NBC announces fall 2008-09 lineup

NBC jumped ahead of the other networks this week, by releasing its fall 2008-09 lineup early. The network is trying a year-round programming model this time around.

Network executives announced the pickup of Friday Night Lights and a new spinoff of The Office will be part of the winter schedule in 2009. New shows this year, Chuck, Lipstick Jungle, and Life will return, along with a bevy of new shows such as Knight Rider, Crusoe and Kath & Kim. See the end of this post for specific new show descriptions.

Here is the detailed list of shows days and times. Specific dates for most season and series premieres and other schedule changes will be announced at a later date.

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2008-09

*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY

8-9 p.m. "Chuck"

9-10 p.m. "Heroes"

10-11 p.m. "MY OWN WORST ENEMY"

TUESDAY

8- 9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser: Families"

9:30-10 p.m. "KATH & KIM"

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY

8-9 p.m. "KNIGHT RIDER"

9-10 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"

10-11 p.m. "Lipstick Jungle"

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. "The Office"/ "SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE"

10-11 p.m. "ER"

FRIDAY

8-9 p.m. "CRUSOE"

9-10 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"

10-11 p.m. "Life"

SATURDAY

8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"

9-10 p.m. "KNIGHT RIDER" (Encores)

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

SUNDAY

7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"

8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR WINTER 2009

*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY

8- 9 p.m. "Chuck"

9-10 p.m. "Heroes"

10-11 p.m. "THE PHILANTHROPIST"

TUESDAY

8- 9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser: Couples"

9:30-10 p.m. "KATH & KIM"

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY

8-9 p.m. "KNIGHT RIDER"

9-10 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order"

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. "THE OFFICE" SPINOFF

10-11 p.m. "ER"/"The Celebrity Apprentice"

FRIDAY

8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"

9-10 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"

10-11 p.m. "Life"

SATURDAY

8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"

9-10 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order" (Encores)

SUNDAY

7-8 p.m. Specials/"Dateline NBC"

8-9 p.m. Specials/"MERLIN"

9-10 p.m. Specials/"Medium"

10-11 p.m. Specials/"KINGS"

NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR SUMMER 2009

*New programs in UPPER CASE

MONDAY

8-9 p.m. "American Gladiators"

9-10 p.m. "AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS"

10-11 p.m. "Dateline NBC"

TUESDAY

8-9 p.m. "Most Outrageous Moments"

9-10 p.m. "America's Got Talent"

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

WEDNESDAY

8-9 p.m. "SHARK TAGGERS"

9-10 p.m. "America's Got Talent" (Results Show)

10-11 p.m. "Law & Order" (Encores)

THURSDAY

8- 8:30 p.m. "The Office" (Encores)

8:30- 9 p.m. "THE OFFICE" SPINOFF (Encores)

9-10 p.m. "Last Comic Standing"

10-11 p.m. "THE LISTENER"

FRIDAY

8-9 p.m. "CHOPPING BLOCK"

9-11 p.m. "Dateline NBC"

SATURDAY

8-9 p.m. Drama Encores

9-10 p.m. Drama Encores

10-11 p.m. Drama Encores

SUNDAY

7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC"

8-9 p.m. "Monk"

9-10 p.m. "Nashville Star"

10-11 p.m. "KINGS" (Encores)

2008-09 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

NEW DRAMAS

MY OWN WORST ENEMY - Henry Spivey (Christian Slater, "Bobby") is a middle-class efficiency expert living a humdrum life in the suburbs with a wife, two kids, a dog, and a minivan. Edward Albright is an operative who speaks 13 languages, runs a four-minute mile, and is trained to kill with his teeth. Henry and Edward are polar opposites who share only one thing in common -- the same body. When the carefully constructed wall between them breaks down, Henry and Edward are thrust into unfamiliar territory where each man is dangerously out of his element. "My Own Worst Enemy" explores the duality of a man who is literally pitted against himself. And it raises the question: who can you trust when you can't trust yourself? The series is produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic ("Kidnapped") is the executive producer; David Semel (director of the "American Dreams," "Heroes" and "Life" pilots) is the director and executive producer.

KNIGHT RIDER -On the heels of NBC's hit movie, the iconic 1980s television classic comes roaring back to life as an updated drama series showcasing the new customized KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) Ford Mustang. As the sequel resumes, KITT is absolutely the coolest car ever created: its supercomputer capable of hacking almost any system; its weapons systems efficient; and its body -- thanks to its creator's work and nanotechnology -- is capable of actually shifting shape and color. It is the ultimate car -- and someone will be willing to do anything to obtain it. "Knight Rider" stars Justin Bruening ("Cold Case"), Deanna Russo ("NCIS"), Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Veronica Mars") and Bruce Davison ("Breach"). David Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C."), Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity") and Gary Scott Thompson ("Las Vegas," "The Fast and The Furious") are executive producers and David Andron serves as supervising producer and writer. Based on characters created by Glen Larson, "Knight Rider" is from Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Productions.

CRUSOE - Based on the legendary novel by Daniel Defoe, this is the tale of Robinson Crusoe. A young man leaves his true love to embark on an adventure -- only to end up shipwrecked on a remote tropical island for 28 years, completely detached from the life he once knew. His desire to return to his wife and his strong and unlikely friendship with Friday are the only things that keep him sane. While stranded, Crusoe encounters enemies and braves the elements. Equal parts "MacGyver," "Castaway" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," this series is an inspirational tale of survival rife with action and comedy. Power Entertainment produces "Crusoe."

KINGS -- "Kings" is an inspiring exploration of the timeless David vs. Goliath struggle. The show is set in a modern metropolis under siege where the fighting has gone on for too long and cost far too many lives. When David Shepherd (Christopher Egan, "Resident Evil: Extinction"), a brave young soldier, rescues the king's (Golden Globe winner Ian McShane, "Deadwood") son from enemy territory, he sets events in motion that will finally bring peace. Suddenly, David is thrust into the limelight, earning the affections of women -- including the king's daughter. When he's promoted to captain, he becomes the reluctant poster boy for hope. But for David, the line between his allies and enemies will blur as the power players in the kingdom go to great lengths to see him fall. From the director (Francis Lawrence) of the blockbuster movie "I Am Legend" comes the ultimate story of David vs. Goliath, and there's no telling who will win. Sebastian Stan ("Gossip Girl") also stars. "Kings" is a production of Universal Media Studios; Michael Green (NBC's "Heroes") is the executive producer. Francis Lawrence ("I Am Legend") is the director and executive producer and Erwin Stoff ("I Am Legend") also is executive producer.

MERLIN - "Merlin" brings to life a new legend for a modern audience. "Merlin" is an exciting, hour-long fantasy series set in the mythic city of Camelot -- but inspired by 21st Century storytelling. Before Merlin (Colin Morgan, "Doctor Who") and Arthur (Bradley James, "Lewis") became legends, they were ambitious young men looking for adventure, hoping to live up to their family's expectations, discovering love and finding their own true destiny, making mistakes along the way. The innovative, action-packed drama has cross-generational appeal and paints a picture of Merlin and Arthur's early life that audiences have never witnessed before. Anthony Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Richard Wilson ("A Passage to India"), Angel Coulby ("Magicians") and Katie McGrath ("The Tudors") also star. A FremantleMedia Enterprises distribution of a Shine production for BBC.

THE PHILANTHROPIST -- This one-hour drama is about a rebel with a cause. Teddy Rist loves women, money and power. After the tragic death of his only child, Teddy has an awakening and becomes the world's first vigilante philanthropist -- a renegade billionaire who uses his wealth, connections and power to help people in need. He'll do anything to achieve his goals -- bargain with the self-righteous, trade with the nefarious and even tell the truth. Instead of spending $25,000 a plate at a fundraiser, he's dodging bullets in third-world countries to hand-deliver vaccine. It's a global adventure that will take viewers to the ends of the Earth and will inspire them as well. "The Philanthropist" is produced by Universal Media Studios, Original Media and the Levinson/Fontana Company. Tom Fontana ("Homicide: Life on the Street"), Barry Levinson ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and Charlie Corwin ("L.A. Ink") are the executive producers; Jim Juvonen is a co-executive producer.

THE LISTENER -- In this one-hour drama, Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik, "The Runaway") is a 24-year-old paramedic living with a secret: he can read people's minds. This telepathic procedural takes viewers into the heart of a tortured hero who struggles to solve crimes with his unique gift. Week-to-week, "The Listener" balances high-stakes drama with irreverent humor and sends Toby on an intellectual and emotional adventure. Ennis Esmer ("The Path to 9/11") also stars. "The Listener" is a production of Program Partners and Shaftesbury Films. The executive producers are Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Michael Amo, Russ Cochrane, Glen Davis and Bill Laurin.

NEW COMEDIES

THE OFFICE SPINOFF - From Greg Daniels, the executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning American version of NBC's "The Office," comes the most highly anticipated comedy of the season in "The Office" spinoff. Audiences will follow another comic journey, complete with new faces and new locations, but with the same unique sense of humor and brand of quality from Daniels and his creative team. It's the next chapter of what viewers have come to know and love about "The Office."

KATH & KIM -- They're the most dysfunctional duo in suburbia. Kath Day (Molly Shannon, NBC's "Saturday Night Live") is the mom, a foxy, 40-something divorcée who finally has time for herself and her valiant search for love. Kim Day (Selma Blair, "Hellboy," "Hellboy II") is the daughter, a self-absorbed princess recently separated from her husband who finds consolation in stuffing her face. When Kim decides to move back home, Kath reluctantly agrees -- but to Kim's chagrin, Kath is not about to cater to her every whim as she has in the past. Based on the most successful comedy in Australia of the same name, Kath and Kim are two brassy women who prefer the finer things in life like acrylic nails, big hair and faux diamond chips. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Reveille. The executive producer/writer is Michelle Nader ("The King of Queens") and the executive producer/director is Paul Feig ("Freaks and Geeks," "The Office"). Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Rick McKenna also are executive producers.

SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE - Dubbed "TV's funniest and most influential political player" by Entertainment Weekly, "SNL" expands its "Weekend Update" coverage to Thursdays in primetime for three live half-hour shows beginning October 16. With all of the excitement and attention around "Saturday Night Live" during the presidential primaries, the anticipation for the show's take on this Fall's election will be at a fever pitch, "SNL Thursday Night Live" will keep the momentum -- and the laughs -- going. The program is a production of Broadway Video in association with SNL Studios. Lorne Michaels is the executive producer.

NEW ALTERNATIVE

CHOPPING BLOCK -- It's time to sharpen your knives! It's not just about the meal, it's about the business of food. From the producers of "Hell's Kitchen," original rock-star chef Marco Pierre White comes to America to host the ultimate food fight on NBC -- a new reality competition set in the high-drama, high-stakes world of New York City restaurants. The cooks are given a grilling over the course of the series. The teams, which are made up of couples, will be tested in challenges that vary from having less than a week to design and revamp a restaurant space to planning a menu and creating a signature dish. The winning couple will get a chance to have their dreams come true -- opening their very own restaurant in Manhattan. The series is produced by Granada America.

AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS - From creator/executive producer Thom Beers ("Deadliest Catch," "Ice Road Truckers") and executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, "America's Toughest Jobs" is a new extreme competition series that will test 12 people who venture out of their safe, comfortable careers and are injected into some of the most challenging, dangerous and demanding jobs on earth. From logging high in the Oregon Forest to oil drilling on the Texas range, or from driving icy roads to extreme fishing -- each job requires guts and stamina, and they'll have to live up to the same standards as the pros. In the end, their new boss and co-workers will determine success or failure, and those who don't make the grade get sent home. Upping the ante, the annual salary of each job will be thrown into the pot until the finale, where one rookie will take home the well-earned cash. "America's Toughest Jobs" is created by executive producer Beers and is produced by Original Productions and BermanBraun.

SHARK TAGGERS -- From creator/executive producer Thom Beers ("Deadliest Catch," "Ice Road Truckers") and executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, "Shark Taggers" is a one-hour reality series that follows daring marine biologists as they track down the ocean's top predators and hand-tag them with cutting-edge satellite transmitters or investigate bull sharks' sudden attacks on surfers. The series is produced by Original Productions and BermanBraun.

MOST OUTRAGEOUS MOMENTS -- This half-hour show proves that anything can happen when the cameras keep rolling. Audiences can enjoy hilarious outtakes from some of NBC's most popular shows, as well as outrageous moments from home videos, newscasts, game shows and commercials from around the globe. "Most Outrageous Moments" is produced by Universal Media Studios and Scott Satin Productions. Scott Satin ("Who Wants to Be a Superhero?") serves as executive producer.

NEW EVENTS/MINISERIES/MOVIES

THE LAST TEMPLAR -- In this four-hour miniseries, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino ("Mighty Aphrodite") stars in an epic action-adventure tale about the greatest mystery of our time. At the New york Metropolitan Museum, four horsemen dressed as 12th century knights storm the gala opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures and steal an arcane medieval decoder. For archaeologist Tess Chaykin (Sorvino) and FBI agent Sean Daly (Scott Foley, "The Unit"), this is just the start of a suspenseful game of cat and mouse as they race across three continents in search of the enemy -- and the lost secret of the Knights Templar. The miniseries is produced by MUSE Entertainment Enterprises. Victor Garber ("Alias") and Omar Sharif ("Doctor Zhivago") also star. Emmy Award-winning television impresario Robert Halmi Sr. ("Tin Man," "Gulliver's Travels"), Robert Halmi, Jr. ("The Poseidon Adventure," "The Christmas Card"), and Michael Prupas ("Human Trafficking") will executive-produce the miniseries.

XIII - "XIII" is a high-stakes cat-and-mouse thriller starring Val Kilmer ("The Doors") and Stephen Dorff ("World Trade Center"). This adrenaline-charged miniseries begins dramatically as the first female U.S. President is shot dead by a sniper during her Veteran's Day speech. Three months later, a wounded man is found tattered in a forest with no memory of his identity. The only clue is a tattoo on his neck, "XIII." Could his lightning-fast reflexes and killer instincts betray him as the presidential assassin that the U.S. is desperately searching for? Submerged in a far-reaching conspiracy, which threatens to overthrow the entire government, XIII's identity becomes the key to unraveling a complex and dangerous secret that will shock and excite. From the first bullet, this gripping action-thriller will leave audiences gasping for more. "XIII" is produced by Prodigy Pictures and Cipango.

Subscribe by RSS

The Office gets a spinoff

The rumors have been spinning for months that The Office on NBC would be launching a spinoff. Well, speculate no more, Office fans. It’s true.

NBC made the announcement at their schedule presentation on Wednesday.

The new show will have “new faces and new places,” according to NBC reps via a press release, but one thing will be the same: the face behind the show, Greg Daniels. He’s the executive producer for the American version of The Office.

There’s no word yet which of the original Office cast will make the jump to the spinoff.

“We can’t even service some of these great actors and performers [on the original show], so it’s very likely you will see some of those actors on the spin-off,” said NBC honcho Ben Silverman.

The show will debut in the winter of 2009 in an impressive time slot, the highly coveted post Super Bowl slot. An original episode of The Office will air first, followed by the new spinoff.

The Office spinoff will air on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., following the original Office.

So, what do you think, Tubers. Could this be another Frasier? Or is it more likely a Joey? Is there room for another mockumentary in the TV lineup?

Discuss among yourselves.

Subscribe by RSS

NBC announces fall schedule: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip not on the list

A lottery-winning mustache man, a bionic woman, several doctors, a team of football players, and plenty of cops will be on your TV this fall, courtesy of NBC.

NBC announced its fall schedule today during the upfront presentation to advertisers and media in New York City.

Old favorites, such as My Name is Earl, The Office, Scrubs, and Friday Night Lights are slated to return. Surprisingly, so are Medium, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the geriatric ER.

The bad news: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip isn’t on the schedule, according to the press release I received from NBC. Sorry, folks. I liked it, too.

The good news: The Office will air more episodes than series usually do, with a whopping order for 30 shows, including five hour-long episodes. (Feel free to pause a moment to do the happy dance.) My Name is Earl received an order for a longer season, too, with 25 episodes.

Heroes will see plenty of action, also, with an expanded 30 episodes, that includes a combination of Heroes and Heroes: Origins, an innovative new spin-off that each week will introduce a new character, one of whom will be chosen by viewers through the Heroes website on NBC.com to become a cast regular the following season.

The network has only one new comedy on the new schedule, but five new dramas.

I’m pleased that NBC had the sense to keep Scrubs and Earl instead of trying out something new. As for the five new dramas, I’m most excited about Lipstick Jungle. It’s from the author Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City.)

Here’s the complete fall schedule, according to the NBC press release, as well as a synopsis of the network’s new shows so you’ll know what looks interesting to you. (New shows are in bold.)

MONDAY

8-9 pm Deal or No Deal

9-10 pm Heroes

10-11 pm JOURNEYMAN — A romantic-mystery from the Emmy Award-winning producers of The West Wing, concerning a San Francisco newspaper reporter (Kevin McKidd, Rome) who inexplicably begins to travel through time and alter people's lives

TUESDAY

8-9 pm The Biggest Loser

9-10 pm CHUCK — A comedic spy thriller about an unassuming computer geek who is unexpectedly catapulted into a new career as a government agent, after spy secrets are mysteriously embedded into his brain.

10-11 pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

WEDNESDAY

8-9 pm Deal or No Deal

9-10 pm BIONIC WOMAN — A re-imagination of the classic from David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) and Jason Smilovic (Kidnapped). Bionic Woman stars Michelle Ryan (EastEnders) as a young woman whose life is radically altered and empowered after a car crash.
10-11 pm LIFE —A complex police detective (Damian Lewis, Band of Brothers) is given a second chance on the force, after serving years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

THURSDAY

8-8:30 pm My Name Is Earl

8:30-9 pm 30 Rock

9-9:30 pm The Office

9:30-10 pm Scrubs

10-11 pm ER

FRIDAY

8-9 pm 1 vs. 100/THE SINGING BEE — A new variety competition series that challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs, even when the band stops playing.

9-10 pm Las Vegas

10-11 pm Friday Night Lights

SATURDAY

8-9 pm Dateline NBC

9-11 pm Drama Series Encores

SUNDAY (Fall 2007)

7-8 pm Football Night in America

8-11 pm NBC Sunday Night Football

SUNDAY (January 2008)

7-8 pm Dateline NBC

8-9 pm Law & Order

9-10 pm Medium

10-11 pm LIPSTICK JUNGLE — A new dramedy from best-selling author Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City), is set to debut in January 2008. Created by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Helene, (How I Met Your Mother), the series involves the lives of three high-powered friends (Brooke Shields, Suddenly Susan, Kim Raver, 24, and Lindsay Price, Beverly Hills, 90210) who are determined to achieve their dreams and to do it on their own terms.

The new comedy The IT Crowd, has not been assigned a day or time yet. It is scheduled to join the NBC schedule during the course of the 2007-08 season. The IT Crowd is based on the acclaimed British series that takes a behind-the-scenes peek at the misunderstood techies (Joel McHale, The Soup, and Richard Ayoade, who toil in the Information Technology department of a large, impersonal corporation.

Here are some other tidbits from NBC:

Jerry Seinfeld, star of the classic NBC mega-hit Seinfeld, returns to the network to create and star in 20 unique live-action comedy "minisodes" inspired by his experiences creating the upcoming DreamWorks animated feature film Bee Movie, in theaters November 2. The "minisodes" will run on NBC's primetime schedule this Fall, as well as on NBC.com, on designated days before and after the release of the film.

The new NBC series Bionic Woman and Life will be re-run on SCI FI Channel and USA Network, respectively, shortly after their original telecasts on NBC.

Subscribe by RSS

NBC premiere dates

NBC released the premiere dates for its fall schedule. Take note of the new shows Studio Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip on September 18, Heroes on September 25 and Friday Night Lights, starring the yummy Kyle Chandler, on October 3. Here’s the complete list of premiere dates:


Deal or No Deal and the new shows Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip on Sept. 18
Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on Sept. 19
The Biggest Loser and Kidnapped on Sept. 20
My Name Is Earl, The Office and ER on Sept. 21
Law & Order on Sept. 22
Heroes on Sept. 25
Friday Night Lights on Oct. 3
Twenty Good Years on Oct. 4
30 Rock on Oct. 11
Las Vegas and Crossing Jordan on Oct. 20.

Subscribe by RSS

NBC announcements: No Scrubs this fall!

by Jennifer Squires Biller

It’s the first day of the Upfronts, where networks announce which shows will be on their fall schedule and which ones won’t return. NBC made its announcement Monday, and the one show I was waiting on pins and needles to hear about wasn’t in the lineup. Once again, Scrubs is not on the fall schedule. (Boo!! Hiss!!) But, it will resurface at some point, according to Kristin at E!Online. I just don’t get it, Tubers. Scrubs is one of television’s best comedies and deserves a solid spot on the FALL schedule.

As for the new NBC shows I’m most exceited to see, well, Friday Night Lights tops my list. (Yeah, sports shows aren’t usually a draw for me, but it stars Kyle Chandler folks, and you know how I feel about him. If not, click here.) Also, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Matthew Perry) and Heroes (Greg Gunberg of Felicity) look interesting.

Here’s the NBC lineup. New programs are in CAPS (with the exception of "ER.")

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "HEROES"
10-11 p.m. "Medium"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS"
9-10 p.m. "KIDNAPPED"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-9:30 p.m. "20 GOOD YEARS"
9:30-10 p.m. "30 ROCK"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl" (new time)
8:30-9 p.m. "The Office" (new time)
9-10 p.m. "STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP"
10-11 p.m. "ER"/("THE BLACK DONNELLYS" in January 2007)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas" 10-11 p.m.
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (new day and time)

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

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. "FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA"
8-11 p.m. "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL"

Here are the official descriptions of the shows I mentioned:

"FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS" - Expanding on the themes from the hit feature film "Friday Night Lights," this series centers on the small rural town of Dillon, Texas, where the vaunted 2006 state football championship rings are held in the highest regard. The town's promising high school team, its star quarterback, and newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, "Grey's Anatomy," "King Kong") feel the mounting pressure of the town's pride and honor riding on their shoulders as a new season kicks off. The fresh cast also includes: Scott Porter ("All My Children") as team captain and first-string quarterback Jason Street; Gaius Charles ("The Book of Daniel") as feared running back Brian "Smash" Williams; Taylor Kitsch ("Kyle XY") as running back Tim Riggins; Connie Britton ("The Brothers McMullen," "24") as Taylor's long-suffering wife, Tami; Zach Gilford ("The Last Winter") as third-string quarterback Matt Saracen, and Minka Kelly ("What I Like About You") as Lyla Garrity, Panther cheerleader and Street's girlfriend. Also starring are Aimee Teegarden ("Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide") as Julie Taylor and Adrienne Palicki ("South Beach") as Tyra Collette. The pilot is executive-produced by Brian Grazer ("Fun with **** and Jane," "Cinderella Man," "A Beautiful Mind"), David Nevins ("Arrested Development"), Peter Berg (the film "Friday Night Lights," "The Run Down") -- who also wrote and the directed the pilot -- and Jason Katims ("Roswell"). "Friday Night Lights" is produced in association with Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio, and Film 44."

HEROES" -- The epic drama "Heroes" chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. As a total eclipse casts it shadow across the globe, viewers follow a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India whose father's disappearance leads him to uncover a secret theory -- there are people with super powers living among us. A young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "The Bedford Diaries") tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible. A Las Vegas stripper (Ali Larter, "Final Destination"), struggling to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids"), uncovers that her mirror image has a secret. A prison inmate (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") mysteriously finds himself waking up outside of his cell. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and the relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, including the secrets of a captured terrorist. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world. "Heroes" is executive produced by creator/writer Tim Kring ("Crossing Jordan), Dennis Hammer ("Crossing Jordan") and David Semel ("House"), who also directed the pilot. The drama is from NBC Universal Television Studio.

"STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP" — Emmy Award-winning executive producer-writer Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning executive producer-director Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") return to television with this crackling take on the drama behind the humor of producing a popular, late-night comedy sketch show, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Sorkin lays bare the backstage politics, romances and delicate balance between creative talent, on-air personalities and network executives in an instant text-messaging world. Prominent are Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet, "Syriana"), a savvy new network entertainment chief who inherits a massive public relations disaster on the series — even before she starts her first day — and Matt Albie (Matthew Perry, "Friends") and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford, "The West Wing"), a brilliant creative team that she wants to resurrect the program. Also playing crucial roles are the sketch comedy series stars Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson, "Down with Love"), Simon Stiles (D.L. Hughley, "The Hughleys") and Tom Jeter (Nathan Corddry, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"), their normally cool-headed director, Cal Shanley (Timothy Busfield, "thirtysomething") as well as supreme network honcho Jack Rudolph (Steven Weber, "Wings"). Evan Handler ("Sex and the City") and Carlos Jacott ("Being John Malkovich") also star. The series is a production of Warner Bros. Television.

Subscribe by RSS

DVR goodness and The O.C.

September 7, 2005

To all my friends and family members who’ve I’ve ignored on Wednesday nights, I’m sorry.

Rest assured, I now will be taking phone calls during Lost. And there will be no more hiding, when you ring the doorbell during Veronica Mars.

You see, life, as I know it, has changed. I recently purchased a digital video recorder, more commonly known as a DVR. Or as I like to call it, the smartest machine on planet Earth.

This TiVo-esque little black box, affectionately termed FauxVo, has magical powers. You can actually pause live television for up to two hours, to take a phone call or answer the door, and then pick up where you stopped watching. I know, I always thought the ability to freeze live moments was only a fictitious ability of the Charmed Halliwell witches, too. But, that was before I met my DVR.

You can fast forward through a recorded program with the super speed of Clark Kent. You can record two programs simultaneously, while watching another one live. You can choose name-based recording, and the DVR will find all the episodes of a show, or just the new episodes, and record them, regardless of any changes in program length or broadcast schedule. Take that NBC, the network that commonly lengthens sitcoms an additional 10 minutes to discourage viewers from flipping to another network.

You can search for programs, by actors’ names or by show title or by content information. Want to record every rerun of Friends for the week? Not a problem for the DVR. How about every show featuring Tom Selleck? It’s easy for the DVR.

You can actually watch a 30-minute show in about the same time it takes to microwave a bag of popcorn. OK, so I’m exaggerating somewhat, but you get the idea. It’s fast.

Admittedly, the first few days with my DVR, I had trust issues. I set my VCR as a backup, so I wouldn’t miss Inside 9/11 or the new show Prison Break. But, the DVR didn’t let me down, despite a power outage while I was out of town.

So, call me a geek if you like. I don’t mind. For a small monthly fee, I’ll finally be able to have some peace on Thursday nights, despite the networks’ plans to make me choose between Smallville, Joey and The O.C.

Just so it’s clear, I am not getting kickbacks from Dish Network or any other company to hawk DVRs. Although, if they would like to sign me on as a spokesperson, they can send those checks to Jennifer Biller at Tube Talk.

I am available for personal appearances, even on Wednesday nights now.


The O.C. Returns! - Don’t forget The O.C. returns this week. When last we saw the Orange County gang, Marissa had just shot Trey. OK, so it wasn’t’ exactly a “Who Shot J.R.” cliffhanger, but I’m hoping the pampered princess at least gets community service – or therapy. Will Seth reunite with Summer? Will Sandy pluck his eyebrows? Will Julie Cooper-Nichol return to her wanton ways? (I just love saying that name.) It all happens in – sing it with me – “Cal-I-for-nia” at 8 p.m. Thursday on FOX.

Originally published 9/7/05 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

Subscribe by RSS