or


[05/19/09 - 12:54 PM]
The Futon's Upfront Notes: ABC & Nbc
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- A round-up of the various developments from upfront week that may have gotten lost in the shuffle:

-- NBC has canceled both "My Name Is Earl" and "Medium"... "Earl" creator Greg Garcia took to the pages of the Los Angeles Times to protest the move, saying "I e-mailed Jeff Zucker [president and chief executive of NBC Universal] on Sunday, and I never got a response. But this is show business. The writing was on the wall. When you go to bed the night before the schedule is out, and no one has spoken to you, you know what's happening. You get somewhat frustrated with how it's being handled, but that's the business we work in. I've never fooled myself that it's a fair or friendly business." Garcia and producer 20th Century Fox Television hope to pitch the series to other networks.

As for "Medium," talks are underway with CBS to pick up the show as it's based at corporate sibling CBS Television Studios. "NBC's cancellation of 'Medium' is inexplicable to us," the studio said in a statement. "The ratings don't lie: 'Medium' outperforms many of NBC's renewed shows. Despite inconsistent scheduling, 'Medium' -- under the creative vision of (creator) Glenn Gordon Caron, one of the most preeminent producers in television -- has always performed with distinction both creatively and commercially. Multiple award-winning actress Patricia Arquette and the cast have delivered a stellar series for five consistent seasons. The awards and ratings speak for themselves. We believe the show has a significant future and await developments." A deal however is not expected until after the upfronts.

-- ...as well as "Howie Do It" and "Deal or No Deal," sources have confirmed. Said cancellation doesn't extend to the latter's syndicated version. In total the Peacock will have parted ways with 16 series, the most by any broadcast network (number two: ABC with 12). The dead pool also includes "America's Toughest Jobs," "Chopping Block," "Crusoe," "Kath & Kim," "Kings," "Knight Rider," "Life," "Lipstick Jungle," "Momma's Boys," "My Own Worst Enemy," "Superstars of Dance" and the departing "ER."

-- ABC has likewise pulled the plug on "Cupid" and "According to Jim" however "Surviving Suburbia" remains alive. Alphabet topper Steve MacPherson noted during a press call this morning they'll make a final decision about the series by September when its option expires. "Suburbia" returns with the first of six episodes of Wednesday, May 27 at 9:30/8:30c. As for "Jim," look for the series finale on Tuesday, June 2 at 8:00/7:00c. The 10 other series not returning for the 2009-10 season are "Boston Legal," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Eli Stone," "Homeland Security USA," "In the Motherhood," "Life on Mars," "Opportunity Knocks," "Pushing Daisies," "Samantha Who?" and "The Unusuals."

-- The Alphabet may also order additional comedies for midseason. The Cedric the Entertainer-led "The Law," Jeff Strauss's "Married Not Dead" and the sibling comedy "This Little Piggy" were among the pilots mentioned as possible midseason contenders going into upfront week. The Shonda Rhimes-produced "Inside the Box" is also being eyed for potential redevelopment.





  [may 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· ACCORDING TO JIM (ABC)
· AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS (NBC)
· BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
· CHOPPING BLOCK (NBC)
· CRUSOE (NBC)
· CUPID (ABC)
· DEAL OR NO DEAL (CNBC)
· DEAL OR NO DEAL (SYNDICATION)
· DIRTY SEXY MONEY (ABC)
· ELI STONE (ABC)
· ER (NBC)
· HOMELAND SECURITY USA (ABC)
· HOWIE DO IT (NBC)
· IN THE MOTHERHOOD (ABC)
· INSIDE THE BOX (ABC)
· KATH & KIM (NBC)
· KINGS (NBC)
· KNIGHT RIDER (NBC)
· LAW, THE (ABC)
· LIFE (NBC)
· LIFE ON MARS (ABC)
· LIPSTICK JUNGLE (NBC)
· MARRIED NOT DEAD (ABC)
· MEDIUM (CBS)
· MOMMA'S BOYS (NBC)
· MY NAME IS EARL (NBC)
· MY OWN WORST ENEMY (NBC)
· OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS (ABC)
· PUSHING DAISIES (ABC)
· SAMANTHA WHO? (ABC)
· SUPERSTARS OF DANCE (NBC)
· SURVIVING SUBURBIA (ABC)
· THIS LITTLE PIGGY (ABC)
· UNUSUALS, THE (ABC)





[12/08/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix's "My Life with the Walter Boys" Welcomes New Cast Members for Season 3
Chad Rook, Naveen Paddock, and Erin Karpluk will recur on the upcoming season.

[12/08/25 - 11:30 AM]
College Football on The CW Network Sees Double Digit Year-Over-Year Viewership Gains for 2025 Season
ACC football experienced the largest year-over-year growth, up 26% in total audience compared to 2024.

[12/08/25 - 10:07 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Official Trailer, Key Art and New Imagery for "The Copenhagen Test"
Simu Liu, Melissa Barrera, Sinclair Daniel, Brian d'Arcy James, Mark O'Brien, and Kathleen Chalfant star in the series, due on December 27.

[12/08/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In the early hours of June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, igniting one of the most intense and widely covered missing-person cases in American history.

[12/08/25 - 10:00 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Series "Rooster," Starring Steve Carell, From Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, Debuts March 2026
A comedy set on a college campus centering on an author's (Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Charly Clive).

[12/08/25 - 09:58 AM]
Wonder Project Reveals First-Look Images and Premiere Date for Upcoming Family Drama Series Starring Scott Foley, "It's Not Like That"
The family drama series starring Scott Foley will premiere with the first two episodes on Wonder Project's subscription on Prime Video on January 25, with subsequent episodes of the eight-episode season debuting weekly thereafter.

[12/08/25 - 09:45 AM]
Netflix Acquires Rights to Emily Giffin's Bestseller "All We Ever Wanted" for Series Adaptation Development
A soapy and scandalous drama that uncovers the secrets and class struggles of a wealthy suburb; where a torrid love affair between a "have" Mom and "have-not" single Dad threatens to expose the sins and lies of all of those around them.

[12/08/25 - 09:02 AM]
Video: NBC Debuts Official Trailer, Key Art, and New Images for Season 2 of "The Hunting Party"
Guest stars this season include Eric McCormack, Finnigan McCormack, Kelsey Grammer, Niecy Nash-Betts, Liz Gillies, Jefferson White, and more.

[12/08/25 - 09:02 AM]
"Alaska State Troopers" Returns for All-New Season on A&E Beginning January 7 at 8pm ET/PT
The series, which ran for eight seasons on cable from 2009-2015, gives an inside look at the law enforcement teams who serve and protect the communities in Alaska's vast territory.

[12/08/25 - 08:32 AM]
ESPN Unveils More MLB Game Selections for Key Dates in 2026
ESPN will begin its new 30-game regular season slate on Wednesday, April 15 - MLB Jackie Robinson Day - when it exclusively airs the New York Mets vs. reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers game from Dodger Stadium at 10 p.m. ET.

[12/08/25 - 08:30 AM]
Hit Acorn TV Original Crime Drama "My Life Is Murder," Starring Lucy Lawless, Returns Monday, January 5
Starring Lucy Lawless as the fearless and unapologetic investigator Alexa Crowe, the eight-episode season features a slew of puzzling cases ranging from shady aquariums and elite cheer squads to creepy dolls and deadly island getaways.

[12/08/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Miss Scarlet" Season 6 - Trailer
Can Eliza juggle the demands of her personal and professional life?

[12/08/25 - 07:16 AM]
Marcello Hernandez Debuts His First Ever Stand-Up Special on Netflix
In front of a hometown crowd in Miami, Marcello shares laugh-out-loud experiences of growing up as a first-generation American.

[12/08/25 - 06:06 AM]
Nominations Announced for "83rd Annual Golden Globes"
Marlon Wayans and Skye P. Marshall presented nominees for each of the 28 award categories at a press conference at the Beverly Hilton.

[12/08/25 - 03:01 AM]
Great American Media Continues Its Legacy of Love and Pet Adoption, "Great American Rescue Bowl 2026"
The two-hour special event honoring rescue pets and the heroes across America who save lives through shelter pet adoption.