DIDN'T WE LEARN ANYTHING FROM JOEY? NEWS
... NBC just doesn't know when to say, "Awwww hellllll no." The network is developing a spin-off of its once-mighty comedy The Office with resident weirdo/nerd Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in the spotlight. The proposed show, described as a family comedy, would follow the happenings at Dwight's beet farm, where he runs a bed and breakfast. The idea was hatched by Wilson and Office EP Paul Lieberstein. Clearly, they must be stopped. [Deadline Hollywood]
MORE DEVELOPMENT NEWS
... Cinemax has ordered a pilot from True Blood creator Alan Ball. Banshee, which was announced eons ago, isn't about a screaming ghost, as its name implies. It's about an ex-con who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pennsylvania, where he continues to be a crook while dodging figures from his past who are after his hide. Ball would juggle both Banshee and True Blood. [Deadline Hollywood]
... ABC has ordered a pilot for White Man Van, an adaptation of the British comedy of the same name. In the single-camera sitcom, a dude takes over the family handyman business from his father and must put his own aspirations on the back burner. Bobby Bowman, an executive producer on My Name is Earl, will helm. This is about as vague a description as you can get, so I'll make a snap judgment and say the show will be... average! [Deadline Hollywood]
... Because television is where originality goes to die, ABC has ordered a pilot based on Beauty and the Beast. This is the second B and the B pilot in production for next season, as The CW ordered one last week. But unlike The CW's, which leans toward the modern-day version of the story that CBS aired in 1987, the ABC version will be more of a fairy tale. That's 'cause fairy tales make ABC all wet right now due to the success of Once Upon a Time. In related news, ABC will soon be unrecognizable from its parent company, Disney. [EW]
... CBS has ordered a drama pilot for a show called Widow Detective. It's about... wait, Widow Detective? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA *wheeeeeze* HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. WIDOW DETECTIVE! Oh, just click the link if you want to know what it's about. Widow Detective. Good one, CBS. [Deadline Hollywood]
FINALLY! NEWS
... Gossip Girl executive producer Stephanie Savage is looking at making next season the last for the CW soap. The contracts for the actors end after that, making it a logical end point for the series. Actually, a REAL logical end point for the series would have been last season, when the show's viewership plummeted to well below 2 million. [THR]
CASTING NEWS
... Morena Baccarin, of Homeland and Firefly fame, will guest-star on The Good Wife. She'll play a character who is smokin' hot. Okay fine, she'll play a powerful executive who accuses Colin Sweeney of sexual harassment. I'm not saying that sexual harassment is okay, but if you're going to do it, Morena Baccarin is a good way to go. [EW]
... Colin Hanks will guest-star on Happy Endings as Colin Hanks, an actor who happens to be the son of Tom Hanks. I had to describe that because I'm not sure Colin Hanks is big enough to say "plays himself." [EW]
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
Comments (57)
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It's interesting to note for you kids that don't remember, that Frasier sounded like exactly this sort of awful idea and it paid off for them huge. Just doesn't make it sound less awful.
That's EXACTLY what I was just thinking. NBC is currently batting .500 in regards to spinoffs of modern sitcoms. Not bad! The problem with Joey was that they were trying to appeal to everyone (like a CBS comedy), and the end result just wasn't funny. Frasier, on the other hand, was written almost like each episode was a one-act play. The pacing wasn't for everyone at first, but we all got used to it, and was a brilliant show.
If it's funny, I'll watch it.
I'd give the Dwigt show a fair shake.
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<<<<Dwight is one of the best things about that show. Love the idea
Dwight Schrute is funny A) in small bits only since he's a broad character; B) when he's playing off a few other characters that are wildly different from him yet are forced to tolerate him through circumstance (working together); and/or C) when he bucks his own stereotype. None of that sounds like something that'll work on what they're considering, and they really need to announce an April 1st date for that project.
How do you know you're being sexually harassed by The Good Wife's Colin Sweeney? When you're DEAD! He's a lady-murderer! That is a character the writers are having too much fun with, it makes it unrealistic to have him come back over and over.
The Schrute farm stuff is funny in my opinion and wouldn't bash the idea so quickly. It's true that Dwight is best when played off of Jim and back when Carrell was there but have to wait until it comes out I think. And for Morena Baccarin, I first saw her in Firefly and fell in love with her. :D Never knew she did nude scenes in Homeland and may start watching just for that, haha.
Guys, I know this has nothing to do with any of the news above. Please someone tell me, in One tree hill (SPOILER ALERT -if someone didn't watch the last episode) does anyone know, did the baby actually die at the end?
Look it up on the recaps here. I am sure there is something somewhere about it.
- Dwight Schrute without The Office is like raspberry pie without the pie. It's just an annoying fruit.
- As soon as I heard "Widow Detective", I envisioned a female detective whose family gets killed and she dedicates her life to finding the killer(s). But this sounds way more moronic! I might actually watch it to see just how idiotic it is. So who's going to play the main character? David Hasselhoff??
NO NO NO to the Dwight show.
Why isn't anyone talking about the absolute sickening ending of the last OTH episode? Killing of one of the babies was just a step toooooo far for me. I can understand the first season episode now, the cliff hangers being presented up front. Still, I don't know if I want to keep watching it, and I'm still a huge fan. Nope, don't go killing off the babies guys. Adios from LiseLotte the Viking (from snowy Stockholm in IKEA-land)
Wait! did the baby actually die? I thought they saved it on time??
Why Nbc? I watched an old episode (season 2) of The Office and I realized just how far The Office has fallen, and now, A dwight Schrute spin off!? That's just stupid!
Rainn Wilson and Paul Lieberstein are very talented and funny people, but still...worst idea ever.
NBC, wow. I am sorry as much as I used to like Shrute as a character. This is many years too late and it sounds horrible. And for Rainn Wilson to be a part of this idea, man just go into movies. Super was great and he was good in The Rocker. I just don't see this going anywhere. Office is past its prime by a long shot. And is in no way strong enough right now for a spin off. But again NBC is going to name recognition rather than a quality show. They are trying to do this with Chelsea and the not very good sounding Jimmy Fallon sitcom pilot. They are circling the drain.
I'll watch the Office spin-off, but couldn't they have picked a more likeable character?
Banshee sound intriuging even though it isn't supernatural.
Why not just put Beauty & the Beast in Once Upon A Time? The show could use a few more fairy tale characters.
Not soon enough for Gossip Girl. It's gotten quite boring & I no longer watch it.
Dwight Shrute is like ice cream. It's a great treat and compliment to a meal, but if you eat too much in one sitting it makes you sick.
As much as I like Dwight in The Office I would not like the idea of a spin-off. The main reason is that these characters work so well because of the environment they are in (the other characters f.e. and the interaction with them).
But I understand they are considering it. The Office lost it's magic by losing Michael, and I guess they are looking for ways to bring some of that magic back, I just don't think this is the way to do it.
I liked the original Beauty and the Beast, at least for the first couple seasons. The third season messed everything up and ruined the romantic aspect of it. I doubt I'd bother with the CW's version because it just sounds like a teen romance story. But I have to admit the idea of a fantasy set version could be interesting. In some versions of the story, Beauty actually comes from a fairly large family. "There was once a very rich merchant, who had six children, three sons, and three daughters..." That would give the writers plenty of characters to work with.
Eww @ Dwight's spin-off.
I bet Widow Detective will be a hit. All the crappy shows on CBS are a hit.
Haha @ Widow Detective. As stupid as that is, it's only slightly more stupid than a Rainn Wilson/Dwight Schrute spin-off. His creepiness and oddness really works on The Office because it's set in a such a boring uh, office. I'm pretty sure I wont be able to handle a whole show about Dwight... especially on his beet-farm.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Widow Detective HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Brilliant!
Is it just me or is all that news kind of blah? I don't mind Colin Hanks, he's a good actor - I prefer his comedy over his evil serial killer though, so he might be quite good on Happy Endings.
Banshee, Office spin-off, Widow Detective (LOL) all sound shite. And White Van Man is very average, so I expect the US version to be the same.
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I bet this works better than an Office spin off.
I could see a Dwight Schrute family comedy working if he walked around & disciplined with a shotgun or pitch fork.
Tim, I really enjoy reading your articles. You have honed your humour to perfection. I laughed with you at "Widow Detective". But it was mostly because of the hilarious way you presented it.
I belong to the group of people who do not like the idea of an Office spin-off. Admittedly, spin-offs can work, there's no doubt about that. But in my mind they only work for certain types of shows. For sit-coms they don't. In sit-coms the characters, especially the central ones, are so important for the show that if one of them gets a new show without the rest of the cast, fans will feel betrayed. Joey is a prime example of that. Joey wasn't Joey without the rest of the Friends cast. By himself he was nothing. In sit-coms the comedy is personified in the characters. Transferring one of them to another setting without the rest of the cast takes away the essence of the character. In other shows with a stronger plot and mythology a spin-off might work: Torchwood (Doctor Who), Angel (Buffy), CSIs, Stargates etc. Dwight, while a really funny character on The Office, isn't the same without the rest of the cast. And as a viewer it's so hard to see the point of a spin-off with Dwight. I see it mostly as a scheme to make more money instead of quality entertainment, which makes me even more turned-off to the idea.moreless
As usual, Taccado, you're right on the money!
tim, you're soooooo hilarious that i'll read a cooking book, written by you. or a dictionary. or just everything!
I've always thought Dwight was hilarious, but I think his personality only works in small doses with an ensemble cast. I'm not sure I could take 21 straight minutes of unadulterated Shrute-ness.
If Beauty and the Beast is even half as good as Once Upon a Time, I will watch it. Fairytales have kind of become the next big thing (step aside vampires!), so I'm not surprised they make ABC all wet.
Speaking of things that make you wet, I'm looking forward to see what hairstyle Morena Baccarin decides to rock on The Good Wife . . . was that statement a little gross? I'm sorry, she's really hot, okay.
As long as Colin Hanks Happy Endings character doesn't suffer from any form of schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder, it's all good.
I agree that Dwight is hilarious, but he is most funny with a "Jim" who pranks him or makes his eccentric-ness seem hilarious, he is far less funny without that, and I don't think Mose could handle playing a Jim character.
Beauty and the Beast, meh. Remember when Ron Perlman did it and I think lived in the sewers? However, I am sure it could be good.
Please, though, AA88 - please say something about Widow Detective. I'm waiting with breath that is bated.
Widow Detective: For people who liked Big Love and thought: "You know, this premise could work for a cop show!" - UGH!
That is what it sounds like! Thank you!
How long do you think it will be before there is a fairy tale show WITH vampires, werewolves etc? I'm thinking the next season of True Blood - seriously, fairies!!!
i won't watch a Dwight show, he's pretty annoying most of the time. a whole show about him would be too much.
Tim this time you were on fire:)))) this whole thing was hillarious:)
Can we say The Cleveland Show 2?
"I'm not sure Colin Hanks is big enough to say "plays himself" " - especially after Dexter, [shudder].
And we all love Morena but she's struggling enough for credibility on Homeland as it is. Powerful executive, I think, is starting to push way out of her reach.
And NBC, if you're going to do a Rainn Wilson spin off show, then do his character from Six Feet Under instead. THAT would be interesting (but it won't happen).
Is the ABC becoming unrecognizable from Disney comment serious or sarcasm?
Thanks for the Widow Detective. Made me laugh. Sometimes Surette, you can be funny - "wheeeeeze".
Maybe there's a third Beauty and the Beast pilot, and it stars Dwight. Think about it!
In related near-future news, this is the year Univision will take their place as the 4th largest network and keep it.