Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information - Page 2844

Curious, but shouldn't WipeOut be on now (either their Winter or Spring edition)? I haven't seen it on ABC's schedule.

I just went to the site (my son loves this show!) and sadly saw no mention of a new season, just a "Thanks for Watching" across the top. I hope it's not gone!

I saw info on a season 6 with Jill Wagner coming back.

Drat...

Thanks for posting that! My son is now happy (even though I am still the meanest, most terrible mom on the planet today) .

Supposedly he is out once his contract ends at the end of the season.

TUESDAY'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)
ABC and NBC dramas struggle at 10
Returning 'Body of Proof' draws a 1.2 in 18-49s
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - Feb. 20, 2013

The 10 p.m. hour is looking weak on Tuesday nights.

Last night ABC’s third-year drama “Body of Proof” returned to low ratings, and it finished third in the timeslot, behind CBS and Univision but ahead of NBC’s “Smash,” which slid to another series low.

“Proof” averaged a 1.2 adults 18-49 rating at 10 p.m., according to Nielsen, off 29 percent from its 1.7 season-long average last year. It also tied a series low.

Also in that hour, week two of NBC’s “Smash” averaged a 0.9, down from a 1.2 for its second-season premiere two weeks ago. (Last week’s episode was preempted by the State of the Union address.)

CBS won the hour with a mere 1.5 rating for “Vegas,” the first-year drama that’s suddenly looking unbeatable in this timeslot.

Elsewhere last night, CBS’s “NCIS” was the night’s top show with a 3.5 at 8 p.m.

Only a couple shows posted gains over their most recent episodes. ABC’s 8 p.m. reality show “The Taste” was up 7 percent from last week to a 1.6, while the 8:30 p.m. episode of NBC’s “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” grew 8 percent to a 1.4.

A number of shows saw notable declines. NBC’s “Go On” (1.1) and “The New Normal” (1.0), which hadn’t aired in three weeks, both slid to series lows.

Fox’s 9 p.m. comedy “New Girl” fell 15 percent from its most recent original two weeks ago, to a 2.2, and lead-out “The Mindy Project” dipped 16 percent, to a 1.6.

And the premiere of the CW’s new drama “Cult” bombed, drawing only 941,000 total viewers, a 0.3 in 18-49s and a 0.2 in adults 18-34 in the 9 p.m. hour.

CBS was first for the night among 18-49s with a 2.6 average 18-49 rating and a 7 share. ABC was second at 1.8/5, Univision third at 1.7/5, Fox fourth at 1.7/4, NBC fifth at 1.1/3, Telemundo sixth at 0.6/2 and CW seventh at 0.4/1.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Forty-seven percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

At 8 p.m. CBS was first with a 3.5 for “NCIS,” followed by Univision with a 1.8 for “Por Ella Soy Eva.” ABC was third with a 1.6 for “Taste.” NBC and Fox tied for fourth at 1.4, NBC for two episodes of “Rockers” and Fox for “Raising Hope” (1.5) and a repeat of “Girl” (1.3). And the CW and Telemundo tied for sixth at 0.5, CW for “Hart of Dixie” and Telemundo for “Pasion Prohibida.”

CBS was first again at 9 p.m. with a 2.7 for “NCIS: Los Angeles,” while ABC moved to second with a 2.6 for “The Bachelor: Sean Tells All.” Fox was third with a 1.9 for “Girl” (2.2) and “Mindy” (1.6), Univision fourth with a 1.8 for “Amores Verdaderos,” NBC fifth with a 1.0 for “Go” (1.1) and “Normal” (1.0), Telemundo sixth with a 0.8 for “La Patrona” and CW seventh with a 0.3 for “Cult.”

At 10 p.m. CBS led with a 1.5 for “Vegas,” with Univision second with a 1.4 for “Amor Bravio.” ABC was third with a 1.2 for “Proof,” NBC fourth with a 0.9 for “Smash” and Telemundo fifth with a 0.5 for “El Rostro de la Venganza.”

CBS dominated the night in households, averaging a 9.9 rating and 15 share. ABC was second with a 4.4/7, NBC was third with a 2.4/4, Fox was fourth with a 2.1/3, Univision was fifth with a 2.0/3, and the CW and Telemundo tied for sixth with a 0.8/1.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/abc-and-nbc-dramas-struggle-at-10/

Nielsen Notes
Nielsen Agrees to Expand Definition of TV Viewing
By Alex Ben Block, The Hollywood Reporter - Feb. 20, 2013

The Nielsen Co. is expanding its definition of television and will introduce a comprehensive plan to capture all video viewing including broadband and Xbox and iPads, several sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

The decision to expand beyond traditional TV ratings measurement came out of a meeting in New York on Tuesday of the What Nielsen Measures Committee, a group that has been meeting for nearly a year. The committee is composed of representatives from major TV networks, local TV stations, cable TV networks, advertising agencies and some big brand advertisers.

The decisions made by the committee are not binding but a source at one of the big four networks was ecstatic at the prospect of expanded measurement tools. The networks for years have complained that total viewing of their shows isn't being captured by traditional ratings measurements. This is a move to correct that.

By September 2013, when the next TV season begins, Nielsen expects to have in place new hardware and software tools in the nearly 23,000 TV homes it samples. Those measurement systems will capture viewership not just from the 75 percent of homes that rely on cable, satellite and over the air broadcasts but also viewing via devices that deliver video from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon, from so-called over-the-top services and from TV enabled game systems like the X-Box and PlayStation.

While some use of iPads and other tablets that receive broadband in the home will be included in the first phase of measurement improvements, a second phase is envisioned to include such devices in a more comprehensive fashion. The second phase is envisioned to roll out on a slower timetable, according to sources, will the overall goal to attempt to capture video viewing of any kind from any source.

Nielsen is said to have an internal goal of being able to measure video viewing on an iPad by the end of this year, a process in which the company will work closely with its clients.

The shift doesn’t mean Nielsen will begin to provide ratings data for, say, Netflix. Nielsen will capture how much time is spent on that kind of viewing, but to actually provide ratings, Netflix would have to agree to encode its program signals so that Nielsen software can identify them and trace their source. The traditional TV networks do encode their signals to be compatible with Nielsen’s measurement tools.

Nielsen already captures a small amount of out-of-home viewing, such as at a few colleges. If a student comes from a Nielsen home, his or her TV viewing is tracked when the student goes off to college.

Nielsen also has a “customized” program to capture some viewing in places like college dorms, bars and restaurants. While Nielsen wants to expand its measurement out of home, that is not part of this initiative. Nielsen appears to be waiting until it acquires Arbitron, which does more such out of home measurement, before making that a priority.

A spokesperson for Nielsen declined to comment.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nielsen-agrees-expand-definition-tv-422795

TV Notes
Conan O'Brien to Host White House Correspondents Dinner
By Tim Molloy, TheWrap.com - Feb. 20, 2013

Conan O'Brien will host the White House Correspondents Dinner, the annual get-together of reporters and politicians to raise money for scholarships.

O'Brien previously spoke at the 1995 dinner, where he read a special announcement for viewers watching on CSPAN: "For God's sake, it's Saturday night. Go outside, meet a woman. C'mon. There are things you can do."

The dinner is occasionally a place of drama as well as laughs: President Obama used the 2011 dinner to belittle Donald Trump's suggestions that he was born outside the United States. Just hours later, Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden.

At the 2006 dinner, Stephen Colbert mocked President Bush for not relying on facts to make decisions -- with President Bush sitting a few feet away. "Guys like us, we're not some brainiacs on the nerd patrol," Colbert said. "We're not members of the factinista."

This year's event will be held April 27. Jimmy Kimmel hosted last year.

Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry, president of the White House Correspondents Association, announced the news on Twitter.

Watch O'Brien in 1995: [CLICK LINK BELOW]

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/conan-obrien-host-white-house-correspondents-dinner-78326

Washington Notes
F.C.C. Moves to Ease Wireless Congestion
By Edward Wyatt, The New York Times - Feb. 20, 2013

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission took a step on Wednesday to relieve growing congestion on Wi-Fi networks in hotels, airports and homes, where Americans increasingly use multiple data-hungry tablets, smartphones and other devices for wireless communications.

The commission proposed making a large portion of high-frequency airwaves, or spectrum, available for unlicensed use by devices like the Wi-Fi routers that many Americans use in their homes. The new rules, after they receive final approval, would allow for transmission speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second — more than 100 times as fast as the Internet connection in the average American home.

The agency’s five commissioners also expressed hopes that the new unlicensed airwaves would unleash further innovations, just as unlicensed spectrum in the past has made possible such devices as cordless phones, garage door openers and television remote controls. Most of the public airwaves, like those used for television and radio broadcasting, or for cellphone signals and satellite transmissions, are licensed to specific companies, which then control that band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Unlicensed airwaves, however, can be used by anyone, and they are increasingly used by wireless phone carriers like Verizon and AT&T, which divert nearly half of the data traffic off their systems and onto Wi-Fi networks to eliminate congestion caused by video downloads and similar bandwidth-hungry uses.

After a public comment period, the commissioners will try to devise final rules and regulations, a process that could take a year or more. But all of the commissioners expressed hope on Wednesday that the new airwaves could be put to use without unnecessary delay.

“These airwaves can be a colossal catalyst for new innovation,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, an F.C.C. commissioner. “It features enough continuous spectrum to unlock the full potential of a new Wi-Fi standard,” known as 802.11ac. “Undoubtedly,” she added, “cool new ways of connecting await.”

Possible roadblocks do exist, however, mainly because some of the airwaves proposed for the new applications are already in use by private organizations and government agencies, including the United States military.

Congress has mandated that the F.C.C. undertake the expansion of unlicensed spectrum, and the Obama administration has urged the freeing up or sharing of airwaves currently allocated to the federal government. Under the proposal, up to 195 megahertz of spectrum will be made available, the F.C.C. said, increasing by as much as 35 percent the total amount of airwaves available for unlicensed use in the 5-gigahertz spectrum band. But various government agencies, including a division of the Commerce Department, have warned against allowing consumer uses to interfere with current government applications.

Lawrence E. Strickling, assistant commerce secretary for communications and information, said in a letter delivered late Tuesday to the commission that the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and NASA each used parts of the same airwaves for communication between aircraft and ground stations. Those communications enable activities like drug interdiction, combat search and rescue, and border surveillance, Mr. Strickling said.

Private groups also voiced concern. The Intelligent Transportation Society of America, a trade group representing automakers, design companies and transportation lobbying organizations, warned that its current tests of “connected driving” technology used part of the spectrum that the F.C.C. was considering opening to unlicensed use. Connected driving systems, which are being tested by the Transportation Department, allow cars to communicate with one another by radio signal, warning drivers of potential collisions and other hazardous road conditions.

If unlicensed devices are also using the same airwaves, the group said, the potential for interference could adversely affect the driving systems.

Julius Genachowski, the F.C.C. chairman, said he was confident that the commission’s engineers would be able to work with the affected government and private entities to solve interference problems.

“It’s very important for the country that we all lean into this in a problem-solving way,” Mr. Genachowski said. “This is not a new challenge for the commission to address.”

While the effort “will require significant consultation with stakeholders” to solve the interference problem, he added, “consultation can’t be an excuse for inaction or delay.”

The commission also voted unanimously to approve a regulation allowing consumers and companies to use approved and licensed signal boosters to amplify signals between wireless devices, like cellphones and the wireless networks on which they operate.

Those boosters, millions of which are currently used in ungoverned applications, help consumers and businesses improve coverage where cell signals are weak. Boosters are also used by public safety departments to extend wireless access in tunnels, subways and garages.

The order, which takes effect March 1, 2014, creates two classes of signal boosters, for use by consumers and businesses, each with distinct requirements to minimize interference with wireless networks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/technology/fcc-moves-to-ease-wireless-congestion.html?ref=technology&_r=0

TV Notes
OWN Picks Up Tyler Perry’s Sitcom ‘For Better Or Worse’, Orders Third Season
By Nellie Andreeva, Deadline.com - Feb. 20, 2013

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is quickly becoming the Oprah Winfrey & Tyler Perry Network. OWN has picked up Perry’s sitcom For Better Or Worse, ordering a third season of originals and acquiring the show’s existing 45 episodes. For Better Or Worse, which previously aired on TBS, is OWN’s third scripted series from Perry who last October signed an exclusive deal with the network for scripted fare. The first two series under the pact, sitcom Love Thy Neighbor and drama The Haves And The Have Nots, premiere in May. Season 3 of For Better Or Worse will debut this fall with the original cast set to return, including Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Crystle Stewart, Kent Faulcon, Kiki Haynes and Jason Olive. Production will begin in Atlanta in April.

For Better Or Worse, based on Perry’s Why Did I Get Married movies, was the third sitcom Perry did with TBS and Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury under Debmar-Mercury’s 10-90 model. All three received back orders from TBS after the original 10-episode runs, but For Better Or Worse‘s was smaller than the others, 35 episodes picked up last February. I hear that, after a total of 45 episodes, TBS passed on ordering more, and Perry, whose company produces For Better Or Worse, made the move to OWN. The first two series, House Of Payne and Meet The Browns, produced 222 and 140 episodes, respectively. They sold in broadcast syndication and continue to air repeats on TBS.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/own-picks-up-tyler-perrys-sitcom-for-better-or-worse-orders-third-season/

Technology Notes
PS4 filled with promise, and questions
By Brett Molina, USA Today - Feb. 21, 2013

The possibilities appear exciting. A player sees a video game on the PlayStation Store, and they immediately try out a demo without waiting. They can then start playing the game, sharing clips with friends through a single button press. Other players might watch a live broadcast of your game, and even add tips to help you conquer a difficult challenge.

This is a world Sony describes after revealing the PlayStation 4 at an event in New York on Wednesday. There's one huge question: What exactly will the hardware hosting this gaming utopia look like?

First, let's recap what Sony did share. The PS4 is clearly focused on a more social atmosphere, giving players a chance to easily share content with friends. Gaikai appears to be a central part of this, with demos players can quickly explore and live game broadcasts.

The PlayStation 4's new controller features a touchpad, motion controls, built-in speaker and stereo headset jack. A PlayStation app will introduce the second screen experience, letting players buy games, watch live broadcasts and view supplemental content on an iOS and Android smartphone or tablet, as well as the PlayStation Vita.

Perhaps the best feature is the ability to download or update games in the background. Most video game players know the pain of waiting for a long update or download before hopping into the action. The PS4 would eliminate that.

The early game lineup is strong, highlighted by a new Killzone title, the captivating action title Watch Dogs from Ubisoft and Bungie's arrival on the PlayStation with online shooter Destiny.

The key element missing from Sony's event was the hardware itself. Remember how massive the PlayStation 3 was when it first launched in 2006? Will video game players be greeted by another behemoth device they must cram into an entertainment center or similar setup? Viewers also didn't get a sense of PS4's user interface, so it's tough to know if the console will deliver a more elegant way to navigate.

And what about that collection of PS3 titles in players' homes, not to mention the digital titles saved on their current consoles? Sony hints at a future where cloud technology will provide access to the full PlayStation library of games. Will that incorporate a player's collection or require them to repurchase older games?

The question that will matter most to consumers is the price. One of Sony's critical mistakes was making the PS3 too expensive with $499 and $599 prices at launch. A reasonable cost for their console could help determine whether Sony recaptures the video game hardware throne.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/02/20/analysis-playstation-4/1934619/

If the NY Times did this article it would be:

P.S.4. filled with promise, and questions

WEDNESDAY'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)
‘CSI’ springs back after a series low
Veteran CBS drama grows 21 percent to a 2.3 in 18-49s
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - Feb. 21, 2013

“CSI” got a little sweeps spring after posting a series-low rating last week.

CBS’s long-running procedural saw the biggest week-to-week improvements for any show on a night when a handful of broadcast programs saw gains.

“CSI” grew 21 percent, from a 1.9 to a 2.3, according to Nielsen overnights.

It also tied ABC’s “Castle” as the highest-rated 10 p.m. program on the Big Three so far this week.

The veteran drama was one of two shows on CBS to see week-to-week growth last night. Reality program “Survivor” improved 0.1 on last week’s premiere, which was the lowest debut ever for the series.

Last night’s episode averaged a 2.5 and placed second to Fox’s “American Idol” in the 8 p.m. hour.

“Idol” was again the night’s top show, leading Fox to its sixth straight Wednesday night victory, averaging a 4.1 from 8 to 10 p.m. That was down from a 4.3 last week and was the lowest-rated performance episode since season one.

Still, Fox notes that “Idol” is off just 11 percent from last year through the show’s first six weeks.

ABC was the other network to see significant gains on the night. The 8 p.m. sitcom “The Middle” was up 16 percent week to week, to a 2.2.

That helped lead-out “The Neighbors” to a 12 percent gain, up 12 percent.

On a night of Oscar-themed programming hyping ABC’s Academy Awards broadcast on Sunday, “Modern Family” also saw week-to-week growth, up 3 percent to a 3.9. It was the night’s No. 2 show behind “Idol.”

Finally, NBC’s “Guys with Kids” (up 10 percent from last week’s series-low 1.0 to a 1.1) and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (up 13 percent to a 1.7) also improved week to week.

Fox led the night among 18-49s with a 4.1 average overnight rating and an 11 share. CBS was second at 2.5/7, ABC third at 2.1/6, Univision fourth at 1.6/5, NBC fifth at 1.5/4, CW sixth at 0.9/3 and Telemundo seventh at 0.6/2.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Forty-seven percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

At 8 p.m. Fox was first with a 4.0 for “Idol,” followed by CBS with a 2.5 for “Survivor.” ABC was third with a 2.0 for “Middle” (2.2) and “Neighbors” (1.9), Univision fourth with a 1.8 for “Por Ella Soy Eva,” NBC fifth with a 1.1 for “Whitney” (1.1) and “Guys With Kids” (1.1), CW sixth with a 0.9 for “Arrow” and Telemundo seventh with a 0.5 for “Pasion Prohibida.”

Fox was first again at 9 p.m. with a 4.2 for more “Idol,” while ABC moved to second with a 3.0 for “Family” (3.9) and “Suburgatory” (2.0). CBS was third with a 2.7 for “Criminal Minds,” Univision fourth with a 1.8 for “Amores Verdaderos,” NBC fifth with a 1.7 for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” CW sixth with a 0.9 for “Supernatural” and Telemundo seventh with a 0.8 for “La Patrona.”

CBS took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 2.3 for “CSI,” with NBC second with a 1.9 for “Chicago Fire,” its top show of the night. ABC and Univision tied for third at 1.3, ABC for a special Oscar-themed edition of “20/20″ and Univision for “Amor Bravio,” and Telemundo was fifth with a 0.6 for “El Rostro de la Venganza.”

Fox also finished first for the night among households with an 8.5 average overnight rating and a 13 share. CBS was second at 6.5/10, ABC third at 4.3/7, NBC fourth at 3.4/5, Univision fifth at 2.0/3, CW sixth at 1.6/2 and Telemundo seventh at 0.8/1.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/csi-springs-back-after-a-series-low/

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TV Notes
Remembering Jenni, gone way too soon
Artists pay tribute to late Mexican singer Jenni Rivera
By Louisa Ada Seltzr, Media Life Magazine - Feb. 21, 2013

This year’s “Premio Lo Nuestro” may be the must-see event of the night on broadcast, certainly among Spanish-language viewers but also for some English-language ones.

The 25th annual music awards ceremony, which airs at 8 p.m. on Univision, boasts the usual lineup of Hispanic stars, including Thalia, Jesse & Joy, Romeo Santos, Carlos Vives, La Arrolladora Banda El Limon and Juan Luis Guerra.

But it also has some cross-over stars like Pitbull and Ricky Martin, who will be reuniting with one of his former Menudo bandmates, Draco Rosa, to duet on the song “Mas Y Mas.”

And it has what’s guaranteed to be the evening’s most touching moment, a tribute to late Mexican music star Jenni Rivera, who died in a plane crash in December.

Her tragic death was one of the biggest events in Hispanic music over the past few years, and there’s been a huge outpouring of love and appreciation for the hard-working singer, a previous Premio Lo Nuestro winner who also starred in a mun2 reality show and had just signed a deal with ABC for a sitcom pilot based on her life.

The remembrances will include a performance by Rivera’s brother, Lupillo Rivera.

The Rivera tribute should raise ratings for the program, which should finish as the most-watched show of the week among Hispanic viewers.

Last year’s “Premio” averaged 5.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen, 1.5 million more than the week’s No. 2 program in that demo.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/remembering-jenni-gone-way-too-soon/

Critic's Notes
Bianculli's Best Bets
By David Bianculli, TVWorthWatching.com - Feb. 21, 2013

THE BIG BANG THEORY
CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sheldon (Jim Parsons) isn’t usually impressed by anything, but in tonight’s new episode, he admits to being impressed by one of his cohorts’ achievements. Specifically, by the on-stage acting of Penny (Kaley Cuoco).

DOUBLE INDEMNITY
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
Barbara Stanwyck already had been a Hollywood star for a long stretch when Billy Wilder tapped her as the femme fatale in his 1944 film noir masterpiece. She plays a woman who hatches a plan to kill her husband, using Fred McMurray as her very eager, but very unknowing, accomplice and patsy. Edward G. Robinson co-stars, as TCM continues its celebration of Oscars month.

LOVERBOY
TV Guide Network, 8:00 p.m. ET
TV Guide is not showing this movie as part of any Oscars salute – and I’m not recommending it as a good movie, either. But this 1989 comedy ought to be of at least casual interest to fans of Grey’s Anatomy, Charlie’s Angels, Star Wars, Cheers and other pop-culture fixtures, because this film – almost a quarter-century old now – has a wildly exclectic cast. Patrick Dempsey stars as the very young man whose pizza delivery route turns into feeding time for man-hungry cougars, and said cougars are played by, among others, Kate Jackson, Carrie Fisher, and Kirstie Alley. Hold the anchovies.

PARKS AND RECREATION
NBC, 8:30 p.m. ET
We’re knee-deep into the February sweeps, but you’d hardly notice it, because the networks are presenting very few “event” program episodes as they did in the old days. (The old days being, oh, the mid-2000s). But here’s one: On tonight’s sweeps-month episode, Leslie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Adam Scott) are scheduled to marry.

PERSON OF INTEREST
CBS, 9:01 p.m. ET
Since doing such impressive early work as a co-star of The L Word and Life (the latter opposite Homeland star Damian Lewis), Sarah Shahi has been stuck starring in TV shows that don’t exactly show off her range and potential. (Yes, Fairly Legal and Chicago Fire, I’m talking to you.) But tonight, she gets a guest role on a show that may serve her well. She plays the female equivalent of the Person of Interest team, working for a secret organization. Root for a promotion to a recurring role.

http://www.tvworthwatching.com/

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Obituary
Cartoon Creator Buck Biggers Was No Underdog
By Noel Holston, TVWorthWatching.com - Feb. 21, 2013

Let’s have a moment of silence for William Watts “Buck” Biggers, who died Feb. 10 at the age of 85, and let’s follow it up with a loud, rousing sing-along of the theme from his best-known contribution to television: Underdog.

When criminals in this world appear
And break the laws that they should fear
And frighten all who see or hear
The cry goes up both far and near
For Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog!

Buck Biggers, cartoonish name notwithstanding, was no underdog. Born in Avondale Estates, Georgia, he was a high-school prodigy who went on to Emory University law school and, by the age of 20, was in New York City working his way up through the ranks at the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample ad agency.

Given the General Mills account to supervise, he and his team started devising animated ads for selling Kix, Trix, Cheerios and other breakfast cereals to kids. In 1960, he left to found, with his collaborator Chester “Chet” Stover, Total TeleVision, a production company that created original animation series into which cereal commercials could be implanted.

His first success was King Leonardo and His Short Subjects, a Saturday morning series for NBC that focused on Leonardo Lion, the inept but loveable ruler of Bongo Congo, and his suave chief of staff, a skunk named Odie O. Cologne (whose voice was a ringer for actor Ronald Colman’s). Other segments of the half-hour featured on The Hunter, a sleuthing hound dedicated to thwarting a thieving Fox, and Tooter, a young turtle sent on time-traveling adventures by a Merlin-like wizard.

Like Underdog, which premiered in 1964, King Leonardo had a wonderfully clever theme song that stuck forever in the heads of kids who watched it:

Here comes Leonardo, Leonardo Lion
King of Bongo Congo, the hero lion of iron.
Where Leonardo travels, his subjects all go too.
There’s Odio Cologne who’s loyal and true blue.
I say there’s the booming Hunter, and wily witty Fox
And Tooter who brings fun to you from Wizard's magic box.

Biggers, who had originally gone to New York hoping to become the next Cole Porter or Lorenz Hart, composed both of those catchy themes and the one for another TTV hit, Tennessee Tuxedo, which revolved around a penguin voiced by Don (Get Smart!) Adams. He co-wrote episodes, too – more than 500 scripts over the years for characters as diverse as the shy, self-effacing Underdog and the bloviating Commander McBragg.

Though his name is less familiar than that of Jay Ward, Biggers’ creations rank just slightly behind Ward’s Rocky and Bullwinkle in the pantheon of original TV toons. His work entertained millions in their day and left an indelible impression on quite a few who remain, like Odie, “loyal and true blue.”

http://www.tvworthwatching.com/BlogPostDetails.aspx?postId=4348

TV Notes
10 TV Shows to Queue Up on Netflix for Your Next Sick Day
By Erin Ruberry, HuffingtonPost.com - Feb. 21, 2013

The worst may be over for the 2013 flu season but as someone who just recovered from a bout with the bug, I can report there's still a nasty strain going viral.

However, there's one upside to being stuck in bed for a few days: plenty of time to catch up on your Netflix queue. While Netflix used to be known primarily for its extensive movie collection, today TV viewing accounts for 60 percent of the site's streaming traffic. This includes everything from classic sitcoms (The Dick Van Dyke Show, Ozzie and Harriet), to 21st century classics (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The West Wing), to Netflix original series (House of Cards).

Whatever your tastes, gone are the days when a sick day meant staying home to watch soap operas and daytime talk shows. Here are 10 of our favorite series to binge on next time we have a few hours -- or a few days -- to veg in bed.

Friday Night Lights
If you dismissed Friday Night Lights during its TV run because the commercials led you to believe it was all about football, queue up this show immediately. You'll fall in love with the totally believable Taylor marriage, and find yourself wishing for a dad like Kyle Chandler and hair like Connie Britton.

Arrested Development
The genius of Arrested Development is that you can watch the same episode a dozen times and discover a hilarious new detail on each occasion. Bonus: 14 new episodes of Arrested Development will stream exclusively on Netflix beginning in May. Better get caught up with the Bluths before then!

House of Cards
Think of House of Cards as the anti-West Wing. Instead of inspiring, optimistic do-gooders in politics, the show features creepily captivating Kevin Spacey as a House Majority Whip who will do anything to gain power. There's no good guy here -- every character is more flawed than the last and for 13 episodes, you can't look away.

The West Wing
That's right, we're including The West Wing as an antidote to House of Cards. It's hard to believe the show has been off the air considering that just last year, Aaron Sorkin's fictional President Bartlet gave debate advice to President Obama in the New York Times. While you're lying sick in bed, let one of President Bartlet's soaring monologues lull you into a happier place.

Lost
What exactly is the Dharma Initiative? Who was the Smoke Monster? Is everyone dead? Or alive? Spend a few days watching all 121 episodes of Lost and I bet you'll still be confused about what really happened.

Sherlock
This BBC update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories introduces viewers to a Sherlock Holmes unlike any they've ever met. Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock is smart, savvy and not-just-a-little smug, and while operating out of the traditional 221B Baker Street address, Holmes and Watson now solve crimes with 21st century technologies like text messaging and GPS.

Freaks and Geeks
Little-watched during its one season run on NBC, Judd Apatow-produced Freaks and Geeks has become a cult classic with legions of obsessed fans. Look out for young James Franco, Seth Rogen, Busy Philipps and Jason Segel among the cast.

Battlestar Galactica
Haven't you seen that Portlandia sketch about the couple that gets sucked into a Battlestar Galactica that goes on for days... and days... and days? If it's good enough for Carrie and Fred, it's good enough for your sick day.

How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is the ideal show to watch from the beginning -- jokes first teed up in season one make a refreshing reappearance in season five ('slap bet,' anyone?), and characters we meet in one episode have a way of randomly popping up years later. Next season is the show's last and we're all still asking, "Ted, who's the mother?!"

Cheers
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and for a dose of early '90s nostalgia, there's nothing better than Cheers. Sure, some of the jokes are dated but the show's heart remains its relationships and that's still as fresh today as 20 years ago. There's a reason Amy Poehler calls Cheers, "the best television show that's ever been on."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erin-ruberry/netflix-recommendations_b_2728621.html?utm_hp_ref=tv#slide=2131232

TV Notes
The Americans' Renewed by FX for Second Season
By Greg Gilman, TheWrap.com - Feb. 21, 2013

"The Americans" has been picked up by FX for a 13-episode second season, network president John Landgraf said on Thursday.

The renewal comes just four episodes into the first season of the series, which premiered in January with 5.11 million total viewers to become the most-watched debut of any FX series.

The series stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as two KGB spies posing as a married American couple in suburban Washington D.C.

“'The Americans' has quickly established itself as a key part FX’s acclaimed drama line-up,” Landgraf said. “Executive producers Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields and Graham Yost and their collaborators are telling riveting and deeply emotional stories and the performances of Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich and the entire cast are simply outstanding. The show is truly worthy of its widespread critical acclaim and we are confident that its quality will continue to yield a robust and passionate audience.”

“We’re very grateful to John Landgraf, Nick Grad, Eric Schrier and everyone at FX for their unwavering support of our show,” said Weisberg, who created the show. “We’re thrilled to be able to continue writing stories for such an incredibly talented cast led by Keri, Matthew and Noah. We appreciate the support of the audience and we believe they have a lot to look forward to the rest of this season.”

“Working with Joe Weisberg, Graham Yost, Josh Brand, Adam Arkin, our writing staff, and the brilliant cast and crew has been a blast and I’m delighted we get to keep doing it," co-executive producer Fields added. "We couldn’t have made it happen without the constant support of Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank at Amblin TV, David Madden at Fox Television Studios and Eric Schrier at FX Productions and their wonderful teams as well.”

Nine new episodes of "The Americans" are scheduled to air this season on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/americans-renewed-fx-second-season-78646

Critic's Notes
Community Season Four: You’re Just Some Sitcom That I Used to Know
By Matt Zoeller Seitz, Vulture.com (New York Magazine) - Feb. 21, 2013

I’m trying to give the post–Dan Harmon Community a chance. Really I am.

It’s not a terrible show. But it’s missing that unharmonious Harmon-ian spark of madness, that smiling volatility that made the show exciting (for fans) even when a line or scene or whole episode wasn’t quite working. It’s still a good show, but it doesn’t give me that anticipatory buzz that defines a really great series, that joyous anxiety born from being continually, often delightfully surprised. My colleague Josh Gondelman wrote that in the fourth season premiere, “Community didn’t jump the shark. It rode up to the shark on a jet ski, harpooned it, and wore it like a mascot outfit.” That’s a typically hilarious line from Gondelman, and man, how I wish I agreed with it.

The Hunger Games fantasy of that episode was past its sell-by date, the Inception stuff — though admittedly very cleverly structured — had a long white beard, and the Muppet Babies an even longer one (made of felt, I guess), but the premiere’s energy must have been off, because never, at any point in Community’s prior history, has the freshness of a reference been even a small factor in my enjoyment of it. Worse, Abed’s three-camera sitcom fantasies struck me as autocritical ass-covering, as if the post–Dan Harmon Community were not-so-cleverly trying to manage fan expectations: Look at how bad the new Community could have been. We’re so much better than that, amirite?

Last week’s Halloween-themed episode was a step up. I loved the eighties bachelor pad “design” of Pierce’s mansion, even though I could’ve done without Jeff Winger’s “like David Lee Roth threw up Miami Vice” characterization of it, and there were some wonderful isolated moments, such as Annie in Ringu costume scuttling on the floor, and Britta dressed in Scout Finch’s ham costume from To Kill a Mockingbird, gyrating triumphantly after tricking Jeff into opening up. (“Analyze this!”) But it still felt off, and without spoiling anything important, I can say that tonight’s episode set at an Inspector Spacetime convention feels off as well; the subject matter feels like preemptive super-duper-meta fan service that’s meant to both tweak and embrace the show’s loyal audience, and jump start chat boards and Twitter feeds that are probably already in progress as you read this.

I’m not digging the Britta-Troy relationship — I get the feeling the writers and actors don’t have any particular opinion on it, either — and too many of the other character touches feel obligatory and not remotely impassioned and hence very awkward. The only season-four aspect that consistently amuses me is the lengths to which Community goes to express contempt for and exhaustion with co-star Chevy Chase, whose raging assholism is better documented than some nation’s histories. The show barely gave Chase’s Pierce any lines in the premiere, and at one point seemed to fantasize replacing the actor. In the second episode, it locked Pierce in his mansion’s panic room, isolated from the other characters and introduced from the point of view of a low-grade surveillance camera. He looked like a prisoner; I’m sure he feels that way, and that everyone who has to work with him feels that way, too. I won’t tell you what they do with him in this episode, except to say that they might as well have had a Voice of God intone, “Run along, Chevy, you bother me.”

Unfortunately, and ironically, the only way a show as self-conscious as Community can find an authentic voice with its creator in absentia is to stop worrying about it, figure out whatever it’s going to be, be that thing, and let the chips fall where they may. It had better hurry, though, because there isn’t much time left. If Community spends the remainder of its truncated fourth season holding up mirrors to mirrors to mirrors, it’s not going to do anyone any favors, because it’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s really only one thing worth reflecting here, and it’s the one thing that binds together the knowing/sincere character relationships, the pop-culture riffing, the go-for-broke structural gambits and tonal switcheroos: Dan Harmon’s sensibility. I don’t know if I could ever describe exactly what that sensibility is; hopefully somebody as brilliant as Harmon will come along and take a whack at it someday. But I know it’s not there anymore, and that Community doesn't feel like Community anymore, exactly. What’s replaced it looks and feels like Harmon’s show, but it's really other people’s good-natured approximation of Harmon’s show, affectionate and conscientious but never as cracklingly alive as it should be, given its precedent.

Lesser series have survived the departure of founding showrunners without a hiccup, but this is not a lesser series; it is, or was, a work of genius, or at least singular talent.

While watching season four of Community, I keep thinking about the post–Aaron Sorkin West Wing and the post–David Milch NYPD Blue. They were acceptable, at times very good, but they lacked that spark of mad crystalline poetry which proves that TV can be as much an auteur’s medium as cinema. I also think about the end of A.I. The android David’s mother isn’t really his mother; she's a facsimile created by luminous beings who’ve married strands of her DNA to David’s subjective, nostalgic memories, resulting in a creature that looks and sounds like the genuine article but that we know in our bones is something else, superficially close yet fundamentally false, and thus unbearably sad.

http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/seitz-on-community-season-four-unbearably-sad.html
Edited by dad1153 - 2/22/13 at 3:04pm

Nielsen Notes
NBC To Finish 5th In Sweeps For First Time; Network Falls Behind Univision
By Dominic Patten, Deadline.com - Feb. 21, 2013

An already bad month is getting worse for NBC. For the first time in sweeps history, the network is projected to finish fifth in the key adults 18-49 demographic. That’s a crushing blow for NBC, which went from flying high in November with a sweep win & Steve Burke breaking his usual silence last fall to brag to the New York Times about the network’s performance to its shows cratering and ratings plunging. From the beginning of the February sweep on January 31 through February 19, NBC has averaged a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49. That’s below the 1.5 that Univision has been averaging so far over the 20 night of the sweep period. In fact, Univision has bested NBC every single night of the sweep so far among adults 18-49 and is poised to overtake NBC for its first fourth-place sweep finish in the demo. While this isn’t the first time Univision has topped one of the Big Three for a month (it ranked higher than CBS in July 2010 and 2012), it is the first time the Spanish-language network has beaten NBC and the first time it has come in fourth place in an in-season sweep. In addition to Univision, NBC also ranks below the 1.7 18-49 rating that ABC has been averaging this sweep, as well as the 2.0 rating for Fox and the 4.9 rating for leader CBS, which of course is buoyed by its broadcast of the Super Bowl on February 3 and the Grammy Awards on February 10.

NBC suffered the lowest ratings ever for an in-season scripted series premiere with the debut of Do No Harm on January 31. The dismal 0.9/3 of the premiere fell 22% to 0.7/2 on February 7, leading to the series’ swift cancellation. The White House comedy 1600 Penn is probably not far behind, having hit a weak 1.1/3 in its last airing February 7. Adding to NBC’s woes, the Season 2 return of Smash was a train wreck. With a limp 1.1/3 rating, it returned down 71% from its Season 1 debut and 39% from its first-year finale — and it fell another 25% to a series low of 0.9/2 this week.

With ratings juggernaut The Voice not back until March 25, freshman Revolution still off and no more NFL football, the entire NBC schedule is struggling mightily, with only The Biggest Loser and The Office averaging a 2+ 18-49 rating In Live+Same Day. NBC actually won last year’s February sweep with an average rating of 3.7, when the network was fuelled by carrying the Super Bowl and the strong start of The Voice.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/nbc-sweeps-ratings-lastloses-to-univision/

TV Review
'Out There' (IFC Center)
Youthful Angst, Animated
By Mike Hale, The New York Times - Feb. 22, 2013

Knowing that Ryan Quincy has spent more than a decade working as an animator and producer on “South Park” makes “Out There,” his new animated series for IFC, even more surprising. All that time he had this quiet, dreamy, charming, deeply personal tale inside him? Talk about cognitive dissonance.

“Out There,” which begins with two episodes on Friday night, carries a double meaning in its title: It takes place out there in the middle of the country (Mr. Quincy is originally from Nebraska), and the people who fill the world of Chad, its mopey 15-year-old protagonist and narrator, are, well, out there.

The show has some of the laconic vibe of Mike Judge’s “King of the Hill” — two of its executive producers also worked on that series — but it’s messier, more intimate and emotional, without Mr. Judge’s polished wryness. Mr. Quincy has mentioned the cult-favorite live-action show “Freaks and Geeks” as a comparison, but there’s a stronger connection to classic American coming-of-age tales like “The Catcher in the Rye.” “Out There” has a bookish feel to it, as if an indie graphic novel had been transferred directly to the screen.

The initial episodes introduce Chad, voiced by Mr. Quincy, and detail how he became best friends with Chris (Justin Roiland), a fellow outcast and rebel who’s a true wild child. In the opener Chad is a reluctant partner in Chris’s plan to run away from home and high school using a balloon made from parts bought at a convenience store.

The small-town anomie and teenage frustration that Mr. Quincy portrays are familiar, but they’re rarely presented this genuinely on TV, without sitcom obviousness or heavy-going satire. The show also looks great, with a hand-drawn quality that’s the opposite of the two-dimensional, primary-color approach of most prime-time animation (including “South Park” and “The Simpsons”). In an eccentric, expressionistic touch, many of the characters are drawn to look like human-animal hybrids — Gary and the other male members of his family look like small rodents, or furry birds.

The success of “Out There” will hinge on Mr. Quincy’s ability to come up with interesting new adventures for Chad, but his acute observation of the milieu bodes well. You know you’re in good hands when Chad, forced to take a job mowing the football field, is momentarily horrified at running over his first snake. Details like that indicate that Mr. Quincy gives good Midwest.

OUT THERE
IFC, Friday nights at 10:30, Eastern and Pacific times; 9:30, Central time.

http://tv.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/arts/television/out-there-by-ryan-quincy-on-ifc.html?ref=television&_r=0

TV Sports
TV gadgetry, Danica Patrick boost Fox at Daytona 500
By Michael Hiestand, USA Today - Feb. 21, 2013

Here's a rare TV sports harmonic convergence: Fox has a plan to reboot its Daytona 500 coverage, then gets a gift from the TV ratings gods.

After suffering flat or slumping NASCAR ratings in recent years, Fox figured it needed to jump-start viewer interest in the race (Sunday, noon ET) for a sport that, uniquely, uses its biggest event as its season opener.

NASCAR debuting its so-called Generation 6 cars, meant to go faster and look more like those sold in the showroom, was a catalyst. "The launch of this new car was a chance to reset how we presented the sport," Fox Sports co-president Eric Shankstold USA TODAY Sports. "It's as if NASCAR was almost a new product and we're rebooting our coverage."

With cameras in cars and audio that eavesdrops on drivers and crews, this is already the most elaborate production in TV sports. But Shanks says Fox will have "the most gadgets and gizmos we've ever had on any event" Sunday.

Then who provides an over-the-top storyline to go with the gadgetry than pole-setter Danica Patrick, whose Super Bowl ads have aired for TV audiences more than four times Daytona's usual viewership. Fox could not have ordered up a better scenario in its NASCSAR contract.

Granted, as lead Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip tells USA TODAY Sports, "When (Patrick) cranks up the engine, that car has no idea who's behind the wheel -- and that car is fast." But Patrick's pole position gives Fox a green light to go ga-ga over her as long as she's in the race Sunday.

"You're not just hyping a possibility now, you're hyping a reality," says Waltrip. "She's a female who's just whipped up on all the boys. And she's the most focused driver I've ever seen. Her first lap will be history."

For Fox, who no doubt would seek Patrick as a judge on American Idol if she wins, she is a gift that just keeps on giving -- she's dating Ricky Stenhouse Jr., her rival in what could be NASCAR's most-heated rookie of the year race in years. "I'm digging that," says Waltrip. "It'll be cool as heck."

Shanks says wrinkles in the coverage will include new "eye candy," such as a camera suspended on cables that will zip above the backstretch at about 85 miles per hour. Also added is a camera graphic that can superimpose 3-D images on the race track, like the virtual first-down lines seen in TV football, to indicate such things as restart lines.

"The eye candy is to make people feel the event is special," says Shanks. "But we also have new things to make you see the event in a way you haven't before."

Like the almost agonizingly slow slo-mo camera that Fox first used on last year's World Series. But as Shanks says, "It makes the racing look too easy, like viewers could drive around Daytona."

So that will be balanced with a new Gyro-Cam, a stabilized in-car camera that essentially lets you see what drivers see on NASCAR's banked turns -- a wildly tilted view. Waltrip says you can try to explain how it feels to have turns "throw you and compress you into your seat," but it's another thing to actually show it to viewers. On tracks with really steep turns later this season, he says, "Gyro-Cam will go nuts. People at home will think it's broken."

Shanks is also gearing the prerace show more towards casual viewers rather than hardcore fans: "We want to make the prerace seem more like it's a big event -- like NBC does with the Kentucky Derby -- rather than breaking down the X's and O's of racing."

Makes sense, given the race has drawn less than 10% of U.S. households the past four years after drawing more than 10% in seven of the eight previous years.

Fox will also deploy Erin Andrews for the first time on Daytona coverage. "One thing we've stolen from British television is the 'pit walk,' " Shanks says. "She'll take a fun walk in the pit and see what people are talking about."

Maybe Andrews will report they're talking about Patrick. But in a clip 'n save, Shanks says "we won't overdo it" on coverage of Patrick.

*Shanks won't comment on Fox's expected March 5 announcement that it will convert its Speed Channel into a general-interest Fox Sports 1 channel. Nor will he comment on what's really up in the air: Whether Fox's Fuel channel will soon be converted into Fox Sports 2 or after Fox Sports 1 has been established.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2013/02/21/daytona-500-erin-andrews-darrell-waltrip-danica-patrick-big-east-espn-nbc/1936657/

I've said for years that NBC-U should move some of the shows from it's USA network to NBC. Those shows have much better writing than the average NBC production. And the content on USA could easily be shown on an ota network. It sure couldn't hurt them.

Gotye & Kimbra agree.

ROFL. Probably true too.

dad, that's the wrong link in the Community article: http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/seitz-on-community-season-four-unbearably-sad.html

^^^ Yikes, thanks. Fixed.