Instead of adding comments and news into the 2008 thread, I figured it was time to create a new one. Any thoughts on the new shows?

Community, Flash Forward and Modern Family are three brand new shows we are watching. Not sure I am going to watch much more Community - maybe one more episode. The first episode was ok, the second was awful.

Modern Family, however, is utterly outstanding IMO. Absolutely hilarious. The pilot knocked it out of the park!

Flash Forward was interesting. It felt like a mix of Lost and Heroes, which left me a bit conflicted since I like one and not the other. I dig mystery shows though and this was good enough to keep me watching a little longer at least.

I think a new thread was a good call WD. I have recorded some of the new shows but have yet to watch. I am probably dumping the Office this season. I have been watching last season on DVD and I am not liking the show at all.

Do not give up Kenage! The second season gets a second wind, and the 6th season's two episodes have been spot on gold thus far.


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Hello, fellow American. This you should vote me. I leave power. Good. Thank you. Thank you. If you vote me, I am hot. What? Taxes. They'll be lower, son. The democratic vote for me is the right thing to do, Philadelphia. So do.

Well I have made it thru season 5 WD. I am not really liking the show. They continue to have both Ryan & Andy on the show. Between both of those characters and Michael being unwatchable I am leaning towards giving up on the show. I will watch both of the new episodes this season thus far but if they do not grab me I am done with this show. It maybe should have ended after season 4.

Do you guys want me to keep this clear of news for a while, so the posts don't get interrupted or shall I just post the news in here now?


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

Do you think maybe a separate thread for TV-related news and comments might be a little easier to follow? Not sure. . .

I watched "Flash Forward" last night. I was quite underwhelmed -- I was quite bored during much of it and almost turned it off halfway. HOWEVER, the last 5 minutes presented an intriguing plot point, so I will stick with it for now. The extended preview for upcoming shows looked more exciting, too.

I have several of the new sitcoms recorded but have not viewed them yet. I watched the season premieres of "SVU" and "Mentalist". I'm really disappointed for the poor 8+ million viewer showing for "SVU. I blame Leno!!!!!!! His 5-nights-a-week-in-primetime is totally screwing up NBC's schedule!

I may try to watch more shows "live" this season so I can watch it in HD. I'm getting spoiled.

Once you go HD EP you do not go back. Do you have access to watch "Supernatural" this year EP? I am officially done with the "Office." Michael Scott has become an anchor for the show and the ship is going down. I have several shows on the DVR (one of them being Flashpoint) so I can not say to much about them yet. I can say for sure though that the Leno at 10 is a horrible horrible idea and I hope it really bites NBC in the butt.

No, I don't have digital cable yet, which I would need to catch the CW. If I had it, I would be tuning in to "Vampire Diaries" as well. In any case, I am seasons behind on "Supernatural" so I need time to catch up! It will likely be off the air by the time I do!

This seems to have got lost over time. From tomorrow I'll post on here.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

Another show I've been watching is "White Collar". It's kind of entertaining, although the main character's fixation on his old girlfriend is putting a crimp on things.

From digitalspy

Friends has been named the most watched TV show of the last ten years. The hit US sitcom, which launched the careers of Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, ran for a decade between 1994 and 2004. Figures published by The Hollywood Reporter reveal that the programme's 2004 finale was the highest-rated broadcast in America since 2000, attracting 52.5 million viewers. A 2000 episode of reality show Survivor: Borneo came second with figures of 51.7 million. Dating series Joe Millionaire was third with a 2003 episode garnering an audience of 40 million. An instalment of medical drama ER came fourth, with 39.4 million, and talent show American Idol rounded off the top five with 38.1 million. Other entries in the top ten included episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Frasier and Spin City.

Wayne Brady is to star as the new presenter of Let's Make a Deal. The daytime gameshow is a remake of the classic series hosted by Monty Hall, where contestants are urged to pick either doors number one, two or three for cash and prizes. The TV icon told The AP that he approves of the former Whose Line Is It Anyway? host's casting. "We needed someone who could ad lib, be charming, work with contestants and run the show," said Hall, who had been wooing Brady without success for a while before he prevailed. Brady said that he sees the gig as another step towards being a multi-talented performer, like his idol Sammy Davis Jr. "I'm an actor first and foremost, who happens to do improv. I've also done sitcoms, I've done stage." He added that his final step will be an epitaph that reads: "This guy did just about everything you could do in the entertainment business and was good at it all."

Survivor producer Mark Burnett has signed on to take over HGTV Design Star. The Emmy-winning reality producer and his team will work on the show's forthcoming fifth season, taking over from the exiting 495 Productions. " infuse with fresh perspective and innovative ideas that will serve as a blueprint for a successful fifth season," said HGTV senior vice president of programming Freddy James. He added: "The Mark Burnett team is extremely creative and talented - masters at crafting entertaining reality programming." The reality competition pits interior designers, decorators and design enthusiasts against each other for a chance to host their own HGTV show.

Adam Lambert has been booked to appear on The View. The American Idol runner-up caused controversy earlier this month when he kissed a male musician at the American Music Awards. His scheduled appearances on Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live were later cancelled. However, writing on Twitter, Lambert said: "I will be performing and hanging w the ladies of ABC's The View Thursday the 10th!" Access Hollywood reports that a spokesperson confirmed the appearance, but added that the interview and performance will be pre-recorded.

MTV has defended its controversial programme Jersey Shore. The reality show has previously angered Italian-American groups, who have complained that the programme relies on stereotypes. Domino's Pizza has now pulled advertising from the show, TV Guide reports. The company's vice-president of communications Tim McIntyre explained: "One of the ads happened to show up and once we saw what the programme was, we decided that the content wasn't in keeping with what we're all about." Meanwhile, a representative for UNICO, an Italian-American group, said that the organisation is urging advertisers to boycott MTV until it cancels the programme. However, an MTV spokesperson defended the programme, claiming that "no advertiser has specifically pulled full sponsorship from the show". "Domino's had indicated that they just did not want their run of schedule spots running through Jersey Shore, so they are not currently scheduled there," the representative continued. "Jersey Shore may not be for every sponsor or advertiser and we understand that. We try to provide a variety of entertainments for our advertisers and it's never a 'one size fits all' scenario with MTV."


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

From digitalspy

Yen Press has announced a manga adaptation of the popular teen fiction books and television show Gossip Girl. HyeKyung Baek (Bring It On) will write and illustrate Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only, which re-imagines the senior year of characters Blair and Vanessa. Cecily von Ziegesar's 13-book series debuted in 2002, and has since spawned a successful television series from The O.C.'s Josh Schwartz. Gossip Girl is the latest in a string of teen fiction adaptations including Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak and James Patterson's Daniel X. Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only debuts in the January 2010 issue of Yen Press's manga anthology Yen Plus.

Dollhouse made a disappointing return after its six-week absence, overnight viewing figures show. Friday night's double bill managed 2.17m and 1.94m for Fox at 8pm and 9pm, with the latter representing a new low for the series. Over on CBS, Ghost Whisperer drew 8.23m at 8pm, 6.96m watched Medium at 9pm, and the 10pm Numbers put in 7.38m. A rerun of Muppet Christmas: Letters To Santa took 4.27m for NBC at 8pm, then the audience climbed to 6.28m during the 9pm screening of Dateline. The Jay Leno Show, which aired in its usual 10pm slot, pulled in 4.78m. ABC's Dreams Come True was seen by 3.7m at 8pm, Ugly Betty grabbed 4.23m at 9pm, and the 10pm 20/20 had 5.73m. Reruns of Smallville and Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer put in 1.82m and 2.22m at 8pm and 9pm respectively for The CW.

Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship led ABC to a primetime victory Saturday night, according to the latest viewing figures. The three-hour event pulled in an average of 11.31m between 8pm and 11pm, easily beating the other networks. Reruns of Medium and CSI: New York grabbed 4.69m and 4.65m at 8pm and 9pm for CBS, then the 10pm 48 Hours Mystery was seen by 5.77m. Over on NBC, a Parks & Recreation repeat logged 1.4m at 8pm, and an Office encore had 3.74m at 10.30pm. The Incredibles, which aired between 8.30pm and 10.30pm, averaged 2.61m. Fox's Cops took 5.47m at 8pm, then the audience climbed to 5.68m during the 9pm screening of America's Most Wanted.

David Tennant has spoken out about his plans to break Hollywood. The Doctor Who star told Radio Times that if his new NBC series Rex Is Not Your Lawyer is a success, he will move over to Los Angeles. "It seems British actors are more and more in vogue there - look at Hugh Laurie," he said. "He's just about as big a star as you get in the States and he's made it in a role he would never have been given here. "But I'm not really thinking, 'Well, they all did it, so I'll do it.' There's no great plan. You just muddle along, and if an opportunity comes up, it would be silly not to take it." Comedy series Rex centres on Tennant's character, a top lawyer who starts suffering from panic attacks and eventually coaches his clients to represent themselves in court.

CBS is developing a drama based on James Patterson's novel Private, according to Variety. The upcoming release, which is co-written by Maxine Paetro, centres on a former Marine and CIA agent called Jack Morgan, who is investigating an NFL gambling scandal. The plot also sees him look into an unsolved LAPD investigation of 18 schoolgirl slayings, as well as attempt to solve the murder of his best friend's wife. Fringe writer Jason Cahill is reportedly on board to pen the project. Last year, Patterson's 'Women's Murder Club' series was turned into an ABC drama series. However, it was cancelled after its 13-episode run.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

From digitalspy

Diane Sawyer has announced that this will be her final week as co-anchor of Good Morning America. The 63-year-old, who has hosted the ABC morning show since 1999, was recently revealed as the new anchor of the network's World News. Speaking on GMA this morning, she said: "I've calculated - 2,881 shows. Roughly. I hope you celebrate with us this week, laugh with us this week." Co-anchor Robin Roberts added: "It is so difficult. my Thelma. Thank you, we are going to do all things just like you this week." Sawyer was also joined by fellow anchor Chris Cuomo, who told her: "It is amazing. I think to all of us, what we've been able to see you do on this show. It makes us all proud." She will take over from retiring World News host Charles Gibson in January.

Audrina Patridge is reportedly still in negotiations to return to The Hills for another season. The 24-year-old, who has starred in the MTV series since 2006, has not yet inked a deal to appear in the recently-commissioned sixth season. Speaking to Us Weekly, a representative for the star said: "Audrina is still in discussions with MTV about season six of The Hills. "There is not a firm deal in place. She is set to begin filming the pilot episode of her new show next week in Los Angeles." Patridge landed her own reality series, produced by Mark Burnett, earlier this year. She recently revealed that it would focus on her personal and professional life and promised fans that it would be "edgier" than The Hills.

Adam Lambert has been confirmed to perform during the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance. The American Idol runner-up, who recently hit the headlines following his controversial performance at the American Music Awards, will debut his latest track 'Whataya Want From Me' on December 16. It will mark the singer's first appearance on Fox since the American Idol finale in May. The winner of the competition will receive $250,000 (£151,418) and a cover shoot with Dance Spirit magazine. The two-night season finale of So You Think You Can Dance, hosted by Cat Deeley, airs from December 15 on Fox.

Last night's disaster episode helped boost Desperate Housewives' ratings, early viewing figures show. The Fall finale, which aired in its usual 9pm slot, pulled in 14.71m for ABC, up around 2m on last week's performance. Also on the Alphabet network last night, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Brothers & Sisters logged 10.33m and 10.88m at 8pm and 10pm respectively. Over on CBS, The Amazing Race finale put in 12.32m at 8pm, 9.72m tuned in for Cold Case during the 9pm hour, and a 10pm rerun of NCIS: Los Angeles grabbed 7.3m. Reruns of The Simpsons and Family Guy took 5.57m and 6.13m at 8.30pm and 9pm for Fox, then the audience dropped to 4.38m during the 9.30pm encore of American Dad. NBC's coverage of Minnesota's game against Arizona averaged 18.33m between 8.30pm and 11pm, easily winning primetime.

Hasbro and the Sesame Workshop have announced a ten-year "strategic alliance". The deal allows Hasbro to make toys and games based on the Sesame Street characters for a decade. Though the companies didn't comment on a possible collaboration for an upcoming kids cable network operated by Hasbro and Discovery Communications, The Hollywood Reporter speculates that the toy contract is a precursor to such an announcement. According to the two firms, a range of Hasbro products featuring Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby and Cookie Monster, among others, will be available beginning in 2011.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

From digitalspy

Elisha Cuthbert has joined the cast of The Forgotten. The 24 star will be joining the Christian Slater investigative drama, which focuses on solving forgotten cases after the police have given up. According to TV Guide, Cuthbert will play a strong and successful Chicago professional, who is forced to put her skepticism of "amateur detectives" aside when The Forgotten Network begins investigating a case she is personally involved with. There was no word on whether she will reprise her role as Kim Bauer when 24 returns in January on Fox.

The final episode of Monk set a cable record last night. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show ended its eight-season run by becoming the most watched hour-long program on basic cable. With Tony Shalhoub playing the title role for a final time, the finale drew 9.4m viewers. A total of 3.2m were adults aged 18-49. It was the largest audience ever for the series and its USA Network, as well as for a drama on basic cable, beating out the 9.2m for previous record-holder The Closer. "What a perfect way for Monk, our first tentpole success, to finish its run - going out even stronger than it came in, and helping to launch another great show White Collar," said USA's president of original programming Jeff Wachtel.

VH1 has ordered eight episodes of a reality series called Basketball Wives. The programme is to document the lives of the spouses and girlfriends of NBA players Shaquille O'Neal, Eric Williams, Antoine Walker, Jermaine O'Neal and Udonis Haslem, says The Hollywood Reporter. "This series will show viewers not only the glamorous side of being a celebrity wife but also the challenges and hard work that go with it," said VH1's Jeff Olde. Shed Media, the company behind The Real Housewives of New York City, is producing the series along with O'Neal's wife Shaunie. Basketball Wives premieres March 15, 2010.

Jerry O'Connell has signed to co-star in NBC pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. The former Sliders star is to replace Heroes actor Sendhil Ramamurthy, who was previously cast, says The Hollywood Reporter. Ramamurthy reportedly left the project due to scheduling issues. O'Connell will play an ambitious lawyer who falls in love with Rex's fiancée, played by Abigail Spencer. The 35-year-old joins David Tennant, Jeffrey Tambor and Jane Curtin in the quirky legal drama.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

On 2009-12-04 10:23 , EPlayer Wrote:


And that reason is why I stopped watching the show after the first few episodes.

I have officially given up on Flash Forward.


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Hello, fellow American. This you should vote me. I leave power. Good. Thank you. Thank you. If you vote me, I am hot. What? Taxes. They'll be lower, son. The democratic vote for me is the right thing to do, Philadelphia. So do.

I have yet to see the last one before the break but if it fails to dazzle I am giving up on it as well WD.

That'd just leave EPlayer here watching it. I think that's quite telling for a programme that we were all looking forward to, but also (and I think I'm right here) took a lot more from than most programmes we drop/don't bother with.

From digitalspy

Russell Simmons has teamed with Oxygen to create a new female-centric reality show. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the tentatively titled Russell Simmons Project will follow his female assistants who work behind-the-scenes to manage his business and personal life. "Russell Simmons is a fascinating man and seeing his world through the eyes of his dream team comprised of strong, passionate women provides a unique experience for our viewers," said Amy Introcaso-Davis, senior vp, programming for Oxygen. "We're excited to team up with Russell on this project and shine the spotlight on his core group that are living the dream alongside him." The Def Jam co-founder's creation is to be developed and produced by Simmons Lathan Media Group and Picture This Television. "Throughout my career I have surrounded myself with people smarter than me, This show will let them shine and provide insight into how we build our empire from the inside out," Simmons said.

Andrew McCarthy is to direct a forthcoming episode of The CW's Gossip Girl. The actor, best known for his roles in 1980s movies like Less Than Zero and Pretty in Pink, said his episode will feature a sensual 9 1/2 Weeks type storyline. "We have a nice episode, all sorts of juicy little things happen - the normal Gossip Girl juicy things," he told People. McCarthy's episode will air in the spring of 2010. The 47-year-old helmed an episode of Lipstick Jungle earlier this year.

Fictional Simpsons character Montgomery Burns reportedly earned close to 10% of the write-in votes in the recent New York City Mayoral race. Mr. Burns received 27 out of 299 postal votes in the November election, reports Popeater. New Yorkers also cast votes for other fictional characters, including Alfred E. Newman of Mad magazine, Mickey Mouse and Sleeping Beauty. Howard Stern and Derek Jeter also received write-in votes. Mayor Michael Bloomberg won a third term.

Elizabeth Banks has reportedly signed up for a guest stint on NBC's 30 Rock. According to Entertainment Weekly, the 35-year-old actress has been recruited for at least four episodes. Banks, who recently appeared on ABC's Modern Family, will apparently play a new love interest for Jack Donaghy. Last month, P. Diddy announced that he is a big fan of the Tina Fey-created series and admitted that he is keen to make a cameo appearance.

Gossip Girl pulled in 2.22m for The CW last night, early viewing figures show. The episode, titled 'The Debarted', was roughly on par with last week's performance, which drew 2.25m. Earlier on The CW, One Tree Hill logged 2.59m during the 8pm hour. NBC's double bill of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit repeats put in 6.59m and 5.76m at 8pm and 9pm, then 4.71m tuned in for The Jay Leno Show at 10pm. Over on CBS, How I Met Your Mother and Accidentally On Purpose had 9.15m and 8.3m during the 8pm hour, then 15.16m watched Two And A Half Men at 9pm. The 9.30pm screening of The Big Bang Theory drew 14.72m, and CSI: Miami attracted 12.94m at 10pm. A repeat of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town took 8.04m for ABC at 8pm, then the audience climbed to 5.9m during the 9pm screening of Find My Family. Castle followed at 10pm, bringing in 8.41m. Fox's Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special averaged 8.54m between 8pm and 10pm.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

From digitalspy

MTV has announced that it will produce a fifth season of reality series Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew. The Hollywood Reporter also states that the Nick Lachey-produced Taking the Stage will return for a second season in January. Tony Disanto, president of programming for MTV, said: "While each series is a different format, both have music at their core. "It is the mode of expression for these kids who are trying to live their dream."

CBS has pulled the plug on As the World Turns after more than a half-century on the air. The long-running soap was once graced by actors Marisa Tomei, Meg Ryan, James Earl Jones and Parker Posey. After cancelling Guiding Light earlier this year, the announcement leaves the network with only The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful as its two remaining daytime dramas. According to The AP, the final episode of the soap will air next September during its 54th season.

Shakira has revealed that she recently filmed a cameo appearance for Wizards of Waverly Place. The She Wolf star announced that she will team up alongside Selena Gomez for an episode of the Disney show's third season. Speaking about her role, the singer said: "Shakira doesn't really exist. She's one of Kelbo's creations. It's a complicated thing." She added: "I'm actually making fun of myself. I had a great time on set, it was so fun." Talking to Access Hollywood, Shakira also praised Gomez, saying that the singer-actress is "a good, talented artist" with "a great voice".

Orla Brady has been cast in the role of Walter Bishop's wife on Fringe. Brady will make her debut on the Fox sci-fi series in early 2010, reports Entertainment Weekly. The 48-year-old previously starred as James Woods's ex on CBS's Shark.

Kate Gosselin was reportedly spotted filming a segment for a new show on Tuesday in Raleigh, N.C. The John & Kate Plus 8 star spent more than three hours at a diner shooting for a new programme, reports People. Gosselin was seen serving breakfast items to customers at Finch's Restaurant on Peace Street. Gosselin’s bodyguard told a local reporter that they were shooting a "test segment" for a future series, but failed to offer other details.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.

From digitalspy

Tony winner Idina Menzel is in negotiations to join the cast of Fox series Glee. Menzel's name has been attached to the role of the choir director for Vocal Adrenaline, the rival team of New Directions, says Entertainment Weekly. The 38-year-old actress and singer is known for originating the part of Elphaba in the Broadway and West End musical Wicked. The New York native appeared on two episodes of ABC's Private Practice earlier this year. If the deal goes through, Menzel will be featured in the remaining nine episodes of Glee's first season, airing this spring on Fox.

Kristin Bauer is to return for a full season on True Blood. According to Entertainment Weekly, Bauer will reprise her role as Eric's bisexual sidekick Pam. She has been upgraded from guest star to series regular. Pam appeared in 11 of the second season's 13 episodes. A show representative confirmed the impending promotion for next year.

Bonnie Hunt's syndicated chat series The Bonnie Hunt Show is to cease operation at the end of this season. The show, which is produced by Warner Bros., is currently in its second season. A low 0.8 rating average since it began airing last September reportedly led to its cancellation. Hunt broke the news to her staff on Monday morning, reports Broadcasting & Cable. The star's two previous TV efforts, the comedy Life With Bonnie and an earlier Bonnie Hunt Show, were also axed early in their runs.

The Oprah Winfrey Network will launch a documentary film club, says The Hollywood Reporter. The network is partnering with Ro*co Productions for a monthly series on the forthcoming cable channel. The movies chosen will have inspirational themes. Footage from the selected pictures will stream on OWN.tv. Some of the documentaries will receive national theatre distribution. OWN, which launches in January 2011, plans to create communities across the nation to screen and discuss the films in a live panel event.

Kristen Wiig is to host an NBC Christmas special as her Saturday Night Live character Gilly. SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas will feature classic holiday-themed sketches from the show's past 35 years, reports The AP. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will also make guest appearances on the special. The stars will introduce SNL sketches they have appeared in, including 'NPR's Delicious Dish and the Schweddy Balls' and 'A Holiday Wish'. The two-hour show will air December 17 at 8pm ET on NBC.


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I often wonder how I'm going to die. You don't want to embarrass friends.