Author Archive
 

 

THE SKED’S WEDNESDAY NETWORK SCORECARD – 5/15/13

It was another dim night for most of network TV. FOX:  AMERICAN IDOL tied its Wednesday series low 2.9 for the third week in a row.  That was down 2 full ratings points from last year’s parallel night.  Last night, ins...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: The New CW Schedule – Grid & Instant Analysis

  The mini-est of broadcast networks blew up its schedule in a big way, with changes for CW on every one of the 5 nights per week it programs.  Let’s see what it’s done: MONDAY 8PM:       HART OF DIXIE 9...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED SEASON FINALE REVIEW: “CSI”

  As of this week, there’s just one CSI left standing on CBS, and after 13 years, it’s the original recipe.  Having survived the bump in its creative road a couple of seasons ago when the misguided hire of Lau...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED SEASON FINALE REVIEW: “Arrow”

  The success of ARROW was a big win for CW and for DC Comics this season.  The appeal of CW’s single-girl soaps was running thin, while DC has been reeling from the otherworldly success of arch-rival Marvel’s...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “The Millers”

  For any comedy developed at CBS, the grand prize of pilot season is the slot behind THE BIG BANG THEORY on Thursday night.  That prize went this year to Greg Garcia’s THE MILLERS.  It’s an unusual multi-cam...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “Intelligence”

  In the CBS featurette for its new midseason action-adventure INTELLIGENCE (it’ll take over the Monday 10PM timeslot from Hostages), the show is variously compared to Mission: impossible, Frankenstein, The Six Milli...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “We Are Men”

  The CBS featurette for its new Monday 8:30PM comedy WE ARE MEN is at great pains to suggest that the cast–Chris Smith, Tony Shalhoub, Jerry O’Connell and Kal Penn, as divorcees who live in the same residentia...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “Mom”

  No name has more cachet at CBS than Chuck Lorre’s.  He’s given the network The Big Bang Theory, 2 1/2 Men and Mike & Molly, and hopes are high that his MOM, taking over the Monday 9:30PM timeslot this fa...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “Hostages”

  Here’s another of CBS’s “behind-the-scenes” blurbs, this time about the thriller HOSTAGES, which will occupy the Monday 10PM slot during the fall (to be replaced by Intelligence) at midseason. All...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: CBS Featurette – “The Crazy Ones”

  CBS–because it’s CBS–doesn’t release trailers for its new series, but instead provides 3-4 minute behind-the-scenes featurettes.  These are about as informative as the puff pieces you’d fin...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED’S TUESDAY NETWORK SCORECARD – 5/14/13

  With May sweeps/Upfront week ratings like last night’s, you have to feel sorry for the network Ad Sales departments. FOX:  A night of premieres and finales caused no excitement.  SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE premie...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: The New CBS Schedule – Grid & Instant Analysis

  By CBS standards, the network is making a large number of moves with its 2013-14 schedule.  Changes are in store for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday–including finally pulling the trigger on a 4-sitcom Thursda...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED SEASON FINALE REVIEW: “New Girl”

  NEW GIRL only got better this season.  There are TV comedies that are good at silly (Happy Endings, The Neighbors), and there are some that are great at soulful (Parks & Recreation more than any).  But combining si...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED SEASON FINALE REVIEW: “The Mindy Project”

  THE MINDY PROJECT has spent much of its first season shambling toward what kind of show it wants to be, but its struggles have become progressively more entertaining to watch. Mindy started with an enormous amount of goo...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED 2013 UPFRONTS: ABC Midseason Trailer – “Mind Games”

  Kyle Killen’s Lone Star and Awake were two of the most ambitious network series of recent years–and two of the most resounding flops.  He has to be hoping that his third time (and third network) is the charm...
by Mitch Salem