Posted Jul 4th 2008 8:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, Industry
Bravo's top-rated and highly acclaimed reality food show,
Top Chef, has big plans for the fifth season. Like real estate, it's all about location, location, location and
Top Chef has chosen a most unique place, somewhere you might not guess in a game of 20 questions. I'm not going to reveal the place until after the jump, because there may be some of you out there that want to be surprised.
Just to recap,
Top Chef has already spent seasons in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago. They've also had special episodes and finales in Napa Valley, Las Vegas, Hawaii and Aspen and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Traveling to interesting and even exotic locales is part of the fun, giving the contestants a chance to incorporate the regional foods and the style of that part of the world.
Okay, if the suspense is getting to you -- I know it is -- go to the jump and see where season five of
Top Chef is going to be...
Continue reading Top Chef's exciting new location
Posted Jul 3rd 2008 8:05PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Industry, OpEd, Celebrities, Super Skank Wednesday
Fans of skanktastic television will love this news. Kim Kardashian and her ass, both stars of E!'s
Keeping Up with the Kardashians, are
launching a line of perfume. She announced this news on her blog, which, by the way, is one of my favorite blogs. It's wonderfully delusional and self-congratulatory.
I'll indulge you in a sample, "It has always been a dream of mine to start my own perfume business, since I love to mix fragrances together and come up with new and different scents! I hope you understand my
total excitement as I let
you, the readers of my blog, become
the first to know that I am creating my own fragrance!!!" I love the emboldened words and gratuitous use of exclamation points.
Continue reading Try to keep up ... Kim Kardashian is launching a perfume line
Posted Jul 3rd 2008 12:38PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: News, Industry, Reality-Free
Richard told you earlier this year that The Weather Channel was for sale. Now it looks like recent rumors that NBC was going to be the one to buy the TV network are true. Reuters says that the deal should be closed in the next few days, and the reported price is between $3 billion and $4 billion.
If you haven't noticed, weather is the most important part of a newscast now. I was just talking to my roommate about this yesterday. Every single local newscast opens with news about the weather. Not just tornadoes and hurricanes, but bad rain storms that might pop up later in the day (wow, rainstorms in the summer - shocking!). Weather is the lead story (death, war, and the election can wait), the follow-up story, and the actual weather segment halfway through the show is given another good 7 or 8 minutes.
Continue reading Here's the five-day forecast: Weather Channel about to be bought by NBC
Posted Jul 3rd 2008 10:23AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Video, Celebrities, Super Skank Wednesday
VH1 diva Tiffany "New York" Pollard is back this summer for another chapter in her celebreality life.
New York Goes to Hollywood premieres in August and will follow your favorite H.B.I.C. as she leaves Tailor-Made behind and tries to make it in Tinsel Town.
To rev up for the new show, VH1 put together a
set of promos that have New York acting as classic Hollywood characters. She plays Dorothy from
Wizard of Oz: "Toto, where the f*ck are we?" She plays Marilyn Monroe in that classic scene where the blonde starlet walks over the sidewalk grate. However, New York uses the breeze from the passing subway car to dry her nails and her nether regions. Whatever works, right? Finally, New York plays Forrest Gump and imparts some wisdom about life and chocolates.
The videos are after the jump. All three are stupid and unfunny. And all three prove the New York's new show is going to be a blast. Check it out and let me know what you think.
New York Goes to Hollywood premieres August 4th at 9 p.m. ET on VH1.
Continue reading It's lights, camera, New York this summer - VIDEO
Posted Jul 3rd 2008 8:19AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Criminal Minds, Reality-Free
After the success of the
CSI franchise, it's only natural that CBS would look at other shows on its lineup for spinoff possibilities. Oddly enough, the lucky show isn't
World's Greatest Dog, but
Criminal Minds. According to Executive Producer Ed Bernero, talks between CBS and ABC studios, who produces
Minds, are currently underway, saying, "It's safe to say there will be something soon."
Because the
Criminal Minds spinoff is still in the discussion phase, there's no news on exactly what the new show will entail. But, since there are obviously many more specialties within the FBI besides criminal profiling, chances are the new series will focus on one of those. As is the case with most spinoffs nowadays, the new series will probably be introduced via a "backdoor pilot" in an upcoming
Criminal Minds episode.
Continue reading Could Criminal Minds be the next CSI?
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 5:41PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Celebrities, Awards, Emmys, Reality-Free
Another day, another list of 10 semifinalists from the Emmys. This time, it's the Best Actor in a Drama.
There are a lot of the usual suspects on the list (which will be knocked down to five nominees in the next round), including actors from Dexter, Mad Men, Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, and House. One show that's not represented is Lost. I thought Matthew Fox did some great work this season, especially his drunk/screwed-up scenes.
After the jump, the list of the ten semifinalists (also check out those in contention for Best Actress - Comedy, Best Supporting Actor - Drama, Best Comedy, and Best Drama).
Continue reading Emmy unveils the Best Drama Actor semifinalists
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 12:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: News, Industry, Awards, Reality-Free
While viewership continues to slip and all that "Katie is leaving after the election" talk still swirls, it looks like the industry actually likes her show.
The CBS Evening News won the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast from the Radio Television News Directors Association the other night. ABC won the most awards, including Best Overall, Documentary, Hard news, Spot News Coverage, and Videography. Not really sure what the difference is between Best Newscast and Best Overall, but maybe Best Overall combines all facets of a TV network's news division while Best Newscast just focuses on the 30 minute nightly show that the network does. Either way it's something I'm sure you're going to see in ads for The CBS Evening News.
CBS News also won for Best Web Site (I'd link to the full list of awards but the RTNDA site seems to be down right now.)
[via TV Newser]
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 10:01AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Ratings, Reality-Free
Here are the weekly cable ratings, by number of viewers.
That's right, not only does Monday Night RAW retake the #1 spot on the cable ratings this week, it takes up three spots in the top 10. That doesn't seem fair, does it? I can hear the people at Disney asking, "why aren't the two hours of Camp Rock split into two different spots? Or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Fine, we'll just run Camp Rock every hour for the entire week and we'll see what the ratings are!"
(And yes, SpongeBob is on the list yet again. It's comforting to see him there almost every week.)
1. Monday Night RAW (USA)
2. BET Awards (BET)
3. Sprint Cup Racing - Loudon (TNT)
4. Monday Night RAW (USA)
5. In Plain Sight (USA)
6. Camp Rock (Disney)
7. Monday Night RAW (USA)
8. Law and Order: CI (USA)
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Disney)
10. SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 9:02AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
On
February 17, 2009, all wireless television signals will switch from analog to digital, freeing up broadcast space so some folks can make up a lot of money auctioning it off. Granted, any American that uses cable or satellite will still be able to use the old televisions, however those who still use an antenna will have to purchase a digital tuner. Full details can be found on the
FCC site.
My first question is: who out there still even needs a converter box? Most everybody I know has cable or satellite television.
You can even get a discount on the device.
Continue reading What will you be doing with your CRT televisions?
Posted Jul 1st 2008 5:25PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Ratings, Reality-Free
Here are the weekly ratings, by number of viewers.
Yes, NBC had four shows in the top 20 this week, but it took the summer and reality and/or reality game shows to get there, including America's Got Talent, The Baby Borrowers, and Celebrity Family Feud. ABC's new game shows, Wipeout and I Survived A Japanese Game Show, both made the top ten.
I'm surprised Hell's Kitchen isn't higher. #14 is great, I just thought it would do better during the summer (though it does well on its night). 60 Minutes' repackaged repeat segments continue to do well too.
1. America's Got Talent (NBC)
2. Wipeout (ABC)
3. 60 Minutes (CBS)
Continue reading Nielsen ratings for the week ending June 29
Posted Jul 1st 2008 4:19PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
Lots of
casting news for Fox pilots lately. Tim Roth, who recently appeared in
The Incredible Hulk, is set to star in Fox's pilot Lie to Me. The show, which is produced by 20th TV and Imagine Entertainment, follows a researcher in the field of deception detection named Cal Lightman. Roth is also currently filming
King Conqueror and
44 Inch Chest.
And the casting news doesn't end there. The CW made some announcements too. Brian Hallisay, who has appeared in
Bones and
Bionic Woman, will co-star in the CW's new drama called
Privileged. The show is about Megan (played by Joanna Garcia), a woman who is hired to be a life coach for a pair of rich 16-year-old twins in Florida.
Continue reading Tim Roth set to star in Fox pilot and other casting news
Posted Jul 1st 2008 3:10PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Industry, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
Debra Messing's Emmy-award winning miniseries
The Starter Wife is getting some new cast members. Joining the former
Will and Grace star are David Alan Bashe of
Lipstick Jungle, Danielle Nicolet of
Heartland, Brielle Barbusca of
Hope & Faith, and Hart Bochner of
Die Hard.
The USA original series follows the post-divorce hi-jinx of Molly Kagan (Messing) as she embarks on a new chapter in her life. USA is bringing back the hit miniseries for
ten episodes this fall. Messing is now executive producer as well.
Bashe will play Molly's ex-husband, Kenny Kagen. Nicolet will play Liz Marsh, Molly's new friend and wife a a pro-baseball player. Barbusca will play Jaden, Molly and Kenny's daughter. And Bochner will play Molly's new love interest and writing class teacher. Returning for guest appearances is Joe Mantegna of
Criminal Minds who plays Molly's former boyfriend Lou Manahan.
The series will premiere on USA in October. What do you think? Will
The Starter Wife work as a full-fledged series?
Posted Jul 1st 2008 2:21PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Game Show
So I watched a repeat of the first episode of ABC's new game show Wipeout, and I'm not sure what to think of it. Like most American males, I like seeing people* fall from high, wet places and get punched in the face, but I'm not sure how many weeks I can watch the thing. I'm also not happy with the plugged-in comments from the hosts (John Henson and John Anderson) we have to listen to. For every really funny comment there are seven that make you groan. And I wonder if the show will just grow tired after a few weeks.
But there's no denying that there are some wild stunts here. Everytime someone goes sailing off that ramp in the dark or bounces on those giant balls and their body jackknifes and hits the water I'm thinking, these people could easily break their necks. Sure, Survivor has crazy challengs and Fear Factor had nutty stunts, but this stuff seems especially dangerous. And that's why ABC has them sign a 50 page release.
Continue reading If you want to be on Wipeout, you have to sign a huge release
Posted Jul 1st 2008 11:20AM by Brett Love
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Programming, OpEd, PVR Wire, Reality-Free
At least that's the somewhat sarcastic conclusion I'm jumping to. As I started watching the east coast feed, an email bounced into the TV Squad inbox from reader 'Jay.' He noted that when he tried to record The Middleman on his PC, he was greeted with an error message. I had to wait three hours for the regular airing on the left coast, but I dusted off an old Media Center PC and got that very same error, as you see in the picture. I like to think that Wendy is showing her shock and outrage at the snafu in that shot. But wait, there's more ... after the jump.
Continue reading ABC Family doesn't want you to watch The Middleman
Posted Jun 30th 2008 9:01PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Industry, Programming, OpEd, Music and Variety, Celebrities, Children
So, if you're a
High School Musical fan and if you live in New York, New Jersey, or California, you're in luck. To promote the new reality series,
High School Musical: Get in the Picture, ABC is hitting beaches on both coasts with free ice cream, games and prizes. The promotional tour will begin this weekend and continue all month leading up to the premiere of the series. The show, hosted by Nick Lachey, will feature talented teens from all over the U.S. as they compete for a chance to be in the next
High School Musical.
As if anything to do with
High School Musical needed any more promotion...
The schedule for the tour is after the jump.
High School Musical: Get in the Picture premieres on Sunday, July 20th from 8-9 p.m. on ABC.
Continue reading High School Musical is hitting the beach
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Celebrate the 4th by watching television!
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