michael.schneider

Disney Channel Turns to Villains for Its Next Original Movie Descendants

Disney Channel is turning to some of the darkest characters on the Disney shelf for its next live-action movie. Descendants will focus on the progeny of Disney baddies like Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar. But the movie, directed by Kenny Ortega (High School Musical), will follow these modern-day teens as they begin to question the evil in their hearts. Casting is currently under way for Descendants, which is set to begin production next spring and premiere in 2015.

Thu, Dec 12, 2013

Disney Channel Turns to Villains for Its Next Original Movie Descendants

The End is Near (More or Less) for Zombie Channels Like SoapNet and G4

As 2013 comes to a close, the major television conglomerates are doing some housekeeping — and that includes clearing the deck of some of their "zombie channels." Among the neglected networks stumbling toward the end of their runs: SoapNet is shutting down at the end of the year, while NBCUniversal owner Comcast has quietly announced that it is "ceasing distribution" of G4 at the start of January. Meanwhile, A+E Networks announced this week that it would morph its neglected Bio channel into....

Thu, Dec 12, 2013

The End is Near (More or Less) for Zombie Channels Like SoapNet and G4

Showtime's Californication Set to End Its Run This Spring

Showtime's dreams of Californication will come to a close after one final season, TV Guide Magazine has learned. The network has confirmed that the upcoming seventh season of the David Duchovny series will be its last.

Mon, Dec 9, 2013

Showtime's Californication Set to End Its Run This Spring

From The Returned to The Bridge, Viewers Adjust to Subtitles As TV Gets More Global

When Sundance Channel acquired the French-language zombie series The Returned, network president Sarah Barnett was concerned about how viewers might react. Not about the subject matter — the show came with high critical acclaim, and the success of The Walking Dead proved that audiences could stomach undead antics.

Thu, Dec 5, 2013

From The Returned to The Bridge, Viewers Adjust to Subtitles As TV Gets More Global

Exclusive: Discovery Fit & Health Gets Physical with Sex Sent Me To The ER

It's debuting only three days into 2014, but Discovery Fit & Health has an early lead on the award for next year's best TV title: Sex Sent Me to The ER. The show, which is pretty much summed up in the title, premieres Friday, Jan. 3 at 10/9c. Repeats of Sex Sent Me to the ER will then air on TLC starting Saturday, Jan. 11 at 10/9c. Discovery Fit & Health has ordered four episodes of the show. Sex Sent Me to the ER comes from GRB Entertainment, which also produces Untold Stories of the ER. For this spinoff, cameras will document what the channel calls "the real-life and often hilarious stories of what happens when a little action leads to a medical crisis."

Wed, Dec 4, 2013

Exclusive: Discovery Fit & Health Gets Physical with Sex Sent Me To The ER

Exclusive: Crackle Acquires McG-Produced Comedy Aim High, Greenlights Second Season

Crackle, the Sony-owned streaming service behind Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, has picked up the second season of the comedic digital series Aim High. McG (Chuck, Charlie's Angels) is behind the show, which stars Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) as Nick Green, a high school slacker who's actually a highly trained government assassin. Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights) and Devon Bostick (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) also star.

Wed, Dec 4, 2013

Exclusive: Crackle Acquires McG-Produced Comedy Aim High, Greenlights Second Season

Watch My Show: Kirstie's Marco Pennette Answers Our Showrunner Survey

TV Land's new comedy Kirstie arrives with an impressive sitcom pedigree, starting with its star, Cheers alum Kirstie Alley. She plays Broadway diva Madison Banks, who's reunited with the adult son (Eric Petersen) she gave up for adoption 26 years earlier.

Wed, Dec 4, 2013

Watch My Show: Kirstie's Marco Pennette Answers Our Showrunner Survey

First Look: Netflix's First Original Kids Series Turbo FAST

Netflix gets into the original kids business on Christmas Eve with Turbo FAST, a new TV series from DreamWorks Animation. The series, based on the feature film Turbo, will launch exclusively in all Netflix territories on Dec. 24 at 12:01 a.m./PT, the streaming TV service announced Tuesday.

Tue, Dec 3, 2013

First Look: Netflix's First Original Kids Series Turbo FAST

Watch My Show: The Goldbergs' Adam F. Goldberg Answers Our Showrunner Survey

Writer-producer Adam F. Goldberg has tried for years to turn his vivid memories of growing up with his loud, crazy family into a sitcom. With ABC's freshman comedy The Goldbergs (Tuesdays, 9/8c, ABC), he finally gets his chance. Set in the 1980s, The Goldbergs stars Sean Giambrone as 11-year-old Adam, with Curb Your Enthusiasm's Jeff Garlin and Bridemaids' Wendi McLendon-Covey playing his TV parents, Murray and Beverly...

Tue, Dec 3, 2013

Watch My Show: The Goldbergs' Adam F. Goldberg Answers Our Showrunner Survey

First Look: Corey Feldman as Spike on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The long-awaited Goonies reunion on Nickelodeon's animated hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finally takes place this week. Corey Feldman's first episode as the voice of a recurring character is set to premiere Saturday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m. (ET). Feldman plays opposite his old Goonies co-star Sean Astin in the series. After Raphael's pet turtle, Spike, drinks some mutagen, he turns into the hulking, six-foot Slash — whose gravelly voice is supplied by Feldman.

Mon, Nov 25, 2013

First Look: Corey Feldman as Spike on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Carson Daly Sticking with Last Call For Now as NBC Mulls a Reboot

Last Call with Carson Daly quietly resumed production this fall, albeit later than usual, as NBC and producers have found a way to keep Carson Daly involved as the late night show's executive producer and host — at least for now. But long term, network insiders say they're still mulling the future of the show and Daly's on-screen involvement, news that...

Fri, Nov 22, 2013

Carson Daly Sticking with Last Call For Now as NBC Mulls a Reboot

The Truth Behind This Year's Whirlwind Network TV Development Season

This fall's network development frenzy has led to a slew of bigger-than-usual deals with some of the hottest names in TV. But that doesn't mean all of these projects will actually get made. The price tag for hot pitches has escalated thanks to the emergence of new competitors with hefty wallets, such as Netflix, plus cable networks (including WGN America, Discovery Channel and E!) spending heavily to get into the scripted business. "It's amazing how...

Tue, Nov 19, 2013

The Truth Behind This Year's Whirlwind Network TV Development Season

Exclusive: OWN Picks Up Two Comedy Specials From Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes is returning to OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network in January with two more editions of Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious. The comedy specials will air on Saturdays, Jan. 4 and Jan. 11, at 10/9c. Sykes previously produced two Herlarious episodes for OWN this past July. A mix of standup routines and sketch comedy, the hour-long programs this time will include appearances by Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Probst, Wayne Brady, Jeff Ross, Lance Reddick, Camryn Manheim, Tichina Arnold, Sheryl Underwood and Jackee Harry.

Thu, Nov 14, 2013

Exclusive: OWN Picks Up Two Comedy Specials From Wanda Sykes

Watch My Show: China, IL's Brad Neely and Daniel Weidenfeld Answer Our Showrunner Survey

Adult Swim's China, IL is an online success story, having started out as a web series created by Brad Neely before moving to TV. The show centers on a wide variety of characters created and voiced by Neely, including The Professor Brothers and Baby Cakes, and takes place at what's deemed the "Worst College in America." Other stars include Hulk Hogan as the school's dean, Jeffrey Tambor as Professor Cakes and Dave Coulier as Ronald Reagan. China, IL, which airs Sundays at 11:30/10:30c, expanded to 30-minute episodes for Season 2 (now underway). Neely and fellow executive producer Daniel Weidenfeld took the TV Guide Magazine showrunner survey to explain why viewers should enroll in China, IL.

Wed, Nov 13, 2013

Watch My Show: China, IL's Brad Neely and Daniel Weidenfeld Answer Our Showrunner Survey

The CW Developing Tales From the Darkside Reboot

The CW is developing a remake of horror anthology series Tales From the Darkside, with an eye toward airing it in the summertime.

Wed, Nov 13, 2013

The CW Developing Tales From the Darkside Reboot

How Hostages and Betrayal Have Survived Cancellation

Based on their low ratings, shouldn't ABC's Betrayal and CBS's Hostages been canceled by now? Neither freshman drama has caught on with viewers, and they seem unlikely renewal candidates. But both have survived so far — and it's their status as limited-run series that may have saved them.

Mon, Nov 11, 2013

How Hostages and Betrayal Have Survived Cancellation

Exclusive: Fox Gives 13-Episode Order to Animated Series Bordertown

With its Sunday night "Animation Domination" lineup in a bit of a transition, Fox has given a 13-episode order to the new animated comedy Bordertown from Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane and Mark Hentemann to debut during the 2014-2015 TV season. The show, created by Hentemann, takes place...

Sat, Nov 9, 2013

Exclusive: Fox Gives 13-Episode Order to Animated Series Bordertown

Networks Unleash New Marketing Tricks This Fall

When Sleepy Hollow went on a three-week hiatus due to MLB playoffs coverage, Fox promoted the show's video on-demand episodes instead. "Catch up from the beginning," promos suggested. The networks' agreements with service providers typically allow for a "rolling five," which means the five most recent episodes are available via VOD. Coincidentally, five episodes of Sleepy Hollow had already run before the break, giving Fox one last chance to introduce viewers to the show's entire run (until the next batch of episodes began) via Fox.com, Hulu, Fox On Demand or its "Fox Now" app.

Fri, Nov 8, 2013

Networks Unleash New Marketing Tricks This Fall

Eva Longoria Producing NBC Comedy Starring Standup Erik Rivera

NBC is developing a sitcom from Eva Longoria's production company starring young up-and-coming comedian Erik Rivera. Rivera, who's been on the stand-up circuit since 2004, peppers his act with...

Fri, Nov 8, 2013

Eva Longoria Producing NBC Comedy Starring Standup Erik Rivera

Anne Heche Back at NBC With New Comedy Project

NBC is developing a single-camera sitcom produced by Anne Heche with an eye towards her also starring in the series. Colette Burson is writing the script with Heche. The project centers on...

Thu, Nov 7, 2013

Anne Heche Back at NBC With New Comedy Project

First Look: Eva Longoria Gets Animated for Hulu's Mother Up

Eva Longoria is showing off her animated side again, but this time for Hulu's new cartoon comedy Mother Up. The show premieres on the streaming service on Wednesday. Longoria executive produces Mother Up and also lends her voice to the main character, Rudi Wilson. Rudi is a disgraced former music executive who now finds herself managing her new life as the mother of two kids in suburbia. Two episodes of Mother Up will be immediately available on Hulu and Hulu Plus, followed by four more episodes posting weekly for the next month. After that, seven more episodes are set to launch in January.

Wed, Nov 6, 2013

First Look: Eva Longoria Gets Animated for Hulu's Mother Up

The CW Clocks in With DC Comics' Hourman

The CW is looking to add another DC Comics character to its stable of superheroes. The network behind Arrow is now developing the script Hourman, based on characters that first appeared in 1940. Hourman centers on a "brilliant yet troubled" pharmaceutical analyst who discovers that he can see glimpses of tragic events about to occur one hour into the future. "Determined to win back his ex-wife and son, he heroically prevents these tragedies from unfolding, finding both purpose and redemption along the way," the network says.

Tue, Nov 5, 2013

The CW Clocks in With DC Comics' Hourman