Question: I saw in the Biz column that NBC has not yet decided if they will renew Scrubs. So this leads to a series of questions: Why would a network that has a limited number of quality shows even think about letting one of them go off the air? If the show is struggling, why does NBC refuse to put it on Thursday, where it could become part of a great comedy lineup? Finally, if it isn't renewed by NBC, could it be picked up by ABC? I think I read that someone at ABC was part of the team that developed it for NBC. I really do hope it survives, because it is a shame to see shows go off the air that have some sense of originality and can actually make you laugh. Thanks for the time.
Answer: All are legitimate questions, and most have been asked repeatedly during a season when NBC often treated Scrubs, despite its Emmy nominations and general acclaim, as if it were toxic and contagious. We've speculated before that if NBC dropped Scrubs at this point, ABC might jump at it, given that the
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As Brad Garrett joked on stage — and then later verified in the pressroom — at the Emmys, where he grabbed his third win in the supporting actor in a comedy category, talks have heated up in recent weeks regarding a possible Everybody Loves Raymond spin-off centered on big (and freakishly so) brother Robert. Not only are Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal and several scribes said to be on board for the follow-up, but also cast members Monica Horan, Fred Willard, Georgia Engel and Chris Elliott. And in my own honest opinion, you can never get enough Chris Elliott.
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For every drop of refreshing new blood in this year's Emmy field, there's a stubborn residue of tired old blood. The Emmy nominations are an annual rite of frustration in which every positive breakthrough is balanced by an aggravating snub.
This year is no different. As expected, last year's instant hits on ABC, Desperate Housewives and Lost, got their due, leading the comedy and drama pack respectively (although Housewives was tied with the academy's longtime, and inexplicable, darling Will & Grace with 15 nominations).
But because of the TV academy's regrettable devotion to faded perennials like Will & Grace, The West Wing and Si
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