Nick at Nite's New Series Hollywood Heights Premieres June 18; CBS Renews Rules of Engagement for 7th Season

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Nick at Nite's New Series Hollywood Heights Premieres June 18; CBS Renews Rules of Engagement for 7th Season

Nick at Nite adds sizzle to summer weeknights with the debut of the original primetime drama Hollywood Heights on Monday, June 18, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Adapted for a U.S. audience from the wildly popular Mexican telenovela Alcanzar una Estrella, Hollywood Heights follows the journey of a teenage girl whose life changes drastically when she becomes a star and wins the love of her rock and roll idol, and both are tested by setbacks, heartbreak and deception. The first season of the 80-episode series, co-produced with Televisa in association with Sony Pictures Television, will air weeknights at 9 p.m. through October 2012. On May 30, NickatNite.com will launch its Hollywood Heights show site, which will include a 'Character Connection' section for viewers to get to know the new series' characters. After the series launch, the site will feature Hollywood Heights highlights with teasers for upcoming episodes, and recaps of the show's best moments. Beginning June 1, the first episode of Hollywood Heights will be available for streaming on NickatNite.com, Facebook, and Nick@Nite On Demand -- all before the premiere on June 21! The first episode will also be available for free on iTunes beginning June 4. Additionally, the first five episodes of Hollywood Heights will be available for free download on iTunes, and streaming on Nick@Nite On Demand prior to its June 18 premiere. So you have plenty of ways to sample the series!
Hollywood Heights centers on Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, One Life to Live), a shy teen whose musical aspirations inch closer to reality when she wins a songwriting contest sponsored by Eddie Duran (Cody Longo, Fame), a rock star at the top of his game. Although Loren and Eddie's budding partnership - on-stage and off - faces obstacles, their strong family bonds inspire them to keep going. Loren finds the support system she needs in her single mom, Nora (Jama Williamson, Parks and Recreation), as Nora returns to the dating scene for the first time in years. Meanwhile Eddie's unbreakable bond with his father, Max (Carlos Ponce, Couples Retreat, telenovela actor/singer) - strengthened by family tragedy - is challenged by Eddie's budding romance with a beautiful, but manipulative model and aspiring actress, Chloe Carter (Melissa Ordway, 17 Again). As Loren begins a meteoric rise on the music scene and Eddie's star begins to fade, together they learn that the road to love and stardom often carries a heavy price tag. Justin Wilczynski (Kaya) also stars as Eddie's bitter former friend, Tyler Rorke. Actor James Franco will star in a multi-episode arc as Osborne "Oz" Silver, an eccentric movie mogul who lives life to the fullest, often outrageously. Offbeat, seductive and ruthless when he has to be, Oz adores making movies and does whatever it takes to make the films he wants.

Looks like it will get yet another mid-season birth. Rules of Engagement will return for a seventh season next mid-season (2013) on CBS and that will be the fifth time in seven seasons it will premiere in mid-season. The last two seasons the series premiered in the fall, though last season it was delayed until late October. The series will return for 13 episodes next season, which will bring it up to the magic 100 episode mark. It was already sold in syndication, so it isn't coming back to just make it to syndication, but this will add on to that total number of episodes. The series premieres in local syndication (such as WPIX, KCAL, WCIU) and cable (WGN America) this fall (2012) five days a week from Sony Pictures Television! Rules will be on the bench just in case any comedy fails or if it is needed elsewhere. CBS has only ordered two new comedies: Partners for fall and Friend Me for mid-season.
The series is a comedy about the different phases of male/female relationships, as seen through the eyes of an engaged couple, Adam and Jennifer; a long-time married pair, Jeff and Audrey; a single guy on the prowl, Russell; and his office assistant, Timmy. As they find out, the often-confusing stages of a relationship can seem like being on a roller coaster: people can describe them to you, but to really know what it's like, you have to take a ride for yourself. Starring Patrick Warburton, Megyn Price, Oliver Hudson, Bianca Kajlich, with David Spade and Adhir Kalyan.