List of canceled shows for the 2007-08 TV season

We met some friends for dinner tonight and they were curious about which of their favorite shows were canceled for next season. (Don’t worry guys, Rules of Engagement is apparently safe.)

During our conversation, it occurred to me that I hadn’t published a complete list of shows for each network that won’t return next season. (I’m a bad TV blogger!)

So, here it is. Read it and weep. Or do the dance of joy, depending on your TV tastes.

And to those of you who’ve e-mailed me, Big Shots, Miss/Guided and October Road are goners. Sorry. Please don’t kill the messenger.




ABC
Big Shots
Carpoolers
Cashmere Mafia
Cavemen
Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann
Here Come the Newlyweds
Just for Laughs
Men in Trees
Miss/Guided
Notes From the Underbelly
October Road
Oprah’s Big Give
Women’s Murder Club

CBS
Cane
Jericho
Kid Nation
Moonlight
Power of 10
Shark
Secret Talent of the Stars
Viva Laughlin
Welcome to the Captain

NBC
1 vs. 100
Amne$ia
Bionic Woman
Clash of the Choirs
Journeyman
Las Vegas
My Dad is Better Than Your Dad
Phenomenon
Quarterlife
Scrubs – (Moving to ABC)
The Singing Bee

CW
Aliens in America
Beauty and the Geek
Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants
CW Now
Girlfriends
Life is Wild
Online Nation
Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious
WWE Smackdown!

FOX
Anchorwoman
Canterbury’s Law
K-Ville
Nashville
New Amsterdam
Next Great American Band
The Return of Jezebel James
Unhitched

Subscribe by RSS

Charisma Carpenter makes BIG splash on Big Shots

I’m rarely surprised these days when it comes to television. But this week’s episode of Big Shots shocked me to the point where I had to rewind several scenes.

And believe me, that’s a good thing.

Since the inception of Big Shots, we’ve all heard Brody go on and on about his pushy, overbearing wife, Janelle, who keeps him on such a tight leash, he can barely go to the bathroom. Episode after episode, he whined about this heinous woman who emasculates him, and I asked myself why he stayed with such a spoiled, selfish woman.

So, it didn’t exactly shock me when Brody began flirting with a stunning new character with a flat tire, who he stopped to help. (Hello Charisma Carpenter!) He talked about his empty marriage. She talked about her empty relationship and how she felt alone all the time. She offered a hotel romp. He said no; he couldn’t cheat on his wife. (That was until his wife called later complaining that the teak wood in her latest project was actually walnut or some other wood that apparently was not to her liking.)

Cut to Brody and Charisma in bed after the deed. He says he wants his wife back, and she kisses him. Later, the two met and discussed their “best anniversary” ever.

Huh?

That’s right. Flat-tire girl was actually Janelle. Brilliant!


No wonder Brody put up with all her craziness.

TV viewers love Charisma, and it’s great to see her doing her thing again. Plus, this episode gave Brody more depth than he had all season and finally an interesting storyline. More please, Rob Thomas!

Subscribe by RSS

Big Shots isn’t canceled

Despite a report at Deadline Hollywood and several other Web sites that Big Shots was finished, TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello said that isn’t the case.

In his Wednesday chat, Ausiello clarified the rumors:

“Despite widespread reports, ABC has not canceled Big Shots. Not yet anyway.”

That’s good news for all you Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Nia Long, Joshua Malina fans, right?

Big Shots is off the air for the next couple weeks but returns with a new episode on November 29 on ABC.

Subscribe by RSS

Is Big Shots finished?

The new ABC show Big Shots, starring Dylan McDermott, has wrapped production due to the strike, but a trade blog is reporting that the show won’t be returning after the strike.

Deadline Hollywood reported earlier this week that those associated with the show were told they would not be coming back after the strike.

If this is true - and I say “if” until I see something officially confirmed - then what are your thoughts? Would you be glad to see it go? Was Big Shots a big letdown, or do you love the show?

I was one of the few TV critics who actually liked it. McDermott, Michael Vartan, Nia Long and Peyton List are enormously entertaining and the writing was getting better each week.

Subscribe by RSS

Buffy alumni back on the tube

I love it when TV stars of my favorite shows past get new gigs. The former cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is popping up all over the tube, and I couldn’t be happier. Before you get too giddy reminiscing about the bygone days of Cordy, Willow, Buffy and Angel, take note that you can catch many of your favorite Buffy folks currently in new shows.

Charisma Carpenter landed a recurring role on the new ABC show Big Shots, beginning Nov. 1. She’ll also make a guest appearance on the new FOX show Back to You.

James Marsters is returning to Smallville soon on the CW, according to E!Online. He also did a role on Without a Trace and a guest spot on Saving Grace this summer.

Alyson Hannigan can be seen every Monday night on the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother.

And Buffy’s former love interest, Angel, actor David Boreanaz, is busy solving crimes on the FOX drama Bones. Now, if we could just get Sarah Michelle Gellar to guest on Bones as Booth’s former love interest, I’d be happier than Spike at a Red Cross blood drive.

Subscribe by RSS

Tonight’s TV

Photo: Tom Welling of Smallville

Thursday nights, I’ve missed you!

It’s no secret that most of my favorite shows air on Thursday nights, and tonight feels like Christmas in September. All of my faves are returning tonight with new episodes, and I’m downright giddy.

Did Jim and Pam make it to their date on The Office? Will Chloe wake up on Smallville? Is Earl making license plates in the hoosegow on My Name is Earl? Will George be back at Seattle Grace on Grey’s Anatomy, and did Cristina re-grow her eyebrows? Are Betty and Henry truly done on Ugly Betty? The waiting is over, Tubers. We’ll find out tonight.

In addition, ABC is debuting its new show Big Shots, just after Grey’s Anatomy. It has received some harsh reviews from accredited TV critics, but I don’t agree with them. I liked it. Plus, Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is now on board and former Buffy alum Charisma Carpenter has signed on, too.

Here’s the schedule of my picks for tonight. If you don’t have a DVR or a satellite dish that offers West Coast feeds, then you have my utmost sympathy.

8 p.m. My Name is Earl on NBC, Smallville on the CW, Ugly Betty on ABC

9 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, The Office on NBC

10 p.m. Big Shots on ABC

Subscribe by RSS

Reviews: Big Shots, Bionic Woman, Journeyman

Big Shots
Premiere date: September 27, 2007
Airs: Thursdays @ 10 p.m. ET on ABC

I’ve said this before, but whoever is in charge of casting ABC shows deserves a lifetime Emmy award. Seriously. The cast alone in this new dramedy is reason enough to watch. It stars Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Joshua Malina, Nia Long, Peyton List and Jessica Collins. If you’ve read several “serious” TV critics’ take on this show, you’re probably leaning toward skipping this one. I’m telling you, don’t. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Big Shots is a nice mix of comedy and drama, with a delicious dose of eye candy, for both sexes. The characters are strongly developed and easy to forge a connection with. The story follows four men and their crazy relationships with wives, girlfriends and family. There is plenty of male bonding and male bitching. In one scene, McDermott utters this priceless line: “Men: We’re the new women.” Yep, move over Desperate Housewives. If I didn't know better, I'd think the Big Shots lived on Wisteria Lane.

Bionic Woman
Premiere date: September 26, 2007
Airs: Wednesdays @ 9 p.m. ET on NBC

I hate it when a show doesn’t live up to the hype. For me, the pilot episode of Bionic Woman didn’t hit the mark. There were a couple standout moments, one involving the Bionic Woman outrunning a car, but overall I was disappointed. I grew up watching the original Jaime Sommers, so perhaps my judgment is skewed. (Sure, the special effects in the original were cheesy, but the story and actors were strong.) This modern version seemed disjointed to me, perhaps because it was the essential “set up” episode required to establish the story. That said, I’m giving Bionic Woman a few more episodes before I give up on it entirely. I have no doubt that the new Bionic Woman will have a fan following. Those still missing Alias will probably enjoy it. In fact, Bionic Woman reminded me so much of Alias that it was a bit of déjà vu when the heroine emotionally broke down, naked, in a bathtub. Even the casting seems similar to Alias. Michelle Ryan is reminiscent of Jennifer Garner, down to her fresh-faced look and dangling ponytail. If you like action dramas, Alias style, this one will probably appeal to you. But, a more entertaining bet is the loveable Chuck.

Journeyman
Premiere date: September 24, 2007
Airs: Mondays @ 10 p.m. on NBC

A show about time travel isn’t easy to pull off. But, NBC seems to have done it with this romantic mystery drama. Dan Vasser, a San Francisco newspaper reporter, suddenly and inexplicably starts traveling back in time to change people’s lives. He keeps ending up in the 1980s, and lucky for us the ‘80s music is in abundance throughout the show. Journeyman has a different feel than previous time-travel shows. Don’t expect the humor of Quantum Leap or Voyagers. This is a serious drama, heavy on the romance, as Dan is pulled between his present life, with his current wife, and his past life with his former fiancé. (She was killed in a tragic accident.) The story is complicated at times, but if viewers make it through the whole hour, there is a payoff. The overall concept is intriguing. Who wouldn’t want to go back in time at least once? (Frankly, I wouldn’t mind speed warping back to the ‘80s myself. I’d tell ‘80s me to stay away from helmet hair and leggings.) If you like mystery with a healthy dose of romance and drama, than Journeyman may be the show for you.

Coming soon, Tube Talk Girl’s take on Reaper, K-Ville, Aliens in America and Dirty Sexy Money.

Subscribe by RSS

Rob Thomas now a Big Shot

Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is now on board the new ABC show Big Shots, according to TV Guide. Why is this a big deal?

Well, for starters, despite early critical rumblings about the show’s lack of quality, I was determined that I must watch it. Why you ask? Three reasons: Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan and Joshua Malina. Any show that packs that cutie combo is already programmed in my DVR.

Now, with Thomas on board, hopefully he’ll fix the problems and turn this show into a program that smacks of brilliance. If not, at least the eye candy will help soothe my wounds. There is plenty of female eye candy, too, in the form of Jessica Collins, Nia Long, and Paige Turco.

It’s a can’t-miss cast. I hope it becomes a can’t-miss show.

To see what it's about, visit the official site at ABC.

Subscribe by RSS