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fredfa

03-09-07, 01:22 PM

TV Notebook
MyNetTV execs, affils: Change is good
By Kimberly Nordyke The Hollywood Reporter March 9, 2007

Perhaps it's fitting that MyNetworkTV's revamped schedule -- which kicks off Monday in earnest with the first of three new original series -- includes a new show featuring the International Fight League because the News Corp.-owned network is facing a battle of its own in light of disappointing ratings.

Since its launch in September, MyNet has struggled with underwhelming ratings for its all-telenovela schedule. In February, the network announced a more diversified spring schedule that focuses less on scripted dramas, which have been cut back to two nights a week instead of five, and includes two movie nights as well as a new unscripted series, "IFL Battleground."

In fact, the dramas have been performing so poorly that MyNet has scrapped plans to produce scripted programming beyond the next two shows -- "American Heiress" and "Saints & Sinners" -- that debut next week. (The new schedule officially kicked off Thursday night with the 2003 theatrical "The Rundown.")

"I give (MyNetworkTV executives) tremendous credit for launching this network in a short period of time," says Greg Meidel, who in January was named president of MyNetworkTV, which was announced in February 2006. "It took a very valiant effort to make it happen; unfortunately it's been disappointing but a great learning experience for all of us."

In fact, the dramas had been developed by News Corp.-owned Twentieth Television as syndicated programming but instead were used to launch the network, with each airing five nights a week with a total of 65 new episodes.

But the ratings haven't been what executives were hoping for: The network averaged a 0.8 household rating in its first four weeks on the air, according to Nielsen Media Research, but dropped 25% to a 0.6 rating in the most recent four weeks (Jan. 29-Feb. 23) for which national ratings data are available. The first two novelas each averaged a 0.7, while the second pair are averaging a 0.5 through Feb. 23.

"Obviously, they decided to go with the novelas because they thought were was some potential upside there and something that was different than the other networks were doing," Meidel says, noting that "Heiress" and "Saints," the fifth and sixth dramas to air on MyNet, will have their complete 65-episode run (with two episodes airing back-to-back).

But MyNet execs figured it was better to make changes in the schedule sooner rather than later, choosing to relaunch the schedule before the May upfront.

"It wouldn't have been fair to the network, affiliates or advertisers (to wait until fall)," Meidel says. "We are a very station-affiliate-friendly network, so we feel their pain if it's not working out."

Indeed, the financial terms of the affiliate deals were designed to be station-friendly, with no cash license fees and a generous split of the advertising time in each program among the network service and local affiliates.

One station manager expressed his confidence in the executives and their plan for improving ratings.

"We're in with MyNetworkTV for the long haul," says Mark Antonitis, president and GM of KRON San Francisco, which had been independent before becoming a MyNet affiliate. "We know that they're doing everything they can in their power to make long-term success, and we're behind them."

And Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at station-rep firm Katz Television Group, notes that the station affiliates are encouraged by MyNet's decision to revamp its lineup.

"I think the stations are pleased that there's been a change, and I think they're taking an optimistic wait-and-see attitude on how successful the different elements of the new schedule are," he says.

Indeed, industry sources say that some station affiliates that have signed long-term agreements with MyNet are not pleased with the numbers but are encouraged by the fact that execs are making changes, so they are willing to be patient while the network finds its footing and starts to grow.

However, sources also say that other stations are panicked about the dismal ratings and argue that it's imperative that MyNet have a great upfront. Others point out that Fox, another News Corp.-owned network, saw some failures in its early days too and that MyNet's fellow freshman network, the CW, also is still trying to find its way.

As for MyNet, "I think the stations are going to give the new programming a chance to work, but realistically, they're not going to wait around forever if they could be running other programming and do as well or better," one source says. "Patience is a virtue, but money is money."

But the good news for the stations is that News Corp. is even more invested in making the network a success because 10 of the affiliates are Fox-owned stations. And Meidel argues that there is "higher value" in being affiliated with a network versus being independent.

Moreover, many in the industry applaud MyNet's decision to move away from scripted programming.

Will MyNet ever air another scripted show? "I'm never going to say never, if some point in time the economics make sense," Meidel says. "But I just don't think you can compete against the cost of both development and producing with the 'Grey's Anatomy's' or the 'Houses' of the world. I think we can accomplish our goals much faster by being in the reality business."

Meidel reiterates that MyNet is talking to "the biggest and best names in the reality business" as it looks to fall and beyond. For now, he's scheduling programming that will "make a lot of noise" for the network, like the special "Anna Nicole Smith: A Centerfold Exposed," which aired Wednesday and drew a network-high household rating of a 1.5 in the overnight metered markets, and the upcoming Elton John special "Happy Birthday Elton."

Meidel also is confident that the new lineup is going to attract new viewers -- women as well as the men who are "not being served" by broadcast networks on weeknights -- and get the network "sampled in the way that it hasn't been sampled in the past."

Meanwhile, Antonitis says he is putting his faith in MyNet execs and is encouraged by their decision to make changes now.

"We're very pleased by their action," he says. "In this business these days, you have to have some intestinal fortitude and faith. We took a risk by going with MyNetworkTV, but we did because we have faith and confidence in the people we are working with."

Certainly, Meidel has challenges ahead of him, but he knew that coming into the job. However, the former News Corp. exec, who once served as president and COO of Twentieth TV, was intrigued by the opportunity to help build a new network and remains optimistic about its outlook. He said he's already encouraged by ratings growth on Saturday nights since the MyNet stopped airing the telenovela weekly recaps last month, replacing them with movies. The most recent movie, "The Cider House Rules," averaged a 1.1, nearly tripling the 0.4 rating that the recaps were averaging.

"We want to continue to grow the network, and our first step is turning around the fate and fortunes of MyNetworkTV," Meidel says. "I think you're going to see more continuity as we go forward and get more of a feel for the audience. The best is yet to come."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i119db77792cbaa0193e3e3893ddc2aff

Carl Jones

03-09-07, 01:33 PM

Fred;
I might be the only one on the planet...but how has the Dresden Files (SciFi) fared so far in the ratings?

fredfa

03-09-07, 01:48 PM

I'll see if I can find out some information for you, Carl.

fredfa

03-09-07, 01:57 PM

Here are some I could find, Carl. They seem steady if unspectacular.

January 23rd, 2007
The new Sci Fi series Dresden Files, as well as the returning Battlestar Galactica had trouble finding an audience Sunday night, as ‘Dresden’ failed to get to a good start and ‘Galactica’ was off from its Friday night average.
At 9:00 p.m., The Dresden Files earned a 1.37 household rating and was watched by 1.732M viewers. Among the key demos, it delivered 882,000 adults 18-49 and 1.005M adults 25-54. A weak debut for a new series.
Battlestar Galactica did not fare much better at 10:00 p.m., though it did manage to slightly build upon its lead-in. It earned a 1.39 household rating and was watched by 1.802M viewers.
There was some positive news, however, as among adults 18-49 it averaged 1.255M and drew 1.293M adults 25-54. Much better demo numbers than its lead-in.
Compared to its Friday night average this past season, it was down 100,000 viewers. And off even more from the 2.1M it averaged during the second half of season 2.

http://entertainmentnow.wordpress.com/2007/01/23/weak-numbers-for-series-debut-of-dresden-files-and-timeslot-premiere-of-battlestar-galactica/

-------------------------

Battlestar Galactica 1.4
The Dresden Files 1.4
• Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 1/15/07 -- 1/21/07

Battlestar Galactica 1.5
The Dresden Files 1.5
• Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 1/22/07 -- 1/28/07

Battlestar Galactica 1.2
The Dresden Files 1.2
• Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 2/5/07 -- 2/11/07

The Dresden Files 1.4
Battlestar Galactica 1.2
• Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 2/12/07 -- 2/18/07

http://forums.scifi.com/index.php?showtopic=2263530&st=20

fredfa

03-09-07, 02:00 PM

TV Notebook
Fox to Air American Idol Charity Event
A.J. Frutkin MediaWeek March 9, 2007

As Fox's American Idol continues to draw phenomenal ratings, the only show that could prove more troubling to the competition is...more American Idol. And that's just what Fox has announced.

The network will present a two-night charity special to benefit relief programs helping children in America and Africa. Titled Idol Gives Back, and in partnership with the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF), the special will air Tuesday, April 24 from 8-9 p.m, followed by an expanded results show airing Wednesday, April 25 from 8 to 10 p.m.

In the Tuesday night show, the top six finalists will perform, and for every vote cast, sponsors Coca-Cola and AT&T will donate money to participating charities through CPEF (Idol sponsor Ford will anounce charity plans of its own at a later date). The two-hour results show will feature top recording artists including Gwen Stefani, Josh Groban, Michael Buble and Annie Lennox. Comic Sacha Baron Cohen will take the stage in character as Borat. Viewers also will be able to make donations then.

In conjunction with the program, the American Idol website is providing a link to ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. U2 frontman Bono, a co-founder of ONE, said "We'll see worlds collide when Africa appears on America's most-watched TV show. This is a big deal, a little bit of pop history...I wouldn't underestimate the reach of this show or the impact its audience can have."

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003556403

Carl Jones

03-09-07, 02:04 PM

Fred;

Thank you so much.

fredfa

03-09-07, 02:27 PM

TV Sports
DirecTV might not possess only ticket for Extra Innings
By Ray Frager Baltimore Sun March 9, 2007

Even before the deal was announced, Major League Baseball was feeling political heat over its pending agreement to award the Extra Innings television rights exclusively to DirecTV.

So yesterday, when MLB officially unveiled the DirecTV deal, it apparently tried to turn down the heat. This arrangement for Extra Innings - the package of out-of-market games that allows an Orioles fan living in Austin, Texas, to follow his favorite team - might turn out not to be exclusive to DirecTV.

The In Demand cable service and another satellite provider, Dish Network, are being given the opportunity to negotiate for Extra Innings, MLB chief operating officer Bob DuPuy said during yesterday's conference call.

However, the president of In Demand, Robert Jacobson, speaking to the Associated Press, sounded pessimistic about reaching an agreement because of "conditions for carriage that MLB and DirecTV designed to be impossible for cable and Dish to meet."

MLB's contract with DirecTV runs seven years, reportedly for $100 million a year, and includes the launch of a baseball channel in 2009.

Baseball was faced with an image problem after news broke about the DirecTV deal. The perception: The Lords of Baseball were forcing hordes of fans to switch from cable to satellite, while other hordes of fans would be disenfranchised because they didn't have access to DirecTV.

Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate.

But Steve Solomon, a former ABC Sports executive and now a broadcasting consultant, said there was an incorrect "notion this is taking a large number of games from the public.

"From my perspective, it was a balancing act for baseball between the economics and the limited number of fans" the new deal would affect. "It's a bit of a tempest in a teapot."

So how many people would a DirecTV-exclusive deal end up affecting? According to a report in yesterday's Los Angeles Times, Extra Innings had 500,000 subscribers in 2006, and more than half - 270,000 - were DirecTV customers.

As DuPuy noted yesterday, the Extra Innings package has no effect on telecasts via local broadcast stations, regional sports networks, Fox, ESPN, TBS or WGN. So, yes, it's a good thing that MLB is giving a second satellite provider and cable TV another chance to go Extra Innings. But we're talking maybe 250,000 households spread out across the whole country, which, according to Nielsen, has 111.4 million TV households. Not even one rating point's worth.

Tempest in a teapot? Maybe more like a teacup.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.frager09mar09,1,5216659,print.column?coll=bal-home-columnists&ctrack=1&cset=true

fredfa

03-09-07, 03:03 PM

The Business of Television
Comcast and Sinclair Agree on Retransmission Deal
By P.J. Bednarski Broadcasting & Cable 3/9/2007

Comcast Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed on a four year extension of their retransmission agreement on Friday that will keep Sinclair’s stations on Comcast cable systems reaching about 3.8 million customers in 23 markets.

Sinclair was ready to cut off Comcast on March 1, but extended the deadline to March 10 as talks continued.

Comcast said it “has achieved its objective of not paying cash for broadcast carriage that would need to be passed on to our customers” but agreed on a package that gave comparable value.

Usually that means a cable system buys a certain amount of advertising from the station seeking compensation, but Comcast did not elaborate.

David Smith, Sinclair’s president and CEO, has been vocal in his insistence that it would not allow cable systems to continue to carry Sinclair channels without a cash payment. Sinclair owns 58 stations, more than any other broadcaster. In January, Sinclair yanked its stations from Mediacom cable systems serving 700,000 subscribers in some smaller Midwest markets, and settled just before the Super Bowl, apparently getting as much as 40 cents per subscriber.

Brian Roberts, Comcast’s chairman and CEO, as recently as this week warned Comcast would not pay retransmission fees.

His stance is significant because, as the largest cable operator with 24.2 million subscribers, Comcast’s flexibility will be of great interest to other station groups that face contract renewals with Comcast in the future. “We are not interested and will not pay cash for retrans if that’s all you do,” Roberts said at a Bears Stearns media conference in Palm Beach March 6. Later he said, “That line is drawn. That’s not changing. I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon.”

Had Sinclair and Comcast not come to some agreement, Sinclair threatened to remove its signal in markets including Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Tampa, Fla., and parts of Baltimore, Sinclair’s headquarters city.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6423120

fredfa

03-09-07, 03:04 PM

Fred;

Thank you so much.

Sorry I couldn't come up with actual viewer numbers, Carl -- I always think people who read those ratings figures should have to be wearing a green eyeshade. :)

fredfa

03-09-07, 03:12 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com
Matt answers your questions about Battlestar, Heroes and American Idol
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Friday, March 9, 2007

Question: Wow! What a powerful performance by Katee Sackhoff in the March 4 episode of Battlestar Galactica. She has been one of the most interesting characters on TV since the show started. She has problems with authority, alcohol and the people around her. Yet she is the best at what she does, so she is allowed to get away with things that other people wouldn't. Starbuck is quite similar to the character of Gregory House. The question is: Will Sackhoff get the Emmy that her performance in this episode deserves? Unfortunately, she probably won't even get nominated, because every actress on Grey's Anatomy (a show I have never watched, thank the gods) will get a nomination. What are her chances?— Tim G.

Matt Roush: It's not a question of Battlestar Galactica against Grey's — and much as I enjoy what Katee Sackhoff has done with Starbuck, I would deny Chandra Wilson nothing — but more of a question of the Emmys versus sci-fi in general. Sackhoff is hardly alone in doing Emmy-worthy work on the show: Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, James Callis, just to name a few, all are pretty marvelous. You're right that a searingly emotional workout like Sackhoff got in Starbuck's meltdown and tailspin (see my Dispatch from earlier this week for my reaction to the episode) would in better circumstances be Emmy bait. But first, the industry would have to watch the show before they can nominate, let alone reward, work like this. And I just don't think you can assume that's the case. Let me use this as an excuse (like I need one) to plug Battlestar Galactica's remaining episodes, counting down to the jaw-dropping March 25 finale. Can't wait to see the letters sure to pour in after the revelations that are in store over the next few weeks.

Question: I'm impressed by how Heroes has been scheduled so far, given the problems other similar series have had (Lost). So far, it's had two long, cohesive "pods" ramping up to a couple of great climax episodes each. Even the hiatus wasn't horrible, as it was over the holidays. Cutting down on the repeats scattered amongst new episodes helps viewers keep up with the complicated story line. My only concern is that it seems there are only four episodes left in the season after this week. Will they do such a short pod, and can it be successful? What do you think of this schedule? Could it be a solution for other series?— Heidi

Matt Roush: I'm glad you approve of how Heroes rolled out, because I got a number of screaming e-mails from fans who couldn't believe they have to wait until April 23 for a new episode. Personally, I can't believe the number of people incapable of accepting the fact that TV shows occasionally go into repeats or, in this case, temporarily drop out of sight. I'm not exactly sure how NBC will vamp in Heroes' time period (for the first two weeks, anyway, Deal or No Deal expands to two hours), but I'm thinking Heroes is a young enough show that it can even risk a week or two of repeats. There's no perfect solution for any show like this that decides to air from September to May, but Heroes did an admirable job: airing 11 consecutive episodes until breaking from Dec. 4 to Jan. 22. As Heidi says, the absence was less noticeable over the holidays. Once it returned, Heroes aired seven in a row through this week. Given the mid-season churn of March and April, Heroes again can be given a pass for taking a breather. When it returns for what I presume will be a final four-pack taking us to mid-May, there's no reason to think it won't still be a hit. The show got much better in this second "pod" and left us with a powerful, shocking cliff-hanger. If Heroes can keep up the pace in production next season, I imagine it will be programmed on this same model, and it's a good one for others to emulate. The critical element here is to air a fair number of originals consecutively, even if that leaves big gaps between the pods. What irritated Lost fans so much in previous seasons was when ABC would scatter repeats among the originals with no discernible pattern.

Question: I just watched the season finale of The Class, and I loved it. I know that CBS still hasn't announced if it's canceling the show or not, but if it does, do you think there is a possibility for another network to pick it up? It was reported that all the networks put in a bid for the show during development season last year. Do you think either ABC or NBC will pick up the show if CBS cancels it, seeing that NBC aired David Crane's Friends and that the show averages at least eight million viewers every week, which, compared to ABC's comedies, is good enough to renew for a second season?— Zack

Matt Roush: I addressed The Class' iffy situation at CBS in a Dispatch earlier this week, but in the larger picture, if CBS passes, no one's likely to come to the rescue. I guess I can't say often enough that such a move is beyond rare, and almost never occurs for a show that didn't exactly pop either in the ratings, in buzz or in the critical press. (I liked the show but still acknowledged that it had some pretty serious growing pains.) The bidding war a year ago was in part due to David Crane's reputation and track record. Plus, it was a very funny pilot, which the actual series only occasionally lived up to. Given how it turned out, it's not likely even ABC would chomp at the bit to nurture the series through a second season. Not that The Class was a disaster by any means. It's just a tough time for TV comedy.

Question: I caught the first two episodes of The Winner on Fox Sunday night, and I have to say I am impressed so far. It had some really funny laughs, and I think the characters are pretty likable. I also appreciated a lot of the pop-culture references, especially about O.J. and Bill Clinton. I thought the sex jokes went overboard, but my opinion on that kind of humor appears to be in the minority these days. Do you see Fox giving this show a chance, or will it be the next Andy Richter Controls the Universe? PS. I guess I'm as big a loser as Glen, because Wings happens to be one of my all-time favorite sitcoms, too. I never understood the animosity toward that show.— Kristen

Matt Roush: With The Winner, you either love it or you hate it. Many of my fellow critics blasted it. I kind of liked it, in a guilty-pleasure kind of way. I was disarmed by the overall sweetness of the main character, though the humor does lean too heavily on stupid sex jokes. Too early to tell whether it's a keeper, but having Family Guy's creator Seth McFarlane behind it can't hurt, since the network no doubt would like to keep him happy. (The show apparently did pretty well among the young-male demographics that eat up Family Guy's raunchy style of humor, so if it does stick around, expect more of the same.) As for Wings, no one's saying it was an awful show. It's just a scream that someone is so passionately obsessed by it, like Glen is.

Question: Why don't the producers at Desperate Housewives just admit they stumbled badly when Rex was pinched out of existence for what amounted to minor offenses in this bent neighborhood? Rex's narration last Sunday reminded me anew of the snark and backbone he added to the plot, as a partner who rolled his eyes along with the rest of us when Bree climbed on her polished soapbox. Steven Culp's Rex is the only male lead struck down when his character could have added such delicious spice to the recipe. Why was Rex sent packing to the afterlife? Marc Cherry has said it was because Rex was modeled on his own late father. But this brand of logic could also lead you to conclude that his real mother (Bree) was an alcoholic who lusted after her sex-addicted sponsor who then bedded her manipulative son (Andrew/Cherry) who in turn embraced life on the streets as a hustler. Well, did Rex's demise enhance the storytelling? Offer insight into Bree or Andrew? Not that I could tell. In fact, it ushered in a dismal Season 2, rife with meaningless plot twists and a bloated cast list. Now in Season 3, it seems we are served more caricatures than characters: the Bree-clone Orson, the makeout master Carlos, a ditzy Tom, a wimpish Ian and a whatever Mike. Even murderers and attempted murderers are well represented, but no Rex. Will producers see the error of their ways and reverse course? After all, his death could have been staged to escape a wife he thought poisoned him — not impossible for a doctor with connections, or for a show with enough loose ends it requires viewers to suffer from amnesia.— Fran M.

Matt Roush: First off, I think we have to accept Marc Cherry's explanation for why he killed off Rex as a creative and personal decision, even if you disagree with it, all of that armchair psychoanalysis aside. It wasn't to punish the character; as you said, there are far more despicable characters on Wisteria Lane. And I don't think all of the failures of Season 2 (and to a certain extent, of Season 3) can be laid at the feet of Rex's corpse, though it's true that Steven Culp is much missed, and it was fun to hear his voice again. I never really gave this much thought, to be honest, but looking back, maybe it would have been better if the pharmacist hadn't killed Rex, but instead only served to drive the couple further apart, to the point of divorce. I'd much rather that Bree and Rex got a divorce than Gabby and Carlos, who've never been as much fun apart as they were together. Bree as an actual divorcée would have been interesting to watch, and if she still had Rex as a possibility in her life, maybe she wouldn't have so eagerly embraced someone as creepy as Orson. Regardless, Rex is most sincerely dead and is likely to stay that way. Should he be resurrected, you're likely to hear shark-jumping cries far and wide, even louder than usual.

Question: Do you know how many more years, if any, Mark Harmon has left on his contract? NCIS is my favorite show because it is very well written and because Mark Harmon's character has so much depth. Most of the episodes are not as violent as the Law & Orders or CSIs, so it is a little easier to watch. We love NCIS and would still watch it even if Gibbs left.— Susan

Matt Roush: You've got nothing to worry about, as far as I know. I certainly haven't heard anything to indicate he's considering an exit strategy. I have no inside knowledge of his deal with CBS, but stars like Mark Harmon are usually locked into at least a seven-year contract, and given how successful NCIS is, I'd bet they've sweetened his deal considerably since the show premiered four seasons ago.

Question: I am having a hard time understanding how the networks are scheduling programs. To me, it just doesn't seem like the audience for Heroes is going to stick around to watch Studio 60 or The Black Donnellys. I don't think these shows mesh at all together. On ABC, they decided that the order of the Wednesday comedy block should be George Lopez, The Knights of Prosperity, According to Jim and In Case of Emergency. Again, I don't see how the audiences of each of those will stick around to watch the other shows. George and Jim are more family-oriented, and Knights and Emergency lean to adults. Unfortunately, shows like Studio 60 and Knights, both of which I like, are not getting fair chances by getting better scheduling. I'm curious about your thoughts on this.— Sammie

Matt Roush: I don't really agree where Studio 60 is concerned. While it's true that Heroes cult fanatics aren't the perfect target audience for Studio 60, it was still a powerful lead-in, and NBC kept Studio 60 in the same time period for longer than most networks would have done, hoping that it would grow and build. It didn't. And except for possibly on Sundays, where the competition would also have likely crushed it, there was nowhere else for Studio 60 to go. At least NBC didn't jerk it around before jerking it off the air. Moving a show tends to cause more harm than good, with rare exceptions. On the other hand, with ABC, Knights didn't stand a chance, given the rotten state of the ABC comedies surrounding it, not to mention the show's vague title (they should have stayed with Let's Rob... ) and the offbeat nature of its quasi-serialized plot. Knights, reportedly a favorite of ABC brass, was moved to the earlier time slot to get it out of the way of American Idol, but when you're keeping company with George, Jim and the unwatchable Emergency, there really wasn't much hope, no matter what ABC tried. As you are no doubt already aware, Knights was put on indefinite hiatus this week, while ABC ponders a future for a show that the network would love to see work. (We may still see those Ray Romano episodes, but I'm at a loss to figure out how, when or where.)

On a similar topic, here's this from Mark: "When was the last time ABC had a sitcom that was successful both critically and in ratings? I figure that means it lasted about three or four years at least to get a good blend of both. I would disqualify both George Lopez and According to Jim because those shows have defied all reason in lasting as long as they have (the Matt Millen of the TV world). I guess My Wife and Kids is actually the most successful they've had, but I hardly consider it a hit. Has it really been since Dharma & Greg and Home Improvement?

Sadly, I think Mark's right. I can't remember an ABC comedy since Dharma that had both good reviews and good ratings. There have been gems along the way, including last season's sadly neglected Sons & Daughters, but mostly it's a ghastly track record.

Question: I'm just writing to weigh in on something you mentioned a few columns ago about the difference between One Tree Hill and The O.C. Don't get me wrong, when both shows kicked off, my favorite by a long shot was The O.C., and it remained that way through the shows' first seasons. I still preferred The O.C. through its second season, holding out hope that it would improve, but as we all know, it didn't. I think where One Tree Hill got it right is that it has always been a guilty pleasure and knows it. However ridiculous the story lines are (and for the record, I do hate the odd dance routine that seems to pop up once or twice a season), they keep me looking forward to the next episode, especially last year with the shooting. What I'm getting at here is that One Tree Hill has been consistent since day one, while The O.C. could not hold onto the brilliance of its freshman season. Obviously the writing, acting and characters are inferior in OTH, but it's one of the best guilty pleasures on TV right now. And after the ending of Episode 15, I am really looking forward to the next one!— Patrick

Matt Roush: Oh, Patrick, surely it's too early to be pulling an April Fools' prank. (And for the record, I'm glad you enjoy your guilty pleasures. What would life be without them?) But what you seem to be saying is that it's better for a show that knows it's crap never to aim higher than crap, because then at least you know what you're getting. As opposed to a show like The O.C., which aimed higher and burned bright, albeit for a shorter period of time and resulted in a few subpar seasons, all of which drew more critical scrutiny than One Tree Hill ever merited. This is because The O.C. actually managed once upon a time to exceed expectations, whereas One Tree Hill has always invited nothing but contempt. Sorry, but longevity does not always convey success or respect. If One Tree Hill had aired anywhere but on the WB and the CW, it would have died long before The O.C. began its irreversible fade. And please, dear readers, spare me the hate mail. One Tree Hill is the Criminal Minds of teen dramas.

Question: While not a big fan of most reality shows, I have been a loyal viewer of The Amazing Race and Survivor. But I find that even these shows are no longer appointment TV for me. I have thought for a couple of years that both shows would be better served by airing only one cycle per season. Survivor could occupy the Thursday at 8 pm slot during the fall, while Race would take over the same slot during the spring. Thoughts?— George

Matt Roush: I've often thought the same thing. But until Survivor starts showing serious signs of ratings slippage, which hasn't quite happened yet, CBS is unlikely to risk benching it on such a critical ratings night as Thursday. I personally prefer The Amazing Race, although not so much in this all-star season (still not as bad as the family edition), but for whatever reason its ratings have never matched Survivor's. And it might even be worse for Race in the long run if it were scheduled on Thursday and collapsed against the tough competition, causing CBS to question its long-term future more than it already does. For now, I think we're stuck with two cycles a season, especially in Survivor's case. Given the repetitive nature of the show, diminishing returns are inevitable, but I am encouraged by Survivor's plans to take the show to China. At least there's a chance it might look different.

Question: While I realize Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is not award-worthy and may be intolerable for some people, it is refreshing to be able to watch a television program with our children without having to worry about its content. That is the reason our family has watched this show three nights in a row, and that is also why we watch other shows like Deal or No Deal. Yes, Jeopardy! and its contestants are more intelligent, and yes, these game shows do drag things out (sometimes to the point of absurdity) and could move faster. However, isn't this world fast enough? Does everything have to be at lightning speed? I enjoy getting to know the contestants, seeing their families and cheering them on. My children are able to participate as well because they can contribute answers and decide if the contestants should gamble or play it safe. We watch it for pure escapism and to get away from shows that are inappropriate for kids. Our children work hard during the school year and learn something new every day. This game show gives them the opportunity to show it off without any pressure or expectations. For me, that's television worth watching!— Tina K.

Matt Roush: All very valid points. There's no question I'd rather sit through an hour of 5th Grader, if only to remind myself of how much basic information I've forgotten, than an hour (let alone two!) of Deal or No Deal, the appeal of which completely escapes me. (I'm not much into gambling, which is the only thing that show is truly about.) But given how few shows there are that families can safely watch together, I've got no problem with harmless hours like 5th Grader.

On a similar topic, David K. writes: "Quick addition to the question from the March column regarding game shows. I watched the multi-night premiere of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader and actually enjoyed it a lot. I think it is much more fun than some of the other games shows out there. My question is, why must game shows like this one and Deal or No Deal continue to pretend that they're about to reveal the answer to a question or open a case but then say 'after the break' and cut to commercial? Every single time, the studio audience supposedly falls for this gag, as if they had never watched TV or heard of commercials before. Isn't this joke totally played out?"

Why, yes it is. It's one of the more aggravating new clichés in our reality-saturated TV landscape. Blame American Idol, which milked it first (thanks, Ryan Seacrest!) and keeps doing it, like it's clever or something. Just another reason these shows are much better watched in playback mode, not in real time, so we can fast-forward through all the nonsense. (You can probably watch an hour of Deal or No Deal in 15 minutes that way. Results episodes of Idol in 10 or less.)

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Ask-Matt/Default.aspx#01battlestar

fredfa

03-09-07, 03:26 PM

TV Sports
Commentary: Major League Baseball’s Velvet Hammer
By Wayne Friedman MediaPost.com March 9th, 2007

In its cable channel campaign, Major League Baseball may have learned a lesson or two from the NFL’s cable channel efforts of last year.

MLB is putting a proposal together for cable operators, asking them to run out-of-market games under a package called, “Extra Innings,” if they agree to a new baseball cable channel — to be launched in 2009 — that will run on their most valuable, analog tier of program networks.

If operators don’t agree to that deal, then DirecTV, which just signed a new seven-year deal for “Extra Innings,” will have the package exclusively. In the hard-fought race for consumers’ eyeballs, this will give DirecTV an advantage over cable.

The NFL similarly tried just that sort of end around with the NFL Network and cable operators. But that was somewhat different, asking operators to pay a big increase in subscriber fees all year long for a mere eight live games.

Cable operators wanted to run it on their pricey digital tier — which goes to a narrower pool of their customers. The NFL said no way. The difference was that the NFL already had a deal with DirecTV for out-of-market games — its “NFL Sunday Ticket” package — so consumers already had this option.

Consumers needed to pay an extra fee to get that NFL DirecTV package. Not so with DirecTV’s MLB package — it is committing its widest number of consumers to the deal, some 15 million consumers (though it has yet to be seen whether DirecTV might raise its overall rates).

The cable operators in this fight are actually flipping to the NFL argument –that consumers shouldn’t be denied the sport, in this case baseball games.

The reality is that consumers are being denied baseball teams that are not in their home market. That’s of far less value to most fans. By any estimation, out-of-market baseball games typically have lower ratings.

The key for any of this is advertising. Sports still are in high demand for advertisers, because it typically attracts male viewers that are difficult to reach.

The MLB, like the NFL, knows that any sports network means big money from advertisers. The NFL could have got wider distribution — and thus improved advertising revenues — if it wasn’t so greedy in asking for triple the price for its monthly subscriber fees.

The MLB must be learning from the NFL’s mistakes. Its principals must realize that a new MLB channel will be another lightning rod for cable operators. MLB isn’t — presently — forcing more baseball down the throats of cable operators. Instead, it is just using DirecTV as not-too-quiet leverage.

Sure, it seems like a take-it-or-leave-it proposal — especially to InDemand, the programming pay service of Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications, which wants the “Extra Innings” package. But the fact is that this isn’t the 1970s, when sports leagues would cry that you couldn’t deny consumers their baseball, their football, their basketball teams.

These days consumers already have that, and have other ways to get more out-of-market games. It’s the same with NFL.

For baseball, the deal is not an obvious hard ball — it’s a knee-buckling and somewhat cunning change-up.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/tv_watch/?p=645

cherry ghost

03-09-07, 03:31 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com
Matt answers your questions about Battlestar, Heroes and American Idol
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Friday, March 9, 2007

Matt Roush: I'm glad you approve of how Heroes rolled out, because I got a number of screaming e-mails from fans who couldn't believe they have to wait until April 23 for a new episode. Personally, I can't believe the number of people incapable of accepting the fact that TV shows occasionally go into repeats or, in this case, temporarily drop out of sight. I'm not exactly sure how NBC will vamp in Heroes' time period (for the first two weeks, anyway, Deal or No Deal expands to two hours), but I'm thinking Heroes is a young enough show that it can even risk a week or two of repeats. There's no perfect solution for any show like this that decides to air from September to May, but Heroes did an admirable job: airing 11 consecutive episodes until breaking from Dec. 4 to Jan. 22. As Heidi says, the absence was less noticeable over the holidays. Once it returned, Heroes aired seven in a row through this week. Given the mid-season churn of March and April, Heroes again can be given a pass for taking a breather. When it returns for what I presume will be a final four-pack taking us to mid-May, there's no reason to think it won't still be a hit. The show got much better in this second "pod" and left us with a powerful, shocking cliff-hanger. If Heroes can keep up the pace in production next season, I imagine it will be programmed on this same model, and it's a good one for others to emulate. The critical element here is to air a fair number of originals consecutively, even if that leaves big gaps between the pods. What irritated Lost fans so much in previous seasons was when ABC would scatter repeats among the originals with no discernible pattern.

I could have sworn that I read somewhere that Heroes was expanded to 23 episodes, which would mean there are five left. Coming back on April 23rd with only four episodes doesn't make much sense. Anyone else remember this?

AAF

03-09-07, 03:37 PM

Fred;
I might be the only one on the planet...but how has the Dresden Files (SciFi) fared so far in the ratings?

You're not the only one. I prefer the books, of course, but it's interesting to see how they're adapting the subject for TV.

RockyF

03-09-07, 04:26 PM

Yes, cherry ghost, I believe that was just a case of an uniformed person asking the question, and Matt Roush just not checking the facts before answering, but everything I've seen indicates that Heroes got an additional episode added to it's season order. There should be 5 episodes when the show comes back.

CPanther95

03-09-07, 04:36 PM

Could the finale be two hours? I thought the initial request was for two additional episodes (or hours).

DoubleDAZ

03-09-07, 04:41 PM

You're not the only one. I prefer the books, of course, but it's interesting to see how they're adapting the subject for TV.I shoud have thought there might be books, but it never occurred to me. I'll have to check out the library and see if I can add that series to my reading list. Thanks for mentioning it.

dad1153

03-09-07, 04:46 PM

DoubleDAZ

03-09-07, 04:46 PM

fredfa

03-09-07, 04:51 PM

I think it just depends on your defintion of "paid", Dave.

Clearly, as PJ's article points out, cash will be exchanged. If Comcast wants to say it is buying all that extra advertising on Sinclair stations because it wants to, so be it.

And perhaps it is also allowing Sinclair to sell some advertising in local avails on various cable nets and who knows what other ingenious ways of making sure the transfer can't appear to be soley for retransmission rights..

But I would be stunned if the rather hefty rewards of this agreement don't become clear in the next six months or so on Sinclair's bottom line.

Maestro J

03-09-07, 04:52 PM

Dad: Haven't missed an episode. I too am loving the show more and more with each episode. I agree - #17 and #18 to a certain extent were 2 hours of excellent writing & direction. The acting wasn't half bad either.
I read recently that Heroes will be on HD DVD in late summer/early fall!!!!!

fredfa

03-09-07, 04:53 PM

dad, "Heroes" is one I missed early on.

When the DVD appears, or show the show repeated in sequence, I'll probably give it a try.

RockyF

03-09-07, 04:57 PM

dad1153, I've followed "Heroes" since the development stage, and haven't missed an episode, I'd have to say it's my favorite show right now. Of course, you may not consider me one of the "elite" TV viewing public, since I've not watched a single episode of "Studio 60" or "FNL." But then again, I consider myself a scifi fan, but I have also never watched an episode of "Battlestar Galactica." In my opinion though, I would think that there would be a large overlap between BSG and Heroes viewers.

VisionOn

03-09-07, 04:59 PM

Just curious if anybody else here amongst the "elite" TV viewing public is following this gonzo show. :confused:

I don't think the HotP thread is for the elitist of AVS readers. I know I don't consider myself part of a special crowd, I'm just interested in television.

I've watched Heroes since episode one and I've always thought it was great. Purely because it's an exciting and entertaining show with fun characters. In a contest of shows I wouldn't even blink twice about choosing Heroes over BSG. I don't consider Heroes a "low-brow" show at all. It's true to it's comic book roots and has no pretensions. The more self-important a show thinks it is the less likely I am to not forgive it's logical faults, which is why I don't like BSG.

fredfa

03-09-07, 05:01 PM

The Business of Television
Sinclair on Comcast Deal:
A Shift in the Retrans Paradigm
(From the Evening Bridge from mediabizcorp.com) March 9, 2007

Comcast and Sinclair reached a retransmission consent agreement allowing for delivery of the broadcaster's stations by the cable giant.
Soon after the deal was announced, Sinclair released a statement saying it expects revenues generated from retrans contracts to reach $53 million, up from previous guidance of $48 million.

"In our opinion this agreement, together with other agreements we have entered into recently, does in fact represent a shift in the retransmission consent paradigm," said Sinclair President and CEO David Smith. "

This view is well supported by the expectation of $53 million in retransmission consent revenue. In fact, we would be more than happy to waive the confidentiality clause included in the agreement with Comcast and disclose the specific terms to the general public."

fredfa

03-09-07, 05:06 PM

The Business of Television
Sinclair on Comcast Deal
(Sinclair News Release) March 9, 2007

Comcast and Sinclair enter into four-year extension of analog and digital
carriage agreement

PHILADELPHIA, PA and BALTIMORE, MD (March 7, 2007) - Comcast (Nasdaq:
CMCSA, CMCSK) and Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) announced
today that they have reached a four-year extension to their retransmission
consent agreement. The agreement, which expires on March 1, 2011, provides
for the continued carriage of the analog and digital signals of 37 stations
in 23 markets owned or operated by Sinclair.

The agreement also providesfor the carriage of digital multicast channels which Sinclair is currentlybroadcasting in Baltimore and Richmond, as well as certain other multicastchannels which the stations located in Comcast markets may broadcast in the future.

The following stations will continue to be carried by Comcast pursuant to
the agreement:

Asheville, NC/Anderson, SC: WLOS/WMYA
Baltimore, MD: WBFF/WNUV
Birmingham, AL: WABM/WTTO/WDBB
Buffalo, NY: WUTV
Cape Girardeau, MO/Paducah, KY: WDKA/KBSI
Charleston, SC: WMMP/WTAT
Charleston, WV: WCHS/WVAH
Cincinnati, OH: WSTR
Dayton, OH: WRGT
Flint, MI: WSMH
Greensboro/High Point/Winston Salem, NC: WMYV/WXLV
Minneapolis, MN: WUCW
Nashville, TN: WZTV/WUXP/WNAB
Norfolk, VA: WTVZ
Pensacola, FL/Mobile, AL: WEAR/WFGX
Pittsburgh. PA: WPGH/WPMY
Portland, ME: WGME
Raleigh, NC: WLFL/WRDC
Richmond, VA: WRLH
Springfield. MA: WGGB
Springfield/Champaign, IL: WICS/WICD
Tallahassee, FL: WTWC
Tampa, FL: WTTA

http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_200739_208.shtml

dad1153

03-09-07, 06:03 PM

Look what I got today in the FedEx truck:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j294/DMayATL/747ontheground.jpg

That is actually a picture taken from the 747i thread at the LCD forum from a guy named RunOff of his 747i, but it's pretty much identical to mine so why waste time taking another snap. Actually I'm in no rush to hook the thing up though. I have a SD DVR that I want to empty tonight (about five "Lost" episodes and three "BG" I have to record to SD DVD, plus five or so "Price Is Right" and a dozen or so regular gameshows) so tomorrow I can go to the Time Warner center to see if I can get an HD DVR box. So basically tonight is my last night as an SD exclusive viewer. Tomorrow is a new day! :)

Iteki

03-09-07, 06:05 PM

Congrats Dad! :)

fredfa

03-09-07, 06:19 PM

Enjoy your last night of freedom, dad.

VisionOn

03-09-07, 06:21 PM

so tomorrow I can go to the Time Warner center to see if I can get an HD DVR box. So basically tonight is my last night as an SD exclusive viewer. Tomorrow is a new day! :)

cross your fingers! Call ahead to avoid disappointment, those TWC folks don't like just handing those HD DVRs over in some areas. Good luck!

humdinger70

03-09-07, 06:26 PM

As you well know, humdinger, San Diego is a very tough nut for a Cox competitor to crack.

DBS penetration is under 10%, among the very lowest in the nation, to some extent because Cox controls the local sports market with its Channel 4 San Diego, broadcasting, among other things, 112 Padres games in HD this year. (With another 40 in SD).

Telcos and DBS would have no access to those games, and thuis I suspect SD will be pretty much last as Verizon builds out. There just is no way to make easy inroads there.

And on top of being a tough competitor, Cox keeps its cusyomers in San Diego pretty happy -- its customer service is very good and so there is no burning reason many people would find to make a change.

The pickings in the LA area, where Adelphia (before the TWC takeover) did a hideous job, and TWC has been stumbling ever since, should be much easier.

I've been here about 26 years and you'd wonder how Cox would allow other systems to even got a small foothold in San Diego County.

Adelphia got in because they bought out some of the smaller systems (like Daniels Cablevision) serving the coastal north county areas (Carlsbad, Encinitas, etc).

I was watching Cox when I lived with my folks in the early 80s (south of I-8). I moved to an area near UCSD around '91 that was on an oddball (??) system (Pacific Cablevision, later bought out by Optel). It was a very local system with some huge dishes - I know because they were directly over the carport where I parked my car in the condo complex where I lived. (Complex still there and so are the dishes - i wonder if they're still in use??)

I think I even remember an occasional Adelphia truck coming around. The condo complex finally switched over to Southwestern Cable, which was bought out by Time-Warner.

humdinger70

03-09-07, 06:48 PM

Dawson was great, Gene Rayburn in his heyday was wonderful, and I still have some affection for Allen Ludden and Bill Cullen.

Don't forget Art James, Dennis James, Tom Kennedy, Jack Narz, Hugh Downs, Gary Moore, Steve Allen.

shuttermaker

03-09-07, 07:16 PM

cross your fingers! Call ahead to avoid disappointment, those TWC folks don't like just handing those HD DVRs over in some areas. Good luck!

Very true and, you may have to take your TV's owners manual to the office to prove you can use the box.

I kid you not.

fredfa

03-09-07, 07:17 PM

Don't forget Art James, Dennis James, Tom Kennedy, Jack Narz, Hugh Downs, Gary Moore, Steve Allen.

How could I forget Gary Moore? He was great.

dline

03-09-07, 07:35 PM

So, Comcast/Sinclair work out a NON-cash deal and MCC gets bullied into cash. And, Comcast gets to mention/brag about the details to boot, while details of the MCC deal remain undisclosed. Am I the only one who finds this weird? :)Sinclair released its side of the story this afternoon, here (http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_200739_209.shtml). Here's part of their response:

"In response to certain statements made by Comcast today, I note that Sinclair's policy is that it does not enter into retransmission consent agreements without receiving compensation for retransmission rights and we did not violate that policy in our agreement with Comcast," commented Barry Faber, VP and General Counsel of Sinclair.

"In addition, we believe that Mr. Cohen's statement that Comcast did not pay 'cash for broadcast carriage that would need to be passed on to [Comcast's] customers,' is not a denial that Comcast agreed to pay cash, but instead represents a claim that any such payments will not need to be passed on to subscribers," Faber said. "Since we believe that customers are already paying cable operators such as Comcast for the right to receive all of the programming carried, including broadcast stations, we are pleased to know that our agreement with Comcast will not require their subscribers to pay any additional amounts."

In the same press release, Sinclair now estimates it will receive $53 million from retransmission deals in 2007, up $5 million from its previous estimate. Sinclair says the new figure takes the Comcast deal and deals with several smaller cable companies into account, but does not include potential deals with Cox or Charter which are still being negotiated.

PJO1966

03-09-07, 07:53 PM

It was a bit odd reading this. I grew up in Bloomfield and know Holsten's well. I've only seen the first episode of the Sopranos, but didn't care for it. I am an Italian-American and I can understand people not watching the show because of the negative stereotypes, but barring them from filming a fictional show is just ridiculous. If you don't like the show, don't watch it. The location was going to be used for the final episode. What harm could be done by allowing them to use Hosten's at this point? If they hate the show so much they should be glad it's going off the air. Personally, I would love it if they shot there. I would watch.

It looks like the "powers that be" in my home town came to their senses...

'Sopranos' Can Film in North Jersey Town

By JANET FRANKSTON LORIN

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Tony Soprano is welcome in the North Jersey town of Bloomfield after all. Earlier this week, the town's mayor and council had denied a permit to film the series' final scene, saying they found the HBO mob drama a disparaging portrait of Italian-Americans.

However, township attorney Brian Aloia determined the council doesn't have a say in the permit process unless a waiver is needed, and said the town clerk has now issued the filming permit.

A waiver wasn't needed because producers would be filming in a commercial area after 8 p.m., he said.

HBO intended to shoot the scene at an ice cream shop in Bloomfield. The town borders Newark, where fictional mob boss Tony Soprano grew up.

Aloia said the clerk must issue a permit after determining that a shoot fulfills certain legal requirements, such as having adequate insurance.

"She must look at the application in an objective manner," he said. "She cannot consider, for instance, what's being filmed or in this case if she likes the show or doesn't like the show."

"The Sopranos" is scheduled to return with its last episodes April 8.

Permits were approved last week. But after complaints, the council voted again on Monday and rejected them.

Bloomfield Mayor Raymond McCarthy, whose wife is Italian, voted against the shoot twice.

"I don't think 'The Sopranos' depicts the life of a typical Italian-American in a positive way," he said, "and I still don't like the way people see New Jersey based upon 'The Sopranos' series."

The owners of the old-fashioned ice cream parlor selected for the series' final scene, Holsten's Brookdale Confectionary, said personal feelings shouldn't stand in the way.

After receiving word Friday of the town's reversal, co-owner Ron Stark was excited about becoming a pop culture landmark.

"Hopefully, this will all work out," he said.

Stark said creator David Chase visited the shop twice to scout it, and that HBO officials told him the 1939 building would be used for the final scene of the series finale. Three days of filming were scheduled for late March.

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/Sopranos_Rejected.sff_NJMD108_20070307174538.jpg
(AP) Customers leave Holsten's Brookdale Confectionary store in Bloomfield, N.J., Wednesday, March 7,...

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070309/D8NOV4100.html

fredfa

03-09-07, 07:59 PM

Sinclair released its side of the story this afternoon, here (http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_200739_209.shtml). Here's part of their response:

"In response to certain statements made by Comcast today, I note that Sinclair's policy is that it does not enter into retransmission consent agreements without receiving compensation for retransmission rights and we did not violate that policy in our agreement with Comcast," commented Barry Faber, VP and General Counsel of Sinclair.

"In addition, we believe that Mr. Cohen's statement that Comcast did not pay 'cash for broadcast carriage that would need to be passed on to [Comcast's] customers,' is not a denial that Comcast agreed to pay cash, but instead represents a claim that any such payments will not need to be passed on to subscribers," Faber said. "Since we believe that customers are already paying cable operators such as Comcast for the right to receive all of the programming carried, including broadcast stations, we are pleased to know that our agreement with Comcast will not require their subscribers to pay any additional amounts."

In the same press release, Sinclair now estimates it will receive $53 million from retransmission deals in 2007, up $5 million from its previous estimate. Sinclair says the new figure takes the Comcast deal and deals with several smaller cable companies into account, but does not include potential deals with Cox or Charter which are still being negotiated.

Thanks dline.

rebkell

03-09-07, 08:00 PM

I know there's a thread for "Heroes" elsewhere on this site, but is anyone here on this forum following this show (Fred in particular)? I don't know, the high intellect of the crowd that hangs around this thread makes me think "Heroes" is a little too fantastic and low-brow for the "Battlestar Galactica"-loving type of readers that Fred is trying to reach to. Me? I've watched since the beginning but wasn't really emotionally invested in it or in love with it as much as I am with "Studio 60," the "Law & Order" trilogy or "Dateline NBC: To Catch A Predator." But that "Heroes" episode a couple of weeks ago, Chapter 17: Company Man (the next-to-last before the current hiatus), literally shook and thrilled me like few hours of network TV have in years. Its as if the previous 16 episodes all were leading up to #17, and at that point "Heroes" became I show I'm proud to say I love as opposed to one I watch (big difference). Just curious if anybody else here amongst the "elite" TV viewing public is following this gonzo show. :confused:

Definitely love Heroes, I would have to rank it in my top three shows, I probably look forward to seeing a new Heroes more than any show on TV presently. I agree about the episode a couple of weeks ago as being the best. I'm hooked completely, it just keeps getting better.I've been watching since day one(remember the In-Sinkerator bruhaha) I watch BSG, but I've been known to go a couple of weeks before I even watch some of the episodes, Heroes on the other hand, I'm there live every time.

fredfa

03-09-07, 08:10 PM

This is MSNBC’s loss. Rota Cosby is a really fine journalist, and just as good a person.
TV Notebook
Cosby Out at MSNBC
By Anne Becker Broadcasting & Cable 3/9/2007

Rita Cosby is leaving MSNBC at the end of the month. Her contract was due to expire April 1 and was not going to be renewed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

MSNBC cancelled Cosby's 10 p.m. show, Rita Cosby Live and Direct, in June. The network dumped Tucker Carlson's 11 p.m. show then too to make way for documentary programming.

At the time, Cosby was named head of a new specials unit, but she has been featured sparingly since.

The former Fox News personality gained notoriety for her celebrity pieces, most recently a story on Anna Nicole Smith's private funeral in the Bahamas.

"NBC replaced live programming with taped shows during some primetime slots, including mine," Cosby said in a statement. "I then began discussions with the network about my future interests and expressed my desire to move on.

"I am committed to devoting my attention full-time to my work and obligations at the network. I intend to continue doing so until I leave at the end of the month. I wish all of my MSNBC and NBC colleagues the best for the future. As of April 1st, I will begin to explore the new opportunities."

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6423284.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-09-07, 08:13 PM

TV Sports
MLB Talks Head Into Extra Innings
Cable, EchoStar Still Alive But Balking at Terms
By R. Thomas Umstead Multihannel News 3/9/2007

Major League Baseball’s negotiations with cable over carriage of its out-of-market live-game package are now officially in extra innings.

MLB met Friday with executives from In Demand Networks to try to strike a deal for distribution of MLB’s Extra Innings live-game package on cable systems. The meeting came one day after the league announced that it would give cable operators and EchoStar Communications’ Dish Network until the end of the month to reach an Extra Innings accord before the pay-per-view package becomes the exclusive property of DirecTV in a $700 million, seven-year deal.

The catch: Cable and Dish have to agree in principle to the same deal terms MLB and DirecTV announced for the Extra Innings package: placing the games on the operators’ most widely available tier of programming and taking a stake in the league’s baseball network when it launches in 2009.

But right now, it doesn’t look like those negotiations will yield a home run deal with cable operators. Pay television distributor In Demand, which is representing the cable industry, immediately shot down baseball’s pitch, calling it “a de facto exclusive deal” with carriage provisions that are impossible for cable operators to meet.

Meanwhile, the three-week negotiation grace period puts DirecTV in financial and marketing limbo. DirecTV CEO Chase Carey said its reported $100 million-per-year payment to baseball for the package will drop “significantly” if it loses exclusivity to cable or EchoStar.

“There’s a degree of short-term uncertainty -- this agreement has a period where it’s not clear how these rights end up in terms of exclusive versus nonexclusive rights,” Carey added. “It creates some short-term issues as to how we develop the properties around it, but we’ll work through that.”

About 500,000 people bought Extra Innings in 2006 through the three distributors, with DirecTV leading the way with a reported 270,000.

DirecTV will charge $159 for Extra Innings and an additional $39 for the SuperFan interactive features.

Both In Demand and Dish have to agree within a three-week window to meet DirecTV’s payment for Extra Innings, as well as to distribute the league’s 24/7 Baseball Channel on a basic tier, or perhaps field the anger of subscribers who will no longer be able to get the out-of-market games.

DirecTV will carry the channel -- in which it would own a reported 20% stake -- on its basic tier, reaching more than 15 million subscribers.

“It’s quite a simple process … we want to make this available to our fans,” MLB executive vice president of business Tim Brosnan said. “The issue is whether the incumbents want to pay the freight to make it available to their customers.”

While the industry is willing to match DirecTV’s price for Extra Innings, it wants to offer the new baseball channel on a premium sports tier rather than part of its basic digital offering. Cable-operator executives close to the negotiations said MLB spurned the industry’s guarantee to more than match DirecTV’s 15 million-subscriber commitment by the time the network launches.

“Major League Baseball has chosen to cut a de facto exclusive deal -- including conditions for carriage that MLB and DirecTV designed to be impossible for cable and Dish to meet -- with one satellite operator and disenfranchise baseball fans in the 75 million multichannel households who do not subscribe to DirecTV,” In Demand CEO Robert Jacobson said in a prepared statement.

EchoStar was also lukewarm to the offer. “We have been asking Major League Baseball to make the package available a la carte so that only those who choose to get the games today can continue to do so,” the company said in a prepared statement. “We hope they will act in the best interest of consumers and provide that option.”

It was unclear at press time if Dish officials had met with MLB Friday to discuss the new deal.

But MLB president Bob DuPuy said the extended negotiation window should allay any concerns and criticisms among fans and congressional leaders that baseball is trying to deprive baseball fans of the Extra Innings package, which cable has distributed since 2001.

“I would hope it would alleviate those concerns [from lawmakers] because the product is now being offered to everyone that had the package,” DuPuy said. “Going back to the incumbents was driven principally by our desire to deliver the most baseball programming to our fans.”

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who first voiced his opposition to a potential exclusive DirecTV-MLB deal in late January, was encouraged by baseball’s move but remained cautious. “I will review this deal to ensure that it benefits consumers,” he said.

As part of its deal, DirecTV will offer several interactive features to the Extra Innings package, including a mosaic channel that shows multiple games and a Strike Zone informational channel, according to Carey.

A DirecTV spokesman said the satellite service will soon roll out an extensive, national multimedia marketing and promotion campaign unprecedented in value for Extra Innings. Exact details of the campaign -- as well as an actual start date -- were not available at press time.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6423265.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-09-07, 08:33 PM

The Business of Television
Cash in Question in Comcast, Sinclair Retransmission Deal
By Jon Lafayette Television Week March 9, 2007

Comcast and Sinclair Broadcast Group reached an agreement on retransmission consent, but disagreed on whether one of the largest broadcasters received cash from the nation’s biggest cable operator.

In a statement, Comcast said it “achieved its objective of not paying cash for broadcast carriage that would need to be passed on to our customers.”

But Barry Faber, VP and general counsel of Sinclair, said Comcast’s statement “mischaracterized” the deal.

After completing the Comcast deal, Sinclair said it raised its estimate for 2007 retransmission revenues to $53 million from $48 million. The company said the $48 million figure included an estimate of how much it would get from Comcast.

Mr. Farber said the Comcast statement “is not a denial that Comcast agreed to pay cash, but instead represents a claim that any such payment will not need to be passed on to subscribers.”

He offered to provide a copy of the retransmission agreement, if Comcast was willing to waive a nondisclosure provision.

Sinclair has been one of the more aggressive broadcasters in seeking retransmission consent from cable operators, and it succeeded in winning payments after a long battle with Mediacom last month.

Today's deal comes after the companies extended their previous retransmission agreement.

CBS recently reached agreements with a group of smaller cable operators in which the broadcaster was getting about 50 cents per subscriber for its retransmission consent.

Mr. Faber said the Comcast deal, and others that have recently been signed, represent a sea-change in the relationship between broadcasters and cable operators on retrans.

Comcast had no comment beyond its statement. CEO Brian Roberts has said the company’s policy is not to pay cash for retransmission consent.

The deal covers the analog and digital signals of 37 stations in 23 markets owned or operated by Sinclair. The agreement also provides for carriage of digital multicast signals currently broadcast in Baltimore and Richmond, Va., and certain other multicast channels Sinclair stations may broadcast in the future.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11690

fredfa

03-09-07, 09:03 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Having Your Beefcake and Talking About It, Too
By Alessandra Stanley The New York Times March 9, 2007

Evidently the average man wants to watch sports, politics, strippers, car chases and crashes, have sex and go to sleep. ABC has figured out that women prefer to watch shows about sex: couples who talk about sex, then have sex, lots of it, and then talk about sex some more to each other and to their best friends.

More often than not the fantasy is not coital so much as conversational. “You think we’re not connecting because we’re not having enough sex?” Bridget asks the hero of “What About Brian” on ABC. “That’s funny, because I think we’re not having sex because we’re not connecting.”

Male viewers click off in droves. But that kind of intimate chat was the lifeblood of “Sex and the City,” and guides “Grey’s Anatomy” and its Jägermeister chaser, “Men in Trees,” as well as ABC’s Sunday double feature of “Desperate Housewives” and “Brothers & Sisters.” These shows are the television version of chick lit, though most of these sex-and-romance dramas are far better written than the typical “Bridget Jones’s Diary” knockoff.

All of them offer female fantasy of the most romantic — and torrid — sort, and that’s not multiple orgasm, it’s multiple choice.

In classic novels, characters like Anna Karenina face tough decisions (solitude or the train tracks). On “Brothers & Sisters,” which is one of the best of the chick TV genre, the heroine Kitty (Calista Flockhart) must choose between a handsome rich ex-boyfriend, a handsome talk show co-star and a handsome senator. “Desperate Housewives,” which started ABC on its swoony course, still has a satiric edge, yet even there Susan (Teri Hatcher) has two handsome suitors vying for her hand — and armed with dueling diamond rings.

Next week ABC will replace “Men in Trees” with “October Road,” a romantic drama in which a young woman (Laura Prepon) is torn between her handsome boyfriend and the handsome ex-boyfriend who returns to town after a 10-year absence.

“Men in Trees” was not as successful as ABC hoped it would be when the network scheduled it right after “Grey’s Anatomy,” probably because its star, Anne Heche, is miscast as a sympathetic heroine; her knife-blade beauty and pinched persona are better suited to the role of shrill boss or irritating neighbor. But the show’s setting was ideally suited to the pursuit of eligible options: a jilted New Yorker moves to Alaska and discovers that it’s snowing men.

Passion doesn’t last, and shows fixated on love and lust lose their spark fairly quickly. “Grey’s Anatomy,” now in its third season, dragged out the romantic problem of its heroine, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), as long as possible, but eventually she picked the handsome surgeon known around the hospital as McDreamy over the handsome veterinarian. (She had already passed on McSteamy.)

And that left writers with their own problem: what should Meredith be torn about next? It was a sweeps month, so they had her choose between life and death. (She flatlines after falling into icy waters, walks toward the white light, seeks the advice of dead friends, then decides to return among the living.)

ABC is so immersed in chick TV that its one gender-blind hit, “Lost,” seems marooned in a sea of estrogen. That’s because networks don’t create their identities so much as stumble on them. ABC was floundering, uncertain whether it was blue collar or Disney family-friendly. “Lost” was a fluke hit, but “Desperate Housewives” became a pop-culture tsunami and gave ABC its calling.

One danger to dramas like “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy” is that when their popularity peaks, attention shifts from the soap opera on the screen to the soap opera on the set. The hydra-headed gossip industry feasted on cast feuds and catfights first on “Sex and the City,” then “Desperate Housewives” and now “Grey’s Anatomy.” On that drama, however, the diva squabbling extended to the male leads. Bad behavior forced Isaiah Washington (McMeanie) into sensitivity counseling.

In fairness, these dramas are not just about sex. They also traffic in crises, though financial failures and failing kidneys serve mostly as palate cleansers between sexual encounters. “Grey’s Anatomy” is crammed with cataclysms, from a bomb explosion in the operating room to a ferry on fire at the Seattle docks. But even the worst emergencies tend to be more about the doctor than the patient. Each procedure brings some kind of crucial emotional catharsis to Meredith and her friends.

“Sex and the City” loosened sexual inhibition; “Gilmore Girls” loosened mother-daughter tongues. Perhaps the most appealing fantasy fulfillment is about healing family relationships. On “Brothers & Sisters,” which stars Sally Field as Nora, the matriarch of a family of California food growers, mothers and daughters can smooth out ancient grievances without screams or stress eating. (“Grey’s Anatomy” offers a different fantasy: a mother with Alzheimer’s snaps out of it long enough to remind her daughter why she is quite right not to miss her.)

Plenty of people are baffled by the popularity of chick TV, but it’s not so complicated. Like Ben & Jerry’s, which includes Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream among its most popular flavors, these shows dish out exactly what women want in lavish quantities that they cannot quite believe anyone would allow them to have.

A little goes a long way, but a lot goes even further.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/arts/television/09chic.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=television&pagewanted=print

foxeng

03-09-07, 09:12 PM

The Business of Television
Cash in Question in Comcast, Sinclair Retransmission Deal
By Jon Lafayette Television Week March 9, 2007

He offered to provide a copy of the retransmission agreement, if Comcast was willing to waive a nondisclosure provision.

Well, on the surface at least, it doesn't look so good for the big guys after all.

fredfa

03-09-07, 09:16 PM

Agreed, foxeng.

Anyone who thought Comcast would win this one in a walkover has been rudely awakened.

DoubleDAZ

03-09-07, 11:43 PM

I think it just depends on your defintion of "paid", Dave.
I know all you in the industry are estatic about all this (enjoy your pay raises :) ), but unlike some others, my definition has always been $x.xx/sub. Anything else is no different than what goes on today, no matter how either side wants to spin it.

fredfa

03-09-07, 11:56 PM

Dave I am not ecstatic.

But I do strongly believe that stations which provide so much of cable (and satellite) content should be compensated for it. And as they spend heavily to move into HD, their content is even more desirable to providers.

"American Idol", "Grey's Anatomy", "Heroes" and "CSI" (and dozens of other HD programs) certainly bring value to the cable and satellite companies. As do the college footbal and basketball, March Madness, golf, the Olympics, MLB, and, of course, the NFL.

If many cable and satellite companies charge an extra $10 or so for (essentially) HD versions of SD channels, why shouldn't stations get a share?

There is no reason why subs should have to pay more. They already generally pay less for satellite -- and DBS has been paying for stations since they started. If the costs go up, let the providers jettison some of the cable networks which very few people watch.

DoubleDAZ

03-10-07, 12:08 AM

Fred,

I'll take your word for it, but you "seem" pretty darned happy with any outcome that takes money away from the cableco's and lowers their ability to compete against satellite. I won't argue that plenty of money goes into cable owner's pockets, but I don't see satco owners or Sinclair hurting for $$$ either.

The fact that satco's already pay for locals doesn't really do much for me because the entire pricing model used by both cable and sat is so convoluted that you'd be hard pressed to figure out what any part of the service really costs. They all simply structure their pricing to something they think the buying public will accept with very little consideration given to how a given fee correlates to actual cost.

And I don't disagree that locals add value, but take away cable/sat and the locals will feel it in lost advertising revenue. That is something you and others don't seem to appreciate. Both locals and cable/sat get something, now the locals get even more. :(

VideoGrabber

03-10-07, 12:10 AM

Fred,
> If many cable and satellite companies charge an extra $10 or so for (essentially) HD versions of SD channels, why shouldn't stations get a share? <

Seems very reasonable. I'd definitely buy the "if".

Since my cable co. charges me nothing extra for the HD-feeds of my local ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox channels, how much should they have to pay for them?

- Tim

homcom

03-10-07, 12:21 AM

And I don't disagree that locals add value, but take away cable/sat and the locals will feel it in lost advertising revenue. That is something you and others don't seem to appreciate. Both locals and cable/sat get something, now the locals get even more. :(
It has been shown that viewers will seek out the local stations by switching providers or going OTA. Because of this the advertising losses the local stations will see should be short-term and a rather small because most viewers will seek out those local stations.

homcom

03-10-07, 12:23 AM

Since my cable co. charges me nothing extra for the HD-feeds of my local ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox channels, how much should they have to pay for them?

An amount that accounts for cable's ability to attract customers because they carry those channels.

CPanther95

03-10-07, 09:11 AM

I know all you in the industry are estatic about all this (enjoy your pay raises :) ), but unlike some others, my definition has always been $x.xx/sub. Anything else is no different than what goes on today, no matter how either side wants to spin it.

I agree. Even though it now appears that cash was involved - if the deal was isolated to some kind of barter (even valuable multicast carriage), it would be no different than status quo. No matter how attractive the barter arrangement becomes for the local broadcaster, it would still allow the cablecos to claim that there is no paradigm shift.

DoubleDAZ

03-10-07, 09:17 AM

An amount that accounts for cable's ability to attract customers because they carry those channels.That is a VERY subjective amount and you seem to overlook the fact that there IS (read that again, IS) compensation given for the locals. Also, cableco's do not provide them for free just because someone isn't charged directly (it's all in the package price), but they don't get them from free either, there IS compensation given. IF (there's that big word again), they simply grabbed them out of the air and retransmitted them without ANY compensation to the stations, then I'd whole-heartedly agree.

All we're talking about here though is a change from indirect compensation (via free advertising, inclusion of other channels the station owns, cable-purchased advertising, etc., vs direct $x.xx/sub in CASH. I really don't care one way or the other as long as the end result is that my cable bill doesn't go up because of it. If they settle for cash vs advertising and the end result in $$$ remains the same, who really cares? There are those however, who want the cableco's to PAY MORE, not just through a different compensation arrangement, but in ADDED compensation.

Then too, many seem to forget that there is a lot of government regulation involved in both cable and sat carriage. Get rid of the rules and let the free-market determine what the worth is. Also, let me get rid of the $2.80 fee I HAVE to pay for ESPN and I'll gladly pay it to the locals. Or better yet, let me put up an antenna, not pay for the locals at all, and still receive all the other channels for a lower fee. Gee, that sounds like ala carte and letting the consumer determine what the worth is. What a novel idea! :)

homcom

03-10-07, 10:04 AM

That is a VERY subjective amount and you seem to overlook the fact that there IS (read that again, IS) compensation given for the locals. Also, cableco's do not provide them for free just because someone isn't charged directly (it's all in the package price), but they don't get them from free either, there IS compensation given. IF (there's that big word again), they simply grabbed them out of the air and retransmitted them without ANY compensation to the stations, then I'd whole-heartedly agree.
Nope, not overlooking anything I am aware of the current practices to exchange advertising for carriage.

All we're talking about here though is a change from indirect compensation (via free advertising, inclusion of other channels the station owns, cable-purchased advertising, etc., vs direct $x.xx/sub in CASH. I really don't care one way or the other as long as the end result is that my cable bill doesn't go up because of it. If they settle for cash vs advertising and the end result in $$$ remains the same, who really cares?
Both the stations and the cablcos would care. If the agreement shifted compensation to cash from advertising it would free up advertising slots on the local station. These now open slots would provide new revenue and allow the local stations to grab some other local advertisers that might otherwise spend their ad dollars on local cable advertising.

There are those however, who want the cableco's to PAY MORE, not just through a different compensation arrangement, but in ADDED compensation.
As witnessed in Iowa with Mediacomm, I think some cable companies are underestimating the value that local channel bring to their station. If that is the case I think that the local stations have every right to ask for more compensation be it in more cash or more advertising barter.

foxeng

03-10-07, 10:26 AM

As witnessed in Iowa with Mediacomm, I think some cable companies are underestimating the value that local channel bring to their station. If that is the case I think that the local stations have every right to ask for more compensation be it in more cash or more advertising barter.

Comcast knows all too well what the local stations bring to their systems.

(To no one in particular) Why do you think Comcast did what it did? To avoid another Mediacom media debacle. Even the TWCs and the Comcast's, who could afford the holdouts, can't stand up to the constant media blitz that would go along with it, just like Mediacom couldn't.

You wreck a business reputation and it is almost impossible to get that back. Look at the anti-D*, E*, Comcast, TWC, (insert name here) people who populate AVSForum. Many of those people will NEVER go back to those systems they had a problem with. Any company starts to alienate mass numbers of its customers and the business goes under. Basic economics. The Comcast's and TWC's of the world are smarter than that. That is why you have this Comcast/Sincalir deal. It makes both sides come out smelling like roses. Win-win for both sides.

fredfa

03-10-07, 11:44 AM

TV Sports
TV cable deal talks are held
By Larry Stewart From Los Angeles Times Staff and Wire Reports March 10, 2007

Robert Jacobson, president and chief executive of In Demand, met with baseball executives Friday to discuss a possible deal for cable to carry the Extra Innings out-of-market pay television package, according to a spokeswoman for In Demand.

The meeting came one day after Jacobson said conditions set by baseball made it impossible for the In Demand service to offer the package.

A key issue is the Baseball Channel, to be launched in 2009. DirecTV, which has a 20% minority stake in the channel, has agreed to make it available to most of its customers. Because In Demand serves 50 million digital cable customers, it claims that the cost would be prohibitive.

One cable executive suggested the cost to cable companies might be as much as $2.50 a month per subscriber. Industry sources say it would be more in the 30-cent range.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-sp-bbnotes10mar10,0,54035,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

fredfa

03-10-07, 12:37 PM

The Business of Television
Trying to Beat Broadcast Over the Ears
CableLabs’ Off-Air Receiver Project Could Pull In TV Signals, Reclaim Bandwidth, Sidestep Retrans Fees
By Todd Spangler MultiChannel News 3/12/2007

Cable wants to put rabbit ears back in the home — a technical irony that could help the industry conserve big chunks of bandwidth on its network of fiber and coaxial transmission pipes.

The plan could also let the industry avoid shelling out millions in retransmission fees to broadcasters.

CableLabs, in a two-paragraph press release earlier this month, said it is developing specifications for an interface that would let set-top boxes receive digital broadcast signals off the air. This technology would allow households to see broadcast TV signals alongside cable programming “as an integrated viewing experience,” the consortium said.

Why would a cable operator want to do this?

The prime motivation appears to be improving cable’s bargaining position with broadcast TV station operators over carriage of their signals.

Under current public policy, broadcasters can pursue two paths in getting distribution for their stations on cable systems. Either they can force carriage, without getting payment, through federal must-carry rules. Or, if they want to get paid, they can negotiate specific agreements with cable operators over the terms of retransmission.

Antenna In a Set-Top: What’s At Stake

CableLabs is developing a specification to let set-top boxes receive TV broadcasters’ signals over the air in a fashion that would be “integrated” with programming that comes in from a cable. The technology could let operators:

• Save bandwidth for ’must-carry’ stations by picking them off the air, rather than pulling in from the coaxial cable network
• Offer the full range of a local TV station’s digital multicasts, including high-definition signals
• Avoid paying broadcasters for retransmission of their signals, since no retransmission is involved
(Source: Multichannel News research)

In the must-carry case, turning set-top boxes into off-air TV receivers could save cable operators bandwidth.

Here’s how. The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that broadcasters provide all-digital over-the-air signals by Feb. 17, 2009. Existing FCC rules require operators to carry just one programming stream from each local digital-TV station that has elected mandatory carriage. Right now, those signals must be carried over the cable system’s physical plant. But if there’s a reliable technical alternative, such as this, those regulations may change.

The broadcasters might even push for the change. With the digital transition, TV stations would like operators to carry multiple programming streams — as many as five or six, including bandwidth-hungry high-definition signals, which can take up as much space as 10 standard-definition channels on a digital-cable system.

If set-tops with built-in digital tuners were widely deployed, cable operators could offer all of that local TV programming for “free” — that is, without having to pipe the digital signals over their networks. That could eventually let an operator reclaim valuable spectrum for other uses, such as high-speed data or HD programming.

In a city with at least five broadcast stations, and where an operator carries HD simulcasts for each one, pulling those feeds from the air could free up roughly 24 Megahertz of bandwidth in the cable system itself. That would provide space for 40 standard-definition channels in a digital tier of programming.

That would benefit broadcasters, according to a consultant who works with local TV affiliates, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“If implemented properly, the technology sounds as though it would give cable subscribers access to all the digital offerings of a local broadcaster, including a station’s multicast programming,” the consultant said.

RETRANS END-RUN?

If a broadcaster wants to negotiate for retransmission, however, the off-air receiver could help cable operators avoid paying tens or hundreds of millions of dollars for rights to retransmit the signals of local TV stations.

More broadcasters have been demanding that cable operators pay for the right to carry their signals. For example, CBS last month struck a deal worth $6 million per year with nine small cable operators (which it didn’t name), representing 1 million subscribers.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which recently signed new agreements with Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable and Belo Corp., projects that it will take in $48 million in revenue this year from allowing retransmission of its local TV signals, up from $2.6 million in 2003 (“Dueling for Dollars,’’ March 5, 2007, page 6). For its part, Hearst-Argyle Television projects an almost tenfold increase to more than $18 million this year, up from $1.9 million in 2003.

Bruce Leichtman, president of consulting firm Leichtman Research Group, said a cable box with a tuner seemed intended to put cable in a less vulnerable position with broadcasters.

With this interface, viewers would technically be getting local-TV signals off the air, into their set-top boxes and then onto their TVs. The operator’s network of fiber and coaxial cable would not be involved.

“When companies like CBS are hell-bent at getting 50 cents a sub [for retransmission rights], it would certainly make sense for cable to say, 'Hey, we don’t need to pay you. We’ll just get the signal over the air,’ ” he said.

“It’s an intelligent, strategic use of technology,” Leichtman added. “It’s a bargaining chip for cable.”

CableLabs CEO Dick Green, when asked whether this technology could help operators sidestep retransmission agreements, declined to comment. Meanwhile, large multiple-system operators, including Comcast and Time Warner Cable, referred questions about the off-air project back to CableLabs.

“The honest truth is the MSOs have different ideas about how they’re going to use this,” Green said. “Those are business interests, and we [CableLabs] simply don’t get into those things.”

Green noted that direct-broadcast satellite operators today pluck local TV signals off the air, using tuners built into the dishes they’ve already installed on customers’ homes. That’s designed to let DBS providers conserve bandwidth on their satellites by not having to retransmit every single feed from every local TV station.

In addition, Green said that outside the United States, cable operators commonly provide broadcast signals by installing external antennas at subscribers’ homes.

National Association of Broadcasters director of media relations Kristopher Jones said the NAB is “reviewing CableLabs’s announcement” and declined to comment further.

But one senior executive at a major broadcaster, who asked to remain anonymous, dismissed the idea that a cable set-top with a built-in off-air tuner would somehow allow operators to avoid retransmission negotiations.

“If they want to have our channels integrated into the cable set-top, as part of their lineup, they would need our permission,” the executive said.

TECH TIMING

From the CableLabs perspective, Green said, there were three primary factors that made the timing right to develop a set-top with a digital antenna in it.

First is the FCC deadline for broadcasters to move to all-digital signals by February 2009. “We’re two years away from the digital transition, so all the industry players are getting more serious about this,” he said.

Second, Green said, developments in radio-frequency technology have made it possible to provide an off-air tuner on a single chip.

Finally, set-top boxes have greater processing power, which would allow them to use software to combine off-air signals with cable. “We could have done this in the past, but we didn’t have the processor capabilities,” he said.

In fact, Green claimed, CableLabs has been kicking around off-air concepts for about 15 years, but has only become feasible with the new technical breakthroughs. “It’s been on our back burner for some time,” he said.

Green expects to be able to demonstrate a working prototype of a set-top with a digital broadcast tuner before the end of 2007.

CableLabs is designing the specification to support multiple implementations. One could be a set-top with a built-in tuner, but the spec will also allow existing digital set-tops to connect to an external antenna.

For a viewer, clicking to a broadcast channel from a program guide hosted on the set-top would “be transparent to you … you wouldn’t need to know that they’re off-air,” Green said.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6423301.html?display=Top+Stories

HDTVChallenged

03-10-07, 12:46 PM

fredfa

03-10-07, 01:10 PM

Yesterday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

foxeng

03-10-07, 01:39 PM

The Business of Television
Trying to Beat Broadcast Over the Ears
CableLabs’ Off-Air Receiver Project Could Pull In TV Signals, Reclaim Bandwidth, Sidestep Retrans Fees
By Todd Spangler MultiChannel News 3/12/2007

The plan could also let the industry avoid shelling out millions in retransmission fees to broadcasters.

That should pretty much settle any doubting Thomas' that cable doesn't need the local stations. I suspect this will backfire on cable. It takes much of the rhetoric cable has been saying for 40 years that people NEED the cable to get locals. If someone wants an antenna, they aren't going to pay cable for the privilege of have an antenna.

IMHO, knee jerk reaction to the retrans issue. Like I have been saying, the emperor has no clothes and the masses now see it.

dline

03-10-07, 03:13 PM

steverobertson

03-10-07, 03:25 PM

Interesting how this has gone full circle.

Remember in the early days of DBS, when cable was running ads saying that satellite didn't offer local channels? Never mind, of course, that the satellite boxes also had an antenna input. Satellite suffered anyway. Now, millions of dollars in upgrades later, satellite DOES offer those local channels (at least the SD versions) and is finally considered a serious competitor to cable. And now there's talk of cable going the other way?

As I said, interesting ...

That is kind of funny how more things change the more they stay the same.

fredfa

03-10-07, 04:09 PM

Philosopher George Santayana, who famously said: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it," would probably be smiling at all of this.

GeorgeLV

03-10-07, 04:11 PM

That should pretty much settle any doubting Thomas' that cable doesn't need the local stations. I suspect this will backfire on cable. It takes much of the rhetoric cable has been saying for 40 years that people NEED the cable to get locals. If someone wants an antenna, they aren't going to pay cable for the privilege of have an antenna.

IMHO, knee jerk reaction to the retrans issue. Like I have been saying, the emperor has no clothes and the masses now see it.

I can't imagine this is a serious proposal. There are just too many people that can't get reliable reception of OTA locals because of interference or geography. Then you have the even greater number of people that can get OTA, but don't want a huge 50 element Yagi or an 8-bay bow-tie on their roof.

Davinleeds

03-10-07, 04:25 PM

A barginning chip?http://www.cedmagazine.com/article/CA6421129.html

dad1153

03-10-07, 05:42 PM

Philosopher George Santayana, who famously said: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it," would probably be smiling at all of this.

And you don't watch Heroes... case closed! :D

steverobertson

03-10-07, 06:06 PM

Dad,

Did you get your new toy up and running yet?

fredfa

03-10-07, 11:28 PM

Was the site down for a few hours, or was I just having computer problems?

dad1153

03-10-07, 11:30 PM

Nope. Got a SA 8300HD Box from TWC and HD stations as well as XBox 360 cables, games and HD-DVD movies ready. But my super hasn't yet put together the stand for the 27" SD TV I have. I also need him to help me lift the fracking TV off the ground and into the twin Bell'Oggetti stands I'm currently using for the 27" SD TV. No HD yet but I'm not in a hurry. Very little HD of interest to me this weekenbd except for the Klitschko fight on HBO, which I already taped on the HD DVR for future playback. :D

rebkell

03-10-07, 11:35 PM

Was the site down for a few hours, or was I just having computer problems?

I think it was down, I wasn't able to reach the site for a couple of hours either.

DoubleDAZ

03-10-07, 11:48 PM

That is why you have this Comcast/Sincalir deal. It makes both sides come out smelling like roses. Win-win for both sides.Can't argue with that, but we still don't know what the real deal was/is. Of course, I don't expect to ever know because there are still more deals to be made. The only problem I have is some folk's consistent need to state that one party won and the other lost (or didn't have a slam-dunk). :)

Then too, unlike the previous Sinclair/MCC thread, I don't see any insider providing the read-between-the-lines scoop. We believe MCC is paying ~$.50/sub and some believe Comcast is also paying $x.xx/sub. I've been persuaded about the former, but I'm not sure about the latter, not that it really matters, just conversation. :)

fredfa

03-11-07, 12:13 AM

Thanks rebkell.

rebkell

03-11-07, 12:24 AM

Thanks rebkell.

There weren't any posts after 8:59pm and before 11:26pm, that pretty much assures the board was down or unreachable.

fredfa

03-11-07, 03:53 AM

TV Notebook
Shows face their zero hour
Lower-rated shows try to get fall pickups
By Josef Adalian, Michael Shneider Variety March 11, 2007

The networks have shown extreme patience in recent years as fickle viewers ignore critical gems.

But with millions of dollars on the line, that patience can only go so far. And as the May upfronts approach, execs once again face some tough series choices.

The choice is to give a low-rated show another shot and hope it grows into even a modest hit ... or cut your losses and open up real estate for a promising newbie.

A look at what webheads will be pondering over the next two months:

NBC

When talking about their bubble shows, NBC execs like to mention Grant Tinker's name a lot.

The former Peacock chief famously declared that his strategy in running the net was "First be best, then be first." Current NBC suits have adopted the line as their own mantra, repeating it regularly whenever they see the subpar ratings for shows they desperately hope will work.

"This year, we really love a lot of our new shows, some of which aren't performing at levels we wish they would," says NBC scheduling chief Mitch Metcalf. "But we love their quality."

That's particularly true of frosh faves "30 Rock" and "Friday Night Lights." Both shows are averaging about 1 ratings point below the net's average, but the consensus inside NBC is that both stand a very good shot at returning next fall.

"We need to show some patience," Metcalf argues. "It's one thing when you put on a show and you don't really believe in it. But that's just not the case this year. Both of these shows have big fan bases internally."

In addition to Tinker, Peacockers also like to mention "The Office," which started abysmally (like so many NBC classics) and is now a growing hit. Many inside the net are convinced "30 Rock" can follow a similar pattern.

That's not the case with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Despite its Aaron Sorkin pedigree, there aren't many voices inside NBC clamoring for the show's return.

Also on shaky ground are some veteran NBC shows, including crime dramas "Crossing Jordan" and "Medium." Odds favor just one returning, though both could get the axe.

Another perennial NBC bubble show, "Scrubs," might also shift nets next fall. ABC has expressed interest in the laffer if it becomes available, which is likely if producer ABC Television Studio doesn't agree to cut its license fee.

Then there's "Law & Order" and "L&O: Criminal Intent."

Three years ago, it would've been unthinkable that any product in the "L&O" brand could be in jeopardy. But while "Law & Order: SVU" is doing fine, the other two skeins have struggled all season.

Barring the best development season ever, it's unlikely both shows will go, however.

ABC

If critical buzz translated to Nielsen numbers, ABC's schedule would be filled up. Instead, holes sprouted all over the week as shows including "The Nine" and "Knights of Prosperity" struggled.

ABC has nonetheless shown patience, sticking with "Knights" for nine weeks before resting it, keeping "Men in Trees" on the air and even bringing back "Six Degrees" for another shot. Last spring, "What About Brian" scored a second season despite its similarly lackluster numbers.

"I'd like to think that shows that the networks believe in creatively, they've always been patient with," says ABC Entertainment exec VP Jeff Bader.

Much of what the Alphabet decides to keep or toss in May comes down to new development, as well as which timeslots are open. But it's more than likely that several bubble shows will also make the cut.

"If you've got an incredibly tough time period and nothing to lose, why not take a bet on something you love and already have?" Bader says.

That's especially true in the case of several shows that were either stuck with incompatible lead-ins or faced particularly tough competish.

Because "Brian" already got a second chance, it's unclear whether that show will return. Having been off the air since fall, "The Nine" is also a long shot.

But "Men in Trees" and "Six Degrees" (depending on how it does in its return) could see a second year.

The Alphabet's comedies are a harder read -- and a lot will depend on whether ABC continues to try single-camera skeins or decides to go more mainstream.

Despite being yanked off the air last week, "The Knights of Prosperity" has fans inside the net (including ABC Entertainment topper Steve McPherson), and execs are hoping the show could see a second-season spurt similar to NBC's "The Office."

It's less clear whether "Big Day," "Help Me Help You" or "In Case of Emergency" will make the grade, while multi-cam laffers "According to Jim" and "George Lopez" are also uncertain. That could very well mean ABC kicks off the season with no returning laffers for a second straight season.

CBS

It's a bad time to be on the bubble at the Eye.

Since the net boasts a slew of successful skeins -- and seems very high on its slate of edgy pilots -- underperforming shows seeking a spot on the CBS sked next fall will face an uphill struggle. Assuming it goes through with plans to take some chances, execs will need to open up some slots.

That's not good news for "Jericho," the apocalyptic hour that looked to be the Eye's big drama hit of the year but saw its ratings come tumbling down after returning from a lengthy hiatus -- and went head-to-head against "American Idol."

Eye execs are keeping a close watch on the show. If things don't get better once "Idol" moves out of its path, this promising hour might be in jeopardy -- despite strong internal support for the skein.

Eye also has a trio of youngish laffers on the bubble: "The Class," "Old Christine" and "Rules of Engagement."

After a shaky start, "The Class" stabilized later in its run, with CBS suits happy about is creative progress. But if "Old Christine" does substantially better in "Class'" 8:30 p.m. Monday slot, it could be "Class" dismissed.

"Rules of Engagement," meanwhile, looks like a strong candidate to return, as long as it holds on to most of its "Two and a Half Men" lead-in.

On the drama front, the jury's still out on "Close to Home," the Friday crime hour that has done OK on the night but has failed to establish an identity for itself.

Fox

With "American Idol," does it even matter?

Still, the network has been hoping to still turn Brad Garrett's "Til Death" into a hit. But with the show still not catching on, it's an uncertain bet for next year.

Also straddling the fence: The sitcom "The War at Home." And it's too soon to tell whether newbies "The Winner" and "The Wedding Bells" will have a second season.

Among dramas, "Standoff" has one more shot at proving itself, moving to Fridays at the end of March.

CW

"Veronica Mars" has a cult following, but its failure to improve much this year puts it in serious jeopardy, while the future of its Tuesday skedmate "Gilmore Girls" depends on contract talks.

The long-running "7th Heaven" will probably call it quits -- again -- while on the comedy side, [B]"All of Us" seems to be on shaky ground.

Then again, CW once again has limited its development of pilots. If the new shows don't look so hot, any one of these vets could sneak back.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117960879&categoryid=14

kb7oeb

03-11-07, 06:49 AM

Interesting how this has gone full circle.

Remember in the early days of DBS, when cable was running ads saying that satellite didn't offer local channels? Never mind, of course, that the satellite boxes also had an antenna input. Satellite suffered anyway. Now, millions of dollars in upgrades later, satellite DOES offer those local channels (at least the SD versions) and is finally considered a serious competitor to cable. And now there's talk of cable going the other way?

As I said, interesting ...

They had an antenna pass through just like a VCR so you had to switch tuners and had no on screen guide for them, also their DVRs can't record analog. If digital OTA was around 10 years ago it might have been different.

SidsDad

03-11-07, 12:18 PM

fredfa

03-11-07, 02:10 PM

Saturday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-11-07, 02:20 PM

Hey Fredfa, as I'm sure you know, in your Upcoming Premieres / Returns post you have no mention of The Sheild. Is that this week? Also Rescue Me in May? The Closer, did that move from TNT to FX? Keep up the great work, you are a true Asset to the Forums!!

Thanks for the reminder, SidsDad.

The Shield returns April 3. Rescue Me, June 12.

The Closer "moving" to FX was a simple brain cramp -- and has been fixed. (I haven't heard a return date yet, but early-mid June has been the pattern.)

I am glad someone is paying attention to thoese top of the thread posts. There are a pain to keep current (not to mention even somewhat accurate!) and I often get the sense no one uses that resource.

(And thank you for the very kind words.)

steverobertson

03-11-07, 02:33 PM

fredfa

03-11-07, 02:39 PM

TV Review
“The Riches”
FX, Izzard find humor in American dream
The network known for its edgy dramas dips into comedy, but it's hardly standard fare.
By Greg Braxton Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

The network that brought you murderous cops, sex-crazed plastic surgeons and a pill-popping fireman who all but raped his estranged wife is now in a family way.

FX, which made its groundbreaking mark on the television landscape with such dynamic, raw fare as "The Shield," "Nip/Tuck" and "Rescue Me," is entering into milder territory on Monday with "The Riches," a series centered around a married couple and their three children residing behind the gates of a cushy, comfortable community.

Though it sounds like a suburban idyll, "The Riches" is a world away from "Father Knows Best." What with its layers of complexities and nuances, it is something of a ragout for TV.

Take the spiciness of "The Sopranos," "Big Love," "Weeds," "The Fugitive" and "Ugly Betty," add some original European seasonings and fresh homegrown sauciness, sprinkle with satire and it might come close to defining "The Riches."

The series, which at its heart is a thematic search for the American dream, was created by a Russian refugee who moved to Louisiana as a youngster, and features two versatile British leads — one who made a splash as a cross-dressing heterosexual comedian — who are new to weekly American TV. Helping to run the show is a producing-writing team who used to be known as "the soccer moms."

It's that hybrid of disparate creative forces that provides "The Riches" with its unique chemistry, said Eddie Izzard, one of the show's stars and an executive producer: "It's challenging but also a great learning ground."

Izzard teams with Minnie Driver ("The Phantom of the Opera," "Good Will Hunting") to play Wayne and Dahlia Malloy, two hustlers who are part of a tribe of outlaw Gypsy Travellers in rural Louisiana. When they run afoul of the larger clan, the Malloys flee. A series of bizarre, and deadly, circumstances provide the fugitive Malloys with the literal and figurative keys to safety — the house of a deceased affluent couple. In Wayne's world view, assuming the identity of the Riches is an opportunity to make a better, more honest life for his family.

Or, as Izzard put it, "Wayne has to lie and cheat his way into legitimacy."

Series creator Dmitry Lipkin said he wanted to build a show around a family that was pretending to be something it wasn't, "a family that has a private and a public identity." "The Riches" takes a poke at the establishment, the wealthy and suburban life even as it probes the volatile dynamics of the Malloys (smooth-talking Wayne isn't as smooth in his desperate struggle to keep the family together; Dahlia is a drug addict, the youngest son likes to wear dresses).

Despite the grueling seven-day-per-episode shooting schedule in the Santa Clarita Valley and the 17-hour days, Izzard — who has performed in movies, plays and an acclaimed one-man show in which he wore women's clothing — and Driver, who has lately pursued a singing career, both declare "The Riches" one of their most satisfying experiences.

Said Driver: "This is the hardest work I've ever done. But this is also the best character I've ever played."

The two performers, who knew of each other but had never met before they came together on this project, use American accents in their roles. "There's a fantastic irony in us doing this series," Driver said. "Everyone wants the American dream. But that has really gone off the rails in the last few years."

The launching of "The Riches" comes at a crucial time for FX, which would welcome a hit to join its reliable veteran roster. Several series in the last few years, including "Thief," "Black / White," "Over There" and "Starved," have failed. And while FX executives say the jury is still out on the tabloid journalism show "Dirt," that series so far has not caught fire with critics or viewers.

Special care is being taken with the shaping of "The Riches," a pet project of FX Networks President John Landgraf that has been in development for two years. The original pilot, directed by Carl Franklin ("Devil in a Blue Dress"), was shot a year ago. But producers felt the tone of the pilot was too dark and called on director Peter O'Fallon to re-shoot some scenes and to add more humor.

Writer-producers Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin were brought in to further finesse the tone. The partners, who have young children, worked on several other series and created the short-lived "The Education of Max Bickford."

"The concept of the series is that these folks are taking over dead peoples' lives," Prestwich said. "But Eddie and Minnie are very funny. It's a constant balancing act."

Added Yorkin: "The show is about wish fulfillment, but this kind of wish fulfillment can have a very dark side."

Still, Izzard is so confident that "The Riches" will strike pay dirt with viewers that he's already thinking up story lines for the sixth season. "I love doing this," he said. "I insist that it work."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-riches10mar10,0,2092488,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

fredfa

03-11-07, 03:01 PM

The TV Column Blogs live
On TV
Reality, Non-Reality and Everything In-Between
By Lisa de Moraes Washington Post Staff Writer

Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes was online Friday, March 9, at 1 p.m. ET to talk about fifth-graders who are smart, housewives who are desperate, "Idol" races that are disparate and commercial "cavemen" who are getting a shot at an ABC sitcom.

Also, "American Idol" (accused of being "racist," "weightist," and "sexist" by Rosie O'Donnell) announces fundraising specials in April starring Gwen Stefani, Pink, Annie Lennox, Josh Groban, Il Divo, Michael Buble and -- Borat? -- to raise millions for poor children in the United States and Africa (top that, Rosie!).

And Katie Couric is the most admired journalist in the country -- so why isn't anyone watching her evening newscast?

De Moraes has written "The TV Column" for The Post since 1998. She served as the TV editor for the entertainment industry trade publication the "Hollywood Reporter" for almost a decade.

The transcript follows.

Arlington, Va.: So what's your opinion as to why "The Black Donnellys" didn't do too well in the ratings? I really enjoyed it.

Lisa de Moraes: Hi. I think there's no one to root for on this show. It did okay, not great this past Monday (6.9 million off its lead-in "Heroes'" 15 million), which means the shows don't have the same audience. It may also have something to do with CBS having such a lock on the time slot with "CSI: Miami" which this past Monday logged more than 14 million viewers in "Donnelly's" 10 p.m. hour. NBC has been trying to get its own "The Sopranos" since the guy who used to head NBC, Bob Wright, sent out a memo to his staff about the HBO mob drama saying "we got to get us some of this." And, in fact, "Donnellys" is doing a number that would be great for HBO. Problem is, NBC's a broadcast network and needs a bigger crowd...

-----------------------------

Rockville, Md.: Hi Lisa -- as a regular reader of the Wednesday ratings, I've noticed that "24" is skidding. Is it the competition from "Heroes" or are viewers (not me) starting to drift away from the show?

Lisa de Moraes: Combo of both, I think. Serialized dramas have a hard time recruiting new viewers -- though "24" is the best model for serialized shows because it hits the "restart" button every season, blah, blah, blah -- but "Heroes" is clearly taking viewers away....

-----------------------------

Anonymous: Have you seen a preview of the new Jeff Goldblum show? How does it look?

Lisa de Moraes: You've already given it the only review it needs -- stars Jeff Goldblum. I'll watch him in practically anything. Even lousy dinosaur flicks. Even episodes of "Will & Grace" when it had turned into a tired, old sitcom. Even in "The Pillowman" on Broadway which, trust me, was very, very hard to watch (yes, I'm a wimp). Sadly, NBC has already cut back this show's order, which means they have no confidence in it. So don't miss it, because it will probably be gone in a flash.

-----------------------------

Gaithersburg, Md.: I loved "The Wedding Bells." How did it do in the ratings?

Lisa de Moraes: "Wedding Bells" opened with about 12 million viewers and change, which would be great, except it followed "Idol" which had averaged more than 30 million viewers in its second half hour -- the one handing a lead-in audience to "Wedding." That's a very steep drop-off, especially when you consider how much of the "Idol" audience "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" hung on previous week. Yes, reality series almost always do better after a reality series than scripted programs. But more problematic is the fact that the first half hour of "Wedding" averaged more than 14 million viewers but by the second half hour it was down to just under 11 million. That's a troubling drop-off for the show....

-----------------------------

Toronto: Do you remember that SNL skit where Phil Hartman played "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer", who thawed out and, as an attorney, would comment on his selective naivety? "I'm just a caveman. I fell on some ice and later got thawed out by some of your scientists. Your world frightens and confuses me! Sometimes the honking horns of your traffic make me want to get out of my BMW ... and run off into the hills, or wherever..." I'm just saying it's been done, is all.

Lisa de Moraes: You bet I remember. Hilarious bit. Yes, there is nothing new in the world today. We can only muddle through as best we can. sigh....

-----------------------------

New York:"The final choice is between an unemployed fat guy with a bird nest on his chin and a fake bluesy sound, or the creepy high school student who's channeling the really creepy Michael Jackson." That's how Ryan should had said it.

Lisa de Moraes: Hey, I liked Sundance.....

-----------------------------

Reston, Va.: Am I the only person who feels sorry for Antonella? It's true she never should have posed for those photos, but it must be very tough to have a "friend" stab you in the back by posting humiliating photos on the Web for the entire world to see, having to face your parents who sent you to Catholic school and then having your dreams of stardom crushed -- all within a matter of two or three weeks. Do you think the backstabbing friend is the same one who auditioned with her and didn't make it as far?

Lisa de Moraes: Who knows. Who cares... "Let this be a lesson to all you chicks out there," she said, sounding shockingly like her mother, "the sexy snaps you take for your boyfriend today will still be around when he's your ex-boyfriend and they never go away." Next time, just buy him a calendar with cute Westie puppies on it....

-----------------------------

Washington: The problem with 24 this year is that it hit the "replay" button instead of the "restart" button. Can Jack fight something new? Like aliens or something? It's not like the show is really that believable to begin with...

Lisa de Moraes: It would also help if Sutherland would broaden his repertoire so as to include other acting techniques besides screaming and loud hissing. And how about some refresher writing courses for the producers -- if I hear "THERE'S NO TIME!" one more time, I'm gonna scream...

-----------------------------

Washington: That Sanjaya survived the Great Hula Dancing Fiasco makes me both thrilled and depressed about our country. How? How?

Lisa de Moraes: That pretty hair, of course. His power is all in his hair. We must secretly bribe the "Idol" remake artist to give him a buzz cut....

-----------------------------

Bowie, Md.: How would you have felt if you were Sanjaya Malakar's mom and Simon called your son weird and that he was trying to get his hair like Paula's? I'm sure everyone knows where Simon was going with that characterization without saying it outright, but that Sanjaya kid is kind of strange/delicate/bashful/has thin bones.

Lisa de Moraes:..the best description of Sanjaya I've heard to date...but don't you think it was even harder for him to take when the cloyingly nice Paula was so shocked Sanjaya made it through while Sundance got the boot she said "this is supposed to be a singing competition!" Even she realized her misstep and said "with all due respect to you, Sanjaya."

-----------------------------

Woodbridge, Va.: Hi Lisa: Referencing the March 8 TV Column, "The B.C. Sitcom for P.C. Times," exactly what is your definition of a "good joke" about blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Jews, Christians, gays, women, stutterers, the physically challenged, etc. as cited in your article? By the way, I am not humorless, but your assertion above that there are good jokes gives me pause. Thanks.

Lisa de Moraes: Facetious: 1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : waggish.

2 : meant to be humorous or funny : not serious.

-----------------------------

"American Idol": Unless Fox can block all those calls from Bangalore, I'd say that kid is gonna be around and make Simon very nervous for awhile. (Country week ought to be fun.)

Lisa de Moraes: I like seeing Simon nervous, frankly. It adds to his charm...

-----------------------------

That's a great idea!: I would totally watch "24" if it was set in outer space.

Lisa de Moraes: Except how would we see Sutherland's ripped biceps in a space suit? That's about 80 percent of the show's charm for me.

-----------------------------

August?: The guy on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" thought summer ended in August. Where do they find these people? I can understand not remembering all that science stuff and whatever, I wasn't 100 percent sure about that planet question either, but not knowing the seasons? Fun show though!

Lisa de Moraes: Get the feeling they pick people who freeze on camera, don't you? I mean, how about the guy who's doomed to be seen forever in the show's promos who freezes up over "2x5"? He must be ready to drink poison over that; it's been shown on Fox about a hundred times....

-----------------------------

"Apprentice": Will this be the last season of "The Apprentice"? Is anyone still watching it?

Lisa de Moraes: Hardly and if we're lucky, The Donald will retire...

-----------------------------

Chicago: Why aren't we watching Katie Couric on the evening newscast? She took the hardest newscast of the three and made it all about her. She's not as interested in political news and hard news, so therefore we aren't supposed to either. If a story appeals to her, it's on. If not, it doesn't. That doesn't work if your major background is the Today Show in the '90s and '00s. When Bob Schieffer did the news, it was about the news, not him. With Katie, it's Katie, and not about the news.

Lisa de Moraes: Preaching to the choir. Hopefully, CBS execs are figuring this out now... this story isn't over yet.

-----------------------------

College Park, Md.: How much time has passed on "Lost" this season? It seems like it's only been a week!

Lisa de Moraes:..has it been that long?

-----------------------------

Arlington, Va.: Sanjaya making the Top 12 is a bigger voting travesty than the Florida debacle in 2000. There, I said it.

Lisa de Moraes: I think it involves more votes too....

-----------------------------

Erie, Pa.: What's your take on SNL's Amy Poehler? I think she's the best female cast member since Gilda, but that's just me.

Lisa de Moraes: Very talented -- extremely versatile. But nobody's up there with Gilda. She was brilliant.

-----------------------------

Washington: Lisa darling, you must give "Rules of Engagement" another chance. Puddy is so good he can carry the whole show. That said, David Spade isn't the weakest link -- it's that other yahoo ... Hudson?

Lisa de Moraes: You are so right. Spade isn't the weakest link on this show. Hudson is, and the chick who plays his fiancee. Patrick Warburton is reason enough to watch the show.

-----------------------------

Center of Ville, Va.: Regarding Sundance begging for jobs after "Idol" last night ... why doesn't he just go back to acting? I loved him as Wilson the Volleyball in the movie "Castaway". He was better in that than in "Idol".

Lisa de Moraes: I just want someone to give him a job. Surely he's more talented than, say, Justin Guarini, who somehow keeps getting work....

-----------------------------

Ashburn, Va.: Is anyone who can read a teleprompter considered a "journalist" now?

Lisa de Moraes: I think it helps to also have great comedic timing, which is why I am among the 2 percent who name Jon Stewart as the journalist I admire most (see today's TV Column on latest Pew report). Couric lacks comedic timing.

-----------------------------

Chicago: Good news about "Wedding Bells" -- I tried to watch that show but it was awful.

Lisa de Moraes: You made me laugh, so I'll bite: Why is that good news?

-----------------------------

Rosie: I don't know if you're privy to this kind of privileged information, but what apparatus/contraption is it exactly that allows Rosie O'Donnell to "hang" upside down for long periods of time? I'm intrigued and thinking of adding a trapeze/jungle gym to my St. John's Wort/chocolate regimen. (If anyone else is simultaneously reading Hax's chat, they'll recognize my chocolate therapy as backed by her advice.)

Lisa de Moraes: Tried St. John's Word once, but my cat ate it and had to be rushed to the hospital....I'm assuming she hangs from the bar in her cage by the window.

-----------------------------

Fairfax, Va.: One of our colleagues caught a rerun of the made-for-TV film "The Librarian: Quest for the Spear" (2004) on cable last week. It got us thinking -- have you heard of any sequels planned? The film had its flaws, but we loved the idea of Noah Wyle as a bookish Indiana Jones. -- Fairfax County Public Library staff

Lisa de Moraes: I thought they were going to do more of those, but have not heard anything lately. Sorry I can't be of more help.

-----------------------------

Virginia: Lisa -- About your piece the list of "most admired journalists:" although it's true that Jon Stewart says he's not an actual journalist, his show has been known to focus like a razor's edge on the most important stories of the day. He's certainly as much of a journalist as Matt Lauer, Rush Limbaugh or today's Barbara Walters, isn't he?

P.S. -- Are you just jealous 'cause they didn't admire you? Well, you'd be No. 1 on my list so don't fret, Pookie.

Lisa de Moraes: No, like I said, I am among the 2 percent who are pro-Stewart...but thanks.

-----------------------------

Panama City Beach, Fla.: Justin Guarini still gets work? Where? Hardee's?

Lisa de Moraes: He's cohost of "Idol Rewind" on TV Guide Channel and, I'm told, gives a tour de force performance as Keith, the High Roller in "Frankie the Squirrel" which is now in postproduction. ... How can you people not know this stuff? He's huge!

-----------------------------

Baltimore: Re the Geico cavemen TV sitcom: I have spent some 30 years in advertising and PR and this whole deal baffles me from a business standpoint. Usually if a creative director, copywriter or art director creates work for a client, that work belongs to the agency and/or the client, depending on the agency/client agreement. Yet the guys from the Martin Agency seem to have somehow maintained control of the characters and concept. Did you discuss this unusual state of affairs at all with them? (And I know that the Martin Agency is part of one of the big Ad/PR holding companies, so it's not like the caveman creators are even agency principals, in the sense of having ownership.)

Lisa de Moraes: I'm confident the Geico people have given this the big thumbs up. Talk about brand extension -- this sitcom will be a half hour infomercial for their auto insurance....

-----------------------------

Sanjaya all the way!: I'm not ashamed to admit it. I want to call Sanjaya and ask him what type of product he uses in his hair.

Lisa de Moraes:..okay, I'll confess. Me too...His hair is so beautiful...I feel better now.

-----------------------------

San Antonio: What the Haley Scarnato's wrong with our hometown gal? But seriously ... the only reason she is still on is the sympathy vote generated by the "I don't even know your name" put-down that truly was priceless.

Lisa de Moraes: best "Idol" put-down ever. We love Simon, because he speaks the truth. I had to look up her name for every blog I'd written on this season.

-----------------------------

Washington: Have you seen the new Gap ad featuring Patrick Wilson and Claire Danes? I actually like a Gap ad again -- the first time in years!

washingtonpost.com: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6043652193335031954&q=gap+danes&hl=en

Lisa de Moraes: Claire Danes has to do Gap ads now? Wow, has her career ever careened...

-----------------------------

Eastern Market: Lisa -- I was sad that ABC pulled "The Knights of Prosperity," though I know it was tanking badly in the ratings. Given how critics seemed to love the show back before it was aired and was called "Let's Rob Mick Jagger," what effect do you think the change of title had on the show's failure? Or was it the time slot? Will the final episodes ever get aired?

Lisa de Moraes: They should have left it as it was originally: "Let's rob Jeff Goldblum" which ties in so nicely with my earlier comments about Goldblum. Yes,the original plan was to have the cast rob Goldblum, which would have been brilliant. I'm guessing that, unlike Jagger, if Goldblum had agreed to move forward with this show he would have given them more time to shoot him in various scenes to use throughout the season. Also I'm guessing he would not have made them change the name of the show to take his name out, as a condition of agreeing to let them shoot him for the show. The whole Mick Jagger thing sounded like quite a "get" but wound up really hurting the show -- they couldn't get him to agree to any more shooting and he made them change the name, though it's not his fault they wound up with the lame "Knights of Prosperity." The title "Let's Rob (fill in the blank) is so hilarious it sells the show and ABC needs all the help it can these days selling its sitcoms...

-----------------------------

Washington: I work in a business where I regularly employee telemarketing firms. Many of these firms now maintain their call centers in India. So when I see an Indian-American kid with no great talent surviving week after week in a competition where votes are cast by telephone, I naturally start to wonder ... would it be possible to stack the "American Idol" votes if you could get a few telemarketing call centers with predictive dialers to hit one number with all their lines for two hours a week?

Lisa de Moraes: I've heard this from soooo many people over the past 48 hours. Isn't this just a teensy bit, um, racial-profiling-y? Maybe? I'm guessing it has more to do with how sweet and gorgeously tressed he is. Girls love that, you know.

-----------------------------

Claire Danes: Her career tanked around the same time Mary Louise Parker's soared, so I think it has a lot to do with the fact Billy Crudup left the then-pregnant MLP for Danes. At least I hope it does.

Lisa de Moraes: Wow, you're really angry! So how did you feel when K-Fed left the mother of his first two children (god help us) for Britbrit?

-----------------------------

Washington: Are we ever going to see our beloved unibrow "Betty" in a new episode again?

Lisa de Moraes: I expect around the time of the May sweep...

-----------------------------

Lost on "Lost": Pookie, I gave up. After two years, I just couldn't take it any more. And when Bai Ling shows up, it's all over. Am I wrong? Should I return to the fold?

Lisa de Moraes: no....

-----------------------------

Fairfax, Va.: How did Pussycat Dolls do in the ratings? All the reviews were scathing. What did you think?

Lisa de Moraes: It did a great number, relative to its network (CW).

-----------------------------

Claire Danes: I know, right ... and I love her. Too bad "My So-Called Life" didn't last a little longer ... oh sigh ... that makes me think of "Freaks and Geeks too...

Lisa de Moraes: Don't go there, it will just make you depressed. On the other hand, Rosie has a great show today on how to deal with depression, so maybe you've picked the perfect day to go there. Just make sure you TiVo "The View."

-----------------------------

Washington: Pookie! "Battlestar Galactica"! They killed Starbuck! Why have they done this to the most flawed, dirty, yet sexy female character on TV? As a guy, it kinda sucks. Does this probably mean that she is one of the final 5 Cyclons and that the show as perhaps jumped that dreaded shark?

Lisa de Moraes: I'm not sayin', in re Cyclons. I don't think this is a shark jumping moment for the show, given that so many other shows ('Lost,' '24' etc) have successfully killed off beloved characters, though maybe maybe not as flawed, dirty, yet sexy (great description, by the way).

-----------------------------

McLean, Va.: Pookie -- you took some heat in the "comments" posted to your "Idol" blogs, but you are definitely back in form! "Haley Scarnato!" (now my favorite invective as well), the "12 chrome tractor seats of glory" -- you made my day with just those two remarks!

Lisa de Moraes: thank you...yes, apparently I wasn't nasty enough that day. Don't know what happened. Maybe that was the day I petted too many adorable puppies on the sidewalks in Santa Monica...

-----------------------------

Alexandria, Va.: Lisa: You know, if I wanted to see poverty and starving children on my television, I can turn on CNN or PBS any time I want. Show me the fame whores and show me Simon making the girls cry! That's why 30 million of us are watching, for God's sake!

Lisa de Moraes: You are so wrong here. I can't wait to watch Borat pitch starving children in Africa to the "Idol" audience. And, one of the thing I have had to come to grips with, covering TV for a living, is that my taste is EXTREMELY average....it's sad, and yet, very useful....

-----------------------------

I liked Sundance too: But c'mon, the boy picked a lousy song! No real melody to speak of, and a lot of screaming -- Pearl Jam is not, repeat, not proper material for any "American Idol" contestant.

Lisa de Moraes: I know! Pearl Jam is way too sophisticated for "Idol." Now Celine -- that's "Idol" gold. and Whitney. And.....

-----------------------------

Re: Angry Woman: I'm actually not angry, I just thought he was a class-A jerk. Then again, MLP may have tied him up and beat him daily. By the way, I thought K-Fed was a total tool until it was obvious he was the sane one in his relationship with Brit. (And Shar started with Tarantino, what was up with that?) I have no idea what to think of K-Fed, but it puts his reality show with Brit in a whole new light.

Lisa de Moraes: It's one of the miracles of our day that K-Fed has become the adult in that relationship. How the heck did that happen? It's a world gone mad, I tell you.

-----------------------------

Center of Ville, Va.: Speaking of work after "Idol", I saw Ryan Starr a couple weeks ago. You might remember her from such shows as "American Idol" and "Surreal Life." She was working as a bartender at a restaurant in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She looked good. Hey, it pays the bills!

Lisa de Moraes: Which bar. I have to go check this out. Research, you know.

-----------------------------

Fond of creepy things: Just read the column about cavemen -- love it. How about David Spade as one of the cave guys if "Rules of Engagement" doesn't last (and doesn't sound like it will). Don't you think he would be cute?

Lisa de Moraes: Yeah, right, a little love bunny ... gak.

-----------------------------

San Diego: Dropping down, but what ratings is "Jericho" getting? Unlike "24," it tends to have a lot of action packed into very short periods and interminable soap opera scenes. The show is getting old, to be honest. Comments?

Lisa de Moraes: It was doing well until it came back opposite "Idol." Jury's still out on it. It does not appear to be as "Idol"-proof as other CBS series.

-----------------------------

Washington: In order to have some good lunch conversation with a friend, I decided to watch the Pussycat Dolls reality show. God, what a glorious train wreck. Showing the gals vomiting was a bit much though. Do you ever catch shows you know are going to be atrocious simply to have something to talk about?

Lisa de Moraes: Pookie, if I had a buck for every time ...You have, very concisely, just defined my career....

-----------------------------

Washington: I don't have a lot of time to watch TV, but I love comedies. In your most esteemed opinion, what are the two or three funniest shows on television right now? (Um, intentionally funny.)

Lisa de Moraes: Daily Show. Colbert. South Park. 2.5 Men. Earl. CBS Evening News ...um, I think that's my list these days.

-----------------------------

Gaithersburg, Md.: Conspiracy theory: Because "Idol" won't tell us the vote counts, was Antonella Barba really voted out, or did the producers see an opportunity to drop her like the hot rock that she is?

Lisa de Moraes: I'm sorry but you do know there were sexy photos of her all over the Internet, right? This can only attract more young men to the show, and young men are like the Holy Grail of TV. So why would they want her booted? I'm out of time. bye.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/03/05/DI2007030500421_pf.html

fredfa

03-11-07, 03:06 PM

TV Review
“The Riches”
(Premieres Monday at 10 PM ET/PT, FX)
By Brian Lowry Variety

Alternative families are in vogue right now, but FX's latest -- a blend of "The Grifters," the CW's already-axed "Runaway" and HBO's secrets-behind-closed-doors "Big Love" -- doesn't possess the requisite magic to steal our hearts. Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver lend star power to this tale regarding a family of Gypsy Travelers, which absconds with a stash of loot and seeks to pass as a respectable brood, the Riches, within the confines of a gated community. Although not the mess that "Dirt" is, the series is conceptually problematic, and seemingly ill-equipped to go the episodic distance.

We meet Wayne Malloy (Izzard) at someone else's high-school reunion, which he and his kids have crashed, robbing the attendees blind. Putting the petty larceny in parenting, the Malloys operate under the theory that a family that steals together, stays together.

As for mom Dahlia (Driver), she's just being released following a two-year prison stint that's left her with a nasty drug habit. Once liberated, she admiringly tells her horny husband he can "con the hair off a dog."

After a run-in with Dahlia's extended clan prompts Wayne to pilfer their loot, the family takes off in an RV, leading to an accident that provides access to a palatial Louisiana home in the aptly named community Edenfalls. Suddenly, the Malloys have a shot at stealing -- or more accurately, faking their way through -- the American dream by becoming the Riches.

Written by series creator/ playwright Dmitry Lipkin, the premiere establishes this premise, while the second episode dives into the central question of whether Wayne and the gang can behave like "buffers" -- their disparaging term for TV-watching drones who lead conventional lives. In the third hour, Wayne attempts to con his way through a full-time job as a corporate attorney, having impressed the firm's snotty, eccentric boss (Gregg Henry) on the golf course.

It is, ultimately, another glimpse of domesticity through alien eyes. Channeling these strangers to suburbia, we get to see a world where the genial neighbor-lady (Margo Martindale) supplies mind-numbing pills and Wayne can B.S. his way through a rally-the-employees speech at work on nothing but platitudes, as if he were "Being There's" Chauncey Gardiner.

A multifaceted actor and comic, Izzard feels somewhat shackled by the role, while Driver is more exotic as the wild, almost-feral Dahlia, who was weaned on a culture of crime.

The problem is that unless the audience proves willing to completely suspend disbelief, it's difficult to fathom how "the Riches" can sustain this charade, inhabiting the identities of a couple who surely must have some family and friends. And while the threat of Dahlia's crazy cousin Dale (Todd Stashwick) lingers in serialized fashion to create flickers of suspense, there's nothing here -- be it drama, humor or wit -- approaching a full-blown spark. (Speaking of charades, while the pilot was shot in New Orleans, production then shifted to Southern California.)

FX has thrived by reinventing traditional genres with a jaundiced streak in "Nip/Tuck," "Rescue Me" and "The Shield," but its recent run of "Thief," "Dirt" and now "The Riches" highlights the difficulty in creating provocative concepts that don't feel forced or farfetched.

Despite moments of interest, then, odds are I'll keep a buffer between myself and future episodes.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933038.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

CPanther95

03-11-07, 04:01 PM

I am glad someone is paying attention to thoese top of the thread posts. There are a pain to keep current (not to mention even somewhat accurate!) and I often get the sense no one uses that resource.

I'm sure their are plenty, other than myself, using that post to make sure our Tivos are catching these shows upon their return. Never know when a new season brings about a slightly different name and the Season Pass needs to be updated (plus those that have had to rebuild their Season Passes after critical failure and replacement :eek: )

BTW - I added Deadliest Catch premiering April 3 to the list.

steverobertson

03-11-07, 04:02 PM

Fred,

I check them all the time so for me your work is not wasted. Keep up the great work.

fredfa

03-11-07, 04:50 PM

I'm sure their are plenty, other than myself, using that post to make sure our Tivos are catching these shows upon their return. Never know when a new season brings about a slightly different name and the Season Pass needs to be updated (plus those that have had to rebuild their Season Passes after critical failure and replacement :eek: )

BTW - I added Deadliest Catch premiering April 3 to the list.

Thanks!

cherry ghost

03-11-07, 04:56 PM

Thanks for the reminder, SidsDad.

The Shield returns April 3. Rescue Me, June 12.

The Closer "moving" to FX was a simple brain cramp -- and has been fixed. (I haven't heard a return date yet, but early-mid June has been the pattern.)

I am glad someone is paying attention to thoese top of the thread posts. There are a pain to keep current (not to mention even somewhat accurate!) and I often get the sense no one uses that resource.

(And thank you for the very kind words.)

Any word on Big Love? I thought I heard June 10th, which would make sense with the re-airing of season 1 beginning on March 22nd.

Also, I use that 4th post quite a bit, so, thanks.

DoubleDAZ

03-11-07, 04:58 PM

Fred,

I give a lot of grief about pay-for-locals, but this is hands down the best oversall thread here. Since I don't have Tivo's Wishlist on my cable DVR, I only check some posts once a month or so, but they are all still very much appreciated.

fredfa

03-11-07, 05:03 PM

TV Review
“The Riches”
Troublemakers in paradise
By Aaron Barnhart Kansas City Star in his blog “TV Barn”

“The Riches” reminds me a bit of “Big Love” the first time I saw it. I wasn't sure whether to like these people or despise them, wasn't sure I bought the premise or if it was an "only in your dreams, Hollywood" concoction.

And yet, at the end of the hour, I wanted to see more.

That's a pretty good endorsement for a series, debuting 10 PM ET/PT` Monday on FX, that is clearly playing hard-to-get with its audience.

As the show opens, Eddie Izzard is tooling around in a beat-up RV with his kids. Everything about the scene says shady business, so when a cop pulls the rig over, it's not surprising. Then they swing by the old grey-bar hotel to pick up Minnie Driver. Minnie Driver! I guess we're supposed to like these grifters.

More strange turns. A welcome-back picnic by a whole community of disreputable looking hillbilly-types. A bizarre fight. A high-speed RV chase. A fateful collision -- and the next thing you know, our family-on-the-run finds itself parked. In someone else's home. In a gated community, on a golf course. Which they will live in until someone finds them out, or until one of their fellow gypsies stumbles upon them and says, “My, my, my, haven't you come a ways?”

This could be a parable about the American dream. Upward mobility and all that. Or, it could be a satire of the middle class and the pointlessness of said mobility. Or, it could simply be a train wreck.

“The Riches” is the latest roll of the dice from FX, which isn't afraid to try something viewers might possibly hate (“Dirt” and “Starved” come to mind), or give writing and producing contracts to young men with off-kilter ideas. Shawn Ryan's spec script for “The Shield” is an example, though the story of Dmitry Lipkin, creator of “The Riches,” might trump that. A native of Russia, Lipkin arrived in Louisiana when he was 10 and worked his way to New York, where he wrote plays. This is his first TV anything.

“I wanted to write a show about a family who pretends to be someone who they're not. I always felt that's sort of what I was doing in my own life. I'm sort of an immigrant refugee. I wanted to capture that oddness and that outside perspective of America,” said Lipkin at a January press event for “The Riches.”

Part of the disruptive nature of the first episode might stem from the fact that half of it was reshot when FX changed directors. They may like to gamble over on basic cable's riskiest channel, but that doesn't mean they're not aiming for mass appeal. (At the same press event, Driver likened the first director's effort to an ultra-cool Sundance film -- not exactly praise in the TV business.)

“Dirt” is a case where FX overshot. Originally, the tabloid drama was supposed to be all about the creepy photographer guy. Then Courteney Cox was added, she became the poster girl, but the show wasn't really about her … oh well.

There's always the chance “The Riches” will go down that “Dirt” road, but I'm thinking not. Two words why: Minnie Driver.

“You define your career as an actor by what you say no to, oddly, and I don't say yes very often,” Driver said. “When I read this, it was just and away the best part I've ever been offered. I knew that this was someone who had become anything, could go anywhere, and that this was like a springboard into something completely unknown and spontaneous. She's the greatest character I've ever played.”

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2007/03/the_riches_trou.html#more

fredfa

03-11-07, 05:09 PM

TV Review
“The Riches”
Grifting clan lives large in 'The Riches'
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Television Critic

There is a dizzying array of strange and wonderful dramatic themes and virtuoso performances in the new FX series "The Riches," (PM ET/PT Mondays, FX) but your first reaction might be just to stare at it. "The Riches" is both unique and intoxicating -- and plenty more. But first, let's just stare at it, wonderstruck.

This is not a cinematic issue. While there's plenty to like visually, there are neater tricks in this show that leave one impressed -- agape, even. For starters, it's a drama about the Irish Travelers -- a secretive group of itinerant Americans frequently derided as thieving Gypsies. Are they Gypsies? Not technically, but Gypsy-esque, sure. What's with the spelling? (There was a 1997 movie called "Traveller" and this band of people is often referred to with a double-L spelling, and yet they are, technically, "travelers," traipsing mostly through the rural South in RVs -- "The Riches" is set in Louisiana.) What about thieves? That's the knock, sure, and that's the root of "The Riches." Are the Irish Travelers -- not to be confused with the Romany clan -- a cult? Are the alleged 30,000 Travelers in the United States subverting the social system, in the vein of polygamists? Who are they, really? And where are they going?

Those are more than enough questions to make viewers curious and keep writers on the show unflaggingly busy. But the beauty of "The Riches" is that it's also these things -- and they, too, are inventive and interesting in their own right:

• It's a show about "stealing the American dream." Which means it's about rogues and bold thinkers and crazy people and cynics and opportunists -- all under the banner of capitalism and the Constitution.

• It's a fresh send-up of suburbia and class and their intertwined sociological issues.

• It's a treatise on lying and stealing and the importance of family.

• It's about square pegs and round holes and the tyranny of the mainstream.

• It's a comedy.

• It's a drama.

So the questions that need to be asked before assessing those attributes are these: "Are you serious? Are you really going to try to pull that off?" Perhaps that's part of the staring thing. While HBO and FX and a few others are constantly trying to set the creative bar high, this might be overly ambitious, no?

Not really. And here's why: Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver put on a tour de force of acting. Izzard comes straight out of the gate as a fully formed whirlwind, a con man so good that he blows past the safety signs not only because he can but also because it's fun. Driver blossoms from a low-key (more likely shell-shocked) parolee in the first episode to a dangerous and funny hellcat in the next two.

Once you get over the weirdness and the inventiveness (if you ever do), there's time to really appreciate what creator and writer Dmitry Lipkin is attempting (he's helped on the show by Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin, the writing team behind a lot of good TV work, including Showtime's acclaimed "Brotherhood" last season). Sometimes, while watching as Izzard makes his mad dash at an Emmy, it's easy to forget that "The Riches" is tackling a big bear here. It's good to know there's a solid team behind the scenes who might be able to bring home 12 strange episodes.

"The Riches" is about the Malloys, a family of Irish Travelers in rural Louisiana who are very good at their game, which is the con. Any con. Wayne (Izzard) is first glimpsed going over a plan with his kids: motivated daughter Di Di (Shannon Woodward), jaded son Cael (Noel Fisher) and somewhat naive but exceptionally bright Sam (Aidan Mitchell), the youngest boy, who likes to dress up as a girl. They are on the road to pick up their mother, Dahlia (Driver), who has just spent two years in prison for a con gone wrong. Inside she's picked up a cough syrup habit. And she's a little angry.

Now, there's a lot to mine right there in "The Riches," and odds are you'll be hooked by the Irish Traveler mystique in much the same way HBO's "Big Love" had a unique conceit -- polygamy -- that had enough rituals and quirks to keep the uninitiated fascinated before realizing that there were plenty of other dramatic elements to keep the series afloat. (Strange that "Big Love" star Bill Paxton was the lead in the movie "Traveller.")

But "The Riches" ups the value of the premise by adding a twist -- there's a brutal accident that leaves a man and his wife dead. Their BMW is run off the road. She dies instantly. He's impaled on a tree limb. It's not the Malloys' fault, but they rush to help. Then Wayne discovers an envelope in the BMW. It contains a house key and a letter. The couple -- a lawyer and his wife, named Doug and Cherien Rich -- were moving to Louisiana from Florida and had bought a beautiful house in a gated community. The lawyer bought the house on the Internet. Nobody's ever seen him in Louisiana. You can probably guess what Wayne dreams up next.

But it's not that easy -- nor should it be. Good drama needs tension, and there's plenty of it in "The Riches." Wayne, the best con man anywhere, is looking for an exit. But Dahlia's a parolee who's living in a dead man's house, and she's restless. Besides, she comes from one of the major Irish Traveler families and prefers that nomadic lifestyle, as do their kids. The kids have so totally bought into the us-versus-them mentality that suburbia seems more frightening and stupid than attractive. The rest of the family wants to take advantage of "buffers" -- regular, law-abiding folks -- rather than live like them.

Credit the casting on "The Riches" for giving the series an enormous boost. Both Izzard and Driver are phenomenal, but the three young actors more than hold their own.

There's much to love and gawk at in "The Riches," and one of the most underappreciated elements will certainly be the amazingly nuanced tone. At its core, "The Riches" is a comedy. It's breezy and sly and ridiculous. But the series shifts effortlessly into dramatic terrain and then back out again. You almost don't notice. That's both good writing and good acting. And the drama in "The Riches" is not derived merely from fear of being caught but also from the internal struggle of the characters to come to terms with their place in the wider world.

"The Riches" is yet another triumph for FX -- a wild ride with a view to gawk over.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/09/DDGJUOHK8117.DTL&type=printable

fredfa

03-11-07, 05:23 PM

Fred, I give a lot of grief about pay-for-locals...

Dave I am delighted we can have lively discussions on this thread. I welcome that, whether you agree or disagree with me.

The key is they always remain respectful. And you certainly -- and just about everyone else here -- have stayed well within that parameter.

So keep contributing whenever you feel the urge.

TommyK

03-11-07, 06:26 PM

I am glad someone is paying attention to thoese top of the thread posts. There are a pain to keep current (not to mention even somewhat accurate!) and I often get the sense no one uses that resource.
It's my first AVS stop every day. Primarily for the national overnights. I'm a junky, a ratings addict.

Step 1: Admit you have a problem... :o

fredfa

03-11-07, 06:27 PM

TV Review
“The Riches”
Poverty, wealth, family converge
By Charlie McCollum San Jose Mercury News March 11, 2007

Toward the end of the mesmerizing opening episode of FX's new series "The Riches," Wayne Malloy - flimflam man, grifter - decides to pull the ultimate con: He and his clan are going to assume the identities of a family recently killed in a car accident and put down roots in a suburban gated community full of country clubs and conspicuous wealth.

What's the point, asks his oldest son, who at 17 has spent his whole life on the road running the game.

"The American dream," Malloy replies. "We're going to steal it."

On its surface, "The Riches," which makes its debut at 10 p.m. Monday, is a dark if often funny piece on the lives of Irish Travellers (often called Tinkers in Ireland), a nomadic tribe who live an off-the-grid life of petty crime. Their targets: ordinary law-abiding folk - called "buffers" by the clan.

What makes the new series so unique, so rich and riveting, is that at its core, it's all about America and that "American dream" Malloy wants for his family. It's about wealth, class conflict, addiction to status, outsiders trying to be insiders and the way people - whether Travellers or buffers - cover their real identities in lies to become upwardly mobile.

"America is such an upwardly mobile country," says playwright Dmitry Lipkin, the show's creator. "People can really jump several classes within a lifetime.

"The show is an extreme example of that. Here is someone who wanted to change his life and instead of going to law school and doing it the more ordinary route, he just took over somebody's life."

Lipkin, who hadn't written for television before "The Riches," has an outsider's perspective on America. A Russian-born Jew, he and his family emigrated from Moscow to Baton Rouge, La., when he was 10. He could barely speak English and had little knowledge of such Americana as football.

"I saw myself as displaced," says Lipkin, whose off-Broadway stage work includes such well-received plays as "The Wanderer" and "Moscow Nights." "I wanted to write a show about a family who pretends to be someone who they're not. I always felt that's sort of what I was doing in my own life. So I wanted to capture that oddness."

Lipkin tried a number of different approaches to that theme - and then stumbled upon the Travellers. "These people exist, and there about 20 to 30 thousand in this country," he says. "In the time where everybody's on the grid, these guys are off the grid completely. We know nothing about them. They're living in America, and they're completely outside from us."

"They're thieves and they're liars," adds Dawn Prestwich, one of the series' other writer-producers, "but you'll love them."

"The Riches" was immediately snapped up by FX since, in tone and style, it fits in with the cable channel's array of such edgy-with-a-touch-of-humor dramas as "The Shield," "Rescue Me" and "Nip/Tuck."

That mix of laughs and grim reality is "something that the network really aspires to," says FX president John Landgraf. "I hasten to add that I think `The Riches' achieves that in a totally distinctive way. I don't think it's in any way imitative of or substantially similar to any of our other shows."

The first few episodes of "The Riches" form a tonal roller coaster ride through darkness and back into light. Indeed, the first episode - originally shot by director Carl Franklin ("Devil In a Blue Dress") - was overhauled substantially with a new director, Peter O'Fallon ("Suicide Kings"), when it was deemed too grim even for FX.

As a result, Monday's opening hour is a bit disjointed stylistically. But the individual pieces are so compelling that you're still going to be sucked into the saga. And the show gets far more consistent in future episodes.

The first one opens with Wayne Malloy (British comedian Eddie Izzard) running a con at a high school reunion with his daughter Dehliah (Shannon Woodward) and youngest son, Sam (Aidan Mitchell). While Wayne assumes the identity of one classmate and dazzles the crowd, the kids are lifting wallets and picking through ladies' handbags.

The clan then jumps into its ramshackle RV to retrieve mother Dahlia (Minnie Driver) from prison where she has spent two years - and acquired a nasty crack habit. Things really start moving when the Malloys reunite with their Traveller clan and, after a showdown with the group's leader, Wayne steals the tribe's money.

As the family flees, they accidentally (sort of) run a car off the road. H. Douglas and Cherien Rich, the couple in the car, are killed. Initially, Wayne sees their deaths as just another opportunity to take from the rich - or Riches - and give to the poor (the Malloys themselves). Then it turns out that the couple had been in the process of moving to that country club community - where they are complete unknowns, even to the real estate agent who sold them their new house (which is really more of a mansion). An idea is born, and the Malloys launch their con as they fend off sometimes suspicious neighbors and try to avoid the other Travellers now out for revenge.

Izzard and Driver are superb as Wayne and Dahlia. Izzard's comic flair serves him well, but he also gets the chance to show the dramatic skills he has displayed on the London stage in such plays as "A Day In the Life of Joe Egg." Driver, best known for her "girlfriend" roles in such films as "Good Will Hunting," is moving and thoroughly convincing as a fiercely protective mother and wife who has to struggle with the darkness of the life she was born into.

While they dominate the show, Izzard and Driver get lots of top-notch support from the rest of the cast - particularly Woodward, a relative newcomer who is engaging as the teenage Dehliah, and veteran character actor Gregg Henry ("Gilmore Girls") as a self-absorbed and self-important businessman, as scheming in his way as Wayne is in his.

The writing and storytelling - by Lipkin and the team of Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin ("Brotherhood") - is first-rate, entertaining while making its points about life in America.

In a nice touch, the overriding theme of "The Riches" - the warmth and worth of family, even though the world we live in is filled with frauds and impostors, including ourselves - is summed up when Bob Dylan's "Shelter From the Storm" is used as the music under the first episode's final scenes.

"Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved," goes the song. "Everything up to that point had been left unresolved. Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm.

"`Come in,' she said. `I'll give you shelter from the storm.'"

http://www.mercurynews.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?articleId=5411874&siteId=568

fredfa

03-11-07, 07:45 PM

TV Notebook
ABC sets Wednesday schedule
Network unveils 'Underbelly'
By Josef Adelian Variety March 11, 2007

New ABC laffer "Notes From the Underbelly," originally slated for last fall, has finally scored a premiere date, while the network has also nailed down its post-season Wednesday plans.

"Notes From the Underbelly" will air starting April 11 in the Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. slot currently held by "In Case of Emergency," which will have completed its run.

The network will shake up Wednesdays again on May 30, launching an all-original night with a two-hour premiere of new reality skein "The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" followed by the drama "Traveler" at 10 p.m.

"Traveler," from Warner Bros. TV, revolves around two pals who are framed for domestic terrorism by a third. Charlie Craig, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen exec produce.

"Next Best Thing," from Peter Engel Prods. and New Wave Entertainment, will settle into its normal one-hour slot at 8 p.m. the following week, June 6.

That leads into the return of the reality contest "American Inventor," from FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell at 9.

As for "Notes From the Underbelly," laffer follows the exploits of a hip, young couple (Peter Cambor, Jennifer Westfeldt) who realize their lives are about to change now that she's pregnant.

Comedy was first announced to debut last September on Thursdays in the 8 p.m. hour, paired with "Big Day." But when "Ugly Betty" moved to the slot, "Big Day" and "Notes" were pushed to midseason.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117960914&categoryid=14

fredfa

03-11-07, 10:23 PM

Passings
Comedian Richard Jeni, 45
By a Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, March 11, 2007

Richard Jeni, a standup comedian who played to sold-out crowds, was a regular on the "Tonight Show" and appeared in movies, died of a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, police said today.

Police found the 45-year-old comedian alive but gravely injured in a West Hollywood home when they responded to a call Saturday morning from Jeni's girlfriend, Los Angeles Police Officer Norma Eisenman said.

Eisenman said the caller told police: "My boyfriend shot himself in the face."

Jeni died at a nearby hospital.

Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed and the investigation was continuing.

Jeni regularly toured the country with a standup act and had starred in several HBO comedy specials, most recently "A Big Steaming Pile of Me" during the 2005-06 season.

Another HBO special, "Platypus Man," won a Cable ACE award for best standup comedy special, and formed the basis for his UPN sitcom of the same name, which ran for one season.

Jeni's movie credits included "The Mask," in which he played Jim Carrey's best friend, "The Aristocrats," "National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off," and "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn."

He had guest appearances in the TV shows "Everybody Hates Chris," "Married: With Children," and updated versions of the game shows "Hollywood Squares" and "Match Game."

The Brooklyn-born comic first received national attention in 1990 with the Showtime special "Richard Jeni: Boy From New York City." Two years later, his "Crazy From the Heat" special attracted the highest ratings in Showtime's history.

Jeni became a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show" during Johnny Carson's reign and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over as host.

He also wrote comic material for the 2005 Academy Awards, which was hosted by his friend Chris Rock.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/celebrity/la-031107-jeniobit,0,3679492.story?coll=la-home-entertainment

randosel

03-11-07, 10:40 PM

I was just thinking the other day what happened to the Platypus Man... geeze.

fredfa

03-12-07, 01:32 AM

TV Review
“The Riches”
For This Family of Pros, the Con Is Everything
By Alessandra Stanley The New York Times March 12, 2007

So much research is devoted to studying whether violence on television desensitizes children. Yet nobody seems to worry that adults are becoming inured to excellence.

“The Riches,” (10 PM ET/PT, Monday) a new series that begins tonight on FX, could serve as the control in a much-needed experiment. It’s so compelling it deserves to be a hit, generating as much media attention and Internet chatter as “Deadwood,” “Nip/Tuck” or “24.” (It would be blasphemy to invoke “The Sopranos,” since no show is that good, not even “The Sopranos.”)

So if “The Riches” does poorly, then it can only mean that there is too much high-quality television driving away the bad.

Some of the danger signs include the ho-hum, seen-it-before syndrome. A synopsis of “The Riches” — a family of Southern grifters con their way into a wealthy gated community — sounds vaguely familiar. Some might shrug it off as a cross between “Weeds,” the Showtime series about a pot-dealing soccer mom and an R-rated “Beverly Hillbillies.” It’s not the first cable drama centered on an endearing career criminal and his family.

But “The Riches” has a voice and peculiar style all its own, the comedy always offset by a lurking sense of sadness and menace. The Malloys are Travelers, Gypsy-like nomads who in the United States, most often in the South, live in tight, hierarchical communities. Many survive on thievery and petty scams. After a dispute with the would-be head of their clan, the Malloys steal the community bank and run away.

More through bad luck than serendipity, they assume the identity of a dead couple, Doug and Cherien Rich, and masquerade as a lawyer and a homemaker with three children in private school.

The father, Wayne Malloy, is played by Eddie Izzard, a beloved stand-up comedian and sketch artist in Britain. Minnie Driver plays his wife, Dahlia, a princess of the blood in the realm of the Travelers but in the outside world a woman who has just emerged from a two-year stint in jail with an addiction to cough syrup.

Together, they are superb in “The Riches,” a couple alternately loving and alienated, winning and disturbing, artful and doomed.

Trading in their battered RV and Louisiana swamplands for a sumptuous pink mansionette with swimming pool, the Malloys pull off their ruse with skill and also childish naïveté. The children do not go to school but are well educated in the arts of forgery, car theft and flimflam. “Buffer” is the Travelers’ term for civilians, and the Malloys are at first bewildered by and slightly contemptuous of buffer luxuries like the garbage disposal and flat-screen TV.

Slowly the lure of affluence and ease pulls them in. “This American dream, they don’t just give it to you with a big old ribbon and a bow,” Dahlia scolds her husband. “If we want it, we have take it, do whatever it takes to hold on to it till they rip it out of our cold dead hands.”

Wayne, who never went beyond the seventh grade, talks his way into a highly-paid job as a corporate lawyer. When her children are summarily rejected by a snooty private school, Dahlia pulls off an elaborate con on the head mistress and succeeds in enrolling them.

Tipsy with their new life, the Malloys come to believe in their own finesse and good fortune, unaware that Dale Malloy (Todd Stashwick), a cousin and the brutal leader of the Travelers, is determined to hunt them down.

Cael, 17 (Noel Fisher), who left a girlfriend back at the camp, is the wariest in the group, worried that his silver-tongued father and erratic, strong-willed mother have no idea what they are in for and no strategy to get out. Dehliah, 16 (Shannon Woodward), is more trusting, but she is quickly charmed by the boy next door. The youngest, Sam (Aidan Mitchell), is brainy, artistic and prefers to dress as a girl, a choice his family accepts but that he must conceal to the outside world.

Wayne finds a way into the world of business meetings and country-club golf through Hugh Panetta (Gregg Henry), a self-made tycoon with Ted Turner panache and an Enronian honor code. He invites Wayne to his mansion, boasting, “Its modeled on Hermann Göring’s summer place.” His hobby is to sit on his patio and fire a gun at targets covered with the faces of people who get on his nerves, from Rush Limbaugh to Alan Dershowitz.

When Hugh offers Wayne a job as a lawyer in his real-estate empire, Wayne isn’t sure what “in house,” means and repeats the words thoughtfully until Hugh supplies the rest, “in-house counsel.” But Wayne cements the deal with a con man’s bluff, taming the bullying Hugh with a game of Russian roulette.

“A good lawyer makes you believe the truth,” Wayne says after aiming a gun at his future employer’s head. “But Hugh, you know what a great lawyer does? He makes you believe the lie.”

Hugh gives him the job, telling Doug that he’s a sick fellow, “and I like that in a liar.”

Viewers will also learn to like these liars.

“The Riches” is that rare thing, a dark, sophisticated series that speaks to our most childlike natures. Just as little boys and girls dress up as the Little Mermaid or pretend they are enrolled at Hogwarts, the Malloys tempt even stand-up adults to assume a new identity and live it to the fullest — on someone else’s MasterCard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/television/12stan.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

03-12-07, 01:36 AM

TV Review
“The Riches”
Stars easily step into 'Riches'
By Bill Keveney USA TODAY

Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver have at least two things in common with the nomadic scammers they play in FX's new series The Riches (Monday, 10 ET/PT): They're actors and outsiders.

As Wayne and Dahlia Malloy, members of a shadowy clan called Travellers, they take on the identities and the McMansion of a recently deceased couple. The nomadic couple, with three children who act as accomplices, must adjust to settled life as they try to keep neighbors, employers and school officials from finding out their secret.

"As a con artist, Wayne has to be able to think on his feet," Izzard says. "As an ex-street performer and stand-up (comic), I do that when ad-libbing. It's a good way to explore a different style of thinking on your feet."

Anonymity via technology helps the family with its task: The dead couple, Douglas and Cherien Rich, bought their house via the Internet, and nobody in the neighborhood has met them.

Because Izzard and Driver hail from England, they also have the perspective of outsiders, which defines the Travellers in America and especially the Malloy family in its new environs, a gated community in Louisiana. Dmitry Lipkin, the show's creator, was born in Russia and moved to Louisiana at age 10.

As foreign-born actors, "there's an otherness about Eddie and me that works really well" in connecting to the Malloys, says Driver (Circle of Friends, Good Will Hunting). "It's a little bit of an exploration of the American dream, but we come at it from a different point of view."

That angled perspective can provide a fresh look at middle-class America, says Izzard, who has taken on a variety of movie roles (My Super Ex-Girlfriend, the upcoming Ocean's Thirteen) after success with such one-man shows as Unrepeatable. "Can we hold a mirror up to society and see whether the bull of scamming, grifting is any different from the bull of real, organized-with-regulations existence?" he asks. "Wayne wants to lie and cheat his way to legitimacy."

Deception works for the neighbors, too, in their marriages, families and jobs. One woman clandestinely pops pills — as Dahlia hides her drug habit — while men on the golf course pronounce "lawyer" as "liar." "Is there so much a difference after all?" Izzard asks.

Izzard, Driver and the writers also have room to shape the characters, since information about Travellers in the USA, a closed society with Irish roots, is sketchy. Members of the group would not cooperate with the producers' research efforts. The series "took a lot of artistic license," Driver says. "Mostly, it comes down to your imagination."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-11-riches-main_N.htm

fredfa

03-12-07, 01:44 AM

TV Notebook
Fox May Keep '5th Grader' in School
Network Considers Fall Slot for Hit Quiz Show
By James Hibberd Television Week March 12, 2007

Fox is positioning breakout hit quiz show "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" to help boost its traditionally modest fall ratings.

It looks like ‘5th Grader' could be part of our fall schedule," said Preston Beckman, executive VP of strategic program planning at Fox. "We've ordered enough to get through May sweeps. We'll probably order enough episodes to have the option of keeping it on during the summer and fall."

In recent years, Fox has been in fourth place during the competitive fall season, only to rebound once "American Idol" returns to its schedule in January. This year, Fox is premiering several late-season series, including an unprecedented two dramas ("The Wedding Bells" and "Drive"), in hopes of finding a vehicle it can use to jump-start ratings next fall.

But nobody at Fox figured "5th Grader" could be the network's fall savior.

"Those numbers way exceeded the expectations," Mr. Beckman said. "What's been encouraging is how well it's held up over three telecasts."

The tentative fall plan hinges on whether "5th Grader," which has averaged a 9.9 rating among adults 18 to 49 and maintained a record-setting 85 percent of its "Idol" lead-in, can continue its ratings momentum without "Idol."

The network will watch closely this Thursday to see how "5th Grader" fares on its own for the first time. Fox is pairing "5th Grader" with repeats of "Family Guy" to see if the game show and animated comedy make a good match.

Since game shows can be produced quickly and inexpensively, Fox is under no time pressure to decide whether to order future episodes.

Two of Fox's other recent premieres, however, are shaping up as tougher decisions.

Last week, Fox debuted two episodes of the Rob Corddry comedy "The Winner" on Sunday night and aired a premiere/preview of the David E. Kelley comedy "The Wedding Bells" on Wednesday.

"The Winner" premiered to a 3.5 rating, improving the time-period average but falling from its "Simpsons" lead-in. A second episode after "Family Guy" didn't fare as well, scoring a 3.1, and fell even further from its lead-in.

"You have to evaluate it by how we expect a live-action show to perform after our animated shows," Mr. Beckman said.

"Bells" earned a solid 5.2 rating, but retained only 47 percent of its "Idol" lead-in.

"Our target is women 18 to 54, and the rating in that group was a 7," Mr. Beckman said. "We're going to repeat the pilot. The bar is low. We're just looking for the show to be competitive in the time period."

Next up is "Drive," which Fox is launching in April with a "24"-style two-night premiere.

http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31652

dad1153

03-12-07, 02:19 AM

dad1153

03-12-07, 02:30 AM

OK everybody, the new HDTV toy is hooked up and running. Go here for the bloody particulars: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10003715#post10003715 (posting #109). I will never swear off SD because I'm a content driven guy, but WOW! Watched HD golf for the first time today and it was a fracking religious experience. And that was on NBC with its ****** HD cameras/resolution. If the Masters looks anything like CBS' Sunday coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament (the very first HD I ever saw on my new Olevia 747i) then I will never get out of the house. I'm watching SD golf on Golf Channel right now (the Toshiba Classic) and experiencing my very first taste of the dreaded "wish it were on HD" sickness that afflicts all you guys. :(

Iteki

03-12-07, 09:52 AM

I was just thinking the other day what happened to the Platypus Man... geeze.

Yeah, he was a funny guy...I totally remember that show. Odd, but funny.

Iteki

03-12-07, 09:53 AM

I'm watching SD golf on Golf Channel right now (the Toshiba Classic) and experiencing my very first taste of the dreaded "wish it were on HD" sickness that afflicts all you guys. :(

Yes, it's a sickness that will never go away...at least until every channel is in HD. :-)

fredfa

03-12-07, 11:21 AM

TV Notebook
Shows Get Viewers' Cold Shoulders After Winter Breaks
By A.J. Frutkin MediaWeek March 12, 2007

Broadcasters have learned the hard way there’s a limit to the number of serialized dramas that viewers will tolerate. Now they’re finding even the most successful serialized shows face challenges.

After taking midwinter breaks, both ABC’s Lost and CBS’ Jericho have returned with diminished ratings. Although Lost remains No. 1 among adults 18-49 in its new 10 p.m. time slot on Wednesdays, it is down 15 percent in the demo (to a 6.3/16) and down 21 percent in viewers (14.1 million) versus its fall performance. Up against Fox’s American Idol this quarter, Jericho is down 23 percent among viewers (8.3 million), and 30 percent among adults 18-49 (2.3/6), compared to the fall.

Of course, scheduling 22 episodes over a 36-week season isn’t easy—especially when serialized repeats don’t fare well. Even before the season started, ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson contemplated running Lost continuously through the spring, like Fox does with 24. But with the network not yet knowing then how its retooled Sundays and Thursdays would hold up, he told reporters during the annual TV critics convention held in Pasadena earlier this year, “We really needed to have that installment [of Lost] in the fall.”

McPherson also said he likely will run Lost consecutively next season, but it’s too soon to know whether it will be in the fall or spring. For Campbell Mithun’s chief broadcast negotiator John Rash, fall is the time. “Don’t give viewers the option of living without it for too long,” he said. “It may have worked for [HBO’s] The Sopranos, but viewer loyalty already has been tested with [Lost], so it’s important to reward those who have stuck with the program.”

Others believe waiting till spring could help. “That way ABC can promote it throughout the fourth quarter when usage level is higher than it is over the summer,” said Brad Adgate, senior vp of research at Horizon Media.

Jericho’s split schedule may have damaged its ratings, but returning it against Idol didn’t help either. CBS execs declined to comment for this article, but several advertisers agreed that the network should counter-program the time slot more aggressively, perhaps with another episodic series. “There’s enough occasional viewing of Idol to interrupt the serialized pattern of a show like Jericho,” Rash explained.

If any program stands to gain from a continuous run next season, advertisers suggested it was NBC’s Heroes. But as the network rebuilds, executives there are reluctant to forfeit use of that series wherever it might help. “Heroes is just the kind of show that we’re going to need in premiere week and in May,” said Mitch Metcalf, executive vp of programming, planning and scheduling for NBC Entertainment. “When you decide that, you just have to fight the calendar.”

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003556581

fredfa

03-12-07, 12:15 PM

TV Notebook
A McDreamy slot for 'October Road' premiere
The ABC show is scheduled for Thursdays at 10 p.m., following 'Grey's Anatomy.'
By Greg Braxton Los Angeles Times staff writer, March 12, 2007

Just a few weeks ago, Scott Rosenberg was a successful writer who wondered whether one of his pet projects, a TV series called "October Road," would ever see the light of day. Six episodes had been ordered by ABC and produced, but Rosenberg ("Con Air," "High Fidelity") had no indication that they would ever get on the air.

Now, Rosenberg is beside himself. Almost without warning, "October Road" has landed a spot on the network, premiering this week. He's particularly excited about where it's landed — in the prime 10 p.m. Thursday slot behind the monster hit "Grey's Anatomy."

"It's all pretty amazing," Rosenberg said in an interview last week. "I was just told about this two weeks ago. I wish the rest of my life could be like this."

Part of his surprise comes from the fact that his low-key drama is getting a shot even though it falls outside traditional TV genres. "No one dons latex gloves, fires a gun or has sex in a closet," he quipped.

"October Road" centers on a popular author who hopes to get over his writer's block by returning to his small Massachusetts town. But he is not greeted with open arms — the people he wrote about unfavorably and whom he has avoided for the last 10 years are not exactly in a forgiving mood.

Rosenberg said the series, which stars Bryan Greenberg, Laura Prepon and Tom Berenger, is based on what he experienced after he wrote the 1996 film "Beautiful Girls," about a group of small-town friends who reconnect at a high school reunion.

ABC representatives said they have great confidence in the series, which is why it was given an opportunity in the post-"Grey's Anatomy" slot, replacing several weeks of repeats of the current occupant, "Men in Trees." At least four episodes of "October Road" will air in the time period.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-weektv12mar12,0,327314.story?coll=cl-tvent

fredfa

03-12-07, 12:23 PM

Sunday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-12-07, 12:47 PM

TV Notebook
Philbin to Undergo Bypass Surgery
By Michele Greppi Television Week March 12, 2007

Regis Philbin dealt fans a shock Monday when he told them on "Live With Regis and Kelly" he's undergoing a heart bypass operation this week.

Mr. Philbin, 76, returned to his show three days after having an angioplasty in 1993 and said he wished that more simple procedure would solve things this time.

However, after consulting with two doctors and bypass veteran pal David Letterman, Mr. Philbin said he resigned himself to the operation.

In the manner his fans recognize as often hypochondriacal and always joking, he said the bypass is the most long-lasting of the heart-repair options, "But how long do I have anyway? I'm not kidding."

Co-host Kelly Ripa stressed to Mr. Philbin that her father's heart bypass had changed his life "dramatically."

Mr. Philbin is extremely health conscious and active. He starred in an exercise video after his angioplasty, has talked often about playing tennis until recently, and keeps up a sometimes grueling pace. He has juggled his daytime show with a prime time series that require multiple appearances and sometimes cross-country travel: ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in 1999 and "American's Got Talent" for NBC Last season. He also has a concert act he frequently takes on the road that has produced popular CDs.

Mr. Philbin took one of his typical working vacations last week and performed with wife Joy in Canada.

Ms. Ripa worked with guest co-hosts last week, as she will while Mr. Philbin recuperates.

A spokeswoman for "Live" was not immediately available for further comment.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11693

fredfa

03-12-07, 12:58 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Sunday lift for CBS's 'Without a Trace'
Sunday lift for CBS's 'Without a Trace'
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 12, 2007

CBS moved “Without a Trace” to Sunday from Thursday night last fall hoping it would provide a lift on a night where the network has lagged behind in adults 18-49.

The show’s performance thus far has been so-so, bettering last year’s timeslot average but nowhere near what “Trace” averaged on Thursdays as it faced strong competition from ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters.”

Last night, with “Sisters” a rerun, “Trace” posted its best rating since Nov. 19 in the demo and also won its timeslot in a promising sign for the network.

“Trace” averaged a 4.3 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights, its best since a 4.3 nearly four months ago. It finished 1.5 ahead of second-place “The Apprentice” on NBC and more than doubled “Sisters’” rerun average of 1.9.

“Trace” also drew a strong 17.2 million total viewers, making it the night’s No. 1 show.

Media people have been watching CBS’s Sunday experiment with interest. The network has improved its performance on the night in the 18-49 demo, but has seen its Thursday ratings slide since “Trace” relocated.

It seems that in addition to airing against an ABC rerun, “Trace” is benefiting from a ratings revival for “The Amazing Race: All Stars.” That show, which airs at 8 p.m., has risen since its debut last month, and “Trace” and CBS’s 9 p.m. show “Cold Case” have also been helped by the bigger lead-in.

Meanwhile, Fox finished first last night among 18-49s with a 3.9 average rating and an 11 share. CBS was second at 3.4/9, ABC third at 2.9/8, NBC fourth at 2.4/7, Univision fifth at 1.3/3 and CW sixth at 0.7/2.

Ratings for Fox are approximate, as it had live NASCAR racing coverage that ran until about 8:06 p.m. Fast nationals provide timeslot and not actual program data.

Fox led during the 7 p.m. hour with a 4.3 for the end of its NASCAR racing coverage, followed by a 2.3 for ABC for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” CBS was third that hour with a 1.9 for “60 Minutes,” NBC fourth with a 1.3 for “Dateline,” Univision fifth with a 0.8 for “Hora Pico” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a repeat of “Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll.”

At 8 p.m. ABC led with a 4.8 for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Fox was second with a 3.8 for “The Simpsons” (4.2) and “The Winner” (3.4), CBS third with a 3.3 for “Race” and NBC fourth with a 1.8 for “Grease: You’re the One That I Want.” Univision was fifth with a 1.2 for “Bailando por la Boda de Mis Suenos” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “7th Heaven.”

CBS took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 4.1 for “Case,” with NBC second with a 3.7 for “Deal or No Deal.” Fox dropped to third with a 3.5 average for “Family Guy” (4.1) and “The Winner” (2.9), with ABC fourth with a 2.9 for a repeat of “Desperate Housewives,” Univision fifth with a 1.5 for its second hour of “Bailando” and CW sixth with a 1.0 for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”

At 10 p.m. CBS led again, this time with a 4.3 for “Trace.” NBC was second with a 2.9 for “The Apprentice,” ABC third with a 1.8 for a repeat of “Sisters” and Univision fourth with a 1.7 for its last hour of “Bailando.”

Among households, CBS led the night with an 8.2 average rating and a 14 share. ABC was second at 5.5/9, NBC and Fox tied for third at 5.1/8, Univision fifth at 1.6/3 and CW sixth at 1.3/2.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10725.asp

fredfa

03-12-07, 01:24 PM

NCAA Tournament Games
(All times are Eastern)

(Tuesday March 13, 2007 Florida A&M-Niagara)

Thursday March 15
12:20 pm Davidson-Maryland
12:25 pm Texas Tech-Boston College
12:40 pm Stanford-Louisville
2:40 pm Oral Roberts-Washington State
2:40 pm Old Dominion-Butler
2:45 pm Belmont-Georgetown
3:00 pm Penn-Texas A&M
5:00 pm George Washington-Vanderbilt
6:10 pm VCU-Duke
7:10 pm Central Conn. St.-Ohio St.
7:20 pm Michigan St.-Marquette
7:25 pm Weber St.-UCLA
8:30 pm Xavier-Brigham Young
8:30 pm Wright St.-Pittsburgh
9:40 pm Eastern Ky.-North Carolina
9:45 pm Gonzaga-Indiana

Friday, March 16
11:15 am Albany-Virginia
11:25 am Georgia Tech-UNLV
12:30 pm North Texas-Memphis
1:50 pm Creighton-Nevada
2:35 pm Winthrop-Notre Dame
2:35 pm Long Beach St.-Tennessee
2:45 pm Tex. A&M-Corp. Chris.-Wisconsin
4:55 pm Miami (Ohio)-Oregon
6:20 pm Purdue-Arizona
6:25 pm New Mexico St.-Texas
7:10 pm Illinois-Virginia Tech
7:10 pm Kansas-Florida A&M/Niagara
8:30 pm Holy Cross-Southern Ill.
8:40 pm Jackson St.-Florida
9:30 pm Villanova-Kentucky
9:45 pm Arkansas-Southern Cal

fredfa

03-12-07, 01:49 PM

TV Sports
Two CSTV NCAA Tournament Games Set
MultiChannel News 3/12/2007

The brackets for the 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship have been filled out, and CSTV is done waiting to find out which two games it will air.

The network will make its March Madness debut with an East region clash pitting No. 6 Vanderbilt against No. 11 George Washington from Sacramento, Calif., Thursday at 4:55 p.m. (EST).

The CBS-owned service’s second game will come from the South region, featuring No. 4 Virginia taking on No. 13 Albany Friday at 12:15 p.m. from Columbus, Ohio.

The broadcasts will be fully produced by CBS Sports with CBS announcers and graphics.

The CSTV telecasts will still be offered as part of CSTV’s and CBS’ broadband March Madness on Demand package, as well as DirecTV’s Mega March Madness out-of-market pay-per view service.

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleid=CA6423551

dad1153

03-12-07, 01:51 PM

How many of those games will be in HD? ;) :D

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:02 PM

Don't worry about them, dad -- None.

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:02 PM

(But they will look a lot better on your new set.)

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:24 PM

The Business of Television
Surprising New Audience Data
Some Top TV Shows May Be Less Engaging Than Thought
by Joe Mandese Editor of MediaPost, Monday, Mar 12, 2007

With the subject of audience engagement looming as one of the hot discussion points among advertisers, agencies and TV networks heading into the 2007-08 upfront negotiating season, some highly regarded research has been released that could lead to some surprising conversations.

It reveals, for example, that while a show like ABC's "Desperate Housewives" is among Nielsen's top-rated, marketers may be less than desperate to advertise in it. The data from Marketing Evaluations Inc., creators of the so-called Q ratings, has long been used by TV networks to program their schedules, based on the popularity and familiarity shows and actors have with TV viewers. But another aspect of the Q data, known as "Impact Q Scores," is being used by agencies as a proxy for engagement.

"It's primarily used by media buyers to help select the most effective programs for their advertiser clients," says Henry Schafer, executive vice president of Marketing Evaluations.

Many researchers have begun to produce so-called audience engagement data, including IAG Research. Nielsen also has created an experimental "engagement panel," comprised of former TV meter households who agree to keep their meters connected and supplement that research with additional surveys on engagement after they leave Nielsen's official ratings sample. Marketing Evaluations advantage is that it has been around for decades and has been the basis of network programming decisions for much of that time.

According to Schafer, the Impact Q enable advertisers and media buyers to glean the best advertising environments based on the frequency of viewing among "favorite" program viewers.

Using those criteria, ABC's top-rated "Desperate Housewives" falls out of the top 10 in Marketing Evaluations impact scores, dropping to No. 11.

Other surprising shifts that occur when comparing Marketing Evaluations' data to Nielsen's include NBC's "ER," which ranks near the top of Nielsen's ratings, but is only 16th in Marketing Evaluations' database.

Interestingly, ABC which seems to dominate Nielsen's universe, appears to be an also-ran in Marketing Evaluations', placing only one show - "Grey's Anatomy," ranked No. 2 - in the top 10, and only four shows in the top 20 Impact Q scores.

CBS, with five of the top 10, and seven of the top 20; and Fox with five of the top 20, fare the best.

#--Primetime Impact Q Scores--Net--6+ Viewers
1 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION CBS 69
2 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 68
3 NCIS CBS 65
4 HOUSE FOX 64
5 24 FOX 64
6 LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT NBC 63
7 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 62
8 GHOST WHISPERER CBS 62
9 HEROES NBC 62
10 CLOSE TO HOME CBS 61
11 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 61
12 BOSTON LEGAL ABC 59
13 NUMB3RS CBS 59
14 BROTHERS & SISTERS ABC 58
15 CSI: MIAMI CBS 58
16 ER NBC 58
17 EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS CW 58
18 THE SIMPSONS FOX 58
19 PRISON BREAK FOX 57
20 AMERICAN IDOL FOX 56
21 LAS VEGAS NBC 56
22 LAW & ORDER NBC 56
23 ALL OF US CW 55
24 BONES FOX 55
25 COLD CASE CBS 55
26 DEAL OR NO DEAL NBC 55
27 FAMILY GUY FOX 55
28 SUPERNATURAL CW 55
29 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT NBC 54
30 SHARK CBS 54
31 TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 54
32 THE UNIT CBS 54
33 FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN! CW 53
34 THE O.C. FOX 53
35 WITHOUT A TRACE CBS 53
36 CSI: NY CBS 52
37 EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION ABC 52
38 GIRLFRIENDS CW 52
39 MEDIUM NBC 52
40 UGLY BETTY ABC 52
41 WHAT ABOUT BRIAN ABC 52
42 KING OF THE HILL FOX 51
43 MEN IN TREES ABC 50
44 SMALLVILLE CW 50
45 AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK FOX 49
46 MY NAME IS EARL NBC 49
47 THE OFFICE NBC 48
(Prime Time Average: 47)
48 AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS ABC 47
49 REBA CW 47
50 COPS FOX 46
51 CROSSING JORDAN NBC 46
52 SCRUBS NBC 46
53 BIG DAY ABC 45
54 1 VS. 100 NBC 45
55 7TH HEAVEN CW 45
56 ACCORDING TO JIM ABC 44
57 GILMORE GIRLS CW 44
58 THE KING OF QUEENS CBS 44
59 ONE TREE HILL CW 44
60 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS NBC 43
61 THE GAME CW 43
62 VERONICA MARS CW 42
63 GEORGE LOPEZ ABC 41
64 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ABC 40
65 30 ROCK NBC 40
66 AMERICAN DAD FOX 39
67 STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP NBC 39
68 GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT NBC 38
69 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS 38
70 60 MINUTES CBS 38
71 THE WAR AT HOME FOX 36
72 THE APPRENTICE NBC 35
73 DATELINE NBC NBC 35
74 ARMED AND FAMOUS CBS 34
75 THE CLASS CBS 34
76 48 HOURS MYSTERY CBS 34
77 NANNY 911 FOX 34
78 20/20 ABC 34
79 BEAUTY AND THE GEEK 3 CW 32
80 TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY FOX 32
81 SUPERNANNY ABC 31
82 PRIMETIME: MEDICAL MYSTERIES ABC 30
83 WIFE SWAP ABC 28
84 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE CBS 27
85 'TIL DEATH FOX 25
86 THE KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY ABC 24
87 ABC SATURDAY NIGHT MOVIE OF THE WEEK ABC 22
88 WATCH OVER ME MY NET 19
89 WICKED WICKED GAMES MY NET 15

• Source: Marketing Evaluations Inc./The Q Score Company, January-February 2007 report.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=56891&Nid=28193&p=368282

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:31 PM

Passings
Comedian Richard Jeni, 49
By Ray Richmond The Hollywood Reporter in his blog “Past Deadline”

If, as seems likely, comedian Richard Jeni's death over the weekend from a gunshot wound is ruled a suicide, it's an enormously tragic end to a life that seemed full and a career that was plenty successful -- even if Jeni never quite escaped the stand-up comedy stage or achieved the notoriety that could have catapulted him to the next level.

It happens that I ran into the guy about three weeks ago in Bristol Farms market on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. I'd never actually met him face-to-face prior to that, though I'd interviewed him over the telephone on a handful of occasions for various articles on comedy and comedians. I recognized him and approached him in the market, introducing myself. He was warm and engaging and shook my hand firmly, seemingly genuinely happy to be recognized. But he also appeared to be in kind of a hurry, which is of course apropos of nothing given his sudden and jarring death from a gunshot wound to the face that was evidently self-inflicted.

I remembered thinking after my brief in-the-flesh encounter with Jeni that he was a gifted comedian who should have gone farther in his performing life than he had. And it reminded me of one of our past conversations, perhaps four years ago, when I'd interviewed him and asked if he were satisfied with being known pretty much exclusively as a comedian (albeit one who had risen beyond the local club scene to tour larger facilities nationally).

This is how he responded to the question: "I'm happy with the way my career has turned out. Would I like to be more known? Sure. What comic wouldn't? But you know, I've done all right. There are a lot of guys who'd like to have as much success as I've had at this thing."

There may (or may not) be a clue as to Jeni's state of mind and/or vanity in the fact that it's difficult to uncover any definitive information about his age. The Associated Press story identified him as 45 at the time of death, while his own official homepage at richardjeni.com -- recast in a stark and moving visual featuring Jeni's picture and hued all in black (see photo above) -- puts him at either 49 or 50 (simply showing his life as having spanned the years 1957-2007). Jeni's listing on IMDB notes a birthplace (Brooklyn, NY) but no birthdate. And that's pretty much consistent throughout cyberspace.

The review below -- which I wrote for the Jan. 12, 2005 edition of The Hollywood Reporter about Jeni's HBO stand-up special "A Big Steaming Pile of Me" -- is also perhaps somewhat telling:

"Richard Jeni is always one of these guys whom you know would love to bust out of doing stand-up comedy but seems forever doomed to prowl its stages. He's a pretty good comedian, too, full of insightful bluster and tart-tongued incredulity. What he lacks is the kind of charismatic shtick that might lend itself to landing a sitcom deal.

"This much is obvious from Jeni's third HBO comedy special, "A Big Steaming Pile of Me," which is clever enough but not as raucously entertaining as, say, Chris Rock or even Ellen DeGeneres. He's talented and savvy and unafraid to venture into politically incorrect territory, yet we sense that underneath it all Jeni is still mostly a Boy Scout in rebel's clothing.

"Taped in November in front of a responsive audience at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, Calif. -- a somewhat less obvious choice than, say, Carnegie Hall for the Brooklyn-born comic -- Jeni rants on a variety of timely topics including political extremism, the American obesity epidemic ("Now we need terms like morbid obesity, because mere obesity isn't descriptive enough"), gay marriage, pornography, prisoner abuse in Iraq ("The Germans were that close to suing for copyright infringement"), and Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart ("We can all sleep better at night knowing she's behind bars"). Jeni's rant on Stewart and his need to be vigilant about her breaking into his house, knitting sweaters for his dog and making lemonade is especially funny. On the down side, he wears a sweater here that he's constantly tugging nervously on, which gets a bit annoying.

"Jeni has been around seemingly forever, having made his HBO debut in 1988 on a "Young Comedians Show." For those keeping track, that was more than 16 years ago. His direct and uncluttered approach hasn't changed much since. And that's fine. The guy is smooth and observationally sharp. If Jeni has a notable flaw, it is that he too often satirizes the obvious rather than traveling the comedic road less traveled. HBO specials, thus, might wind up being as good as it gets for the guy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's simply that you know he wants to be Jerry Seinfeld in his next life."

None of this necessarily has anything to do with Jeni's horrible end, and probably doesn't. No matter what, it's an indescribably tragic final chapter for a very funny man.

http://www.pastdeadline.com/

shuttermaker

03-12-07, 02:39 PM

The Business of Television
Surprising New Audience Data
Some Top TV Shows May Be Less Engaging Than Thought
by Joe Mandese Editor of MediaPost, Monday, Mar 12, 2007

• Source: Marketing Evaluations Inc./The Q Score Company, January-February 2007 report.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=56891&Nid=28193&p=368282

Was Jericho left off this list ?

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:45 PM

Was Jericho left off this list ?

Apparently it was.

fredfa

03-12-07, 02:57 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com)
Matt answers your questions about Glenn Close, “Friday Night Lights” and “24”
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Monday, March 12, 2007

Question: I am extremely worried about Glenn Close's new FX project. Glenn Close is one of the most exceptional actresses in the industry. Her work on The Shield was nothing short of amazing. I fear, with some justification, that her new show will utterly waste her awesome talents. Look at how powerhouse stars Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland were wasted on Commander in Chief, and how the great James Woods is saddled with a thoroughly mediocre procedural. Not to mention Richard Dreyfuss in the failed Max Bickford show. Given that no famous movie star has ever made a succesful transition to television, do you think Close and FX can break the trend and produce an outstanding program that is worthy of her?— Ian B.

Matt Roush: Never say never. And remember this is FX we're talking about, the very same FX that gave Glenn Close a terrific showcase in The Shield. It makes sense to me that she would want to be in business with this network, and you've got to think that, however this project (a legal drama) turns out, it will be more interesting than Shark. If it doesn't work, it will probably still be an interesting failure, since FX seems incapable of producing shows one can feel indifferent about. (I don't know anyone who's neutral about Dirt, or The Riches, for that matter.) But all of this brings up a fascinating subject, also addressed by Mark:

"I've been thinking recently that there seems to be a striking difference between the success of new shows using established actors versus new actors. I know a big actor can bring in immediate ratings, but it seems like the shows with unheard-of actors do much better in the long run. If you look at the shows that have been most successful in recent years — Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, 24, The Office, How I Met Your Mother — they have been composed mainly of unknown stars. Guys like Kiefer Sutherland and Steve Carell were hardly household names before 24 or The Office. Meanwhile, shows with Ted Danson (Help Me Help You) and Ray Liotta (Smith) have bombed very quickly, and Studio 60 with its all-star cast isn't far behind. The only show I can think of that has succeeded in the past couple of years using big names is Brothers & Sisters (Calista Flockhart, Sally Field), and it hasn't even been that successful. Do you see studio executives and show-runners moving away from established stars, or will they still plug in big names they think can get attention right away? Having just read your comments about Kelsey Grammer, I guess the networks will keep bringing them in."

Without getting into the specifics of Mark's letter, because I don't want to be accused of forgetting someone who successfully transitioned from a movie to a TV career, this discussion allows me to trot out one of my favorite TV truisms. Namely, that it's easier to create a new star on TV than it is to package a show around an already established star. Which doesn't mean the networks will ever stop trying. Given the clutter in all of the media, the networks still figure that casting a recognizable face (whether from an earlier TV hit or from movies) will give them a leg up in terms of promotion. Which is true, but it also raises the stakes in terms of expectation. In the case of the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton comedy, Action News, there will be instant speculation about whether either star expects to enjoy the level of success they had on their breakthrough smash hits (Cheers/Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond). Not fair, maybe, but inevitable. The worst examples of this practice are when a network signs a star to a deal without having a show to put them in. The results often end up looking like last season's dreary Jenna Elfman dud, Courting Alex.

Question: One of my favorite television-related games to play is "If I Were the Scheduling Programmer." I knew that ABC would bring back Dancing with the Stars in the spring and that it would be moved out of the way of American Idol, and I correctly predicted that it would shift to a Monday-Tuesday pattern. But what if ABC had moved it to a Friday-Saturday split? While those are the least-watched nights of the week, I attribute that to viewers not expecting any compelling programs on those nights. Stars probably would have suffered a hit compared to its past seasons, but it would have steamrolled over the competition on the other networks, giving ABC a big boost on Fridays and Saturdays and giving its lead-out shows a halo effect. Most important, Stars' success on those nights would have reminded the other broadcast nets that you can program seven nights a week.— Chris L.

Matt Roush: Dream on. You could say the same about shows like Grey's Anatomy or CSI. Move them to Fridays or Saturdays, and they'd still be hits. That is probably true, but at a bigger cost to the networks' bottom line. Face it: The networks have given up on Saturdays altogether (except for Fox with its true-crime franchises), and Friday is slowly heading that way as well. Yes, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it would be nice to think that if you put great shows on these nights, people would come in droves. But the networks are in the business of maximizing profits by putting hit shows where the most people can see them. That means airing these shows on Sundays and Thursdays, for the most part. A more likely scenario would have been for Stars to move back to a Thursday (competition) and Friday (results) schedule, as has happened in the past. But ABC has exploded on Thursdays, and the network isn't going to mess with the success of Ugly Betty. Scheduling Stars for Mondays and Tuesdays in the spring was pretty much a no-brainer.

Question: I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but a while ago there was a lot of talk about whether or not Friday Night Lights should be considered a "family" show. After the recent stories on racial tension and the Julie-Matt sex story line, is there still any question that this is a show aimed directly at families? FNL is like the best Afterschool Special ever — and I say that in the most respectful way. It's such a wonderful show, and I sincerely hope it comes back next season. On the topic of next season: Since The Black Donnellys seems doomed, is there any chance we may see Studio 60 come back next season, maybe in a different time slot? Or is that pretty much dead in the water as well?— Dan

Matt Roush: The way I like to put it is that Friday Night Lights is the epitome of the thinking family's drama. It's not always going to be comfortable for parents and kids to watch together, because it doesn't pander. There are no saints here. But there are very strong values (and I say that in the most respectful way) at play on this show, which respects its characters and its audience with an unusual level of realism. I obviously can't speak highly enough of it. On the other hand, I think NBC has to go back to the drawing board where Mondays at 10 are concerned. The Black Donnellys is toast, and Studio 60 isn't likely to reverse its fortunes should it return to Mondays or any other night of the week.

Question: Look, obviously Michelle and her "if they want a show about gays, then let them have their own show" comments are misguided. But in a (very) roundabout way, she makes an interesting point about a lack of diversity in television. The most recent studies estimate that about four percent of Americans are gay. That's probably close to their representation on TV, I'd guess. But there are about 60 million Pentecostals in America. How many of those are represented on television? There are seven or eight million Mormons in the United States, and outside of the wacky splinter sect in Big Love, I'm confident there are no Mormon characters on network television shows. Heck, if you're not watching King of the Hill or Friday Night Lights, you'd probably assume that religion in America, particularly by more conservative adherents, is as dead as belief in Zeus, when actually about half of Americans go to church each week. With all the attempts at diversifying race, national origin and sexual orientation on TV, where's the attempt at a little religious diversity? Where's the sympathetic religious character who, gulp, actually has some qualms about homosexual behavior that aren't smoothed over in the course of one very special episode?— Matthew P.

Matt Roush: Maybe it's worth noting that the most recent episode of Men in Trees featured a new character, a minister who had the misfortune of falling for Sarah, the former prostitute, and who ran away from the awkward situation. (I'm not convinced that story is over just yet.) Very valid arguments here, and I would like nothing better than for more shows to incorporate faith into the text of a show the way Friday Night Lights has done. Much as I live for the day when gay characters on TV are shown as completely unremarkable, just like anyone else, so should characters be able to be portrayed as religious (by the way, gays go to church, too) without being seen as either too extreme or any different from anyone else. Diversity rocks.

Question: So I hate to ask a question about gays and television for fear of being labeled a hatemonger, but after reading a bunch of posts regarding the orientation of Justin on Ugly Betty (and whether or not the character would be "degayed"), I just had to write in. I know that a lot of people got really upset over Zach's degaying on Heroes (although, honestly, I never thought he should be gay. I always thought he had the "geeky best friend who loves her" vibe). Since his character was supposedly intended to be gay and the actor (or his representatives) bowed out, I guess I can understand why some people would be so upset, but my worry is that now, any time a character exhibits stereotypically gay characteristics and ultimately goes another way, people will cry "degaying." I think Justin eventually coming out would be so predictable and obvious. I know this is all speculation, but the assumption that he has to be gay bothers me. The more original plot line would be for a naive Justin eventually to figure out that everyone, including his parents, thinks he is gay and to deal with the repercussions of that. It's not like the show does not already have gay characters. I just think that Justin would be an opportunity to show the difficulties of being the opposite of the stereotype. As he gets older (and less cute and precocious), making him straight but still flamboyant would make the character interesting. I don't think this is degaying; as far as I know, he's never stated his orientation.— Nikki

Matt Roush: And thank goodness for that. As adorable as the character is right now, the last thing little Justin needs is to be sexualized at this young age. Great question, and it brings to mind that classic Sex and the City episode that challenged stereotypes, when Charlotte briefly dated a "straight gay guy" who had all the effeminate affectations stereotypically equated with homosexuality but was actually straight. (Meanwhile, Samantha hung out with ultramasculine, straight-seeming gay guys.) If Justin, who worships fashion and can perform an entire Broadway musical in a stalled subway car, somehow turns out not to be gay, that would be not only interesting, it would be hilarious. Either way the character develops, I think Ugly Betty has by now proven that it is all-inclusive and then some.

Question: I know you don't watch everything (who could or would want to?) but have you caught Numb3rs this sweeps period? The last episode of the month was a fantastic change of pace that put Rob Morrow's character in a psychiatrist's office while the rest of the cast did the "heavy lifting" during a one-hour crisis (shades of 24, without the torture). If you have it TiVo'd, I highly recommend it as a way to reintroduce yourself to Friday night's crown jewel. How this show cracks the top 20 occasionally at 10 pm astounds me. I know I'm not the only fan out there.— Greg

Matt Roush: You're far from alone. And thanks for the recommendation. That particular episode was touted to me as well by my colleague Ileane Rudolph, and I'm going right now to fetch it from our research department (which records most things so I don't have to). Numb3rs is easily my favorite show on Fridays, and on the rare occasion when I get to check out an episode (Fridays generally being one of my nights off from the tube), I tend to wish I gave it more time and attention.

Question: I feel 30 Rock has only grown better and better as the season has progressed. What do you think the odds are of this fun sitcom coming back?— Kathleen Foley

Matt Roush: Pretty good, despite the iffy ratings. (And don't be alarmed by the fact that Andy Barker, P.I. is getting a tryout in 30 Rock's time slot during the next few weeks. That's standard operating procedure at mid-season.) And I agree that the show has become funnier and wackier by the week. The cast wasn't the only one doing spit takes in the episode about Jack buying a winery. When he read the review that said his wine tasted like "the urine of Satan after a hefty helping of asparagus," I hit the floor laughing. Given the general acclaim for the show, and the fact that Alec Baldwin will probably be nominated for and win an Emmy (he's won a Golden Globe and SAG Award already), NBC will probably continue to nurture the show the way it did The Office.

Question: Would you help start an ABC boycott if the network doesn't stop screwing with us? Now Men in Trees will be shelved for six weeks so ABC can put October Road, a new show, in that coveted slot behind Grey's Anatomy. If October Road has to go in that time slot, then just move Men in Trees to another night. It is so widely loved it can stand on its own now. Do you agree? Let's send ABC a petition and say we will also boycott any and all of the sponsors on various shows if they don't bring back Men in Trees this week. What is your opinion? Thank you for listening to me whine and complain.— Marcia

Matt Roush: You're welcome. But I really don't do boycotts. And especially not for a petty grievance such as this. Not that I'm discounting your love for Men in Trees; I like it a lot, too. But these things happen at mid-season, and the truth of the matter is that ABC is probably reluctant to schedule too many repeats of Men in Trees, so as not to depress its overall ratings average. (Also as a reality check: the show is doing OK after Grey's, but it's hardly a proven self-starter at this point.) Besides, October Road is such an egregiously pretentious, boring, cliched stinker that something tells me ABC may be forced to return Men in Trees to the schedule before those six weeks are up.

Question: I really enjoy reading your column and feel you have a great voice of reason amid the craze that Internet fans tend to embrace. What are your thoughts on Rob Thomas ending Veronica Mars on a season finale rather than series finale, which I feel the show may be heading toward due to its staggeringly low ratings? I've loved this show since Season 1 and think it would be a disservice to the fans not to have a backup plan (Everwood's two endings come to mind). I've come to accept that Rob Thomas and Co. are smarter than I am, but do you think this is a gamble Veronica Mars can win?— Riana

Matt Roush: I read that, too, courtesy of Michael Ausiello, and my initial reaction was mixed. While I admire Rob Thomas and his show, and cheer him on for trying to make it as difficult as possible for the CW to cancel his underappreciated little gem, I do think this particular gamble is an example of chutzpah verging on hubris, and risks leaving Veronica Mars fans with an aftertaste that might be more bitter than necessary. If the show does end on a cliff-hanger that a cancellation would leave unresolved, I hope and trust that Thomas will find a way to provide fans with an explanation of what he intended to do in what now looks to be a very long-shot fourth season.

Question: Like many people now, I'm losing interest in 24 as fast as the show's ticking clock, for almost the same reasons as everyone else: The scripts suck, the acting is subpar (because of the story lines), and a lot of it is a rehash of Seasons 1-5. Some have suggested that maybe 24 has lost its shine, and maybe the writers have run out of one-day story ideas to support the show's format. Fooey! It doesn't take a genius to come up with top-notch stories for the 24-hour format. I think what's limiting the writers isn't the show's format, but trying to do that format in Los Angeles every year. There is a world that exists outside of L.A., but the writers keep using threats to that city for their plots. So here are my suggestions for some story lines that could breathe new life into the series: How about a plot that centers around the ultimate terrorist attack: a bomb/gas/dirty-nuke plot by a group of individual terrorist organizations working together to destroy the world's leaders at a special gathering at the United Nations. Or a bomb/gas/dirty-nuke attack on Congress/the White House by a terrorist cell/organization working together to destroy the American government. Or kidnapping of the POTUS children by radical terrorists who threaten to kill the captives on live Internet feed unless their demands are met within 24 hours.

I think the idea about an attack against the United Nations would be great, because then you could include the complexities of CTU having to work with other countries' government agencies. You could also include the complexities of having to follow international laws, and Jack's past infractions against the Chinese could work against his efforts to deal with other countries. Also, Jack working with other CTU types from other countries could introduce new moles, and people who are just as good as he is might take some pressure off his character. My point is, fresh ideas would bring challenges that neither CTU, Jack nor the administration has had to deal with, which would be a great ride for fans. What do you think?— Steve B.

Matt Roush: Whew! A long way to go for a short answer. But yes, I am convinced that the show needs to shake things up, and doing it geographically sounds like a great idea. A 24 thriller set at the U.N., with Jack and a new cast of CTU operatives chasing baddies through Manhattan? I'm there. But can you imagine how expensive that would be to produce, or even to fake

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Ask-Matt/Default.aspx#01glennclose

dad1153

03-12-07, 03:02 PM

The Business of Television
Surprising New Audience Data
Some Top TV Shows May Be Less Engaging Than Thought
by Joe Mandese Editor of MediaPost, Monday, Mar 12, 2007

#--Primetime Impact Q Scores--Net--6+ Viewers
1 CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION CBS 69
2 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 68
3 NCIS CBS 65
4 HOUSE FOX 64
5 24 FOX 64
6 LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT NBC 63
7 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 62
8 GHOST WHISPERER CBS 62
9 HEROES NBC 62
10 CLOSE TO HOME CBS 61
11 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 61
12 BOSTON LEGAL ABC 59
13 NUMB3RS CBS 59
14 BROTHERS & SISTERS ABC 58
15 CSI: MIAMI CBS 58
16 ER NBC 58
17 EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS CW 58
18 THE SIMPSONS FOX 58
19 PRISON BREAK FOX 57
20 AMERICAN IDOL FOX 56
21 LAS VEGAS NBC 56
22 LAW & ORDER NBC 56
23 ALL OF US CW 55
24 BONES FOX 55
25 COLD CASE CBS 55
26 DEAL OR NO DEAL NBC 55
27 FAMILY GUY FOX 55
28 SUPERNATURAL CW 55
29 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT NBC 54
30 SHARK CBS 54
31 TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 54
32 THE UNIT CBS 54
33 FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN! CW 53
34 THE O.C. FOX 53
35 WITHOUT A TRACE CBS 53
36 CSI: NY CBS 52
37 EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION ABC 52
38 GIRLFRIENDS CW 52
39 MEDIUM NBC 52
40 UGLY BETTY ABC 52
41 WHAT ABOUT BRIAN ABC 52
42 KING OF THE HILL FOX 51
43 MEN IN TREES ABC 50
44 SMALLVILLE CW 50
45 AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK FOX 49
46 MY NAME IS EARL NBC 49
47 THE OFFICE NBC 48
48 AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS ABC 47
49 REBA CW 47
50 COPS FOX 46
51 CROSSING JORDAN NBC 46
52 SCRUBS NBC 46
53 BIG DAY ABC 45
54 1 VS. 100 NBC 45
55 7TH HEAVEN CW 45
56 ACCORDING TO JIM ABC 44
57 GILMORE GIRLS CW 44
58 THE KING OF QUEENS CBS 44
59 ONE TREE HILL CW 44
60 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS NBC 43
61 THE GAME CW 43
62 VERONICA MARS UPN 42
63 GEORGE LOPEZ ABC 41
64 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ABC 40
65 30 ROCK NBC 40
66 AMERICAN DAD FOX 39
67 STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP NBC 39
68 GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT NBC 38
69 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS 38
70 60 MINUTES CBS 38
71 THE WAR AT HOME FOX 36
72 THE APPRENTICE NBC 35
73 DATELINE NBC NBC 35
74 ARMED AND FAMOUS CBS 34
75 THE CLASS CBS 34
76 48 HOURS MYSTERY CBS 34
77 NANNY 911 FOX 34
78 20/20 ABC 34
79 BEAUTY AND THE GEEK 3 CW 32
80 TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY FOX 32
81 SUPERNANNY ABC 31
82 PRIMETIME: MEDICAL MYSTERIES ABC 30
83 WIFE SWAP ABC 28
84 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE CBS 27
85 'TIL DEATH FOX 25
86 THE KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY ABC 24
87 ABC SATURDAY NIGHT MOVIE OF THE WEEK ABC 22
88 WATCH OVER ME MY NET 19
89 WICKED WICKED GAMES MY NET 15
(PRIME TIME AVERAGE) 47

Wow, some people really love Jennifer Love Hewitt and the brothers in "Numb3rs." Some of those Q ratings are rather shocking when measured with their respective Nielsens except the one's for the My Network soaps. Even in an esoteric category as "Q" rating there's nothing in My Network's schedule that doesn't rank dead last anywhere! Also notice how high "The Simpsons" ranks versus the other Fox animated shows. :o

BTW, "Jericho's" absence ("Lost" is also MIA as are many shows from early in the season like "Standoff" and "The Nine") and the presence of "Knights of Prosperity" and "Lopez/Jim" indicate this poll was taken in early 2007, when all the absent shows were on hiatus or cancelled and midseason benchwarmers for ABC took over.

michaelk

03-12-07, 03:32 PM

TV Notebook
Shows Get Viewers' Cold Shoulders After Winter Breaks
By A.J. Frutkin MediaWeek March 12, 2007

...
Of course, scheduling 22 episodes over a 36-week season isn’t easy—especially when serialized repeats don’t fare well. ...[/url]

why not do something novel and actually have 36 new episodes for a 36 week season?

I realize it's money and all that, but i think part of the reason that network tv is loosing viewers all the time is the incessant repeats. Am I remembering the past with rose colored glasses or were there just not as many repeats when we were kids?

fredfa

03-12-07, 03:39 PM

michaelk

03-12-07, 03:41 PM

fredfa

03-12-07, 03:52 PM

Michael:

This is yet another tool Madison Avenue apparently uses.

TiVo numbers are also purchased by many (if not most) ad agencies as are a host of other measurements of viewer interest.

michaelk

03-12-07, 03:57 PM

Your memory is not faulty:

Back in the 60 and into the 70s the normal series produced 39 new episodes a year (with 13 repeats).

And there were less than ten minutes of non-programming material per hour compared to close to 20 minutes these days.

I thought so.

I can put up with the commercials but the fact I can never trust that I can find an ep of a show I haven't seen 3 times already leads me off to start browsing the cable channels to make sure there's something I want to watch. When i was a kid we didn't have cable and I dont think we needed it. The only reason we bothered to eventually get it was I was sick of snow and rabbit ears.

Probably contributes to more people renting video's too. As an example- in my house with a 6 and 8 year old about the only show that works for the whole family is American Idol (and now 5th grader)- but they are on irregularly (For Idol probably rightly so but using it as an example), and I only just discovered that this year. So the big thing to do on Friday night in my house is rent a family movie at the blockbuster. When I was a kid you had the one night a week when the whole family could sit down and watch The Love Boat and Fantasy Island (I think Saturdays?). Now there's no such equivilent so my family has the friday night movie nights as a treat. (which likley soon will become amazon unbox on tivo night).

It's the networks own fault people are bailing...

I could watch lost 5 nights a week, why they insist on running reruns most weeks is beyond me. On the flip side if it's cheap and mindless they'll play the damn show 8 times a week untill we are all sick of it (who want's to be a millionaire).

michaelk

03-12-07, 03:58 PM

Michael:

This is yet another tool Madison Avenue apparently uses.

TiVo numbers are also purchased by many (if not most) ad agencies as are a host of other measurements of viewer interest.

Oh wow- I didn't think anyone really was buying the Tivo numbers.

Learn something new everyday.

kizzo

03-12-07, 04:34 PM

Oh wow- I didn't think anyone really was buying the Tivo numbers.

Learn something new everyday.

Me either..

Thanks freda for the info!!

Maestro J

03-12-07, 04:53 PM

Your memory is not faulty:

Back in the 60 and into the 70s the normal series produced 39 new episodes a year (with 13 repeats).

And there were less than ten minutes of non-programming material per hour compared to close to 20 minutes these days.

It wasn't unusual for Dallas back in the 80's to have close to 30 episodes per season. For one or two seasons, they broke 30. Other scripted shows during this time also ran close to 30 eps a season.

archiguy

03-12-07, 05:03 PM

Oh wow- I didn't think anyone really was buying the Tivo numbers.

Learn something new everyday.

I don't know what percentage of DVR users actually have TiVo, but with the proliferation of cable DVR's (principally the SA8300), I suspect TiVo no longer has even half that audience. If that's the only place they're getting data from, I'd think those numbers would be suspect.

flint350

03-12-07, 05:11 PM

Wow, that news about Richard Jeni was a real shocker. He was one of the brightest and outright hilarious stand-up comics of recent memory. Watching his monologues never failed to frequently bring me to tears of laughter. How tragic to end like this. There's always been that theory that comics are, more than any other show-biz type, funny onstage and tragically introspective and often tormented when off-stage. Maybe it's true. Sad news indeed.

CPanther95

03-12-07, 05:12 PM

Tivo still represents a huge sampling. Unless someone shows that DBS viewers are somehow different than the norm, those numbers are still relevant - more relevant than the sampling from Nielsen that is isolated to little old ladies that enjoy filling out their paper diaries. ;)

Iteki

03-12-07, 05:33 PM

why not do something novel and actually have 36 new episodes for a 36 week season?

There are only 52 weeks in a year and a TV schedule can be made up of grueling 18 hour days 6 days a week just to get a weeks episode in the can, let alone post production work. I don't think they could make that work long term.

fredfa

03-12-07, 06:38 PM

The Business of Television
Insight’s Willner Calls for Tax to Aid TV Stations
By Ted Hearn MultiChannel News 3/12/2007

Washington -- A federal tax designed to subsidize local TV stations should replace the current system that allows TV stations to help their finances by demanding cash for carriage from cable operators, Insight Communications CEO Michael Willner (pictured) said Monday.

Willner said his TV tax proposal would ensure a second revenue stream for broadcasters while relieving cable operators from having to pay for programming that is offered to the public free-of-charge.

“Set up a way of collecting a tax. If you want people to pay for broadcasting, collect it from everybody evenly. They do it in Britain,” said Willner, a panelist at the annual Cable Television Public Affairs Association Forum 2007 here.

Insight is the ninth-largest U.S-based cable operator, with 1.3 million subscribers, mostly in the Midwest.

In recent years, TV-station groups have become more aggressive in using their legal right to withhold their signals to demand cash payments. Recent examples include Sinclair Broadcast Group's three month standoff with cable operator Mediacom Communications.

Willner indicated that the TV tax would fund a federal royalty pool, similar to the one used to compensate sports leagues and Hollywood studios.

“This would be in lieu of retransmission consent, and all broadcasters would share in the pool,” said Willner, who didn't suggest the size of the tax. “We’ll collect it. We don’t care -- but as long as everybody gets [taxed] equally.”

National Association of Broadcasters executive vice president of communications Dennis Wharton called the proposal “laughable” and said the “NAB isn’t interested in raising taxes on American citizens.”

The tax would alter a regulatory mandate that works to the disadvantage of cable companies, including the requirement that every cable subscriber must purchase the program package that includes local TV signals, Willner said.

“The reality is, the system is broken," he added. "It really doesn’t work because what it’s doing is charging certain parts of the population to watch over-the-air television while it doesn’t charge other parts of the population.”

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6423671.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-12-07, 06:47 PM

(With forward thinking like Willner has proposed, it probably won't surprise you that Insight finished eighth out of ten in the most recent J.D. Power customer satisfaction ratings of cable and satellite providers in its home area of the Midwest.)

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ratings/results.aspx?study_id=525&vertical=Telecom&v1=North%20Central

fredfa

03-12-07, 07:31 PM

The Mister Television Column
Spin(off) Comedy Cycle
Precocious '5th Grader' Disses 'Housewives'
By Marc Berman MediaWeek March 12, 2007

All this talk about the potential Grey's Anatomy spinoff with Kate Walsh next season (it definitely makes sense to strike while the iron is hot) got me wondering: What ever happened to the once popular, and prosperous, sitcom spinoff? While the art of the spinoff still exists in the off-spring of Law & Order (SVU, Criminal Intent and the defunct Trial by Jury); CSI (Miami and NY) and The Practice (Boston Legal), it's not the same as back in the 1970s when comedies like All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Happy Days were spinning off shows left and right. Remember Maude, The Jeffersons, Archie Bunker's Place, Gloria, 704 Hauser, Rhoda, Phyllis, Lou Grant, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy and Joanie Loves Chachi? All in the Family alone spun off a record five series!

More recent comedies like Cheers offspring Frasier and Moesha chuckler The Parkers, and Disney Channel's current Cory in the House out of That's So Raven on Saturday morning, have kept the idea of sitcom spinoffs alive. There was even talk about spinning off Brad Garrett's Robert Barone after Everybody Loves Raymond ended (which would have, no doubt, been a better career move than the big lug's nearly dead Fox comedy 'Til Death). But the recent failure of Joey out of Friends means that the good old days of spinoffs like Good Times, The Ropers, Three's a Crowd, Family Matters, Fish, Flo, Mama's Family and The Tortellis (I can go on and on) are not poised for a comeback. It seems the only spinoffs these days are dramas.

So, why the change? Wouldn't it be a good idea for the ailing comedy genre to start taking familiar characters from existing series and giving them their own shows?

It could be, of course, if the character is A) strong enough to stand on his or her own, and B) the parent series is capable of going full-steam ahead without that individual.

If CBS, for example, ever decided to grant Conchata Ferrell's acerbic Berta from Two and a Half Men her own series—a possibility given we have already met her sister and daughter—it would immediately need to find another smart-alecky maid (a common trait for small-screen domestics) to fill the void.

As a case in point, look what happened when TV maids Florida Evans from Maude and Florence Johnston from The Jeffersons morphed into sitcoms Good Times and Checking In. Good Times succeeded because of the characters surrounding her (Jimmie Walker's J.J., in particular). But Checking In checked out after four episodes because wisecracking Florence lost her oomph when she became a sensible working woman. Florence managing a hotel staff was just too unrealistic. Maude, meanwhile, lived happily on courtesy of Mrs. Naugatuck, Florida's replacement, while Marla Gibbs as Florence left a void that The Jeffersons could not fill.

The art of the spinoff actually comes in several forms. Historically, the most common is taking established characters like Rhoda ******stern or Phyllis Lindstrom from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and developing a series around that person. Valerie Harper as Rhoda succeeded because she portrayed a multi-faceted character who was more than capable of taking center stage. But Cloris Leachman as Phyllis did not because her egotistical, eccentric character worked better in small doses.

A second type of spinoff showcases a character like Lou Grant, Frasier Crane or (hypothetically) Robert Barone, then waits until the parent show is over before launching.

And a third is briefly introducing characters like Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney on Happy Days or Detectives Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera on CSI: Miami with the intention of giving them their own series. Even the set of the show itself can lead to a series, as was the case when John Amos and company moved into Archie Bunker's old digs on 704 Hauser.

Sometimes a comedy can lead to a drama (Mary Tyler Moore into Lou Grant; M*A*S*H into Trapper John, M.D.) or vice versa (Hill Street Blues into Beverly Hills Buntz). And a sitcom like Happy Days can come from a sketch anthology like Love, American Style.

While it's always a risk taking an integral character off any series, if I ran things at CBS I would take a chance on Berta. With Camryn Manheim as her equally smart-mouthed sister, why not kill Manheim off on Ghost Whisperer and ship her to Charlie Sheen's house as Berta's replacement? Seems worth trying to me.

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/98010991/m/48510093

CPanther95

03-12-07, 07:33 PM

Willner is an idiot.

... and that's a title I reserve for very few.

Inundated

03-12-07, 09:36 PM

The art of the spinoff actually comes in several forms. Historically, the most common is taking established characters like Rhoda ******stern or Phyllis Lindstrom from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and developing a series around that person.

Umm, the forum filters out the first part of the Rhoda character's last name? :D

fredfa

03-12-07, 09:50 PM

Hard to believe, isn't it!

fredfa

03-12-07, 10:25 PM

TV Notebook
NBC Changes Thursday Comedy Block
(NBC News Release)

BURBANK - March 12, 2007 - NBC announced it will return its critically hailed "30 Rock" on Thursday, April 5, for a special night of super-sized comedies and laughs that includes original episodes of "The Office," "Scrubs" and "Andy Barker, P.I." and an encore episode of "My Name Is Earl." The following Thursday, April 12, "30 Rock" takes over its new regular time period, Thursdays from 9-9:30 p.m. ET.

On April 5, NBC's super-sized lineup will include (times approximate): "The Office" (8-8:40 p.m. ET); "30 Rock" (8:40-9:15 p.m. ET); "Scrubs" (9:15-9:50 p.m. ET); "Andy Barker, P.I." (9:50-10:20); and an encore episode of "My Name Is Earl" (10:20-11 p.m. ET).

The following Thursday, April 12, NBC's "30 Rock" will air in its new time period, 9-9:30 p.m. ET, and original "ER" episodes will resume at 10-11 p.m. ET. The episode of "Scrubs" previously announced for the 9-9:30 time period on April 12 has been re-scheduled as part of a special back-to-back "Scrubs" hour on Thursday, May 3.

"Andy Barker, P.I." will conclude its run in the Thursday 9:30-10 p.m. ET slot on April 12. "Scrubs" moves into that time period the following Thursday, April 19.

randosel

03-12-07, 11:12 PM

TV Notebook
NBC Changes Thursday Comedy Bloc`k

Boy is that confusing!:D :p

dad1153

03-12-07, 11:23 PM

Any news on the potential return of "Studio 60"? Another Monday without "Studio 60" is like another week without life-giving sunshine bathing every fiber of my being. :(

fredfa

03-12-07, 11:24 PM

No word yet.

dad1153

03-12-07, 11:55 PM

Pics of my new HDTV toy in action if you're interested: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10009692#post10009692 (scroll up for two postings with two different groups of pics). The picture and story about the Greg Gumbel picture is true BTW. :D And sorry to disappoint you guys, but Monday I didn't watch a single HD program except for Jay Leno and David Letterman late today (both look breathtaking... uhh, the HDTV pictures not Jay and Dave themselves! :eek: ). One of the reasons I went with the Olevia 747i its because it has a Realta HQV chip that smoothes the rough edges of SD picture. Today I threw a ton of GSN gameshows and "Law & Order" repeats (from the SD TNT, not the HD TNT) at the 747i and it performed as good as advertised. SD will never look as good as HD but compared with the horrible SD I've seen on HDTV showrooms for a year now the SD my new HDTV renders is more than passable. Huge sigh of relief, even though it cost me my alleged weekly duty to tune in to "CSI: Miami" to admire David Caruso's thespian skills. I mean, Caruso is the reason to watch that show and not some lame visual style overcranked with filters to give HDTV owners an excuse to justify their expensive hobby, right? Right??!! ;)

fredfa

03-13-07, 10:23 AM

TV Notebook
'L&O' part of bubble bunch
Future of veteran shows unclear
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter March 13, 2007

NBC's "Law & Order" has brought in former showrunner Rene Balcer to help with the show's remaining episodes as talks have begun between the network and the series' producers for another season of the 17-year-old procedural drama.

"L&O" is one of several long-running series whose futures are uncertain. ABC's utility players "According to Jim" and "George Lopez" have held steady while the network's new comedies have faltered, bolstering both series' chances to return for seventh seasons.

Then there is NBC's "Scrubs," which definitely is coming back for a seventh season with one big question mark -- whether it will be on NBC or ABC.

The broadcast networks make most of their money during their series' early run, usually around the third year. Under the extended term deals implemented by all broadcast networks, beginning in the fifth season (sixth for midseason shows), the networks usually have to pay a license fee for their series that equals the series' production costs.

If one factors in ratings premiums in the range of $100,000-$150,000 per episode paid by the networks that kick in after the fourth season as well as retroactive payments by the networks of a portion of the deficits incurred by the studios in the early years of the shows, it is no surprise that the nets are taking a careful look at their older series.

In the case of so-called bubble shows whose ratings are marginal, the networks have been making the case of bringing them back for a license fee less than 100% of the production cost.

Sources said NBC is going for fee cuts on its bubble shows this year. The modestly rated Friday drama "Las Vegas" recently was picked up for a fifth season at a lower cost, leading to, among other things, the departure of cast member Nikki Cox. It also is understood that the talks for the return of "L&O" involve some fee reductions as well.

That still can be good for the studios because their backend revenue from domestic and international sales often offsets the deficits and brings profit.

In the cases of "L&O" and "Vegas," both shows are owned by the network, which adds other factors to the equation.

For instance, after its current fourth season, "Vegas" has 87 episodes produced. Another season will bring it comfortably above the syndication threshold of 100 episodes, which is beneficial to the producer, NBC's sibling NBC Universal TV Studio.

Both "Jim," produced by ABC's sister studio ABC TV, and "Lopez," which hails from WBTV, were not on ABC's fall schedule, an indication that they might be nearing their end. But "Jim" showed spunk last week, and "Lopez" has done well enough against Fox's "American Idol" that both series are considered quite possible to return, though not necessarily at a license fee that covers 100% of the costs.

Things are far more complicated with "Scrubs" because there is another suitor for the ABC TV-produced show, ABC.

After locking up the entire cast of the show, including star Zach Braff, for a seventh season and signing a new deal with the hospital where the quirky comedy is being filmed, "Scrubs" is locked to come back.

Although NBC brass have expressed a commitment to the show, the network has moved the series around the schedule numerous times, with another scheduling move announced Monday.

Like last season, ABC, which needs an established single-camera comedy to launch its new half-hours in the format, is waiting in the wings to pick up the show, which was developed by ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson when he ran Touchstone TV. That leaves NBC with little room for maneuvering on the license fee. In May, NBC exercised its pickup option on "Scrubs" hours before the network's upfront presentation. Many expect things to go down to the wire again this year.

As for Balcer, he will serve as a consultant on "L&O" and is writing several of the season's remaining episodes. He served as an executive producer/showrunner on the series as well as on spinoff "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" until last spring.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i2ee5d9aaef69379cf5938bc55550eb8e

fredfa

03-13-07, 10:30 AM

The TV Column
'Law & Order' and Anna Nicole
By Lisa de Moraes Washington Post Columnist Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Having watched as the cable news networks stole the Anna Nicole Smith story right out from under the nose of "Access Hollywood" and "E! True Hollywood Story," Dick Wolf has lost no time planting NBC's flag in the long-form telling of the former Guess jeans model's untimely death before it gets grabbed by Discovery Channel, or ABC News.

Wolf will do the definitive piece on the subject when his "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" gives it the old ripped-from-the-headlines treatment just in time for the May ratings race.

Yes, some license is sure to be taken in the telling, for the sake of art (Fox News Channel's online gossip column says Larry Birkhead will vanish -- hooray -- and Anna Nicole's sister and mom are being merged into one glorious character) but no more than in, say, Discovery's documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus."

Kristy Swanson -- you remember, the former "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star who more recently had a baby with her skating partner on Fox's "Skating With Celebrities" -- well, she's in talks to play Anna Nicole. The heiress died mysteriously in Florida last month at age 39, about five months after giving birth to a daughter, Dannielynn, in the Bahamas, which in turn was about three days before the methadone-fueled death of her 20-year-old son at the Bahamian hospital where he'd come to meet his new sister.

And, in what would be this year's most brilliant bit of casting by far, Jon Lovitz is rumored to be in talks to play Howard K. Stern, the lawyer, alleged lover and one of, I think we're up to at least four, men who claim to be the father of motherless potential billionaire Dannielynn.

Meanwhile, details are far sketchier on the plans of NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" to do a ripped-from-the-headlines version of the Lisa Nowak diapered-astronaut/would-be-kidnapper story.

Yes, this is going to be a wonderful May for Wolf. And yet a spokeswoman for "Criminal Intent" declined to comment on the reports.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Leave it to online gambling to ask the question that's on all our minds.

"Will Heather Mills's prosthetic leg fall off during a dance routine on 'Dancing With the Stars 4'?" asks the gambling site http://bodog.com, walking up to the debut of the hit ABC dancing competition.

Mills, estranged wife of pop singer Paul McCartney, lost a leg below the knee in 1993 after a motorcycle accident.

Mills herself has addressed the burning question we dare not ask out loud, telling celebrity suck-up show "Extra" last week that "it's very very unlikely my leg's going to fly off even though it would be quite funny to knock one of the judges out."

The Web site has given pretty much the same odds. Mills is the first contestant with an artificial limb to participate in the show; she says she's doing it to demonstrate that a person with a prosthetic leg can dance.

The gambling site specified Mills's leg "must fall off, not be purposely taken off, during a dance routine for all Yes wagers to be graded a Win."

Meanwhile, trolling the Web site -- purely for research purposes-- we discovered you may place a bet "if you're 18 or older, as to whether a contestant will throw up on stage during this season of 'American Idol.' " We confess we hadn't thought of that.

The offshore gambling site also appears to be somewhat ambivalent as to whether Antonella Barba will accept that $250,000 offer to host a "Girls Gone Wild" video series.

And, judging by the odds the site is giving, it appears they, too, think this year's "Idol" winner will be a chick -- duh -- and Melinda Doolittle is the odds-on favorite to win the competition at 1-to-1, followed by Lakisha Jones at 3-to-1.

Gina Glocksen, Haley Scarnato and Brandon Rogers haven't a prayer, falling behind even hula-hooping Sanjaya Malakar, who as of yesterday is given 15-to-1 odds.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201648.html

dad1153

03-13-07, 10:37 AM

fredfa

03-13-07, 10:38 AM

Washington Notebook
Coupons for digital switch considered
By Brooks Boliek The Hollywood Reporter March 13, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Brushing aside congressional suggestions that the nation is ill-prepared for the conversion to digital TV, the Commerce Department on Monday unveiled its plan to help subsidize the switchover from analog.

In the National Telecommunications and Information Administration plan, each household can claim a pair of $40 coupons that they then can use toward the purchase of a set-top box that can translate digital signals so television shows can be viewed on analog TVs.

"The transition from analog to digital television is a historic change and brings with it considerable benefits for the American consumer," Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez said. "The coupon program is designed to help ease the transition to digital TV. Not only will the transition help expand consumer choices, but more importantly, the digital transition will enable more efficient use of the nation's airwaves providing new advanced wireless services and increased public safety services for all Americans."

While the plan envisions as many as 33,750 of the coupons, actually a card similar to consumer gift cards, it is unlikely to be enough to convert the tens of millions of analog TV sets. There are about 73 million TVs in America, though many of them are hooked up to cable, or satellite TV service. About 15% of the TV-watching population depends on an antenna for its service.

Government officials hope that enough consumers will decide to buy TVs that can automatically receive the digital signals, switch to digital cable or satellite TV to ease demand for the boxes.

"This is one option," said Assistant Secretary for Communication and Information John Kneuer.

Analog signals are scheduled to cease Feb. 19, 2009. From that time forward, TV programming will be transmitted digitally. Digital signals allow broadcasters to air high-definition programming with its movie-quality picture and CD-quality sound or several "standard-defintion" programs or other programming streams. While "standard-defintion pictures aren't as good as high-definition ones, they are better than the regular analog picture.

Lawmakers have questioned the wisdom of the switch and its methods.

When the 2009 date was approved, Democrats pushed for a more robust program for the switch. The $1.5 billion for the set-top box subsidy isn't enough.

"After the administration opposed Democratic efforts to secure sufficient funding in favor of more tax cuts, the administration now shows newfound concern that not all households will be covered," said House Commerce Committee chairman Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. "If the administration believes additional funds are needed to prevent consumers' television sets from going dark, then it should ask the Congress for such funding."

While Dingell said Monday that he supported the 2009 cut-off, he has questioned the wisdom of a hard date.

Under the NTIA, every household would be eligible for the coupons until slightly less than $1 billion is spent. If that doesn't go far enough, another $500,000 could be released, but limited to only those people who depend on an antenna to get their TV.

"We want to make sure that no households are faced with losing service," Kneuer said.

Kneuer declined comment about possible changes in the date, saying Congress has to decide what to do about the frequencies that will be released by the switch.

When lawmakers approved the date, they set aside some of the analog frequencies for public safety; the rest will be auctioned. Many bidders have expressed an interest in the frequencies as they are some of the best for transmitting all kinds of services including broadband.

"I think before you consider changing the date, you need to answer these questions at the outset," Kneuer said.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a6776ae90111ccc855a80725d06c949

fredfa

03-13-07, 10:54 AM

TV Notebook
'Law' shows face scrutiny
Wolf finds 'L&Os' on the bubble
By Josef Adalian Variety March 13, 2007

After 17 years on the air, it could soon be case closed for at least one of the "Law & Order" branded skeins.

As early as this week, series creator Dick Wolf is expected to sit down with top NBC brass to discuss the future of the all-important Peacock franchise. One of the chief items on the menu: Reducing costs -- and increasing ratings -- for both the Mothership (as the original skein is called) and its youngest spinoff, "Criminal Intent."

Nobody's talking, but there's a good chance Wolf will look to cut above-the-line costs on the shows, perhaps by eliminating or reducing roles for some veteran. (One thesp, Fred Thompson, might be ready to ankle, declaring this weekend he's mulling a run for president).

Such moves -- necessitated in part by the fiscal discipline mandated under the NBC 2.0 cost-cutting initiative -- could also help to improve the skeins' demographic makeup, which lately has skewed older than NBC would like.

But there's a chance cast changes won't be enough. Though it's highly unlikely NBC would ax both shows in a single year -- particularly when the net is still in the ratings basement -- insiders believe one of the skeins could simply be canceled.

Wolf, via a rep, declined an interview request, saying only, "I'm hopeful all three shows will be back."

Any change to the status quo on the "L&O" skeins could have a major ripple effect on NBC Universal's bottom line.

The "L&O" brand was one of the chief reasons behind the Peacock's acquisition of Universal. Combined syndie revenue for all three shows is enormous -- billions of dollars -- with every single produced episode of an "L&O" skein bringing in a seven-figure sum for the conglom.

That fact alone would seem to ensure the survival of the "L&O" skeins for a while. Canceling any of the shows means cutting off a guaranteed source of profit -- and replacing it with a show that will likely lose money, at least in the short run.

But what's good for NBC U isn't necessarily good the NBC Television Network.

While "Law & Order: SVU" remains a powerhouse on Tuesday nights -- and has already been renewed for next season -- the other two "L&O" skeins have struggled after being moved to tougher timeslots.

"CI," now facing off against the NBC U-produced Fox hit "House," is averaging a 3.1/8 in the adults 18-49 demo on Tuesdays. That's down 6% vs. its performance on Sunday nights last season, but well below what it had been averaging a few years ago.

The Mothership, meanwhile, notches a 2.9/9 in its new Friday slot. It's boosted the net's performance a bit on the night, but compared with a year ago, "L&O" is off a sharp 21%.

Not helping matters has been the brand's overexposure in recent years.

In the same way soda makers get in trouble for releasing too many flavors of a brand -- Crystal Pepsi, anyone? -- NBC U is guilty of relying far too heavily on the "L&O" brand.

Skeins air multiple times per week on cablers USA, TNT and Bravo, allowing auds near on-demand availability of the brand.

That exposure might be OK if NBC hadn't also relied so heavily on "L&O" during the early 2000s. During the Peacock's darkest hours, net devoted literally half its 22-hour primetime sked to one form of "Law" or "Order."

Last year saw the short-lived addition of "Law & Order: Trial by Jury." And NBC still airs repeats of the franchise Saturdays.

"The problem with 'Law & Order' is it's everywhere," one industry observer said. "It's become a victim of its own success in a way."

Nonetheless, overall numbers for the two endangered "L&O" skeins aren't that bad, even at reduced levels. Skeins also still fetch premium ad dollars due to upscale viewers.

It's worth noting NBC has cycled through dozens of new shows in recent years that have scored lower ratings, including "L&O" replacements such as the quickly canceled "Kidnapped." Net is also standing behind some current skeins with lower numbers ("Friday Night Lights," "30 Rock").

The difference is that, despite Wolf's tight controls on costs, older shows simply cost a lot more than new skeins, as thesps and writers negotiate better deals.

Reilly, meanwhile, needs coin -- and timeslots -- to devote to new shows with a shot at breaking out as big hits, like "Heroes" did this fall.

NBC has also chosen to focus its promotional energies on newer skeins, telling America to "Save the cheerleader, save the world" by watching "Heroes."

That's left little room, relatively, to tubthump the "L&O" brand -- particularly the Friday night flavor.

Same dilemma faces NBC -- and other nets -- on several veteran shows this spring.

Peacock only decided to bring back "Las Vegas" for another, likely final season after producers cut two cast members.

ABC will no doubt have similar talks with the producers of "George Lopez," while NBC has made it clear it's not anxious to renew the ABC TV Studio-produced "Scrubs" at the rate the studio is requesting. (Latter skein might simply hop over to the ABC Television Network).

While Wolf and NBC will begin talking about the future this week, it could be a while before any firm decisions are made.

Part of the process will be how NBC's 2007-08 development turns out. If Reilly's new crop of dramas disappoints, the net is more likely to hold on to all three "L&O"-branded skeins.

It'll also be interesting to see how creative Wolf, Reilly and NBC U supremo Jeff Zucker get. It might make sense, for example, to have two of the "L&O" skeins produce few episodes but share a timeslot, reducing repeats in the process.

Meanwhile, even though Wolf is a businessman, there's one other reason the producer will be pushing hard to save the Mothership. Now in its 17th season, the skein needs four more years to become TV's longest-running primetime drama.

In an unrelated development, former "Law & Order" showrunner Rene Balcer is returning to the show as a consultant. He's expected to work a few weeks to help wrap up scripts for the last part of the season.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117961040&categoryid=14

dad1153

03-13-07, 11:46 AM

Fred, any news about how (hopefully) bad "The Black Donnellys" did last night in the ratings? I know "Deal or No Deal" provided a huge lead-in but that audience is even less compatible with "Donnellys" than the already-incompatible "Heroes" audience. :)

fredfa

03-13-07, 11:51 AM

The Business of Television
Counting retrans cash
Television Business Report 3/12/2007

There are various ways to do the math on the Sinclair-Comcast retransmission consent deal, but the bottom line is that the broadcaster is getting paid for its signal carriage.

"As the largest cable MSO, Comcast has the most leverage when it comes to retransmission agreements. The fact that Comcast is paying Sinclair cash indicates that broadcast television is highly valued, and we believe that this agreement paves the way for other television broadcast groups' negotiations," Wachovia Capital Markets analyst Marci Ryvicker said in a research note.

According to Ryvicker, Comcast has 3.4 million cable subscribers in the 23 markets covered by the new four-year retrans agreement. No terms were made public, but immediately after the deal was cut, Sinclair raised its 2007 guidance for revenues from retrans payments by five million bucks.

While that does include some recent deals with smaller MSOs, it is clear that most of the increase is from Comcast. TVBR did some quick math and, with about 10 months left in this year, we came up with Sinclair getting about 14.7 cents per sub per month from Comcast.

Ryvicker looks at it a little differently, calculating 5.5 million subscriber payments because of the duopolies that Sinclair has in most of the Comcast markets, "we believe that, inclusive of Sinclair's duopolies, the company is getting an incremental 10 cents per subscriber (we do not know what Sinclair received in the past, but we do not believe it was much). We are increasing our '07 revenue and EBITDA estimates by 0.7% and 2.1% respectively," Ryvicker told clients, also boosting her EPS estimate for this year by three cents to 35 cents.

TVBR observation:

Whether you call it 10 cents or 15 cents, Comcast is still paying a lot less than the 40 cents that Mediacom, a much smaller MSO, is rumored to have had to cough up. And it is well below the 50 cents per sub target that Les Moonves has set for CBS to get when its retrans agreements come up for renewal.

But the important thing is that Sinclair is getting paid. Even the biggest MSO of all cannot get by without paying something for broadcast TV retransmission rights.

Especially now as the cable companies are pressing hard for customers to upgrade to more expensive HD tiers, it would be ridiculous for an MSO to try to get those higher monthly payments if the HD service does not include the Super Bowl or the Olympics.

And since the Super Bowl rotates among three networks, that means NBC, Fox and CBS are all must-have HD channels. Doing without "Desperate Housewives" or "Grey's Anatomy" on ABC is also hard to imagine.

The world has indeed changed and the cable MSOs are adjusting to the new reality.

fredfa

03-13-07, 11:58 AM

The Business of Television
Turner: Big makeover set for Court TV
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 13, 2007

Less than a year after Turner Broadcasting took full ownership of Court TV, it’s making some huge changes.

The company said this morning that it will ditch the 16-year-old network’s name and rebrand it as a reality-focused channel aimed at young men. The changes were announced at a pre-upfront event this morning in New York.

The rebrand will not happen until January 2008, and Turner has not yet decided on a new name for Court TV. In explaining the logic of the change, it cited network research that found its audience was most interested in action-oriented real-life programming.

Court TV will discontinue the wall-to-wall coverage of trials of celebrities like Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson that came to define it, moving most of its trial coverage to the web.

Instead, the network will focus on telling real-life stories, many of them crime related, such as an upcoming show about con men, another about police interrogation and a third about security experts.

Talk shows hosted by Star Jones Reynolds and Nancy Grace, legal experts better known for their personalities than their law background, will host weekday current event chat programs.

This follows a shift in focus over the past few years in which Court TV had already de-emphasized trial coverage in favor of original programming in the evenings.

That rebrand was fairly successful. Media people agreed that the switch was needed, now that trial information is so readily available on the internet and on cable networks such as CNN and Fox News Channel.

“They’ve actually done pretty well since they started putting on some entertainment shows, that really worked well for them,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director for Horizon Media.

“[Time Warner] has been pretty successful. TBS and TNT have been repackaged in the last couple years, and maybe they think they can do the same thing with Court TV. There are a lot of potential opportunities programming-wise to tap into Time Warner’s library (of movies, etc.).”

Unlike other network revamps in recent years, such as TNN’s morph from general interest to male-oriented network Spike, this one was not prompted by ratings distress. In fact, it was partly prompted by the success of the network’s non-trial-focused primetime identity.

Court TV had its most-watched month in history in February, averaging a primetime audience of 1.17 million total viewers and 556,000 adults 25-54, both up a third over last year.

Fueling that growth were gritty reality series “Most Shocking” and “Suburban Secrets,” both crime related but not connected to any particular trial.

“I know they kind of shifted in recent years with entertainment-type legal shows, legal dramas, etc,” Adgate says. “I think that they think they can get more viewers, move it in a different direction the way Viacom did with Spike TV.”

Time Warner’s Turner took full control of Court TV last year, after years of partial ownership with Liberty Media.

After its rebrand, the new Court TV will fit in nicely with Turner’s other two cable entertainment networks. TBS is focused on comedy and TNT on drama. Adding a reality-focused network gives Turner a network focused on all three major programming genres.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/printer_10752.asp

URFloorMatt

03-13-07, 12:08 PM

I support any and all attempts to curb foolish tabloid journalism on television. Now if they'd only cancel Headline Prime.

dad1153

03-13-07, 03:33 PM

Nielsen Overnights 18-49
Returning 'Old Christine' sinks badly
Double-dose of CBS sitcom averages a 2.7 in 18-49s
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - March 13, 2007

“The New Adventures of Old Christine” has been a decent performer for CBS on Monday nights since its debut last year around this time. But it turns out the show needs a strong lead-in to do well.

Last night, forced to open the evening at 8 p.m. without the benefit of usual lead-in “Two and a Half Men,” ratings for two episodes of “Christine” plunged to a new series low.

The show averaged a 2.5 and a 2.9 in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, down 29 percent from its season average of 3.8. It was returning from a month-long hiatus to make room for new hit “Rules of Engagement.”

“Christine” also performed below usual timeslot occupants “How I Met Your Mother” at 8 p.m., which is averaging a 3.4 this year, and even 8:30’s “The Class,” at a 3.0.

“Christine’s” hour-long 2.7 average, which was just 0.1 ahead of a repeat of “Wife Swap” on ABC, was down 16 percent from last week’s 3.2 average for “Wife” and “Class.”

Surely part of the decline is explained by the fact that “Christine” returned in a new and unfamiliar timeslot. It used to air at 9:30 out of “Men,” but it seems unlikely it will get that slot back with “Rules” retaining a good percentage of “Men’s” audience since its debut last month.

“Christine” will now be paired with “Mother” in the 8 p.m. hour, which seemed like a smart move. Both are relationship-oriented comedies with strong female characters. Perhaps when “Mother” returns, it will give “Christine” a boost, but the initial slip certainly indicates the latter cannot stand well on its own.

Elsewhere last night, the third episode of NBC’s “The Black Donnellys” fell, though that’s not a huge surprise. The network’s top-rated show, “Heroes,” gave “Donnellys” a 6.6 lead-in last week.

Last night, with an extended “Deal or No Deal” averaging a 5.1 at 9 p.m., “Donnellys” dipped 13 percent from last week’s 3.0 to a 2.6.

Meanwhile, Fox and NBC tied for first among 18-49s last night, each posting a 4.0 average rating and an 11 share. CBS was third at 3.7/10, ABC fourth at 2.6/7, Univision fifth at 1.7/5 and CW sixth at 0.8/2.

NBC started the night in the lead with a 4.3 rating at 8 p.m. for the first of two hours of “Deal or No Deal.” Fox was second with a 3.5 for a repeat of “House,” CBS third with a 2.7 for an hour of “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and ABC fourth with a 2.6 for a “Wife Swap” rerun. That left Univision fifth that hour with a 1.9 for “La Fea Mas Bella” and CW sixth with a 0.8 average for repeats of “Everybody Hates Chris” and “All of Us.”

At 9 p.m. NBC held onto its lead with a 5.1 for the second half of “Deal,” followed by Fox with a 4.5 for “24.” CBS was third again that hour with a 4.3 average for a repeat of “Two and a Half Men” and a new “Rules of Engagement” (4.3), with ABC fourth with a 3.0 for “Supernanny,” Univision fifth with a 1.7 for “Mundo de Fieras” and CW sixth with a 0.8 for repeats of “Girlfriends” and “The Game.”

CBS took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 4.2 for a repeat of “CSI: Miami. NBC was second with a 2.6 for “Black Donnellys,” ABC third with a 2.2 for “What About Brian” and Univision fourth with a 1.4 for “Cristina.”

Among households, NBC led the night with an 8.2 average rating and a 13 share. CBS was second at 7.5/12, Fox third at 6.9/11, ABC fourth at 4.3/7, Univision fifth at 2.3/4 and CW sixth at 1.4/2.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10753.asp

dad1153

03-13-07, 03:48 PM

What is NBC-Universal up to with this purchase? And why didn't the Trio branch of the company do this instead of Bravo's? :confused:

TV Notebook
Bravo buys TWoP.com: Will the snarky site lose its bite?
From Maureen Ryan's Chicago Tribune "The Watcher" Blog - March 13, 2007

It’s pretty rare that a press release actually causes my jaw to drop, but one that Bravo sent out Tuesday did.

And no, it’s not official confirmation that Tim Gunn is signed for Season 4 of “Project Runway” (but let’s hope that press release is coming soon).

The headline of the press release: “Bravo Acquires TelevisionWithoutPity.com.”

Zoinks!

Though I mention it in my scribblings frequently (and I lurk on its boards at least once a week), you may not know what TWoP is. It’s a site that has recaps of dozens of different TV shows (which are often more hilarious and entertaining than the shows themselves), as well as message boards devoted to everything from “Battlestar Galactica” to “Veronica Mars.” (My current favorite part of the site: “Things I Am Not Allowed to Do Aboard Galactica.”)

I’ve been reading TelevisionWithoutPity.com for at least eight years, since it was MightyBigTV.com (the TWoP name change came in 2002). It started out in 1998 as Dawsons Wrap, a site devoted to mocking “Dawson’s Creek,” and over the years, the venture expanded into TWoP, which has recaps and boards devoted to the most buzzworthy, adored and discussable TV out there – the shows TV fans can’t resist talking about, reading about and snarking about.

What I admire about TWoP is that it’s always given intelligent, passionate TV fans a chance to talk about, or even rip apart, their favorite shows, in a forum that doesn’t take itself too seriously – but which takes television itself seriously. Having interviewed co-founder Sarah “Sars” Bunting for various stories, I’ve found her to be the prototypical TWoPer – smart, funny, sarcastic, incredibly knowledgeable about TV and essentially respectful of it as an art form.

She, like the site’s restless message-board denizens, always demands that the writers, directors and actors of the small screen give us their very best – because she knows they’re capable of greatness (or at least wickedly entertaining escapism). If TWoP message boards occasionally descend into the kind of petty sniping and tiresome pedantry that can overtake any online forum (including this one), at least the sniping itself is often well written and funny.

And let’s not forget the power that the site's 1 million unique monthly visitors have accrued over the years. Most shows worth their salt have at least one – if not several – staff members who regularly check the message boards at TWoP. Rob Thomas gave the news of one “Veronica Mars” renewal first to “Couch Baron,” the recapper and moderator who presides of the TWoP boards devoted to that show. And Aaron Sorkin famously tangled with the site’s “West Wing” denizens years ago – an exchange in which the TWoPers came out looking better than the overpaid writer.

When Peter Tolan of “Rescue Me” wanted to explain the show’s controversial rape scene last summer, he reached out to members of the mainstream press, but he also went on the TWoP boards – only to say he later regretted jumping into the online maelstrom (which I found pretty funny, considering that, in my opinion, most of the TWoPers on the “Rescue Me” board gave Tolan an easy time of it).

But will the site still have its bite now that it’s owned by Bravo, a subsidiary of NBC Universal? As a Tuesday statement on the site said, “You're probably asking yourselves, "What does this mean? How can TWoP still be TWoP if it's owned by a network?"’ Exactly.

The TWoP statement says that the commentary and snark won’t change, but that new content will be added to the site, things like “trend stories, blogs, exclusive interviews, audio and video content, … podcasts, episode extras, video games, and all sorts of other neat stuff.”

In Bravo’s press release, TWoP types said that the infusion of Bravo cash make “our ongoing project of stalking Tim Gunn a bit easier,” but they still reserve the right to bite the hand that feeds them. And they said that their new bosses are OK with that.

“[A]fter all,” the TWoP statement said, “they were the ones who launched BrilliantButCancelled.com, the mid-season death watch which predicts the early demise of all the networks' new shows. So, we'll continue taking shots at Aaron Sorkin, and we'll still be covering shows on FOX and CBS and so on.”

Let’s hope so. As the site’s slogan says, “Spare the snark, spoil the networks.”

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/

dad1153

03-13-07, 03:52 PM

Time's James Poniewozik commenting on the above Bravo-TVWP.com sale: http://time-blog.com/tuned_in/2007/03/television_with_pity.html

URFloorMatt

03-13-07, 04:03 PM

Ha. I bet Sorkin gets a real kick out of that.

dt_dc

03-13-07, 04:09 PM

Disney announces ABC Family HD, Disney Channel HD, ESPNEWS HD and Toon Disney HD (for 'early' 2008)

Broadcasting and Cable article:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6424080.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-13-07, 04:15 PM

fredfa

03-13-07, 05:08 PM

Last week’s complete network average prime-time results (with demographic and season-to-date averages) are now at the bottom of RATINGS NEWS the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-13-07, 05:46 PM

Weekly Cable Nielsen Notebook
USA King of the Hill Once Again
By Anthony Crupi ] MediaWeek March 13, 2007

USA Network has the throttle on the déjà vu machine stuck in fifth gear, closing yet another week as cable’s most-watched network.

For the week ended March 11, USA averaged 2.67 million viewers in prime time, while sweeping the demos, including adults 18-49 (1.17 million), adults 25-54 (1.12 million) and adults 18-34 (577,000). The net also served up the two most-watched programs on cable, averaging 6.15 million viewers with the second half of its WWE Raw two-parter, while 5.26 million tuned in for hour one of the Monday night franchise.

Thus far into 2007, USA has won all but one week in prime, trailing TNT during the week ended Feb. 18, the same period in which the Turner net scored big with its coverage of the NBA All-Star Game.

Non-ad-supported Disney finished behind USA with 2.35 million viewers, and extended its reign in prime to 101 straight weeks among kids 6-11 (939,000), and 97 weeks among ‘tweens 9-14 (829,000). The Mouse boasted three of the week’s most-watched programs, topping out at number four with its Friday night presentation of the 2001 Anne Hathaway theatrical, The Princess Diaries (3.7 million).

Among ad-supported cable nets, TNT took second on the week, averaging 1.89 million viewers, while finishing second among adults 25-54 (960,000), third among adults 18-49 (911,000) and fifth among adults 18-34 (386,000).

TNT racked up its biggest single audience of the week with a Law & Order repeat, drawing 2.78 million viewers Monday at 10 p.m.

Third place went to Fox News Channel, which celebrated its ninth consecutive week in basic cable’s top five. FNC drew 1.56 million total viewers in prime.

Rounding out the top five were TBS (1.52 million) and Lifetime (1.47 million). TBS took second among the A18-49 demo, averaging 917,000 viewers in the category, and also placed second among the A18-34 demo (515,000). The Turner net finished in the three spot among adults 25-54, with 777,000.

Lastly, VH1 scored basic cable’s third largest audience Monday night at 9 p.m. with a new episode of I Love New York, in which the titular contestant narrowed down her field of would-be suitors to three. VH1 registered 4.07 million viewers in the time slot.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003557544

fredfa

03-13-07, 07:47 PM

Cable Nielsen Notebook
“The Riches” Premiere on FX Scores Solid Ratings
By Anne Becker Broadcasting & Cable, 3/13/2007

FX's The Riches debuted as the network's second highest rated series premiere ever with 2.5 million viewers 18-49 at 10 p.m. and 3.8 million total viewers.

The quirky drama's premiere drew more viewers than those of FX's Rescue Me, Dirt and Over There, finishing second only to The Shield's premiere in the 18-49 demo. It also way outperformed FX's primetime average - 678,000 viewers 18-49 in February.

The show, about a family of drifters who assumes the identity of a wealthy suburban clan, debuted at 10 p.m. after the network's premiere of The Day After Tomorrow and built significantly on its lead-in (the movie drew 1.7 million adults 18-49 and 3.1 million total viewers).

This was FX's first Monday night premiere of an original series and the show more than doubled the network's best-ever 10 p.m. Monday delivery.

FX encored The Riches at 11 p.m. to 800,000 new adults 18-49 and 1.4 million total viewers. The gender split for the show's premiere was 48% female, 52% male, on par with that of Rescue Me.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6424138

Gary*w*

03-13-07, 07:51 PM

fredfa

03-13-07, 07:52 PM

Washington Notebook
Martin Unveils New Must-Carry Plan Transition
By Ted Hearn multiChannel News 3/13/2007

Washington -- In a regulatory challenge to the cable industry, Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin is seeking new federal rules that would expand cable operators’ obligations to carry TV-station programming.

Martin’s proposal, which surfaced in the media about one month ago, was sent to the other four FCC members Monday night. Martin first wants the agency to seek public comment on his plan, which could lead to the adoption of rules in about one year.

Because the cable industry has fought mandatory TV-carriage rights for decades, cable operators and programmers are likely to wage a strong fight to frustrate Martin’s design.

“The notion of forced carriage on cable systems is something we are not in favor of and never have been, and I don’t know how this proposal can be squared with the law that has evolved around the whole mandatory carriage idea,” Diane Burstein, vice president and deputy general counsel of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, said Tuesday at the Cable Television Public Affairs Association’s Forum 2007 here.

TV stations won mandatory carriage rights on cable systems in the 1992 Cable Act. Under a 1999 law, satellite-TV providers need to carry all local TV stations in a market if they elect to carry any.

Cable operators currently need to carry just one programming service from a TV station that has elected mandatory carriage. Under Martin’s plan, the quota could rise to three or four programming services per station.

According to FCC aides and published reports, Martin’s plan calls for allowing TV stations to lease surplus digital-TV spectrum to FCC-approved entities -- most likely small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Lessees would have mandatory cable-carriage rights.

Because digital technology allows a TV station to split its signal to create three or four individual programming services, Martin is hoping TV stations will consider earning revenue by leasing excess capacity. But the decision to lease spectrum is expected to be voluntary on the part of TV stations.

The National Association of Broadcasters has not endorsed Martin's proposal.

In 1997, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in Turner Broadcasting System v. FCC to uphold the cable must-carry law. One year later, TV stations began lobbying the FCC to widen the rules by imposing “multicast must-carry,” which would force cable systems to carry every digital-programming stream a station could pack into this 6-megahertz channel.

But a Democratic-controlled FCC rejected multicast must-carry in 2001. In 2005, a GOP-controlled FCC did so for the second time, over Martin’s objections just one month before he became chairman. Last June, Martin tried to adopt a multicast must-carry rule. But he pulled it back after FCC Republican commissioner Robert McDowell, just weeks into his new job, refused to back Martin.

Martin has indicated that his plan would promote programming diversity by allowing new voices “to get their programming on the air without incurring the cost of owning and building a station,” said Cristina Pauzé, McDowell’s legal adviser on media issues.

But Burstein responded that cable “is all about diversity and obviously provides diversity of programming already on cable systems.”

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6424141.html?display=Breaking+News

CPanther95

03-13-07, 08:09 PM

Cool, thanks I was just about to ask about this. I watched the show it was pretty good too.

I was expecting a comedy - or maybe a "quirky drama" as it was just described. Nothing of the sort. It is very dark - but very good.

GeorgeLV

03-13-07, 09:08 PM

Washington Notebook
Martin Unveils New Must-Carry Plan Transition
By Ted Hearn multiChannel News 3/13/2007

NO. DO NOT WANT.

My idea of programming choice is not a half-dozen infomercial and preacher channels coming from every single station.

rebkell

03-13-07, 09:18 PM

They just announced on TNT that new episodes of 'The Closer' will return in June, they didn't mention a specific date, just June.

RussB

03-13-07, 09:39 PM

fredfa,

Maybe you should have included spoiler tags in post #23644 "'L & O' part of bubble bunch" and post #23648 "'Law' shows face scrutiny" for the show "Las Vegas". ;)

On second thought, it doesn't matter since by the time "Las Vegas" airs a new show it will be next fall and I will have forgotten the spoiler. :D

fredfa

03-13-07, 09:47 PM

The 2007-2008 Season
TBS, TNT present slate to advertisers
By Paul J. Gough The Hollywood Reporter March 14, 2007

NEW YORK -- TBS and TNT's development slate includes proposed projects that include a courtroom drama created by Steven Bocho, a comedy anthology series hosted by Bob Newhart and a family drama from "The Closer" team of Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin.

The projects were among a presentation made by Turner executives to New York's ad community at Midtown Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art. It included presentations on TBS, TNT, Court TV, its broadband site Super Deluxe and Turner Sports. It also said that "The Talisman," a limited series from Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television that will air in 2008, could become a series in 2009.

Bocho, who was behind "Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD Blue" among other series, has an hourlong TNT series in development about former law school classmates who find themselves facing off against each other in court. Bochco is executive producer and co-writer with David Fiege ("Indefensible") of the show and from ABC Television Studios and Steven Bochco Prods. It's so far untitled.

Shephard and Robin, who executive produced TNT's smash "The Closer," are developing with executive producer Michelle Ashford "Mrs. America," a drama about a woman who is an executive and a mother. "Mrs. America" is from Warner Horizon Television.

Three other drama series also are in development at TNT, including: "Leverage," from executive producer Dean Devlin ("The Librarian," "Independence Day") and Electric Entertainment about a six-person team that protects underdogs everywhere; "The Saint," a revamp of the classic 1960s series from executive producer William J. McDonald ("Rome") and producer Jorge Zamacona ("Homicide: Life on the Street"); and "A.D.," a family drama from Angelo Pizzo and David Anspaugh.

TBS will boost its late-night programming with "Bob Newhart: In Search of Comedy," billed as an anthology series from Newhart, who will host and executive produce. It also has in development "Big Shot," a scripted half-hour sitcom about a teenage NBA player who still lives at home (executive produced by Jamie Foxx, former NBA player Kenny Smith, Adrienne Lopez and Marcus King); and "Uncommon Sense," a half-hour family comedy starring stand-up comedian Larry Miller as a married newspaper columnist with two children. The Sony Pictures Television production is being executive produced and written by Miller and Eileen Conn ("Just Shoot Me").

Turner talked up its returning series including "Closer" on TNT and "My Boys" on TBS, both of which will have new episodes in the summer. It also said its TBS late-night series "10 Items or Less" would return with new episodes in the summer, and said that Jerry Seinfeld has agreed to headline "The Comedy Festival," its weeklong event later this year.

And it highlighted its online offerings, including "Turner Bitcoms," which are advertiser-sponsored shorts featuring a stand-up comedian riffing on a product (like Double Stuf Oreos); a "Family Guy"-branded social community in which users can chat, watch episodes and interact with other content; and TNT is developing what they call "microseries" -- 10-20 two-minute episodes that are customized for brands and could evolve into series.

Tuesday's presentation wasn't quite an upfront -- which Turner has held in previous years at the New York Armory and the Madison Square Garden Theatre in the late afternoon -- but it wasn't quite a simple ad sales pitch. Turner pitched advertisers a little too long -- about half of the audience of Madison Avenue ad buyers departed before the presentation ended about 2 1/2 hours after it started.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3if463a30783104b100de073f813b5c95c

rebkell

03-13-07, 10:10 PM

YakHDTV06

03-13-07, 10:12 PM

URFloorMatt

03-13-07, 10:16 PM

..."Big Shot," a scripted half-hour sitcom about a teenage NBA player who still lives at home...

Now that's the kind of sitcom that I'd be interested in watching. Certainly has potential to be absolutely hilarious.

fredfa

03-13-07, 10:47 PM

dad1153

03-13-07, 10:49 PM

Did I hear that right last night during Deal or No Deal that this Friday is the Finale of 1 vs 100? If true, NBC must be seriously thinking about canceling the show due to the fact it is only pulling in fairly decent ratings and not really big ratings like the 5th Grader show on FOX, and the May date on the first page of this forum needs to be changed.

I asked this same question at a gameshow-covering website, www.buzzerblog.com. Here's what I found:

"Identity will return on 3/16 at 9PM before taking over IvsC's timeslot on 3/23.

Starting 3/4. DoND will be moved to 9PM while Crossing Jordan will take over the Wed at 9PM slot effective 3/7/.

Once Identity's run is finished, IvsC will return on 5/4 if everything goes according to plans.

Clearly NBC wants to give IvsC a little 2-month break, that's all."

HDTVChallenged

03-14-07, 01:51 AM

Washington Notebook
Martin Unveils New Must-Carry Plan Transition
By Ted Hearn multiChannel News 3/13/2007

Good grief!!! :eek: What a marooon! ;) Is it too late to convince Mr. Powell to come back?

fredfa

03-14-07, 10:42 AM

Nielsen Notebook
'Deal' scores, 'Sarah' smiles
By Gary Levin USA TODAY March 14, 2007

•Square Deal. NBC game show Deal or No Deal averaged a series-high 18.4 million viewers Monday and ranked sixth for the week, behind Fox's Idol-fueled Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (20.7 million). Also Monday, Heroes exited again (until April 23) with 14.9 million, up from last week, but the second episode of Black Donnellys (6.9 million) dropped by a million from its weak premiere.

•Wedding take. New David Kelley dramedy The Wedding Bells (12.3 million Wednesday) couldn't hold a candle to 5th Grader's performance in that post-Idol slot a week earlier, but won its hour among young adults. A repeat in the series' regular Friday time slot ranked fifth with 3.6 million.

•Faster, Pussycat. The premiere of CW reality series Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll scored 3.9 million viewers Tuesday, well above Veronica Mars' performance in the same time slot. More impressively, a repeat of the Dolls premiere drew 3.7 million on Wednesday.

•Trace, Case pace. Against reduced competition, CBS Sunday dramas Cold Case (15.4 million) and Without a Trace (17.5 million) had their second-best results this season.

•Good odds. The shortened fourth season of NBC's Las Vegas ended Friday with 9.2 million viewers, the series' biggest audience in two months, as stars James Caan and Nikki Cox exited. The show will return next season, but the outlook is cloudier for CBS' The Class (8.7 million), which finished its freshman season Monday by matching its recent average.

•Cable able. The season finale of Comedy Central's Sarah Silverman Program scored a series-high 2 million viewers in a special time slot behind the South Park season opener (2.8 million). VH1 hit I Love New York romanced 4.1 million viewers Monday, its second-best number yet.

•Queen for a day. HBO's Queen Latifah movie Life Support drew a modest 1.4 million viewers to Saturday's premiere. The opener of Lifetime supernatural crime series Blood Ties was similar Sunday with 1.6 million.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-13-nielsens-analysis_N.htm

fredfa

03-14-07, 10:54 AM

The HD Revolution
Want an LCD TV? Watch for a price drop
Such flat-screen sets may cost hundreds less by the end of the year
By David Colker Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 14, 2007

If you've been waiting for fast-falling prices of LCD flat-screen TVs to flatten out, you can stop. Now's the time to buy.

Or maybe not.

Prices have been basically stalled since the retail wars of the 2006 holidays, when LCD TVs, once luxury items, went almost mainstream. But prices will probably plunge again by the end of the year.

A 42-inch set selling right now for an average of $1,877 could be going for $1,175 — a drop of more than 35% — just in time for the winter holidays, the ISuppli industry analyst group said Tuesday. Already, at some discount and membership stores, you can find an off-brand 42-inch LCD set for under $1,000.

"I have a 20-inch LCD set across from me that was $1,500 just four years ago. Now, I could get it for $149," said analyst Richard Doherty at Envisioneering Group. "The prices have fallen faster than any consumer electronics item in years, with the exception of DVD players."

If the price falls as much as expected this year, the average 42-inch LCD set will cost only about $80 more than a plasma flat-screen of the same size. For years, plasma was the undisputed flat-screen king, largely because the technology was far cheaper. But now LCDs could rule — especially among the environmentally and weight-conscious.

"LCD TVs use a lot less electricity," Doherty said. "People who consider themselves green tend to buy LCD. And the weight of two 37-inch LCD TVs are about equal to that of one plasma set the same size."

Right now, LCD sets have 22% of the market. ISuppli predicts that will rise to 51% in 2009.

This year, the number of LCD screens — each of which contains a liquid crystal gel divided into hundreds of thousands of individual pixels — shipping from factories will reach 75.2 million, up from 52.7 million in 2006, ISuppli said. And the price of the screens to TV manufacturers is forecast to fall 17% in just the first half of the year.

That price decline probably will be passed on to shoppers. At stores, competition is fierce.

"At the beginning of 2006, we were seeing 42-inch LCDs at about $3,500 or $4,000," said Ross Rubin, an analyst at NPD Group. "But they were from just a handful of manufacturers. By the end of the year, many more manufacturers were offering LCDs and there was very aggressive retail discounting during the holidays."

What's good for shoppers, though, doesn't necessarily make manufacturers and retailers happy. In December, "some of the 32-inch brands were as low as $500," said Riddhi Patel, an analyst with ISuppli. "That's an awesome price for the consumer, but it was hard on everyone in the TV supply chain because it was such a low profit margin."

Since then, LCD prices have stayed nearly the same or gone up slightly in some cases.

But if the experts are right, it's only a rest period between rounds.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-fi-lcd14mar14,0,6986820,print.story?coll=cl-tv-features

fredfa

03-14-07, 11:00 AM

TV Notebook
Court TV to try new alias
Grace's show cut back to make room for Jones
By Michael Learmonth Variety March 14, 2007

On the eve of the upfront ad sales negotiations, Turner execs announced a sweeping rebranding for its newest cable property, Court TV, that will push the channel further from its legal-news roots into entertainment.

The net announced it is also cutting back the hours devoted to its biggest star, Nancy Grace, to make space for Star Jones, former co-host of "The View," who was ousted last spring.

After the launch of Jones' show in late summer, Grace's show will run for one hour, from 3 to 4 p.m., down from two hours. Jones' show will start at 4 p.m.

Grace, the legal rights firebrand, also hosts an hour on sister network CNN's Headline News.

Turner execs announced the rebranding at the Turner Broadcasting upfront in Gotham, but were cagey on details, except to say the network will be relaunched in January.

Still, changes are the clearest indication of what Turner intends to do with the formerly independent network after acquiring it in 2006.

"One of the first steps we take in creating a brand is to find out what is working and build from there," said Turner president Steve Koonin. "TBS had its comedy block to help build the 'very funny' brand, and TNT had viewers predisposed to drama."

Court TV already puts on more original programming than some of its new Turner stablemates, such as TBS or TNT, yet its ad rates have been held back by a perception it was a niche cable news network.

"We're trying to create a brand to catch up with the programming," Koonin said. " The narrow definition of Court TV does not fit with what's going on at the network."

Court TV will still cover trials, starting at 9 a.m., but that will move to broadband at 3 p.m. ET to make way for the network's talkshow lineup of Grace, Jones and Catherine Crier.

Advertising analyst Jack Myers said Turner is trying to tap a deeper well of advertisers than the net has had in the past.

"They're trying to make a statement by repackaging as an entertainment channel," he said. "Advertisers tend to have a limited news budget."

The new Court TV will target an audience Koonin and programming chief Mark Juris called "real engagers."

"These viewers watch a tremendous amount of television and love real-life action programming, real-life emotion and access to places they can't normally go," Juris said.

In development are several shows to target the aud, including "The Room," a look at police investigations; "The Real Hustle," a drama featuring a trio of con artists; and "Tiger Team," a team of security pros testing high-end security systems.

The net also will produce one-off specials such as one with the Smoking Gun Web site called "The Dumbest Criminals in the World."

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117961066&categoryid=14

CPanther95

03-14-07, 11:34 AM

The HD Revolution
Want an LCD TV? Watch for a price drop
Such flat-screen sets may cost hundreds less by the end of the year
By David Colker Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 14, 2007

............ For years, plasma was the undisputed flat-screen king, largely because the technology was far cheaper. But now LCDs could rule — especially among the environmentally and weight-conscious.

Wow, great news, soon we'll be able to upgrade to an LCD from a plasma!

Thank goodness, I bought my plasmas because for years that's all I could afford. :rolleyes:

WilliamR

03-14-07, 11:40 AM

fredfa

03-14-07, 11:46 AM

Tuesday’s metered market over-night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted just near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-14-07, 11:55 AM

TV Review
“Raines”
Goldblum tones it down just enough for enjoyable 'Raines'
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” March 14, 2007

Thank Hugh Laurie for “Raines” (10 PM ET/PT) NBC’s promising new midseason procedural.

Not that Laurie, the star of “House,” had anything to do with creating NBC’s I-see-dead-people detective show. But thanks to the success of “House” and its charmingly grumpy protagonist, TV executives feel (somewhat) safe in building shows around characters that break the usual TV mold.

Gregory House, a brilliant diagnostician, isn’t sympathetic, nice or even all that well-kempt (a stubble and rumpled clothes constitute his signature style). He is, of course, smart, painfully truthful and utterly enthralling; as played by Laurie, you can’t take your eyes off him. But Marcus Welby he is not.

Michael Raines, a Los Angeles police detective, isn’t necessarily rude, provocative and amusingly abrupt, as House is. But he’s played by Jeff Goldblum, so you know going in that there is going to be some quirkiness — possibly a lot of quirkiness — in the mix.

What’s surprising about “Raines,” though, is how ably Goldblum has toned down some of his more distracting mannerisms. He’s still got those start-stop verbal tics and an offbeat presence, but he has infused his engaging performance with an air of weary, bemused melancholy. It’s even more surprising that Goldblum’s thoughtful, enjoyable presence is — rather than the one saving grace of an otherwise tiresome procedural — the centerpiece of a generally well-crafted drama, one that’s sprinkled with loving nods to Raymond Chandler and “Double Indemnity.”

Not that I wanted to like this show. Honestly, another show about a character who can see the departed? Though I’m a fan of NBC’s worthy “Medium” (“Ghost Whisperer” — not so much), it’s not as though there’s a need for another talking-to-the-departed show. Also, let’s face it, failed shows built around film stars (such as Geena Davis and Ray Liotta, to name a couple of recent casualties) are more thick on the ground than “CSI” spinoffs.

Much to my surprise, the beautifully shot “Raines” disarmed most of my preconceptions. Creator Graham Yost (“Boomtown,” “Band of Brothers”) has given the show not just the trappings of film noir — neon signs, snappy patter, a tormented gumshoe — but also wisely imported what the best noirs possess, which is a doomed sense of romantic yearning.

What matters to Raines is not necessarily the who, what, where and “what time was the screwdriver inserted in the victim’s skull.” He’s dogged in his own way, but this evocative show is more a rumination on the “whys” than the “hows.” “Know the victim, find the killer” is Raines’ mantra.

Still, the laconic Raines is more than a little weirded out when the dead people from the cases he’s investigating start chatting with him. And they’re not even much help in solving the murders — they say they’re projections of his mind, so the victims only know as much as Raines does.

The show cleverly plays around with Raines’ – and the audience’s – perceptions of the victims: In the pilot episode, a murdered young woman’s look changes from innocent ingénue to makeup-caked streetwalker when Raines learns she had worked as a prostitute. A dead Hispanic man fished from a canal goes from innocent illegal alien to tough hit-man, as Raines discovers new facts about the case.

What’s the real story, we’re led to ask, not just with the victims, but with Raines? And are his hallucinations symptoms of stress, complications of past gunshot wounds, or something worse? In the second episode, Raines’ boss sends the detective for counseling — the only false note in the first two episodes sent for review. The addition of Madeleine Stowe’s shrink character feels like something from a panicked executive’s script note: “We need a female for Raines to spar with — a Dr. Cuddy character — stat!” But … why?

Why not let Raines be Raines, and let him roam the funky side of L.A. with his strange, undead companions, trading quips and ignoring the life-lesson stuff? Actually, what the “Raines” writers should take away from “House” is the idea that rejecting the usual TV-storytelling conventions, upending expectations and not just coasting on your leading man’s talent are ways to turn your show into a monster hit.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/03/reviewapalooza__2.html

fredfa

03-14-07, 12:08 PM

fredfa

03-14-07, 12:10 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Fox's 'Idol' chills the rest of primetime
In time of repeats, it easily tops other networks
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 14, 2007

While the other networks have slipped into March rerun mode, Fox is on a hot streak that has seen it move into a tie with CBS for first place for the season among adults 18-49. Last week the network had all top seven shows among 18-49s for the first time since 1991.

And last night, it obliterated the rerun-heavy Big Four networks with a two-hour edition of “American Idol.”

“Idol” averaged an 11.5 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights. That was well ahead of the 7.1 combined rating averaged by ABC, CBS, NBC and the CW, which had only three original episodes between them during “Idol’s” 8 to 10 p.m. block.

It also finished some 5 million ahead of the Big Four combined among total viewers, averaging 29.4 million total viewers.

It’s worth noting that “Idol’s” rating was actually down 15 percent from the same night last year in 18-49s, when the show averaged a 13.5. But it seems there’s a cause for that: the start of daylight savings time three weeks earlier than usual and unseasonably warm weather on the East Coast, which drew many people away from their television sets.

Fox points out that there was a 12 percent decrease in persons using television among 18-49s last night compared with the same night the year before. The networks also saw a decline in PUT levels on Monday night, too, a trend that bears watching.

The network also points out that last night’s supersized episode, which combined the male and female finalists for the first time, was up 5 percent over last week’s Tuesday show to a 10.9.

Fox finished the night with an 11.5 average rating and a 31 share. CBS was second at 2.5/7, NBC third at 2.1/6, Univision fourth at 1.7/5, ABC fifth at 1.6/4 and CW sixth at 0.9/3.

At 8 p.m. Fox led with a 10.5 rating for its first hour of “Idol,” followed by a 2.5 for CBS for a repeat of “NCIS” and a 2.0 for NBC for “Dateline.” Univision was fourth that hour with a 1.8 for “La Fea Mas Bella,” ABC fifth with a 1.5 for a repeat of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and CW sixth with a 0.8 for a “Gilmore Girls” rerun.

Fox extended its lead at 9 p.m. as “Idol” grew to a 12.4, with CBS a distant second with a 2.0 for a repeat of “The Unit.” Univision and ABC tied for third at 1.8, Univision for “Mundo de Fieras” and ABC for “Primetime,” with NBC fifth with a 1.7 for a repeat of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and CW sixth with a 1.1 for “Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll.” That show declined in virtually every demographic from last week, when it did not face “Idol.” But it did show growth from its lead-in and ranked second in the timeslot among 18-34s.

CBS finished first in the rerun-filled 10 p.m. hour, leading with a 2.9 for a repeat of “CSI.” NBC was second with a 2.5 for a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU,” Univision fourth with a 1.5 for “Ver para Creer” and ABC fourth with a 1.4 for a “Boston Legal” rerun.

Fox also nearly eclipsed the rest of the networks combined for the night among households, finishing first comfortably with a 17.0 average rating and a 27 share. CBS was second at 6.2/10, NBC third at 4.8/8, ABC fourth at 3.7/6, Univision fifth at 2.1/3 and CW sixth at 1.5/2.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10783.asp

fredfa

03-14-07, 12:16 PM

Testimony of the five Federal Communications Commissioners prepared for delivery on March 14, 2007 to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce, United States House of Representatives, is available here:

Chairman Martin: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271486A1.pdf
Commissioner Copps: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271517A1.pdf
Commissioner Adelstein: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271488A1.pdf
Commissioner Tate: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271511A1.pdf
Commissioner McDowell: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-271487A1.pdf

fredfa

03-14-07, 12:32 PM

TV Reviews
“Raines”, “October Road”
2 new dramas mine the same old territory
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Television Critic

Two new dramas on Thursday night all but guarantee themselves a brief stay on the schedule thanks to predictable formulas, audience pandering and, in one case, seriously annoying the ghost of Kurt Cobain.

The trouble for NBC's detective-sees-dead-people drama, "Raines," starring Jeff Goldblum, actually started at the end of 2006, when NBC cut the series order from 13 episodes to seven. You might imagine that the real trouble began when creator Graham Yost (who previously created the infinitely better "Boomtown" cop drama) decided to go with the dead-people dramatic device after it had already been used -- wait for it -- to death.

"Raines" is one of those shows that are enjoyable time wasters if you don't know what else is available. In the two episodes that NBC sent out, "Raines" establishes itself as solidly mediocre, which, as savvy viewers already know, is just unacceptable in the current TV environment. There's an excess of good dramas on TV. There's even a rising number of great dramas. A been-there-done-that cop drama about a quirky detective must sit itself down with "Monk" and be happy with the company. Oh, to aim higher.

Goldblum is probably the best element of "Raines" (though the opening credits are pretty cool, and Yost always seems to hire people who create a crisp, darkly saturated visual style for his shows). Goldblum plays Detective Michael Raines, an eccentric but visionary (in more ways than one) LAPD sleuth who lost his partner, Charlie (Malik Yoba), in a random, unprovoked attack. Charlie keeps Raines grounded, or at least did. Now he's there for support as a ghost.

Yes, you've seen this before. While the pilot has a decently crafted mystery to it, the twist in the second episode should be pretty obvious within the first seven minutes, which may be one reason the order was cut back to seven episodes. The troubling thing is that Yost ("Band of Brothers") is better than this material. His ambitious "Boomtown" was eventually beaten into a gooey but less confusing pulp by NBC, and it appears the same thing may be happening here.

"Raines" has a good cast, including Matt Craven, Nicole Sullivan and Madeleine Stowe, but Yost has given Goldblum the chance to be part dark-hearted noir detective and part wisecracking loon, which Goldblum gladly snaps up and pulls off with ease. The problem? He's the whole show. Similar limits never stopped "Monk," but if being average is the goal, then this series is dead. Nothing more to talk about.

Going from unfortunately average to just unfortunate, Thursday also offers up "October Road," a series that seems to have escaped from the CW and landed on ABC.

It's a coming-of-age story so overwrought and emotionally predictable, it's -- what's the word here? -- unwatchable. The writers beat you on the head with John Steinbeck's typewriter and a bloody-edged iPod full of tunes meant to punctuate the story lines. Too bad most of the songs relate, more likely, to the lives of the writers than the coming-of-age kids on the screen.

There's a reason this series starts at 10:01 p.m. If people watching "Grey's Anatomy" are given a chance to get away, they will.

And, hey, that's kind of the (overly familiar) premise of "October Road." There's a fictional college town in Massachusetts called Knights Ridge. Nick Garrett (Bryan Greenberg) lives there with his buddies, who love to play air band to moldy oldies. When he's 18, Nick has sex with his girlfriend, Hannah (Laura Prepon), and goes for a six-week tour of Europe. Hannah worries that he won't come home. Naturally, he doesn't. Ten years go by, and now Nick is an allegedly famous novelist whose one book essentially mocked all of his small-town friends.

He goes back. They are mostly angry at him (of course, they still live there). Hannah has a kid. You do the math. While we're not suggesting that you actually watch -- in fact, don't -- if you do, pay attention to the "peanut allergy." That's your Steinbeckian sledgehammer, the oh-I-get-it obviousness that panders to the dulled reason of the general population.

Alrighty. Now, about Cobain. The series opens with a shot of his face: a poster in Nick's room. Apparently, he's a muse for Nick. Except there's a problem. The song his buddies crank up -- and play air guitar, drums and vocals to as he's departing for Europe?

"Don't Look Back" from Boston. Yes, Boston.

That's the kind of dramatic disconnect that not only runs through all of "October Road" but also would surely make Cobain spin in his grave.

"October Road" is filled with telegraphed dramatic intent, purple prose and songs meant to hype the emotion onscreen. Note: That's cheating. So when Nick comes home after 10 years, his friends -- still playing air band after all these years -- launch into Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town."

There's an audience for this drama somewhere. But in that somewhere, nobody gets the anachronism, nobody sees the puppet strings and nobody ever moves away.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/14/DDGLAOI7VN1.DTL

michaelk

03-14-07, 01:22 PM

There are only 52 weeks in a year and a TV schedule can be made up of grueling 18 hour days 6 days a week just to get a weeks episode in the can, let alone post production work. I don't think they could make that work long term.

holding back- "GRUELING"- come on. THat's only second to being a professional athlete and complaining that you sleep in a hotel half the nights during the season. Maybe it's grueling to the grips and technical staff and what not, but they could split 108 hours a week between 2 people if they cared. THe actors are in a limited number of scenes. So maybe the director actually has to be there all 108 hours- but there are new directors all the time so instead of doing episode a in week one and episode b in week 2. Just take 2 weeks to do episodes A and B and then either director only has to work half the hours each week. There's a way.

Emotions aside- I understand your point that it takes lots of time to make a sure- but #1 love boat, fantasy island, and Dallas at least did it for years on end. So it's doable.

#2- while I'd prefer the quality to be a bit better- soar operas whip out an hour a day. So there's no reason it takes 108hours to make an hour of tv. Cut it back to 40 hours and give me 36 weeks. If nothing else I'd see the same number of hours of good stuff each year (call it 22) but instead of watching friggin reruns the other 14 hours I could watch "b" quailty mixed in over the other episodes and still come out ahead.

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:09 PM

“Andy Barker, PI”
'Andy Barker, P.I.' is no '30 Rock'
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” March 14, 2007

“Andy Barker, P.I.” (9:30 PM ET/PT Thursday, NBC) attempts to mess with detective clichés in a comedic fashion with mixed (at best) results. Andy Richter plays Barker, an accountant who moves into an office formerly occupied by a private detective.

Barker is squarely in the current comedy tradition of naïve man-children – he’s as much of a clueless square as Michael Scott of “The Office” and Glen Abbott of “The Winner” – but the show itself is smart, if only to show off Barker’s innocence.

“I never saw ‘Chinatown,’” he tells his new friend, video-store manager Simon (Tony Hale). “Is that with Jackie Chan?”

Lured by the excitement of busting open cases involving shady chicken-processing plants and hot affairs at the golf club, Barker becomes involved in a series of detective capers that go comedically awry.

Or at least they’re intended to. Everything about “Andy Barker” — from the excellent supporting cast to the kicky opening graphics recalling “Mannix” and “The Rockford Files,” and the dorky action scenes meant to evoke “Starsky and Hutch” — is lovingly created. And there are some laughs, but the show fails to truly catch fire.

“Andy Barker,” for all the talent involved (Conan O’Brien is one of the show’s executive producers), is curiously inert. And “Barker’s” main problem is that it’s far less funny than the show it is replacing until April 5, Tina Fey’s “30 Rock,” which, after a rocky start, quickly became one of the undisputed gems of television comedy.

http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:10 PM

TV Reviews
“Andy Barker, PI”, “Raines”
Richter gives us reason to rootck'
By Chuck Barney Contra Costa Times TV critic 03/14/2007

I’m among the handful of TV fans who fervently mourned the premature passing of "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (Born 2002-Died 2003). Not only was it a delightfully offbeat twist on the tired sitcom, it proved that its star could shine without being joined at the hip with Conan O'Brien.

Ever since, we've been waiting for Richter to be rewarded with another TV vehicle worthy of his comedic talents. (Sorry, but "Quintuplets" didn't count). And thus, we celebrate the debut of "Andy Barker, P.I.," a highly amusing series starring Richter that -- wouldn't you know it? -- has O'Brien's fingerprints all over it.

"Barker," co-created by NBC's late-night goofball and featuring his highly whimsical sensibilities, sets up Richter as a mild-mannered accountant who opens a new office in a strip mall only to see it quickly tank.

No worries. Andy, an affable schlub, eventually stumbles into a new line of work when a mysterious woman implores him to find her husband, whom she has accused of faking his death. Turns out she has mistaken Andy for a detective who previously occupied the office space.

With nothing better to do, Andy takes the case and winds up having a blast. Explaining the thrill of crime-solving to his syrupy sweet wife (Clea Lewis), he says it gives him the same rush as "when I punch the 'equals' button and the number is the same as the number on the worksheet."

"Andy Barker, P.I." is getting a brief tryout in the "30 Rock" slot and, happily, it's further proof that NBC has regained its sitcom touch. It's a quirky and wry show that floats along on its own gleeful wavelength as it wallows in absurd crime capers and spoofs 1970s-era detective shows -- complete with frantic chase scenes and amped-up dramatic music.

Greatly bolstering the enterprise is a hilarious cast that includes Tony Hale ("Arrested Development"), as a video-store clerk in the strip mall who can induce giggles with a simple arching of an eyebrow. Then there's Harve Presnell, who is a real hoot as the gruff, old-school private eye who becomes Andy's mentor, and Marshall Manesh, as a highly patriotic foreigner who runs the mall's Afghan restaurant ("MSG NO! USA YES!" reads a sign in his window).

As much fun as "Barker" is, you have to wonder if its off-the-wall silliness will play to the masses -- especially considering the brief length of its tryout (six weeks) and the competitiveness of its time slot (vs. "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI").

Clearly, the odds are once again stacked against Richter, but here's hoping he sticks around a little longer this time.

UNWELCOME 'RAINES': NBC has another detective debuting Thursday, but he's not nearly as much fun to be around.

He's Michael Raines (Jeff Goldblum), an eccentric LAPD homicide investigator who sees -- and talks to -- dead people. How is this any different than that other NBC drama, "Medium"? Apparently, Raines doesn't have an extra-sensory gift (no hob-nobbing with ghosts), just a very vivid imagination.

Anyway, Raines uses his hallucinations to resurrect the murder victims, who in turn, help him nail the perpetrator. The whole thing has a noirish-type feel to it as our hero is a wannabe writer who idolizes the detective-genre greats like Raymond Chandler.

Created by Graham Yost, who gave us the fantastic "Boomtown," the show certainly has a great pedigree. Ah, but don't get your hopes up. Thursday's pilot episode feels pretty predictable throughout and is marred by a sluggish pace that is in no way alleviated by Goldblum's mannered delivery.

"Raines" is scheduled to fill in for "ER" for two weeks. We'll be counting the days.

http://www.mercurynews.com/tv/ci_5433347

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:11 PM

TV Review
“Raines”
'Raines' doesn't measure up to 'Medium'
By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News March 14, 2007

Detective Michael Raines (Jeff Goldblum) sees dead people.

They don't necessarily see him.

So before you go lumping NBC's "Raines" in with NBC's "Medium" or CBS' "Ghost Whisperer" or Court TV's "Psychic Detectives," all of which require viewers to make certain leaps of faith regarding an afterlife or extra-sensory perception, stop.

And lump it instead with shows about people who regularly experience hallucinations.

So far, I've got "Ally McBeal," "Rescue Me" and "Six Feet Under." (And possibly "Mr. Ed," though like "Bewitched's" Gladys Kravitz, Wilbur might simply have been more observant than most humans.) You may well remember others.

Still, "Raines" stands out, if only because Goldblum is so very, very tall, and his character so very, very strange.

"Raines" creator Graham Yost has a wonderful sense of place, and Los Angeles, which he turned into a major character in "Boomtown," looks even better in "Raines," which talks film noir but can't resist that L.A. sun, even to the point of having Raines experience some of his hallucinations on the beach.

Nice work if you can get it.

Maybe he's been out in the sun too long, though, because Raines' conversations with the dead - mostly victims in cases he's working - aren't exactly riveting.

The hallucinations, after all, only know as much as Raines himself does at any given moment (and tend to change appearance as his knowledge of them changes). All this is meant to give us a window into Raines' thought processes, but the effect instead is to make him appear befuddled most of the time.

Unless you're Inspector Clouseau - or Andy Richter, whose new sitcom, "Andy Barker, P.I.," is "Raines' " lead-in tomorrow night - befuddled is not a good look for a detective.

Yost has nevertheless gathered talented believers to "Raines," including Madeleine Stowe as the shrink Raines' captain (Matt Craven) insists he see in next week's episode, Craven himself and Malik Yoba as Charlie Lincoln, Raines' former partner.

Goldblum, though, feels, well, unbelievable - as a detective and as a man struggling with what most people would consider signs of serious mental illness.

It says something that "Medium," which every week offers up scenarios in which working mom Allison Dubois (Patricia Arquette) dreams about things that almost always lead to the apprehension of criminals, is easier to swallow than "Raines."

Not that it's Allison Dubois, psychic DA's office employee, that I tune in for.

Even for those of us who might believe that psychics sometimes provide help to law enforcement, the too-neat solutions to most of Allison's cases are going to seem far-fetched.

But "Medium" gets me where I live. It's Allison Dubois, wife and working mom, and Joe (Jake Weber), the working dad she's married to, who keep me coming back each week.

Maybe it's just that neither of them ever seems to get enough sleep, and that half their conversations focus on who's driving the kids to school, and that those kids regularly offer challenges that no parenting book could have prepared them for, but that's a family I recognize.

The missing girls and the serial killers and the plane-crash premonitions?

That's just her job.

As for "Raines," if I were that interested in characters who merely talk to themselves, I'd stick with the subway.

Or look in the mirror.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16899256.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:11 PM

TV Review
“October Road”
Don't walk down this road
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” March 14, 2007

The less said about “October Road” (10 PM ET/PT, Thursday, ABC) the better. OK, if you must know, it’s about a writer who returns to his home town after a 10-year absence, and after the publication of a novel that angered many of his former friends, thanks to the thinly veiled and hurtful portraits of them in the book.

This wretched show not only features a lead character who is an unredeemable nitwit but dialogue that manages to be leaden, preposterous and pretentious all at once.

“Whatever you two have going on with each other, why don’t I extract myself and go order us some Dagwoods,” one character says during an awkward encounter between Our Hero and his ex-girlfriend at a sandwich shop.

Giving that line to any character is a bad idea. Giving it to a 10-year old character is nearly tantamount to child abuse.

All you need to know about “October Road” that the drama, about three-quarters of the way into the pilot, after much painful exposition and eye-roll-inducing character development, features a montage of scenes from Our Hero’s past intercut with scenes of wholesome present-day life in good old Knights Ridge, his hometown. The closing image is – wait for it – a boy delivering newspapers on his bike.

“October Road,” you did not earn a montage. Certainly not that kind of sappy, icky, bleccch montage. And having characters ironically comment on the show’s more corny moments doesn’t forgive their utter awfulness.

What crud. ABC, bring back “Men in Trees,” stat.

http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:11 PM

TV Reviews
“Raines”, “October Road”
2 new dramas mine the same old territory
By Chuck Barney Contra Costa Times TV critic 03/14/2007

Life in Hollywood really must be the pits. How else do you explain the fact that TV writers continue to find irresistible the fantasy of retreating to some charming hometown to reconnect with the simple life and start their lives from scratch? (See: "Ed," "Judging Amy," "Providence," etc.).

The new ABC drama "October Road" marches across this familiar terrain with one key difference: The protagonist doesn't exactly get a warm welcome upon his return.

Bryan Greenberg plays Nick Garrett, a best-selling novelist, who after a 10-year absence, returns to his Massachusetts hometown to teach at the local university. Just a couple of problems: Many of his friends and neighbors are resentful over being used as fodder in his novel, and the girlfriend (Laura Prepon) he so rudely abandoned is now the single mother of a boy who could be his.

In early episodes, "October Road" occasionally overplays its hand with dialogue that is a little too precious and melodramatic situations that might have you rolling your eyes. On the other hand, Greenberg is an appealing lead and Prepon ("That '70s Show") doesn't miss a beat in making the transition from sitcom to drama. Also, Tom Berenger is a great fit as Garrett's world-weary father.

Getting a midseason tryout from ABC, "October Road" will air for at least four weeks in the post-"Grey's Anatomy" time slot.

http://www.mercurynews.com/tv/ci_5433347

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:20 PM

TV Review
“Raines”
Goldblum's jaded, delusional detective is enough of a reason to tune in.
By Barry Garron The Hollywood Reporter Mar 14, 2007

Detective Michael Raines sees dead people, which, you're probably thinking, isn't that much of a gimmick on TV these days. Dead people have been ratting out criminals to Allison Dubois on "Medium" for a few years, and Melinda Gordon of "Ghost Whisperer" also has weekly conversations with spooks.

Raines' visions are different and, to my way of thinking, a lot more credible. The dead people he sees are not ghosts. They are figments of his imagination. They are murder victims as he pictures them in life. The more he learns about them, the more they change to conform to the new information.

Because they are only figments, they can't tell Raines anything he doesn't already know. They can, however, get him to look at the facts from a different perspective. Couple that modus operandi with Jeff Goldblum's savvy and sarcastic performance, and you get a detective series that is charismatic and compelling.
Of course, Raines must remain delusional. In the opener, he is ordered to get therapy for talking to himself. We can only hope it fails.

Creator and exec producer Graham Yost -- schooled in complex characters from his work on "Boomtown" -- found the perfect actor for the title role in Goldblum, whose last TV series was "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe," aired more than a quarter of a century ago.

Goldblum has a knack for creating characters who seem so real and so natural that you can't tell that he's acting. He does it again with Raines, a keen-witted Los Angeles detective pushed to the brink when his longtime partner, Charlie (Malik Yoba), was gunned down in the line of duty. Now Raines works solo, but he constantly converses with an imaginary Charlie. Also worth noting is Matt Craven as Raines' compassionate and no-nonsense superior, Capt. Daniel Lewis. Working together, Goldblum and Craven create some of the most honest scenes in the genre.

In the premiere, Raines looks for the killer of a young woman (guest star Alexa Davalos) who dabbled in prostitution but, as it turns out, for an altruistic purpose. Next week, he sorts out the details of a young Mexican man who was killed not long after illegally crossing the border. Both stories are full of surprises, but the biggest draw is Raines himself, a heroic figure and yet cynical, solitary and mere inches away from a mental meltdown.

There's something else that's odd about Raines: He would seem to be more at home at NBC's corporate cousin, USA Network, alongside other quirky detectives such as Monk or Shawn Spencer of "Psych." NBC will run the first two episodes of "Raines" at 9 p.m. Thursday, then move the series to a potentially lethal slot at 9 p.m. Fridays. Note to NBC Universal execs: USA would be the perfect safety net if "Raines" can't carve out a niche on Fridays.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/television/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=8907

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:20 PM

TV Review
“Raines”
By Brian Lowry Variety

A crime procedural tweaked with the slimmest of gimmicks, "Raines" largely boils down to one's appreciation of star Jeff Goldblum, who occupies center stage in practically every scene. A cop who works his way through crimes by talking to (or more generously, channeling) the victims, he's a troubled soul, but otherwise this is a throwback to the 1970s -- a single-lead detective show that neatly wraps up whodunit each hour. Relative to riskier dramas, it seems a reasonably safe bet, though it's hardly the sort of series people will rush home to see.

Then again, situating the right actor against a conventional backdrop has exhibited signs of life lately, from Hugh Laurie powering his way through "House" to Tony Shalhoub's defective detective "Monk" to James Woods knifing through the scenery in "Shark." (NBC is cleverly giving "Raines" a two-week preview on Thursday -- when "Shark" will be sidelined by CBS' male-skewing coverage of NCAA basketball -- before the series lands Fridays adjacent to "Law & Order.")

Somewhat refreshingly, the premise, which features a tormented, savvy investigator who works through cases by talking to the dead, doesn't really focus on mysticism. Although the deceased speak back, they don't divulge any secrets, serving more as a sounding board for Raines (Goldblum) as he sifts through the clues.

Indeed, Raines is generally annoyed the young woman in the premiere won't help him, though on the plus side, she does provide someone to talk to beyond his former partner (Malik Yoba). No one else in his circle pops out initially, with Matt Craven as his caring boss and Nicole Sullivan as a co-worker.

Raines does get sent to a live therapist, played by Madeleine Stowe, in the second hour, during which he concedes the people he's talking to are "not ghosts, just figments of my imagination."

Another amusing twist is that as Raines learns about the ghosts, their appearance and demeanor keep changing, reflecting his prejudices and assumptions. So when the cheerleader outfit in the closet turns out to mean the chatty corpse was a prostitute, the girl-next-door look disappears, traded in for garish makeup and, at one point, the score from "Body Heat."

Written by Graham Yost, this is a series for people with a reasonably high TV IQ, but not a particularly challenging formula. The main allure is seeing Goldblum in action, his eyes darting hither and yon -- having graduated from the early ABC show "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe" through features to this, which is more like "Offspeed and the Spirit." (As with Yost's last NBC crime drama -- the late, lamented "Boomtown" -- "Raines" also boasts a knockout, way-cool opening-credit sequence.)

"What if this happens with every case I get?" Raines mumbles near the end, once he's solved the case and the girl disappears.

Actually, given how conventional the show is otherwise, the bigger concern should be "What if it doesn't?"

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933037.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:24 PM

TV Reviews
“Andy Barker, PI”, “Raines”
Andy Richter's reluctant detective is funny, but maybe not for long
By Barry Garron The Hollywood Reporter Mar 14, 2007

After Andy Richter quit serving as sidekick on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," he starred in a Fox sitcom, "Andy Richter Controls the Universe." It was very funny, but it didn't last long. Then he did another Fox sitcom, "Quintuplets." It wasn't very funny, and it didn't last long either. With "Andy Barker, P.I." Richter goes back to making funny sitcoms that won't last long.

That might be too harsh an assessment. This isn't a tough show to get, after all, and Richter has a warm and goofy appeal. At the same time, though, the show has a complex rhythm involving characters, satire and sight gags. You can watch "Barker" again and find things you missed the first time. That should be a good thing, but comedies that depart too much from mainstream expectations (think "Arrested Development" or "Watching Ellie" or dozens of others) tend to develop a core following that, though loyal, is rarely big enough to sustain them.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Richter, as an accountant who accidentally becomes a detective, combines a silly charm with clever instincts. That, coupled with the show being scheduled on NBC's Thursday night comedy block, could bring in the large audience it deserves. Then again, NBC could find itself in the unenviable position of having to choose between this series and the sharper, more well-defined "30 Rock" when fall schedules are announced in a couple of months.

In the premiere of the series, a creation of O'Brien and former "Late Night" head writer Jonathan Groff, a confident Barker opens an accounting office in a strip mall. His only client, though, is a sexy Russian woman who mistakes Barker for the previous occupant, a private detective. She hires him to locate her husband, who is missing and presumed dead.

In this and other cases, Barker has the dubious benefit of assistance from overeager Simon (Tony Hale), who runs the video store in the strip mall; Wally (Marshall Manesh), the Afghan owner of a kabob restaurant; and Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell), the grizzled and retired investigator for whom Barker was mistaken. Although they are, quite literally, the gang that can't shoot straight, they somehow manage to solve every case. Barker's blindly supportive wife (Clea Lewis) isn't given much to do, but the character is too good to sit on the sidelines for long.

"Barker" is played for laughs, as it should be, so the details of the cases aren't important or, sometimes, even logical. At times, though, there is so little time for a story to develop that you wonder if this series might have turned out better as a full hour.

Jason Ensler, who directed the pilot, knows where to put the camera for maximum laughs. Richter is well-suited for the role of the unprepared but resourceful Barker. Where else are you going to see a detective with enough composure to offer solid investment advice in the midst of a car chase?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/television/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=8906

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:25 PM

TV Review
“Andy Barker, PI”
By Brian Lowry Variety

Andy Richter does not control the universe, but it would be splendid if he could carve out a half-hour of primetime. After striking out with his underappreciated Fox series, he's back with another clever single-camera comedy that turns him into a latter-day Walter Mitty -- an accountant who occupies a private eye's former office and starts catching cases. Filled with knowing references to movies such as "Chinatown" and a top-notch supporting cast, "Andy Barker, P.I." should earn critical praise, but that won't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world if it can't find an audience.

Created by Richter's former boss Conan O'Brien and Jonathan Groff ("Father of the Pride"), "Andy Barker" might be too hip for the room, beginning with its Quinn Martin-like credit sequence. Number-cruncher Andy leaves chirpy wife Jen (Clea Lewis) as he embarks on a new adventure as a solo accountant, only to have a mysterious woman waltz into his office, hand him cash and ask him to find her missing husband.

Andy is clued in to the history of his new digs by Simon ("Arrested Development's" Tony Hale, again hilarious), a video-store worker who, in a later episode, hits on Andy's African-American assistant by asking if she's ever seen "Jungle Fever." Andy's posse grows to include another local store owner (Marshall Manesh) and the retired detective ("Fargo's" Harve Presnell), whose response to every situation is to slap someone around or kick them in the nuts.

The premiere, perhaps out of necessity, devotes most of its time to establishing the premise, which is fleshed out wonderfully in the second and third installments, with the reluctant Andy thwarting crime bosses, often using his tax-cracking talents to save the day.

Doughy and bland, Richter remains an unlikely TV star, but he's an appealing one, and the yeoman support from Hale, Manesh, Presnell and Lewis clearly lightens the load.

Even so, the show's wry, media-savvy sensibility has historically been a tough sell on a mass scale, more suited to the less-demanding confines of O'Brien's latenight slot or cable than Thursdays on what NBC now less ambitiously calls "Comedy Night Done Right."

In the blessing/curse dept., "30 Rock," which the series spells, has enjoyed critical support but only mediocre ratings, setting the bar relatively low for NBC to give "Andy Barker" the second look that, based strictly on execution, the show clearly deserves.

Ultimately, though, it will all come down to crunching the numbers, where Andy might discover that the Nielsen arbiters are every bit as unyielding as those at the IRS.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933035.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

fredfa

03-14-07, 02:31 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Purgatory with Kelly Ripa!
By David Kronke Los Angeles Daily News Television Critic in his “The Mayor Of Television” blog March 14, 2007

Anderson Cooper is sitting alongside gabby Kelly Ripa for a couple of days on “Live with Regis & Kelly” while Regis Philbin’s out getting heart bypass surgery. So much for that whole serious-journalist thing.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Bravo has acquired TelevisionWithoutPity.com, so get ready for some curiously unsnarky, even glowing reviews at the site for “Project Runway,” “Real Housewives of Orange County” and “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List.” As well as the curious disappearance of any show not produced by NBC-Universal from its rolls.

• • • • • • • • • • •

The Vatican’s going Hollywood, announcing plans to launch its own TV network. A few days ago, Pope Benedict XVI declared of mass media, “Much of what is transmitted in various forms to the homes of millions of families around the world is destructive.” So, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

But I’m looking forward to the programming VTV, or whatever it’ll be called (H2O, apparently), will present: “Italy’s Funniest Home Transgressions,” the reality series “Real Housewives of Purgatory,” the game show “Are You Smarter than an Altar Boy?” and, of course, “Live with Pope Benedict XVI & Kelly.” (Feel free to add your own!)

• • • • • • • • • • •

Speaking of Purgatory, 16.67 million people watched a two-hour version of “Deal or No Deal” last night. Two hours? Wouldn’t a morphine drip be more effective?

http://www.insidesocal.com/tv/

fredfa

03-14-07, 03:03 PM

The Business of Television
ACA’s Polka: Off-Air Project ‘Vitally Important’
By Todd Spangler MultiChannel News 3/14/2007

American Cable Association CEO Matt Polka called Cable Television Laboratories’ development of a specification to let set-top boxes receive over-the-air digital broadcast signals “vitally important” technology that will give operators leverage in retransmission-consent negotiations.

“I think that is a vitally important piece of technology development, particularly when you read what’s happening in retrans these days and the cost that’s being paid in one way or another by Comcast, Mediacom [Communications] and many more to come,” Polka said.

Comcast reached an agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group last week to continue retransmitting Sinclair’s TV signals to about 3.4 million of the operator’s subscribers. Comcast claimed that it didn’t pay cash for the right to carry Sinclair’s television signals, but Sinclair disputed that characterization.

The CableLabs off-air project, announced earlier this month, could give cable operators a way to provide broadcasters’ signals without necessarily signing a retransmission agreement.

CableLabs CEO Dick Green wouldn’t comment on whether the off-air specification would help operators vis-à-vis retransmission agreements.

But Polka said the technology “will give cable operators a built-in option that will create leverage in retrans negotiations.” The Pittsburgh-based ACA lobbies on behalf of about 1,100 independent cable operators.

The technology could take the form of a set-top with a built-in off-air tuner or allow existing digital set-tops to connect with an external tuner. That would allow cable subscribers to see broadcast-TV signals and cable programming in “an integrated viewing experience,” CableLabs said. The consortium expects to demonstrate prototypes of the concept before the end of 2007.

At least one broadcast executive, who requested anonymity, said set-tops with off-air tuners wouldn’t change the balance of power in retrans deals: “If [cable operators] want to have our channels integrated into the cable set-top as part of their lineup, they would need our permission.”

Polka countered that “it's not a ‘retransmission’ if we are simply passing through the off-air signal. It's a retransmission if we receive the broadcast signal at our headend and then retransmit it through our cable system.”

He added: “Next the broadcasters will want cable and consumers to pay for their free, over-the-air signal.”

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6424451.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-14-07, 03:07 PM

TV Review
“Raines,” noir copper with a head case
New NBC drama takes chances and makes them work edium
By Andrew Lyons in MediaLifeMagazine.com Mar 14, 2007

“Raines” is something rare on network TV these days. The new Jeff Goldblum detective drama, premiering tomorrow night on NBC at 10, is essentially a film noir for the digital age, a TiVo noir, if you will.

In an era of Bruckheimer quick cuts, any series with enough confidence in its premise, its actors and its writing to take the time to let its characters breathe is refreshing. With its lush visuals, Hollywood setting, cynical voiceover narration and haunted hero, “Raines” could be a color version of an old Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum picture.

Yet for all the respect it shows for LA's past, “Raines” is not the noir of Humphrey Bogart. It's the new noir, with BlackBerries, online escort services, and neurotic, therapy-needing detectives. And as the new noir it works.

“Raines'” creator, Graham Yost (“Speed”), has found a few ways to cleverly tweak the expectations of a traditional detective drama, and one is by casting Jeff Goldblum (“Independence Day”), with his unconventional looks, mannerisms and vocal style. Goldblum is an ideal choice to play Michael Raines, an experienced police detective struggling to stay balanced after a shooting gone bad.

Raines is no cookie-cutter Hollywood cop. Yost has him literally seeing the victims of the crimes he’s investigating. To understand their lives, Raines conjures them up after death. He talks to them as a tool to uncovering their killers.

The apparitions only go away if he solves their murders. He's haunted by them, and since they’re all in his head, he's haunting himself.

Other series (“Medium,” “The Ghost Whisperer”) have characters who talk to dead people. But in those the leads are really interacting with ghosts, and the ghosts are real characters.

With Raines, it's different, his ghosts are different. He's an emotionally damaged tough-guy detective who must live with extended hallucinations that both inform and threaten his work and also his sanity. It's an odd, unconventional setup, and yet it's effective.

The series begins some months after a shootout that put Raines temporarily out of commission and ended his partner Charlie’s (Malik Yoba, “Thief”) police career.

On his first day back, Raines is sent to investigate the death of a pretty college student. Suddenly she appears to him. Raines, concerned that he’s losing his mind, confides in former partner Charlie but he keeps the visions secret from his boss, Captain Lewis (Matt Craven, “Crimson Tide”) and other police station colleagues, which include Carolyn (Nicole Sullivan, “MADtv”), Lance (Linda Park, “Star Trek: Enterprise”) Boyer (Dov Davidoff, “Third Watch”) and Samantha (Madeleine Stowe. “Twelve Monkeys”), who appears in the second episode as Raines’ therapist.

Goldblum does a superb job with a tricky role, being equally convincing as a seen-it-all cop and a man doubting his own sanity. He's believable barking orders at a crime scene or interrogating a suspect but he also nails the out-there delusional stuff.

When the murdered student chastises him for stereotyping her, he’s embarrassed by his assumptions, annoyed at being reprimanded, and bewildered that a figment of his own imagination could illicit the first two reactions.

Craven, as Raines’ surprisingly sympathetic superior, deftly navigates the police captain clichés inherent in his role. Sullivan, Yoba, Park and Davidoff all offer able support.

Stowe, whose stunning looks were made for old-time noirs, has starred opposite the likes of Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis and Anthony Quinn, and she easily holds her own with Goldblum.

“Raines" is aided greatly by Yost’s zippy dialogue and evocative imagery. He employs a luscious visual style that captures a Los Angeles that barely exists anymore, using of locations like the Hollywood Hills and the sun-drenched Venice Beach boardwalk. There’s even a nod to Robert Altman’s 1973 Phillip Marlowe remake, “The Long Goodbye,” when Raines takes the same exterior tower elevator Elliot Gould used.

For sure, “Raines” is a long shot. NBC stopped production after seven episodes, so unless it generates promising ratings it's a goner, another interesting idea to land on the heap of interesting ideas that never quite got the chance they deserved.

"Raines" deserves that chance far more than most.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10782.asp

fredfa

03-14-07, 03:08 PM

TV Review
“October Road”
By Brian Lowry Variety

About as tired as a premise gets, "October Road" starts down what appears to be a dead end -- the prodigal son returning to the small town he wronged and friends he abandoned -- before gradually finding a few interesting alleys to explore in the third and fourth episodes. It remains to be seen whether those sparks are too little, too late to save this soft-focused drama, which feels like a Hallmark movie stretched into series form. A foreword from "Grey's Anatomy," as it were, should at least provide a large initial audience for the show to fumble away.

Some of the hurdles faced by this new drama are no fault of its own, coming on the heels of ABC's forgettable string of programs cut from the same interchangeable swatch of yuppie cloth, from "What About Brian" to "Brothers & Sisters" to "Six Degrees."

What separates "October Road," albeit to a modest extent, is an unusually appealing cast, though that's relatively small compensation for the banality of the central character's situation.

Nick (Bryan Greenberg) is introduced via a 10-year-old flashback, right before he embarks on a six-week trip to Europe, leaving girlfriend Hannah (Laura Prepon) and best pal Eddie (Geoff Stults), as well as the small New England college town where he's grown up with his widowed dad (Tom Berenger).

Like Gilligan, however, that tour lasted longer than anticipated. A decade later, Nick is a successful novelist, having written a book obviously drawing liberally from his real-life experience. So in the throes of a creative and existential crisis, he agrees to teach a one-day seminar back home that, duh, will inspire him to hang around, facing the fallout from his book and a shifting set of relationships.

Before the "yawn" muscles kick in entirely, though, there are some pleasant surprises here, not counting Hannah's too-precocious 10-year-old Sam (Slade Pearce), who Nick fears/hopes might be his. At the local college, there's the pretty coed (Odette Yustman) who catches Nick's eye, and vice versa; ladies man Eddie's flirtation with an overweight local barmaid, who he's embarrassed to be seen squiring around; and committed shut-in Phil (Jay Paulson), who starts a sweetly awkward courtship with the local pizza delivery gal.

The main problem is that too much of the writing is bluntly on the nose, with characters launching into speeches about their feelings and unleashing such wince-inducing lines as, "The past is like a pimple on prom night."

This touchy-feely demeanor proves especially hard on Hannah -- who obviously still harbors a lingering attraction toward Nick -- as well as Nick himself, whose Yoda-like utterances include, "Once I stayed away, staying away became the way." Much of the action is also augmented by an ever-present song score -- a manipulative approach that harks back to "Dawson's Creek" days.

The pavers of "October Road" include Group M Entertainment, part of a media-buying firm, for whom this sort of innocuous fare provides a safe soap-selling backdrop. That isn't to say the program doesn't provide some simple pleasures; it's just that with the jury still out on "What About Brian," does ABC or anybody else really need "What About Nick," too?

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933036.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

fredfa

03-14-07, 03:18 PM

TV Sports
Senate Committee Sets MLB-EI Hearing

Eric Fisher of the SportsBusiness Journal reports in today’s “Sports Business Daily” that the Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a March 27 hearing to examine MLB’s recently announced deal with DirecTV providing the satellite carrier with a potentially exclusive hold on the league’s Extra Innings out-of-market game package and planned channel. Senator John Kerry, who has been critical of the proposed MLB-DirecTV deal, will chair the hearing.

Fisher reports that the committee has not yet prepared a full list of those scheduled to appear during the hearing. He quotes MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy as saying, “We look forward to answering the Senator’s questions.”

jandron

03-14-07, 03:56 PM

I will make a prediction about 'Raines', it will open bigger than 'Black Donnellys."

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 04:27 PM

I will make a prediction about 'Raines', it will open bigger than 'Black Donnellys."

:D What ever do you mean??? I think the first Quarter hour of the premier airing of Donnelly's did pretty good in the ratings. :D

Just to throw in my two cents worth, Ive never been a fan of Andy Richter's work and I will choose to watch "Raines" over "October Road".

fredfa

03-14-07, 04:33 PM

I will make a prediction about 'Raines', it will open bigger than 'Black Donnellys."
The whole hour or the first half hour? :)

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 04:33 PM

CBS' `Guiding Light' gets a leading 17 Daytime Emmy nominations; Bob Barker up for 18th win

DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

Television game show host Bob Barker interacts with the audience during a taping of "The Price Is Right" at the CBS Studios in Los Angeles, on Oct. 31, 2006. The soon-to-retire game talk show host has a chance to win his 18th Daytime Emmy Award in award nominations announced on Wednesday, March 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

NEW YORK — Soon-to-retire game show host Bob Barker has a chance to win his 18th Daytime Emmy.

He received a nomination Wednesday, while the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light" captured a leading 17. Another CBS soap, "As the World Turns," got 16.

New "Today" show host Meredith Vieira was nominated for hosting the syndicated "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and may be recognized in another category: A new award for morning shows such as NBC's "Today" is being established. Those nominations will be announced in April.

"There's so much talk and feature material on the morning shows that has never been recognized," said Peter Price, president of the National Television Academy.

It's not a judgment that the network morning shows are no longer news programs, Price said. They still will be able to submit material for the News and Documentary Emmys.

The Daytime Emmys ceremony will be telecast 9 p.m. June 15 on CBS.

Barker, 83, will step down as host of CBS' "The Price is Right" in June. Besides Vieira, the sentimental favorite will be competing for the best game show host trophy against Alex Trebek of "Jeopardy!," Pat Sajak of "Wheel of Fortune" and Ben Bailey of Discovery's "Cash Cab."

His 17 previous honors include a lifetime achievement award. It may not be his last chance to win, either; since the awards work on a calendar year basis, he would be eligible again in 2008 for his partial year as host in 2007.

"Sesame Street," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "The Young and the Restless" each got 12 nominations.

Two "Guiding Light" cast members, Crystal Chappell and Kim Zimmer, will compete for best actress in a daytime drama. Other nominees: Jeanne Cooper and Michelle Stafford, both of CBS' "The Young and the Restless," and Maura West of "As the World Turns."

With Peter Bergman and Christian LeBlanc, "The Young and the Restless" also had two nominees for best actor. Also in the running: Michael Park of "As the World Turns," Anthony Geary of ABC's "General Hospital" and Ricky Paull Goldin of "Guiding Light."

Rosie O'Donnell, who won six straight Daytime Emmys for best talk show host on her old program, has the chance to return to the winner's circle again.

She'd have to break a jinx to do it, though. The women of ABC's "The View" have been nominated for best talk show host nine times without a win.

Other talk show host nominees: Dr. Phil McGraw, DeGeneres, Rachael Ray, Tyra Banks, and Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway of "Soap Talk."

The Daytime Emmys were held for 32 years in New York before shifting to the West Coast last year.

Price said both cities were considered this year, but Los Angeles was the only place the academy could find a suitable venue with available dates. It will be held in the Kodak Theatre.

———

On the Net:

http://www.emmyonline.org/emmy/daytime.html

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 04:34 PM

Im not much of a Game Show guy but, Gotta love Bob Barker.

CPanther95

03-14-07, 04:41 PM

The whole hour or the first half hour? :)

People thought it was an interesting premise - then they tune in and find out the Irish gangsters were just a bunch of white guys. :)

fredfa

03-14-07, 04:49 PM

And, at least IMO, not terribly interesting or sympathetic white guys.

CPanther95

03-14-07, 04:56 PM

A TV Guide reviewer probably summed it up best:

...feeble urban fable of doltish brotherhood in which blood runs thicker than brains

jandron

03-14-07, 04:58 PM

The whole hour or the first half hour? :)

I think it will open bigger, and hold on to more of the audience in the 2nd half hour.

fredfa

03-14-07, 05:01 PM

TV Review
“Raines,” Let Goldblum be Goldblum
Despite being in almost every scene of his new series, the actor's smooth operator aura feels like background
By Paul Brownfield Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

NBC's new detective series "Raines" is like "House" or "Shark" — one name, hard vowel, must be good at puzzles. "Raines," like those, is about the burden of brilliance on social skills, but whereas "House" rants and "Shark" babbles, "Raines" does a lot of inscrutable staring, and mumbling to himself in cars, having imaginary conversations with murder victims.

He's a cop but also some kind of damaged schizo-savant, staring into the troubling present like a guy who can't find his car after a week at Burning Man. Have I mentioned that "Raines" stars smooth operator Jeff Goldblum? It's still supposed to be an occasion when an actor like this comes down from the big box of movies to the littler box of a TV series, and "Raines," as a star vehicle (we've got smooth operator Jeff Goldblum!), shares much in common with TNT's "The Closer" (we've got kooky Kyra Sedgwick!) or CBS' "Shark" (we've got sleazy Jimmy Woods!).

And yet, although Jeff Goldblum is in practically every scene of "Raines," the Jeff Goldblum aura feels like background. "Raines," on the one hand, is a fine TV series, smart and decent; even the conceit of Raines talking to dead people comes off without airs. The show, with arguable logic, tries to marry a neo-noir texture with Goldblum's ego-bound, always-in-his-head personality — it's a match.com of what's working for the networks (the aforementioned puzzle shows) and that discursive brand of sarcasm — and lecherousness — that Goldblum made most lovable in "The Big Chill."

But in so doing, the show also doesn't seem to be aiming for anything higher than a comfortable middle ground, bypassing a chance to watch Goldblum send up our preconceived idea of Goldblum. He's older now, of course, his hair close-cropped and parted on the side, though somehow still rakish, smooth.

"Raines," though, translates this into a muted flight of fancy; the series has an intentionally dated feel, like executive producer Graham Yost decided to resurrect the old "NBC Sunday Mystery Movie," where "Columbo," "McCloud" and "McMillan & Wife" rotated.

"You talk to yourself, detective?" asks the therapist he's ordered to see.

"Yes, uhm, I can't think of anybody more interesting to talk to," he tells her. "Ooh, my gosh, I'm a narcissist."

We're picking up on his sarcasm, and he's picking apart clues. To refresh myself on the Goldblum oeuvre, I watched David Cronenberg's 1986 updating of "The Fly," a part for which Goldblum is legend, playing a mad scientist guy who accidentally gets cross-bred with a housefly; the more horrifically grotesque he becomes the sharper the Goldblum humor gets, until he's asking his girlfriend Geena Davis: "Have you ever heard of insect politics? Neither have I. Insects don't have politics. They're very brutal. No compassion, no compromise. We can't trust the insect. I'd like to become the first insect politician."

Goldblum in "The Fly" is like Goldblum in "The Big Chill" — tall, dark and obtuse, his vulnerability catnip to the ladies. ("You're very cute, you know that?" Davis tells him in "The Fly," and he's only marginally less cute to her later, when he's lost his physique and he projectile vomits and his ear falls off).

There's no end to what Goldblum could be on TV — a yogi with a gaggle of acolytes, say, or a narcoleptic dermatologist who unwinds playing jazz piano, a talent (the piano playing) Goldblum has advertised.

The point is if you've got Goldblum, and he's willing, have fun with him. Raines the character is a master of the sarcastic aside, and the show gives him tons of emotional baggage — every episode, presumably, will feature Raines at the beach, chatting with the ex-partner who was shot before his eyes.

It's quirky stuff but awfully quiet. Celebrity has become a public conversation, and not surprisingly there's a kind of canon now of TV series in which once-indelible film stars play around with what viewers know and once came to expect — a school of self-mockery whose star students are the bloated William Shatner on "Boston Legal" and the also bloated Alec Baldwin on "30 Rock."

No other actor on television is as thrilling this season as Baldwin on that NBC comedy, where he plays Jack Donaghy, a GE suit meddling in the business of producing a network sketch comedy series run by Liz Lemon (Tina Fey).

"Lemon, come here, you've gotta see this," Jack said to her last week, leaning over her laptop computer. "It's a video of a baby panda sneezing."

He then tells her she has to fire 10% of her staff. To hear Baldwin say: "We have to synergize backward overflow" is the sign of a show bearing serious gifts.

Maybe it's unfair to compare a sitcom to a show like "Raines," but there's a kinship between the knowing joy that "30 Rock" and Baldwin take with Baldwin's persona and the commensurate lack thereof with Goldblum's on "Raines."

The show does come on like it might be fun to watch, opening as a self-conscious TV noir, muted trumpet in the background, cops milling about a body by a pool, the downtown skyline in the distance.

"Maybe I read too many detective books when I was a kid," says the voice-over. "Chandler, Hammett, MacDonald — all the great California guys of the '40s and '50s."

It's Goldblum, all right, though the tableau is imagined; the murder victim "Raines" puzzles over in the pilot is that of a woman lying in a parking lot by the 101. Bummer — I'd have preferred to watch Goldblum in an over-the-top noir projection than a projection of whatnetworks know might actually last.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-ontv13mar13,0,417216,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

fredfa

03-14-07, 05:01 PM

I think it will open bigger, and hold on to more of the audience in the 2nd half hour.

I think you might be right. It might just be quirky enough to be interesting.

fredfa

03-14-07, 05:35 PM

Cox Scores Multicast NCAA Games
Rhode Island System to Carry Up to Four Big Dance Games Simultaneously
By Steve Donohue MutiChannel News 3/14/2007

Cox Communications digital-cable customers in Rhode Island will be able to watch up to four 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games simultaneously under a deal the system cut with the local CBS affiliate.

Beginning Thursday, Cox subscribers with digital set-tops will be able to view multiple regional games from the tournament simultaneously.

Channels available on Cox from local CBS affiliate WPRI-TV -- owned by station group Lin TV -- include the main analog channel, an HD channel and two additional digital channels that are being used in the early rounds of the tournament to distribute multiple games at the same time.

The additional basketball coverage gives Cox a competitive advantage over incumbent Rhode Island cable operator Full Channel TV, which hasn’t yet agreed to carry the additional games.

“Full Channel is currently in retransmission negotiations with Lin TV,” Full Channel director of new media Levi Maaia said.

Several CBS affiliates have cut deals with cable distributors in recent years to distribute multiple NCAA basketball games on digital-cable channels.

While TV stations with digital-broadcast channels could directly reach viewers with multicast channels from over-the-air signals, few consumers own antennas and digital-broadcast receivers required to view the programming.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6424686.html?display=Breaking+News

keenan

03-14-07, 05:49 PM

I think you might be right. It might just be quirky enough to be interesting.
Goldblum practically defines "quirky"... :p

I think a major problem with the Donnellys is that there really isn't a likable character in the whole bunch....and there's too many of them to boot.

fredfa

03-14-07, 05:55 PM

TV Review
“Raines and “Andy Barker, PI”
Two new NBC series spotlight offbeat gumshoes
By Ed Bark former Dallas Morning News TV critic at his website unclebarky.com 03/14/07

NBC's Thursday night lineup gets two defective detectives this week. Enjoy or ignore them while you can.

Everyman Andy Richter goes first, playing an accidental private eye in Andy Barker, P.I. It's getting 30 Rock's 8:30 p.m. central slot, but only through April 12.

Semi-creepy Jeff Goldblum is next. He sees dead people in Raines, scheduled to fill ER's 9 p.m. home base through April 5.

Neither series is terrible, but it's hard to imagine either of them returning next fall. Their Thursday night trial runs, both beginning on March 15, are likely to be as good as it gets for them.

Richter plays -- as you've probably guessed -- Andy Barker. His failing one-man accountant business gets juiced when a femme fatale offers him $4 grand to find her husband, whom she believes is missing, not dead. The woman has mistaken him for retired dick Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell), whose office Andy is renting. She's also part of a ruse.

Co-created and produced by Conan O'Brien, Andy Barker plays like an extended version of one of their old Late Night sendups. There are no real characters or plausible situations. It's just play-acting Andy flying by the seat of his plus-sized pants, which sometimes is enough. Just hearing him say, "Oh, cheese and crackers" qualifies as a small helping of comedy gold in the premiere episode.

Andy's partners in crimesolving are the grouchy Staziak and two daft fellow strip mall occupants, video store schlepper Simon (Tony Hale from Arrested Development) and restaurant owner Wally (Marshall Manesh).

Our hero otherwise is devoted to his equally devoted wife, Jenny (Clea Lewis), who sounds just like Carol Kane. They enjoy watching Judging Amy reruns together.

Absent a laugh track and filmed in wide screen, Andy Barker fits the overall blueprint of latter day NBC comedies. But it's just not as smartly funny as The Office, My Name Is Earl, Scrubs or the series it's subbing for.

Rooting for Richter is almost a given, though. He's a good guy off-screen and a relatable Joe Schmo when on the other side of a piece of plate glass. Still, his best times were as O'Brien's late night sidekick, and it would be cool to see them reunited in that setting. An opportune time would be 2009, when Conan is slated to relocate from New York to L.A. to take over The Tonight Show. It'd be easy to bring Andy with him for a fresh start that also would be like old times.

***After Andy Barker comes Raines, with the low-talking Goldblum often seeming narcoticized as LAPD detective Michael Raines.

"I think I read too many detective novels when I was a kid," he says in his opening narrative.

It still hasn't prepared him for life after death. Or to put it another way, murder victims figuratively come alive and talk to Raines while he's trying to put two-and-two together. This is hardly a novel twist anymore, what with Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Lost and Supernatural currently populating broadcast networks' prime-time schedules.

Thursday's opener finds Raines tracking the killer of a young woman whom he soon learns was a prostitute. Invariably clad in a sportcoat, tie and dress shirt, he zips from one scene to another, always looking awkward with a gun in hand.

For solace, Raines leans on his good-humored dead partner, Charlie Lincoln (Malik Yoba), who took a bullet to the head in the line of duty. They generally meet in a cemetery. Talk about your grave circumstances.

Goldblum is in almost every scene, and has lots of dialogue, too. Much of it is delivered in a beaten-down, low-decibel monotone, making the character both hard to hear and bear. Raines could use a Marine Corps drill instructor barking "Can't hear you!" whenever he lapses into a near-lifeless state.

A second episode sent for review doesn't turn up his volume, but plays better than the first. It also introduces a shrink named Samantha Kohl, (Madeline Stowe), whom Raines has been ordered to see by his cop shop boss. Their dynamics might prove to be interesting, although many viewers might well have lost interest by then.

Grades: Andy Barker, P.I. -- C+; Raines – C

http://www.unclebarky.com/reviews.html

fredfa

03-14-07, 06:40 PM

Critic’s Notebook
The dumbing down of TV quiz shows
To attract more viewers to quiz shows, networks are making questions less challenging and more 'relate-able.'
By Paul Farhi Washington Post March 14, 2007

Ready, contestants? Here's your bonus question: Have TV quiz-show questions become dumber, and have the shows' rules grown wimpier, as producers pander to ever-lower audience expectations and the viewing public's general intellectual flabbiness?

Good luck, panel!

(Sound of time-filling musical interlude.)

OK, time's up. For those of you playing along at home, the correct answer is …

Boy, have they.

Consider the premiere episode of the new Fox hit, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?," in which a contestant grappled with the daunting complexities of arithmetic. "Two times five equals … ?" he asked himself aloud, genuinely struggling.

It wasn't a trick question. The answer is still as plain as the fingers on two hands.

"Are You Smarter" suggests how far down the de-evolutionary scale quiz shows have tumbled. Throughout TV history, quiz shows measured how smart their contestants were, rewarding them for their gray matter and their lightning reflexes. "Are You Smarter" celebrates the opposite, trafficking in the dimness of its adult contestants and glorying in their embarrassment.

The show's underlying premise is that its questions are within the intellectual grasp of a 10-year-old but out of reach of most adults (although it's not clear how smart the 10-year-olds really are since, as a disclaimer notes, the producers supply the kids with workbooks to help them bone up on material covered during the show).

Some of the program's questions are difficult, but it's unusual to get more than two real tough ones in a row. Among the questions in the debut episode: Name the ship the Pilgrims sailed on from Plymouth, England, to the Plymouth colony in America in 1620. Name the closest star to the Earth. What country has the longest shared border with the United States?

TV executives call those kinds of questions "relate-able," by which they mean "unlikely to challenge viewers too much and thus make them feel bad about themselves."

More than a few viewers apparently appreciate the approach. "Are You Smarter's" elevation of familiar, simple facts to brain-twisting stumpers has proved to be monstrously popular, attracting a larger audience than any new show in the Fox network's history, about 26.5 million (although it admittedly was helped by following the even more popular "American Idol"). The quiz show's second episode drew 23.4 million.

It's not just about the difficulty of the questions, though, or the lack of it. As with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," the rules of "Are You Smarter" stack the deck in the contestant's — and by extension, the viewer's — favor. On "Are You Smarter," participants have virtually unlimited time to answer, and can even officially "cheat" by peeking at the answers their child partners have supplied. If the adult contestant answers incorrectly, he can still be "saved" — that is, awarded a correct answer — if his partner has gotten the question right.

"Millionaire" seemingly invented that sort of crutch when it ushered in the prime-time quiz-show Dark Age in 1999. It offered contestants "lifelines" whenever its multiple-choice questions got too rugged.

Now, the prime-time NBC quiz show "1 vs. 100" makes it even easier: Instead of "Millionaire's" four multiple-choice answers, it reduces the possibilities to just three, one of which is often absurd on its face (sample question from last week: "If Vanna White was shopping at a 'white sale,' what would she likely be buying? (a) linens (b) a used car (c) a vowel"). Some of the new shows have also adopted "Millionaire's" rule that enables contestants to walk away with their accumulated cash after they've reached a certain plateau — and after they've heard the next question.

It wasn't always like this, kids.

Many of the quiz shows that riveted the nation in the 1950s were positively Einsteinian compared with today's. It was a different era, of course. TV was a new medium, and trying very hard to prove it was respectable, even educational. So shows such as "The $64,000 Question," "Dotto" and "Twenty-One" rewarded those with encyclopedic knowledge in such categories as opera, science and Shakespeare.

"By the standards of … a later epoch, the intellectual content of the 1950s quiz shows was downright erudite," wrote John Doherty in a history of quiz shows for the Museum of Broadcast Communications, located in Chicago. "Almost all the questions [on these shows] involved some demonstration of cerebral aptitude — retrieving lines of poetry, identifying dates from history, and reeling off scientific classifications, the stuff of memorization and canonical culture."

True, some of the shows were as crooked as a surgical scar, but they were still plenty smart. In their infamously fixed showdown on "Twenty-One" in the mid-1950s (dramatized four decades later in the movie "Quiz Show"), contestants Charles Van Doren and Herbert Stempel battled over biblical references, the volumes of Churchill's wartime memoirs and the names and fates of the wives of Henry VIII.

It's doubtful that anyone would have bought "Twenty-One's" scam if Van Doren had been locked in the isolation booth to sweat out the sum of five times two.

Although that heyday ended abruptly with the exposure of fixed results, more challenging games survived on the margins. "GE College Bowl" — the name says it all — ran from 1958 to 1970. And "Jeopardy!" helped revive the format with its debut in 1964. Like "College Bowl," "Jeopardy!" contestants had to have a wide range of knowledge, and had a limited time to supply each answer. The game also required some skill at wagering.

"Jeopardy!" survives to this day, of course, but it hasn't been immune to the general pressure to dumb down, says Steve Beverly, a professor of broadcasting at Union University in Tennessee who maintains the Web site TVgameshows.net. Nowadays, he says, the categories are narrower — fewer foreign phrases, more pop culture categories — and the questions are often written to point toward an answer.

In "Jeopardy!'s" first incarnation, for example — with host Art Fleming in the 1960s and early '70s — a "Final Jeopardy!" question might contain a minimal phrase, forcing contestants to supply a fairly complex question, Beverly says. That is, in a category such as U.S. presidents, the clue might be "Our American Cousin" — to which a correct response was some version of, "What was the name of the play Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated?"

In "Jeopardy!'s" current version, the process is inverted, so that the clue carries more hints. Today, Beverly says, host Alex Trebek might read the Lincoln question this way: "He was watching 'Our American Cousin' on the night of a fateful event." A correct question would be, "Who was Abraham Lincoln?"

Why has that happened? Beverly thinks the intellectual deterioration of quiz shows mirrors a decline in intellectual standards among viewers. "We have less of an expectation of ourselves that we'll learn rigorous material today," he says. "We have accepted a degree of mediocrity in education. We don't really want to work too hard to achieve success."

So quiz shows are dumber these days because they have to be to attract an audience.

Fred Wostbrock, co-author of "The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows" and the agent for such game show legends as Bob Eubanks, Monty Hall and Chuck Woolery, blames young viewers, in particular. Because advertisers want to attract younger people, he argues, it's not surprising that the content of quiz shows has become more frivolous to lure them.

The effect, he says, is that we might never again see the likes of such classic game shows as "Password," in which a contestant tries to get a partner to say a secret word by offering one-word clues. "You could get 'kangaroo' by saying 'pouched,' 'marsupial' and 'Australia,' " Wostbrock says. "With MTV and 'Entertainment Tonight,' do young people still read? I doubt very many would know what a 'pouched marsupial' is anymore."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-quizshow14mar14,0,6385820,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

dad1153

03-14-07, 06:52 PM

I watch a dozen old gameshows every day from Game Show Network. Most of them involve some sort of puzzle-solving and clue-detecting involving words and terms that are cake to me but would definitely stump today's average 18-49 person (the only type that game show producers book as contestants) into catatonic stupor. This has been particularly hard on the GSN original gameshows Lingo and Chain Reaction, in which the thought process of the mostly 18-49 year-old contestants is clearly lacking knowledge and often leads to uninteresting contests or blow-outs. This is why the retirement of Bob Barker from The Price Is Right is so devastating to the game show community: Barker's show was the last network gameshow (everything else is either syndicated or in primetime) with that old and reliable familiarity from decades of a proven format allowed to breath on its own. With Barker gone "TPIR" will be in the hands of Fremantle/CBS producers that only have "Deal Or No Deal" and its ilk as signposts of what to emulate to attract an audience. When/if "TPIR" ratings head south after Barker's departure the show will die at the hands of a thousand cooks (suits?) each trying to leave their mark instead of just leaving the format that works intact. Too bad Barker can't live forever! :(

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 07:54 PM

ABC to air new reality show featuring 'Young Guns'
NASCAR drivers to instruct celebrities in car competition

By Sporting News Wire Service
March 13, 2007
05:29 PM EDT

Gillette is turning its NASCAR "Young Guns" advertising theme into branded content and the basis for a reality television show on ABC that begins filming this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., and is slated to run during the NBA Finals.

Fast Cars and Super Stars: Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race will see the Nextel Cup drivers that have appeared in ads for the men's personal care brand -- Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and 2006 champion Jimmie Johnson -- instructing a bevy of sports and entertainment stars on the finer points of stock-car driving.

ABC's 'Primetime' to air NASCAR series

Juan Montoya has agreed to appear on camera as ABC News "Primetime" goes inside NASCAR with a documentary series set to air this summer. Filming began at Las Vegas.

Participating celebrities include John Elway, Tony Hawk, William Shatner, Laird Hamilton and his wife, Gabby Reese, WWE champion John Cena, John Salley, Serena Williams, Bill Cowher, and Jewel and her boyfriend, rodeo king Ty Murray.

Winners are established via time trials, head-to-head heats and skills competitions that will include fastest speed, quickest driving from zero to 100 mph, braking and pit-crew skills.

The final heat will feature three celebrity cars competing in time trials. The show will be hosted by Kenny Mayne with Brad Daugherty.

Radical Media is the production company.

The finished shows are envisioned as six 30-minute episodes plus a one-hour finale. They are scheduled to run as a lead-in to the NBA Finals, which start June 7 on ABC. (On the West Coast, the show will immediately follow the games.) They would run from 8-8:30 p.m. ET as a lead-in and be matched with each of the games of the Finals, which could run as late as June 23. The event will be part of a time buy with the network.

Although the concept originated from longtime Gillette creative agency BBDO, the same shop that dreamed up the original "Young Guns" ad platform, the show is being sold by Leverage Agency, New York.

Advertisers in or close to committing to the show include Gillette, Lowe's, Alltel, Cars.com, Walgreens, Kroger, Scotts Lawn Care and Sam's Club.

Made-for-TV contests involving top sports stars are nothing new.

However, a sports reality show based on an advertising concept is intriguing, since it comes at a time when every marketer is looking for new branded-content plays.

Given NASCAR's overtly commercial nature, some sponsor conflicts have already surfaced. Sources said Nike has qualms about Williams appearing in a Gillette-branded firesuit, since the company considers it "athletic apparel."

Sources also reported conflicts between the sponsors of drivers, the show and Lowe's Motor Speedway, which is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. As of last week, track signage will be shown, and drivers have agreed to use cars emblazoned with their regular Nextel Cup number and with primary sponsor logos, but not drive in their regular Nextel Cup vehicles. Celebrity cars will carry logos from show sponsors.

Since Gillette's core products are its shaving lines, contestants were told they "must be well-groomed" and that "stubble or scruff of any kind" is unacceptable.

http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/03/13/jjohnson.cedwards.kkahne.tv/index.html

Jewel AND Gabby Reese...not bad.

humdinger70

03-14-07, 09:00 PM

I watched that episode. Man, I couldn't believe that two people picked the 1,000,000 dollar case. That was crazy.

Even if they didn't know they had the million dollar case, both those two (the general and the bagpipe guy) decided they were done a little too early, if you ask me.

For the latter, bagpipe guy quit earlier than anyone else, after 3 rounds (15 cases open) and $81,000 offered. Three more cases and he could have almost tripled that! I know he admits to being broke, but he was a big disappointment.

By the way, anybody following Drabble in the comics where Ralphie is now a DoND contestant? Anyone want to guess how badly (or stupidly) he'll do? (FYI, he selected case 7 and he's already opened the million dollar case (12)).

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 09:05 PM

Unless im mistaken, the time on AVS forum is incorrect by 1 hour. Were they not prepared for the earlier time change this year?

keenan

03-14-07, 09:09 PM

Unless im mistaken, the time on AVS forum is incorrect by 1 hour. Were they not prepared for the earlier time change this year?
Click on USER CP and then back, that is supposed to reset the clock to the correct time, so I'm told anyways, it worked for me.

shuttermaker

03-14-07, 09:13 PM

Click on USER CP and then back, that is supposed to reset the clock to the correct time, so I'm told anyways, it worked for me.

Thanks.

Davinleeds

03-14-07, 09:27 PM

Critic’s Notebook
The dumbing down of TV quiz shows
To attract more viewers to quiz shows, networks are making questions less challenging and more 'relate-able.'
By Paul Farhi Washington Post March 14, 2007

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-quizshow14mar14,0,6385820,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

And I thought I was getting better.

TheRatPatrol

03-14-07, 10:21 PM

Davinleeds

03-14-07, 10:26 PM

BETTER half is anticipating Name That Tune. She claims expert status. We'll see...

fredfa

03-14-07, 10:53 PM

Washington Notebook
Martin to House: I’m Not Picking On Cable Operators
By Ted Hearn Multichannel News 3/14/2007

Washington -- Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin on Wednesday denied to a House subcommittee that he has been “picking” on the cable industry since taking control of the agency two years ago.

Martin has made a number of moves, and has a few more in the works, that have angered cable operators, who believe the Bush appointee has decided to punish the industry because it won’t yield on a Martin policy priority: Selling channels on an a la carte basis.

“I don’t think we are picking on them, but I have to confess that I think most of the industries we regulate complain at one time or another that I’m picking on them whenever we don’t end up agreeing,” Martin said during a four-hour appearance before the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee.

Seated beside the other four FCC members, Martin was peppered with questions on a broad range of subjects, including broadband policy, cable franchise relief for phone companies, spectrum auctions, retransmission consent, and network neutrality.

Martin took some heat for his management of the agency, which has involved heavy reliance on just a few trusted aides and prolonged decision-making, such as a TV violence study that Congress wanted from the FCC in January 2005.

“There is a consistent thread about the commission and that it is nontransparent [and] has a heavy-handed decision making process during your tenure at chairman,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.). “I’m being very rough on you, but I think these are things we need to talk about and get out on the table.”

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the most senior Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, raised the matter of Martin’s rocky relationship with cable.

“I’ve had a number of cable operators in to see me in the last couple of months and they are of the opinion, chairman Martin, that you are picking on them, that you are treating them unfairly and that the commission is treating them unfairly on a whole series of issues,” Barton said.

As an example, Barton pointed to the FCC’s December 2006 ruling in which local governments were ordered to approve or reject cable service applications by phone companies within 90 days. But the FCC postponed a decision to apply the same 90-day condition when cable incumbents seek to renew their service contracts.

“What's your answer to the concern that they’ve told me about that they are being picked on?” Barton said.

Martin explained that the FCC could apply the 90-day shot clock to cable renewals because the FCC hadn’t sought public comment on that policy change.

“I didn’t think we had the legal notice to actually apply the rules to them, so we immediately sought that notice,” Martin said. “We tentatively concluded that we’ll extend it to them and we will within the next six months.”

Meanwhile, Martin is pushing for rules that would force cable carriage of more local TV station programming and for rules that would bar a cable company from serving more than 30% of pay-TV subscribers nationally, a proposal that could threaten Comcast’s ability to add customers through internal growth or horizontal acquisition.

“A cap on the cable industry is something that both Comcast and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association have opposed, and we believe that the record in front of the FCC provides little support for a cable ownership cap at any level and absolutely no support for a cap of 30%,” Comcast executive vice president David Cohen said.

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleid=CA6424724

rebkell

03-14-07, 11:24 PM

Washington Notebook
Martin to House: I’m Not Picking On Cable Operators
By Ted Hearn Multichannel News 3/14/2007

Martin has made a number of moves, and has a few more in the works, that have angered cable operators, who believe the Bush appointee has decided to punish the industry because it won’t yield on a Martin policy priority: Selling channels on an a la carte basis.

Are we ever gonna get ala carte? My hope is that if forced to offer ala carte that we might actually get more selections to choose from, at least with satellite what one can get all can get(provided you have a clear view of the sats). But cable(Comcast in my case) offers varying programming from region to region. It irks me that I can't get any kind of sports pkg here, and that other parts of the country have Universal HD and various other channels. Hopefully with ala carte the cable companies will offer more choices to try to get more of your money, the way it is, they give you what they want and you have to pay a pretty penny to get any decent programming, satellite beats cable by a mile as far as the programming that is available, the only downside to satellite is local HD programming in my area.

keenan

03-14-07, 11:38 PM

Washington Notebook
Martin to House: I’m Not Picking On Cable Operators
By Ted Hearn Multichannel News 3/14/2007

I would hope that at least one of our honorable representatives would ask why Comcast got a get out of jail free card on their Philly RSN...

randosel

03-15-07, 12:34 AM

Just finished watching the pilot for Andy Barker PI. I like it enough, there was lots of gags, and styles that will be missed if you dont pay attention. Some jokes were a bit obvious and flat IMHO. The episode went by very fast. Have not see the second episode yet. This dont "feel" like a NBC show... more like Fox.

dad1153

03-15-07, 01:17 AM

I wish GSN would get classic TPIR from the 70's and 80's, those would be great to watch.

Also, anyone know why GSN stopped showing The Match Game nightly at 10pm/EST?

Ratings began skewing older (than usual!) for the "MG" repeats at 11PM and GSN wanted to freshen the time slot with a new show. They got the Karn episodes of "Family Feud" cheap, so what the heck. I personally welcome the break from having to watch four "Match Game" episodes per day; 9AM and 3:30PM showings are plenty for me.

"Price Is Right" aired on Game Show Network from 1994 until 2000. Due to Barker having lot of "pull" (no actual legal authorithy) only shows without animal furs as prizes were shown (about half of all "TPIR" shows from 1972 to 1986). In 2000 CBS put its feed down and forced the show's owner (a syndicator that eventually was bought by current owner, Freemantle Media) and GSN to stop showing episodes so they wouldn't take attention and ratings away from the 11AM CBS version. You can bet CBS would like to keep this ban going to prevent "TPIR" fans to flock to GSN repeats with Barker when the new host takes over in September. On the GSN boards people keep asking over and over for the network to air "TPIR" repeats (which they have in the vault ready to go) but its a low priority for GSN management to even bid for the show since the current regime is trying to get young-skewing gameshows and not older-appealing shows like "Price." But hey, if "The Price Is Right" (doh!) Bob Barker repeats could air on GSN in a few years when/if the current CBS version is cancelled or goes away.

fredfa

03-15-07, 01:25 AM

TV Notebook
Fox gets more 'Smarter'
Network orders more '5th Grader'ear
By Michael Schneider Variety

School's back in session at Fox, which has ordered 13 more episodes of smash gameshow "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader."

Pickup comes as gamer airs in its regular Thursday slot tonight for the first time without the help of an "American Idol" lead-in. Although sure to take a ratings dip without its "Idol" companion, the bona fide hit is expected to dramatically improve Fox"s perf on Thursdays - making the network a competitive player on the toughest night in television.

"The success was so quick and so great, we felt we should pick up as many episodes as we could as quickly as possible," said Fox alternative honcho Mike Darnell.

Standup comedian Jeff Foxworthy hosts the gamer, in which adults are asked simple grammar school-level questions - and are frequently forced to ask real grade-schoolers for help.

"At its core it"s a very simple relatable format on a simple relatable topic," said "5th Grader" exec producer Roy Bank, who"s also head of development and operations for Mark Burnett Prods. "We expected it to come out of the gate really strong, especially with an `Idol" lead-in. What we could have never predicted was the level of success."

Gamer stunned just about everyone - including Fox execs - two weeks ago by scoring the net"s best premiere numbers in 13 years. And its numbers were big enough (26.5 million) that it also repped the best preem for any net in five years.

Since then, the Mark Burnett-produced quizzer has continued to impress, making it the No. 1 new program of the 2006-07 TV season in all demos. Gameshow has averaged a 9.3 rating/22 share in adults 18-49 and 23 million viewers overall.

It"s also the most compatible show ever to air alongside "Idol." After its first four airings, "5th Grader" held on to 84% of its "Idol" lead-in, giving it the highest retention of any program that has run behind the talent competish.

Fox had already picked up an additional four episodes (beyond its initial six-seg order) by piecing together pre-existing footage. Now, Darnell said "5th Grader" will head back into production in three weeks. That means the show could continue in its Thursday slot beyond April 19, when its final episode is currently scheduled. But the net hasn"t yet determined whether to keep the show on the air or rest it and hold the 13 new episodes for later broadcast.

"It"s nice to have these in the bank," Darnell said. "It"s also a fantastic player for us to have in the fall."

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117961196&categoryid=14

fredfa

03-15-07, 01:41 AM

TV Review
“Andy Barker, P.I.”
With a Couch Potato’s Style, Private Eye Works the Mall
By Virginia Heffernan The New York Times March 15, 2007

Conan O’Brien’s loyalty to Andy Richter is impressive. It’s moving. Mr. Richter played sidekick to Mr. O’Brien on NBC’s “Late Night” from 1993 to 2000, beginning when Mr. O’Brien was nothing but a cub. But the awkward fact is that Mr. Richter didn’t stay for the duration, Ed McMahon-style, Tonto-style. In his sweet and beta way, Andy Richter deserted.

He went to peddle his lovability elsewhere: in supporting roles, as in “Talladega Nights,” and front and center, as in “Andy Richter Controls the Universe.” It seems he wanted to be in the big chair himself, and from afar Mr. O’Brien’s fondness never wavered.

Like Don Knotts, Mr. Richter is one of those rare performers whom other comics like to share a stage with, help out and forgive for almost anything. But audiences are different from performers: they have a martial idea of rank. You don’t go from sidekick to frontman easily. Mr. Richter is soft, friendly, affable. He’s supposed to listen and laugh as much as he talks and jokes.

Still, Mr. O’Brien and Jonathan Groff, a onetime head writer for “Late Night,” are positive that their honey deserves another shot in a title role. And they’re correct to take the chance. Some shows, the ones short on snickers and put-downs (those are for Jimmy Kimmel), actually require a good-natured, rosily complexioned and hefty lead. Witness Kevin James on “The King of Queens.”

Tonight Mr. Richter opens in “Andy Barker, P.I.,” a heavily plotted crime show that’s meant to evoke the 1970s — not just with its hat tips to TV of the period, but with its cocktail-culture drollery. Mr. Richter plays Andy Barker, an accountant in a Los Angeles exurb, who appears at first to be living a hollow existence in which high pleasure is afforded by “Judging Amy” on TiVo. On greater exposure the Barker life looks like fun.

Andy’s office, in a big-box mall called Fair Oaks Plaza, is spacious and icy-clean in the way of early-’90s stylized set design (think Hal Hartley). The plaza also allows for sociability with the downstairs neighbor, Simon (Tony Hale), a jivey video store owner whose obsolete livelihood means that he has time on his hands. Together they get drawn into a classic noir plot in tonight’s episode, and Andy turns out to have a knack for solving crimes.

Further supported by a codger detective, Lew Staziak (the movie veteran Harve Presnell), and a patriotic restaurateur, Wally (Marshall Manesh), Andy hangs a private-eye shingle, and a franchise is born. The second episode introduces a new crime, including the mystery of an obese man’s sex appeal.

Part of what’s satisfying about “Andy Barker” is that it answers a truly urgent historical question: What would Jake Gittes, Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade have done with Google? Often Andy turns to the old Internet when he wants to find a fact or a fugitive, and the camera is not shy with its shots of the computer screen.

The show is surprisingly beautiful — if you came across it while flipping channels, you’d think it was a movie — and that adds to its platinum-card sheen. NBC has lately become a network for the rich, which would be nauseating except that sometimes “upscale” also means “good.”

This peculiar series seals NBC’s new role as the skinflint’s HBO. The shows “30 Rock,” “Friday Night Lights” and now “Andy Barker, P.I.” are all so engrossing and so creatively untrammeled that it’s almost suspicious. Have the rules of network TV changed? Does no one need to make money anymore?

We may be in a golden age. Watch these shows while you still can, meaning now. This not being the 1970s, all six episodes of “Andy Barker, P.I.” are already available, all the time, on nbc.com.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/arts/television/15heff.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

03-15-07, 01:56 AM

“Raines”
With Voices in His Head, a Detective Gets to Work
By Alessandra Stanley The New York Times

The hard-boiled detective is an American archetype, to urban mythology what the cowboy is to the Wild West. At the moment, however, American television seems to prefer its detectives soft-boiled. “Monk” is about a prissy private eye with obsessive compulsive disorder. “The Closer” showcases a Southern detective with a secret addiction to sweets. That kind of fancy is a natural swing of the pendulum away from the long hegemony of facts and forensics on “Law & Order” and “CSI.” So is outright fantasy. The heroines of “Medium” and “Ghost Whisperer” resolve conflicts by talking to the dead.

Tonight NBC is trying out another variation on the theme with “Raines,” a crime drama starring Jeff Goldblum as a detective who thinks he talks to the dead. It sounds a little bit like “Psych,” a USA Network series about a private investigator who pretends to be psychic. Actually, and in too many ways, “Raines” is a homage to “The Singing Detective,” a 1986 BBC mini-series by Dennis Potter that starred Michael Gambon as a mystery writer — named Philip E. Marlow — who, when hospitalized with acute psoriasis, hovers uncertainly between reality and hallucinated characters from his own novels, some of whom burst into songs from the 1930s.

Detective Michael Raines does not sing, but he is a Raymond Chandler buff, something he points out right off the top in a ’30s film noir first-

person narration delivered as the camera freezes on a pulp fiction tableau of a crime scene in Los Angeles.

Like Chandler’s hero Philip Marlowe, Raines hides a tender heart beneath cynical gibes and sarcastic asides. But his grip on reality is a bit more tenuous. After his partner is killed during an investigation gone sour, Raines begins to hallucinate that his partner appears at his side, talking over the case with him as they did when he was alive. And soon the victims begin to appear before him as well, vanishing only after he solves the crime.

In the pilot episode a girl hovers around Raines with an enigmatic smile as he puzzles over the clues to her murder. She does not give him hints; instead her personality comes into clearer focus as he fills in details about her life. When he learns she grew up in Texas, her accent switches to a drawl. “It’s your imagination, detective,” she says. “I’m just the figment.”

The hallucination conceit is strange but not necessarily horrible. Most television detectives have a defining eccentricity of some sort and nothing-but-the-facts fellows like Sgt. Joe Friday on “Dragnet” and Detective Lennie Briscoe on “Law & Order” are more the exception than the rule.

Kojak had his lollipop; Raymond Burr was in a wheelchair in “Ironside.” There is something appealing about strong men with a weakness or far-seeing men with a blind spot, sometimes literally: James Franciscus played a sightless insurance investigator in the 1971 series “Longstreet.” In 2005 Steven Bochco updated the idea with the short-lived “Blind Justice,” about a detective who was blinded in the line of duty and then sued for reinstatement.

The problem with “Raines” is that it tries too hard to be too many things at once. It’s a Chandleresque film noir. No, it’s a ghost story. The lead is a sardonic, wisecracking antihero, but he is really an emotional wreck who sees dead people. Watching the premiere is a little like seeing a child lose his nerve before a Halloween contest: Red horns and a tail aren’t scary enough, so he throws on a rubber Frankenstein mask and insect wings.

And that is not very complimentary to Mr. Goldblum, an odd and remarkable actor who almost never disappoints. His television career has been disappointing however. No matter how good he was, none of his series stuck for long, from the smart but quickly canceled “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe” in 1980 to “War Stories” in 2003, which began as a two-hour pilot and was never picked up.

Mr. Goldblum somehow manages to make his way through this muddle of a debut with considerable grace and skill. He has always been a natural in roles that call for glibness and slithery sarcasm, but he is also remarkably moving in those moments when he drops the tough facade, his eyes mist over and he shows compassion — scenes that would make a lesser actor look ridiculous.

Like a lot of shows “Raines” cannot be judged solely by its pilot. The premiere episode of “House” was also cluttered and confused; it took a few weeks for Hugh Laurie to settle into the persona of Dr. Gregory House, but the show improved drastically as soon as he did.

Television loves a hateful hero. most recently Dr. House faked cancer to get drugs to feed his addiction; James Spader on “Boston Legal” and James Woods on “Shark” have been just as sneaky. Mr. Goldblum is in their league. He doesn’t need quite so many gimmicks to hold his own.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/arts/television/15stan.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

03-15-07, 03:58 AM

TV Review
“October Road”
Writer Goes Home, Lands in a Soap Opera
By Ginia Bellfante The New York Times March 15m 2007

It is arguably the case that someday in a future not too far away, writers will match lawyers, civil servants, meter maids, and usurious executives of credit-card companies as the country’s most detested professionals. Due for this particular ignominy are not the journalists and gossip columnists who have long been under the culture’s reproving mallet but the writer writers — the purveyors of fiction, the memoirists who copy them, the haute novelists who smugly decline invitations from Oprah.

Should you already hold the view that young writers are hideously self-regarding, pillaging the intimate emotional property of their closest friends and relations, then “October Road,” a drama beginning on ABC this evening, will do nothing to change your mind even though it seems intent on trying.

The series arrives in the coveted time slot after “Grey’s Anatomy” and exists as the kind of bad soap opera that quickly allows you to see what makes a good one. At the center of the story is a 28-year-old, Nick Garrett (Bryan Greenberg), who left his New England hometown 10 years earlier only to land as a novelist in New York, author of an autobiographical book that has brought him a good deal of recognition and money. It’s called “Turtle on a Square Drum.”

Nick is Thomas Wolfe’s George Webber but with a facility for air guitar. Now calling himself Nicholson professionally, he has betrayed his friends for the purpose of his art, depicting them as lazy nothing hounds he has bested by dint of his courage to move on.

Early in the show Nick announces that he wrote his book over “one long winter.” One long winter! Please, Mr. Pynchon, pick up the pace. Nick’s editor wears colored shirts with contrasting white collars and in this improbable Larry Kudlow costume pumps up his young charge with summonses to productivity like this: “You’ve got to get past your fears, kiddo. G. Gordon Liddy was afraid of rats, so he cooked one up and ate one.” There is an agent as well, a tall man in a boxy suit who yells at Nick through his cellphone. Someone seems to think that representatives for people like Jonathan Safran Foer talk and act like agents for people like Shaquille O’Neal.

The central action of the show revolves around Nick’s return to Knights Ridge, a town that, though thousands of miles from suburban Los Angeles, is referred to by its inhabitants as “the Ridge,” as in, “Well, that’s just how things go down here in the Ridge.”

With the exception of “Melrose Place,” which invested itself solidly in the lives of middle-class nutcases, nighttime soap operas have typically shown no interest in or patience with anything but the tumult of the very well-to-do. And while “October Road” asks us to think about Knights Ridge as the blue-collar nowheresville of a Richard Russo imagining, the creators cannot quite commit to what that means visually, depositing the characters in big houses with pretty clapboard exteriors on broad streets where it always seems to be fall.

But there is a fantasy at the heart of “October Road” more insidious than that, the idea that working-class people stay that way not because of diminishing opportunities or difficulty with setting goals, but because they lack a sense of adventure, the desire like Nick’s to see everything, to travel to Europe.

Nick comes home from his big, broad life initially at the behest of a local college, which has asked him to speak, but once he gets there he decides to move in with his father, a delivery truck driver played by Tom Berenger. All of Nick’s success has left him feeling six different kinds of empty — the posters of his novel plastered all over Manhattan, the women who keep throwing themselves at him. He must find himself at the root.

Once in town he quickly bumps into the pretty girlfriend he abandoned, Hannah (Laura Prepon), a veterinary assistant who is now in possession of a 10-year old son. Because of the suspicious timeline and the fact that the boy, Sam (Slade Pearce), like all TV children, speaks with the locutions of a middle-aged Etonian, Nick becomes convinced that the child is his. From no other DNA could such genius alight.

The driving tension of “October Road” comes not from the question of whether Nick and Hannah will resume their relationship; you would be much happier to see her stay with the dopey builder of pizza franchises she is dating. Suspense hangs essentially on whether Nick will be able to secure genetic proof of his own narcissism. He may need to see the test results, but you won’t.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/arts/television/15road.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

03-15-07, 04:05 AM

TV Review
“Raines”
By Rich Heldenfels in his Akron Beacon Journal blog

For the sake of clarity, I should explain that I watched “Raines” a little bit out of order. I had a disc of the second episode but couldn’t find my copy of the pilot, so I started with the second show. Not the worst thing to do in any case, since second episodes can often tell you more about what a show is than the pilot — which is fundamentally a selling tool, especially for the audience.

Anyway, and here’s the first sign that I liked the show, after seeing the second episode, I went onto nbc.com and watched the first. Doing that meant that I watched the pilot knowing one revelation that’s held back for the end of the first episode. But the revelation won’t be that big a surprise to anyone paying attention during the pilot.

And yes, I liked the show, more than I expected to, and enough that I may after to shoehorn it into my overburdened viewing schedule.

To explain: “Raines” stars Jeff Goldblum as an LAPD detective who is starting to see and talk with the victims in his cases. Not in a “Medium” kind of way; the show tries to make clear that the victim is Raines’s mental concoction, and that the character changes as Raines learns more about the person. His stereotyping may also affect the images, and he has to throw away some assumptions along the way when he makes mistakes. In sum, it’s a mystery with a visual aid: an evolving victim who traces what Raines, and we, know about the case.

It’s an interesting device, and I suspect it was a considerable pleasure for the people cast as the victims. Think about how dull it must be much of the time to play someone who’s been iced — especially if you don’t get flashbacks to life before murder. With “Raines,” the victims have to change attitudes, change wardrobe, change accents, change their entire character to fit Raines’s thoughts. Great acting exercise.

But the device wasn’t what kept me watching. Neither, for that matter, were the mysteries, which felt a little stiff. A trauma in Raines’s near past, which may have triggered his visions, is also less than remarkable. But, like “Monk,” which is also watchable even when its plots are bedraggled, “Raines” has an engaging character in the middle: a guy who is smart, but unpleasant, unnecessarily nasty to people. As a detective, Raines says, “It’s my job to think the worst of people.” But Raines feels like the sort of person who doesn’t need the job to think the worst.

Good performance from Goldblum, too. And the casting generally is solid, both in regular characters and in the suspects Raines interrogates. You know how some mysteries will cast a well-known actor as a suspect and then a bunch of nobodies as the other suspects? “Raines” doesn’t play that. You see plenty of mid-range actors — lots of, “oh, yeah, I know that face” — even in roles that don’t get a lot of screen time.

So am I crazy about the show? No, but I didn’t turn it off midway through, either. As I said, I watched a second. It earned at least a third.

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/heldenfiles/2007/03/14/raines/#more-1000

WilliamR

03-15-07, 08:37 AM

Even if they didn't know they had the million dollar case, both those two (the general and the bagpipe guy) decided they were done a little too early, if you ask me.

For the latter, bagpipe guy quit earlier than anyone else, after 3 rounds (15 cases open) and $81,000 offered. Three more cases and he could have almost tripled that! I know he admits to being broke, but he was a big disappointment.

By the way, anybody following Drabble in the comics where Ralphie is now a DoND contestant? Anyone want to guess how badly (or stupidly) he'll do? (FYI, he selected case 7 and he's already opened the million dollar case (12)).

I know, that guy was crazy, he had multiple 6 figure sums still up there and yet he quit. Unbelievable.

fredfa

03-15-07, 10:48 AM

Yesterday’s metered market over-night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted just near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-15-07, 10:56 AM

TV Review
“Andy Barker, P.I.”“Raines”, “October Road”
A Nose for Laughs
By Tom Shales Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, March 15, 2007

"Andy Barker P.I.," a new NBC series about an accidental detective, abounds in qualities that aren't common to contemporary sitcoms: sweet, lovable, good-natured. Maybe even "adorable as a puppy."

Even though (or because) we're only seven years in, it's safe to call it "one of the best comedies of the 21st century!" What it lacks in edge, it makes up for in charm.

For Andy Richter, who plays Andy Barker, the show marks a reunion with series co-creator and exec-producer Conan O'Brien, the brilliant nut who used to employ Richter as his sidekick on NBC's "Late Night" show. It's obvious that all those involved in a major way look at the world through, oh, maybe puce-colored glasses.

Richter plays a young, eager and very mild-mannered accountant who, in the show's premiere tonight, opens his own office in one of those anonymous mini-malls that freckle America's suburbs. What the likable schmo doesn't realize is that the place was formerly occupied by Lew Staziak, a seedy private eye, and that one day, when the wind blows down Andy's shingle, it also blows in a mysterious damsel in distress, just like in the movies. Old movies, anyway.

Since the damsel's of the seductive sort -- actually, more like bossy -- and private eyedom has begun to seem slightly more glamorous than accounting, Andy goes along with the mistake, at least to the point of helping the woman find her missing husband. Downstairs in the mini-mall, however, is a video store run by a wild-eyed goofball named Simon (Tony Hale, perfect in the part) who wants his life to be more like the movies; he encourages Andy to take on this case and, as you can guess, others in weeks to come.

Hence, show.

Richter is an implosive presence who works well when surrounded by the weird and wacky. Barker has to keep his bearings as well as solve the latest mystery -- and continue to ply his chosen trade. Barker likes being an accountant, and he's not some thwarted Walter Mitty type who daydreams desperately about being chased down alleys by hoodlums.

Soon enough, though, Andy is being chased down alleys by hoodlums. He's cautious by nature, so that when the chase progresses to cars, Andy thinks he's being a wild man when he exceeds the 40 mph speed limit -- by about four miles. He'd have an easier time escaping the pursuers, Simon points out, if he'd stop signaling his turns.

When riled, Andy utters such ersatz epithets as "Oh, Mother Hubbard."

The supporting cast, which does more than merely support, includes Marshall Manesch as Wally, a super-patriotic immigrant who runs a kebab restaurant in the mini-mall; Harve Presnell (immensely memorable as the father of a kidnapped housewife in "Fargo") as grumbling Lew Staziack; and Clea Lewis as Jen, Andy's vanilla-wafer wife, who doesn't appreciate her husband and his cohorts turning her backyard barbecue into bedlam as they search for suspicious chickens in the third episode.

"Andy Barker P.I." sails along on an admirably even keel, brightened by moments that are convulsively funny -- visual gags and subtler forms of slapstick. It's the kind of comedy that sneaks up on you. Sneaks up on you and threatens to steal your heart.

'Raines'

"Do you talk to yourself, Detective?" asks the patronizing shrink.

"Yes," he replies. "I can't think of anyone more interesting to talk to."

He isn't really talking to himself, however. He's talking to the hallucinated images of murder victims. Thus the central gimmick of "Raines," an NBC crime drama with an unmistakable resemblance to USA Network's "Monk."

In "Monk," Tony Shalhoub plays a detective with obsessive-compulsive obsessions. And compulsions. Jeff Goldblum plays Det. Michael "I-see-dead-people" Raines with less fey whimsy and more serious introspection. Goldblum seems a trifle embarrassed by the obviousness of the gimmick -- Raines tells a colleague that "it's just my 'hook' " -- but he skillfully manages to make it palatable if never quite plausible.

Graham Yost, who created the show and wrote the pilot, gets things going right off the bat tonight, and we find Raines at a crime scene talking with witnesses and other cops. The camera pans, and there stands the very late Julio Santiago, visible only to Raines and to us.

At first the talking stiff is a bloody mess, but the producers wisely clean him up as Raines gets to know him. They drive around the city looking for possible suspects and winding up on the doorstep of A Martinez, skilled veteran of too many episodic TV shows to count. Go back 30 years or so and you could well encounter Martinez as a knife-wielding teenager on "Hawaii 5-0." Times have mercifully changed; in tonight's premiere, he plays a Hispanic councilman who has earned considerable enmity among other Hispanics by taking a hard line on illegal immigration.

In some of his roles, Goldblum has come across as antsy and mannered. But for television, a close-up and intimate medium, Goldblum has toned down the tics and tricks. He gives the character of Raines a solid and gratifying humanity, enough to lift "just another" cop opera into a considerably more rarefied realm.

'October Road'

Anyone masochistic enough to miss the hyper-sensitive schmaltz of "thirtysomething" or wear out their DVD of "The Big Chill" has a dubious treat in store tonight: the premiere of ABC's "October Road," a wistful wallow in misplaced nostalgia. The show is as commercial and mechanical as an entry-level Mercedes, but not as emotionally involving.

It's the summer of 1997 when the alleged drama begins, although the town of Knights Ridge, Mass., where it takes place, seems to enjoy the luxury of year-round autumn, always golden and dewy and crisp. Young Nick Garrett (Bryan Greenberg) is enjoying a post-coital cuddle with girlfriend Hannah Daniels (Laura Prepon) before leaving his dear home town, and a bevy of bosom buddies, for a trip to New York.

What a long goodbye it is, with Nick's beer-swilling cronies waving and shouting and playing air-guitar and air-bass as part of their all-air rock band. Bye bye, Nick, old boy! See you in six weeks! Ten years later, Nick's still missing, and autumnal summer has turned to autumnal autumn. Nick struck it rich, having written "Turtle on a Snare Drum," apparently the most successful novel in the history of novelty.

Nick is having trouble finishing a follow-up book, however, and this is used as the pretext for his first trip back to Knights' Ridge in a decade.

The town appears untouched by Wal-Mart or Starbucks -- although big-screen TV has somehow made it through the time warp that protects the city from the outside world. Look, there's cute little Sam, age 10, delivering the daily paper from door to door, just like in 1957, much less 1997. Funny thing about Sam; He was born to Hannah, the girl Nick left behind, just months after Nick's departure. And just like Nick, the boy is allergic to peanuts!

Whatever corny, maudlin and hokey things could happen to someone in Nick's situation manage to happen -- replete, of course, with recriminating glowers from friends he used as characters in his novel. Hannah tells him life is an apple cart and he'd best not upset it.

Meanwhile that old gang of Nick's assembles at 3 on Saturday afternoon -- insisting Nick join them for the apparently weekly rite -- to air-band their way through, heaven help us, "The Boys Are Back in Town." A whole decade and not one of them has learned to play an actual instrument.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/14/AR2007031402568_pf.html

fredfa

03-15-07, 11:00 AM

TV Review
“Andy Barker, P.I.”
By Rich Heldenfels in his Akron Beacon Journal blog

Andy Richter’s TV shows are like the drawings in Mad magazine in its glory days …full of funny little details, marginal jokes, that can sometimes be more amusing than the parody as a whole. And in “Andy Barker, P.I.,” the NBC comedy with Richter as an accountant becoming a private eye, there are jokes big and small — including the way it embraces the conventions of ’70s action shows and turns them inside out. The music, the way a scene climaxes in the symmetrical arrival of police cars, the plots that make little sense — it’s “Starsky & Hutch” made even more absurd (if that’s possible), Starsky an accountant, Hutch running a video store.

But, like those Mad bits, does “Andy Barker” ultimately add up to a funny show? Not really. I probably chuckled more of the sidelights than the show itself. And after watching three episodes, I’ve done enough close-up viewing. From here on, it’s a show worth a pause while channel-flipping and not much more. But you may have fun with the DVD, freeze-framing here and there for the jokes on the margin. MSG No, USA Yes, indeed,

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/heldenfiles/2007/03/14/andy-barker-pi/#more-1002

fredfa

03-15-07, 11:08 AM

TV Q & A
“Andy Barker, P.I.”
Sleuths clued in to comedy

By Bill Keveney USA TODAY

Take an accountant, add a video store manager, and you get the gumshoes likely to have gum on their shoes in Andy Barker, P.I. (NBC, tonight, 9:30 ET/PT). Andy Richter, who plays accountant Barker, and Tony Hale, as crime-fighting sidekick Simon, talk about the new comedy, their old comedies and the tricks of the trade.

Q: You've both starred in critically acclaimed comedies.

Richter: We have?

Q: Yes. Arrested Development for Tony and Andy Richter Controls the Universe for you.

Richter: Oh, right. I just wanted to hear you say it.

Hale: We need as much affirmation as possible.

Q: But they couldn't draw big audiences. Why?

Hale: For Arrested Development, there was a cultlike following who loved it and then my parents, who really genuinely only loved it when I fell. It was different people's tastes.

Richter: I loved both of those shows, but Arrested Development had the advantage of actually being on a while. Andy Richter was on, then off, on Tuesdays, then on Thursdays, on two weeks, then off two weeks. If you bury something in your backyard, you're not going to find an audience.

Q: Do you worry that Barker will appeal to a niche audience?

Richter: I can't imagine making anything funnier or smarter and yet more accessible. This is a show about an accountant solving crimes. It's not confusing. There's a problem in the beginning, then it gets resolved or doesn't, and there are a lot of funny jokes and good acting. It's not that different from Matlock, except that it's got jokes.

Q: Barker has a lot of action for a comedy. What did you think of the physical demands?

Richter: I did more sprinting in that show than I've done in the last 20 years.

Hale: I do a lot of falling. I enjoy the pratfalls. I'm proud of it.

Q: Andy, why did your former Late Night colleagues Conan O'Brien and Jonathan Groff have you in mind for Andy Barker?

Richter: They feel they know what the different things are in my bag of tricks. … They felt a lot of those would suit this character — a sort of naiveté and an ability to play like your feelings are deeply hurt and elicit laughter. They think of me as like this classic good ol' standby Midwestern lump.

Q: Is that troubling?

Richter: If the check cashes, I don't care.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-14-andy-barker-QA_N.htm

fredfa

03-15-07, 11:11 AM

TV Review
“Andy Barker, P.I.”
Richter's 'Barker' is a P.I. worth hiring
By Robert Bianco USA TODAY

There's no accounting for taste.

In some quarters, the idea of Andy Richter returning to TV as a crime-solving accountant is likely to be met with a shrug. But for fans of sitcoms in general, and of Richter's work in particular — from his run on Late Night With Conan O'Brien to his late, lamented sitcom Andy Richter Controls the Universe— it's cause for celebration indeed.

Granted, this new Andy may not be as inventive or subversive as Universe, but it is just as funny and probably a bit more accessible. Created by O'Brien and former Late Night head writer Jonathan Groff, this gentle detective spoof provides an ideal role for Richter, as a soft-spoken accountant who moves into a strip mall office that once housed a private detective. Before you can say Chinatown, a beautiful blonde is in his office asking for his help in finding her missing husband.

Well, you can say Chinatown; Andy is more of a Judging Amy fan. That's one of the main sources of humor: the way Richter so innocently embodies, without smugness or irony, a Midwestern nice guy whose natural response to someone who shoots at him is to be shocked by the lack of courtesy: "That was pretty scary. And a little bit rude." Richter has a cherubic gift for investing lines that are not meant to be taken seriously with complete seriousness, coupled with a gift for funny expressions.

And happily, he's not in this alone. Andy solves crimes with a trio of assistants: an Afghan restaurateur (Marshall Manesh), a retired private eye (Harve Presnell) and a video store manager (Tony Hale, as bizarrely hilarious here as he was in Arrested Development). And while his wife, Jenny (Clea Lewis), initially objects to Andy's new mistaken identity, she eventually gets into the crime-solving spirit.

Silly sight gags abound — golf cart battles, low-speed car chases, sexual come-ons involving black-and-white cookies. But they're not forced to carry the show; they're in the service of mysteries that, while not exactly airtight, are at least serviceable.

There is a risk that Barker is spoofing shows that most members of its target audience won't remember. Still, if you're a comedy fan, you owe it to yourself, and Richter, to check it out.

You don't want to be a little bit rude, do you?

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2007-03-14-andy-barker_N.htm

fredfa

03-15-07, 11:26 AM

The Digital Revolution
The lowdown on flat-panel TVs
With prices falling and quality increasing, you're only limited by the size of your wall -- or your wallet
By Jordan Rane Special to The Los Angeles Times March 15, 2007

Venture into a home entertainment store on a Sunday afternoon to shop for a new flat-panel TV and very little seems clear beyond those ludicrously sharp, bright, oversized images of sweat beads on some jock's face or taste buds on a grasshopper's tongue. The sales staff, weary of explaining the difference between seemingly identical models — "They're all good. How big's your wall?" — don't illuminate much. Still, the reduced prices on the sets are very tempting.

"I think most customers who come in are pretty bewildered right now," says Pam Crane, executive vice president of Ken Crane's home entertainment stores. "Given how drastically the technology has improved and the prices have fallen in so short a time, it's hard for anyone to keep up — on either side of the fence, frankly."

If current trends are any indication, even 52-inch LCD TVs ($4,000 average price) will be cheaper and better by the end of the year. The average $1,877 price for a 42-inch set could drop 35% to $1,175 by the winter holidays, the ISuppli industry analyst group said Tuesday. The average plasma price was $5,000 in 2002, according to the Consumer Electronics Assn. Now it's $1,500. And they're going for less than that.

"It's what we call a 'profitless prosperity' right now," says Crane. "There's a lot of product and it's really become a price war. The big winner is the consumer."

As TV sizes keep swelling, resolutions keep improving and technologies keep advancing, new design dilemmas and solutions pop up. Making the best call about a TV should happen before the wrong one ends up weighing down your wall studs.

Big or supersize?

"Generally, people want to have the biggest TV they can afford — at least for their predominant set, the one that they watch the most," says Crane. "I'd say the most common issue our customers deal with after buying one is then deciding that they want to upsize. Rarely does it work the other way."

The 42-inch sets, once the benchmark flat-panel size, have lately been losing status to 52s and now 63s. Are there downsides on the need to upsize?

L.A.-based designer Brad Haan says any screen larger than 52 inches "can start to feel like you're on the flight deck of the Enterprise. If you have a separate media room, that's one thing. But bigger is not always better at all — even though it may look that way in the showroom."

The expense of adding a huge screen can turn a great plasma deal into less of a bargain when factoring in the cost of remedial design solutions — but ignore them at your living room's peril.

"The error that people make when shopping for a big television is thinking only about the cost of the TV itself without also considering the kind of architectural treatment or custom build-out necessary to make it a positive addition to a room — whether it's custom cabinetry, a wall of Shoji screens, or something else to provide some balance," says L.A.-based interior designer, Deborah J. Davis.

"Otherwise, if you just place this huge TV set in front of a painted wall, it's going to stick out," she says.

LCD or plasma?

Most non-videophiles will have a tough time distinguishing between these two dominant sandwich-thin technologies. A closer look reveals some differences worth knowing.

Images on plasma sets are created by thousands of tiny inert gas-filled pixel cells between two panes of glass. Plasma screen sizes generally begin at around 42 inches (measured diagonally) and get as large as 103 inches.

In contrast, LCDs (liquid crystal display) images are created by thousands of liquid crystals sandwiched between thin panes of glass (think laptop). LCDs have traditionally dominated the smaller flat-panel market but are now forging deeper into plasma territory. The 52-inch LCDs and larger models are now common enough, though typically more expensive than plasmas in this upper size range.

Both LCDs and plasmas flaunt the latest HDTV advancements — notably 1080p resolution (see story above). But one can't judge a state-of-the-art television by pixel count alone.

"Plasma produces a lot of heat and infrared emission and LCDs don't," says Alberto Fabiano, chief technology officer at DSI Entertainment, an L.A.-based home theater system company.

"Plasmas also tend to be up to 30% heavier, use more energy, and remain the only display device on the market that still has a potential problem with burn-in when displaying static images — like video games — for long periods of time."

There's also the glare issue. Plasma glass screens allow more ambient light reflection. LCDs tend to do better in rooms with a lot of windows or natural light.

Self- or full-serve?

As a rule, the more sophisticated the system, the more help you may need.

Only you'll know how much hand-holding you require. "At least let someone else hang it for you," urges Fabiano. "You don't want something that weighs 120 pounds and costs several thousand dollars crashing on the floor — or on you. That thing falls on your watch, it's your fault."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-hm-tvdesign15mar15,0,3787345,print.story?coll=cl-tvent