You are viewing the archive: “Modern Family”

EMMYS: ‘Modern Family’ Scribes

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday June 17, 2013 @ 9:01pm PDTTags: Emmys, Modern Family, Steven Levitan

Diane Haithman is an AwardsLine contributor.

Modern FamilyHow many writer-producers does it take to make an Emmy-winning comedy? In the case of Modern Family, it’s a staff of 12 including co-creators/executive producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd. Like many series creators, Levitan and Lloyd mostly tapped colleagues from comedies they had either created or worked on to assemble a writers room where the team speaks the same language. Before creating Modern Family, Levitan and Lloyd worked on three comedies together: Wings, Frasier and the short-lived Back To You, which the pair co-created. Most members of Modern Family’s creative family are descendants of those three shows and/or two other comedies created by Levitan: Just Shoot Me and Stacked. AwardsLine has ventured deep into sitcom history — stripping the banana peel all the back way to 1990 — to trace the writing roots of Modern Family. Please note that this is not intended to represent each writer-producer’s complete, or necessarily best, credits. It covers only comedy series that have at some point included two or more Modern Family writer-producers on staff (as writer-producers unless otherwise noted).

Related: EMMYS: Comedy Series Overview

READ MORE »

Comments (2)

EMMYS: Comedy Series Overview

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday June 17, 2013 @ 4:38pm PDTTags: Arrested Development, Emmys, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory

Michael Ausiello is Editor-in-Chief of TVLine.

The gap between Modern Family and the rest of the Emmy comedy field has been so wide that even an imperfect third season landed the ABC family comedy a third consecutive best series win last year. But Modern Family is wrapping another uneven season, and with its ratings slipping and challengers gaining on it, a fourth statuette is far from guaranteed. HBO’s Girls is coming off a Golden Globe win, there’s a growing sentiment that CBS’ Nielsen juggernaut The Big Bang Theory is past due to be recognized, and former best comedy series Emmy winner Arrested Development is back. Will Modern Family’s winning streak come to an end this year? Here’s our assessment of the show’s chances, as well as the rest of the contenders. Read More »

Comments (13)

Paradigm Signs ‘Modern Family’s Ed O’Neill

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday June 17, 2013 @ 12:59pm PDTTags: Ed O'Neill, Modern Family, Paradigm
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Modern Family star Ed O’Neill has signed with Paradigm, joining his longtime agent Iris Grossman who moved from ICM Partners to Paradigm earlier this month. O’Neill, who is managed by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, … Read More »

Comments (6)

‘Modern Family,’ ‘Breaking Bad’ Nab Prizes At Monte-Carlo TV Festival

By NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Thursday June 13, 2013 @ 11:00am PDTTags: Breaking Bad, Modern Family, Monte-Carlo Television Festival

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival wrapped in Monaco tonight with the Golden Nymph Awards handed out at the Grimaldi Forum. Hungarian coming-of-age TV movie Aglaja, directed by Krisztina Deák, was the big winner with four prizes. Breaking Bad, Modern Family, Borgen and Fresh Meat were also singled out. The festival has been attracting an increasing number of high-profile talent to the principality with cast members and execs in attendance this year from such shows as The Big Bang Theory, Breaking Bad, Crossing Lines, Dallas, Grimm, Hatfields & McCoys, Once Upon A Time, Revenge, Revolution and Scandal. Donald Sutherland received a Crystal Nymph Award earlier this week. Below is the full list of tonight’s winners for excellence in international television:

TV MOVIES
Best Television Film
Aglaja
M-RTL ZRT, Hungary

Outstanding Director
Krisztina Deák, Aglaja
M-RTL ZRT, Hungary

Outstanding Actor
Arsher Ali, Complicit
Many Rivers Films, UK Read More »

Comments (0)

‘Modern Family’ Producer Elaine Ko Inks Overall Deal With 20th TV

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Tuesday June 4, 2013 @ 4:00pm PDTTags: 20th Century Fox TV, Big Deals TV, Elaine Ko, Modern Family

Elaine KoElaine Ko has closed a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, the company announced today. Having worked at Modern Family as a staff writer then producer and now supervising producer, Ko will be returning … Read More »

Comments (8)

‘Modern Family’ Welcomes A New Member: Writer Emily Spivey

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday June 3, 2013 @ 11:19pm PDTTags: 20th Century Fox Televsion, ABC, Danny Zuker, Emily Spivey, Modern Family

With Up All Night put to sleep, creator-writer Emily Spivey is moving into the multiple households of ABC’s three-time defending Emmy champ. The ex-Saturday Night Live-er joined Modern Family patriarch 20th Century Fox … Read More »

Comments (11)

MGM Buys ‘Modern Family’ Producer Ben Karlin’s ‘Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday May 23, 2013 @ 1:16pm PDTTags: Ben Karlin, MGM, Modern Family, Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: MGM has acquired screen rights to Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me, the best-selling humor anthology edited by Ben Karlin. Script will be written by Kyle Pennekamp & Scott Turpel, who scripted the upcoming Get … Read More »

Comments (0)

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Modern Family’, ‘Law & Order: SVU’ & ‘Criminal Minds’ Hit Finale Lows, ‘Masterchef’ Down In Season Debut

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday May 23, 2013 @ 9:07am PDTTags: Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, MasterChef, Modern Family, TV Ratings

The final night of the 2012-2013 TV season saw six finales and one season debut. On ABC, Wednesday marked the Season 4 finale of Modern Family (3.6/11) at 9 PM. In a season that saw the comedy post its first adults 18-49 win over American Idol, last night’s episode dipped 3% from its May 14 show. While the highest-rated show of the night by far, Family also fell 12% from its Season 3 end on May 23, 2012 to hit an all-time season-finale low. That result could change a bit in the final numbers as the extra minute of Family is factored in. Last week, the show went up from its 3.5 in fast affiliate rating to a 3.6 later in the day. The Season 4 finale of The Middle (2.0/7) started ABC’s primetime last night, with the sitcom was up a slight 5% from last week and even with last year’s May 23, 2012 finale. A Modern Family (1.6/5) encore followed at 8:30 PM. How To Live With You Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life) (2.2/6) was the only non-finale original on ABC last night. The newbie comedy was up 10% from its May 14 show. Nashville (1.9/5) wrapped its freshman cycle with cliffhangers-galore show that saw a 12% rise from last week.

Related: CBS Wins Season; ABC Tops Adults 18-49 In Final Week

A two-hour Criminal Minds (2.7/8) finale was the only original on CBS last night. Literally ending with a bang, the Season 8 ender of the recently renewed procedural series was up 4% from its May 14 episode but down a hard 25% from last season’s two-hour finale on May 16, 2012. Though the most watched show of the night with 10.80 million viewers, that’s a finale low for the series. With 8.982 million watching, CBS won the night in total viewers and tied with ABC (2.2) in adults 18-49. Read More »

Comments (15)

‘Vampire Academy’ Adds ‘Modern Family’s’ Sarah Hyland, Gabriel Byrne & More To Cast

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Saturday May 18, 2013 @ 11:32am PDTTags: Gabriel Byrne, Modern Family, Sarah Hyland, The Weinstein Company, Vampire Academy, Vikings

EXCLUSIVE: The Weinstein Company‘s Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters has added the final pieces to its casting puzzle. … Read More »

Comments 22

‘Modern Family’ Gets Cable Makeover For Launch On USA Network: VIDEO

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 16, 2013 @ 7:53pm PDTTags: Modern Family, Steven Levitan, Upfront, USA
Nellie Andreeva

How would hit ABC comedy Modern Family look and sound like if it aired on cable? The show’s writers offer a peek in a promo for the Emmy-winning series’ upcoming off-network launch on USA Network in September. The video was a highlight at today’s USA upfront presentation, where … Read More »

Comments 20

Latest On The Future Of ‘Happy Endings’, ‘Paging Dr. Freed’ And ‘Psych’ At USA

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 16, 2013 @ 7:10am PDTTags: Happy Endings, Modern Family, Upfronts, USA Network
Nellie Andreeva

Comedy is expected to take center stage at USA Network‘s upfront presentation this afternoon as the cable network touts to advertisers the fall launch of its big off-network acquisition, Modern Family, and unveils its newly picked up original comedy series Sirens and Playing House. The cable network has been getting extra attention from comedy fans in the past week following ABC’s decision last Friday to cancel cult series Happy Endings. Talks between USA and leading Happy Endings producer Sony TV continue. At this point, I hear a pickup appears unlikely but the network is carefully exploring the opportunity to migrate a show with some success on broadcast TV and a dedicated fan base the way ABC’s Cougar Town moved to TBS.

Related: ‘Happy Endings’ Cancelled At ABC, Will USA Step In?

Of its three comedy pilot/presentations it had in consideration, USA picked up two, Sirens and Playing House. The third, Paging Dr. Freed, which was the first one ordered almost two years ago, is still in contention. I hear USA brass liked the pilot for the family medical comedy but thought it felt more like a season finale and didn’t properly introduce the characters. I hear the network approached Paging Dr. Freed creator Michael Feldman and studio Fox 21 about redeveloping the project and writing a new pilot script. If USA likes the new script, I hear it is intent on picking up the project straight to series. The options on the Paging Dr. Freed producers have been extended while those on the cast have lapsed. I hear USA is keen on bringing Annie Potts back if she is available. (Her ABC pilot Murder In Manhattan did not get picked up but is being considered by cable networks.) Read More »

Comments 35

‘HIMYM’ EP Stephen Lloyd Inks New Overall Deal With 20th TV, Will Join ‘Modern Family’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday April 23, 2013 @ 4:01pm PDTTags: 20th Century Fox TV, Big Deals TV, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Stephen Lloyd
Nellie Andreeva

How I Met Your Mother executive producer Stephen Lloyd has closed a new two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the pact, Lloyd will continue as executive producer on the upcoming final … Read More »

Comments (7)

UPDATE: AMC Says Zombies To Blame For Error-Filled ‘Walking Dead’ NYT Ad

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday April 4, 2013 @ 3:00pm PDTTags: AMC, Modern Family, The New York Times, The Voice, The Walking Dead

UPDATE, 3 PM: How did AMC get wrong what networks air The Voice and Modern Family in its full-page The Walking Dead ad that ran in today’s New York Times? It was the undead’s fault, says the network. “It appears our fact checking department was overrun … Read More »

Comments (18)

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ Hits New Low, ‘How To Live With Your Parents’ Debuts Solid, ‘Modern Family’ & ‘Dateline’ Up, ‘Survivor’ Matches Low

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday April 4, 2013 @ 9:08am PDTTags: American Idol, How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life), Modern Family, Survivor, TV Ratings

It was an all-new night on the networks on Wednesday — no repeats at all. On Fox’s American Idol (3.0/9), it was Rock Night with the remaining finalists belting out Rolling Stones, Queen and Bon Jovi songs among others. Coming off last week’s all-time Wednesday low, the live two-hour show again hit a new Wednesday low in the adults 18-49 demographic. However, as Idol tends to see upward movement in its final numbers, the low might not hold. Last night’s Idol dipped 3% from last week’s fast nationals result and 6% from the final numbers. With 11.48 million watching, Idol also dipped to its smallest Wednesday audience since August 7, 2002, during its first season. Fox still won the night in total viewers and the demo.

ABC aired the series premiere of How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life) (2.9/7) in Suburgatory’s old 9:30 PM slot. With ABC slipping a minute of lead-in Modern Family (4.1/11) into the slot, the new sitcom about a divorced Mom who moves back home was even with the last year’s April 11 debut of the now-cancelled Don’t Trust The B— In Apt 23. It was also up from the season average Suburgatory saw in the slot, resulting in the network’s best performance in the time slot since November 7. Read More »

Comments (18)

‘Modern Family’s’ Steven Levitan Says Streaming Won’t Change TV Stories: Video

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Thursday March 14, 2013 @ 3:17pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Bloomberg Television, Modern Family, Steven Levitan

When a show creator thinks about distribution methods “then you’re not doing your job,” the executive producer told Bloomberg Television’s Trish Regan on Street Smart. ”At the end of the day you have to be truthful to the characters and the story.” But Steven Levitan recognizes that platforms have different demands. … Read More »

Comments (10)

Ratings Rat Race: ‘American Idol’ Hits New Low, ‘Modern Family’ Tops It For First Time, ‘Chicago Fire’ Posts 1st Victory Over ‘CSI’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday February 28, 2013 @ 9:29am PSTTags: American Idol, Chicago Fire, Modern Family, TV Ratings
Nellie Andreeva

Fox’s American Idol continues its slide, logging a third consecutive week of in-season Wednesday lows. Last night’s two-hour show posted a 3.8/11 among adults 18-49, down 7% from last Wednesday, and 13.1 million viewers, down 8%. Last night’s 3.8 demo rating (which will likely be adjusted up to a 3.9 in the finals), last Wednesday’s 4.1 and the Wednesday before’s 4.3 now rank as the three lowest in-season Wednesday results for Idol. Overall, it was Idol‘s worst Wednesday performance since the show’s very first cycle, which aired in summer 2002 — the smallest audience since August 14, 2002 and lowest adults 18-49 rating since July 3, 2002. It also matched all-time Wednesday lows in adults 18-34.

Meanwhile, ABC’s Modern Family (3.9/10) matched its fast national from last week to post its first 18-49 win over Idol. (Both series will likely go up a tenth in the finals, leaving Modern Family as No. 1 for the night.) Read More »

Comments 28

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ & ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Down, ‘Modern Family’ & ‘Criminal Minds’ Hit Lows, ‘Arrow’ Up

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday February 7, 2013 @ 9:09am PSTTags: American Idol, Criminal Minds, CSI, Modern Family, TV Ratings

Four weeks into its 12th season, American Idol (4.6/13) started Hollywood Week Part 1 with contestants gathered from all over the country. Last night it was male contestants only for the first time. Down 15% from last week’s fast nationals, the Fox series was still the night’s most watched show with 14.18 million viewers. Fox won Wednesday overall in total viewers and adults 18-49

In the first part of a Super Bowl-promoted crossover with spinoff CSI: NY, the original CSI (2.4/7) was down from its last original two weeks ago. The long-running series slipped 8% from the season-high match for its January 23 airing. Still winning its 10 PM time slot, CSI pulled in 10.93 million viewers, down from the 11.49 million who watched two weeks ago. The two-parter ends on Friday’s CSI: NY. CBS started the night with an encore of Person Of Interest (1.2/4) followed by a new Criminal Minds (2.7/7), which was the night’s second-most-watched show with 11.83 million viewers. It was down 13% from its last original January 23 to tie a series low. Read More »

Comments (19)

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ Down, ‘CSI’ Hits Season High, ‘Modern Family’ Hits Season Low

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday January 24, 2013 @ 9:03am PSTTags: American Idol, CSI, Modern Family, TV Ratings

American Idol Ratings Nicki MinajIn the second week of its 12th season, American Idol (5.4/15) last night saw Nicki Minaj storm off after a squabble with fellow judge Mariah Carey as the show took in auditions in Charlotte, NC. Although watched by 16 million viewers and dominating in all demos, the two-hour episode was down 10% from last week’s premiere. It also was down 16% from Season 11’s second-week Wednesday show a year ago. Still, the rating was better than the 29% year-over-year decline Idol’s second-week Wednesday suffered last season compared with Season 10.

A Criminal Minds (1.5/4) repeat started Wednesday night on CBS followed by a new Criminal Minds (3.0/8) at 9 PM, which was up 3% from last week’s winter break return. Taking its 10 PM time slot, CSI (2.7/7) rose 17% from last week for a season high among adults 18-49. The procedural was the second-most-watched show of the night, pulling in an audience of 11.49 million. An NBA game caused preemption in San Antonio for CBS, so the adjustment for final numbers later today could be greater than usual. Fox won the night in total viewers and the 18-49 demo. Read More »

Comments (14)

PGA Awards TV: ‘Homeland’, ‘Downton Abbey’ And ‘Louie’ Enter Series Fray

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday January 2, 2013 @ 5:01pm PSTTags: 30 Rock, Louie, Modern Family, PGA Awards
Nellie Andreeva

PGA Awards‘ weird eligibility window on the TV side made for another field with an outdated feel, like the comedy series nomination for HBO‘s Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has not aired originals for the past year and a half. The PGA Awards follow the Primetime Emmys calendar despite taking place six months later, honoring programs that aired between June 1, 2011-May 31, 2012.

With that in mind, there were only minimal surprises in the series nominations this year, most notably the omission of HBO’s freshman comedies Girls and Veep and last year’s best drama series winner Boardwalk Empire. Modern Family has a shot at a third consecutive PGA Award with another best comedy series nom alongside returning nominees 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory as well as FX‘s Louie. This extends Louie‘s momentum. After largely flying under the radar for the first two seasons, the series’ third season earned a first Emmy award in September, its first SAG and Golden Globe nominations last month and now a first PGA nomination. Missing the cut this time are last year’s nominees Parks & Recreation and Glee, though Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk landed a TV movie/miniseries nom for the first season of American Horror Story. Read More »

Comments (0)
More Deadline | Hollywood »