Try It Out: Fake Off & Friends of the People

It's a big week for TruTV, with two new series premiering on Monday and Tuesday. If you haven't come across the network before, you might have just not noticed - 91 million households in America receive it, though it was formerly Court TV (pre-2008). The channel is designed for reality programming, though it also carries some sports games, particularly NCAA basketball. But, the new series coming are both reality-based, with Monday's 10pm Fake Off being reality competition, and Tuesday's 10:30pm Friends of the People being sketch comedy.

ANNETTE BROWN

Fake Off promises to be visually stunning (and from what I've seen, it truly is), and promotes a hot type of performance these days - Faking. It's a mix of theatre, improvisation, illusion, and other factors, and will have troupes competing to "re-imagine iconic moments in pop culture." It'll start with ten teams doing 90-second routines, and eliminations would happen one at a time until only America's Fake-Off Champions remain. Judges include Chili (of the music group TLC), Michael Curry (puppet designer for Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Theatrical, 1996 & 2002 Olympics Opening Ceremonies, and more), and Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike Chang on Glee).

ALI GOLDSTEIN

Friends of the People is set up much like other sketch comedy series, with a bunch of comedians/improvisation artists who also serve as writers and executive producers on the series. There will be recurring characters, they will poke fun at pop culture, and there is inspiration from earlier similar series, like In Living Color. From the bits I have seen, I think that it actually will have a different take than and be more genuine than something like Saturday Night Live. And, yes, you have seen those twins (left in the image above) before - Keith and Kenny Lucas were on 22 Jump Street as residence hall neighbors for the guys.

Fake Off: Monday, October 27th at 10pm.
Friends of the People: Tuesday, October 28th at 10:30pm on TruTV. 

TruTV is on Comcast 65/841, DirecTV 246, DISH 242/9430, FiOS 183/683.

The 2014 FOX Fanfront Event

Today, as I was already in New York, I attended the FOX Fanfront. It's similar to the official Upfront presentation because it takes place a little earlier/at the same time, is held adjacent to the Beacon Theater where the advertisers and press journalists were watching, and showcased much of the same talent.

Jonathan Bredemeyer

But, it's also a very different experience. Rather than a cushy theater, you're under a tent in the heat.

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

The bulk of the time, it's just the "red carpet" portion before any event - actors answer questions for reporters as they make their way in, cast by cast. But, it's 2014, so each celebrity was encouraged to tweet about being there, and they were also taking selfies with audience members and signing autographs for the fans. There were a few special presentations, including a three-song concert performed by American Idol contestant Jessica Meuse (who came in 4th in the currently-running season).

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Then, another triple treat from Glee's Darren Criss. 

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Pitbull was also around, and although we cheered for him, it seems he just went straight to the "real" event. Honestly, the best pre-event part was actually watching an episode of Riot, which was really pretty amusing. But, more on that another time.

If you weren't in the first couple of rows, or even in the first section of bleachers (which was mainly filled with those who camped out overnight or were waiting since at least 6:30am), you couldn't really interact with the talent, nor even see them that well, as FOX wasn't utilizing their screens to help others see what was going on in the very warm room. At least we were kept happy with bottled water and snacks, including a soft pretzel that was just perfect. Others were busy going gaga over the various actors coming in...

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

One surprising negative was that the room didn't even quiet down when trailers for the new series were shown. Now, I'm more of a Marvel fan than DC, but I would have appreciated being able to hear the Gotham trailer. A plus, though, is that this is the second time FOX has let the public attend such an event - the Upfronts are so advertiser-focused that TCA members don't even get invitations. Actually, I'm kinda intrigued with how a single journalist might cover the Upfronts when two networks present on the same day, as this morning's NBC presentation was at the Javits Center was two miles from the Beacon. In LA you just drive it, but in NYC, that's either a multiple-subway trip, a 40-minute walk, or a cab ride that could potentially take 15 minutes, given how traffic seemed this morning. But, I digress. All in all, it was interesting to attend, and I'm glad I have some pictures to share with all of you. I mean, where else would you see this guy?

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Jonathan Bredemeyer

We'll actually weigh in on the new series of FOX and the other broadcast networks in the near future, so look forward to that as well.

Oh, and a random bonus shot... walking back to the hotel we came across this taking place...

Jonathan Bredemeyer

Fun Friday: Character Demographics This Season

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

For seventeen years now, GLAAD has been tracking the number of LGBT characters in scripted programming. You can see their entire report here, which is full of fantastic facts and figures. I wanted to share some highlights, though, as the numbers are pretty interesting.

Their estimate for the 2012-2013 television season (defined as any show premiering 6/1/12-5/31/13) is that 4.4% (of 701, meaning 31) of all regular characters (on new shows and returning shows) on the five major networks are LGBT. An additional 19 recurring characters are LGBT as well. Cable adds another 35 regulars and 26 recurring.

Where We Are On TV 2012-2013 Season
http://www.glaad.org/files/whereweareontv12.pdf

For comparison, they counted only 1.1% of all regular characters on network programming being LGBT in 2007.

Some other facts from the report that stood out to me:

- Women make up 45% of television characters this season.

- Of the network LGBT characters, 61% are gay men, 20% are lesbian women, 14% bisexual women, and 4% bisexual men. On cable, 49% are gay men, 27% are lesbian women, 15% are bisexual women, and 8% are bisexual men. Of the cable LGBT characters, 4% are transgender, a category not addressed yet this year on network TV.

- Glee and True Blood tie for the highest number of LGBT characters at six each!

- Showtime has 12 regular LGBT characters, the highest of any cable network.

- The CW only had one LGBT character at the start of the 2011 season, but now they have four. Speaking of The CW, 83% of their characters are white. (For comparison 72% of NBC's characters are white.) Latinos are specifically under-represented, with only 4% of the characters on network programming being Latino, despite the US being 16% Latino!

- Last year, only five LGBT characters were "people of color," (POC) but this year there are 14.

- The only network shows this year to have LGBT POC are Bones, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23, Emily Owens, MD, Glee, The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, The LA Complex, Malibu Country, The Office, Smash, and Suburgatory. Four are Latino, three are Asian/Pacific Islander, and seven are Black.

- On cable, LGBT POC can be found on Anger Management, Army Wives, Enlightened, House of Lies, Major Crimes, Pretty Little Liars, Single Ladies, Superjail!, Teen Wolf, True Blood, and White Collar.

- The number of disabled characters (a population we've looked at before) decreased this year, to just four - one on each of the four largest networks. GLAAD counts characters with "non-apparent disabilities such as cancer or HIV/AIDS" (as does the ADA). [Because the number is so low, I'll name them for those interested: Dr. Robbins on Grey's Anatomy is an amputee, CSI has a character using prosthetic legs, Parenthood has a character with Asperger's, and Artie on Glee uses a wheelchair. Dr. Robbins will be one of only two LGBT characters with disabilities, the other is the diabetic Thor on Nurse Jackie.]

How do these numbers compare with what you thought they were or where you think they should be? 

For starters, I know that I was surprised to see there were shows featuring six LGBT characters, and I'm surprised at how many of the depicted LGBT characters are white.  

Fun Friday with the Kevin Bacon Game!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I don't remember the first time I heard about "The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." I don't even remember which of Kevin Bacon's movies I saw first! But, yesterday I found out something cool you can do with Google and I wanted to share.

First, a little explanation for the unaware... Kevin Bacon (who is starring in The Following starting mid-season, by the way) has been in tons of movies with a wide variety of stars. Years ago, a party game developed where someone would name an actor and people would try and "link" that person to Kevin Bacon by figuring out movies that Kevin Bacon had been in with someone else who had been in something with a third person who had been in something with the named person. You wanted to not only link the actor to Mr. Bacon but also try to be the one with the shortest number of links needed to do so. I'm pretty bad at the game, but it's also gotten much easier over time.

Well, Google has set it up so all you have to do is type the name of an actor and "bacon number" (you don't even need the quotation marks) and the first thing you'll see on the results page is the chain linking Kevin Bacon to that person. It's fun to mess around with, and I encourage you to give it a go! Here are some examples with actors known for their television work (which makes them slightly "more difficult" for the game)...

I seriously tried like fifty people and I never came up with a Bacon Number higher than three, and only one occasion of that! So, please, if you find one that's three or higher, do share!

News Roundup: Casts, Plots, New Shows

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Cast & Plot Updates:
Jamie Chung will be joining the cast of Once Upon a Time - as Mulan. Other characters to be featured next season include Jack (and the Beanstalk), Sleeping Beauty, and Captain Hook.

Teen Mom 2's Kailyn is almost done having a large tattoo inked onto her back.

Smash's Dev will be exiting next season, so Karen will get Ana as a roommate, played by Krysta Rodriguez.

Adam Lambert may be joining American Idol as a judge. Steven Tyler is leaving the show.

Carly Rae Jepsen will perform on the Monday, October 8th season premiere of 90210.

Barry Watson (Matt from 7th Heaven) will play a love interest for Blake Lively's character on Gossip Girl.

Game of Thrones is getting quite a few cast additions, including Diana Rigg, Mackenzie Crook, Clive Russell, Nathalie Emannuel, Kerry Ingram, Paul Kaye, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ellie Kendrick, Richard Dormer, Kristofer Hivju, Phillip McGinley, Tara Fitzgerald, Tobaias Manzies, and Anton Lesser.

Joel McHale will play a con man on Sons of Anarchy.

American Dad will have a bunch of guest voices in the future, including Nathan Filion, Jon Hamm, Rupert Grint, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Mary J. Blige will join The Voice next season.

Patton Oswalt will appear as a smuggler in a two-episode arc of Burn Notice.

Parks and Recreation filmed their season 5 premiere at the White House.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
Fan of Arrested Development? There's an art show in LA based on the series, running now through July 21st. If nothing else, click the link to check out the slideshow!

Mike & Molly will run on FX when it enters syndication.

CartoonNetwork is now available in Canada!

Fraggle Rock is getting a spin-off 25 years later... The Doozers.

The kids from Glee will be infiltrating Archie comics later this year or early next year.

Hulu is offering a free two-month trial of Hulu Plus right now.

The Firefly reunion panel at Comic-Con will be part of the Science Channel special airing November 11th.

TruTV has Upload with Shaquille O'Neal in the works. It will be similar to Tosh.0.

J. Lo is developing a drama over on ABCFamily. It will focus on a lesbian couple and their family. ABCFamily is also developing a show based on the 1995 movie, Now and Then.

Bravo has The Joneses in the works - the same one that ABC bailed on a while back.

TNT has ordered a pilot for The Last Ship, executive-produced by Michael Bay. It is based on William Brinkley's novel and focuses on "a global catastrophe" that has resulted in the only survivors being aboard a naval destroyer.

About 20 million DirecTV subscribers went without 17 Viacom channels (including MTV, Nick, Comedy Central, BET, VH1, and Spike) for 10 days because of negotiating issues. Everything is now settled.

GSN now has the rights to air reruns of Minute to Win It. Look for it on Tuesday nights in the 7-11pm ET block.

AMC's The Walking Dead will be featured at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights (in Florida and California) this year. Look for the zombies in mazes/haunted houses. 

Hulu will co-produce the fourth season of The Thick of It, a BBC political comedy.

Pete Rose has a reality TV show about his life coming to TLC.

Lifetime has two more drama pilot orders: Witches of East End, and The Secret Lives of Wives. The former will center around a mother and her two uninformed adult daughters, who don't know that they're witches. The latter will look behind-the-scenes at the lives of four women.

Those pesky One Million Moms are already leading a protest campaign against NBC's new fall show, The New Normal. Their angle, of course, is that the sanctity of marriage is being desecrated.

News Roundup: Late May

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
Oxygen has renewed Best Ink for a second season.

Disney XD has ordered a second season of Lab Rats. [haven't heard of the show? don't worry; most people haven't heard of the channel.]

Rules of Engagement, believe it or not, was renewed by CBS for a 13-episode seventh season. Look for it mid-season.

TruTV has renewed South Beach Tow for a second season.

Rather than canceling LA Complex completely, the CW has decided to air 13 new episodes over the summer, beginning in July.

Just when we thought that Pan Am was off the air, it seems that Amazon might actually pick them up again. We previously mentioned that Amazon is looking to do original sitcoms and children's programming, but I guess dramas are in their minds as well.

MTV has canceled I Just Want My Pants Back.

A&E has canceled Breakout Kings. They've also canceled Dog the Bounty Hunter. [I'm glad. Every time I hear about that show I flash back to this horrible car trip I took four or five years ago where the girl sitting next to me wouldn't shut up about that show for over an hour!]

SyFy has canceled Sanctuary.

Cake Boss is back on TLC this Monday, May 28th at 9pm ET/PT.

The National Championships of the History Bee will be televised on Friday, June 1st at 8pm on History. Al Roker will be the moderator to the 32 regional competitors.

Over on CMT, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Brides premieres Friday, June 2nd at 8pm ET/PT.

History has renewed Ice Road Truckers, with the new season beginning Sunday, June 3rd, 9pm ET/PT.

Also on Sunday, June 3rd, at have Fast Food Mania premiering at 10pm ET/PT on Discovery.

Dance Moms will return on Tuesday, June 5th at 9pm ET/PT.

Flying Wild Alaska returns to Discovery on Friday, June 8th at 10pm ET/PT.

Redneck Island, Steve Austin's reality competition series, begins Saturday, June 9th at 10pm ET/PT on CMT.

True Blood's fifth season on HBO begins Sunday, June 10th at 9pm ET/PT.

Sunday, June 17th at 9pm ET/PT is the premiere of Forensic Firsts on the Smithsonian Channel.

Disney XD's Pair of Kings will begins its third season on Monday, June 18th at 8:30pm ET/PT.

Baby Daddy, ABCFamily's new comedy, begins Wednesday, June 20th at 8:30pm ET/PT.

The Soul Man, Cedric "The Entertainer"'s new show, begins Wednesday, June 20th at 10pm ET/PT.

The Exes is returning to TVLand on Wednesday, June 20th at 10:30pm ET/PT.

Lifetime's Army Wives continues on Sunday, June 24th at 10pm ET/PT.

TVLand's Retired at 35 will return on Tuesday, June 26th at 10pm ET/PT. [yeah, I forgot that this show was still going, too.]

Disney's Gravity Falls will begin Friday, June 29th at 9:30pm ET/PT, though there will be a special preview on Friday, June 15th at 9:55pm ET/PT.

Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World premieres July 6th at 9pm ET/PT on PBS.

Breaking Bad will return to AMC Sunday, July 15th at 10pm ET/PT.

AMC's Small Town Security will debut Sunday, July 15th at 10pm ET/PT.

AMC's Hell on Wheels returns Sunday, August 12th at 9pm ET/PT.

SyFy's Haven will begin its third season on Friday, September 21st at 10pm ET/PT.

Cast & Plot Updates:
Britney Spears may appear in a fall episode of Glee to be a tribute to the pop star.

After recent allegations that Raven-Symone is gay, the actress tweeted in response that it's her right to be straight or gay and to disclose whatever she wants.

Remy Gonzalez (ex-husband of Buddy's sister Lisa on Cake Boss), has been sentenced to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

Amber Portwood, of 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom, is probably going to prison for five years, as she just can't keep it together trying to complete a drug court program.

JoAnna Garcia will be the new lead on Animal Practice on NBC in the fall.

Season 2 of American Horror Story will be set in the sixties.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
ABC is still developing a new Hulk television show, possibly for the 2013-2014 season.

YouTube's latest original content channel is HUNGRY, which goes live on July 2nd. It will feature 60-180-second how-to videos, celebrity-driven food videos, with new episodes being posted weekly. Longer format videos may come later.

Did you know that the slow-motion running on Baywatch stemmed from a lack of funding that caused them to have to fill the time slot?

Now that House is finished, Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase) has admitted to taking his pen and his badge from the set.

Eugene J. Polley, inventor of the television remote control (in 1955), has passed away.  

Hulu has a bunch of original series coming up. Spoilers begins June 4th. Up to Speed and We Got Next begin in August.

News Roundup: Early April Edition

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
Oprah's Master Class was renewed by OWN.

HBO has renewed Game of Thrones for a third season.

FOX renewed New Girl, Glee, and Raising Hope.

ABC is keeping General Hospital and extending Good Morning, America into an additional hour-long segment in the afternoons, beginning this summer. 

FOX is cutting back on COPS, mainly because they're filling Saturday nights with sports.

Sunday, April 15th brings back another season of True Life on MTV.

HBO's new comedy series, VEEP, begins Sunday, April 22nd at 10pm ET/PT.

A new season of Discovery's American Guns begins Wednesday, April 25th at 9pm ET/PT.

TLC's My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding will begin Sunday, April 29th at 10pm ET/PT.

Tuesday, May 8th begins The United Stats of America, a History program designed to teach you about America using numbers. Check it out at 10pm.

Food Network Star returns on Sunday, May 13th at 9pm ET/PT to Food Network.

The CW has The Catalina, a reality series about Miami hotel employees, premiering Tuesday, May 29th at 8pm ET/PT and Breaking Pointe, a reality series about a ballet company in Utah, premiering Thursday, May 31st at 8pm ET/PT.

On Wednesday, June 6th at 9pm ET/PT, Travel Channel will debut Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America.

A&E will debut Cajun Justice on Thursday, June 7th at 10pm ET/PT. The series is about a police station in southern Louisiana.

True Blood returns to HBO on Sunday, June 10th at 9pm ET/PT.

HBO's The Newsroom will kick off its first season on Sunday, June 24th at 10pm ET/OT.

Showtime's Web Therapy will be back on July 2nd at 11pm and The Real L Word will return July 12th at 10pm.

On Friday, August 17th at 10pm ET/PT, Starz will premiere the second season of Boss.

BBCAmerica's first original drama, Copper, will premiere Sunday, August 19th at 9pm ET/PT. The 10-episode show will be about an 1860s cop in NYC.

Cast & Plot Updates:
James Denton will play a love interest for Joy on Hot in Cleveland.

Peri Gilpin (most known as Roz from Frasier) will play Ted Danson's wife on CSI.

Matt Laurer will remain with Today, making $25M each year.

Rosie O'Donnell and Dan Akyroyd will appear on Happily Divorced, albeit in separate episodes.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
Netflix has added some new cartoons to their streaming: My Little Pony, GI Joe: Renegades, The Adventures of Chuck & Friends, and Transformers Prime. Later this year, JEM & the Holograms, Transformers: Generation 1, GI Joe: Real American Heroes, and Transformers: Beast Wars and Rescue Bots will also be added.

The Smash soundtrack will be available May 1st.

CMT has picked up Bounty Hunters (an animated series) and Trinity 911 (a reality show about hijinks in a small Texas police force).

Disney has ordered the family comedy pilot Bits & Pieces, where step-siblings will have to learn to get along.

Disney XD has ordered a live-action series called Crash & Bernstein, about a 14-year-old boy whose puppet comes to life. It should premiere this fall.

OWN has four new series coming: Elura and Michele Take Staten Island (BFFs who are former prosecutors tell people what to do), Iyanla Fix My Life (an author who believes in the power of acting on faith solces people's problems), Married to the Army: Alaska (military wives in Alaska, many of whom have husbands serving in Afghanistan), and Six Little McGhees (Ohio's first sextuplets and their family).

Discovery has four new series coming, including Top Engineer (pitting engineering teams against one another), One Car Too Far (drive to survive!), Mark Burnett's Alaska (yet another Alaska show), and Fast and Loud (restoring classic cars).

Matt Groening has finally announced that The Simpsons is set in Springfield, OREGON. [edit: nope. that was a misinterpretation.]

Bravo has green-lit a bunch of new projects. Silicon Valley is about some young folks in that area trying to become the next big thing. Life after Top Chef will look at the lives of some former contestants. Below Deck will look at the lives of those who work on yachts. Huh? will look at internet memes. Newlyweds: The First Year looks at the trials and tribulations of the first year of marriage of couples across the country.

News Roundup: End of March 2012

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
BBCAmerica's Being Human will return for a fifth season of six episodes.

FOX's Q'Viva: The Chosen is being shortened from two hours to ninety minutes... and it's moving to 11pm instead of 8pm on Saturday nights. Cops and Bones will fill the gap.

The CW's The LA Complex (which doesn't premiere in the US until April 24th) will expand its first season from six episodes to nineteen. The new episodes will air over the summer.

FOX has renewed Bones for an eighth season.

Animal Planet has renewed Pit Boss, My Cat from Hell, and Pit Bulls & Parolees.

MTV renewed The Challenge for a 23rd season and The Real World for a 28th season.

Nickelodeon will present Dora's Easter Adventure for the first time this Wednesday, April 4th at 10am ET/PT.

TLC has yet another reality competition show in the world. Craft Wars will being its 10-episode run on June 26th, hosted by Tori Spelling.

Cast & Plot Updates:
Jason Alexander will have a role on an upcoming episode of Two and a Half Men.

Lindsay Lohan and Whoopi Goldberg will both guest on Glee this season.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
Netflix has decided to pass on Terra Nova after all, so consider it gone for good.

FX is looking at potentially making Fargo into a television show.

You may have known that you can watch the pilot for Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 early on ABC's website and on Hulu, but the second episode will also be available on April 2nd, a full nine days before the official debut.

NatGeo's Bid & Destroy will "give viewers an unprecedented look into the cutthroat, rough and demanding world of demolition." Twelve episodes are expected later this year.

Way back in October, Scott Baio was cast as the lead in Daddy's Home, an original show for Nick at Nite, but the network has ordered 20 episodes, to start filming later this year.

FX will have six installments of the untitled late show with Chris Rock & W. Kamau Bell, premiering this summer.

NBC is launching "NBC Kids" on Saturday, July 7th. This three-hour block will help meet the development needs of 2-5 year-olds.

Disney finally beat Nickelodeon in "average number of total daily viewers." If took them nearly 17 years to do so.

News Roundup: Early 2012 Cast & Plot Updates

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This is the second part of our first news round-up of the year, so it covers nearly three weeks of entertainment fun facts. As mentioned before, there has been a TON of news in the past three weeks, so we split the post into three topics to be more digestible (though you may notice that this is the smallest section of the bunch). Next week we plan to return to our normal, one-news-post-per-week schedule.

Cast & Plot Updates:
Carl Reiner will guest on Parks and Recreation. So will Paul Rudd.

Whoopi Goldberg will play Sue's guidance counselor on The Middle.

Emma Stone will be on 30 Rock on January 26th.

Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jeff Goldblum will play Rachel's dads on Glee.

Howard Stern is the newest judge on America's Got Talent. [NBC Universal Press Release]
Word around the tabloids is that Leah from Teen Mom 2 is pregnant again... AND engaged. But that's not all. Jenelle has been charged with making harassing phone calls and communicating threats. She was released on bond. Later that same week, she was arrested again, this time for violating a domestic protective order.

The new season of Who Do You Think You Are? premieres February 3rd. But, more importantly, it will feature Martin Sheen, Maris Tomei, Helen Hunt, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, and more.

Next fall's The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" episode is already underway. Showrunner Al Jean has said that, "It deals with in no particular order, The Mayan calendar's prophecy of the end of the world, black holes, Paranormal Activity and what would've happened if Homer and Marge hadn't gotten ready."

Mike & Molly's eponymous stars will likely get married for May sweeps.

TCA Winter 2012 - A Day with FOX, Part 1 of 2

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

TheTalkingBox first attended part of the Television Critics Association Press Tour last summer, where we attended sessions for the cable networks and PBS. We've had articles on and off since then, discussing various things that we learned during the week as well as using some of the panels to inform our choices as to which new shows to watch last Fall (the hype about 2 Broke Girls and Hell on Wheels in particular!). Well, the TCA Tour takes place twice each year, and I was late in finding out just how early in January it began... this is technically Day 5! So, due to scheduling conflicts (both professionally and personally), FOX is the only network we are able to cover this time around. Enjoy the fun bits below (and the second half tomorrow!) and we will hopefully be able to attend the entire event come July.

FOX started off a Sunday morning with a large and delicious breakfast spread. What made it even better were the theme songs of long-ended shows playing throughout the room. Critics particularly enjoyed reminiscing about The OC and Party of Five, though I was more excited to hear the tunes of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. Screens around the room scrolled cast photos from the good ol' days of 21 Jump Street, The X-Files, and more. While I had been looking forward to Jason Priestly and Shannen Doherty being present (that was the plan as of Friday evening), we were instead treated to Keenen Ivory Wayans (In Living Color) and David Faustino (Married with Children).

Cr: Brian Bowen Smith/FOX

As one of the most-anticipated new dramas, Touch was the first panel to start off the day. In case you can't recall, Touch has been marketed with the idea that there's an autistic kid who can see hidden patterns that connect people all over the world. That idea was reiterated with the tagline, "we are all interconnected. Our lives are invisibly tied to those whose destinies touch ours." Now, I haven't said much about my thoughts on Touch before, but I'm just not interested. Some people can't get enough of how intriguing the pilot is, but I'm rather uninterested on the whole. Present on-stage were Kiefer Sutherland, David Mazouz, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, plus some producers. It didn't much matter, though, since Kiefer received the majority of the questions. And, as I bet you could guess, there were a handful of questions regarding 24. The big news? The movie is scheduled to begin filming in April or May. Things we learned about Touch? It's a procedural drama, not a serialized show. The initial conversation evolves into another conversation, etc. The show will address the multiple theories as to what's going on, including spiritual, scientific, and nefarious hypotheses.

Cr: Justin Stephens/FOX

Second up on the docket was Alcatraz, which is the FOX show that I am personally most looking forward to this Spring. If you were on Twitter between 10 and 11 this morning, you likely saw Jorge Garcia blow up the internet, as he was one of the actors here promoting the show (alongside Sarah Jones and Sam Neill). Lost questions aside (though you have to laugh at the idea that all shows on land take place on islands), the bulk of the conversation regarding this drama focused on Alcatraz the place and its former residents. Figures such as The Birdman and Al Capone may appear via flashbacks, but there are no real prisoners who will need to be accounted for on the show. Oh, and about Alcatraz the place? The group went, and even saw more of the prison than groups normally see. They filmed part of the pilot there, and Jorge Garcia recorded a bit of the tour in-character. But, the show films in Vancouver, so don't get too excited, Bay Area friends. Sarah Jones, who plays Detective Rebecca Madsen, did share a little about the physicality of her role. It's been "so much fun" and "jumping off a roof was a highlight in my life, not just that day." For such a demanding character, she started boxing and running. While these were interesting things to hear, the show actually began to lose a little of my interest. It's being billed as a "thrilling new series that follows a unique trio investigating the shocking reappearance of 300 of Alcatraz's most notorious prisoners and guards, 50 years after they vanished," the actual excitement isn't uber-thrilling. At least, to me. The idea is that one person comes back each week, and more clues will be uncovered. The idea is to have some questions unanswered at the end of the first season anyway, hoping for a renewal.

And, now, the executive session. First, some news. FOX finished the Fall at #1 among adults 18-49 (tied with CBS), adults 18-34, and teens. This is only the second time they've ever hit #1 with the core adult demographic. FOX also had the youngest median age this Fall (out of FOX, NBC, ABC, and CBS), at age 47. Everyone was hoping for announcements regarding the futures of House and Terra Nova, but, alas, nothing was revealed by FOX President Kevin Reilly. We did find out that the powers that be have pretty much been procrastinating regarding both of those shows (and Fringe, for that matter), which is not usually a good sign. If Terra Nova is to return, the decision needs to be made within the next month in order for production to be on-schedule, so that's something. We also got a half-response as to the future of Glee... some characters are graduating, but there's still a non-spin-off show planned for the fall, with Lea Michele on board. More to come. We also heard that a House spin-off is pretty unlikely. The time has come and gone, as David Shore "never creatively found something that excited him." We did get a definitive answer on Allen Gregory, however. It's done. Okay, enough of the past. What's in store for the future? Saturday late-night programming! Starting next January (as in, a year from now), there will be a 90-minute block, starting at 11pm ET/PT, that will feature animated shorts. I can only imagine that a good chunk of that audience is going to be college students! On a related note, Bob's Burgers has ordered enough episodes through next Spring! And, met with mixed reactions, I Hate my Teenage Daughter is still scheduled to air its remaining six or seven episodes.

Check back tomorrow for the scoop on the afternoon sessions!

News Roundup: Renewals & Return Dates All Around

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
South Park returns with Season 16 on March 14th, 2012. Eastbound & Down and Life's Too Short will premiere Sunday, February 19th, 2012. [Comedy Central Press Release]

FOX's Alcatraz will premiere at 8pm on Monday, January 16th. It will move to 9pm on the 23rd, and House will take the 8pm slot. Napoleon Dynamite will start Sunday, January 15th, at 8:30pm. Bob's Burgers will return March 11th at 8:30pm.

Pretty Little Liars was renewed by ABCFamily for a third season.

A.N.T. Farm was renewed by Disney Channel for a second season.

USA's Common Law will debut at 10pm on January 26th. White Collar will return on January 17th and Royal Pains will resume on January 18th.

Dance Moms will return to Lifetime on January 10th, 2012.

Undercover Boss will return for a third season on Sunday, January 15th.

Web Therapy has been renewed for a second season.

La La's Full Court Life was renewed for a second season on VH1.

Cast & Plot Updates:
Ricky Martin will guest on Glee in late January, as "the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio."

Michelle Duggar has miscarried the 20th child, who was set to debut on 19 Kids and Counting in April. Michelle was in her second trimester and it's believed that the family will hold a funeral once they find out if it was male or female.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
Oxygen has three new docu-series in the works (all working titles). First, All the Right Moves, which is about friends living together and forming a dance troupe. Next, That's D'Amore, which looks at the lives of three sisters who live a privileged life thanks to their family's pizza business. Last, Taking NY, which follows some best friends trying to "have it all" in NYC. [Oxygen Press Release]

There's a great Burn Notice giveaway going on! One for Psych, too!

AMC has acquired the syndication rights to CSI: Miami, and it'll premiere on Monday, January 2nd, at 5pm, and will run in that slot on weekdays.

Dunder Mifflin will be a new brand of copy paper available through quill.com.

Harry Morgan, better known as Colonel Sherman Potter on M*A*S*H, has passed away at the age of 96.

If you're looking to get caught up Revenge or Once Upon a Time, ABC.com has all of the episodes of both up and available through January 3rd for the former and January 8th for the latter.

After House ends, Hugh Laurie will not take another television acting gig. He's thinking "writing or producing or directing or some other aspect."

Community will be featured on Hulu Plus now. Next-day access of new episodes will be available, as well as the entire back library.

There has been even more talk about Cable providers considering switching to a la carte subscriptions. [even though this particular article is two months old.]

On Live! with Kelly, Neil Patrick Harris snuck in a kiss to Betty White. [totally cute, by the way.] Also while guest-starring with Kelly Ripa, NPH and Kelly both inhaled sulfur hexafluoride, which has the opposite effect as helium!

I never knew that Saved by the Bell was cancelled every single season. Between that and not having the internet, it's no wonder that Mark-Paul Gosselaar and the rest of the SBTB gang managed to stay grounded! They didn't think anybody cared about the show!

Game of Thrones first season will be out on DVD March 6th, 2012.

ABCFamily has finished production on the new pilot Baby Daddy. Now, they're working on production for the new pilot Village People.

Had to Share: Glee on Sesame Street

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Yeah, it's a video. And you may have seen it out on the internet already. I just saw it this morning, and though I loathe Glee, I love Sesame Street. And, since Google is celebrating Jim Henson's (would-be) 75th birthday today (check out www.google.com if you haven't yet!), I thought it was fitting to post the video for you guys. What do you think? I find it absolutely brilliant!

2011 Primtetime Emmy Awards Winners

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Well, folks, that wraps it up for another year. And just in time, too! As we've mentioned both here and on Twitter, the new television season is underway, with many shows premiering over the next two weeks! But before we are completely obsessed over what's going to make it and what's not worth our time, let's take a final look at last year's outstanding shows, writers, directors, and actors.

As I did with the Creative Arts winners, I'm going to list the categories in the order that I predicted them last week, and give a thought or two after each winner.I got 9 / 35, so just over 25%. Surprisingly, that's about how I did with my Creative Arts predictions, haha. Oh, and, speaking of which, although I thought I wrapped up all of the awards handed out last week, I apparently did not. A few of the categories below were awarded at the Creative Arts ceremony. Oops.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Modern Family
- As I mentioned, "big money is going to be on Modern Family." And, it won. Too bad, since my vote was on The Big Bang Theory.  

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
"Caught in the Act" from Modern Family by Steve Levitan, Jeffrey Richman
- As I sit here and shake my head at Modern Family sweeping the Comedies, I'm secretly pissed that I can't stand this show and it just keeps winning.

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Modern Family "Halloween" by Michael Alan Spiller
- This one I'm hurt by. I thought that How I Met Your Mother's "Subway Wars" was just so well done. It figures that Modern Family would snub it. But, boo anyway! In all fairness, I did predict that this would be the episode of Modern Family that would earn the Emmy.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory
- Right show, wrong actor. I'm not upset, though. As much as I enjoy Johnny Galecki, I can see Jim Parsons taking home the award.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn in Mike & Molly
- Yes, I picked Amy Poehler for her performances in Parks and Recreation, but I'm so happy for Melissa McCarthy that it doesn't matter. Congratulations to McCarthy, as I've loved her since Gilmore Girls and can't wait to see Bridesmaids on DVD!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy in Modern Family

- Four nominees from Modern Family... the odds were there. Too bad for Jon Cryer, though.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy in Modern Family
- Guess I really took a beating here. I went with Betty White, thinking Jane Lynch of Kriten Wiig would probably steal it from beloved Betty. It wasn't either of them... but congrats to Julie Bowen!

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Justin Timberlake, Host on Saturday Night Live
- I was between Justin Timberlake and Matt Damon, and picked the wrong one. Close call though, and excellent performances all around!  

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holliday in Glee
- I don't really do Glee, as my regular readers know. But, I picked Kristin Chenoweth... the wrong guest, the right show. C'est la vie.

Outstanding Drama Series
Mad Men
- Figures. Mad Men beat my Boardwalk Empire. Not doing too great so far here.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
"Always" from Friday Night Lights by Jason Katims

- I was SO CLOSE to going ti Friday Night Lights, but I went Game of Thrones. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Oh, and congrats to Jason Katims!

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot" by Martin Scorsese
- Another win for Boardwalk Empire, and another win for me! Oh, and for Martin Scorsese.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor in Friday Night Lights
- Got blindsided here. Didn't see it coming. Too bad for Steve Buscemi, in my opinion. 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife
- Apparently I'm on my game in the Dramas! I'm so happy for Julianna Margulies, too!

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones
- I pushed for the right candidate! Though I did hear a lot of gruff on Twitter regarding how Dinklage did not thank George R. R. Martin in his speech.... 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett in Justified
- what? who? um, okay. Sorry, Christina Hendricks. 

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Paul McCrane as Josh Peyton on Harry's Law

-A little bummed that Michael J. Fox didn't take it, but life goes on. 

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Loretta Devine as Adele Webber on Grey's Anatomy
- Loretta Devine had my vote and brought it home! Yes!

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
Downton Abbey
- It didn't let me down! Downton Abbey for the win!

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special
Downton Abbey by Julian Fellowes
- I tried to push Sherlock only a couple of times (not like it got a ton of nominations...), but it failed. Again. I support Downton Abbey for the win, though.

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special
Downton Abbey "Part 1" by Brian Percival
-I don't know why I went with Cinema Verite when Downton Abbey was a contender. Temporary loss of intelligence? #dumbmoment?

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
Barry Pepper as Bobby Kennedy in The Kennedys
- There was some great acting on The Kennedys, let's not lie. But, apparently Barry Pepper's was better than Greg Kinnear's.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce in Mildred Pierce
- I wanted Elizabeth McGovern to win. I do enjoy Kate Winslet in general, but this was not my favorite of her roles. Congratulations to her just the same.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
Guy Pearce as Monty Beragon in Mildred Pierce
- Another case of "right show, wrong actor." I went with Brian F. O'Byrne, though Guy Pearce took the win. You win some, you lose some. Moving on... 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey
- I went with most adorable (Evan Rachel Wood). Apparently that wasn't the way to go. But Maggie Smith winning sounds just as good!

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming
Freedom Riders by Stanley Nelson
- I didn't see Gettysburg losing this one. Oh well. Nice win for Freedom Riders.

Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Nonfiction Programs
Jay Leno's Garage- Although it was a blind category for me, it seems my instinct for Jay Leno's Garage was lucky.

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
- Meh. As I mentioned before, "I have a really difficult time enjoying late-night shows." So I'm pretty apathetic that Conan didn't win. 

Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
- Again, I don't do late-night shows, so I had no big impetus to choose The Colbert Report, other than I've seen Colbert do a show in person. So, no hard feelings that Jon Stewart's show won. 
 
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Special
64th Annual Tony Awards
- I couldn't have gone with any other winner on this one, and I'm not alone. Again, awesome job with the 64th Annual Tony Awards, especially showing the behind-the-scenes clip on the writing of Neil Patrick Harris' closing rap.

Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
Saturday Night Live "Host: Justin Timberlake" by Don Roy King
- I kinda picked the Saturday Night Live with Justin Timberlake on principle, but it won! 

Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (Great Performances) by Lonny Price
- I wanted the Tonys here, too. But I love some Sondheim, so yay.

Outstanding Reality Program
Deadliest Catch
- I'm rather intrigued by this one. Not that I was really staunch in my selection of Undercover Boss, but I didn't realize how beloved Deadliest Catch was. Perhaps I'll give it a try...? 

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
- Yay! A correct pick! wooo!

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Jeff Probst, Survivor
- I know this was the "duh" choice, but I didn't want to back it. Go figure.

2011 Primetime Emmys, Part 1: Comedies

Today we begin with the (non-Creative Arts) 2011 Primetime Emmy Nominations and my picks! You may be aware that I don't have the best record for predicting award winners... but it's still fun! And I know that the nominations have been out for two months now, so you've probably had a chance to see who got nominated for what and start predicting the winners. But, as I mentioned last week at the start of my Creative Arts predictions, I think some people pick winners too early. Anyway, be sure to let me know how my picks measure up to who and what you think deserves the prestigious award this year!

Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock
- Big money is going to be on Modern Family. But I just don't find the show to be funny... much like I don't care for the humor in The Office. For me, the only true choice for Outstanding Comedy Series is The Big Bang Theory.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
"Episode 107" from Episodes by David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik
"Poker/Divorce" from Louie by Louis C.K.
"Caught in the Act" from Modern Family by Steve Levitan, Jeffrey Richman
"Good-Bye Michael" from The Office by Greg Daniels
"Reaganing" from 30 Rock by Matt Hubbard
- I'm not very well-versed in Episodes, so perhaps I am ignoring a very worthy candidate, but I'm going to give the Writing award to The Office.

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
How I Met Your Mother "Subway Wars" by Pamela Fryman
Modern Family "Halloween" by Michael Alan Spiller
Modern Family "Slow Down Your Neighbors" by Gail Mancuso
Modern Family "See You Next Fall" by Steve Levitan

30 Rock "Live Show" by Beth McCarthy-Miller
- I just can't shut up about how well How I Met Your Mother's "Subway Wars" was done! Though, I wouldn't be too surprised if "Halloween" pulls it out.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory
Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter in The Big Bang Theory
Matt LeBlanc as Matt LeBlanc in Episodes
Louis C. K. as Louie in LouieSteve Carell as Michael Scott in The Office
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock- So much amazing talent in this category! I think that Johnny Galecki does an exceptional job on The Big Bang Theory, though.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Laura Linney as Cathy Jamison in The Big C
Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn in Mike & Molly
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton in Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in Parks and Rereation
Martha Plimpton as Virginia Chance in Raising Hope
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in 30 Rock- I didn't see every episode of the season's Parks and Recreation, but Amy Poehler's acting did stand out to me, and though I've heard a great deal of buzz over Laura Linney for this category, I'm going to stick with Poehler.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel in Glee
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett in Modern Family
Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family

Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker in Modern Family
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy in Modern Family
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men- Four out of six nominees are from Modern Family. Too bad I can't stand that show! Jon Cryer is always my favorite on Two and a Half Men, so I'm favoring him here, too.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester in Glee
Betty White as Elka Ostrosky in Hot in Cleveland
Julie Bowen as Calire Dunphy in Modern Family
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in Modern Family
Kristen Wiig as various characters in Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney in 30 Rock- From the moment she was announced as a candidate in this category, I've been backing Betty White for her role on Hot in Cleveland. Maybe that's too cliche and smart money would be on Jane Lynch or Kristen Wiig, but I'm staying with the veteran actor.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Idris Elba on The Big C
Nathan Lane as Pepper Saltzman on Modern Family
Zach Galifianakis, Host on Saturday Night Live
Justin Timberlake, Host on Saturday Night Live
Matt Damon as Carol on 30 Rock

Will Arnett as Devin Banks on 30 Rock- I'm actually a little surprised by the nominees here. I was expecting to see one or two folks who didn't make the cut, apparently. I'm between Justin Timberlake and Matt Damon, and the more I ponder the two, the more I lean toward the latter, for his role on 30 Rock.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes in Glee
Fot-Marie Jones as Coach Beiste in Glee
Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holliday in Glee
Cloris Leachman as Maw Maw in Raising Hope
Tina Fey, Host in Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks as Avery in 30 Rock- I've complained about Glee before. A lot. But I thought that Kristin Chenoweth really shined last year.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Emmy predictions: Dramas.