The Idiot Box: TV Season 2011/2012

[ThunderMonkey]

According to Leonard Nimoy's twitter... there have been rumblings to return William Bell to "Fringe". I guess they can pull Nimoy out of retirement afterall.

I wonder if this rumor had anything to do with the stellar start (well stellar for a show on Friday night and a show on FOX on a Friday night) "Fringe" had last week.

I got to sit in on the teleconference that featured Nimoy last year and he said that he had no plans to return to the big or small screen, or even the stage. However, he did mention a number of times that he enjoyed working with J.J. Abrams (especially what he was able to do with the Star Trek series) and "Noble John" (as he called John Noble).

[Wolverine]

We've all know about the skits played at the beginning of each Oscar awards, but did you know that the British National Television Awards do something similar?

The NTA host oversleeps and needs a little help from a certain time travelling alien to get there on time (Warning: Contains Ant & Dec and Amanda Holden)

[Nepenthe]

It's definitely the little series that could over there, but it's getting a big assist from management.

Maybe Adam Baldwin put the hard word on them as well. He certainly has the build of someone you wouldn't want to upset

I could say the same thing about Yvonne. For a different reason, probably.

Also Pat, interesting to hear that. Wasn't my top contender for "shows TV execs like to watch themselves"

[Crafty_Pat]

Also Pat, interesting to hear that. Wasn't my top contender for "shows TV execs like to watch themselves"

It wouldn't have been mine either. For what it's worth, everyone on and behind the show is - from my limited exposure (panels and the train ride home from Comic-Con last year) - very, very personable. They're just good, polite, well-meaning people, and I'm sure that has a lot to do with the show's continue support.

[Crafty_Pat]

Looks like Howard and Co. may have found their Roland in Javier Bardem: This is gonna spark a holy hell-storm of fan fury, but I for one think it's a pretty genius move. Not only does he have the acting chops and the right look for the part, but he's one of those actors I could see actually being quite happy to spend the next several years of his life in a cross-platform epic - reveling in it, even. Sure, there's the accent, but bah - it's a very, very small price to pay for the other perks he brings to the table, and there are these awesome things called voice coaches now...

[Crafty_Pat]

ABC picks up "Missing," which "centers on a worried mom who, after her son disappears in Italy while overseas for a summer internship, takes it upon herself to travel to Europe and track him down. It soon becomes clear that this isn’t any ordinary woman, but a former CIA agent who will stop at nothing to bring her son home alive."

So... Taken on the small screen, without Luc Besson. It's a summer replacement series, so don't get too attached. In all likelihood it'll run 13 episodes and vanish forever - though to be fair ABC has a decent track record of picking up mid-season replacements, so who knows?

[Mister Andersen]

It's a nice gender switch. I'd actually be happy if it was designed to only run for those 13 episodes

[Desertpuma]

ABC picks up "Missing," which "centers on a worried mom who, after her son disappears in Italy while overseas for a summer internship, takes it upon herself to travel to Europe and track him down. It soon becomes clear that this isn’t any ordinary woman, but a former CIA agent who will stop at nothing to bring her son home alive."

So... Taken on the small screen, without Luc Besson. It's a summer replacement series, so don't get too attached. In all likelihood it'll run 13 episodes and vanish forever - though to be fair ABC has a decent track record of picking up mid-season replacements, so who knows?

Could be interesting ... sounds like a wait & see thing. The only way it would be of definite interest is if everything actual shot on location.

[Crafty_Pat]

It's a nice gender switch. I'd actually be happy if it was designed to only run for those 13 episodes

Most astute showrunners develop with this in mind these days, knowing the chances of a second season pickup are not always high (or even decent).

[Crafty_Pat]

Oh Nelly it's nuts out there in TV land this week. Not surprisingly, I guess, given the number of new network execs in place (newbies in those slots don't tend to like working with pilots greenlit by their predecessors).

David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) sell Cop Drama "Grimm" to NBC: "Grimm is described as a dark but fantastical project about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales exist."

NBC has also picked up a fantasy cop drama by Ron Moore (BSG): It's tentatively titled 17th Precinct (that'll almost certainly change if this goes to series), and it "takes place in world ruled by magic instead of science. The working title is 17th Precinct and it’s basically an ensemble police drama set in the fictional town of Excelsior."

CW Buys "Awakening" Spec Script: Even money is on the CW ordering this one to pilot. It "enters on two sisters who come of age and face off against one another amidst the beginning of a zombie uprising."

HBO has greenlit Aaron Sorkin's behind-the-scenes cable news drama script to pilot

Oh, and it looks like Jane Espenson is apparently writing around half of the new Torchwood series

[Desertpuma]

Moore's show will be interesting to see as it is touted as "Harry Potter for grown-ups". Makes me wonder if it will be modern or somewhat period. I think Victoria Era would be fairly cool.

[Wolverine]

CW Buys "Awakening" Spec Script: Even money is on the CW ordering this one to pilot. It "enters on two sisters who come of age and face off against one another amidst the beginning of a zombie uprising."

Yep, Zombies really are the new vampires.

HBO has greenlit Aaron Sorkin's behind-the-scenes cable news drama script to pilot

Not really surprising, but still good to hear

[Agent 333]

Tonight's Chuck kicked ass.

(click to show/hide)

Chuck really is a Magnificent Bastard. Holy crap, that whole setup to get Alexi's voice print was just awesome.

Also, I have to say I LOVE Timothy Dalton as a villain. He was great in Hot Fuzz, and he's great in Chuck.

[Nepenthe]

Tonight's Chuck kicked ass.

(click to show/hide)

Chuck really is a Magnificent Bastard. Holy crap, that whole setup to get Alexi's voice print was just awesome.

Also, I have to say I LOVE Timothy Dalton as a villain. He was great in Hot Fuzz, and he's great in Chuck.

I just love Timothy Dalton, period. He's amazing in everything.

If this had been the series ending, I could have been happy with it. Let's hope they can keep working their magic on these (potential) endings and it stays as good as it has been.

[Nepenthe]

... In fact if they don't get at least Emmy nominations for outstanding guest actor (dalton) and outstanding lead actress (strahovski), it'll be a traversty.