Oct 21 2007
TV: Week of Oct 21
New Shows
Phenomenon
Channel: NBC
Time: 8/7
Premieres: October 24
Trailer
Synopsis: Criss Angel and Uri Geller try to find the next mentalist from 10 contestants.
Returning Shows
Scrubs
Channel: NBC
Time: 9:30/8:30c
Premieres: October 25
Cast: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes, Ken Jenkins, Neil Flynn
Trailer
Last Season: J.D. found out he was really become a father and Elliot finally got engaged. They both freaked out and ended up in bed together. Laverne died in a car accident. Carla and Turk had their baby and Carla experienced some postpartum depression.
This Season: In the show’s final season, we find out if J.D. and Elliot actually slept together, the actress who plays Laverne returns as Laverne’s angry sister, and the Janitor finally gets a first name.
TV News
It took a longer than recent fall television seasons, but we finally have our first cancellations and full-season orders.
Cancelations
CW canceled Online Nation since it was the least watched program on tv last week with just under 600,000 viewers. It premiered to just one million viewers so it was getting worse. Its spot will be filled by reruns of Aliens in America starting tonight.
FOX has officially announced it has canceled Nashville. It must have been waiting for someone else to cancel a show first so it can make its hiatus show to cancellation. It will be adding another weekly episode of Don’t Forget the Lyrics in its spot starting November 9th. Until that time, The Next Great American Band will be airing two-hour episodes for the next two weeks.
Shows in Trouble
FOX will suspend production of The Return of Jezebel James after seven episode. It was announced to have 13 episodes for the midseason. The networks blames its very busy mideason roster for the cut. FOX has halted production of its yet-to-premiere show New Amsterdam. Its order was also cut from 13 to seven episodes. It was supposed to premiere on Tuesday nights this fall, but pushed to midseason at the last minute. Will it ever make it to air?
Renewals
USA decided to make a series out of the mini series The Starter Wife. The series will star Debra Messing, just like in the mini series, along with the same production team. It will focus on the characters life after divorce.
FOX has renewed Kitchen Nightmares for a second season. It has increased in ratings the past few weeks by 18% in total viewers. It is also an increase in ratings by 21% over what has been in that same time period on average in 2006. It will return with at least 10 episodes sometime in 2008.
Good News For Shows
NBC ordered additional scrips for Bionic Woman, Chuck, Life and Journeyman while CBS ordered mre scripts for Cane. All the scripts will get the shows closer to 13 episodes. FOX has ordered two additional scrips for K-Ville, which gives it 13 episodes total at this point. ABC gave Private Practice a full-season order. It is the fall’s most-watched new drama.
CW gave Gossip Girl the first season pick up of the season. CBS gave full-season orders to The Big Bang Theory and The Unit. Big Bang has built on its lead-in How I Met Your Mother by 10% in viewers and is the most-watched new comedy. The Unit has been averaging almost 12 million viewers.
Returning Shows
The Closer will return on Monday, December 3rd for a two-hour special that will tie up its third season. After that, Saving Grace will start a four episode run to finish out its first season. Both shows will return for new seasons in June on TNT.
New Shows
Toni Collette has been cast to be the lead in a Showtime comedy called The United States of Tara. The series is about a mom who suffers from dissociative identity disorder (used to be known as multiple personality).
CMT will premiere a new reality series in January 2008 called Gone Country. Celebrities will try to become a big country superstar with the help of John Rich from Big & Rich. The performers: Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson, Dee Snider, Diana DeGarmo (American Idol), Julia Inglesias Jr., Maureen McCormick and Sisqo.
SCI FI will start production in January 2008for a new series about New America, which is a colony on an Earth-like planet where those that were there first don’t like the newcomers.
Sources: TV Guide , Futon Critic
