CW renews Smallville, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl and others

The CW made a lot of folks happy this week with its pick-up announcements.

The network is renewing most of its popular shows for next season, including Smallville, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, Supernatural, America’s Top Model, and the freshman drama 90210.

Unfortunately, my favorite new show of the season, Privileged, has not received the green light for renewal yet. The network is still deciding its fate. Hello, CW! What are you waiting for? The show rocks.

Also, Reaper, The Game, and Everybody Hates Chris have not been renewed yet either. That doesn’t mean they’ve been cancelled; it just means the network hasn’t decided yet whether it wants them for next season.

Of all the shows renewed, I’m most shocked that One Tree Hill got a pick-up. The show seems to have outlived its original appeal for me. Plus, rumors are swirling that star Chad Michael Murray has not officially committed for the new season. If there is one thing I hate, it’s when shows limp on past their primes, especially without the original cast that made them magical.

I’m also a little stunned that Smallville was renewed, too. Don’t get me wrong; the show is back on track this season, after last year’s debacle, but I’m concerned about what more they can possibly do to Clark Kent, without actually turning him into Superman. He’s already working at The Daily Planet, fighting crime with Green Arrow, and flirting with Lois Lane.

Subscribe by RSS

Reaper returning on March 3; 90210 schedule change

The Devil is back!

Those of you patiently waiting for the return of Reaper on the CW, the wait is over.

The CW is moving up the return of Reaper to March 3 from the previously announced March 17 date. The show will air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Reaper will air 13 consecutive episodes and wrap up with its season finale on May 26.

Meanwhile, 90210 is changing its timeslot. It’s moving to 9 p.m. ET on Tuesdays. 90210 will air eight consecutive episodes from March 31 through the season finale on May 19.

And finally, the season finale of Privileged will air on Tuesday, February 24 at 9 p.m. ET. Yes, I’m sad, too. I love Sage and Rose. They will be missed.

To celebrate the return of Reaper, check out this video below, but disregard the March 17 date. Once again, it’s now March 3.

Subscribe by RSS

Reaper fans, don’t miss tonight’s episode

Those of you who love Reaper - and I know there are plenty of you out there - tonight is a crucial episode, in terms of ratings.

In other words, you need to watch.

I have it on good authority that the network is paying close attention to tonight’s ratings. Here’s why. Next week is the CW upfront presentation, where the network decides and announces which shows will be back next year on its schedule. I want Reaper to be one of those shows. (I also hope that Aliens in America will be back, but I’m not optimistic after reading all the trade reports.)

At the beginning of the season I championed Reaper and got many of you on board. (You’re welcome Tim, and the rest of you.) I’m here to ask you once again to tune in. We need quality scripted shows, instead of more reality brain-dead programming. So, please, watch. You wouldn’t want to make the Devil angry would you?

Some of you have e-mailed asking for information on the SEND SOCKS TO SAVE REAPER CAMPAIGN. All you have to do is send your socks and letters of support to Dawn Ostroff at 3300 W. Olive Avenue, Burbank, California, 91505. That is the correct address.

For those of you who can’t wait for tonight’s episode at 9 p.m. ET, check out this clip, courtesy of the CW.

Subscribe by RSS

Reviews: Reaper, Dirty Sexy Money, and K-Ville

Reaper
Premiere date: September 25, 2007
Airs: Tuesdays @ 9 p.m. ET on the CW

One of my favorite new comedies of the season is Reaper. It’s about a young man who finds out on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil, prior to his birth. Satan, of course, has come to collect, and quite literally, there is Hell to pay. Sam must work for the Devil, as Hell’s bounty hunter. With the aid of his goofball friends, he must track down evildoers and send them back to the fiery pits of Hell. Bret Harrison and Tyler Labine are outstanding. (Labine’s character is just as funny as his Dave was on Invasion.) And Ray Wise is delicious as wise-cracking Satan. The jokes are witty, and the acting is superb. I dare you to watch and not laugh. Kevin Smith fans, you should know that Smith directed the pilot. But no worries, the four-letter words are nowhere to be heard. Reaper is devilishly delightful. Don’t miss it.

Dirty Sexy Money
Premiere date: September 26, 2007
Airs: Wednesdays @ 10 p.m. ET on ABC

After watching the first two episodes of this new soapy drama, it gives me a new appreciation for my humble, middle-class existence. The story follows the uber-wealthy Darling family of New York City and their posh lifestyle. Among the family members are an actress, a socialite, a boozing slacker, an attorney general and a minister. In the premiere episode, their family attorney is killed in a plane crash, leaving his son to take his place and start cleaning up the messes the spoiled Darlings can’t seem to avoid. There are plenty of dirty dealings, and Nick is conflicted about his new job and his history with the family. Secrets, lies, and one transvestite hooker later, you’ll understand why Dirty Sexy Money is getting plenty of positive buzz. The show has potential. The cast is excellent, with Donald Sutherland as the patriarch and Jill Clayburgh as the matriarch. Peter Krause and William Baldwin help round out the cast. Fans of The O.C. will recognize “Anna,” actress Samaire Armstrong. Yes, she plays the actress. Dirty Sexy Money is a little bit Dallas, Dynasty, and Falcon Crest combined and could put the nighttime soap back on the map.


K-Ville
Premiere date: September 17, 2007
Airs: Mondays @ 9 p.m. ET on FOX

If you like cop dramas, then K-Ville may be to your liking. The show is set in modern-day New Orleans and follows the plight of the police department, still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The show is actually shot in New Orleans, so you’ll see plenty of shots of the city and the remaining devastation. Anthony Anderson leads the cast and is excellent as the veteran cop. His partner, played by Cole Hauser, is a former soldier and criminal. The two have good chemistry. The show gets its name “K-Ville” from a graffiti sign “Welcome to K-Ville” that was painted after Hurricane Katrina. The show is intense at times, and does an admirable job of showing folks trying to rebuild their city. This one is heavy on the drama, but has the actors and stories to actually have substance.

Subscribe by RSS

New Reaper promo

The folks at the CW sure know how to promote a show. Check out this funny new video with the Devil himself for the new show Reaper. The clip gives viewers a special toll-free number (1-877-IN 4 HELL) to call for further information from Lucifer (a.k.a. Ray Wise.)

Yes, I called it. Apparently, there is a direct line to Hell. For more on Reaper, visit the You Tube channel here.

Subscribe by RSS

First Look: Reaper

Photo: Courtesy of CW

One of the shows I’m most anxious to see this fall is Reaper on the CW. The title alone is enough to spark my interest.

The show is about Sam, a slacker who finds out on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil, prior to his birth. Now, of course, Satan has come to collect. Sam must work for the Devil, as Hell’s bounty hunter. With the aid of his goofball friends, he must track down evildoers and send them back to the fiery pits of Hell.

Sounds good, right? Don’t take my word for it. Check out the promo below, courtesy of the folks at the CW. The show stars Bret Harrison and Tyler Labine, who you’ll remember played loveable Dave on my beloved Invasion.

Reaper debuts on Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET on the CW. For more information, check out the official site.

Subscribe by RSS