This Week on TV (2/16-2/22)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, Bravo, Cable, CBS, FX, MTV, NBC, Amazing Race, The, ER, Lost, Survivor,
(You can view TV Envy’s Midseason Programming Schedule here.)
MONDAY 2/16)
- Chuck (NBC, 8pm): “Chuck and Sarah go undercover as a happily married couple in surburbia.” A happy couple in surburbia? Isn’t the whole point to be inconspicuous?
- Jon & Kate Plus 8 (TLC, 9pm): “The Gosselins settle into their new home after the big move, but there’s still lots of work to be done.” And Kate will make sure Jon knows it.
- Kyle XY (ABC Family, 9pm): “Kyle reluctantly starts working at Latnok to repay his debt, and it’s not at all what he expects. Yet he still wants to quit, until he considers the Tragers’ current financial situation.” Back up a second—someone’s hiring?
- True Beauty (ABC, 10pm): “Contestants walk the red carpet with their parents, but there are also several secret tests of manners going on.” In other words, pushing mom out of your spotlight would be inadvisable.
Click to continue reading This Week on TV (2/16-2/22)
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2009 Academy Award Nominations
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, ABC, News,
For a list of nominees from the 2009 Academy Awards, please check out our coverage on Film Crunch.
Read More 
| Oscar
Slumdog Breathes New Life Into Millionaire Game Show
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Games, Prime Time, ABC, News, Renewals,
Next month’s Oscars broadcast may benefit ABC in more ways than one. A potential win for Slumdog Millionaire in February could bring heightened interest to the network’s summer schedule. That’s when Who Wants to Be a Millionaire may briefly return.
According to TV Week, ABC had already been considering a 10th anniversary-run for the game show. (The program debuted back on August 16, 1999.) Now the movie about a contestant on an Indian version of Millionaire would make the decision even more timely. The current economic climate could also help as well. Viewers - like those in the Golden Globe winner - may root for someone on hard times.
Although he is not confirmed for the gig at this point, it’s expected Regis Philbin would be part of any Millionaire return.
Read More | TV Week via Entertainment Weekly
Hugh Jackman to Host 2009 Oscars
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, ABC, News,
Looks like Ricky Gervais will have more than just a stolen statue to gripe about.
Although his hilarious performance at the September Emmys had many talking Oscar (you can see the clip here), The Office star will not be hosting the upcoming Academy Awards. Instead of going with one of the funniest men alive, the producers chose to pick the Sexiest Man Alive.
On February 22nd, Hugh Jackman will be the one Laurence Mark and Bill Condon count on to bring viewers back to the annual event. (Last year’s broadcast - which came after the writers’ strike - was the lowest-rated in history.) Even though the Australia star follows a long line of comedians, the 40-year-old is no stranger to hosting duties. Hugh fronted three Tonys telecasts between 2003-05 and won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performer in a Variety, Musical or Comedy program in 2005.
The 81st Annual Academy Awards airs Sunday, February 22 on ABC.
Read More | Futon Critic
Oscars up for Makeover?
Posted by Shannon Bennett Categories: Award Shows, Editorial, Gossip, Ratings,
The Oscar television audience this year hit an all-time low, and the Academy speculates that this is because the ceremony itself is beginning to feel outdated. A makeover didn’t work for the Miss America Pageant, and there was a lot more to update on that wallflower.
Variety has served up the cringe-worthy suggestion of taking a cue from the Reality Phemonenon, but that (mercifully) doesn’t seem like a likelihood. While it could be entertaining to see Streep and Dench race across a snow dune, tied to one another, carrying boiled produce in their mouths to win four points toward Best Actress, chances are it’s not going to catch on, even if statistics show that dignity is one of the damning things that makes poor Oscar seem so elderly. And the truth may be that the program can’t catch up to the “YouTube generation,” because it’s a victim of it.
Click to continue reading Oscars up for Makeover?
Variety
Sunday Ratings: ABC Wins, Oscars Tank
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, Prime Time, Specials, ABC, Ratings,
The Oscars are like the Super Bowl - it’s really pointless to mention other events when those telecasts are on. But one major thing separates this year’s Academy Awards from the recent championship game: viewers.
Let’s break down the numbers:
- Super Bowl XLII hit a record high this year; the 80th Annual Academy Awards hit a record low.
- Having said that, Sunday’s broadcast drew the largest audience of the evening.
- This year’s celebration of movies drew approximately 32 million viewers. That’s a 20% drop from 2007 when The Departed won for Best Picture.
- This ceremony received the lowest numbers for any Oscars telecast measured by Nielsen. That’s going back to 1974.
- Up until yesterday, the lowest-rated broadcast was in 2003 (when Chicago won). At that time, our country had just recently gone into war with Iraq.
Hollywood Reporter
Gary Busey Freaks Out Jennifer Garner, Laura Linney
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, Cable, Gossip, Video,
During E!‘s red carpet coverage of the Academy Awards, actor Gary Busey hit the trifecta when he managed to weird out Ryan Seacrest, Laura Linney and Jennifer Garner.
You know a situation is extremely uncomfortable when two professional actresses can’t act like it was all spontaneous fun. After being mauled by Busey, the Juno star then irritatingly referred to him as ‘this man’ before (understandably) running away. Seacrest was then left to get rid of the actor as gracefully as possible.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Response to the Sarah Silverman, Matt Damon Video
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Specials, Talk Shows, ABC, Video,
On a special post-Oscar show, late night host Jimmy Kimmel issued a response to the now classic Sarah Silverman/Matt Damon video. (If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch it here.)
Although it wasn’t nearly as funny as the original creation, the video did have some choice cameos:
This Week on TV (2/18-2/24)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, Comedy, Drama, Late Night, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Specials, ABC, Cable, FX, NBC, The CW, America’s Next Top Model, American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, Nip/Tuck, Prison Break, Saturday Night Live, Survivor,
MONDAY (2/18)
- Prison Break (FOX, 8pm): Tonight may be the end of the show as we currently know it. Maybe Michael can finally let go of that steely gaze now.
- Dance War (ABC, 8pm): The next Dancing with the Stars contenders will be announced during the spinoff’s season finale. Finally, a reason for me to watch.
- Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (CW, 9pm): Robin Antin is searching for a gal to complete an entirely different musical act. With Danity Kane already taken, she had to settle for the 2nd crappiest group name available.
- My Dad is Better Than Your Dad (NBC, 9pm): “This competition series features fathers and their children in challenges that test the patriarch’s strength, intelligence and parenting skills.” Since when did NBC start stealing ideas from Nick TV?
Click to continue reading This Week on TV (2/18-2/24)
The Oscars Backup Plan
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Award Shows, Prime Time, Specials, ABC, Gossip, Rumors,
The Academy has consistently promised that, writers strike or no, the annual Oscars ceremony will in fact take place. Statements have been released. Comments have been made. And until recently, the Academy seemed to be sticking to its guns. But…just in case, they’re working on a contingency plan.
Scheduled for Feb. 24, the Oscars show we expect may not at all be the one we see. For now, the Academy is working on two different shows. The usual awards spectacle is still in the works, but now a second show is being planned that will include “history and packages of film and concepts” that aren’t “normally ones that we would have.” Gee, sounds great. But no matter what, they say, the show will go on. It must! How else will Hollywood honor itself?
The Academy has made contact with the Writers Guild in hopes of inking some sort of deal.
MSNBC
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