Author Archive
 

 

OSCARLAND: Does Anyone Have A Map?

  Over the past 10 days or so, a multitude of groups have presented awards for 2013’s best, with prizes given to screenwriters, editors, cinematographers, animators, and production designers.  FROZEN solidified its ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

NIELSENWAR: The Olympics Kick In, and The Woes of FOX

  We’re 3 days into the 18 of the WINTER OLYMPICS, and the games are already paying ratings dividends for NBC.  (However, it’s critical to note that the Olympics are like the NFL, only more so:  the rights an...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED NETWORK SCORECARD (and “The Walking Dead” Premiere) – 2/9/14

  Skiers and skaters couldn’t beat walkers. NBC:  See Mitch Metcalf’s Skedball report for Sunday’s WINTER OLYMPICS analysis.  The games scored 6.9 in preliminary primetime 18-49 numbers. AMC:  Although THE...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED Midseason Premiere Review: “The Walking Dead”

  THE WALKING DEAD:  Sunday 9PM on AMC The back half of THE WALKING DEAD‘s fourth season began by bringing the series back to square one:  isolated figures wandering without a clear goal through an anonymous landsc...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

Behind the Weekend Box Office – 2/9/14

  OPENINGS:  After Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, and now THE LEGO MOVIE (Warners), writer/directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller will be able to do just about anything they want:  all 3 of their ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

EARLY WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: “Lego” Even More Awesome on Saturday

  Two of the weekend’s openings drew upon their core audiences for strong Saturday results.  Weekend matinees are prime time for family movies, and according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, THE LEGO MOVIE (Warn...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

Behind the Friday Box Office – 2/7/14

  Note:  all weekend-to-weekend comparisons to Jan 31-Feb 2 will look better than usual because of last week’s Super Bowl Sunday, which sharply depressed box office for the day. OPENINGS:  THE LEGO MOVIE (Warners) ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED FRIDAY NETWORK & OLYMPICS SCORECARD – 2/7/14

  OLYMPICS:  The WINTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONIES had a preliminary 8.6 rating in 18-49s.  That was up 2.4 from the non-medal events aired on Thursday, but down 0.8 from the 2010 Vancouver Opening Ceremonies.  (And fo...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

EARLY FRIDAY BOX OFFICE: Everything Is Awesome For “The Lego Movie”

  2014 has its first smash hit, as preliminary numbers at Deadline give THE LEGO MOVIE (Warners) a huge $18M Friday.  Since Saturday matinees should only boost the family-oriented animated comedy-adventure, that should br...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

SHOWBUZZDAILY FILM REVIEW: “The Lego Movie”

  THE LEGO MOVIE:  Buy A Ticket – The Pieces All Fit Together Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s THE LEGO MOVIE wants to have its family movie cake and eat it too, and it’s a remarkably tasty dish.  Leg...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

UPDATED: THE SKED CABLE/NETWORK & OLYMPICS RATINGS SCORECARD – 2/6/14

  AFTERNOON UPDATE:  The WINTER OLYMPICS climbed 0.2 in final numbers, as did  THE BIG BANG THEORY.  AMERICAN IDOL and 2 1/2 MEN were both up 0.1, while THE MILLERS had the only drop, down 0.1. THURSDAY CABLE:  PAWN STARS ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

SHOWBUZZDAILY FILM REVIEW: “The Monuments Men”

  THE MONUMENTS MEN:  Watch It At Home – George Clooney’s Film Is No Classic Work of Art George Clooney’s THE MONUMENTS MEN is a startlingly complete failure.  It’s Clooney’s fifth film behi...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED: Jay Leno Exits (Again)

  For a determinedly noncontroversial guy, there may not have been a television figure in the last twenty-five years more scrutinized than Jay Leno.  He stood at the media epicenter in the 1990s, when he warred with David...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED NETWORK SCORECARD – 2/5/14

  The last pre-Olympics night for a while. FOX:  AMERICAN IDOL reached Hollywood and leveled out, up 0.1 from last week to 3.9. ABC:  THE MIDDLE dropped 0.1 to 2.2, and SUBURGATORY was down 0.1 to 1.7 from its last airin...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED: “The Michael J. Fox Show” Is (All But Officially) Done

  NBC was desperate to get Michael J. Fox back on its air, so much so that it ordered 22 episodes of his series before a pilot had even been produced.  But viewers had much less interest in Fox’s return, especially ...
by Mitch Salem