Upfront Notes; 'Knight Rider' Movie; and More!

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Upfront Notes; 'Knight Rider' Movie; and More!

As we have relayed our upfront picks this past week, networks have began picking up new pilots left and right and relaying other news, such as what series will be back and which won't be.

ABC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: Six Degrees, Day Break, The Nine, Ugly Betty, Traveler, Brothers & Sisters and Men In Trees.
Sitcoms: In Case of Emergency, Help Me Help You, Notes from the Underbelly, A Day in the Life and Let's Rob Mick Jagger.
(So, that is 7 new dramas and 5 new sitcoms. I don't think ABC will pick-up any more new shows. The sitcoms are all single camera comedies, which is strange for ABC. Multicamera sitcoms Women of a Certain Age and Patricia Heaton Show have been passed on, along with the drama Secrets in a Small Town.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: According to Jim, George Lopez, What About Brian
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Freddie, Sons & Daughters
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Invasion, Hope & Faith, Wife Swap, Supernanny
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Rodney, Less than Perfect, Crumbs, Jake in Progress, Emily's Reasons Why Not, The Evidence, Night Stalker, Miracle Workers, In Justice, and Hot Properties.

Fox has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: American Crime, Primary, The Wedding Album and Vanished.
Sitcoms: 'Til Death, Happy Hour, The Winner (mid-season)
(Total of 7 pilots picked-up up, thus far.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: The Loop, War at Home, The O.C.
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Bernie Mac, Trading Spouses, Nanny 911, Unan1mous
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Free Ride, Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential, Stacked, Head Cases, Reunion, and Killer Instinct.

NBC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: The Black Donnellys, Kidnapped, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, and Raines.
Sitcoms: 20 Good Years, The Singles Table, Tina Fey Show
(So far, 9 pilots have been picked-up. Tina Fey is still pending because of Alec Baldwin, and two other sitcoms might get picked-up: Community Service and Andy Barker, P.I. The latter was passed on to Fox, but is said to be back in the running for NBC, but for a six episode mid-season order.)
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Teachers
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Scrubs, Surface
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: E-Ring, Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Conviction, Four Kings, Joey, Heist, Three Wishes, Inconceivable, Book of Daniel.

The CW and CBS have been quiet and have not officially picked up any additional pilots. CBS has picked up sitcom The Class, but that was known. CBS has passed on its drama pilot The Ultra to The CW for consideration. CW has picked up 7th Heaven for its 11th season, which was surprising. Invasion could head from ABC to the CW, but probably won't.

The 1980s TV action drama Knight Rider has become the latest TV show to find a new life as a feature film.
The Weinstein Company has acquired the rights to develop and produce a movie from Glen A. Larson, the original creator of the show. As part of the deal, Larson will write the script and co-executive produce the movie.
The project has bounced around several studios over the past decade, and most recently was in development at Sony-based Revolution Studios. Weinstein Company has already announced they are preparing feature films based on the TV shows Welcome Back, Kotter and The Equalizer. Other Larson TV series slated for the big-screen include The Fall Guy and Magnum P.I. Actor David Hasselhoff has apparently been dismissed from the upcoming film version of the show, even after he pleaded with the show's creator for a part in the adaptation, according to a published report.

Lovespring International, the new half-hour improvisational comedy series from Eric McCormack and Michael Forman's Big Cattle Productions and distributed by Lionsgate, has been picked up for an additional seven episodes, it was announced today by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment, Lifetime Entertainment Services. Initially given a six episode order, the series centers on a dating service marketed to customers as an "elite Beverly Hills" company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. Comprised of dysfunctional misfits or "relationship counselors," they desperately try to find love for their clients although they have no idea how to do it for themselves. Lovespring International premieres Monday, June 5 at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Lifetime Television.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, November 17

The Simpsons - "Go Big or Go Homer" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Homer is demoted and must supervise interns, among whom is a go-getter who asks Homer to be his mentor; when Homer inspires him to start a business of his own, the two find themselves being chased by the mob.

Bob's Burgers - "Boys Just Wanna Have Fungus" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Unable to afford a rare gourmet mushroom for a Burger of the Day, Bob and Gene jump into the cutthroat world of mushroom foraging; Tina's powerful new prescription glasses lead her to believe she has a superpower.

The Simpsons - "Livin La Pura Vida" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Simpsons join other Springfield families on the Van Houtens' annual trip to Costa Rica, which they obviously can't afford; Homer befriends Patty's new girlfriend; Lisa tracks down the real reason the Van Houtens can go on this trip every year.

Bless the Harts - "Myrtle Beach Memoirs" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When The Last Supper is closed for repairs, the Harts head to Myrtle Beach for a family vacation that they can't afford; Jenny sees an opportunity to win some cash by competing in an intense mini-golf tournament.

Bob's Burgers - "Land of the Loft" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bob and Linda challenge themselves and attend a loft party on a stormy night; the kids challenge their babysitter and face the storm in an ice cream truck.

Family Guy - "Heart Burn" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
In celebration of Peter and Lois' anniversary, the Griffins recount their own versions of three well-known love stories.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 11)

Friday, November 15

Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) - Watch Shia on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lil Rel Howery (Rel/The Carmichael Show) - Lil Rel appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig visits The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Cobie Smulders (Friends from College/How I Met Your Mother) - Cobie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Patrick Stewart (The Blunt) - Patrick stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Lena Waithe (Master of None) - Lena appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi dishes about her new book The Unqualified Hostess on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Disney+'s Forky Asks a Question on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Jeff talks about his new Netflix comedy special on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Autumn Reeser (Entourage/Complete Savages) - Autumn talks about Christmas Under the Stars on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer is a guest on Access Daily, so check your local listings.