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Ron Howard project wins pilot
Pilot fever continues in the US with more projects getting the go-ahead, as follows:
FOX
- Untitled single-camera comedy from producer Ron Howard which is a workplace comedy set at an Internal Revenue Service district office.
NBC
- Rex is Not Your Lawyer, featuring David Tennant is now looking doubtful. “The sets are on fold-and-hold,” says an insider. “They will still be available if the show is picked up for the fall.”
- Justice is from Conan O’Brien’s production company and described as a new take on a law show with a larger-than-life character at the …
Axed: Ugly Betty
Poor Betty Suarez.
ABC is to end Ugly Betty with the current fourth season.
A statement declares: “We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.”
The future for the show has been in peril some time, but at least notice gives the show the chance to turn Betty from the …
Liza joining Ugly Betty
Liza Minnelli is reportedly joining the cast of Ugly Betty for a multi-episode arc.
The legendary entertainer will apparently be playing Lena Korvinka, a high school drama teacher at Justin’s (Mark Indelicato) school -totally camp idea!
Liza was going to have knee replacement surgery at the end of January, but her shoot is supposed to begin in Brooklyn this week.
“Ugly Betty’s producers presented her with a great offer and a hilarious story and they kept coming back to her,” said one source. “She’s going to be playing an outrageous drama teacher and it …
24 update
An amendment from Seven last week indicates that 24 will not be screening as hoped in the week of January 24th.
Dammit.
Instead the channel will air double episodes of Ugly Betty at 7:30pm and Shark at 9:30pm. The latter also screens on Wednesday and concludes the series on Thursday 28th. Inside Maximum Security will also air at 8:30pm Wednesday.
TV Tonight understands 24’s premiere is slated for the week of January 31st for 7TWO.
The eighth season of the Kiefer Sutherland thriller set in New York City returns in the US today with a …
So what’s been your summer gem?
The other week a journalist asked me for some quotes on how our TV summer season was faring and I pointed out that historically, the 09 / 10 season has offered an abundance of choice -at least compared to when we had just 5 channels, half of which were stuck on sport.
This year the amount of content has boomed, thanks to our extra digital channels.
But when the article appeared in print, readers hit back saying summer is still a dead zone. I got slammed. Well, it is if you stick with …
NBC considers Leno back at late nights
US media commentators are all speculating what NBC will do with The Jay Leno Show, widely perceived as a scheduling failure since it moved to the competitive 10pm timeslot. In the US, 10pm is still prime viewing where shows like Brothers and Sisters, Castle, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, The Good Wife and CSI: Miami all air.
Moving Leno to 10pm was considered the boldest programming move of the Fall Season, with Hollywood Reporter recently including his switch in a retrospective story on the decade’s biggest blunders.
NBC knew Leno’s shift …
Timeshifted ratings: What we’re watching later on
Supernatural, Private Practice, Survivor, Stargate: Universe, Californication, Bones, Cold Case, Fringe and Top Gear are the top shows we are recording and watching later, according to early figures released by OzTAM.
Since December 27 OzTAM has begun adding Timeshifted, or Consolidated, figures to its Ratings in a major change to its survey data. It tallies the programmes that are watched up to 7 days after their live airing, now known as the “Overnight” figure. Homes with OzTAM People Meters are now recognising what is watched on recording equipment including PVRs, DVRs and …
7TWO to launch on Prime
Regional Prime viewers will finally get 7TWO on their television sets from 9am tomorrow morning.
The digital channel arrives more than 6 weeks after it aired to metropolitan viewers, and three weeks after its Tasmanian launch.
It will end a long and frustrating wait for regional viewers who have been angered that they have missed out on the extra shows, and never getting any clarity on when the channel would air.
The launch will push the channel into regional homes in NSW, ACT, Victoria and the Gold Coast.
“Over the last few weeks, Prime has …
ABC kisses and makes up over Lambert
Strange ways them Americans….
After Adam Lambert’s AMA performance, branded too hot for network TV, he was also dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve both on ABC.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation spoke to ABC about their decision to cancel Adam Lambert’s performances and both issued the following statements:
“Given the live nature of the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert’s performance, which differed greatly from his rehearsal, caught many, including the network, off guard. This is not a question of Lambert’s sexual orientation. As is evidenced by GLAAD’s …
7TWO for Tassie / Darwin, ONE for Mildura.
7TWO launches on Southern Cross Television today in both Tasmania and Darwin today.
In Tasmania it can be found on Channel 62.
Southern Cross Television’s Group General Manager, Craig Davies has previously said, “We are particularly excited that 7TWO will be the new home for premiere episodes of international hit series including J.J Abrams’ Lost, Ugly Betty, Heroes and 24. Iconic programs including mob hit The Sopranos, much loved drama Six Feet Under and comedy, Murphy Brown will screen on the new channel alongside new primetime episodes of The Jay Leno Show.”
But launching …
Grant Bowler sinks teeth into True Blood
He’s definitely the new Alan Dale….
Grant Bowler has landed a role in Season 3 of True Blood -but he won’t say as what.
It follows his role in Ugly Betty and Lost.
“Mate, it’s HBO and it’s the King … it’s the chance to work for an Oscar-winner [series creator Allan Ball] and alongside an Oscar-winner [Anna Paquin],” he told the Sunday Telegraph.
“Ugly Betty rolls from deep, one-on-one connected, touching realism to absolute farce to physical comedy and clowning and everything in between – I love it.”
At this rate he’ll have to start …
Grant Bowler on Ugly Betty
Australian actor Grant Bowler will have his debut on Ugly Betty aired on December 8th.
And judging by the look of this photo, he’s pretty happy to be there.
Best known for his narration of Border Security and roles in Outrageous Fortune, Blue Heelers, and The Mole, Bowler plays an Australian businessman named Connor Owen who will become involved with Mode.
Bowler, who has also appeared in Lost, will have a recurring role in third series. he could almost become the new Alan Dale.
Ralph Macchio will also star.
It airs 7:30pm Tuesday December 8th on …