Cars Writer to Pen NBC Comedy
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, NBC, My Name Is Earl, Scrubs,
NBC just gave the go-ahead for a comedy pilot from “Cars” writer Dan Fogelman, called Lipshitz Saves the World. The project will be directed by Chris Koch, who directed other NBC faves My Name Is Earl and Scrubs.
Lipshitz focuses on 17-year-old Adam Lipshitz, who discovers that he might be destined to save the world. Fogelman compares the show as “if Keanu Reeves wasn’t good-looking and ‘The Matrix’ was not a movie but a pilot for NBC.”
Lipshitz is the first pilot NBC has ordered since announcing the fall schedule in May. According to NBC Senior Vice President Comedy Jeff Ingold, “We had been eager to work with Dan, so we jumped fast after reading this spec. It has a big comedic idea driving it, just like his feature work.”
Read More 
| Reuters
Gallery: Cars Writer to Pen NBC Comedy
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New Rules Give Smaller Shows a Chance at an Emmy
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: Award Shows, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, Cable, CBS, FX, HBO, NBC, UPN, WB, Arrested Development, Desperate Housewives, Entourage, Everybody Hates Chris, Grey’s Anatomy, My Name Is Earl, The Office, The Sopranos, West Wing, The,
This year’s Emmy nominations will be announced July 6 and perhaps new nominating guidelines will make 2006 the “year of the underdog”.
Last year showed some progress, with nominations gained by new hits such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and the recently-cancelled, cult-hit Arrested Development (which won seven awards last year).
Apparently some rules have been instated this year that will give newer shows (and shows from less popular networks, such as UPN, FX, and the WB) an even better chance at getting an award. The new system will allow members of the Academy to choose ten to fifteen finalists (depending on category), later cut to five main nominees by a panel of judges.
A few of this year’s hopefuls include The Office (NBC), My Name is Earl (NBC), Rescue Me (FX), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Gilmore Girls (WB), Battlestar Galactica (SciFi), Everybody Hates Chris (UPN), and Entourage (HBO).
Of course, some regular faces will be sure to make appearance on the list such as members of The West Wing and The Sopranos. (Thank goodness Fraiser is off the air, although Will & Grace may return for one last year of nominations, despite the end of the series a few months ago).
The awards will air on August 27.
Read More | MSNBC
Gallery: New Rules Give Smaller Shows a Chance at an Emmy
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
Universal Studios Home Entertainment has finally released the first season of Fear Factor on DVD. The show focuses on contestants facing their biggest fears for a cash prize (that is, if their biggest fears included eating gross fare such as worms and beetles).
Other challenges include being catapulted over 100 feet in the air, eating bull testicals, laying down in a snake pit, and “resucing” a fake baby from an underwater car. The winner received a prize of $50,000.
The two-disc collection contains the first nine episodes, as well as a preview of Season Two.
Read More | Reality TV Magazine
Gallery: Fear Factor Out On DVD
David Hasselhoff Suffers Shaving Injury
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, News,
Well, sort of. The story goes that he was shaving in a bathroom at a gym in London when he bumped into a chandelier – sending broken glass flying and ultimately severing a tendon. Oopsy! Hasselhoff, a judge on America’s Got Talent, had to undergo surgery for the injury and was released the next day. Talk about your freak accidents – what are the chances there would be a chandelier in a gym bathroom? Maybe not the case, as other reports tell a different tale involving a glass shelf that he hit after he bent down and stood back up.
Read More | E! Online
Gallery: David Hasselhoff Suffers Shaving Injury
America’s Got Talent: Does It Really?
Posted by Abby Rose Dalto Categories: Reality, NBC, American Idol, Talent, Editorial,
I finally got around to checking out America’s Got Talent. I was able to catch a repeat of Episode 2 - which originally aired this Wednesday on NBC - on Bravo and boy was I surprised! America really has got talent - or at least, it sort of does. This show is a bizarre American Idol rip-off (I mean “spin-off”, Simon Cowell is the producer) that follows the the Idol formula a little too closely.
Talent, like Idol, has three celebrity judges: the sympathetic singing star (Brandy), the caustic British Judge (Piers Morgan), and the random pop culture icon (David Hasselhoff!) It is a formula that works, but unfortunately most of the critiques end up sounding scripted. The majority of the decisions seem to ultimately come down to the Hoff as a tie-breaker, for Brandy is too nice to say no to anyone (except maybe the woman who performed a sexy strip tease on stage) and Piers is too mean to say yes to anyone.
Oh and wait! It’s got Regis too, but I guess anyone is better than Seacrest at this point.
The real difference between Idol and Talent, is that while America may never tire of new emerging pop stars, there isn’t much need for a new hit harp player, baton twirler, or um, “stove-on-chin-balancer”. The show is entertaining and the performers - most of them - are indeed quite skilled, but is there really any market for these contestants after the show is over? When it all comes down to it, Idol‘s got marketable talent but Talent has not.
I must say, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen a man balance swords in his mouth while dressed in an Victoria’s Secret-esque angel outfit and high heels. The amazing Leonid’s plea to return to the next round (after being eliminated) was a heart-wrenching site to behold. Apparently it worked because even Piers reversed his vote. I guess he knows good TV when he sees it and the freak show acts on this show are definitely good TV.
Read More | NBC
Gallery: America’s Got Talent: Does It Really?
NBC and YouTube Come Together
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: NBC, Saturday Night Live, The Office, Internet, News,
After a rocky start, NBC and YouTube have reached a mutual agreement that allows YouTube to post NBC clips of the new fall season. Things were not always so agreeable, as NBC made YouTube pull the Saturday Night Live “Lazy Sunday” Digital Short earlier this year.
NBC’s 2006-2007 lineup will be featured on a dedicated YouTube channel that houses NBC’s clips. NBC is also asking YouTube visitors to create their own 20-second promo video for The Office – the winning promo will air on NBC in August.
John Miller, NBC Universal Television’s marketing chief, says “YouTube is the perfect online media partner to promote NBC’s marquee entertainment to their audience and explore new and creative ways to harness the power of viral video in a manner that respects copyrights.” A smart move, considering YouTube’s popularity – as many as 70 million videos are viewed daily.
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: NBC and YouTube Come Together
Controversial Book of Daniel Coming to DVD
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: NBC, Cancellations, DVD,
NBC’s short-lived, controversial series, The Book of Daniel, which starred Aidan Quinn as a Vicodin-popping Episcopalian priest who talks to Jesus, will be coming to DVD in September. The two-disc set, priced at $29.98, will feature all eight produced episodes of the show; only four episodes aired, though NBC did offer the rest online. The show had already stopped airing in a few markets, though, due to its controversial treatment of religion. Despite its being about a priest, the show was a bit soap opera-esque, what with the pill popping, the visits from Jesus, the alcoholic wife, the gay son, and the drug dealing daughter. Even so, I thought it had its amusing and charming moments, so I’m glad all the episodes will be available. It may not be worth buying, but it can’t hurt to add it to the Netflix queue. Look for the set to hit the street on September 26th.
Read More | TV Shows on DVD
Gallery: Controversial Book of Daniel Coming to DVD
Apprentice 7 – The Donald Keeps Getting Richer
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Apprentice, The - Donald, Ratings, Renewals,
Despite lower ratings for season 5 of The Apprentice versus previous seasons, NBC just can’t say “no” to The Donald. Season 6 will feature the back-stabbers…er…contestants in Los Angeles, and is set to air in January. The future of the reality franchise seemed uncertain given the declining ratings, however Trump told Daily Variety that NBC has given the go-ahead for a 7th season. Presently, NBC and Trump are scouting locations, with the leading contenders being Las Vegas or Miami. According to Trump, the decision will be made in the next two months.
Read More | E! Online
Gallery: Apprentice 7 – The Donald Keeps Getting Richer
Frazzled Britney Was Left On Her Own for Dateline Interview
Posted by Christina Furtado Categories: Prime Time, Reality, Specials, NBC, Editorial, Gossip,
Because here at TV Envy, we can’t talk enough about Britney Spears, here is my contribution to the latest round of gossip about her. According to Page Six, Britney was apparently Dateline NBC personnel were shocked when they showed up at her Malibu mansion for Matt Lauer’s interview with her and found her alone, without either of her publicists. Even worse still, Brit insisted on doing her own hair and makeup, which looked horrible; one of her fake eyelashes even fell off when she started crying during the interview. As the picture at right shows, her wardrobe choice was also regrettable, to say the least. In addition, without her publicists there to act as watchdogs, no one could take control of the situation when Matt asked what it was like to fall in love with Kevin Federline when Shar Jackson was carrying his child, leading Britney to compare her marriage to that of Julia Roberts and and Danny Moder: “Julia Roberts’ husband had a pregnant wife when he hooked up with Julia, but no one ever talked about that!”
When asked why Britney was allowed to field the interview on her own, one of her publicists, Sloane Zelnick, “Britney is a grown-up and makes her own decisions.” An ironic statement, given the fact that Britney seems to fall apart (literally! the eyelash falling off seems almost symbolic of her life) without her entourage. Maybe they’ve given up on her, given her recent spate of bad press about her bad childcare habits, crumbling marriage, etc. I actually feel bad for her, or at least as bad as I can feel for a multi-millionare. She’s been famous from a relatively young age, and so has never been forced to take the reins of her own life. Now that people seem to be abandoning her to her fate, she’s going to have to learn to do that. I wish her well, if not for her own sake, then for the sake of little Sean Preston and the one on the way. Meanwhile—Brit, find a stylist, quick!
Read More | Page Six
Gallery: Frazzled Britney Was Left On Her Own for Dateline Interview
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