The VICIOUS TV NEWS WRAP 11.06.07
Posted by Steve Vicious on 11.06.2007
The writers go on strike? "Scrubs" could be a casualty of this strike in its final season. Dr. House is battling depression? ABC picks up "Samantha Who?" "Family Guy" will do an "Empire Strikes Back" episode soon! Dog the Bounty Hunter is a racist and his show gets pulled by A&E. FX renews and extends "Rescue Me" for a fifth season while NBC wants to extend "The Office" to hour-long episodes. NBC axes "Heroes: Origins" due to writer's strike? The X-Files movie sequel gets a release date! Plus, Jerry Seinfeld is ridiculous and Hillary Duff is your TV Babe of the Week!
The VICIOUS TV News Wrap
- Written in front of a not-so-live audience @ 411studios in California
Opening Segment - Introduction
Hello, and welcome to the Vicious TV News Wrap. I'm sure you will notice that this episode of the TV News Wrap is much larger than it usually is. It is November sweeps, baby! This means that there are plenty of rumors and news flying all over the internet. So let's get to our top story of the day…
Top Story
Writers Guild Strike BEGINS!
As of Monday morning, the writers for both television and films have gone on strike! The last writer's strike last six months and cost the industry $500 million dollars. Of course, that was nearly two decades ago and the times have changed. The main reason the writers are going on strike is because they want a cut of online sales, cell-phone network, DVD releases and other new media formats.
"30 Rock" star and writer Tina Fey was seen picketing outside of "The Today Show" Monday morning. She mentioned how NBC has already asked her to honor her commitment to put being an actress first ahead of being a writer. Unfortunately, this strike will lead to many of our favorite shows being on "indefinite hiatus" for the time being. A major casualty of this strike "Scrubs."
The shows which will affected immediately are late-night talk shows like "The Tonight Show" and soap operas, which always ran daily. Then there is "Scrubs." "Scrubs" was one of my favorite programs back from 2002-2004, but I haven't watched it much recently. The show is in its final season, which was ordered by NBC at the last minute for a final 18-episode run. However, the show will run up to 12 episodes in its final season because 10 have been shot while two more scripts were completed before the strike. That leaves six episodes unwritten and many are speculating that the show will not receive the proper send off it deserves. Still, this strike will affect all of our favorite television shows and I hope the strike doesn't last long, especially since it could leave a show like "Scrubs" in limbo.
Random TV News
Hugh Laurie battling "mild depression"
Hugh Laurie, who plays Dr. Gregory House on "House", informed The Sunday Telegraph that he is suffering from a case of mild depression. "I'm always thinking about the show. I'm too neurotic and anal and too convinced we're going to fail to relax. Every show we do is a disaster, I'm convinced of it. I go home and my head is full of all the mistakes I've made." Laurie pays "periodic" visits to a therapist as he battles hisl mild depression, which he believes has nothing to do with the show "House." Laurie also admitted in the interview that he does not believe in God and that he is feeling drained having to work 14-hour days, five days a week. Laurie also revealed that the TV industry is full of false sincerity and smiles. No kidding.
ABC picks up "Samantha Who?"
ABC has picked up the Christina Applegate show "Samantha Who?" for a full season after just three airings. The show has managed to retain most of the "Dancing with the Stars" audience and is receiving mostly positive reviews.
Family Guy to do "Empire Strikes Back" parody episode
After achieving an incredible amount of success with the "Star Wars" parody episode this season, "Family Guy" will next tackle the film's sequel, "The Empire Strikes Back," soon. Voice actress Mila Kunis has already spilled the beans that the script for the episode has been completed and the cast has already done a table read for it. Boba Fett will be played by Peter Griffin's nemesis, the Giant Chicken. The "Star Wars" episode is still on my Tivo and it was probably the best episode the series has done in forever. It was just great and I can't wait for the "Empire Strikes Back".
Vanessa Hudgens signs on for "High School Musical 3"
Even though many parents were outraged that "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens had nude photos of her released on the internet, Disney has signed on their star for the third film in the wildly popular "High School Musical" franchise. It's good to see Disney sticking with what works because replacing Hudgens could have hurt the "High School Musical" franchise since the second film managed to pull in a huge cable audience for the Disney Channel.
ABC yanks "Dog the Bounty Hunter"
"Dog the Bounty Hunter" has been pulled off of A&E's upcoming schedule after Duane Chapman was recorded using the word "nigger" in describing his son's girlfriend. The kicker is his own son sold the audio recording to the National Enquire and this has led to some major backlash for Chapman. A&E has not canceled the show yet, but it is expected to do so within the next few weeks. "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is A&E's highest rated program, so this move should really hurt the network's ratings.
FX renews "Rescue Me" for fifth season
In what shouldn't come as a surprise, FX has renewed the Denis Leary drama "Rescue Me" for a fifth season. The series still managed to perform well even after getting moved to a new night this past season. FX also announced that the fifth season will contain 22 episodes instead of the normal 13 episodes "Rescue Me" produces each season. This also means the season will be split into two cycles, with 13 episodes each. This is a risky move because I felt most of season four was disappointing. I watched every episode without the same awe that I once had back when watching seasons one through three. I hope that changes when the series returns in summer 2008.
NBC axes "Heroes" spin-off
"Heroes: Origins" was a planned six-episode spin-off of "Heroes" that has sadly been shelved by NBC. Eli Roth and Kevin Smith were both rumored to have something to do with the series, but it looks like the writer's strike could be the main reason the spin-off won't head into production. Another key reason to "Origins" getting shelved has to be the fact that season two of "Heroes" has been getting crapped on by the critics and the ratings have been disappointing compared to last season.
The X-Files movie sequel gets a release date
Twentieth Century Fox has announced that the in-development forever sequel to "The X-Files" will finally see the light of day on June 25, 2008. The sequel has yet to receive an official name, but David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will reprise their roles as Agents Mulder and Scully. Production on the sequel will kick off on December 10th in Vancouver.
Molly Shannon guest stars on "Pushing Daisies"
Former Saturday Night Live cast member Molly Shannon has signed on for three episodes on ABC's freshman drama "Pushing Daisies." Shannon will play Dilly Balsam, a professional rival of Ned's who opens a sweets hop across from the Pie Hole, reports Zap2it.com. Shannon is an incredibly talent actress and it's unfortunate she hasn't received another shot at having her own show.
NBC wants more one-hour episodes of "The Office"
It looks like the hour-long episodes of "The Office" achieved enough of a success that NBC wants the show to move from the normal half-hour format to an hour-long format. Unfortunately, the critics have panned the first four hour-long episodes by saying "more is less." But NBC only cares about one thing – the ratings. The hour-long episodes of "The Office" managed to bring the series' ratings 19% higher than compared to the half-hour episodes from last fall. Also, the 9PM slot for NBC grew 59%! Personally, I don't care which format the show goes because I love the show so much. However, I do understand that sometimes if the show is dragged on longer than it should, then it feels like there is a lot of empty space to fast forward through (thank God for Tivo!).
New TV-on-DVD Today
• The Colbert Report - Best Of
• The Cosby Show - Season 5 and 6
• Flight of the Conchords - Season 1
• Full House - Complete Series and Season 8
• House of Venus - Season 1
• Martin - Season 3
• McLeod's Daughters - Season 4
• Project Runway - Season 3
• Seinfeld - Complete Series and Season 9
• Wildfire - Season 2
• Wings - Season 5
Viciously Ridiculous
It's now time for the most ridiculous item of the television news world this week.
Jerry Seinfeld has been all over NBC promoting "Bee Movie" and I'm starting to get sick of the guy. I mean, I know he wants the film to be a success, which it probably will since kids will watch anything, but why does he have to be on NBC every commercial break? Is NBC so desperate to recapture the old Seinfeld magic that they will have Jerry who himself out in order to get his film some exposure?
The Vicious TV Babe of the Week Name: Hillary Duff TV Appearances: Lizzie McGuire
