Lloyd Owen in Viva Laughlin by Robert Voets/CBS
Since almost no one watched the second and final episode of CBS’ misbegotten quasi-musical mess Viva Laughlin, let me share with you a headline that appeared at the start of Sunday’s episode: “Viva Craps Out.” I kid you not. (The headline was referring to the fictional casino, not the show. But really. Did they already know this was coming?)And then there was this bit of dialogue, as casino owner Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen) surveys his customer-free casino (prophetic, that) and asks his mousy accountant, “How long can we hold out?” The answer: “A week, tops.”Viva Laughlin didn’t even last a week. Episode 1 crashed and burned Thursday with a plum CSI lead-in, and Episode 2 (which was of even considerably worse quality than the pilot) caused nary a ripple Sunday night. With the ever-fatal combo of lousy ratings and blistering reviews, CBS made the only logical move and canned it. After a CSI repeat this Sunday, The Amazing Race will return o...
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Nashville by Katherine Bomboy/Fox
After two weeks of averaging a CW-worthy 2.4 million total viewers, the Fox docusoap Nashville has been pulled from its Fridays-at-9 time slot, ostensibly to return sometime in October, Variety reports. Until The Next Great American Band arrives on Oct. 19, Fox will fill the vacancy with repeats encore presentations of the freshman drama K-Ville.
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David Duchovny by Randy Tepper/Showtime
Not sure how parents are gonna really feel about the Californication guy developing a project for their kids, but nonetheless, David Duchovny is indeed working on a live-action show about a whippersnapper who turns his school's AV Club into 60 Minutes. Well, more or less. No title yet, but may I suggest he keep suffixes like "-ication" out of it?.... Don't bet on Fox to keep Nashville on the map for long. The new reality drama drew only a 1.0 rating in the key 18-49 demo; that's worse than literally everything the network tried out in the Fridays-at-9 time slot last season.... Fantastic Four star Ioan Gruffudd married Alice Evans in Mexico Friday, People reports. The actors met on the set of 2000's 102 Dalmatians.
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January Jones in Mad Men courtesy AMC
Favorite line on any show I've seen all week: "Peggy, this isn't China. There's no money in virginity." That's Joan talking, the sexiest secretary in all of '60s New York advertising, once again stealing a scene in AMC's dazzling Mad Men with aplomb. Christina Hendricks, I salute you.It was another intensely enjoyable episode this week, which also grew my estimation for the performance of January Jones (what a name) as Don Draper’s quietly simmering, drop-dead-gorgeous Grace Kelly look-alike wife, Betty. How happy was she when, at intermission at Broadway’s Fiorello!, the ad guy wooing Don to jump agencies to the big time offered her a chance to get back into modeling (with the pause that refreshes). How fooled were we that this was just another ploy to lure Don away from “the tiny store” of Sterling Cooper? Not very. And neither was Don fooled. Betty, however? Very fooled. And very crushed when the opportunity vanishes once Don turns them down.Who can blame her ...
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David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in Bones by Art Streiber/Fox
In recent years the Fox network has ended each season on such a high (thanks to hot franchises like American Idol, 24 and House) that we almost forget how badly Fox struggles to get traction in the fall.Perhaps sensing another fall disaster in the making, with two dark new dramas threatening to drag down its Monday and Tuesday lineups, Fox has rejiggered its fall lineup by postponing the murky New Amsterdam (about an immortal detective), originally intended for Tuesdays at 8 pm/ET, until midseason. In its place goes Bones, shifting from a tough Wednesday slot (9/8c) where this appealing procedural would have faced CBS' Criminal Minds, ABC's high-profile Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice, NBC's Bionic Woman and CW’s Gossip Girl.This makes Tuesday a pretty powerful night for Fox, with the often underappreciated Bones leading into the mega-hit House. Given the level of angst I tend to hear from Bones fans who can't help themselves from expecting the worst, having been burne...
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Hot from Fox, the fall season's rollout plan:Thursday, Aug. 308 pm/ET Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?Saturday, Sept. 88 pm Cops9 pm America's Most WantedThursday, Sept. 139 pm Kitchen Nightmares (series premiere)Friday, Sept. 149 pm Nashville (series premiere)Saturday, Sept. 1511 pm Mad TVMidnight Talkshow with Spike FerestenMonday, Sept. 178 pm Prison Break9 pm K-Ville (series premiere)Wednesday, Sept. 198 pm Back to You (series premiere)8:30 pm 'Til Death9 pm BonesSunday, Sept. 238 pm The Simpsons8:30 pm King of the Hill9 pm Family Guy Tuesday, Sept. 258 pm New Amsterdam (series premiere)9 pm HouseSunday, Sept. 309:30 pm American DadThe complete 2007-08 prime-time schedule can be found here, in TVGuide.com's "Hottest Fall TV" blog.
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Anthony Anderson in K-ville by Rebecca Brenneman/Fox
3:50: Fox upfront. The words still send shivers down my spine. As you recall, the network's presentation last year was widely considered to be the single most grueling upfront in the history of upfrontmanship. The post-traumatic stress still hasn't worn off.3:51: Good news. Fox has clearly learned from their mistakes. In stark contrast to last year, the check-in process was easy-breezy. Even better, the air conditioning is working! Now if we can wrap this thing up in under two hours, almost all will be forgiven.4:01: I'm in complete denial about the VM thing, BTW. Just thought I'd share. Ooooh, the show is starting... with a 24 parody!4:05: Jack Bauer urges Fox president Peter Liguori to keep this year's presentation under an hour! LOL!4:06: They're bringing all their stars out onstage. Fox always has a good talent turnout at these things. 4:08: Well, most years they have a good turnout. The only Prison Breaker in attendance is Sucre (Amaury Nolasco)!4:09: No Kiefer Sutherland, but ...
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