Cable and Big Networks Team for Wider Exposure
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, ABC, FOX, NBC, Ratings,
The trend to air cable shows on their sister networks is becoming more prevalent these days. We had reported earlier about the move by Fox to air episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia before the second season premiere of the show began on FX. More networks are following this model, including:
- Kyle XY – an ABC Family series that airs Mondays at 8 PM, also airs on ABC on Fridays
- The 4400 – shown on USA on Sundays at 9 PM, NBC also aired The 4400 on June 3
According to an article in USA Today, corporate synergy is fueling this pairing since there are a number of cable channels with big network connections. In the case of Sunny in Philadelphia, the final episode that Fox aired averaged 4.1 million viewers and won its time slot among young adults. FX president John Landgraf believes the additional exposure works, saying “They have such a larger reach than we do, it’s a great way of exposing new viewers to our shows… we’re turning over every stone we possibly can.”
Read More 
| USA Today
Gallery: Cable and Big Networks Team for Wider Exposure
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Frasier’s Dog in Doggie Heaven
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Syndication, Talent, News,
Hollywood recently suffered a great loss with the death of “Eddie” – the Jack Russell Terrier who was Frasier‘s companion for 10 years. “Moose,” as he was known in real life, got his big break when his trainer saved him from the pound. Apparently, prior to his rise in Hollywood, he got into quite a lot of trouble. That mischief paid off in both the TV series Frasier and the film My Dog Skip. Moose was 16 and a half years old and according to his trainer, “he just had an incredible charisma and was such a free spirit.”
Read More | People
Gallery: Frasier’s Dog in Doggie Heaven
Comedy Central to Bring Futurama Back from the Dead
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Animation, Comedy, Cable, FOX, DVD, News, Renewals,
Comedy Central has ordered 13 episodes of former Fox animated series Futurama to debut in 2008. The network bought the rights to the existing 72 episodes of the cult series last year, and talks about bringing the series back began at 20th Century Fox Television with show creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. Voice actors Billy West, Katey Segal, and John DiMaggio are all expected to return to the comedy about a frozen pizza boy who wakes up 1000 years in the future. The show has done well on DVD, much like the other cancelled Fox show Family Guy, which was resurrected on that network last year. Ah, the power of TV-on-DVD!
Read More | Coming Soon
Gallery: Comedy Central to Bring Futurama Back from the Dead
Shatner Roasted by Comedy Central
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Cable, Announcements,
I love a good roast…no, not beef…the other white meat. William Shatner. OK, kidding aside, I love to watch the Comedy Central roasts, even if I’m not so interested in the celebrity receiving the ribbing. Case in point – Pamela Anderson was roasted last year, and while she typically isn’t my cup of tea, I couldn’t help but laugh along. There are some crappy jokes, to be sure, but also the over-the-top “I can’t believe so-and-so just said that” variety. So, come August 20th when Shatner’s Roast airs, I’ll be checking it out to see what everyone has to say about our beloved Captain Kirk.
Read More | Access Hollywood
Gallery: Shatner Roasted by Comedy Central
Ray Romano to Star in HBO Comedy?
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Comedy, Cable, HBO, 24, Talent, Rumors,
According to a story in The Hollywood Reporter, Ray Romano of Everybody Loves Raymond fame is in talks to star in his own limited-run HBO comedy series from Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran, the creators of 24. The ten episode single-camera series would feature Romano as a billionaire who finds out he only has six months to live. Dennis Klein, creator of The Larry Sanders Show, is on board as a writer and, along with Surnow, Cochran and Romano, as executive producer.
After my recent musings about the future of HBO, it’s good to hear about something potentially interesting in development, though I don’t know if Romano will be believable as a billionaire.
Read More | Coming Soon
Gallery: Ray Romano to Star in HBO Comedy?
FOX’s Fall Premieres Announced
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Late Night, Prime Time, FOX, House, Prison Break, Announcements,
Pencil these into your calendar – the fall premiere info has been set for FOX (subject to change, as nothing about TV programming is ever set in stone…). There are six new primetime shows and an early start date for some returning favorites:
Monday, August 21
8:00 PM Prison Break (Season Premiere)
9:00 PM Vanished (Series Premiere)
Wednesday, August 30
8:00 PM Bones (Season Premiere)
9:00 PM Justice (Series Premiere)
Thursday, August 31
8:00 PM Duets (2-Hour Series Premiere)
Tuesday, September 5
8:00 PM Standoff (Series Premiere)
9:00 PM House (Season Premiere)
Thursday, September 7
8:00 PM ‘Til Death (Series Premiere)
8:30 PM Happy Hour (Series Premiere)
9:00 PM Duets (Time Period Premiere)
Friday, September 8
8:00 PM Nanny 911 (Season Premiere)
9:00 PM Duets Results Show (Series Premiere)
Saturday, September 9
8:00 PM Cops (Season Premiere)
8:30 PM Cops (Season Premiere)
9:00 PM America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back (Season Premiere)
Sunday, September 10
8:00 PM The Simpsons (Season Premiere)
8:30 PM American Dad (Season Premiere)
9:00 PM Family Guy (Season Premiere)
9:30 PM The War at Home (Season Premiere)
Saturday, September 16
11:00 PM MADtv (Season Premiere)
Midnight Talk Show With Spike Ferensten (Series Premiere)
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: FOX’s Fall Premieres Announced
Pee Wee Herman Makes a Play-Date with Adult Swim July 10th
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: Comedy, Kids, Late Night, Cable,
Anyone in their twenties or thirties today likely has fond memories of the show Pee Wee’s Playhouse, which aired from 1986 to 1991 on CBS. The wacky, off-the-wall series featured Paul Reubens and an ensemble of characters doing just what you’d expect to do in a playhouse – playing and having a lot of fun.
Fifteen years after the show went off the air, it’s back – all 45 episodes! Comedy Central’s Adult Swim is adding it to their lineup of crazy cartoons and shows, starting July 10.
Reubens has been busy since the show’s cancellation with roles in films such as Blow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Nightmare Before Christmas, but he will always be known as the man-boy “Pee Wee Herman.” He is most famous for his work on Playhouse as well as its adult-oriented predecessor The Pee Wee Herman Show and accompanying films Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) and Big Top Pee Wee (1988). He will also always be remembered for his arrest and conviction for indecent exposure, for masturbating in an adult film theater.
Pee Wee’s Playhouse – which introduced us to many of today’s stars such as Laurence Fishburne, Natasha Lyonne, the late Phil Hartman, and the voice of Cyndi Lauper (credited as Ellen Shaw on the theme song) – will forever be a cult hit.
Read More | TV.com
Gallery: Pee Wee Herman Makes a Play-Date with Adult Swim July 10th
Entourage: One Day in the Valley
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Comedy, Cable, HBO, Entourage, Features,
Unable to sleep, Ari gives Eric a 5am call on the day of the movie’s opening. Ari asks Eric to talk dirty to him—right before he projects a huge first weekend: $95 million… #1 or bust. After he gets off the phone, Mrs. Ari unsuccessfully tries to get her hubby in the mood. Ari says that it will all have to wait until after the premiere—even though it’s been 3 weeks already.
Click to continue reading Entourage: One Day in the Valley
Gallery: Entourage: One Day in the Valley
Failed Sitcom Pilot Now on YouTube
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, WB, Family Guy, Scrubs, Cancellations, Internet,
Here’s something new – a sitcom for the WB that the network didn’t pick up can be viewed on YouTube. Kind of an interesting way to get a glimpse at something that didn’t make it, and in this case wasn’t good enough even for the WB. Who knew they were so discerning in their sitcom choices?
The show is called, interestingly enough, Nobody’s Watching, about two friends who think they can do better developing a sitcom than what’s currently available. The fictitious WB execs hook the boys up with their own show, complete with a sitcom set to live and work on and their own studio audience. The show was created by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and two Family Guy writers, so it’s got a pretty good pedigree. Take a look – it’s not great, but it showed some potential.
Read More | YouTube
Gallery: Failed Sitcom Pilot Now on YouTube
Jorge Garcia Heading To The Big Screen
Posted by Eric Chaloux Categories: Comedy, ABC, Lost, Talent, News,
Jorge Garcia, who plays Hugo “Hurley” Reyes on the ABC show Lost, has just reportedly signed a deal to appear in a movie. Garcia will playing alongside Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick in the holiday movie Deck The Halls. United Press International reports that Garcia’s character will be “a colorful character in town who is constantly bothering Broderick’s character.” It sounds like the feel good holiday movie or one that’s been done a thousand times before. Garcia has two movies on his resume: The Good Humor Man and Little Athens.
Gallery: Jorge Garcia Heading To The Big Screen
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