Serial Killer Drama Tops BAFTA TV Awards

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday May 27, 2012 @ 3:03pm PDTTags: Appropriate Adult, BAFTA Awards, Dominic West, Emily Watson

Dominic West, Emily Watson and Monica Dolan won acting awards at the TV BAFTAs today for their roles in Appropriate Adult, a miniseries about Britain’s controversial investigation of serial killer Fred West and his wife Rosemary. Dominic West played Fred, Watson portrayed a social worker in the case and Dolan played Rosemary — beating Dame Maggie Smith who was nominated for Downton Abbey. Andrew Scott was voted best supporting actor for Sherlock, in which he plays the arch-nemesis Moriarty to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes. Cumberbash was nominated for best actor but lost to Dominic West. But Appropriate Adult lost to another miniseries, This Is England ’88.

Complete list of winners:

LEADING ACTOR — Dominic West, Appropriate Adult - ITV1

LEADING ACTRESS — Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult - ITV1

SUPPORTING ACTOR — Andrew Scott, Sherlock - BBC One

SUPPORTING ACTRESS — Monica Dolan, Appropriate Adult - ITV1
READ MORE »

Comments (0)

Nicole Kidman Speaks Out On Taking Risks, Roles And Taking Over Cannes: Interview

By PETE HAMMOND | Sunday May 27, 2012 @ 6:28am PDTTags: Cannes Film Festival, Grace Kelly, HBO, Hemingway And Gellhorn, Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Pete Hammond

With two movies premiering in  the Official Selection on successive nights and big worldwide market pre-sales announced for an upcoming film in which she plays Grace Kelly, Nicole Kidman ruled the Croisette in the second half of the Cannes Film … Read More »

Comments 25

Jay Leno Celebrates 20th Anniversary Hosting ‘The Tonight Show’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Saturday May 26, 2012 @ 9:35am PDTTags: Jay Leno, The Tonight Show

Comments 65

Cannes Podcast: Pete Hammond On ‘Lawless’, ‘Rust And Bone’ And More

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 8:57pm PDTTags: Brad Pitt, Cannes Film Festival, Garrett Hedlund, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman

Deadline’s Pete Hammond talks about hot festival movies such as (clockwise from top left) the superb Prohibition-era shoot-’em-up Lawless with Tom Hardy and Shia LeBeouf; Rust And Bone, with an awards-worthy star turn by Marion Cotillard, … Read More »

Comments (6)

Over-Achievers Of This Year’s Upfront

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 6:58pm PDTTags: Chernin Entertaiment, Fake Empire, Greg Berlanti, Mark Gordon Co., Upfronts
Nellie Andreeva

Greg Berlanti entered the upfronts as the producer with the most pilots this year — four — in his first development season at Warner Bros. TV. Two of them, the CW’s Arrow and CBS’ Golden Boy, went to series, while a third, Fox legal drama Guilty, has a solid shot at a midseason order. Additionally, Berlanti has cable series Political Animals launching on USA this summer. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage‘s Fake Empire also netted two new broadcast series orders. The company went 2-for-2 with its two pilots, the CW’s The Carrie Diaries and Cult, to increase its primetime portfolio to four series next season, including returning CW dramas Gossip Girl and Hart Of Dixie, and tie the Mark Gordon Co. as the pods with the most broadcast shows on the air. In addition to newly picked up comedy Family Tools and returning Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Criminal Minds, the Mark Gordon Co. also has Army Wives on Lifetime. With CSI: Miami ending its run, Bruckheimer TV will have three series on the air next season, same as Chernin Entertainment, which added one new series, Fox comedy Ben & Kate, to its returning New Girl and Touch; J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot (newbie Revolution and returning Person of Interest and Fringe) and Alloy (666 Park Ave, The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl).

Besides Fake Empire, the only other entity to log a 1.000 batting average this upfront was Lionsgate TV, also with two series out of two pilots, ABC darling Nashville and NBC’ midseason comedy Next Caller. The pickups capped the company’s renewed push into broadcast TV led by Chris Selak in her first season as head of development. Another established company in its first development cycle with a new top development executive, Wolf Films, which hired Danielle Gelber last July, landed its first non-Law & Order-branded new series in six years, NBC’s Chicago Fire. Two newly launched pods, Peter Traugott‘s Traugott Company and Lorenzo DiBonaventura‘s DiBonaventura Pictures Television, also scored series orders in their first year, NBC drama Do No Harm and ABC drama Zero Hour, respectively, as did two indies, Gaumont and Georgeville. Read More »

Comments (13)

Aussie Pay-TV Shakeup Impacts Hollywood

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 3:49pm PDTTags: Foxtel, Premium Movie Partnership, The Movie Network

Freelance journalist Don Groves is a Deadline contributor based in Sydney.

Australia’s Foxtel is poised to tighten its control of the nation’s pay-TV industry after the takeover of the other significant provider Austar, which may result in a restructuring of movie deals with Hollywood studios. The $A1.9 billion deal creates … Read More »

Comments (2)

FCC Adds WGAW To Open Internet Panel

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 12:41pm PDTTags: Open Internet Advisory Committee, WGAW

The Writers Guild of America West has been selected by the Federal Communications Commission to participate in the commission’s first Open Internet Advisory Committee. It will assist in tracking and evaluating the FCC’s Open Internet rules. WGAW assistant … Read More »

Comments (0)

Swartzlander To Run ‘Cougar Town’ On TBS

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 12:40pm PDTTags: Cougar Town, Ric Swartzlander, TBS
Nellie Andreeva

Comedy veteran Ric Swartzlander (Garry Unmarried) has been tapped as executive producer/showrunner of Cougar Town as the comedy is moving from ABC to TBS with a 15-episode fourth-season order. He succeeds Cougar Town co-creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence who … Read More »

Comments 21

USA: ‘Rebounding’ & ‘Modern Family’ Mating?

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 12:17pm PDTTags: Rebounding, USA Network
Nellie Andreeva

Comedy pilot Rebounding is looking to live up to its title as producing studio 20th Century Fox TV has been shopping it to other networks since its surprising pass at Fox two weeks ago. Meanwhile, one of USA Network’s … Read More »

Comments (16)

CBS Releases Trailers For ‘Elementary’, ‘Made In Jersey’, ‘Partners’, ‘Vegas’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 12:03pm PDTTags: CBS, Elementary, Made In Jersey, Partners, Upfronts, Vegas

CBS released full trailers today for the network’s new series that were announced last week. Trailers were shown to press covering CBS’ upfront presentations but were not made available for general release until today.

CBS’ Elementary
Produced by CBS Television Studios. From executive producers Rob Doherty, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Michael Cuesta. Directed by Michael Cuesta (pilot):

CBS’ Made In Jersey
Produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios. From executive producers Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, Julia Franz and Mark Waters. Written by creator/co-executive producer Dana Calvo (pilot). Directed by Mark Waters (pilot):

Read More »

Comments 48

NBCU Hoping To Buy All Of MSNBC.com

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 10:41am PDTTags: MSNBC.com, NBC

NBCUniversal is in negotiations to buy out Microsoft’s stake in MSNBC.com, the Wall Street Journal and AdWeek report. NBC acquired Microsoft’s last remaining stake in the cable network in 2007. But the website MSNBC.com has … Read More »

Comments (1)

R.I.P. Television Mogul Lee Rich

By NIKKI FINKE | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 10:29am PDTTags: Dallas, Hollywood moguls, Lee Rich, Lorimar, MGM-UA, TV executives

2ND UPDATE: Lee Rich, the powerful TV mogul responsible for some of the medium’s most popular programming like The Waltons, Dallas, and Eight Is Enough, Lee Rich Deaddied on Thursday. He was 93, according to Warner Bros. (Even though the birthdate on his official biography would make him only 85). Recognized inside and outside the television industry for his extrardinarily successful career spanning six decades, he helped found and became chairman of Lorimar in its heyday (where he was nominated for 5 Emmys and won Best Drama Series for The Waltons) and later took over MGM-UA. His death comes just as Warner Bros Television next month unveils its next generation Dallasdrama series on TNT.

“Lee’s passion for television, his business acumen, and his love of the creative process made him an extraordinary mentor for all of us who had the good fortune to work for him,” said Bruce Rosenblum, President Warner Bros. Television Group and Chairman & CEO, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  “Lee was a creative force who established the gold standard for independent production companies, and the Lorimar/Warner Bros merger was transformational for Warner Bros. Television.” Said CBS Corp chief Les Moonves: “Lee Rich was a giant in the television industry who produced some of the most iconic series in the history of the medium and influenced audiences worldwide. He also served as an early mentor to me while I was at Lorimar, providing valuable guidance for which I will forever be appreciative.” TV icon Norman Lear called Rich “one of the greatest producers to ever come out of advertising and he knew talent better than anyone else.”

“Lee Rich was an indelible talent who helped to shape the television landscape,” said Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, Co-Chairmen and CEOs of MGM. “We are incredibly proud that MGM is a part of his legacy. Lee’s role as Chairman and CEO of MGM/UA and the prolific body of work he created throughout his career continue to inspire the work we do today.”

Rich started his media career at Benton & Bowles advertising agency where he packaged and sold such seminal sitcoms as The Dick Van Dyke Show for Procter & Gamble and The Danny Thomas Show and The Andy Griffith Show, both for General Foods. In those early days of television, admen like Rich enjoyed almost total control over programming, and Rich ultimately headed the television programming and media departments. He left the agency as SVP in 1965 to form his own production company, Mirisch-Rich Productions which produced Rat Patrol and one of the first Garry Marshall/Jerry Belson shows, Hey, Landlord. Rich returned to advertising to run the Leo Burnett Agency. But then he left again to form the indie Lorimar Productions (later known as Lorimar Television and Lorimar Distribution) with Irwin Molasky and Merv Adelson. Here is a wonderful 1999 interview done with Rich by the Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences (obit continues below):

Read More »

Comments (12)

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘SYTYCD’ & ‘Duets’ Premiere Lack High Notes, ‘Awake’ Ends Up

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Friday May 25, 2012 @ 9:49am PDTTags: ABC, Awake, CBS, Duets, Fox, Kelly Clarkson, NBC, So You Think You Can Dance, The Big Bang Theory, TV Ratings

Thursday night’s battle of the competition premieres left neither really strutting their stuff. The two-hour 8 PM time slot premiere of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance(2.4/8) saw a misstep from last year. SYTYCD was down 27% from last year’s … Read More »

Comments (8)

Full 2011-2012 TV Season Series Rankings

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 11:10pm PDTTags: ABC, American Idol, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, Two Broke Girls
Nellie Andreeva

Here  are complete series rankings for the 2011-12 season in adults 18-49 and total viewers. Several highlights: NBC’s Sunday Night Football was the No.1 program of the season in both adults 18-49 and total viewers, ending American idol‘s eight-year streak topping both categories. SNF also became the first sports series to rank as the most watched primetime TV show for a full season. The highest-rated new series of the season are CBS’ 2 Broke Girls (in 18-49) and CBS’ Person of Interest (in total viewers). It was a strong year for freshman series as there where were 4 first-year series in the Top 20 among adults 18-49: 2 Broke Girls (#9), Fox’s New Girl (12), Fox’s X Factor (13) and ABC’s Once Upon A Time (16) vs. one, The Voice, last year. In total viewers, two freshmen, Person of Interest and X Factor, made the cut this season vs. 3 last season.

Related: 2012-12 Season Network Rankings: Fox Still On Top But Down, NBC Third, CW Falls

The highest-rated series to get canceled this year: CBS’ Rob (18-49) and Unforgettable (total viewers). The lowest-rated series to get renewed on the Big 4 networks: NBC’s Rock Center With Brian Williams and Fox’s Kitchen Nightmares. The top scripted series of last season was ABC’s Modern Family, in a virtual tie with CBS’ The Big Bang Theory among adults 18-49. CBS’ NCIS had the honors in total viewers.

2011-12 Season: Series Ranking In Adults 18-49: Read More »

Comments 30

JoAnna Garcia Set As Female Lead In New NBC Comedy ‘Animal Practice’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 6:15pm PDTTags: Animal Practice, JoAnna Garcia
Nellie Andreeva

Better With You star JoAnna Garcia has been tapped as the female lead opposite Justin Kirk in NBC’s new fall comedy series Animal Practice. The office comedy stars Kirk as George, a House-like veterinarian, who loves animals but usually hates … Read More »

Comments (13)

Did Britney Spears Take Page Out Of Paula Abdul’s Playbook In Walking Off ‘X Factor’?

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 6:05pm PDTTags: Britney Spears, Paula Abdul, The X Factor
Nellie Andreeva

Britney Spears Walks Off X FactorAt the first taping of Season 2 of The X Factor today, new judge Britney Spears walked off the stage in the middle of the show, leaving Simon Cowell, LA Reid and Demi … Read More »

Comments 33

2011-12 Season Network Rankings: Fox Still On Top But Down, NBC In Third, CW Falls

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 4:49pm PDTTags: 2012 network rankings, ABC, CBS, CW, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

Fox closed out a record eighth consecutive broadcast season as the No.1 network among adults 18-49 but the race was more competitive than recent years, with Fox’s juggernaut American Idol shedding a third of its ratings from last season and Fox only overtaking CBS at the top spot in the final stretch of the season. Fox was helped by 40 hours of The X Factor, which, while not a breakout, was very consistent, and newcomer New Girl.

With help from the Super Bowl and Sunday Night Football, which dethroned American Idol as the highest-rated series this season, NBC squeaked past ABC to rank No.3 outright among adults 18-49 for the first time in eight years. NBC and CBS were the only English-language broadcast networks to post year-to-year growth both in 18-49 and total viewers. Of those in negative territory, the bleeding was worst for the CW, down 22% in 18-49, 20% in its target 18-34 demographic and 15% in total viewers as the network’s audience continues to migrate to digital platforms. Some of Fox’s declines were due to the fact that the network carried the Super Bowl last season. ABC’s ratings were slightly down despite the network introducing several promising freshmen, including the highest-rated new drama this season, Once Upon A Time, because of a significant ratings erosion for its veteran series, led by Dancing With The Stars.

Related: Full 2011-2012 TV Season Series Rankings

In median age, CBS continues to be the oldest-skewing network at 55.6, followed by ABC, NBC, Fox and CW, which has the youngest audience at 37.1 but aged the most this season. Of the five networks, only NBC slightly trimmed its median age, with the others’ creeping up. Here are the broadcast networks’ standings for the 2010-11 season based on most current ratings: Read More »

Comments (11)

HLN Set To Air Daytime Emmy Awards

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 3:56pm PDTTags: Daytime Emmy Awards, HLN

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and HLN made it official on their respective websites today that the 39th Daytime Emmy Awards will air live on the cable news network June 23 at 5 PM PT/8 PM … Read More »

Comments (19)

Tammy Blanchard Signs With Gersh

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 3:39pm PDTTags: Gersh, Tammy Blanchard

Tammy Blanchard GershTammy Blanchard has signed with Gersh for all areas. A TV regular, Blanchard is currently guest starring on Showtime’s The Big C with Laura Linney. On the film side, she was in … Read More »

Comments (8)
More Deadline | Hollywood »