Alex O'Loughlin in Moonlight by Robert Voets/CBS
Another day, another show-runner out the door. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Angel cocreator David Greenwalt has quit his job at the Eye's highly Angel-ic drama, Moonlight, for personal reasons. Wow, and the show's still months away from its cancellation... I mean "debut."
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Skeet Ulrich in Jericho by Robert Voets/CBS
Frankly, I was surprised and a bit dismayed that CBS didn’t have symbolic bowls of nuts in the room as the network launched its portion of the TCA press tour Wednesday morning. Which didn’t stop Jericho from dominating much of the conversation when CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler took the stage to introduce one of the more ambitious and controversial new lineups in CBS’ recent history.Tassler said she couldn’t go to a neighborhood camera store, or even a doctor’s office (where the doctor pulled a bag of peanuts out of his coat in reference to the fan campaign) without being reminded of the furor over Jericho's cancellation and subsequent renewal for seven episodes at mid-season. She says she went on message boards, read the e-mails, “and what you saw was a huge segment of the population that really felt they were not being counted, but more specifically, that they had a knowledge and an awareness of the show that was so detailed and so committe...
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Kid Nation by Monty Brinton/CBS
CBS' premiere-rollout plan is as follows, starting off with the reality series Kid Nation (which reportedly skirted child-labor laws by classifying the production as a "summer camp" and taking advantage of a loophole in New Mexico labor rules that has since been closed. Hey, at least these "campers" were able to dodge Paris and Nicole.) For scads of CBS press-tour goss — including the current spin on Criminal Minds/Mandy Patinkin — see the Ausiello Report.Wednesday, Sept. 198 pm/ET: Kid NationThursday, Sept. 208 pm: Survivor: ChinaSunday, Sept. 237 pm: 60 Minutes9 pm: Cold Case10 pm: SharkMonday, Sept. 248 pm: How I Met Your Mother8:30 pm: The Big Bang Theory 9 pm: Two and a Half Men9:30 pm: Rules of Engagement10 pm: CSI: MiamiTuesday, Sept. 258 pm: NCIS9 pm: The Unit10 pm: CaneWednesday, Sept. 269 pm: Criminal Minds10 pm: CSI: NYThursday, Sept. 279 pm: CSI10 pm: Without a TraceFriday, Sept. 288 pm: Ghost Whisperer9 pm: Moonlight10 pm: NumbersSaturday, Sept. 298-11 pm: Ass...
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Jason Dohring by Patrick Ecclesine/The CW
Jason Dohring, aka Veronica Mars' love-to-hate-him/hate-to-love-him Logan, has found another role with some real bite to it. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Dohring is joining the new CBS drama Moonlight as Josef, an ancient vampire. Interestingly, Dohring is replacing 60-year-old Rade Serbedzija, now that the character has been reconceptualized as a young and mischievous hedge-fund trader.Speaking of fall-TV recasts, Hidden Palms' D.W. Moffett (a TVGuide.com celebrity blogger) is joining the CW's Life Is Wild, replacing Brett Cullen as the relocated-to-South Africa family's pop.Moonlight is slated to air Fridays at 9 pm/ET, Life Is Wild Sundays at 8. Here is the complete 2007-08 prime-time schedule.
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Portia de Rossi by Joseph Viles/Fox
There's a run on lesbians at FX's Nip /Tuck. On the heels of Access Hollywood's report that Rosie O'Donnell will reprise her role of lottery winner Dawn Budge for several episodes this season comes word that Arrested Development alumna (and GF of Ellen DeGeneres) Portia de Rossi will play a manipulative (and gay at that) mom whose teen daughter wants to go under the knife. Also, says the Hollywood Reporter, Huff's Oliver Platt (not a lesbian) will appear in five episodes as the producer of a TV show on which Sean and Christian are consultants.In other casting news, Sophia Myles will return to her Underworld: Evolution roots, replacing Shannon Lucio as the love interest for Alex O'Laughlin's vampire in the new CBS drama Moonlight.
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Michael Chiklis in The Shield by Prashant Gupta/FX
In all of the hubbub being made over anticipating Sunday’s final episode ever of The Sopranos, it seems unfair to let The Shield end its penultimate season without some fanfare.As I noted when both shows returned within a week of each other in April, these dark dramas are among TV’s best. As their seasons unfolded, they lived up to my expectations. Quoting myself at the time: “The Shield is first-rate pulp fiction, blisteringly intense as it grabs you by the throat. The Sopranos is more like classic literature, achieving a level of artistry with its aching yet witty realism while delivering violent jolts that sneak up on you like a sucker punch.”Both of these series ask us to empathize with pretty despicable characters, no doubt. But it’s hard to imagine any Shield fan not cheering Tuesday night for Vic when he realized he’s now sitting on a trunk full of leverage, the key to save his job. Likewise, who didn’t cringe as Shane fell further into the ...
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Question: I can understand your frustration with Buffy/Angel/Whedon fans who seem determined not to give CBS' Moonlight a chance. But on the surface of things, the show does sound derivative. (Remember Forever Knight as well!) In selling any new show, a network has to have a hook, something to set it off from other shows, and Moonlight at present has no hook. I have to confess that my own interest is minimal and will continue to be so until I hear something really good about it. Contrast this with NBC's Bionic Woman. The more I hear about this show — the people David Eick has hired to run the show, the writers who are joining the staff, the casting of various roles — the more excited I have become. You mentioned that some in the industry are calling for a recasting of Moonlight, and I couldn't agree more. I might check out a new vampire show with a male lead, but I would definitely check out a show about a vampire detective if the lead were female. Suddenly the show would acquire a ...
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On July 7, NBC Universal and its myriad stations (everything from NBC to Telemundo) will air Al Gore's Live Earth concerts, featuring Madonna, Kanye West, Shakira and about a bazillion other musical acts.... MTV is bringing back its acclaimed Unplugged series this summer with performances by the Police, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Mary J. Blige and John Mayer. Oh, dare I hope Jessica will join him on stage for a duet of "Your Body Is a Wonderland"?.... USA Network has bought the broadcast rights for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End for $28 million.... Angel exec producer David Greenwalt has been put in charge of the CBS drama Moonlight, about a private eye who... wait a second! A private eye who just happens to be a vampire? If he starts dating a slayer, Joss Whedon should so sue.... The CW has ordered up 13 episodes of Eight Days a Week, a new comedy from Will & Grace's Sean Hayes. In it, pop tart Christina Milian and Dancing with the Stars' Mario "I Was Robbed!" Lopez pla...
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Question: I just read that CBS is adding yet another detective show to the lineup: Moonlight, about a vampire private detective. Wow, how did they come up with such a creative, original concept for a show? That was sarcasm, by the way. Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt created this show years ago. It seems our friends at Angel Investigations should take a break from helping the helpless help themselves. How can CBS get away with so blatantly ripping off one of the best television series in the last decade? Do Whedon and company have a potential lawsuit here? And if they can squeeze some money out of the top-rated CBS network, shouldn't it then go toward an Angel, Buffy or Firefly TV-movie or theatrical release? Actor Alex O'Loughlin, son of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott, is going to have some big fangs to fill, but I say hells bells to CBS and this show. I doubt my fellow Whedonites and average television viewers will invest their time in Moonlight.
Answer: I can't remember a more aggravating
...
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It isn't enough for CBS to be the most-watched network. At the presentation of its new fall schedule, network execs announced they want their shows to be talked about, too.It's a new version of an old tune. For years, CBS has had the largest number of viewers, but many of them were old and not as desirable to advertisers. Recently, the network has gotten much more competitive for the 18-to-49-year-old crowd that Madison Avenue pays most for. Yet shows such as ABC's Ugly Betty get a lot more ink and watercooler chatter than the higher-rated Two and a Half Men or Survivor (CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler drove the point home to the audience at Carnegie Hall by citing how Betty's ratings have dropped 40 percent since its premiere).With a solid foundation of dependable hits, Tassler says this is the year she can afford to take a few programming risks to improve her share of buzz. Even if CBS' new shows fail, its regular program lineup will deliver ratings close to what it did t...
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