Now playing in this week's Mitovich Mega Minute:
As reported earlier today in the news blog, "Two and a Half Men meets Stars Wars." Get the exclusive casting news all over again... if only to hear me talk funny.
Inside scoop for Supernatural fans on the "familiar" place Sam and Dean visit this week.
In a time of need, Brothers & Sisters's Rebecca leans on a surprising shoulder. Find out whose!
Watch and discuss the video after the jump.
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James Tupper on Samantha Who?
Two big treats are on tap this week for the forsaken Men in Trees fans. First up is the arrival of James Tupper on ABC's Samantha Who?, starting tonight at 9:30 pm/ET. TV's former "McTreemy" plays an environmentalist who strikes Sam's fancy, so much so that Tupper's visit has been extended through, well, whenever. In this Q&A, Tupper lets us know what's what with Who, compares Christina Applegate to real-life lady love Anne Heche, and previews his big-screen turn opposite Zac Efron.
TVGuide.com: In this week's Samantha Who?, "Sam strives to stick to her path of morality, but her handsome first client - played by James Tupper — throws her off course." How so?
James Tupper: First of all, I have to say it's really weird to see that word, "handsome." We all have our way of seeing ourselves in the world, and I grew up in a big family where everybody ignored me. It's just so strange. It confuses my ...
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James Tupper by Sergei Bachlakov/ABC
You had to know that fabulous head of hair would not be lacking for work for long. An ABC spokesperson confirms that Men in Trees lead James Tupper has been booked for at least one Season 2 episode of Samantha Who?. As first reported by an impetuous man named Ausiello, Tupper will play "a charming philanthropist named Owen" — and a possible love interest for Who? else but Samantha. — Matt Mitovich
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Question: Aside from the three leftover episodes of Men in Trees, have you noticed that not one single broadcast network is using the summer to burn off some shows that were canceled in the 2007/2008 season? Nearly all of the shows canceled had less than 10 episodes remaining, and you would think the networks would at least try and finish them off, even on a Saturday night. NBC had only one program with leftover episodes and that was The Singing Bee with three episodes. Likewise the CW only had one program and that was Online Nation with three episodes to screen. ABC has just two programs with Cavemen (seven episodes) and Notes from the Underbelly (eight episodes) and CBS has two episodes of Power of 10 and six episodes of Viva Laughlin. Finally, Fox has three shows with leftover episodes in Back to You with four episodes (this is probably the priority), K-Ville (one episode) and The Return of Jezebel James with four episodes. I know some of these probably deserved cancellation, but ...
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Now playing in the new Mitovich Mega Minute:• How Bones plans to fill Zack's place in the lab.• What to watch for when Men in Trees resurfaces on Wednesday.• Which Knots Landing vet is getting Dirty Sexy this fall?Enjoy — and let me know, eyeglasses or without?
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Question: With the recent demise of Men in Trees, October Road, Jericho and Moonlight, did it seem like there was more fan fervor this year with "Save Our Show" campaigns? I have never seen such enthusiasm and creativity, and yet not a single campaign seemed to make any difference. Is there anything that the fans could have done differently that would have worked to save their shows? And please don't say, "Tell people to watch the show to improve the ratings," — from what I understand, it only matters if you're a Neilsen family, and even if it doesn't, it's not like I know millions of people. And I certainly didn't have any control over the way ABC decided to promote — or more accurately, not promote — Men in Trees, or the way ABC bounced the show around the schedule so it could never gain a decent following. Have we reached the point where the networks have so little regard for the voice of the viewers that we will never see a successful fan campaign again?
Answer: ABC doomed Men in
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Question: Is it my imagination, or is ABC the worst network for supporting its series? The recent cancellation of Men in Trees brings this issue up once again. Men in Trees is a charming show that was strong enough to survive its initial Friday night slot and move to the coveted post-Grey's slot in its first season, only to be put on hold and moved to multiple slots since then. But this is far from the first time that ABC has done this. I had resolved to boycott ABC way back in 2000 after their similar treatment of Sports Night, but relented and have unfortunately been disappointed with their treatment of multiple other shows, including Once and Again and Alias. It seems that other networks simply cancel shows when they are not performing. Am I being unfair to ABC?
Answer: In a word: Yes. Not that you don't have every right to be annoyed. But what network hasn't been the villain in this sort of scenario? Think NBC and Freaks and Geeks, American Dreams, etc. CBS and Jericho, Now and
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Question: I have sent the following to ABC on its web site: "With the cancellation of Men in Trees, I have lost all faith in ABC as a network that cares about the wishes of its viewers, the delivery of quality shows or any claim to 'excellence' you may purport to have. I've been increasingly saddened and disappointed by choices you have made, but this is really the final straw. Too bad. Keep showing crass, vulgar, useless junk like The Bachelor, for example. Aside from a cheap audience that goes for such banality, what have you got to show for it?" Does anyone read these things or care? Might someone else pick up this gentle, wonderful show? What is a viewer to do? TV has become more than a vast wasteland, but I don't even know a proper term for it.
Answer: I empathize — well, maybe not with the "vast wasteland" sentiment, which is overstating the case a bit — but I'm pretty sure ABC knows by now how many of us feel about the rotten way they handled Men in Trees since it was put on its
...
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Question: As you can see by the hundreds of posts to your Men in Trees cancellation story, there is/was much love for Men in Trees. Is there anything you can do to get another network interested?
Answer: Unfortunately, no. Even M.I.T.'s eternally-optimstic creator, Jenny Bicks, says " it is doubtful the show will find a new home." That probably explains why, according to a mole at the Vancouver studio where Trees is shot, the show's wardrobe and props are being sold at fire sale prices. Whispers my spy: " I got a nice pair of shoes for $5."
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Men in Trees by Sergei Bachlakov/ABC
If this is a harbinger of the week ahead, I may be taking off on a last-minute vacation tonight. ABC has gone and canceled one of TV's most consistently heartwarming hours, Men in Trees.The sad, depressing news was just confirmed to me by series creator Jenny Bicks, who says she was informed of the network's decision late last week. "I am really proud of the work we did on MIT," she tells me. "A huge thank you to our supportive fans." Bicks believes that two years of schizophrenic scheduling ultimately did the cherished dramedy in. "I wish the show had not been moved six times and put onto two long hiatuses," she sighs. "No show could survive that."Truer words have never been spoken. As soul-crushing as this is, I managed to find a silver lining in all this: Viewers will get their happy ending. Bicks and her team prepared for Trees' possible demise by shooting an alternate series-finale ending that will now be tacked onto the show's last episode, which is slated to air this summer. ...
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