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'The Michael J. Fox Show:' Clip
Photo credit: Getty Andrew H. Walker
Michael J. Fox, one of the greats of TV past, is now positioned as one of the greats of TV future...(Sorry, "Back to the Future." Couldn't help it.) But everyone loves Fox, and that's that. So let's take a quick look at the most anticpated NBC show of the new season...
Michael J. Fox's new NBC sitcom lands Thursdays at 9:30
Photo credit: Jim McIsaac
So it really does look like the task of turning NBC around falls to Michael J. Fox next season: His new show will land on Thursdays at 9:30, the single most important time period on the entire schedule.
NBC has announced...and here's what we're looking at the for the fall - new show descriptions follow...
MONDAY 8-10 p.m. – “The Voice” 10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY...
Read more »Seth Meyers to replace Jimmy Fallon as host of 'Late Night,' starting in '14
Photo credit: Getty Images
Seth Meyers — who was once rumored as the next host of "Live!" after Regis Philbin left — finally has his talk show, and it's no consolation prize: He was just named Jimmy Fallon's replacement on "Late Night" starting next year.
"I only have to work for Lorne for five more years before I pay him back for the time I totaled his car," said Meyers, “12:30 on NBC has long been incredible real estate. I hope I can do it justice."
"Lorne" of course needs no introduction, and with the Meyers' appointment, has essentially completed a trifecta of NBC late night: He will be the overseer of "Tonight" when it comes back to New York; remains Lord of "SNL;" and has picked his prized "SNL" head writer to take over his other late night franchise.
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Of Meyers, Lorne Michaels said: “Since 1982, there have been three 'Late Night' hosts starting with David Letterman, and Seth couldn’t be in better company."
Clearly Meyers joins a show that ain't only not broke but the exact opposite, if there could be such a thing: With Fallon as steward, along with producer Michael Shoemaker (who will remain with Meyers) the show has cruised along and in fact has minted the last two hosts of "Tonight." (One didn't quite work out; that's another story.)
Meyers has also established that effortless sort of talk show style — honed in fact on "Live!" - and the transition here should be smooth too.
Naturally, the big question: Who replaces him at "Weekend Update," or does anyone? Will Meyers continue to hold down both jobs? I'm told he'll continue at "SNL" through at least part of next season — remember, this transition doesn't take place until Fallon has moved over to "Tonight." And then it sounds like "Late Night" becomes his sole enterprise. Hence, Meyers' departure certainly presents a big challenge for "SNL" next year.
Kristen Wiig returns to 'Saturday Night Live'...and Gilly, and Target Lady, and...
Photo credit: Kristen Wiig (Getty Images)
Along with a couple of surprises - a very pregnant Maya Rudolph - Kristen Wiig returned to "Saturday Night Live" last night and reminded us a.) why we miss her so much; and b) why she is irreplaceable after all.
Plus, when or if in doubt, reprise the oldies and goldies, and everything else will fall into place. Gilly...Lawrence Welk...Target Lady. Plus, a pretty cool new-comer, a star of a Disney Channel show, about a "Korean water witch..." (Gilly, in a pre-taped bit, appeared in the monologue...)
Some of the highlights...
'Smash,' 'Rock Center' cancelled
Photo credit: AP
For NBC it was the afternoon of broken dreams and busted promise - more specifically, the end of some of the most touted if not viewed series of the last couple of seasons: "Smash," "Rock Center with Brian Williams" and "The New Normal" were cancelled.
In addition, ABC ended "Happy Endings," and "Southland" - which had its roots at NBC back...
Read more »CBS to air tribute to Jeanne Cooper of 'The Young and the Restless'
Jeanne Cooper, the doyenne of TV soaps who died earlier this week at age 84, will get a special tribute on CBS -- home of "The Young and the Restless" -- later this month. The network just announced details.
It'll feature cast members and friends of Cooper, who portrayed Katherine Chancellor for over a thousand episodes on "Y&R" -- the longest-running cast member --...
Read more »Is '24' coming back as a...TV series?
Photo credit: Fox
Big, exciting, fun, thrilling -and possibly even true - news is now washing over the network upfront discussions leading up to next week's fall schedule announcements: "24" may return as a limited run series on Fox.
This broke earlier on Deadlline - which has a habit of getting things right - and my cursory explorations into the matter have turned up this: That talks are certainly going on, but that any sort of deal is "premature." Nevertheless, this is Thursday night, and Fox won't be announcing its lineup until Monday - that's all the time in the world to make something happen.
Sources say there's certainly nothing to announce at the moment, but a series - and here we sail off into the seas of speculation - would supplant, or at least supplement, the long-in-development movie that fans have long been waiting for. That movie is believed to be on hold, in part because Howard Gordon - who was writing/developing - is so busy elsewhere, notably on a third season of Showtime's celebrated "Homeland."
Is Kiefer Sutherland on board? ("Touch" was cancelled earlier this afternoon by Fox; sorry to be the bearer of bad news. This was a good series.) Another unknown.
Meanwhile, this could also be one of those big teases that Fox Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly drops on the restless crowd - just after he announces a new "fix" for "Idol" - at the Beacon on Monday. "24 is coming back!" The crowd will love the idea - except that it may only be an idea for the time being.
Randy Jackson leaving 'American Idol'
Photo credit: Fox
Randy Jackson, the last surviving link to the glory days of "American Idol," has announced his departure from the show at the end of this season.
In a resignation hand-delivered to E! Thursday, Jackson said: "Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to rest, after 12 years of judging on 'American Idol' I have decided it is time to leave after this season. I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry. It's been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures."
"Idol" and FremantleMedia had all but fired Jackson at the end of last season, but they were forced to rehire him when talks with judge Jennifer Lopez abruptly collapsed. Jackson also had close ties with Mariah Carey, whom he managed and worked closely with for many years, going back to his days as a session musician and later as an executive with her label, Columbia Records.
Whether Jackson was annoyed by his apparent near-dismissal last summer is unclear, but there has been no evidence of any discord on the air. In fact, most of the noise -- on-screen and off -- has been generated by Nicki Minaj in her presumed feud with Carey. Both women are also expected to leave after the season ends next week, according to recent reports. The Wrap.com reported Thursday that all four judges (Keith Urban is the fourth) would be replaced.
Fox and FremantleMedia North America declined to comment on Jackson's resignation, and Jackson's management representative did not respond to an email.
NBC renews 'Parks and Recreation" but cancels...
Photo credit: AP
Knope wins! "Parks and Recreation" is coming back next season: NBC just handed the Amy Poehler vehicle another season, and it was expected. (Really, how could you cancel "Parks & Rec?") But when the network gods open a window, they close a door. Cancellation notices have gone out to "Whitney" and "1600 Penn."
Also axed: "Guys with Kids" and "Up all Night." The former is a bit of a surprise if only because it was fronted by Jimmy Fallon; the latter had high hopes and has gone through a number of revises, but...
'Princesses Long Island,' a first look
Photo credit: Giovanni Rufino/Bravo
"Princesses: Long Island" arrives on Bravo in early June, but, in the meantime, here's a quick overview of the pilot, which we've seen. (A full, very opinionated review will be coming later this month.)
As you probably already know, it's about a group of young women on Long Island who live at home with their parents in various communities (Great Neck, Roslyn, and so on). They are:...
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