Greetings, virtual community, it's good to be back! I just got back from the movie theater with Justine Bateman, where we saw this slasher movie called Fur. OK, it's not really a slasher movie, it's a movie about photographer Diane Arbus, but the one thing that did get slashed was my part. Between that and the Bears losing, it could've been quite the downward spiral today, but I count it as a step on the way to becoming a real actor. In my book, you're not a real actor until your part hits the cutting-room floor, you get a bad review, and you've been fired. So I am two-thirds of the way there — I just hope the firing doesn't happen on Men in Trees, because I love seeing these people at work every day. And Justine Bateman may or may not be one of those people (whom, as I see at work, no one can resist loving). I can't reveal any more except that she may or may not have one of the greatest lead-ins and entrances on a television show I've ever seen. A literal and metaphorical stor...
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Question: I honestly don't understand why everyone keeps complaining about reruns. It's kind of nice to be able to go back and catch an episode that you may have missed the first time or one that was interrupted by the local affiliate or a technical difficulty. Not to mention, sometimes it's nice not to have to worry about whether you set the VCR timer properly. There are even some shows that I actually enjoy watching more than once: Grey's Anatomy, Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars come to mind. Take the reruns as an opportunity to refresh your memory about prior stories, or to see them in a new light now that you know what happens next. Or maybe even take the repeats as an opportunity to read a book or catch up on some sleep. On a side note, I just wanted to say how much I love Men in Trees. I understand people are calling for it to be moved to a different day on the schedule, but I like it on Fridays just fine. It's nice to have a lighthearted, romantic comedy on after a long, hard ...
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My heart broke when Jack told Marin that their relationship would never be the same. The one word that I truly hate to hear a character utter is “never.” Sure, their relationship was thrown a bit off balance, but now it can never be the same? And how cruel was Jack when he threw Marin’s copy of The New Yorker into the fire? Actually, he was unbelievably cold to Marin the entire episode; there was not an ounce of tenderness on his face at any point. Is this how a “real man” behaves? Of course, being confronted by two obnoxious women (Cheryl and Meryl) was probably not the most enjoyable experience, and then to also know that tons of people read personal things about you — well, yes, maybe he was a bit justified in being upset. But why did he have to thrown around that word, "never"? Even Chief Celia, arguably the most stubborn woman in Elmo, made an effort to adjust to her unseating as Patrick’s only mother — in her own way. When Mai told Pa...
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Wow! I was just about to turn in this week's blog, procrastinating as usual and pushing it down to the wire, when I got a call from James Tupper that we are picked up [for the full season]! It was extremely bizarre because I had just finished typing his name moments before. I never thought the words, "I was just blogging about you" would come out of my mouth. Anyway, I promised that you would all know the moment I knew, so here it is. And if that wasn't enough good news, they're moving us to the slot after Grey's Anatomy beginning Nov. 30! Exclamation points are actually warranted here! I know some of you were enjoying having something good to watch on Friday nights, but it looks like you're going to have to go out to dinner instead. So here's this week's blog — and I guess there will be more of them to come! A new episode of Men in Trees premieres tonight [at 9 pm/ET, on ABC], and so the Bergl blog is back. I'm sorry I didn't post a little warning that there wouldn't be a new...
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My only question about ABC moving Men in Trees to Thursdays after Grey's Anatomy, starting Nov. 30: Why wait so long? The practical answer: ABC needs a little time to promote the move, and with Thanksgiving in the mix, it's probably more prudent to wait until after sweeps and the holiday to execute this change, which has been suggested for weeks by many an analyst (not to mention all those backseat amateur programmers who write into my "Ask Matt" mailbox). The upside: the likable romantic comedy of Men in Trees (which I'm now going to have to play catch-up with before it moves) is almost surely more compatible with the sexy shenanigans of Grey's than the pretentious contrivances of Six Degrees — which ABC promises to bring back. (But where? And why?) The downside: Trees' modest ratings performance on Fridays, which has kept it alive, could look disastrous on Thursdays if it doesn't grow considerably with this mammoth new lead-in. Being paired with a megahit is often a very mix...
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As first scooped by the Ausiello Report, ABC is now confirming that Anne Heche & Co. are on the move. Says the press release, "Men in Trees is moving to Thursday nights at 10 pm, as of Nov. 30. In addition, the series has been picked up for a full-season order. Men in Trees will air in that time slot through December, and Six Degrees will return with all original episodes in January 2007."Chalk up a "W" for quality television.
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Great news. A well-placed source tells me that ABC has picked up Men in Trees for the entire season. Even better, Men will inherit the plum Thursday/10 pm perch after Grey's Anatomy beginning Nov. 30. And to that I say, "It's about freakin' time!" Six Degrees, meanwhile, is headed six feet under — effective immediately. There's a chance it could return in January, but I wouldn't hold my breath.In other news, the CW has ordered three more scripts of both Veronica Mars (hooray!) and One Tree Hill (yawn). And id I mention I'm going to guest-star on Scrubs!?
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A few Sunday-ratings headlines:— 7th Heaven, up 700,000 total viewers week-to-week, had its biggest audience (3.83 million) since being moved from Monday.— Desperate Housewives' gunplay was witnessed by 22.5 million, the series' best draw since the season opener. Brothers & Sisters, in turn, was up more than a mil, and had its own best audience since Oct. 1.And some Friday footnotes:— In its new home, Vanished (3.35 mil) was on par with, say, time-slot predecessor Nanny 911, but lost nearly half its average Monday audience.— This is unsettling: A special 9 pm edition of 20/20 (7.86 mil) outperformed the previous week's Men in Trees by a million heads.— Despite a 300K dip for lead-in Las Vegas (8.95 mil), Law & Order and its Mel Gibson riff surged 1.9 million, to 10.7 mil.
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Question: In response to some talk in the 10/27 column regarding the post-Grey's Anatomy slot: It seems likely that ABC will want to make a change, since Six Degrees is underperforming. The writer was praising ABC for sticking with Six Degrees and at least giving it a chance. I would like to echo that statement for another ABC show: What About Brian. I really enjoyed it last season, and it's only gotten better. I'm not sure how well it does on Monday nights, but I think it could really find an audience post-Grey's on Thursdays. It would be great counterprogramming against two rough and tough dramas on the other networks. Do you think ABC would consider moving Brian to Thursdays at 10?
Answer: I wish I could figure out what ABC is planning for that prime piece of Thursday real estate. While we can agree to disagree about Brian, which I find just as insipid this season as I did last spring, I would be amazed if it got a shot there. (Swapping one show from J.J. Abrams' company for another
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Question: Here I go playing backseat programmer: Why doesn't ABC move Men in Trees to the post-Lost time slot? It is a very different show from CSI: NY and whatever NBC has on in that hour. It has a lighthearted feel to it, much different from Lost. Then they could move The Nine to after Grey's Anatomy on Thursday, and move Six Degrees to the Friday time slot of death. On another note, what is NBC thinking by moving Scrubs against the Grey's/CSI juggernaut? I love Scrubs, and I think it is going to get creamed in the ratings. I understand NBC's desire to get another comedy block on such an advertiser-friendly night, but I just can't see it succeeding there.
Answer: Whew. You don't by any chance have a magnetic board on your wall with network schedules and movable show titles on it? Anyway, I'm enjoying all the letters from Men in Trees fans wondering where, when and if ABC is going to move it to another night. One thing to consider: On Fridays, where it's doing so-so (but better than I
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