Upfront Rumblings; Mini-DVD Review: The Chipmunks Go to the Movies (May 22)

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Upfront Rumblings; Mini-DVD Review: The Chipmunks Go to the Movies (May 22)

We interrupt our regular scheduled Saturday blog for an update on the network upfronts. This is probably the busiest TV weekend of the year--the weekend before the network upfronts start. Latest buzz:

ABC:
Drama Pick-Ups: Dirty Sexy Money, Private Practice, Cashmere Mafia, Big Shots (aka Perfect Gentlemen), Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, and Women's Murder Club.
Sitcom Pick-Ups: Sam I Am, Cavemen, and Carpoolers.
Still Could Be Picked Up Dramas: Football Wives
Still Could Be Picked Up Sitcoms: The Middle, The Hill, Miss/Guided
No Shot: Marlowe
Possible On the Bubble Current Series Renewals: Notes from the Underbelly (13 episodes), Knights of Prosperity (9 episodes), October Road (TBD episodes)
Comments: There have been some expense issues for some series like Football Wives & Marlowe. Women's Murder Club will be very cheap to produce so ABC will pick that up over Marlowe. Football Wives could still get picked-up as it could be a key series for ABC next season. They can premiere it in January or even after the Dancing with the Stars season finale in mid-November. Sitcom wise, ABC's only sure thing was Sam I Am...rumor was The Middle and Miss/Guided were going to be picked-up for the fall, but now they decided to pick-up Cavemen and Carpoolers instead, but both most likely will be for mid-season. ABC can still pick up The Middle and a traditional sitcom like The Hill. As for the current series, look for Underbelly and October Road to be renewed and their is an outside chance that The Knights of Prosperity will return with 9 new episodes to go along with the few unaired episodes from this season. Mix reports so far for George Lopez...some sources say it is canceled and some say it will return mid-season. According to Jim has a less of a chance to return. And What About Brian looks like will not return for a third season.

CBS:
Drama Pick-Ups: Swingtown, Viva Laughlin, Cane (AKA: Los Duques), Babylon Fields.
Sitcom Pick-Ups: None.
Still Could Be Picked Up Dramas: The Man
Still Could Be Picked Up Sitcoms: 1321 Clover
No Shot: I'm in Hell
Possible On the Bubble Current Series Renewals: Jericho (13 episodes), Close to Home (13 episodes), The Unit
Comments: CBS might not pick up a sitcom for the fall as the slate has been weak and they might be forced to bring back New Adventures of Old Christine in the fall rather than mid-season. 1321 Clover is the only sitcom in contention now, with series like The Big Bang Theory far behind. There is word that Jericho will be back for 13 episodes and same goes for Close to Home. Both will probably not be part of fall though. The Unit might also not be, as The Man has gotten closer to a pick-up, CBS might try that on Tuesdays for the fall. The Jason Biggs comedy I'm in Hell is dead and has no shot really of a pick-up...and The Class has no shot of a second season really. The Amazing Race will likely return in January or March.

NBC:
Drama Pick-Ups: Chuck, Life, Journeyman, Bionic Woman, Lipstick Jungle.
Sitcom Pick-Ups: None.
Still Could Be Picked Up Dramas: None.
Still Could Be Picked Up Sitcoms: Business Crowd, I.T. Crowd, Lipshitz Saves the World
No Shot: Mastersons of Manhattan
On the Bubble Current Series Renewals: Friday Night Lights, Scrubs (18 episodes)
Comments: As for NBC, so far no sitcom pick-ups but word is Business Crowd or I.T. Crowd will be picked-up for the fall while the other is saved for mid-season. Lipshitz Saves the World is also in consideration. On the drama front, there is word that Lipstick Jungle has been picked-up, but for mid-season. So NBC could potentially have two series that starts with "Lip"...odd. NBC has announced that Scrubs will indeed return to the network for one final season for 18 episodes...maybe for the fall or another January start. Still no word on Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but Crossing Jordan is about as good as dead right now it seems.

FOX:
Drama Pick-Ups: Sarah Connor Chronicles, New Amsterdam, K-Ville
Sitcom Pick-Ups: Back To You, The Return of Jezebel James, Rules for Starting Over
Still Could Be Picked Up Dramas: Nurses, The Apostle, Them, Canterbury's Law, Company Man
Still Could Be Picked Up Sitcoms: Animals
No Shot: Supreme Courtships
On the Bubble Current Series Renewals: 'Til Death
Comments: Fox has picked-up three sitcoms so far and three dramas. They are in contention to pick-up a few more dramas even and maybe an animated sitcom. It looks like Kirstie Allie's sitcom is dead and the drama Supreme Courtships was written off days ago. Fox will bring back 'Til Death for a second season to join the three new comedies on the new Wednesday comedy block with Bones either moving to Thursdays or Fridays.

The CW:
Drama Pick-Ups: Gossip Girls, Reaper
Sitcom Pick-Ups: None
Still Could Be Picked Up Dramas: Wild at Heart, World According to Barnes
Still Could Be Picked Up Sitcoms: Aliens in America, Hell on Earth, Eight Days a Week
No Shot: Spellbound
On the Bubble Current Series Renewals: One Tree Hill, Supernatural
Comments: No Veronica Mars has not been picked-up yet! I don't think it will be either. So far no sitcoms have been picked up but Aliens in America, Hell on Earth are close to...one will be for the fall, one will be for mid-season. It seems Girlfriends and The Game will return. Two new dramas so far have been officially picked-up, with two more possibly to follow. Look for Supernatural and One Tree Hill to return but with new nights. Everybody Hates Chris, America's Next Top Model and Smallville will be the only locks to stay in their current positions...and well WWE Smackdown!

Check back periodically as we get more updates all-weekend long! I don't sleep during upfronts week!

Join us all next week (May 14-17) bright and early for the fall schedules. I assure you we will be among the first ones to post the fall line-ups for each network.

And now back to our regularly scheduled blog programming:

Welcome to another edition of mini-DVD reviews. This week we take a look at Paramount Home Entertainment's The Chipmunks Go to the Movies. The Chipmunks Go to the Movies is a continuation of Alvin and the Chipmunks from 1990 where the Chipmunks re-enact your favorite classic movies like Star Trek, Batman and Honey I Shrunk the Kids! See my mini-DVD review of The Chipmunks Go to the Movies:

Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go to the Movies (Paramount, $14.99) brings three episodes from the short-lived 13 episode series. This is the fourth set from Paramount featuring the Chipmunks series. The last set was the Valentine's set set. Previously we had the Halloween and Christmas specials releases. Paramount has also released the Chipmunk feature film from 1987 on a separate set...so five sets really. This set has three episodes from the 1990 series featuring spoofs on Batman, Star Trek & Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The episode titles are "Star Wreck," "Batmunk," and "Funny...We Shrunk the Adults." Why not just bring all 13 on two discs or something? It doesn't make sense to me why just three episodes. Each episode runs 21:30 or so, but there are NO closing credits! Very strange! No chapter stops like previous Chipmunk sets. Packaging is simple and in the same line as the previous sets--a nice simple case with the disc inside with an insert for Chipmunks.com. The menu screen has Play All and Episode Selection. The video and audio are decent and very watchable.
I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set. New fans might also want to see this hilarious take on popular films, but I am hoping Paramount (or any other studio) releases the series on DVD in order with the classic episodes, and not just select episodes from The Chipmunks years. I like the old style animation the series had on NBC from 1983-87...why aren't they coming to DVD first?? I want to see The C-Team episode with Mr. T again! So, hopefully we get the series on DVD from the start next, but for now go out and buy this set and watch Alvin as The Joker and more!
-- Reviewed by Pavan