matt.mitovich

Ratings: Monday Night Football Tackles Record

A few miscellaneous ratings highlights from wherever and whenever: This week's Monday Night Football barnburner between the Bills and Cowboys gave ESPN the honor of the most-watched cable television outing of 2007 to date. MNF sacked the record held by High School Musical 2. Dexter (889,000 total viewers) dipped a bit from its premiere, but lead-out Brotherhood (517,000) saw a 30 percent boost, thanks to the elimination of a seven-minute break between the Showtime shows. TBS' coverage of MLB's divisional playoffs averaged 5.3 million viewers, giving the 31-year-old cabler its best week ever. (And they say everyone hits their prime at age 27.)

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

J.T., Beyoncé, Linkin Park and Daughty Rock AMAs

Nominees for the 2007 American Music Awards were announced on Tuesday, and it's a dead heat for the honor of most-nom'd performer. Justin Timberlake came away with a trio of nods, as did Beyoncé, Linkin Park and American Idol alum Daughtry. J.T. is up for Favorite Male Artist, Pop/Rock Album and Soul/R&B Album. Beyoncé has her sights set on a pair of Female Artist honors as well as Soul/R&B Album. L.P. is vying in the Band/Duo/Group: Pop or rock, Favorite Artist: Alternative Rock and Pop/Rock Album races, and Daughtry is looking at Breakthrough Artist, Adult Contemporary Artist and Pop/Rock Album noms.Jimmy Kimmel is set to host ABC's Nov. 18 kudoscast.

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

The Wire, Third Watch and More DVD Dates

The Wire: The Complete Fourth Season has been set for a Dec. 4 DVD release date. Other sets to keep an eye out for: One Tree Hill: The Complete Fourth Season (streeting Dec. 18); The New Adventures of Old Christine: The Complete First Season (Jan. 15, 2008); and Third Watch: The Complete First Season (Feb. 5).

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Prison Break, R.E.M. and More Short Cuts

Just to reiterate that which was buried in Tuesday's ratings report, Prison Break is preempted this Monday by baseball playoff coverage. (Albeit none involving the Yankees. Sigh.) Michael, Linc and Sara's torso return on Oct. 22.... As scooped by Ausiello, Gossip Girl is the first new series to score a full-season pickup.... R.E.M. will premiere "Until the Day Is Done," the first single off their new album, on Wednesday's Anderson Cooper 360. The track will be set to clips from CNN's Planet in Peril special.... Got burning Heroes questions? Share 'em here!

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Anti-Heroes Backlash Closes Ratings Loophole

Having considered the squawking of NBC rivals, Nielsen has disabled a new rule that allowed the Peacock to combine the audience Heroes drew with the original Sept. 24 airing of its season premiere and the heads added from a Sept. 29 rebroadcast (featuring 100 percent identical ad content). "NBC's actions were completely consistent with [our] reporting policy," Nielsen says in a statement. "However, [we] received a significant amount of feedback... in which concern was expressed regarding the consequences of this processing change." Namely, that NBC not only got to goose Heroes' Monday numbers but also "delete" what would have been a lousy Saturday hour. As a result, NBC's tally for that week let it claim a tie (in the 18-to-49 demo) with ABC.Nielsen, though, is undeterred in its quest to "give clients increased flexibility in how ratings are produced: With all the options available to report time-shifted viewing, there is a need for increased flexibility in how linear programming is...

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Anti-Heroes Backlash Closes Ratings Loophole

Hasselhoff "Fine" After Relapse/Hospitalization

David Hasselhoff, who in May copped to his battle with the bottle after a humiliating video surfaced on the 'Net, has suffered a setback and was hospitalized earlier this week. "David had a brief relapse and immediately recognized the importance of addressing it with the assistance of his doctors," his rep tells TMZ.com. "He is doing fine and will be back home [Wednesday] morning." In admitting to his addiction, the Hoff himself once said, "I am a recovering alcoholic.... Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse." Shortly after that May incident, he was awarded primary custody of his and ex-wife Pamela Bach's two teen daughters.

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Hasselhoff "Fine" After Relapse/Hospitalization

Fairplay Sues Bonaduce Over Onstage "Danny"-brook

In a rather sad bid to reset that 15-minute fame clock, Survivor alum Jonny Fairplay has filed suit against Danny Bonaduce. Fairplay is claiming battery and emotional distress as a result of the recent incident in which Bonaduce manhandled Fairplay at the Fox Reality Awards. (Find video here.) Attorneys for Fox Reality Channel (whose awards-show producers are also named in the suit) declined to comment for the AP.

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Fairplay Sues Bonaduce Over Onstage "Danny"-brook

24 Vet Drops, and More Baby Talk (But Not from J.Lo)

Kim Raver on Tuesday gave birth to her and husband Manu Boyer's second child, a boy named Leo Kipling. "Kim and baby Leo are happy and healthy," the actress' rep tells People. Raver and Boyer have another son, Luke, 5.... Nick Nolte and longtime partner Clytie Lane on Oct. 3 welcomed their first child together, a daughter yet to be named.... And J.Lo? Apparently she is one majorly superstitious "mama," having strong-armed both Diane Swayer and David Letterman into not asking her to confirm her obvious pregnancy.

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

24 Vet Drops, and More Baby Talk (But Not from J.Lo)

Chevy Chase Is on Brothers & Sisters, And You're Not

Saturday Night Live funnyman turned National Lampoon Vacationer turned... well, subject of a so-so biography Chevy Chase has booked a multi-episode run on ABC's Brothers & Sisters, says the Hollywood Reporter. Chase will play Ted Nugent John Cocktoston Arnold Babar Frieda's boss Dr. Rosenrosen Stan Hirsh, an old high-school sweetheart of Sally Field's Nora. Treat Williams, the professor guy, Danny Glover (coming later this season), Chevy... yeesh, that Nora is one wanton widow.Chase's previous guest-starring gig was as Law & Order's ersatz Mel Gibson.

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

Chevy Chase Is on Brothers & Sisters, And You're Not

24's Kiefer Chooses Extra Jail to Avoid TV Time-out

Kiefer Sutherland on Tuesday pleaded no contest to the single DUI count stemming from his September arrest, and as such will first serve 18 days behind bars starting Dec. 21  house arrest with electronic monitoring is not an option (if only because Chloe could disable that with a hairpin)  and then put in another 30 days by July 1. Sutherland could have served less time overall, but instead went for a two-part stint, the first batch coming during 24's holiday hiatus, to avoid a production shutdown. In a statement to the Reporter, 24's producers say, "[Kiefer] told us that even if he had to sacrifice more time in custody in order to protect the show and the jobs of those who work with him, he would do so. It is evident he is a man of his word."Sutherland himself says in a statement, "I'm very disappointed in myself. I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and coworkers."

Wed, Oct 10, 2007

24's Kiefer Chooses Extra Jail to Avoid TV Time-out

In the Works: Alias Alum Engages in More Spy Games

HBO is developing Intelligence, a workplace comedy series starring Bradley Cooper and King of Queens' Patton Oswalt as members of an elite counterintelligence unit who must go undercover as civil servants.... Also per the Reporter, Jeremy London (7th Heaven) and Dina Meyer (Saw) are set to star in the Sci Fi Channel flicks Ba'al (archaeologist seeks ancient amulets which could cure his cancer) and Riddles of the Sphinx (father and daughter battle to save humankind), respectively.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

In the Works: Alias Alum Engages in More Spy Games

T.R. Knight Urges Dignity and Respect for Gays

Today  as in on the exact one-year anniversary of the on-set fracas that ultimately led T.R. Knight to come out of the closet  GLAAD premiered a video PSA (watch it here) in which the Grey's Anatomy star asks people to treat gays and transgenders with "dignity and respect," and to listen when a loved one decides to come forth with their orientation. Echoing the theme for the GLAAD initiative, Knight asks you to "Be an ally... and a friend." Or, if you are The Breakfast Club's Sheedy, you can go for the rare hat trick and be an Ally and an ally and a friend.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

T.R. Knight Urges Dignity and Respect for Gays

Hef's Holly Scores Playboy Job, Vows to Cut "Cookie-cutter Blondes"

Holly Madison, whose résumé and list of qualifications apparently impressed the top brass at Playboy, hopes to shake things up in her new capacity as junior photo editor for the lad mag. "I think readers are sick of seeing the same cookie-cutter blondes," Hugh Hefner's No. 1 honey (of three) and star of Girls Next Door tells Page Six. "I'm looking for natural bodies. I pay attention to what readers write in, and they do like to see diversity.""Diversity" in this case meaning the occasional rebel who goes for silicone versus saline.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

Hef's Holly Scores Playboy Job, Vows to Cut "Cookie-cutter Blondes"

The DVR Has Spoken: Survivor Is Most-recorded Show

This report was kinda cool until I saw that it's for the week of Sept. 17, aka the one preceding the true onslaught of the fall season. But I already started typing up this blurb and came up with that boss headline, so here goes: For the week of Sept. 17, Survivor: China was the most-DVR'd program, with 2.17 million people recording the show for later playback. Rounding out the top five were the premieres of Family Guy (1.8 mil), Prison Break (1.55 mil) and Back to You (1.46 mil), and a Grey's clip show (1.26 mil).

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

Movie News: Jake Gyllenhaal's Moon Landing and More

"I wish I could quit gravity!" Jake Gyllenhaal is set to star in Doug Liman's untitled project about a private expedition to the moon and the race for lunar colonization.... Also per Variety, Michael Cera (Superbad) and Kat Dennings (40-Year-Old Virgin) are two bridge-and-tunnel teens who fall in love over the course of a sleepless night in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist.... Eric Oliver Stone will produce and Billy Walsh Antoine Fuqua will direct Escobar, a biopic about the infamous Colombian drug lord (this one not starring Vincent Chase, hopefully). Meanwhile, Javier Bardem is fronting a rival Escobar pic, Killing Pablo, for director Joe Callahan.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

Movie News: Jake Gyllenhaal's Moon Landing and More

Secret Housewives Wedding, Superbad, More Short Cuts

Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira wed longtime girlfriend Marcea Dietzel on Sept. 22 in a private ceremony, the actor reveals on Tuesday's Entertainment Tonight.... DVD releases have been set for the My So-Called Life: The Complete Series and October Road: The Complete First Season (both on Oct. 30), and Superbad (Dec. 4).... Best-selling author James Patterson and the executive producers of ABC's Women's Murder Club, which premieres this Friday, will answer fans' questions via a live ABC.com blog tonight at 8 pm/ET.... Who's your favorite recurring Seinfeld character? Choose from our list and vote here.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

Secret Housewives Wedding, Superbad, More Short Cuts

24 Makes a Popular Pick, More Casting News

The once-Popular and now Dirty Carly Pope has signed on for 24's Day 7, playing the girlfriend of Madame President Cherry Jones' son  and thus (this being 24, after all) a suspect in (Spoiler alert) the First Lad's disappearance.... Also from the Reporter: ABC Family has found the leads for its new light drama The Middleman, based on Medium writer-producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach's graphic novels. Natalie Morales (CSI: Miami) will play a struggling artist recruited to fight comic-book baddies, under the tutelage of Matt Keeslar's titular hero. Mary Pat Gleason is Keeslar's robotic assistant.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

24 Makes a Popular Pick, More Casting News

Britney Reunites with Her Kids and... Oops, Mama Has a Phone Call!

Britney Spears, whose first scheduled visit with her kids was scrapped due to any number of alleged and suitably flaky reasons, on Monday finally got some face time with Jayden and Sean (and the court-mandated monitor). But according to TMZ.com, Spears  poured into a "super-short pink minidress"  spent the quality time yapping on her cell as she walked around her Malibu manse with the little ones. TMZ also has a story claiming that Spears has applied to be a bartender at Santa Monica's trendy Cameo Bar, but an employee there tells the New York Daily News the popstress likely would not pass their drug-testing policy.

Tue, Oct 9, 2007

Britney Reunites with Her Kids and... Oops, Mama Has a Phone Call!

Mel B: Jane Seymour Found Strength to Keep Dancing

Appearing on Monday's Ellen DeGeneres Show, Spice Girl Mel B said she is duly impressed by Jane Seymour's decision to keep on Dancing with the Stars even in the wake of her mother's passing. "[Jane] has garnered the strength" to stick with the show, the songstress shared. Then, echoing what Seymour shared in her recent TVGuide.com interview, Mel B noted, "She was doing it for her mom, so more power to her."Mel B also weighed in on the Spice Girls' reunion tour rather inexplicable selling out Wembley Stadium in 38 seconds. "I was amazed," she told Ellen. "I did actually think, 'How is that possible?' Are there a lot of people on the phone in one big room? I don't get it." (Raise your hand if you, like Mel B, don't get it.)

Mon, Oct 8, 2007

Mel B: Jane Seymour Found Strength to Keep Dancing

Ratings: The CW's Lazy Sunday Continues

This Sunday, as NBC's football coverage tackled 16 percent more total viewers, with an audience of 15.8 million:7 pm/ETWhile CW Now (852,000) and Online Nation (762,000) posted "gains" of 72K and 64K, respectively...8 pmThe CW's Life Is Wild premiered to 1.64 million viewers. (Perspective check: Girlfriends and The Game were putting up Sunday-night tallies of about 2.7 mil a year ago.) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition matched last week's 11.66 million. How about that master bedroom suite? Sweet.9 pmHousewives dominated with 17.41 mil, down 1.6 mil week-to-week. (Anyone else see that Gaby "confession" coming down Broadway?) Cold Case (12.82 mil) slipped 700 thou.10 pmBrothers & Sisters  aka the show with that shameful "Justin's funeral" on-air promo (I pity the poor spoilerphobes)  slid 1.1 mil to 12.21 mil. Shark (11.2 mil) dipped 230K.

Mon, Oct 8, 2007

USA Says Thank You for Smoking Sequel

After nearly a year in gestation, a TV follow-up to the indie Thank You for Smoking will call USA Network home, says Variety. The TV adaptation, which likely will light up under a different title, picks up where the film left off, with spin doctor Nick Naylor (played on film by Aaron Eckhart) using his mad skillz to benefit those more deserving of aid. Who is your pick to fill Aaron Eckhart's shoes on the tube? And will Tom Cruise mess with this version, too?

Mon, Oct 8, 2007

In the Works: Forest Whitaker's Arms Deal, Dr. Phil 2.0

Former The Shield player Forest Whitaker is set to direct and executive-produce a new FX drama pegged as The Sopranos set in the world of arms dealers, says the Reporter.... The Doctors, a tentatively titled spin-off of Dr. Phil, is being eyed for a fall-2008 syndication berth.... NBC has ordered a pilot script for Outsourced, a comedy about a customer-service manager who, when his department is outsourced to India, travels east to train his replacement.... Scribe Zach Helm (Stranger Than Fiction) will develop with ABC Rockville 2020, a drama about a small Oregon town that, out of fear of becoming irrelevant, bids on the 2020 Olympics.

Mon, Oct 8, 2007

In the Works: Forest Whitaker's Arms Deal, Dr. Phil 2.0