MUSTN'T-SEE TV NEWS
... Remember when Thursday nights were owned by NBC? Friends! Seinfeld! ER! Now it's got... The Firm. The 10pm showing of the new drama drew a pathetic 0.9 rating in the adult demo on Thursday, placing it EIGHTH for the evening. I know what you're saying: "But Tim, there are only like five major networks!" Exactly. MTV won the time period with Jersey Shore's 3.5, followed by CBS's The Mentalist, ABC's Private Practice, TNT's Lakers vs. Heat NBA game (haha, Lakers!), TBS's rerun of a The Big Bang Theory, Univision's Rosa De Guadalupe, and A&E;'s Beyond Scared Straight. Keep in mind that Fox and The CW don't schedule the 10pm slot. [Deadline Hollywood]
BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP NEWS
... Discovery Channel is going forward with Unchained Reaction, a reality competition series that will be executive-produced by Mythbusters duo and cannonball unleashers Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman. The show will pit contestants from various backgrounds against each other in a contest to see who can build the biggest, most spectacular chain-reaction contraption. Think those awesome, over-complicated mousetraps from old Tom & Jerry cartoons. [Discovery, via press release]
CASTING NEWS
... Victor Garber (Alias) is headed to The Big C. Garber's character will cause problems for Sean after "an accidental phone call leads to a harassing situation." Whatever you say, Showtime. [Showtime, via press release]
... Revenge is welcoming James Purefoy for a recurring role. Purefoy (Rome) will romance the ice queen herself, Victoria (the sublime Madeleine Stowe). Look for him in Episode 17. [TV Line]
... Kevin Nealon will star in the NBC comedy pilot Isabel opposite Marcia Gay Harden. Nealon will play the father of a girl with magical powers if NBC is still around when it's time to film this thing. Weeds fans, don't worry; he'll continue on that show. [Deadline Hollywood]
... 30 Rock is bringing back Steve Buscemi. The Boardwalk Empire star will not only reprise his role as private dick Len Wosniak, he'll direct the episode. Personally, I prefer my Buscemi putting on lipstick. [EW]
... HBO's upcoming pilot The Corrections, based on the book about a family on the rocks, is looking at casting a quartet of actors. The drama already has a fantastic trio in Dianne Wiest, Chris Cooper, and Ewan McGregor, and might add Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bruce Norris, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans. Geez, The Corrections! Leave some actors for everybody else! [Deadline Hollywood]
... FX's upcoming comedy Anger Management, already famous for being Charlie Sheen's vehicle back into show business, has narrowed down its choice of female leads to four actresses. Selma Blair and Elaine Hendrix are vying for the role of Charlie's therapist, and Shawnee Smith and Kate Reinders are in talks to play his ex-wife. [Deadline Hollywood]
... Grimm has cast Bree Turner as a "Fuchsbau," a fox-like creature from the fables. She'll recur as Rosalee, a former drug addict who's trying to stay clean. She's pretty cute. That's why you read these things, right? To see how hot I think these actresses are? [EW]
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
Does anyone else think Isabel shouldn't be made?
The Firm is pretty good actually. Too bad its not getting the eyes
When you have Shows like Jersey Shore winning the night its downright depressing.
NBC still has television at 10pm? Sorry, it's been a while...
I am surprised you didn't say, NBC still has a network?
I would, but it's hard to forget when everyone still talks about Community.
*sniff* *sniff* It won't if they cancel Community grrrrr....
"Geez, The Corrections! Leave some actors for everybody else!"
I thought Game Of Thrones already had dibbs on all the actors?
Bye, bye The Firm, sadly, you won't be missed.
"MTV won the time period with Jersey Shore's 3.5" OMG, the inmates now hold the keys!! Stop this people. Don't you know Solent Green is PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
**soYlent green** Surry, furgot two uze spel chek.
What happened to cartoons on the Disney Channel?
What happened to the music on MTV?
what happend to sci fi on the scifi now syfy channel?
Stay tuned for Quantum Kitchen Leap!!
The Firm. I've seen the first three episodes. Not perfect, but almost in my opinion. If the show keeps the high level it started with, it is going to grt through to the top.
Bet your friend is over there now knocking on the door saying "Honey pleeeeeeease take me back!!!"
Unchained Reaction sounds interesting.
The Firm just feels like a show NBC doesn't want to promote, it's literally their ONLY drama that will fit the timeslot at this point. They don't want to put Law & Order SVU there because they think there's a stigma about either that series or its timeslot or both; everything else they have that's an hour drama is comedy- or fantasy-laced, or being canceled. This is what they get for not developing more pilots that have vision, instead going with safe corporate choices or occasionally hedging their bets on longshots.
Sounds like NBC should counter sue "The Firm" for flagrant non support! ....LOL
On the bright side, NBC did well with Grimm on Fridays. It looks like it could be a good idea to move Grimm.
Give us Community back NBC, or you will continue to pay!
Prime Suspect was REALLY good, and this site dismissed it to endlessly follow Person of Interest, which is also good... but in my opinion, not in the same league as Prime Suspect in terms of quality of writing and development of characters. It had very exciting, well-filmed action scenes, while the tension-deflating lighter moments were actually funny and satisfying.
Prime Suspect was up there with Southland and The Shield when it comes to giving you characters you really care about. People who you want to succeed, but moreso, people who you want to do good - you like them despite their flaws, and you want them to become better. Shows like SVU, CSI and NCIS don't give you that. Maybe Prime Suspect was too nuanced for the network audience? I wish that FX, Starz or TNT would pick it up and give it the multi-season run it deserved!moreless
I remember when good things were on NBC, now the only thing I watch is Chuck. CBS gets most of my TV viewing time these days. I am exited to see James Purefoy will be on Revenge. He was in a short-lived show on NBC a few years ago called "the Philanthropist" and I had never heard of him before that but really liked his character. He seems like he could be a good foil for Emily...or an ally...we'll see.
NBC next time don't treat ur A-list shows long running shows like shit (30Rock)
30 Rock was delayed because Tina Fey was pregnant. Had nothing to do with NBC.
I want Prime Suspect to return.
Plus, there was the season premiere of Royal Pains on USA which is what I watched as it was the end to a cliffhanger . There was a lot of stuff on that night. Not everyone has a DVR. I missed the premiere of The Firm because I watched something else. I'll probably catch it online as I do like Josh Lucas. I couldn't watch Prime Suspect after 5 minutes. Too much negativty when she questioned a witness and her interactions with her co-workers.
It was a mistake to dismiss Prime Suspect after a mere five minutes. I don't think I've ever seen a police drama that ended every episode with such a positive, life-affirming feeling. Maybe Homicide: Life on the Street.
It really was a good-quality show that very few people gave a decent chance!
this is the community curse.. unless they put it back on schedule, no pilot they air will see the sun..
i like the firm...
I was just checking out the list of shows currently being aired on NBC. Except for Parks & Recreation, there isn't a single show I honestly give a crap about. The Office has become stale after being rendered Michael Scottless. Grimm has been unimpressive. Harry's Law is the poor man's Boston Legal. Law and Order: SVU isn't the same without Chris Meloni. Plus they've added garbage like Whitney & Are You There, Chelsea (and now The Firm) to their schedule. And with Community's future shrouded in ambiguity, the network appears to have shot itself in the foot.
The next step in the 'Let's Piss Off The Public' plan for NBC would be to cancel Community.
Just try it NBC! You'll have a massive revolt on your hands.
I love Parks and Rec, and I still watch The Office, but honestly, I think I watch it because of my memories, not because it is still great. *Sigh* Donald Glover stand-up special was on this weekend, and all I could think was that I miss Community. Well, and laugh, he is funny.
One would think that it has to be on purpose at this point.
If they cancel The Firm quickly they could use it's timeslot to bring back Community. 10pm's better than nothing.
You'd think cracking jokes on how dismal NBC is would get old. But nope. Unlike 90% of the shows trapped there...it never does.
super excited about the corrections!
Yeah I have no interest in watching the Firm.
Chain Reaction sounds both ridiculous and interesting.
WOW! When I watched and then subsequently reviewed the premier of "The Firm" for TV.com, I knew it was bad, yet I honestly didn't believe its ratings would be this dismal. I know it's horrible of me, but I never even watched the next episode (and it appears I'm not alone). I couldn't get past the main characters ridiculous motivation for coming out of witness protection (the mob tends to carry a grudge), oh, and how painfully boring it was. My review was basically a shamelessly unprofessional panning of the entire premier. I threw intellectual analysis out the window and just made fun of the thing. Not my proudest moment, but at least I'm not the only one who hated it. NBC sure knows how to pick 'em.
Your review was why I didn't waste my time, and was glad I forgot to watch it.
At least you made it to the first episode. I'm done with shows that have no chance. Some would say I'm part of the problem, but I say that NBC is the problem....I'm part of the symptom.
I knew it was this bad. When your premise of a show is more than stupid it tends to drag the show down. If you think this is bad, wait till you see Smash. There isn't a Y chromosome in the whole thing.
Maybe your reviews have power over ratings. If you start reviewing Community it might get ratings higher than NCIS.
Really?! I still have the premiere and the last two episodes on my DVR. I watched the first minute of the pilot, got a thirsty watching the guy run, went to fetch myself a drink and never returned to actually see it. So safe to say I should delete them?
They'll probably cancel it anyway, so what's the point. I'd say, record them all, wait until it's either renewed for a second season or cancelled, and then watch it/delete it. Otherwise, you might be wasting your time.
So far I like The Firm but it appears I'm in the minority here.
I would say you should watch at least the first 5-15 minutes of the show and see if you like it.
And if you don't like it, at least you will have things to say when people ask you what you thought of the show :)
I took the third option: didn't even bother, and when people asked me what I thought, I said, "It's NBC; why bother?"
I did that too.