Monthly Archives: May 2007

May 14, 2007 · 7:52 am

Network Upfronts Extravaganza: Monday Update

The 2007 Network Upfronts are officially upon us, and it’s NBC that’s first out of the gate.

Cultural Learnings’ Network Upfronts Extravaganza 2007 – ‘NBC’ Preview

However, while NBC presents at 3pm EST today, that doesn’t mean that other networks aren’t making moves and locking down pilot commitments. I spent some time last night updating various of the preview posts, but I figure that I should document some of that news here as a way of keeping everyone informed.

NBC

Exit Laughing: NBC Retreats from Comedy – The Hollywood Reporter

NBC, meanwhile, has made it official: there will be no new comedies on their fall schedule for the first time, well, ever. However, in a move which is sure to make things very interesting for The Office and My Name is Earl, the two shows will be pulling some overtime: a lot of it. The Office will have its normal 24 30-minute episodes during the season…plus six hour-long specials. That’s a total of 30 episodes, while My Name is Earl is getting 28 1/2 hour episodes. This means that NBC is erring on the side of ensuring new episodes of its hit shows. Also, the lineup for Comedy Night Done Right will shift: Earl and 30 Rock will hold down the 8pm fort, while The Office and Scrubs form a solid block at 9pm.

Also, Law & Order WILL be on the schedule, but Criminal Intent is moving to USA Network. Meanwhile, Friday Night Lights might find a home on Friday, and Lipstick Jungle will be held along with The IT Crowd until midseason. This changes my projected schedule, which has been updated. I literally have run out of shows, so they have to either pick up another pilot or…air something? I don’t even know.

The CW

[Cultural Learnings’ Preview]

The CW has nailed down its third drama pilot, an untitled project which features Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner, Batman Begins) as the owner of a wildlife refuge in South Africa and his son-in-law who moves there. Considering how tight my existing CW schedule is, chances are that this show would bump the Veronica Mars revamp (Yes, I’m sad too). However, I have to wonder whether The CW audience is really in tune with the South African wildlife refuge drama. The concept doesn’t sound terrible, but I fail to see where it fits into its image amongst young females especially, at least compared to a female-led FBI program.

ABC

[Cultural Learnings’Preview]

ABC’s lineup remains pretty locked up, although there’s word that According to Jim is still in contention. Dear ABC: do you really hate me that much? They could also be picking up another pilot, Miss/Guided, which the press release describes as:

“Miss/Guided” is a single-camera half-hour about a former ugly duckling (Judy Greer) who becomes a guidance counselor at her old high school.

Sounds decent enough, although only time will tell.

CBS

[Cultural Learnings’ Preview]

Meanwhile, CBS is making the bold move of picking up Swingtown and the Jimmy Smits drama, although no other pilot information is being made available. As a result, the fate of Jericho is still unknown and the status of other pilots (They need other pilots) is not yet known. I’ve added Swingtown to the schedule, and bumped Cold Case in the process…but chances are that it will bump the two extra comedies I placed on the schedule. But I think they need more comedies, so I’m keeping them there.

FOX

[Cultural Learnings’ Preview]

FOX has officially added the Juliana Marguiles-star vehicle Canterbury’s Law to their schedule. Because we needed another lawyer show. Really. Thanks FOX.

I’ll be checking in with the final NBC information later this afternoon with the final news of the schedule, and will probably offer some analysis later.

Why the ‘Survivor: Fiji’ Finale (But Not the Winner) Made Me Really, Really Angry

I must admit that the ‘Survivor: Fiji’ Finale was one of the best in recent years, with a wide range of twists, turns, drama and a tribal council with the usual amount of really, really frustrating comments that make me want to strangle these people. And yet, in the end, I was mostly angry. Really, really angry.

WARNING: Spoilers for the finale will be found within. Be warned.

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Filed under Reality TV, Survivor, Television

Tagged as CBS

May 13, 2007 · 9:10 pm

Network Upfronts Extravaganza – ‘NBC’ Preview

NBC had a motto heading into this season: “first be best, then be first.” It was quite the slogan, don’t get me wrong, but it was also a flawed strategy considering they have only seen two dramas survive their development season and one of them is limping into the end zone instead of high-kicking their way into it. It was a year that was supposed to slow the network’s decline, and yet the shows that were struggling last season just kept struggling. NBC is still sitting in the basement among the big four networks, and they need a good development season quickly. While Heroes has certainly been a big success for the network, there’s also very little question that it isn’t enough: they need something big, and they need it soon. They can be best all they want, but if people aren’t watching NBC is only going to fall further. And, based on their pilot selections…well, the jury remains out on whether NBC is capable of rising to the occasion.

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Filed under 30 Rock, Andy Barker P.I., Crossing Jordan, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Law & Order, Medium, NBC, Ratings, Reality TV, Scrubs, Television, The Apprentice, Upfronts

Tagged as Studio 60

May 13, 2007 · 11:19 am

Network Upfronts Extravaganza – ‘ABC’ Preview

ABC is in a unique situation this year when it comes to pilots. On one hand, the network has seen some success this year and in past years, and the network has remained a solid demographics performers even with dips in viewership for its flagship shows like Lost or Desperate Housewives. However, outside of shows like Grey’s Anatomy the network actually saw a series of failures over the span of the year with both dramas and comedies. Judging from its pilot order, ABC is going with what I’d like to call a shotgun approach, something which is both good and bad for the network’s future. Either way, next season will be a test for the ABC brand: is there a cohesive image which can unite wildly different shows together under one banner?

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Filed under ABC, Brothers & Sisters, Cavemen, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Ratings, Sex & The City, Television, Traveler, Ugly Betty, Upfronts

May 13, 2007 · 1:02 am

Saturday Night Live (May 12th 2007): Molly Shannon & Linkin Park

There is something to be said for the fact that SNL’s host makes a difference each week. The entire concept of having a celebrity host is really a flawed one; it brings in big names, and ratings, but the comedy itself can often falter. When you have someone come in who doesn’t have comic timing, the show basically falls apart. It limits what the writers are able to work with, and it basically handicaps the program. It’s why the show has so many legacy hosts: Christopher Walken and Alec Baldwin each have fantastic comic timing, and the result is that they’ve each hosted numerous times. It’s also why, often, the show likes to bring back former cast members to host after they’ve made it big.

Well, Molly Shannon (IMDB) returning isn’t exactly because she made it big (The movie she’s promoting, Year of the Dog, is still fairly smalltime), but the fact remains that it’s a smart decision from a creative point of view. Well, okay, from a comic point of view, as relying on her past hit characters isn’t exactly “creative”, but the fact remains that Molly Shannon can do what few hosts can: flawlessly interject into sketches without it seeming forced. She can star in one, taking it over completely, and yet effortlessly play a supporting role when it is required of her. But did it result in a good show?

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Filed under NBC, Saturday Night Live, Television

Tagged as Linkin Park, Molly Shannon

May 12, 2007 · 4:47 pm

Network Upfronts Extravaganza – ‘FOX’ Preview

It’s going to end up as the #1 network this season due to the American Idol juggernaut. And yet, can we really say that FOX has had a successful year? It’s to the point now where we really can’t even include Idol in the show’s ratings in order to get a decent view into its true success. The reality is that FOX had a rough development season, failing to put together a single new show that was buzzworthy except for the one they gave a shot after American Idol in the second half of the season…and a game show. The network looks to diversify that success yet again this season, and they’ve got a few options on the table which could get them there…and some which are just plain awful.

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Filed under 'Til Death, 24, American Idol, Bones, Drive, FOX, House, Prison Break, Ratings, Reality TV, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Television, The O.C., Upfronts

May 12, 2007 · 1:04 pm

Network Upfronts Extravaganza – ‘CBS’ Preview

EDIT: CBS has officially revealed its upfront schedule. For all the details, head to:

Cultural Learnings’ Analysis of CBS’ 2007/2008 Fall Schedule.

So, you’re CBS. You’re the #1 network for the first half of the year until FOX rolls out American Idol, right? You have multiple high-performing hours of drama each and every week, and seem to have little problem launching new comedies on Monday nights. So, when it comes to the upfronts, what exactly are you looking for? CBS faces this problem every year, and the result is usually an attempt to engage younger viewers while in reality continuing their streak of repetitive programming. However, as their pilot season last year demonstrates, this is not always an easy task, and despite their ratings success CBS has a lot of catching up to do.

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Filed under Jericho, Survivor, Television, The Amazing Race, Upfronts

Tagged as CBS

May 11, 2007 · 7:58 pm

Network Upfronts Extravaganza: ‘The CW’ Preview

UPDATE: Hey everyone! Final word is in: One Tree Hill was Renewed! Get up and celebrate!

That’s right:

One Tree Hill is Renewed

…so congratulations to everyone.

In their first year as a network, The CW has been forced to weather failure after failure. Between the failure of Veronica Mars to find an audience, the failure for 7^th Heaven to turn its “Series” finale success into a final season of high-rated television, and the absolute decimation of its Comedy Lineup after being moved to Monday Nights, the network has struggled to define a new identity for itself . However, perhaps more than anything else, The CW’s largest failure is the fact that of its new pilots at the beginning of the season, none of them became anything even close to a success. So, they face a unique challenge this time around: they need to find pilots which give them an identity that will make them a successful network next season. Do they have what it takes?

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30 Comments

Filed under Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Ratings, Reaper, Television, The CW, The O.C., Upfronts, Veronica Mars

May 11, 2007 · 11:06 am

Group Writing Project Update: Day 4 Highlights

So, as you may have noticed, I had a Top 5 yesterday for ProBlogger’s Group Writing Project. And, since it’s a “Group” writing project, there’s over a thousand entries. I featured six of them yesterday, and there’s another five today I think are worth some time.

First, Jason Griffin at TVAholic runs down the 5 “bubble shows” which he wants to see renewed this week, which is conveniently timed to my Upfront Extravaganza. I agree with some of his choices, and one has even already been renewed, but the fact remains that everything is still up in the air.

At Toon Brew, meanwhile, Neal runs down his Five Favourite Comic Book Characters. His #1 is okay with me, but the rest of the list makes me feel bad for remaining so very disconnected from comic strips outside of my core three. Expanding that horizon might be a project for when I’m really bored at some point, and perhaps some further comic book purchases are in order.

On the music side of things, JesterTunes has a list of Five Songs That Make Jester Happy. I’ve added my own songs to their list in the comments section, and I think that happy music is something everyone should have. The most recent addition to my Happy playlist is John Lennon’s “Instant Karma.”

Meanwhile, Alan over at Big Ugly Couch runs down what everyone who has ever made a powerpoint needs to read right now. Seriously, people, I’ve sat through too many excruciating presentations to let you go on like this. Alan’s five suggestions are so bloody simple, and yet so categorically ignored. I’ll also add that, in my view, whether it’s a discussion class or not, I want to see a thesis for your argument or a summary of your point, not just random questions. *Shakes Fist*

ScribbleKing, meanwhile, has an interesting argument regarding why studios should stop making big-budget films. He’s right, on a lot of accounts, but I worry that it’s too idealist. I think that as long as an audience exists for and a studio-mentality supports such films, there really isn’t much of a chance of that trend ending any time soon.

For the rest of the entries, head over to ProBlogger. There’s some really interesting stuff there, entertainment-related or not.

7 Comments

Filed under Cinema, Music, Television

May 11, 2007 · 9:25 am

Cultural Learnings’ Network Upfronts Extravaganza: Preview

So, I realized something last night after posting my 5^th Blog Post in 24 hours: I need to blog less. Although each post was informative in its own special way, it just wasn’t necessary. I need to learn to control my urge to blog when it comes time to, you know, write a Thesis next year, so I figure that I should be conditioning over the summer.

Of course, this realization came as we come to one of the most important television weeks of the entire year, so I think it will be put on hold for a little while at least. Starting on Monday, the five major networks (And other smaller networks) will present their Fall lineups to the media and advertisers, and it’s always a fascinating experience. This is called the Network Upfront Presentations. It’s a combination of all sorts of things:

There’s suspense, waiting to see whether your favourite “On the Bubble” show has been renewed (This year I’m holding my breath for ‘Veronica Mars’).

There’s conflict, as when you realize that you’ll have to choose between ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘CSI’, or that you’ll have to TiVo the new Grey’s Spinoff if they choose to stick it against ‘Heroes’/’24’ (Which would be a nightmare for people who watch pretty well everything, like me).

There’s comedy, in seeing what idiotic pilots are picked up despite not having a hope in hell of being decent (See: ‘Geico Caveman’, the Sitcom! Seriously, ABC? Seriously?)

There’s drama, as certain shows that seemed to be sure things are left cut due to unforeseen circumstances (See: ABC’s high-profile adaptation of the British ‘Footballer’s Wives’).

And, perhaps most of all, there’s speculation. It’s perhaps one of my favourite things, because it allows us to make assumptions about these series and their potential both creatively and financially for the networks involved.

And thus begins the madness that is the Network Upfronts. So, what will Cultural Learnings be doing in order to inform its readers about this chaotic process?

Well, as much as it pains me, I don’t really want to leave little news bytes about everything. Yes, sure, I would have loved to have blogged about ‘Friday Night Lights’ being renewed (Which pretty well made my day yesterday), but I figure that’s best saved for discussing NBC in detail. I want this to be a resource for people wading through hundreds of announcements and news briefings and just about everything else, so I figure there’s a better way of going about it (But Yay Friday Night Lights!).

Over the weekend, I’ll be posting my pre-game thoughts if you will for each network: a brief summary of what they did right and wrong last pilot season, and what they should, theoretically, be looking for. I’ve even made a convenient little schedule, it’s quite exciting.

The Networks in Review

Friday: The CW

Saturday: CBS, FOX

Sunday: ABC, NBC

Then, starting on Monday, I’ll be detailing the upfront presentation of each network with analysis of whether or not they made the right decisions, and how each night of television might fare.

The Upfronts in Review:

Fall Schedule Details

Monday: NBC

Tuesday: CBS

Wednesday: ABC

Thursday: FOX, The CW

At the end of the week, after all the madness is over, I’ll be running down each night of television for the fall season so you’ll get an idea of what your TiVo will be recording in four months’ time, and what shows you might have to cut.

This is one of the most hectic weeks in television history (Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but seriously). You’ve got the ‘Survivor’ finale on Sunday, the penultimate episodes of ‘Heroes’/’24’ on Monday, the Series Finale of ‘Gilmore Girls’ on Tuesday, the penultimate ‘Lost’ on Wednesday, the finales of: ‘The Office’, ‘Scrubs’, ‘Ugly Betty’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ AND ‘CSI’ on Thursday, and then even Saturday has the season finale of ‘Saturday Night Live’. And, on top of all of this, there’s the network upfronts?

It is going to be a busy week: stay tuned to Cultural Learnings if you want to see how it all ends up. If you want to get your news as it breaks, though, here’s some links to major resources for all your upfront and Pilot news.

The Hollywood Reporter: Pilot Chart

An extensive collection of every single pilot ordered by all networks, this offers you with the chance to peruse to see which series you might want to see pop up next week.

Variety: Pilot Watch

Variety’s got a newsfeed which is dedicated to news related to pilot season, so check this out for up-to-the-minute updates over the weekend regarding which shows are being staffed and which ones are being put to pasture.