UTOPIA:  Tuesday 8PM and Friday 9PM on FOX THE FACTS:  Based on a Dutch format and produced by unscripted specialist John de Mol, UTOPIA is a reality show that puts 15 people into an isolated area for an entire year and forces them to make up their own rules for their new “civilization.”  Viewers […]

  CBS continues to trickle out its new series orders, and the latest to be announced is the sitcom FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES, about friends who each envy the others, with a cast that includes James Van Der Beek, Brooklyn Decker (surprisingly funny last season on The League) and Whitney survivor Zoe Lister-Jones.  It’s written […]

  One of FOX’s big moves for the fall is revamping its Tuesday 8-9PM comedies, shifting sharply in tone from last falls soft duo of Raising Hope and Ben & Kate to a more guy-oriented tone.  Seth MacFarlane’s Dads has the responsibility for kicking off the night, and then the cop comedy BROOKLYN NINE-NINE is […]

  SHOWBUZZDAILY has taken a look at Monday and Tuesday, and now we’ll pay an early visit to next fall’s network TV Wednesdays and stick out our necks with some early ratings predictions.  As we’ve noted, the period we’re covering is September 22-December 7, when all the networks will be introducing their new shows and […]

  Other Nielsenwar Network Report Cards:  FOX, NBC Most improved. Full Season To Date (thru May 3) 18-49 Rating Average:  1.61 (#3), down 1.9% from last season Season Grade:  B+ What Happened: Sunday:  Once Upon A Time had a strong Frozen-fueled Fall, but lagged in its Spring cycle, and if that trend continues, it could […]

  AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is The Big One, not just for ABC but for any network this fall.  A spin-off of one of the most successful movies ever made (and part of a gigantically successful ongoing franchise), co-written and directed by the film’s director himself–who just happens to be a brilliant TV auteur in his […]

  THE MCCARTHYS:  Thursday 9:30PM on CBS THE FACTS:  Ronnie McCarthy (Jake Lacy) is part of a lovingly smothering Boston Irish-Catholic family, who are just fine with him being gay but embarrass him at every turn anyway.  The series was created by Brian Gallivan, a relative newbie, so the showrunner will be Mike Sikowitz, of […]

  According to published reports, CBS, CW and now FOX have largely concluded their upfront sales of advertising time for the 2013-14 broadcast season.  (“Upfront” meaning sales closed before the season begins, as opposed to the “scatter” market, which sells time during the course of the season–normally networks try to sell 70-80% of their ad […]