Typically when a network orders additional scripts for a series, it does so at the Writers Guild minimum, so it’s a very minimal investment compared to ordering additional episodes–thousands rather than millions of dollars.  Keeping scripts in process allows for “continuous production” when and if the network decides to actually issue a back-order, which […]

  One trend of the early season seems to be networks willing to accept ratings from their newcomers that would have ensured cancellation just a few seasons ago.  Last week NBC gave a full-season order to The New Normal, which instantly rolled out a tepid 1.7 rating, and today it’s FOX’s turn.  THE MINDY PROJECT […]

On a night when a pulse-pounding hour of HOMELAND conclusively answered the question “Can this season be as good as the first?” (the answer is Yes), the broadcast networks continued their fall in more ways than one. ABC:  666 PARK AVENUE now has to be considered officially in trouble, with a 1.7 that’s well below […]

With two weeks of the new season under our belts (11 nights of official ratings and 3 nights of adjusted fast national ratings), here is how the season stands for the four major networks:   Thanks to The Voice moving into the fall this year, NBC is the only network to show growth through the first four […]

NBC will win another Sunday in the fall, although it will be one of the lower-rated Sunday Night Football nights of the season.  The 5.3 rating with Adults 18-49 in the fast nationals from 7:30-11 pm last night should go up to a 6.0 rating for the night when the Pacific and Mountain time zone […]

Taken 2 enters the worldwide chart at #10 among recent movies, with a projected $138 domestic total when all is said and done and an overseas to date total of $67 million already.  An eventual overseas total of $200 million is possible, putting the worldwide target at $338 million.  This compares to a worldwide total […]

  This is why studios love franchises. OPENINGS:  TAKEN 2 (20th) almost doubled its closest competition (even though that $50M weekend estimate, like all round number estimates, may come down a bit when final numbers are released tomorrow).  Plus the movie earned an additional $55M overseas in only 27 markets, which means the sequel will […]

The weekend still looks like a very good $132 million for the top 12 films, similar to the estimate yesterday.  Taken 2 opened well (ahead of the ShowbuzzDaily Weekend Prediction earlier this week) but probably will degrade quickly the next few weekends, while Hotel Transylvania and Looper are having decent sophomore weekends (each down only about […]