Tagged: Heroes

HEROES to zero? NBC shake-ups!

Word on the ‘net is that NBC is ready to rebrand the network almost completely, distancing itself from the horrid Ben Silverman era. Under the fresh leadership of Angela Bromstad, the network is picking up load of hot new shows from edgy producers like J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley.

To go in this direction, however, Bromstad’s having to break ties with old series that aren’t drawing viewers anymore.

Among the latest victims? Gone is Dick Wolf’s flagship LAW AND ORDER show, which has been terrible for years in the ratings, but to which the network in linked due to their interest in other Dick Wolf shows; word is Wolf is furious over the cancellation, which could throw the launch of LAW AND ORDER: LOS ANGELES into doubt, previously thought a shoo-in for a series pick-up. Wolf apparently is contemplating taking LAW AND ORDER to TNT for a final, 21st season.

That’s not all. Bromstad is apparently ready to break ties with one-time wunder-show, HEROES. The Tim Kring-produced show has suffered in the ratings but is still the network’s biggest money-maker in DVD sales. Word is Bromstead could approve a mega-event finale of two to six episodes, to polish off dangling storylines, or could just cut ties altogether. We should know soon.

Meanwhile, a ratings underdog but personal favorite, Chuck, has received a surprise renewal from Bromstad, who apparently believes in the series and is willing to give the show another chance when surrounded by what she believes will be a stronger NBC lineup next season.

Finally, it appears that NBC may have anticipated Wolf’s reaction to LAW AND ORDER’s cancellation; instead of attaching Jimmy Smits to LAW AND ORDER: LOS ANGELES, NBC appears ready to sign Smits to a different legal drama, GARZA, which is… surprise… produced by Conan O’Brien’s production company!

Can you believe that? That’s a way better future for O’Brien than hawking the best acne treatment on late-night infomercials.

This week’s fall debuts

This information my not be as hard to find as quality Ferrari parts, but it is good information to have handy. The fall TV debut season really swings into full gear this week, with several favorites making their opening bow.

Here’s a list:

Monday 2009-09-21
Castle
Heroes
House

Tuesday 2009-09-22
The Forgotten

Wednesday 2009-09-23
Eastwick
Flash Forward

Thursday 2009-09-24
Mentalist

Friday 2009-09-25
Ghost Whisperer
Dollhouse
Medium
Smallville

Sunday 2009-09-27
Dexter

With the exception of Ghost Whisperer, I’m interested in all these series! At least initially…

Forthcoming writers strike unwise

It hasn’t even happened yet and already HollyLibs are preparing for it like the second coming … of Ishtar. That’s right, the Hollywood screenwriters are about to go on strike … again.

Now, at issue are legitimate concerns. Studios are making tons off new revenue streams like DVD sales, cellphone deliveries, iPod sales and so forth; and the writers responsible for all that downloadable IP aren’t exactly getting their cut. That’s wrong.

But beware! Does anyone remember the consequences the last time HollyWriters went on strike? Hollywood proved it could adapt by developing an all-new, writer-less form of TV: reality program.

Some of the shows launched back then still survive to this day, including the one that nearly started it all, at least on network television: Survivor. Also still around are summer fare like Big Brother. And their progeny have littered network schedules ever since, to the chagrin of the creators of scripted dramas and comedies.

In fact, only in the last couple years have scripted shows really started to overcome the reality show challenge. Shows like Heroes and Lost and 24 and Prison Break have won back all the momentum lost during the last big writers strike.

I’m not saying the battle’s not worth fighting; it is. But beware of taking it all the way to a strike; beware of the very real risks of stretching out such a strike for too long.

Studios, too, need to beware of becoming too unreasonable in withholdiing the writers’ fair share of new revenue streams. Face is, studio bosses, without writers, you’re screwed into the corner of airing lots of sports, reality shows and other such fare. While much of it may indeed draw ratings, what must be kept in mind is even reality TV has a saturation point, and while a brief revival may help, it’s not a long-term solution.

Ratings of network TV has declined steadily since the last time the writers went on an extended strike. Deal fairly with them and either prevent the strike or keep it brief by dealing fairly.

Otherwise, folks just may stay tuned to their iPods, PS3s, Web browsers and endless supply of DVD libraries far longer than you think. The audience may indeed be hard to win back, once they realize home much other entertainment is out there to be had, and how little they actually need to find out whether the cheerleader will continue to be saved on Heroes, or whether House will ever settle on a new team of doc interns, or whether Losties will ever truly be… Found.

Veronica Mars is a real Hero!

Okay, so the announcements were printed up wrong. What I meant to say is, Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell is a real Hero!

As in, the former teen sleuth is about to star in a multiple-chapter arc of Heroes, NBC’s hit drama from last year. ‘Ronnie will play a character who commits a terrible crime, but may or may not be “one of the good guys,” according to Hereos creator Tim Kring.

We at Hollywood Idiocy begrudgingly love HEROES, but would promise to be less begrudging if Kring would find roles for his ex-Crossing Jordan stars like personal favorites Jill Hennessy, Miguel Ferrer and Kathryn Hahn.

We’re just saying…