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The Programming Insider
July 23, 2006
By Marc Berman
THE PROGRAMMING INSIDER
LIVE FROM THE TCA SUMMER PRESS TOUR IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
Monday, July 24, 2005
NBC:
Opening Executive Comments
Unlike last summer when a humble Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment, apologized for the mess his network was in, cautious optimism was the mood at NBC’s executive session. And a commitment to increase the ratings (which should not be difficult to do) while focusing on moving out of the No. 4 spot on a regular basis are promised for next season. According to Reilly:
“I am very proud of our new slate of shows. I'm not going to make any hard predictions about what our ratings will be or what our ranking will be next season. But I will commit to this: our ratings will definitely be better. We will not be mired in fourth, week after week. We are going to be a challenger in many time periods, and, most importantly, I believe we have new series that will emerge as amongst the best on television.”
Continued Reilly:
“I don't know if our shows are going to breakout. However, I do believe there is legitimate potential across our new fall schedule. And we don't have everything riding on just one or two shows. With the ratings momentum and added circulation of the NFL in prime and the quality of our new series added to the winners of last season, I think our fall is going to look pretty potent. As I look to the second half of the season, I think we will maintain that momentum with appointment series like Medium, Scrubs and The Apprentice coming off the bench, as well as some promising new series like The Black Donnellys and Raines."
While you can’t, of course, blame a network head for being optimistic, and one or two new hits could certainly turn NBC around, let’s be honest here: The Apprentice is no longer appointment television, Scrubs never lived up to that description, and a better way to describe the fall schedule is potentially promising, certainly not potent.
Next up, of course, was the subject of two new shows set within a fictional show. Considering the track record for this format (does anyone remember the last time a show about a show worked on network television? – and, no, The Dick Van Dyke Show and Murphy Brown do not qualify), according to Kevin Reilly on the subject of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and 30 Rock:
”It was really one of those weird show business coincidences. But it really came down to saying what would you do? You've got Tina Fey and Aaron Sorkin. I couldn't imagine saying, "Well, one of you will just have to go elsewhere." So we said let's make both shows, and if they both deserve to get on the air, they will. And not surprisingly, they were both worthy of getting on the schedule. And I think while they have similar backdrops, I think you can already see it's a very different tone, very different feel to the shows. And as they go on, it will only become more distinctive. So I'm thrilled we have them both, and it hasn't been an issue.”
While that may not have necessarily been an issue for the network, the uphill battle both shows face is the potential “too inside show business” nature of the story-telling. And since when is Tina Fey so big? Has anyone noticed how lackluster Saturday Night Live has been lately? If NBC really wanted to give the more worthy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip an advantage, it did not need the similar 30 Rock vying for an audience.
Since this really is Kevin Reilly’s first complete schedule with his development stamp on it, here is his take:
“During the transition period, there was a lot of conjecture about that. It was a tricky transition, just trying to find the footing, given that the momentum turned at the network. So, you know, I've been in the job two full years now. Anything along those lines is ancient history. I feel, again, in the last year, our team has really solidified at NBC. The spirit is kicking in again. The hunger is there. And they also have my personal stamp, and I'll stand behind any one of these shows, win, lose, or fail.”
Since the rebuilding of any network has never been easy, Howie Mandel might be busier than he thinks as host of Deal or No Deal next season if potholes start surfacing.
NBC in 2006-07:
Fall Series Premiere Dates
NBC will kick-off the 2006-07 season on Monday, Sept. 18 with a two-hour edition of Deal or No Deal (which will air on four nights that week), followed by the debut of the highly touted Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Kidnapped will also premiere that week, while new drama Heroes is one week later, and new entries Friday Night Lights, Twenty Good Years and 30 Rock are in October. The NFL season on NBC begins on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET, with the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers opposite the Miami Dolphins. Three nights later is the premiere of Sunday Night Football, featuring the Indianapolis Colts versus the New York Giants.
Here are the new and returning NBC series launch dates:
-Deal or No Deal – Mon., Sept. 18: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere, two hours)
-Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip – Mon., Sept. 18: 10 p.m. ET (series debut)
-Law & Order: Criminal Intent – Tues., Sept. 19: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-Law & Order: SVU – Tues., Sept. 19: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-The Biggest Loser – Wed., Sept. 20: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere, two hours)
-Kidnapped – Wed., Sept. 20: 10 p.m. ET (series debut)
-My Name Is Earl – Thurs., Sept. 21: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-The Office –Thurs., Sept. 21: 8:30 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-ER – Thurs., Sept. 21: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-Law & Order – Fri., Sept. 22: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-Heroes – Mon., Sept. 25: 9 p.m. ET (series debut)
-Friday Night Lights – Tues., Oct. 3: 8 p.m. ET (series debut)
-Twenty Good Years – Wed., Oct. 4: 8 p.m. ET (series debut, two episodes)
-30 Rock – Wed., Oct. 11: 8:30 p.m. ET (series debut)
-Crossing Jordan – Fri., Oct. 20: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere)
-Las Vegas – Fri., Oct. 20: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
On the NBC Panel Front:
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
Monday 10:00 p.m.
-The Premise:
Friends star Matthew Perry returns to NBC in this one-hour dramatic look at life behind-the-scenes at a long-running sketch comedy series (reminiscent of Saturday Night Live) from The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. Also featured are former The West Wing co-stars Bradley Whitford and Timothy Busfield, Amanda Peet, former Wings star Steven Weber, Sarah Paulson, Sex and the City’s Evan Handler, and comedian D.L. Hughley.
-Lead-in: Heroes
-The Competition: What About Brian (ABC), CSI: Miami (CBS)
-Who Was On the Panel:
Matthew Perry, Timothy Busfield, Nathan Corddry, D.L. Hughley, Sarah Paulson, Amanda Peet, Steven Weber, Bradley Whitford, director/executive producer Thomas Schlamme and writer/executive producer Aaron Sorkin.
-The Scoop:
On the subject of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing versus his upcoming Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
”Studio 60 is the same thing that The West Wing was at its heart and the same thing Sports Night was before that. It's about a group of people committed to professionalism, committed to each other, committed to what they're doing, and hopefully, you know, we will enjoy watching them every week. But as political issues came up on The West Wing, I think that Studio 60 is tooled up to deal with issues of the culture wars in an interesting way, because certainly television, in general, and a sketch comedy show like this in particular, would have a front-row seat for that kind of thing.”
-The Reality:
Aaron Sorkin, of course, is best remembered for creating critical darling The West Wing, which was also a ratings hit for the first five years of its seven year run. But is the tale of life behind the scenes of an SNL-like show too “inside” to appeal to the masses? Can you, after all, think of any shows of this type that have succeeded on network television? Although you have to admire NBC for trying to push the creative envelope, facing CBS’ CSI: Miami without the benefit of proven lead-in support will be no easy feat, and Matthew Perry might soon realize he doesn’t have many friends.
-Chance of Survival for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
5-1
-Did You Know?:
Aaron Sorkin was also the force behind 1998-2000 ABC comedy Sports Night, which the critics loved but the fans could not get accustomed to.
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TWENTY GOOD YEARS
Wednesday 8:00 p.m.
-The Premise:
After realizing they only have about 20 good years left to live, two aging New York friends in their 50s (3rd Rock From the Sun’s John Lithgow and recent Arrested Development star Jeffrey Tambor) try to make the most of it.
-Competition: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Jericho (CBS), Bones (Fox), America's Next Top Model (CW)
-Who Was on the Panel:
John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor, Heather Burns, Jake Sandvig, executive producers Eric Gold and Tom Werner, and creator/executive producer Marsh McCall.
-The Scoop:
Described as an old-fashioned type of comedy, here is what John Lithgow had to say about Twenty Good Years:
“When we did 3rd Rock, nobody had seen that kind of wild, hectic energy since the 1950s when that was par for the course. Milton Berle and Your Show of Shows and people were like, “Whoa. What is this? People are dashing across the stage and clubbing each other with pig’s bladders and hurling each other behind a couch.” To me, that’s got great roots, great energetic, farcical American comedy from vaudeville and silent films. I just can’t restrain myself. That’s my problem. They write nice subtle stuff, and before you know it I’m all over the map.”
(Editor’s note: You may want to take it down a notch or two from the pilot, Mr. Lithgow).
-The Reality:
If you liked The Odd Couple, and can overlook John Lithgow’s inbred 3rd Rock theatrics, you will enjoy the surprisingly funny 20 Good Years, with John Lithgow the new Oscar and the underrated Jeffrey Tambor Felix. But the problem with anchoring Wednesday is facing Dancing With the Stars and NCIS in fourth quarter, and ultimately Fox’s returning American Idol in January (if 20 Good Years is granted 20 good weeks, that is). If dancing B-level celebrities and a proven military drama don’t kill 20 Good Years, the new season of American Idol surely will.
-Chance of Survival for 20 Good Years on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
7-1
-Did You Know?:
Jeffrey Tambor cut his comedy chops as uptight Jeffrey P. Brookes III on Three’s Company spin-off The Ropers from 1979-80.
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HEROES
Monday 9:00 p.m.
-The Premise:
The lives of ordinary people who discover they have superpowers try to deal with how their destinies might be to save humankind. Included is a lowly officer worker who can teleport at will, a beat cop who hears other people’s thoughts, a 28-year-old junkie who has the ability to paint images of the future when he is high, and a 17-year-old cheerleader who defies death at every turn.
-Lead-in: Deal Or No Deal
-Competition: The Bachelor: Rome (ABC), Two and a Half Men and The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS), Vanished (Fox) and Runaway (CW)
-Who Was on the Panel:
Santago Cabrera, Tawny Cypress, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Masi Oka, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Sendhill Ramamurthy, Leonard Roberts, Milo Ventimiglia, and creator/executive producer Tim Kring.
-The Scoop:
If you are looking for a traditional good versus evil type of superhero drama, you won’t find it on Superheroes. According to Tim Kring:
”Very early on in the show, you'll begin to see that there is a dark side to these abilities as well. Some of these heroes could be villains. And some may take that arc where they start off as good and end up bad, and vice versa. There seems to be a kind of audience that wants a show to be less spelled-out for them. They want to have questions, and they want to participate. They want to set their TiVo, or they want to talk to their friends the next day. They want to guess where it's going.”
-The Reality:
Although leading out of Deal Or No Deal could be beneficial, facing CBS’ proven Two and a Half Men and two new dramas (Fox’s Vanished and the CW’s Runaway) might make the confusing Heroes (is this a serious drama, or an Incredible Hulk type tale?) anything but a hero once the ratings come in. If NBC really thinks Heroes will appeal to younger viewers, why not find an 8 p.m. time period?
-Chance of Survival for Heroes (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
9-1
-Did You Know?:
Milo Ventimiglia is remembered for playing brooding Jess on the WB’s Gilmore Girls and, more recently, WB clinker The Bedford Diaries. But his first regularly scheduled series was short-lived Fox sitcom The Opposite Sex in 2000.
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30 ROCK
Wednesday 8:30 p.m.
-The Premise:
The head writer (Tina Fey) of a fictional sketch comedy called The Girly Show tries to come to terms with a temperamental star (Tracy Morgan) and a difficult executive producer (Alec Baldwin). Alec Baldwin, Rachel Dratch, Jack McBrayer, and Tracy Morgan co-star.
-Lead-in: 20 Good Years
-Competition: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Jericho (CBS), Bones (Fox), America's Next Top Model (CW)
-Who Was on the Panel:
Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan and executive producer Lorne Michaels.
-The Scoop:
Here is the 30 Rock take on this show versus Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
Lorne Michaels:
“Well, this show was in development before we heard about the Aaron Sorkin show. I was told about the Aaron Sorkin show by Kevin Reilly by phone. They are not similar shows. So, no, there wasn't -- this show is not in any way a response to the other show. 30 Rock came first.”
Tina Fey:
”Well, it kind of all went down in, like, the same day. I heard about it, and we were sort of in pre-production at the time. We were originally supposed to shoot the pilot last summer. But I was pregnant, and we were going to shoot around the pregnancy. Then we thought, well, there's no hurry because it wouldn't be ready until the following season anyway. So I was home, and I had friends saying to me, "Oh, I'm so sorry that your show is not going to happen." And I was like, "Oh, okay." But Kevin Reilly called very quickly and assured me that he believed in both shows and he felt that they were very different in tone and that he really wanted to pursue both of them.”
(Editor’s note: Tina Fey may want to consider keeping her ties to Saturday Night Live open).
-The Reality:
Considering NBC also made a commitment to Aaron Sorkin on a show about a show on upcoming dramedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, it did not need 30 Rock, a similar inside show business type sitcom. Can anyone, after all, think of one show of this kind that ever succeeded on a broadcast network (and, no, The Dick Van Dyke Show and Murphy Brown don’t count)? Without the benefit of proven lead-in support (and opposite killer competition that will include Fox’s American Idol come January), this shameless plug of NBC and GE does not stand a chance.
-Chance of Survival for 30 Rock on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
7-1
-Did You Know?:
Alec Baldwin got an early start on the small screen as crazed preacher Joshua Rush on drama Knots Landing in the mid 1980s.
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KIDNAPPED
Wednesday 10:00 p.m.
-The Premise:
After the 15-year old son of a wealthy family has been abducted, the subsequent investigation (where everything, of course, is not as perfect as it seems) is followed throughout the course of the season. Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, and Mykelti Williamson star.
-Lead-in: The Biggest Loser
-Competition: The Nine (ABC), CSI: NY (CBS)
-Who Was on the Panel:
Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Will Denton, Carmen Ejogo, Delroy Lindo, Jeremy Sisto, Mykelti Williamson, and executive producers Michael Dinner, David Greenwalt and Jason Smilovic.
-The Scoop:
The evolution of Kidnapped according to executive producer Jason Smilovic:
“We have a 22-episode arc, and the show does go in to phases and evolutions. What we mean to do with the show is to tell a story over the period of 22 episodes, and in each episode we're telling a mystery that will resolve itself within that episode and then chip away at the larger mystery. Now, the larger mystery is slowly revealing itself. And every time the audience thinks that they know what the show is, or they understand the mystery or the motivation or the mechanism, we change it up.”
-The Reality:
Although NBC originally planned on airing Kidnapped Tuesday at 9 p.m. (opposite CBS’ The Unit and Fox’s House), moving it to Wednesday at 10 p.m. in place of veteran Law & Order (which shifts to Friday) still means it has to face CBS’ CSI: NY. While CSI: NY is no CSI, recently replacing Law & Order will new drama Heist was a colossal mistake. So, if crime drama Heist could not face CSI: NY, why will the similar Kidnapped succeed? And, if it does, what happens in the second season?
-Chance of Survival for Kidnapped on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
8-1
-Did You Know?:
Dana Delany won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress on ABC drama China Beach.
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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Tuesday 8:00 p.m.
-The Premise:
Based on the book and the feature film, the lives of a high school football team and their coach (Early Edition’s Kyle Chandler) in a small Texas town are the focus of this feel good drama. The cast also includes Connie Britton (Spin City), Zach Gilford, Adrianne Palicki, and Jesse Plemons.
-Competition: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS (CBS), Stand-off (Fox), Gilmore Girls (CW)
-Who Was on the Panel:
Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles, Zach Gilford, Taylor Kitsch, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Aimee Teegarden, and executive producers Peter Berg and Jason Katims.
-The Scoop:
Although most shows with sports in the backdrop do not work, here is why Friday Night Lights will succeed according to Jason Katims:
”I can only speak to what draws me to the material. And when I saw the pilot, I felt like this was a world. This was a culture. This was a place that I wanted to be, and it really went beyond being just about football and just about sports. And it felt like you were dropped into this real small town in Texas. The show has an authenticity and a reality that draws you in. It has, you know, this sense of community that I think people yearn for. And then, there's all these tremendous characters that we intend to sort of fill out and draw upon and go into their homes and learn about their lives. So it goes way beyond just the sport, and I don't think people will sense it that way.”
-The Reality:
With so many crime solving related dramas, it would be a real plus for primetime television if a new family oriented drama broke out of the box. But opposite Dancing With the Stars, NCIS and Gilmore Girls, the lights could be out for this new drama by the November sweeps. Although the real competition, Fox’s American Idol, does not return until January 2007, Friday Night Lights will either be gone, or moved elsewhere, by then.
-Chance of Survival for Friday Night Lights on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):
8-1
-Did You Know?:
Against the Grain, a similar appeal family drama about a high school football team (featuring a young Ben Affleck) lasted eight weeks on NBC in the fall of 1993.
Press Tour Tidbits:
Notes With Interest
-Lunch With Megan Mullally:
Although the buzz in daytime syndication is on King World’s upcoming The Rachael Ray Show (which will benefit, of course, by the exposure on Oprah), potential sleeper Megan Mullally charmed the TCA masses with a lunch (good food, actually) in her honor. After unveiling a handful of promos that wisely show Megan morphing from Will & Grace’s Karen Walker into the real Ms. Mullally, here is how Megan describes the show:
“We will have a live band, sketches, comedy, field pieces, and correspondence -- it's a blend of the old and the new. On the other side of it, we have some things that nobody is doing. We have an extremely interactive website that I'm really excited about because I want to get the viewer involved in a more active way. You can log on, and you can get involved in these creative challenges that we're going to have going on every day.”
Look for the debut of The Megan Mullally Show on Sept. 18.
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-More America’s Got Talent and The Last Comic Standing:
NBC has renewed summer hits America’s Got Talent and The Last Comic Standing for the 2006-07 season. America’s Got Talent will return on Sundays in January (with the day of the live results show yet to be revealed), while season five of The Last Comic Standing will begin in June 2007.
-Nobody’s Watching on NBC:
Former WB comedy pilot Nobody’s Watching, which found a spot on www.YouTune.com, will continue on NBC.com as a series of webisodes featuring two hapless young stars as they bounce around Hollywood. New scripts will be developed with the intention of producing an original on-air series on NBC later this season.
-Brian Williams on the Battle of the Network Newscasts:
In a session on The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, here is what the now longest running anchor had to say on the heated topic of who will dominate next season:
“Saying that I am now veteran of the news anchor group of three is like saying the Empire State Building is the tallest building on the New York City skyline. It is factually true, but it's for all the wrong reasons. And I wish, looking at the underlying reasons, that it wasn't so. Peter (Jennings) was a friend, and so is Dan (Rather). This is a highly competitive business, but at the end of the day, Katie (Couric) is a mother of two. I'm a father of two, and I've known Charlie Gibson for a long time. So, you know, that side of our business exists too. I'm happy to see them and spend time with them when we're together. It’s just like the three who preceded us, the lions of this past age, these great, great journalists who became friends and mortal competitors when they were all chasing the same story.”
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-Deal or No Deal Update:
When asked about the danger of celebrity stunting a la Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, here is what Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel had to say:
“Well, ultimately, when you see any of those stunts, those are kind of external, right? Donald Trump shows up to help a contestant or, you know, a Hummer is driven on stage, that's just a stunt. But ultimately, I think the beauty of our show is a real person. As soon as you bring a celebrity in and the celebrity's playing for a charity, there's nothing at stake. I think one of the most relatable things of our show is the fact that you realize these are real people with real issues, real problems, real lives, and we can ultimately -- or they can ultimately -- change their life drastically for the better or maybe for the worse.”
(Editor’s note: Maybe the producers of Deal or No Deal should listen to what their host has to say, because it looks like the overexposed game show is traveling the same dangerous path as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.).
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-Move Over, Dr. Phil:
At a luncheon with upcoming Warner Bros/Telepictures talk show host, Dr. Keith Ablow, I can understand why the syndicator jumped at putting this noted psychiatrist and author on the air. And it is safe to say that daytime syndication will be home to the real deal (and not just the overrated Dr. Phil) next season. I smell a sleeper success here.
-Also Present at TCA:
Sony Pictures Television had a breakfast with upcoming talk show host Greg Behrendt, who is hoping his expertise on relationships will translate into success in daytime. That makes four new talkers –- The Rachael Ray Show, The Megan Mullally Show, Dr. Keith Ablow and The Greg Behrendt Show –- looking for an audience in a genre already populated with nine returning first-run strips. Do the math, and that makes a lucky 13.
2006 TCA Awards:
And the Winners Are...
Although it may not be the head of the class in the ratings, NBC led the pack of trophy winners at the annual TCA Awards, which were presented at the Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena last night, with four wins. ABC and PBS won two apiece, and Fox and Disney Channel one each. The Heritage Award was presented to NBC’s The West Wing (which this critic is happy to say is finally over), while the career achievement award went to the one and only Carol Burnett. I’m so glad we had this time together with her!
The 2006 TCA Award winners were:
-Program of the Year: Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
-Outstanding New Program: My Name is Earl (NBC)
-Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Lost (ABC)
-Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: The Office (NBC)
-Outstanding Achievement in News & Information: Frontline (PBS)
-Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming: High School Musical (Disney Channel)
-Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries & Specials: American Masters: Bob Dylan – No Direction Home (PBS)
-Individual Achievement in Comedy: Steve Carell (The Office, NBC)
-Individual Achievement in Drama: Hugh Laurie (House, Fox)
-Heritage Award: The West Wing (NBC)
-Career Achievement: Carol Burnett
Coming Up Tomorrow: Day one of Fox
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