... MTV has pulled out of its commitment to The Hard Times of R.J. Berger, going soft on the original comedy that you could say was in the same vein as Boogie Nights, as it was about a kid with a huge dong. In terms of overall audience, the comedy just couldn't keep it up, dropping below one million viewers per episode at the end of Season 2. It looks like Hard Times got the shaft, but it was up against some stiff competition. Penis. [Deadline Hollywood]
... Shawn Ryan might be back at work (his latest project, Fox's The Chicago Code, was canceled earlier this year). Ryan is working on a new show for CBS about a geneticist who "uses his newfound discovery that he has the 'psychopath gene' to help the FBI catch killers." So the guy discovered the gene? Or he carries the gene? I don't know, but Ryan created The Shield, so I'll watch even if the new series ends up being about a guy who is a psychopath when it comes to his jeans. Note to self: Pitch Fox on a show about a man who is crazy about pants. [EW]
... Are you ready for some Dancing With the Stars casting rumors? Queen Latifah, Snooki, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, Kristin Cavallari! There you go! [TMZ / Access Hollywood]
... Hulu is for sale, you guys. Let's all chip in and buy it! We only need about $2 billion! Let's see, I have eight bucks. And an old paper clip. [Deadline Hollywood]
... Here's your daily dose of Game of Thrones casting. Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter Oona Chaplin, who is pretty hot, will play the character of Jeyne. No last name. So she could be Jeyne Poole, or Jeyne Westerling, or more likely, a new character who will comprise a few characters from the books to cut down on costs and confusion. What do you think? [Westeros.org]
... Adam Carolla is working on a new animated series called The Birchums for Fox. The show is based on a character from Carolla's childhood: a grumpy woodshop teacher. Mr. Birchum was popularized by Carolla on the crank-call show Crank Yankers and his morning radio show on KROQ in Los Angeles. [TV Guide]
... And because it's Friday, here's Arrested Development imagined in Legos. [Flavorwire]
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
Awesome!
Will "The Birchums" be another quality-written show hidden behind mediocre animation in attempts to save money? Probably.
I think Thiessen dropped the Amber from her name, based on the credits to White Collar. As for the Shawn Ryan show, wasn't that the premise of the Nate Haskell CSI episodes?
dadadada another one bites the dust.
sorry but it just makes my day another god awful show was cancelled on mtv.
Oona Chaplin is pretty damn cute so its probably going to be Jeyne Westerling she going to play. People who read the books already knows who Jeyne Westerling and is described to be very pretty.
Pretty much what max666max666 said. I liked RJ Berger but I'm not gonna be super upset over it going. I'm glad that this at least means that MTV is doing more scripted shows. Awkward looks like it might do better than RJ
I liked RJ Berger but I am not sad to see it go. Season 1 was good but Season 2 was just okay. I hope this means that Awkward might get a Season 2. I love that show. Its really funny & its way better than Hard Times ever was.
Penis.
The Hulu sale could be interesting. It could indicate where the future of streaming video is headed.
Excelent RJ Berger paragraph! Very subtle!
great news, i just cant wait for GOT. so excited
Another Shawn Ryan show, It'll probably last as long as his last one. I wouldn't watch DWTS even if you paid me but that list of potential recruits furthers my theory that it should be renamed DWTWBAHBANW (Dancing With The Wannabes And HasBeens And Never-Weres
I actually thought RJ Berger was good, mostly in season 1. Season 2 got kind of stupid and the pregnancy thing at the end was horribly cliche. Awkward is like RJ Berger but with a girl, and hopefully won't get bad as it goes on. and seriously, everybodu needs to find a new excuse for cancelling stuff because "ratings" is a cop out since they clearly aren't accurate. come on!
Snooki's rumored to be on DWTS? wasn't she the one bashing on Mike 'The Situation' (aka the stupid nickname) for doing it? ironic
As a molecular biologist I gotta say Shawn Ryan's new show sounds terrible...
Carolla and Kimmel were so damn funny on KROQ, some of their best stuff ever!
Dancing is such a waste of time!!!!!
ARGH, I loved RJ Berger. Now I'll never learn of the fate of his child. Lame sauce.
Unfortunately, I was one of few people who watched Hard Times, but I'm not really sad to see it go. Basically I only watched it because the first season wasn't that bad (way better than that tank of a skins remake) and that Amber Lancaster girl is hot.
i have five bucks, one unused syringe and a printer head from the 1970's.
And because it's true, that Arrested Development Lego thing was awesome!
"Note to self: Pitch Fox on a show about a man who is crazy about pants."
i think they have that already , its called project runaway