2014-15 TV Season

NIELSENWAR 2014-15: CW Makes Its Decisions

Posted May 8, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  Once again, CW demonstrated that it operates under different economics than the other broadcast networks.  Much of its revenue comes from episodes streamed online via Netflix and Hulu, which makes sometimes puny on-air ratings acceptable.  Also, virtually everything it airs is produced by one of its in-house studios, Warner Bros Television or CBS Television […]

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2014-15 TV Season

NIELSENWAR 2014-15 Trailer Review: CW’s “The Flash”

Posted May 15, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  (NOTE:  as of Thursday afternoon, CW had only released a 30-second teaser for its new JANE THE VIRGIN, and nothing at all for midseason shows iZOMBIE and THE MESSENGERS.  We’ll post reviews of the rest of the network’s trailers as soon as they’re available.) THE FLASH:  Tuesday 8PM on CW THE FACTS:  Viewers of […]

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2016-17 TV Season

UPDATED NIELSENWAR UPFRONTS: ABC Fall Schedule

Posted May 17, 2016 by Mitch Salem

  ABC’s fall line-up is a mix of the audacious and the not-so-much. UPDATED with reactions to trailers, which are available here.     ABC needed to shake things up for next season, and to an extent it has, although even if things go well, there will be more to do.  It’s relying on its […]

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Fall Pilots

PREMIERING TONIGHT THE SKED SERIES PREMIERE REVIEW: CW’s “Reign”

Posted October 17, 2013 by Mitch Salem

  Read All Our Fall Pilot Reports here. REIGN:  Thursday 9PM on CW – Potential DVR Alert The CW is often–and rightly–considered a network of very limited ambitions, with just two modes of operation:  rom-com soap and supernatural soap.  But its new REIGN, while well fortified with suds, is as big a swing for the […]

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2014-15 TV Season

NIELSENWAR 2014-15 Trailer Review: NBC’s “A To Z”

Posted May 11, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  A TO Z:  Thursday 9:30PM on NBC THE FACTS:  The title refers to Andrew (Ben Feldman) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti), who both work at an online dating company, and who, since this is a rom-com, are of course fated for each other.  The series creator is Ben Queen, whose first series this is, and […]

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2014-15 TV Season

THE SKED Fall Pilot Report: NBC’s “State of Affairs”

Posted August 11, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  STATE OF AFFAIRS:  Monday 10PM on NBC starting November 17 – If Nothing Else Is On… PLAYERS:  Star and Executive Producer Katherine Heigl, who developed the series for herself and pitched it to all the networks, hoping to spark a bidding war (which never really happened).  Series creator and pilot director Joe Carnahan, a […]

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Fall Pilots

PREMIERING TONIGHT THE SKED Pilot Review: “Enlisted”

Posted January 10, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  ENLISTED:  Friday 9:30PM on FOX  – Change the Channel Not all goofy, barely-functional family sitcoms are alike, and although FOX has paired the new ENLISTED with Raising Hope on its Friday schedule, the two aren’t much of a match.  Raising Hope is a very smart comedy about people who aren’t necessarily rocket scientists, while […]

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2014-15 TV Season

NIELSENWAR 2014-15 Trailer Review: ABC’s “Forever”

Posted May 13, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  FOREVER:  Tuesday 10PM on ABC THE FACTS:  Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd) is a brilliant New York medical examiner who can solve any murder.  Partly that’s because he has a lot of experience with death, since he himself has (temporarily) died many times–when he falls out a window, is poisoned or hit by a […]

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