TV Squad

• NBC executive session part two: Rosie and The Donald? - TCA report
  

  Filed under: NBC, Talent, Industry, Programming, The Apprentice, Celebrities, TCA Press Tour, Casting

  Ben Silverman is loosening up as the NBC executive session panel continues.

  Asked what he felt was missing from NBC's lineup, the new Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, joked he wanted the chimes in the network's jingle turned up by 30%.

  Silverman assures a reporter that he and Graboff are comfortable working side by side. "This wasn't an arranged marriage," he says. "We've known each other a long time."

  Continue reading NBC executive session part two: Rosie and The Donald?...
  




• MTV Networks, BBC America, Discovery and more - TCA Report
  

  Filed under: NBC, Programming, TCA Press Tour

  Friday's TCA, which continued cable TV presentations, felt like three days rolled into one.

  Just how jam-packed and eclectic are the programs and announcements that were made?

  Here's a sample: Dynasty diva Joan Collins is checking into BBC America's Hotel Babylon, Richard Dreyfus (Jaws) is not afraid to get back into the water as host of The Discovery Channel's Ocean of Fear: The Worst Shark Attack Ever and Jonny Fairplay (Survivor) of CMT's Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull-Riding Challenge sadly announced that his beloved grandmother passed away two weeks ago.

  Continue reading MTV Networks, BBC America, Discovery and more - TCA Report




• Heroes: .07%
  

  Filed under: NBC, OpEd, Heroes, Episode Reviews

  (S01E19) It's Linderman's voice we hear over the "previously on Heroes" opening segment, rather than that of previous narrator Mohinder. That's an improvement. To tell you the truth I didn't know what to expect tonight. Heroes seems like it has been gone so long, I started worrying that its return would inevitably fail to live up to my anticipation.
  
  I needn't have worried. I quickly found myself falling right back into the groove of the show. My favorite storyline was the Texas one. I enjoyed HRG's orchestration of the escape, using his knowledge of Matt and Ted's...
  



• Talk Talk: Amy Poehler, Donald Trump, TV on the Radio
  

  Filed under: ABC, NBC, CBS, Late Night, TV Royalty, Programming, PBS, Celebrities, Talk Show

  • Charlie Rose: TBA
  • The Late Show With David Letterman: Donald Trump and Jon Heder
  • Jay Leno: Amy Poehler and Ozomatli
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Will Arnett, Evan Ross, and TV on the Radio
  • Tavis Smiley: Kathleen Kennedy Townshend and Mo'Nique
  • Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Howard Stern and Jim Gaffigan (repeat)
  • The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Chandra Wilson, Bobby Miyamoto, and Bone Thugs N Harmony
  • Last Call With Carson Daly: Rashida Jones and The Format (repeat)

  Other Comedy Shows, NBC, Web, Celebrities

  Thank God You're Here, an improvisational show in which celebrities must walk into the middle of a scene and try to ad lib their way through it, will air on NBC April 9, but you can check out a few clips of the show on YouTube right now, courtesy of NBC. I've placed a scene with Tom Arnold after the jump for your harsh judgment.

  While I'm a huge fan of improv, having seen more than a few Second City performances, not to mention both the British and American versions of Whose Line is it Anyway? (the...
  




• The more The Office changes, the more it stays the same
  

  Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, NBC, OpEd, Watercooler Talk, The Office

  It's amazing to me how well episodes of The Office hold up to repeated viewings. The funny moments are just as funny, and the uncomfortable moments are just as cringe-inducing, as they were the first time around. That notion was brought home to me last night during NBC's Office marathon.
  
  The network decided to air five "HR nightmare" episodes of the show (and one very funny episode of Andy Barker, P.I.), with new wraparounds featuring Toby the HR rep and a few of the secondary characers. All three seasons were...
  



• Talk Talk: Jeff Goldblum, Will Arnett, Rosario Dawson, Clive James
  

  Filed under: ABC, NBC, CBS, Cable, Late Night, TV Royalty, Programming, PBS, Celebrities, Comedy Central, Talk Show

  • Charlie Rose: Jessica Mathews, President of the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, and Kanan Makiya of Brandeis University
  • The Daily Show: Philip Zimbardo
  • The Colbert Report: Clive James
  • The Late Show With David Letterman: Rosario Dawson and Bloc Party
  • Jay Leno: Will Arnett, Campbell Brown, Johnny Mathis, and Dave Koz
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Kiele Sanchez and Josh Gardner
  • Tavis Smiley: Benjamin Barber and Cyrus Chestnut
  • Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Martha Stewart, Brian Poeshn,...
    
  
  
  
  • Law & Order episodes could be pulled if Thompson runs for president
    

    Filed under: Other Drama Shows, NBC, Law and Order, Celebrities

    Here's an interesting twist to the already-exploding 2008 presidential campaign: If former U.S. Senator and current Law & Order star Fred Thompson decides to run for president, all episodes of L&O with him in it will be pulled from the air for the duration of his stay in the race.
    
    Why? Because of the FCC's equal time rules, says The Washington Post. It's a fairness policy that the governing body has had for decades; it ensures that every candidate in a political race has an equal opportunity to promote themselves. The rule doesn't apply to...
    
  
  
  
  • I owe Jeff Goldblum an apology
    

    Filed under: Other Drama Shows, NBC, OpEd, Celebrities

    I have to admit that I judged Jeff Goldblum's new show, Raines, before I even saw it. When I heard the plot description that was scattered about on the web several months ago, I think I actually sighed. Another show about an investigator who speaks to ghosts? Why had this become such a hot genre, like westerns or sitcoms many years ago? Did we really need another one, no matter what big name they had for the lead?

    Well, I have to eat my words.

    Continue reading I owe Jeff Goldblum an apology

    Other Drama Shows, NBC, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

    ...of course, the second part of that headline should probably be "...but it probably won't be renewed."

    There have been rumors going around that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip had stopped production, but that's not the case. In fact, they just finished filming episode 19 earlier this week, and filming of episode 20 started earlier today. So it looks like they'll film the full 22 for the season, but after that...well, they'll probably burn off the episodes during the summer and the show will not see a second season. That's Ray Richmond's take on it,...