Hello Screen Rant readers. There isn’t a lot of TV stuff going on, but I did manage to dig up some noise on a few things. Namely some info on the upcoming Caprica DVD, Tin Man, The Mentalist, Dollhouse, Heroes and ER.
Let’s get to it.
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The CW
Earlier this week we reported that The CW renewed Smallville and Supernatural. In addition to those tentpole shows, they also renewed Gossip Girl, 90210, America’s Next Top Model (cycles 13 and 14) & One Tree Hill. They’ve also ordered a prequel to Gossip Girl, titled Lily, and 2 other new shows, the Vampire Diaries and something called Light Years.
Source: TV Week
Caprica
Last week in this column I reported that the Battlestar Galactica prequel, Caprica, is being release on DVD before it airs. Way before it airs. The uncut, unrated version will be coming out April 21st, 2009. The show isn’t due out until its 2010 premiere date. The bonus features on the DVD include:
- Behind the scenes of the show
- Commentary from directors Jeffrey Reiner, Moore and Eick
- Deleted scenes
- Video blogs
- Featurettes What the Frak is Caprica? and other video bits like The Birth of a Cylon.
Sounds like it has a lot for the daring soul who might cough up the dough on a new unproven show. Releasing it on DVD long before it airs doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense…
Here’s a shot of the DVD cover:
Source: SciFi Wire
The Mentalist
I personally haven’t watched The Mentalist, but it is pulling some serious ratings numbers. For the 2nd week in a row, it was the #1 scripted show. For the week ending Feb. 22, it brought in over 18 million viewers. Does anyone out there have anything to say about this show? Notice they now have to differentiate it as a scripted show. Reality TV has definitely changed the TV landscape.
Source: CBS
Tin Man
Anyone remember the mini-series Tin Man on The Sci-Fi Channel? It was a nice twisted take on the Wizard of Oz and was one of the biggest, most watched shows on the Sci-Fi Channel. Sci-Fi is in talks to make the mini-series into a series. At least that’s the word from Neal McDonough. If you ask me, I think they’re looking for another dark series to step in and take the place of Battlestar Galactica, but that’s OK by me. I like the dark.
Source: io9
Dollhouse
Dollhouse already has a new bad guy in the form of a rogue active named Alpha. Alpha is the person who went “Charlie Manson” all over the residents of the Dollhouse a while back (flashback on the show). He will be played by Alan Tudyk. If anyone recalls, he was the pilot of the Serenity on Firefly.
Get ready for some crazy from Alpha: He’s described as having multiple personalities and is fragmented and twisted from his time in the Dollhouse. I probably would be too from sleeping in those power-lid coffins they go to sleep in! Did you know that like “the Watcher” in Fringe, we’ve already seen Alpha in the background? Weird, in a stalker kind of way.
Source: New Film Dimension
ER
When ER was heading into its final season, NBC was a little hard pressed to get a few personalities back on for a final ratings-grabbing scene. Once George Clooney finally agreed to come back, others piled in with him. But it’s a costly appearance that Dr. Ross will be making – to compensate for paying the venerable George Clooney, NBC is trying to sell some expensive ad time to pay for his half million dollar appearance. And it’s reported that he will be on screen for only a few minutes (nice work if you can get it).
The final episode will air April 2nd. There will be a one hour retrospective, then the two hour finale.
Source: TV Guide
Heroes
Is Heroes getting hurt by 24? 24 has been pretty intense this season and as Vic puts it, after 24, Heroes seems a little less exciting. But can that perception be hurting Heroes?
Heroes viewership dropped below seven million viewers this week, losing one million viewers from the week before. In fact last week’s episode performed worse than the show that ran during the writers strike, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad.
Ouch. What’s your take? Is the show holding up for you?
Source: E Online
And that’s it for this week!
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14 Comments
You know,I am kind of dissapointed that we have so many reality shows now that we use phrases like “The Number One scripted show”
Just not a reality fan.
Great report as usual Bruce.
I think that Heroes is getting really great again, but the public perception is that it’s not good. That will hurt it.
I have to say that Dollhouse Episode 2 really impressed me. This show could be great if given a chance to develop.
I totally think that Heroes is getting spanked by “24.” “24″ is by FAR the best show on TV right now, IMO. I am also enjoying Heroes, but I DVR it and watch it on Tuesday nights. Personally, I think NBC was stupid to put Heroes up against “24.” People have been chomping at the bit for a new season of “24″ since it was cancelled due to the writer’s strike last year. Add that to the fact that the last season of Heroes was mediocre it’s almost like NBC want Heroes to fail.
As for The CW lineup, except for Smallville, the rest of that looks like what needs to be flushed down the toilet.
I once LOVED Heroes. I still want to love it , I’m really really trying to love it.
This season is definitely an improvement over the previous one BUT I grow weary of certain things. That show needs to ease off on the use of , what I consider to be , tiresome cliche’ .
Firstly , I know its a comic book tradition that popular or even
semi-popular characters NEVER stay dead for very long. So , stop killing off characters only to bring them back in another episode ( or even the same episode -yeeesh!!!!! ).
Secondly ( is that a word ? )Please please please enough with the flashbacks already!!!!!!!!!
I am soooooooooo f***king bored with flashbacks!!!!!!!
three weeks ago !!! two days ago !!! 5 hours ago !!!!
How about some story telling in the present tense??? How about some real time plot development ??
Am I being unreasonable??
I don’t know who is really in charge over the house of Heroes. Is it producers ? Is it bean counters with thoughts of profit projections dancing in there heads ? Is it even Tim Kring ? ( is that his name ? )
It sure doesn’t feel like a comic book fan has anything to do with shaping of that show , not anymore at least.
I still want this show to do well , I still want it to be fun.
I’m not giving up hope yet
I keep telling myself I’m gonna watch Heroes, but things keep gettin’ in my way.
As it is, I catch up on Burn Notice on Hulu.
I’m gonna have to make time somewhere to do a catch up marathon!
24 is amazing, but heroes for the first time in two years is decent as well.
As for the Caprica DVD, that’s just the 2 hour pilot I’m assuming, not the first season. So it’s basically a straight-to-DVD movie.
Darn. I didn’t want to spoil myself as to who plays Alpha yet.
Crap! Sorry crowmagnumman.
No worries. Part of me was itching to know. So now the temptation to look is no longer there.
Wow, is Clooney full of himself or what?
I know he’s not the only hollywood celebrity that do that, but you all know my opinion about the majority of hollywood celebs regarding their off-camera personalities…
YES! Tin Man as a series?! That’s awesome.
Heroes used to be my #1 fave show. I was always SO excited to watch it, couldn’t wait! Now…I still like it but it’s def not #1 anymore. Sylar is the only one I really give a crap about.
Its strange that they are releasing Caprica on DVD first. At least we get to watch it sooner.
I am going to re-watch the Dollhouse eps so I can see Alpha in the background. I’m looking forward to seeing Wash play Alpha as well.
After watching this week’s episode of Heroes last night, does anyone else see Sylar totally going off next week? I see LOTS of dead agents next week. LOL.
ER needed to end 3 years ago. I couldn’t care less that Clooney is going to be back. I’d sooner watch a rerun of Mythbusters.
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