A weblog of TV news and criticism
Why didn't Leno congratulate Conan? // TBS called "Team Coco" creator at last minute
"WWE Smackdown" moving to Syfy
NBC greenlights "Law & Order: L.A."
Watch Brian Austin Green as "Smallville's" Metallo
Teen girls: Hijacking/saving "Idol"? // "Idol" honcho: We're helping Adam Lambert
"Glee" returns, and presses the "restart" button
The first few episodes feel like a restart, says Robert Bianco, "this is still basically the same messy, wonderful, sometimes barely in control Glee we loved." "Gone," he says, "are the absurd, tasteless fake pregnancy plots that made main male characters Will and Finn (Cory Monteith) seem hopelessly stupid. The new stories aren't exactly grounded in reality; Glee isn't that kind of show. It's a musical, and it makes full (sometimes too full) effect of music's ability to convey heightened emotions. But they at least now have enough relation to reality to stop you from screaming at the TV in frustration."
Warning: Tonight's episode starts at 9:28 and may not end till 10:35
Disappointing!: Next few "Glee" episodes seem to be off-key
"Glee" not worried about spoilers, overexposure or too much too soon
The show that never sleeps: "Glee" is at the forefront of a new TV model
Matthew Morrison is nicknamed "Triple Threat" on the set // Check out GaGa "Glee"
"Glee" abuses music, with performances wholly lacking grit
Dump the music!: "Glee" needs more action, less songs
No chance "Glee" will lose viewers are 4-month hiatus // Too many twists, turns
Music is the least-catchy part of "Glee" // "Glee" is original compared to other musicals
Watch Sue Vogue // "Glee" cast in Madonna garb // Listen to "Glee's" Madonna songs
Top 5 "Glee" musical numbers // Chris Colfer can't wait till his high school reunion
Jessalyn Gilsig: I got dirty looks throughout last fall
Conan on Fox would've just been repeating the NBC mistake all over again
TBS is far and away the much-better option. As Alan Sepinwall points out, "TBS doesn't have the audience Fox has, but it has more money to spend. It's one of the biggest outfits in cable, and cable has an unfair financial advantage over the networks: where broadcasters like NBC and Fox only make money from advertising, a TBS makes money from both ads and cable subscriber fees. So they can afford to spend more on Conan (all reports on Monday suggested the TBS deal was much bigger than anything Fox was offering) while also living with lower ratings, where NBC had to pull the plug on Conan's 'Tonight' (which was getting viewership numbers much higher than he'll likely get on TBS for a while, if ever) after only a few months."
Conan is expected to earn between $10 million and $15 million
Conan's TBS budget will be as big as his NBC budget
Turner boss: "He can do whatever he wants to do here"
FX was preparing a pitch when news broke, Fox was to meet with Conan Wed
Conan may end up producing shows for TBS
Chris Rock to George Lopez: "So you're gonna move for the white man, huh?"
Conan could do to TBS what "Mad Men" did for AMC
Conan's live show reviewed: "I'm not allowed to say word 'peacock"…
Check out Bearded Conan on stage // Conan: Bearded and fat
Self-Pleasuring Panda — Video // The slideshow // Baby strokes Coco's beard
Jack McBrayer and the "Chuck Norris Rural Policeman Handle"
Watch George Lopez's Conan remarks // Watch Chris Rock on Lopez
Conan asks fans to tweet using #jubjub // Lopez will be on Larry King Tuesday
Conan sings: A medley // "I will Survive" // Behind the scenes of tour rehearsal
Masturbating Bear resurfaces // Video: Fat Conan // Andy Richter sings on horse
George Lopez interviews "Conan"
Diane Keaton: HBO-bound?
She's in talks to star in "Tilda," playing a powerful Hollywood blogger.
Kevin Eubanks confirms: I'm leaving Jay Leno
The 52-year-old "Tonight Show" bandleader said during Monday's taping that he'll depart his position on May. The reason: Eubanks wants a change of pace, though he didn't reveal any future post-Leno plans, except to say he had "a wonderful experience" working for Jay. Eubanks has been bandleader since 1995, since taking over for Branford Marsalis. (Watch the video)
Premie Duggar baby OK after being rushed to the hospital
Josie Duggar is doing fine following a minor setback.
Bret Michaels undergoes emergency appendectomy
The "Celeb Apprentice" star was rushed to the hospital early this morning.
DirecTV to air all 5 "The Wire" seasons uncut
"The Wire" on DirecTV kicks off July 18.
Patton Oswalt & Kristen Johnston join Matthew Broderick's NBC's comedy
They'll all star in "Beach Lane."
Ex-"Idols" to work at food banks across the country
The "Idol Gives Back" event will commence on Tuesday.
Billy Campbell joins AMC's "The Killing"
He'll sdtar in the Seattle cop murder mystery.
Conan's manager on TBS deal: "It was an all-out assault"
"They started saying they were going to do all these thing—we didn’t believe it," Gavin Polone, Conan O'Brien's manager, says of the TBS deal. He pointed to the president of TBS, Steve Koonin, who "was like a general leading troops into battle," talking to Conan about the endless possibilities of selling Conan across multiple platforms. Koonin got the deal sewn up in two days, and the paperwork done in half a day, says Polone. “That never happens,” he says. “It was literally amazing every step of the way.”
Conan will own his show as part of 5-year deal, which could make him richer
Conan would've had trouble fitting in at Fox — at TBS, he's center of the universe
Winners ("Seinfeld" reruns, Letterman) and Losers (Jon Stewart? Colbert?)
With his NBC ratings, Conan would be considered a rock star at TBS
Conan thought outside the box, even considering an XBox deal with Microsoft
What if Conan fails at TBS? He would be done as an on-camera personality
NBC must be smiling: As Leno thrives, Conan ends up on basic cable
The end of an era: TBS is saying, We can take on the big boys
West Coasters with satellite can watch Conan at 8 o'clock
"Amen!": Fox affiliates relieved Conan won't interfere with their syndie shows
John Tesh: Yes, Oprah and I were in a relationship
Oprah Winfrey was just 20 when she started dating Tesh, according to Kitty Kelley's new tell-all book about the queen of daytime, which claims that Tesh bolted Oprah in the middle of the night. "Oprah and I were cub reporters in Nashville nearly 40 years ago and we dated for a short time," says Tesh. PLUS: More revelations from the book and how Oprah got Paramount to stop "Hard Copy" from reporting on her.
Everybody's banning Oprah tell-all author
Kitty Kelly can't talk about her new book on "The View," or Letterman or Larry King.
D.C. "Real World"-er blames low ratings on "Jersey Shore"
Mike Manning says: "I think the ‘Jersey Shore' had a lot to do with it because they pulled away all the people who were out to watch crazy television."
Why does Showtime refer to King Henry VIII as "King Henry 8"?
Posters for "The Tudors" substitute the roman numerals (check it out here) for American viewers, yet they're able to understand the Super Bowl roman numerals.
"CSI: Miami" takes on "Jersey Shore"
Tonight's episode features a character named "The Program."
Razzie Awards coming to TV
The pre-Oscar ceremony that honors the worst in movies will become televised for the first time starting next year.
"Modern Family" cast will all compete at Emmys for supporting awards
Even Ed O'Neill will put himself up for best supporting actor.
"House" producers begged Hugh Laurie to direct for years
Finally, Laurie relented and agreed to direct tonight's episode. "I had made enough of a nuisance of myself," he says. "I have been absolutely fascinated by the process of it. It requires the rarest and most demanding set of skills, from problem solving to engineering, and common sense."
Why is Tina Fey always playing the pathetic single woman?
It's not just Liz Lemon — on "SNL" she played characters that seemed to denigrate females. PLUS: Is this "married lady's revenge"?
Susan Boyle & Snoop Dogg teaming up?
The unlikely pair are reportedly going in the studio to record a duet.
Presenting "Phonetourage"
Funny or Die's spoof of "Entourage."
America Ferrera is making a telenovela for MTV
She'll serve as executive producer, along with "Ugly Betty" honcho Ben Silverman, on "Pedro & Maria," a bilingual version of "Romeo & Juliet."
Discovery taps William Shatner to host "Weird or What"
The reality show will examine weird unsolved cases from around the world.
Dixie Carter died of endometrial cancer
That particular form of cancer, according to ABC News, affects primarily white women over 50. A gynological special tells ABC News that endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy and the fourth most common among all cancers affecting American women.
Remembering Dixie // Obituary // Create your own Julia Sugarbaker rant
"SNL" invites Betty White Facebook campaigner to her taping
"It's done," Taylor Momsen says of her "Gossip Girl" role:
Jennifer Love Hewitt was 14 when she dated Fred Savage
NBC put "SNL's" Sarah Palin sketch online before West Coast broadcast
Tina Fey had the 2nd-highest "SNL" of the season // Fey's Palin was spot-on
Conan to TBS
Conan O'Brien is moving to cable, instead of the Fox network. Hours before his nationwide tour is set to kick off, Conan announced that he'll helm a TBS talk show. "I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable," Conan said in a statement. "My plan is working perfectly."
Conan makes TBS debut in November, bumping George Lopez to midnight
The new Conan show will air at 11 o'clock Monday through Thursday.
George Lopez psyched, talks with TBS started last week
The TBS deal, as Variety points out, will allow Conan a nationwide platform immediately. "I can't think of anything better than doing my show with Conan as my lead-in," says Lopez. "It's the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy." A Turner exec, meanwhile, says: "TBS already has a huge audience of young comedy lovers, and Conans' show will give these fans even more reasons to watch our network." PLUS: TBS expressed little interest in Conan as recently as one month ago, but they had to get Lopez on board.
Conan worried about "Leno"-ing George Lopez
So Lopez had to call Conan to assure him that he wouldn't be upset about him taking over his timeslot.
Fox affiliates threaten to hold up Conan deal
Affiliates appear to hold all the keys to a Conan on Fox deal as negotiations drag on. Because of that, Conan has declined to enter into exclusive negotiations with Fox and is looking at other options. Also, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox is considering severely slashing Conan's salary and production costs while fighting his attempt to get a Letterman-style ownership of the show.
"30 Rock" reruns may derail Conan on Fox — 11:30 looks like the only option
Turns out that Fox's affiliates in New York and Los Angeles are required to air "30 Rock" reruns at 11 o'clock. According to Variety, that means the "it's looking more likely that an O'Brien show would air at 11:30 p.m."
"Survivor's" Coach: "It was a total blindside"
Benjamin “Coach” Wade also talks about his possible romance with Jerri: "We’re not allowed to see each other before the finale, but I can’t wait to see her there and we will see what happens after that."
"Glee's" Jane Lynch confirms she's engaged to her partner
Lynch says she's planning to marry psychologist Lara Embry.
Fox taps Delroy Lindo for "Ride-Along"
He'll play a politico in Shawn Ryan's Chicago cop series.
NBC renews "The Sing-Off"
The a capella competition that had a brief run in December will return for a 2nd season.
Jay Leno's viewers are old — but even Jimmy Fallon has aging viewers
Jay Leno's ratings may be up over Conan but they're still down from last year, and his audience is primarily old. The NY Times also points out, though, that the median age of late-night viewers are old (except for George Lopez and Stephen Colbert, who have audiences in their 30s). Says The Times: "While Mr. Leno now has a median age of 56, with Mr. (David) Letterman at 54, 'Nightline' at 55, Mr. (Craig) Ferguson and Mr. (Jimmy) Kimmel both at 52, and even NBC’s younger act, Jimmy Fallon, at 50, Mr. (Jon) Stewart comes in with a median age of 49 and Mr. (Stephen) Colbert younger still at 37."
"SVU" to couple up Benson and Stabler for an undercover mission
They'll pretend to be a married couple for the May 5th episode.
Miami clubs bar "Jersey Shore" cast
So that's why "Jersey" is moving back to Jersey: "No one wants them to tape here," a source tells Page Six.
Jon Gosselin would like to rejoin Kate on TV
His attorney says "under the right circumstances" Jon would do a show with Kate, but "the contract would have to be tighter."
"Friday Night Lights" casts a Riggins replacement
Actor Grey Damon has been tasked with bringing sexy back to East Dillon.
Dixie Carter is dead at 70
The "Designing Women" star passed away early this morning, said Hal Holbrook, her husband. "This has been a terrible blow to our family," he said. "We would appreciate everyone understanding that this is a private family tragedy. Thank you." Carter's most famous role was as Julia Sugarbaker on "Designing Women," but she also starred on "Diff'rent Strokes" and had roles on "Desperate Housewives" and "Family Law." (Watch Carter on "Designing Women")
Tina Fey introduces the Sarah Palin Network
Watch "Sarah's" return to "SNL."
Mark Valley & Anna Torv's marriage is over
The "Fringe" couple is breaking up after more than a year of being married.
MTV increases "Jersey Shore" security, hiring 8 to 10 police officers
Off-duty officers will make sure nobody fights with Snooki & the gang.
"Party of Five" house sells for $6.5 million
The San Francisco home was put on the market last October with the asking price of $7.3 million.
Conan's tweets will turn up on digital billboards nationwide
Thanks to Lamar Digital Billboards.
"Dancing" producers trying to get Pam Anderson to wear "bra and pasties"
Producers are fearing a Janet Jackson-style wardrobe malfunction.
Watch Tina Fey & Justin Bieber's "SNL's" promos
"Tina, you're so hot in person."
CBS revives "Pyramid"
"Who Wants to be a Millionaire's" Michael Davies will helm the latest revival of the game show first hosted by Dick Clark in the '70s.
"Dawson" to become a daddy
After divorcing his wife, James Van Der Beek has impregnate his girlfriend, model Kimberly Brook.
"Hannah Montana" creators sue Disney
Barry O'Brien and Richard Correll say they've been gypped out of their fair share of earnings.
"Grey's" Anatomy" marries Mandy Moore to Ryan Devlin
The "Veronica Mars" alum will also appear in the season finale.
MTV renews "The Buried Life" in wake of Oprah appearance
The MTV pals broke the news on Oprah, as they were fulfilling another bucket list entry.
Charlie Sheen denies negotiating ploy: If tonight's my last show, "so be it"
Sheen, who is taping the season finale of "Two and a Half Men" tonight, says: "All of the numbers reported in the press are false. Claims from ‘inside sources’ regarding offers from the studio as well as my salary, on their best day, are without merit." He adds: "If tonight’s show is the end for me as Charlie Harper, so be it. Another journey has begun. I take from the experience 161 shows filled with a kaleidoscope of amazing experiences, memories, friendships and gratitude. I remain humbly inspired."
Claim: Marc Cherry "hates women" and throws "hissy fits" on "Desperate" set
If you are a women on "Desperate Housewives," you will be marginalized and demeaned, according to the Daily Beast. "He hates women," said one person who has worked on set. "It's apparent on set that he's a fan of cute, gay men, not women." Says another: "He is very confrontational in this way. He has hissy fits."
Obamas tape "Idol Gives Back" cameo
The President and First Lady taped their appearance on Wednesday.
Tina Fey: "I'm going to try" to do Sarah Palin on this week's "SNL"
Seth Meyers, she says, is writing a skit, hopefully one involving a biker jacket.
Check out "Curb Your Enthusiasm" — The Porno
Watch the safe-for-work trailer for Hustler's latest TV parody.
Leno is dominating Letterman — and getting even bigger ratings than Conan
Since his March 1st return, Leno has been averaging 4.2 million to Dave's 3.2 million and Conan's 2.8 million.
"Dancing" beats "Idol" for the 2nd week in a row
Why does "American Idol" viewership keep on falling?
10 Americans star in Norwegian reality show
"Alt for Norge" features 10 Americans of Norwegian descent who compete while learning about their ancestors' culture.
Erin Andrews' death threat e-mail sender wanted to shoot her with a rifle
"I would like to see if Erin Andrews can dance her way through a hail of gunfire," the man who sent the e-mails wrote in an e-mail last Monday. "Better yet I would love to shoot her with a Barrett rifle." PLUS: Erin denies People's claim of a "hot romance" between her and Maksim.
Mandy Moore signs on for the "Grey's" season finale
She'll play Bailey's patient.
Smithsonian teams with QVC
To sell knockoff historical jewelry.
Joan Rivers: Paul Newman was supposed to compete on "Celebrity Apprentice"
In fact, that's why she signed up for the show that's "beneath her."
Turkish TV cuts controversial line out of "The Pacific"
Dialogue in Episode 3 about the "Turks torching Izmir" has been edited out.
Study: More people would rather surf the Web than watch TV
Edison Media Research surveyed 1,753 people, and found 49% preferring the Internet and 48% who would rather watch television.
"Army Wives" returns, easing real-life stress of actual army wives
The Lifetime channel series has led to viewing parties that double as support groups for real military wives.
One "Gossip Girl" character will go on hiatus early next season
Producers are planning something very big with that character.
TeamCoCo.com will begin Conan tour blogging on Monday
Conan's longtime blogger, Aaron Bleyaert, will be writing from the road. PLUS: Conan, rock star?
"The Tudors" returns for its final season
Season 4 introduces us to the newest baddie, Thomas Culpepper, who beds King Henry VIII's teenage bride. "He has no redeeming features at all," says "Tudors" creator Michael Hirst. "Lots of other characters in the show have a dark side, but he's a total villain, which makes him sort of enthralling." PLUS: Jonathan Rhys Meyers on "Tudors" sex and playing heavy.
"Treme" is TV perfection, with music as its most compelling character
The seamless acting, the outrageously good music, the sensuous cinematography — "This is the kind of TV that viewers ask for but rarely get," says Matthew Gilbert, "driven by characters who are more than the sum of one or two qualities and who harbor depths that are revealed slowly, subtly, and authentically." He adds that "Treme" is "an openly emotional piece of work, filled with sorrow, passion, pity, didacticism, and love for New Orleans. Instead of comparing it to one of the most revelatory crime series of all time ('The Wire'), hold 'Treme' up beside almost every other show on TV and listen closely. You’ll hear a sound that moves you."
"Treme" is less dense, less tense and lighter than "The Wire"
Heavy on spice, lacking protein: "Treme" has a big heart but not much of a story
Breathtaking and sprawling, but not yet great // How realistic is "Treme"?
Unlike "The Wire," "Treme" is brimming with optimism
It epitomizes the sort of great storytelling we all thirst for on TV but rarely find
It's David Simon's bravest show // Listen to Simon & Eric Overmyer talk "Treme"
Simon: "It doesn’t hurt me to be known as the angry guy"
Is "Treme" too befuddling a name? // "Treme" has potential of being better than "Wire"
Pacing is lazy: It's as if you're trapped at a dinner table
"Survivor" producer released from custody after wife's strangulation death
"The Early Show" hires "Idol" alum Ayla Brown, Scott Brown's daughter
"Weekend Update" Charades: Tina & Jimmy battle Seth & Amy
When will "Glee's" piano player be allowed to speak?
Mark-Paul Gosselaar to address Emory University's graduating class
"Parks and Rec" takes on Jimmy Fallon in battle of "Glee"
Watch what happens when The Roots defect to the other side.
Jimmy Kimmel not happy with next week's "Castle"
"Why," he asks, "is my own network doing shows about any late-night talk show hosts being killed?"
Diane Lane will play reality TV's first mom in HBO movie
She'll star as Pat Loud in "Cinema Verite," a film about the 1973 family series.
Mare Winningham, Lizzy Caplan, Sharon Leal aland TV roles
They'll star, respectively, in HBO's "Mildred Pierce," CBS' "True Love" and CW's "Hellcats."
"Family Ties" alum Brian Bonsall pleads guilty to menacing, assault
The 28-year-old was sentenced to two years of probation.
Martha Stewart to play herself on "The Simpsons"
For this year's Christmas-themed episode.
Steven Spielberg teams with Discovery for "Future Earth" cartoon
The animated series will look at the planet 25, 50 and 100 years in the future.
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