TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: CBS and The CW; MeTV Network Coming to 5 More Markets; Sullivan & Son Grows for TBS

Monday, July 30, 2012

TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: CBS and The CW; MeTV Network Coming to 5 More Markets; Sullivan & Son Grows for TBS

Yesterday at the TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour, CBS was up. After some breakfast it was time for the executive session with Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment. There was nothing major announced. Very quiet. After that there was a panel with the cast and crew of upcoming new drama Elementary. After that, we saw the cast and crew of the new sitcom Partners, which stars Michael Urie. That panel took us to a lunch break. After lunch, the focus was on the new Tuesday drama Vegas starring Michael Chiklis and Dennis Quaid. The new Friday drama Made in Jersey was up next at the panel. Then there was a short break with refreshments brought to you by The Jeff Probst Show. That was the perfect segue for a panel for that new syndicated series, which premieres Sept. 10. After that there was a panel for CBS This Morning, which just announced that Norah O'Donnell is replacing Erica Hill as a co-host. And the Sunday wrapped with the annual Summer stars party with talent, producers and executives from CBS, The CW, Showtime and CBS Television Distribution. It was right across Merv Griffin Way, in front of the hotel at their customized, outdoor event location. Fresh air...good cocktails... plenty of good food...and lots of conversation.

Then today, The CW will be up. Breakfast will be sponsored by the summer reality series Oh Sit! with Jamie Kennedy. After that, there will a panel with the cast and crew of the new drama Arrow, which is coming this fall. Then it is time for the executive session with Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW. If there is anything of note, we will come back and post it here. After that, it's time for more series panels. We have one for the new drama Emily Owens M.D., which stars Mamie Gummer. And finally, the last panel will be for the new version of Beauty and the Best. That concludes The CW, as in the afternoon Showtime will take over with panels for Weeds, Dexter and Homeland.

Weigel Broadcasting Co. and Hearst Television announce an affiliation agreement in which five additional Hearst markets will be adding the MeTV Network to its local stations. Joining MeTV will be WCVB, Boston; KCRA, Sacramento; WBAL, Baltimore; KOCO, Oklahoma City and WXII, Greensboro. This brings the total of Hearst's MeTV Network affiliates to 13. In addition, Hearst has extended its commitment to the network with the renewal of its existing nine MeTV affiliate agreements to 2015. As you know, MeTV features a wide range of programming which audiences and advertisers find comfortable and engaging. Me-TV's library includes almost 100 series from Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, CBS Television Distribution, NBCUniversal Television as well as many independent series owners and producers. MeTV's line-up include some of the most beloved television programs ever produced, including: M*A*S*H, The Brady Bunch, Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, Perry Mason, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gunsmoke, That Girl, I Love Lucy, and Hawaii Five-O series.

Sullivan and Son

And finally, the second week (third episode) of TBS's popular new sitcom Sullivan & Son drew 2.5 million viewers on Thursday night, matching previous week's series launch while also outperforming previous Thursday's special two-episode premiere average by +9%. Among TBS' targeted demos, Thursday night's episode of Sullivan & Son brought in 615,000 adults 18-34 (+15% vs. previous week's two-episode average) and 1.2 million adults 18-49 (+5%), with a 0.9 adults 18-49 rating (tying MTV's Snooki & JWOWW head-to-head).
The telecast of Sullivan & Son's third episode also drew +22% more viewers, +35% more adults 18-34 and +15% more adults 18-49 (grew from a 0.8 to a 0.9 adults 18-49 rating) than the series' second episode (previous Thursday at 10:30pm). Sullivan & Son airs Thursdays at 10pm (ET/PT) on TBS, which episode four airing this Thursday (August 2). Ten episodes in all will air, with the finale scheduled for Sept. 13.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, January 23

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Only Murders in the Building - "Sparring Partners" (ABC, 9:33PM ET/PT)
Closing in on the killer, Mabel takes her investigative talents into the ring; Oliver and Charles duke it out over a birdcage only to end up confronting their deepest paternal struggles.

Only Murders in the Building - "I Know Who Did It" (ABC, 10:12PM ET/PT)
The question of who did it remains, along with a few more questions that have been raised.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "An Old Mustang" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie worries that he’s leaving Connor out of his new project with Jim. Meanwhile, Mandy and Audrey struggle to decorate CeeCee’s nursery without fighting.

Ghosts - "The Primary Source" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam’s book publisher requires source material for her biography on Isaac, she and Jay take a field trip to find a diary he claims he hid when he was alive.

Animal Control - "Baby Kangaroos and Chickens" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank and Victoria compete to win Fiona's affections at the new kennels' fundraiser; Emily gets some very bad advice from Bettany on her speech; Patel and Shred find themselves facing the world's most charming squatter.

Going Dutch - "Korfball" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Everyone in town is talking about the upcoming Korfball match between the Americans and the Dutch; the colonel refuses to lose to the Dutch and Quinn brings out her high school alter ego "The Rocket" to make her dad proud.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

Thursday, January 23

James Marsden (30 Rock) - Catch James on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Fortune Feimster (FUBAR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Al Madrigal (Lopez vs Lopez/About a Boy/Gary Unmarried/Welcome to The Captain) - Al appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen are telling Drew about their new show Dinner and a Movie that features an episode focusing on 50 First Dates on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.