The CW series count
Seven new series will air on The CW in fall, but the names of only three are known. Actually, make that two and a tentative one.
The as yet untitled “Beverly Hills, 90210” spinoff will premiere on Tuesdays in fall. Former “90210” alum Jennie Garth will reprise her role as Kelly Taylor, who is now a guidance counselor at her alma mater.
The CW will partner with Media Rights Capital for Sunday’s three-hour programming block that will consist of two dramas and two comedies. Details on the series will be released at a later date.
Here’s a list of shows that will and won’t return to The CW in 2008-09, as well as info on new ones to look forward to in fall.
►Will Return: America’s Next Top Model, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Reaper (midseason), Smallville, Supernatural.
►Won’t Return: Aliens in America, Beauty and the Geek, CW Now, Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants, Girlfriends, Life Is Wild, Online Nation, WWE Friday Night Smackdown (moving to MyNetworkTV).
►New Series (descriptions provided by The CW):
90210 (tentative title, The CW Photo above): A look at life through the eyes of Annie Mills (Shenae Grimes, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”) and her brother
Surviving the Filthy Rich: JoAnna Garcia (“Reba”) stars as a Yale grad who gets fired from a tabloid rag, meets meets cosmetics mogul Laurel Limoges (casting to be determined) and becomes the live-in tutor for Laurel’s twin teen granddaughters in the heady Palm Beach world of wealth and power.
Stylista: Eleven aspiring fashion enthusiasts vie for a much-coveted editorial job with Elle magazine.
— Penny TV
ABC welcomes “Scrubs”
A reader asked if it was unusual that ABC picked up the canceled NBC series “Scrubs.”
Not really, considering that ABC Studios (previously known as Touchstone Television) has produced the series since it debuted on NBC in 2001.
“Scrubs” concluded its seven-season run on NBC on May 8, and it is scheduled to make its ABC debut at midseason.
Here’s a list of shows that will and won’t return to ABC in 2008-09, as well as info on new ones to look forward to in fall.
►Will Return: According to Jim (midseason), America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor (midseason), Boston Legal, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing With the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost (midseason), Primetime (mid-season), Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who?, Supernanny, Ugly Betty, 20/20, Wife Swap.
►Won’t Return: Big Shots, Carpoolers, Cashmere Mafia, Cavemen, Men in Trees, Miss-Guided, Notes from the Underbelly, October Road, Oprah’s Big Give, Women’s Murder Club.
►New Series (descriptions provided by ABC):
Life on Mars (ABC Photo above): Jason O’Mara (“In Justice”) stars as a modern-day police detective who, after a car crash, mysteriously finds himself transported back to 1973 and still working as a detective.
The Goode Family (midseason): A new animated series from Mike Judge (“King of the Hill” creator) about a family obsessed with doing the “right” thing, whether it’s environmentally, politically or socially. Unfortunately their efforts often have unintended comic consequences.
Opportunity Knocks: A new show that breaks the mold of typical game and reality shows by showing up on America’s doorstep and testing how well people know their family.
Scrubs (midseason): Zach Braff stars as a medical resident, who continues on his healing career in a surreal hospital, crammed full of unpredictable staffers and patients.
Untitled Ashton Kutcher/Tyra Banks Project (midseason): A beauty pageant unlike any viewers have ever seen, from executive producers Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks.
— Penny TV
Canceled or coming back?
If you want to lobby networks to bring back your favorite shows, now would be a good time to do so.
In a few weeks, ABC (May 13), CBS (May 14), Fox (May 15) and The CW (May 13) will unveil their 2008-09 fall lineups.
NBC jumped the gun and announced its fall schedule on April 2, but the network is scheduled to make a second presentation (revisions perhaps?) on May 12.
Following is a list of the networks’ shows and their current status, as well as contact information in case you care to share your thoughts with the network bosses.
ABC
►Will Return: America’s Funniest Home Videos, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing With the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who?, Supernanny, Ugly Betty, 20/20, Wife Swap.
►Won’t Return: Big Shots, Carpoolers, Cavemen.
►No word yet: According to Jim, The Bachelor, Boston Legal, Cashmere Mafia, Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, Eli Stone, Men in Trees, Notes from the Underbelly, October Road, Oprah’s Big Give, Primetime, Women’s Murder Club.
►Who to write: Stephen McPherson, ABC president of entertainment, 2300 Riverside Drive,
CBS
►Will Return: The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, NUMB3RS, 60 Minutes, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, Without a Trace.
►Won’t Return: Jericho, Secret Talents of the Stars, Viva Laughlin, Welcome to the Captain.
►No word yet: Cane, How I Met Your Mother, Kid Nation, Moonlight, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Rules of Engagement, Shark, The Unit.
►Possible new series: Flashpoint, Single White Millionaire.
►Who to write: Nina Tassler, CBS president of entertainment, 4024 Radford Avenue,
Fox
►Will Return: American Dad, American Idol, America’s Most Wanted, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Bones, Cops, Family Guy, House, King of the Hill, Kitchen Nightmares, Prison Break, The Simpsons, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, 24.
►Won’t Return: K-Ville, Nashville, The Return of Jezebel James.
►No word yet: Back to You, Canterbury’s Law, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Hell’s Kitchen, The Moment of Truth, The Next Great American Band, New Amsterdam, Til Death, Unhitched.
►Possible new series: Dollhouse, Fringe.
►Who to write: Kevin Reilly, Fox president of entertainment, P.O. Box 900,
The CW
►Will Return: America’s Next Top Model, Everybody Hates Chris, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural.
►Won’t Return: CW Now, Girlfriends, Life Is Wild, Online Nation, WWE Friday Night Smackdown (moving to MyNetworkTV).
►No word yet: Aliens in America, Beauty and the Geek, Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants, The Game, Reaper.
►Who to write: Dawn Ostroff, The CW president of entertainment,
NBC
►Will Return: The Biggest Loser, The Celebrity Apprentice, Chuck, Dateline, Deal or No Deal, ER, Friday Night Nights, Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Life, Lipstick Jungle, Medium, My Name Is Earl, The Office, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock.
►Won’t Return: Amne$ia, Bionic Woman, Journeyman, Las Vegas, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, 1 vs. 100, Phenomenon, quarterlife, Scrubs (may be picked up by ABC), The Singing Bee.
►New Series: America’s Toughest Jobs, Chopping Block, Crusoe, Kath & Kim, Kings, Knight Rider, Merlin, My Own Worst Enemy, The Office Spin-Off, The Philanthropist, Shark Taggers, The Listener, SNL Thursday Night Live, Gear,
►Who to write: Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, 300 W. Alameda Avenue,
— Penny TV
Movie trailers on TVLand.com
Readers calling the TV Forum line lately haven’t had too many kind words for TV Land. Almost everyone wishes the network would drop the new reality shows and go back to airing classic TV series.
Whether or not that is going to happen is not known. But the network has made some nice improvements to its website.
An extensive movie trailer collection has been added to www.TVLand.com. From “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” to “Chariots of Fire” and “The Way We Were” to “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane,” nearly 1,000 movie trailers will give you the chance to relive the excitement, romance, laughter or fear of your favorite films via three minute snapshots.
The movie trailer collection spans from the 1950s to the ’90s, although the bulk of the movies are from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. It can be searched alphabetically, by genre or by decade, and it also features additional information on each film.
— Penny TV
Britney is back for more “Mother”
This just in from CBS …
LOS ANGELES, April 28 — Singer Britney Spears will return to “How I Met Your Mother” to guest star in an episode to be broadcast May 12 on CBS.
Production on the episode began today.
“We’re all so thrilled to have Britney joining us once again,” said Craig Thomas, executive producer and co-creator of “How I Met Your Mother.” ”And just to head it off at the pass this time around: Yes, Mom, Britney’s very nice and no, I can’t get her autograph for you.”
When Barney and Abby realize that they have one thing in common — their mutual hatred of Ted — the “couple” decides to go to the bar to flaunt their new relationship in Ted’s face. Desperate to get a rise out of his former pal, Barney pops a surprising question to Abby.
The third-season finale for “How I Met Your Mother” is scheduled to air May 19.
“Women’s Murder Club” cast answers questions
ABC Photo: Cast members for ”Women’s Murder Club” include, from left, Linda Park, Aubrey Dollar, Paula Newsome, Angie Harmon, Laura Harris, Tyrees Allen and Rob Estes.
This just in from ABC: Beginning today, fans can go to www.ABC.com to see questions answered by the cast of “Women’s Murder Club,” including video responses from Angie Harmon (Homicide Inspector Lindsay Boxer), Paula Newsome (Medical Examiner Claire Washburn), Aubrey Dollar (Crime Reporter Cindy Thomas), Laura Harris (Assistant D.A. Jill Bernhardt), Tyrees Allen (Warren Jacobi) and Rob Estes (Tom Hogan).
Topics range from personal reflections on the show’s storylines, sources of inspiration for the characters they portray, what a typical work day is like and whether or not there will be new or rekindled love interests that emerge in the show.
In addition, participants can view responses from fan questions submitted to bestselling author James Patterson, including whether there will be an eighth book in the Women’s Murder Club series and if there are plans for him to make a guest appearance on the show.“
Women’s Murder Club” airs at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC. The show’s first-season finale will air May 13.
Emmy reality
And the nominees for outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition program are …
Jeff Probst (pictured at right) of “Survivor” is my pick to win that new category that will be added to the lineup for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards airing live at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 on ABC.
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors voted to create that new category, and the announcement was made today (April 22).
“Reality television has become such an integral part of television and our culture, so it only made sense for us to create this new highly competitive category,” said John Shaffner, chairman and chief executive of 
the Television Academy.
According to the rules and regulation of the Television Academy, “Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program” (category 66) is for the proactive master of ceremony host and does not include reactive participants or judges.”
Probst will probably get beat out by Phil Keoghan (pictured at right) of “The Amazing Race,” though. The “Race,” after all, has defeated all competitors (even ratings hog “American Idol”) to win five straight Emmys for outstanding reality/competition program.
— Penny TV
Guests added to TV talk shows
CNN Media Advisory: First lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna Bush will appear on “Larry King Live” at 8 p.m. Wednesday (April 23) to discuss their new children’s book, Read All About It.
Set in a school, the book depicts a mischievous little boy who likes to do everything but read. It is loosely based on Laura and Jenna Bushes’ experiences as teachers.
On Thursday’s show (April 24), U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will talk to King in her first interview following the April 22 Pennsylvania primary.
“Larry King Live” airs weekdays a 8 p.m. on CNN, with rebroadcasts at 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. For more information on upcoming shows or to locate past transcripts, go to www.CNN.com/larry king.
CBS Media Advisory: Danica Patrick, who on Sunday made history when she became the first woman to win an Indy Car series race, visits “Late Show With David Letterman” at 10:35 p.m. Wednesday (April 23).
Patrick finished six seconds ahead of her nearest competitor, Helio Castroneves, to win Sunday’s Indy Japan 300, her first win in 50 career starts.
This will be her fourth visit with Letterman, her former Indy Racing League employer. She got her IRL start in 2005 driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, the auto racing team Letterman co-owns.
“Day Break” returns with new episodes … sorta
Cable network TV One is worth watching. Unfortunately, there is not enough space to include it in TV Week. (One of the 76 channels listed in TV Week would have to be dropped to make space for TV One, and there aren’t any that should be removed).
But here is some TV One news that viewers need to know: seven never-before-seen episodes of the action thriller series “Day Break,” that was cancelled by ABC in fall 2006, will air on the network beginning this month.
TV One (channel 167 on Cox Digital Cable, 241 on Direct TV) will air these “Day Break” episodes at 9 p.m. Sundays beginning April 20. That week’s episode will be repeated at midnight Sunday, 9 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday.
“Day Break” stars Taye Diggs (also from the canceled-too-soon show “Kevin Hill”) as
Los Angeles police detective Brett Hooper, who is framed for the murder of an assistant district attorney. In each episode, he relives the same day over, gathering new clues each time as he tries to find out who framed him and clear his name.
Det. Hopper’s day gets more complicated each time the clock turns back, as each decision he makes changes the future in some way.
TV One began airing “Day Break” last month, beginning with the six episodes that ABC did air. The seven unaired episodes will complete the series, which only got an order for 13 episodes.
In conjunction with the series telecast, TV One Online (www.tvoneonline.com) has created an interactive destination for “Day Break” fans. Through blogs, games and video, users are invited to join a force of detectives to solve the murder mystery.
— Penny TV
No more ‘Secret’
After one airing, CBS has pulled “Secret Talents of the Stars” off its schedule.
The show, which premiered at 9 p.m. Tuesday, will be replaced by “48 Hours Mystery” on April 15 and 22. “Shark” will move into the time slot with new episodes beginning April 29.
On Tuesday’s “Talents of the Stars,” show hosted by John O’Hurley, George Takei (“Star Trek”) sang a country song, country singer Clint Black performed stand-up comedy, singer Mya did a tap dance and Olympic ice skater Sasha Cohen performed a contortionist routine.
But not enough viewers tuned in to see these celebrities perform. According to Tuesday’s prime-time metered market ratings compiled by The Programming Insider, “Secret Talents of the Stars” had a 2.9 rating and ranked last among the 9 p.m. network programs. That was down by 59 percent from a repeat of “Criminal Minds” a year ago and 15 percent from the “
Jericho” series finale on March 25.
It’s understandable that CBS would pull the show with those low numbers. But it’s a shame that viewers will not get to see Danny Bonaduce (“The Partridge Family”) ride a unicycle, Ben Stein (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) swing dance, musician Sheila E. juggle or model Cindy Margolis do magic.
According to The Programming Insider, “Secret Talents of the Stars” is the 10th network series to be canceled after one telecast. The others are “You’re in the Picture” (1961 on CBS), “”Turn-On” (1969 on ABC), “Co-Ed Fever” (1979 on ABC), “South of Sunset” (1993 on CBS), “Public Morals” (1996 on CBS), “Lawless” (1997 on Fox), “Dot Comedy” (2000 on ABC), “”The Will” (2005 on CBS) and “Emily’s Reasons Why Not” (2006 on ABC).
–Penny Soldan, TV Editor
