The Osbournes to head variety show

The Osbournes hosting a variety show? Yes, it’s true… Fox has ordered six episodes of a variety show hosted by Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack from producer FremantleMedia, set to air next year. The Osbournes of course, headlined their own reality show on MTV from 2002 to 2005. Thought: Remember the last segment that aired on The Simpsons’ 138th Episode […]

WGN signs Mark Suppelsa to take on Katie, Brian, and Charlie

For the first time ever in Chicago, viewers will have a real option to the network evening newscasts. As expected, Tribune-owned WGN-TV has signed former WMAQ-TV and WFLD-TV Mark Suppelsa, renewed the contract of longtime veteran Steve Sanders and is expanding the station’s newscasts. Suppelsa left Fox-owned WFLD in a contract dispute a few months ago and was slated to […]

WFLD expands Good Day Chicago (updated)

KRIV in Houston also expands its news by adding 5 and 5:30 p.m. newscasts As expected, Fox-owned WFLD-TV is expanding Good Day Chicago to 10 a.m. beginning on July 7, with the news show now five hours long. The extended hour will feature breaking news and weather, plus discussion of hot topics with local commentators and other segments. The newscast […]

"Simpsons" voice actors reach deal

The people behind the voices of The Simpsons have signed a new four-year deal to continue with the program. The deal means the voice actors will now make $400,000 per episode – considerably more than they were previously making. The deal does not include Harry Shearer, who has reportedly clashed with producers of The Simpsons in the past. His fate […]

WISN dominates Milwaukee’s ratings

… except at 10 p.m., where NBC affiliate WTMJ (despite lousy network lead-ins) won. But WISN, Milwaukee’s ABC affiliate owned by Hearst-Argyle, dominated everything else. WISN won at 5 and 6 p.m. and in prime-time and total-day numbers, but finished behind WTMJ at 10 p.m. by a hair. WTMJ actually increased its rating at 10, while WISN dropped two share […]

"Family Guy" renewed through 2012

Yes, I’m going to be around for four more years, so deal with it. I credit Dr. Smith from Lost in Space for my wonderful character change. He’s quite smart! He deals with that robot… I deal with Brian. It’s the same thing, basically… Television’s wackiest animated family (besides The Simpsons, that is), is returning for four more seasons. In […]

"Ugly Betty’s" ratings get ugly

Trouble ahead: It looks like the party’s over for ABC’s Ugly Betty, as the series appears to heading for a ratings free fall. Last Thursday’s episode hit a season low, earning a 2.3 rating and 7 share in the Adults 18-49 money demo, and 7.9 million total viewers. The results were down 30 percent in total viewers and 35 percent […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Worst debate ever?

You want to know what I thought of the Clinton-Obama debate? Worst. Debate. Ever. If Comic Book Guy watched the debate Wednesday night on ABC, he would’ve said this: “Worst. Debate. Ever.” Of course, he more was likely to be watching NBC and the 26 suitcase models on the “Spring Break” episode of Deal or No Deal. I’m surprised more […]

"Desperate Housewives" comes back with a mighty thud

Hitting a season-low in the money demo (adults 18-49) for an episode that was … well, let’s just say the Housewives writers should have stayed on the picket line. But the big story here is a first-run episode of The Simpsons beat Oprah‘s Big Give in the ratings last night head-to-head. D’oh!

The force won’t be with us

A special Star Wars Deal or No Deal edition is scheduled to air April 28. As a Star Wars fan, this saddens me. Thank goodness I won’t be home this night to participate in the funeral. Is there anything on earth this game show hasn’t destroyed? What’s next, a special Simpsons edition? I can see it now, with Mr. Burns […]

It’s King of this Hill

While the other animated comedies have been hit-or-miss this season (quite often on the miss side), there is one under-the-radar show that has been consistent. Fox’s King of the Hill is coming back for its thirteenth season with thirteen episodes. All the show’s principals are returning, including creator Mike Judge. Hill doesn’t garner the same type of attention The Simpsons, […]

"TMZ" gets new slot – and channel

Katie, Brian, and Charles: you met your match. Beginning Monday, Harvey Levin’s syndicated celebrity gossip paparazzi show TMZ will face off against network newscasts in Chicago with the show moving to 5:30 p.m. on Fox-owned WFLD-TV. The program currently airs on sister station WPWR-TV at 6:30 p.m. TMZ will continue to air at 11:35 p.m. on WFLD. Fox-owned stations in […]

Jacobson: "Law & Order" episode no laughing matter

An episode of tonight’s Law & Order: a reporter, looking to get to the bottom of a story regarding a man suspected of killing his wife, shows up at one point in the episode with a bathing suit on. Sounds familiar? To Amy Jacobson, it does. All too familiar, and she’s not pleased about it. Tonight L&O features Chicago native […]

Oprah’s Big Give gets big ratings

Oprah Winfrey’s new prime-time reality show on ABC was a big hit last night, with the program finishing first in total viewers, adults 18-49, and in households, despite the fact critics ultimately panned the show (so much for that extra promotion – but does the queen of daytime TV really even need them?) Meanwhile, Fox’s The Simpsons scored the highest […]

WTMJ wins 10 p.m. newscast in February

Thanks to harsh weather in Wisconsin all month long, Journal Broadcasting’s WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee won at 10 p.m. in February, beating Hearst-Argyle-owned ABC affiliate WISN-TV. The NBC affiliate benefited from a resurgent network line-up (albeit filled with second-hand fare), while WISN suffered without popular ABC shows out of episodes due to the writer’s strike and alt shows like Dancing With […]