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WGA Awards 2009 / AFI Most Outstanding
Awards season is certainly hotting up in the US.
The Writer’s Guild of America has announced the best of the bunch in television writing for 2009.
Mad Men, 30 Rock and The Office are multiple nominees while Modern Family and Glee are both up for Comedy and New Series awards.
Amongst the other New Series contenders are Nurse Jackie, Hung and The Good Wife –totalling four of five shows to air in Australia on TEN.
In Animation it is a five horse race between writers of The Simpsons.
Amongst the television nominees are:
DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad – …
FOX rejects Ab Fab remake
I think we’re all privately a little relieved at this one.
Absolutely Fabulous isn’t going ahead at FOX. Despite early talk the pilot was “hot, hot hot,” executives are said to have wondered if it was really for their audience.
It isn’t the first time the US has tried to adapt the hit series -the last time was with Roseanne Barr and Carrie Fisher. This time the script was from Saturday Night Live writer Christine Zander. Jennifer Saunders was involved as an executive producer, but who knows how hands on she was…
Relocated to …
Airdate: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
On February 20th Conan O’Brien winds down his Late Night show, in readiness to take over from Jay Leno.
So Jimmy Fallon will take over Conan’s chair and the show will screen in Conan’s place on the Comedy Channel from March 3rd.
Fallon first garnered attention in 1998 when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live. In 2000 he became the co-anchor of SNL’s signature segment “Weekend Update” alongside Tina Fey.
Fallon also ventured off into other television roles, including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s miniseries Band of Brothers.
He is only the the …
Writer’s Guild of America awards: Winners
Regular winners Mad Men, 30 Rock and John Adams have nabbed prizes in the Writer’s Guild of America’s annual awards.
They are joined by Recount, In Treatment, Breaking Bad, Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.
Dramatic series
“Mad Men,” written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon, David Isaacs, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Marti Noxon, Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner; AMC
Comedy series
“30 Rock,” written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Andrew Guest, Matt Hubbard, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Ron Weiner; NBC
New series
“In Treatment,” written by Rodrigo …
Kath & Kim’s future looking shaky
NBC has backtracked on plans for Kath & Kim to enjoy a full season of 22 episodes, trimming 5 off its order.
Instead it will have 17 episodes produced with no clear path of its life thereafter.
It is the same fate that has fallen to Knight Rider -also cut back from 22 to 17 eps.
Its current run will end on March 12th to be replaced by an untitled new mockumentary that looks at the world of local government from April 9th. It is being developed by Greg Daniels (The Office, King of …
Britney for Kath & Kim?
First there was Pamela Anderson. But could Britney Spears be next on the hit list for the US Kath & Kim?
It’s an idea that’s been floated by executive producer Michelle Nader.
In an interview with Nader, Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, for TVGuide, there’s a lot of celebrity lovin’ going on, and a good deal of praise for Jane Turner and Gina Riley:
Molly Shannon: I will say that the Australian version is so well done it’s very hard to touch. As a comedian, I felt like I had to find a way …
When Sarah met Tina
Presidential candidate Sarah Palin watched backstage as Tina Fey did her best impression on Saturday Night Live on the weekend.
In a press conference sketch, Fey answered lots of questions with Palin’s “gee whiz” style of politics.
Backstage Palin watched the 30 Rock star on a monitor and proved she was a good sport. Also making an appearance was Mark Wahlberg, and Alec Baldwin (but you’ll have to watch the clip to see for yourself).
Finally, Palin and Fey crossed paths as the Alaskan Governor threw to the opening of the show….
FOX to remake Ab Fab
Not content with re-making Kath and Kim, America is about to tackle Absolutely Fabulous -again.
Arrested Development’s Mitch Hurwitz (who is also behind the animated and retitled version of Sit Down Shut Up), is one of three executive producers for Sony Pictures. Jennifer Saunders is also in on the deal, as one of three other executive producers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she will be hands on each episode.
The script will be put together by Saturday Night Live writer Christine Zander.
The new US version to air on FOX will be located in …
Airdate: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
As expected, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the critically acclaimed series from writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) is finally going to be aired by Channel Nine, but only on 9HD.
The short-lived drama starring Matthew Perry will air from 10:30pm Thursday October 9th.
After his take on the US government in The West Wing, Sorkin then turned his attention to network television itself. Studio 60 is a drama about the behind-the-scenes workings of a sketch / variety show, in the style of Saturday Night Live. Perry plays a writer and executive …