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TV Casting News: Ashley Jensen, Miranda Otto, Skeet Ulrich

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:30:59 -0700

In addition to learning about two of the leads in the CW's Body Politic, there's plenty of other casting news making me smile today, including:

Ugly Betty's Ashley Jensen is jumping to the CBS comedy Accidentally on Purpose, which stars Jenna Elfman as a woman who finds herself suddenly pregnant after a fling with a younger man. Betty producer Silvio Horta confirmed that Jensen won't be a regular on the show next year but said she's still "a member of the Ugly Betty family" and could pop up from time to time.
The ethereal Miranda Otto has been cast as one of the leads in A Marriage, a drama from the My So-Called Life creators about "a marriage that works." Bruce Greenwood will play her husband, with Kay Panabaker and Nick Eversman as their children.
I was glad to see that Dirty Sexy Money's Zoe McLellan had landed a role in the political drama House Rules, but what's even crazier is who else has a role: Anna Chlumsky, the My Girl girl! McLellan plays a new congresswoman, while Chlumsky plays an aide to the speaker of the house.
Skeet Ulrich is back on CBS in a pilot called, well, Back. He'll play the lead in the show, in which his character returns to the family that reported him missing after Sept. 11.

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TV Tonight: Jericho's Final Episode

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:37:26 -0700

This time, it doesn't look like there will be any mass uprising to save Jericho. No rallying of the troops from sites like JerichoLives. No tons of peanuts.

No, Jericho - the show that was resurrected by a serious fan mobilization last Spring, returned for seven episodes, and never got a foothold in the ratings - is going more quietly this time. "We have no regrets bringing the show back for a second try," Nina Tassler, the network's entertainment president, said in a statement last week, announcing that tonight's episode would be the series' last. "We listened to our viewers, gave the series an opportunity to grow, and the producers put a great story on the screen. We're proud of everyone's efforts."

Two possible endings for the series were filmed: one that left a cliffhanger for a possible third season, another that's more of a wrap-up. The one that will air tonight is the one with more closure. The Hollywood Reporter notes that it's not impossible for the show's stories to continue after the finale, but the high cost of producing it will probably keep it from finding a home on another network or cable.

So, all in all, this looks like the end for Jericho. Will it be missed? To watch a clip from tonight's finale, just read more.

Photo courtesy of CBS

TV Tonight: Jericho

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Considering all the talk of campaigns to save Friday Night Lights, it's especially fitting that Jericho, a show that benefited from exactly such a campaign, starts its second season tonight. The show was canceled after the end of its first season last May, but a large-scale outreach effort from fans (and more than 20 tons of peanuts) brought it back for seven episodes.

The first of those episodes airs tonight, focusing on a new government coming in to restore order to war-ravaged Jericho. Since a third season is far from a sure thing, these seven episodes tell a self-contained story - but the show shot two endings just in case good ratings get it renewed.

I'm awed that the show inspired so much passion, and that alone will get me to check out Jericho tonight. Will you be watching? You can watch the first five minutes online now, and to see a promo for the season, just read more.

Photo courtesy of CBS

Jericho in a Nutshell

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:00:00 -0800

Man, CBS owes Jericho fans a huge thank-you. Not only are they responsible for bringing the show back from cancellation - making sure the network has another series to show this winter during the ongoing writers' strike - but they also gave the network the perfect tool for marketing the show's return: nuts! Ever since fans inundated CBS headquarters with literally tons of peanuts this spring in an effort to bring the show back, CBS has adopted the nut theme as its own. The network gave out gift bags of nuts during the Jericho panel at this summer's TV press tour, and here's the latest: a tour through the show's first season as hosted by a talking, animated peanut.

Cheesiness aside, this really is a good way to recap the show's first season for those of us who missed out the first time. Jericho returns Feb. 12 with seven new episodes; depending on the ratings, it may get more. In the meantime, to watch Jericho in a - yuk yuk - nutshell, just read more

Photo courtesy of CBS

TV Tonight: "Jericho"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 09:00:00 -0700

If you've never seen "Jericho," the show whose cancellation drove fans to send more than 20 tons of peanuts to CBS headquarters earlier this summer, tonight's your chance. In an effort to drum up more support for the show, CBS will begin showing repeats from the drama's first season, starting with the first episode.

After the nut debacle, CBS ordered seven more episodes of the show - but executives cautioned that if the show doesn't get more viewers, it'll be pulled again (and, presumably, no quantity of food could save it a second time around). The network has even gone so far as to say that the more fans "Jericho" gets, the longer the show will live. I didn't watch "Jericho" in its first run, but frankly, I'm curious to see what all the fuss is about. To watch a couple of videos from CBS explaining the situation, read more

Photo courtesy of CBS

Now THIS Is Nuts: "Jericho" Will Return

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:14:54 -0700

Well, it's official: The fanatical and kind of scary outpouring of rage - and nuts - over the cancellation of "Jericho" has actually changed the minds of the higher-ups at CBS! According to an open notice from CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler on CBS.com, the network has ordered 7 more mid-season episodes. Though touched by the incredible show of loyalty from "Jericho" fans, Tassler cautions that there will absolutely not be anymore episodes beyond the 7 unless the show's audience grows. Excerpts of the notice include:

Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.

A loyal and passionate community has clearly formed around the show. But that community needs to grow.

We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.

On behalf of everyone at CBS, thank you for expressing your support of “Jericho” in such an extraordinary manner. Your protest was creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone. You made a difference.

So, now these same fans will be putting their extreme energies into gaining a bigger "Jericho" audience? Yikes. I anticipate finding a pile of peanuts on my doorstep by morning.

"Jericho" Fans Might Be Wearing Down CBS

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:40:58 -0700

Rumor has it the slightly insane tactic of sending thousands of pounds of peanuts to the CBS offices in New York may actually be working toward getting "Jericho" renewed for another season. To my bafflement (since I didn't think stunts like this actually worked in real life), there is a "source" claiming that CBS is "thisclose" to announcing the renewal of the show that is, apparently, worth its weight in nuts. Even the AP is reporting on the rumor, sending wild hope into the hearts of "Jericho" fanatics everywhere:

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. A decision on whether to bring the show back, probably for a midseason run, is imminent, the source said.

The network apparently has been impressed by the display of viewer passion, which included the delivery of 50,000 pounds of peanuts to its New York offices.

If this is true, it's an amazing testament to what people can accomplish when they put their minds to it, I guess. Or, as the "motivation of the day" on JerichoLives.com puts it: "A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." It's also an amazing testament to the power of peanuts. Now I know how to wear down my next opponent.

"Jericho" Fans are Seriously Nuts

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 16:05:49 -0700

I told you the other day about the massive campaign to save "Jericho," but little did I know that was only the beginning. We're not just talking about message board comments and YouTube videos now - we're talking about nuts. Real, physical, edible nuts - literally tons of them - that fans are sending to CBS offices in New York and LA.

The nuts thing (which comes from the line Skeet Ulrich's character used to turn down an offer of surrender from a neighboring town in the final "Jericho" episode) really took off on Monday, when the Jericho Lives folks partnered with Nuts Online to pool money and send shipments of nuts to CBS. The first day, fans ordered 1,200 pounds of nuts, which arrived at CBS headquarters in New York on Tuesday. A whopping 4,000 pounds arrived today, and another 4,000 pounds have already been ordered for tomorrow - along with a couple of hundred surplus pounds for the network's LA office.

Now, I don't watch "Jericho" - and I admit the military-inspired instructions on the Jericho Lives site freak me out a little - but I'm loving this nuts campaign. I actually cheered a little when the live nut counter (yes, I said live nut counter) topped 10,000 pounds. I would also just love to know how much the CBS bigwigs are dying inside every time a UPS truck pulls up these days. "What? Two more tons of nuts? Greeeeat ..." To watch a video of the first 1,000 pounds arriving at CBS, read more

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CBS Promises Closure for "Jericho" Fans

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:38:25 -0700

I had no idea "Jericho" fans were such a passionate bunch. After CBS revealed last week that the apocalyptic drama wouldn't be returning next season, viewers inundated CBS with e-mails, started petitions, and launched a YouTube video campaign.

Well, the network is listening. Over the weekend, this statement from CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler appeared on the show's Web site:

We have read your emails over the past few days and have been touched by the depth and passion with which you have expressed your disappointment. Please know that canceling a television series is a very difficult decision. Hundreds of people at the Network, the production company and the incredibly-talented creative team worked very hard to build and serve the community for this show - both on-air and online. It is a show we loved too.

Thank you for supporting Jericho with such passion. We truly appreciate the commitment you made to the series and we are humbled by your disappointment. In the coming weeks, we hope to develop a way to provide closure to the compelling drama that was the Jericho story.

It's unclear what "closure" could mean, since giving the show a second season appears to be out of the question. Two of the suggestions I've seen are a TV movie or some online outlet for tying up the characters' stories. If you're a fan, tell me: What kind of ending would satisfy you? To see two of the fan-made videos from the "Jericho" campaign, read more

Photo courtesy of CBS