Day 66: WGA's Strike; People's Choice Awards Winners

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Day 66: WGA's Strike; People's Choice Awards Winners

We are in day 66 of the strike. A couple of items of scheduling due to the strike were announced. NBC will broadcast the last two original pre-strike episodes of Chuck on Thursday, January 24, at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET -- sandwiched around an original episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. This means the return of Scrubs will not be on this date. It'll probably be Jan. 31 now. Last new pre-strike episodes of My Name is Earl and 30 Rock air this week and ER has two more episodes left (Jan. 10 and 17). Meanwhile, NBC has announced for this Sunday they will have a two-hour Dateline special called "Going for the Gold" interviewing some of the stars...this will lead-in to the one-hour special announcing the viewers from 9-10pm. It is unclear so far what NBC will air at 10pm.
Dubbed television's smartest reality show, ABC is bringing back The Mole, featuring new "whodunit" game elements, interactivity and a new host. Producers are launching a nationwide search to replace Cooper. In addition to a new host, new features, new games, new locations and online and mobile interactivity are planned for the series. Casting for players begins immediately. Casting information can be found at www.molecasting.com. The series could likely begin this spring before the season ends or as an early summer player. Forgot how the series was played? It follows a group of players as they try to figure out who among them is The Mole, a saboteur trying to keep them from winning money. Players must decide who they think The Mole is and then learn as much about him or her as they can, because, at the end of each one-hour episode, the player who knows the least about The Mole is immediately eliminated from the game. In the final dramatic episode, The Mole is revealed and one of two final players wins a substantial cash prize.

The People's Choice Awards were on last night in a new format because of the strike. Ratings started off OK but went down considerably as each half-hour progressed. Looks like fans didn't like it much. Here are the winners, in case you missed it:

• Favorite TV Drama: House, Fox
• Favorite TV Comedy: Two and a Half Men, CBS
• Favorite Animated TV Comedy: The Simpsons, Fox
• Favorite TV Sci-Fi Show: Stargate Atlantis, Sci-Fi
• Favorite TV Competition/Reality Show: Dancing with the Stars, ABC
• Favorite TV Game Show: Deal or No Deal, NBC
• Favorite Female TV Star: Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy, ABC
• Favorite Male TV Star: Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy, ABC
• Favorite Scene-Stealing TV Star: Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy, ABC
• Favorite TV Talk-Show Host: Ellen DeGeneres, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated
• Favorite New TV Comedy: Samantha Who?, ABC
• Favorite New TV Drama: Moonlight, CBS
You can discuss the winners and the format of last night's show HERE!

More news to come, if any...so try and come back.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, March 31

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Signature Service Loyalty Rewards Program" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Malcom receives an unexpected call from USC’s athletic director about a baseball head coach vacancy. Meanwhile, Calvin and Marty start a new signature loyalty rewards program at The Fuse Box.

Poppa's House - "Say Wha?!" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Junior’s fundraising effort for his film takes a dramatic turn when he discovers Poppa’s flea market purchase is worth a fortune. Vivica A. Fox guest stars as “Judge SayWha.”

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Monday, March 31

Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - Watch Jennifer on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) - Maria is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Jay Ellis (Running Point/Insecure/The Game) - Jay talks about Running Point and Freaky Tales on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
Sara Gilbert (The Conners/Bad Teacher/The Big Bang Theory/The Class/Roseanne) - Sara chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about The Conners on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Survival of the Thickest on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) - Michael talks about Sacramento on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is joining Drew and Ross to hit the headlines in an all-new Drew's News on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.