or


[07/24/03 - 12:00 AM]
TCA Summer Press Tour: Nbc, Day 1
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The Television Critics Association is set to conclude its summer press tour this week in which the various broadcast and cable networks talk about their upcoming plans to the nation's top critics and entertainment reporters. The final week of the tour rounds out the rest of the broadcast networks as NBC held its first of two sessions on Thursday for the press.

Here's a breakdown of the highlights of NBC's presentation:

-- As expected, NBC officially announced its plans for "Joey," a spin-off of "Friends," starring two-time Emmy award nominee Matt LeBlanc. The series, which is guaranteed the fall 2004 time slot of Thursdays at 8:00/7:00c, will be executive produced by Kevin Bright, Scott Silveri and Shana Goldberg-Meehan, all of whom are "Friends" veterans, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television. As part of his deal to headline the series LeBlanc has secured starring roles in two yet-to-be-determined feature films for Warner Bros. Pictures. Look for additional details about the series shortly.

-- Fans of "American Dreams" can look forward to another year of high-profile musical guest stars. Already on tap for season two are Kelly Clarkson ("American Idol"), Monica and multi-Grammy winner Alicia Keys as well as sisters Hilary Duff ("Lizzie McGuire") and Haylie Duff ("The Lizzie McGuire Movie"). Clarkson is set as the era's pop princess Brenda Lee and will sing her hit, "Sweet Nothings," in the season premiere. Monica will portray Mary Wells and will sing the former Motown star's hit single, "My Guy." Keys will embody Fontella Bass and will perform her hit "Rescue Me" while Hilary and Haylie Duff will appear as the Shangri-Las and will sing one of the group�s 1960's hits.

-- Former "Fastlane" star Tiffani Thiessen is set to appear in a three episode arc this season on "Good Morning, Miami." She'll play a TV executive who causes trouble among the staff when she arrives at the Miami station.

-- Nia Long ("Big Momma's House") has signed on as a series regular this season on the Monday drama "Third Watch." She'll continue in her role as Sasha Monroe, a young police officer introduced late last season. The network announced it will also begin to broadcast the series in widescreen for its fifth season.

-- The network also outlined its post-Aaron Sorkin strategy for "The West Wing's" upcoming fifth season. In addition to executive producer John Wells (who will write the season�s first two episodes), the producing/writing staff is set to include Eli Attie, Debora Cahn, Carol Flint ("The Court"), Mark Goffman, Alexa Junge ("Friends"), Peter Noah ("War Stories"), Lawrence O�Donnell ("Mister Sterling"), Paul Redford, Josh Singer and John Sacret Young. On the casting front, Steven Eckholdt ("My Big Fat Greek Life") has come on board in a recurring role as President Jed Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) son-in-law, married to his older daughter, Elizabeth (Annabeth Gish).

-- Lastly, the Peacock revealed a new concept called "1MMs," a series of one-minute "mini-movies" set to air throughout its programming. The project is an original idea presented by John Wells Productions and Emmy Award-winning director Paris Barclay ("NYPD Blue"). The original movies will unfold as two 30-second spots, the first of which features a cliffhanger that leads into the next. The current concepts include (via press release):

"Death Do Us Part" (written and directed by Ivan Sergei) - In the first 30 seconds of the "movie," a frantic man (Eddie Cibrian, NBC�s "Third Watch") runs down the street with blood on his shirt and a gun tucked in his waistband, but when he reaches his house, he draws the gun on his surprised wife (Amber Valletta).

"A Special Word Game" (written and directed by Paris Barclay) - During the game the celebrity host offers a word to the three contestants - but when one competitive player gets it right, it leads to a battle of the networked stars. Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon ("NYPD Blue"), Bill Bellamy ("How to Be a Player"), Danny Masterson ("That �70s Show") and Paula Marshall ("Hidden Hills") star.

"Severance Pay" (written by Shawn Ryan, "The Shield," and directed by Philip Atwell) - In a black comedy, an arrogant tycoon (James Remar) berates his assistant (Cathy Ryan) until he is robbed of a briefcase full of money - and a betrayal puts teeth in the concept of "comeuppance."

"The Pussycat Dolls" (written by Steven Antin & Joe Voci; directed by Antin) - Carmen Electra ("Baywatch") dons her rhinestone-studded costume as one of the famed "Pussycat Dolls" performers who seeks to exchange her shiny suit�s stones for a bag of diamonds that could prove to be any girl�s best friend.

"Henry Tammer - Prodigy Bully" (written and directed by Hank Perlman) - A mockumentary boasts of finding the first child prodigy-cum-bully - 8-year-old Henry "The Hammer" Tammer, who oddly is a kick-ass and a smarty-pants. But the reaction yields a radical plan to tame Tammer for the common good of the schoolyard.

"Free Snacks" (written and directed by Corky Quakenbush) - Filmed in Claymation, an unsuspecting male patron (voice of Michael Richards, "Seinfeld") eats unshelled snacks in a bar but is nearly driven nuts by the suggestive compliments of an unseen woman (Jackee Harry, "227") who cannot be found. Tom Arnold voice is heard as the bartender.

Additional details about the "1MMs" including a rollout plan are expected to be announced at a later date.

Upcoming TCA schedule: Thursday-Friday (July 24-25) - NBC





  [july 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· AMERICAN DREAMS (NBC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BAYWATCH (SYNDICATION)
· COURT, THE (ABC)
· FASTLANE (FOX)
· FRIENDS (NBC)
· GOOD MORNING, MIAMI (NBC)
· HIDDEN HILLS (NBC)
· JOEY (NBC)
· MISTER STERLING (NBC)
· MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE (CBS)
· NYPD BLUE (ABC)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· THAT '70S SHOW (FOX)
· THIRD WATCH (NBC)
· WAR STORIES (NBC)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)





[07/18/25 - 09:09 AM]
"Bobby's Triple Threat" Is Back With Brand-New Addition to Bobby Flay's Hand-Picked Trio of Culinary Titans
The 10-episode season premieres Tuesday, September 2 at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network and streaming the next day on HBO Max.

[07/18/25 - 08:06 AM]
Jaw-Dropping Custom Builds and Outrageous Family Antics Collide in "Truck Dynasty" Premiering Tuesday, August 12 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Florida's Apocalypse Manufacturing owner Joe Ghattas is a self-made boss in the custom truck industry, known for his bold designs and loyal following that includes hardcore enthusiasts, world-famous rappers, sports superstars, and elite supermodels.

[07/18/25 - 08:01 AM]
Hallmark Channel Adds Hit Series "Gilmore Girls" to Its Lineup Beginning August 25
Just in time for the fall, the Gilmore family and the beloved residents of Stars Hollow will add twice the warmth and joy to Hallmark Channel's widely adored slate of heartfelt programming.

[07/18/25 - 07:36 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" Beginning July 25
From Oscar-nominated writer and director Wes Anderson, the film stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera.

[07/18/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford - Official Teaser Trailer - Netflix
Two of boxing's most dominant forces, Saul "Canelo" Álvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in a once in a lifetime fight for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[07/17/25 - 10:01 PM]
Video: "Final Draft" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Twenty-five athletes, most retired, compete to win 30M yen to launch their second career. Can they overcome tough physical and psychological challenges?

[07/17/25 - 07:04 PM]
Video: Preview - Summer Nights 2025 - Coming in August
Tune in for all-new movie premieres this August on Hallmark Channel Saturday nights at 8/7c!

[07/17/25 - 04:15 PM]
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to End After 2025-26 Broadcast Season
Colbert announced the news during tonight's taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

[07/17/25 - 02:17 PM]
Thrilling True Crime Docu-Series, "True Crime Story: Smugshot," Returns to SundanceTV Thursday, August 14
Created and executive produced by award-winning documentary filmmakers Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, the six-episode series spotlights entitled individuals involved in elaborate criminal behavior.

[07/17/25 - 01:31 PM]
Netflix: What We Watched the First Half of 2025
This report, which captures ~99% of all viewing in the first half of 2025, shows that people watched a lot of Netflix - over 95B hours - spanning a wide range of genres and languages.

[07/17/25 - 01:16 PM]
Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix's "Unaccustomed Earth"
Inspired by the internationally beloved Jhumpa Lahiri short story collection of the same name, "Unaccustomed Earth" is an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging.

[07/17/25 - 01:06 PM]
Samuel L. Jackson to Headline His First TV Series As Paramount+ Greenlights "NOLA King," The First Spinoff of the Hit Series "Tulsa King"
Jackson's character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., will be introduced in the upcoming, highly anticipated third season of "Tulsa King," slated to premiere in September.

[07/17/25 - 12:53 PM]
New Series "The Mother Flip" Premieres Saturday, August 16 at 12pm ET/PT on A&E's HomeMadeNation
Best friends and savvy flippers Kristy Etheredge and Rebecca Franchione, along with contractor Roy Salinas, transform the worst homes in Texas' Hill Country into big profits.

[07/17/25 - 12:11 PM]
AMC Networks' August Highlights Include "Nautilus," "Irish Blood," "Kidnapped," "The Furry Detectives" and More!
The month also features new seasons of Sundance TV's "True Crime Story: Smugshot," and We TV's fan-favorite series "Life After Lockup."

[07/17/25 - 11:35 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: Division Leaders Collide as Detroit Tigers Visit Philadelphia Phillies on August 3
This marks the third "Sunday Night Baseball" appearance of the 2025 regular season for the Tigers and the fourth appearance for the Phillies.