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Exclusive: Ryan Murphy calls tonight's episode of 'Glee' a 'game changer'

November 11, 2009 |  6:00 am

If you are one of those TV viewers who think “Glee” is just about funny lines and amazing music — and there’s nothing wrong with that — you’re in for a surprising ride tonight when the hit Fox show returns after its three-week hiatus.

In previous episodes, “Glee” has hinted at its big heart: Remember Kurt (Chris Colfer) coming out to his father and Finn (Cory Monteith) learning that his girlfriend is pregnant and crying on his teacher’s shoulders? Weepy stuff. Overcoming emotional and physical disabilities is the central theme of tonight’s episode, titled “Wheels,” which showcases McHale, who plays the wheelchair-bound Artie, and reveals in a fresh way the daunting challenges some people face in their everyday lives.

Filmed last spring and directed by Emmy winner Paris Barclay, the emotional episode kept the actors and crew in tears throughout its entire production and, according to creator Ryan Murphy, had long-term effects on its three writers.

“This episode is the turning point for the show,” he said during a recent telephone interview. “Certainly, after this, it remains a comedy, and it’s fun. But writing this made me feel the responsibility of showing the truth of the pain that outcasts go through. It’s not all razzle-dazzle show business. It’s tough, and it’s painful, and it was for me growing up, and it is for most people. So I think this made me realize that amid the fun and the glamour, it’s really great now and again to show the underbelly of what people who are different feel.”

Things kick off with Artie’s first solo, a confident, wheelchair-bound bop to the Nouvelle Vague version of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself.” The number is a response to a prior scene in which his fellow glee clubbers dismiss the idea of paying extra for a special wheel-chair accessible bus so that Artie can ride with them to sectionals. They assume he won’t mind riding with his dad – only he does.

“ ’Dancing With Myself’ is where Artie gets to break away from being misunderstood by everyone,” McHale said. “It’s where he gets to express himself. He's actually a very secure guy – you know, he does rap! – and he doesn’t usually care what anyone else thinks. But here’s an instance where his friends have taken for granted the fact that he’s in a wheelchair. So this performance is all about him saying, ‘Look, this is who I am, and this is who I want to be.’ ”

McHale, formerly of the boy band Not Like Them, said it didn’t take him long to adjust acting (and singing and dancing) in a wheelchair – “I do have to concentrate on keeping my legs still and laid to one side,” he said -- but that the role has made him more aware of the challenges other people face. 

“It’s a completely different side of life,” he said.


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"So You Think You Can Dance": The luck of the draw

November 10, 2009 |  9:01 pm
Top16GroupShot_0015 Not all the performances were great tonight, but it felt like the first episode of the season where the partnerships felt solid, not new, which I enjoyed -- it was "I wonder how they'll attack this" instead of "Oh, I forgot they're together."

I thought Karen Hauer and Kevin Hunte's hustle was fine, but I would have liked to learn a little bit more about what to look for in the dance -- it's obviously not interchangeable with disco, but how is it different from other partner dances? I fully admit that I can feel a bit of personal backlash against Karen lately -- the judges love her SO much and she's been able to work her sex appeal so well that I kind of want to see her, as Adam Shankman said, do something that involves a bit of withholding before I buy her as a very good dancer and not just a hot lady. 

Up until tonight I wasn't totally sold on Ashleigh Di Lello, and I wasn't sure she had great partnership with Jakob Karr, but I came around on them tonight during Mandy Moore's contemporary dance which, as Nigel Lythgoe pointed out, certainly had hints of Moore's table routine with Neil and Sabra from several seasons ago.  I didn't think the cane was incorporated, either into the choreography or the dancing itself, as seamlessly as Moore had wanted, but the two exhibited the best chemistry they've shown so far this season, and I loved the styling of the piece to boot: I hope Ashleigh is put in some more androgynous looks to come and isn't always dressed in ballroom attire. 

Next Peter Sabasino ("Peetah") and Pauline Mata attacked the quickstep. I find Pauline more and more appealing each episode: She's cute and charming without being cloying. I agreed with the judges that the story of the dance (she: a tantalizing island girl, he: a happy soldier) helped bring good cheer to the piece, even if it wasn't perfect. 
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'V': Upsetting the apple cart

November 10, 2009 |  9:01 pm

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"Don't trust anybody."

Like "Battlestar Galactica," "V" imagines a world where no one is quite what they seem, where everyone you encounter — whether stranger, lover, co-worker — could be an enemy. After all, when the enemy you're fighting looks just like you, how can you tell your friends from your foes?

Having learned this fact, you might begin to look upon everyone with a mixture of fear and suspicion. On "Battlestar Galactica," the human survivors learned that the Cylons looked human, leading to outright fear that anyone could be a sleeper agent (and, surprise, several were). On ABC's "V," the audience and its two main characters have learned of the true visage behind the Visitor's gleaming white teeth and Cheshire cat smiles. Enemies come in all sorts of packages, after all.

It's in this mind-set that we find Erica Evans and Father Jack Landry. After witnessing the truth of the Visitors in last week's pilot episode, they are thrust into a world where they can trust no one but themselves ... and even that seems hard for Erica and Jack to pull off.
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Wednesday's TV Talk Shows: Clarence Clemons visits 'The Daily Show'

November 10, 2009 |  8:00 pm
Click here to download TV listings for the week of Nov. 8 - 14 in PDF format

This week's TV Movies



The Early Show Julia Louis-Dreyfus; chef Charlie Palmer. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today Bon Jovi performs; Andre Agassi (new book, "Open"). (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America Nelly Furtado performs. (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Regis and Kelly Martin Short; Andre Agassi (new book, "Open"). (N) 9 a.m. KABC

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UPDATED: Wanna be on 'Top'? 'Top Model' judge Miss J's new book may tell you how

November 10, 2009 |  3:03 pm
MissJNigel Every week, we watch J. Alexander serve up the realness as part of the “America’s Next Top Model” judging panel. Today, the “runway coach extraordinaire” (as Tyra Banks calls him) releases a new book: “Follow the Model: Miss J's Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power.”

“How does a six-foot-four, Bronx-born black gay male become Queen of the Catwalk?” states the book’s description. “In one word: attitude.” Would you expect any less?

Simon Spotlight Entertainment, the book’s publisher, says the book will cover Miss J’s rise from sewing drag on his grandmother’s machine to showing in drag, and finally snagging the coveted judging spot on “Top Model.” Along the way, the book promises to share not only Miss J’s life experiences but also the grooming and style lessons he has learned.

But what do we really want to know? Dish, right? The book promises to deliver on that too. According to the publisher, Alexander “dishes on the celebrities he's worked with so intimately and offers a glimpse into the world of 'ANTM.' ”

Are you sold? What can a 6-foot-4 drag queen teach you? Let us know below.

UPDATE: Us Magazine reports that Miss J announced that he has a 7-year-old son! The announcement was made on "The Tyra Banks Show" earlier today. He's not the biological father, but Alexander says he's still involved in the boy's life. Wouldn't you love to be invited to dinner at their house?

I'm sure the timing of this announcement has nothing to do with Miss J's book launch today, right?

— Jethro Nededog (follow me on Twitter @TheRealJethro)

Related:
‘America’s Next Top Model’: Mind over splatter
‘America’s Next Top Model’: Goodbye L.A., aloha controversy
Full ‘America’s Next Top Model’ coverage on Show Tracker

Photo: Judges J. Alexander and Nigel Barker on “America’s Next Top Model.” Credit: The CW

'So You Think You Can Dance': Catching up with Adam Shankman

November 10, 2009 |  2:11 pm

Adam_MG_1837 Choreographer, director and producer Adam Shankman joined "So You Think You Can Dance" this season as its third full-time judge.  We caught up with him between the top 18 and top 16 performance episodes to talk about his role on the show, the Oscars and those other dance shows.

Where do you fit in between Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe? What do you offer as a judge that they don't?
"So You Think You Can Dance" is not really my day job, and I do have an outsider's perspective.  I think that I am a person who hires dancers a lot, and so I bring the perspective of a prospective employer. We all share one thing -- we're all professional dancers, so I happen to be the guy who actually hires them. So I bring that outsider eye.

Will you choreograph this season?
I have been staying away from that, but I have now started making inquiries -- I am kind of looking into the possibility of choreographing something for the show that's noncompetitive.

What do you want to see more of this season, especially compared to last season?
Last season it was such an even playing field there was a lot of consistency. This year there's not a lot of consistency: The casting theory was taking great people from multiple genres.  I'd like them to shed the notion of "competition," if possible, because that's creating tension.  Obviously, it's a competitive show, but if the dancers relax into choreography they'll perform better.

Like how?
This is rough because some of the responsibility falls onto the choreographers. For instance, this is so technical, but last week Jakob [Karr] chaînés into a switch chaînés, and it felt incredibly unwaltz-like. It felt like a competition move and took me out of the dance. It wasn't Jakob's fault -- it was in the piece. And in Jamal Sims' piece, they were just overperforming it, and it took them out of the character.  Everything was just too giant. 

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Lawyer for alleged Letterman blackmailer asks judge to dismiss case

November 10, 2009 | 11:07 am

An attorney for Robert Halderman, who allegedly sought to extort $2 million from comic David Letterman, filed court papers today seeking to have the indictment dismissed, saying that the CBS producer had merely been seeking to sell the late-night host a screenplay treatment.

“Having experienced certain circumstances, he had the right to publish, he had the commercial right to sell and he had the right to offer the product to Mr. Letterman,” defense attorney Gerald Shargel told reporters after a brief appearance in Manhattan criminal court today.

“There was no extortion,” he added, as Halderman stood by him silently. “There was a treatment for sale. The facts of this case are largely undisputed. They’re simple and straightforward. This was a commercial transaction. It was nothing more. It did not violate the penal law. The district attorney’s office jumped all over this, I suggest, without taking an appropriate, objective view.”

Halderman, dressed in a dark suit and a green tie, maintained a somber expression throughout the court hearing and news conference, but did not comment. The veteran producer for the CBS newsmagazine “48 Hours Mystery” was arrested Oct. 1 after attempting to cash a fake check for $2 million given to him by Letterman's attorney. New York Dist. Atty. Robert Morgenthau said his office has evidence that Halderman left Letterman a letter and a proposed screenplay in the back seat of his car early Sept. 9, threatening to make a movie exposing the comic's affairs unless Letterman paid Halderman money.

Halderman pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted grand larceny in the first degree, a crime punishable by as much as 15 years in prison, and has been suspended from CBS. He is due back in court in January for the judge's ruling on his motion to dismiss the case.

During today’s news conference, Shargel said the district attorney’s office overzealously pursued the case because of Letterman’s public profile. “I think that celebrity is why we are where we are today,” he said.

In his 34-page memorandum, Shargel also claimed that the grand jury may have been improperly instructed on the law and that New York’s extortion statute is vague and too broad.

After Halderman and Shargel walked away from the microphones, surrounded by a scrum of reporters and television cameras, attorneys for Letterman stepped forward to counter the defense’s position.

“The evidence described by Mr. Morgenthau in his press conference suggests that this is anything but a legitimate business transaction,” said Daniel J. Horwitz, a lawyer for the comic. “Ask yourself if the evidence of Mr. Halderman waiting in the shadows outside Mr. Letterman’s apartment building at 6 o'clock in the morning with an extortion demand to throw in the back of his car, threatening that his world is going to collapse, threatening Mr. Letterman’s personal and professional life if he didn’t pay Mr. Halderman a big chunk of money, and demanding that Mr. Letterman get back to Mr. Halderman in two hours – I suggest to you that that evidence is not a legitimate business transaction and it’s classic blackmail, no matter how Mr. Halderman’s lawyer wants to dress it up.”

Horwitz said he is confident that the motion to dismiss will be denied and that the case will proceed to trial. “And let me say this: Mr. Letterman is fully prepared to see this case through to the end, including testifying at a trial to see that justice is done,” he added.

-- Matea Gold
 


'Dancing With the Stars': Stepping through time

November 10, 2009 |  8:22 am
117299_D_2786_pre Can you believe we’ve reached the quarterfinals already, ballroom fans? This week, all five remaining couples had to perform two individual dances: one ballroom and one Latin. And for an added twist, the Latin dances had to be arranged to fit a certain decade, which the teams themselves picked from a magic disco ball. Anything that emerges from a magic disco ball is bound to be fun and full of surprises, and the Latin routines were no exception: We were treated to some creative and entertaining dances (as well as some far-out costumes). We also got a reshuffling of the rankings. And our first perfect-30 score of the season!

High honors this week went to Mya and Dmitry Chaplin. After a couple of weeks of sagging scores, the singer and her partner rebounded in a huge way, reclaiming their spot in first place and scoring a perfect-30 routine — all in one night! Though both Mya and Dmitry had resolved not to pare down the wow factor to pander to the judges, their quickstep ended up being very traditional — with most of the dance in hold — which put the gimmick-hating Len in the right mood to hand out some 10s. But not before the head judge did a little bit of a cheeky fake-out first. “For me, we got off to a sticky start from Week 1,” he began. “This was a disappointment for me…because I couldn’t find anything to criticize.” Psych! Carrie Ann commended Mya on performing a dance that “looked like it just flowed out of your body with ease and grace,” and Bruno turned positively effervescent with his acclaim. “This quickstep is like vintage Champagne: light, popping, full of flavor,” he praised. The 10 from Len prompted Dmitry to whip out a velvet jewelry box and oh-so-adorably present his partner with a mini version of the judges’ 10 paddle that she could wear as a ring. Where can I score me some of those? I’d like one for every digit, please.

Hope Mya kept that ring out, because their samba was even better. Good for Dmitry for shimmying through his choreographer’s block to seamlessly incorporate ’70s disco moves into their Latin dance. Their samba was a spicy mix of Latin hot and “Soul Train” groove that hit all the right notes and was a hoot and a half to watch. And not just because of Dmitry’s tousled locks and rocking “Swingtown” porn ’stache (which he gamely wriggled for the cameras backstage). Their routine was technically sound, the rolls were executed flawlessly, and the “Saturday Night Fever” moves were delivered with the right amount of heat and sizzle to make even skeptical Carrie Ann change her tune. “I believe it,” she avowed. “I believe that you want to win that competition.” Len took one of Carrie Ann’s old phrases and confirmed that Mya was “absolutely on fire.” “You have produced two dances of the highest standard with no gimmicks!” Words weren’t even enough for Bruno, who instead had to screech out his praise in song (Said Tom: “You managed to impersonate Diana Ross and a strangled cat at the same time”).  Mya and Dmitry earned a 29 out of 30 for their quickstep and a perfect 30 for their sassy samba. Total: 59 out of 60. 

Falling to second place were Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough. And though they both spent rehearsal time in front of the TV analyzing Mya’s transitions, Joanna couldn’t transfer the smoothness of that taped footage into her own quickstep routine. Granted, the routine had a ton of steps and scampered all over the Rectagon and back again. But at times it seemed as though Joanna couldn’t quite keep up with her partner. “You looked like you were running away from the scene of a crime!” Bruno exclaimed. Carrie Ann pointed out the out-of-sync moments and that Joanna forgot to point her toes. And Len played bad cop and complained of “a lot of running about” and a “lack of body contact.” “This is not the standard for the quarterfinals,” he reproved harshly, before telling them to bend over and slapping them with a 7 paddle.

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'Gossip Girl': Menage a what?!?

November 10, 2009 |  7:49 am

Gossipgirl_DanVanessa
Really, "Gossip Girl"? Monday night's hotly anticipated threesome episode succeeded in provoking reaction, criticism and discussion, particularly from this reviewer. Hints at how it would transpire came early in the episode -- Vanessa's introduction of a list of "15 things you must do before graduating college in New York" was a dead giveaway -- yet I still sat there horrified as the moment slowly unfolded. It wasn't the threesome as an act that disturbed me; it was the participants involved that invoked such furious tweeting on my BlackBerry.

Dan? Olivia? Vanessa? Gag me. It was purposefully cliche -- freshman year, two roommates, the roommate's boyfriend, shots of tequila. All they needed was a futon bed and a guy passed out in the corner to make that scenario truly realistic. What elicited a reaction from me was the fact that Dan and Vanessa had compromised their friendship. Is nothing sacred anymore? The situation gets even more complicated after Olivia learns she won't be leaving school after all, but even if they somehow find a peaceful ground in the aftermath, there's no turning back. In real life, when two best friends do the deed, it either makes or breaks the relationship. If the love is unrequited, there's no "getting over it" while still sipping lattes together at the neighborhood cafe. Does that mean Vanessa's end is near? They surely can't have her dating Dan ... or could they? I shudder at the idea.

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'House M.D.': House and Cuddy return to the '80s

November 10, 2009 |  7:06 am
House-Ep607_Sc44-45pt_2009
In case you missed the "everybody lies" memo that's been driven home in every "House" episode since the pilot, tonight's episode, "Known Unknowns," offered viewers (and Cameron) a helpful reminder.

House is reluctant to join Wilson at a medical conference in the Adirondacks -- favoring, instead, the nearby State Pillowfighting Contest, until he discovers that Cuddy also will be attending said conference.  His change of heart is fortunate, considering Wilson has appointed himself House's babysitter and refuses to leave him alone for the weekend.  Normally, I'd find Wilson's hovering a little obnoxious -- after all, House has been doing pretty well; maybe he deserves a longer leash -- but for some reason, it's more endearing than overly protective. I wonder if they've exchanged friendship bracelets yet.

With the grown-ups out of town on grown-up business, Chase, Cameron and Foreman are left with Jordan (newcomer Annabelle Attanasio), a comic-book fangirl who finds herself physically unable to tell the truth about her wild night stalking "Stiletto: Warrior Queen of Space" author Jeffrey Keener (Marcus Giamatti).

The web of lies eventually leads Cameron to theorize that Keener roofied Jordan when she brought his misplaced journal up to his hotel room.  When he denies ever seeing Jordan in his room, Cameron becomes particularly upset.  She's so obviously projecting her feelings about Chase's recently shady behavior onto the author.  
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Exclusive first look: It's a melee in Miami on 'The City'

November 10, 2009 |  6:35 am
This week's episode proves you can take the girls out of “The City,” but you can’t take the drama out of the girls. Last week, it was the Hamptons. This week, Whitney Port and Roxy Olin are working Fashion Week in Miami. After last week’s Fackelmayer debacle (when Whitney learned that Freddie had a girlfriend), it might do her some good to get out of the city. Or will it?

Turns out Roxy and Whitney had quite a misunderstanding while they were out on the town, and it exploded into a full-scale catfight backstage at the People’s Revolution show.

In this exclusive first look from this week’s episode, Boss Lady Kelly Cutrone schools the girls on their less-than-stellar professional behavior.




-- Jethro Nededog (follow me on Twitter @TheRealJethro)

Related:
‘The City’: The strange socialite thing

Roxy Olin goes off on Freddie, Olivia and keepin’ it real in ‘The City’

Full 'The City' coverage on Show Tracker


Tuesday's TV Highlights: Michelle Obama visits 'Sesame Street'

November 9, 2009 | 10:59 pm
Click here to download TV listings for the week of Nov. 8 - 14 in PDF format

This week's TV Movies


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TARGETED: Erica and Father Jack (Elizabeth Mitchell, Joel Gretsch) are being tracked by a "seeker" in this new episode of the science fiction series "V," at 8 p.m. on ABC.

SERIES

Sesame Street: First Lady Michelle Obama teaches kids about the benefits of planting a garden and healthy eating in the season premiere of the long-running children's show (7 a.m. KCET).

Explorer: The episode "Secret History of Diamonds" focuses on the symbol of wealth, glamour and undying love that has inspired wars, atrocities and crime (7 and 10 p.m. National Geographic).

90210: Teddy (Trevor Donovan) helps Jackie (Ann Gillespie) plan a surprise party for Silver (Jessica Stroup), and Navid (Michael Steger) sees Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) buying drugs from Jasper (Zach Sherman) in this new episode (8 p.m. KTLA).

e2 Design: This new series premieres with a look at sustainable skyscrapers and apartment towers in New York City (8 p.m. Sundance).

Melrose Place: The police search for Auggie (Colin Egglesfield) after discovering his blood was on the murder weapon (9 p.m. KTLA).

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'How I Met Your Mother': It started with a tape

November 9, 2009 |  9:28 pm
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Things got off to an auspiciously good start for Ted (Josh Radnor) when he became the heir of Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) porn collection. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) marveled at the titles, such as “Horny Coed Surprise Party 23,” before trying to steal one for her and Marshall (Jason Segal). Any readers also fans of the British comedy series “Coupling”? If you are, then you know why I want to rewatch “Inferno” now.

Ted “attempted” to throw away the tapes, but one magically landed in the VCR player, pressing the play button all on its own. Unfortunately for Ted, Barney has taped a message over “Archisexture.” If Ted is watching the message, it means one of two things: Barney is dead, in which case he wants Ted to take his body to the Hamptons to re-create the classic “Weekend at Bernie's,” or he's in a committed relationship, in which case, “Get me out!” he begs.

Normally, I'd be pretty upset at the idea of breaking up Barney and Robin, but the writers seem to have lost who they are. The couple are so unhappy, they've completely let themselves go. For Barney, that means eating everything in sight to the point where Barney will have to buy his suits at the Big and Moderately Tall store. For Robin, it means ceasing to wash her hair and developing a case of acne face. They now resemble Marshall's favorite '70s detective show, “The Fat Guy and the Old Lady.” Yet both are too stubborn to break up with the other. Sigh. I really wish it hadn't come to this. Robin and Barney have enough emotional problems to cause a breakup without resorting to a game of relationship chicken with decidedly unkempt side effects. I think they're both smart enough and assertive enough to know when to end things. And I don't quite buy that either party would let themselves go like that.

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Tuesday's TV Talk Shows: Tavis welcomes former Sen. Max Cleland

November 9, 2009 |  8:00 pm
Click here to download TV listings for the week of Nov. 8 - 14 in PDF format

This week's TV Movies



The Early Show Laurence Fishburne; Tony Curtis. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today Author Carrie Prejean ("Still Standing"); Joan Cusack. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood perform; author Stephen King ("Under the Dome"). (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Regis and Kelly John Cusack ("2012"); Robin Roberts ("Good Morning America"). (N) 9 a.m. KABC

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[Updated] ABC's 'Eastwick' gets the broom while 'The Forgotten' is remembered

November 9, 2009 |  6:34 pm

ABC has decided not to order additional episodes of its new Wednesday-night drama "Eastwick," which is about as close as a network gets to saying it's canceling a show these days.

While much of ABC's Wednesday night has been a pleasant surprise with "The Middle," "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" all getting full-season pickups, "Eastwick" has been pulling in Jay Leno-like numbers at 10 p.m., often averaging less than 5 million viewers. The show, which stars Rebecca Romijn and Lindsey Price, is based on the John Updike book. While it spawned a moderately successful movie, this is the third time an attempt to make a TV series based on the book has fallen short.

The other Wednesday night ABC show whose fate is up in the air is the 8 p.m. sitcom "Hank," starring Kelsey Grammer. "Hank" has also been an under-performer and will likely not have any additional episodes ordered.

ABC did give its Tuesday freshman drama "The Forgotten" some good news and ordered five more episodes. That's a network's way of saying we sort of like you, but we're not sure how much.

[Updated Tues. 1:00 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly referred to ABC's "Eastwick" as "The Witches of Eastwick." The post has been updated to reflect the change.]

-- Joe Flint


CBS to develop sitcom based on angry old man's tweets

November 9, 2009 |  6:05 pm

Kurtwood Smith, Jerry Stiller and anyone else who has ever played a sarcastic and moody dad, it's time to call your agent.

CBS is going to develop a sitcom based on the Twitter feed "S&*% My Dad Says." The feed, which has over 700,000 followers, is done by Justin Halpern, who moved back home with his dad and started writing down and later tweeting his father's somewhat brusque and cynical observations. According to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news, "Will & Grace" creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick will executive produce. The studio for the show is Warner Bros., and yes, if CBS moves forward with the project the name of the show will change.

One does have to wonder why Warner Bros. needed to do a deal with Halpern to develop a show with this theme. Not to take anything away from Halpern, and we hope his dad is getting a big cut since he seems to do most of the work, but shows featuring sarcastic fathers who torment their offspring are hardly new. Witness Peter Boyle in "Everybody Loves Raymond" or John Mahoney in "Frasier" or Ed O'Neill in "Married ... with Children" and now "Modern Family." Halpern hardly has a patent on the concept.

That said, CBS and Warner Bros. are betting that the popularity of the feed (yes, 700,000 followers in country of 300 million is considered popular) and the upcoming book based on the sayings of old man Halpern will draw viewers.

-- Joe Flint


A night of record ratings for 'Mad Men' finale, Kardashian wedding

November 9, 2009 |  2:27 pm

More than 2.3 million viewers watched Don Draper's marriage fall apart during "Mad Men's" jam-packed third-season finale -- but even more tuned in to E! to see the Lakers' Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian tie the knot.

Read the full Sunday night ratings report at Company Town.


Disney Channel renews 'Jonas,' signs new executive producers for second season

November 9, 2009 | 10:37 am

Jonas01  

Disney Channel has ordered a second season of the Jonas Brothers comedy "Jonas." 

The show, a "Monkees"-style comedy centered on real-life brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas, averages a respectable (but not "Hannah Montana" or "Wizards of Waverly Place" big) 3.4 million viewers on Sundays, topping the demographics of kids ages 6 to 11 and tweens 9 to 14 in its 8:30 p.m. timeslot. 

"Jonas" was originally meant to create a Saturday-night destination for Disney Channel, premiering to 4 million viewers in May, but ratings tumbled in its second week and the show was quickly moved to Sundays, where it has become a modest hit for the network.

Still, the Jonas Brothers mean big business for Disney: The group is in the middle of a world tour, which they are recording into a short-form reality series set to premiere on Disney next year; they'll star in the network's sequel to the TV movie "Camp Rock," "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam," due out next summer;  and they're signed to Disney's Hollywood Records (the band's most recent album, "Lines, Vines and Trying Times," debuted at the top of the charts.)

Disney Channels Worldwide President of Entertainment Gary Marsh said, "We couldn't ask for a more collaborative or creative partnership than we have with the Jonas Brothers – and the success of our first season of 'Jonas' speaks for itself.... We can deliver something to our viewers that no one else can – exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the real-life adventures of one of the superstar bands of our time."

Production on new episodes will begin in February for a debut mid-2010. The network has signed Lester Lewis ("The Office" and "The Larry Sanders Show") and Paul Hoen ("The Cheetah Girls One World") to executive produce the series.

— Denise Martin

Photo: Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas in "Jonas." Credit: Disney Channel


 


'Mad Men': Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Pryce [Updated]

November 9, 2009 |  9:36 am

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Those who have complained that “Mad Men” leans too hard on soap opera gauziness finally got their dose of white-knuckled logistics with the finale of Season 3. “Shut the Door. Have a Seat” was a tight balance of emotionally pungent drama and company coup d’etat. From Ossining to Madison Avenue, alliances were strengthened, broken or realigned. It wasn’t always a pretty sight, but for every bedroom face-off, we got zesty moments such as Joan at her most deliciously officious, ransacking manila folders and teasing Roger.

Much as last week’s episode used the Kennedy assassination as a framework for the episode’s events, “Shut the Door” used the hurried formation of Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Pryce as fuel for the fire. The construction and tonal palette lent the episode a painterly Zen-like balance, like something Rothko would create to Cooper’s delight, though it had its redundancies too.

Let’s dive into our swan song, shall we? First of all, what a week for Don. On one hand, his beautiful Titanic of a marriage finally crashed into the iceberg that it’s been jabbing into for years. On the other, a blessed distraction just landed in his lap. Hungry to build something of his own, Don will be able to plunge into his new job as letterhead partner of a fledgling ad agency -- all the better for not dwelling on his marital dissolution.
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'Brothers & Sisters': Forging ahead

November 9, 2009 |  9:29 am

B&S_kittyhugssarah

Sunday night's "Brothers & Sisters" was anything but uneventful. The episode offered some big reveals, but the focus on stories involving only the immediate Walker family members gave it a more intimate feel. One-on-one conversations -- notably those featuring Robert and Kevin and Nora and Sarah -- were shot close-up, with the camera vacillating between the two before holding still at one character while the other continued to talk. Those moments felt even more real and private, and they gave viewers a chance to really focus on the characters' subtle reactions. The episode also maintained a steady momentum, which had me looking forward to what the next few weeks will bring.

Now on to the revelations, starting with the biggest. Rebecca is pregnant! When the promos showed Justin confronting Rebecca about being pregnant, I figured it would be a tease, so I'm glad that they followed through with it. This piece of news will finally shake things up with Justin and Rebecca, who've been so uninteresting since they announced their engagement, by adding another layer to their mounting responsibilities. Plus, it means there'll be another big birth to look forward to at the end of the season. If you haven't let go of the creepiness factor that first haunted Justin and Rebecca's relationship, you should do so now.

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TV Land and TV Guide Network buy 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' reruns

November 9, 2009 |  9:20 am
Curb

Coming to a basic cable network near you: TV Land and TV Guide Network have bought up reruns to HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

The two networks will share "Curb," with TV Guide Network scheduled to begin airing the Larry David comedy in February. TV Land will take over as early as 2013, unless David and HBO decide to keep the show going after this its seventh season. 

For TV Land, "Curb" adds another "modern classic" to its stable, which already includes the currently airing "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Scrubs." On TV Guide Network, "Curb" will join reruns of "Ugly Betty" and "Punk'd" as the network continues to buy up second-run fare to augment its live and reality programming.

Viewers will also be able to watch "Curb" on their local Tribune-owned stations and Tribune's WGN America beginning fall 2010.

-- Denise Martin

Image credit: HBO




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