Bubble Bustin’ Friday: NBC Cancels shows

Six NBC shows to end. It seems the TV Gods were more kind on Friday than they were in Thursday: only five shows canceled – all from one network, as the news centered more on pilot pickups and renewals than cancellations. NBC picked up pilots-to-order from Marlon Wayans (with a show loosely based on his life) and Tina Fey’s new comedy […]

The Upfronts Post-Game Show

What we learned: – The sitcom is almost dead – Too much drama – Greg Berlanti is now the most powerful person on TV Now that the parties have been held, the red carpet has been rolled up, and the song and dance routines have been performed, it’s time to get to serious business: sell suckers… er… I mean advertisers on […]

CW stays the course for fall

Only three new shows for next season – just one for fall The CW unveiled its 2015-16 schedule on Thursday at the upfronts and there’s not much change – unless you count a few shows moving around the schedule. Only ten hours are programmed a week in primetime – and with network brass satisfied with most shows, they decided to bring […]

CBS unveils new 2015-16 season schedule

CBS announces seven new series – five for fall CBS announced its new 2015-16 season lineup for next season, with the network renewing 22 programs and bringing on seven new series – five of which will debut in the fall. Here’s the night-by-night throwdown: – Monday: Once again, Thursday Night Football is forcing some temporary changes, with The Big Bang […]

ABC releases its 2015-16 schedule

Muppetmania reigns supreme as the revival is already being talked about to death ABC unveiled its 2015-16 season schedule on Tuesday, and much of it looked like last season’s: much of the lineup is unchanged, with four new comedies and six new dramas joining the lineup. Five of those shows debut this fall. Of note is Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s lineups remains […]

Fox announces 2015-16 schedule

Announces end to American Idol in May 2016. Break out the Belvedere! Fox announced its 2015-16 schedule Monday during its upfront presentation and as you would have guessed, the show centered around Empire, the hottest TV show ever. The central cast made an appearance, including a performance from Chicago’s own Jennifer Hudson, who played a gospel singer in a few episodes. […]

NBC unveils 2015-16 season schedule

Emphasizes drama; only one hour of comedy on the fall sked for the first time in 37 years NBC released its 2015-16 schedule Sunday, with six new comedies, seven new dramas, and one new short-term variety hour emceed by Neil Patrick Harris. The sked also features two revival efforts: Coach, which ran on ABC from 1989-96 and Heroes, which ran […]

The Upfronts post-game show

Another upfront is in the books as the five major TV networks released their 2014-15 campaign to win you, the viewer. And they are going to have a hard time doing so. This year’s upfronts have not been impressive, with a lot of programming missing original concepts, innovation, and creativity – all you have to do is point to the […]

The address is CBS for 2014-15 (or not)

CBS unveiled its 2014-15 primetime schedule at an upfront presentation in New York Wednesday and introduced eight new series to the world. Among the announcements made at the conference call was the (not-so-surprising) end to Two And A Half Men in May 2015 after twelve seasons – the longest running live-action sitcom since My Three Sons, which also lasted twelve […]

ABC stays the course

For a network in fourth place, you’d think ABC would be making a boatload of changes. Instead, ABC is making only needed changes on four nights – some of them our relatively minor. And how about this: ABC is countering football on Thursdays with an all-drama lineup consisting of shows created and produced by University Park native Shonda Rhimes! This […]

Fox unveils 2014-15 sked

Fox Monday unveiled its 2014-15 schedule, featuring twelve new series – five of them debuting this fall. Of the five, three are dramas – the highly anticipated Gotham, Red Band Society, and Gracepoint; one comedy (Mulraney); and one reality show (Utopia). With the revamped schedule, there is a scheduling change every night (except Saturday) – including the dismantling of Fox’s […]

NBC unveils 2014-15 schedule

After finishing in first place in the adult 18-49 demo for the first time in years, NBC hopes to keep the momentum going next season with a revamped schedule. Not everything worked of course; sitcoms featuring Michael J. Fox and Sean Hayes bombed this season on Thursday nights past season; its one of the reasons why NBC is revamping Thursday […]

Bubble Bustin’ Friday (and Saturday)

Bubble Bustin’ Friday – which even extended to Saturday – sure lived up to its name as the major networks – namely ABC, NBC, and CBS – began to clear out the deadwood as they prepare for the upcoming week’s upfront presentations. Some of the moves were expected; others (notably the cancellation of Community) generated a firestorm of controversy on […]

ABC unveils 2013-14 primetime schedule

Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. already getting tons of buzz ABC released its 2013-14 primetime schedule Tuesday morning ahead of its upfront presentation later in the day, with fourteen new series – nine of those premiering this fall. The biggest show on ABC’s schedule no doubt is Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D, helmed by Joss Whedon. Already, the series’ Facebook page has […]

NBC unveils 2013-14 schedule

After a season which went through extremes (first place in November 2012 in adults 18-49 to fifth in February 2013), NBC is completely overhauling its primetime slate in 2013-14, with eight new dramas, five new comedies, and three “alternative” reality series. The new schedule was announced Sunday afternoon, a day before NBC’s upfront presentation. Only eight series from this past season […]