Category Archives: News

2012 Upfronts: ABC orders 10 new series for next season

May 15, 2012News, Television, Video2012 Upfronts, ABC, new shows, Paul Lee, trailers, TV schedule, TV trailers, upfrontsScott Meisner

ABC continued the Upfronts run today and unveiled 10 new series coming to the network next season; four comedies and six dramas. Four newbies will premiere this fall, and the others will sit on the bench until midseason. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

Also posted after the break is ABC’s 2012-13 programming schedule. Notable changes to the schedule include comedies Happy Endings and Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23 moving to Tuesdays; in November the Tim Allen comedy Last Man Standing will premiere on Friday where it will serve as a lead-in to Reba McEntire’s new half-hour sitcom Malibu Country (hello TGIF); and Revenge is relocating to Sunday (taking over Desperate Housewives‘ recently relinquished 9PM slot) where it will be sandwiched between returning fantasy series Once Upon A Time and the new supernatural drama 666 Park Avenue.

Here are a few highlights from ABC’s Upfront presentation led by the network’s president Paul Lee. He is confident that Happy Endings “can open a comedy block at 9PM on Tuesday,” which certainly bodes well for fans of the hilarious comedy. On Sunday night’s epic lineup that includes Once, Revenge, and 666: “It’s battle between good and evil from 8PM all the way to 11PM.” Looking to the future, Lee confirmed that series based on the Marvel Avenger The Hulk is in the works for the 2013-14 TV season; reports claim that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is attached. Also an all-star edition of Dancing with the Stars is coming in the fall. Last, Lee was determined to shine a light on what ABC hopes to share with its viewers when the 2012-13 season rolls around this September. “Why just watch when you can feel?” he exclaimed. “It sums up the added DNA that this brand brings as far as the emotional connection to viewers.” Continue reading 2012 Upfronts: ABC orders 10 new series for next season →

2012 Upfronts: FOX orders 5 new series for next season

May 14, 2012News, Television, Video2012 Upfronts, FOX, Kevin Reilly, new shows, trailers, TV schedule, TV trailers, upfrontsScott Meisner

Following NBC’s onslaught of new programming, FOX stepped up to the plate second today and introduced a decidedly teensier menu of new shows. FOX unveiled 5 new series coming to the network next season; three comedies and two dramas. Two comedies and a drama will premiere this fall, and the remaining comedy and drama series will wait for midseason. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

Also posted after the break is FOX’s 2012-13 programming schedule. Significant changes include Tuesday becoming an all-comedy block filled with four half-hour comedies; Glee is moving to Thursdays to be paired with X-Factor in the fall and American Idol in midseason; and Touch has relocated to Fridays and will serve as a lead-in to Fringe.

FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly took the stage at Upfronts to address the scheduling changes. “Four comedies on Tuesday is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. These are the kind of shows we’ve wanted to do for a long time and we’ve been building momentum on Tuesdays. We finally have shots that have exactly the right tone we are looking for.” He added, “Since the first day I walked into Fox, this is the kind of comedy lineup I’ve wanted present to you.” On moving Glee to Thursdays: “I think we’ve seen before that Glee is very compatible [with music shows]. This is just a way to propel it through the next couple of seasons. For us it’s a win win. If we didn’t have shows on Tuesday, we wouldn’t be able to do it.” On Touch/Fringe Fridays: “Friday is a curious time. Live plus same day ratings may look a little puny, but over the next 7 days, there is a real audience there. We have been winning Fridays with quality shows. We are investing in Fridays.”

Two major announcements were made regarding The X Factor and Glee. The reality show has enlisted Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell on the judges panel for season 2. The Ryan Murphy musical dramedy will feature guests stars Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex in the City) in season 4. Both will have multi-episode arcs and their roles remain under wraps. What will happen to the graduates? We still don’t know exactly how season 4 play out, but it was revealed today that it will contain a “show within a show” and manage to follow the McKinley High students in Ohio (some old faces, some new) as well as Kurt, Rachel and maybe Finn in New York. When the season 3 finale comes and goes perhaps we’ll have a better idea of what we can expect. (5/15 update: It is being reported that Hudson and Parker will serve as mentors to Rachel and Kurt, respectively, in NYC.) Continue reading 2012 Upfronts: FOX orders 5 new series for next season →

2012 Upfronts: NBC orders 12 new series for next season

May 13, 2012News, Television, Video2012 Upfronts, Bob Greenblatt, J.J. Abrams, NBC, new shows, Revolution, teasers, trailers, TV schedule, TV teasers, TV trailers, upfrontsScott Meisner

Today NBC kicked off the 2012 Upfronts, an annual event where the big four networks present their upcoming slate of new programming to advertisers and the press. The Peacock unveiled 12 new series coming to the network next season; seven comedies and five dramas. Half will premiere this fall, and the others will wait for midseason. Jump after the break to get more information about all of the new shows including synopses, cast and creator/executive producer listings, and clips.

Also posted after the break is NBC’s 2012-13 programming schedule. The three most significant changes to the schedule include Whitney and Community moving to Friday nights paired with Grimm and Dateline NBC; The Voice gets a second cycle in the fall; and Smash is being held again for midseason.

NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt explained Community‘s move to Friday: “I know that most people in our industry think Friday is a graveyard but we don’t really believe that. If you don’t build it they won’t come. We got some traction with Grimm, it’s the No. 1 18-49 on Fridays. We thought if we have a base there, let’s see if we can give Grimm a lead-in with these shows that actually have fan bases–including Whitney.” … He added, “[Community] has its faithful audience and they will follow it to the ends of the Earth. And I really wanted to do something to invigorate Friday because we love Grimm. So I thought, let’s move a show where the audience will move with it. I actually look at the positive side of it, although no good deed goes unpunished.”

While The Office and Parks and Recreation were picked up and given full 22-episode full season orders, other comedies like 30 Rock, Community, and Up All Night were handed smaller 13-episode orders; and this has led to speculation about whether or not NBC plans to phase these shows out sooner rather than later. Greenblatt addressed this: “[The Thursday night comedies] have a really strong following [but] they don’t have a large enough audience. They’re still shows that mean something to this network…I think on the Thursday night shows, ‘broad’ is synonymous with ratings…we’re always trying to be broader.” … He added, “a 13-episode order does not mean a death knell to the show.” So fret not, my friends. (5/14 update: It has been confirmed that the upcoming seventh season of 30 Rock will be its last.)

On why the network is saving Smash for midseason, Greenblatt wants the second season to air uninterrupted with not a single hiatus, like FOX started doing with 24 by premiering it in January instead of September. The plan is for the musical drama to produce 15-18 episodes every season as opposed to the standard 22. Also, the network wants accomodate new showrunner Josh Safran (Gossip Girl). Explains NBC’s Jennifer Salke: “New showrunner Josh Safran is coming in–he’s awesome. And we wanted him to get a chance to own [it] and get in there and have an ownership stake in the show — not just put a gun to his head and [tell him], ‘You gotta get going!’ So we wanted him to be able to stand back and have a real creative discussion about what he wants the season to be and be a big part of that.” Continue reading 2012 Upfronts: NBC orders 12 new series for next season →

2012 TV renewals and cancellations

May 13, 2012News, Television2012 TV cancellations, 2012 TV renewals, ABC, cancellation, cancelled, CBS, FOX, NBC, renewals, renewed, the big four networks, The CWScott Meisner

Tis the season when the TV season comes to a close and the press goes wild with speculation about which shows will be coming back next fall and which ones will be brutally murdered never to be seen again. If you’re looking for rampant speculation you won’t find it here; this post will inform you about the already determined futures of your favorite TV shows that air on the big four networks. As the Upfronts loom ahead (the time when the networks reveal their schedules for next season), the current slate of TV shows look fate in the eye and a decision is made to keep them or cut them.

Unless otherwise stated, the following shows have been renewed for full 20-something episode seasons and will return in the fall or midseason.

CBS

Renewed: 2 Broke Girls, Blue Bloods, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, Rules of Engagement (13 episodes), Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, Two and a Half Men

Cancelled: A Gifted Man, CSI: Miami, How To Be A Gentleman, NYC 22 Rob, Unforgettable

NBC

Renewed: 30 Rock (13 episodes), Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Celebrity Apprentice, Community (13 episodes), Grimm, Fashion Star, Law & Order: SVU, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Rock Center with Brian Williams, Smash (15-18 episodes), The Biggest Loser, The Office, The Voice, Up All Night, Whitney

Cancelled: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Chuck, Fear Factor, Free Agents, Harry’s Law, Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, The Firm

FOX

Renewed: American Dad, American Idol, Bob’s Burgers, Bones, Family Guy, Fringe (13 episodes), Glee, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, New Girl, Raising Hope, The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, The X Factor, Touch

Cancelled: Alcatraz, Allen Gregory, Breaking In, House, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Napoleon Dynamite, Terra Nova, The Finder

ABC

Renewed: America’s Funniest Home Videos, Body of Proof, Castle, Cougar Town (moving to TBS), Dancing with the Stars, Don’t Trust The B in Apartment 23, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, Modern Family, Once Upon A Time, Private Practice (13 episodes), Revenge, Scandal, Shark Tank, Suburgatory, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, The Middle

Cancelled: Charlie’s Angels, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Man Up!, Missing, Pan Am, The River, Work It

The CW

Renewed: 90210, America’s Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Nikita, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries

Cancelled: H8R, One Tree Hill, Remodeled, Ringer, The Secret Circle

Nintendo makes DSi line more affordable

May 13, 2012News, Technology3DS, 3DS color, color variant, DSi, DSi XL, handheld, handheld gaming, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo DSi XL, price, price drop, Video gamesScott Meisner

With the $299 3DS casting its glasses-less spell on gamers, Nintendo is graciously dropping the prices of the handheld’s still prospering predecessors. Effective May 20 the DSi and DSi XL will see their prices slashed to $99 (from $149) and $129 (from $169), respectively. Not into the whole 3D craze that’s going on these days? Nintendo has now made the decision to jump on the DS bandwagon a heck of a lot smoother.

In related news, also on May 20 Nintendo is unleashing a new color variant of the 3DS: Midnight Purple. This joins Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red, and Pearl Pink in the fight against uniformity. Brief PR after the break.

[Via Nintendo 1, 2] Continue reading Nintendo makes DSi line more affordable →

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE coming to Verizon Wireless

May 13, 2012News, Technology4G LTE, 4G LTE phone, cell phones, Droid, Droid Incredible, HTC, HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE, specifications, specs, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZWScott Meisner

Try saying that ten times fast. HTC and Verizon have announced the next smartphone in the Droid Incredible line: the Droid Incredible 4G LTE. You want specs? You’ve got ’em. The new Incredible features a 4-inch super LCD qHD display, an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash, and HD video capability, a front-facing camera for vid chat, and a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. The smartphone also serves as a Mobile Hotspot that can share its 4G LTE connection with up to ten Wi-Fi-enabled devices, you can throw in a 32 GB microSD memory card for additional storage, and it packs a 1,700 mAh Li-ion ion removable battery. It runs the latest and greatest version of Google’s Android OS, 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich and it comes with HTC’s acclaimed customizable skin Sense 4. And if somehow you missed it in the device’s insanely wordy name, this Incredible takes advantage of VZW’s speedy and far-reaching 4G LTE network. A price point and firm release date have yet to be determined, but Big Red promises the Droid will land on shelves “in the coming weeks.” PR, per usual, waits after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE coming to Verizon Wireless →

Samsung Focus 2 brings Windows Phone + LTE to the masses at $49.99 on AT&T

May 13, 2012News, Technology4G LTE, 4G LTE phone, AT&T, cell phones, LTE, Microsoft, price, release date, release date & price, Samsung, Samsung Focus 2, WIndows PhoneScott Meisner

On May 20 the Samsung Focus 2 will enter the marketplace and make the jump to Windows Phone and speedy 4G LTE easier at an extremely affordable price. For $49.99 (after signing a new two-year agreement with AT&T), customers will get a smartphone that packs a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 5 megapixel camera that supports 720p video capture, a front-facing VGA camera for video calls, and a single-core 1.4GHz processor. The Focus 2 will be sold in a fresh coat of “pure white” and come loaded with the latest version of Windows Phone (7.5, that is). Sign up to be alerted to the phone’s release right here. PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Samsung Focus 2 brings Windows Phone + LTE to the masses at $49.99 on AT&T →

Movie trailer round-up: ‘Gangster Squad’, ‘The Watch’ & ‘Total Recall’ [Update: ‘The Campaign’]

May 10, 2012Movies, News, VideoAkiva Schaffer, Gangster Squad, movie notes, movie trailer, movie trailer round-up, round-up, The Campaign, The Watch, Total Recall, trailer, trailer round-upScott Meisner

The director behind Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less is back with a star-studded gangster pic. Ruben Fleischer has rounded up Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Michael Peña, and Sean Penn to helm Gangster Squad. And here’s what it’s about:

Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and–if he has his way–every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop…except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart. “Gangster Squad” is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD’s efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.

Yeah, from the looks of this trailer Gangster Squad is going to be one entertaining movie that cannot be missed. Unfortunately we have to wait for October 19 to roll around before we can see it. Perhaps these next two summer movies will hold you over until then… jump after the break! Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Gangster Squad’, ‘The Watch’ & ‘Total Recall’ [Update: ‘The Campaign’] →

TV reminder: ‘Sherlock’ returns tonight!

May 6, 2012News, TelevisionBBC, Masterpiece Mystery, PBS, reminder, Sherlock, Sherlock TV show, TV reminderScott Meisner

The brilliant contemporary Sherlock returns to US airwaves tonight. The Brits were privy to the three episodes that make up series two of the Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss intellectual dramedy earlier this year in January, and now with springtime in America it’s our turn to revisit the wildly entertaining adventures of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman’s Dr. John Watson.

Tonight’s series 2 premiere is entitled “A Scandal in Belgravia” and the log line goes like this: Picking up from season 1’s gripping cliff-hanger, the whip-smart dominatrix Irene Adler (Lara Pulver, True Blood) takes on Sherlock in a game he is ill-prepared to fight…love.

The three episodes will run consecutively over the course of three weeks (May 6, 13, and 20) on PBS at 9PM as part of the Public Broadcasting Service’s Masterpiece Mystery hour. Click here to view a schedule highlighting what’s in store this season for Sherlock. Don’t fret; Sherlock’s arch-nemesis Moriarty still looms as a major threat.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TODAY

May 4, 2012Movies, NewsJoss Whedon, movie reminder, movie review, reminder, Review, The AvengersScott Meisner

Since “The Avenger Initiative” was hinted at in 2008’s Iron Man, moviegoers have been anticipating the epic superhero movie that would bring together Marvel’s finest. Under the guidance of geek god Joss Whedon, the Avengers assemble today. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow unite in the ultimate superhero movie, The Avengers, out today.

I just came out of a midnight screening, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. The Avengers is this: phenomenal eye candy, perfect pacing, balanced tone, comedic as it is epic in scale, and most of all extremely entertaining. No spoilers, see? Just make sure you sit through all the credits; there is not one but two tags to look out for!

Now… May the Fourth be with you.

Apple dates WWDC, will iPhone 5 be announced this June?

April 28, 2012News, TechnologyApple, Worldwide Developers Conference, Worldwide Developers Conference 2012, WWDC, WWDC 2012Scott Meisner

Shortly after flaunting its record financial results, Apple announced the dates for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC): June 11 through June 15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. During the conference Apple will host over 100 technical sessions and showcase apps that went above and beyond over the past year. Says Apple’s Phil Schiller: “We have a great WWDC planned this year and can’t wait to share the latest news about iOS and OS X Mountain Lion with developers. The iOS platform has created an entirely new industry with fantastic opportunities for developers across the country and around the world.”

In addition to the developer events, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook will likely lead a keynote that will likely harp on Mountain Lion and iOS, and it may even perhaps set the stage for the next iPhone and iPad. There’s nothing concrete yet, but I highly recommend you stick it here when WWDC rolls around in June; we’re less than two months away! In the meantime, take a good hard look at the key art for the event that hangs above; what could it mean?

[Via Apple]

Apple reports 2012 Q2 earnings: $11.6b profit, $39.2b revenue, Macs up 7%, iPhones up 88%, iPads up 151%, iPods down 15%

April 28, 2012News, TechnologyApple, Apple quarterly earnings, Apple sales, earnings, finance, financial results, money, profit, quarterly earnings, revenue, sales, sales figures, stock, stock market, stock price, Tim CookScott Meisner

On Tuesday Apple reported record March quarter results and they go like this. Apple posted a $11.6 billion profit on $39.2 billion in revenue. Compare this to one year ago, that’s up from a profit of $6.0 billion on $24.7 billion in revenue. Says CEO Tim Cook: “We’re thrilled with sales of over 35 million iPhones and almost 12 million iPads in the March quarter. The new iPad is off to a great start, and across the year you’re going to see a lot more of the kind of innovation that only Apple can deliver.”

Now let’s break it down by product category. Apple sold 4 million Macs during the quarter (representing a 7 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter); 35.1 million iPhones (representing an 88 percent unit growth); an impressive 11.8 million iPads (representing a 151 percent unit growth); and 7.7 million iPods (representing an 15 percent unit decline).

Following this announcement, Apple stock (AAPL) jumped significantly to $610 (a +50 increase), just surpassing Google’s stock that was at $609 that day. Today APPL has cooled down a bit and rests at $603 and Google has taken the lead once more and holds steady at $614.98.

Looking ahead to the third quarter, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer expects revenue of about $34 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $8.68.

[Via Apple]