Tagged: NBC

Networks Tighten Belts, Cut Pilots

  • News
  • January 23, 2008

Television networks are drastically reducing the number of pilots scheduled for production this year, according to statements issued in the last few days by many of the major networks. An elimination of pilots and reduction in the number of new script orders was announced by several networks recently, with each of the statements citing a need to cut costs due to the writers’ strike.

According to Variety, CBS announced that it had dropped several scripts due to the work stoppage late last week, while 20th Century Fox and CW announced this week that they were each dropping 8-12 pilots from their upcoming production schedules.

"Due to the ongoing work stoppage, the CW will be taking a more targeted approach to what is certain to be a truncated pilot season," the [network] said in a statement released Tuesday. "As a result, we are releasing some scripts that had been in development in order to dedicate our creative energy and resources to those projects we choose to pursue."

 

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Law and Order Over There

  • News
  • January 3, 2008

Just when you thought Law and Order was wearing out its welcome, it turns out there are plans for a fourth – no, make it fifth (one flopped) series. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it ain’t gonna be set or filmed in New York City.

Kudos Film and Television, producers of the brilliant British shows Hustle and Life On Mars, is in negotiations with NBC Universal and Wolf Films to do a series presently called Law & Order: London. It would emulate the format employed by all those NBC shows.
 
This wouldn’t be a first for Dick Wolf. There are Russian versions of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (a.k.a. The Sex Show) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The latter program also appears in its own unique French version.

Hot Who Links and Much More!

  • News
  • December 23, 2007

OK, so we get a little sappy this time of year. Just bear with us and accept ComicMix Radio’s gift of some cool web links. And in the spirit of giving, a few of these haven’t even made it to the podcast yet!

• In two days, a lot of us should be treated to the first new Doctor Who adventure in months when the BBC airs this year’s Christmas special (and the Internet Fairies drop it somewhere online). In the meantime, did you know there is an online adventure calendar poster here. If this doesn’t put you in the mood for more Who, nothing will. 
 
• As we told you on Saturday, Shadowline is creating a contest geared toward writers to create a super-heroine for the 21st Century. The character will be 100% creator-owned as all Image and Shadowline books are (trademark and copyright to be shared by writer and artist). The winning entry will be featured in their own self-titled three issue mini-series to be drawn by Franchesco!, artist for She-Dragon and Green Lantern Corps Quarterly. Contest will be divided into three parts and for Round One: Contestants e-mail a BRIEF one paragraph story synopsis by January 31, 2008 to: superheroinecontest@gmail.com. Stories/concept must be original with original characters. No pre-existing characters may be used unless owned by contestant. 
 

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Happy birthday, ABC!

  • News
  • October 14, 2007

On October 14, 1943, Edward J. Noble bought the Blue Network for $8,000,000. So what, you say? A bit of media history to explain first…

In the 30’s and 40’s, the National Broadcasting Company was a radio network and its big star was Jack Benny. NBC was made up of two separate units, the Red Network and the Blue Network, which were created in 1928 to better manage the company’s increasing number of radio affiliates. By 1938, the Red Network was producing roughly 75 percent of NBC’s commercial shows, with the only big hit on the Blue Network being Amos and Andy.

A few years later, the FTC was wary of monopolies taking over the industry, so they mandated that companies would no longer be allowed to control more than one network. NBC was forced to sell one of its divisions and, of course, chose the weaker Blue Network to put on the auction block. The aforementioned Edward Noble, who had already earned millions from sales of his popular Lifesavers candy, bought the network, promptly renaming it American Broadcasting Systems. And a year later, Noble changed the name again, this time to what has become a more familiar title… the American Broadcasting Company.

BIG BROADCAST: Calling All Crimestoppers!

dickt-9878663For over 75 years, this copy has put away more bad guys than Batman, the CSI Guys and Joe Friday combined. He’s gone from comic strips to radio, movie serials, TV, comics and even a big screen flirtation with Madonna. Now there is a group working hard to give Dick Tracy the credit he deserves – and you can help! On other fronts, today’s Big ComicMix Broadcast tells you how NBC makes sure you don’t miss a new show, DC gives you some big hoops to jump through to get variant covers and Canada gets a really cool cartoon channel!

No need to whip out that widescreen surround-sound wristwatch home theater system – just PRESS THE BUTTON!

 

The Office MumboJumbo

  • News
  • June 22, 2007

Years ago, video games were for playing in the living room or den, on the couch.  Then there were hand-held models you can take outside, or into your bedroom, or on the subway.  The next step was internet games you could play at work when your boss wasn’t watching.

Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there’s The Office video game for PCs.  Based on the NBC series starring Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson, cutie John Krasinski and too many hilarious people to list, the game, from a company called  MumboJumbo, is set to be in stores this fall.  You can buy it in stores or online.  Next year, the company plans to create new games based on the show for Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable.  Beyond that, there’s games for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network — the sky’s the limit.

The Office cast members will appear in the game as bobble-heads.

Heroic Casting News

  • News
  • June 13, 2007

william_hurt-2416683For next June’s new Incredible Hulk movie, William Hurt (Lost in Space, Altered States) has been signed to play General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross.

NBC has announced that Dania Ramirez (Callisto in X-Men: The Last Stand) has been added as a regular on Heroes. Ramirez’s character is name Maya but her place in the tapestry and her powers remain unknown.  Word is that new characters to at least recur in the second season will include a young African-American mother, an Irish mobster and a hunky boyfriend for Claire.

And the DVD for Season One will be out on August 28.

The Flying Bionics

Why should movies have all the fun of resurrecting old TV shows, when TV itself can autocannibalize with the best of ’em? Here’s a teaser from the new Bionic Woman pilot set to air this fall on NBC.

I can’t help but wonder if this sort of exercise hasn’t been superceded by all the leaping about done by Buffy & co., not to mention those magnificent flying gals in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon…

Heroes: Origins coming to NBC

heroes-5635550To stretch the normal 22-episode season of Heroes, which faltered after its long hiatus this year, NBC is adding Heroes: Origins to the summer break. The spinoff will introduce a new character each week, and viewers will select which one stays for the following season. The two series will have 30 new episodes for a year combined.

A brilliant move. Combine the storytelling of a scripted show with the "must watch in real time" necessity of a reality show, as those "must watch in real time" shows are the only ones that are getting quantifiable ratings (no time-shifting from DVRs, etc.). I have to hand it to them, this is a unique way of trying to solve the problem, and could very well work.

Now let’s see the real corporate synergy in action– combine it with sister network’s Sci-Fi Channel’s Who Wants To Be A Superhero?

Short attention-span Heroes

  • News
  • April 17, 2007

The Addiction:  Heroes, NBC Mondays

The Cure:  Monday, April 23

The Quick Fix:  The first 2 minutes of Monday’s episode available at fanpop.com/spots/heroes/videos/24692

The doctor (no no not that Doctor) has spoken!

Hello Heroes Fans, yes it’s true I checked myself … the first two minutes of next week’s highly anticipated return of Heroes is available online for your viewing pleasure.  In case you haven’t been watching the Peacock network’s other shows and have missed the commercial featuring the Cheerleader, Peter, Hiro and the next young person that is going to "Save the World"  – set your TiVo for NBC all day and all night until you find it. There is a 60 second promo with  all the Heroes gang and the featuring the newest hook,  Nickelbacks’ new release "If Everyone Cared."

Six days and counting!

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