TV Envy

Friday Ratings: CBS Finales Close on a Win

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Sports, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, Ratings

CBS’ usually strong lineup racked up another weekend win.  The network placed first in both the viewers and the demos with ABC right behind in second.

8pm

• Ghost Whisperer (2.0/8 in 18-49) ended its season with 8.4 million.
• America’s Funniest Home Videos (1.7/6) had 6.8 million laughing.
• Friday Night Smackdown (4 million, 1.2/4) was down a smidge.
• FOX‘s airing of Dodgeball (2.8 million, 1.2/4) was down 600,000 compared to last week’s movie.
• A repeat of American Gladiators* (0.9/3) only had 2.5 million fired up.

Click to continue reading Friday Ratings: CBS Finales Close on a Win

Read More | Programming Insider

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2008 Summer Television Programming Schedule

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Games, Kids, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, Hell's Kitchen, Desperate Housewives, Everybody Hates Chris, Family Guy, Grey's Anatomy, House, So You Think You Can Dance, The Office

A new season calls for a new schedule.

If you’re without anything to do this summer, this updated programming schedule may help keep you occupied.  Over the next few months, networks will be introducing a crop of reality shows (Celebrity Circus, Greatest American Dog), some experimental dramas (Swingtown, Fear Itself) and the usual horde of repeats.

This list is a compilation of the calendars for the five major networks.

Click to continue reading 2008 Summer Television Programming Schedule

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Rob Estes Joins 90210

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Drama, Prime Time, The CW, News

Anyone paying close attention to 90210‘s recently revealed cast photo might have noticed someone missing.  (Someone other than Jennie Garth.)

Up until now, the spinoff has been without the show’s central reason for existence: the patriarch!  The West Beverly alum who moves his family from St. Louis to become his alma mater’s next principal.  The guy heading this drama’s version of the Walshes.

While there wasn’t anyone from the original cast suitable to play this character, the producers were able to snag someone from the old FOX family.  Rob Estes, a former Melrose Place star, has just been cast as Harry (Harry???) Mills.  Estes will star alongside Lori Laughlin (his show wife) and play father to Shenae Grimes and Tristan Wilds. 

CW has apparently worked very hard to flesh out this update with some decent eye candy.  While I’ll always have very fond thoughts of them, Jim and Cindy Walsh never looked this good.

Read More | TV Guide

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Thursday Ratings: NBC Finales End On Good Note

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Games, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, My Name Is Earl, The Office, Ratings

A full slate of finales gave NBC a boost in the ratings.  The network was third with the viewers but second in the demos.

8pm

• Ugly Betty (8.5 million, 2.7/8 in 18-49) gained a 1/2 million from last week.
• Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (8.3 million, 2.2/7) scored 600,000 more.
• A CSI* repeat (1.7/5) kicked off the night with 7.8 million.
• My Name is Earl (7.1 million, 3.0/9) tacked on another million.
• Smallville (3.8 million, 1.7/5) was down 200,000.

Click to continue reading Thursday Ratings: NBC Finales End On Good Note

Read More | Variety

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Top Chef Chicago: Andrew Gets a Raw Deal

Posted by Jacci Lewis
Categories: Drama, Food & Home, Prime Time, Reality, Bravo, Cable, Top Chef, Editorial, News

If three previous seasons of Top Chef have taught contestants anything, it is that you always have to follow the judges’ rules for each challenge. If you don’t, you are the most likely target to be sent packing. In Top Chef, taste is subjective. So all things being equal, the rules are the deal breaker.

Andrew is the latest chef to learn that lesson the hard way. His over-confident attempt to create a healthy sushi box lunch for Chicago cops (???) fell flat with the judges, both because it didn’t taste very good and also because it was missing a food group required for the challenge.

The spastic 30-year-old New York sous chef joins Nikki who went home last week after her ineffectual role in the “Wedding Wars” episode. That leaves just six chefs left to fight it out for this season’s title.

Click to continue reading Top Chef Chicago: Andrew Gets a Raw Deal

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Wednesday Ratings: Another Win for Fox

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Games, Music, Prime Time, Reality, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, America's Next Top Model, American Idol, Ratings

All eyes were on American Idol‘s elimination show last night.  Curiosity once again helped the program win back viewers lost in recent weeks.

8pm

• The Price is Right (7.3 million, 1.4/4 in 18-49) narrowly won its hour.
• Deal or No Deal (7.1 million, 1.8/5) was down a notch.
• ‘Til Death (5.9 million, 2.2/7) and Back to You (6.9 million, 2.5/7) both did about the same.
• Wife Swap (6.4 million, 2.5/7) slipped by 600,000.
• Approximately 4.6 million saw Whitney Thompson crowned America’s Next Top Model (2.3/7).

Click to continue reading Wednesday Ratings: Another Win for Fox

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

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Tuesday Ratings: FOX Sees Improvement

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Food & Home, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, Hell's Kitchen, American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, Ratings

Although FOX has ruled Tuesday for quite some time, the network’s lineup has seen its ups and downs.  This week, both American Idol and Hell’s Kitchen rebounded from recent ratings dips.

8pm

• American Idol (24 million, 8.6/24 in 18-49) grew by 2.8 million.
• NCIS (14.7 million, 3.0/9) improved by 900,000.
• According to Jim (1.4/4) settled in with 4.4 million.
• Most Outrageous Moments (4 million, 1.2/3) had a 200,000 decrease.
• Beauty and the Geek (1.5 million, 0.7/2) was down a notch.

Click to continue reading Tuesday Ratings: FOX Sees Improvement

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First Photo of 90210 Cast

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Drama, Prime Time, The CW

Here’s your first look at the cast behind the highly-publicized 90210 spinoff. Come next fall, CW will use the drama to kick off its new Tuesday night schedule.

Those pictured include Dustin Milligan (Runaway), AnnaLynne McCord (Nip/Tuck), Jessica Walter (Arrested Development), Shenae Grimes (Degrassi), Tristan Wilds (The Wire), Lori Loughlin (Summerland), Ryan Eggold (Dirt), Jessica Stroup (Reaper) and Michael Steger (The Winner).

Jennie Garth, who is not seen in this shot, was also recently confirmed as recurring character in the new series. Tori Spelling is reportedly in talks to return as well.

Read More | TV Guide

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Monday Ratings: Weak Premiere for American Gladiators

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Reality, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, Dancing With The Stars, House, Medium, The Bachelor, Ratings

Why NBC chose to bring back American Gladiators at this time is beyond me.  Had the show debuted after the latest round of finales, it might have fared better than fourth place.  Meanwhile, ABC was another winner with the viewers while FOX was tops in the demos.

8pm

• Dancing with the Stars (18.3 million, 4.2/11 in 18-49) was the night’s most-watched show.
• Bones (9.4 million, 3.2/9) grew by 1.3 million.
• Britney Spears helped draw 700,000 more to How I Met Your Mother (9 million, 3.8/9); The Big Bang Theory (7.9 million, 2.9/9) tacked on another 300,000.
• The American Gladiators debut (4.9 million, 1.9/5) did about 1/2 as well as Deal or No Deal.
• Approximately 2.6 million tuned in to hear Serena’s big secret on Gossip Girl (1.2/3).

Click to continue reading Monday Ratings: Weak Premiere for American Gladiators

Read More | Variety

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CBS Cancels Moonlight, Renews Mother

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Sci-Fi/Horror, CBS, Cancellations, Renewals

Yesterday, we named those shows recently cut by the major networks.  Now we know which CBS programs will be added to that dreaded list.

The freshman dramas receiving the ax include Moonlight and Shark.  Although fans of the vampire series did their best to campaign for the cult fave, their passion simply didn’t equate to ratings.  (I’m sure the network feared they’d end up with another failed Jericho in their hands.)

Meanwhile, those programs being spared include: How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Rules of Engagement and The Unit.  It seems Britney Spears might be good for something after all…

Read More | Variety

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