Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information - Page 2421

Yep, as I recall, that was the proverbial last straw for me. I haven't been back to FOX/Sunday/Animation-Domination since that debacle.

NBC should ditch Faith Hill - or maybe just keep her on screen without the lame song....she is easy on the eyes - and commision a nice new John Williams fanfare to lead into SNF.

Also doubt it will generate much revenue at all.

Doesn't the studio get virtually all ticket sale revenue for the first 2 weeks of release? If they want to experiment, why not do it coinciding with its theatrical release instead of only when the theater owners start to get a decent share of the revenue?

THURSDAY's fast affiliate overnight prime-time ratings -and what they mean- have been posted on Analyst Marc Berman's Media INsight's Blog.

Nielsen Overnights (18-49)
Baseball takes the zip out of broadcast
All but two Thursday shows see declines versus last week
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - October 7th, 2011

The decisive fifth game of the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees series on cable seemed to sap some strength from broadcast Thursday night.

With baseball broadcaster TBS rising to No. 3 on the night, ahead of all but two broadcasters, most broadcast shows took a viewership hit.

CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" remained the night's top show, Fox won the night, and ABC's new drama "Charlie's Angels" dropped to dangerously low levels.

Fox averaged a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating and 10 share for the night, according to Nielsen overnights, with two hours of "The X Factor."

The show was down 3 percent from last week but has now gone six-for-six in its first three weeks, boosting Fox to a win on every night it has aired.

CBS, with "Bang" averaging a 4.4, placed No. 2 on the night, but "Bang" lead-out "How to Be a Gentleman" is looking problematic. It lost 43 percent of "Bang's" lead-in and fell 7 percent versus last week.

ABC's "Angels," airing at 8 p.m., slid a troublesome 20 percent, to a 1.2, the night's lowest-rated show on the Big Four. A cancellation would not be a surprise.

In fact, all but two shows, NBC's "Prime Suspect" (flat to last week) and CBS's "The Mentalist" (up 4 percent) saw declines from last week. Baseball is likely to blame for much of that, considering New York is the country's No. 1 TV market.

With Fox out to a big lead, CBS was second for the night at 2.9/8, ABC third at 2.1/6, NBC fourth at 2.0/5, Univision fifth at 1.6/4, CW sixth at 1.0/3 and Telemundo seventh at 0.5/1.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback. Seven-day DVR data won't be available for several weeks. Forty-two percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

At 8 p.m. CBS and Fox tied for the lead at 3.5, CBS for "Bang" (4.4) and "How To Be a Gentleman" (2.5) and Fox for "Factor," with Univision third with a 1.8 for "Una Familia con Suerte." NBC was fourth with a 1.7 for "Community" (1.5) and "Parks and Recreation" (1.9). ABC and CW tied for fifth at 1.2, ABC for "Charlie's Angels" and CW for "The Vampire Diaries," and Telemundo was seventh with a 0.4 for "Mi Corazon Insiste."

Fox took the outright lead at 9 p.m. with a 4.1 for more "Factor," while ABC moved to second with a series-low 3.0 for "Grey's Anatomy." NBC was third with a 2.7 for "The Office" (3.1) and "Whitney" (2.3), CBS fourth with a 2.5 for "Person of Interest," Univision fifth with a 1.9 for "La Fuerza del Destino," CW sixth with a 0.8 for "The Secret Circle" and Telemundo seventh with a 0.5 for "Flor Salvaje."

CBS moved to first at 10 p.m. with a 2.7 for "Mentalist," with ABC second with a 2.2 for "Private Practice." NBC was third with a 1.5 for "Prime Suspect," Univision fourth with a 1.1 for "Mujeres Asesinas" and Telemundo fifth with a 0.6 for "La Casa de al Lado."

Among households, CBS led the night with a 7.2 average overnight rating and an 11 share. Fox was second at 6.8/11, ABC third at 4.7/7, NBC fourth at 3.0/5, Univision fifth at 1.8/3, CW sixth at 1.6/2 and Telemundo seventh at 0.7/1.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...-broadcast.asp

TV Review
'Top Secret Recipe' (CMT)
Hacking Isn't Just for Computer Geeks: A Food Detective Cracks Recipe Code
By Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times - October 7th, 2011

Everybody talks about food especially on that new ABC chatterfest, The Chew but nobody does anything about it. Oh, sure, someone might show you how to make a caramelized onion tart with olives or bake a cake in the shape of a Viking ship, but is anyone telling you what you really want to know, which is how to have a Cinnabon roll for breakfast without having to get out of your pajamas and drive to a Cinnabon?

Yes, actually. His name is Todd Wilbur, and for years, in print and the occasional television guest appearance, he has been trying to decode the recipes on which food franchises have been built. On Friday night on CMT, he begins doing so on a weekly series, Top Secret Recipe. This is decidedly not a highbrow cooking show, as you can tell from the fact that Mr. Wilbur spends part of the premiere in a Dumpster.

The gimmick, delivered with a refreshing silliness, is that each week Mr. Wilbur takes some famous but well-guarded marquee recipe and tries to duplicate it, through a combination of stealth, science and educated guesswork. In the opening episode the target is original Kentucky Fried Chicken you know, the 11 herbs and spices thing. (Cinnabon gets its turn in Episode 2.)

The premise is spurious if you want to know what's in the chicken, all you really have to do is send a leg of it over to Abby's lab on NCIS but Mr. Wilbur, who calls himself a food hacker, has great fun spinning it out. On a tour of the KFC headquarters, he steals a cook's gloves from the kitchen. He tries to pry information out of a longtime assistant to Harland Sanders, the chain's founder. And, yes, he plunges into a trash bin in search of packaging that might hold clues.

Throughout, he is cooking chicken, taking a bite, then going back to the drawing board. At the show's end, he puts his best shot in front of some taste testers, along with a bucket of actual KFC.

Various food factoids (foodtoids, the show calls them) pop up on the screen at points in the show. One in the premiere is, A chicken loses its feathers when it becomes stressed. A lot of feathers may be shed if chickens watch this show to the end: viewers are invited to go to the CMT Web site to try out Mr. Wilbur's version of the recipe themselves.

TOP SECRET RECIPE
CMT, Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT)

http://tv.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/art...ref=television

TV/Tech Notes
Netflix to Stream 'Walking Dead'
AMC Deal Also Covers IFC, WE tv, Sundance Shows
By Tim Molloy, TheWrap.com - October 7th, 2011

Netflix and AMC Networks announced a multi-year licensing agreement that will make "The Walking Dead" exclusively available for streaming to Netflix customers. The deal also covers non-exclusive rights to AMC Networks shows including IFC's "Portlandia" and "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret," as well as several WE tv and Sundance Channel shows.

Netflix is already the streaming home of AMC's "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad." The deal makes past episodes of the additional shows available just before the premieres of new seasons.

Here's the release:

Beverly Hills, Calif. and New York, NY, October 7, 2011--Netflix Inc. and AMC Networks Inc. have reached a multi-year licensing agreement that will make prior seasons of AMC's critically-acclaimed original series, The Walking Dead, available exclusively to Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada. Season 1 of The Walking Dead will be available today. Additional seasons of The Walking Dead, as well as certain future AMC and Sundance Channel programming, will be streaming instantly to Netflix members just prior to the premiere of subsequent seasons.

Netflix has also licensed non-exclusive rights in the U.S. to select scripted and unscripted shows, which will also be made available just before the following season debut. This includes programming from across the AMC Networks portfolio of AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE tv. Specific series include IFC's Portlandia and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret; WE tv's Braxton Family Values, My Fair Wedding, and Bridezillas; and Sundance Channel's All On The Line with Joe Zee and Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys.

Netflix is already the streaming home of Mad Men and Breaking Bad in the US and Latin America, said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. We are delighted to be in business directly with AMC Networks. AMC's programming sensibilities have struck a chord with our members and with the overall viewing public.

AMC Networks President and CEO Josh Sapan commented, This agreement supports the cable 'ecosystem' by making our content available to Netflix nearly a year following the linear premiere, it brings our content to a wider audience, and it provides additional revenue to support production of new shows."

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/ne...ce-shows-31642

TV Notes
'Simpsons' actor breaks silence, says Fox should share profits
By James Hibberd, EW.com's 'Inside TV' Blog - October 7th, 2011

The cast and producers of The Simpsons have been silent since news of their latest contract war with studio 20th Century Fox TV broke out. Until now. Cast member Harry Shearer who provides the voice for Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Kent Brockman, and other characters issued a lengthy statement explaining his position on why the actors are holding out for a better deal to keep the show on the air (it's a bit awkward when you're publicly demanding a large salary in the middle of a recession, a fact Shearer seems very aware of here). See what you think, below. Does Shearer come across like humble Ned Flanders? Or Mr. Burns?

For many years now, the cast of The Simpsons has been trying to get Fox to agree that, like so many other people who've contributed significantly to the show's success, we be allowed a tiny share of the billions of dollars in profits the show has earned. Fox has consistently refused to even consider the matter. Instead, it's paid us salaries that, while ridiculous by any normal standard, pale in comparison to what the show's profit participants have been taking home.

Now, as the show enters its twenty-third season, we are engaged in what will probably be our last contract negotiation with Fox. As you may have heard, the network has taken the position that The Simpsons no longer makes enough money and that unless we in the cast accept a 45% pay cut, they are not going to bring the show back for a twenty-fourth season.

Obviously, there are a lot more important things going on in the world right now, in the streets of New York and elsewhere. But given how many people seem to care about what happens to our show - and how much misinformation has been flying around - I thought it might make sense for at least one member of the cast to speak out directly. I should note that I am speaking only for myself, and not for any of the other actors on the show.

Fox wants to cut our salaries in half because it says it can't afford to continue making the show under what it calls the existing business model. Fox hasn't explained what kind of new business model it has formulated to keep the show on the air, but clearly the less money they have to pay us in salary, the more they're able to afford to continue broadcasting the show. And to this I say, fine - if pay cuts are what it will take to keep the show on the air, then cut my pay. In fact, to make it as easy as possible for Fox to keep new episodes of The Simpsons coming, I'm willing to let them cut my salary not just 45% but more than 70% - down to half of what they said they would be willing to pay us. All I would ask in return is that I be allowed a small share of the eventual profits.

My representatives broached this idea to Fox yesterday, asking the network how low a salary number I would have to accept to make a profit participation feasible. My representatives were told there was no such number. There were, the Fox people said, simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show's success.

As a member of the Simpsons cast for 23 years, I think it's fair to say that we've had a great run and no one should feel sorry for any of us. But given how much joy the show has given so many people over the years - and given how many billions of dollars in profits News Corp. has earned and will earn from it - I find it hard to believe that this is Fox's final word on the subject. At least I certainly hope it isn't, because the alternative is to cancel the show or fire me for having the gall to try to save the show by helping Fox with its new business model. Neither would be a fair result - either to those of us who have committed so many years to the show or to its loyal fans who make our effort worthwhile.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/10/07/si...harry-shearer/

C'mon Fox. Not even 0.5% of the syndication deals? Wow!

.5% would sstill be alot of money. .05% would make more sense. Heck I guess even that would be alot of money.

On sunday/monday nights since only 1 game going on i just dvr them & start watching about an hour in then FF thru opening/commercials/halftime & bout time i catch up to realtime its late 4th qtr....i dont think i would even know if they changed the opening.

You get so accustomed to watching sunday ticket &/or redzone & not having to deal with annoying commercials its really hard to watch anything realtime anymore.

I don't think Survivor and The X Factor are to blame for the ratings drop off. If that was the case, Up All Night would be getting similar numbers. It has to do with nobody was interested in the show regardless of when it was on.

re "Free Agents"

For us, it's the fact that you have two people having this on-again-off-again relationship.. who just aren't pretty. At least not to us. My wife likes Hank, but would go "ewww" during the love scenes. I feel the same about Kathryn. Not someone I'm attracted to. Needed red-hot actors and actresses, if you ask me.

I don't know. Does anyone find Ed O'Neal on Modern Family attractive enough to want to sleep with? I'm sure some women do but most probably not. Yet people watch Modern Fam in droves. Sure Sophia Vergara is absolutely off the charts smoking hot latina mami and Julie Bowen is just, well......cute. But I still enjoy the show.

I don't know if most people watch shows based on whether they would sleep with any of the characters. Most people that are tuning out from "Up all Night" probably just don't like the show. The two episodes I watched focused more on Maya Rudophl and her relationship with her stupid ex-boyfriend. That turned me off somewhat but I may watch more episodes.

IOW, due to the all the questionable accounting shenanigans that they use to avoid paying taxes on the real profits of the show, they can't possible give anyone a deal which would open up their accounting to outside scrutiny.

I miss hearing Howard scream "Look at that little monkey run!" And, of course, hearing Dandy Don sing "Turn out the lights, the party's over." Ah...the good ol' days.

Weekly BCS Countdown Show to Begin October 9 on ESPN and ESPNU
Concludes with Final Standings for Five BCS Bowl Games December 4

ESPN’s weekly discussion and analysis show BCS Countdown Presented by Allstatewill return Sundays at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and 9 p.m. on ESPNU starting Sunday, Oct. 9 – a week out from the first BCS Standings compilation of the season. The nine-week show will reveal the BCS Standings first each week and will use a variety of top analysts to give college football fans context about each team’s position leading up to the final standings on December 4 which determine the teams for each of the five BCS bowl games, concluding with the Allstate BCS National Championship (Jan. 9 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN).

Hosted by Rece Davis, BCS Countdown will feature a variety of analystseach week from the likes of Kirk Herbstreit, Craig James, Rod Gilmore, Mark May, Urban Meyer, Jesse Palmer, David Pollack and Robert Smith to break down teams’ standings via the show’s touchscreen technologyand to offer their picks for best in the nation.

Additionally, BCS expert Brad Edwardswill offer his bowl projections each week on set via touchscreen to illustrate all potential matchups for each of the 35 existing bowl games. New this year, fans can submit their questions via Twitter using the hashtag #BCS for answer live on air.

Michael Fountain, senior coordinating producer, ESPN, said, “We realize fans will look to us each week for the BCS Standings and analysis of what it all means for their teams’ bowl hopes. BCS Countdown uses the strength of our college football coverage – the best analysts in the business – to break it down for them.”

http://sportsmedianews.com/weekly-bc...spn-and-espnu/

TV Notes
'The Simpsons' Renewed for Two More Seasons
By Alex Ben Block, The Hollywood Reporter's 'Live Feed' Blog - October 7th, 2011

The Simpsons are safe for two more seasons, which will bring them to a historic 25 years on network TV, longer than any other scripted series.

After tense negotiations with the voice acting cast for a renewal, Fox announced Friday afternoon that the longest running comedy in history will return for a 24th and 25th season.

Fox did not reveal the terms of the deals with the actors, but sources say they accepted a sharp cut in pay, of around 30% from the $440,000 for each of 22 episodes they had been making. That would be just over $300,000 per episode.

There was no specific mention in the Fox announcement about the actor but all of them are believed set to return. That would include Julie Kavner (Marge and others), Nancy Cartwright (Bart and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe, Chief Wiggum and Apu), and Harry Shearer (the voice of Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, and Ned Flanders, among others).

The battle between Fox and its voice actors has been a regular event every few years since 1998 but this time around was particularly bitter and public. Fox took the unusual step of issuing a statement saying the show's economic model no longer was viable, and that it had to reduce costs. There were reports the producers, writers and actors would all see their compensation reduced. There was even a leak to one blog that there would be only one more season of The Simpsons in any case, which obviously has turned out to be incorrect.

During the heated negotiations, the actors volunteered to lower their salaries but sought a share of back end profits from things like syndication and licensing. Shearer even said early Friday he would take a 70% salary cut in return for a share of the profits. The studio held firm and refused to pay them any profit sharing.

The actor's do get extra pay when their voice is used as part of licensing but otherwise do not share in that revenue. Source say with this new deal they still will not have any cut of the back end profits.

Fox said in its announcement The Simpsons will return on Oct. 30 with new episodes, beginning with the "Treehouse of Horrors XXII.

The Simpsons, which is distributed by Fox, is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Century Fox Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening and Al Jean are the executive producers. Film Roman, a Starz Media Company, is the animation house.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...seasons-245748

TV Notes
CBS pulls 'How to Be a Gentleman' from Thursday slot, moves it to Saturdays
By Dan Snierson, EW.com's 'Inside TV' Blog - October 7th, 2011

The Gentleman is being shown the door on Thursday: After only two weeks in the choice 8:30 p.m. slot, the struggling CBS comedy How to Be A Gentleman that stars Kevin Dillon (Entourage) is being shipped to Saturday nights at 8:30 p.m. starting next weekend, the network announced today.

Although Gentleman ranked second in its time slot last night (7.8 million, 2.5 adults 18-to-49 rating), the numbers drop from its lead-in, The Big Bang Theory (13.6 million, 4.4) was steep. Rules of Engagement, which is entering its sixth season, will take Gentlemans old slot effective Oct. 20, with a repeat of The Big Bang Theory filling the hole on Oct. 13.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/10/07/cb...t-to-saturday/

^Why.. should just can it now...

Basically they are, they are just burning off the remaining produced episodes on a night when ratings don't really matter anyway. According to Deadline, the 9th and final episode just taped tonight.

I've been a member since 2002, has anybody saw a picture of me?

I received a great job offer this past month. I'm not sure if I should switch jobs, I'm perfectly happy at my current job. I met my mother for dinner to discuss the situation. We had Mexican food and I had two Hornito's Silver margaritas. I thought I would be the gentlemen and pay for our dinner. It was a nice time

My mother thinks I need to take the job offer. Sigh.
I'm so comfortable at my current job, I don't want to leave.
I am at least happy that another company is interested in my skills. Makes me feel wanted and liked.

I'm back home and drinking some beer to further enjoy the night.
I think avsforum is just awesome. You guys are great



Edit No. 1: I've lost 55lbs. My shirt is overly big because of the weight loss.

Edit No. 2: OK to delete this posting if it's too off topic.

I love it when we take a moment to step back and have a good time!

Absolutely!

We don't normally allow members to post pictures of themselves sleeping with their wives - but at the same time, I'd hate to be the one that discourages it.

Dude - that's his mom!

Just a word of unsolicited advice Young C - You're a draftsman in an architect's office, correct? More than a full quarter of all unemployment resulting from the Great Recession of '08 has occurred in the construction industry. Our business always takes it on the chin in any recession but this one is more malignantly persistent than any we've seen before. My advice is to examine which company has the most diversified portfolio - thus the best long-term prospects - and hunker down there. And remember that in this climate, seniority will usually do more to protect your job than actual talent. Talent is everywhere these days, and it's hungry. Moving around too much can get you killed. Good luck!

Oooops, misread his post. Please, please, disregard mine.

TV Notes
Saturday's TV Highlights: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1' on HBO
By Los Angeles Times' 'Show Tracker' Blog - October 7th, 2011

[ALL TIMES LISTED ARE PACIFIC TIME]

WIZARDRY: Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson star in the 2010 fantasy “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1” at 8 p.m. on HBO.

SERIES

Giada at Home: Chef Giada De Laurentiis returns for a new season and prepares California turkey chili, vegetarian chili verde and short rib chili. (11:30 a.m. Food).

Ask This Old House: The home improvement advice series returns for a new season at 3 p.m. KOCE and 5:30 p.m. KVCR.

Free Agents: The original British series — upon which the recently canceled NBC incarnation was based — premieres with Stephen Mangan and Sharon Horgan in the lead roles. With Anthony Head, who was cast in the same role in the American version (8 and 8:30 p.m. BBC America).

Live From Daryl's House: Smokey Robinson performs in this new episode (11 p.m. KTLA).

Austin City Limits: Raphael Saadiq and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears perform in this new episode (11 p.m. KOCE).

Saturday Night Live: Ben Stiller hosts with musical guest Foster the People (11:29 p.m. NBC).

MOVIES

Alien Series: AMC is airing all four installments of the brutally scary science fiction film series starring Sigourney Weaver, beginning at 2:30 p.m. with 1979's “Alien.” That's followed at 5 by 1986's “Aliens,” then 1992's “Alien3” at 8 and 1997's “Alien Resurrection” at 10:30.

SPORTS

NASCAR: Nationwide Series: Kansas Lottery 300: qualifying (7 a.m. ESPN2); Racing (12:30 p.m. ESPN2).

College football: Oklahoma vs. Texas (9 a.m. ABC); Kentucky at South Carolina (9 a.m. KDOC); Minnesota at Purdue (9 a.m. ESPN); Louisville at North Carolina (9 a.m. ESPN2); Florida State at Wake Forest (9:30 a.m. MyNet); Florida at LSU (12:30 p.m. CBS); Air Force at Notre Dame (12:30 p.m. NBC); Arizona State at Utah (12:30 p.m. FSN2); Auburn at Arkansas (4 p.m. ESPN); Georgia at Tennessee (4 p.m. ESPN2); Iowa State at Baylor (4 p.m. FSN); Ohio State at Nebraska (5 p.m. ABC); Washington State at UCLA (7:30 p.m. FSN2).

Hockey: The Anaheim Ducks vs. the New York Rangers (10 a.m. VS); the Buffalo Sabres vs. the Kings (11 a.m. FSN).

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/show...-1-on-hbo.html

TV Review
'Bedlam,' slow build could drive you nuts
BBC America horror series about an insane asylum takes its time
By Tom Conroy, Media Life Magazine - October 6th, 2011

In one of those TV programming coincidences that occur more frequently than one might imagine, two cable channels have just premiered supernatural dramas about hard-to-unload real estate: FX's American Horror Story and BBC America's Bedlam.

It's an open question which building would be less appealing: the former show's mansion, in which the previous owners died in a murder-suicide, or the latter's apartment house, a converted insane asylum called Bedlam Heights, which comes complete with a graveyard on the grounds. But in terms of entertainment and chills, the American show beats the British.

Airing on Saturdays at 9 p.m., Bedlam rather predictably lets us know early on that something creepy happened in the mental hospital before the renovations began, and also rather predictably, it doles out the clues slowly. Even at the end of the six episodes that the channel made available for review, we're not sure why so many deceased patients continue to haunt the place.

The episodes settle into a pattern in which a tenant has frightening visitations from a troubled spirit and then the complex's resident ghost whisperer, Jed (Theo James), helps the spirit find closure and stop bothering the living. This template has been worn out on American TV.

Worse, the scripts and direction fail to build much tension or release it in satisfying jolts. The tenants are constantly being watched by grungy people in hospital garb or nightgowns who appear in mirrors or reflected in windows and then vanish.

Jed's visions, which usually occur when he touches a possession of the deceased and often show him how the people died, leave him gasping for air. The repeated sight of him nervously reaching out toward an old letter or blanket, bracing himself for the sight of past tragedies, starts to become comical.

In the premiere, which aired last Saturday, Jed has been receiving text messages saying, Save Kate. Kate (Charlotte Salt) is his cousin, whose father, Warren (Hugo Speer), inherited the asylum after the death of his father, a doctor who had been accused of abusing inmates.

Jed, who was adopted by Warren's sister, has been in and out of mental institutions all his life, mainly because of his visions. Nonetheless, Kate lets him crash on her couch with her two roommates, Molly (Ashley Madekwe) and Ryan (Will Young).

It turns out that Kate has attracted the anger of the ghost of a former inmate who had been subjected to repeated duckings. The word drown begins to appear on steamy bathroom mirrors, and greenish water drips down the walls, an effect that will have most homeowners thinking, Who cares? It's a rental. Meanwhile, a view of the site where Ryan's brother drowned keeps showing up like a screen saver on his computers.

After much foreboding and exposition, the unhappy ghost is dispatched rather suddenly and anticlimactically.

In the second episode, airing this Saturday, a tenant who claims that an ex-boyfriend is stalking her receives repeated menacing phone calls. Her car, which she admits she stole from him, acts up on her, and tire marks repeatedly appear on her apartment floor.

In this and most of the episodes, Jed discovers a sort of poetic-justice link between the angry spirits and the person being haunted. That doesn't pack the same emotional wallop as stories in which the departed and the living have an actual personal connection.

A longer story arc gradually develops: The disappearance of a friend of Jed's flatmates may lead Jed to revelations about his parentage and the history of the asylum, which Kate's family has been running for centuries.

Since it's clear early on that the family has been up to no good, the search for specifics lacks urgency. But toward the end of the sixth episode, the plot starts to build some momentum.

Sadly, by that point, most of the viewers will have passed on Bedlam.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...e-you-nuts.asp