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Buzz News Roundup, 12/14

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:34:29 -0800

According to ComingSoon, director John Singleton has signed on for the A-Team movie.
Journeyman fans are sending Rice-a-Roni to NBC to protest the show's cancellation, TV Guide reports.
The New York Times has a story about religion in primetime TV, including Friday Night Lights and Dirty Sexy Money.
Billboard has details on the full-length Flight of the Conchords album that's being released in April.
TV is virtually shut down, but more movies than usual are filming in Los Angeles as a result of the writers' strike, Variety reports.
E! Online reports that Robert Plant will go on a European tour during the month of May with Allison Krauss, but without the rest of Led Zepplin.

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Buzz News Roundup, 12/12

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:31:14 -0800

The Golden Globe nominations will be announced tomorrow morning, but Variety says nominees might not attend the January ceremony because of the writers' strike. Also on the chopping block because of the strike: the Television Critics Association press tour, says the Associated Press - and maybe splashy Upfront presentations, too, says the New York Times.
But, the Screen Actors Guild Awards will go on as planned, Variety reports.
According to ComingSoon, Will Arnett will voice Knight Rider in the TV film.
Amy Adams just might join the cast of Doubt, which also now includes Viola Davis, writes Zap2It.
Journeyman is done, Broadcasting & Cable reports, though its final two episodes will air.
According to Variety, Josh Groban's holiday album Noel continues to be a bestseller for its third week in a row.
ComingSoon writes that Paul Rudd will star in the wedding-themed comedy I Love You, Man, about a groom-to-be who is on the hunt for a best man.
Joan Allen will star and Lasse Hallstrom will direct a remake of the Japanese film Hachiko, A Dog's Story, reports Variety.
Rolling Stone has an intriguing interview with Billy Joel regarding his wartime holiday album Christmas in Fallujah.

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TV Tonight: Sci Fi Monday on NBC

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:30:06 -0700

One of the stories that got me most excited at the TCA press tour this summer was NBC's decision to put three series with sci-fi elements together on Monday nights. Tonight, we'll get out first look at how that strategy works out when "Chuck" and "Journeyman" premiere and "Heroes" returns for its second season.

The strategy seems smart because while each show has its own audience, I think the three could overlap. "Chuck" is the youngest and quirkiest of the shows; "Journeyman," on the other hand, is the TV equivalent of adult contemporary radio. "Heroes" falls somewhere in between, and, of course, it brings with it a ton of buzz from its first-season breakout and its many offseason casting announcements. "Chuck" is one of my top shows to watch this fall, while "Heroes" is a returning favorite, and frankly, I'll probably end up watching "Journeyman" because I'll be on the couch already anyway. Which of NBC's Monday shows excite you most? To watch clips from all three shows, read more

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TCA News Roundup: Isaiah, "Singing Bee," "Bionic"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:41:16 -0700

The attention at the TCA press tour shifts to CBS today, but there are still a few great NBC tidbits to share from the network's two days at the press tour:

"Chuck" star Zachary Levi (above), Pop's new favorite person, took first place in a live version of "The Singing Bee" at NBC's all-star party on Tuesday night, beating out Scott Porter of "Friday Night Lights", an Us Weekly writer, and a tone-deaf TV critic. The highlight: Levi's perfect rendition of the chorus from "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Oh, the mid-'90s. Check out Pop for more great pictures of the party.
"Bionic Woman" producers answered several questions about their casting of Isaiah Washington as a guest star for several episodes early this season. The character existed before Washington was brought on board, but the role was changed slightly to fit the number of episodes Washington was signed for. NBC entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman brought Washington to the producers, rather than the producers going after Washington on their own. And they said they believe in giving Washington a chance to make amends. "Rather than excommunicate someone," executive producer Jason Smilovic said, "we felt that it was better to give him a second chance."

Two more bits, so read more

The "Bionic" producers also talked a bit about the new role for the main character's little sister, who now will be played by Lucy Hale. To help move the story forward, they've given the sister a background in computer hacking. And the sister is no longer deaf; that, the producers explained, had been a way to get the main character talking in sign language to chimps in a research lab, but when the lab and the chimps were written out of later drafts of the show, there was no reason for the deaf sister to stay.
The "Journeyman" producers shrugged off comparisons between their show and The Time Traveler's Wife, with creator Kevin Falls explaining that he's been writing about time travel for years and knows very little about the book. Star Gretchen Egolf said her friends who loved Time Traveler's Wife actually seem more open to watching the show because of the book.

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Pilot Watch: "Journeyman"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 05:30:00 -0700

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. Note that a lot can change before a show actually makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: NBC's "Journeyman."

What's it about? Dan, a San Francisco newspaper reporter, discovers he can travel back in time to change the past - and reunites with his long-lost fiancee in the process.

Who's in it? Kevin McKidd of "Rome," Moon Bloodgood of "Day Break," Gretchen Egolf, Reed Diamond

The good: Did you like "Quantum Leap" and/or "Early Edition"? Then you might really like this show, which follows their tradition of questioning what happens when people travel through time and toy with the past. McKidd is a strong leading man, and my favorite moments in the pilot came from his character trying to convince his wife, boss and brother that he wasn't crazy or drugged. I'm intrigued by the love triangle developing between his character's wife and ex-fiancee. I'm also happy to see Moon Bloodgood turn up in a series again, even though it's somewhat odd that it's her second show in a row with someone (first Taye Diggs, now McKidd) going back in time to save her life.

The bad: Like all time travel shows, it's pretty confusing - especially when it comes to the question of how and why Dan begins to travel. The part of the past Dan tries to change in the first episode isn't particularly interesting, and I didn't always understand how he knew what he was supposed to be doing.

Will I watch? I honestly wasn't sure until the last few minutes of the first episode. But there's a nice twist there, and it made me curious enough to come back and see if the show can balance the surreal time travel story with more traditional dramatic elements. And hey, maybe it will fill the void left by "Day Break" last year.

You can watch several clips from the show on NBC's site, and to see a gallery of photos, read more

View 12 Photos ›

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NBC Lines Up Three Sci-Fi Shows for Monday Nights

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:58:54 -0700

NBC is bringing sci fi back to broadcast TV - big time. As the network kicked off its presentations at the TCA press tour today, network entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman said the fall schedule would be shifted around to surround breakout hit "Heroes" with two other fantasy shows: "Chuck," about a 20-something slacker who gets spy secrets implanted into his brain, and "Journeyman," which focuses on a reporter who finds himself traveling through time.

When NBC first announced its schedule in May, "Deal or No Deal" was slotted for the 8 p.m. spot that now will be occupied by "Chuck." But Silverman said he expects these three shows will make a strong lineup because they are built on character, not just fantasy. "Chuck has a bit of the quarter-life [crisis] going on," Silverman said. With his terrible job at a big-box electronics store and his woes with women, "he could just as easily be appearing in a Judd Apatow movie." "Journeyman," on the other hand, "is basically a love story with time travel underneath it," Silverman said.

I'm still a little surprised that "Bionic Woman" isn't in that lineup, but I see what Silverman's saying about the character-driven elements of these three shows. When I recently watched the "Chuck" pilot, I wouldn't have necessarily thought to call it sci fi; it was more about Chuck and his goofy friends. Plus, I could see "Chuck" drawing a young audience (thanks to "OC" creator Josh Schwartz's involvement), with "Journeyman" skewing older and "Heroes" somewhere in between. Silverman said we can expect to see a lot of advertising for the three shows during NBC's Sunday night football programming come fall.

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Get a Sneak Peek at NBC's New Shows

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:20:36 -0700

We might have to wait till fall to see the full versions of NBC's new shows, but the network is giving you a preview now. Clips of four of the shows, including "Chuck" (photo above), have made their way to YouTube, and NBC has a bunch of goodies on its fall preview site. I also have a ton of photos for the new shows, and I can't wait to hear what you think.

"Journeyman"
Here's a clip of this "Quantum Leap"-ish show that shows Dan explaining to his wife that he's been living 20 years in the past. More videos here.

More videos and dozens of photos from all six new shows if you read more

"Chuck"
This clip doesn't do much to explain what's going on in the show, but for some reason, it had me laughing out loud. More here.

"Bionic Woman"
This clip shows the Bionic Gal herself finding out she's now bionic. More here.

"Life"
This clip sets up the premise: A cop who's been jailed for murder makes a comeback. More here.

"Lipstick Jungle": Check out a ton of videos here.

"The IT Crowd": NBC's put out one video, an interview with star Richard Ayoade.

Now, onto the photos:

"Journeyman"

"Bionic Woman"

"Life"

"Chuck"

"Lipstick Jungle"

View 17 Photos ›

"The IT Crowd"

View 12 Photos ›

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A "Heroes" Spinoff Headlines NBC's Fall Plans

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 09:44:34 -0700

NBC was the first network to announce its fall schedule at the 2007 Upfronts this morning, and it started off with a shocker: A spinoff of "Heroes" called "Heroes: Origins" that will air when the original series is on hiatus and introduce characters not yet known to viewers. Take that, "Grey's Anatomy"! Combined, the two shows will air 30 new episodes next year.

Additionally, NBC picked up five dramas ("Journeyman," "Bionic Woman," "Chuck," "Life," "Lipstick Jungle"), one comedy series ("The IT Crowd") and two reality shows - one that will challenge contestants to sing popular song lyrics, the other focusing on dance from around the world.

Among returning shows, here were some of the big announcements:

"The Office" will have 30 half-hour episodes, five of which will air as hour-long episodes (if I'm doing the math right, that means 25 weeks when "The Office" will be new).
"Friday Night Lights" will air (ugh) Fridays at 10 p.m.
"My Name is Earl" will have a longer-than-usual season of 25 episodes.
"Law & Order" will be back, while "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will air its new episodes on USA (eventually they'll air on NBC, too, but details on how that will work are unclear).

Officially canceled: "Crossing Jordan," "The Black Donnellys," "Studio 60."

Here's NBC's official press release, and to see the full fall schedule and descriptions of the new shows, read more

All caps = new show
** = new time slot

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Heroes"
10-11 p.m. "JOURNEYMAN"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-10 p.m. "CHUCK"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"**
9-10 p.m. "BIONIC WOMAN"
10-11 p.m. "LIFE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30-9 p.m. "30 Rock"**
9-9:30 p.m. "The Office"**
9:30-10 p.m. "Scrubs"
10-11 p.m. "ER"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "1 vs 100"/"THE SINGING BEE" (rotating)
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10-11 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"**

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores

SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. "Law & Order"**
9-10 p.m. "Medium"**
10-11 p.m. "LIPSTICK JUNGLE"

"WORLD MOVES" will premiere later in the fall.

Here's how NBC describes the new shows:

"Journeyman"
From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves ("The West Wing"), "Journeyman" is a romantic mystery-drama about Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, "Rome"), a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he also must deal with the difficulties and strife at work and home brought on by his sudden disappearances. However, his freewheeling travels through the decades reunite him with his long-lost fiance Livia (Moon Bloodgood, "Day Break") - which complicates his present-day life with wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf, "Martial Law") and their son. Reed Diamond ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and Charles Henry Wyson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") also star. "Journeyman" is a production of 20th Century Fox Television. Falls is executive producer and writer; Graves is executive producer and director of the pilot.

"Chuck"
From executive producer, Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") comes a one-hour, comedic spy thriller about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") - a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent. When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at Buy More. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must fight assassins and international terrorists. With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") of the NSA assumes the responsibility of protecting him. His partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's first date in years) Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strzechowski, "Gone"). They'll keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest. Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Chuck's best buddy Morgan and Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures and Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"Bionic Woman"
Struggling as a bartender and surrogate mom to her teenage sister, Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan, "EastEnders") didn't think life could get much harder. But when a devastating car accident leaves her at death's door, Jaime's only hope for survival is a cutting-edge, top-secret technology that comes at a hefty price. With a whole new existence and a debt to re-pay, Jaime must figure out how to use her extraordinary abilities for good, while weighing the personal sacrifices she will have to make. Ultimately, it's Jaime's journey of self-discovery and inner strength that will help her embrace her new life as the Bionic Woman. Also starring are: Mae Whitman ("State of Grace") as Becca, Jaime's younger sister; Miguel Ferrer ("Crossing Jordan") as Jonas, the man who employs Jaime's boyfriend; Chris Bowers ("Rescue Me) as Will, Jaime's boyfriend, who performs the operation; Will Yun Lee ("Witchblade") as Jae, the specialized operations leader; and Molly Price ("Third Watch"), as Ruth, Jonas' second-in-command. "Bionic Woman" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and executive-produced by David Eick ("Battlestar Galactica"), Glen Morgan ("The X-Files"), Michael Dinner ("Kidnapped") -- who also directed the pilot -- and Jason Smilovic ("Lucky Number Slevin"). Laeta Kalogridis ("Birds of Prey") is also an executive producer on the pilot.

"Life"
From Rand Ravich and Far Shariat, the executive producers of the feature film "The Astronaut's Wife," and David Semel, who directed the pilot of NBC's "Heroes," "Life" is a new drama about a detective who is given a second chance. Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers") stars as complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews, who returns to the force after years in prison, thanks to close friend and attorney Constance Griffiths (Melissa Sagemiller, "Sleeper Cell"), after serving time for a crime he didn't commit. The cast also includes Sarah Shahi ("Rush Hour 3") as Charlie's skeptical, demanding partner, Robin Weigart (HBO's "Deadwood") as their hard-hitting lieutenant, and Adam Arkin ("Chicago Hope") as former cellmate Ted Early. "Life" is an NBC Universal Television Studio production. Rand Ravich is executive producer and writer; Far Shariat is executive producer; David Semel is executive producer and director on the pilot.

"Lipstick Jungle"
Based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), this fun dramedy follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game. Nico (Kim Raver, "24"), editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine, wants to replace her boss as CEO. Movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields, "Suddenly Susan") finds even her most earnest efforts may not be enough to balance career and family. And free-spirited designer Victory (Lindsay Price, "Beverly Hills, 90210") longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way. Armed with humor and strength, these three modern New York women support one another through the triumphs and tears that are all part of making it big in the Big Apple. Written by executive producers DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler (both for "How I Met Your Mother," "Three Sisters") and based on the book by Bushnell, "Lipstick Jungle" is from NBC Universal Television Studio. The pilot is directed by Gary Winick ("13 Going on 30").

"The IT Crowd"
Ever wonder what's up with those quirky techies who come to fix the office computer when no one's around? "The IT Crowd" is an offbeat series, based on the critically acclaimed British comedy, that offers a humorous behind-the-scenes peek at the people who truly keep the office humming. Roy (Joel McHale, "The Soup") and Moss (Richard Ayoade, "The IT Crowd" - U.K.) are the misunderstood masters of their high-tech domain, but they lack the people skills to befriend anyone but each other. Their company's head is Denholm (Rocky Carrol, "Chicago Hope"), who wants the IT department to stay segregated and forever banished to the basement. Executive producers are Moses Port ("Just Shoot Me"), David Guarascio ("Just Shoot Me"), Joe Port (NBC's "The Office"), Joe Wiseman ("The Office"), Graham Linehan ("The IT Crowd" - UK) and Steve Tao ("Red Doors"). Gail Mancuso ("Scrubs," "30 Rock") directed the pilot. "The IT Crowd" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

"The Singing Bee"
"The Singing Bee" is a variety-competition show that challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs -- even when the band stops playing. In this karaoke showdown, there's no middle ground for partially correct answers -- contestants must be perfect or they're out. Family-friendly, broad in appeal and conducive to playing (and singing) along at home, "The Singing Bee" features popular, recognizable music that inspires hilarious wrong answers and amazing performances by those rare contestants who somehow manage to get every word right. "The Singing Bee" is produced by the Gurin Company and Juma Entertainment, LLC. The executive producers are Phil Gurin (NBC's "Miss Universe" franchise) and Robert C. Horowitz ("Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials Top 40 Countdown").

"World Moves"
From executive producer Randy Jackson ("American Idol") and the creators of the World Hip Hop Championship comes one of the most visual and captivating performance competition shows ever to hit TV. Thousands of dance teams from around the world will audition for their shot to come to Los Angeles and compete for a global championship and an international touring contract. The live television event features young teams of five to seven members demonstrating their athleticism, creativity and innovative choreography in a presentation that highlights both the competition and the personal drama unfolding within each team. Viewers from across the globe will vote via the Internet, by text message, or by phone to eliminate one team each week. Ultimately, it's not just about winning a competition; "World Moves" involves stories that change lives and bring the world together. From Warner Horizon Television, the series is executive-produced by Jackson ("American Idol," Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment), Rob Lee (President, Bayonne Entertainment, "Blow Out," "House of Carters"), Howard Schwartz ("Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship), Karen Schwartz (Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship) and Harriet Sternberg (Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment).

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"Friday Night Lights" Renewed! Plus: More from NBC

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 15:38:04 -0700

NBC won't make its official scheduling announcements till Monday, but there's lots of good news floating around for "Friday Night Lights" fans. This afternoon, reporters at both E! and TV Guide reported that the show has been renewed for a second season! E! reporter Kristin Veitch said the cast found out today that the show will be back. I've told you guys why I'm a little nervous about a second season for "FNL," but I admit I gasped and then did a little dance in my chair when I saw the news. (By the way, that notice about "Friday Night Lights" maybe returning this month is still online, though no announcement has been made.)

Meanwhile, there's some other news dribbling out about the network's schedule plans. Both Veitch and TV Guide's Michael Ausiello report that NBC is picking up "Chuck," a show from "The O.C." creator Josh Schwartz about an unlikely hero who gets spy secrets embedded in his brain, and "Journeyman," a time-travel drama. Ausiello also listed "The Bionic Woman" as a sure thing for fall, and Veitch said the plan to make "The Office" an hour long is looking pretty likely.

We'll hear the rest of the networks' plans next week. Until then, what do you make of the news?

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