The Idiot Box: TV Season 2008/2009

[ThunderMonkey]

"Jericho" has been officially canned by CBS.

I found out that Monica Potter is co-staring on a new original series to be featured on TNT... The network is planning 14 hours of original programing (some unscripted ). Others that may or may not have potential...

Greenlit for Production

RAISING THE BAR (working title)
TNT has ordered 10 episodes of this series from the mastermind of legal dramas, Emmy® winner Steven Bochco. The series follows the lives and cases of young lawyers who have been friends since law school but now work on opposing sides. Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue, Saved by the Bell - I put that there <snicker>) stars as an idealistic public defender who will stop at nothing to help those who cannot help themselves. Gloria Reuben (ER) plays his passionate and protective boss. Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) plays the imperious judge who hears their cases. The series also stars Teddy Sears (Ugly Betty), Melissa Sagemiller (Sleeper Cell), Currie Graham (Boston Legal), J. August Richards (Conviction) and Jonathan Scarfe (Into the West). It was created by Bochco and lawyer/writer David Feige (author of the book Indefensible). RAISING THE BAR comes to TNT from ABC Studios and Bochco Media, with Bochco serving as executive producer. It is slated to premiere later this year.

LEVERAGE
TNT has ordered 13 episodes of this suspenseful, action-packed drama series starring Oscar winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, Nero Wolfe) as a former insurance investigator who puts together a team of highly skilled thieves, hackers and grifters. Together, they act as modern-day Robin Hoods, going after the richest, greediest and most unjust. LEVERAGE co-stars Beth Riesgraf (Without a Trace), Aldis Hodge (Friday Night Lights), Christian Kane (Into the West) and Gina Bellman (Coupling). It comes to TNT from Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment, with Devlin and John Rogers (Cosby) executive-producing. LEVERAGE is slated to premiere on TNT later this year.

In Consideration:

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING
TNT has produced a pilot for this drama from the team behind the network’s hit series THE CLOSER. It centers on a multi-million dollar advertising agency in Chicago and the creative talents working to keep it afloat after the death of one of its executives. Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Tom Cavanagh (Ed) star, with Monica Potter (Boston Legal) co-starring. TRUTH IN ADVERTISING comes to TNT from Warner Horizon. Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin (THE CLOSER) serve as executive producers on this new project, along with THE CLOSER writers Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny.

In Development (Scripted)

GENERATIONS
This one-hour drama series crosses back and forth through time to follow the lives of three generations of the same family who have lived in the same house. The show comes to TNT from executive producer Robert Redford and writer/executive producer John Sacret Young (The West Wing, China Beach).

UNTITLED ANGELO PIZZO/DAVID ANSPAUGH PROJECT
From writer Angelo Pizzo and director David Anspaugh, the creators of Hoosiers and Rudy, comes this family drama set in Indiana in the 1950s. It explores the values and passions of small-town America – and the families who inhabit it – in a world growing faster and more modern with each passing day.

UNTITLED TESS GERRITSEN PROJECT
Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and police detective Jane Rizzoli join forces to solve crimes in Beantown. This project, based on Tess Gerritsen’s popular series of crime novels, comes to TNT from executive producer Bill Haber (TNT’s Nightmares and Dreamscapes).

THE GENIE CHRONICLES
This contemporary fantasy-adventure series features a female newspaper reporter who has discovered a magic lamp with an actual genie inside. The series follows them both as different people discover and use the lamp’s power to make wishes come true. THE GENIE CHRONICLES comes from DreamWorks Television, producers of TNT’s award-winning limited series Into the West.

TECHNOPHOBIA
From Mark Frost (Twin Peaks) comes this intriguing psychological drama that takes place in a bucolic American town where technology is advancing at a frightening pace. It is being produced by MRC Financing.

[Crafty_Pat]

"Jericho" has been officially canned by CBS.

Sad, but not unexpected. Ratings for the second season have been... limp.

RAISING THE BAR (working title)
TNT has ordered 10 episodes of this series from the mastermind of legal dramas, Emmy® winner Steven Bochco. The series follows the lives and cases of young lawyers who have been friends since law school but now work on opposing sides. Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue, Saved by the Bell - I put that there <snicker>) stars as an idealistic public defender who will stop at nothing to help those who cannot help themselves. Gloria Reuben (ER) plays his passionate and protective boss. Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) plays the imperious judge who hears their cases. The series also stars Teddy Sears (Ugly Betty), Melissa Sagemiller (Sleeper Cell), Currie Graham (Boston Legal), J. August Richards (Conviction) and Jonathan Scarfe (Into the West). It was created by Bochco and lawyer/writer David Feige (author of the book Indefensible). RAISING THE BAR comes to TNT from ABC Studios and Bochco Media, with Bochco serving as executive producer. It is slated to premiere later this year.

That's a powerhouse cast, and Bochco's usually pretty strong. Definitely worth a look.

(I find it amusing, though, that J. August Richards was only credited here with Conviction, which lasted less than a season, rather than Angel, which lasted five years.)

LEVERAGE
TNT has ordered 13 episodes of this suspenseful, action-packed drama series starring Oscar winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, Nero Wolfe) as a former insurance investigator who puts together a team of highly skilled thieves, hackers and grifters. Together, they act as modern-day Robin Hoods, going after the richest, greediest and most unjust. LEVERAGE co-stars Beth Riesgraf (Without a Trace), Aldis Hodge (Friday Night Lights), Christian Kane (Into the West) and Gina Bellman (Coupling). It comes to TNT from Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment, with Devlin and John Rogers (Cosby) executive-producing. LEVERAGE is slated to premiere on TNT later this year.

TNT's really desperate to get into original scripted programming, but their track record to date has been both slim and spotty. Maybe one of these two can swing the balance, but if I had to hedge my bets on only one, I'd side with Raising the Bar, despite the presence of some talent - and hotness (Gina Bellman is mui sexy) - in this one.

TECHNOPHOBIA[/b]
From Mark Frost (Twin Peaks) comes this intriguing psychological drama that takes place in a bucolic American town where technology is advancing at a frightening pace. It is being produced by MRC Financing.

I'll watch/read anything Mark Frost writes, so this one's a lock for me (even though this blurb isn't exactly riveting).

I smile with TM that Monica Potter's gonna be back on the airwaves and the rest of this seems interesting, but none of it immediately grabs me. What I'm really keen to learn more about are the development slates over at A&E and FX. Both of A&E's shows to date have been gold (if you're not watching Mad Men and Breaking Bad, you should be), and even the FX shows I don't watch demand respect.

[Krensky]

TECHNOPHOBIA
From Mark Frost (Twin Peaks) comes this intriguing psychological drama that takes place in a bucolic American town where technology is advancing at a frightening pace. It is being produced by MRC Financing.

[/quote]

Probably unfair and inaccurate, but this sounds like a serious version of Eureka.

[Crafty_Pat]

Probably unfair and inaccurate, but this sounds like a serious version of Eureka.

That's where my brain first went, too. I doubt it'll be anything like it, though, based on what we've seen from Frost to date.

[VisualStatic]

Something for the Jericho fans to ponder over and watch for.

Jericho Seeks A New Home

[Crafty_Pat]

Something for the Jericho fans to ponder over and watch for.

Jericho Seeks A New Home

Saw that. Not sure it's realistic to expect much more, but I live in hope.

[ThunderMonkey]

Not really related to the 2008-09 season, but I just started to watch the first season of "Torchwood"... Holy crap, that's some good stuff. Got through the first four episodes, can't wait to watch the rest.

Don't forget... "Battlestar Galactica" season 4, starts in the U.S. on Friday at 9 p.m. CST, and "The Sarah Jane Adventures" begin at 6:30 p.m. CST on April 11. (Both on Sci Fi). I know my youngest will be ready for Sarah Jane, she's a bit of a "Doctor Who" fan, but some of it "just too scary for little girls".

New episodes of "Boston Legal" start April 8.

[Wolverine]

Not really related to the 2008-09 season, but I just started to watch the first season of "Torchwood"... Holy crap, that's some good stuff. Got through the first four episodes, can't wait to watch the rest.

If you thought the end of season 'events' for Doctor Who were epic, then Torchwood's will knock your socks off! The second season is just as good, if not a little better - and has it's last episode this week in the UK.

SJA was actually a whole lotta fun, even for this adult. Once you get past the sonic lipstick and the reused Torchwood alien, it's not too bad.

Finally, we're only a few days away from the premiere of Doctor Who Series 4 in the UK *dances*

[Mister Andersen]

I found about half of Torchwood season 1 to be mediocrely written, poorly plotted and badly delivered - especially the denouement of the final episode. Oddly enough, most if not all of those bits featured Gwen to some degree.

So far (having seen the 1st four eps) season 2 is a dramatic improvement - having James Masters, gratuitious man love and Ianto with a personality helps massively.

[Forcegypsy]

Speaking of TV schedules, here's the big, damn, second-half of the season list of air-dates. Mark your calendars...

Hell’s Kitchen (Fox) April 1
The Secret Lives of Women (WE) April 1
CSI (CBS) April 3
LA Ink (TLC) April 3
My Name Is Earl (NBC) April 3
Rock The Cradle (MTV) April 3
Step Up And Dance (Bravo) April 3
Without A Trace (CBS) April 3
Battlestar Galactica (SciFi) April 4
Duel (ABC) April 4
Ghost Whisperer (CBS) April 4
Numbers (CBS) April 4
Date My House (TLC) April 5
Snapped (Oxygen) April 6
Wire In The Blood (BBCA) April 6
Samantha Who? (ABC) April 7
Boston Legal (ABC) April 8
NCIS (CBS) April 8
ER (NBC) April 10
The Office (NBC) April 10
Scrubs (NBC) April 10
30 Rock (NBC) April 10
Sarah Jane Adventures (SciFi) April 11
Desperate Housewives (ABC) April 13
Viva Hollywood (VH1) April 13
Can You Duet (CMT) April 14
Dirty Jobs (Discovery) April 14
Miss Rap Supreme (VH1) April 14
One Tree Hill (CW) April 14
Paper, The (MTV) April 14
Rules of Engagement (CBS) April 14
According to Jim (ABC) April 15
Deadliest Catch (Discovery) April 15
Deion & Pilar (Oxygen) April 15
Greenovate (TLC) April 15
Law & Order: SVU (NBC) April 15
Wasted (TLC) April 15
Back To You (Fox) April 16
Big 4-0 (TVL) April 16
How They’re Made (Discovery) April 16
Real World 20 (MTV) April 16
Under One Roof (MyNet) April 16
Smallville (CW) April 16
Doctor Who (SciFi) April 18
Block, The (G4) April 20
Brothers & Sisters (ABC) April 20
Life In The Fab Lane (Style) April 20
Gossip Girl (CW) April 21
X-Terminators (Discovery) April 21
Alaska Experiment (Discovery) April 22
Law & Order (NBC) April 22
Reaper (CW) April 22
American Chopper (TLC) April 24
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) April 24
Lost (ABC) April 24
Miami Ink (TLC) April 24
Supernatural (CW) April 24
Ugly Betty (ABC) April 24
Moonlight (CBS) April 25
Graham Norton Show (BBCA) April 26
Robin Hood (BBCA) April 26
House (Fox) April 28
Wildfire (ABC Family) April 28
Shark (CBS) April 29
Women’s Murder Club (ABC) April 29
Farmer Takes A Wife (CW) April 30

I've bolded my faves.

[ThunderMonkey]

This just released:

Production begins this month on SCI FI Channel's groundbreaking new original series Sanctuary. Shot in the style of the feature films 300 and Sin City, Sanctuary is the first television series to feature live-action actors against primarily virtual sets. The 13-episode season of this one-hour drama is slated to debut this fall.

Yea! More Amanda Tapping!

[Daedalus4096]

Any word on when or if new Burn Notice episodes are coming?  The last I heard, it had been renewed for a second season, but that was before the strike.

[Crafty_Pat]

Any word on when or if new Burn Notice episodes are coming?  The last I heard, it had been renewed for a second season, but that was before the strike.

Summer sometime.

[Mister Andersen]

Yea! More Amanda Tapping!

She's totally the wrong actor for the role I'm afraid.

[ThunderMonkey]

Just saw the teaser for the new season of Burn Notice, returning in July. I didn't get the exact date. However, USA Network is rerunning the series starting Thursday night at 10 p.m. (CST) for those that missed it the first time around in the States and those of us that are ready to relive it again in all its glory.