I just landed in Los Angeles a few hours ago and you're never going to believe what greeted me upon my arrival (aside from sweltering 145-degree temps): Major-ass prattle poop!Although ABC isn't confirming, I got a tip that Scottish actor Dougray Scott — most recently the star of NBC's short-lived Heist — is joining the cast of Desperate Housewives this fall as a love interest for Teri Hatcher's Susan. This would be really exciting if Susan weren't such an annoying spaz. In other pre-press tour scoopage, I hear Dave Rosenthal has turned in a first draft of the Gilmore Girls season premiere and, according to those who have read it, it's "excellent." I'm trying to get my grubby little hands on it so I can judge for myself, but I can tell you that the episode is called "The Long Morrow" and there's a subplot involving Paris starting up an SAT prep class. Don't forget, Rosenthal will be at CW's press tour Monday along with Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, so get those question...
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If you're looking for a match made in TV heaven, Monk and the new Psych (Fridays at 10 pm/ET on USA) fit the bill. As a Friday-night double feature of lighthearted mayhem (Psych follows Monk), they prove that few places are more fun than a crime scene, if you're in the right company.
"All guaranteed fun" is the operating principle behind Psych, a clever romp about charming slacker Shawn Spencer (James Roday, who should become an overnight star in this role
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Reunion. Threshold. E-Ring. Invasion. Emily's Reasons Why Not. Love Monkey. Commander in Chief. Heist.
What do these shows have in common? They all debuted at some point during this soon-to-wrap TV season, yet each saw their run either cut surprisingly short or handicapped by irregular scheduling. Was 2005-06 the worst year ever to sample a new show? Were the networks especially hasty in deciding the fate of freshman series? TVGuide.com consulted a panel of experts with unique points of view to examine this strange little season gone by.
Are New Shows Getting Short Shrift?Jeff Bader, executive vice president of ABC entertainment programming and scheduling, dismisses the suggestion that prime time is a crueler-than-ever proving ground for new series. "
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Question: I have been enjoying the show Hustle on AMC a great deal, and I was wondering what you thought of it. It seems like the show NBC had hoped Heist might be. It is so smart and fun. It also does the "wink and nod" to the audience better than most shows on TV. I was wondering where Hustle is in its run: Is this the first season? Is it successful for AMC? Will there be another season? Is it coming out on DVD? Thanks!
Answer: I like Hustle quite a bit, too. (I reviewed it in the magazine's Jan. 30 issue.) Courtesy of AMC, here's the scoop on Hustle, which, being a British series, airs its seasons a little differently than we usually do. AMC has aired 18 episodes to date, which comprises two seasons of the series overseas. A third season is currently airing on BBC1, and these episodes will air on AMC beginning July 1. No word yet on a DVD release, though it seems like a natural. (And for the record, as I've said before, this column is not a good resource regarding DVD releases, o ...
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Question: Please tell me it's not true that Heist has been canceled. This is the only decent show NBC has except Deal or No Deal. There has got to be some place they can fit it in their schedule to make people watch. Maybe they can put it on in the summer. Also, I've seen reruns on the USA network. Could USA possibly pick up the show?
Answer: Well, we couldn't live on two more different planets. I hated Heist and am counting the days until this insipid fad of Deal or No Deal fades. But it's true: Heist is dead, at least where NBC is concerned. I suppose there is a chance that one of NBC's corporate cable cousins (A&E, Bravo, CNBC), which occasionally repurpose NBC programming, could present some of the unaired Heist episodes. But I'm not aware of that happening right now. I know it's particularly annoying when a serialized show is cut off midstream. But Heist struck me as an iffy idea done in by unbearably smug and inept execution ...
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