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[05/19/09 - 12:54 PM] The Futon's Upfront Notes: ABC & Nbc By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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.
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[08/03/26 - 11:54 AM] Amazon MGM Studios Orders "DINKS" to Series from Marta Kauffman's Okay Goodnight, in Pioneering Deal with Lionsgate and Publicis Media Content Innovation Real-life married couple June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer star in and executive produce the series, with Jon Gabrus set as a series regular.
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[08/03/26 - 11:03 AM] Ben Affleck and Jamie Ding Score Best Audience in a Year with Million-Dollar Win on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" The July 29 episode rose from last week's season premiere with 4.22 million viewers.
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[08/03/26 - 10:02 AM] Shudder's Cult-Favorite Series "The Creep Tapes" Returns with a Two-Episode Premiere Tuesday, September 15 The six-episode season of the cult-favorite franchise features guest stars including Kate Siegel, Nic Hamilton, Elliott Fulham and Duplass' daughter, Ora Duplass, who will star in a throwback episode.
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[08/03/26 - 09:46 AM] "In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership" Premieres Tuesday, October 27, 2026 on PBS Based on More Perfect's groundbreaking In Pursuit initiative, the film weaves together new interviews and archival material with documentary storytelling to explore what we can learn from the past to inform a more perfect union.
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[08/03/26 - 09:15 AM] V/H/S Cranks Up the Volume with New Installment "V/H/S/Mixtape" Streaming on Shudder October 9, 2026 Featuring all-new segments from legendary filmmaker Ernest Dickerson, hip-hop icon RZA, visionary director David Moreau, and acclaimed filmmaker Renee Zhan, whose segment includes original puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
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[08/03/26 - 09:01 AM] Video: "Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi" - Final Trailer - Aug. 5 on Disney+ & Hulu Beyond light and dark lies a power never seen before.
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[08/03/26 - 09:00 AM] The CW Network Renews Unscripted Hit Series "Scrabble," "Trivial Pursuit" and "Police 24/7" The second seasons of "Trivial Pursuit" aAnd "Scrabble" continue on The CW this fall with new episodes debuting on Thursday, October 1.
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[08/03/26 - 08:01 AM] Video: "Outer Banks" Season 5 - Official Podcast Trailer Debut & Announcement Hosted by longtime OBX fan and podcaster Ria Ciuffo, the series dives into the cast, characters, and the cultural phenomenon that has captivated audiences for years.
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[08/03/26 - 07:23 AM] New True Crime Series "Somebody Knows Something" Premieres Monday, Aug. 10, on Freeform and Streams Next Day on Hulu "Somebody Knows Something" follows true crime influencer Kara Chamberlain as she investigates unsolved murders and missing persons cases that have stumped law enforcement and haunted internet sleuths for decades.
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[08/03/26 - 07:04 AM] Meet the Minds Behind the Magic: "Disney Worldbuilders" Premieres August 20 on Disney+ Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks sits down with Bob Iger, James Cameron, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Jennifer Lee, Pete Docter, Dave Filoni, Jared Bush and Josh D'Amaro - with a look at new worlds on the way.
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[08/03/26 - 06:01 AM] Netflix Sets On-Air Team for First-Ever Regular Season NFL Game in Australia Live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 10 at 8:35 PM ET (September 11 at 10:35 AM AEST), Netflix will broadcast the Week 1 matchup, featuring the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Los Angeles Rams.
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[08/02/26 - 05:16 PM] Seo Kangjun and Ahn Eun-jin Explore Love, Temptation, and Complexities of Long-term Relationships in Prime Video's "A Love Other Than Yours" The series explores the fragile line between comfort and passion, and whether choosing each other after ten years is an act of love, habit, or survival.
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[07/31/26 - 01:03 PM] ABC News Wins Across Late Night, Sunday Morning and Friday Night in Total Viewers and Key Adult Demos Season to date, "Nightline" is up in Total Viewers versus the same point last season.
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[07/31/26 - 10:37 AM] ESPN and Fanatics Studios Announce Second Edition of "Fanatics Fest: All Access" to Debut on August 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN The second installment of the special offers unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Fanatics Fest, the premier sports, entertainment and culture 4-day event that recently brought together the biggest names in sports, music, comedy and entertainment.
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[07/31/26 - 10:01 AM] Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Three-Part Reunion Begins Sunday, Aug. 9 at 8 P.M. ET/PT Host Andy Cohen sits down with Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton Mwangi, Kelli Potter, Angela Oakley, K. Michelle, Pinky Cole and friend Cynthia Bailey as they unpack the season's biggest moments, clear up the rumors and confront some surprising revelations.
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