2013-14 NBC New Series
New Comedies
About A Boy – Based on the best-selling Nick Hornby (“High Fidelity,” “An Education”) novel, writer Jason Katims (“Friday Night Lights,” “Parenthood”) and director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Revolution”) present a different kind of coming-of-age story. Will Freeman (David Walton, “Bent,” “Perfect Couples”) lives a charmed existence as the ultimate man-child. After writing a hit song, he was granted a life of free time, free love and freedom from financial woes. He’s single, unemployed and loving it. So imagine his surprise when Fiona (Minnie Driver, “Good Will Hunting,” “Barney’s Version”), a needy single mom and her oddly charming 11-year-old son, Marcus (Benjamin Stockham, “1600 Penn”), move in next door and disrupt his perfect world. When Marcus begins dropping by his home unannounced, Will’s not so sure about being a kid’s new best friend, until, of course, Will discovers that women find single dads irresistible. That changes everything and a deal is struck: Marcus will pretend to be Will’s son and, in return, Marcus is allowed to chill at Will’s house. Before he realizes it, Will starts to enjoy the visits and even finds himself looking out for the kid. In fact, this newfound friendship may very well teach him a thing or two that he never imagined possible — about himself and caring for others. Writer Jason Katims, director Jon Favreau, Tim Bevan (“Les Misérables,” “About a Boy”), Eric Fellner (“Les Misérables,” “About a Boy”), Liza Chasin (“Les Misérables,” “About … Read More »
With the broadcast networks done unveiling their schedules, here is the full fall grid (see below) and some intriguing matchups for next season:
Tuesday 8 PM: This is shaping out to be the biggest fall battleground, especially for male viewers. The Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC are going against the agents of NCIS on CBS. Also joining the fray is another younger-skewing new genre drama series, the CW’s Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals. 
Fox has new male-centered comedies Dads and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. All these shows (or those who survive) will have to go against the biggest broadcast reality show at the moment, NBC’s The Voice, in midseason. Will anyone blink?
Related: Tuesday “Comedy Sigalert” Back
Thursday 9 PM: Robin Williams vs. Sean Hayes. The comedy vets are returning with new series (Williams in CBS’ The Crazy Ones, Hayes in NBC’s Sean Saves The World) and will face off in one of TV’s highest-profile slots. In another male comedy star showdown, Michael J Fox will take on Ashton Kutcher and Jon Cryer at 9:30 PM. Read More »
2013-14 NBC Schedule
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 PM – “The Voice”
10-11 PM – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 PM – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)
9-10 PM – “The Voice” (New time)
10-11 PM – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)
WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)
9-10 PM – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 PM – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 PM – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)
8:30-9 PM – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 PM – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 PM – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 PM – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)
FRIDAY
8-9 PM – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 PM – “Grimm”
10-11 PM – “DRACULA”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 PM – “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 PM – “NBC Sunday Night Football”
NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 PM – “The Voice”
10-11 PM – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 PM – “The Voice”
9-9:30 PM – “ABOUT A BOY”
9:30-10 PM – “THE FAMILY GUIDE”
10-11 PM – “Chicago Fire”
WEDNESDAY
8-9 PM – “Revolution”
9-10 PM – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 PM – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 PM – “Parks and Recreation”
8:30-9 PM – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 PM – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 PM – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 PM – “Parenthood”
FRIDAY
8-9 PM – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 PM – “Grimm”
10-11 PM – “CROSSBONES”
SATURDAY
8-10 PM – Encore and specials programming
10-11 PM – “Saturday Night Live” (Encore)
SUNDAY
7-8 PM. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 PM – “AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS”
9-10 PM. – “BELIEVE”
10-11 PM – “CRISIS”
Related: 2013-14 Schedule Grid & Top Face-Offs
Related: … Read More »
NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt jumped right into the late-night controversy during the network’s upfront presentation this morning in NY, announcing a change in the network’s late-night plans as he took the stage at Radio City Music Hall. 
“I will be stepping down in 2014 to take over The Tonight Show, and Jay Leno will be taking my job”, he said. The presentation opened with a video featuring Parks And Recreation stars Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. “Hi, I’m Shakira,” Poehler said, shelling out advice on what show Middle America likes. “There is no bigger show on TV than The Voice“, she said. Deadpanned Offerman, “I prefer a show called The Silence where you have a black screen and no sound”. Poehler also touted the success of Revolution, a show about people living in the wilderness with no electricity or power. “I’d watch it, provided it’s not a show and is called Camping“.
Related: NBC’s 2013-14 Schedule
Greenblatt acknowledged NBC’s ratings woes this past season. “It’s been a roller-coaster season”, Greenblatt said. “We made progress”, he added, noting the network’s finish as No. 1 in the fall for the first time in nine years. But then, “we had challenges in the first quarter and our share of midseason disappointments” before “bouncing back in April”.
Related: Jay Leno To “Pass The Baton” To Jimmy Fallon During Winter Olympics; Seth Meyers To Start Feb. 24
The NBC boss also said that once again there will be two cycles of The Voice, with the fall one launching on September 23, the opening night of the season. Cycle 2 will start immediately following the Winter Olympics.
Related: NBC Execs: Corporate Synergy And Olympics Will Help Next Season
The first applause of the day came for Greenblatt’s announcement that Community is coming back for 13 episodes. The second one? For Michael J Fox, whose new series will air on Thursdays. It was the first new NBC show introduced by Greenblatt before he handed things off to NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke.
Related: NBC’s New Show Trailers Read More »
Here are new trailers just released by NBC for the network’s new fall shows, which were officially unveiled yesterday ahead of the upfront presentation that’s just getting underway in New York. Yesterday, NBC released some first-look clips. Here are the latest trailers — still waiting for About A Boy and The Family Guide it seems,so keep checking back:
Dracula — Drama
Ironside — Drama
Read More »
Male-friendly new comedy and drama series dominate Fox‘s new series picks. Fox is launching six new series in the fall — comedies Dads, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Enlisted and dramas, Sleepy Hollow and Almost Human — and one reality series, Junior Masterchef. Midseason will be as important with six new shows slated to unspool then: comedies Surviving Jack, Us & Them and animated Murder Police, dramas Rake and Gang Related and event series Wayward Pines, from M. Night Shyamalan. Without further ado, here is Fox’s 2013-14 schedule, with analysis and new show descriptions below it:
FOX FALL 2013-2014 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)
MONDAY
8-9 PM Bones (fall) / ALMOST HUMAN (late fall)
9-10 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (fall) / The Following (midseason)
TUESDAY
8-8:30 PM DADS
8:30-9 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9-9:30 PM New Girl
9:30-10 PM The Mindy Project
WEDNESDAY
8-10 PM The X Factor (fall) / American Idol (midseason)
THURSDAY
8-9 PM The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9-10 PM Glee (fall) / RAKE (midseason)
FRIDAY
8-9 PM JUNIOR MASTERCHEF (wt) (fall)
9-10 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW encores (fall)
Late Fall:
8-9 PM Bones
9-9:30 PM Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10 PM ENLISTED (new; late fall)
SATURDAY
7-10:30 PM Fox Sports Saturday
11 PM-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF
SUNDAY
7-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall)
7:30-8 PM The OT (fall)
8-8:30 PM The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob’s Burgers
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10 PM American Dad Read More »
Family comedies and action dramas dominate NBC‘s new series additions for next season. NBC is introducing six series in the fall — comedies Welcome to the Family, Sean Saves the World, and The Michael J. Fox Show; and dramas The Blacklist, Ironside and Dracula; with five more set for midseason– comedies The Family Guide and About A Boy, and dramas Believe, Crisis and Crossbones. (Dracula and Crossbones were carried over from last upfront/off-season). Not scheduled yet are newly picked up dramas Chicago PD and The Night Shift and comedy Undateable as well as last-minute renewal Community. On the returning series side, missing from the announcement are long-time reality staple Celebrity Apprentice and well reviewed freshman drama Hannibal as NBC is yet to make a pickup decision on both. Here is NBC’s fall and midseason schedules with analysis and new series descriptions underneath. As expected, the network is spreading its launches between the fall and spring, tied to its Winter Olympics coverage:
NBC FALL 2013-14 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football” Read More »
EXCLUSIVE: The Crow will fly with Welsh actor Luke Evans playing the title role in the F. Javier Gutierrez-directed franchise reboot for Relativity Media. Evans was the original choice, but he has been incredibly busy. He was just cast as the lead in Dracula Year Zero, he is the villain in Fast & Furious 6 and is Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Evans seemed to be unavailable because of production on Dracula and promotion on The Hobbit. The distributor looked at Tom Hiddleston and more recently Alexander Skarsgard, the latter of whom has a bunch of offers after Warner Bros halted Tarzan. Ultimately, they have decided to push the start date to early next year to accommodate his schedule in order to secure Evans, who is currently promoting the release of Fast 6. So hey junket guys, be sure to ask him about it. They are now in negotiations and I expect the deal to make. He seems an ideal fit for the role originated by Brandon Lee, who died tragically during production on the 1994 Alex Proyas-directed revenge story based on the James O’Barr comic book series. He’s repped by WME and United Agents.
Fast & Furious 6‘s Luke Evans stars in Dracula, about Prince Vlad, the man who would become the mythological bloodsucker. Gary Shore came aboard as director more than a year ago after the studio scrapped the film because of budget concerns; Sam Worthington had been attached to star with Alex Proyas directing. The latest script draft was from Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless. Michael De Luca remains the producer on the pic, for which Universal has set an August 8, 2014 release. That puts it alone for now on the date but comes a week after Disney’s Guardians Of The Galaxy.
EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, HBO has bought for development Down Lo, a drama project from singer-songwriter John Legend and producer-director Tony Krantz. Set in Miami’s South Beach, the edgy ensemble drama explores the intersection of three worlds — the party town’s popular music scene and sports and fashion circles. It deals with fame and secrets, with the stories told from multiple points of view. One of them will be that of a gay rapper living on the down low as homosexuality is still not readily accepted in the hip-hop community. (In an interview just this week, Snoop Dogg said he doubts that homosexuality will ever be accepted in the “masculine” rap world.) Down Lo also features top models as well as athletes with their penchant for big money, fast cars and beautiful women. Down Lo, which is expected to draw on Legend’s first-hand knowledge and great access to the music world, hails from Krantz’s Flame Ventures and Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co. It is being written by playwright/scribe Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, who is executive producing with Krantz and Get Lifted’s Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius. Flame’s Reece Pearson serves as co-executive producer. Read More »
EXCLUSIVE: After expanding into directing, producer Tony Krantz is now making a foray into writing. Krantz and his Flame Ventures have partnered with Entertainment One for Saboteurs, an ambitious international drama series about the underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. In his first-ever writing effort, Krantz penned the pilot script on spec. Given the project’s scope and setting, he sent it to eOne, which specializes in international co-productions. Not to sway them, he didn’t disclose he was the writer until he got a call a couple of days later that eOne was buying the project. (Of course, Krantz has writing in his DNA — his mother is popular novelist Judith Krantz.)
Saboteurs is a fictional story about the first resistance cell in Nazi-occupied Paris. It is set in the early months of WWII, before the U.S. got involved following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The cell consists of regular people with no training or experience who decide to fight back. Saboteurs is an action thriller chronicling their adventures as resistance fighters with a mix of Nazis, traitors, regular people and Americans. In addition to writing, Krantz will direct and executive produce. eOne is already eying U.S. cable networks for Saboteurs and is expected to meet with key international buyers at the upcoming MIPTV before officially launching the project at MIPCOM in the fall. Read More »
Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco, director of more than 180 films including cult pics Vampyros Lesbos and Venus In Furs, died in Málaga early today after suffering a stroke, Spain’s El Pais reports. He was 82. Born Jesús Franco Manera, he made his feature directing debut with 1959′s We Are 18 Years Old and opened his cult classic The Awful Dr. Orlof stateside in 1961. His erotic horror films of the 1970s and 1980s sealed his reputation as an exploitation cinema icon. Franco worked frequently with actress Soledad Miranda (Eugénie de Sade, Vampyros Lesbos, She Killed In Ecstasy, The Devil Came From Akasava) before her death in 1970, as well as Christopher Lee (Count Dracula, The Blood Of Fu Manchu, The Bloody Judge) and protege/wife Lina Romay (Female Vampire, Barbed Wire Dolls, Jack The Ripper). He remained active through the next three decades and received an honorary Goya award in 2009. Franco’s final film, Al Pereira Vs The Alligator Women, opened last month in Spain.
Former BBC Daytime controller Liam Keelan was originally named dirctor of BSkyB‘s flagship Sky 1 HD back in December, but he later pulled out to move to BBC Worldwide. After opening up the search again, Sky has now named Adam MacDonald to oversee the channel. MacDonald joins from A+E Networks UK – a joint venture of A+E Networks and News Corp.-controlled BskyB – where he’s VP of programming. Former Sky 1 director Stuart Murphy has been bumped up to oversee Sky’s entertainment portfolio Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts, Challenge and Pick TV. Sky 1 was named Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Awards in 2012 and overall, Sky has commited £600M ($975M) for UK content and production across all of its channels by 2014. Among upcoming projects, Sky Atlantic is co-producing The Tunnel and biopic Fleming; Sky Arts has the Playhouse Presents series in the pipeline with talent that includes Anna Friel, Matt Smith, Idris Elba and Vanessa Redgrave and Sky Living is co-producing NBC series Dracula.
Melissa George has been tapped for a lead role opposite Janet Montgomery in ABC’s drama pilot Gothica. Set in the present day, the project, created by Matt Lopez and exec produced by Mark Gordon and Nick Pepper of The Mark Gordon Co., weaves together a mythology that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. It centers on journalist Grace Van Helsing (Janet Montgomery) who takes over her family’s hometown newspaper. George, repped by ICM Partners, 3 Arts and Smelkinson, will play Fiona Hunter, the series’ most formidable force, and everyone – from Grace, to Dorian (Chris Egan), to Victor Frankenstein (Tom Ellis) – will find their mettle and savvy tested by this deliciously cunning woman. Aussie George recently toplined Frank Spotnitz’s BBC/Cinemax series Hunted. While the series ended when BBC opted not to renew it, Ciinemax and Sportnitz have been plotting two-hour movies centered on George’s character, which has developed strong fan following. Read More »
Fringe alum Seth Gabel is headed to another potential genre series with a co-starring role on the ABC drama pilot Gothica. Set in the present day, the project weaves together a mythology that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. It centers on journalist Grace Van Helsing (Janet Montgomery) who takes over her family’s hometown newspaper. Gabel, repped by ICM Partners, Management 360 and Felker/Toczeck, will play Roderick Usher, the district attorney and heir to the once-powerful Usher family who is carrying secrets.
Another former Fringe co-star, Georgina Haig, and In Living Color alumna Kim Wayans have been added to CBS‘ drama pilot Reckless, directed by Catherine Hardwicke from a script by Dana Stevens. The sultry legal show set in Charleston, South Carolina, centers on Jamie, a gorgeous Yankee litigator, and Roy, a Southern City Attorney (Cam Gigandet), who struggle to hide their intense attraction while clashing over a police sex scandal. Wayans, repped by manager Karen Forman and Patti Felker, will play Vi, Jamie’s paralegal. She took a dramatic turn in last year’s Pariah. Aussie Haig, repped by IFA and Sue Barnett & Assoc. in Australia, plays Lee Anne, a police officer in the Charleston PD.
BBC Worldwide’s Sarah Cooper is leaving her COO post at the commercial arm of the BBC to become COO of NBCUniversal International Television Production. Cooper takes over the newly-created role on March 11, reporting to NBCU International TV Production president 
Michael Edelstein. She will assume day-to-day operational responsibility for business and legal affairs, HR, finance, merchandising and licensing and format sales. The company is on a drive to become “the premiere destination for content creators working outside the United States,” Edelstein said. It encompasses in-house labels Carnival Films, producer of Downton Abbey and Dracula; reality producer Monkey Kingdom; Lucky Giant, which is making Christopher Guest’s Family Tree with the BBC and HBO and factual label Chocolate Media. The company also has a joint TV production deal with Working Title, an equity stake in Oz-based Matchbox Pictures and a partnership with Canada’s Lark Productions, among other ventures.
Emma Booth has been cast in ABC‘s drama pilot Gothica. Set in the present
day, the ABC Studios/Mark Gordon Co. project weaves together a mythology that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. It centers on journalist Grace Van Helsing (Janet Montgomery) who takes over her family’s hometown newspaper. Booth plays Victor Frankenstein’s (Tom Ellis) wife Madeline Usher.
Several child actors have landed lead roles in pilots. Benjamin Stockham of NBC‘s 1600 Penn has been cast in the network’s single-camera comedy pilot About A Boy, which follows the relationship between Will (David Walton), a bachelor man-child who is going through a revolving door of women, and the young boy (Stockham) who moves in next door with his kooky single mother, Fiona (Minnie Driver). I hear the casting, which is in second position to low-rated 1600 Penn, ruffled some feathers at 20th TV, which produces 1600 Penn. (About A Boy is at Universal TV). Wyatt Oleff has been cast in ABC comedy pilot Middle Age Rage as the 11-year-old son of the lead, Carol (Annie Mumolo), a middle-aged wife and mother. Madison Moellers plays the daughter of another lead, Tanner (Jason Lee) from CBS drama pilot’s Second Sight. She is with CESD. Additionally, River Alexander and Brooke Sorenson were recently cast as Rob Riggle’s son and … Read More »
Grey’s Anatomy alumna Chyler Leigh is set to topline NBC’s comedy pilot Holding Patterns, from writer Justin Spitzer, Peter Traugott’s TBD Prods and Universal TV. It is an ensemble multi-camera comedy about a group of friends whose lives completely change after they survive a plane crash. Leigh, repped by UTA and the Burstein Co, plays the sarcastic and free-spirited Leah, who ruins Griffin’s (Humphrey Ker) proposal dinner, and is the unintentional cause of the plane crash. Read More »
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