Dan Harmon Returning to ‘Community’?
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, NBC, Gossip, Rumors,
Community fans will be happy to know that show creator Dan Harmon might return for next season.
Despite the fact that Harmon parted ways with the NBC show in a less-than-peaceful manner, he accidentally revealed to his Harmontown podcast audience that he was welcomed back into the hit critically-acclaimed sitcom's fold.
"As soon as Dan said it, he asked that it be edited out of the podcast and it was just for us audience members (and I wasn’t going to say a word) but soon after that Dan said 'Ahhh #### it. I don’t care who knows!'" revealed a writer from Hollywookiee, who was present at the taping.
The writer also added that Harmon joked about only returning if Chevy Chase - who left the show during production of its fourth season - would agree to come back as well. Even if Harmon does return to writing behind the scenes, he didn't specify in what capacity; hopefully NBC will come out and give us such details now that Harmon has let the cat out of the bag.
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| Hollywookiee via Vulture
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No Emmy for Katherine Heigl
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Drama, Prime Time, ABC, Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip,
Katherine Heigl, who won an Emmy last year for her work on Grey’s Anatomy, isn’t even in this year’s race. So…how did this happen?
Heigl wasn’t snubbed - she left herself out of the race on purpose. “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and, in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name,” Katherine Heigl explained to the press, saying she didn’t want to “take away an opportunity from an actress who was given the materials.”
Look out, writers - Heigl’s got claws, and she’s not afraid to use them.
LA Times
Writers Strike Finally Over
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, NBC, Saturday Night Live, News,
We can officially start the jig now.
After more than 3 months on the picket lines, the Writers Guild of America has finally announced an end to their strike. Of the 3,775 votes cast, 92.5% elected to stop the walkout. This means WGA members can resume doing what they do best starting tomorrow.
While it may be weeks before we see new episodes of our favorite shows, this news will immediately affect those programs that churn out daily fare. This means we should expect to see the return of late-night monologues ASAP. Meanwhile, the folks behind Saturday Night Live anticipate a brand new show come Feb. 23rd. (Of course, in true SNL fashion, that will probably be followed up by a repeat the following weekend.)
Of course, we could be revisiting this whole work stoppage issue again at the end of June; that’s when the current contract between SAG/AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers is set to expire.
But let’s just think happy thoughts until then, okay?
Variety
Writers Guild Has Tentative Deal
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: News,
Key word: tentative.
Early Saturday, the Writers Guild of America bosses announced they have reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Details of the proposal were to be presented to union members in New York and Los Angeles today. (A copy of the email sent by the WGA presidents can be found here.)
If the strikers react favorably to the proposed contract, union leaders will meet again on Sunday to finalize details. Assuming a formal vote is not needed, the writers could theoretically be back to work this Monday. Approximately 10,500 WGA members have been off the job since the strike began back on November 5th.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed…
E! Online
The Battle of the Late Night Hosts
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Talk Shows, Cable, NBC, Daily Show, The, Gossip,
In an epic late night match-up, post-prime time hosts are facing off in a battle for the ages. It’s a contest of wills that dares a meeting of cable and network TV that could rock more than one snarky show.
Well, perhaps it isn’t as big as all that - but it is mildly entertaining and it’s giving Comedy Central a little much-needed fodder in this strange world without TV writers. Like as not, even the best late night programs have been faltering. Jon Stewart is opening every episode by flicking paper footballs randomly toward his audience, and on Tuesday’s episode Stephen Colbert played with clam shells instead of monologuing. Thankfully, Colbert recently picked a fight with fellow host Conan O’Brien to keep us all amused.
Here’s the breakdown: Colbert invited Presidential contender Mike Huckabee onto The Colbert Report, thus granting him the highly coveted “Colbert bump.” Naturally, Huckabee’s popularity increased - and even he attributed this climb to Colbert. So, when Conan O’Brien claimed to be the real puppet master behind Huckabee’s success, Colbert was affronted.
Click to continue reading The Battle of the Late Night Hosts
Huffington Post
Could the Writers Strike Really Be Ending?
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Award Shows, News,
The Writers Guild has just dropped two of their demands: proposals to unionize animated movie and reality TV writers. This brings us all right back to the central issue: Internet and new-media revenue. By the Guild’s own admission, this concession (which comes only after the writers were repeatedly asked to make just this concession) is an olive branch - everyone wants the strike to end. Negotiations will continue this week as both sides try to reach some conclusion.
The writers have also made the decision not to picket the Grammy ceremony, which bodes well for the rest of the awards season. The striking writers, so far, have not agreed on an interim deal which will allow them to be a part of the musical spectacle. But there does seem to be some hope on the horizon…at last.
LA Times (Registration Required)
Comedy Central Hosts Return
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Cable, Daily Show, The, Editorial, Gossip,
Late night TV (and Comedy Central) got a boost Monday night with the return of The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report. Absent from TV since November 1, 2007, both hosts winged it on-air without their writers, and neither was afraid to comment on the current scriptless situation. But even with these valiant efforts, viewers didn’t see the same shows they’re used to.
It’s been pondered for weeks now, and finally the question has been answered. How will Comedy Central’s two late night shows fare without writers? For these first episodes back, both hosts talked about the strike at length, each interviewing experts on labor relations and unions. Stewart, who has a background in stand-up comedy, seemed as relaxed and at home as ever on stage, though he referred to the present as “uncomfortable circumstances.” Stewart also announced a name change for the show, to be in effect for the duration of the strike: ‘A Daily Show’.
Click to continue reading Comedy Central Hosts Return
Chicago Tribune
Jimmy Kimmel Joins Late Night Returns
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, CBS, NBC, News,
ABC has announced the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live, effective Jan. 2nd. The talk show will air new episodes the same evening The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien also start anew. Despite their support of the WGA, all three hosts hope their participation can prevent other job losses.
Although an official announcement has not yet been made, CBS may soon be seeing a spark of life in late-night as well. David Letterman and his company, Worldwide Pants, are hoping to broker an independent deal with the union. This could allow his program and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to return with their normal writers in tow.
Hollywood Reporter
Writers on Strike: Impact on ‘Scrubs’
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Prime Time, Talk Shows, NBC, Scrubs, Rumors,
Yep, the Writers Guild of America strike is underway and that means plenty of casualties like late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live. Most shows have filmed episodes weeks in advance, so we should continue to see new episodes into January, but I suddenly panicked when I thought about Scrubs, which got a late start to the season. Scrubs has seen its fair share of misses and it’s a wonder the series has even survived seven years, given the constant switcheroo on the schedule. In fact, it’s faced near cancellation more than once. So, with a strike for who-knows-how-long, what is the fate of the comedy, now in its final season? The prognosis isn’t great—the last six eps of the series could be hanging in the balance. Bill Lawrence, the creator and exec producer said, “On a personal level, yeah, it would be nice to finish work on Scrubs the way I wanted to. That it looks like it’s not happening is certainly disappointing, I can’t lie. But it’s also not the end of the world.” He’s got his heart in the right place—with the writers: “What I care about more than anything right now is getting this thing settled so it’s either a short strike or no strike.” Right now there are two scripts written, so Scrubs will make it to episode 12… but the strike could have fans in misery over the final six episodes.
Yahoo! News
‘Bionic Woman’ Hires Mechanic
Posted by David Onda Categories: Action, Drama, Prime Time, Sci-Fi/Horror, NBC, Editorial, News, Ratings, Rumors,
NBC’s uber-hyped action drama Bionic Woman is in desperate need of a little oil around the joints. Never mind the fact that I like the show, or that star Michelle Ryan is a freakin’ gorgeous Alicia Silverstone look-alike - it still runs slower than Miss Teen South Carolina’s thought process. Enter Jason Cahill, a.k.a. that award-winning writer from The Sopranos. He joins a team that includes Friday Night Lights’ Jason Katims, who is pulling double duty so he can serve as “consultant” for the poorly assembled Woman. The show will certainly go the way of the Dodo bird as it is, unless Cahill can pick up the pace and save NBC the trouble of filling a Wednesday timeslot.
TV Guide
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