CBS. “Leslie believes that we should offer people our content in as many ways as possible and let them decide how they want to receive it.”

David Poltrack, executive vp of research at CBS, said, “If we are going to sell our product, we want it in as many stores as possible.”
How soon will it be before broadcast prime-time VOD is offered on the major cable operators? No network executive is willing to say for sure. But Poltrack, who has been spearheading viewer research on VOD for the past several years, said that while the networks and cable operators are struggling to come up with the best business model, “VOD for prime-time shows is coming. It will be out there in some form fairly soon.”

CBS has been the most publicly vociferous in sharing its research data and ideas about the best way to finance it. Poltrack said an à la carte model that offers viewers a two-tier option to purchase seems to be the most feasible. Under that plan, viewers would pay $1 per show and have the ability to fast-forward through commercials or pay 50 cents without that option.

Poltrack said CBS surveys show that the average TV viewer would purchase about 100 hours of VOD programming per year; that same viewer watches 1,000 hours of TV in that span. “Losing 10 percent of their viewing to VOD is not going to hurt the [ratings] integrity of the free product that much,” he said. And the revenue drawn from the VOD should offset the ad dollars lost by lower ratings.

CBS has already overcome one of the major hurdles to pursuing entertainment VOD: digital rights. Although Poltrack would not comment, CBS insiders said the network worked language into its deals for shows that premiered last year or this season that spells out how VOD revenue would be split among the studio, show talent and the network. For veteran shows, new language is still being worked on.

Poltrack believes that for VOD to really take hold among viewers, all the networks must be involved. The more top-rated shows that are offered on VOD platforms, the more viewers will be driven to those platforms, he said.

J.B. Perrette, senior vp, new media, and CFO of NBC Universal Cable, who is spearheading the VOD efforts for his company, said NBC offered Comcast some of its broadcast and cable shows for its VOD platform to run for free, but Comcast did not want to share any additional costs the network had to pay in rights fees, so the deal fell through.

“Comcast had said it wanted to offer a free VOD platform to viewers,” Perrette said. “We told Comcast we would be willing to offer shows like Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Las Vegas, Monk and Battlestar Galactica for them to run for free, but there is a rights-fee cost to us to pay to talent, for music and things like that, and we wanted them to share some of that cost.”
Now, Perrette said, NBC will probably also look to a pay-per-view model. “We are in discussions with all the major operators,” he said, “and open to any economic model that works.”

But media analyst Bruce Leichtman has some doubts about viewers agreeing to pay for broadcast repeats in VOD. “On demand has grown through delivering free programming,” said Leichtman. “Consumers have not necessarily shown a willingness to pay for programs.”

Still, cable operators want more content to drive viewers to VOD platforms, because VOD requires subscribers to upgrade to higher-margin digital services (and provides a service satellite companies like News Corp.’s DirecTV cannot). And broadcasters, whose programming still draws the greatest number of viewers to its programming, can fill the bill there.

CBS is willing to roll out its VOD service one MSO at a time, meaning if that first deal can get done—and it proves to be economically viable—other operators may be spurred to jump on board. And if Poltrack’s research numbers hold true, with each viewer who uses VOD paying for 100 hours a year, suddenly there’s a whole new revenue stream for all parties to divvy up.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001219997

It will be interesting to see how Directv and Dish deal with or embrace VOD

D* and Dish can automatically download "VOD" programs to DVRs. Then you either pay to watch the programs whenver you want (the on demand part), or they are automtically deleted after a certain time period. Not quite true "on demand" but really not much different.

redvette:
Sure, why not?
To be frank, I didn't even know there was a lockout at the CBC.

Bye-Bye to “Sex”?

Numerous sources are reporting UPN has ceased production of its new series “Sex, Love and Secrets”.
But UPN apparently will keep airing episodes already shot in the Tuesday at 9 PM ET/PT time slot.
So, there is no official cancellation – yet.

ABC News Closes in On Anchor Duo
Net Denies Decision Made

By Michele Greppi TVWeek.com October 3, 2005

While it is not finalized and could change, ABC News is moving toward naming Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas as the permanent co-anchors of "World News Tonight," succeeding the late Peter Jennings, according to informed sources.

Such a decision would be a blow to Charles Gibson, the current co-host of "Good Morning America," who has been filling in on "World News Tonight," and frequently acting as the face of ABC News on big breaking stories. Mr. Gibson, 62, is believed to want the "World News Tonight" anchor job which would cap a distinguished career that has earned him widespread respect within ABC News and beyond.

If he doesn't get the job, sources said Mr. Gibson would likely stay with "GMA" for another year and a half, and then might leave the network. ABC, a division of the Walt Disney Company, has been hesitant to move Mr. Gibson away from "GMA" at a time he and co-hosts Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts have led a strong resurgence for the hugely profitable morning program which has moved it closer in the ratings to NBC's "Today Show" than it has been in a decade.

An ABC News spokesman on Friday told TelevisionWeek that no decisions about "World News Tonight" have been made and because things are going so well, there is no pressure to move quickly. "Your story is wrong," said Jeffrey W. Schneider, VP and spokesman for ABC News. "To be clear, no decision has been made. At best your sources are ill-informed gossips. At worst, your sources know they don't know what they are talking about. We are in no rush to make this decision. When we are prepared to make an announcement, we will make one."

However, well-connected sources inside ABC and other sources in the TV news circle say that ABC News hopes to beat CBS News to the punch by rolling out a younger-generation flagship newscast. Mr. Woodruff, who is 43, is seen as the epitome of that future. The ABC News spokesman said that what CBS does is not a factor in when ABC News will make its changes. Mr. Woodruff and Ms. Vargas have often anchored "World News Tonight," as has Mr. Gibson, since Peter Jennings announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in April. Mr. Jennings died in early August.

Inside ABC News, many regard Mr. Woodruff as a worthy successor to Mr. Jennings. He is a polished newsman who has reported from Iraq, New Orleans, the South Pacific tsunami or, as he did earlier this year, from inside North Korea.

Although Ms. Vargas, 42, who co-anchors "20/20" with John Stossel, has done several serious prime-time specials and reportedly has the enthusiastic backing of ABC News Senior VP Paul Slavin, she does not have the widespread rank-and-file support that Mr. Woodruff does. There is speculation that Mr. Woodruff often might be deployed in the field on big stories with Ms. Vargas at the anchor desk.

"World News Tonight" has been closing in on "NBC Nightly News" since last year, before Tom Brokaw turned the anchor desk over to Brian Williams, and "World News Tonight" edged "Nightly" in the 25-54 demographic for the just-concluded third quarter.

Meanwhile, there is speculation that pieces are falling into place for the next generation of "Nightline." Anchor Ted Koppel and executive producer Tom Bettag will leave the show and the network at the end of December. Informed sources said "primetime>live" correspondent and legal analyst Cynthia McFadden would take the anchor role held since 1979 by Mr. Koppel. Under this scenario, Terry Moran, who now covers the White House, would be a "Nightline" correspondent; and Jim Avila, the former NBC News correspondent who joined ABC News in 2004, and since has broken a number of big news stories, may succeed Mr. Moran on the White House beat.

Veteran investigative journalist Martin Bashir, who joined "20/20" in September, 2004, is also expected to be assigned as a "Nightline" correspondent.

The ABC News spokesman dismissed possible changes on "Nightline" as speculation.

Mr. Woodruff, who trained as a lawyer and is a veteran foreign correspondent, is currently also an anchor on ABC News' "World News Tonight Saturday." He moved to New York in 2002 after working for ABC in London.

Ms. Vargas joined Mr. Stossel as co-anchor of "20/20" in September, 2004. She has anchored numerous ABC News specials, including several one-hour "Vanished" reports and a "Child First Safety Special." She joined ABC from NBC News, where she was a correspondent and substitute anchor for "Dateline NBC" and "Today," and also a substitute anchor for NBC Nightly News' weekend editions.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8648

TV PREVIEW: TUESDAY
“Close To Home"
A SuperMom Gets the Bad Guys

By Diane Werts Newsday Staff Writer October 4, 2005

At least the hero of the season's latest doting depiction of woman abuse is female. She's even played by a soap star. And she gets to coo over her baby and express breast milk while going after the bad guys. But if CBS' new "Close to Home" is a hormonal pendulum swing from the male knights of CBS' "Criminal Minds," Fox's "Killer Instinct" and ABC's "Night Stalker," that only makes its close-up/slo-mo depiction of gender terrorizing slightly less creepy.

Plenty of viewers will disagree, finding dogged Jennifer Finnigan ("The Bold and the Beautiful") to be the role model they've been waiting for. They'll happily overlook that she's the Six Million Dollar Heroine, everything about her role constructed from spare parts in the Hollywood arsenal of executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (yes, the unstoppable "CSI"/"Cold Case" guy).

Subtle hasn't been Bruckheimer's forte since the original "CSI." That show reached Nielsen's top spot through vivid characterizations and slick storytelling, if you ask me - not the sick mysteries, forensic intricacies and swoop-de-do effects to which its success is often attributed. While "Close to Home" looks to have an equally fine cast, tonight's pilot unfortunately echoes "CSI's" technical traits more blatantly than its flesh-and-blood humanity.

Finnigan represents a suburban Indianapolis landscape drawn entirely in filmland cliche - spiffy white houses, manicured lawns, kids riding bikes (helmeted, of course), flags flying out front. (An American flag is shamelessly featured in the title logo.) Cinematic slow-motion photography and orchestral strains almost gorgeously render a striking house fire, all vibrant yellow flames and heroic firemen pulling soot-strewn kids to safety. But this tragedy is no accident, not in this perfect little corner of Americana.

Mommy did it.

So the resolute Finnigan gets to hit full crusade mode right away: "Nobody has a right to do this to kids!" Especially not when the incident pulls this sleek blonde dynamo away from her brand new baby! Now comes one nice twist. As the undefeated prosecutor is trying to "have it all" in her overt slice of sociology, the accused mom turns out to have less than nothing, to be living a life of unimaginable horrors.

Which, of course, we must now see not only imagined but detailed in scary dark flashbacks with menacing music and punctuating zooms. "Close to Home" wants to have it all, too. The pilot saga expands to deliver a class clash of snobby rich folks who practically cackle in their crisp clothes vs. heartrending hillbillies prone to saying "ain't" near peeling paint. There's also the married-to-her-job boss/rival in Kimberly Elise, who's great despite the typecasting. It's hinted that she has more depth than this cliche-stuffed pilot can get to. Ditto the new dad (Christian Kane), a hunky and helpful hubby who, tonight at least, may as well have The Perfect Man stamped on his forehead.

This canned stew is further flavored with too-snappy comebacks, too-slick repartee and too-clever contrivances. Making it bearable are cast members who do somehow manage to seem like people next door. Effective on the job beyond Finnigan and Elise are smart supervisor John Carroll Lynch ("The Drew Carey Show") and cagey detective Barry Shabaka Henley (Showtime's underrated "Barbershop").

But that very attribute only underscores the fetish-filming of misogynist nastiness that, as the title emphasizes, lies close to viewers' homes. This puts an exclamation point behind the show's subliminal warning to women: This Could Happen To You! At least the ugliness of the season's other abuse-fests tends toward the rare serial killer or singular nut job. "Close to Home" loiters around evil right down the block. That it provides a heroine-next-door is cold comfort.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel4453001oct04,0,6738992,print.story?coll=ny-television-headlines

TV's winners and losers emerge

By Gail Pennington The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Television Critic Monday, Oct. 03 2005

Did you catch "Head Cases"? That was the Fox drama with Chris O'Donnell as a
lawyer who, post-breakdown, teamed with fellow mental patient Adam Goldberg to
defend oddball clients.

Not the best new show by any means, "Head Cases" wasn't the worst, either. But
it does have the distinction of being the first canceled, yanked from Fox's
lineup after just two episodes.

As new shows continue to trickle onto the schedule - CBS' "Close to Home" on
Tuesday, the WB's "Related" on Wednesday and the ABC sitcom "Hot Properties" on
Friday - prime time is already sorting itself into two columns: winners and
losers.

Let's start on an up note.

UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris"? Big winner. In its first airing, "Chris" took
down NBC's "Joey" to become the most-watched sitcom in UPN history. "Chris"
also beat Fox's "The O.C." (does that "O" stand for "over"?)

Among other new comedies, NBC's "My Name Is Earl" also looks like a winner. So
does CBS' "How I Met Your Mother," which topped lead-in "Yes, Dear" (yes!) last
week. But don't get attached to CBS' "Out of Practice," a doctor sitcom that's
bleeding viewers, or the WB's "Twins." Fox's "Kitchen Confidential" is also a
ratings disappointment, underperforming along with "Arrested Development."

NBC's "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart"? Big loser. Wags at the Washington Post
point out that Martha drew just 7 million viewers, barely any more than the
debut of the summer flop "I Want To Be a Hilton" (6.8 million). More ominously,
even avowed fans of reality TV are complaining that Stewart's "Apprentice" is a
bore. In week two - in which Stewart eschewed her "You just don't fit in" catch
phrase but still wrote a nice farewell note - viewership fell even more, to 6.2
million.

Among new dramas, "Criminal Minds" was a winner for CBS in its Thursday night
preview (it whomped "ER" by more than 5 million viewers). "Minds," starring
Mandy Patinkin, fared less well after last week's move to its regular time slot
opposite "Lost," coming in second but minus almost half its previous audience.

"Invasion" was a Top 10 series for ABC in its first outing, following the
"Lost" season premiere, but lost as much as 20 percent of its audience to a
"Law & Order" crossover on week two. Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Ghost Whisperer"
looks like an early winner for CBS.

Is "Supernatural" a winner? So says the WB, which boasts that the ghost-hunting
drama won its hugely competitive 8 p.m. Tuesday time period last week with
women 12-34, even opposite "House," "The Amazing Race" and the debut of
"Commander in Chief." (In total viewers, "Chief" won the hour for ABC, with
"Race" just edging "Earl" for the 18-49 crowd.)

NBC's "E-Ring" and "Threshold" and Fox's "Bones" occupy the middle ground
between winner and loser, but viewers who sampled NBC's "Surface" swam off (and
rightly so) in the second week. Drama flops include "Inconceivable" (NBC),
"Killer Instinct" (Fox) and "Just Legal" (WB). For UPN, "Sex, Love & Secrets"
could be classed as a super-flop, drawing a minuscule 1.4 million viewers.

Among returning shows, CBS calls "NCIS" a winner. Ratings are up from last
season. NBC's "The West Wing" is an early loser; just 9 million people found
the former Emmy winner in its first airing in its new 7 p.m. Sunday home. Over
on ABC at that time, more than 16 million people were watching "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition."

ABC's "Lost"? Big, big winner. More than 22 million people tuned in for last
week's second episode to learn more about what was going on in the hatch and
find out what happened after Walt was snatched from the raft.

"Desperate Housewives" - did you have to ask? The season premiere on ABC was a
big, big winner, drawing 28.2 million viewers. That's quite a contrast to the
3.1 million who watched the second and final episode of "Head Cases."

A surprise winner this season so far? Network TV. According to the trade paper
Daily Variety, viewership is up 5 percent from last season, and last week's
ultra-competitive Tuesday night saw the six broadcast networks improve 14
percent from last year with the 18-49 crowd.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/emaf.nsf/Popup?ReadForm&db=stltoday%5Centertainment%5Ccolumnists.nsf&docid=10C8E431E4C7AA958625708D00323604

Critics – and even viewers -- can say whatever negative things they want about a network. But when advertisers start to grumble – the network could be in big trouble. Unless something changes – and pretty quickly – it appears NBC is in for a long season until the Olympics arrive to bail it out in February.

NBC Draws CPM Queries; Top Rank at Risk
By John Consoli MediaWeek.com October 03, 2005

Although the new broadcast season is just two weeks old, another soft-ratings week for NBC has media buyers and financial analysts rumbling that the network’s reign as the advertising cost-per-thousand leader could be in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, all the first-week plaudits for the new UPN sitcom Everybody Hates Chris were tempered a bit when the show took a significant ratings dip.

“The pricing gap between No. 1 NBC and No. 4 ABC was 20 percent in the last upfront,” one analyst said. “It’s possible that NBC’s ratings erosion could move CBS ahead of NBC or even move ABC up to No. 2 in CPM, particularly if NBC cannot find a hit this season and if Lost and Desperate Housewives continue their huge ratings.”

NBC will get a major ratings bump in February with the Winter Olympics, but ABC has the Super Bowl this year, which will boost its cumulative ratings considerably in the battle for supremacy in the adults 18-49 demo. Media buyers noted that they factor out special events anyway when making their upfront buys.

Sam Armando, director of television research for Starcom, said that while Fox won the 18-49 race last season, the network would not have won the season without the Super Bowl airing. “Ninety-five percent of our advertising plans are based on ratings from regularly scheduled programming,” said Armando.

Few of NBC’s new shows are showing they can help much. Monday 8 p.m. drama Surface fell from a 3.8 to a 2.9 in its second week in 18-49s. On Wednesday, The Apprentice: Martha Stewart lost nearly 1 million viewers and dropped from a 2.3 to a 2.1 in 18-49 at 8 p.m., and new 9 p.m. drama E-Ring fell from a 2.5 to a 2.1 and lost 1.4 million viewers. The two shows will switch places,
effective this week.

While the jury is still out on critically acclaimed My Name Is Earl, even that show lost nearly 4 million viewers and fell from a 6.6 to a 5.1 in 18-49. A bright spot for NBC was Law & Order, in the Wednesday 10 p.m. time period, beating the debut of CBS drama CSI: NY in 18-49 (4.8 to 4.5) and falling just shy of ABC’s new drama Invasion (5.1). Last week, Invasion, leading out of ABC megahit Lost, produced a 6.8 18-49 rating. ABC got solid ratings for its premiere episode of Commander-in-Chief (Tuesday, 9 p.m.), which recorded a fourth-place 4.3 rating in 18-49, but won the time period in viewers with 16 million.

While UPN’s Thursday 8 p.m. sitcom Everybody Hates Chris beat NBC’s Joey head-to-head in week one in viewers and 18-49, last week Chris lost 1.6 million viewers and fell from a 3.2 to a 2.4 in 18-49. Joey drew 1.4 million more viewers than Chris.

Meanwhile, the WB accomplished what it wanted to on Thursday—to become a player in the lucrative ad market on that night. The premiere episode of Smallville won its time period among men 18-34 with a 3.5, the first time in the network’s history that it won an adult demo on Thursday.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001220008

TV PREVIEW: TUESDAY
“Close To Home”

* 1/2 out of four
By Robert P. Laurence San Diego Union-Tribune October 3, 2005

Just one surprise would have been nice.

Just one. Is that too much to ask?

But no, from start to finish, there's not a surprise anywhere – certainly not a shock or a bombshell – in the hour-long pilot of "Close to Home."

You may be mildly taken aback, however, when you see the closing credit: Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Some of TV's most inventive and glossiest productions of the past few years have rolled off Bruckheimer's unusually fecund assembly line, including the "CSI" trio, "Without a Trace" and "Cold Case."

This season, 10 Bruckheimer productions are on the prime-time schedule. But as any parent of a big family knows, it can be hard to keep track of all those children at the same time.

Jennifer Finnigan, as Annabeth Chase, prosecutes crime in the suburbs in "Close to Home."

"Close to Home" looks like the neglected child in Bruckheimer's brood, the one he can't seem to get around to.

An attempt to blend domestic drama with police procedural, "Close to Home" depicts a prosecuting attorney and new mother who investigates cases in the next block and around the corner from her home. The opening shot – an aerial view of a tree-lined suburban neighborhood, the tall buildings of the central city deep in the background – establishes the theme.

Jennifer Finnigan, last seen in the short-lived sitcom "Committed," is Annabeth Chase, just returning to work in the district attorney's office after 12 weeks of maternity leave. Her husband understands how she feels, her boss doesn't. And how Annabeth feels will be as important as what she does. She spends more time cuddling her baby tonight than arguing in front of a judge. Coziness counts in "Close to Home."

Her first case begins with a house fire. A neighborhood woman has torched her own home while she and her two children were inside. It seems that her abusive husband had kept them locked in the house for two years, and the truly desperate housewife, hoping to attract the attention of firefighters, resorted to arson as their only way out.

But from there on, the tale is the strictly by-the-numbers stuff we've all seen far too many times in too many TV dramas working the same territory. The woman won't challenge her husband, Annabeth's bosses set roadblocks in her way, the husband is defended by a sleazy, unscrupulous lawyer, yada-yada-yada.

Even the would-be "surprise" at the end isn't all that surprising.

Adding to the series' shortcomings, Finnigan makes for a sweet but bland heroine, bringing very little excitement or charisma to a program that badly needs both.

"Close to Home" isn't terrible; it's just not very interesting.

Like Annabeth's baby, it needs a strong, loving parent who will spend plenty of time with it and help it grow big and strong.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/entertainment/remote/20051003-9999-1c03remote.html

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: MONDAY
“Medium”

Rod Serling would have been proud of ‘Medium’
By Aaron Barnhart Kansas City Star Mon, Oct. 03, 2005

It has taken a while to warm up to this show. Finally, though, I did — once I realized that NBC was just pulling my leg.

Last winter, when “Medium” premiered, the network told us that Allison DuBois, an Arizona psychic who claims to have assisted law enforcement in solving crimes, was the inspiration for Allison DuBois, the Arizona psychic played by the voluptuous Patricia Arquette on “Medium,” who week in and week out helps law enforcement solve crimes.

However, a quick search for evidence to back up even the simplest claims about DuBois’ supernatural sleuthing powers came up empty. In the pilot, Arliss Howard plays a Texas Ranger who can’t locate a missing person until Allison shows up. The show’s producers claimed that was loosely based on a real-life episode involving DuBois and Texas Rangers.

Yet the Texas Rangers have denied working with her or any medium. DuBois, in response, told the L.A. Times, “Some reporters are shocked that the Texas Rangers won’t go on record,” then added, “I could bring five agencies forward who’d say, ‘Yeah, we use her. She was great.’ ”

Actually, one testimonial would’ve been fine by me. But as the Web site TwoPercentCompany.com pointed out, NBC.com took all the specific claims off its “Medium” page in March, after some reporters got over their shock at the Texas Rangers’ denials and called NBC seeking verification.

I’m not saying DuBois’ real life wasn’t a creative touchstone for Glenn Gordon Caron, the show’s creator. As Caron noted, it would be hard to make up DuBois, her aerospace engineer husband, Joe, and their three kids living happily in a Phoenix suburb, just another family next door except for the voices in Mom’s head helping her solve crimes instead of commit them.

What was off-putting to me at first was NBC’s insistence that the cases on “Medium” bore any resemblance to reality. I don’t have a problem, say, with someone on “Lost” seeing the same Powerball numbers everywhere he goes, because I know “Lost” is a fantasy.

Eventually, that’s what I decided about “Medium”: that a woman who has highly specific dreams (this was last week’s episode) that take her to the exact scene of an abduction is a complete fiction. No one is capable of this any more than people at real-life CSI labs have computers as powerful and snazzy as the ones their TV counterparts use.

Once I got over that, I found “Medium” an engrossing little whodunit (unlike its wannabe, CBS’ “Ghost Whisperer”). And Arquette, who deserved the Emmy she won last month, is a big reason why.

Tonight’s episode is a terrific tale about Allison dreaming she’s a dead woman from the 1950s. Then she wakes up and there’s the dead woman. You see, it isn’t a show about a psychic soccer mom. It’s “The Twilight Zone” with a happy ending!

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/12786559.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Actor Nipsey Russell Dies

(New York-WABC-TV October 3, 2005) - Actor Nipsey Russell, known as "the poet laureate of television," passed away yesterday afternoon at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Eyewitness News has learned Russell died of cancer, confirmed his longtime manager, Joseph Rapp. He was in his early 80s.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=entertainment&id=3496470&ft=print

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: TUESDAY
“Close To Home”

The mother of all dedicated attorneys:
With it's look and feel, CBS' "Close to Home"
is under the influence of Jerry Bruckheimer

By Robert Lloyd Los Angeles Times Staff Writer October 4, 2005

"Close to Home," which premieres tonight on CBS, begins with slow-motion footage of paperboys riding through a perfect, color-saturated upper-middle-class suburb, footage that in another sort of picture would signal the imminent explosion of an atomic bomb.

Here the damage is more localized, though the same sort of contrast is intended: A house goes up in flames; firefighters break through a window to rescue a woman and her children, drenching the house with their big hoses as we cut to scenes of Annabeth Chase, played by Jennifer Finnigan, bathing her baby. It has the look of a music video or Nike ad, and it is no surprise to find that this neighborhood, where all is not as pleasant as it seems, is under the influence of Jerry Bruckheimer.

The woman in the burning house will be charged with child endangerment and several other things I neglected to write down — there are some not-too-shocking twists here that I won't relate — and her case will be the first order of business for Annabeth when she returns to work from her maternity leave. Finding that Maureen, a colleague she considers her inferior (Kimberly Elise, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman"), has been promoted above her, she complains to her boss (John Carroll Lynch, "The Drew Carey Show"), who tells her she can't have everything, which is exactly what she wants, and exactly what she'll get to have, being the heroine of this story. "I want to be a mommy and I want work — I want everything," she tells hunky husband Christian Kane ("Angel"), whom the CBS website describes as "a rock for her to lean on when the challenges of her job start to infringe on their home life." Yes, she's got one of those too.

Finnigan is tough but vulnerable — petite, more delicately featured than your typical Bruckheimer heroine. Though she glows like a Renaissance Madonna, she's also the least appealing character here, the one you aren't compelled to know, or to want to know more about. I can't feel for her — I don't even believe it's her baby, or her husband. (She is quite convincing as a prosecutor, however.) But she isn't helped by a production that tends to make everything look artificial, that freezes the air between the characters and keeps them distant. (Interestingly, it's the courtroom scenes that are the most warmly lighted.)

A breast pump is a novel prop for a legal drama, I'll grant you, as are breast milk in the office fridge and crying jags in the women's bathroom, location of choice for confrontations between Annabeth and Maureen, who tells her, "You have got to stop making decisions with your hormones or your emotions or whatever it is you're not thinking with." The possibility that she might make an actual bad decision — as people do when they're overtired and stressed out and chemically imbalanced — is an interesting one that will perhaps be explored in some coming episode. For now, she gets to keep not only "that perfect little conviction rate you're so proud of," as Maureen archly puts it, but her own perfect convictions. The smile she wears, as she glides from the judge's chambers in tonight's climactic moments, having cowed slick opposing counsel Bruce Davison, is a smile not only of satisfaction but of self-satisfaction. But it's a saintly sort of self-satisfaction. Even if we are meant to see her, in a small way, as hubristic, aggressive and a little out of control, in the end she will be proved right, and those who mock her, wrong.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-close4oct04,0,7813619,print.story?coll=cl-tv-top-right

Drama flops include "Inconceivable" (NBC), "Killer Instinct" (Fox) and "Just Legal" (WB).

Just legal is also being shown on TNT. It will be interesting to see if both WB and TNT cancel it. :)

Of the three I thought "Just Legal" at least had some slight spark.

If the WB cancels it, TNT would probably run any unaired episodes.

Martha, Caught in NBC's 'E-Ring' Circus

By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Tuesday, October 4, 2005; C07

NBC has thrown Martha Stewart to the "Lost" wolves -- or polar bear, shark, tree-shaking monster, whatever -- on Wednesday, in an effort to rescue the boys at the Pentagon.

Starting tomorrow night, the Stewart-hosted version of "The Apprentice" will exchange time slots with Jerry Bruckheimer's new Pentagon-set drama. "E-Ring," starring Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper, takes over at 8, nudging Martha to 9.

NBC had hoped that all that Martha's-out-of-the-slammer hoopla would bring in big ratings for her new prime-time series, but it was not to be. The show has averaged a lean 6.5-ish million viewers in two broadcasts at 8. ABC gets some credit here, having scheduled two consecutive weeks of "Lost" reruns in the same hour, which pounded Martha and produced record-low numbers for the "Apprentice" franchise.

Ironically, tomorrow night ABC will finally debut one of the two sitcoms that are supposed to air in that 8 p.m. hour -- returning "George Lopez," which will attract far fewer viewers than the 13 million who'd watched those "Lost" repeats during the first two weeks of the new TV season. (The second sitcom, "Freddie," debuts next week.)

But NBC did not wait to see how Martha would fare against the two comedies in announcing the schedule change, which seems designed to get "E-Ring" away from even stiffer competition in the form of "Lost" original episodes and the new CBS drama "Criminal Minds" at 9.

"E-Ring" last week logged just 7.7 million viewers against "Lost" (23 million) and "Criminal Minds" (11 million).

At 8, the only drama competition will be the WB's "One Tree Hill." Mostly "E-Ring" is going to be faced with sitcoms, such as those two from ABC, as well as CBS's "Still Standing" and "Yes, Dear" and, when baseball's over, Fox's "That '70s Show" and "Stacked."

And Martha? Like Andromeda, who (because her parents were nitwits) got chained to a rock so that a sea monster could destroy her, Martha finds herself chained to the 9 p.m. time period, where, odds are, she'll be devoured by "Lost" -- unless some son of Zeus comes to rescue her.

* * * *

UPN has shut down production on its new prime-time soap, "Sex, Love & Secrets," after one broadcast.

To be fair, seven episodes have been produced, so shutting down production doesn't necessarily mean the show, about beautiful people in UPN's demographic group living in the hip Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, has been scrubbed. But after nabbing a cable-esque 1.4 million viewers in its unveiling last week, the prognosis for this show's long-term viability is very bleak.

* * * *

Strong sign that "Nightline" has nothing to worry about:

ABC announced it has picked up "Jimmy Kimmel Live" through 2006, noting that the show has enjoyed a ratings bump of late.

Kimmel got that bump largely from "Nightline."

The week before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Kimmel averaged 1.1 million viewers. The week Katrina hit, Kimmel averaged 1.6 million. The following week, when the Katrina horror story continued to unfold, Kimmel hit 1.7 million viewers -- his biggest crowd since late last year.

Kimmel's lead, "Nightline," experienced similar ratings jumps those weeks, presumably due to viewer interest in Katrina coverage.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301452_pf.html

TV SEASON PREVIEWS: WEDNESDAY
”Related”

The Los Angeles Times

Stars: Jennifer Esposito ("Crash"), Kiele Sanchez, Lizzy Caplan ("Mean Girls"), Laura Breckenridge, Callum Blue ("Dead Like Me").

The premise: Four sisters (going "Sisters" one sister better) measure the thickness of blood versus water in a show whose heavy creative pedigree includes "Friends," "Sex and the City" and the bestselling self-help book "He's Just Not That Into You." Of course, they're as different as … four different kinds of peas, in a variety of pods: a corporate attorney, a legal aid lawyer, a special events coordinator (pregnant) and a college student dropping premed for experimental theater.

http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/suncal/cl-ca-chris4sep04,2,3134676,print.htmlstory

TV SEASON PREVIEWS: WEDNESDAY
“Related”

By Judith S. Gillies The Washington Post

The tagline you'll never see: It's "Little Women" in the city.

The basics: Oh, those Sorelli sisters! They're beautiful, witty, care about one another, and alternately share personal information and, oops!, spill secrets.

Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito), is the eldest, a workaholic lawyer; second-born Ann (Kiele Sanchez) is a therapist who specializes in counseling transvestites; next is Marjee (Lizzy Caplan), who plans events with celebrity clients; and Rose (Laura Breckenridge), the baby of the family, is a college student. The death of their mother 15 years ago played a big part in their lives and how they grew up -- and now they're worried about their father (Tom Irwin) and his ever-cheerful girlfriend (Christine Ebersol).

They live in New York, range in age from 19 to 31 and face numerous challenges and life-changing events. In the pilot alone: One sister learns she's pregnant, another is dealing with the end of a longtime relationship, a third is evicted from her apartment, and a fourth is changing college majors from premed to experimental theater. ("Experimental theater? Is that mime? Am I spending $40,000 a year on mime?" asks Dad.) Callum Blue, as Ginnie's husband, seems rather bemused by all of the family intrigue.

The lowdown: Marta Kauffman, co-creator of "Friends," and Liz Tuccillo, a writer for "Sex and the City," have teamed up for this comic drama about relationships. "Related" is in a tough time slot against ABC's huge hit "Lost," but Kauffman said she's thrilled to be there and has great faith that the series will pull in a female audience.

Reality check: "Related" got off to a slow start because one of the sisters was recast and the pilot was almost completely re-shot, but the resulting ensemble plays well together. The dialogue is often clever and fast-moving and, with the ages and interests of the sisters, the show can explore a broad range of topics. Its biggest challenge is to avoid getting "Lost" in its time slot.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092701159_pf.html

TV SEASON PREVIEW: WEDNESDAY
“Related”

By Rick Kushman Sacramento Bee TV Columnist

Four Manhattan sisters are best friends, sometime rivals, all very different, and all very sexy. Think "Sex and the City" but they're related.

What’s What: No pilot was available and some major roles were recast. Not good signs. WB says this will be good, and recruited "Friends" co-creator Marta Kauffman to run the show.

Rickster Scale: Unavailable for review.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/columns/kushman/v-print/story/13573084p-14413378c.html

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: TUESDAY
“Close To Home”
Work or be mommy? What's a TV gal to do?

By Melanie McFarland Seattle Post-Intelligencer TV Critic Tuesday, October 4, 2005

There's feminine, there's feminist, and then there's garden-variety girlie. The trick is to present them as a united front -- in the proper proportions.

No television archetype does this so well as the working woman, starting decades ago when Mary Tyler Moore presented the image of the fashionably independent career go-getter.

These days, when maintaining a career during motherhood is a necessity, the TV femme to watch is "Desperate Housewives' " Lynette Scavo. Her stories may not be sexy, but it's hard to imagine any working mom failing to grin as she deftly changes her baby's diaper while nailing a job interview.

Echoes of Lynette's twin drives -- maternal concern and career enthusiasm -- can be found in the new CBS series "Close to Home," debuting tonight at 10 on CBS, and, to a lesser extent, in The WB's "Related," which kicks off Wednesday at 9 the WB.

Mind you, each presents a wildly different take on maintaining one's career-family balance, to say nothing of the feminine-feminist-girlie formulation.

"Close" is a pitch for women in that 18-to-49 demographic facing the ongoing debate between career promotion and procreation. In choosing both, prosecutor Annabeth Chase (Jennifer Finnigan) gets a wake-up call when she returns from her maternity leave to see that her promotion has been swiped by co-worker Maureen Scofield (Kimberly Elise), assumed to be childless.

Annabeth's boss, Steve (John Carroll Lynch), argues that a bump up the ladder would translate to weekends away from her daughter and hard-body husband Jack (Christian Kane). She can't abide that. But at Jack's pillow-talk suggestion that she give it all up to stay at home, Annabeth flat-out refuses.

"I wanna be a mommy, and I want work," she replies. "I want everything."

Ah, yes, the modern feminist's battle cry. Since feminism is still a dirty word, it takes images like this to sneak the point across. Angel-faced Finnigan, last seen on NBC as a ditzy blonde in a midseason flop, "Committed," placates all sides by making Annabeth a force to be reckoned with in the office, heightening her vulnerability whenever she sinks into her construction-worker husband's arms.

Still, you wish executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer had found a way to do so with a little less creamed corn.

At the same time, it's easy to imagine working moms getting hooked on the way "Close to Home" creates situations in which Annabeth's maternal instinct hones her sense of justice. Her first case involves a mother setting fire to her home with her young children still inside, sending the lawyer into a mother bear's protective rage. But when she finds out the woman's husband abused them, Annabeth's feminine ability to relate takes over.

"Close to Home" is the replacement for "Judging Amy," whose faithful fans loved the relationship between Amy, a career-driven divorcee, and her tough old mother. Those still smarting over that series' cancellation may take a while to warm up to the way "Close to Home" wraps justice in a small fuzzy blanket.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”

But it has a bounty of brains in comparison to "Related," The WB's cloying attempt to cater to the older portion of its target demographic -- 12- to 34-year-olds -- with an overwhelmingly girlie dramedy about the four Sorelli sisters. There's girl power here, but only the kind created to sell Clairol and Clearasil, not jump-start a bond with viewers.

Producer Marta Kauffman ("Friends") obviously is channeling a certain HBO series about four stylish, career-oriented New York women constantly followed by bouncy piano, xylophone and bongo riffs. Only in "Related," they're sisters instead of pals and they whine and babble instead of trading spicy zingers. One more difference: "Related" is profoundly stupid.

The Sorellis must have sounded like a riot on paper, though, with a character to represent every possible female The WB could imagine. On the younger end, we have 19-year-old college student Rose (Laura Breckenridge) and 23-year-old Marjee (Lizzy Caplan). Rose switches from pre-med to the experimental theater wing, leading her to pierce her tongue and dye her hair Rainbow Brite blue, while Marjee is a party planner who can't get her act together and moves back in with dad.

Ann (Kiele Sanchez), described only as being in her mid-20s, is a therapist midbreakup with her boyfriend, the main event driving "Related's" opening episodes. Topping the charts in age if not dramatic potential is 31-year-old attorney Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito) who -- whoopsie! -- is pregnant, forcing that career vs. motherhood choice to rear its downy head again.

In theory, anyway. Other than the sisters creating a big to-do over Ginnie's delicate condition, the first episodes of "Related" push big sister's impending career difficulties under the carpet. Instead she mother-hens her sisters with a high-pitched, comforting tone and the surfacey smile of a pleaser, and puts them first over her husband, Bob (Callum Blue).

How dreamy is Bob? Well, not only is he a thoroughly whipped Brit, giving him an oh-so-cute accent, he grins and wanders off whenever his wife's sisters call or drop in unexpectedly to interrupt his sex life.

There comes a point at which sisterhood becomes powerfully irritating, and "Related" finds it within the first 40 minutes of its existence. Until it finds strength and purpose beyond four women flapping their gums at one another, it's just another girlie show unworthy of time or respect.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/printer2/index.asp?ploc=t&refer=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/243215_tv04.html

OBITUARY
Comic Nipsey Russell dies
Comedian and actor was 81

By PAT SAPERSTEIN Variety.com

Comedian and actor Nipsey Russell died Sunday of cancer in New York. He was 81.

Russell's first major role was as Officer Anderson on the early-1960s sitcom "Car 54, Where Are You?" He's also known for his many appearances on gameshows and talkshows throughout the 1960s and '70s.

Appearing on shows such as "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts," "The Tonight Show," "Laugh-In" and "The Jackie Gleason Show," Russell often read one of his short poems, which earned him the nickname "the poet laureate of television."

Among his film roles, the best known was the Tin Man in 1978 musical "The Wiz," a box office disappointment that nonetheless became a cult favorite.

Born in Atlanta, Russell started in showbiz at the age of 3, doing a tap and rhythm dance routine as part of an act called the Ragamuffins of Rhythm. After attending the U. of Cincinnati and serving in WWII, he launched his showbiz career in 1949 in the early TV show "The Show Goes On" with Robert Q. Lewis. During the 1950s, he was a popular nightclub performer at Harlem's Club Baby Grand.

He appeared on several other TV shows, including gameshows "To Tell the Truth," "The Match Game," "Missing Links," "Your Number's Up" and "Hollywood Squares," as well as soaps "As the World Turns" and "Search for Tomorrow."

His one-man comedy special was shown on Comedy Central, and he narrated the HBO docu "Mo' Laughter," about the black experience in comedy. He also was emcee for three years on BET's "Juvenile Jury."

Russell's feature film roles included Snopes in Mario Van Peebles' Western "Posse," the principal of a ghetto high school in "Wildcats" and the Magic Maker in John Boorman's "Dream One."

In theater, he appeared in the road production of "The Odd Couple"; played Pseudolus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at Harrah's in Atlantic City, N.J.; and starred in the Long Beach, Calif., Civic Opera's production of "Hello Dolly."

More recently, Russell was a frequent guest on "The Conan O'Brien Show" and "The Chris Rock Show" and guest-starred in Sidney Lumet's "100 Centre Street" and "The View."

He had no survivors.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: FRIDAY
“Inconceivable” pulled by NBC

“Variety” reports Tuesday that NBC will run a “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” repeat Friday night in place of the new series “Inconceivable”.

The fertility clinic-based drama has had extremely low ratings its first two weeks. At the moment, production continues on the show, and it is scheduled to return to NBC Fridays on October 14th.

Somewhere, Dick Wolf is at the very least chuckling over this news.

Wolf, the creator of the “Law and Order” franchise, was upset last May when NBC surprisingly canceled a slow-starting “Law and Order: Trial By Jury” in May to make room for “Inconceivable”. So far the new show’s ratings have been far lower than "L&O: TBJ".

Last season in the same Friday at 10 PM ET/PT time slot, "L&O: Trial By Jury" averaged 10.9 million viewers. Last Friday, according to Nielsen, "Inconceivable" had just 4.6 million viewers.

Even given the disaster that NBC prime-time has become, that is a big dropoff.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: TUESDAY
Crime happens 'Close to Home'

* * * out of four

By Robert Bianco USA TODAY October 4, 2005

It's not the fault of Close to Home that its genre is close to played out.

A procedural on the mommy track, this crime show about the efforts of a young suburban prosecutor to balance work and family is the latest in a too-long string of CBS legal mysteries from the current masters of the genre: Jerry Bruckheimer Television. It's well cast, well executed and solidly competent across the board.

But exciting, it's not.

That may not be a problem if you are such a huge fan of CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Cold Case and Without a Trace that the idea of yet another similarly shaped show from the Bruckheimer factory thrills you with delight. But it may pose a barrier to viewers in general, who will soon be in danger of being unable to tell one crime show from the other without a program.

For those who may be getting confused, you can pick out Close by its suburban setting and maternal approach. And you may find yourself drawn to the show by its easy-to-like star, soap veteran Jennifer Finnigan, last seen in prime time in the NBC sitcom Committed.

Finnigan plays Annabeth Chase, a first-time mom and high-powered prosecutor back from maternity leave with an interest in making her community more family friendly. For her first case, that effort involves figuring out who was responsible for a fire that trapped a woman and her two children in their well-maintained little home.

Like many such shows, Close has more than crime on its mind. Annabeth sets up the character's principal dilemma in an opening speech to her extremely understanding husband (Angel's Christian Kane): "I want to be a mommy and I want work. I want everything."

That desire puts Annabeth on a collision course with Maureen (Kimberly Elise), a career-only prosecutor who was given the promotion Annabeth wanted. Which means an unhappy Annabeth now has to report to Maureen.

Tuesday's case gets the show off to a fairly strong start, though unfortunately, as is so often the case, the blabby promos have already spoiled the episode's one big twist. Suffice it to say that the legal solution hinges on whether a woman can prove she has been abused.

We already have seen too many shows this season built around the infliction of pain on women. But at least Close doesn't revel in it. We're told far more than we're shown, and the image of woman-as-victim is countered by the show's presentation of a strong heroine.

Actually the show's treatment of women at work may be a greater sticking point. The writers seem to go out of their way to soften Maureen so she doesn't come across as a one-sided villain. Still, there may be some working women who feel the show is dredging up battles they already think they've won, or at least are tired of seeing fought on TV. And they may flee.

Which is what can happen when even a too-familiar show strikes too close to home

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2005-10-03-close-to-home_x.htm

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
Season's newcomers settling in

By Gary Levin USA TODAY

There's no new Desperate Housewives, but the strategy that helped launch last year's biggest new hit has lured viewers back to their sets.

The question now is: Can this year's crop of newcomers sustain or build their fan base?

Ever since ABC turned its laser-like marketing focus on Housewives and Lost last fall, most networks became choosier about which new series to support and spent heavily to promote just one or two. The tactic worked: ABC's Invasion and Commander in Chief, NBC's My Name Is Earl and UPN's Everybody Hates Chris opened big.

"The shows that were heavily promoted over the summer were heavily sampled," says ABC researcher Larry Hyams.

But early signs from big openings can be misleading. Invasion, Earl, Chris and Fox's Bones tumbled 20% to 30% in their second outings, and CBS' Criminal Minds lost half its sneak-preview audience when it moved to its regular Wednesday slot opposite Lost.

None has matched the sustained momentum of Lost, which is enjoying record ratings, or Housewives. Both were the first instant fall hits since Friends and ER in 1994.

"The question is, where do (the new series) level off?" ABC scheduler Jeff Bader says. "If you lose 30% and you still have a (big) rating, that's fine."

Of course, networks want big hits. But they'll settle for dramatic improvements in key time slots, as most of those shows have provided.

Other fall-season signs:

•Early misses. Casualties are easier to spot because a weak start rarely is reversed. Among them: WB's Just Legal, UPN's Sex, Love & Secrets, Fox's Head Cases, and NBC's Inconceivable, The Apprentice: Martha Stewart and E-Ring.

Martha and E-Ring will swap time slots this week in an effort to save both. Head Cases was canceled after just two episodes, and production has been halted on Sex, although UPN says it plans to air the seven remaining episodes.

•Steady as she goes. It will take another week or two for viewing patterns to settle. Still due: CBS' Close to Home (premieres tonight, 10 ET/PT), ABC's Hot Properties (Friday, 9:30 p.m.) and Freddie (Oct. 12, 8:30 p.m.), and WB's Related (Wednesday, 9 p.m.).

"After three weeks, you have a pretty good sense of where a show is headed," says Kelly Kahl, scheduling chief at CBS and UPN.

"By that time, you've seen everything the competition can throw at you."

Even then, Fox's postseason baseball, which begins tonight, further clouds the picture.

•Returning favorites down. CSI: Miami, Survivor, The Apprentice, ER and West Wing are among shows losing viewers. That helps explain why CBS (—2%) and NBC (—7%) are down from last season. Up sharply: ABC (+12%), Fox (+31%) and UPN (+19%).

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-10-03-fall-tv_x.htm

The New York Times Obituary
Nipsey Russell, a Comic With a Gift for Verse, Dies at 80

By MEL WATKINS The New York Times October 4, 2005

Nipsey Russell, the comedian whose one-liners and impromptu rhymes made him one of television's popular talk-show guests and game-show panelists during the 1970's, died on Sunday at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. He was 80 and made his home in Manhattan.

The cause was cancer, said his manager, Joe Rapp.

One of the early black stand-up comedians who found success with mainstream audiences, Mr. Russell started performing professionally in 1931 at the age of 6, when he was featured as a singing, dancing master of ceremonies for a children's troupe in Atlanta organized by Eddie Heywood Sr., the father of the jazz pianist. By the 1950's he had become a seasoned comedian who set his act apart from the baggy-pants, mostly raunchy comics who were the staple of most black clubs of the time.

Dressed in a conservative business suit and tie but wearing a raffish porkpie hat, he offered a confident, sophisticated approach to comedy. His jokes and topical observations were often delivered in the form of aphorisms and rhymes. He had begun reading Shelley, Homer, Keats and Paul Laurence Dunbar when he was 10 and sometimes quoted from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales." Hip, glib and conspicuously intelligent, he attracted downtown crowds to Harlem, becoming a standout attraction at the Baby Grand, Small's Paradise and other cabarets with quips like "America is the only place in the world where you can work in an Arab home in a Scandinavian neighborhood and find a Puerto Rican baby eating matzo balls with chopsticks."

Mr. Russell prided himself on the universality of his humor and insisted that he did not want to be labeled a black comic.

"I use mother-in-law jokes, kid jokes, tax jokes - anything that works," he said. But, despite telling at least one reporter that there was less racial material in his act than on the nightly news, his satirical comments on civil rights issues during the 1960's suggested that his usual stage diffidence masked more intense concerns. One of his favorite stories concerned an African delegate to the United Nations who stopped at a restaurant in Maryland only to be told that blacks were not served there.

"But I'm the delegate from Ghana," the diplomat protested.

"Well, you ain't Ghana eat here," the waitress replied.

Speaking of nonviolent protest, he observed, "He who turns the other cheek will get hit with the other fist."

Nipsey Russell was born in Atlanta on Oct. 13, 1924. ("My mother just liked the way the name Nipsey sounded.") He moved to Cincinnati and lived with an aunt during his senior year of high school so he would be eligible to attend the University of Cincinnati tuition-free. A four-year enlistment in the Army - where he was commissioned as a captain in the field during World War II - interrupted his studies at the university. But he returned and earned a degree in English in 1946.

After college, he pursued his stage career in earnest, working black circuit clubs in the Midwest and on the East Coast before graduating to the Apollo in Harlem and top Catskills resort hotels like the Concord. It was his tenure at the Baby Grand, a Manhattan cabaret, however, that led to guest spots on Jack Paar's "Tonight Show," and those national television appearances ignited his career in 1959. His catchy verse, aphorisms and gift of gab were perfectly suited for radio and television and soon he was making steady appearances on Arthur Godfrey's morning radio program and a variety of television shows.

He played a policeman in the popular situation comedy "Car 54, Where Are You?" in 1961 and became the first black performer to become a regular panelist on a weekly network game show when he joined ABC's "Missing Links" in 1964. A year later, he became a co-host of ABC's "Les Crane Show." During the 70's, he was a co-star in the ABC sitcom "Barefoot in the Park" and appeared regularly on "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Dean Martin Comedy World."

Mr. Russell was a frequent panelist on television game shows like "Hollywood Squares" and "The $50,000 Pyramid," where he always came prepared with topical verse:

Before we lose our autonomy

And our economy crumbles into dust

We should attack Japan, lose the war

And let Japan take care of us.

A tireless performer, he appeared in Atlantic City and Las Vegas until the early 1990's and continued to make television appearances until last year.

There are no immediate survivors, Mr. Rapp, his manager, said.

Although Mr. Russell was best known for his television and nightclub work, probably his most admiring reviews derived from his role as the Tin Man in the 1978 film "The Wiz." The movie variation of the Broadway variation of "The Wizard of Oz" was generally panned, but critics praised his performance.

In The New Yorker, Pauline Kael wrote: "He understands that the roles are vaudeville-comedian turns. ... [and] shows here that all his years of playing the inoffensive black entertainer in front of white audiences haven't softened him as a performer; he has the true pro's integrity of style."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/arts/04russell.html?pagewanted=print

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
“Curb” Can’t Cope

New York Post---The new HBO comedy line-up of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Extras" is struggling in its first weeks.

The first season of "Curb" debuted last Sunday to just 1.5 million viewers — less than half its first-week audience for season four. That premiere benefited from following the start of the final season of "Sex and the City."

Comedian Ricky Gervais' much-anticipated follow-up to "The Office," "Extras," which airs immediately after, drew barely 1 million viewers, despite positive reviews.

http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/pfriendly_new.php

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: TUESDAY
“Close To Home”
pilot is stuck on the dark side

By Maureen Ryan [B]Chicago Tribune staff reporter October 4, 2005

The opening shots of the new CBS drama "Close to Home" (9 p.m. Tuesday, WBBM-Ch. 2) are of idyllic suburban scenes: a paperboy tosses papers from his bike as soft music plays in the background; we see clipped hedges, tidy yards, a mother cooing over her baby.

It's all so perfect that you know something really bad is about to happen.

And so it does. On her first day back at her job as a prosecutor, that new mom, Annabeth Chase, learns that the fire that she spotted from her living room window was set by a woman who purposely set her home ablaze -- with her two children inside.

Chase, who has a perfect record as a prosecutor, is determined to put her neighbor in jail, until Chase learns that there is much more to the story of the unfortunate woman and her two kids, who, as it turns out, have been the victims of years of domestic abuse.

"Close to Home" is a product of Jerry Bruckheimer's hugely successful television production company, an efficient machine that has given us the three "CSI" shows as well as "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace." "Home" shares the top-notch production values of those programs, and Jennifer Finnigan, star of the short-lived NBC sitcom "Committed," is well cast as a lawyer who frequently alternates between stressed-out new mom and driven seeker of justice.

The trouble with this drama is that it doesn't veer much from the often dark tone of the other procedurals from the Bruckheimer TV factory. It's not exactly another "CSI" -- it's more of a "CSM" ("Crime Scene Mommy") -- but the material in the pilot, anyway, is grim.

Much of the plot centers on the horrific violence inflicted on the mother whose home caught fire. To reveal more might give away spoilers, but more to the point, I'm betting you don't have a huge desire to hear about yet more extreme violence toward women.

Suffice to say, at one point, a child testifies in court about what his dad said about his misbehaving mom: "My daddy says, `When a dog misbehaves, you have to chain the [expletive] up.'"

Awkwardly grafted on to this disturbing narrative is an attempt to examine Chase's struggle to achieve a balance between work and home; it's an admirable impulse, but, in the pilot, the treatment of the topic lacks subtlety. Chase is set up as the noble, good mother and lawyer, and her co-workers are mostly unsympathetic to her desire to both put the bad dad in the slammer and pick up her kid from the sitter before 6 p.m.

"You have got to stop thinking with your hormones or your emotions or whatever else it is you're not thinking with and start thinking like a prosecutor again," Chase's boss snaps at one point.

Perhaps we're supposed to think it's progress when the boss who accuses a female employee of thinking with her hormones is an African-American woman.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/chi-0510030301oct04,1,7192997,print.story?coll=chi-ent_tv-hed

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
WOMEN, TV AND ULTRAVIOLENCE
Women are the victims, stars and consumers of increasingly gory shows

By Mike Duffy Detroit Free Press TV Critic October 4, 2005

It's a crime what's happening to prime time.

Women are being beaten, terrorized, abducted and killed at an alarming rate this season. New and returning crime dramas have more gore, often targeting women as victims of increased levels of violence and mayhem.

When the new crime procedural "Close to Home" premieres at 10 tonight on CBS, the agonizing beat goes on. A woman is imprisoned in her home by an abusive husband who treats her like a dog. Literally.

It's revealed that he fitted his brutalized wife with a pet collar, locking her in the basement "because when a dog misbehaves, you have to chain the bitch up."

But "Close to Home" is far from the most gratuitous.

On the series premiere of Fox's "Killer Instinct," a serial killing rapist used venomous spiders to paralyze his female victims before assaulting them. And during the highly rated debut of CBS's "Criminal Minds," a horrified young woman was shown gagged and trapped in a cage, the victim of an "anger excitation rapist" who likes to keep women hostage for a few days before killing them.

Why this bloody trend?

"It's really over the top. I don't know if it's just chance or what with all these series pilots," says Amanda Lotz, who follows television as an assistant professor in the University of Michigan's department of communication studies.

"There clearly is this trend of increased violence toward women. But all of these shows, with the exception of 'Criminal Minds,' have prominent female characters," adds Lotz. "The networks might feel, 'We can get away with this salacious violence toward women because we have a strong female protagonist.' "

Even the people who create and produce the crime dramas acknowledge the disturbing upsurge.

"I agree, there has been a ratcheting up of the violence," says Jonathan Littman, an executive producer of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," television's most popular and influential crime procedural, which often uses gore-laced flashbacks and recently popped the trunk on hideously decomposed bodies in a car.

" 'CSI' has sort of opened this floodgate towards showing more violence when that was never the intent of the show. The intent was always to show the evidence and not the actual brutality of the crime. It should never be about the violence, it should be about the people," says Littman, who also oversees "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace," which, like the three "CSIs," comes from Detroit native Jerry Bruckeimer's hugely successful production company.

Female fans of crime procedurals have also noticed the escalation in violence.

"I'm not easily shocked. I'm a child of the '70s. But a number of the things now make me go, 'Whoa.' " says Diane McShane of Birmingham, who has been a fan of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." "Some of the sexual deviancy is right out there. Some of the rapes and sexual crimes against women have been really detailed."

There's nothing new about women in jeopardy.

They've been targeted for decades in books, movies, television and video games.

Janet Leigh's terrifying demise in "Psycho" remains one of the most famous scenes in Hollywood history. And Drew Barrymore helped launch an wave of teen-targeted horror and slasher films in the 1990s as the high-profile first victim in the "Scream" team of horror movie hits.

Meanwhile, women are among the most enthusiastic consumers of TV crime procedurals like the three "CSI" shows and three editions of "Law & Order." Female viewers comprise nearly two-thirds of the Thursday night "CSI" audience in the coveted 18-49 demographic that anchors television's bottom line.

What's the appeal?

Those strong female protagonists, say some women. The fascination with forensic crime techniques, say others. But perhaps the appeal to female viewers is also something more psychologically reassuring.

"These shows wrap up in one hour. They always get the bad guys. It's a vicarious way to deal with the uncontrollable," says Mary Therese Lemanek of Allen Park. "It gives some sense of being able to manage the unmanageable."

Over the past decade, crime procedurals have become the most pervasive and successful drama format on television. A record 16 such network programs are airing in prime time this season. And No. 1 CBS is at the top of the police blotter with nine shows.

The increase in the intensity and nature of the violent crimes portrayed on television doesn't surprise Mary Ann Watson, professor of TV and film at Eastern Michigan University.

"I call it the violence escalator, and it just keeps going up," says Watson. "We get acclimated to a certain level of violence. It's like a dripping faucet. After a while you get inured to it."

And then there's the profitable sex and violence equation.

"The FCC has been paying so much attention to sexual indecency," says Lotz. "And network programmers have noted that the 'CSI's' have not been getting pressure from the decency police for their naked dead bodies."

The modern, more extreme crime procedural, adds Lotz, allows the networks to "still seem edgy and a little bit salacious."

And viewers often like what they perceive as gritty, unblinking realism. Some producers insist that the shows are merely reflecting the tragic facts of real-life crime in America, that women are indeed the victims of horrific crimes.



"Part of this world is that -- it's violence against women," says "Criminal Minds" producer Ed Bernero, a former Chicago cop. "That's what the majority of serial killers do. They pick on weak people. They pick on children. They pick on women."

But even if the programs reflect a certain grisly cultural reality, this season's escalation isn't a pretty picture.

"It's actually personally very upsetting to me to see the prevalence of violence against women on television," says Greer Shephard, executive producer of "The Closer," a popular new TNT crime drama focused less on gore and more on quirky police sleuthing.

"I'm concerned that it's going to numb America to that concept, and it will no longer seem as horrific as it is."

http://www.freep.com/cgi-bin/forms/printerfriendly.pl

Monday’s network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
Look for more Friday laughs from Fox

By Kevin Downey MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 4, 2005

When Fox moved “Bernie Mac” and “Malcolm in the Middle” to the 8 p.m. hour on Friday, the timeslot looked like an elephant graveyard. They’ve received only modest ratings thus far, but don’t expect them to go anywhere.

Instead, media people have begun speculating that after baseball Fox, will switch its struggling Monday night comedies “Arrested Development” and “Kitchen Confidential” to the 9 p.m. Friday hour, bumping drama “Killer Instinct” to a new night.

Right now the network has two nights with faltering comedies leading into dramas that media people think have potential but are hurt by their lead-ins. It makes sense to consolidate these struggling shows onto one night where ratings are usually low anyway.

And no matter how modest its Friday ratings, Fox only stands to improve on a night where it traditionally struggles. These comedies could even provide a boost among men and viewers 18-34.

“I can’t imagine that [Fox is] satisfied with Friday nights, so I can’t see them keeping it the same,” says Jordan Breslow, director of broadcast research at MediaCom.

Fox’s adult 18-49 rating the first Friday this season was up 32 percent over the same week last year, while its second Friday in the demo was up 23 percent, the latter based on fast national ratings.

Yet, with average ratings of 1.7 and 1.6, it still ranked No. 4 the first Friday of the season and tied for No. 4 last week, only beating the WB.

“They needed to do something on Fridays because nothing was working for them last year,” Breslow says.

Fox will probably struggle no matter what it puts on Fridays. Part of the problem it’s facing is that most major demographic groups are already spoken for on the night.

UPN is doing well reaching men since moving WWE’s “Friday Night Smackdown” from Thursdays, while CBS has a solid lock on women and older folks with modest hit “Ghost Whisperer.”

CBS is leading the way in the women 18-49 demographic, while ABC and NBC are bumping along with unspectacular ratings for reality show “Supernanny” and comedy “Hope & Faith” and “Three Wishes” and “Dateline,” respectively.

Fox’s one opportunity appears to be in more aggressively targeting young adults, judging by last Friday’s ratings. It was No. 2 to UPN among men 18-34, based on fast national ratings from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. It ranked No. 3 among men 18-49, also trailing CBS.

Moreover, it ranked No. 2 to ABC among young women but No. 4 in the women 18-49 demographic.
Fox will almost certainly try to remedy the clunky transition from sitcoms to the dark drama “Killer Instinct” at 9 p.m. “Killer” is suffering against tough competitors on Fridays and Fox in recent years hasn’t had success with dramas on the night. Remember “John Doe?”

“Killer,” once entitled “The Gate,” is in a timeslot that in the mid-1990s kicked off sci-fi hit “X-Files,” which had better luck after moving to another night, Sunday in that case. Such a move would make sense for “Killer.”

The drama has received so-so reviews. But it has an appealing co-star in Chi McBride, formerly of Fox’s “Boston Public” and a rising star. Although his movie “Roll Bounce” is proving to be an underachiever at the box office, his TV performance has been generating positive buzz.

“This is a procedural crime drama that could’ve played just as easily on CBS,” says Breslow.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=587574

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: FRIDAY
“Inconceivable” pulled by NBC

“Variety” reports Tuesday that NBC will run a “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” repeat Friday night in place of the new series “Inconceivable”.

The fertility clinic-based drama has had extremely low ratings its first two weeks. At the moment, production continues on the show, and it is scheduled to return to NBC Fridays on October 14th.

Somewhere, Dick Wolf is at the very least chuckling over this news.


He's also gotta be chuckling about Angie Harmon's BCM (Bad Career Move)...

"You left Law & Order for this? :D

Agreed (but in her defense, Ms. Harmon also wanted to start a family -- which she has done).

So it was not exactly a David Caruso (NYPD) or McLean Stevenson (M*A*S*H) move.

Nonetheless, it is an "I Told You So" day for Mr. Wolf, and yet another "oops!" day for NBC executives.

Agreed (but in her defense, Ms. Harmon also wanted to start a family -- which she has done).

So it was not exactly a David Caruso (NYPD) or McLean Stevenson (M*A*S*H) move.

Nonetheless, it is a day "I Told You So" for Mr. Wolf.


Are you saying that Mclean Stevenson leaving M*A*S*H for Hello Larry was a bad idea? :D

How harsh of me!

Agreed (but in her defense, Ms. Harmon also wanted to start a family -- which she has done).

So it was not exactly a David Caruso (NYPD) or McLean Stevenson (M*A*S*H) move.

Nonetheless, it is an "I Told You So" day for Mr. Wolf, and yet another "oops!" day for NBC executives.
Wolf may be laughing but part of NBC's problem is a lack of new and different shows, from the numbers I've seen so far this season, the other L&O's aren't doing all that great either.

On a positive note for L&O, my initial thoughts on Criminal Intent with Noth and Sciorra are that I like her character, sort of a female Goren. Not really original to just swap the gender of D'Onofrio's character but paired with Noth's often incendiary Logan just may work and gives the pair more balance than the Goren-Eames pair-up.(Although, I wouldn't mind just watching D'Onofrio for a full episode, Erbe seems to be there only to appeal to female audiences.)

ABC Renews 'Jimmy Kimmel'

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com October 4, 2005

ABC is extending its late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" for a fourth season, through January 2007.

"ABC is on a roll," host Jimmy Kimmel said in a release. "It seemed inevitable that they'd do something like this to screw it up."

The show, which shoots in Hollywood, draws an average audience of 1.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8662

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
CBS Wins Week 2 in Total Viewers,
ABC Winner Again in Adults 18 to 49

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com October 4, 2005

For the second week of the season ABC is again No. 1 in the adults 18 to 49 demographic, taking three of the top five spots in the advertiser-friendly demographic.

The top show in the demo for the week ended Oct.2 was Sunday night's "Desperate Housewives" with a 12.0 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. The No.2 series in adults 18 to 49 was Wednesday's "Lost" (9.7), followed by CBS's "CSI" (9.4), "Housewives" lead-out "Grey's Anatomy" (8.1) and NBC's "ER" (6.6).

In total viewers "CSI" took the top spot, garnering 28.0 million viewers, followed by "Housewives" (27.1), CBS's "Without a Trace" (20.9 million) and "Grey's" (17.6 million).

In adults 18 to 49 ABC was tops for the week with a 4.1, followed by CBS (3.8), NBC and Fox (3.2) and The WB and UPN (1.4).

In total viewers, CBS was the No. 1 network with a 12.6 million viewers, followed by ABC (11.1 million), NBC (9.1 million), Fox (7.5 million) and The WB and UPN (both 3.5 million).

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8661

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
“My Name Is Earl” Picked Up

NBC has picked up the freshman series “My Name Is Earl” for a full season of 22 episodes, according to website zap2it.com.

(When network executives wonder why so many viewers are defecting, they might start by looking at how 22 weeks ever got to known as a “full season”. Perhaps if some shows didn't have close to a dozen executive producers, supervising producers, coordinating producers, line producers and just plain ol' producers, they could afford to actually produce a few more episodes.)

You think that Logan might get a chance to re-visit the 27th again (as he did in the L&O TV movie "Exiled")? Could be a bit disturbing as Lennie's gone and Van Buren's probably the only familiar face left. The only familiar face at the DA's office is Jack McCoy - and he only saw him for two years (seasons 4 and 5).

Another possibility - he visits the people at SVU and gets to say howdy again to Capt. Kragen (the first boss).

Last week’s complete program-by-program list of network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS (the second post in this thread).

Shows in Potential Ratings Trouble

If you are looking for hints about ratings problems for a specific show, one useful tool is to check the bottom-rated programs for each network.

So here are the bottom five shows (excluding repeats), by network, for the second week of the 2005-2006 season, the week ending October 2nd:

C B S
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
39 "Mayday" CBS 10.20
42 Yes, Dear CBS 8.74
43 Still Standing CBS 8.60
49 Threshold CBS 8.34
67 48 Hours Mystery CBS 6.61

A B C
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
57 Hope & Faith ABC 7.53
64 Night Stalker ABC 7.11
65 Wife Swap ABC 6.96
72 Supernanny ABC 6.10
78t Primetime ABC 5.73

N B C[/SIZE
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
66 Dateline NBC (Sun.) NBC 6.91
70 Three Wishes NBC 6.38
71 Apprentice-Martha NBC 6.12
73 Dateline NBC (Fri.) NBC 6.03
84t Inconceivable NBC 4.55

[SIZE=4]Fox
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
87 Killer Instinct FOX 4.47
90 Arrested Development FOX 4.02
94 Bernie Mac Show FOX 3.80
97 Kitchen Confidential FOX 3.69
100t Malcolm in the Middle FOX 3.50

UPN
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
103 Half and Half UPN 3.24
104 Eve UPN 3.21
106 America's Next Top Model (Tue.) UPN 3.01
108 Cuts UPN 2.75
117 Sex, Love & Secrets UPN 1.41

The WB
Rank Show Viewers (in millions)
112 Twins WB 2.24
113 What I Like About You WB 2.12
114 Reba — The Beginning WB 2.10
115 One Tree Hill WB 2.00
116 Blue Collar TV (Sun.) WB 1.86

You think that Logan might get a chance to re-visit the 27th again (as he did in the L&O TV movie "Exiled")? Could be a bit disturbing as Lennie's gone and Van Buren's probably the only familiar face left. The only familiar face at the DA's office is Jack McCoy - and he only saw him for two years (seasons 4 and 5).

Another possibility - he visits the people at SVU and gets to say howdy again to Capt. Kragen (the first boss).


Both those scenariois make sense, (and are very promotable) and Dick Wolf is too smart not to mine such a rich vein.

But the flip side is, as you noted, it would be sad to go back to the 27th without seeing Lennie Briscoe.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
When cuteness gets forced upon us
The Sorelli sisters speak in zeitgeist-sounding dialect on the WB's 'Related.'
All the show needs now are some zeitgeist moments.

By Paul Brownfield Los Angeles Times Staff Writer October 5, 2005

Everything happens cute on the WB's "Related," which premieres tonight and is about the Sorelli sisters of Manhattan — Ginnie, Ann, Marjee and Rose. They're plucky and eccentric siblings who fight cute, reconcile cute, get pregnant cute, change their major cute, move back home cute, get dumped cute, play cards cute.

They're gorgeous and resilient, fragile and kooky — sisters not so much by blood as by a rigorous casting process, offers going out to 18- to 34-year-old Meg Ryan types and Sarah Jessica Parker types and Jennifer Aniston types and Natalie Portman types.

There's also the sister nobody wants to talk about, the Laura San Giacomo type, excommunicated from the original pilot for being too much like Laura San Giacomo.

Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito, who appears to have taken her "concerned oldest sister" stage direction a bit too literally, marching around with a grating combination of stiffness and histrionics) is a lawyer, Ann (Kiele Sanchez) is a therapist who specializes in counseling transvestites (because that sounds funny), kooky Marjee (Lizzy Caplan) is a party planner, and put-upon kid sister Rose (Laura Breckenridge) is a freshman at NYU or Columbia, I can't remember which; anyway, from Hollywood you take Cahuenga to Barham, go right until it turns into Olive. The university will be on your right.

"Related" tilts at being about the penetrate-at-your-own-risk bubble of the sibling clique, about the love-hate, mean-nice banter among four sisters who lost their mother years ago and who are even closer for that. But really it's about TV, about networks trying like heck to fabricate the successes of recent years, the fabricators plucked from the successes themselves.

So "Related," the WB proclaims, is from "the creative forces behind 'Friends' and 'Sex and the City.' " It sounds almost biblical, until you remember that "Friends" and "Sex and the City" weren't on back then. The forces would be Marta Kauffman, co-creator of "Friends," and Liz Tuccillo, who wrote on "Sex and the City" and co-wrote the relationship laugher "He's Just Not That Into You."

Say this, their show is creatively forced, the sisters speaking in a zeitgeist-sounding dialect over "Sex and the City's" ambient xylophone, without ever landing in the kind of zeitgeist-capturing moment that made that show a hit. "Related," in fact, is practically a musical. "No, this wasn't the emotionally unavailable guy from the bar, this was the co-dependent, wrong number guy," piano, piano, piano.

In the pilot, news arrives that the Sorelli father is about to marry his "pathologically chipper" girlfriend, which sets the Sorelli girls into cute-hectic mode.

Meanwhile, Ginnie's trying to hide that she's pregnant, Rose that she's changed her major from pre-med to experimental theater. Marjee's been evicted from her apartment, and Ann is about to be dumped by her boyfriend, Danny, who's opening a new restaurant. That character is a "He's Just Not That Into You" guy, played by a Dan Futterman type (Dan Futterman); he low-talks his lines, as if he's decided that if you don't speak at a truly audible level it doesn't actually count as being in a show like this.
http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-related05oct05,0,3012349,print.story?coll=cl-tv-top-right

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
No 'Friends,' but you can relate

By Diane Werts Newsday Staff Writer October 5, 2005

TV's toughest time slot just got tougher.

Wednesday night's premiere of "Related" at 9 PM ET/PT on the WB adds a strong third choice to the "Lost"/"Veronica Mars" melee of quality character dramas. Think of the WB's new hour dramedy as "Sisters in the City," the allusion to both NBC's '90s "Sisters" and HBO's smash "Sex and the City" being no accident. The New York City quartet of Sorelli siblings has its own mix of personality quirks, from innocent sweetie to rapacious vixen with commitment and babies in between. There's no narration, but snappy verbosity and effervescent music keep things percolating.

There's plenty happening, too, as this show from "Friends" co-creator Marta Kauffman instantly spins a web of tight relationships that ring true. Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito) is a corporate powerhouse too busy to tell her boyish British husband (Callum Blue) that she's pregnant. Psychologist Ann (Kiele Sanchez) can't seem to find time to talk to her distracted live-in (Dan Futterman) either. Job-hopping Marjee (Lizzy Caplan) should be so lucky - her "relationships" are of the 45-minute kind, and her living arrangements are, to be polite, in flux. Family baby Rose (Laura Breckenridge) is tired of being that, so in addition to her NYU studies, she's majoring in rebellion.

They all come together to stage a surprise engagement party for their widowed father (Tom Irwin) and his "pathologically chipper" intended (Christine Ebersole) at a restaurant that echoes the pilot episode in being overstuffed with activity. Despite a bit too much eagerness to demonstrate how this vivacious show is different - split screens, "phone chains" and perhaps the cleanest NYC stoop ever seen (on a Hollywood back lot) - the introductory hour finely conveys the manner in which the Sorelli sisters stick supportively together while forging their own separate paths.

Kauffman's personality prowess is evident in the almost immediate clarity among the characters, whose interactions and wordplay connect first them and next us. Ann couldn't be clearer about the fate of a love affair when she confesses hearing "a big, deep, meaningful, it's-so-over maybe." Even peripheral characters get to play, as Rose's hipper-than-thou roommate mocks her evolution from library employee to experimental theater diva by spinning her shift from "shusher to radical performance artist." Like "Friends," Kauffman's "Related" creates such a firm base of relatable people and situations that she can range further afield in plotting and circumstances than perhaps she should, and still we buy it.

We could, however, get a bit more value for that payment than provided in the first three episodes supplied by the WB for critics' screening. This isn't "Friends," after all. At its hour length, "Related" asks us to take the Sorelli saga somewhat more seriously. Yet it provides sitcom incidents that can't stand the significance test.

Next week's outing has Ginnie in a full-fledged crisis dither because her husband is afraid of heights and might not be able to save their upcoming baby if she got stuck up a tree. (Really.) The screening tape for the Oct. 19 episode includes an agonizing karaoke incident. The direction wobbles, too, after tonight's pilot directed by TV veteran James Frawley with every watch-me trick in the book. As subsequent hours calm out, they reveal the need to ride herd on character peculiarities.

Esposito has an unfortunate tendency to coo her lines - cooooo her lines - as if she's already baby-talking to everybody. It gets slap-worthy.

And the stakes are high here. Almost won't cut it when you're contending with the down-cold characterizations of "Lost" and "Veronica Mars," whose DVD releases ("Veronica" hits stores Tuesday) reminded me how they hit the ground running in superb pilot episodes. "Related" needs to step up its storytelling to play at their big-league level.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel4454015oct05,0,3719742,print.story?coll=ny-television-headlines

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
WB's 'Related' Not 'Desperate' Enough

By Roger Catlin Hartford Courant TV Critic October 5 2005

"Lost" (ABC, 9 PM ET/PT) may have been more influential on programming for the fall TV season, but "Desperate Housewives" has had at least one direct copy.

Creator Marta Kauffman is being a little disingenuous when she says "Related" (The WB, 9 p.m.) has nothing to do with "Desperate Housewives." The four busy women, the broad physical humor and especially the busy orchestral score are all tip-offs.

But because the women are related you may also be reminded of "Sisters," though Kauffman, a co-creator of "Friends," tells you "Sex and the City" may have been an inspiration.

At any rate, it's hard to warm to any of the Sorelli sisters of New York City - not the elder sister (Jennifer Esposito), who can't tell her husband she's pregnant; not the daughter (Kiele Sanchez), about to break up with her boyfriend; not the dizzy events coordinator (Lizzy Caplan); not even the youngest sister (Lauren Breckenridge), who dyes her hair pink and gets a tongue-piercing to set herself apart from being considered too much a goodie-goodie.

The various sins of the plot are supposed to be glossed over because they're sisters no matter what. But that's not enough to make people tune in every week.

http://www.ctnow.com/tv/hce-tveye1005.artoct05,0,4102354,print.column?coll=hce-utility-tv

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
You'll probably want to send 'Related' packing

* * out of four
By Robert Bianco USA TODAY

Some relatives can't be too distant.

For example, if you were related to the four preternaturally chatty sisters at the center of Related, you'd probably want to make sure you had a least half a continent between you. That should be just enough to make sure you can't hear them.

It's true, of course, that all TV characters tend to be more talkative and glib than the norm. But seldom have any four women been more annoyingly adverse to silence — or sense — than the Sorelli sisters. Almost every line is painfully artificial, and the lines fly at us in machine-gun bursts, the perfect soundtrack for a show that seems afraid to allow any scene to last longer than 30 seconds.

Example: Ann (Kiele Sanchez, who, for some reason, frequently seems to be shot through a filter) breaks up with her boyfriend, Danny (Judging Amy's Dan Futterman). She tells Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito) that when she asked Danny whether they were through, he answered with a "big, deep, meaningful, it's-so-over maybe."

And just when you think it can't get more precious than that, Ginnie responds with "Act it out for me." Your sister tells you her boyfriend dumped her, and you say "Act it out for me?" Who, outside of sitcom writers, talks like that?

If the wordy Sorellis seem to be related to some more famous TV New Yorkers, there's a reason: The pilot was written by Liz Tuccillo of Sex and the City, and the show is produced by Marta Kauffman of Friends. Unfortunately, the show they have produced together is a formless mush that's best defined by what it's not: It's not a serious family drama like thirtysomething or Once and Again; a fun, well-cast soap like Sisters or Desperate Housewives; or a clever comedy like Gilmore Girls.

Tonight's big family crisis centers on dad's (Tom Irwin) plan to marry a woman the sisters don't like (Christine Ebersole).

But each sister has a problem of her own. Ginnie is pregnant but hasn't told her husband, Bob (Callum Blue). Ann is weeping and whining over the loss of her boyfriend and will be for the next three weeks, when she isn't making us endure her karaoke version of The Way We Were. Marjee (Lizzy Caplan), a party planner, lost her apartment and hates her boss. Rose (Laura Breckenridge) has dumped her pre-med major in favor of experimental theater. And never mind that Breckenridge, though sweet, shows no particular aptitude for the theatrical classwork we're shown.

Actually, there are some very appealing performers in Related; they just don't happen to be the stars. My bet is that you could build a fine little show around Blue, Irwin, Ebersole and Futterman, who all deserve better than to be playing second fiddle to these sisters.

But that's the problem with relatives. Usually, you don't get to pick them.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2005-10-04-related_x.htm

CBS still rules ratings roost

By Bill Keveney USA TODAY

•Status quo. As in premiere week, CBS once again topped the broadcast networks in viewers, with ABC coming in second. CBS had five top 10 shows, ABC four and NBC just one: 10th-ranked Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In the ratings for young adults (ages 18-49), ABC was No. 1 and CBS No. 2, same as premiere week.

•No sophomore slump. ABC's second-season hits, Desperate Housewives and Lost, finished first (15.7 million) and second (12.6 million) for the week among young adults. They finished second and third, respectively, in viewers, trailing only CBS powerhouse CSI.

•Fighting for second. CBS' Survivor easily took the top spot in the Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT battleground. Its 17.3 million viewers more than doubled second-place Alias (8.2 million), which was separated from sixth-place Smallville by just 2.3 million viewers. After a record-setting premiere for UPN, Everybody Hates Chris dropped 23% to 6 million viewers in its second week. Among young-adult viewers, however, Smallville finished fourth in its new time period, boosting WB's performance.

•Tuesday tangle. ABC's Commander In Chief got off to a winning start with its premiere, drawing 16.4 million viewers in one of the most competitive time slots, Tuesday at 9. However, Commander didn't fare as well with advertiser-coveted young adults, finishing only in a third-place tie, trailing Fox's House, the time-period winner. NBC's My Name Is Earl was down more than 20% from its surprisingly big premiere, but still was the week's No. 1 half-hour comedy in young adults.

•Hello, you must be going. UPN's Sex, Love & Secrets had what might be called a debut adieu: The soap's premiere was the lowest-ranked show of the week. UPN stopped production but says it will broadcast completed episodes.

•Cable ratings. FX's Nip/Tuck was the only entertainment series to crack the top 10, drawing 3.9 million viewers. On HBO, Curb Your Enthusiasm (1.4 million viewers) and Extras (779,000) were down about 200,000 viewers each from their premieres a week earlier.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-10-04-nielsen-analysis_x.htm

'HEIST' PILOT A STEAL FOR NBC
By JOSEF ADALIAN, Daily Variety, 10/4/2005


Liman taking skein's reins

Doug Liman is masterminding a primetime "Heist" for NBC.

Peacock has greenlit production on a pilot for an hourlong comedic drama to be directed by Liman ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith") and written by Robb and Mark Cullen ("Lucky"). Project is a co-production between NBC Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television.

"Heist" -- which has been in the works for nearly 18 months -- is an "Ocean's Eleven"-style hour about a group of thieves who'll spend the season engineering and executing a grand scheme to simultaneously rob three Rodeo Drive jewelry stores. The twist: They're planning to pull off the job during Oscar week.

Liman and the Cullens will exec produce along with Liman's Hypnotic partner, Dave Bartis, as well as Bernie Brillstein and Peter Safran of Brillstein-Grey.

Pilot will began casting immediately and is being considered for a late midseason berth. Toward that end, the Peacock has ordered five additional scripts beyond the pilot. Assuming a greenlight, the first season will span 13 episodes; future seasons would involve a different heist, likely in a different city.

"Heist" was first put into development by NBC last summer. Project didn't move forward -- which in TV usually means the end of the road.

And indeed, "Heist" was considered dead. But not long after Hypnotic inked with NBC Universal, the script came to the attention of the Liman-Bartis shingle. Soon, the Cullens -- who had just inked a two-script deal with Sony -- were working on another draft, and within two months the project was again alive and kicking.

Because so much time had passed, NBC needed to make a new pact with the Cullens in order to revive the project. "Heist" also will count as one of the brothers' scripts at Sony.

Earlier this year, Hypnotic snagged a significant commitment from CBS for "22 Birthdays," a sudser from "The Simpsons" scribes Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. Liman also intends to direct that project (Daily Variety, Aug. 15).

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly worked with the Cullens on short-lived FX comedy "Lucky." Last season, the brothers snagged a pilot order from Fox for the sitcom "New Car Smell."

In addition to his feature work, Liman directed the pilot for "The OC."

DTV Tutorial
4 Layer BOC monitoring
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/t2d/20051004/#

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
Four Sisters And a Script

By Chip Crews Washington Post Staff Writer October 5, 2005; C01

"Related" starts off in the middle of a conversation in the middle of a sisterly evening, a fast game of four-handed tennis that may leave you briefly wondering whether you've missed something. Who are these bantering blondes, and are you sure you can tell them apart?

The hour-long WB series, premiering tonight at 9 on Channel 50, tells the story of the Sorelli sisters, a quartet of young New Yorkers who are making their difficult-funny-stupid way through life. And the ratio of difficult to funny to stupid may have a lot to do with the length of their show's life.

Tonight's episode introduces the characters amid a lot of cutie-pie chatter but also effectively outlines their stories. Ginnie (Jennifer Esposito), the oldest, is a lawyer on the verge of making partner who's just learned she's pregnant but hasn't found a way to tell her husband, Bob (Callum Blue). Ann (Kiele Sanchez), a therapist who counsels transvestites, is on the verge of a split with her longtime boyfriend. Marjee (Lizzy Caplan) is a party planner who's going insane because her client wants to bring dogs to a venue that doesn't allow them.

Those three are the blondes. The fourth sister, Rose (Laura Breckenridge), is a brunet college student who's just changed her major from pre-med to experimental theater and is, like, finding herself. And in almost every one of her scenes, she seems to be beaming in from another show altogether.

So this is a series that wants to be all things to all viewers. You want a romantic comedy? Follow Ginnie and hope she finds a way to tell Bob her news before she goes into labor. Something more dramatic? Take Ann and her breakup. A silly comedy? Go with Marjee and the pugs. An idiotic comedy? You can't beat Rose for that, though you may wish you could.

Rose is supposed to be 19, but she acts 12 on a good day. Almost the minute she moves into her dorm room with a fellow experimental-theater major, she runs out and gets her tongue pierced. Okay, that kind of thing happens, but not to girls like Rose. She's so childishly petulant about her family's horror -- an affronted Brownie Scout -- that the scene falls apart. Later, she shows up at a fancy event with her hair dyed bright blue. Somebody on the "Related" team thinks this is hugely funny, and somebody is wrong.

The fault is partly Breckenridge's; she seems to have learned acting by studying the films of Shirley Temple. But the problem is deeper than that -- the creators are having trouble deciding what their show is about.

There's a tense early scene between Ann and her restaurateur boyfriend, Danny (guest star Dan Futterman). They're at his new establishment, they haven't had any time together for weeks, and she's just asked him, "Are we over?"

Sanchez and Futterman are just fine; they suggest the layers of time and feeling that this relationship would have. But hold on, here comes that darlin' Marjee with a breathless load on her mind:

"Oh Dan -- I am so glad to see you! Oh -- am I interrupting something? Danny -- you've just gotta save my life, like now. . . . They want to bring six pugs to this benefit that I'm doing tomorrow night. But the club that I booked for it -- they don't allow any animals. Guys from Long Island -- yeah, that's fine. But pugs -- anyway, now I have a benefit and no place to have it. And Danny, if you don't let me use your restaurant, I'm gonna be fired. Ri dic ulously fired!"

She goes on for quite a while longer as Ann stands by, looking pained. Marjee's interruption is meant to be charming -- an adorably dithery female in a jam, gootchy-gootchy-goo -- but in the context of the scene, she seems only creepy and clueless.

WB publicists, showing a gift for careful wording, describe the show as "from creative forces behind 'Friends' and 'Sex and the City.' " By that they mean that executive producer Marta Kauffman served the same function on "Friends" and executive consultant Liz Tuccillo had a hand in "Sex and the City." The strongest connection "Related" makes to those series in its opening episode is that its characters are all young, attractive New Yorkers.

The network did provide the second and third episodes for viewing, and there are signs that the show may be finding its feet a bit. (At least Rose dyes her hair back to its original color.) So who knows? If the writers can curb their case of the cutes, this sister act might have a future.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100401766_pf.html

The TV Column
The Week’s Winners and Losers
'Earl's' a Pearl, but Denise Richards Has Lost Her Sheen

By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Wednesday, October 5, 2005; C07

Who says this isn't an exciting new TV season! "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" came back bigger than ever, with numbers ABC hasn't seen since the last millennium. New-series plans are going up in flames all over the prime-time landscape -- it's like one of those over-testosteroned Jerry Bruckheimer flicks. Speaking of Bruckheimer, looks like his reign has ended as king of new-drama development. And, who knew a series promising viewers "Sex, Love & Secrets" wouldn't even open? Really, television doesn't get more exciting than this.

Here's a look at the week's highs and lows:

WINNERS

"My Name Is Earl." NBC picked up the so-called "back nine" episodes of its new sitcom, making it the first fall comedy to get a full-season order of 22 episodes. The Jason Lee starrer is this season's No. 1 sitcom among the 18-to-49-year olds advertisers favor.

"Desperate Housewives"/"Lost." ABC's sophomore series were the week's No. 1 and 2 programs among those viewers advertisers pay a premium to reach and No. 2 and 3 among viewers overall (behind CBS's "CSI"). Two weeks into the TV season, both shows have come back stronger than last season, averaging nearly 28 million and more than 23 million viewers, respectively. ABC hasn't seen averages like that for a scripted show since "Home Improvement" days in the mid-'90s.

"Commander in Chief." The only new series to crack the top 20 last week was the unveiling of ABC's White House hour starring Geena Davis as the president. With nearly 16.4 million viewers, it scored the largest audience for any Tuesday drama series debut on any network in five years. On the dark side, it skewed old, like most political shows; it is in fact the oldest-skewing new series of the season. Median age: 54.7 years. ABC targets 18-to-49-year-olds.

"Night Stalker." A strong turnout by young men helped the first episode of this drama -- in which pregnant women are yanked out of their homes by scary beasts and the fetuses ripped from their bodies -- clock ABC's biggest scripted series Thursday premiere in more than five years. So what won't young men watch? See "Inconceivable" under Losers, below.

LOSERS

"Sex, Love & Secrets." Sex, love, secrets, Denise Richards -- what's not to love about this UPN series? And yet, inexplicably, only 1.4 million watched its Tuesday unveiling, making it last week's least watched broadcast, while, in the same time period, more than 16 million sat through POTUS Davis droning on about principles of feminism on "Commander in Chief." It's a world gone mad. UPN has shut down production.

"Inconceivable." Men really do not want to watch a show about a fertility clinic. Wonder why? Ask your mother. While 2.2 percent of the nation's 18-to-49-year-old women tuned in to NBC's new drama on Friday, only 0.8 percent of men in that age group could bring themselves to do the same. Stats are pretty much identical for men in the fertility-clinic sweet spot -- 25 to 54 years old. Which may explain why the show logged NBC's lowest younger demos in the time slot since at least 1987. If only they'd added Pamela Anderson to the cast, instead of Angie Harmon. Anyway, NBC has yanked the show off its schedule for this week.

"Alias." Fifth-season debut of the now-pregnant, now-Mrs. Ben Affleck's action drama suffered the show's worst opening numbers ever -- just 8.2 million viewers. We wondered why and, since we've never gotten this one, turned to one of its most ardent fans, who directed our attention to a recent "Alias" promo in which ABC managed to jam the words "child," "father," "daddy," "pregnancy" "hormones" and "baby" into just 30 seconds, and added, "Loving a show is like loving a man -- you're only going to get your heart broken."

"E-Ring." Bruckheimer's new Pentagon drama had to be rescued like a little girl when it failed Wednesdays at 9, opposite ABC's "Lost" and CBS's new "Criminal Minds," starring Mandy Patinkin (voice of an angel). NBC sacrificed Martha Stewart to the ratings gods, moving "E-Ring" to the kiddie playground on Wednesdays at 8, where it will do battle with mediocre and aging sitcoms on ABC, CBS and Fox, while Stewart will die a hero's death at 9.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100500342.html

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: WEDNESDAY
“Related”
WB scores another one for the ladies
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Mere days after Webster's put "chick flick" into the dictionary, the WB has come out with, what, a chick TV show? Chick flick television? In her traveling shoes of the sisterhood of the pants, um, ya-ya thing?

There is a great moment in Nicole Holofcener's underappreciated 1996 film "Walking and Talking," in which the two main characters, recently engaged, are making a long car trip to a cabin while lots of earnest, female folk-rock is playing. The guy, Todd Field, turns to his fiancee, Catherine Keener, and says, "Do we really have to listen to this vagina music all the way there?"

If you have a penis, "Related" is a little bit like that.

Of course, men are not really the target audience for this series, a new one-hour drama from Marta Kauffman ("Friends"), written by Liz Tuccillo ("Sex and the City," "He's Just Not That Into You"). The WB is not really a network for males. (That "Blue Collar TV" thing -- total mistake.) Every time it tries to go male -- "One Tree Hill" -- it rejiggers the direction for females. But that's OK. The WB has growing pains. It doesn't really know what it wants to be.

What it should be is what it has always been: a network keen on female empowerment. In that vein, "Related" is perfect fare. It's about the Sorelli sisters of New York -- four women, close in age, bonded in sisterhood (and daughterhood), all at various, formulaic stages of their life, uniquely individualistic.

Also: great genes. They are not only lovely to look at, but they were raised right. They are smart and hip and centered. You either want to be these women or to be dating them.

Broadly, what "Related" aims to be is a more familial "Sex and the City" shot through with "Steel Magnolias" and just about every girl-power book (and film) of the past five years. That may induce winces, but "Related" is much better than any easily pigeonholed description. Over the course of the first three episodes, all the characters are fleshed out, their nuances finely honed, their heartfelt bonds lovingly displayed. The acting is above par, the writing snappy and, save for a few are-you-kidding-me cliches, this is a series that hits, dead-on, all the well-trodden notions of femininity, sisterhood and family.

But that's also the problem. "Related" is verily dripping in estrogen and the feel-good sisterhood vibe. Television, littered with the rank guys'-guy stereotypes (done well: "Rescue Me"; done poorly: pretty much every family sitcom with a fat-dad lead), is an equal-opportunity enabler when it comes to unbalanced portrayals of either sex.

The question is, do you like that? Does it touch a nerve within? Does it speak to you? There's no doubt that "Related" will speak to some women. It will make other women break out in itchy, insanity-inducing hives. You can no more make a series for and about women as you can make one for and about guys -- unless it's "SportsCenter," and that doesn't count.

The series stars Jennifer Esposito ("Crash") as eldest sister Ginnie, an attorney with -- now here's a stunner -- a flat-out fabulous New York apartment. She's a bit motherish, probably because the mother of these adorable sisters is long dead and one assumes Ginnie had to partly assume her role. She's married to a Brit named Bob (Callum Blue, "Dead Like Me"). He's funny and emasculated and supportive.

Next comes Ann (Kiele Sanchez), a therapist living with and breaking up with boyfriend Danny (Dan Futterman). This is the least believable relationship in the series because, even acknowledging that women are forever matching up with men who are nowhere near their league, this just doesn't make sense. No knock on Futterman, but Sanchez is beyond lovely. She's loving. She's gainfully employed. She's understanding. This guy should be mortgaging everything for a ring, but instead he's dumping her.

A much better character is Marjee (Lizzy Caplan, "Mean Girls"), an event coordinator with a fantastically sexy jaded streak. She actually seems as if she could be living in New York, present day, and Caplan gives her a believable vitality that never collapses into the ever-present vat of sap that "Related" bathes in.

Most troubling is Rose (Laura Breckenridge), the youngest at 19, still in college, switching majors from pre-med to "experimental theater" and all the super-cringy "Felicity" moments that entails. From the "hip" college roommates only a woman in her late 40s could dream up to the please-don't-make-us-endure-this-crush she has on a male model (while her dweeb-loyal best friend goes about his unrequited life), the Rose storyline is just barely tolerable.

It works because she's the youngest and all the other sisters pick on her. "Related" is both at its best and worst when the sisters are doing sisterly things. You can see the vision Kauffman had of these four idealized versions of women/sisters and why she created them to tell their stories. Socializing, sharing, caring, crying, arguing -- you go, girls.

But some people may drown in their sea of tears or choke on their sugary emotionalism or go stir-crazy from the incessant talking.

You know, Webster's also added "steganography" to its latest edition. It's the "art or practice of concealing a message, image, or file within another message, image, or file."

No steganography is going on in "Related." This is a weekly chick flick, with nothing to hide.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/05/DDG1JF21J51.DTL&type=printable

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: PAY CABLE
More woe for HBO: 'Curb' gets clubbed
Larry David show's audience is down by half

By Abigail Azote MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 5, 2005
For a while, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” succeeded in escaping the fate of other smart, offbeat comedies that dared to break the TV sitcom mold. It earned not just the respect of critics but won over viewers as well, pulling sizable audiences.

No longer. The HBO series returned for its fifth season Sept. 25 with 1.55 million total viewers, down 53 percent from the previous season’s premiere. The show tumbled further in its second episode, which aired Sunday at 10 p.m., to 1.36 million viewers. So far, “Curb” has averaged 1.45 million total viewers, about half of season four’s 2.92 million average. At its peak in 2001, “Curb” averaged 4.5 million total viewers.

What ails "Curb," a semi-autobiographical account of "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David's life, is exactly what ails HBO these days: the gaping absence left by longtime ratings hits “Sex and the City” and “The Sopranos.” In drawing huge audiences, the two shows had a spillover effect, boosting the shows that led out of them.

“Curb” in particular benefited from the considerable lead-in provided by “Sex and the City.” Its season-four premiere, for example, was boosted by the premiere episode of “Sex’s” last season. Even when keeping just half of “Sex’s” sizable lead-in audience, "Curb" was still doing better than most shows on pay cable.

"Curb's" 18-month absence also didn’t help. The reality is that when less-hyped shows like “Curb” are gone for a while, viewers tend not to flock back when they finally return.

But changing tastes may also explain "Curb's" decline. We may now be in a period when viewers are less willing to invest in a quirky comedy just because critics wax warmly over it, as we have seen with Fox’s “Arrested Development” and NBC’s “The Office,” which have struggled. Then there was HBO’s own “The Comeback,” whose finale drew just 920,000 viewers last month before the series was canceled.

"Curb's" decline comes despite positive reviews for its fifth season, moreover. Doug Elfman of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, “‘Curb’ may be ridiculously silly, but, unlike [new HBO show] ‘Extras,’ its shenanigans are inventive, like the time when Larry hired a hooker to ride shotgun so he could drive in the carpool lane on the freeway. And ‘Curb,’ largely unscripted, profits from letting exquisite improv actors make natural acting choices.”

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_489.asp

Tuesday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

(From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column of Wednesday, October 5, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)
National Ratings in Primetime - Week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2005:
ABC and CBS Dominate; Fox Rises By Double-Digits

ABC and CBS remained at the top of the charts in this second week of the new season, with CBS first in households and total viewers, and ABC No. 1 among adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. This is the first time ABC has won the opening 2 weeks of a season demographically since 1994-95. Growing Fox, which increased year-to-year by margins of 41 to 50 percent courtesy of more aggressive original programming, tied ABC for No. 1 among adults 18-34. ABC and CBS were close to year-ago levels, UPN was up as much as 14 percent, and NBC and the WB were down in all surveyed categories based on the week of Sept. 26.

Unlike last season when three freshman series – ABC’s Desperate Housewives and Lost, and CBS’ CSI: NY – ranked in the top 10, only the debut of ABC’s Commander in Chef managed to land in the coveted big 10 this week, and that was in total viewers, not adults 18-49. Although ABC’s Invasion and Commander in Chief, NBC’s My Name is Earl, CBS’ Ghost Whisperer and How I Met Your Mother, Fox’s Prison Break, UPN’s Everybody Hates Chris, and the WB’s Supernatural are all promising, there are, unfortunately, no breakouts in the mix.

In returning series news, UPN’s critically acclaimed Veronica Mars opened season two with its largest audience (3.3 million viewers) and best ratings among adults 18-34 (1.8/5), women 18-34 (2.5/6) and women 18-49 (1.8/4) ever thanks to lead-in America’s Next Top Model. Also of note on UPN was the relocated Friday Night Smackdown! ranking third among adults 18-34 (1.4/ 5), first in men 18-34 (1.6/ 7), and second among men 18-49 (1.6/ 6) from 8-10 p.m., while building from the year-ago movie by as much as 220 percent among men 18-49. Fox’s veteran Malcolm in the Middle, now airing Friday at 8:30 p.m., kicked off season seven with a disappointing 3.50 million viewers and a 1.5/ 5 among adults 18-49 (out of 3.80 million viewers and a 1.7/ 7 among adults 18-49 from lead-in Bernie Mac).

Here are the final national ratings for the week of Sept. 26, 2005 (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago period in parentheses), followed by the individual new series results and top 20-rated programs of the week:

Households:
CBS: 8.3/13 (+ 1)
ABC: 7.2/12 (+ 1)
NBC: 6.2/10 (- 5)
Fox: 4.8/ 8 (+41)
UPN: 2.3/ 4 (no change)
WB: 2.3/ 4 (-15)

Total Viewers:
CBS: 12.63 million (+ 2)
ABC: 11.14 (+ 3)
NBC: 9.10 (- 6)
Fox: 7.48 (+49)
WB: 3.48 (-13)
UPN: 3.47 (+ 8)

Adults 18-49:
ABC: 4.1/11 (no change)
CBS: 3.8/10 (+ 3)
Fox: 3.2/ 9 (+45)
NBC: 3.2/ 9 (-11)
UPN: 1.4/ 4 (+ 8)
WB: 1.4/ 4 (-13)

Adults 25-54:
ABC: 4.9/12 (+ 2)
CBS: 4.8/12 (+ 4)
NBC: 3.8/ 9 (- 7)
Fox: 3.2/ 8 (+45)
WB: 1.4/ 3 (-13)
UPN: 1.3/ 3 (no change)

Adults 18-34:
Fox: 3.3/10 (+50)
ABC: 3.3/10 (no change)
CBS: 2.7/ 8 (+ 8)
NBC: 2.7/ 8 (-16)
UPN: 1.6/ 5 (+14)
WB: 1.5/ 5 (-17)



NEW SERIES RESULTS (in order of viewership)

Commander in Chief (ABC, Tues. 9 p.m.): premiere
Viewers: 16.37 million (#9), A18-49: 4.3/10 (#26t)

Despite the considerable sampling, a fourth-place finish in the time period among adults 18-49 (behind Fox’s House, NBC’s My Name is Earl and CBS’ The Amazing Race: Family Edition) means this statuesque commander will skew older.

Invasion (ABC, Wed. 10 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 12.29 million (#23), A18-49: 5.1/13 (#14t)

Although Invasion remained at the top of the freshman pack thanks to lead-in Lost, erosion from week one (4.14 million viewers; -25 percent among adults 18-49) is severe, and concerning.

Out of Practice (CBS, Mon. 9:30 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 11.51 million (#28), A18-49: 3.6/ 8 (#35)

With retention of just 80 percent in households and 75 percent among adults 18-49 out of lead-in Two and a Half Men, CBS should put the plum Monday 9:30 p.m. time period to better use.

My Name Is Earl (NBC, Tues. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 11.36 million (#29), A18-49: 5.1/13 (#14t)

Although ratings in week two slipped by a noticeable 3.89 million viewers and 23 percent among adults 18-49, My Name is Earl still led the time period among adults 18-49.

Ghost Whisperer (CBS, Fri. 8 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 10.87 million (#30), A18-49: 2.7/10 (#52t)

Another dominant time period finish coupled with almost full retention from its debut one week earlier is surprisingly promising for Jennifer Love Hewitt in Ghost Whisperer.

Criminal Minds (CBS, Wed. 9 p.m.): time period premiere
Viewers: 10.57 million (#33), A18-49: 3.3/ 8 (#42)

Given the competition is ABC’s Lost, consider this a respectable Wednesday start for the critically panned Criminal Minds.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Mon. 8:30 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 10.40 million (#37), A18-49: 3.7/10 (#33t)

Almost full retention from week one and growth from lead-in King of Queens of 6 percent among adults 18-49 are two reasons why CBS is expected to pick-up How I Met Your Mother for the full season.

Surface (NBC, Mon. 8 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 9.05 million (#41), A18-49: 2.9/ 8 (#47t)

With erosion of 2.13 million viewers and 24 percent among adults 18-49 in week two, Surface could be history by midseason.

Prison Break (Fox, Mon. 9 p.m.): week four
Viewers: 8.55 million (#45), A18-49: 4.0/ 9 (#30t)

The first new series renewed for the full season, and a bona fide keeper based on the competitive severity of the Monday 9 p.m. time period and lack of lead-in support.

The War At Home (Fox, Sun. 8:30 p.m.): week four
Viewers: 8.54 million (#46), A18-49: 4.3/10 (#26t)

Better than expected.

Threshold (CBS, Fri. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 8.34 million (#49), A18-49: 2.3/ 7 (#65t)

Respectable lead-in support from Ghost Whisperer has benefited the compatible Threshold.

Bones (Fox, Tues. 8 p.m.): week three
Viewers: 7.87 million (#54), A18-49: 3.1/ 9 (#43)

Growth from week two to three in the difficult Tuesday 8 p.m. hour is a definite sign of a pending full season renewal for Bones.

E-Ring (NBC, Wed. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 7.69 million (#55), A18-49: 2.1/ 5 (#70t)

Although relocating to Wednesday at 8 p.m. moves E-Ring away from ABC’s Lost, is this unproven show really strong enough to anchor the evening?

The Night Stalker (ABC, Thurs. 9 p.m.): premiere
Viewers: 7.12 million (#64), A18-49: 2.6/ 6 (#55t)

Nothing to boast about, but still noticeably better than year-ago occupant “life as we know it”.

Three Wishes (NBC, Fri. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 6.51 million (#70), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#80t)

Hefty losses for Three Wishes in week two is not making NBC’s Friday dreams come true.

The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC, Wed. 8 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 6.12 million (#71), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#70t)

Moving to Wednesday at 9 p.m. opposite ABC’s Lost will only make the limited ratings worse. Sorry, Martha – you just don’t “fit in.”

Everybody Hates Chris (UPN, Thurs. 8 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 6.01 million (#74), A18-49: 2.4/ 7 (#61t)

Despite the considerable erosion in week two (1.77 million viewers; 25 percent among adults 18-49), week two ratings for Everybody Hates Chris are still impressive.

Supernatural (WB, Tues. 9 p.m.): week three
Viewers: 5.01 million (#83), A18-49: 2.2/ 5 (#68t)

With ratings consistent from week two and retention solid out of lead-in Gilmore Girls, the full season renewal is on its way for Supernatural.

Inconceivable (NBC, Fri. 10 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 4.55 million (#85), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#91t)

A better idea would have been to do the limited Inconceivable as a made-for movie on Lifetime. Ming Na call your agent – maybe you can get back on ER!

Killer Instinct (Fox, Fri. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 4.48 million (#87), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#91t)

Lack of lead-in support from the relocated Malcolm in the Middle (yes, that show is still on the air!) on Fox’s historically ratings challenged Friday limits Killer Instinct’s chance of survival.

Love, Inc. (UPN, Thurs. 8:30 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 3.85 million (#91), A18-49: 1.7/ 4 (#84t)

Retention of just 64 percent in total viewers and 71 percent among adults 18-49 out of lead-in Everybody Hates Chris is alarming.

Kitchen Confidential (Fox, Mon. 8:30 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 3.70 million (#97), A18-49: 1.7/ 4 (#84t)

Upcoming preemptions for baseball will not help viewers eventually find Kitchen Confidential.

Just Legal (WB, Mon. 9 p.m.): week two
Viewers: 2.96 million (#107), A18-49: 1.0/ 2 (#110t)

Unless there is unexpected growth (and there wasn’t in week three), Just Legal could be one of the next shows to go.

Twins (WB, Fri. 8:30 p.m.): week three
Viewers: 2.34 million (#112), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#107t)

Lack of support from lead-in What I Like About You is not a positive for the questionable Twins.

Sex, Love & Secrets (UPN, Tues. 9 p.m.): premiere
Viewers: 1.41 million (#17), A18-49: 0.6/ 1 (#117)

Dead-last for the week – expected to gone by midseason.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data, R = repeat

Ratings Box: What’s Hot/What’s Not

Freshman Results in First-Run Syndication – Week Two:

Based on ratings for the week of Sept. 19, Twentieth Television’s Judge Alex, which benefits by the frequent double-runs, continues to rule the freshman first-run class. Judge Alex averaged a 2.0 household rating in week two -- one-tenth of a rating point (or 5 percent) below its debut one week earlier. NBC Universal’s Martha dipped to a 1.7 in households -- off a hefty, and concerning, 15 percent from week one. Although Warner Bros.’ The Tyra Banks Show trailed with a 1.3, comparably that was an increase of two-tenths of a rating point (or 18 percent) from its first week.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
CBS fumbles in its strategy to win 18-49s
Down 5 percent in the demo, foiled by ABC

By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 5, 2005

Heading into the fall, CBS seemed in great shape to challenge Fox for the season in adults 18-49, after a close No. 2 finish in the demo last season and with virtually all of its programming moves announced at the upfront intended to attract more 18-49s.

But two weeks into the season, CBS's 18-49 strategy isn't getting a big return. Two of its top shows among 18-49s, “Without a Trace” and “Amazing Race,” had disappointing debuts in the week ended Oct. 2, and CBS finished second again for the full week to ABC with a 3.8 to the latter’s 4.1.

Equally distressing for CBS, ABC has now edged CBS among 25-54s, the demo it has long dominated, for two straight weeks. ABC averaged a 4.9/12 to CBS’s 4.8/12 last week. CBS remained a solid No. 1 in households and total viewers.

This will likely change once ABC’s “Monday Night Football” goes off the air in January, but if the network has built up enough of a lead, it will be hard for CBS (and Fox) to catch up.

Through two weeks of the season, CBS is down 5 percent from last year’s 18-49 average to a 3.9. It’s down 2 percent in 25-54s to a 4.9, from a 5.0, while ABC is up 13 percent to a 5.1, from a 4.5. (Note that last year "Without a Trace" premiered a week earlier, but most of CBS's powerful Thursday schedule was preempted during week two by presidential election coverage.)

Part of the blame for CBS’s falloff goes to “Trace” and “Race.” Last year “Trace” premiered with a 7.4 rating. This year it averaged a 6.4, down 14 percent. “Race 8” averaged a 4.4 rating last week, down from a 5.3 average for season seven.

Another veteran show, “Survivor,” now in its 10th season, is down 21 percent from last year’s 7.5 average for both editions to a 5.9 average.

CBS’s new shows aren’t drawing huge 18-49s numbers either, despite the network’s hopes. The median ages of viewers for “Ghost Whisperer,” “Threshold,” “Criminal Minds” and “Out of Practice” are all 51 or older.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_491.asp

You think that Logan might get a chance to re-visit the 27th again (as he did in the L&O TV movie "Exiled")? Could be a bit disturbing as Lennie's gone and Van Buren's probably the only familiar face left. The only familiar face at the DA's office is Jack McCoy - and he only saw him for two years (seasons 4 and 5).

Another possibility - he visits the people at SVU and gets to say howdy again to Capt. Kragen (the first boss).

I better correct myself before some nitpicker does. Jack McCoy only came aboard AFTER season 4. Mike Logan and Jack McCoy only did that character walk in the opening credits for season 5. So Jack and Mike knew each other for only ONE year, not TWO.

Mea culpa.

I better correct myself before some nitpicker does. Jack McCoy only came aboard AFTER season 4. Mike Logan and Jack McCoy only did that character walk in the opening credits for season 5. So Jack and Mike knew each other for only ONE year, not TWO.

Mea culpa.


Actually we seem to have a pretty congenial group here, humdinger70.

Thankfully there is not a lot of flaming -- corrections are often suggested, but usually in the best of humor.

Frankly, it woudl have taken me a while to notice your very minor gaffe. I think in season 5 I was still mourning the firing of Michael Moriarty.

What was the exact reason given for Michael Moriarty leaving L&O? I seem to remember something about a difference of opinion with Dick Wolf.

What was the exact reason given for Michael Moriarty leaving L&O? I seem to remember something about a difference of opinion with Dick Wolf.
That's what I remember as well, but I have no idea if that is the real reason.

So, Fred, after seeing all these numbers being posted, it almost seems like every returning show is down in viewership from last year, and there are only a handfull of new ones that are doing really well. In your years of experience in the TV field, would you think that people just have more choices than they did and are being more spread out, or people are just choosing not to watch stuff, or am I just making all this up?! :)

What was the exact reason given for Michael Moriarty leaving L&O? I seem to remember something about a difference of opinion with Dick Wolf.

As I recall he said some harsh (and very unpolitic) things about then Attorney General Janet Reno. I think she was complaining about violence on network TV, and Moriarty denounced her opinions.

Soon thereafter, Dick Wolf decided to bring in Sam Waterston.

It is possible the years have clouded my memory, but that is what I remember.

So, Fred, after seeing all these numbers being posted, it almost seems like every returning show is down in viewership from last year, and there are only a handfull of new ones that are doing really well. In your years of experience in the TV field, would you think that people just have more choices than they did and are being more spread out, or people are just choosing not to watch stuff, or am I just making all this up?! :)

I think it is a combination of the factors you mention, Scott.

And, in all fairness, it is still very early.

Some shows (Desperate Housewives", "Lost" and even veterans like "Law and Order: SVU" are doing better than last year.

But the crop of new series seems at best uninspired, and there is no breakout hit (a la "DH" or "Lost" last season) to bring folks back to the tube.

And now baseball on Fox will complicate matters even more for the next three weeks. But I suspect the hiatus may in fact help some of the new programs like "Commander In Chief", (maybe even) "E-Ring", "Close To Home" "Criminal Minds", "Supernatural" and "Ghost Whisperer" and perhaps a veteran or two.

On the other hand, the baseball break on Fox could really hurt new Fox shows like "Bones", "Prison Break", "Reunion" and "Killer Instinct". Once viewers get a few weeks to sample other offerings, sometimes they forget to come back. And non-baseball viewers will try other options.

We shall see how it all shakes out in November. But as your post hints, the new season certainly has not seemed to get viewers (or critics) excited. And when critics spend a lot of their time trying to promote their own favorites the audience has already rejected ("Arrested Development" comes quickly to mind) that leaves less time for promoting shows folks might actually sample.

This is not exactly a surprise....
THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
UPN Picks Up 'Chris' for Full Season

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com October 5, 2005

UPN has given a full-season order to its new Thursday night sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris." The single-camera comedy, which profiles the Brooklyn childhood of comedian Chris Rock, was an early critics and advertisers' favorite.

The series premiere of "Chris" was the highest-rated episode of any comedy in the history of UPN. The network, which ran wrestling last season on Thursdays, has improved the night by 13 percent in adults 18 to 49 by running four sitcoms, anchored by "Chris."

Co-creator and narrator Chris Rock, co-creator and writer Ali LeRoi, Howard Gewirtz, Michael Rotenberg and Dave Becky are executive producers. "Chris" is a production of Chris Rock Enterprises, in association with Paramount Network Television.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8678

From http://members.aol.com/dwalheim/lawandorder/lofaq.html#3.4.5:

Michael Moriarty resigned in a huff at the end of the 1993-94 season after a long, vocal, and not yet finished battle of words with Attorney General Janet Reno, who was making efforts to censor television violence. He felt that NBC was trying to silence him when two talk show appearances on the network were pulled at the last moment and his role was reduced in the fourth season episode, "Mayhem." Wolf claims this was entirely coincidental -- this episode happened to focus on the cops more than the normal format allows, just as "American Dream" focused almost exclusively on Moriarty's character, Stone. Moriarty claims he was forced into a situation where he had to resign. As you might imagine, there is much debate on who was actually the wronged party in this exchange, and we may never know the true, complete story.
I don't know how accurate this is, but it sounds about right and the folks at this site seem to know all there is to know about L&O. YMMV.

Thanks Dave. That fleshes out my memory a bit, and it sounds about right -- although both Moriarty and Wolf have been pretty quiet about what actually happened. Yet Wolf obviously enjoys the challenge of shaking up his cast(s) regularly, so who knows?

TV SEASON PREVIEW: THURSDAY (10/4)
“Four Minutes”
Four Minutes' is worth the 2 hours

By Mark McGuire Albany Times Union

It's the inherent dilemma facing biopics: We know how the story turns out.

The art, then, lies in fleshing out the subject when there's no suspense to the outcome. This is especially true with sports biopics -- if the athlete isn't interesting, the movie falls flat regardless of the feat in question.

The case of Roger Bannister presents a fascinating subject in "Four Minutes" (7 p.m. Thursday, ESPN2), a taut two-hour film that gives us a reason to care about the runner who, a half-century ago, held a momentous world record. For just six weeks.

History tells us that on a damp day in May 1954 in Oxford, England, Bannister (played by 24-year-old newcomer Jamie Maclachlan) was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. The most ardent sports fan may -- may -- know that Bannister was also a doctor.

Bannister. Four minutes. End of story.

Even in England, Bannister's fame has eroded. "They know of him, that it had to do something with the four minutes, the mile, but they're not so sure who he is," said Maclachlan, a Shakespearean actor just two years out of drama school. A high-school runner, he lost 20 pounds training for the part.

The screenplay, written by veteran sportswriter Frank Deford and co-executive produced by Olympic filmmaker Bud Greenspan, shows that the man behind the record was as compelling as his historic race. As played here by Maclachlan -- making his film debut -- Bannister is a staunch nonconformist, and therefore perfectly suited for distance running.

But Bannister refused to be consumed by his sport or its dogma, even as Britain pinned its hopes on him. His passion was running, but Bannister's true calling was medicine. As a medical student working to become a neurologist, he confounded British track and field officials by placing his studies ahead of competition.

Even so, he was chasing an athletic feat that some thought was physiologically impossible -- and that anyone who attempted it was risking death.

"The four-minute mile is the last barrier left," track coach Archie Mason, played by Christopher Plummer, says in the film. After New Zealand beekeeper Edmund Hillary and his Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest in May 1953, many talked about the four-minute mile as if it were one of the last unreachable human endeavors.

Bannister took the student-athlete moniker literally, and in order. The spine of the movie, which covers 1946-54, is his unyielding devotion to his studies and the tug-of-war between two mentors: Mason and the med-school professor (Leon Pownall) who dismisses Bannister's athletic pursuits.

"He has his whole life left for medicine," Mason tells the teacher, "and just such a short time to do what no other human being has ever done. ... What a waste it would be not to give it a go."

Plummer and Pownall are effective as the elders who helped drive Bannister's competing desires. Maclachlan, who manages to mimic the runner's flailing style, captures the medical student's competing drives.

There are few track and field movies that capture the imagination. Of course, one is "Chariots of Fire," which won the Oscar for best picture in 1982. (The opening of "Four Minutes," with a young Bannister running in his all-white training outfit on the beach, appears to be a direct homage to that film.) You can throw out a few others -- the Robert Towne films "Personal Best" and "Without Limits" -- but not many.

"Four Minutes," which was filmed in Toronto, is the fifth sports-related movie for ESPN. While the franchise hasn't risen to the level of, say, HBO, as a body of work these projects compare more than favorably to what you see on broadcast television. "Four Minutes" is worth two hours, even if you've never heard of Roger Bannister.

By the way, the world record for the mile has been held for the past six years by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco. But would you tune in to a movie titled "Three Minutes, Forty-three Point Thirteen Seconds"?

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=404183

Yankees, Cardinals MLB Games Produce Strong Ratings

By Jon Lafayette TVWeek.com October 5, 2005

Fox Sports' coverage of the first game of the New York Yankees-Los Angeles Angels playoff series drew a higher rating than any of last year's first-round playoff contests. The game drew a 6 Nielsen Media Research rating and 10 share, up 2 percent from Game 1 a year ago.

The telecast of the Yankees' victory was also up 6 percent among men 18 to 49 and 18 percent among men 18 to 34. In New York the game drew a 17.6 rating and 25 share, up from last year, when the Minnesota Twins were the opponent and the ratings were 14.3/19.

ESPN's playoff ratings were also up. The St. Louis Cardinals-San Diego Padres opener drew a 1.9 household rating representing 1.7 million homes, up 12 percent over the comparable 2004 game. Among men 18 to 49 ESPN saw a 9 percent increase from last year.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8680

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
On 'Alias,' the Star Is Now Spying for Two

By JODI KANTOR The New York Times October 6, 2005

Thursday night's episode of "Alias," the spy drama starring Jennifer Garner, will involve a typical night's work for secret superagent Sydney Bristow: she will pummel a few bad guys, steal some intelligence, nearly be sucked from a speeding airplane. It's routine stuff for the show, but for one thing: both actress and character will have a belly that is visibly, strikingly swollen from its normally taut state.

This season, Sydney becomes perhaps television's most formidable pregnant character to date: a cunning C.I.A. operative who is likely to slip in and out of Pyongyang between obstetrician appointments; the only agent in her unit whose bulletproof vest requires an expandable waistline; and a marvel of endurance who will add childbirth to a résumé of trials that include being tortured and buried alive.

It may not amount to an "Ellen" or a "Murphy Brown" moment, but it's one that says a great deal about what is now permissible on television and during pregnancy. Consider the case of Lucille Ball, still television's most famous example of simultaneous on- and off-screen pregnancy. The storyline was a national sensation, and Lucy's birth episode earned higher ratings than President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration. And yet pregnancy was still considered such a delicate matter that the network vetted the episodes with religious leaders and advised against using the word "pregnancy" on the air.

Later, impending parenthood became the sturdiest of sitcom plot devices. But many actresses who became pregnant saw their characters subjected to indignities: though Lisa Kudrow's pregnancy was incorporated into the plot of "Friends," when Jane Leeves of "Frasier" started to show with her first pregnancy, her nonpregnant alter ego suffered jokes about sudden weight gain. Characters on action series also met mixed fates. Tyne Daly of "Cagney & Lacey" and Lucy Lawless of "Xena: Warrior Princess" were able to work their pregnancies into their shows, but when Gillian Anderson of "The X Files" became pregnant, Agent Scully wore huge coats and then was whisked away for a gruesome abduction.

By contrast, "Alias" has built an entire season around the blessed event. (And a marketing campaign: The advertisements feature Ms. Garner, one hand protectively on her middle, and the words "Expect More.") When the producers initially found out that Ms. Garner was pregnant, they briefly considered using computers to paste her head on another actress's body, said Jeff Pinkner, an executive producer of the show. Instead, they decided to swing in the far opposite direction, playing the pregnancy for all of its dramatic, physical and comedic possibilities.

Thus last week's season premiere showed Sydney and her fiancé, Michael Vaughn, a fellow agent, finding out about their impending parenthood while fleeing a party with a purloined document; seconds after receiving the doctor's call, they parachuted off a South African seaside cliff. Before the hour was up, Agent Vaughn was gunned down by a shadowy assassin. Now Sydney must avenge his death and protect her baby from those same menacing forces.

To do so will require a rather fantastical approach to what can be an exhausting, nauseating condition. "You can't be rappelling off the side of buildings when you have to go to the bathroom every five minutes," said Amy Spar, 29, a new mother in Chicago and a longtime fan of the show. The writers are making a few concessions to obstetrical reality - for example, Sydney has trouble hoisting herself up after prenatal yoga class. Nor will she be able to slip around incognito anymore.

"When you're pregnant, you're not as anonymous," said Alison Schapker, a supervising producer on "Alias." "For Syd, it will be a sharp contrast with how she usually moves in the world" to "have strangers ask when she's due and want to touch the baby." Instead, Sydney will use the pregnancy as part of her subterfuge, tricking her opponents into believing she's helpless.

The writers do sense a few taboos in depicting a pregnant woman in mortal danger. Sydney will not purposely place herself in harm's way. Like other violently inclined heroines - from Sarah Connor in "Terminator 2" to The Bride in "Kill Bill" - she fights to protect or avenge her family. While she is "by no means going to retire to the office," Mr. Pinkner said, Sydney will focus more on intelligence gathering than physical tasks - at least until she has no choice. And even as she becomes something of a swollen-bellied superheroine, Sydney will mist up over sonogram images and choose cute accessories for her nursery.

What viewers may find most novel and startling about the story is its depiction of pregnancy as a highly seductive state - "active and glam and sexy," in Ms. Schapker's words.

"Sydney has always used her sexuality as a tool to take down the bad guys," Mr. Pinkner said, promising she will use her newfound curves to her professional advantage. "I find pregnant women very sexy, and I don't mean that in an icky way," he added. But some viewers may disagree, said Lynn Spigel, a professor of radio, television and film at Northwestern University. "For anyone who watches the show because they think she's hot, it does become an issue," she said.

What may seem more familiar to viewers is Sydney's commitment to her job. The real C.I.A., in compliance with federal regulations, allows female agents, even those in the most taxing field positions, to work until when they deliver. On the most basic level, Sydney is simply another woman "working through her pregnancy," Ms. Schapker said.

As is Jennifer Garner. The actress married the actor Ben Affleck earlier this year and has since blurted out the baby's gender - it's a girl - on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and traded child-rearing tips on the air with Martha Stewart. (Ms. Garner would not comment for this article.) Given the tabloid coverage of the couple, the public may know too much about Ms. Garner's pregnancy for the show to leave it alone.

The attention seems unlikely to result in high ratings for "Alias," which ABC has moved from a plum spot right after the hit "Lost" to a position opposite CBS's "Survivor," "The O.C." on Fox, and WB's "Smallville." (The season premiere was the lowest-rated yet for the show, finishing third in its time period in total viewers.) But the storyline may give the show some clarity: with characters who regularly switch between being alive or dead (or good or evil) and lots of business about a 15th-century prophecy, it hasn't always been clear what Agent Bristow is fighting for. Now it is. And the baby's father may not be as dead as he seems: Michael Vartan, who plays Agent Vaughn, is "still very much a part of the show," Mr. Pinkner hinted.

After a climactic birth episode - don't expect Sydney to deliver in the safe, scrubbed corridors of Cedars-Sinai, the writers say - the show will take a midseason hiatus. Then Sydney will face a job description perhaps even tougher than expecting spy: new-mother spy. As with the pregnancy storyline, motherhood will allow "Alias" to present an ultra-heightened version of the concerns of regular women, and also to have fun with how a family of spooks might handle a newborn. For instance: Jack Bristow, Sydney's emotionally distant father, may be able to disarm a nuclear weapon, but can he assemble an Ikea crib? Mr. Pinkner said he wasn't sure: after all, for Jack it will be "the first time in 20 years he's used a screwdriver for its actual intended purpose."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/06/arts/television/06alia.html?pagewanted=print

NBC Hurries new Dick Wolf series

NBC, which surprisingly axed Dick Wolf’s Law and Order: Trial By Jury” last May is rushing a new Wolf series into production.

The network, facing major problems on many nights, has put the series “Conviction” on a fast track by ordering 13 episodes, according to Thursday's Daily Variety.

Wolf, who didn’t tear down the L&O: TBJ sets, will get to use many of them as his new series focuses on the world of young assistant district attorneys.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: THURSDAY
“Four Minutes”
ESPN2 Movie reveals a Gentleman, a Scholar and a Record Breaker

By NED MARTEL The New York Times October 6, 2005

ESPN2 presents "Four Minutes" tonight at the pre-bedtime hour of 7 PM ET/PT, when the story of the post-World War II track hero Roger Bannister might attract cross-generational viewers. This virtuous, formal film seems best suited for an audience of grandparents watching with grandchildren, enjoying the theme of discipline surmounting hardship.

The skilled hands overseeing this production have often broadcast the thrills of victory, including the producer, Bud Greenspan, known for his recaps of Olympic glory. Frank Deford, the venerable sports journalist, wrote the screenplay, which salutes a simpler time, when a young Oxford student pursued a medical degree, a young lady and a world record for the first sub-four-minute mile with unwavering decorum and dedication.

Sir Roger's orthodoxy was, in fact, unorthodox, then as now. In a furrowed-brow performance by Jamie Maclachlan, the young runner trains with an old-school coach (Christopher Plummer), but bucks even his elder's advice to scale back on his schoolwork. His med-school mentor, an owlish John Houseman-esque professor, chides him for dutifully sticking to his hospital rounds on the day before a big race. At least young Roger mocks his own single-mindedness on one occasion, when his girlfriend gets a look at the elaborate laboratory he has devised to test his pace and his breathing and the post-exertion lactic acid in his blood. "I'm Dr. Frankenstein," he tells her, "and I'm also my own monster."

The film occasionally verges toward Hallmarky malarkey, with running scenes à la "Chariots of Fire" and posed silhouettes of the coach in his wheelchair and the girlfriend under her umbrella. The story would seem suspiciously sanitized except that, in all likelihood, no one really had a dark side to hide, and misbehavior had no place in this achievement. (The only degree of peevishness that the stoic scholar-athlete displays is toward newspaper critics, who are portrayed as carpers when he loses and sycophants when he wins.) Therefore, the story is well suited to ESPN's revised outlook after its pro-football series, "Playmakers," offered a ruthless take on the sporting life.

Since the knighted champion's retirement from competition, his successors have shaved little more than 16 seconds off his record. Storytelling in the 21st century, however, moves at a much swifter pace, and rarely do sports biopics stay so studiously within the chalky lines of the track

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/06/arts/television/06mart.html?pagewanted=print

Speaking of ESPN .... how do we feel about ESPN1/2-HD's now that ESPN is planning to move away from actual sports on their main channels (ala MTV.)

I think they'll continue to have lots of live sports with NFL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball giving them plenty of inventory. And as you know there is talk ESPN going after a good portion of the NASCAR contract, too.

Perhaps they'll simply cut back a bit on SportsCenter repeats to allow the occasional "Four Minutes" and other programming.

.

Ever the optomist :)

Very true, HDTVC!

But if ESPN HD ends up not providing enough live sports events others will surely step in: OLN or FSN regionals or someone we haven't yet thought of.

By 2007/08 it will be the rare game not broadcast in HD -- either nationally or regionally.

Admittedly that is two years from now, but next year all NFL games will be in HD by contract, and a substantial number of both NHL and NBA games will be broadcast in HD this winter. NCAA football will more than double its HD numbers this year and there will also be far more NCAA hoops in HD this winter.

MLB saw strong growth of HD on RSNs this year -- with MLB EI and InHD providing many more games than anyone expected even this spring.

A number of RSNs which did HD only did a dozen or so MLB games, but already many are saying they will do more, while others, like FSN Pittsburgh, have announced they will begin HD production in 2006. And of course WGN HD, Yes HD and NESN HD broadcast many games this season. Hopefully next year their numbers will grow and there will be a way to get those HD productions more widely distributed.

As you noted above, I do prefer to see the glass as half full. :)

And it seems to be getting fuller all the time.

PBS to broadcast piano competition in 1080i

Oct 5, 2005 3:45 PM
HD Technology Update e-newsletter


PBS will present the HD production of “The Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: In the Heart of Music” to millions of viewers later this month.

The competition was produced in the 1080i high-definition format. Some of the competitors, including key performers and finalists, were captured using Sony’s HDW-700A camcorder, recording to Sony’s HDCAM videocassettes.

Others were shot using Sony’s new HDV camcorders, a combination of the professional version HVR-Z1U and the consumer version HDR-FX1. The HDV camcorders captured the action on Sony’s new DigtalMaster tape.

The documentary producers downconverted HD footage to SD as it was being shot so that it could be streamed live from the Cliburn competition’s Web site.

Anyone watch HBO's Extras (which is hilarious btw) and notice that it is filmed in 16:9 but not HD and in a 4:3 window? Why isn't it broadcast in full 16:9?

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON:
“Nightline”
Requiem for a Heavyweight

By John Eggerton oof Broadcasting & Cable writing at bcbeat.com

I don't know what the new Nightline will become, but it is clear that the Nightline I've known and loved -- and taken for granted for years -- is going away.

That show, which put the news of the day in context or advanced it thanks to the best interviewer of his generation, or probably any other, is being replaced by a multi-anchor news show that will be softer, more New York, more L.A., and younger skewing.

Gotta get those demos, those dollars. But at what price?

The handwriting has been on the wall so long that it has probably been translated into a dozen languages by now.

Today's news of the "sort of" move to New York should not have come as a shock, but it did, or at least a blow.

I am a fan from way back. I was in the audience for the special Nightline broadcast that aired after ABC's airing of nuclear scare story, The Day After. That has to have been more than 20 years ago.

It was Ted Koppel and Henry Kissinger talking about armageddon. OK, it was tied to an entertainment show, and probably during sweeps, but it felt important and serious. I even had a great question that I never got to ask, so I will ask it now.

"Mr. Kissinger, do you think it is wise for U.S. field officers to have the power to unilaterally deploy field nuclear weapons [I always thought it had to be the President, but that is only for the big bombs, at least according to somebody at the Pentagon who I trust]."

Nightline brought out that kind of question in me, the kind of person who is more likely to want to know what shows Dick Van Dyke likes. It's Jeopardy! and Seinfeld, by the way.

Nightline has always felt important and serious, which is why I was so shocked that ABC treated the show as shabbily as it did when courting David Letterman for the slot a couple years back.

Had I been a network exec instead of a lowly scribe, I would have kept Nightline as a serious, D.C.-based news show if for no other reason than I could claim it as my own at cocktail parties and other social gatherings where associated luster is always useful.

"Well, yes," I could say, "I did just greenlight that reality special, Extreme Proctological Exams, but did you see John Roberts on Nightline last night?

There is a certain redemptive quality about supporting good shows even if they do not squeeze the last dime out of a demo. It's also public service, but that obligation is put on TV stations, not networks.

Business is business, and business must grow.

Making money is never enough. You have to make enough money, and enough is never enough anyway.

Something will be lost if Nightline becomes a sort of Entertainment Tonightline in an effort to chase the demos of Dave and Jay (and Jon).

Maybe that won't happen, but I share several Nightline staffers' doubts.

That show's heartbeat has been Washington, where Koppel, as our surrogate, put kings and commoners through the ringer, if that's where they needed to go.

Now that heart is being transplanted to Times Square, where the main control room will be, and the show opening will be produced, where the new executive producer resides, and where the corporate titans hold court.

If my source is to be believed, and I believe my source, the show will probably not open with topical news unless the story is a "grabber," and Hollywood stories will get played up to boost the West Coast numbers.

It feels like a death in the family. I hope I am being histrionic and unnecesarily maudlin.

Go ahead ABC, prove me wrong. Please.

http://www.bcbeat.com/

Thanks Dave. That fleshes out my memory a bit, and it sounds about right -- although both Moriarty and Wolf have been pretty quiet about what actually happened. Yet Wolf obviously enjoys the challenge of shaking up his cast(s) regularly, so who knows?

According to the unofficial L&O guide book, Michael decided to go to Canada and open some cafe (ala Rick's in "Casablanca"). I don't know how well that went. Apparently he also had some "medication" and "behavior" issues.

I believe he did resurface in USA's "The 4400" (I never watched it so I can't tell what happened).

I always wonder if Michael regrets leaving what was, probably, his best role in his career.

I think he might regret it on some level (probably financial) but Michael is a pretty serious actor.

And as I recall, he prefers theater and more serious film work. His role as the pitcher (opposite DeNiro's dying catcher) in "Bang The Drum Slowly" was remarkable.

Clearly his work hasn't been as visible since the L&O days, but I have never heard or read that he was unhappy with speaking out the way he did.

Wednesday’s network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

I think he might regret it on some level (probably financial) but Michael is a pretty serious actor.

And as I recall, he prefers theater and more serious film work. His role as the pitcher (opposite DeNiro's dying catcher) in "Bang The Drum Slowly" was remarkable.

Clearly his work hasn't been as visible since the L&O days, but I have never heard or read that he was unhappy with speaking out the way he did.

You think he might want to come back and "visit"? (Maybe, as a now-elderly victim of a crime)

After all, after the first two seasons, with the exceptions of George Dzunda (Greevy, who was shot and killed) and Paul Sorvino (Cerreta, shot and went on admin leave/disability retirement), everyone else from seasons 1 and 2 (Kragen, Robinette, Logan, Schiff) has appeared in one way or another in the L&O universe.

Wednesday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

Michael Moriarty, according to IMDB.com:

Notable TV Guest Appearances

1. "The 4400" playing "Orson Bailey" in episode: "Pilot" (episode # 1.1) 11 July 2004

2. "Just Cause" playing "Dr. Hamilton Whitney" in episode: "Death's Details" (episode # 1.13) 12 January 2003

3. "The Dead Zone" playing "Reverend Purdy" in episode: "Unaired Pilot" (episode # 1.0)

4. "The Outer Limits" playing "Solicitor-General Wallace Gannon" in episode: "Final Appeal" (episode # 6.21) 3 September 2000

5. "Strange World" in episode: "Pilot" (episode # 1.1) 8 March 1999

6. "Touched by an Angel" playing "Dr. Chester Crayton" in episode: "Seek and Ye Shall Find" (episode # 4.21) 5 April 1998

7. "Poltergeist: The Legacy" playing "Major Jonathon Boyle" in episode: "Father to Son" (episode # 3.5) 20 February 1998

8. "Dead Man's Gun" playing "John Pike" in episode: "Death Warrant" (episode # 1.9) 15 October 1997

9. "The Equalizer" playing "Wayne 'Seti' Virgil" in episode: "Starfire" (episode # 4.15) 13 April 1989

10. "The Twilight Zone" playing "Warren Cribbens" in episode: "20/20 Vision" (episode # 3.12) 10 December 1988

11. "The Equalizer" playing "Peter Kapik" in episode: "Encounter in a Closed Room" (episode # 3.5) 14 October 1987

12. "Hotel" playing "Brad Carlton" in episode: "Heroes" (episode # 3.17) 26 February 1986

13. "Cagney & Lacey" playing "Patrick Lowell" in episode: "Act of Conscience" (episode # 5.13) 13 January 1986

Anyone watch HBO's Extras (which is hilarious btw) and notice that it is filmed in 16:9 but not HD and in a 4:3 window? Why isn't it broadcast in full 16:9?

I have a feeling that it is produced in the UK in the euro-widescreen SD format and upconverted on HBO-HD ... but I'm just guessing ;) OTOH, they could go the extra step and zoom it.

I think they'll continue to have lots of live sports with NFL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball giving them plenty of inventory. And as you know there is talk ESPN going after a good portion of the NASCAR contract, too.

Perhaps they'll simply cut back a bit on SportsCenter repeats to allow the occasional "Four Minutes" and other programming.

.

Never mind the fact that the driving force behind a lot of the ESPN Original (i.e. non true sports) programming is Mark Shapiro. Shapiro has already put in his notice to leave ESPN. If the next ESPN head honcho is more focused on returning to thier core appeal, hopefully we will see even more live sports. Plus, like fredfa said, I love that others are pushing to do more like HD sports too.

You think he might want to come back and "visit"? (Maybe, as a now-elderly victim of a crime)

After all, after the first two seasons, with the exceptions of George Dzunda (Greevy, who was shot and killed) and Paul Sorvino (Cerreta, shot and went on admin leave/disability retirement), everyone else from seasons 1 and 2 (Kragen, Robinette, Logan, Schiff) has appeared in one way or another in the L&O universe.


I think that's a great idea....maybe someone close to Dick Wolf is reading.... :)

But Dick Wolf may have more serious problems to worry about. When a show starts being called “fading” it is cause for alarm:

(From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column of Thursday, October 6, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)

“…At 10 p.m…NBC’s fading Law & Order was first in the hour in the overnights (10.2/16), second in total viewers (12.19 million) and third among adults 18-49 (3.9/10)…”

(Source: Nielsen Media Research data)

Stunner: Sinking Martha (and E-Ring) in a rebound
Martha: Up 19 percent week to week after moving to 9 PM ET/PT

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 6, 2005

Martha Stewart’s showing some signs of life.

After being moved to the tougher 9 p.m. timeslot, opposite ABC’s “Lost,” last night, “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart” actually bettered last week’s ratings. “Martha” averaged a 2.5 Nielsen overnight rating among viewers 18-49, according to Nielsen, equaling the season-high it earned two weeks ago for its premiere. It was up 19 percent over last week's 2.1.

NBC decided last week to switch “Martha,” originally at 8 p.m., and “E-Ring,” its new 9 p.m. drama that was faltering against “Lost.”

It looked like NBC was sacrificing “Martha’s” success for “E-Ring,” as the 8 p.m. time slot has much easier competition, aging sitcoms on the other Big Four networks. In fact, both shows did better in their new slots.

“E-Ring” jumped to a 2.4 rating last night after posting a 2.1 last week.

Women appear to be the key to “Martha’s” week-to week growth. Among women 18-49, “Martha” averaged a 3.4 rating last night, up from a 2.9 last week. Among females 18-34, her rating went from a 2.5 to a 3.0.

By no means does this make “Martha” a hit, as it’s still performing well below preseason expectations, but it has to be a somewhat encouraging sign for NBC. Original episodes of “West Wing” weren’t doing much better than “Martha” in the timeslot last year.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_543.asp

Speaking of ESPN .... how do we feel about ESPN1/2-HD's now that ESPN is planning to move away from actual sports on their main channels (ala MTV.)


In the glass is half empty column, HDTVC, it can’t be good news for ESPN viewers that the executive VP of advertising sales has now been put in charge of all content at ESPN (and ABC Sports).

Here are some details from mediaweek.com:

“ESPN has restructured its business units, dividing executive responsibilities in six specific areas: content, technology, sales and marketing, international, finance and administration.

The move, initiated by George Bodenheimer, ESPN and ABC Sports president, and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, involves the promotion of several executives and the shifting of duties, including the promotion of John Skipper, most recently executive vp, advertising sales and ESPN Enterprises, to executive vp, content. Skipper will now oversee content in all its forms for all ESPN and ABC Sports television, radio, Internet, publishing, wireless, broadband, and Enterprises operations…”

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001261679

What NBC must do to revive Thursday

By Kevin Downey MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 6, 2005

One of the stunners of this new season is just how poorly NBC is doing on Thursday night, even worse than many media planners and buyers had anticipated.

What was once known as “Must-See TV” is now in shambles, and clearly NBC's top programming whizzes, network president Jeff Zucker and entertainment president Kevin Reilly, are in need of a bit of programming advice.

Here it is: Embrace the past.

It's not exactly a no-brainer, but it's close. NBC was the reigning network for two decades based on a very clear logic centered around owning Thursday night. That in turn was built on a lineup of four comedies from 8 to 10 and an hour drama leading into the late news. The thinking: People who turned in for one sitcom would be inclined to stay for the evening.

The strategy was put in place in 1981 by then-NBC chief Fred Silverman and maintained by all who followed, from Grant Tinker to Brandon Tartikoff and Warren Littlefield, to name three. It was dismantled only 18 months ago, in early 2004, by Zucker, with disastrous results.

“It was that deep bench of powerful sitcoms that made that night and, in many ways, accounted for a good portion of NBC’s success from the mid-'80s to recent years,” says Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University.

“I think that’s the way back. People say the sitcom is dead, but it was only a year ago for the final episode of ‘Friends,’ which was consistently No. 1.”

In practical terms, to revive Thursday night NBC must move its fast-fading 'The Apprentice" to another night and perhaps move its new and very promising "My Name Is Earl" in from Tuesday night, along with one other comedy, perhaps the returning "Scrubs."

Here's one lineup that could well work: "Earl" at 8, "Scrubs" at 8:30, then "Joey" at 9 and "Will & Grace" at 9:30 leading into "ER."

Viewers who tuned in for "Earl" would likely stay with "Scrubs," giving NBC a solid first hour, and then perhaps through "Joey" and "Will & Grace." The 9 p.m. slot would be better for "Joey," as would 9:30 for "Will & Grace," as the only comedies of note airing against CBS's hit who-done-it "CSI."

Another piece of advice for Zucker and Reilly is to focus on developing high-quality programs, resisting the urge to slot in quickie ratings-grabbers like “The Apprentice.” They may well grab but they fade just as quickly, and the cost just in terms of lost momentum is huge.

Another mantra of NBC's great years was quality.

“First be best, then be first,” was how Tinker put it in 1986, at the end of his five years at the helm, as the legendary executive behind television classics such as “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Hill Street Blues.” That sensibility remained in place for another decade and more through the Tartikoff and Littlefield years and such long-running hit series as the “Cosby Show,” “Cheers,” “Seinfeld” and “Friends.”

Certainly, NBC has nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain by patiently focusing on developing quality programs, says Susan Hajny, broadcast research manager at GSD&M.

“If they want to do it, they have to do it with quality,” she says. “That takes time. It’s going to take something really good to break the habit [of watching CBS].”

NBC must do something. Ratings on NBC’s Thursday began fading last year and have only grown worse this season. With two Thursdays clocked in, NBC trails CBS in adults 18-49 with a 4.9 average rating, a third lower than CBS’s 7.4.

NBC is also suffering against increasingly tough competition on Fox, ABC, UPN and the WB, which have averaged a 2.7, 2.2, 1.8 and a 1.6 rating.

But not everyone who thinks NBC must rethink Thursday necessarily agrees it ought to do so just now. Steve Sternberg, executive vice president of audience analysis at Magna Global, says that this season NBC should focus on nights where it stands a chance of winning, such as Tuesday, before tackling Thursday. “I’d wait until next season to attack Thursday [because] any moves now just might make things worse.”

He thinks "Earl" ought to remain where it is in the meantime.

Thompson thinks "Earl" belongs on Thursday night but not as the lead-off show.

“’My Name is Earl’ could have a significant place on the [Thursday] schedule,” he says. “If NBC could find two solid sitcoms and then put ‘Earl’ on at 9 p.m., it could probably hold its own. That show has potential, but it’s not the type of show that builds a renaissance.”

And Thompson in any case doesn't see a quick turnaround for NBC's Thursday night. Coming up with those quality shows can take years for a network that's tumbled the way NBC has.

“My guess for NBC is that it’s going to be a slow process. What they need is a bunch of good half-hours. After 20 years of ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Frasier,’ sitcoms have to be really good before people will watch them. And they are hard to find.”

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/printer_520.asp

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”

The Los Angeles Times

Stars: Gail O'Grady ("NYPD Blue"), Nicole Sullivan ("The King of Queens"), Sofía Vergara (the crossover Univision/travel series "Fuera de Serie"), Christina Moore, Evan Handler ("Sex and the City"), Stephen Dunham, Amy Hill.

The premise: "Designing Women" set in a high-end Manhattan real-estate firm; the mood is now postfeminist and raunchy, but sisterhood still proves powerful. O'Grady is a former hard- partyer married to a man just a little more than half her age, Sullivan is a chronic romantic also-ran, Vergara a Latin bombshell with no gaydar. They are newly joined by upper East Side jilted bride and virgin Moore. The talk is all about love, sex and (network cross-promotion alert) Oprah.

http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/suncal/cl-ca-chris4sep04,2,3134676,print.htmlstory

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”
By John Maynard The Washington Post
The tagline you'll never see: May draw a high interest rate.
The basics: Meet the gals of the Hot Properties real estate firm. Ava (Gail O'Grady) runs the place and is married to a 25-year-old who thinks Ava is 33. (She's actually forty-something). Chloe (Nicole Sullivan) is the desperate housewife of the bunch, although she's no housewife. Just desperate. Sultry Lola (Sofia Vergara) just left her husband of 10 years after finding out he's gay. And Emerson (Christina Moore) is a rich preppy who recently joined the firm after dumping her less-than-faithful fiance. It's some work and a lot of play for this alluring quartet who, in between wooing potential buyers, wash down cocktails as they dish the dirt about their personal lives.
The lowdown: Remember the family friendly haven that was once ABC's "TGIF" Friday night lineup? Sexy, sassy and just a little naughty, "Properties" proves that ABC has come a long way since those days of innocence. The sitcom follows another female-dominated comedy, "Hope & Faith," which -- bad news for "Properties" -- isn't exactly a ratings draw. "Properties" stands in strong contrast to two thrillers that share its block -- CBS's "Threshold" and Fox's "Killer Instinct," but it will have to fight for a similar demographic with NBC's dreams-do-come-true reality series "Three Wishes."
Reality check: Clearly inspired by both "Sex and the City" and "Designing Women," "Properties" racks up enough laughs if you're looking for some brain drain on a Friday night. Each of the lead characters brings something to the table, and O'Grady, who first made a splash on "NYPD Blue," is always a delight to see on the small screen. But it's the characters of Chloe and Lola who make the most impact. Stay tuned for a future episode in which Chloe confronts a judgmental mother and Lola grieves over a deceased pet chicken. Silly, but satisfying.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092701159_pf.html

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”
The talk of 'Hot Properties' is all sex

By Bill Goodykoontz The Arizona Republic

One of the things Hot Properties does, along with shows of similar ilk, is make you appreciate how good Sex and the City was. Even if you didn't like it. Watch 10 minutes of Hot Properties and Sex is Shakespeare in comparison. Gail O'Grady stars as an older - in her 40s (this is TV-world older) - real estate agent married to a younger man, which gives her and her co-workers (also women) one of many chances to talk about sex. That is, in fact, about all they do. Nice work if you can get it, I guess. Shallow would be a step up. So would funny.

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/tv/articles/1006tvseason.html

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”

By Rick Kushman Sacramento Bee TV Columnist

Four women - none of them kids anymore - sell Manhattan real estate and talk about their love lives, or the lack thereof.

What’s What: Gail O'Grady, ostensibly the lead, seems out of place and a bit serious for this. The rest (Nicole Sullivan, Sofia Vergara and Christina Moore) have pretty good chemistry, which elevates an otherwise lame sitcom into, I guess, so-so territory. Or it might all be Sullivan, who has great comic timing.

Rickster Scale: 2

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/columns/kushman/v-print/story/13573084p-14413378c.html

In the glass is half empty column, HDTVC, it can’t be good news for ESPN viewers that the executive VP of advertising sales has now been put in charge of all content at ESPN (and ABC Sports).

Don't say I (and other media watchers) didn't warn you. This is starting to look like a classic bait and switch in order to grab more and more bandwidth real-estate ... As if the ESPNU debacle isn't enough of a heads-up ;)

I am not doubting that ESPN is going to have to add lots of non-live event programming to fill out it roster.

But, the two ESPN HD channels will broadcast almost double the number of events this year over last.

(Frankly, with repeat after repeat of SportsCenter and all the poker, I am pretty disenchanted already.)

It seems to me that ESPNU was simply added to the Disney roster so that ESPN had some place to put less desirable NCAA action -- and so it could keep those conferences from making contracts with FSN or CSTV.

Live “West Wing” Scheduled for Nov. 6th
PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGERS SQUARE OFF IN DEBATE

(NBC Press release Published: October 6, 2005)

BURBANK, Calif. -- October 6, 2005 -- In a first for NBC's "The West Wing" (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. ET/PT), the Emmy Award-winning series will broadcast a live episode featuring a debate between presidential candidates Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Senator Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) on Sunday, Nov. 6 (8-9 p.m. ET).

Very few contemporary drama series have attempted live episodes. NBC's "ER" -- also from executive producer John Wells -- produced a live episode for its fourth season premiere in September 1997.

The format of the episode will allow for a tension-packed debate between Democrat Santos and his Republican opponent Vinick. Two live versions will be telecast, one for the East Coast and another for the West Coast. This episode will be written by Lawrence O'Donnell, and directed by Alex Graves, both executive producers of the series.

http://nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20051006000000-westwinggoeslive.html

The WB Cancels “Just Legal”

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com

The WB has canceled its new Monday night lawyer buddy drama "Just Legal" after three airings.

The series, which starred Don Johnson and Jay Baruchel as unlikely law partners, scored a 0.9 rating Oct. 3 in adults 18 to 49, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was down 18 percent from its Sept. 19 premiere, which suffered a 45 percent decline from last season's "Everwood" premiere in the same time period.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8688

What NBC must do to revive Thursday

By Kevin Downey MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 6, 2005

One of the stunners of this new season is just how poorly NBC is doing on Thursday night, even worse than many media planners and buyers had anticipated.

What was once known as “Must-See TV” is now in shambles, and clearly NBC's top programming whizzes, network president Jeff Zucker and entertainment president Kevin Reilly, are in need of a bit of programming advice.

Here it is: Embrace the past.

It's not exactly a no-brainer, but it's close. NBC was the reigning network for two decades based on a very clear logic centered around owning Thursday night. That in turn was built on a lineup of four comedies from 8 to 10 and an hour drama leading into the late news. The thinking: People who turned in for one sitcom would be inclined to stay for the evening.

The strategy was put in place in 1981 by then-NBC chief Fred Silverman and maintained by all who followed, from Grant Tinker to Brandon Tartikoff and Warren Littlefield, to name three. It was dismantled only 18 months ago, in early 2004, by Zucker, with disastrous results.

“It was that deep bench of powerful sitcoms that made that night and, in many ways, accounted for a good portion of NBC’s success from the mid-'80s to recent years,” says Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University.

“I think that’s the way back. People say the sitcom is dead, but it was only a year ago for the final episode of ‘Friends,’ which was consistently No. 1.”

In practical terms, to revive Thursday night NBC must move its fast-fading 'The Apprentice" to another night and perhaps move its new and very promising "My Name Is Earl" in from Tuesday night, along with one other comedy, perhaps the returning "Scrubs."

Here's one lineup that could well work: "Earl" at 8, "Scrubs" at 8:30, then "Joey" at 9 and "Will & Grace" at 9:30 leading into "ER."

Viewers who tuned in for "Earl" would likely stay with "Scrubs," giving NBC a solid first hour, and then perhaps through "Joey" and "Will & Grace." The 9 p.m. slot would be better for "Joey," as would 9:30 for "Will & Grace," as the only comedies of note airing against CBS's hit who-done-it "CSI."

Another piece of advice for Zucker and Reilly is to focus on developing high-quality programs, resisting the urge to slot in quickie ratings-grabbers like “The Apprentice.” They may well grab but they fade just as quickly, and the cost just in terms of lost momentum is huge.

Another mantra of NBC's great years was quality.

“First be best, then be first,” was how Tinker put it in 1986, at the end of his five years at the helm, as the legendary executive behind television classics such as “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Hill Street Blues.” That sensibility remained in place for another decade and more through the Tartikoff and Littlefield years and such long-running hit series as the “Cosby Show,” “Cheers,” “Seinfeld” and “Friends.”

Certainly, NBC has nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain by patiently focusing on developing quality programs, says Susan Hajny, broadcast research manager at GSD&M.

“If they want to do it, they have to do it with quality,” she says. “That takes time. It’s going to take something really good to break the habit [of watching CBS].”

NBC must do something. Ratings on NBC’s Thursday began fading last year and have only grown worse this season. With two Thursdays clocked in, NBC trails CBS in adults 18-49 with a 4.9 average rating, a third lower than CBS’s 7.4.

NBC is also suffering against increasingly tough competition on Fox, ABC, UPN and the WB, which have averaged a 2.7, 2.2, 1.8 and a 1.6 rating.

But not everyone who thinks NBC must rethink Thursday necessarily agrees it ought to do so just now. Steve Sternberg, executive vice president of audience analysis at Magna Global, says that this season NBC should focus on nights where it stands a chance of winning, such as Tuesday, before tackling Thursday. “I’d wait until next season to attack Thursday [because] any moves now just might make things worse.”

He thinks "Earl" ought to remain where it is in the meantime.

Thompson thinks "Earl" belongs on Thursday night but not as the lead-off show.

“’My Name is Earl’ could have a significant place on the [Thursday] schedule,” he says. “If NBC could find two solid sitcoms and then put ‘Earl’ on at 9 p.m., it could probably hold its own. That show has potential, but it’s not the type of show that builds a renaissance.”

And Thompson in any case doesn't see a quick turnaround for NBC's Thursday night. Coming up with those quality shows can take years for a network that's tumbled the way NBC has.

“My guess for NBC is that it’s going to be a slow process. What they need is a bunch of good half-hours. After 20 years of ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Frasier,’ sitcoms have to be really good before people will watch them. And they are hard to find.”

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/printer_520.asp

'Supernatural' Gets Full Season Pickup

By Chris Lisotta TVWeek.com October 6, 2005

The WB has given a full season order to its new Tuesday night horror drama "Supernatural."

The show, which premiered before the official start of the 2005-06 season Sept. 13, scored a 2.4 among adults 18 to 49 in its most recent airing Tuesday, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was up 9 percent from its performance in the demo the previous week.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8692

Last Ted Koppel “Nightline” Scheduled

ABC announced late Thursday that the final "Nightline” hosted by Ted Koppel will air on Tuesday, Nov. 22nd.

The post-Koppel “Nightline” era begins (after the Thanksgiving weekend) on Monday, Nov. 28th.

Koppel and long-time producfer Tom Nbettag are expected to work together on new projects in the future. Expect announcements on those in the coming weeks.

“TV Guide” Moves In New Direction
After 53 years, the little magazine gets big

By Walt Belcher Tampa Tribune Published: Oct 6, 2005

TAMPA - Say goodbye to the familiar little TV Guide.

Next week, the magazine that has covered the television industry since 1953 will undergo dramatic changes. It will become bigger in size with fewer listings.

A part of our collective pop culture history is changing as the result of technology.

Once it had the largest circulation of any magazine. Now it is starting over.

The television landscape is so crowded that no publication can list it all, so TV Guide will try for quality instead of quantity.

For its final week as a "listings digest," the magazine created nine cover shots, featuring contemporary stars re-enacting some of its most memorable covers from the past half-century. (To see a gallery of all TV Guide covers, go to online .tvguide.com/games/cover gallery.)

On newsstands this week are:

* * Reba McEntire as Lucille Ball (originally published on Oct. 13, 2001, celebrating the 50th anniversary of "I Love Lucy")

* * The cast of "Scrubs" as the cast of "M*A*S*H" (Jan. 24, 1976)

* * Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer of "Two and a Half Men" as "The Odd Couple" (Feb. 6, 1971)

* * Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa as Maj. Nelson and Jeannie in "I Dream of Jeannie" (Feb. 5, 1966)

* * Homer Simpson as Fred Flintstone -- as drawn by Matt Groening (June 13, 1964)

* * Dan Marino and Greg Gumbel as detectives Crockett and Tubbs from "Miami Vice" (July 27, 1985)

* * The cast of "Bernie Mac" as the cast of "Good Times" (Dec. 14, 1974)

* * Conan O'Brien as Buffalo Bob from "Howdy Doody" (June 25, 1954)

"We are responding to the changes in technology and the industry and how people use television today," says Eileen Murphy, vice president of communications at TV Guide.

She says the new magazine will be "full-sized," like Time or Newsweek. The contents will be 75 percent news and features about television and only 25 percent listings. That's a flip from 75 percent listings and 25 percent news.

"There was a time people got all the listings, national and local, from the guide, but now there are a number of sources for that information," she said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

Because viewers can instantly access listings online (at the TV Guide Web site, tvguide.com) and the TV Guide Channel, there is no longer a need to provide a comprehensive list. Satellite and cable companies also offer on-screen listings and highlights.

"We have decided to offer information and guidance," Murphy says. "There will be more reviews, more photos, more information about selected programs and more breaking news."

TV Guide will have a three-day lead time for publication instead of three weeks.

Launched in 1953 by Walter Annenberg, whose family made a fortune publishing The Daily Racing Form, TV Guide grew with the industry and became the bible for dedicated couch potatoes.

Circulation peaked in 1975 at more than 20 million subscribers. Today, circulation is down to 9 million. Its decline has paralleled the growth in cable, satellite, TiVo and the Internet.

Faced with hundreds of channels, TV Guide found the task of listing the majority of them a challenge. The magazine has been printed in 140 editions to cover all the local markets in the country.

Keeping up with listings in print has become almost impossible, especially with the growth in "on demand" services. Some cable companies offer hundreds of programs on demand.

Subscribers who get the current TV Guide will continue to receive the new editions. But the company, owned by Gemstar-TV Guide International, is reducing its rate base, the circulation guaranteed to advertisers, from 9 million to 3.2 million for the launch. The cover price drops from $2.49 to $1.99.

"We are just closing one chapter and turning the page; it's not the end of TV Guide," Murphy says. "The popular columns and features such as 'Cheers and Jeers,' 'Hits and Misses' and Matt Roush's TV reviews will remain, and we are adding a lot of new features. We will still be the best at covering the industry and helping the viewer."

http://walttv.tbo.com/walttv/MGB7QT8WEEE.html

The WB Cancels “Just Legal”

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com

The WB has canceled its new Monday night lawyer buddy drama "Just Legal" after three airings.


http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8688

The billboards for this show gave me the creeps. It was too close in name to "Barely Legal". Personally I think it was a poor choice for the title.

The billboards for this show gave me the creeps. It was too close in name to "Barely Legal". Personally I think it was a poor choice for the title.

Not everyone would have thought of "Barely Legal". :p

Actually, I thought the show had a bit of a spark. It certainly wasn't great, but it had some potential if it had time to grow a bit.

But it had no chance on the WB, the demographics were all wrong.

I guess it's time to cancel my TV Guide subscription. It was actually more convenient at times to check it for listings instead of other sources.

I agree, but there were so many listings -- crammed into such little space -- that it has gotten almost useless to me lately.

All good things come to an end, I guess. But back in the day, it was a necessity.

Dang!! I enjoyed "Just Legal" and found it interesting. It was the Legal version (pun intended) Doogie Howser. :)

Agreed, Daryl L -- but shows get only a week or two to prove themselves these days.

Even "Seinfeld" would never have made it in this atmosphere.

Agreed, Daryl L -- but shows get only a week or two to prove themselves these days.

Even "Seinfeld" would never have made it in this atmosphere.

I believe you on that. We would have been lost without Al Bundy educating us on Manly Men. LOL! Been like this the past ~4 years since the later MTV teens gradiated and got in as execs. :D Very impatient. :)

The complete schedule for all Major League Division Series games in HD is at the top of Latest News the first post in this thread.

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”
Market limited for 'Hot Properties'

By Joanne Weintraub Milwaukee Journal Sentinel TV critic

You know, as the fall premiere season goes on and on and on, even a TV critic can get tired of being critical.

So, to spare you 500 words of carping and whining, here's the good news about "Hot Properties," a new ABC sitcom about four sexy women - "hot properties," get it? - who work at an upscale Manhattan real estate agency.

• Gail O'Grady, who plays the owner of the agency, deserves a lot of credit for her excellent work as Helen Pryor in NBC's now-canceled "American Dreams."

• Nicole Sullivan, co-starring as a sales agent who's saving up for a boob job, was hilarious in Fox's "Mad TV."

• Sofia Vergara, portraying a Latina agent who believes the opposite of "old" is "joung," has a body Pamela Anderson would envy.

• Christina Moore, as a rich deb inexplicably turned drone, has a body Tyra Banks would envy.

• The pilot has a fairly funny joke about Botox.

• The second episode has three kind of funny jokes about Vergara's character's pet chicken.

• Creator Suzanne Martin's last comedy, the WB's 2001 "Maybe It's Me," was really good.

• Hey, it's only 30 minutes long. And if you skip it, you can catch the second half of "Threshold," a very cool drama on CBS.

http://www.jsonline.com/enter/tvradio/oct05/361009.asp?format=print

TV SEASON PREVIEW: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”

'Hot Properties' is designed to sell

By Melanie McFarland Seattle Post-Intelligencer TV Critic Friday, October 7, 2005

Must be tough, premiering in the kill zone.

Yep, at this point in the season, all middling performers have targets on their backs. That means Fox's "Arrested Development" too. Critical acclaim and statues may have gotten the superior sitcom this far, but after its switch to Mondays at 8 -- done with begging, I'm merely letting you know when it's on -- nobody's watching.

Bad signs don't come any worse than this week's scuttlebutt from the U.K.'s Sky.com: Ricky Gervais wanted to do a cameo on the series, but Fox wouldn't agree to fly him over. So it took the "Arrested" cast, small fry on the News Corporation food chain, to offer to pay for his airfare out of their own pockets before the network finally ponied up. Not good.

Into this poisonous atmosphere comes "Hot Properties," a comedy about four women working in the real estate game, debuting at 9:30 PM ET/PT tonight. That this is an ABC comedy is an obstacle in itself; the network hasn't popped out a superior chuckler in many, many revolutions round the sun, and "Hot Properties" isn't going to break that losing streak.

"Hot Properties' " saving grace could be its lead-in, "Hope & Faith." Kelly Ripa's little sitcom that could (even though it really shouldn't) still manages to attract a sizable audience of folks who do not appear to care that she can't act her way out of a tote bag.

Hey, whatever floats your boat. Just know that "Hot Properties" has a little more snap than "Hope & Faith," enough to keep viewers entertained for its first half-hour, and possibly return for more punishment -- er, another serving.

Maybe that's too harsh; it could be a lot worse. In fact, the series' most powerful detraction, from a ratings standpoint, is that Ripa isn't in it. So you'll just have to settle for Gail O'Grady, a skilled actress; Nicole Sullivan, a "MADtv" standout; and Sofia Vergara, a curvy Latina superstar with heavenly knockers. Ladies probably don't care about their nice racks, though. Guys sure do, but most of them won't be watching. No, women need something else -- a little interesting story development, some decent writing. "Hot Properties" has seedlings of both, and an able lead in O'Grady.

As for the premise, well, four women selling real estate doesn't exactly make a Friday night couch potato leap for the remote. "Designing Women" probably didn't either, but that series clicked more solidly out of the gate than this pale imitation.

But it's easy enough to gawk at Ava Summerlin (O'Grady), a fortysomething woman passing for thirtysomething, at least when she's with her 25-year-old husband. Her co-worker and pal Chloe (Sullivan) is the donkey to Ava's racehorse, a pathetic creature who exists to keep everyone around her entertained at her low standards and easy access. What femme-centric sitcom would be complete without a pair like these?

Updating the mix, though, we have Lola (Vergara), whose glorious cleavage and thick accent should make her a man-killer, except she apparently emits a vibe attractive solely to gay men and losers. As the series opens, the trio shares their office with Dr. Sellers Boyd, therapist and resident eunuch (Evan Handler) and Dr. Charlie Thorpe, the house pig-doggie (Stephen Dunham).

What this place needs is a rich, naive virgin to kick around. Am I right? Here comes Emerson Ives (Christina Moore) who stops by to find an apartment for herself and her fiance, a guy she believes to be saving himself for marriage. Like her.

Revelations are made; tea is consumed, we find out Chloe's even more of a desperate skeaze than previously thought. By the second episode, Emerson's working with them, Lola's pet chicken has died, and if you are smart, you will have rounded up enough of your friends to play Clue or found a decent church Bingo game.

The "Hope & Faith" legions may glom onto "Hot Properties" with ease, so even in this tough environment, don't count it out.

However, these shows are a different story:

"The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" -- Switching it from 8 to 9 Wednesdays wasn't NBC's way of saving it from "America's Next Top Model." It was to hide it behind "Lost" until it runs its course. Similarly ...

"The West Wing" -- The move to Sundays at 8 this season isn't doing much to sell viewers on another administration. I wouldn't hold onto much hope for "The Office," "Surface," or for that matter, "Joey," either.

"Just Legal" -- Another OK series up against too many ratings grabbers; a bad fit for The WB.

"According to Jim" -- America's critics thank you for not watching ABC's Tuesday night comedies.

Kiss UPN's "Sex, Love & Secrets" buh-bye, because it has stopped production. Reapply and wait for the ax to drop on Fox's "Killer Instinct" and "Kitchen Confidential," and NBC's "Inconceivable."

The good news is that Fox's "Prison Break," UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" and NBC's "My Name Is Earl" have been picked up for full seasons as of press time. Expect similar good news for The WB's "Supernatural," Fox's "Bones" CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" and "Ghost Whisperer" and ABC's "Commander in Chief."

And the rest? Keep your eyes glued to the screen and your fingers crossed.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/printer2/index.asp?ploc=t&refer=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/243664_tv07.html

Networks sleep on Saturdays

By Dusty Saunders (Denver) Rocky Mountain News October 6, 2005

Saturday became the loneliest night of the week for the networks more than a decade ago.

Once a haven for marquee series such as Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family, M*A*S*H and Golden Girls, the night has deteriorated into "Network Rerun Theater" with occasional TV movies.

Look at this week's Saturday schedule on the Big Three.

• ABC: reruns of three popular dramas aired earlier this week - Lost, Invasion and Commander in Chief.

• NBC: three repeats of recent episodes of Earl, its new comedy, and a rerun of Law & Order: SVU.

• CBS: the most watched network has scheduled reruns of hit crime dramas NCIS and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. New on the CBS schedule is 48 Hours Mystery, a weekly guts-and-guns series about real murder and mayhem, which always looks like a repeat hour.

This deterioration of Saturday night television was hastened by the birth of the VCR age. As the network schedules deteriorated, those not out on the town began watching rented videos.

Now, with the DVD and On-Demand era in full swing, the networks should consider airing jazzy test patterns or infomercials as a way of saving money.

And don't look for attempts to revitalize Saturday night. The networks are faced with another challenge: keeping Friday prime time from being just as lonely.

So far this season, Friday network viewing is at an all-time, new season low. None of the new or returning series displays a major audience spark.

CBS' Ghost Whisperer, about a young woman who chats with the dead, has found some fans, mostly older viewers. (There's obviously a psychological reason about such viewing habits). NBC's Three Wishes, a touching entry in which Grammy-winning artist Amy Grant travels the country to help deserving people, has failed to stir viewers.

CBS' Threshold, starring Carl Gugino (Karen Sisco) as the head of a government team chasing extraterrestrial invaders, deserves a better night and more viewers.

Meanwhile, none of the comedies on the WB and Fox has stirred the imagination of Nielsen families. But the worst disaster is NBC's Inconceivable, a drama about doctors at a fertility clinic who supposedly are on a quest to help desperate couples conceive. Their quest is regularly interrupted by their own soap opera problems and hidden secrets.

I wonder how many critics have written that it's inconceivable that NBC could come up with such a lame soapy series? Viewers must agree, since they've stayed away.

The result: NBC has bumped Inconceivable off the schedule Friday night for a rerun of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. While Inconceivable will return Oct. 14, it's conceivable a cancellation notice is in the mail.

And Frfday night ABC adds insult to Friday injury, premiering the worst new series of the season. Hot Properties (9:30 PM ET/PT) is a coarse, heavy-on-the-laughtrack comedy about a group of New York women who attempt to sell condos when they're not talking about men, sex and breasts.

An obvious rip-off of Designing Women, Hot Properties will be a major disappointment to fans of Gail O'Grady, so good as the compassionate, understanding mom on NBC's American Dreams.

O'Grady's agent seemingly sold her a cold piece of television property. It's sadly appropriate that Hot Properties joins the Friday night lineup.

http://www.insidedenver.com/drmn/entertainment_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_84_4135258,00.html

THE 2005-06 TV SEASON: THE NEW SHOWS
Nielson Demos for New Programs

Nielsen Releases First Local Demographic Ratings
for New Broadcast Series Premiering This Fall

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 PRNewswire-- Nielsen Media Research today reported that among viewers age 25-54, "Invasion" was the highest rated new television show premiering this season in four of seven television markets measured with Local People Meters (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.) Among this same demographic group, "My Name is Earl" was the highest rated premiering new show in New York, while "Commander in Chief" was the highest rated new premiere in Washington and "Criminal Minds" was the highest rated in San Francisco.

This is the first time that local demographic ratings have been widely available day-by-day for new shows premiering during the fall television season. These LPM ratings provide previously unobtainable overnight data on who watched the first episodes of original broadcast prime time series airing in September. Nielsen had earlier reported on new cable television series that premiered during the summer.

Nielsen's data also shows that among adult women, the initial episode of "Commander in Chief" was the highest rated new program in six of the seven LPM markets, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. In San Francisco "Criminal Minds" was the number one show among women.

Among adult men, the first episode of "Invasion" was the highest rated new premiere in three LPM markets (Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles), while "My Name is Earl" was the number one premiere in Washington, DC and San Francisco, "Commander in Chief" was number one in New York and "Criminal Minds" was number one in Philadelphia.

Comparing these local ratings to the national ratings during the same period, "Invasion" was the highest rated new premiere nationwide among both viewers age 25-54 and adult men, while "Commander in Chief" was first among adult women and "My Name is Earl" was the highest rated new premiere among viewers age 18-34.

By local market, highlights of LPM ratings among premieres of new series included the following (see tables for more details at http://everyonecounts.tv/public/documents/100605_premier_topten.pdf):

Boston -- Several new shows had their best premiers in Boston, including "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," which finished first among viewers age 18-34; "Ghost Whisperer," which finished third among women and fifth among men; and "Out of Practice" which finished fourth among viewers 25-54 and fifth among women.

Chicago -- "Invasion" was easily the most popular new premiere, finishing first among men and viewers 25-54 and 18-34. "E-Ring" had its strongest showing in Chicago, finishing sixth among viewers 25-54 and fifth among women.

Los Angeles -- "Criminal Minds" performed well in Los Angeles, finishing third among women and fourth among viewers age 25-54. "Supernatural" finished sixth among viewers 25-54, its strongest showing in any market.

Philadelphia -- A number of shows had their highest demographic ratings among all seven LPM markets in Philadelphia, including: "Invasion," with a 10.0 rating among viewers 25-54; "War at Home," with a 10.4 rating among viewers 18-34; "Commander in Chief," with a rating of 12.9 among women; "Criminal Minds," which garnered a 9.1 rating among men.

New York -- "Everybody Loves Chris" which was the number one show among viewers 18-34, and "Love, Inc.," which finished fifth among this demographic, both had their best performance in New York.

San Francisco -- "Bones" finished second among both viewers age 25-54 and adult women. "Prison Break" finished first among viewers age 18-34, its strongest showing in any market.

Washington, DC -- "Commander in Chief" finished first among adult women and viewers 25-54, while "My Name is Earl" finished first among men and viewers 18-34. In Washington, DC, "Prison Break" finished in the top ten for all four demographics, the only market where it did so.

http://channels.netscape.com/news/story.jsp?id=2005100614344822270699&dt=20051006143400&w=PR&coview=

THE TV SEASON: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”
Sex and the witty? Hardly

By Diane Werts Newsday Staff Writer October 7, 2005

HOT PROPERTIES. Manhattan real estate agents play "matchmakers for people and homes." Babe-o-rama is clearly inspired by "Sex and the City" while bearing it no resemblance whatsoever. Smutty sitcom premieres tonight at 9:30 PM ET/PT on ABC.

Maybe the entire studio-staged, live-audience sitcom has to die out completely before the genre can be reborn. That might rid the industry of all those laff-riot gag writers constitutionally unable to script an occurrence or a conversation that makes real-world sense. Unfortunately, their death throes inflict the pain on us.

"Hot Properties" is the latest non-starter working 10 times harder to create improbable situations than plausible characters. Even the title is hee-larious. See, this ABC gem is about sexy young Manhattan real-estate specialists arranging love along with leases. "Hot" properties? Double entendre!

Here's the progression of tonight's stitch-a-minute pilot.

First need-bigger-boobs joke: 30 seconds in.

First I-didn't-realize-he-was-gay joke: 2 minutes in.

First "little swimmers" sperm joke: 3 minutes in.

First made-love-three-times-last-night joke: 4 minutes in.

Got the picture? Gail O'Grady is the sleek leaderly married one (sperm needer). Nicole Sullivan plays the desperate single partner (bigger-boobs needer). And then there's Sofia Vergara's Latin spitfire colleague ("gaydar" needer). Into their office walks Audra Blaser as a "trust-fund Barbie" named Emerson Ives.

Add the barge-in boys working next door - Stephen Dunham and Evan Handler, in this season's quick-joke jobs of plastic surgeon and therapist. And that's pretty much it. You don't need to know anything more about how they behave because their characters don't matter. Only the formula jokes do. Parsing the difference between "easy" and "slutty" is the pilot high point. Unless it's the oh-so-fresh Botox joke.

If that isn't enough shallow pandering, our fulsome foursome sloppily adore Oprah and fixate on pop culture ephemera. (Next week it's celebrity mug shots.) It's as if the entire show were designed from the pages of In Touch and Inside TV. And not by people who enjoy such celeb drool, either, but folks who feel just fine condescendingly citing their touchstones to manipulate them.

The series' clearest inspiration - which by no means connotes "Hot Properties" is inspired - must be "Sex and the City," with its lovelorn quartet striding shoulder to shoulder through Manhattan's romance wilderness. But ABC's little-girl gang of four represents nothing more than cliches, right down to next week's revelation that our Latin bombshell's beloved pet Mittens is a chicken. You'll surely love the joke about choking it.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel4456608oct07,0,4829265,print.story?coll=ny-television-headlines

Cancellation News

The WB still hasn’t decided what will permanently (or whatever passes for permanently in network TV) fill the 9 PM ET/PT slot of “Just Legal” which it canceled on Thursday.

This coming Monday, though, it will repeat the premiere episode of “Related”.

And in other bad news on TV row, NBC has now officially canceled the Friday night series “Inconceivable”.

“Hot Properties”

No master of prime time
Martha Stewart's "Apprentice" hasn't attracted many viewers and has sparked friction between NBC and Mark Burnett.

By Scott Collins Los Angeles Times Staff Writer October 7, 2005

Three weeks into the fall TV season, Martha Stewart just isn't fitting in with NBC's prime-time dreams.

With the domestic diva on the comeback trail after a five-month federal prison sentence, "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" was expected to at least pique viewers' interest, if not become a monster hit. Instead, it has been a flat souffle bogging down NBC's Wednesday night lineup — and it may even be dampening viewer interest in the original "Apprentice," starring Donald Trump. That show, along with the aging "ER," are propping up what's left of NBC's once-dominant Thursday schedule.

To make matters worse, behind-the-scenes jockeying over Stewart's troubled spinoff has sparked friction between the network and famed "Apprentice" producer Mark Burnett, who also oversees the lucrative "Survivor" franchise for CBS.

Burnett was particularly unhappy with NBC's decision to push "Apprentice: Martha," starting this week, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., where it was expected to be crushed by ABC's hit thriller "Lost." The move was widely interpreted as a last-ditch effort to save "E-Ring," the low-rated Pentagon thriller from producer Jerry Bruckheimer that's switching places with Stewart's show, and tacit admission that the end of "Apprentice: Martha" is a matter of when, not if.

"Now we'll have 'E-Ring' leading into 'Martha,' which isn't a good lead-in," Burnett said in a phone interview earlier this week. But then, Burnett thought his reality show and Bruckheimer's drama made an ill-suited pairing from the start. "I've never understood the connection between the two, but I'm not a scheduler.... Clearly the move is designed to save 'E-Ring.' "

Burnett was mollified somewhat this week when ratings for "Apprentice: Martha" actually grew slightly in the new time slot, although it's still a long way from a hit. "Despite very few promos [the program] showed decent growth," Burnett wrote in an e-mail Thursday. Still, as it tries to battle back from low ratings, NBC can ill afford a public spat with a producer of Burnett's stature.

Despite some recent setbacks — including last season's boxing series "The Contender," a costly flop for NBC — the British-born Burnett remains one of the most highly regarded and prolific TV show suppliers in Hollywood. When asked if the "Martha" dust-up had damaged relations with Burnett, NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly replied, "I'd like to not think so," adding, "Every show Mark does is extremely well-produced."

Burnett is hardly the first producer to tangle with network executives over scheduling. But the Martha Stewart situation is a little more complicated than most, largely because NBC and Burnett have placed an unusually large wager on the diva's comeback.

The network is also distributing "Martha," her new daytime syndicated show, which, unlike "Apprentice: Martha," has gotten off to a fairly strong start in the ratings. (In many markets the program ranks first or second in its time slot, although in Los Angeles it's averaging third place at 3 p.m. weekdays on KNBC, behind two strong competitors, "Oprah" on KABC and "Judge Judy" on KCBS.)

The syndicated series is owned by Stewart's company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which is also on the rebound following some dark days (NBC Universal also has a stake in the show beyond its distribution rights). Burnett serves as an executive producer on both the daytime and prime-time shows.

"The Apprentice," a corporate-themed contest in which young hotshots jostle for the approval of a prospective boss, inevitably channels Trump's larger-than-life personality; pressed for a tagline to match The Donald's magisterial "You're fired!," Stewart has offered the more tentative, "You just don't fit in."

The syndicated "Martha" has freer rein in letting Stewart be herself, blending the host's fabled household know-how with the conventions of a daytime talk show. This week, for example, Stewart taught Jessica Alba how to make pink applesauce, and soon-to-be mother Jennifer Garner dropped by for a baby-themed show.

To a much greater extent than "Apprentice," the syndicated show is aimed at helping sell Martha-branded products at Kmart and elsewhere, and building that sort of market awareness is the main reason Stewart does TV to begin with. Unlike, say, Oprah Winfrey or Ellen DeGeneres, Stewart is a merchandiser first and a television personality second.

"The daytime show is our bread and butter," said Susan Lyne, the former ABC entertainment chief and current chief executive of Martha Stewart Living. "We've only been on the air three weeks, and our sales [at Kmarts] are up significantly."

She declined to offer a precise figure, citing confidentiality agreements with Kmart.

Lyne admitted that she was disappointed with the "Apprentice: Martha" ratings. But the company still finds the show valuable, she added, because it exposes the Stewart brand to viewers who will never see the daytime series.

Stewart wanted to do both shows this fall, Lyne said, to give a big marketing push to the company, whose survival was in doubt as the founder went to prison for lying to investigators regarding a 2001 stock sale.

"After a couple of tough years, all of us felt getting back into television [would] jump-start the company's business again," Lyne said.

Adding the two programs simultaneously may have made sense for Stewart, but the recipe hasn't gone so well for NBC. The network may have overestimated viewers' interest in Stewart's post-prison life. In one ominous sign, a CBS movie starring Cybill Shepherd that chronicled Stewart's stock scandal and aftermath tanked last month.

The publicity blitz for the two new series may have simply left Stewart overexposed. "Maybe there was too much press," Burnett said. "It was, like, everywhere."

Even some within NBC have pondered the wisdom of running the Stewart and Trump versions of "The Apprentice" at the same time.

"I'd ask the same question: 'Why do you have two of them on? It feels a little odd,' " Reilly told reporters in July. He answered by saying that the network had nothing else it felt would work as well as Trump on Thursday nights and that "we wanted to get Martha on the air. She's hot right now."

Lower-than-expected numbers for The Donald and Martha suggest that "Apprentice" might be permanently damaged. "NBC made a tactical mistake," said Bill Carroll, who advises local stations on programming for Katz Media in New York.

Without saying so publicly, NBC executives now appear to have virtually given up on "Apprentice: Martha." The decision to move the show opposite "Lost" — which has roared into its second season as one of the most-watched shows on television — virtually guarantees some tough going in the ratings in coming weeks.

Burnett, suddenly hopeful after this week's ratings improvement for "Apprentice: Martha," is trying to take it all in stride.

"I'm not mad," he said. "It's just business."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-martha7oct07,0,2643229,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

(The Los Angeles Times Friday, Oct. 7)

OLN's first hockey telecast, New York at Philadelphia on Wednesday night, opposite playoff baseball, was seen in 268,000 households. In 2003, ESPN's opening night NHL coverage was seen in 476,000 homes.... In L.A., the OLN game got a zero rating.

To put these numbers into some sort of perspective, the New York Yankees in a regular season game against Baltimore Sept 21 had a 6.3 household rating (about average for September) in the New York area. That is 465,000 homes out of just 6.7% of the nation's TV households.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-tvcol7oct07,1,1990374,print.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

BBC Broadcast transmits HD to IBC2005

Oct 6, 2005 1:52 PM
IBC Update e-newsletter


Providing a glimpse into Europe’s HDTV future, BBC Broadcast transmitted an MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 HD test channel simultaneously from its Broadcast Center in West London to the RAI Exhibition and Congress Centre in Amsterdam during IBC2005.

Received and displayed at several locations on the exhibition floor, the specially crafted HD signal carried a variety of programs, including sports, drama, arts, nature and current affairs programming, designed to show off the visual appeal of high definition.

The test channel was broadcast using the Eutelsat EUROBIRD 1 satellite. Transmission from the Broadcast Center to Amsterdam was made possible with help from systems integrator TSL, and equipment from Axon, Miranda, Omnibus, Pro-Bel, Snell & Wilcox, Trilogy, JVC, Omneon Video Networks, Pixel Power, Screen Subtitling Systems, Tektronix and Vistek.

TANDBERG Television supplied MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC HD encoders and professional receivers, with connectivity and uplinking provided by Siemens.

Eutelsat provided a full transponder on EUROBIRD 1, and MPEG-4 HD receivers were supplied by Pace Micro Technology and Eldon Technology.

The TV Column
Don & Melanie's WB Shows Go Their Separate Ways

By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Friday, October 7, 2005; C07

Don Johnson's WB series has been shuttered.

Melanie Griffith's WB series has not.

Melanie wins.

Johnson's WB series was a can't-miss proposition, hailing as it did from the Jerry Bruckheimer hit-making machine.

Two-time-Don-ex Griffith's sitcom was a much less sure thing, being the work of David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, who, yes, brought us "Will & Grace" but also "Good Morning, Miami" and "Boston Common" (blech!).

Johnson's series averaged about 3.1 million viewers in its three broadcasts since the official start of the new TV season.

Griffith's series averaged only about 2.3 million in its two telecasts (Episode 3 airs tonight).

But the drama "Just Legal," in which Johnson played an ethically challenged lawyer, each week lost a couple million viewers off its "7th Heaven" lead-in.

Whereas the sitcom "Twins," in which Griffith plays the ditsy former lingerie-model mom of Sara Gilbert, each week built on its lousy "What I Like About You" audience.

"Just Legal," which also starred Jay Baruchel, did very poorly among WB's target age group, 12-to-34-year-olds. Twelve-year-olds were being potty-trained when Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson divorced for the second time. Thirty-four-year-olds were just entering kindergarten when Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson married the first time.

Seven episodes of "Just Legal" were shot.

On the bright side, WB had ordered a full season's worth of "Supernatural," which is doing well among those 12-to-34-year-olds and hanging on to almost all its "Gilmore Girls" lead-in audience. It's the first of the season's new Die, Women, Die! dramas to get a full season order.

* * *

NBC has ordered another drama series from Dick Wolf, but it doesn't start with "Law & Order."

"Conviction" will follow a bunch of young assistant district attorneys in New York as they are confronted with high-profile cases that challenge their limited experience.

NBC says it has ordered 13 episodes of "Conviction," which -- unlike the "Law & Order" shows, which are about the cases -- will be "character oriented."

So far, the only known star of the new series is the "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" set.

Wolf, whose shop is set up at NBC Universal, and NBC, which is owned by NBC Universal, decided not to scrap the sets when NBC killed that show last spring. Some of them will be used in "Conviction."

"I'm pleased and gratified that the gamble that was taken to hold the 'Trial by Jury' sets in place has paid off," Wolf said in a statement.

"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" was the first of the "L&O" franchise not to make it to a second season. It debuted in March, and when NBC pulled the plug it was averaging about 10.7 million viewers and about 3.1 percent of the country's 18-to-49-year-olds in the difficult Friday 10 p.m. period.

But in the '02-'03 TV season, "Law & Order: SVU" had averaged 5 percent of that golden age bracket in the same hour.

Then again, this season, NBC's new drama "Inconceivable" is averaging fewer than 6 million viewers and just 2 percent of the 18-to-49-year-olds.

Which just goes to show you that everything's relative.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/06/AR2005100601840_pf.html

Will The Donald Ever Say "You're Quitting?"

By Anne Becker BCBeat.com

I would like to propose a reality show called The Quitters, on which all of the contestants would be smart enough to stand up to their bully-slash-guru reality show hosts and high-tail it back home. This week on America's Next Top Model, Tyra flipped when Cassandra refused to cut an inch of her hair.

Now, to Tyra's credit, the refusal was perfectly justified: The show already chopped off, like, 12 inches of the girl's hair, and it looked better. So why would Cassandra not let them just cut that last inch? Absurd, I tell you. Absurd.

Per Tyra's wishes, Cassandra was to be remade as Mia Farrow, but the first cut didn't achieve the look Miss Tyra wanted. Cassandra, knowing she'd committed a sin with her reluctance to be completely manipulated, volunteered to pack her bags and head back to Texas to become the beauty queen she knew she wanted to be.

On last week's Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Martha similarly flipped when poor people-pleasing Chuck selflessly offered to abandon his team for failing at setting up a floral shop. Chuck was sent on his his way because Martha was so appalled that he'd even think of quitting. (She got in some gratuitous sympathy-inducing prison reference to illustrate just how far she went to keep on keeping on with her career).

On last night's Apprentice, the original version, The Donald smiled upon Rebecca for toughing it out with a sprained ankle, which she'd earned during last week's reward (a faceoff with the New York Islanders). Dude, Rebecca, your ankle's sprained! You're a liability and your team's gonna bad-mouth you! Call it quits!

Perhaps I'm dating myself here, but remember when Irene fled The Real World: Seattle (editor's note: Anne is referring to that period of Clintonian ancient history known as 1998) because she had Lyme disease? And Stephen slapped her? And threw her teddy bear in the river? That was some classic...ummm...stuff!

Anyway, The Quitters could be awesome. It'd be all these people who totally want the fame of being on TV, but are noncommittal whiny wimps. The infighting could be fantabulous (because, really, I'm very over all this Three Wishes-esque weepy, feel-good reality). And the show would be rife with brand-integration opportunities. Say, an exclusive sponsorship by Nicorette?

http://www.bcbeat.com/

OLN hockey ratings, reported by The Hollywood Reporter

Nielsen Media Research said the (first NHL game broadcast by OLN) game averaged 353,000 viewers, much better than season-to-date averages and comparisons with last year. It fell short of ESPN's opening-night national telecast of three games in October 2003, which averaged 476,000.

But ESPN2 has more distribution than Comcast-owned OLN, which is available in only about 64 million homes nationwide compared with ESPN's 88 million. And it also was a tough night for East Coast sports fans, who had to choose between hockey and postseason baseball involving both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

By OLN's standards, carrying hockey was a win. The 353,000 viewers between 7:30 -10 p.m. far exceeded OLN's Wednesday-to-date average of 125,089 viewers. Compared with a year ago, it was even more impressive. Between 7-11 p.m. -- including a pregame show and a hourlong postgame show -- OLN averaged 276,869 viewers on Wednesday (compared with 57,883 a year ago).

With the exception of Tour de France cycling coverage, it was OLN's most-watched Wednesday night on record in households, total viewers and two key demographics (men 18-49 and men 25-54).

http://channels.netscape.com/news/story.jsp?id=2005100708430002072805&dt=20051007084300&w=RTR&coview=

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
Just what did in the WB's 'Just Legal'

By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 7, 2005

The WB’s “Just Legal” was an experiment, a test to see if the WB could lure viewers who regularly watch lawyer dramas on the Big Four networks. It was an utter failure.

Yesterday “Legal” became the season’s second casualty, following Fox’s “Head Cases” two weeks ago. The WB canceled the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced show after just three outings in which it averaged a 0.9 among the network’s target 12-34 audience, ranking 112th out of 119 shows.

It was the fourth-lowest-rated new show among households behind only “Head Cases,” the WB’s “Twins” and UPN’s “Sex, Love and Secrets.”

A WB spokesperson told Media Life late yesterday that the network has not decided what will permanently replace “Legal” in the Monday 9 p.m. timeslot. A repeat of new Wednesday drama “Related” will air there this week.

The biggest problem with “Legal” wasn’t necessarily its execution but rather its conception. The show starred “Miami Vice” veteran Don Johnson as a shady lawyer who partners with a 19-year-old legal prodigy, “Undeclared’s” Jay Baruchel.

“Don Johnson's irascible charm as a boozing, bottom-feeding barrister occasionally elevates this hour above its mundane legal jockeying,” writes Variety’s Brian Lowry.

The problem was the WB’s core audience didn’t remember Johnson well enough from his glory days to get the joke.

The quirky series strayed too far from classic Bruckheimer, with a crime, an investigation and an arrest, to attract the usual legal drama fans who had no patience with “Legal’s” forced setup.

The show also skewed too old to ever survive on the WB even as it courts the upper end of the 12-34 demo. “Legal” viewers’ median age was 48.2 years old, making it by far the oldest show on the WB.

And younger viewers simply weren’t interested in a show that lacked the comforting elements of the WB’s usual family-focused teenage angst shows.

Another problem for “Legal” was that its lead-in, “Seventh Heaven,” is way down this year in almost every demo, showing natural erosion for a 10-year-old program. Even so, “Legal” was fumbling more than 50 percent of that lead-in among 12-34s.

The WB does have one new show that’s working, the 9 p.m. “Gilmore Girls” lead-out “Supernatural.” The network said yesterday that it’s given the program a full-season order after a promising start in which it’s held 85 percent of “Girls’” audience in key demos.

As for what new shows will be gone next, the best bets are UPN’s “Lies,” which has already shut down production, or NBC’s “Inconceivable,” whose third episode was bumped from tonight’s schedule.

Last year the fall’s first cancellation didn’t come until the third week of October, but many shows premiered earlier this year, giving the networks more time to evaluate their performance. Last year programs were still debuting in mid-October.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/printer_550.asp

Thursday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: FRIDAY
“Hot Properties”

'Properties' devalued

By Alan Sepinwall Newark Star-Ledger Friday, October 07, 2005

There are days when this job is a privilege, when I get to tip readers off to a brilliant new drama, where I get an advance peek at the latest episode of "Arrested Development" (two words: Bob Loblaw), where I get to interview writers and directors and actors responsible for work I admire.

Then there are those "Why, Mommy, why?" days, the ones where I have to take one for the team and suffer through some unspeakable evil disguised as entertainment, just so I can prevent you from doing the same.

Today is one of those days. Today, I clipped my eyelids open, shackled myself to my armchair and watched "Hot Properties." Now I just need to gargle some bleach to get the taste out of my mouth. Excuse me.

Okay, much better. Minty! Still with me? In another season, a piece of brainless, laughless trash like "Hot Properties" (9:30 p.m., Ch. 7) wouldn't seem quite so horrible. But in a year that's already given us "Everybody Hates Chris," "Kitchen Confidential," "How I Met Your Mother" and "My Name Is Earl," it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's a painful reminder of why no one wants to watch sitcoms anymore.

What's puzzling is that the producers clearly know what a good comedy looks like, because they've lifted so many elements from them. It's about four single women who work together but spend most of their time gabbing on the office couch (à la "Designing Women"), it has them sharing an office suite with several doctors and a wacky receptionist (à la "The Bob Newhart Show"), and every third joke is about what big tramps they are (à la "Sex and the City").

But the execution is shrill and obvious; you'll see all the punchlines coming at you, but you won't be able to duck in time to avoid the headache.

Gail O'Grady, Nicole Sullivan, Sofia Vergara and Christina Moore play partners in a New York real estate firm, all defined by their sex lives. O'Grady's slept with half the men in town but is now married to a twentysomething actor who doesn't know how old she really is. Sullivan (who made a bad career choice to leave "King of Queens" for this) has almost as many notches in her bedpost, but none of the guys ever remember her, let alone respect her, the morning after. Vergara has the kind of body that wars have been started over, but is coming out of a 10-year marriage to a gay man. And Moore is a former debutante who intends to remain a virgin until marriage, much to the dismay of the guys who take her out for expensive meals.

Every now and then, the shrink and plastic surgeon who work down the hall (played by, respectively, Evan Handler and Stephen Dunham) drop by, usually to leer at Vergara.

"We just passed (her) and I thought I saw tears on her breasts," Dunham observes early in the second episode, which deals with the death of a beloved pet chicken. Seriously.

"Hot Properties" isn't actually the worst new comedy ABC's springing on an unsuspecting public this fall -- that would be "Freddie," due to assault you next week -- but it's plenty awful.

I watch bad TV so you don't have to. So don't. For your own sakes. Don't let my sacrifice be in vain.

http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/alltv/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/112866474896640.xml&coll=1

Nasty stumble for ABC's “Night Stalker”
Spooker off 15 percent after promising debut

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 7, 2005

For once, ABC had a decent Thursday night premiere last week, when new drama “Night Stalker” averaged a 2.6 rating among 18-49s and built on its “Alias” lead-in.

Viewers must not have cared much for what they saw.

Last night the show dropped 15 percent to a 2.2 Nielsen overnight rating among 18-49s, losing 4 percent of its “Alias” lead-in. Last week “Stalker” grew 8 percent out of “Alias.”

“Stalker,” an update to the 1970s cult favorite, sounded like an interesting premise but didn’t receive many favorable reviews. The show stars Stuart Townsend, Charlize Theron’s boyfriend, as a reporter investigating supernatural occurrences.

“It’s morose, and it lacks the pulpy, pop sheen of the similarly themed 'Supernatural' on the WB,” writes Media Life critic Steven Rosen.

Viewers may have tried “Stalker” last week and tuned back to CBS’s “CSI” this week, as that show was up 0.3 rating points over last week, or 3 percent, to a 9.4. Fox’s baseball coverage also bettered last week’s 18-49 rating for “Reunion” in the hour, and WB’s “Everwood” was up over last week.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_577.asp

(from Michael Hiestand USA Today

“…The Outdoor Life Network has privacy to work out the kinks in its NHL coverage. OLN NHL coverage made its debut Tuesday and drew 0.4% of U.S. cable households — a lower rating than ESPN, which had the NHL since 1992, ever got for its opening nights. In Los Angeles and Seattle, the rating was a sublime 0.0. But excluding Tour de France shows, the NHL produced OLN's most-watched Wednesday night…”

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2005-10-07-hiestand-miller_x.htm

OBITUARY
Jerry R. Juhl -- puppeteer became top 'Muppets' writer

By Peter Fimrite San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

Jerry R. Juhl, who, as head writer for the Muppets, gave life to some of the world's most cherished and enduring childhood characters, has died.

The onetime puppeteer who gave up "wiggling dollies" and instead spent more than three decades writing the gags and creating the personality quirks that would make the Muppets internationally famous, died Sept. 27 in Mendocino County of complications from pancreatic cancer.

He was 67.

Mr. Juhl grew up in St Paul, Minn., the youngest of three children. His interest in his future profession began at the age of 8 when he spotted some puppets in a store window and begged his mother to buy him one.

Instead of a passing fancy, as his parents expected, puppetry became his passion. By the time the family moved to Menlo Park when he was 14, he was doing puppet shows at birthday parties and with local theater groups.

While attending San Jose State, he did a televised puppet show called "Sylvia and Pup" in San Jose, and he was a member of the Oakland Parks' Vagabond Puppets -- a performing troupe.

He met his future wife, Susan Doerr, the daughter of the then mayor of San Jose, before receiving his bachelor's degree in speech and drama in 1959. They married in 1965.

He became the first full time employee for Jim Henson Co. in 1961 after meeting Jim Henson at a puppeteer convention. The company coined the term "Muppet," a combination of the words marionette and puppet, and put on a series of short skits after the late night news parodying anchormen and women.

Mr. Juhl worked on Henson's first television show, "Sam and Friends" as a staff puppeteer but soon decided that "wiggling dollies," as he liked to call the art, wasn't his forte, and he started working as a writer.

He wrote sketches, jokes and setups for skits on the "Today Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Mike Douglas Show." He was soon writing hourlong specials. Kermit the Frog and other soon-to-be familiar characters began appearing on television specials like "The Great Santa Claus Switch"; "The Muppet Musicians of Bremen"; "Hey, Cinderella"; "The Frog Prince"; "A Muppet Family Christmas" and "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas."

In 1967, a producer asked him if he would be head writer on a newly created children's show based on the Muppets. At the time, said his wife, Susan, he had been living in New York for eight years and was desperate to get back to California. He also had doubts that such a show would, as he put it, "have legs," so he turned down the job with "Sesame Street."

Instead, he packed his beat up old Triumph and moved to Cambria, in San Luis Obispo County, with only $2,000 in his pocket. But his vagabond days were short-lived. Within three weeks he had been persuaded to write for "Sesame Street" from California.

For the next six years he would type scripts for the Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Big Bird, Elmo, Bert and Ernie and The Count and mail them in. He created Super Grover, a superhero version of Grover, the hairy monster. He received two Emmy Awards for his work on "Sesame Street."

In 1976, after all the American networks had turned it down, "The Muppet Show" was taken to England, and Mr. Juhl became head writer.

"We packed up our bags, moved to London and shot 12 shows and then came back," said his wife, who collaborated on several projects with her husband. "Then the show was aired in England, and it became a huge success. After that they wanted us to come back and do as many shows as we could. When we arrived this time, we were met with fleets of limousines."

"The Muppet Show" eventually aired in more than 100 countries, becoming one of the most watched television shows in the world. Mr. Juhl won Writer's Guild of America awards in 1978 and 1979. In 1981, he won an Emmy for the "dance marathon" episode of "The Muppet Show" featuring Carol Burnett.

Next for Mr. Juhl came "The Muppet Movie," a wildly popular full length feature about a small-swamp frog that travels to Hollywood to make it in show business only to find himself at odds with the proprietor of the French-Fried Frog's Legs restaurant chain.

That was followed by the "Great Muppet Caper," "Muppet Treasure Island" and, in 1992, "The Muppet Christmas Carol," which won him an award of excellence from the Film Advisory Board. Mr. Juhl was also head writer on "The Jim Henson Hour."

He had a hand in shaping most of the major Muppet characters but he was especially proud of The Great Gonzo, a blue, bug-eyed, hooked-nosed daredevil who takes pride in his iconoclasm while romantically pursuing a chicken named Camilla.

In "The Great Muppet Caper," nobody can figure out what kind of creature he is, so Gonzo is shipped to England in a crate labeled "Whatever."

"When it comes to the characters, it's all a collaborative effort with the writers and performers," Mr. Juhl said in a 1998 interview on the Muppet Central Web site. "We all have a family quality that picks itself up in the writing what with all the time we spend together. The writers see the performers play around in rehearsal or on set between takes, and when something works, we'll use it in the scripts."

Mr. Juhl was also the writer and creative producer of "Fraggle Rock," which featured his wife as a writer and script editor. Pitched modestly as a show that would end war and bring about world peace, it was met with critical acclaim when it appeared on HBO, but did not last.

The series was recently released on DVD after 30,000 Muppet fans signed an online petition.

"He was proud of 'Fraggle Rock,' " his wife said. "It's about friendship and tolerance and the joy in goofiness."

Mr. Juhl moved to Caspar in Mendocino County in 1987 and got involved in environmental and community causes. He was also a baker, and for years he attempted to create the perfect bagel, said his wife.

But he never stopped writing, once telling an inquiring friend that "you'll know I'm really retired when they carry me out in a box."

"So much of the humor, irreverence, caring and heart that has been central to our work for 50 years began with Jerry Juhl," wrote Jim Henson's daughter, Lisa Henson. "He was in many ways the real voice of the Muppets."

"Jerry had four families," said his wife. "His relatives, the Muppet gang, friends he met along his life's journey, and the Casparados."

None of them ever saw him carried out in a box, either, she said. He was cremated.

Mr. Juhl is survived by his wife, Susan, of Caspar, and a brother, Phillip Juhl of Waverly, Iowa.

A celebration of his life will be held at noon Nov. 12 at the Caspar Community Center, where funny nose glasses will be provided.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Caspar Community Center, 15051 Caspar Road, Caspar, CA 95420.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/05/BAG4AF2LSQ1.DTL&type=printable

MLB, Fox Discuss Launching a New Cable Sports Net

By John Consoli MediaWeek.com October 07, 2005

Major League Baseball and Fox are in discussions about joining together to start a cable sports network, according to various sources familiar with the talks.

The new network would not only air a package of MLB games, the partnership also would be contingent on Fox getting the TV rights to air the National Football League's new Thursday-Saturday night prime-time package.

Sources said MLB has delayed announcing a start date for its previously announced Baseball Network to see if a deal can be worked out with Fox on a broader, multi-sport network that would include baseball, football and other professional sports and sports programming.

For the moment, Fox is concentrating its talks with MLB on renewing its current broadcast TV rights deal, which has become particularly pressing since ratings in the early days of the MLB playoffs are up over last season. The playoffs are where Fox is able to recoup (through advertising on the higher rated games) most of the rights dollars it pays out.

But Fox also reportedly wants to reup the current Tuesday-Thursday package that currently runs on ESPN, but to which Fox owns the rights. As it's currently structured, that package also includes early rounds of the MLB playoffs not airing on Fox.

Comcast's OLN is also very interested in that package and is talking to MLB about it. But MLB has leeway to break up the package into any configuration that yields the best deal, such as offering packages for other days to OLN or Fox as part of a cable package.

Fox's exclusive window for renegotiating its broadcast package ends late this year, so the priority is to make sure it redoes that deal, before talks move on to starting a cable sports network partnership with MLB.

Fox has publicly stated it is not interested in the NFL's Thursday-Saturday package, and a Fox spokesman declined to comment on the possibility of Fox partnering with MLB, which also had no comment.

But sources familiar with the discussions said if MLB and Fox were to partner in a cable sports network, Fox would need to secure telecast rights to some NFL games for that network in order for the partnership to work.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001262930

New Boss for “Commander In Chief”

Broadcasting & Cable reported late Friday that veteran TV Producer Steven Bochko (“Hill Street Blues”, “LA Law”, “Doogie Howser, M.D”, and many other shows, will take over from Rod Lurie as the person in charge of the Geena Davis freshman drama.

Bochko has won a total of 10 Emmys for “Hill Street” and “Law”.

According to B&C, series creator Rod Lurie will remain as an executive producer of “Chief” but will focus on other projects at Disney’s Touchstone Television.

Bochko's most recent project was the critically-acclaimed (although ratings-challenged) series "Over There" which appeared this summer on FX.

More details…..
Bochco Takes Over “Commander-in-Chief “

By A.J. Frutkin MediaWeek.com October 07, 2005

In a surprising creative switcheroo, Steven Bocho is taking over as showrunner of ABC's White House drama Commander-in-Chief. Created and exec produced by Rod Lurie, the series is produced by Disney's Touchstone Television, and stars Geena Davis as the nation's first female president.

Sources familiar with the show said logistical setbacks had begun to seriously hamper production on the program, resulting in a change at the top. Lurie will keep his exec producer title, while day-to-day operations will be overseen by Bochco, who signed a three-year production deal with Touchstone last month.

“I have always been a huge Rod Lurie fan and I’m excited about working with my new partners at Touchstone in helping to realize Touchstone’s and Rod Lurie’s vision,” Bochco said in a statement released by Touchstone late Friday.

In a vote of confidence for Lurie's creative talents, Touchstone announced a new overall production deal with him and writing partner Marc Frydman. Lurie said the two were “overwhelmed by the confidence Touchstone Television has shown in us and we’re thrilled to continue trying to knock’em out of the park.”

Touchstone TV president Mark Pedowitz added, “We thank Rod Lurie for creating Commander In Chief and shepherding its successful launch and we appreciate Steven Bochco coming on board to provide his leadership as we continue through the season.”

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/networktv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001263075

Bochko's most recent project was the critically-acclaimed (although ratings-challenged) series "Over There" which appeared this summer on FX.Any chance you know if Over There has been picked up for next summer? There are only 2 more episodes left, I think, and I'm already missing it. :)

I don't think any announcement has been made.

It was very expensive, and the numbers kept steadily falling. But it was a critical darling.

Thanks Fred, I'm sure I'll read about it here first if it happens. :)

That's good news for CIC.

I also hope "Over There" returns as well.

It was very expensive.Just how much can a bunch of sand, some adobe buildings, and a few humvees cost? :)

It was the Humvees! :)

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON:
So much good TV - so little time

By Rick Kushman Sacramento Bee TV Columnist Friday, October 7, 2005

No time to sleep. Gotta eat fast. Fire up the VCR and the TiVo. Too much to watch. Too much to follow. There's way too bloody much TV on right now.

Seriously, there is too much television out there - legitimately good television. It's hard to keep up. It's hard to find time to watch even a solid chunk of it. And I'm a professional.

Don't start with me about "all the junk" and, please, spare me the "vast wasteland" clichés. The world of TV is vast, and there is surely plenty of waste. But there's also plenty of good stuff. Tons of it. Anyone watching the junk should be looking inward.

What's the good stuff? How about "Lost," "House," the "CSIs," the "Law & Orders," "Gilmore Girls," "Medium," "Desperate Housewives," "Everwood," "Without a Trace," "Veronica Mars," "Cold Case," "Grey's Anatomy," "The O.C.," "7th Heaven," "Las Vegas," "Nova," "Frontline," "Numb3rs" or "Smallville"?

And there are the new shows, like "Bones," "Threshold," "Supernatural," "Criminal Minds," "Commander in Chief," "Just Legal," and, really, "Prison Break."

I can make an argument for watching any of those. Maybe for watching all of them if you didn't have to, you know, ever move.

Comedy, you say? What about comedy?

I give you "Two and a Half Men," "Arrested Development," "My Name Is Earl," "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Extras," "South Park," "Reno 9-1-1," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Office," "Girlfriends," "Weeds," "Barbershop," "King of the Hill," "The Bernie Mac Show" or just about anything on "Adult Swim." Just stay away, I implore you, from "Will & Grace." You might never laugh again.

And there is yet more TV. On cable, you have FX's "Over There" and "Nip/Tuck." They just finished "Rescue Me," and "The Shield" comes back in the spring. HBO's got "Rome." I don't even like Roman-era stuff, but "Rome" rocks. And we just saw the seasons end for USA's "Monk," Sci Fi's "Battlestar Gallactica," and TNT's "Wanted" and "The Closer." Even Lifetime's "Strong Medicine" and "Missing" are not half bad.

Then there are all those oddly addicting shows banging around cable like "Iron Chef," "American Chopper," "Celebrity Poker Showdown," "The Crocodile Hunter" and "Forensic Files."

That doesn't even include those two pillars of nightly TV: "SportsCenter" and the "Daily Show With John Stewart." Oh, and this spring, "The Sopranos" returns.

That is too much television. That also might explain why the average American household has a set turned on more than eight hours a day, according to Nielsen Media Research, and why, maybe, we can't seem to find time to get that leaky faucet fixed. Or is that just me?

This is not an argument for watching all of those shows. For anyone who proudly ignores TV, that's a fine investment of your time. I will say, however, if you watch no TV, you miss seeing a big part of who we are as a culture. TV both reflects trends and moods, and it creates them by its sheer addictiveness and ubiquity.

But that's a subject for another day. Right now, we're just saying there is a lot out there. That's also why - if you're counting - no new series has immediately popped this fall season, the way "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" did a year ago.

Another reason is that a lot of people are already watching "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," two running serials that more or less require viewers to tune in almost every week. That's a big commitment with just those two. Then there are the continuing plots on everything from "The OC" and "The West Wing" to "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" to the reality shows like "Survivor," "The Amazing Race," "The Apprentice" or, in January, "American Idol." Who has time for a new relationship with another show?

Of course, a lot of the new network hours this season are also serials of some sort, including the three sci-fi, aliens-are-coming shows (CBS' "Threshold," NBC's "Surface" and ABC's "Invasion"), Fox's running mysteries ("Prison Break" and "Reunion"), and even ABC's "Commander in Chief." Will the nefarious speaker of the house triumph over our plucky president?

The networks, frankly, made a mistake with a lot of those. They saw the success of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" and figured viewers were ready for serials again. Maybe they were, but then they found "Lost" and "Housewives." How many serials do viewers need? And, in truth, a lot of people got hooked on "Lost" and "Housewives" before they truly understood the obligations they were getting into.

Anyway, back to the original point. So Much TV. And now, the baseball playoffs just started, the NFL is in full swing and the NBA is about to come back in another week or so. (Hockey is returning, too, on the cable channel OLN. But I'm not sure that matters.)

So when someone says, there're nothing good on TV, my answer right now is, you have to turn the set to "On."

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/columns/kushman/v-print/story/13674583p-14517098c.html

[B][COLOR=red][SIZE=4] More on Bochko & “Commander in Chief”[[B][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]

Matt Drudge at drudgereport.com says there is more information surfacing about the sudden replacement of “Commander In Chief” creator Rod Lurie with TV veteran Steven Bochko....

[B][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]EDIT AS OF October 11: [B][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]

This item has totally disappeared from drudgereport, so it seems not in the best of taste to repeat the allegations here.

Well it *must* be true then ;)

The TV Column
Steven Bochco by a Landslide

By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Saturday, October 8, 2005; C01

Hail, Steven Bochco -- "Commander in Chief's" new commander in chief.

Rod Lurie, the film critic turned film director and screenwriter who created the series, is gone as show runner (aka, guy in charge), and Bochco has been given control of ABC's fantasy White House.

Lurie will keep his executive producer title, and Touchstone TV, which produces "CiC," yesterday signed a new "two-year overall deal" with him and his Battle Plan Productions.

Touchstone, a production division of ABC parent company Disney, officially confirmed the changes -- word of which had been flying around the Hollywood TV community throughout the day.

It's very unusual for this kind of change to be made to a show that has debuted as well as "Commander in Chief," which clocked the biggest Tuesday drama series launch crowd in five years.

According to some sources with knowledge of the situation who did not want to be identified because their jobs are more important, Lurie and the network had "creative" differences about future episodes.

But another knowledgeable, and equally shy, source paints a picture of a guy being stretched too thin trying to handle writing, producing and directing on the series, while juggling those helpful "notes" from 25-year-old studio and network suits that creators of hit series find themselves suddenly enjoying. This, in turn, caused production logjams, producing that network concern.

In its official document on the change, Touchstone announced that Lurie was going to "focus his energies on developing new projects under his new overall deal with Touchstone Television." (According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, Lurie had "turned his attention" from supervising the writers' room to directing "CiC" episodes some time ago.)

"I've been a huge fan of Steven Bochco's for over two decades. I'm blown away excited to see how much more he will electrify 'Commander In Chief,' " Lurie effused in the news release.

Battle Plan Productions partner "Marc Frydman and I are overwhelmed by the confidence Touchstone Television has shown in us and we're thrilled to continue trying to knock 'em out of the park," Lurie said.

Movie stars Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland, who signed on to do a series with "film guy" Lurie ("The Contender" writer and director), now find themselves working on a series overseen by "TV guy" Bochco. Bochco, a well-respected television writer/producer, is best known for such groundbreaking series as "NYPD Blue," "Hill Street Blues," "L.A. Law" and "Doogie Howser, M.D.," as well as the infamous, short-lived police musical series "Cop Rock."

It's unclear whether, under Bochco, the president of the United States will continue to be modeled, as she has been under Lurie, after Susan Lyne, the ABC programming chief who exited in May 2004 during one of the network's many exec shuffles and who now runs Martha Stewart's operation.

As did Lurie, Bochco declined to talk to The TV Column, though he said in that news release that he always has been "a huge Rod Lurie fan" and is "excited" to be "helping to realize Touchstone's and Rod Lurie's vision."

Bochco has his own overall deal, signed last month, to create and produce TV shows at Touchstone, only his is for three years. Touchstone produces many ABC series, including "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Alias," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Night Stalker."

Bochco's most recent ABC series was the short-lived "Blind Justice," which took the "NYPD Blue" time slot when that envelope-pushing cop show ended its 12-season run.

Ironically, "Commander in Chief" has been doing well, ratings-wise. When it premiered, it attracted 16.4 million viewers -- on par with the opening episode of NBC's "The West Wing." The debut helped ABC score its biggest non-sports Tuesday crowd in nearly two years and the unveiling was the biggest Tuesday drama series premiere on any network since fall 2000.

In its second broadcast, "CiC" attracted more viewers -- which almost never happens. Just short of 17 million watched the second episode, giving the series a commanding 5.7 million-viewer lead over its closest competitor in the 9 p.m. hour, CBS's "Amazing Race."

At press time, "Commander in Chief" was the only new show this season to grow its audience from its first week to its second.

Fox deserves at least a little credit for that strong second-week showing. The network pulled its Tuesday hit "House" out of the time slot for a baseball game, sending millions of viewers scurrying to other networks to sample their shows. (NBC's "My Name Is Earl" also benefited, improving its performance by about 2 million viewers compared with the previous week.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/07/AR2005100702081_pf.html

Transitions aren't alien to 'Threshold' actress
Carla Gugino really has made the programming rounds on prime-time TV shows

Richard Huff New York Daily News

Carla Gugino is a gypsy by nature, so the notion of being tied down to a long-run television series is not as appealing as it might seem.

"I really love pouring myself into a character for several months and leaving her," Gugino says. "Pouring myself into someone for a long time is very intimidating to me,"

That is, unless it's a project she's really psyched about, which is why she said yes to Threshold, a CBS drama in which she stars as the leader of a team searching for alien life. It airs at 9 p.m. Fridays (locally on WKMG-Channel 6).

"I really felt like, wow, most pilots, when you read the script, you know what each episode is going to be like," she says. "This one is an entirely new world."

The show also stars Charles S. Dutton, Brian Van Holt, Brent Spiner, Rob Benedict and Peter Dinklage.

For Gugino, the role of Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey on Threshold is the latest in a career filled with turns.

She has played a doctor on Chicago Hope, a cop on Karen Sisco and Michael J. Fox's girlfriend on Spin City. On the big screen, she has gone from the secret-agent mother in the Spy Kids films to playing a prostitute in The Center of the World.

During the summer, she did a movie called Even Money, which she says was a human story about gamblers, and Rise, a supernatural thriller in which she played a vampire femme fatale.

"By the time I'm 80, I want to have played almost every role," Gugino says. "For me, I always gravitate toward the opposite of what I've done. . . . That comes from the inner desire to do more."

With that comes risks, of course. Sometimes the projects she's passionate about aren't critical -- or more important -- audience darlings.

"This is a risk I have to take for me," she says. "For me, it's always about having something I can be proud of, that's cool. I would rather have that than a mediocre show that's a huge success."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/orl-namescp0705oct07,0,4618981,print.story?coll=orl-caltvtop

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: SUNDAY
“West Wing” is at its very best
But NBC is killing the series by airing it on Sunday evenings

By Scott D. Pierce Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News
(Note: All times are Mountain.)

At the risk of piling on with still more criticism of NBC — which is all too easy to criticize these days — what the network has done to "The West Wing" is really ticking me off.

Essentially, the show has been exiled to Sunday nights and left there to die. And, make no mistake about it, it's dying.

On Sundays at 7 p.m., "The West Wing" is finishing third in total viewers and fourth in the 18-to-49 demo that's so important to advertisers and, thus, networks. This past Sunday, "West Wing" attracted 7.6 million viewers to 16.3 million for CBS's "Cold Case," 14.2 million for ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Fox's "The Simpsons" attracted 10.2 million from 7-7:30 p.m. and "The War at Home" was seen by 8.3 million from 7:30-8 p.m.

And this at a time when "The West Wing" is as good as it ever was. Yes, I'd go so far as to say that it's as good as that spectacular first season — just no longer new and different.

Following the campaign for President Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) successor has injected excitement, suspense and enthusiasm into the series. Yes, we've seen more of the Democratic candidate, Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits), than we've seen of the GOP hopeful, Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda). But Vinick plays a bigger part in this week's episode (Sunday, 7 p.m., Ch. 5), when he puts Santos on the defensive over immigration.

The writers have done a great job of weaving the current administration into the storylines —the issue of the White House security leak comes to a head on Sunday.

It's riveting stuff. Too bad so few people are watching.

NBC shoved "West Wing" from its Wednesday-at-8 p.m. time slot after six years to make room for "E-Ring," a show whose pilot was so poorly written and directed that it was nothing short of laughable. And "E-Ring" is doing much worse on Wednesdays than "West Wing" was — it was getting killed so badly that, earlier this week, NBC flopped it with "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," the show that was getting killed in the ratings on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

In other words, "West Wing" has been sacrificed for nothing.

http://www.desnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,615155956,00.html

Sometimes we forget the excitement we first felt when we hooked up our HDTV.

Go ahead, dish out the insults; I have satellite

Rob Kasper The Baltimore Sun October 8, 2005

After years of fighting it, I got wired this week to the modern world. I climbed up on the roof and watched a guy attach a satellite dish to our chimney.

As I watched the installer point the dish toward a satellite in the distant southwestern sky, it struck me that this device was not only going to play a role in how we spend our weekends, it also represented a seismic shift in household philosophy.

For a quarter of a century, ours was a low-tech television home. If a program couldn't be pulled in by our rooftop antenna, we didn't see it. I resisted cable, or any form of pay television. Our kids complained, saying I was tight-fisted and out of touch. My response was that their description of the situation might be accurate, but it was one they were going to have to live with.

Now the kids are out of the house. After years of preaching that watching too much television would rot their minds, my wife and I are taking the necessary technological steps to rot ours. Life is full of contradictions, especially when you're a parent.

The twin engines fueling this shift are a change in household demographics and a kitchen renovation project. In other words, we became empty nesters and we bought a fancy new TV.

The kitchen renovation, an undertaking that rivals the complexity and duration of building the Bay Bridge, is still going on. The process has forced us to make many difficult decisions, such as trying to pump wastewater uphill and relocating the circuit-breaker box. To reward ourselves for making all these grim judgments, we made a fun call, getting a new kitchen television, a flat-screen, high-definition television, or HDTV.

Right away, I recognized that this purchase meant that rather than spending my evenings pondering the meaning of life while staring into a flickering fire, I was choosing to look at the 32-inch TV screen installed above the fireplace and revel in its shallow pleasures.

What I did not comprehend was that once you dip your toe in high-tech home entertainment, you are soon swimming in fast-moving waters. To get a high-definition signal into my new TV, I had to buy more gear. I could purchase a new antenna, aim it at Baltimore's TV Hill, and hope it picked up some HDTV signals. Or I could sign up with a cable or satellite company that would bring high-definition programs and a raft of other shows into our home, once a technology-free sanctuary.

The antenna option was appealing, but chancy. Moreover, even if it worked, the only programs it would pull in would be those airing on network television, a not very exciting option.

Then my wife and I began the mind-numbing process of choosing a satellite or cable provider. We checked out Comcast Cable, DirecTV and Dish Network. We were flooded with options, and sales pitches. We picked Dish mainly because their people did the best job of answering our phoned-in questions, even if the answer givers sounded like they were sitting in India, not Glen Burnie.

Yet I had a feeling of dread - of the barbarians being at the gate - the day that the satellite guy arrived at our house to hook us up with modernity. His fluency in English was not up to William Donald Schaefer's standards, but he got the job done. After he had strung lengths of black wire through the house, I trailed him, trying to hide the wire, the evidence of what we have become.

This weekend, I plan to get to know my new remote control and the plethora of programs it can summon from the heavens. Already my wife has found an opera program and the other night the satellite sent her the David Mamet play Glengarry Glen Ross. She also listened in on a high-minded discussion of how Nobel Prize winners are picked.

I have taken a different tack with the new technology. I have been watching the Men's Channel, where guys stalk and shoot. And I've been on the lookout for Pimp My Ride, a car makeover show.

Back when our home was cable-free, I was proud that I did not regularly plant myself in front of a screen. But it was a false pride. I worried that given the opportunity to watch hours of senseless television, I probably would.

The other night, a weeknight, I stayed up well past midnight. I wasn't reading a weighty article in The New Yorker or pouring over passages written by Marcel Proust. Instead I was mesmerized by the broadcast of the Northern Illinois-Miami of Ohio football game. The rot has begun.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/bal-to.kasper08oct08,1,6530985,print.column?coll=bal-artslife-tv

Just a reminder:

Ashlee Simpson returns to Saturday Night Live tonight at 11:30 ET/PT.

This time, of course, in HD .

Friday’s network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

TV Guide tunes in to the 21st century

By Gail Pennington The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Television Critic Sunday, Oct. 09 2005

One day in July, a group of television critics sat around a lunch table in Los
Angeles and reminisced, with genuine nostalgia, about ... a TV listings
magazine.

The subject was TV Guide, which had announced just that day that after 52 years
it would abandon its compact format and become a full-size magazine with fewer
listings - 25 percent, down from 75 percent - and more pictures and features on
celebrities. That change takes effect with the Oct. 17 issue, arriving in
subscribers' mailboxes this week.

Maybe because we were predestined to grow up and write about television, most
of us at the table that July day shared vivid memories of the importance of TV
Guide in our early lives. I wasn't the only one, it turned out, who read the
magazine from cover to cover as soon as it arrived and then hoarded it after
the week was over, stacking back copies in the top of my closet.

One critic recalled visiting his small-town post office, with feverish
excitement, to find out whether his TV Guide was there yet. Others talked about
religiously marking the programs they wanted to watch and about the place of
honor the magazine occupied on the family coffee table.

Changing times

Beyond nostalgia, the loss of TV Guide as we've known it is a sign of just how
dramatically television itself has changed in recent decades. When the magazine
launched in the 1950s, TV was new and miraculous, and everything about it was
fascinating. By the early 1970s, when TV Guide's circulation peaked at 20
million, viewers still had just three broadcast networks, PBS and a handful of
independent stations from which to choose.

Now, the majority of U.S. households subscribe to cable or satellite service,
with hundreds of channels available and dozens more arriving every year.
Listing what's on every channel at every hour of the day and night would
require an unwieldy, phonebook-thick guide, not a digest-sized magazine.

Newspapers - including the Post-Dispatch, which revamped its PDtv guide in June
2004 - struggle with the same problem and have resorted to eliminating or
consolidating daytime and late-night listings while trying to carry as many
channels as possible and avoid making the type too small.

Printing a TV listings magazine, whether TV Guide or PDtv, also requires going
to press early enough to make errors inevitable; the printers must get PDtv 10
days before the guide finds its way into users' hands via the Sunday paper.
Networks now change their programming spontaneously, often rendering even the
daily listings in the Everyday section out of date.

TV Guide faced all these challenges on a national scale. But the insurmountable
problem for anyone who publishes a TV listings magazine - the factor that will
eventually make all printed guides obsolete - is that fewer and fewer people
today use printed listings at all.

Why should they? Although the scrolling TV Guide Channel, available in 77
million homes, is clunky to use, taking what feels like a lifetime to get from
the first channel to the last, anyone with digital cable or satellite now has
an interactive programming guide that's a snap to navigate. And digital video
recorders like TiVo and Charter's Moxi have even more useful guides that let
you record a show with one click.

Detailed, searchable listings are also readily available on the Internet,
including the comprehensive TVGuide.com site. At the Post-Dispatch's
STLtoday.com, locally customizable TV listings allow a quick search by program
title, actor, writer, director or several other criteria. Search for Brad Pitt
(oh, why not?) and find him 33 times, in movies from "12 Monkeys" to "Troy," in
the next two weeks.

End of an era

With fewer people using printed listings, TV Guide felt it had to change or
die. Circulation had dropped to just 9 million. Core users were mostly older,
and that factor cut into revenue from advertisers seeking younger audiences.
Listings customized for 140 different markets were increasingly expensive to
produce and print.

The new TV Guide will be "more relevant and vibrant, appealing to a younger,
more targeted audience," owner Gemstar-TV Guide International said in
announcing the change. The Web site offers a letter from editor-in-chief Ian
Birch boasting of the new magazine as "more fun, useful and glamorous."

The days of customized listings are over. The new TV Guide will publish just
two editions, with St. Louis getting the same one that goes to the whole East
Coast. That means "national listings" in Eastern time and no listings at all
for programs unique to St. Louis, apparently including shows on KETC (Channel
9).

Deadlines will be shorter, making the news more up to date, the editor's letter
promises, also touting "more eye-catching photos" and "behind-the-scenes
insights." But the magazine previewed on the Web site doesn't look much like TV
Guide. In fact, it resembles Inside TV, a gossipy, picture-laden celebrity rag
launched in April and owned by TV Guide itself.

Whether supermarket check-out lines need another glossy celebrity magazine is
far from certain. The new TV Guide will essentially compete not just with
Inside TV but with Entertainment Weekly, People, US Weekly, In Touch, the Star
and others that cover the women of "Desperate Housewives" and the mysteries of
"Lost" with the same intensity.

On the day in July when the change was announced, senior critic Matt Roush, who
will play an even more important role in the redesigned magazine, consoled
colleagues fretting about the end of an era by saying he believed the revamp
would be helpful to readers, with features guiding them toward worthy programs.
Maybe the new TV Guide will, in fact, be a nice and useful magazine. But will
anyone hoard back copies in their bedroom closet, or reminisce about it fondly
50 years in the future? Somehow, that seems unlikely.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/emaf.nsf/Popup?ReadForm&db=stltoday%5Centertainment%5Ccolumnists.nsf&docid=4C36F775A40270DF862570940004CFCD

In posts 1-4, is there anything I can do to change the dark blue text on dark background so I can read it? The red on blue works for me. There are so many colors in the rainbow, Why not take advantage of contrast?

I'll take another stab at it in the next few days, jmkohm.

After quite a bit of experimentationt these combinations seem to have worked well, but if others would like a change, too, I'll see what I can do.

Perhaps some of the problem comes because I have my favorites set for a white background.

In posts 1-4, is there anything I can do to change the dark blue text on dark background so I can read it? The red on blue works for me. There are so many colors in the rainbow, Why not take advantage of contrast?
If you go into the User Control Panel (CP) you can Edit Options and change the forum skin to a different color combination. Try the AVS White setting - this gives you dark text on a white background, which is much more legible.

I've made a quick change from dark blue to teal for some major headlines throughout the first four posts.

I'll be away from the computer much of the day, but as always, I welcome comments. The thread is supposed to be easy to read, after all.

[QUOTE=FSugino]If you go into the User Control Panel (CP) you can Edit Options and change the forum skin to a different color combination. Try the AVS White setting - this gives you dark text on a white background, which is much more legible.[/QUOTE

I also had a problem reading your post when the blue text was use. After changing to white I can see clearly. Question I really enjoy reading your daily post and wonder are you a network or movie ex you have a lot of inside information. Even if you are not you ought to be. Finally I can't wait to see what Bochco bring to CIC a show that is very good and one which I really like.

If you go into the User Control Panel (CP) you can Edit Options and change the forum skin to a different color combination. Try the AVS White setting - this gives you dark text on a white background, which is much more legible.

Thanks much. That works for me. Having a contrast problem with a little color blindness and night vision problems makes some of the stuff hard to read. It's hell getting old, but thank God for large screen TVs :cool:

Sorry for the delay, but Saturday's network prime-time ratings have finally been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

This time, Ashlee Simpson puts the 'live' in 'SNL'
The singer goes back to the site of last year's lip-sync debacle to prove that she's real, not merely Memorex

By Maria Elena Fernandez Los Angeles Times Staff Writer October 10, 2005

There were no performance malfunctions or embarrassing lip-synching snafus when Ashlee Simpson returned to the scene of the crime over the weekend.

Instead, the teen pop star who humiliated herself nearly a year ago on her first "Saturday Night Live" appearance when her band began playing one song while her vocals offered another, uneventfully delivered one song inspired by the incident and another the tabloids assume was written for actress Lindsay Lohan.

The songs are part of Simpson's upcoming album, "I Am Me," which she wrote herself. Simpson has denied that she wrote "Boyfriend" as a response to public speculation that she stole actor Wilmer Valderrama from Lohan.

But in her introduction to the song, Simpson admitted that she did write "Help Me When I Fall" as a direct response to the worst moment of her career — when she performed on the show last year and it became clear she was lip-synching.

In the new song's chorus, Simpson asks: "Who will be the one to save me from myself? Who will be the one who's there and not ashamed to see me grow? Who's gonna catch me when I fall?"

Jessica Simpson's little sister was so affected by her "Saturday Night Live" nightmare that she wrote a second introspective piece for her album about it, "Beautifully Broken." Although Simpson did not address the audience during the appearance, her performance of "Help Me When I Fall" seemed to speak for her:

"It may seem I have everything, but everything means nothing when the ride that you've been on, that you're coming off, leaves you feeling loss. Is anybody out there? Does anybody see that sometimes loneliness is just a part of me?"

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-simpson10oct10,0,6205241,print.story?coll=cl-tv-top-right

Fall Season’s Crystal Ball
What's hitting, what's missing, and why

By Ben Grossman Broadcasting & Cable 10/10/2005

While the fall season is still very much in its infancy, some early storylines are beginning to take shape. B&C gives some early answers to pressing questions that will play out in coming weeks.

Will 2005 produce any legitimate freshman hits?

Probably not. While the networks bet the bulk of their marketing dollars on a few shows to stand out in the clutter, the freshmen have by and large failed to instigate the watercooler buzz that Lost and Desperate Housewives set off last season. “We learned the networks can still get good sampling and launch a show like a theatrical opening, but there just aren’t any big break-out hits,” says John Rash, director of broadcast negotiations for Minneapolis-based ad agency Campbell Mithun.

Which show will get axed next?

While Fox’s Head Cases and WB’s Just Legal were the first to go, money is on either UPN’s Sex, Lies & Secrets or NBC’s Inconceivable. Production’s been halted on both, and they’ve been yanked from their time slots for now. Translation: they’re done.

Who will come into the game after the schedule changes?

While CBS and ABC have yet to alter their lineups, the other networks have holes to fill. The WB says it is not trotting out a second season of summer reality surprise Beauty and the Geek as a stopgap, while NBC can plug holes with Fear Factor and Scrubs.

Does pregnancy blow Sydney Bristow’s cover?

While Jennifer Garner has always been more popular in the tabloids than the Nielsens, there is some question as to whether a pregnant Sydney Bristow will keep Alias viewers (read: men) interested in her undercover escapades. “I’m just not sure a pregnant Jennifer Garner is what viewers will want to see,” says Rash.

Will NBC’s Wednesday night flip pay off?

The early returns were good on NBC’s decision to flip-flop the time slots for E-Ring and Apprentice: Martha Stewart, as both showed improvement the week after the move. But the question is how the reality lead-in will affect Law & Order long-term, which might benefit more from a drama preceding it.

Can UPN keep up the buzz?

UPN got off to a dream start with Everybody Hates Chris beating NBC’s Joey on opening night, and America’s Next Top Model performing well enough that its success was partially attributed to NBC’s schedule change on Wednesday nights. While Chris has come back to Earth, UPN is in business on Thursday nights for the first time, and WWE Smackdown! has given the network a Friday presence. As the season settles in, look for UPN to explore programming strategies to build off the hits.

Can Fox keep its swing after baseball season?

In a complete reversal from last year, Fox has some pre-American Idol momentum this fall with Prison Break and Bones performing well in their rookie seasons, and House showing it can stand on its own. Fox will have the big promotional vehicle of the MLB playoffs for the coming weeks, and will have to use it to recapture their early-season momentum after the World Series.

Can a live debate liven up The West Wing?

Dropped into Sunday’s 8 p.m. time slot with little promotion behind the move, The West Wing has failed to find audience support. A Nov. 6 live episode, in which the candidates played by Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits have a presidential debate, may help. But NBC needs to do more to breathe life into the show.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6266812

As Reality TV Hits Maturity, Networks Lower Expectations

By Bill Carter The New York Times October 10, 2005

Reality television has generated some of the biggest, most talked-about hits for broadcast networks in the last five years. But as a new television season begins, some industry executives are looking at the early ratings returns and whispering a question: Is the reality boom over, or at least in decline?

Some stalwarts of the reality trend have lost some steam this fall, including the show that really started it all, "Survivor" on CBS, as well as a more recent breakout reality hit, "The Apprentice" on NBC. Viewership for "Survivor" is down 10 to 15 percent from last season's two editions. Another long-running reality hit, "The Amazing Race" on CBS, is experiencing similar declines from its numbers last season.

"My own feeling is, these are aging franchises," said Ben Silverman, a reality producer ("The Biggest Loser" on NBC) and one of the early advocates of the genre when he worked as the agent who helped transport shows like "Big Brother," "Who Wants to Be Millionaire," and "Survivor" from Europe to American television.

The contrast is starkest for "The Apprentice." Last season, the fall edition of the Donald Trump version of "The Apprentice" hit a still mighty 7.8 rating in the 18-to-49-year-old audience that NBC uses to define success (each rating point equals about 1.4 million viewers).

But the "Apprentice" edition that ended last spring, which was clearly affected by the weakening of NBC's overall Thursday night lineup, especially between 8 and 9 p.m., dropped to a 6.4 rating in that measurement of 18 to 49 year olds. This fall as NBC's slide has continued, so has that of "The Apprentice," which still must face off every week against the most-watched show on television, "C.S.I." on CBS. Mr. Trump's show has dropped to a 4.6 rating - a falloff of more than 40 percent from the period last season.

Many of NBC's rivals predicted a sharp fall for "The Apprentice," citing the slippage last season as well as the decision to initiate a second edition of the franchise, with Martha Stewart, this fall.

Kelly Kahl, the chief scheduler for CBS, said it was hard to say how directly the additional "Apprentice" had hurt the original, "but it sure doesn't look like it helped," he said.

Other factors being pointed to as indicators of slackening interest in reality are the absence of any summer reality hits the last two years that could transfer to the regular season, and even the apparent cooling of the reality trend in Britain, where so much of the programming that eventually made its way to American television originated.

Mr. Silverman, who observed the explosion of reality programming in England when he was stationed there for the William Morris agency in the late 1990's, said many British viewers seemed to have moved on from reality shows. "They are more into things like variety," Mr. Silverman said.

He counted among variety-style shows a music-based elimination series, "The X-Factor," now the biggest hit in Britain. The show is the brainchild of the "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, who also appears in it, and it has displaced "Pop Idol" (the American version's progenitor) in the hearts of many British viewers.

Not that anyone is predicting that the powerhouse "American Idol" is headed for a tumble when it returns this winter to Fox, a division of the News Corporation. That series has so far proved unassailable.

Mr. Silverman said he believed that the cycle has merely shifted from the invented competition shows like "The Apprentice" to more aspirational shows like the ABC hit "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition," which has shown no signs of flagging, and newer ideas like the music and variety formats.

ABC, a division of Walt Disney, had success this past summer with a variety-style British format, "Dancing With the Stars." The show looked as if it might be a true breakout hit that could transfer successfully to the regular season. But in the first week of this season, when ABC staged a dance-off special featuring the two summer finalists, the show posted lackluster ratings.

No other reality show emerged from the summer. "So You Think You Can Dance" on Fox started strong then faded. On CBS, a division of Viacom, "Rock Star: INXS," struggled at first before finishing with a flourish. Both shows will probably be back, but as summer-only entries. CBS's summer perennial, "Big Brother," meanwhile, suffered ratings declines of 10 to 15 percent.

Still, most practitioners of reality programming are expressing no real concern. Mark Burnett, surely the most prominent producer, having fashioned both "Survivor" and "Apprentice" (and more recently "Rock Star"), said it was foolish to talk about reality fading. "How much more faded is the sit-com?" he said, adding that no network was talking of walking away from that genre.

He acknowledged that the current numbers for "The Apprentice" are "not where I want them to be." But he argued it was still a Top 20 show, and expressed hope that it would pick up as the season goes on.

As for "Survivor," he said the drop-off was to be expected in any long-running hit. "I think the show is bulletproof," he said. Indeed, after posting its two lowest ratings numbers ever, the latest episode of "Survivor" popped up impressively last week.

As for "The Amazing Race," Mr. Kahl said that it had mostly been affected by the intensified competition in its time period, Tuesdays at 9, where it is up against two of the fall's biggest new series: "My Name Is Earl" on NBC and "Commander in Chief" on ABC, and another hit, "House" from Fox.

Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment, part of the NBC Universal division of General Electric, said he did not think there was much wrong with any of the big reality shows other than the fact that they had all been on for multiple editions. "There is still some firepower there, considering you've got two very mature shows and one mature show," Mr. Reilly said. "I mean, who would have thought any of these shows could have legs beyond a couple of cycles?"

The competition extends to cable channels, which have huge arrays of reality series. Brian Graden, the president of entertainment for the MTV unit of Viacom, said flatly, "Reality is still working for us." He pointed to "Laguna Beach" on MTV, which, in its Mondays-at-10 time period, is watched by more 12 to 24 year olds than anything else on any television channel at that hour. "Real World," the first contemporary reality series, continues so strong for MTV that it was just renewed for 10 years.

Money remains the compelling reason networks are likely to continue chasing reality shows: they are simply cheaper to produce than most scripted shows.

Mr. Silverman said an hour of his "Biggest Loser" series costs NBC about $850,000. That number for a new drama that a network owns, and thus must fully cover the cost, could run as much as $3.2 million. Even a drama licensed from another studio will cost $1.8 million to $2.4 million an hour.

Mr. Burnett said the future of the genre is not unlike the future of any other form of television. "It all comes down to quality. The good shows work; the junk generally fails."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/10/business/10reality.html?pagewanted=print

TiVo's trial against EchoStar set to start
Lawsuit involves DVR patent issues

By Joyzelle Davis (Denver) Rocky Mountain News October 10, 2005
The question of who owns the rights to technology that revolutionized the way people watch TV goes to trial this week in a Texas courtroom.

TiVo Inc. alleges that EchoStar Communications Corp., operator of the Dish Network satellite- television service, infringed on a patent central to digital-video recorders, devices that allow viewers to pause live TV and skip commercials.

At stake for Douglas County- based EchoStar are unspecified monetary damages and the risk that it might be forced to modify many of its receivers. That's if the company is found liable for infringing on TiVo's "time warp" patent, which allows viewers to record a program while replaying another. For TiVo, which pioneered the DVR technology - only to see satellite and cable companies create their own versions - the case could set a precedent as to whether it can sue other companies that have introduced competing products.

TiVo, founded in 1997, introduced the first DVR as a stand- alone product and quickly gained a cult-like following, introducing the term TiVo'd into the lexicon. But TiVo sales didn't ignite until it reached a distribution deal with a pay-TV service - DirecTV Group - in 2000.

In 1999, EchoStar began offering its own version of a DVR, the first cable or satellite provider to do so. EchoStar made the technology a key selling point and for several years has offered DVRs free to new customers. More than a million EchoStar customers had DVRs by September 2003, beating TiVo to that mark by two months.

"EchoStar saw the opportunity and moved quickly," said Adi Kishore, an analyst with the Yankee Group. "EchoStar helped solidify the success" of bundling a DVR with its service, "which DirecTV and other cable companies are now replicating."

Marc Lumpkin, a spokesman for EchoStar, said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Jeff Weir, a spokesman for Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo, also declined to comment.

EchoStar said in court papers that it didn't infringe on the patent and that TiVo's asserted claims are invalid because the invention is "obvious" and "not new."

In regulatory filings, EchoStar has said it is not possible to "determine the extent of any potential liability or damages" if it loses the case.

Barring a last-minute settlement or postponement, jury selection is set to begin Wednesday in U.S. District Judge David Folsom's courtroom. The trial is scheduled for Oct. 24.

EchoStar earlier this year filed its own suit against TiVo, claiming TiVo and a unit of South Korea's Humax Co. violated its patents related to recording and storing TV shows. Those claims aren't part of this trial.

TiVo sold most of its recorders in the past five years through DirecTV, EchoStar's largest competitor. But DirecTV today is introducing a $30 million advertising campaign to promote its own DVR, in an effort to distance itself from TiVo.

Of DirecTV's 14.7 million customers, 2.3 million subscribe to TiVo. DirecTV pays TiVo a monthly fee of $1.13 per TiVo subscriber and hopes those users will switch to its own service.

Cable companies were much slower than satellite providers in introducing DVRs, and the models they've offered in recent years are made by Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta rather than TiVo.

TiVo hasn't sued anyone other than EchoStar, but the company said in its news release announcing the suit that "we've invested in building a comprehensive patent portfolio to protect our intellectual property and as the DVR category grows, we will be aggressive in protecting those assets."

TiVo, however, has made some inroads into the cable industry. Comcast Communications Corp., the largest cable provider in Colorado and the nation, in March agreed to offer TiVo services to customers as an option next year.

Comcast already offers a DVR to digital cable customers for $9.95 a month and will charge customers an additional fee if they choose TiVo.

DVRs store dozens of hours of television programs on a computer hard drive rather than tapes, making it easier to record programs and fast-forward through commercials. Users also can record an entire season of a show with the touch of a button.

DVR use is not widespread. Less than 5 percent of people surveyed last year by Forrester Research said they have one in their home.

But those who use DVRs "love them with unbridled passion," wrote Forrester analyst John Bernoff in a report issued this year, with half saying the devices improved their enjoyment of life. People who have one DVR often buy or lease another, and less than 2 percent no longer use their machine, according to the survey.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN_49_4145549,00.html

Ricki Lake Plots TV Comeback

By Joel Meyer bcbeat.com

Remember the 1990s? You know, that time when the girl from John Waters' Hairspray could get her own talk show.

Maybe things haven't changed so much. ICM is shopping a new Ricki Lake talk show around Hollywood, according to this week's Flash! column in Broadcasting&Cable magazine.

http://www.bcbeat.com/

'Housewives' is dragging desperately

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

The folks at Desperate Housewives do know the season has started, right?

After three episodes, this hugely popular ABC soap-com still seems to be in some offseason transition, clinging to old plots while fumbling with new ones. Perhaps it was too much to hope that the second season of Housewives would get off to the same kind of explosive start as the first. But we do expect the series to do more than just mark time.

Let me hasten to add that I'd still rather spend time with these Housewives than with almost any other TV show. Even at a reduced gear, Housewives is one of the medium's rare pleasures, one that should be able to ride on our affection for its actors and characters long enough for the writers to find their way home again.

Part of the problem, perhaps, is that Housewives creator Marc Cherry has yet to write an episode this season. TV is a collaborative medium, so it is likely that Cherry has made major contributions to all the scripts. But that's not the same thing, and so far, neither is his show.

Of course there have been entertaining moments, and Sunday night's return of Harriet Sansom Harris may be a sign of more to come. But too many of the setups don't pay off — such as Lynette's (Felicity Huffman) attempt to video-conference her way to her son's first day of school, or Bree's (Marcia Cross) flat act-break insult to the detective. And the writers seem to be drawing some of the characters too broadly, making Gaby (Eva Longoria) too selfish and Susan (Teri Hatcher) too stupid.

What's worse, too many of the scenes are rehashing stories we thought we had left behind. Do they really expect us to believe Gaby was considering getting back together with John?

Yet more than anything, what's missing is an overarching story strong enough to tie the episodes and the housewives together. Mary Alice's suicide didn't just launch Housewives. By forcing the remaining friends to re-evaluate their lives while uniting them in a quest to understand Mary Alice's death; it set the tone for the show and lent it depth.

So far this year, there's no such link among these four women. Indeed, in three weeks we've hardly seen the four stars together. And they didn't share a scene last night at all.

If Alfre Woodard's man-in-the-basement story line was supposed to be the tie that binds or a suitable substitute for the Mary Alice story, it isn't working. Woodard is one of our best actresses; but the story is far-fetched even for Wisteria Lane. And even if it weren't, her character is too peripheral for her plight to have much emotional impact on the four main housewives. She's barely a neighbor, let alone a friend.

Still, the season is young, and good shows often suffer from slow starts. The situation's troubling, yes. But desperate?

Not yet.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2005-10-09-housewives_x.htm

CBS Leads Prime in Viewers; Fox Gains

By John Consoli MediaWeek.com October 10, 2005

Through the first 18 days of the broadcast prime-time season, CBS, ABC and Fox are off to solid starts, with CBS the leader in viewers, ABC the leader in ratings among adults 18-49 and Fox showing the largest percentage increase over the same period last season in viewers and 18-49 ratings.

CBS was averaging 13.2 million viewers, compared to ABC's 11.6 million, and ABC was averaging a 4.3 rating in adults 18-49, just ahead of CBS’ 4.2. Fox was averaging 1.7 million more viewers than last year, up 31 percent, and its 2.4 18-49 rating was up 25 percent.

Fox has three new shows that have attracted solid ratings since the official start of the season: Prison Break, which has grown its audience by 1.5 million viewers through three episodes (two episodes aired before the season’s start); The War at Home, which grew its 18-49 rating from a 3.9 in its premiere to a 4.3 in its second episode; and Bones, averaging a 3.0 18-49 rating.

ABC’s new drama Commander in Chief grew its 18-49 rating by 10 percent to a 4.8 through two episodes, but another first-year drama, Invasion, declined from a 6.8 in 18-49 in its premiere to a 4.4 by its third installment.

Moving veteran drama Smallville to Thursday at 8 p.m. has been a success for the WB, averaging a 2.6 in 18-49 after two episodes.

UPN’s Everybody Hates Chris, meanwhile, slipped a little again last week, but still recorded 5.9 million viewers, solid for UPN.

For the first time since they have aired head-to-head on Thursday at 10 p.m., CBS’ Without a Trace last week fared better than NBC’s ER in 18-49s (6.8 to 6.3) and 18-34s (5.4 to 5.1).

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/networktv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001263024

Sunday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

Sunday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.
Marc Berman needs to realize that the New York Yankees played the Los Angeles Angels, not the Dodgers.

As long as he realizes what the ratings are -- and what they mean -- I'll cut him a little slack.

NBC Goes Old School
Peacock Net, Geezer Series an Odd Coupling

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com (James Hibberd contributed to this report)

Maybe they could call it "The Senior Life."

NBC and the producers of Fox reality hit "The Simple Life" are reaching decades outside of the 18- to 49-year-old demographic the Peacock Network has long prized for the stars of a new celebrity reality series.

NBC and Bunim-Murray Productions are finalizing a deal for a reality pilot starring veteran comedic actors Leslie Nielsen, 79, and Ed Asner, 76, sources said. The concept, dubbed "100 Things to Do Before I Die," has been described as "Grumpy Old Men" meets "The Simple Life." NBC was one of several outlets said to be interested in the project.

In addition to producing "Simple Life," an apparent influence on the "100 Things" format, Bunim-Murray is the production company behind MTV's 15-year-old "Real World" franchise and ABC's low-rated summer series "The Scholar." Bunim-Murray is also in business with NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution for the syndicated daytime strip "Starting Over."

While NBC is working with the right kind of company for a show project like "100 Things," how it works with the rest of the network's schedule remains to be seen, Laura Caraccioli-Davis, senior VP of Starcom Entertainment, said.

"Obviously, the auspices of being in business with Bunim-Murray is attractive to them," Ms. Caraccioli-Davis said. "But the logline is something I could possibly see on the Hallmark Channel. I don't know how that fits into what they want NBC to become."

NBC and Bunim-Murray both declined comment on "100 Things."

NBC's immediate need to help boost ratings and replace failing shows may trump any concerns about NBC's overall brand, Ms. Caraccioli-Davis said. Despite the success of its new comedy "My Name Is Earl" (see Page 3) NBC is down 13 percent in adults 18 to 49 from last season, according to Nielsen Media Research, and has already canceled one of its new dramas. In addition, NBC's new "Apprentice" spinoff starring Martha Stewart has been a ratings disappointment, and the yet-to-premiere midseason comedy "Thick & Thin" has already had its episode order cut from 13 to 6 episodes, sources said.

"They know they have some holes in their schedule and they are looking fast and furious for things that are easily executable," Ms. Caraccioli-Davis said.

"100 Things" appears to fit the trend within reality to increasingly use celebrities. ABC had the most recent network success with the trend over the summer, when "Dancing With the Stars" became a surprise ratings hit.

But NBC should be cautious how it uses a project like "100 Things," she said.

"Sometimes those niche type of realities only work in summer," she said. "A road trip show, that sounds more summer to me than something they would put on midseason."

Ms. Caraccioli-Davis did admit loopy ideas occasionally make for successful television.

"You always have to sit back," she said. "On paper people probably thought 'Dancing With the Stars' wasn't an intriguing show."

Mr. Asner, the former president of the Screen Actors Guild, is a seven-time Emmy winner, with three comedy statuettes for his work as Lou Grant on CBS's classic sitcom "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

Mr. Nielsen, who appeared in the 1980 feature film comedy spoof "Airplane!" created the role of Police Det. Frank Drebin, a character featured in the short-lived cult favorite 1980s comedy series "Police Squad!" and in the highly profitable "Naked Gun" film franchise.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8698.

Trouble With Larry

By Adam Buckman New York Post

HAS anyone else been noticing how lousy the new episodes of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" are?

Based on the first three installments of the fifth season that started Sept. 25 (including last night's sad display), it is becoming increasingly clear that this show is done.

Message to Larry David, the mythical and once unsung co-creator of "Seinfeld": It is time to call it a day.

For the better part of four seasons on HBO, Larry has given us his uniquely dysfunctional view of the world. The experience has been both harrowing and hilarious.

But now, the thrill is gone. And Larry David — the character on the show, at least — is no longer a mere contrarian. He is frequently just plain obnoxious — an ambling misanthrope with whom few of us can identify the way we once did.

"Deep Inside, You Know You're Him," says HBO's bus-stop ads plastered all over town.

Not on your life, HBO. Most of us will admit we've shot our mouths off once in a while, or gotten into various beefs like the ones Larry has with parking lot attendants and restaurant hostesses.

But come on — most of us would not casually stroll into a room and insensitively insult the religion of our wives and in-laws and expect to get away with it, as happened last night.

Nor could we be caught prancing around the laundry room of our friend's house holding a bra up to our chest that belongs to our freind's wife (as also happened last night when Larry sought to guess the bra size of his cleaning lady) and expect to get away with that too, as Larry did.

And while we're on the subject of bras, the scene last night where Larry was caught by his wife, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines), while stealing a peek at her bra size played like a scene from "Everybody Loves Raymond," which probably would have done a better job with it.

We all know from watching "Curb" since its premiere in October 2000 that Larry is prone to foot-in-mouth disease and, as a result, is likely to get in scrapes with people.

And maybe that's the problem. We're so accustomed to Larry gumming up the works that every time he enters a room, it telegraphs the inception of an epic misunderstanding. Lately, though, Larry's well of misunderstandings seems to have run dry and the formula has grown dull.

He seems to be covering the same old ground. Watching "Curb," you wonder where you've seen various things before. Didn't he already slag Jesus in the episode a few seasons back when he hired a troupe of actors to re-create a manger scene for his wife?

And didn't he do the handicapped parking bit, revived recently on "Curb," on "Seinfeld" years ago?

The answers are yes and yes.

Once, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was the freshest comedy on TV, based on the innovative way they made the show: Scenes were outlined rather than scripted and the end result, which was generally stellar, sprang from the participants' improvisation skills.

Now such scenes seem forced. In fact, the whole show seems forced, as if Larry has run out of things to say but insists, at the risk of repeating himself, on saying them anyway.

Anyway, thanks for the memories, Larry. It was fun while it lasted.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/29197.htm

“Inconceivable" we’ll see any more episodes

NBC has announced its schedule for the Friday leading up the November sweeps. And there is no mention of its new ratings-starved drama “Inconceivable”.

It was replaced last Friday by a repeat episode of “Law and Order: Criminal Intent" and the ratings immediately jumped about about 50%. So (surprise!!) for the next two weeks there will be repeats of L&W: CI in the Friday at 10 PM ET/PT time slot.

Marc Berman needs to realize that the New York Yankees played the Los Angeles Angels, not the Dodgers.
Why are they called the Los Angeles Angels anyway...they started to explain during a game but I never heard the reason..?

Owner Artie Moreno believes he can get more sponsorship money if they are known as the Los Angeles Angels.

A problem is that the city iof Anaheim, in exchange for helping rebuild the stadium, got a contract which requires the Angels to have "Anaheim" in its name.

Hence the current "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim."

(The lawyers, of course are busy billing hundreds of hours over this issue.)

Bizarre.. :D

TV PREVIEW: WEDNEDAY
“Freddie”

The Los Angeles Times---

Stars: Freddie Prinze Jr. ("Scooby-Doo"), Brian A. Green ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), Jacqueline Obradors ("NYPD Blue"), Chloe Suazo, Jenny Gago, Mädchen Amick.

The premise: Prinze is a successful yet slow-to-mature Chicago chef living in a luxury apartment full of women: sister Obradors, sister-in-law Amick, niece Suazo, grandmother Gago (whose dialogue is all in subtitled Spanish, striking a blow for reading). They cramp his playboy style, keep him honest and make him store his pool table in his wine room, if you can imagine such an inconvenience. Green steals scenes as the star's dumbbell rich-kid neighbor/best friend.

TV PREVIEW: WEDNEDAY
“Freddie”
Keep an eye on ABC's new 'Freddie'

By Melanie McFarland Seattle Post-Intelligencer TV Critic Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Entertaining though it may be to blame certain actors and actresses for a series' quick cancellation, they usually are not to blame. Lazy writing is a more frequent show killer, and the weapon of choice tends to be a bludgeon called exposition.

You know it when you hear it -- lines that explain why the people gathered on your television screen are there and what their relationship is to each other, earnestly masquerading as casual chit-chat. This assumes that the audience lacks the brainpower to figure out, for example, that as "Freddie" begins, the three women and the little girl sitting in the kitchen that Freddie Prinze Jr. walks into wearing nothing but his boxers may be related to him.

So, in less than a minute, we get, "Freddie, be careful with that coat. It's the last thing your brother gave me before he died." Aha, so the hot chick is his sister-in-law.

And, after our hero scratches his butt cheek and picks up his robe: "This is the man's robe. Women, wear your women things. I'll wear the man things. And Grandma, you keep wearing that little number."

Then, after the elderly woman responds in Spanish translated in subtitles on the bottom of the screen, the hens proceed to meddle in Freddie's business for the remaining 21 minutes.

This is the way ABC's latest situational comedy was supposed to be established. As such you may have thought that "Freddie, " hitting the schedule Wednesday night at 8:30 on KOMO/4, captures more of the "sit" than the "com" part. We get that Freddie Moreno, Prinze's alter ego, is a successful chef by simply looking at his condominium's sumptuous view of downtown Chicago.

We are to understand that various tragedies brought Freddie's sister Sofia (Jacqueline Obradors), sis-in-law Allison (Madchen Amick) and niece Zoey (Chloe Suazo) to his doorstep, and that Grandma (Jenny Gago) understands English but refuses to speak it.

Also, in case you don't know by now, sometimes living with a gaggle of girls can cramp a bachelor's style. These women, they know how to throw some salt on a man's game, making the source of "Freddie's" comedy the title character's ongoing struggle against emasculation. Bwa-haw!

Aside from being a fairly generic conceit (regardless of whether it's based on Prinze's life) "Freddie's" flood of exposition overwhelms the pilot to the point that it just lies there.

The good news is that ABC recognized this problem, and is presenting the second episode of the series first. Wise move, because the second episode is when "Freddie's" comedy actually kicks in, and it gives anyone who cares a smidgen of hope for the series.

Without beating us to death with the details, the audience presents us with need to know along with a small cup of bubbly laughter. Last time we checked our list of qualifications that's what a prime-time comedy, even the lame ones still chugging away these days, are supposed to do.

Prinze may be the title guy, but the real reason to watch (as much as there is one) is Brian Austin Green as Chris, the rich, dumb, lazy buddy across the way, aka the reliable comic relief. His portrayal may not be a stretch, but really, who cares? The "90210" alumnus wears it well and provides a workable foil for Prinze. Chris and Freddie have a funny adventure in picking up "poor girls" at the Laundromat and, what do you know, we get zingers. Good ones at that.

Amick can be a hoot as well, once she settles into the fabulously drunk aunt gig. She and Green are distracting enough to make up for Obrador's perennially testy sister and Gago's mercurial grandmother, both of whom test the nerves at times.

Again, while far from a great comedy, "Freddie" seems like it's worth keeping an eye on if only because it's a decent companion for "George Lopez." Sadly, the original pilot -- the episode that wasn't good enough to be the series debut -- is still supposed to air, although that could (and should) change.

However, if this show doesn't make it, blame it on the alleged curse shadowing Brian Austin Green. Just for fun.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/printer2/index.asp?ploc=t&refer=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/244048_tv11.html

TV PREVIEW: WEDNEDAY
“Freddie”

Oh, yeah — "Freddie"

By Kay McFadden Seattle Times

The first episode of "Freddie," airing at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, actually isn't. Or to put it another way, the pilot is so bad, ABC is starting the second episode first and vice versa.

Good idea. What you get with "Freddie II" is a middling family sitcom about a successful chef (Freddie Prinze Jr.) whose efforts to have a love life are thwarted because the female relatives that raised him have all moved in, bringing more female relatives.

The series is loosely inspired by Prinze's youth and his moments of sincerity ring true. The ethnic flavor — Jenny Gago plays Freddie's caustic Puerto Rican grandmother — makes the show a copacetic lead-out from "George Lopez."

Also starring are Jacqueline Obradors as Freddie's sister, Brian Green as his clueless pal and Madchen Amick as his sister-in-law. The cast chemistry is adequate.

Now, the bad: The cast at times delivers material with a strident urgency that is the death of all comedy except "Benny Hill." Relax, people. Sink into your characters. Soft-pedal the weak lines, play for sincerity and you'll get more laughs.

P.S. And ABC, just kill that pilot. Really.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2002548762&zsection_id=2002119662&slug=kay10&date=20051010

OBITUARY
Veteran comic Louis Nye dies at 92

By JOHN ROGERS Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Comedian Louis Nye, who created a national catchphrase belting out "Hi, ho, Steverino!" as one of the players on Steve Allen's groundbreaking 1950s TV show, has died. He was 92.

Nye died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles after a long battle with lung cancer, his son, Peter Nye, told The Associated Press on Monday.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBIT_NYE?SITE=MOSTP&SECTION=ENTERTAINMENT

Updating Nielsens: Sitcoms survive, cop shows won't die

By Kay McFadden Seattle Times

ABC's "Freddie" launches at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, marking an official end to the start of fall. It's an appropriately so-so show.

Unlike 2004, when "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" burst on the scene, no freshman series this year has become a quick fixture of late-night talk, magazine covers or the Nielsen Top 20.

That's not altogether a drag. The industry's pulse may rise on novelty, but network executives — like viewers — prefer a warm, steady throb. The lack of big hits has been accompanied by an absence of widespread failure, except at NBC.

Still, some newcomers have done better than others, offering us an early glimpse of the public mood.

Consider, for example, comedy. After much hand-wringing, the solution apparently wasn't reinventing the form — it was recognizing that the brittle, misanthropic style of "Seinfeld" and "Frasier" had petered out with the 1990s.

Accordingly, three warm-hearted, fairly traditional and well-done sitcoms merit their full-season pickups: NBC's "My Name is Earl," UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" and CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." Fox's domestically incorrect "The War at Home" is not far behind.

On the drama side, tastes are somewhat scattered. The WB's ghost-busting "Supernatural" has just been green-lighted for the rest of the year, while ABC's political fantasy "Commander in Chief," the ingenious Fox thriller "Prison Break" and CBS' "Ghost Whisperer" and "Criminal Minds" also are emerging as solid performers.

A few shows await traction. CBS' "Close to Home" opened weakly despite a general thumbs-up. Fox's erratically watched "Bones" needs a boost from future lead-in "American Idol" come January.

(By the way, here is where I remind you that Fox's baseball playoff schedule will wreak havoc with the network's prime-time schedule until November. DO NOT PANIC.)

Some shows have started well and then faded. NBC's "E-Ring" couldn't sustain its Jerry Bruckheimer buzz. ABC's "Invasion" has slipped ominously since a spectacular debut.

In fact, the alien sci-fi wave is a washout. "Threshold," which got pretty good reviews, is the weakest of CBS' Friday lineup. ABC's "Night Stalker" is deservedly on cancellation watch. Defying the laws of physics if not taste, NBC's "Surface" is sinking.

That leaves "Supernatural" and "Ghost Whisperer," which are about coming to grips with the personal past rather than wrestling with the global future. Could it be Americans just aren't interested in foreigners, no matter how exotic their origins?

On the other hand, we're mad about backyard security. Against odds — and certainly counter to my hopes — the police procedural hasn't lost its charm.

This is evident in new and old series alike. Nielsen's most recent Top 20 list, for Sept. 26 through Oct. 2, again ranks "CSI" No. 1 among television households — a position it's likely to hold despite occasional forays by No. 2 "Desperate Housewives."

The rest of the list includes "Without A Trace" (3), "CSI: Miami" (6), "Cold Case" (8), "Law & Order: SVU" (10), "Law & Order" (11), "NCIS" (12) and "CSI: NY" (17).

Apparently, there's room for more. Although "Close to Home" faltered against "Law & Order" and a steadily reviving "Boston Legal" (20), the Mandy Patinkin-starring "Criminal Minds" has run a healthy second to "Lost" on Wednesdays.

Above all, the list indicates a strong attachment to returning shows: "Lost" (4), "Grey's Anatomy" (5), "Survivor" (9), "House" (10), "ER" (14) and "Medium" (15).

The lone new series was "Commander in Chief," which curtsied at No. 7. Yet it bears the advertiser's equivalent of a scarlet "A," thanks to lopsided tune-in by older female viewers, not the most coveted demographic. Let's hope ABC doesn't start pumping up story lines about the teenage kids.

For series that missed the Top 20 cut — i.e., most — announcements of success or failure are premature. Even so, nervous show runners will want to remind network executives that "Everybody Loves Raymond" barely survived its first year.

In a few cases, the sands have run out. Fox's "Head Cases" is gone and "Kitchen Confidential" is on hiatus. NBC has yanked "Inconceivable" (for now) and production has halted on UPN's "Sex, Love & Secrets." None promised to be a "Raymond."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2002548762&zsection_id=2002119662&slug=kay10&date=20051010

OBITUARY
Veteran comic Louis Nye dies at 92

Louis Nye bio at reference.com

Louis Nye was born Louis Neistat in Hartford, Connecticut, May 1, 1914, the son of Joseph Neistat (May 18, 1881-September 1967) and Jennie Sherman (born 1890). His sister was Rose Neistat (born 1917). Although Louis, who pronounces his given name Louie, has claimed to be born in 1922, he was age 6 on the 1920 Harford County, Federal Census, which was enumerated January 10. The family then lived at 165 Madison Street. On the 1930 census when he was 16, enumerated April 3, they lived at 44 Baltimore Street.

Louis's parents were both Yiddish speaking Jews born in Russia. They emigrated to the United States in 1906, and became naturalized citizens in 1911. Joseph ran a small grocery store. Louis attended Weaver High School, but did not excel as a student. "My marks were so low," he said, "that they wouldn't let me in the drama club. So, I went down to WTIC Radio, auditioned and got on a show."

Later he went to New York, and worked in radio there, including various roles on soap operas. Then the U.S. entered World War II and he found himself in the Army, where he mimicked other soldiers and made them laugh. He was given the job of running the recreation hall. After his stint in the Army, Nye returned to New York and began working in live television. He also appeared in some plays on Broadway.

Nye had one wife, pianist/songwriter Anita Leonard (married ca. 1947) and one son, Peter Nye, who is an artist.

He made numerous appearances on The Jack Benny Program and The Jimmy Durante Show. When he met Steve Allen he was cast as a regular on The Steve Allen Show, performing with the likes of Don Knotts.

Nye was a popular sketch comedian who primarily played urbane, wealthy bon vivant types. His characterization of the delightfully pretentious country-club braggart Gordon Hathaway, his catchphrase, "Hi, ho, Steve-a-reeno," and Allen's inability to resist bursting into hysterical laughter at Nye's ad-libs during gags, made Nye one of the favorite performers on Allen's show. When production was moved to Los Angeles, Nye went along and became a character actor in Hollywood.

He appeared on a number of top shows, including Make Room for Daddy, Burke's Law, The Munsters, Love, American Style, Laverne & Shirley, Starsky and Hutch, Police Woman, Fantasy Island, St. Elsewhere and The Cosby Show.

Nye played dentist Dr. Delbert Gray on several episodes of The Ann Sothern Show from 1960 to 1961. And one of his best-remembered roles is as Sonny Drysdale, the spoiled rich stepson of the banker on The Beverly Hillbillies during the 1962 season. He did six episodes, and received more mail than from anything else he had ever done on TV, but the character was dropped. It was rumored that someone in the CBS network, or a sponsor, thought Sonny was too "sissified." Nye revived the character briefly during the 1966 season, however.

He also recorded a few comedy LPs, doing a variety of characterizations.

He never had much opportunity to reach his potential in movies. A lot of his character roles were little more than cameos. But he performed with the likes of such stars as Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, Dean Martin, Walter Matthau, Robert Mitchum, and Joanne Woodward, among others.

Nye has also performed on the lecture circuit, concerts and night clubs, and has done voice work in animation, such as Inspector Gadget with Don Adams.

He had a recurring role on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiam. He completed a 24 city tour of the country for Columbia Artists, ending the tour with a two week stint at the Sahara in Las Vegas.

Louis Nye lived with his wife in Pacific Palisades, CA.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Louis_Nye

The New York Times Obituary
Louis Nye, 92, Comic Actor and Sidekick to Steve Allen, Dies

By JAMES BARRON The New York Times October 11, 2005

Louis Nye, a ubiquitous comedian who became a fixture on early television for playing an unctuous advertising executive in a Steve Allen sendup of Madison Avenue, died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 92.

The cause was lung cancer, said his son, Peter.

Mr. Nye appeared on everything from "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "The Love Boat" to the HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." But he was best known for his work with Steve Allen, whom he met in an elevator and apparently never expected to hear from once he got off.

The call came, though, and soon Mr. Nye was playing Gordon Hathaway, an exuberantly boastful man in a suit and tie who always seemed to be standing on his toes, smiling so brightly that his teeth sparkled as if he were in a toothpaste commercial. Mr. Nye's salutation - "Heigh-ho, Steverino" - became something of a national catchphrase in the 1950's.

Mr. Nye appeared in what were billed as man-in-the-street interviews that Mr. Allen conducted with him and other regulars on the program, including Don Knotts, Bill Dana and Tom Poston.

Mr. Nye was so closely identified with his signature phrase that he recorded an album called "Heigh-Ho, Madison Avenue," which skewered advertising agencies, market research and the post-World War II society made famous by Sloan Wilson's novel "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit." On the album, Mr. Nye appeared with a group called the Status Seekers in such songs as "The Gray Flannel Blues," "The Ten Commandments of Madison Avenue (Plus Big Bonus Commandments)" and "The Conspicuous Consumption Cantata." (Exactly how Mr. Nye's shibboleth is spelled is something of a question. When it turned up in the title of one of Mr. Allen's many books, it was "Hi-Ho Steverino!: My Adventures in the Wonderful Wacky World of TV.")

"He was the suave, pretentious, smug country club braggart, that, in spite of the pretentiousness, you had to like because democratic nations like America need people like that to make fun of," said Robert J. Thompson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. "Gordon Hathaway was to Steve Allen as Frasier was to Frasier's dad. Frasier was always this guy we liked to dislike for looking down his nose at us."

Mr. Nye was born in Hartford on May 1, 1913, and had, he recalled in a 1995 interview, a mediocre career in school. "I couldn't make the Dramatic Club because my algebra was so bad," he said. After a stint with a troupe called the Hartford Players, he moved to New York, where he was cast in Moss Hart's revue "Winged Victory" during World War II. He also appeared in such shows as "Flahooley" in 1951 and a revival of "Charley's Aunt" that ran for a week in July 1970.

He followed Mr. Allen to California in the late 1950's, appearing in such films as "Sex Kittens Go to College," a 1960 comedy that Leonard Maltin called "shockingly unfunny."

Some of his later roles summoned up the essential elements of the Hathaway character. On "The Beverly Hillbillies," he played Sonny Drysdale, a banker's son. On "The Ann Sothern Show," playing a dentist.

In addition to his son, who lives in San Francisco, he is survived by his wife, Anita.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/11/arts/television/11nye.html?pagewanted=print

In Hunt for Ratings, Prime Time Trumps Downtime, Every Time

By Richard Sandomir The New York Times October 11, 2005

Sometimes, the best move you make is the one you don't.

If Major League Baseball had moved Game 4 of the Atlanta-Houston league division series from Sunday afternoon on ESPN to prime time on Fox, it is unlikely that the result would have been the classic that we saw: an 18-inning marathon featuring Roger Clemens's three-inning relief stint and Chris Burke's game-winning home run after 5 hours 50 minutes.

But even if all that had happened, people would have surely squawked at a nearly 2 a.m. finish.

As it was, the Astros' victory provided a stirring, nearly seamless lead-in to Fox's coverage of Game 4 of the American League division series, which the Yankees won over the Angels in a game that had been rained out the day before.

The question raised by the scheduling was why Major League Baseball would accede to Fox's request to carry the Yankees-Angels game, reducing the time the teams had to fly across the country for last night's Game 5.

Fox's contract guaranteed a prime-time game, and the network asked Major League Baseball for the Yankees-Angels game. Why not? The Yankees and the Angels represent the country's largest markets, and Fox, in the penultimate season of a six-year, $2.5 billion deal, covets the games that promise the highest ratings.

M.L.B. said yes without debate because it recognized that the Yankees and the Angels would most likely reach a larger audience.

One might conclude that a Fox-M.L.B. cabal had conspired to give the Yankees and the Angels the airplane crankies, but baseball knows it's in showbiz.

Bob DuPuy, the president of Major League Baseball, also noted that the extra time allowed the Yankee Stadium field a few more hours to dry.

"Weather-wise, if not for travel reasons, it was the right decision, and the weather got better later in the day," he said.

Had the Braves played the Astros in prime time Sunday, they would have had to fly east if a fifth game were needed in that series last night.

"Why would that be better?" DuPuy said, while acknowledging that the flight to Anaheim is longer. He added, "Look, there are always circumstances."

In 1999, DuPuy recalled, Cincinnati waited through nearly six hours of rain delays before beating Milwaukee after midnight in the regular-season finale, then flew home for a one-game playoff the next day against the Mets.

DuPuy sounded a Darwinian note about the exigencies of weather and the playoff schedule.

"Teams fly coast to coast all the time, and they have rain issues," he said. Then he added, "You play with the cards you're dealt."

The scheduling did not hurt viewership. The 9.7 overnight rating for the Yankees-Angels game was 45 percent better than the National League division series game in the same time slot last year. On ESPN, the Atlanta-Houston game produced a 3.8 rating, up 48 percent from their Sunday playoff game last year.

Clash of Philosophies

Watching both games Sunday provided a way to see how differently Fox and ESPN use close-ups to convey action and drama, not to mention the slow growth of facial hair.

Fox's game direction has always used the tight close-up, a practice that escalates in the late innings as tension increases. Fox's close-ups are so tight that sinus cavities are nearly visible.

ESPN is more subtle, rarely zooming in for the tight shave. While ESPN prefers a medium close-up, from the waist up, Fox zeroes in on pores, whiskers and skin conditions. ESPN is not nearly as interested in dermatological matters, but it might have to change if it starts to market Berman face cream, which, given the manifest destiny of ESPN, seems inevitable.

A survey of the final three innings of Sunday's broadcasts showed a chasm in the frequency of close-ups, which was partly a consequence of the speed of the games and the number of pitches thrown. Yet the count was startlingly different. Fox had a total of 154. ESPN had 38.

ESPN did not seek tension entirely on the mugs of pitchers and batters. It often cut to lengthy fan-reaction shots, and it used various cameras around Minute Maid Park, including long views of the field from above the baselines. Whereas virtually every pitch on Fox started with at least one pitcher close-up, regardless of their expressions, ESPN was more eclectic in its shot selection, starting pitch sequences from many angles.

ESPN sometimes seems a little distant, while Fox closes in so tightly that pitchers don't seem to have limbs. There is probably a perfect solution in the middle of the two styles.

Some Speak Out, Some Won't

Some managers evidently believe there are better things to do than wear headsets to speak to the networks during playoff games. The Yankees' Joe Torre does it, but the Angels' Mike Scioscia does not.

Tim Mead, an Angels spokesman, said in an e-mail message that Scioscia "strongly believes in providing 100 percent, undivided attention to the game and the issues and decisions involved."

The Braves' Bobby Cox and the Astros' Phil Garner didn't wear headsets, but the White Sox' Ozzie Guillen and the Red Sox' Terry Francona did, and they were usually the most entertaining. The Cardinals' Tony La Russa did it, but the Padres' Bruce Bochy did not.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/11/sports/baseball/11sandomir.html?pagewanted=print

Monday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

(From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column of Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)
Primetime Series Scorecard: 2005-06 Recap

In the event you can’t keep up with the status of the freshman class of fall 2005, here is a recap to-date of what is happening with the 31 new primetime entries this season:

A B C
-Commander in Chief: shoo-in for a full-season renewal.
-Freddie: debuting tomorrow.
-Hot Properties: too soon to tell.
-Invasion: expected full season pick-up.
-Night Stalker: the axe could swing before November.

C B S
-Close To Home: too soon to tell.
-Criminal Minds: shoo-in for a full-season renewal.
-Ghost Whisperer: shoo-in for a full-season renewal.
-How I Met Your Mother: waiting for the axe to swing.
-Out Of Practice: on the fence.
-Threshold: expected full season pick-up.

N B C
-The Apprentice: Martha Stewart: one season failure.
-E-Ring: on the fence.
-Inconceivable: canceled.
-My Name Is Earl: full season renewal.
-Surface: on the fence.
-Three Wishes: on the fence.

Fox
-Bones: shoo-in for a full-season renewal.
-Head Cases: canceled.
-Killer Instinct: growth out of lead-in Malcolm in the Middle offers minor hope.
-Kitchen Confidential: the axe could swing before November.
-Prison Break: full season renewal.
-Reunion: on the fence.
-The War at Home: expected full season pick-up.

UPN
-Everybody Hates Chris: full season renewal.
-Love, Inc.: on the fence.
-Sex, Love & Secrets: canceled.

The WB
-Just Legal: canceled.
-Related: too soon to tell.
-Supernatural: full season renewal.
-Twins: on the fence.

Yankees give Fox one last boost

Bronx Bombers' choke lifts the network to No. 3

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 11, 2005
The season ended last night for the New York Yankees, much earlier than Fox would have hoped, but the network managed to squeeze one final night of strong ratings out of the Bronx Bombers.

Last night’s Game Five of the American League Divisional Series between the Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim averaged a 4.4 Nielsen overnight rating among viewers 18-49s. That was all the more impressive considering it went head-to-head with ABC’s highly rated “Monday Night Football.”

Fox was up 38 percent over last week’s 3.2 rating for Monday night, with most of those gains coming at 8 p.m., where the low-rated comedies “Arrested Development” and “Kitchen Confidential” usually air. It placed third for the night, edging NBC and just behind CBS.

Sunday night’s Game Four averaged a preliminary 4.2 rating among 18-49s. If last night's numbers hold, this will be the highest-rated ALDS Game Five ever on Fox.

Last night’s game, which sent the Angels to the American League Championship Series to face the Chicago White Sox, peaked during the 8:30 p.m. half hour, with 14.3 million viewers tuning in. The previous night’s game peaked with 11.8 million viewers. Overall, 12.18 million total viewers tuned in.

For the night, Fox averaged an 8.0 overnight household rating, which if it holds, would boost Fox’s 7.1 division series average, which is already up 13 percent versus last year. Of course, Fox’s baseball coverage now faces a huge challenge, with no Yankees or Red Sox to help boost ratings the rest of the way.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_605.asp

Oops. It's the White Sox and Angels.
Woe is Fox, which can expect lower ratings

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 11, 2005

Who would have thought that tonight America, or some smaller part of it, would be watching the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim face each other in the first game of the American League Championship Series?

After last year’s seven-game series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, Fox, which airs tonight's game at 8, had anticipated huge ratings for another matchup between the two AL East rivals. So had most others.

But then the White Sox finished a surprisingly easy sweep of the defending World Series champs last week, and late last night the Angels dropped the Yankees 5-3 in the fifth game of their divisional series.

Woe is Fox. Last year's Boston-New York face-off drew high ratings, but the Chicago-LA/Anaheim series probably won’t. The Angels’ 2002 World Series win was the lowest-rated in series history. And the White Sox don’t have the national appeal of the cross-town Cubs.

But perhaps there is an upside for Fox. The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has been endlessly hyped all year ever since Boston overcame a three-game deficit to win last year’s ALCS.

That’s led some to speculate that the two were not nearly as popular among viewers as among the media. Many wonder if there was a New York-Boston burnout brewing, but that’s something we’ll have to wait until next season to find out.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_578.asp

Real anchor for “West Wing” debate
The New York Post

The live presidential debate on "The West Wing" between candidates Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda will have a real newsman as moderator.

Former ABC anchor Forrest Sawyer will play himself in the Nov. 6 episode, according to reports.

Producers were afraid to hire an actor for the role for fear he or she might get "too nervous" to do the part live.

http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/pfriendly_new.php

Behind a Change at Helm of “Commander In Chief” on ABC

By Bill Carter The New York Times October 11, 2005

ABC's surprising decision last week to replace the creator of "Commander in Chief," its most promising new series, with the veteran producer Steven Bochco was driven by increasing concerns about production delays on the series, several executives involved with the decision said yesterday.

The show had fallen so far behind on delivering new episodes, the executives said, that ABC feared it might be forced to pre-empt the show or run repeats in the ratings sweep month of November. ABC also did not want to run repeats this month because executives believe they can establish the show with audiences that are not watching postseason baseball on Fox.

ABC announced the switch to Mr. Bochco on Friday, displacing Rod Lurie, the series's creator, just two episodes into the show's run. It is highly unusual for a network to make such a drastic move on a show that is doing well in the ratings.

Even more unusual was the selection of Mr. Bochco, the much-honored production hand behind some of the most praised network television dramas of the last 20 years, including "Hill Street Blues," "L.A. Law" and "N.Y.P.D. Blue." Mr. Bochco played a principal role in the creation of those shows, as he has with every show he has been involved with. A spokeswoman for Mr. Bochco said yesterday that he had never before in his career joined a show that another writer had created.

But ABC was under pressure on "Commander in Chief," which stars Geena Davis as the first female president. The show, which has pulled in more viewers than any other new series this fall, has completed shooting only six episodes, including the pilot, which was shot last spring. The third episode will be broadcast tonight. Most series that are added to a network fall prime-time schedule begin production in July and have six or seven episodes finished by the time the season starts at the end of September.

One problem with "Commander in Chief," several executives said, was that Mr. Lurie directed many of the episodes as well as supervised the writing. This process led to numerous rewrites and delays, the executives said. The studio even ordered production shut down for a time to allow for the writing to catch up, they added.

Next month is a sweep month, when networks seeking to deliver the highest possible ratings broadcast four original episodes of their successful series. With so few episodes completed on "Commander in Chief," and with the situation becoming no better, as one network executive put it, ABC was in jeopardy of not having enough episodes to fill the month.

Just three weeks ago, Mr. Bochco signed a new contract with Touchstone Television, the television production arm of the Walt Disney Company, which also owns ABC. That deal made him available to step in as what is known in television as the show-runner for "Commander in Chief." Mr. Bochco is currently serving as an executive producer on the FX show "Over There." FX will make a decision about that show's future within the next two weeks, but based on current ratings, it is unlikely to continue, network and studio executives said.

Yemaya Royse, the spokeswoman for Mr. Bochco, said he did not want to talk about the move to the new series yet.

ABC also said Mr. Lurie would retain his executive producer title on the series. But executives yesterday said that the title would be Mr. Lurie's only continuing association with the show. It will be run entirely by Mr. Bochco, they said, with Mr. Lurie no longer involved at all.

Instead, ABC said, Mr. Lurie will concentrate on creating new series for Touchstone.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/

Cleanup needed for “Desperate Housewives” on ABC

By David Bianculli New York Daily News TV Editor October 11th, 2005

Last year, when one of the opening images in the premiere episode of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" was that of cherry preserves being mistaken for blood, it signaled a sensibility and creativity that was fresh and funny.

Last Sunday, when one of the images in the latest episode of "Housewives" was that of Alfre Woodard's Betty claiming that the blood on her clothing actually was cherry preserves, it signaled something else entirely. In a word, laziness.

We're now three episodes into the second season of "Housewives," and the show still doesn't seem to have any traction. Even the twists aren't as twisted as they used to be: The climax of Sunday's show had George (Roger Bart) passing a lie-detector test, even though we know he killed Bree's late husband, Rex, by slowly poisoning him.

How did he pass the test?

As Norm Macdonald used to say when hosting "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live," "Ripped from the pages of Duh! magazine ..." George has access to every pharmaceutical there is, and certainly one of them would keep him calm under the duress of such a test. It's a no-brainer. It's also a no-exciter.

What's wrong so far this season, for the most part, has been the tone. Seeing Felicity Huffman's Lynette back in the corporate world was a good touch, but not when her boss, played by Joely Fisher, is such a cartoonish shrew. Subtle digs, jabs and thrusts, not cartoon mallets and anvils, should be the weapons of choice. Think of the smug sexiness last season of neighborhood madam Maisy Gibbons (Sharon Lawrence), and her verbal jousts with Marcia Cross' Bree, to recall what's missing so far this sophomore season.

Splitting up the four main housewives, and giving them nothing unified to do, hasn't helped things, but this guy-in-the-basement thing with Betty thus far has wasted not only Woodard's talent, but our time as well. The Gabrielle-Carlos scenes, with Eva Longoria and Ricardo Chavira, have been the best-written this year, but there's only so much you can do when separated by a prison table. Longoria's scenes Sunday with Jesse Metcalfe, as her ex-lover John, close a story line that already ended. She did, however, get a new car - but when an Aston-Martin is more memorable than these leading ladies, the writing's to blame.

Perhaps George can snap, and start killing the residents one by one, and force the housewives to band together, Nancy Drew-style, to catch the murderer. Or the unresolved stories and departed characters from last season can return. Or series creator Marc Cherry can write a script for a change. Anything that would help is needed, before "Housewives" goes from stalled to stagnant.

By the way, this isn't knee-jerk-reaction, sophomore-season sour grapes. ABC's "Lost" is in its sophomore season, too, and it knocks my socks off. "Lost" isn't lost at all, but "Desperate Housewives" is leaning dangerously in that direction.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/v-pfriendly/story/354360p-302113c.html

Oops. It's the White Sox and Angels.
YEAH, BABY!

"You can't script October" ... and you can't buy it, either!

(Posted from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 225 miles from Chicago and home to the Angels' Class A farm team, the Cedar Rapids Kernels.) :)

Weekly Ratings Have Familiar Feel

(zap2it.com)--The early-season pattern in the weekly Nielsen ratings held up again last week, with veteran shows dominating the top of the charts, CBS in the top overall spot and ABC leading among younger viewers. FOX also got some decent ratings from the early games of major league baseball's playoffs.

The week ending Sunday, Oct. 9 found CBS in first place with an 8.4 rating/13 share among households and 12.8 million viewers in primetime. ABC (7.0/11, 10.85 million) took second, and NBC (6.5/10, 9.67 million) finished third. FOX was fourth at 5.5/9 and 8.4 million viewers, a substantial improvement over last week and the comparable week last year. With its full schedule finally in place, The WB grabbed fifth with a 2.5/4 and 3.84 million viewers. UPN trailed with a 2.3/4 and 3.32 million viewers.

Thanks to the likes of "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," ABC led among adults 18-49 for the third week in a row, averaging a 4.1 rating in the top-shelf demographic for advertisers. CBS was second at 3.9, followed by NBC, 3.4, and FOX, 3.1. The WB's 1.6 was good for fifth, beating UPN's 1.3.

A handful of shows premiered last week, none of them all that impressively. CBS' legal drama "Close to Home" was the most-watched of the debuts, finishing 33rd overall with a 7.2/12 -- similar to the premiere numbers for "Judging Amy" last year (although "Close to Home" did significantly better than "Amy" among adults 18-49). ABC's "George Lopez" also put up decent numbers, scoring a 6.0/10 (tied for 42nd) and recording its best season premiere since 2002.

On FOX, the first round of the baseball playoffs, which featured several dramatic games, drew significantly better than last year. Sunday's American League matchup between the Yankees and Angels nearly cracked the top 20, finishing 24th with an 8.1/13. Overall, the division series round is up about 24 percent compared to last season.

The top of the rankings looked very much like last week's, with CBS' "CSI" (17.8/27) outgunning ABC's "Desperate Housewives" (15.9/23) for the top overall spot. "Without a Trace" (13.7/22), "Lost" (13.1/20) and "CSI: Miami" (12.3/19) rounded out the top five.

"Commander In Chief," 11.1/16, put in a strong showing for ABC in its second week, actually improving on its premiere slightly and tying for seventh place overall with NBC's "Law & Order: SVU." It was probably helped some by the absence of "House" (pre-empted for baseball), as was "My Name Is Earl," which re-entered the top 20 after slipping out last week. The NBC comedy tied for 19th (with "Medium"), averaging 8.6/13.

NBC's rearranging of its Wednesday lineup paid some small dividends, as "E-Ring," airing at 8 p.m., and "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," facing "Lost" at 9, both improved their adults 18-49 numbers over the previous week. On the downside, Stewart didn't deliver as strong a lead-in to "Law & Order," which fell out of the top 20 in both viewers and adults 18-49.

http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/utils/tve_article_print/1,1144,,00.html?x=37&y=13&current_url=271%7C97999%7C1%7C&search_id=1&cntn_id=97999

Last week’s complete program-by-program network prime-time ratings will be posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS (the second post in this thread) when they become available later today.

Fox Picks Up “Bones,” “War at Home” for Full Season

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com October 11, 2005

Fox gave full-season production orders to two of its new shows, the Tuesday forensics drama "Bones" and the Sunday family comedy "The War at Home."

Since its premiere Sept. 13 "Bones" has been a successful lead-in for the 9 p.m. (ET) medical mystery "House," helping the network score first or second place for the night in the adults 18 to 49 demographic.

"Home," which premiered Sept. 11 at 8:30 p.m., has not been a breakout Sunday ratings performer in the vein of "The Simpsons" or "Family Guy," but has enjoyed adults 18 to 49 ratings on par with "American Dad" and above "King of the Hill."

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8706

Oct 19th big date for Digital TV Transition

TVWeek.com—The Senate Commerce Committee announced Tuesday that it will vote October 19th on legislation expected to set the date for the broadcast industry's transition to digital as settle other key issues of the digital transition

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8702.

Last week’s and the three week season-to-date network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS (the second post in this thread).

Complete program-by-program ratings will be posted later tonight.

Blonde & brainy
TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer's women actors have strength and smarts
By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News

COLD CASE. Sundays, CBS; CLOSE TO HOME Tuesdays, CBS.

For a man whose name is synonymous with testosterone-fueled flicks like "Armageddon" and "The Rock," and who's turned CBS into his own well-policed kingdom, producer Jerry Bruckheimer sure has put a lot of women to work.

From the Q-tip-wielding crime-scene investigators of CBS' "CSI" to the gun-toting cops and agents of "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace," Bruckheimer's women tend to be strong, smart and, yes, beautiful.

You could call them babes, though you might want to stand well out of range before trying it.

Not that "Cold Case" star Kathryn Morris, the first woman to receive top billing in one of Bruckheimer's crime dramas, is likely to give you trouble.

"Jerry Bruckheimer loves sexy women, he loves unattractive women, he loves women," Morris declared in a recent phone interview.

As perhaps the blondest of the Bruckheimer blondes, Morris can't even get worked up over some viewers' obsession with her hair. (It seems they'd like to see her character, Philadelphia homicide Detective Lilly Rush, wear it down.)

"I'm not an offendable person," she said, adding, "I know what kind of blonde I am. I don't define myself by being blonde."

Still, someone obviously thinks about these things, because when it came time to cast the lead of the company's second woman-led show, "Close to Home," Jerry Bruckheimer Television president Jonathan Littman's first thought about the role of the show's new-mother prosecutor was, "No blondes, no blondes."

Until in walked Jennifer Finnigan, an undeniably blond actress who'd previously starred in NBC's short-lived sitcom, "Committed," and played a recurring role on NBC's "Crossing Jordan."

"You go for the best actor," said Littman during an interview at a recent CBS party.

"When someone goes into the room and nails the scene, and nails the scene in the context of, this is something you had in your head, and what you had in your head is what's come back across the room to you... you know [they've] got the role," he said.

"Female characters as strong as these [hers and co-star Kimberly Elise's], they're hard to find on TV and in film, and especially in a procedural drama," Finnigan told reporters in July.

In a subsequent interview, the actress admitted that she'd feared that if "Committed" had lasted, "I would be pigeonholed in that blond, bubbly romantic comedy" role.

"She wasn't dumb, but she was effusive," Finnigan said.

Something that can't quite be said for "Close to Home's" Annabeth Chase, a fiercely focused prosecutor who's juggling parental responsibilities.

Putting guns - or law books - in the hands of attractive women is nothing new on television, of course.

But as viewers of shows like Steven Bochco's "NYPD Blue" and "L.A. Law" know, female face time can come at a price, with characters' personal lives sometimes taking precedence over their professional ones.

Fraternization isn't unheard of in Bruckheimer shows - see the love triangle Poppy Montgomery's Samantha Spade finds herself in in "Without a Trace" - but at least the women seem no more vulnerable than the men.

"I think the thing with Jerry's company is that he's interested in making movies, and this is just another screen for him," said Morris.

Morris, whose film credits include "The Contender" and "Minority Report," noted that "when a movie script comes my way, the female character is usually much more fleshed out."

In a Bruckheimer show, "the lead character must have a complexity that is beyond a curling iron," she said.

"I was the last person cast on 'Cold Case,' " the actress recalled, and "I wanted to know what the journey would be for the long term."

What impressed her - beyond the fact that the show was created by former "NYPD Blue" writer Meredith Stiehm - was that "they really talked about 'NYPD Blue' and the complexities of Dennis Franz' character, [Andy] Sipowicz, and [said] my character would take a journey that was as rich as his," Morris said.

"We weren't talking about undercover episodes, me in leather and posing as a prostitute. It was much more about a person, and not just a woman."

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television/12871000.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Last week’s complete program-by-program list of network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS (the second post in this thread).

Who gets which MLB Championship Series game
Details of LCS split-national telecast
(from foxsports.com)

On Wednesday, October 12 (8 p.m. ET), FOX Sports provides a split-national telecast of Game 2 of the ALCS and Game 1of the NLCS. Areas of natural geographic interest receive ALCS Game 2 on their local FOX over-the-air broadcast affiliate, while a simultaneous live feed of NLCS Game 1 is available on the FX cable network.

Those areas of the country receiving NLCS Game 1 on their local FOX broadcast affiliate are able to watch ALCS Game 2 on the FX cable network. FX is widely available in over 87.2 million U.S. households.

In addition, FOX Sports has set up alternate channels with satellite providers DIRECTV and DISH/Echostar to ensure that both games are available to subscribers of the country's largest DBS companies.

For DirecTV customers, in addition to local FOX affiliate coverage of either NLCS Game 1 or ALCS Game 2, FX, on channel 248, carries (NLCS Game 1) and a second channel, 246, carries (ALCS Game 2). For DISH/Echostar subscribers, in addition to local FOX affiliate coverage of either NLCS Game 1 or ALCS Game 2, FX, on channel 137, carries (NLCS Game 1) and a second channel, 136, carries (ALCS Game 2).

Below is a breakdown of the top 56 markets, (covering more than 70% of the nation's TV households) detailing which game will be carried by the FOX over-the-air broadcast station:

Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox, 8 p.m.
Markets include:
Albuquerque
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Chicago
Cleveland
Columbus
Denver
Detroit
Hartford
Indianapolis
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
New York
Phoenix
Portland
Providence
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle.

Houston Astros at St. Louis Cardinals, 8 p.m.
Markets include:
Atlanta
Austin
Birmingham
Charlotte
Cincinnati
Dallas
Dayton
Fort Myers
Greensboro
Greenville
Houston
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Knoxville
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Nashville
New Orleans
Norfolk
Oklahoma City
Orlando
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Raleigh
Richmond
San Antonio
St. Louis
Tampa
Tulsa
Washington
West Palm Beach

WTF!? There are only two baseball games in all of MLB and they have to be at the same time!? Talk about "stupid programming tricks." Nothing like making sure people interested in watching both...can't.

Xesdeeni

The TV Column
Winners and Losers
Geena Davis's Approval Ratings Rise

By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Wednesday, October 12, 2005; C07

Female-president idea gaining steam, at least with TV viewers. Can reality be far behind?

Here's a look at the week's best and worst:

WINNERS

"Commander in Chief." Television's only new series to crack the Top 10 last week was also the only new series whose show runner/executive producer was relieved of his duties . . . I mean, signed to a fabulous new two-year deal to develop series that leaves him no time to work on "CiC" but "blown away excited" about his replacement, Steven Bochco. Nearly 17 million people watched the second episode of the drama in which Geena Davis plays the president of the United States. That's about half a million more than had watched the show's unveiling the previous week. And it's the only new series this season to snag a bigger crowd for its second episode than its first.

"Without a Trace." CBS's crime drama beat NBC's aged doc drama "ER" by the largest margin ever on Thursday -- more than 7 million viewers. And, for the first time, with head-to-head original episodes, "Trace" also beat "ER" among the 18-to-49-year-olds the broadcast networks target and among an even younger subset: 18-to-34-year-olds. CBS, formerly the Old Folks Network, danced the happy dance the next day.

"NCIS." When Fox pulled its grisly new forensic drama "Bones" out of its Tuesday time slot to make way for baseball, cadaver freaks gave their full attention to the three-season-old CBS crime drama, which cracked the 16-million-viewer mark for the first time.

LOSERS

"Joey." The spinoff of the enormously popular "Friends" was NBC's least watched original scripted series last week. And, it hit a new series low -- 7.2 million viewers. With any luck, NBC will snuff this show and put it out of our misery; it will be a mercy killing.

"Inconceivable." NBC's new fertility clinic drama has been off the air since its second broadcast on Sept. 30; according to competitors, NBC doesn't have it in the lineup for the next three weeks, and it surely won't be brought back for the November ratings sweeps -- oh, and production has been shut down. In its two broadcasts, it averaged only about 5.4 million viewers. And yet, NBC insists, this show is not canceled and no decision has been made yet re its future.

CBS Sunday movie . Watch CBS's Sunday movie closely -- it may be your last chance. Total viewers are down 25 percent so far this season compared with last season, which wasn't any great shakes. Most recently, "The Hunt for the BTK Killer" got murdered in its time period; fewer than 9 million people bothered to watch. In its first three weeks this season, the CBS Sunday flick franchise averaged 8.76 million viewers -- its slowest start since at least 1991. ABC and NBC dumped their Sunday movies ages ago.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101101721_pf.html

Study: TV writing jobs still favor men

Richard Verrier Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer October 12, 2005

Despite steady but modest gains over the last seven years, women and minority writers still lag behind their white male counterparts in jobs and pay for film and TV work, according to an industry study to be released today.

The study by the Writers Guild of America, West, found that minorities accounted for 10 percent of the 3,015 employed television writers in 2004, while women made up 27 percent -- even though those groups represent more than 30 percent and 50 percent of the population, respectively.

In film, women represented 18 percent of the 1,770 employed film writers in 2004, while all minority groups combined accounted for just 6 percent of the total, virtually unchanged since 1998.

"You still have an industry that is dominated by white male writers," said UCLA sociology professor Darnell Hunt, the report's author and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African-American Studies at UCLA. "Women and minorities have made very minimal gains."

Titled "Catching up with a Changing America?," the 94-page report marks the guild's most comprehensive analysis of its employment trends since a 1998 study found similar disparities. That report was credited with putting pressure on Hollywood studios, production companies and networks to improve diversity efforts.

But William Bielby, professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania who co-authored the previous report, said pressure on studios and producers has slackened in recent years. That, he said, has allowed an insular culture -- where hiring is based on informal relationships and writers are often typecast -- to thrive.

"There's been virtually no change in how business is conducted in the industry," Bielby said.

Todd Boyd, a professor at the USC School of Cinema-Television, said the guild's findings mirror a "particular culture and, until that culture is changed, you're not going to see any drastic changes in overall representation."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/orl-writers1205oct12,0,2232112,print.story?coll=orl-home-entlife

Fox Sports, ESPN expect MLB playoffs to deliver

(And MLB hasn’t disappointed them so far)

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter)—Don't hand Fox a crying towel over the playoff elimination of two proven postseason ratings winners, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

Despite tough competition from "Monday Night Football" and a primetime lineup including ABC's "Desperate Housewives," postseason baseball did more than hold its own this time around. Fox and ESPN are coming off double-digit increases in ratings and viewership in key demos, including adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, for the week of divisional series.

"We're off to a great start," Fox Sports president Ed Goren said. "If you asked me a week ago about the divisionals, there is no way that I would have suggested that we would be up 25% over last year's divisional series, and in particular I would have been shocked that men 18-34 would be up 56%."

And while the remaining four teams lack the Yankees or the Red Sox star power, Fox thinks there's plenty of drama ahead. A best-case scenario would be a Cardinals-White Sox World Series, with St. Louis looking to avenge last year's sweep at the hands of the Red Sox, and the White Sox looking to get out from under a so-called curse that has haunted the Chicago team since 1917. But the other two teams, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Houston Astros, also provide intriguing opportunities to Fox, too.

"Present me a team, and I'll give you a story line," Goren said.

This year's Red Sox could be the White Sox, which seems to have the underdog qualities that made the Red Sox ratings dynamite last year. Fox wants to avoid a repeat of 2002, when the Giants-Angels series conspired to the lowest ratings in history.

"We have reasonable geographical distribution this time around," Goren said. "You're not looking at New York-New York or Giants-Angels. We're going to be fine."

ESPN and ESPN2 broke all kinds of records, with ESPN's most-watched week with 3.5 million households.

ESPN's eight games averaged 4.5 million viewers, up 15% and up 12% in adults 18-49 and up 11% in men 18-49 and men 18-34. ESPN2's two games -- including the 18-inning, nearly six-hour epic battle between the Astros and the Atlanta Braves -- averaged 3.5 million viewers compared with last year's 2.6 million viewers.

Friday night's Red Sox-White Sox game was the highest-rated telecast in the history of ESPN2 and only slightly behind Game 3 of the 2003 American League Division Series between the Oakland A's and the Red Sox. Sunday's Astros-Braves marathon averaged 4.86 million viewers.

http://channels.netscape.com/news/story.jsp?id=2005101208440002642045&dt=20051012084400&w=RTR&coview=

MLB ratings up, but questions linger

By Tim Lemke THE WASHINGTON TIMES October 12, 2005

Television ratings for Major League Baseball's division series were among the best in history, but now MLB and Fox must operate without two of their biggest cash cows and are facing the first league championship series since 1989 without an East Coast team.

Gone are the reliable Yankees, who snared strong nationwide interest during a stretch of LCS appearances in six of the last seven seasons. And gone are the Red Sox, who bolstered the ratings last season en route to their first championship in 86 years. This is the first time since 1997 that neither team has made the second round of the playoffs.

Now Fox, which is in the penultimate year of a $2.5 billion contract to broadcast all LCS and World Series games, will rely on fans from the Central and Western time zones to buoy ratings for games featuring the Astros, Cardinals, White Sox and Angels.

"The games are what they are," Fox Sports spokesman Lou D'Ermilio said. "It's not like we can strategize to make them better than the sports gods can make them."

The good news for Fox is that ratings for the division series on Fox, ESPN and ESPN2 were solid. More than 3.6 million households watched Friday afternoon's Game 3 between the Red Sox and White Sox, giving it a 4.1 Nielsen rating, the highest ever for a program on ESPN2. And ESPN said viewership was up 12 percent over last year for its eight broadcasts.

Monday night's Yankees-Angels game on Fox scored an 8.9 rating and was the second highest-rated division series Game 5 ever. And Sunday night's Game 4 between the Yankees and Angels even beat out ESPN's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast, which is routinely the highest-rated sports program of the week.

Fox reported its second-highest ratings ever for a division series and said viewership was up 25 percent over last year.

Perhaps even more encouraging is that games featuring the Angels have been noticeably higher than during the team's run to the World Series title in 2002.

"The division series was terrific for us," D'Ermillio said.

Without the Yankees and Red Sox now, Fox expects the remaining playoff games to snare smaller ratings than last year and 2003 but higher than 2002, which saw some of the lowest ratings ever. Chicago and Los Angeles are the second- and third-largest television markets, respectively, representing nearly 9 million television viewing homes. Houston is ranked in the top 10, and St. Louis routinely scores high ratings for baseball.

"It's hard to replace New York and the exposure and the intangible nature of the Yankees," said Dan Migala, publisher of a sports marketing trade publication in Chicago. "On the East Coast it might not be perfect, but good games and a good series will supplant that."

In addition to hoping for close games and long series, Fox will rely on promoting story lines. In the ALCS, the Chicago White Sox will be going after their first World Series championship since 1917, and the Angels will be going for their second championship in four seasons. The NLCS between the Astros and Cardinals is a rematch of last year's series that went seven games and includes two Cy Young Award candidates in the Astros' Roger Clemens and Cardinals' Chris Carpenter. There are plenty of familiar faces to keep fans interested, baseball officials said.

"Cleary, we've had a good run with the Yankees and Red Sox in the mix," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said. "We've had great stories over the last few years, and if you have a compelling story, people will latch on to that."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/sports/20051012-120420-5648r.htm

Ad glut turns off viewers

By Gary LevinUSA TODAY

Can't Bree grieve anymore without a MasterCard commercial loudly interfering?

Lately, fans of Desperate Housewives, Lost and other top shows have been complaining about excessive commercials that seem more intrusive than ever and slow down the programs they surround.

"I have definitely noticed that the shows on ABC that I watch have significantly more commercials this season," complains Julie Raines, 33, of Denver. "It's so frustrating. Once you are really getting into a juicy story line, it stops, and you are bombarded with the same ads over and over."

Viewers have been griping about ads on TV since the days of black-and-white sets. Some have turned to digital video recorders such as TiVo to skip commercials altogether. Others sit and bear it.

ABC ad-sales chief Mike Shaw says he's perplexed by increasing complaints.

"We've had the exact same commercial load for three years in a row," he says of the 9 p.m. ET/PT Sunday time slot, home to Housewives and before that, Alias. Viewers must "feel that way because they love the show so much, that they really notice it when the breaks are there."

But across prime-time TV, the number of ads and promos has increased sharply over the years. A typical "one-hour" prime-time series clocks in at less than 42 minutes, down from 44 minutes several years ago and nearly 48 minutes in the 1980s.

And shaving off the "previously on ..." recap, opening credits and a teaser for next week's episode, Sunday's Housewives ran 40 minutes and 30 seconds, meaning for every two minutes of programming, there's a minute of commercials or promos for other network shows. On cable, MTV has even more so-called clutter, with USA and Lifetime close behind.

But ABC, which studies show has slightly more commercials than other broadcast networks, has changed its drama format in a way that makes it seem even more loaded with ads.

Until recently, dramas unfolded in four segments, or "acts," often preceded by an introductory teaser that aired before the opening credits.

Starting this fall, ABC required all drama producers to carve up each episode into six portions. For some shows, including Housewives, the first segment runs for nine to 11 minutes before the first break. Once viewers are hooked, they're confronted with four more commercial breaks, each about 3½ minutes long, over the next 45 minutes.

To prevent channel surfing, networks increasingly avoid airing commercials between shows. Instead, they save several minutes of more substantial scenes for a show's ending and then move "seamlessly" into the next program. The upshot is that more ads and promos air within programs.

"The way the structure was before didn't make any sense," says ABC Entertainment chief Steve McPherson. "You'd have people sit through a commercial break to come back to 30 seconds of programming" at the end of an episode.

Lost and Housewives adopted the six-act structure early last season. ABC quickly expanded the practice to its entire lineup of hour-long series. Competitors followed suit: WB's dramas began adopting the same format last January and since last month has used it on every show. CBS and NBC employ it on newer shows including Criminal Minds, Las Vegas, Numb3rs and Surface, although producers of CSI, Law & Order and ER refused to go along. Fox uses it only on Bones.

McPherson says most producers "like it because you have real content in each of the acts."

But Boston Legal producer David E. Kelley isn't among them.

"There's no opportunity to develop any kind of storytelling momentum," Kelley says, fearing that quiet scenes of dialogue will never hold up to increasingly loud — and frequent — commercial breaks. "High-octane shows, or puzzle shows, will be immune to it.

"If a knife is plunged into someone's sternum, you pay attention," Kelley says. "But for shows that don't depend on violence or melodramatic scenes, it's tougher to compete in a six-act show than in four acts, or in 41 minutes instead of 45 minutes. You have to be a little more aggressive with them, musically or filmically, just to get people's attention back."

Everwood producer Greg Berlanti says carving up emotion-packed dramas into even smaller pieces can be "annoying," even if it's a necessary evil in a business that exists to sell advertising. "It makes you long for the day when everything comes out in boxed sets of DVDs so you can enjoy it."

And advertising researchers say the cluttered airwaves, which also include logos and promos during shows, risk turning off viewers even from must-see shows and worsening recall of their ads.

Yet Nielsen Media Research says TV viewership in U.S. homes hit record highs last season.

"There's been a lot of hand-wringing in the business about when viewers are going to say, 'Enough's enough,' but they haven't," says Tim Brooks, a TV historian and research chief at Lifetime. "It may never be that commercials drive people away from the set, but it makes them pay less attention to avoid the irrelevant interruptions."

No federal agency regulates the amount of commercial time on television. Until 1982, the major networks adhered to a voluntary code of the National Association of Broadcasters that limited commercials to 9.5 minutes per hour in prime time. But since the code was dropped, the number of commercials on prime-time TV has crept steadily higher.

Housewives sells 11 minutes, 15 seconds of national ad time and about 2½ minutes of local spots. On Sunday, it ran 4 minutes, 10 seconds of promos for 11 other series. Added up, they account for nearly 18 of the show's 61 minutes.

Housewives is among TV's most expensive shows. Thirty-second spots that sold for $450,000 in May, in advance of the season, now fetch $500,000 to $600,000, Shaw says, meaning the network rakes in at least $5 million an episode.

"If we had extra time to sell, I would tell everybody," he says.

Advertisers tolerate the excess bunching of commercials for the sake of reaching 25 million viewers in TV's biggest hits.

Housewives is among a handful of shows "where there's tremendous attention, passion and a halo effect where your commercial might actually resonate," says Initiative Media's top ad buyer Tim Spengler. "Up to a certain point, (they) look the other way."


We'll be back

The amount of “clutter,” including network and local commercials and plugs for other shows, steadily has increased on broadcast and cable, to the point where an “hour-long” drama is about 40 minutes of original programming.

Average non-program minutes in an hour of prime-time for each year:

Year Broadcast Cable
1996 9:53 12:46
1999 14:00 13:53
2001 14:39 14:30
2004 15:48 14:55
Note: Reflects prime-time hours on the six broadcast networks and all basic cable networks measured by Nielsen. Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus

"Housewives" adds to clutter

Prime-time dramas are being broken up into smaller segments and interrupted more frequently by commercials and network promo spots.

Sunday’s Desperate Housewives, which carries 30 seconds more of ads than other ABC shows, featured six “acts,” up from four traditionally.

The shortest ran for 4 minutes 14 seconds, not much longer than the commercial breaks that surrounded it.

The total episode included 40:30 of programming, 13:49 of commercials and 5:45 of promos, credits and a recap. The breakdown in minutes and seconds:

9 p.m.: Recap, “Teaser”
(opening scene), Opening credits

Break 1: (9:09:45; 6 national
commercials, 3 promos)

Break 2: (9:22:25; 3 national
commercials, 2 promos,
3 local commercials)

Break 3: (9:30:22; 5 national
commercials, 3 promos)

Break 4: (9:40:43; 5 national commercials, 2 promos,
2 local commercials)

Break 5: (9:51:07; 6 national
commercials, 3 promos)

End credits/teaser for next week’s episode/promo for Housewives DVD

Tuesday’s network prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s opinions of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

When the ratings come out for a show, does it take into account the recorded episode? For instance, I watch "Botson Legal" when it airs at 9pm here in Nashville, but I always record L&A SVU. How do the ratings see this?

Thanks!


nc

At the moment, DVR usage is not counted in the "official" Nielsen numbers.

Nielsen is working on a fix, though it is probably still a year or so away.

That fix will involve adding the DVR viewer numbers (as long as the show is seen within seven days) to the number of people who watched the show when it originally aired.

So, obviously, the overnights still would not include DVR viewers.

My sister and her husband are a Nielsen family. The invasive way they put their box into place won't even let them watch another channel or a DVD if they are recording something with a VCR! I would never allow them to take over my home theater in this heavy-handed manner.

It's no wonder they can't count HD households or DVR viewers. They'd have scrambled brains when they saw my two HD capture cards in a HTPC, plus my DVR, VCR, and ATSC/NTSC tuners.

I don't hold out hope that Nielsen can ever handle such high-tech setups.

Xesdeeni

A head-first tumble for Fox's baseball
ALCS slips 42 percent without its star teams

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 12, 2005
After the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were eliminated from postseason contention, the thought was that Fox’s coverage of the American League Championship Series would suffer.

Did it ever.

Last night, Fox averaged a 3.1 Nielsen overnight rating among viewers 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. for coverage of Game One of the ALCS between the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. That was down 42 percent versus last year, when Fox averaged a 5.3 18-49 overnight rating from 8-11 p.m. for game one of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox.

Last year’s game, which also aired on a Tuesday night, propelled Fox to a first place finish for the night among 18-49s, but last night the network could only muster a fourth-place finish.

It also finished fourth among households, a year after finishing first with its coverage of Yankees-Red Sox. Its household rating fell 33 percent, from a 9.5 to a 6.1, for the three-hour timeslot.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_627.asp

My sister and her husband are a Nielsen family. The invasive way they put their box into place won't even let them watch another channel or a DVD if they are recording something with a VCR! I would never allow them to take over my home theater in this heavy-handed manner.

It's no wonder they can't count HD households or DVR viewers. They'd have scrambled brains when they saw my two HD capture cards in a HTPC, plus my DVR, VCR, and ATSC/NTSC tuners.

I don't hold out hope that Nielsen can ever handle such high-tech setups.

Xesdeeni

Let's not forget your sister and husband agreed and are paid for their participation.

You are also unaware of the details on the people meter which has none of the old issues and handles all the issues you raise.

Everwood producer Greg Berlanti says carving up emotion-packed dramas into even smaller pieces can be "annoying," even if it's a necessary evil in a business that exists to sell advertising. "It makes you long for the day when everything comes out in boxed sets of DVDs so you can enjoy it."
This is so, so true...viewing TV shows on DVD can be a whole different experience from the chopped up, interrupted mish-mash of broadcast TV..


The total episode included 40:30 of programming, 13:49 of commercials and 5:45 of promos, credits and a recap. The breakdown in minutes and seconds:

9 p.m.: Recap, “Teaser”
(opening scene), Opening credits

Break 1: (9:09:45; 6 national
commercials, 3 promos)

Break 2: (9:22:25; 3 national
commercials, 2 promos,
3 local commercials)

Break 3: (9:30:22; 5 national
commercials, 3 promos)

Break 4: (9:40:43; 5 national commercials, 2 promos,
2 local commercials)

Break 5: (9:51:07; 6 national
commercials, 3 promos)

End credits/teaser for next week’s episode/promo for Housewives DVD
Incredible, 43 seperate events(ads-promos) for a 1HR show...if there was no such thing as a DVR, there is no way I would even watch these shows...not a chance..

Let's not forget your sister and husband agreed and are paid for their participation.I don't recall the amount, but it's definitely not very much.You are also unaware of the details on the people meter which has none of the old issues and handles all the issues you raise.Am I? I was unaware that I was unaware :p Perhaps you can enlighten us as to why they are using an archaic and invasive system if another choice is available.

Xesdeeni

I don't recall the amount, but it's definitely not very much.Am I? I was unaware that I was unaware :p Perhaps you can enlighten us as to why they are using an archaic and invasive system if another choice is available.

Xesdeeni
It's a work in progress, Nielsen has had to battle with various groups complaining that the method is slanted this way or that depending on the groups viewpoint. For example, I think FOX was complaining that the device skewed FOX's demos adversely, which would directly affect their ad revenue.

I do think it's pretty close to be deployed though, if it hasn't already in some places.

For CBS, a price for Thursday's gains
A ratings dip in the flush of new competition

By Kevin Downey MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 12, 2005

When CBS successfully ended NBC’s decades-long stranglehold on Thursday last year, it opened up the night for competition, making its own top-rated lineup vulnerable to attack. It's now paying a price of sorts.

Although still No. 1, CBS has slipped in the 18-49 demographic, having fallen 5 percent for the first three weeks this season, from an average 7.9 rating for the same time period last year to a 7.5.

Moreover, all three of its Thursday shows are off. “Survivor” is down from an average 7.4 to a 6 and “CSI” is down from a 10.7 to a 9.8. And while “Without a Trace” is beating NBC’s “ER,” its rating is also down, from a 7.1 to a 6.6.

CBS’s declines are due in large part to the collective attack of Fox, ABC, the WB and UPN, which, emboldened by CBS's successful ascent, have begun to aggressively program on a night that accounts for the bulk of weekly ad dollars. Meanwhile, NBC continues to tumble, down another 33 percent so far this season, to a 4.8.

“It’s hard to pick on a network that is not just so far ahead of anyone else but that also has the No. 1 show of the week, ‘CSI,’ while ‘Without a Trace’ is now way ahead of ‘ER,’” says Jordan Breslow, director of broadcast research at MediaCom.

“But Thursday is now one of the most competitive nights of the week. UPN brought over a lot of viewers to the night for ‘Everybody Hates Chris,’ even though that show has cooled off.”

Just a few years ago, Thursday was a programming wasteland for all of the networks but NBC, which was able to dominate for two decades with shows like "Friends" and "Seinfeld." That began to change in 2001 when CBS bolstered its lineup with “Survivor” at 8 p.m. and “CSI” at 9 p.m. The following year it slid in "Without a Trace” at 10 p.m.

Then last year, NBC's first without “Friends,” Fox joined CBS in the attack, moving its hit drama “The O.C.” to the 8 p.m. timeslot. Though its 2.6 18-49 average rating is tiny compared to CBS’s and NBC’s, Fox ranks No. 3 so far this season with “The O.C.” followed by rookie drama “Reunion.” They also perform very well among 18-34s. Both shows are currently on hold for post-season baseball.

Then this season, the rest of the networks followed Fox's lead. ABC anchored its lineup with “Alias," and its average so far is a competitive 2.2 rating. The WB’s new lineup of “Smallville” at 8 and “Everwood” at 9 is drawing a 1.7 for the night, nearly double the 1.0 of last season. And UPN, which moved wrestling to Friday to make way for a comedy block led by “Everybody Hates Chris,” is slightly up to a 1.7, from a 1.6 rating.

CBS’s biggest hurt on Thursdays comes from the diminishing fortunes of “Survivor.” The reality show is in its 10th version, and most media researchers say it is suffering from tougher competition at 8 p.m.

But "Survivor" is also likely showing the signs of age, losing at least a few viewers who are no longer captivated or surprised by the trials and tribulations of strangers fending for themselves in an exotic location.

“It’s a much more competitive night, with all six networks putting in their best product at 8 p.m.,” says Shari Anne Brill, vice president and director of programming at Carat. “And ABC and the WB put in shows that have built-in loyalty. UPN put in its heaviest hitter, ‘Everybody Hates Chris.’”

Still, CBS’s strong lead on Thursdays isn’t likely to soon whither away, according to Breslow. “CBS is pretty dominant across the night,” he says. “They are not in a dire emergency situation.”

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_609.asp

Senate Panel Sets DTV Vote

By Todd Shields MediaWeek.com October 11, 2005

The Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday said it would vote Oct. 19 upon a digital TV bill that is expected to include a date for ending traditional analog TV broadcasts.

Aides have said the House is to begin considering its digital TV bill around the same time the Senate panel votes.

Senate and House leaders have said they are working toward a transition date in 2009, or on the last day of 2008.

After the switch some consumers will need additional equipment to watch over-the-air broadcasts. The prospect has provoked partisan tensions in the House, where Democrats have called for consumer subsidies that some Republicans say are too expensive.

In the Senate, other measures to be voted upon next week include bills to require identification of prepackaged news stories produced by the government, and to improve emergency alert systems.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001264473

FCC Approves Sale of Voom Satellite

By Ted Hearn Multichannel.com

The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday approved EchoStar Communications Corp.’s $200 million purchase of the now-defunct Voom HD direct-broadcast satellite service’s satellite from Cablevision Systems Corp.

The unanimous decision also included allowing EchoStar to take control of 13 DBS frequencies and an earth-station facility in Black Hawk, S.D.

(This is just another reminder of how far NBC has fallen.)

Fox Drops "Simple Life 4"

By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com October 12, 2005

Fox announced Wednesday it is no longer interested in airing the fourth installment of the comedy reality series "The Simple Life," but NBC and The WB are said to be vying for the project, sources said.

The latest installment of "Life," which once again stars socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie and is currently in preproduction, was initially going to focus on preparations Ms. Hilton and Ms. Richie were making for their respective weddings, but the show's theme was thrown into question after Ms. Hilton broke off her engagement. A public falling out between Ms. Hilton and Ms. Richie has been reported for months in tabloids and on the Internet.

A statement issued by Fox said the network was dropping the show because of scheduling reasons.

"We have a unique midseason situation," the statement said. "In January we have to accommodate 2%BD; hours of new programming with '24' and 'American Idol.' We also have completed episodes of both scripted and unscripted series in the wings … collectively; we did not see a place for 'The Simple Life' on our schedule this season."

The studio producing "Life," 20th Century Fox Television, also made a statement.

"We're disappointed that 'The Simple' Life will not continue on Fox, where it has performed so well, but we believe this series starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie is still a dynamic and valuable franchise," the statement said. "We hope to be able to announce a new network partner in the coming days."

Jon Murray, the executive producer of "Life" and the chairman and president of Bunim-Murray Productions, which produces the series along with 20th, said in a statement the Fox announcement was a temporary setback.

"We have a hit series with 18 to 49 year olds starring two of the most written about women in the world," Mr. Murray said. "We're very excited about the creative plans for the next group of episodes, and are confident this situation will be remedied quickly."

The show is slated to begin production in November and is expected to be ready for a January launch. "Life" will still be marriage-themed, and the production has taken into account the personality differences between Ms. Hilton and Ms. Richie, sources said.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8719

CBS Extends Three New Series
Adds scripts for two other freshmen

By Ben Grossman Broadcasting & Cable

CBS has given full-season pickups to freshman comedy “How I Met Your Mother” and new dramas “Ghost Whisperer” and “Criminal Minds”.

Mother has fit well into the Monday-night comedy lineup between returners “King of Queens” and “Two and a Half Men”, and joins NBC’s “My Name Is Earl” and UPN’s “Everybody Hates Chri”s. in giving the fall schedule a welcome dose of relatively successful comedies.

“Ghost Whisperer” has been a bit of a surprise on Fridays, opening a night in which CBS is enjoying success with three consecutive dramas. “Criminal Minds” also has found an audience despite being matched up against ABC behemoth Lost Wednesdays at 9.

CBS also said it has added three scripts apiece of sitcom “Out of Practice” and drama “Threshold”.

The Monday night comedy was under the watchful eye of the network, but was buoyed by an 11% uptick in ratings Monday.

”Threshold” last week was just a tenth of a rating point off its premiere in the demo (2.4 last week versus a 2.5 debut).

I don't recall the amount, but it's definitely not very much.Am I? I was unaware that I was unaware :p Perhaps you can enlighten us as to why they are using an archaic and invasive system if another choice is available.

Xesdeeni


Actually, one of the systems is in place and has been for several years - though not used in many markets

http://www.nielsenmedia.com/newsreleases/2002/WUNI-TV.html

There are 2 different versions currently in the USA.

To read up on the second one, it's best to read up it here:

http://www.arbitron.com/portable_people_meters/home.htm

Including the Houston Televsion numbers from the test that came out in the last month.

And again, your relatives took money to have their habits monitored - no matter the amount.

They could have said no thanks.

And again, your relatives took money to have their habits monitored - no matter the amount.

They could have said no thanks.And they most definitely will when their contract is up. There was no way they were told how invasive it would be.

The fact that the system discourages anything more complicated than watching live TV, as any decent statistician will tell you, artificially biases the sampling, making it significantly less accurate (and I'd argue completely useless). I'd like to think that's why "reality" TV shows get any ratings at all. :-)

Xesdeeni

CBS Extends Three New Series “Ghost Whisperer” has been a bit of a surprise on Fridays, opening a night in which CBS is enjoying success with three consecutive dramas.

Surprises me too, I didn't even make it through the primere episode before turning away.

Wednesday’s network prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

Technology and entertainment: The next episode
Networks enter brave new world beyond TV sets

By Charlie McCollum San Jose Mercury News Oct. 13, 2005

Not long ago, executives at the major television networks were skittish about any new technology that could deliver programming any way other than through a TV set sitting in the average American home.

But faced with changing viewership and lifestyle patterns, particularly among younger Americans, the networks are finally facing a future of making their entertainment and news available online, via cell phone, through digital recording systems and video on demand and now as downloads on Apple's new video iPod.

Apple Computer and Walt Disney announced Wednesday that the new iPod would offer episodes of ABC's biggest hits, ``Desperate Housewives'' and ``Lost,'' as well as the new ``Night Stalker'' the day after they air. The episodes, along with installments of the Disney Channel's ``That's So Raven'' and ``The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,'' would cost $1.99 to download and could be played on the iPod's 2 1/2-inch screen, a computer or even on a standard TV.

While the Apple-Disney deal caught executives at other networks somewhat by surprise, the idea that one of the networks would take the leap was hardly a shock. In fact, the networks have already been dipping their corporate toes into the waters of new technology,

UPN recently streamed an episode of its new hit, ``Everybody Hates Chris,'' on Google. The WB offered the opening episode of ``Supernatural'' on Yahoo before the series premiered in September; Showtime did the same with its new series, ``Fat Actress.'' The Sci Fi cable channel has offered complete installments of ``Battlestar Galactica'' on its own Web site. And ABC News has a deal with Verizon Wireless to deliver news report via cell phones.

But the Apple announcement is likely to accelerate other networks' tentative plans to make their shows available on multiple platforms -- even if the ultimate financial success of delivering TV through those technologies is still in considerable doubt.

``We've been talking and are still talking about new platforms of all sorts,'' said CBS senior vice president Dana McClintock, who pointed out that the network already makes the audio portion of some of its shows available for download through Apple's iTunes.

David Poltrack, the network's executive vice president of research and one of the biggest advocates for multiple platforms, said that ``if we are going to sell our product, we want it in as many stores as possible.''

Poltrack has already done significant research on the willingness of American TV viewers to pay for episodes of their favorite series they may have missed or would like to see again. (The studies were done in the context of video-on-demand, not the new video iPod.)

One survey with 2,500 respondents found that almost 20 percent would ``definitely'' be willing to pay $1 to buy an episode without commercials. A majority said they would be ``somewhat likely'' to use such a service at some point.

That kind of response, Poltrack projects, could result in an initial annual revenue of $5 billion for the networks.

But more than a few experts in the field point out that those kinds of projections may just be as shaky as the predictions of great and quick success for TiVo and other digital recording systems, which have yet to reach more than 5 percent of American households. Or for that matter, the limited success so far of the pay segment of video-on-demand.

Bruce Leichtman, chief analyst with the Leichtman Research Group, noted recently in MediaWeek that video-on-demand ``has grown through delivering free programming. Consumers have not necessarily shown a willingness to pay for programs.''

And when asked about the new video iPod on Wednesday, several avid TV viewers who are what marketing experts like to describe as ``early adapters'' to new technology expressed some hesitation about immediately jumping on the Apple bandwagon.

``It's cool, without question,'' said Paul Consolli, a 30-year-old marketing manager, in an e-mail interview. ``But I've already got TiVo and I've got a VCR I can use. I just don't know if I need another system where I have to pay for an hour of `Lost.' ''

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/columnists/charlie_mccollum/12892904.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Surprises me too, I didn't even make it through the primere episode before turning away.
It's a weak knockoff of Medium for sure, but it has some great picture quality, although that will only hold interest for me for a short while.. :)

This is one of those no DVR, no watch, shows...

HBO Tempts Ted Koppel

The New York Post---Ted Koppel has landed on his feet, and he hasn't even jumped yet from ABC. Sources say the "Nightline" host has reached agreement with HBO on a three-year deal that will net him many millions of dollars for 14 hours of programming a year. Koppel will bring four of his producers with him to HBO, a source said.

But an ABC spokeswoman told us: "He and ['Nightline' exec producer] Tom Bettag have made it very clear they won't sign any deals until they leave the network." Koppel's last "Nightline" is Nov. 22.

Sources said some HBO execs — who are already smarting over the hugely expensive but low-rated "Rome" — are questioning the wisdom of hiring Koppel, who isn't expected to win a huge audience with documentarie

http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/pfriendly_new.php

Sources said some HBO execs — who are already smarting over the hugely expensive but low-rated "Rome" — are questioning the wisdom of hiring Koppel, who isn't expected to win a huge audience with documentarie


I've been wondering about the ratings for Rome and this confirms my suspicions. Add in the fact that the second season is not going to air until sometime in 2007 and I think HBO has a huge loser on their hands. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the scheduled second season production start date of March 2006 is canceled.

Strike two for Fox's baseball coverage
Second night is down even more, to a 3.0

By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com Oct 13, 2005

Fox’s postseason baseball coverage took an expected stumble Tuesday night with Game One of the American League Championship Series, but things didn’t get any better last night as the National League kicked off its LCS.

Fox averaged a 3.0 overnight rating among 18-49s last night from 8-11 p.m., down 3 percent from a 3.1 the previous night. The NLCS aired in many markets, though Game Two of the ALCS between the White Sox and Angels aired in some others in a split national format. Whichever game was not on Fox was on FX.

This is the second straight year in which the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals have met in the NLCS. Last year’s series didn’t do great, and so Fox may have already expected a ratings dropoff.

Fox’s 3.0 rating was a 37.5 percent dip versus the same night last year. But that night, when Fox aired Game One of the Astros-Cardinals series, the American League series was Red Sox versus Yankees, which rated much higher than White Sox-Angels. Also, ratings on that night last year were atypical because the other Big Four networks aired a presidential debate.

According to metered market household ratings, the game was down 15 percent from last year to a 9.4. It was up 8 percent over 2002, the last time the Yankees and Red Sox were not in the ALCS.

The first two nights of the LCS do not bode well for the World Series. If there’s little interest in these games, that won’t grow when two of the squads reach the final.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_662.asp

I've been wondering about the ratings for Rome and this confirms my suspicions. Add in the fact that the second season is not going to air until sometime in 2007 and I think HBO has a huge loser on their hands. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the scheduled second season production start date of March 2006 is canceled.Although I enjoy Rome, I wouldn't lament it's demise like I did Carnivale and will Deadwood and The Sporanos. I watch it mostly because it's HD and I have a DVR, and I find the history a little interesting, much more so than the dry old books I had to read in high school. :)

NBC President is still on net’s radar

By Lloyd Grove New York Daily News

The muckety-mucks at NBC Universal and its corporate parent, General Electric, are circling the wagons around fourth-place network president Jeff Zucker - the subject of a magazine hatchet job that has mediabiz-watchers buzzing.

The piece - in which author John Cook leaves the misimpression that a Lowdown scoop (NBC News President Neal Shapiro's pending departure in May) belonged to The New York Times - claims that GE Chairman Jeffrey Immelt has "got a silver bullet with Zucker's name on it."

In the latest issue of Radar, Cook also asserts that Zucker's once-close relationship with "Today" show star Katie Couric has "soured."

In a video chat with 200,000 GE employees on Tuesday, Immelt reaffirmed his support for Zucker.

"I look at what [NBC entertainment chief] Kevin Reilly and Jeff Zucker have," Immelt said. "We have the best pipeline of shows we've probably had in the last four or five years. I am excited by what's out there. I can already see the turn happening in the prime-time schedule. I really like the team."

NBC Universal Chairman Bob Wright told this column yesterday: "Jeff is a good leader, very competitive and focused. His spirit of innovation is a vital part of the present and the future of NBC Universal."

And Couric told me she and Zucker haven't "soured" at all - far from it.

"I saw that and thought, wow, that's weird," she said. "Jeff and I are still very close, and I have no idea where that came from. I talk to Jeff a few times a week - not every day. He's a very busy person."

Looks to me like Zucker can count on having at least a few more months in the job.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/355121p-302681c.html

"Desperate" for a better story line

By Joanne Ostrow Denver Post Staff Columnist

Let the backlash begin.

I've tried to be patient with "Desperate Housewives." Really, I have.

I've tuned in expectantly and forgivingly ever since the frothy, pleasing but admittedly silly comedy- soap began. Lovely to look at, unchallenging, with a great opening title sequence and the catchiest handle in the business, ABC's hit, for which star Felicity Huffman won an Emmy, has been innocuous fun.

Now the novelty is wearing off, and the hour is edging toward vapidity. Like the unfortunate family talent-show performance in Sunday's installment, the tone is off: not campy enough to make the comedy clever, not real enough to make it engaging as mystery-drama. The story is too rooted in convention to be truly outrageous, too melodramatic to make it plausible as anything but goofy comedy. How long do we need to play along?

While the mystery on "Lost" is tangled and endlessly complex, it feels well thought out and relevant to modern life. I buy into the mythology. I want to explore each character's background. I like the faith-versus-reason divide even when it is overstated.

The "Desperate Housewives" characters and their wardrobes are distinct but static. The mind wanders ... how many weeks will the writers dangle the Alfre Woodard prisoner-in-the-basement story line until they're forced to move it along for November sweeps?

In the meantime, some less-ballyhooed, more sturdily plotted series deserve renewed enthusiasm, including "Numb3rs," "Without a Trace," "House," "Grey's Anatomy," "Fathom" and "Commander in Chief."

http://www.denverpost.com/ostrow

At 69, Dennis Hopper takes his first prime-time lead

By Gail Shister Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist

Dennis Hopper is a Republican.

"People would be surprised to know that," says Hopper, maverick star and director of the '69 hippie-stoners-on-bikes classic, "Easy Rider," in a recent interview.

"I've been a Republican since Reagan. I voted for Bush and his father. I don't tell a lot of people, because I live in a city where somebody who voted for Bush is really an outcast."

One of Hollywood's legendary "enfants terribles," Hopper, 69, is so straight it's almost scary.

He's been sober for 22 years. He plays golf. He wears suits and ties. And he's starring in his first prime-time series - Jerry Bruckheimer's new Pentagon drama, "E-Ring."

Hopper plays Army Col. McNulty, a Vietnam vet and real-estate tycoon who's lured out of retirement to return to the Pentagon.

It's no surprise McNulty is a colorful character. "He'll be doing a football pool in one hand and selling a condo in the other, while running a top-secret op at the same time," Hopper says.

When Hopper began his career in 1954 at Warner Bros., he fought the studio's efforts to make him a TV star, because he was convinced that actors couldn't successfully make the transition from small to large screen.

Clint Eastwood ("Rawhide"), Steve McQueen ("Wanted: Dead or Alive") and James Garner ("Maverick"), to name a few, proved Hopper wrong.

Fifty-one years and 150 films later, Hopper is back at Warner Bros. "It's strange," he says. "This is not what I expected at all."

When Hopper bumped into Taylor Hackford, director of "E-Ring's" pilot, at the Oscars in February, Hackford told him he had a part that was perfect for the actor. That was the good news. The bad news: Production was to begin in two days.

After reading the script, Hopper was hopped up.

"I'm a news buff. I watch CNN and Fox News incessantly. I was interested in playing this guy and seeing where this show goes, and where our country's going."

Hopper digs his "E-Ring" co-star Benjamin Bratt, labeling him "one of the best young actors around. So giving, so positive. He's the real deal."

Bratt, 41, a "Law & Order" alum who plays an irreverent Army major in the Green Berets, says his image of the "Blue Velvet" and "Speed" weirdo was quite different from the reality.

"I made the fatal mistake of assuming he was going to be the guy from all of his films, which is ridiculous, because I'm an actor and it happens to me all the time. I couldn't help myself."

Instead, "the person I met was quite a bit more debonair and sophisticated. He's not an open book. ... One thing that's clear is that he's a true artist, actor, filmmaker, accomplished photographer and collector."

Hopper estimates he's losing $1.5 million a year in movie money by doing "E-Ring." He says he does about five films annually, at $500,000 per, and he's getting "a little less than $1 million" for "E-Ring."

No big deal. "I'm not a big spender. I'm OK with that."

Hopper's mellow with just about everything these days. His new gig keeps him close to his home in Venice, Calif., where he lives with his fifth wife, actress Victoria Duffy, 37, and their 2½-year-old daughter, Galen.

"I don't have a lot NOT to be mellow about right now."

Hopper doesn't remember the last TV show he watched all the way through. (He "catches glimpses" of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" when his wife has it on.) He gorges on cable news "because the reality of things going on around me is more interesting than the fantasies of the world I work in."

Perhaps the most startling reality is that Hopper is still breathing.

After decades of booze and drugs, "I should have been dead 10 times over. I've thought about that a lot. I believe in miracles. It's an absolute miracle that I'm still around."

http://www.bergen.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxNjcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cW VlRUV5eTY3OTAzMDEmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3

On some level, “Lost” is making sense

By Rick Kushman Sacramento Bee TV Columnist

Every couple of years, there's a show that pops out, maybe in its second or third season, and roars through the pop culture. This is going to be one of those years, and the show is ABC's "Lost."

That's not exactly a news flash, and that's exactly my point.

Everywhere I go, people want to talk about "Lost." No one gets what's happening on that island, or what the numbers mean, or why that guy Desmond was really in the hatch. But if you've been watching, you're transfixed.

It's the buzz show, the way "ER" was in its second or third season, the way "Seinfeld" hit midway in its run and the way "The X-Files" was rolling before the feature film let the air out of the balloon.

The big buzz series isn't always the top-rated show. "Lost" (at 9 tonight on Channel 10) is third in the ratings, averaging about 23 million viewers. But it is the show with the most energy and the most to engage you. Chat rooms, Web sites, blogs and people just drinking coffee are going nuts over it.

Here's the thing. This happened because the producers went smart. Damon Lindelof and his crew avoided the old, and lame, TV device of posing a simple question, then supplying no info for an answer. They did the opposite. They gave viewers all kinds of information, and it's all rich and complicated.

That reset the game, gave us a whole new globe of possibilities without removing any of the ideas we had from last year. Maybe this is all a huge social experiment, or an experiment gone bad, or a lost island with odd electromagnetic properties, or maybe it's some kind of weird Twilight Zone of a zoo. Maybe the Others are aliens; maybe they're a secret government; maybe the place is purgatory; maybe everyone is really dead; maybe I have no idea what's happening.

Look at the clues they've thrown out: "A Wrinkle in Time." "Watership Down." "Turn of the Screw." "The Third Policeman," for criminy's sake. Vague, complex literature, thick with metaphors and mysteries of their own. These are producers who trust their audience to have functioning brains.

They've also built the whole show on solid ground. These are good, deep, engaging characters. None of this would matter if the people didn't register.

And they started it all on a very simple premise. For all the copycat, alien-mystery series the networks produced this season to try to capture some "Lost" magic, this show didn't catch on because it was a twisty-alien-mystery. We got hooked on a simple, classic premise of survivors on an island.

Everything else - the numbers, the Others, the connections, the Frenchwoman, the visions, the hatch, the plane, the something-in-the-jungle, the Dharma Initiative, the abduction, the who-knows-what's-next - came later. It started with a good story, well told. That always works.

For people who've missed this boat, honestly, I don't know if you can catch up. Probably you can. The stories each week are small ones, and just pieces of the larger picture - whatever that will turn out to be.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/columns/kushman/v-print/story/13702866p-14545568c.html

Creature features
Confused by the invasion of series with creepy secrets? Here's a guide

By MANUEL MENDOZA The Dallas Morning News

The truth is out there, it just might not be revealed for a while. TV's wave of Lost-inspired sci-fi shows asks us to suspend satisfaction, as well as disbelief. Taking a cue from the just-spotted, real life giant squid, we've created a Squid-o-Meter scale (a lowly 1 to a magnificent 5) to navigate these murky waters.

LOST 9 PM ET/PT Wednesdays, ABC
Setting: Mysterious, uncharted island
Metaphor: Faith vs. science as karma plays out in a kind of purgatory
Sea monster: Not until a couple of episodes back, and so far it's just a sideshow
How to spot the bad guy: If they kidnap your son, it's a strong hint; otherwise, it's hard to know on a show that thrives on contradiction.
Influences: Survivor, Lord of the Flies
Laugh lines: When his lady friend says she likes bald guys, a still-hirsute Locke says he's not bald. She replies, "I can wait."
Squid-o-meter: 4 squids – After spending too much time catching up new viewers, the genre's model issued its first huge revelation last week, and it was a doozy.

INVASION 10 PM ET/PT Wednesdays, ABC
Setting: The Everglades, south of Miami
Metaphor: Healing in the aftermath of 9-11
Sea monster: Not exactly, but there's something bright and orange in the water
How to spot the bad guy: He's played by William Fichtner.
Influences: Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Laugh lines: Sheriff to reporter wondering about jurisdiction: "God's in charge. I just handle the paperwork."
Squid-o-meter: 2.5 squids – It's creepy that "Mommy smells different," but why? Executive producer Shaun Cassidy promises answers are forthcoming shortly.

SURFACE 8 PM ET/PT Mondays, NBC
Setting: Around the globe, from Antarctica to Lake Travis
Metaphor: Sometimes a sea monster is just a sea monster
Sea monster: Most definitely. The near-cuddly baby version looks like a rabbit with a bad case of eczema while the grown-up resembles a scaly whale with a serious overbite.
How to spot the bad guy: He has a beard and an Eastern European accent.
Influences: E.T. , Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind – pretty much anything by Spielberg
Laugh lines: Lake Bell's oceanographer during the evacuation of a beach town: "I think there's something fishy going on around here."
Squid-o-meter: 2 squids – The '70s look is appealing, as is the relatively straightforward storytelling style. But it needs to move beyond its Spielberg obsession.

THRESHOLD 9 PM ET/PT Fridays, CBS
Setting: Behind closed doors with government spies and science geeks
Metaphor: Aliens represent our darker selves
Sea monster: No, but the aliens did attack a ship and their presence makes fish swim in circles
How to spot the bad guy: Their DNA is altered and they try to kill you.
Influence: Dawn of the Dead
Laugh lines: "What, don't you date men, uh, smarter than you?" diminutive Peter Dinklage asks Carla Gugino, who answers, "I don't know. Never met one."
Squid-o-meter: 2.5 squids – Humorous banter supplements the cool special effects and psychological thrills.

NIGHT STALKER 9 PM ET/PT Thursdays, ABC
Setting: A newsroom. How scary is that?
Metaphor: Childhood's boogeyman-under-the-bed
Sea monster: Not yet, but give it time
How to spot the bad guy: They kill their wives and try to get you to do the same.
Influences: Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X-Files
Laugh lines: Kolchak questions killer's motive, unaware it applies to him, too: "A man doesn't just break from reality, kill his wife and then tell some crazy story to explain it."
Squid-o-meter: 3 squids – Much improved by the second episode, it has begun to take on the sophisticated tone of the original.

http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/television/stories/DN-creaturebox_1012gl.State.Edition1.11c008a7.html

What's on? Ads, ads and maybe a TV show
It's not your imagination — there are more commercials.

By Diane Holloway Austin American-Statesman

Have you noticed? I'm sure you have.

Snack breaks — uh, commercial breaks — are getting longer. In fact, you can load and unload the washing machine, change the oil in your car and walk the dog during some of them. That's in addition to getting a snack.

A recent episode of CBS' "CSI" had a couple of four-minute ad breaks; an episode of Fox's fabulous new drama "Prison Break" stretched a couple of its breaks to five minutes.

There's a whale of an ad load on prime-time shows this fall. Network folks are quick to point out that half-hour shows have three commercial breaks, and hourlong shows have five breaks. That's been the same for years.

But those breaks are longer . . . than . . . ever.

"I watched the premiere of 'Commander in Chief' last night, and my reaction was 'Wow!' " Austin viewer Douglas Potter said in a recent e-mail. "As in, 'Wow!' I haven't seen an hour with this many commercial breaks since that James Bond festival on TNN (now Spike TV)!"

Several witty callers suggest the networks refer to programming as "show-breaks," stuff that airs between commercials.

Only five years ago, a prime-time hour averaged 16 minutes total ad time for 26 ads and promotional spots. The two prime-time hours I timed last week — Fox's "Prison Break" and CBS' "CSI" — averaged 19 minutes an hour of commercial time. The number of different products and promos during those hours flashed by too quickly to count.

But I was able to keep track of Fox's sitcom "Arrested Development." The show had 11 minutes of commercial time with 24 ads and promos. That probably means an hour will have 40 to 45 different spots. Or more.

The interruptions aren't just annoying to viewers. Top program creators such as David E. Kelley, whose current buzz-worthy hit is ABC's "Boston Legal," is so annoyed he told TV critics in Los Angeles that he just might pack up and go to premium cable.

"We're reduced to writing eight-minute acts," Kelley said of his ABC restraints. "It's very difficult storytelling, especially for character scenes. An hour is now 41 minutes, and that's a terrible trim."

Kelley, one of the most successful moguls working in TV, said he might even consider a more drastic move: "I would love to explore ideas to buy some of that time back myself."

How much program time can the networks ultimately turn over to ads? As much as they want. Unlike children's programming, which has a Federal Communications Commission ad limit of 12 minutes per hour weekdays, grown-up shows are left to the whim of the broadcaster.

But surely there is a limit to how much ad time viewers will tolerate?

Surveys by ad agencies such as BBD&O in New York have found that the more commercials that are crammed into a show, the more likely viewers are to change channels.

Cramming more short ads (from 10 to 15 seconds rather than the once-dominant 30-second spots) is actually bad for advertisers. The message goes by so fast people have no recollection of seeing it.

In last week's episode of "My Name Is Earl," for example, one 3 1/2-minute break had seven products/services/programs pitched. What were they? I have no idea. Neither would you.

So, what's the answer? Are we doomed to ever-longer ad breaks crammed with ever-shorter ads? Eventually we'll rebel. We'll all find DVRs that zap past commercials, and networks will (please) cluster ads at the beginning and end.

Or — and this would be even better — return to the ancient practice of single-sponsor shows. As in, " 'Desperate Housewives,' brought to you by Tide!" So much better.

There's a big buzz lately about product placement — not instead of gazillions of ads but in addition to them. Product placement, in case you're unaware, is when Simon, Paula and Randy hold giant glasses with "Coke" written on them all through "American Idol."

According to Nielsen Media Research, more than 100,000 product placements appeared on the six broadcast networks last TV season.

Top advertisers are said to be shifting from expensive-to-produce commercials to cheaper product placement spots.

NBC president Jeff Zucker said in Los Angeles that about 10 percent of his network's total ad revenue comes from product placement.

"It's a growing trend," Zucker said. "Viewers are our customers, but so are advertisers. And advertisers want different ways to reach our viewers."

ABC entertainment chief Stephen McPherson says his network's product placement revenue is "considerably less than 10 percent," and he thinks the "impact has been a little bit overblown." Yet last season we saw Sydney talking on her brand-visible Nokia cell phone during an episode of "Alias."

A business research service called FIND/SVP has surveyed viewers recently and found that 52 percent said they were more likely to buy something advertised in traditional commercials. Only 23 percent said they would be similarly influence by product placement.

http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/10/11tvcolumn.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild100=DPV2aVuoDF3QXC5UQTw Yj95VY64liUkJp9cigZn2xQAJ2C5jK6NY!-771387857&UrAuth=aNaNUObNWUbTTUWUXUTUZTYU^UWU_U%60UZUcU_UcTYWYWZV&urcm=y

Veriozn’s FIOS signs deal with HDNet and HDNet movies

The trade publication Multichannel News reported Thursday that Verizon’s FIOS service has agreed to terms for carriage of the HDNet and HDNet Movie channels.

They're Not Reruns, They're iReruns!
A blog on the new season from TIME Magazine's TV critic James Poniewozik

Today Apple computer announced its long-awaited video iPod, which will no doubt, like every new Apple release, be thoroughly coated in the slaver of admiring journalists before it hits the shelves. What most grabbed my attention, though, was a new feature that has the potential to iTunes-ify network TV. Thanks to a deal with ABC, iPod owners will be able to buy episodes of shows like Lost and Desperate Housewives the day after they air, for $1.99 a pop.

It's an intriguing deal, and probably a boon for fans without TiVos. (Though you'd think the overlap between TiVo and iPod owners would be fairly high, no?) But I immediately thought: why not take it further? Why not let people pay $1.99—or more—to watch a show the day before it airs? Sure, some folks might pony up for a glorified rerun. But how many Lost fanatics would gladly pay every week—essentially subscribing to a network show—for the chance to find out whether Michelle Rodriguez is evil, or why Daniel Dae-Kim is suddenly speaking English? A day late, a Survivor elimination is old news; a day early, it's insider information.

I'm sure there would be problems with this model, but they could be surmounted if there were enough money in it. Some shows finish production close to air time, but if the price was right a network could bump up the deadlines. Piracy would obviously be a concern, but that's already a problem for all electronic media. And if it caught on, conceivably a show's ratings would drop, perhaps enough that it might have to lower its ad rates. But would that we all had such "problems"—there'd be a new, potentially much more remunerative revenue stream. (Who's to say you couldn't sell ads on the video podcasts?) And we all know how miserable HBO is because it sells shows instead of ads.

It would certainly be a more sensible pricing structure: pay to watch early, or watch it with the rest of the proles for free. More important, if selling episodes digitally caught on—be it through iPod, TiVo or a cable box—it would be a step toward making network TV something more like HBO.

Right now, network shows are rewarded mainly for their breadth of popularity: how many people watch. (Augmented, of course, by whether the watchers are the right age.) But pay-cable shows are rewarded for depth of popularity: how many viewers like it enough to pay for it. This is what enables high-quality, low-audience shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Weeds to survive—they alienate a lot of people, but they also intensely please enough paying customers.

The iPodding of TV wouldn't rescue cult-favorite shows overnight. But eventually it could be part of a cluster of changes that does so. (DVD sales, for instance, almost singlehandedly rescued Family Guy from cancellation.) Not many people, perhaps, would pay to watch a single episode of According to Jim. But I'll bet there are plenty of Arrested Development fanatics who would give you $10, right now, to watch the episodes Fox has in the can but is holding until the end of baseball season.

To the right set of people, getting something cool before everyone else does is worth a lot of money. Don't believe it? Ask Steve Jobs how many new iPods he's selling.

http://time.blogs.com/tuned_in/2005/10/theyre_not_reru.html

Disney-Apple pact upsets affiliates

By Andrew Wallenstein and T.K. Arnold The Hollywood Reporter (Cynthia Littleton contributed to this report.)

The Walt Disney Co.'s pact with Apple to repurpose primetime programming on its new video iPod generated a mix of confusion and concern among ABC's local affiliate stations as the news spread Wednesday.

The prospect of the new device distracting Nielsen-measurable eyeballs from its own over-the-air programming is generating some anxiety from stations all over the country about how their business will be affected by the download-on-demand availability of two of the network's biggest hits, "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," albeit on a 24-hour delay from their initial network broadcasts.

"I've already heard from some people, there's lots of questions. I'm sure everyone will be watching this very carefully," said Deb McDermott, president of Young Broadcasting, which owns five ABC affiliate stations, and former chairman of the ABC Television Affiliate Assn. board of governors. "The question is making sure this doesn't impact the over-the-air business. ... I'm anxious to learn more about it and how it's going to work, and (to) focus on what it means for us," McDermott said.

ABC affiliates were not notified of the deal before Wednesday's announcement because of a nondisclosure agreement that Disney had with Apple, ABC executives said. Leon Long, general manager of WLOX-TV in Biloxi, Miss., and current head of ABC's affiliate board, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

ABC already has negotiated with affiliates to retain repurposing rights over as much as five hours of primetime programming per week. But that stipulation generally covers repurposing arrangements like offering a second window of a broadcast property on cable within a preselected range of days. It was unclear whether putting a series on an entirely different platform is covered by that agreement as well.

Some affiliates argue that iPod could in fact help over-the-air TV. For highly serialized programming like ABC's "Lost," iPod could function as a backup for people who might miss an episode, which could discourage future viewing of the series. Moreover, iPod could help drive sampling of ABC programming among younger viewers who might be more prone to try a series on a platform where they spend more time. And a fledgling new drama like "Night Stalker" will gain valuable promotion and possibly sampling by being made available alongside "Housewives" and "Lost" as part of Disney's initial batch of programs offered through Apple's iTunes music store service.

Moreover, affiliates don't believe the iPod's small screen delivers anywhere near the picture quality viewers are accustomed to with traditional over-the-air broadcasting or DVDs.

Still, other station sources noted that there is growing concern about the loss of their exclusive access to network programming at a time when major cable, satellite and Internet-driven concerns are negotiating a wide range of cutting-edge, on-demand platform deals with the major TV networks and studios. Cable giant Comcast Corp. is known to be in negotiations with Disney, NBC Universal and others about establishing video-on-demand access to primetime's biggest hits.

The Apple-Disney deal elicited mixed reactions from home video retailers, another sector that likely will be impacted by the move to on-demand program access, especially at a time when sales of contemporary TV-DVD sets have proved to be robust.

Some retailers see it as a direct affront to their business, whereas others say that the time-shifting paradigm offered by the video iPod deal is more of a threat to TiVo and other DVR-like devices than anything else.

Indie retailer Marc Oringer, who owns Champagne Video in New York, said studios are too focused on delivery and should spend more time developing better movies.

"Even something small like Disney's new brainstorm will take an effect on my bottom line," Oringer said. "But if Disney and other big studios continue putting out crap and expecting people to rent it, then I believe (people) will find alternatives to renting and therefore kill the video business."

On the other hand, the news was hardly cause for alarm at video giant Blockbuster Inc., according to company spokeswoman Karen Raskopf.

"It seems to me that a customer who is interested in downloads of TV programming on an iPod the day after it airs is a different customer than the one buying or renting a season of TV programming after that season has ended," Raskopf said. "The first customer is interested in catching up on an episode at a time that is convenient for them before the next one airs. That is not the customer renting (or) buying TV programming from Blockbuster. The customers who get this type of product from us are customers who, for the most part, want the convenience of being able to watch a season's worth of a program all at one time or in huge blocks."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/television/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001305403

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
TV's bright spots

By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel Television Critic October 14, 2005

So far, there's no new hit as big as Desperate Housewives, no new mystery as gripping as Lost. But the new season, which officially began Sept. 19, is providing reasons to cheer.

And viewers are responding. The seven broadcast networks averaged 48.9 million in prime time for the first three weeks, up from 47.7 million a year ago. That nearly 3 percent increase is even more impressive when you consider that this summer's movies were off 8 percent at the box office.

Cable is bolstering television's stock with several scintillating series. It's an encouraging start for the oft-ridiculed small screen. Here's a look at some of the brightest features.

The Marcia Cross moments: The chief pleasure of ABC's Desperate Housewives this season is watching Cross as Bree Van De Kamp. In the opener, Bree ripped an ugly tie off her husband's corpse at his funeral. In episode two, she slapped her whiny mother-in-law (Shirley Knight). This past Sunday, Bree took a lie-detector test with revealing results. What will she do next?

The supporting players on Grey's Anatomy: As physicians in love, Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey drew fans to this ABC drama last spring. The top-notch supporting cast keeps viewers tuned in Sundays: Chandra Wilson as tough but fair senior resident Miranda Bailey, Sandra Oh as driven Cristina Yang and T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, a dashing nerd.

The man who is Earl: Jason Lee has emerged as a bona fide TV star as the title character on My Name Is Earl. At 9 p.m. each Tuesday, Earl pulls off a wacky challenge, from letting his brother relive high school to helping an old woman quit smoking. The show is pulling off its own challenge: It's the brightest spot in a bleak fall for NBC.

Heroic brothers: In a fall of scary programs, the most frightening is the WB's Supernatural, the saga of two brothers searching for their missing father. The camaraderie of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki boosts the show at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. So do creepy plots, such as an exorcism on a flight and a near-fatal bath.

Lovable parents: UPN's Everybody Hates Chris offers a warm, frank view of Chris Rock's family in 1980s Brooklyn. Two reasons to rejoice Thursday are dynamic Tichina Arnold and Terry Crews as Rock's loving but strict parents.

Ancient buddies: HBO's Rome, about the times of Julius Caesar, tells adult stories that are more twisted than anything on Desperate Housewives. The series pivots on the friendship of two everyday soldiers, played with gusto by Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson. They make Rome (Sunday) a must-see destination.

The sprawling plot: A serialized show rises or falls on how well it doles out its twists. ABC's Lost (Wednesday) deftly explained the mysterious hatch and added characters, such as a passenger played by Michelle Rodriguez. Time-slot competitor Veronica Mars, on UPN, has handed its title character (played by Kristen Bell) a doozy of a second-season mystery to investigate: a school bus going off a cliff.

The humane plot: CBS' Cold Case is the most underrated series in a schedule packed with crime. This Sunday drama tells grim stories, such as a fraternity fire, in poignant, gripping ways. The show draws on a strong lead (Kathryn Morris) and a clever device that presents characters as they were years before.

The outlandish plot: No show takes greater risks than FX's Nip/Tuck, the adult story of two South Beach plastic surgeons (Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh). They have operated on a scarred ape and a woman stuck to her couch. The Tuesday series traffics in grotesque plots even as it creates unforgettable images. Do you want safe series or nervy ones?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/orl-season05oct14,0,6243605,print.story?coll=orl-home-entlife

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON
In a dry season of TV drama, HBO's 'Rome' rises to the top

By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Friday, October 14, 2005

Now that the fall season has rolled out, some 30 series in all, one thing is clear: We didn't get a great drama.

It may be a few more weeks before there's any certainty of even a really good drama. It has been years since such a weak freshman class was unveiled. Luckily, the summer gave us better options and one of those, HBO's "Rome" (Sundays, 9 p.m., repeated throughout the week) continues to fascinate and bedevil after seven (of 12) episodes. Lacking a breakout hit on the networks, like last season's "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," the idea of clinging to the vast and nasty details of "Rome" makes suffering through broadcast mediocrity more tolerable.

"Rome" is one of those series where devotees tend to lose perspective on the drama because they are so fixated on outside elements. It's a bit like "Lost" -- probably the most compelling network drama at the moment and a show that has, in its second season, already improved upon a beautifully nuanced first year. The grand mysteries of "Lost" have transfixed viewers and swelled bulletin boards and chat rooms with all kinds of ridiculous (but entertaining) theories about what it all means.

The mythology of "Lost" is a kind of creative fuel that is driving viewers to the series each week. That is precisely the kind of gold a network dreams about -- a series so important and intriguing to the viewers that they obsess on it, mulling over theories around the proverbial (or more accurately, cyber-spacial) water cooler and counting the days until a new episode.

"Rome" enjoys a similarly devoted fan base -- of lesser numbers. But instead of parsing out theories about whether everyone is dead or if there are dual universes or some time-shifting nonsense, "Rome" fans are glomming onto anyone who can vouch for the series' historical accuracy. Others are frantically googling "Caesar," "Pompey Magnus" and anything that has to do with the Roman Empire. No doubt this Sunday's episode will have people scrambling to update their knowledge of Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, the boy king.

This is simultaneously the allure -- and the frustration -- of "Rome," an epic saga that has slowly, surely and satisfyingly become one of television's great dramas. Set in 52 B.C., 400 years after the Republic and its ideals were put in place, "Rome" is the story of Caesar (Cirian Hinds) and his rise to prominence, but also the crumbling of a super society, with class warfare as the through-line. Not unexpectedly, that's a little harder to pull off than, say, cops on one side, killers on the other.

It's the telling that has so complicated this wonderful series. When you tackle Roman history, any shortcut seems to cheapen the accuracy -- but even great leaps of time (which "Rome" maddeningly partakes in) are necessary for dramatic purposes. And let us politely remember that this is not a documentary on Discovery. The egregious sex (heightened in the next few weeks -- and not just because Cleopatra is coming) and the zeal for bloody, sharp-knifed, close combat, should remind everyone that this is HBO. This is a $100 million undertaking. If there are elements that leave historians hooting at their television, so be it.

In fairness, historical accuracy has not been the Achilles heel of this series -- that is surely lacking, but it only galls certain puritans. No, the real trouble with "Rome" is the drag of it, the sheer weight of the tale. Where, in "Deadwood," David Milch has so brilliantly been able to encapsulate the West and how it was lived -- with a relatively small cast and a muddy little town -- executive producer and writer Bruno Heller has had a much more difficult time reeling in this epic, making it fit tighter and brighter in television's limited frame. (Thankfully, the series has already been renewed for a second season -- so by the end of 2007, a full 1/100th of Caesar's machinations and Roman ingenuity will be revealed).

Though "Rome" has not turned into "The Sopranos," the ratings are still strong and the loyalty (and to some extent, a rising buzz) has endured through the fall launch. While viewers may complain about incidents like last week's extremely anti-climactic and truncated battle between Caesar's outmanned 13th Legion and Pompey's huge and marshaled forces (a slo-mo blur of, well, nothing, and it was over), the good news is that newcomers will find a story moving slow enough to join in progress.

As for personal intrigue, family lines and hierarchy, that's another thing entirely (but HBO's solid Web site can fix that for you). The strength of "Rome" is clearly in the soap opera-ish elements and historical saganess of it all. If you can get past the fact that everybody's British (we've been raised on so many fine British dramas that anything remotely resembling high historical art must be done by the Brits, no?), then "Rome" is full of great dialogue, rogue characters, bloody fights and provocative sexual encounters. (If you thought the May-December lesbian tryst between Servilia and Octavia was different, wait two weeks for something far more boundary-pushing.)

If history is a slow horse in "Rome," the interpersonal stories are still marvelously compelling, richly detailed and -- let's not diminish this last point -- a lot of fun.

What's not to like about Polly Walker chewing scenery as Atia? Or the finely nuanced, begrudging friendship between Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson)? There is burgeoning greatness in the portrayals of Octavian (Max Pirkis) and Brutus (Tobias Menzies). Meanwhile, can Niobe (Indira Varma) come out and play -- pretty please?

"Rome" started (slowly) in the summer when people were getting in their final vacations. It has endured (and improved) while the broadcast networks have rolled out their wares. Now, as sharply evident as a knife through an Adam's apple (how they love that device), "Rome" has proved itself far superior to any new dramas.

So play catch-up with On Demand if need be (or simply read the episode synopsis anywhere on the Web), because none of those paranormal offerings or even Geena Davis in the White House can compare to Caesar rising and Rome collapsing.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/14/DDGEOF7FSK1.DTL&type=printable

THE 2005-2006 TV SEASON: THIS WEEKEND
There's baseball -- and more -- on TV this weekend

Sid Smith, Maureen Ryan Chicago TribuneOctober 14, 2005
Note: (Times litsed at Central)

"Threshold," 8 p.m. Friday, CBS: The plot for Friday's edition of this stylish drama sounds like a lost Parliament/Funkadelic song, maybe a hypothetical jam called "Aliens in the Disco."

When a deejay puts an alien-derived audio signal into a dance remix at an illegal rave in Miami, things go very wrong, very quickly. The problem with this alien audio signal is that, as past episodes of "Threshold" have shown, people who get infected by it start acting very strangely.

"There's this spectacular sequence at the rave where all the glass skylights break and people are bleeding and screaming and attacking each other," says "Threshold" executive producer Brannon Braga. Disaster specialist Molly Caffrey (Carla Gugino) and her team go to Miami to investigate, all the while attempting to keep the news of the alien incursion a secret.

Keeping a lid on the dangerous deejay isn't as easy as it sounds, though. "There's a huge twist later on when Molly realizes stopping the girl won't be enough, the signal can propagate itself through technology," Braga adds. "The stakes keep getting heightened, and she realizes that before long, the entire city of Miami might be infected unless they take really drastic action."

Some members of the team, most notably nightclubbing linguist Arthur Ramsay (played by the delightfully droll Peter Dinklage) try to fit in a little recreation as well. "When they're down in Miami, Ramsay tries to take Lucas [Pegg, a shy, engaged scientist played by Rob Benedict] out to a nightclub, tells him to think of it as his bachelor party."

Aliens, nightclubs and bachelor parties in Miami. What other drama on television offers all that?

"Swing Time," 7 p.m. Saturday, TCM: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers float through this dance classic, a frothy confection of boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl intrigue and simply gorgeous, elegant hoofing.

American League Championship Playoffs, 7 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday on Fox: Living under a rock? Emerging from a coma? Then, you'll need this reminder that there are baseball games scheduled this weekend between erstwhile cherubs and that South Side team named for bleached men's hosiery.

"Inside the Actors Studio," 7 p.m. Sunday on Bravo: OK, OK, Sir Elton John hardly qualifies as an actor, let alone a practitioner of the Method. And host James Lipton can be one of the more infuriatingly self-aggrandizing interviewers on the air. But he sticks to his mission to discuss craft, not gossip, and John is an unusually blunt, funny interviewee well worth watching.

"Mediums," 7 p.m. Friday on A&E: With NBC's "Medium" and CBS' "The Ghost Whisperer" communing, week after week, with the dead, this documentary about real-life psychics makes a kind of sense.

Allison DuBois, who inspired Patricia Arquette's character on the fictional "Medium," is among the subjects profiled.

"Hitler's Managers," 6 p.m. Saturday on the History Channel: This cable outlet has been conversationally derided as the Hitler Channel, thanks to its fondness for documentaries about the Nazis.

Here's yet another. Still, the channel always offers a pleasing mix of scholarship and middle-brow entertainment, and this five-part series explores the powers behind Hitler's rise, including arms supplier Alfred Krupp and engineer Ferdinand Porsche.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/chi-0510140091oct14,1,7749283.story?coll=chi-ent_tv-hed

DEAL LEFT IRISH HAPPY, OTHERS FIGHTING MAD
By Larry Stewart, Los Angeles Times, 10/14/2005


In college football circles, NBC could also be referred to as NDBC, the Notre Dame Broadcasting Co.

NBC, which will televise Saturday's USC-Notre Dame game, has been the exclusive carrier of Irish home games for 15 years.

The original deal was made in early 1990 and went into effect in 1991. At the time, it stunned the sports world. Notre Dame had broken ranks. NBC agreed to pay Notre Dame a $40 million rights fee over five years.

TV revenue had always been shared with other institutions, in most cases with members of the same conference. The deal with NBC meant only opponents of Notre Dame, which has never been affiliated with a conference, would get a piece of its considerably large pie, and that would be the case for only a few years.

Now Notre Dame keeps all of its TV revenue. But when the two schools play next year at the Coliseum, Notre Dame gets none of USC's revenue from ABC.

NBC and Notre Dame agreed on a fourth five-year contract last year. This one covers 2006-2010 and reportedly pays $9 million a year.

Apparently, the deal is working.

"There has not been one moment where, in any way, shape or form, we have not been delighted with our relationship with Notre Dame," NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer said.

It was Schanzer and former Notre Dame athletic director Dick Rosenthal who structured the original deal.

Rosenthal was in New York to discuss a possible basketball deal for Notre Dame on Jan. 17, 1990. On that day, the College Football Assn., which then handled TV deals for Notre Dame and all conferences except the Pacific 10 and Big Ten, announced new agreements with ABC and ESPN.

Schanzer learned Rosenthal was not pleased with some of the details in the new agreements. ABC planned to show up to 53 games over 13 weeks, meaning most would be shown regionally.

Rosenthal and other officials at Notre Dame didn't want certain areas of the country deprived of seeing the Irish.

Schanzer went to his boss, Dick Ebersol, and said, "You know, I might be crazy, I just talked with Dick Rosenthal, and I'm not altogether positive that we couldn't do some magic."

Many in the college football world were angered.

ABC and ESPN had agreed with the CFA to pay $350 million over five years. With Notre Dame dropping out, that fee was reduced by $50 million.

"It has been a fun year for all of us," Penn State Coach Joe Paterno told Sports Illustrated. "We got to see Notre Dame go from an academic institute to a banking institute."

The deal had a big impact on the way colleges and networks do business. Losing Notre Dame was a big blow to the CFA, which had taken control of TV negotiations from the NCAA in 1984. The CFA suffered another blow in 1994, when the Southeastern Conference bolted to CBS.

By 1997, the CFA no longer existed. Today, conferences make their own TV deals.

Father Bill Beauchamp, Notre Dame's executive vice president, says that money was not the underlying factor, but it was a factor. He points to the good that the money has done. To date, more than 1,600 students have received $16.5 million in financial aid because of the NBC deal.

Schanzer said no other school, not even two-time national champion USC, could make a TV deal similar to Notre Dame's.

"No other school has the kind of national reputation as Notre Dame, or plays such a national schedule," he said. "USC plays too many games with only West Coast appeal."

Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen, originally a critic of the Notre Dame-NBC deal, is more accepting now.

"Is it good for one Division I-A school to go out on its own and get that much TV money?" Hansen asked. "That's a matter that different people will see differently. But it's an obvious reality."

USC football, according to Hansen, netted $5.3 million in regular-season TV revenue for the 2003-04 academic year ¿ $3.7 million from ABC and $1.6 million from FSN.

"That doesn't put USC in a totally different league than Notre Dame, but you can see the difference," Hansen said. .

THE IRISH AND THE PEACOCK, THROUGH THICK AND THIN
By Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 10/14/2005


A generation of football fans has matured since 1991 with NBC as Notre Dame's television home, knowing that on six Saturday afternoons every year in South Bend, Ind., the Fighting Irish will own three and a half hours of real estate on the peacock network.

Through 86 games, Notre Dame has been NBC's team, starting with the best of times with Lou Holtz, continuing with the humdrum days of Bob Davie before moving on to the great-but-unfulfilled expectations with Tyrone Willingham, and now the new 4-1 regime with Charlie Weis.

"It's a great linkage of brands, Notre Dame and NBC," said Ken Schanzer, the president of NBC Universal Sports, who in early 1990 negotiated the network's market-shaking, five-year contract with Notre Dame for $38 million.

NBC might have hoped for at least one national title for Notre Dame. It has not gotten any. But it still represents a profitable relationship, according to NBC.

Tomorrow's game between No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 1 Southern California qualifies as potentially the most significant contest for the NBC-South Bend axis since 1993, when the No. 2 Irish beat top-ranked Florida State. That 12-year-old game produced a 16.0 rating, the highest in the term of the contract and double the second-highest for the 1994 home opener against Michigan.

Kevin O'Malley, a sports television consultant, said, "The deal depends on the rising fortunes of one school, which one might say is riskier than others, but the way it's been designed and sold, it hasn't been that risky."

The Notre Dame slate has never been the top-rated one; its peak 6.1 rating in 1993 was the closest it came to ABC's top-rated college football package (a 7.1 that year). From 1991 to 2004, as ABC's average rating has fallen 41.8 percent, the Notre Dame rating has tumbled 45.6 percent, as the team receded as a national power.

These are, for NBC and Notre Dame, hope-filled times, with Weis remaking Brady Quinn as a quarterback and improving his recruiting class to one of the best in the nation. But high aspirations have soured before. In 2002, Willingham's first season, Notre Dame's 10-3 record caused NBC's rating to leap 29 percent. But when the team fell to 5-7 the next season, the rating sagged by 22.5 percent.

The NBC-Notre Dame deal was a consequence of the N.C.A.A.'s being relieved of its talon's grip on controlling football telecasts. In 1984 the United States Supreme Court voided the N.C.A.A.'s television deal. Justice John Paul Stevens called it "insensitive to viewer preference," which makes you wonder how he chooses what to watch on glutted Saturdays or if he's a Thursday night kind of guy.

The College Football Association, which Notre Dame and 60-odd other colleges formed, became the main college television kingmaker. In January 1990, with its deal with CBS ending, the C.F.A. struck a five-year, $210 million agreement with ABC.

Soon after, though, Dick Rosenthal, who was then Notre Dame's athletic director, conveyed to Schanzer his uneasiness about the deal when they met primarily to discuss the university's basketball relationship with NBC.

"I could see he was more than a little exercised about it," Schanzer said. "It was nuance, but I could see that Dick was upset." He added, "I said, 'Would you want to talk about your own football deal?' And he said, 'I might think about that.' " On Feb. 5, 1990, NBC and Notre Dame were formally wed - and 15 years later, Chuck Neinas, then the C.F.A.'s executive director, still feels the betrayal.

The Rev. E. William Beauchamp, a Notre Dame executive vice president, sat on the C.F.A.'s board and, Neinas said, "blessed the ABC deal as a member of the TV committee," giving every indication that Notre Dame, with its valuable appeal to a national constituency, was in the fold. "An attorney friend told me, 'You can't sit there, negotiate a deal and two weeks later he and Dick Rosenthal were doing something else,' " Neinas said from Boulder, Colo. "That I will never forget."

At the time, Rosenthal said that Notre Dame had never given its assent to the C.F.A. deal, which he said would have diminished the university's national status.

Feelings have long since softened and college football's landscape is vastly different. The conferences, not the C.F.A., make network deals. And more games than ever are being televised, not just on Saturdays, but all week, thanks to ESPN.

In 1991 ESPN televised 44 games; this year it will carry 446. CSTV is part of the new world, as is ESPNU. All that product has reduced the intrinsic value of all games, including Notre Dame's on NBC, but it has given more fans what they want.

"The number of games is obscene," Schanzer said. "The initial repercussion of this plethora of games was to commoditize them all, but with so many games, special places like Notre Dame become more important."

And not having to pay obscenely high fees is important, too. Even as Notre Dame's fortunes have gyrated, NBC's payments have remained quite affordable, especially if you believe that Weis's start augurs a glorious tenure.

The $7.6-million-a-year average fee NBC paid from 1991 to 1995 has risen modestly to about $9 million through 2010, or $1.5 million a game.

"Whatever it is we're paying," Schanzer said, "we're delighted to be in this relationship. We want to keep going forever."