CBS Fall 2012: Hail To The King, Baby, Or, You Don’t Need A Weatherman To Tell You Moving “The Mentalist” Blows

CBS, the highest-rated network if you ignore American Idol, doesn’t have many holes to fill for fall 2012. Standing incredibly pat, the Tiffany Network was able to pick and choose to find their seven new shows. Sadly, this still meant they decided to pick up a potentially superfluous contemporary Americanization of the Sherlock Holmes mythology, Elementary, featuring favorites of ours – Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson. On the plus side, Miller will play British, allowing Americans to hear his actual voice. On the down side… Lucy Liu as Watson? Nevertheless, despite the mad wonderfulness that is the BBC’s Sherlock, we’ll give them a shot. Being paired with our favorite new show of the 2011-12 season, the delicious Person Of Interest, and getting The Mentalist’s solid late Thursday time-slot, it sounds like CBS has high HIGH hopes for this one.

1960’s period piece Vegas, featuring Dennis Quaid’s TV series debut opposite Michael Chiklis’ return to the dark side, sounds really tasty. And with a pilot co-created by Nick Pileggi (writer of GoodFellas) and directed by James Mangold (Walk The Line), this sounds pretty classy for a network TV drama.

And while other networks are expanding their comedy selections, CBS has little to no space for more… since they already got all the hits. Moving Two And A Half Men behind America’s favorite comedy, The Big Bang Theory, makes for a monstrously powerful-looking Thursday night – thanks NBC for moving Community to Fridays – and makes room for the sole new sitcom, Partners, on Monday night. Rocked in a cradle between HIMYM and 2 Broke Girls, Partners announces the welcome return to weekly TV of Will And Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, as the longtime creative partners use their lives to celebrate the friendship between a gay and straight man. With David Krumholz and Michael Urie as the fictional versions of Kohan and Mutchnick, this sounds like the next comedy smash for the Eye.

Life looks pretty good for CBS, and here’s the fall schedule and details on the new shows –

MONDAY

8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 PM PARTNERS (N)

9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (NT)

9:30-10:00 PM MIKE & MOLLY

10:00-11:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM NCIS

9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES

10:00-11:00 PM VEGAS (N)

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR

9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS

10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY

8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY

8:30-9:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)

9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST

10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY (N)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM CSI: NY (NT)

9:00-10:00 PM MADE IN JERSEY (N)

10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY

8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY

9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY

10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY

7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES

8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE

9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE

10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (NT)

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New show descriptions (from CBS):

The New Dramas:

ELEMENTARY stars Jonny Lee Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson in a modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD’s most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare – a sober companion, Dr. Watson.  A successful surgeon until she lost a patient and her license three years ago, Watson views her current job as another opportunity to help people, as well as paying a penance.  However, the restless Sherlock is nothing like her previous clients.  He informs her that none of her expertise as an addiction specialist applies to him and he’s devised his own post-rehab regimen – resuming his work as a police consultant in New York City. Watson has no choice but to accompany her irascible new charge on his jobs.  But Sherlock finds her medical background helpful, and Watson realizes she has a knack for playing investigator. Sherlock’s police contact, Capt. Tobias “Toby” Gregson (Aidan Quinn), knows from previous experience working with Scotland Yard that Sherlock is brilliant at closing cases, and welcomes him as part of the team.  With the mischievous Sherlock Holmes now running free in New York solving crimes, it’s simple deduction that he’s going to need someone to keep him grounded, and it’s elementary that it’s a job for Watson.  Rob Doherty, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Michael Cuesta, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis star in VEGAS, a drama inspired by the true story of former Las Vegas Sheriff Ralph Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher tasked with bringing order to Las Vegas in the 1960s, a gambling and entertainment mecca emerging from the tumbleweeds.  Ralph Lamb (Quaid) wants to be left in peace to run his ranch, but Las Vegas is now swelling with outsiders and corruption which are intruding on his simple life.  Recalling Lamb’s command as a military police officer during World War II, the Mayor appeals to his sense of duty to look into a murder of a casino worker – and so begins Lamb’s clash with Vincent Savino (Chiklis), a ruthless Chicago gangster who plans to make Vegas his own. Assisting Lamb in keeping law and order are his two deputies: his diplomatic, even-keeled brother Jack (Jason O’Mara) and his charming but impulsive son, Dixon (Taylor Handley).  Ambitious Assistant District Attorney Katherine O’Connell (Carrie-Anne Moss), who grew up on the ranch next to the Lambs, also lends a hand in preserving justice.  In Vegas, two powerful men – Lamb and Savino – are engaged in a fierce battle for control of the budding oasis, and for both of them, folding is not an option.  Nicholas Pileggi, Greg Walker, Cathy Konrad, Arthur Sarkissian and James Mangold, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

MADE IN JERSEY is a drama about a young working-class woman who uses her street smarts to compete among her pedigreed Manhattan colleagues at a prestigious New York law firm.  Martina Garretti (Janet Montgomery) finds her firm’s cutthroat landscape challenging, but what she lacks in an Ivy League education she more than makes up for with tenacity and blue-collar insight. After just a few weeks, firm founder Donovan Stark (Kyle MacLachlan), takes note of Martina’s ingenuity and resourcefulness, as does her sassy secretary Cyndi Vega (Toni Trucks).  With the support of her big Italian family, including her sexy older sister Bonnie (Erin Cummings), Martina is able to stay true to her roots as a bold, passionate lawyer on the rise in a new intimidating environment.  Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, Julia Franz and Mark Waters, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios.  Pilot was written by creator and co-executive producer Dana Calvo.

The New Comedy:

PARTNERS is a comedy based on the lives of creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, about two life-long best friends and business partners whose “bromance” is tested when one of them is engaged to be married.  Joe (David Krumholtz) is an accomplished architect who leads with his head and not his heart, especially in his love life.  That’s in stark contrast to his gay co-worker, Louis (Michael Urie), who is spontaneous, emotional and prone to exaggeration.  Both have found joy in their love lives: Joe is newly engaged to Ali (Sophia Bush), a beautiful and sophisticated jewelry designer, while Louis is dating Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a vegan nurse who Louis insists is just a promotion away from becoming a doctor.  As news of Joe’s engagement settles, time will tell if their business and personal bond can adapt to the addition of two other important relationships.  Emmy Award winners David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television.  Emmy Award winner James Burrows directed the pilot.

The New Midseason Series:

GOLDEN BOY is a drama about the meteoric rise of an ambitious cop who becomes the youngest police commissioner in the history of New York City, and the high personal and professional cost he pays to achieve it. As he’s interviewed for a story about his career, Walter William Clark, Jr. (Theo James) flashes back on his hard-fought journey from street kid to the most powerful man in law enforcement.  After only three years as a beat cop, Clark’s heroics on the job make him bold enough to ask for and receive the unheard – of promotion to Homicide Detective, angering the members of his new department who are eager to see him fail.  Clark’s disappointed to be partnered with veteran Detective Don Owen (Chi McBride), a gruff lifer just two years shy of retirement.  He would rather team with First Grade Detective Christian Arroyo (Kevin Alejandro), the alpha dog in the squad who’s just as ambitious as Clark, but without a moral center.  Arroyo’s partner is Detective Deborah McKenzie (Bonnie Somerville), a tough third-generation cop and the only female detective in the unit. Also on the team is Detective Joe Diaco (Holt McCallany), well-connected with tremendous resources which Clark might find useful.  Though laser-focused on moving up the ladder, Clark’s soft spot is serving as the sole caregiver and supporter of his sister, Agnes (Stella Maeve), a teenager demonstrating increasingly dangerous behavior.  Keenly observant and politically savvy, the Golden Boy bases his career decisions solely on his need to succeed as quickly as possible, and he’ll find that his epic journey will be filled with consequences.  Greg Berlanti, Emmy Award winner Nicholas Wootton and Richard Shepard, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television.

FRIEND ME is a comedy about two 20-something best friends who just moved from Indiana to Los Angeles to start cool new jobs, but can’t agree on how to socially engage in their new city. Rob (Nicholas Braun) is eager to embrace the L.A. scene and meet new people who aren’t looking down at their smart phones or laptops.  Evan (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), however, prefers to socialize online at home in his underwear, web-chatting and playing poker with his Hoosier buddies Mike (Parveesh Cheena), Sully (Tim Robinson) and Farhad (Dan Ahdoot) just a keystroke away. Meanwhile, Rob’s had enough of iChatting, and naively posts a flyer seeking new friends on the coffee house bulletin board, despite Evan’s warning that no good can come from meeting strangers in person. Soon the calls start rolling in, some with potential, some just disturbing, and Rob and a reluctant Evan embark on what will be a series of the most epic adventures – and disasters – of their lives.  Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios, in association with The Tannenbaum Company.  The pilot was directed by Pamela Fryman.

Some New Reality:

From reality show masters Michael Davies (“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” “Watch What Happens Live”) and Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Voice”) comes a new reality series, THE JOB, where every week talented candidates are chosen from across the country for a chance to win their dream job at one of America’s most prestigious companies. Host Lisa Ling guides participants through several rounds of the most intense interviews of their lives, including challenges ranging from an on-the-spot quiz to assess their knowledge of the company to deadline-driven tasks while spending a day on the job. But the candidates aren’t the only ones in the hot seat. Adding to the pressure, a rival company is also present and waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and steal any of the contenders by making a competing offer. The participant must then decide immediately whether they will take the rival’s offer or stay in the competition in the hope that they are the last one standing for this once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. Produced by Sony Pictures Television and Embassy Row.

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And now that the four “actual” networks have ponied up – the CW doesn’t drop until tomorrow, with only the fate of Gossip Girl meaning much to us, – here’s a grid from Deadline.com:

[click to maximize]

ABC Expands Comedy, Pairs “Endings” & “23″, Moves “Revenge” Up In The Order, And Takes Us To “666 Park Avenue”

With no massive schedule problems, and the solid product from the Shonda Rhimes factory, ABC is able to load up three nights with returning shows this fall. Monday is a stone-cold lock, Tuesday makes use of rising stars Happy Endings and Don’t Trust The B- In Apt. 23 as a later-hour comedy block, and ABC brings back Shark Tank in the fall for the first time to set up a familiar Friday. At least until November, when comedy returns to ABC Friday. And a mostly-familiar Sunday now features Revenge in the old Housewives time-slot.

With last year’s horrific accident Work It as the lone exception, ABC’s new shows usually sound pretty good, and fall 2012 is no exception. (However, The Neighbors is on my short list as being this year’s Work It.) Both Shawn Ryan’s sub-on-the-run Last Resort and the spooky apartment-house 666 Park Avenue feel as if they’ve been cut from ABC’s post-Lost high-concept cloth, and our hopes for Nashville – the network’s attempt at their own singing soap-opera – are unrealisitically high, simply because we want to see Connie Britton in the flesh here in our hometown. 2013 will see the arrival of an Americanized version of BBC’s soapy Mistresses, and more fantastic genre fun with Red Widow and Anthony Edward’s return to series TV, Zero Hour, from Prison Break creator Paul T. Scheuring.

Here is ABC’s 2012-13 schedule (new shows in bold):

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “Dancing with the Stars”

10:00 p.m.                    “Castle”

In January:

8:00 p.m.                      “The Bachelor”

10:00 p.m.                    “Castle”

TUESDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”

9:00 p.m.                      “Happy Endings”

9:30 p.m.                      “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23”

10:00 p.m.                    “Private Practice”

In January:

8:00 p.m.                     “How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)”

8:30 p.m.                     “The Family Tools”

WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “The Middle”

8:30 p.m.                      “Suburgatory”

9:00 p.m.                      “Modern Family”

9:30 p.m.                      “The Neighbors”

10:00 p.m.                    “Nashville”

THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “Last Resort”

9:00 p.m.                      “Grey’s Anatomy”

10:00 p.m.                    “Scandal”

FRIDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “Shark Tank”

9:00 p.m.                      “Primetime: What Would You Do?”

10:00 p.m.                    “20/20”

In November:

8:00 p.m.                      “Last Man Standing”

8:30 p.m.                      “Malibu Country”

9:00 p.m.                      “Shark Tank”

10:00 p.m.                    “Primetime: What Would You Do?”

SATURDAY:

8:00 p.m.                      “Saturday Night College Football”

SUNDAY:

7:00 p.m.                      “America’s Funniest Home Videos”

8:00 p.m.                      “Once Upon a Time”

9:00 p.m.                      “Revenge”

10:00 p.m.                    “666 Park Avenue”

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DRAMA

“666 PARK AVENUE”

At the ominous address of 666 Park Avenue, anything you desire can be yours. Everyone has needs, desires and ambition. For the residents of The Drake, these will all be met, courtesy of the building’s mysterious owner, Gavin Doran (Terry O’Quinn). But every Faustian contract comes with a price. When Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) and Henry Martin (Dave Annable), an idealistic young couple from the Midwest, are offered the opportunity to manage the historic building, they not only fall prey to the machinations of Doran and his mysterious wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams), but unwittingly begin to experience the shadowy, supernatural forces within the building that imprison and endanger the lives of the residents inside. Sexy, seductive and inviting, The Drake maintains a dark hold over all of its residents, tempting them through their ambitions and desires, in this chilling new drama that’s home to an epic struggle of good versus evil.

“666 Park Avenue” stars Rachael Taylor (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” Transformers) as Jane Van Veen, Dave Annable (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Reunion”) as Henry Martin, Robert Buckley (“One Tree Hill,” “Lipstick Jungle”) as Brian Leonard, Mercedes Masöhn (“The Finder,” “Chuck,” “Three Rivers”) as Louise Leonard, Helena Mattsson (“Iron Man 2,” “Nikita,” “Desperate Housewives”) as Alexis Blume, Samantha Logan as Nona Clark, with Vanessa Williams (“Desperate Housewives,” “Ugly Betty,” “Shaft,” “Soul Food”) as Olivia Doran and Terry O’Quinn (“Lost,” “Millennium,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Alias,” “The West Wing,” “Jag”) as Gavin Doran.

Based on the book series by Gabriella Pierce, “666 Park Avenue” was written by David Wilcox (“Fringe,” “Life on Mars”), who is also an executive producer along with Matthew Miller (“Chuck,” “Human Target”), Leslie Morgenstein (“Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Lying Game,” “The Secret Circle,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”), Gina Girolamo (“The Secret Circle,” “The Lying Game”) and Alex Graves (“Fringe,” “The West Wing”). The pilot for “666 Park Avenue” was directed by Alex Graves. “666 Park Avenue” is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment (“Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Pretty Little Liars”) and Warner Bros. Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/666parkave

Twitter: Twitter.com/666ParkAve_ABC

Hashtag: #666ParkAve

“LAST RESORT”

500 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receive their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they’re told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan.

Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.

“Last Resort” stars Andre Braugher (“Men of a Certain Age”) as Captain Marcus Chaplin, Scott Speedman (“The Vow”) as XO Sam Kendal, Daisy Betts (“Sea Patrol”) as Lieutenant Grace Shepard, Dichen Lachman (“Being Human”) as Tani Tumrenjack, Daniel Lissing (“Crownies”) as SEAL Officer James King, Sahr Ngaujah (“House of Payne”) as Mayor Julian Serrat, Camille de Pazzis as Sophie Gerard, Autumn Reeser (“Hawaii Five-O,” “No Ordinary Family”) as Kylie Sinclair, Jessy Schram (“Falling Skies,” “Once Upon a Time”) as Christine Kendal.

Recurring guest star is Robert Patrick (“The Gangster Squad”) as Master Chief Joseph Prosser.

“Last Resort” was written by Shawn Ryan (“The Shield,” “The Unit,” “The Chicago Code”) and Karl Gajdusek, who are also executive producers along with Martin Campbell and Marney Hochman Nash. The pilot for “Last Resort” was directed by Martin Campbell. “Last Resort” is produced by Middkid Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LastResortABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/LastResort_ABC

Hashtag: #LastResort

“MISTRESSES”

Welcome to a provocative and thrilling drama about the scandalous lives of a sexy and sassy group of four girlfriends, each on her own path to self-discovery, as they brave the turbulent journey together.

Meet Savi (Alyssa Milano), a successful career woman working toward the next phase in her life — both professional and personal — simultaneously bucking for partner at her law firm while she and her husband, Harry (Brett Tucker), try to start a family of their own. Savi’s free-spirited and capricious baby sister, Josselyn (Jes Macallan), couldn’t be more different – living single, serial dating and partying, and regularly leaning on her big sister along the way. Their common best friend, April (Rochelle Aytes), a recent widow and mother of two, is rebuilding her life after tragedy and learning to move forward, with the support and guidance of her closest girlfriends. And friend Karen (Yunjin Kim), a successful therapist with her own practice, reconnects with the girls after her involvement in a complicated relationship with a patient goes far too deep.

“Mistresses” is a salacious new drama about a group of friends caught in storms of excitement and self-discovery, secrecy and betrayal, and bound by the complex relationships they’ve created.

“Mistresses” stars Alyssa Milano (“New Years Eve,” “Romantically Challenged,” “Hall Pass,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Charmed,” “Melrose Place”) as Savannah, Yunjin Kim (“Lost”) as Karen, Rochelle Aytes (“Work It,” “White Collar,” “Detroit 1-8-7,” “Desperate Housewives”) as April, Jes Macallan (“Kiss Me,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Crash and Burn,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Shameless”) as Josslyn, Jason George (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Closer,” “Against the Wall,” “Castle,” “Off the Map,” “Eastwick”) as Dominic, Brett Tucker (“Castle,” “Spartacus: Vengeance,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “NCIS,” “Neighbours”) as Harry, Erik Stocklin (“Grey Sheep,” “Sick Day,” “Let’s Big Happy”) as Sam.

Guest Starring Marin Hinkle (“Two and a Half Men,” “Brothers & Sisters”) as Elisabeth, John Schneider (“Smallville,” “90210,” “Desperate Housewives”) as Thomas Grey, Shannyn Sossamon (“How to Make It in America,” “Dirt”) as Alex, Cameron Bender (“Commander in Chief,” “Whitney,” “Beverlywood”) as Richard, Kate Beahan (“Burning Man,” “Rake,” “Boston Legal”) as Miranda, Sunkrish Bala (“Notes from the Underbelly,” “I Just Want My Pants Back”) as Hamid.

Based on the U.K. television series, “Mistresses” is from K.J. Steinberg (“Gossip Girl”) and is executive-produced by Robert Sertner (“Revenge,” “No Ordinary Family”), K.J. Steinberg (“Gossip Girl”), Rina Mimoun (“Privileged,” “Gilmore Girls”) and Douglas Rae (“Wuthering Heights,” “Camelot,” “Mistresses,” “Raw,” “Meadowlands”). The pilot for “Mistresses” is directed by Cherie Nowlan. The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mistresses

Twitter: Twitter.com/Mistresses_ABC

Hashtag: #Mistresses

“NASHVILLE”

Chart-topping Rayna James (Connie Britton) is a country legend who’s had a career any singer would envy, though lately her popularity is starting to wane. Fans still line up to get her autograph, but she’s not packing the arenas like she used to. Rayna’s record label thinks a concert tour, opening for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), the young and sexy future of country music, is just what Rayna needs. But scheming Juliette can’t wait to steal Rayna’s spotlight. Sharing a stage with that disrespectful, untalented, little vixen is the last thing Rayna wants to do, which sets up a power struggle for popularity. Could the undiscovered songwriting talent of Scarlett O’Connor (Clare Bowen) be the key to helping Rayna resurrect her career?

Complicating matters, Rayna’s wealthy but estranged father, Lamar Hampton (Powers Boothe), is a powerful force in business, Tennessee politics, and the lives of his two grown daughters. His drive for power results in a scheme to back Rayna’s handsome husband, Teddy, in a run for Mayor of Nashville, against Rayna’s wishes.

“Nashville” stars Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights,” “American Horror Story”) as Rayna, Hayden Panettiere (“Heroes”) as Juliette, Powers Boothe (“MacGruber,” “24”) as Lamar, Charles Esten (“Enlightened,” “Big Love”) as Deacon, Eric Close (“Chaos,” “Without a Trace”) as Teddy, Clare Bowen as Scarlett, Jonathan Jackson (“General Hospital”) as Avery, Sam Palladio as Gunnar and Robert Wisdom as Coleman.

“Nashville” was written by Callie Khouri (“Thelma & Louise”) who is an executive producer along with R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” “The War Room,” “Flip That House,” “A Perfect Candidate”) and Steve Buchanan. The pilot for “Nashville” was directed by R.J. Cutler. The series is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Gaylord Entertainment.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NashvilleABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/Nashville_ABC

Hashtag: #Nashville

“RED WIDOW”

When Marta Walraven’s (Radha Mitchell) husband is brutally murdered, her first instinct is to protect her three young children. Her husband’s business partners – Irwin Petrova (Wil Traval), Marta’s scheming and untrustworthy brother, and Mike Tomlin (Lee Tergesen) — were involved in an illegal drug business deal with rival gangsters, and Marta’s husband paid the ultimate price. She already knows the violent world of organized crime; her father, Andrei Petrova (Rade Sherbedzija), and loyal bodyguard Luther (Luke Goss) are gangsters too. She and her sister Kat (Jaime Ray Newman) had always wished for a safer life without bloodshed and fear. For a while Marta lived happily as a stay at home housewife in San Marta’s cooperation, FBI Agent James Ramos (Mido Hamada) now promises justice.

Marta discovers a tenacity she never knew she had, and takes on the gangsters and the FBI to unveil the truth about her husband’s death. As she digs into this dark underworld, she’ll test her own strength, relying on her resourcefulness, determination and family ties like never before. To get out of this mob, she needs to beat the bad guys at their own deadly game.

“Red Widow” stars Radha Mitchell (“Melinda and Melinda,” “Silent Hill,” “Rogue,” “Henry Poll Is Here,” “The Children of Huang Shi,” “The Waiting City”) as Marta Walraven, Wil Traval (“Rescue Special Ops,” “Underbelly,” “All Saints”) as Irwin Petrova, Erin Moriarty (“One Life to Live”) as Natalie Walraven, Sterling Beaumon (“Arthur Newman, Golf Pro, “Clue”) as Gabriel Walraven, Lee Tergesen (“Army Wives”) as Mike Tomlin, Jakob Salvati as Boris Walraven, Mido Hamada as FBI Agent James Ramos, Luke Goss as Luther, Jaime Ray Newman (“Drop Dead Diva”) as Kat Petrova, Suleka Mathew (“Hawthorne”) as Dina Tomlin and Rade Serbedzija (“24”) as Andrei Petrova.

Based on the Dutch series “Penoza,” “Red Widow” teleplay is by Melissa Rosenberg (“Dexter” and screenwriter of the Twilight franchise). “Red Widow “is executive-produced by Melissa Rosenberg, Howard Klein (“The Office,” “Parks & Recreation”), Endemol Studios and Alon Aranya. The pilot for “Red Widow” was directed by Mark Pellington. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RedWidowABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/RedWidowABC

Hashtag: #RedWidow

“ZERO HOUR”

As the publisher of a paranormal enthusiast magazine, Modern Skeptic, Hank Galliston has spent his career following clues, debunking myths and solving conspiracies. A confessed paranormal junkie, his motto is “logic is the compass.” But when his beautiful wife, Laila (Jacinda Barrett), is abducted from her antique clock shop, Hank gets pulled into one of the most compelling mysteries in human history, stretching around the world and back centuries.

Contained in one of his wife’s clocks is a treasure map, and what it leads to could be cataclysmic. Now it’s up to Hank to decipher the symbols and unlock the secrets of the map, while ensuring the answers don’t fall into the wrong hands – a man they call White Vincent (Michael Nyqvist). With his two young associates, Rachel (Addison Timlin) and Arron (Scott Michael Foster), in tow, along with Becca Riley, a sexy FBI agent (Carmen Ejogo), Hank will lead them on a breathless race against the clock to find his wife and save humanity.

“Zero Hour” stars Anthony Edwards (“Big Sur,” “Flipped,” “ER”) as Hank, Carmen Ejogo (“Sparkle,” “Chaos,” “Away We Go”) as Beck, Scott Michael Foster (“Californication,” “The River”) as Aaron, Addison Timlin (“Californication”) as Rachel, Jacinda Barrett (“Matching Jack,” “Middle Men,” “New York, I Love You”) as Laila and Michael Nyqvist (“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Patrol”) as White Vincent.

“Zero Hour” was written by Paul T. Scheuring (“Prison Break”) who is also an executive producer along with Pierre Morel, Lorenzo DiBonaventura (“The Transformers,” “GI: Joe” franchise, “Salt,” “Red”) and Dan McDermott (“Human Target”). The pilot for “Zero Hour” was directed by Pierre Morel. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZeroHourABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/ZeroHour_ABC

Hashtag: #ZeroHour

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COMEDY

“HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS (FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE)”

Polly (Sarah Chalke) is a single mom who’s been divorced for almost a year. The transition wasn’t easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she and her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston), have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) and Max (Brad Garrett). But Polly and her parents look at life through two different lenses. Polly’s too uptight. Her parents are too laid back. Polly’s conservative when it comes to dating (no action, whatsoever), while her parents are still sexually adventurous. They think Polly turned out okay, so what’s the big deal? Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child…and in Polly’s case, this village is on fire. But with help from her best friend Gregg (Orlando Jones), her lovable yet irresponsible ex-husband Julian (Jon Dore) and her cool and fun assistant Jenn (Rebecca Delgado Smith) Polly takes her first steps toward getting a life, starting with a social one.

“How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” stars Sarah Chalke (“Mad Love,” “Scrubs”) as Polly, Jon Dore as Julian, Rachel Eggleston as Natalie, Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “‘Til Death”) as Max, Orlando Jones (“Rules of Engagement”) as Gregg, Elizabeth Perkins (“Weeds”) as Elaine,Rebecca Delgado Smith as Jenn.

“How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” was written by Claudia Lonow, who is also an executive producer along with Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo. The pilot for “How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” was directed by Julie Anne Robinson. The series is produced by 20^th Century Fox and Imagine Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HowToLiveWithYourParents

Twitter: Twitter.com/HowToLiveABC

Hashtag: #HowToLive

“MALIBU COUNTRY”

When Reba Gallagher (Reba) discovers that her husband, Bobby, (Jeffrey Nordling) a country music legend, has a cheatin’ heart, her world is turned upside down. Reba dreamt of becoming a country star herself, but put her career on hold to raise a family. Now she’s questioning all of that, big-time. With the ink on her divorce barely dry, Reba packs up her sharp-tongued mother, Lillie May (Lily Tomlin), her two kids and the U-Haul and heads for sunny California to begin a new chapter. Leaving Nashville in the rear view, they start over at their Malibu residence — the last remaining asset they have. Reba gets to know her new open and loving neighbor Kim (Sara Rue) and her son, Sage, but also discovers that relocation to Southern California is going to be quite an adjustment for a traditional southern belle: the West Coast seems like the polar opposite of Music City, and Reba feels like an outsider. Still, with the support of her family she sets about finding her voice, jump-starting her music career with the help of her new music agent, Geoffrey (Jai Rodriguez), and embracing this chance to begin again.

“Malibu Country” stars country music superstar Reba (“Reba,” “Tremors”) as Reba, Sara Rue (“Rules of Engagement,” “Less Than Perfect”) as Kim, Justin Prentice as Cash, Juliette Angelo as June, Jai Rodriguez (“Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother,” one of the original hosts of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”) as Geoffrey and Lily Tomlin (“Eastbound and Down,” “Damages,” “Desperate Housewives,” “West Wing,” “Nine to Five,” “All of Me,” “Nashville”) as Lillie May.

“Malibu Country” is from Kevin Abbott (“Last Man Standing,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Reba”) who executive produces along with Michael Hanel & Mindy Schultheis, Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock, Dave Stewart & Pam Williams, John Pasquin. The pilot for “Malibu Country” was directed by John Pasquin. The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MalibuCountryABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/Malibu_Country

Hashtag: #MalibuCountry

“THE NEIGHBORS”

How well do you know your neighbors?

Meet the Weavers, Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito). Marty, in hopes of providing a better life for his wife and three kids, recently bought a home in Hidden Hills, a gated New Jersey townhome community with its own golf course. Hidden Hills is so exclusive that a house hasn’t come on the market in 10 years. But one finally did and the Weavers got it!

It’s clear from day one that the residents of Hidden Hills are a little different. For starters, their new neighbors all have pro-athlete names like Reggie Jackson (Tim Jo), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Toks Olagundoye), Dick Butkis (Ian Patrick) and Larry Bird (Simon Templeman). Over dinner, Marty and his family discover that their neighbors receive nourishment through their eyes by reading books, rather than eating. The Weavers soon learn that the entire community is comprised of aliens from Zabvron, where the men bear children and everyone cries green goo from their ears.

The Zabvronians have been stationed on Earth for the past 10 years, disguised as humans, awaiting instructions from home, and the Weavers are the first humans they’ve had the opportunity to know. As it turns out, the pressures of marriage and parenthood are not exclusive to planet Earth. Two worlds will collide with hilarious consequences as everyone discovers they can “totally relate” and learn a lot from each other.

“The Neighbors” stars Jami Gertz (“Entourage,” “Modern Family,” “Still Standing,” “Ally McBeal”) as Debbie Weaver, Lenny Venito (“Bored to Death,” “Men in Black III,” “Person of Interest,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Marty Weaver, Simon Templeman as Larry Bird, Toks Olagundoye as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Clara Mamet as Amber Weaver, Tim Jo (“Glory Daze”) as Reggie Jackson, Ian Patrick (“Wanderlust”) as Dick Butkis, Max Charles (“The Three Stooges,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”) as Max Weaver, Isabella Cramp as Abby Weaver.

Guest starring are Mitch Rouse as Real Estate Agent and Doug Jones as Alien. Co-Starring are Bruce Green as Angry Man and Mary K. DeVault as Angry Woman.

“The Neighbors” was written by Dan Fogelman (“Cars,” “Tangled,” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”) who is also an executive producer with Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Morton (“Modern Family”) and Chris Koch (“Workaholics,” “Modern Family”). “The Neighbors” was directed by Chris Koch and is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theneighborsABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/TheNeighborsABC

Hashtag: #TheNeighbors

“THE FAMILY TOOLS”

Mixing family with business is never easy, and Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) is about to learn that lesson the hard way. When Jack’s father, Tony (J.K. Simmons), has a heart attack and is forced to hand over the keys to his beloved handyman business, Jack is eager to finally step up and make his father proud. Unfortunately Jack’s past career efforts have been less than stellar, so everyone seems to be waiting for him to fail. His new job isn’t made any easier by Tony’s rebellious, troublemaker assistant, Darren (Edi Gathegi), and Darren’s flirtatious sister, Liz (Danielle Nicolet), who works at the local hardware store. Yet with the support of his Aunt Terry (Leah Remini) and his oddball yet endearing cousin Mason (Johnny Pemberton), Jack Shea may just find his true calling right at home.

“The Family Tools” stars Kyle Bornheimer (“Bachelorette,” “Romantically Challenged,” “Perfect Couples”) as Jack Shea, J.K. Simmons (“Ultimate Spiderman,” “Generator Rex,” “The Closer”) as Tony Shea, Edi Gathegi (“X Men: First Class”) as Darren, Johnny Pemberton (“21 Jump Street,” “Aim High”) as Mason, Danielle Nicolet (“X Men TV Series”) as Liz and Leah Remini (“In the Motherhood,” “King of Queens”) as Terry.

Based on the UK series “White Van Man,” “The Family Tools” teleplay is by Bobby Bowman. “The Family Tools” is executive-produced by Bobby Bowman, Mark Gordon (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Criminal Minds”) and Andrea Shay (“It Takes a Village,” “Virtual Virgin”) and Paul Buccieri (“Prime Suspect”). The pilot for “The Family Tools” was directed by Michael Fresco (“Suburgatory,” “Raising Hope,” “Better Off Ted,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Northern Exposure,” “St. Elsewhere”). The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFamilyTools

Twitter: Twitter.com/TheFamilyTools

Hashtag: #FamilyTools

Dear Warner Brothers: An Open Letter To The Studio That Makes The DC Movies, Offered Up Before You Greenlight “Justice League”

With the phenomenal, unheard of success of The Avengers movie in its first weekend (almost 700 million worldwide…and counting), is there anybody out there who doubts that Warner Brothers is going to dust off their old plans for a JLA movie and not get it greenlit pretty damn quick? I didn’t think so.

But before they start throwing the cart before the horse and get the old show on the road, I wanted to take a moment to reflect with the folks at the WB about their plans and where they go from here. Allow me to post this open letter….

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Dear WB,

As I’m sure you’ve been watching with great interest the success of The Avengers movie this week, I just wanted to remind you of a few things that made it successful; things that you’ll need to address within your own organization first before you get your Justice League movie into production. That you’ll make a JLA movie is no longer a question (you’ve got 700 million reasons to), but before you start, there are a few things that I, as a fan, especially as a DC fan, would like you to remember:

I.DC FILMS. You may think that Warner Brothers, being a film studio itself is equal to the task of making a successful superhero team movie, perhaps even superior to the task than a relatively new studio like Marvel. Allow me to dissuade you from that opinion with several well-chosen words: Superman Two-Four, Supergirl, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin, Steel, Superman Returns, Watchmen and Green Lantern (OK, personally I liked Watchmen. I’m trying to make a point).  Having a successful movie studio and knowing how to make successful movies in other genres does not automatically mean that you know how to make successful comic book movies. Aside from the Batman franchise (and not all of it, you guys are hardly batting a thousand), you have had very little luck in finding the right mix of fan-boy service and mass audience identification that made, not only The Avengers, but all the other Marvel movies possible (not to mention the Marvel movies made by other studios). Marvel, wisely knowing that they were going to be in the sole business of turning their comics properties into films, filled their roster with comics fans. Talented, dedicated film-makers, of course, but still comics fans, who understand both sides of the coin and who can help you find that balance you so desperately need.  Setting up your own studio for your comic book movies would allow you to do the same thing, bringing in disaffected folk from Marvel and Disney and Fox and Sony who have worked on successful comics properties in the past and mix them together with transplanted employees and advisors from the ranks of DC itself who can explain the stories and where each of the characters have been and their most popular arcs. I think you’re gonna find that making a comic book movie is like finding a mechanic for a Ferrari. Sure, any old mechanic can work on a car, but it takes a specialist to work on a Ferrari. Is it fair to equate a popcorn movie like The Avengers to a top of the line luxury sports car? 700 million in its first week. Hell yes, it’s fair.

 II. HIRE A DIRECTOR WHO IS ALREADY A FAN. Boy, I’ll bet you guys are really wishing you’d let Joss Whedon make his Wonder Woman movie now, aren’t ya? Accept the fact that you didn’t get what he wanted to do as yet another reason to consider my first point up there and consider this as well. Comic book movies are better made by people who understand what makes them special. It’s true. Hiring Mario Puzo (award-winning author of The Godfather novels) to write the first Superman movie is a great idea…unless he doesn’t know a friggin’ thing about Superman! Add to that a pair of executive producers who were equally clueless and it’s a wonder that even Superman the Movie was any good! In fact, I daresay that the only reason the first Supes was any good at all was because of director Richard Donner! And then, what’d did you do? You fired him and it all went to hell. Hire a Joss Whedon or a Sam Raimi or even a Kevin Smith, if you can get him to do it, who was a comics nerd long before they ever got behind a movie camera, to direct your JLA film and you’re off to a good start. Don’t turn the reins over to someone like Joel Schumacher who infamously told George Clooney that Batman was gay or the team of Seth Rogen and Michael Gondry who thought the only way to inject any humor into The Green Hornet was by making it silly! And once you’ve found a director who understands the material because he (or she) have been reading it all their lives, follow the same logic when you hire producers and writers as well! Oh, and then, once you’ve hired them, stay out of their way! Don’t reject the ideas of your director and your writer and your DC advisors because you don’t get them! You’re not supposed to get them! You’re suits! Most film makers are well acquainted with the idea of trying to please everybody and surprisingly, most comic book writers are too, so let them work and do the job you’ve hired them to do. Nine times out of ten (hey, there are exceptions to every rule), you’ll be glad that you did.

III. KEEP JON PETERS AS FAR AWAY FROM THE PROJECT AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. This goes without saying. Seriously. Sitting in the back and sending in notes that nobody ever read on the first couple of Batman films doesn’t make him an expert. Did you not see the first Evening with Kevin Smith movie??? He’s a former hair dresser, for godssake! He dated Barbra Streisand! Seriously, the guy is an idiot. Just keep him out.

IV. DON’T TRY TO CRAM SEVENTY YEARS OF STORY INTO A TWO HOUR MOVIE. One of the many problems with your recent Green Lantern movie was the push to include as much of GL’s storied history into the movie as you possibly could, without any consideration of how long it took to build all that history in the first place. In one two hour film, we go from the introduction of Hal Jordan to Abin Sur to Hector Hammond and Amanda Waller to OA and the Guardians to Tomar Re and Killowog and Sinestro to Parallax and the power of Green which stands for Will, which suddenly may not be as strong as the power of Yellow which stands for Fear to the Lantern training, getting the girl, fighting Hector Hammond, fighting Parallax (and somehow winning when you were never all that good at the ring stuff in the first place) and becoming a hero on two different planets to an inexplicable denouement that shows your mentor choosing the yellow ring anyway…come on! How was anybody supposed to write all that and make it coherent? How was anybody supposed to film it? How was anybody supposed to watch it? A variation on this same problem happened in the two Joel Schumacher Batman films and in Spider-Man 3. Studios start to think that if one villain is good, two will be great and three will be ginormous and proceed to fill the barrel up with too many villains, one or two extra heroes to spin off into the own franchises, a love triangle and a hobgoblin in a pear tree. For example, Batman and Robin had, well, Batman and Robin, plus Batgirl, plus Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane and a subplot about Alfred’s failing health. Holy God! Sam Raimi got roped into the same situation in Spidey 3 (Sandman, Venom, Gwen Stacy and Hobgoblin) and regretted it and when Sony tried to do it to him again, he bailed, which is why we’re looking at The Amazing Spider-Man this June instead of Spider-Man 4. Don’t complicate the story! Leave room for character development and consistent story-telling. I promise we’ll keep watching even if they stop fighting. If you develop the story slowly, just like you would any other movie or novel or comic, your movie will have more depth, more drama and more humanity than it would have otherwise and that can only be a good thing. Plus, you’ve got some good ideas left for the sequel. Honestly, I think one of the problems with GL may have been the fact that Geoff Johns was the only consultant DC put on the film and maybe (just maybe-I wasn’t there!) Johns wanted to get some of the stuff he came up with up on the screen, even though his stuff didn’t come along in the Lantern continuity until much later.

V. Oh, and one last thing and then we’ll move on…CHRISTOPHER NOLAN IS NOT THE PERFECT DIRECTOR/PRODUCER FOR EVERY COMIC BOOK MOVIE. He’s great for Batman because his films tend to be dark and complicated anyway, but I’m not sure about Superman. I’m hoping that Nolan’s grit combined with Zack Snyder’s penchant for bright colors and brain-exploding visuals is going to give us something truly amazing. We’ll see. 

VI. TREAT THE HEROES LIKE REAL PEOPLE. As popGeezer quoted in the outset of our Avengers double-team review, Alonso Duralde of TheWrap.com (since we’ve mentioned him twice now, don’t we get t-shirts or coffee mugs or something?) said “and the simple act of acknowledging that superheroes can actually have personalities may be its [The Avengers] boldest move”. Aside from Batman (who is the exception to almost every rule, which is why his movies are so unbelievably successful), almost every comic book movie before The Avengers built character in broad two-dimensional strokes in dialogue that sounded like it came from a poorly written issue of The Hulk. “Hero sad! Hero no have parents anymore! Why you steal Hero’s girlfriend, bad man? Me hit you now, but me feel bad about it later!” If you treat the members of your super team and your villain and your supporting cast like real people, the way you would in writing or directing any other movie, then they will gain dimension, they will become relatable, they will, like Pinocchio or the Velveteen Rabbit or Iron Man in the hands of Robert Downey Jr…become real. If you acknowledge that your heroes have a life beyond the screen, beyond their masks and if you can get audiences wondering about that life and caring that they get back to it (how many women have said to me about Thor in The Avengers, “Oh look! He checked to make sure Natalie Portman was OK! How sweet!”), then you’ve created a franchise with legs because you’ve got us wondering what the heroes are doing in between scenes, in between movies…what they’re doing next (making a sequel, if you’re lucky!).

VII. DON’T BUILD A MOVIE, BUILD A UNIVERSE. Perhaps the smartest, most innovative idea Marvel came up with in constructing their movies, was putting all of the characters in the same universe and allowing them to interact with one another, just as they do in the comics. By constructing a shared-universe concept and then structuring the actor’s contracts in a way that allowed for cameo appearances in one another’s films, as well as by using ancillary characters like Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) to bridge the gap between storylines and begin presenting the overall idea of The Avengers from the beginning, Marvel created a wondrous gestalt; a melting pot of storylines and possibilities that can (and undoubtedly will) feed countless movies for years to come. You folks at Warner’s, on the other hand have stuck to the tried and true formula of every film being a world unto itself. Superman is on Earth-S, Batman is on Earth B (or is that Earth DK?), Green Lantern is Earth G and so on, with no mention of one another or connection to one another outside of an off-hand reference to Metropolis by Bruce Wayne (Val Kilmer) in Batman Forever. I realize that this will take a great deal of re-building on your part since Chris Nolan has been adamant that his Batman and Superman films live in worlds where there are no other heroes, but it is simply too vital a part of making comic book movies – especially team comic book movies – work, that you simply have to adapt it as your own. I hesitate using the recent Smallville TV series as an example, since it also shows how a good idea can go horribly, terribly awry, but that show illustrated perhaps better than anything outside the comics themselves that super heroes work really well when there are other heroes around them. All you have to do is connect your movies and the characters in them so that when you introduce the JLA, it doesn’t seem strange that they are so suddenly teamed up together.  It also keeps you from having to waste a lot of time in those “who the heck are you” moments that take time away from the overall story.

VIII. AND WHILE WE’RE AT IT, DIG DEEPER INTO YOUR ROSTER AND MAKE MORE MOVIES! Do you realize WB, that when you make your JLA movie, only three of the characters will be familiar to audiences from their own solo films? Another advantage Team Marvel has is that all they do is make comic book movies! If you establish your own DC Films imprint, then they can concentrate solely on your DC properties and take the time to not only make them better, but also make sure there are more of them! DC has always had a pretty good TV presence, especially these days, thanks to the CW and the WB’s animated slate on Cartoon Network (also their excellent straight-to-DVD series of animated films), but in the movies the only fruit you’ve ever picked have come from Superman, Batman and lately Green Lantern, along with some one-off’s like Watchmen and Steel. There are plenty of great characters in the DC pantheon that deserve movies. DCTV has been well-represented by Supes (many times), Bats, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Flash, Human Target, Aquaman, Impulse, Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Zatanna (these last few from the Smallville series), with new Green Arrow and Booster Gold series on the way. Many of these characters would make for great movies, maybe not tent pole movies, but fun smaller films featuring characters like Spectre, Blue Devil, The Blackhawks and Challengers of the Unknown come immediately to mind as relatively inexpensive ways (inexpensive in movie terms anyway) to establish the DC brand and increase brand recognition. Part of the problem has been that every time you’ve make a comic book movie, you have to go for broke in a big two-hundred million-dollar production. That doesn’t have to be the case.

IX. USE THE SAME ACTORS FROM THE SOLO MOVIES. This is going to be a problem for you because, aside from Nolan’s insistence on separate worlds status for his films, Christian Bale’s Dark Knight contract is finished, and I bet Henry Cavill’s doesn’t include appearances beyond (hopefully) three Superman films, but it is something you need to begin working toward now. If Man of Steel does well, and Cavill wants to renegotiate for the sequel, why not say “Sure Hank, we’d be happy to give you more money, just as long as we can sign you up for some JLA movies while we’re at it.” Or if that doesn’t work, cast new actors and then spin them off into solo films. It won’t be as effective as what Marvel has done, but it may be the most efficient course for you to take. Tell Ryan Reynolds that you’ll make a better, more stripped-down version of Green Lantern if he’ll come back and play with the JLA. Cast some square-jawed steely-eyed up-and-comer as Batman (there are a number of possibilities currently decorating the TV screen these days-for example, Human Target’s Mark Valley and V’s Joel Gretch) and, I hate to say it because he is certainly never going to win an Oscar for his acting, but Tom Welling has a truckload of credibility from Smallville and could make an effective Superman in a JLA film (but does he have the ability to carry the Superman franchise after?). Same for Justin Hartley as Green Arrow, though the CW would probably rather you cast Stephen Amnell from their new series, Arrow. The important thing is to fill the roles with credible actors who can, in turn, carry their own films down the road to further build the universe and the brand.

X. BUILD CHARACTERS – DON’T TELL ORIGINS. Yes, origin stories are important. We need to see how Hal Jordan met Abin Sur or how Ollie Queen got stuck on that island, but we do not - absolutely without a doubt do not - need another telling of how baby Kal-El was rocketed to earth from the doomed planet Krypton or how Bruce Wayne’s parents were tragically gunned down before his eyes on the way home from the movies! Superman and Batman have the two most well-known, most recognizable origins in comics and this obsessive need to re-tell it every time a new movie comes out is both nuts and a waste of film especially in a team movie! The Avengers was the origin of a team, and the backstories of each individual hero barely came into it. Assume each character has a working familiarity with the other characters and avoid needless exposition about where they came from and how they got here. Instead, build relationships between the heroes! In The Avengers, we saw the camaraderie between Black Widow and Hawkeye that came from a long association as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, we saw the affection that Tony Stark had for Agent Coulson and the affinity he felt with Bruce Banner. We saw Thor and Cap bond over the chaos of the battlefield, the poisonous Caine and Abel dynamic that holds the sons of Odin together in emotional discord, and perhaps, more importantly, we saw how Cap thinks Tony Stark is a preening diva who has no idea of what a hero really is. In other words, like any other team or unit or company, they are largely disparate and dysfunctional at first, before coming together in the face of a common enemy to learn to appreciate one another and the contributions they each make to the team.

The greatest strength of The Avengers is, quite simply, it’s humanity, its ability to make us identify with a billionaire, a demigod, a monster, a super-soldier and a couple of assassins and never once find it strange that we did so. For the JLA movie to succeed, you need to unlock that same formula to make us believe in the Alien, the Orphan, the Amazon, the Scientist, the Space Cop, the Sea King and the Billionaire who’s not the Orphan, who also is a billionaire) and cheer for their success.

XI. DON’T CHANGE THEIR POWERS. Whether it’s Spider-Man’s organic webshooters in the Raimi Spider-Man movies, Zod’s Finger Laser of Death or Superman’s Amnesia Kiss in Superman II, don’t create new powers or change the abilities that have been established by decades of comics continuity. You’ll just cheese people off and get a stink on your movie.

So, WB, what are we saying?

Well, we’re saying that if you treat your JLA like a real movie with characters who live real lives and have real relationships and problems, if you create a believable universe for them all to live in with the rules and its denizens well-established in other movies, if you pull out your big guns in terms of casting and hire the most talented director, writer and producer who can find who are also fans of the genre, if you respect the characters and their relationships by treating them with dignity and mining whatever humorous moments there are out of real situations that have fun with the heroes and not make fun of them (or their fans), if you expect your story to make as much logical sense within the rules of its universe as you would in any other film, then you are probably going to have a comic book movie that not only succeeds but begats more success in terms of box office and entertainment satisfaction.

No one said it’s going to be easy, WB. You’re not properly set up to do it right now, not in terms of organization or in the way you currently present your material. But if you accept the obvious-seeming premise that The Avengers is the new de-facto handbook for making these films, a benchmark by which these films will now be compared, then you will move heaven and earth to get your films more in line with this obviously successful approach. I hope you will. As I have said on numerous occasions, I consider myself to be a DC guy, and I look forward to the day when your comic book films reward that loyalty.

Oh by the way…could we get that Forever People movie greenlit as quickly as possible, please? I swear, I got a mother box in my pocket and it’s ready to roar!

FOX’s 2012-2013 Fall Schedule Mostly Familiar, With A Few Key Moves, But Still Adorkable

FOX takes an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach to their 2012 fall schedule, with Sundays and Wednesdays untouched from the 2011 season. Tuesday’s being turned into all all sitcom night, where three of their comedies (all single-camera shows this year) will slot in with Raising Hope and The New Girl. Touch gets moved to early Fridays, followed by the final (hopefully majestic) thirteen episodes of Fringe. (Oh, they are SO coming!)

But the most surprising move concerns our battle-scarred McKinley High Glee club. Moving behind the potentially safer covering of the Thursday X Factor live show, the mystery that is Glee season four will be unfolded. Which graduating seniors will still hang around? Does Puck have to repeat the whole year? Where will Finn and Rachel end up? And what about Naomi?!?

Part of that mystery was solved – or complicated – by FOX boss’ Kevin Reilly announcing that the series will indeed follow some of the seniors to new adventures in New York City, while also continuing to follow the lovable McKinley High Glee Clubbers in Lima, Ohio. Kate Hudson and Sarah Jessica Parker will also stop by for season four guest-arcs. But the most-buzzworthy hour-long drama, Kevin Williamson’s serial killer as rock star thriller, The Following, won’t show up until 2013 – bringing star Kevin Bacon to series TV at last – but leaving a hole in the drama department that Gregory House can’t fill any more. Nevertheless, let’s rundown the schedule and new shows, okay?

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FOX 2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM BONES

9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new) / THE FOLLOWING (new) joins in midseason.

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE

8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)

9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL

9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new) / THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.

WEDNESDAY

8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL(midseason)

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results(midseason)

9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH

9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall) / HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall) / COPS returns in midseason. / ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)

7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

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NEW SERIES SYNOPSES

The following new comedies will premiere this fall on FOX:

BEN AND KATE

What happens when an exuberant, irresponsible dreamer who always says “yes” moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? BEN AND KATE, a new single-camera young ensemble comedy, follows these odd-couple siblings as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. KATE FOX (Dakota Johnson, “The Social Network”) followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, MADDIE (Maggie Jones, “We Bought a Zoo,” “Footloose”), Kate put her twenties on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with five-year-old Maddie, she’s uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, BEN FOX (Nat Faxon, “Bad Teacher” and co-screenwriter of “The Descendants”). Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes you want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He’ll totally screw up your life, but somehow, you’ll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don’t let the Velcro wallet fool you – he’ll probably be a millionaire someday. When Ben comes to crash on Kate’s couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. Kate’s surviving, but not living. Ben realizes that for the first time in their lives, Kate needs his help and he’s determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by offering to help look after Maddie so Kate can get back to experiencing her mid-twenties and making mistakes, since the one real “mistake” she’s made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Always there to help with Ben’s crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, TOMMY (newcomer Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate’s British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch, “Bad Teacher”), is a cocktail waitress at the bar that Kate manages and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if her advice is often questionable and occasionally illegal. From writer/executive producer Dana Fox (NEW GIRL, “What Happens in Vegas”) and executive producer/director Jake Kasdan (NEW GIRL, “Bad Teacher”), BEN AND KATE is a heartwarming story of deeply mismatched siblings: a sister who needs to go for her dreams and a brother who needs to get his head out of the clouds.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Dana Fox
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jake Kasdan
CAST: Dakota Johnson as Kate, Nat Faxon as Ben, Maggie Jones as Maddie, Lucy Punch as BJ, Echo Kellum as Tommy

THE MINDY PROJECT

THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend’s wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger’s pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby? Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books – all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman…who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. JEREMY REED (British writer/comedian Ed Weeks) is the walking definition of total bad news. He not only shares a practice with Mindy, but sometimes her bed as well – despite her best efforts to resist. He is funny, self-absorbed and super sexy. In contrast, DANNY CASTELLANO (Chris Messina, “Damages”) is a hothead and guys’ guy who has a habit of stealing Mindy’s patients. Danny criticizes her for everything, including her struggling love life and her lack of professionalism – even though it’s obvious to everyone except Mindy that he secretly admires her work. His blue-collar childhood gives him a big chip on his shoulder, but he is a dedicated physician, which Mindy can’t stand to admit because he’s always getting on her case. Rounding out the office staff are the receptionists – BETSY PUTCH (Zoe Jarman, “Huge”), young, earnest and easily excitable, who thinks the world of Mindy and is always trying to impress her; and SHAUNA DICANIO (newcomer Dana DeLorenzo), a self-assured Jersey Girl who is indifferent to Mindy, always knows where the cool party is and carries a poorly concealed torch for Danny. Mindy is in constant communication with her beloved best friend from college, GWEN GRANDY (Anna Camp, “The Good Wife”), who also happens to be the governor’s daughter. Gwen is a hilarious, sometimes too-blunt friend, and secretly a former carefree party girl (which only Mindy seems to remember). Although Gwen is now happily married to a financial analyst, with a six-year-old daughter, this lawyer-turned-Pilates mom remains squarely in Mindy’s corner. As Mindy attempts to get her career off the ground and meet a guy who passes her red flag test (no drug habits, no skinny jeans and no secret families, among others), only time will tell if she gets her romantic comedy ending.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Universal Television, 3 Arts Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mindy Kaling
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Howard Klein, B.J. Novak (pilot)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charles McDougall (pilot)
CAST: Mindy Kaling as Mindy, Chris Messina as Danny, Ed Weeks as Jeremy, Anna Camp as Gwen, Zoe Jarman as Betsy, Dana DeLorenzo as Shauna

The following new drama will debut this fall on FOX:

THE MOB DOCTOR

For most physicians, the Hippocratic oath is sacred. But for one Chicago doctor, who is indebted to the mafia, saving lives isn’t her only concern. THE MOB DOCTOR is a fast-paced medical drama featuring a brilliant young female cardiothoracic surgeon who is split between two distinct worlds as she juggles her promising medical career with her lifelong debt as a doctor to Chicago’s Southside mob. DR. GRACE DEVLIN (Jordana Spiro, “My Boys”) is a top resident at Chicago’s Roosevelt Medical Center. Smart and self-assured, she’s heralded as one of the country’s most promising young surgeons. But family ties keep her glued to her Southside roots. To pay off her brother’s life-threatening gambling debt, she makes a deal with the devil and agrees to work “off book” for the mafia men she once despised. During the day, Grace must deal with the emotionally compelling cases at Roosevelt Medical – a toddler in need of a heart transplant, an elderly man desperate to donate a lung to his sick wife, the mass chaos in the wake of a two-train collision on the ‘L.’ But in her other vastly different world, she must juggle an onslaught of mob-related demands, including operating in mob-sanctioned locations, removing bullets from dead bodies to hide incriminating evidence, saving a juiced-up race horse and covertly helping an aging mobster with his erectile dysfunction. All the while, Grace must keep her dual life a secret from everyone: her protective best friend, NURSE ROBERTA “RO” ANGELI (Floriana Lima, “Glory Daze”); her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend, DR. BRETT ROBINSON (Zach Gilford, “Off The Map,” “Friday Night Lights”); her boss at Roosevelt Medical and Chief of Surgery, DR. STAFFORD WHITE (Zeljko Ivanek, “The Event,” “Damages”); her rival, DR. OLIVIA WATSON (Jaime Lee Kirchner, “Necessary Roughness,” “Mercy”); even her well-meaning screw-up brother, NATE (Jesse Lee Soffer, “As the World Turns”), and her overly dramatic mother, DANIELLA (Wendy Makkena, “NCIS”). The only one who knows the true scope of Grace’s activities is the man to whom Grace owes her debt: the charming and diabolical Southside mob boss CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER (William Forsythe, “Boardwalk Empire”), an oddly compassionate killer whose relationship with Grace is more than it seems. Recently released from prison, the former head of the Chicago mob looks to reclaim his place in the organization, with the help of his right-hand associate – and Grace’s ex-boyfriend – FRANCO (James Carpinello, “The Good Wife”). As Grace tries to heed the demands of these two conflicting worlds – not to mention the needs of her own slightly dysfunctional family – her moral center comes into direct conflict with the very immoral things she’s asked to do. But with nerves of steel and a tough-as-nails exterior, she somehow manages to make it all work – at least for now.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sony Pictures Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Berman, Rob Wright
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Dinner
CAST: Jordana Spiro as Dr. Grace Devlin, William Forsythe as Constantine Alexander, Floriana Lima as Nurse “Ro” Angeli, Zach Gilford as Dr. Brett Robinson, Jaime Lee Kirchner as Dr. Olivia Watson, Zeljko Ivanek as Dr. Stafford White, James Carpinello as Franco, Jesse Lee Soffer as Nate Devlin, Wendy Makkena as Daniella Devlin

The new drama set to debut midseason is:

THE FOLLOWING

THE FBI estimates there are currently over 300 active serial killers in the United States. What would happen if these killers had a way of communicating and connecting with each other? What if they were able to work together and form alliances across the country? What if one brilliant psychotic serial killer was able to bring them all together and activate a following? Welcome to THE FOLLOWING, the terrifying new thriller from creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek,” the “Scream” franchise). When notorious serial killer JOE CARROLL (James Purefoy, “Rome”) escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, the FBI calls former agent RYAN HARDY (Emmy-nominated actor Kevin Bacon, “X-Men: First Class”) to consult on the case. Having since withdrawn from the public eye, Hardy was responsible for Carroll’s capture nine years ago, after Carroll murdered 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature. Hardy is a walking textbook of all-things Carroll. He knows him better than anyone; he is perhaps Carroll’s only psychological and intellectual match. But the Ryan Hardy who broke the Carroll case years ago isn’t the same man today. Wounded both physically and mentally by his previous pursuit of this serial killer, it’s been a long time since Hardy has been in the field. This investigation is his redemption, his call to action. In contrast to nine years ago, Hardy isn’t calling the shots on this case. He works closely with an FBI team, which includes all-business and tough-as-nails JENNIFER MASON (Jeananne Goossen, “The Vow,” ALCATRAZ) and young, razor-sharp MIKE WESTON (Shawn Ashmore, “X-Men”). The team considers Hardy to be more of a liability than an asset. But Hardy proves his worth when he uncovers that Carroll was covertly communicating with a network of killers in the outside world. It quickly becomes obvious that he has more planned than just a prison escape, and there’s no telling how many additional killers are out there. The FBI’s investigation leads Hardy to CLAIRE MATTHEWS (Natalie Zea, “Justified”), Carroll’s ex-wife and mother of the criminal’s 10-year-old son, JOEY (newcomer Kyle Catlett). Close during Hardy’s initial investigation, Hardy turns to Claire for insight into Carroll’s next move. The tension rises when Carroll’s accomplices kidnap his intended last victim from nine years ago. Hardy becomes ever more determined to end Carroll’s game when he realizes that this psychopath intends to finish what he started. The thriller will follow Hardy and the FBI as they are challenged with the ever-growing web of murder around them, masterminded by the devious Carroll, who dreams of writing a novel with Hardy as his protagonist. The reinvigorated Hardy will get a second chance to capture Carroll, as he’s faced with not one but a cult of serial killers.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, Outerbanks Entertainment, Bonanza Productions Inc.
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kevin Williamson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Marcos Siega
CAST: Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, Jeananne Goossen as Agent Jennifer Mason, Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews, Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews, Shawn Ashmore as Agent Weston, Valorie Curry as Denise, Adan Canto as Billy Thomas, Nico Tortorella as Will Wilson

The new comedy slated for midseason is:

THE GOODWIN GAMES

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when that will’s worth more than 20 million dollars, you can bet someone’s going to find a way to get the cash. From the executive producers of “How I Met Your Mother,” THE GOODWIN GAMES is a single-camera comedy that tells the story of three grown siblings who return home after their father’s death, and unexpectedly find themselves poised to inherit a vast fortune – if they adhere to their late father’s wishes. If any of the Goodwin kids feel like they deserve the money, then it’s HENRY (Scott Foley, “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Felicity”), the eldest child and an overachieving surgeon. He sees himself as a role model for his less successful siblings – and reminds them every chance he gets. Returning home will force Henry to question the choices he’s made, especially as he reconnects with his first love and true soulmate, LUCINDA (Felisha Terrell, “Days of Our Lives”). Middle sibling CHLOE (Becki Newton, “Ugly Betty”) was a child prodigy in math, and her unofficial role as “the smart one” of the family still sends Henry into fits of jealousy. But long ago, Chloe gave up academics in favor of being the popular girl. Now, through a series of hidden messages, her late father will lead Chloe back to her old love of numbers – and back to the person she’s meant to be. Of the three siblings, the youngest, JIMMY (Jake Lacy, “Better With You”), could use the inheritance the most. A small-time ex-con and dull-witted guitarist who’s deep in debt to a loan shark, Jimmy may be the family screw-up, but he has more heart than anyone. Like his siblings, Jimmy’s also returning to something in this town: his eight-year-old daughter. Pulling the strings from beyond the grave is the children’s late father, BENJAMIN (guest star Beau Bridges, “The Descendants”), a college math professor. Guilty over not parenting his kids better, Benjamin has left behind a series of unique challenges – administered by his estate attorney APRIL (newcomer Melissa Tang). Through these tasks, Benjamin hopes he can get his children to rediscover their true selves and learn the lessons he failed to instill in them while he was alive. Their potential reward? More than 20 million dollars – a fortune that they never knew their father had – and the chance to become the people their father wanted them to be. So let THE GOODWIN GAMES begin!

PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Chris Harris
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed (pilot)
CAST: Scott Foley as Henry, Becki Newton as Chloe, Jake Lacy as Jimmy, Felisha Terrell as Lucinda, Melissa Tang as April

The NBC Fall 2012 Schedule & Descriptions Of All New Shows. Settle Down, Beavis. (Updated)

Sit-coms expand to four nights a week. This is the masterstroke to help NBC recover from seasons of diminishing returns and the disaster that The Jay Leno Show begat?

Uh… no. Very few of these clips below generate anything positive. Turtle racing? Really? And the most buzzed about NBC new show – Hannibal- hasn’t shot a pilot yet, or cast the beyond-critical role of young Dr. Hannibal Lechter.

Just maybe my lack of enthusiasm is because I’m deeply into Warren Littlefield’s oral history of the Must-See-TV years of the peacock, Top Of The Rock, which just reminds me when broadcast network TV mattered more and the upfronts really tripped my trigger.

Anyhoo – here’s NBC’s fall schedule for 2012, jolted by the can’t-miss NFL, the risk of throwing The Voice into the Fall for the first time, and the oddity of dropping Brian Williams’ Rock Center newsmag into the Thursday at 10/9 slot that was the home of titanic dramas (and big ad revenues) for a generation.

And at least Parks, 30 Rock and Community all return early this season. But an extra Community cliffhanger seems to hinge on if creator Dan Harmon will be retained as the showrunner. Zoiks.

With that morsel fresh on your pallet – please to enjoy the NBC FALL 2012-13 SCHEDULE:

(*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY

8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”

10-11 p.m. – “REVOLUTION”

TUESDAY

8-9 p.m. –“The Voice”

9-9:30 p.m. – “GO ON”

9:30-10 p.m. – “THE NEW NORMAL”

10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”

WEDNESDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “ANIMAL PRACTICE”

8:30-9 p.m. – “GUYS WITH KIDS”

9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

10-11 p.m. – “CHICAGO FIRE”

THURSDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “30 Rock”

8:30-9 p.m. – “Up All Night”

9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”

9:30-10 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”

10-11 p.m. – “Rock Center with Brian Williams”

FRIDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “Whitney”

8:30-9 p.m. – “Community”

9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”

10-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”

SATURDAY

Encore programming

SUNDAY (Fall 2012)

7- 8:15 p.m. — “Football Night in America”

8:15-11:30 p.m. — “NBC Sunday Night Football”

SUNDAY (Post-football/Winter 2013)

7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”

8-9 p.m. – “Fashion Star”

9-10 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice”

10-11 p.m. – “DO NO HARM”

*************

COMEDY

“Go On” — Misery loves company. Unless you’re sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, “Friends,” “Mr. Sunshine”) who thinks misery should just be left alone. After taking some time off, Ryan – who recently lost his wife in a car accident – is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won’t set him back on the air until he seeks counseling. So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible. Played by the fast-talking, sarcastic, and charismatic Perry, Ryan gives grief a real run for its money. Within one day of group therapy, he hijacks the meeting and suddenly the downtrodden are cajoled into playing a game of “who’s got the best sob story?” And in no time all of them are battling it out, trying to one-up each other’s despair. Now, this is fun! Ryan’s total lack of interest in healing might be just what this group needs – and maybe, exactly what he needs to move on with his life. Also starring are Tony winner Laura Benanti (“The Playboy Club”), Julie White (“Transformers”), Suzy Nakamura (“Dodgeball”), Khary Payton (“General Hospital”) and Allison Miller (“Terra Nova”).  From the Emmy-winning writer and executive producer Scott Silveri (“Perfect Couples,” “Friends”) comes a new series that proves grief can be good.  Todd Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”) and Karey Burke (“Free Agents,” “Miss/Guided”) also serve as executive producers.  The pilot was directed by Holland. “Go On” is a production of Universal Television, Dark Toy Entertainment and Silver & Gold Productions.

“The New Normal” — These days, families come in all forms – single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors… It’s 2012 and anything goes. Bryan (Andrew Rannells, “Girls,” “The Book of Mormon”) and David (Justin Bartha, “The Hangover”) are a Beverly Hills couple and they have it all.

Well, almost. With successful careers and a committed and loving partnership, the one thing missing is a baby. And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, “One Day”), an extraordinary young woman with a checkered past. A Midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother (Ellen Barkin, “Ocean’s Thirteen”), Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious 8-year-old daughter.  Desperate and broke – but also fertile – Goldie quickly becomes the guys’ surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams.  Surrogate mother, surrogate family. “The New Normal” is produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Ryan Murphy Productions.  Murphy serves as creator/executive producer and director along with executive producer/creator/writer Ali Adler (“Glee,” “Chuck”) and executive producer Dante Di Loreto (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”).

“Animal Practice” — Meet Dr. George Coleman (Justin Kirk, “Weeds”), a top-dog New York veterinarian. With an unorthodox style of operating, George’s success comes from his undeniable gift with animals of all kinds. That is, all but the human kind. Dorothy Crane once held the key to George’s heart, but today she also holds the key to the family business as she takes over Crane Animal Hospital.  Not only is she George’s new boss, but her romantic history with him and her lack of experience with animals is seriously cramping his style.  Dorothy is whip-smart and ambitious, and she’s going to make George pay for the past.  Needless to say, he’s determined not to make any changes in his (animal) kingdom — which includes poker games with a resident capuchin monkey.  Also starring are Tyler Labine (“Reaper,” “Sons of Tucson”) as Dr. Doug Jackson, a vet who’s great with animals but hapless in matters of the heart, Bobby Lee (“Harold & Kumar”) as Dr. Yamamoto, and newcomer Betsy Sodaro as Angela.  “Animal Practice” is a production of Universal Television and American Work Inc.  The executive producers are Scot Armstrong (“The Hangover Part II,” “Old School”) and Ravi Nandan (“Best Friends Forever”) of American Work Inc. (“Best Friends Forever”) along with Emmy Award winners Joe & Anthony Russo (“Community,” “Arrested Development”).  “Animal Practice” was written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka (“The Sitter”), who also serve as executive producers.  Gail Lerner (“Happy Endings”) also is an executive producer.  Directed by the Emmy-winning Russo brothers, “Animal Practice” is a comedy where the animals are running the asylum.

“Guys with Kids” — From Emmy winner and executive producer Jimmy Fallon comes a new comedy about three thirty-something dads trying to hold on to their youth, while holding onto their new babies’ hands.  Easy, right?  Thankfully, Chris (Jesse Bradford, “The West Wing”), Nick (Zach Cregger, “Friends with Benefits”) and Gary (Anthony Anderson, “Law & Order”) have each other to help navigate their survival as new dads, while still trying desperately to remain dudes. Balancing work or staying at home, painfully married or happily divorced, they know that taking care of the little ones while maintaining a social life is a daily challenge.

Whether it’s hosing the little squirt down in the kitchen sink or hitting the bar strapped with a baby björn, these guys are on a roller-coaster adventure – parenting like you (and they) have never seen before.  Also starring are Jamie Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) and Tempestt Bledsoe (“The Cosby Show”).  Someone once said it is much easier to become a father than to be one. These three guys are about to find out just how true that is. “Guys with Kids” is produced by Universal Television and Holiday Road.  Fallon (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”) serves as executive producer/creator along with executive producer/creator/writer Charlie Grandy (NBC’s “The Office”) and executive producer/creator Amy Ozols (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”) as well as executive producers Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz (“Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place,” “American Dad”).   Emmy-nominated director Scott Ellis (“Modern Family,” “30 Rock”) is the director.

“Save Me” — Welcome to the Midwestern suburbs, where exciting things never happen. Well, almost never.  After a near-death experience (choking on a hero sandwich), Beth (Emmy nominee Anne Heche, “Hung”) is revived only to realize she now has a direct line to God. Of course, her husband Tom (Michael Landes, “Final Destination 2”) is skeptical and dismissive – and his mistress (Alexandra Breckenridge, “American Horror Story”) is stunned to learn that her lover’s wife is now a prophet!  But when inexplicable things begin to happen, everyone’s beliefs are tested. Beth starts to say and do things that shock her family and entrance her friends, but she isn’t going to be your typical “fire and brimstone” prophet. Let’s just say, if God had a desperate housewife as His mouthpiece, Beth would be it!  She is the absolute last person on Earth who would be chosen. Then again, they say He works in mysterious ways. And this one is a real mystery! Heather Burns (“Bored to Death”) and Madison Davenport (“Shameless”) also star.  “Save Me” is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Original Film. Novelist John Scott Shepherd (“Henry’s List of Wrongs,” “The Days”) is executive producer/creator along with executive producer/director Scott Winant (“Breaking Bad,” “True Blood,” “Californication”) and executive producers Neal H. Moritz (“The Big C,” “Prison Break,” “Fast Five”), Vivian Cannon (“The Big C”) and Alexa Junge (“Friends,” “Sex and the City”).

“1600 Penn” — The Gilchrists are just the average American family dealing with all the everyday issues – like a grown kid who’s forced to move back home, children who are smarter than their teachers and a stepmom (Jenna Elfman, “Dharma and Greg”) desperately trying to win over the kids. They’re loving, fun and a little crazy. In other words, just like everybody else. With one exception: they live in a very special house. The White House! Whether it’s entertaining foreign dignitaries, sneaking away for a night out, dealing with middle school crushes or putting out fires – figuratively and sometimes literally – there’s never a dull moment in the Gilchrist White House.

For example, the First Son (Josh Gad, star of Broadway sensation “The Book of Mormon”) is one of the administration’s biggest liabilities, but also the glue that holds this family together. The President (Bill Pullman, “Independence Day,” “While You Were Sleeping”) knows too well that the only thing harder than being Head of State is being head of the family. Also starring are Martha MacIsaac (“Superbad”), Andre Holland (“Friends with Benefits”), Amara Miller (“The Descendants”) and Benjamin Stockham (“Sons of Tucson”).  “Modern Family” meets “The West Wing” in this election-year comedy from Emmy-winning executive producer/director Jason Winer (“Modern Family”). The executive producers are Winer, Gad and Jon Lovett (former White House speechwriter).  Winer also directed the pilot.  “1600 Penn” is produced by 20th Century Fox.

“Next Caller” — What happens when a foulmouthed satellite radio DJ – played by the multi-platinum selling artist and outrageously charming Dane Cook (“My Best Friend’s Girl”) – is forced to share the mic with a chipper NPR feminist?  It’s anyone’s call in this sharp new comedy from producer Stephen Falk (“Weeds”) and Emmy-winning director Marc Buckland (“Grimm,” “My Name Is Earl”). It’s her first day in New York City, and 26-year-old Stella Hoobler (Collette Wolfe, “Young Adult”) is ready to take on the world.  After a stint on public radio, she’s been hired to co-host the no-holds-barred show “Booty Calls with Cam Dunne.” Smart, spunky and passionate, Stella is determined to elevate the show beyond its boy’s-club-locker-room humor into a respected debate about men, women and the state of human relationships. But there’s a problem: Cam!  She’s going to find out the hard way that he’s got no intention of sharing the spotlight, especially with someone like her. It’s going to be a tense fight, but with the station’s one rule being “make some noise,” Cam and Stella could be a winning combination – as long as they don’t knock each other out on their way to success.  Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”), Joy Osmanski (“True Jackson, VP”) and Wolé Parks (“Premium Rush”) also star.  The series is created and executive-produced by Stephen Falk (“Weeds”) and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Marc Buckland (“Grimm,” “My Name Is Earl”), who also serves as executive producer on the pilot.  “Next Caller” is produced by Lionsgate Television and Universal Television.

DRAMA

“Revolution” — Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why?  Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it?  On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks.

And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.  From director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Person of Interest”) and Eric Kripke (“Supernatural”), comes a surprising “what if” action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally. The series stars Billy Burke (“The Twilight Saga”), Tracy Spiridakos (“Being Human”), Anna Lise Phillips (“Terra Nova”), Zak Orth (“Romeo + Juliet“), Graham Rogers (“Memphis Beat”), J.D. Pardo (“A Cinderella Story”),  Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), David Lyons (“The Cape”), Maria Howell (“The Blind Side”), Tim Guinee (“Iron Man”) and Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”).  Kripke, Abrams, Favreau and Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) serve as executive producers.  “Revolution” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television.  The pilot was directed by Favreau.

“Chicago Fire” — No job is more stressful, dangerous or exhilarating than those of the Firefighters, Rescue Squad and Paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51. These are America’s everyday heroes — the courageous men and women who forge headfirst into danger when everyone else is running the other way. But the enormous responsibilities of the job also take a personal toll. Big reputations and hefty egos, coupled with the pressure to perform and make split-second decisions, are bound to put squad members at odds. When a tragedy claims one of their own, there’s plenty of guilt and blame to go around. In the middle of a divorce, Lt. Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer, “House M.D.”) tries to go about business as usual but can’t help butting heads with the brash Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney, “The Vampire Diaries”) of the Rescue Squad – and each blames the other for their fallen team member.  When it’s “go-time” though, they put aside their differences and put everything on the line for each other. “Chicago Fire” is a look inside one of America’s noblest professions. Also starring are Eamonn Walker (“The Messenger”), Charlie Barnett, (“Law & Order: SVU”), David Eigenberg (“Sex and the City”), Monica Raymund (“The Good Wife”), Lauren German (“Hawaii Five-O”), Teri Reeves (“Three Rivers”) and Merle Dandridge (“Sons of Anarchy”).  “Chicago Fire” is produced by Universal Television and Wolf Films.  Emmy Award-winning creator/ producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order” brand), Derek Haas (“3:10 to Yuma”), Michael Brandt (“3:10 to Yuma”), Peter Jankowski (“Law & Order” brand) and Danielle Gelber serve as executive producers.  Haas and Brandt wrote the pilot, which was directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (“Homeland”). From renowned Emmy-winning producer Dick Wolf and the writing team behind “3:10 to Yuma” comes an edge-of-your-seat view of a dirty job that often means the difference between life and death.

“Do No Harm” — Dr. Jason Cole (Steven Pasquale, “Rescue Me”) is a highly respected neurosurgeon who has it all – a lucrative career, confident charm, the gift of compassion. But he also has a deep, dark secret. One morning when he wakes up disoriented in a wrecked hotel room amidst several near-naked women he’s never seen before, he knows one thing: it’s happening again. Every night at the same hour, something inside Jason changes, leaving him almost unrecognizable – seductive, devious, borderline sociopathic. This new man is his dangerous alternate personality who goes by the name of ‘Ian Price.’ For years he’s battled Ian, keeping him in check with a powerful experimental sedative.  But now his – their – body has developed a resistance to the serum, setting Ian free once again. And to make matters worse, after being suppressed for so long, Ian’s hell-bent on taking revenge on his oppressor. With everyone Jason cares about at risk – patients, friends, coworkers and even the woman he loves – he’s got to stop Ian once and for all. Will they find some common ground, or will they bring each other down? Hell hath no fury like an alter ego scorned. Also starring are Alana De La Garza (“Law & Order”), Mousa Kraish (“Superbad”), Michael Esper (“A Beautiful Mind”), Ruta Gedmintas (“The Borgias”) and Phylicia Rashad (“The Cosby Show”).  “Do No Harm” is produced by Universal Television and Traugott Company.  The executive producer/writer is David Schulner (“Desperate Housewives,” “The Event”).  Peter Traugott (“Ringer”) and Rachel Kaplan (“Ringer”) also are executive producers.  Michael Mayer (NBC’s “Smash”) is the co-executive producer and director.

“Infamous” — When wealthy socialite and notorious party girl Vivian Bowers is found dead of an overdose, no one is really surprised.  The heiress to the Bowers pharmaceutical empire has been tabloid fodder for years: wild, pretty, privileged… and now dead at the age of 32.  But for FBI agent Will Moreno (Laz Alonso, “Avatar”), things don’t add up with this suspicious dynasty.  Convinced that the troubled girl’s death was a homicide, he has a clever plan to get to the truth.  Her name is Detective Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good, “Think Like a Man”).  Twenty years ago, she was Vivian’s best friend, having grown up in the Bowers’ home as daughter of the family housekeeper.  And when she appears at Vivian’s funeral, the family re-embraces her and no one is the wiser.  Joanna quickly begins to uncover dark secrets and clues about why Vivian’s life was very much in danger.  At the same time, she rekindles an old romantic relationship and rediscovers the allure of the luxurious lifestyle she once knew.  She’s about to see once again just how the other half lives… and dies.  Also starring are Victor Garber (“Alias”), Tate Donovan (“Damages”), Katherine La Nasa (“Alfie”), Neil Jackson (“Quantum of Solace”) and Ella Rae Peck (“Gossip Girl”).  “Infamous” comes from executive producer/writer Liz Heldens (“Friday Night Lights”) and director Peter Horton (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dirty Sexy Money”).

Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein are also executive producers.  The series is from Universal Television and BermanBraun.

“Hannibal” — One of the most fascinating literary characters comes to life on television for the first time: psychiatrist-turned-serial-killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.  In this new drama from Bryan Fuller (“Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”), based on the characters from Thomas Harris’ classic novels, we see where this incredible story began. Will Graham (Hugh Dancy, “The Big C”) is a gifted criminal profiler who is on the hunt for a serial killer with the FBI. Graham’s unique way of thinking gives him the astonishing ability to empathize with anyone – even psychopaths. He seems to know what makes them tick. But when the mind of the twisted killer he’s pursuing is too complicated for even Will to comprehend, he enlists the help of Dr. Lecter, one of the premier psychiatric minds in the country. Armed with the uncanny expertise of the brilliant doctor, Will and Hannibal (known as a serial killer only to the audience) form a brilliant partnership and it seems there’s no villain they can’t catch. If Will only knew…  Fuller is writer and executive producer.  Martha De Laurentis (“Red Dragon,” “Hannibal”), Sara Colleton (“Dexter”), Jesse Alexander (“Lost”, “Heroes”), and Katie O’Connell also serve as executive producers.  David Slade is the director/executive producer for the series pilot.  ”Hannibal” is produced by Gaumont International Television.

REALITY

“Stars Earn Stripes” – The TV cop who wants to prove he can handle a gun in real life.  The athlete making the transition from field to battlefield.  The performer who wants to show how well she can perform under a different kind of pressure.  In this fierce, entertaining and emotionally charged new competition honoring America’s armed forces, nine celebrities will gather at a secret training facility where they will be challenged to execute complicated missions inspired by real military exercises. From helicopter drops into treacherous locations to long range weapons fire, these stars will be tested physically, mentally and emotionally – and emerge in awe of the men and women who do such tasks on behalf of our country every day.  From executive producers Dick Wolf (“Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU”), Mark Burnett (“The Voice,” “Survivor”) and David A. Hurwitz (“Fear Factor”), this extraordinary show will donate money raised through the competition to veterans’ charities.  Committed to hiring recent vets onto the crew, “Stars Earn Stripes” hopes to inspire other employers throughout the country to make similar commitments to our returning heroes, not to mention proving how impossible their service missions really are.  The series is a production of Universal Television, One Three Television, LLC, Wolf Reality, LLC and Bill’s Market & Television Productions.

“Howie Mandel’s White Elephant” — From Howie Mandel (“America’s Got Talent”) comes an exciting new game show based on one of the most wildly popular holiday party games in America.

A contestant selects a box from a studio full of unmarked packages containing millions of dollars in prizes, showing what’s inside to the others. Then, the next player is faced with a potentially life-changing dilemma: do they steal a prize that has already been revealed, or do they take a chance with another unopened box, hoping what’s inside is worth more? But that’s just the beginning. When there are only two contestants left, Howie will reveal what’s inside the boxes and give the players a choice: share… or steal. If both players choose to share, they will each keep the prizes they have won in the prior rounds. If one player shares and the other steals, the player that chose to steal will go home with all the prizes. But if both choose to steal, they both go home with nothing! The stakes are insanely high as each contestant grapples with the choice of a lifetime… and the white elephant in the room.  “Howie Mandel’s White Elephant” is from Universal Television and Alevy Productions.  Mandel and Mike Marks are the executive producers.

“Ready for Love” — What does it take to find your soul mate? Well, producer Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) is inviting every eligible woman in America to participate in an innovative and dramatic new dating competition to find out how easy it can be. She has hand-selected three impossibly handsome grooms and enlisted the three best Matchmakers in the world to find them life partners. Let the dating begin! The show kicks off with mass auditions screened by the Matchmakers, and then launches into a romantic journey that will combine the best elements of in-studio competition and story-based reality. Each week, the contestants will be whittled down until the dramatic finale, when the three “grooms” and final three “brides” decide if they’ll get engaged, married or simply live happily ever after… because they’re all Ready for Love! Bill Rancic (“Giuliana and Bill”) and Giuliana DePandi-Rancic (“Giuliana and Bill,” “Fashion Police”) are the hosts.  “Ready for Love” is produced by Renegade 83, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Television. Longoria, Jason Ehrlich (“The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette”), Greg Goldman (“Secret Millionaire,” “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”), David Garfinkle (“Blind Date,” “The 5th Wheel”)  and Jay Renfroe (“Blind Date,” “The 5th Wheel”) serve as executive producers.

“Surprise With Jenny McCarthy” – Actress, comedienne and best-selling author Jenny McCarthy hosts “Surprise With Jenny McCarthy,” a unique variety show that will treat the audience to a funny, irreverent and heart-warming television experience that centers around giving people surprises of a lifetime. “Surprise With Jenny McCarthy” will spotlight multiple surprises within the one-hour episode — from dramatic reunions to surprise announcements to good-natured pranks with fantastic feel-good twists.  And, whether the surprise is an emotional roller coaster, a heartfelt thank-you, a hero’s reward or a slightly devilish prank with a happy ending, viewers get a chance to know the true stories of the people involved, which makes the payoffs all the more meaningful. As ringleader, cheerleader, head instigator and mistress of ceremonies, McCarthy helps pull off all kinds of incredible surprises on people from all walks of life.  Funny, touching, engaging, exciting and always unpredictable, “Surprise With Jenny McCarthy” will keep viewers laughing, crying and on the edge of their seats. Arthur Smith (“Hell’s Kitchen,” “Kitchen Nightmares”) and Paul Buccieri are executive producers of the presentation from A. Smith & Co. and ITV Studios.

**********************

Update,  5/14/2012 PM: At the upfront itself, NBC diverged from the prepared material to announce anther drama pick-up. One with a bit more potential spice. This is Crossbones:

Luther creator Neil Cross will adapt Colin Woodard’s book The Republic of Pirates, which is set in the 1700s during the Golden Age of Piracy and revolve around legendary pirate Blackbeard.

Husband and wife duo Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald (The Kite Runner) will produce the drama, which hails from indie studio Georgeville Television and Motion Picture Capital. NBC has ordered 10 episodes

Now, that’s not a medical show, or a fireman show, or a four-camera sit-com. Sounds bold, huh?

Get A Clue! BBC’s Masterful “Sherlock” Comes To The USA For Series Two, And The Real Mystery..? Finding It!

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against PBS, but since my kids got too old for Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood , and a certain timey-wimey Doctor got respectable enough to be shown on SYFY and BBC America, it dropped off my radar. Couldn’t tell you if my life depended on it where-or even if-it appeared on my TV listings. So, when word came that the BBC’s modern-day updating of Sherlock, masterminded by Doctor Who executive producer Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss, was coming to America and to PBS to boot, I had to find it and find it quickly.

Call it Mission: Semi-successful. I finally found the series, which PBS runs Sunday nights as three two hour movies each season (the way the Brits do) as opposed to six one hour episodes (which makes sense considering that each story is told in a two hour format), the first episode had already played. I managed to track it down through some strange confabulation of back-alley TV skullduggery and got hooked and hooked hard by the time the second episode of the first season aired.

In a world where so many up-dates and re-imaginings go horribly awry, Sherlock is the Great Consulting Detective done oh-so-wonderfully-right! Just as the new Avengers movie (see our excellent double-team review!) successfully updates what could have been a geeky pigeon-holed mess into a mass-market fable for the ages, Sherlock brings all the mystery and wonder and brilliant detective work of the original straight into the mass-marketed, mass-media’d muddle of the twenty-first century complete with the internet, blogging, cell phones, governmental corruption and tabloid journalism. And it manages to make it all fit into a seamless whole which makes it seem like this is what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle intended all along.

As talented and brilliant as Moffat and Gatiss are, the real success of Sherlock rests on the shoulders of its star, Benedict Cumberbatch. Tall and lanky with a steely stare and “cheekbones I could cut myself on”, Cumberbatch is Sherlock Holmes, be it the Victorian Sherlock of Doyle’s original stories or the modern version he portrays today. Obsessive, unforgiving and not one to suffer fools, gladly or otherwise, Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is identifiable, not because he knows so much about how the world works, but because he is so clueless about the people he shares it with. Whereas previous incarnations of the character look down their noses in patronizing bemusement at the bumbling and fumbling mere mortals around them, this Sherlock literally cannot comprehend why no one else can see the things that he sees.

Lest we spend all of our time praising Mr. Cumberbatch, however, equal praise must be given to his partner-in-crime-fighting, Martin Freeman, who plays blogger, diarist and former military doctor, John Watson. Freeman, who will soon be gracing the big screen as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit (Cumberbatch will play the voice of Smaug the dragon and one unnamed character), brings a bemused confusion to Watson as a man, probably thought of as quite intelligent in normal circles, who chooses to spend all his time with someone who makes him feel like a drooling idiot. Foolish as he may look, Watson is smart enough to know that Holmes desperately needs a friend, someone to ground him and connect him to the ordinary world and Freeman plays that role with sensitivity, grace and (I am NOT gay!) humor.

For season two, the producers have given us a wonderful roster of stories that don’t so much re-tell the original stories they are based on, but re-introduce them, teaching us new things about both the stories and ourselves in the process. I’m not going to tell you precisely how I got my hands on the complete second season months before it aired in this country, but let’s just say popGeezer knows a guy who knows a guy who owns a peekapoo, and leave it at that.

* INCIDENT IN BELGRAVIA. While we’re talking Sherlock, it should also be known that I enjoy the Robert Downey Jr. movies based on the character and for all their differences, find them both welcome sides to the same wonderful personality. Both feature a cocky, anti-social Holmes who treats the Watson of their world like an abused wife, put upon and left to hang onto the coattail of their oh-so-much-better half. They both also enjoy using slo-mo camera tricks and CGI to point out the endless minutiae Holmes detects in each telling moment and now, with Sherlock’s season two, both have introduced an entirely captivating, totally different rendition of the detective’s one true love, Irene Adler.

As played by actress Lara Pulver (True Blood, the BBC’s Robin Hood), Sherlock’s Irene is a dangerous mix of alarm and allure. After appearing to our intrepid hero full-raving starkers to throw him off-guard and keep him from reading her, she then fools him, plays him and thoroughly beds him in every way but the sexual way we were probably all expecting. Asexual at best, Holmes is completely flummoxed by this woman, proving that as little as he understands people in general, he understands women in specific even less. Trapped in a bloody game of cat and mouse that includes royalty, mysterious blackmail locked in a cell phone, the CIA and even Moriarty himself, Holmes and his distaff counterpart trade barbs, bon mots and clues as Holmes fights to save Irene in spite of herself. It’s interesting to note that, where Rachel McAdams’ Irene from the RDJ films is cute and clever and more open to her feelings for the detective, Pulver’s Irene is as totally undone by her unexpected feelings for Holmes as he is by his feelings for her. Even as she uses him to break the cell phone code and provide Moriarty with the information he needs to derail the plans of the crown and its agents, she feels badly about it and is at a complete loss to understand why. Which is why, when Holmes does come to the rescue, no one is more surprised and undeserving of such salvation than Adler herself.

* THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. Arguably the most famous story in the Holmes canon, Moffatt and Gattis (who also takes time to play Holmes’ brother Mycroft with supercilious glee) take Doyle’s original tale of supernatural terror and canine retribution and turn it into a science fiction story of greed, genetic manipulation and chemical warfare.

Guest-starring Russell Tovey (the UK Being Human), Russell T. Davies’ choice to replace David Tennant as the Doctor, Hounds does what Sherlock does best, turning the original story on its ear and running it through a twenty-first century siphon of avaricious self interests, murderous paranoia and the macabre, turning it into a totally fresh and relatable take on our modern day that still clings with more than enough tenacity to the original story that bore it.

In a nutshell, Tovey plays a young man who, as a child, saw his father, a researcher at the Baskerville Research Institute, mauled by what he still believes was a massive, monstrous hound. Rumor has been rife for years that the Institute creates such abominations out of hand on behalf of the government and corporate interests and Sherlock’s newest client, recently returned to the area to face his childhood fears, wants to retain Holmes and Watson to find out the truth for the sake of his sanity and the peace of his father’s spirit. Our boys succeed in sneaking into the place several times (with a government-issued laminate stolen from brother Mycroft) and deftly pose the question of “What is more horrific, the monsters we imagine or the men we have become?” Holmes even gets his own mad scientist on for a brief bit as he uses hallucinogenic chemicals on Watson without his permission.

* THE REICHENBACH FALL. It’s no secret, nor is it blasphemous to admit, that Arthur Conan Doyle grew to hate Sherlock Holmes. How dare some Victorian pulp detective dare strive to be more popular, to grow a more literary pedigree than any of the other lofty erudite characters the author would create (go on, name one-I dare you!). Having finally had enough of the detective’s fun at his expense, Doyle chose to kill Holmes off in a story entitled The Final Problem, which culminated in an exciting, death-defying battle with Professor Moriarty at the top of Switzerland’s Reichenbach Falls. As Holmes falls to his death, Doyle dared to dream it was finally over, that he could finally move on. But, no. Doyle neglected to take into consideration the rabid nature of Holmesian fandom, who literally took to the streets with all the ardor of the most fervent Twi-Hard or Pottermaniac and threw themselves at Doyle in a frenzied plea to bring their hero back. To let Sherlock Holmes live again. And for reasons unbeknownst to me, Doyle finally relented and found a way for his hero to cheat his watery death and Sherlock Holmes took residence at 221B Baker Street once again, defeating Moriarty and saving the world for his legion of faithful.

In the final episode of the season, named after the fateful location in that same story, the story in which the author tried harder to kill Mr. Holmes than the homicidal professor ever had, Moffat and Gatiss deliver a tour de force of plot twists and betrayals, of con jobs and reversals to fill an entire season of any other program. This episode is truly a masterwork of both the genre and of television itself.

At the center of it all, is Professor James Moriarty (Andrew Scott). In a thrilled daylight crime spree in which he is seen and identified in clear view by witnesses and cameras, Moriarty breaks into The Tower of London, the Bank of England and Pentonville Prison at the same time and then stands there, in front of the crown jewels and waits to be captured. Standing trial after his arrest, the Professor sits throughout his entire trial in silence never offering a single word in his defense. And yet, miraculously, the jury lets him off. Holmes, of course, is immediately caught up in trying to deduce just how Moriarty did it. In the meantime, a young reporter who wants to interview Holmes becomes convinced that he is a fake and threatens to offer proof that Holmes is a creation of his own imagination; that he rigs all of his amazing deductions and that Holmes himself engineered the complicated blackmail scheme which led to Moriarty’s release from prison. This, combined with evidence from a kidnapping Holmes solves that hints at our hero’s involvement in the crime causes even the faithful Inspector Lestrade (Rupert Graves) to doubt his friend. When Holmes discovers that the reporter’s proof is Moriarty himself, who has convinced her that he is an actor hired by Holmes to perpetrate his lie, the show explodes into a rapidly unfolding origami of hints and allegations that end with Holmes and Moriarty on a rooftop and Holmes with a decision to make. Without giving anything away, this is without doubt one of the most astounding hour and a half of television I’ve ever seen, topping itself time and time again until a finale followed by a denouement that even now, after I’ve seen it twice, I still can’t quite believe. This episode of Sherlock deserves every single award it will surely win and powerfully sets up a season three that I can’t wait to see.

In an interesting example of art imitating, well…art, CBS has just announced their own Sherlock in modern day program (an American Holmes in modern day New York) called Elementary, starring Johnny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) as Holmes and Lucy Liu (Ally McBeal) as Watson (WTF!), but truly, if they can’t do a better job than this, they might as well just save their money and leave it alone.

But if they can do better…well then, maybe that’s a show I just have to see.

DEJA VIEW. IS THIS NBC’s NEW SEASON?

Amidst the news that NBC has picked up new series SaveMe, an Anne Heche vehicle that has the former Hung and Men in Trees actress playing a housewife who believes God speaks to her and the half hour sitcom The New Normal from Glee/American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy, and Revolution, a new hour long epic from Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and J.J. Abrams (Fringe, Lost, Alias).

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the Peacock net has put together an extremely iffy and tentative fall schedule. Take it with a BOULDER of salt, but it looks like this:

FALL/MIDSEASON

MONDAY

8:00 THE SING OFF / THE VOICE
9:00 HARRY’S LAW /DADDY’S GIRLS & GUYS WITH KIDS
10:00 CHICAGO FIRE/NOTORIOUS

TUESDAY

8:00 BIGGEST LOSER
9:00 COUNTY/THE VOICE
10:00 L&O: SVU

WEDNESDAY

8:00 30 ROCK/ISABEL
8:30 PARKS & RECREATION
9:00 GO ON
9:30 SAVE ME
10:00 REVOLUTION

THURSDAY

8:00 COMMUNITY
8:30 1600 PENN
9:00 THE OFFICE
9:30 THE NEW NORMAL
10:00 SMASH

FRIDAY

8:00 WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE
9:00 GRIMM
10:00 DATELINE/HANNIBAL

SUNDAY

8:00 FOOTBALL /CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, HARRY’S LAW, CHICAGO FIRE

Wow, that’s a LOT of new shows! 30 Rock and Community will only get thirteen episode orders, forcing them to share the schedule with new shows with what NBC is hoping will be a more mainstream appeal. We are told that the shorter season for our Greendale students is not intended to be indications that it’s the final season, but it seems fairly clear that Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin will be moving on after this next cycle of eps. Also, doesn’t it seem strange that Smash would move to Thursdays? Formerly the most prestigious berth in network television, Thursday seems to be an awfully brutal slot for a fledgling show that really didn’t pull super-strong numbers in the first place. If it were me, I’d put Smash on Wednesday nights where there’s not much competition and Revolution on Thursdays. Well, we’ll see. After all, this is only rumor…

SPEAKING OF GIVING VOICE TO RUMORS.

What’s this we’re hearing about a feud between Christina Aguilara and Adam Levine on The Voice? Supposedly Xtina walked off the set when Adam sang with one of his teammates last week and things are said to be so bad, they are holding the show as a mid-season replacement next season instead of a fall entry to give things a chance to calm down.

AND WHILE WE’RE TALKING RUMORS.

Word out of the Office camp is that stars John Krasinski (Jim) and Jenna Fischer (Pam) have signed for an additional season of the sitcom, if it should be renewed. Still no word on that awfully big IF, however.

DEJA VIEW PART TWO. MORE RENEWAL NEWS.

Let’s see, even though the big blanket announcements won’t come until the upfronts in May, some renewals have been announced. HBO has announced the  return of freshman newbies Veep, starring Seinfeld’s Julia Louis Dreyfuss as the second most powerful person in the world and Girls, the anti-Sex in the City from wunderkind Lena Dunham. Both shows are expected to come back for ten episodes each.  The CW has announced the renewals of perennial fan faves The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural, neither of which is a surprise, though Secret Circle and Nikita are both teetering on the bubble. Some reports are about that sample CW schedules are out there and Circle isn’t on it. But I’m not giving up hope. And TNT has renewed Southland for season five. Season Five? Who’s watching this show? How could it possibly have been on for five seasons? Sheesh…

DEJA VIEW PART THREE. ABC WEIGHS IN.

ABC has announced early renewals for seven series, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Grey’s Anatomy (after that finale, how could they not?), Castle, The Middle and Suburgatory, none of which is really a surprise. The surprise, though not much of one at this point, is:

COUGAR TOWN JUMPS TO TNT.

Rather than renew the show themselves, ABC has traded its semi-successful Cougar Town to TNT for its fourth season (for a pilot and a rising star to be named later-joke!). CT creator Bill Lawrence says he and the cast are thrilled. There are no pay cuts amongst the cast, Lawrence reports (TNT is paying the same amount for the show ABC did) and they get 15 episodes instead of what would have surely been a 13-ep one at the Alphabet. Plus, they get to see what it feels like to be the premier sitcom on a network instead of a perennial also-ran. Good for them.

DEJA VIEW PART FOUR.

FOX is making a list and checking it twice, and Alcatraz and The Finder cannot be found (see what I did there? God, I’m funny). According to Deadline Hollywood, the net is dropping the two in favor of keeping the troubled Keifer Sutherland vehicle Touch for another go-round. In the same news, FOX seems to be buying some new shows, It’s Messy, a medi-comedy created by and starring The Office’s Mindy Kalling, Mob Doctor with Chuck’s Jordana Spiro and Friday Night Light’s Zach Gilford, The Goodwin Games from the creators of How I Met Your Mother, starring Scott Foley and Becky Newton, and the generic-sounding Ben and Kate about a wealthy woman who hires her brother as a nanny.

SOMETHING THAT WON’T FIT ANYWHERE ELSE.

Also, it’s got nothing to do with the subject of renewals, but MTV’s successful Teen Wolf series returns on Sunday, June 3 for its second season.

BUBBLE, BUBBLE, SHOWS IN TROUBLE…

Wondering how your favorite show is doing here at renewal time? Here’s a quick run-down, courtesy of E*Online, of how the bubble shows have been performing lately:

On the way up:

GCB: rebounded from 4.4 million viewers three weeks ago to 5.6 million this past Sunday.

Hart of Dixie: took the Mason/Dixon bounce from 1.2 to 1.4 million. In CW terms those are almost NCIS numbers.

Secret Circle: holding steady week to week and just edged past Nikita (oops!).

On the way down:

Missing: dropped from 7.9 a few weeks ago to 6.7 last week. At this rate, it’ll be more than just Ashley Judd’s kid who’s missing; it’ll be her whole darn show!

Nikita: love this show, but it’s performing exactly opposite of Hart of Dixie, going from 1.4 to 1.2 in the last week.

Holding steady:

CSI:NY seems to be holding onto their audiences these days, and Gossip Girl is also holding steady, but with show runner Josh Safran going to Smash and three out of the last five eps falling below a million viewers, is there really much hope? We’ll see.

And that about does it for our latest look at the ever-changing TV landscape. Next time we’ll talk about the Upfronts and whether that NBC schedule was all that accurate, the May Sweeps and how your favorite series went off into the sunset and a definite list of who is and who ain’t coming back. Until then, remember to keep your powder dry, kemosabe and keep your friends close and your TV remote closer…  it’s the only way they won’t steal it!

We Double-Team The Team of All Teams: Marvel’s “The Avengers” (Marginally Spoiler-ish)

Your popGeezer and our Cadillac Jack are ready to give you their impressions of Marvel’s The Avengers. Your popGeezer takes the ball down-court first:

It’s simply as if the most beloved comic book characters of my adolescence were torn from my head and cast up on a movie screen as perfectly as I could imagine them. Here’s a telling quote from TheWrap.com’s Alonso Duralde –

“In many ways, The Avengers feels like the truest adaptation of the original comics to the motion picture screen. It doesn’t mythologize or minimize or condescend or get lost in fanboy minutiae. Instead, it plays up the clash of personalities – and the simple act of acknowledging that superheroes can actually have personalities may be its boldest move – while never skimping on the popcorn thrills. It gives superhero movies, and even summer movies in general, a good name.”

I couldn’t agree more. The Avengers comes pretty damn close to comic-book movie perfection. It’s that uncompromising acceptance and presentation of a four-color comic book hyper-reality that makes The Avengers so breathtaking. Joss Whedon is the first helmer of a Marvel movie who is a dyed-in-the-blood of Lee and Kirby, full-bore comic book nerd. The fact that he also happens to be one of the best screenwriters (Toy Story, Speed, Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and TV show-runners (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse) around only makes him a super-powered nerd. Taking the screen story from Zak Penn’s first-pass, Whedon’s script is a “marvel” of Stark Tower-sized construction, maximized character development in a limited amount of screen-time, giant laughs, stunning shocks, and the most audaciously realized living and breathing on-screen Marvel Universe one could dream up.

Where to start? Captain America (Chris Evans), the First Avenger, the man out of time, the perfect leader for a band of damaged warriors? Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)  and Black Widow (Scarlett Johanssen), the non-super powered spies with dark pasts, looking to both avenge and be redeemed? Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Asgardian god of thunder still trying to mature into the leader his father wishes him to be? Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the scientist and rage monster in one package, wanting to try and do good despite the massive destructive force inside him? Or Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), the self-proclaimed billionaire playboy philanthropist who puts on his super-powered Iron Man suit to play hero, not really understanding that heroism often requires sacrifice?

Well, Whedon makes sure they’re all there, and get enough on-camera time for us to understand them, appreciate them, maybe giggle at them, but finally cheer for them. And he even makes sure we fall even more in love with Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), see the manipulative and dark side of Colonel Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and meet the tough but yummy Maria Hill (TV’s Cobie Smulders).

And last, but never least, Whedon unleashes Thor’s adopted brother Loki, the god of mischief (Tom Hiddleston), in a wonderfully crafted romp of arrogant evil, megalomania, and the worst case of incurable sibling rivalry since that whole Cain and Abel thing.

Produced on a scale where “big” is an understatement, this is a comic book movie triumph of the highest order, and a $200 million-dollar U.S. opening says that the public agrees with this review-proof phenomenon, though many of the major reviews have been glowing and positive. It is long at 142 minutes? Yep. But even the slower bits of falling action, particularly after the show-stopping battle on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier, are ripe with character enrichment. This is an absolute winner of a summer blockbuster!

So after this kind of triumph, where does Marvel go from here? Iron Man 3 is slated to open on May 3, 2013, Thor 2 will follow in Marvel’s first winter opening on November 13, 2013, and Captain America 2 arrives on April 4, 2014. Avengers 2 has yet to be officially green-lit (but c’mon, man). And thanks to the greatest closing-credit teaser in Marvel movie history, I predict this funky glove (pictured at left) will play into several – if not all – of these next-gen Marvel masterpieces.

I said it when I was a kid, and it still holds true in my Autumnal years, “Make Mine Marvel“!!! Excelsior!

And now, our Cadillac Jack steps up to the plate - AVENGERS WELL-ASSEMBLED!:

Understand going in, I was always a DC guy. Oh, I read the Marvel stuff, but I came to it kinda’ late, in Junior High School, which for me, was the late seventies. On the other hand, I had been reading about Superman and Batman and all the rest since I was in pre-school, when my grandfather first gave me a copy of Detective Comics featuring the Caped Crusader in an effort to get me to shut up so that he could watch…whatever it was he wanted to watch on TV. The very first color television program I ever saw was a color episode of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman show that a friend of mine and I begged our way into a neighbor’s house to watch one afternoon after school. I watched the campy and craptastic Batman show with Adam West when it came on twice a week and collected the trading cards and the action figures and of course, the comics…always the comics.

All of which has nothing to do with the subject at hand, the debut of The Avengers movie, the jewel in the Marvel movie-making crown, except to point out that, as much as I enjoyed Marvel comics as a kid, as much as I’ve enjoyed the Marvel movies as an adult, I’m not the expert on Marvel-mania that your popGeezer is. The man who, if I remember correctly, at one point had the complete run of The Avengers [through Vol. 1, #300 - Ed. note] all carefully stored in their mylar snugs and numerically arranged and codified for easier reference. As such I’ll let him explain the hidden teaser dealing with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet storyline from the comics. He’s the expert. I’m just the fan.

And speaking of fans, I am certainly a fan of this movie! Dramatic and colorful and thrilling and laugh out loud funny in several places, Joss Whedon’s take on Marvel’s number two super team hits on every cylinder and will likely be the benchmark by which all summer tent pole films will be judged for years to come. With an 80 million dollar opening day and $264 million worldwide in its first twelve days, The Avengers proves that not only are comic book movies not dead, but that when done right, they touch something in the collective movie goer’s heart that transcends genre and demographics and moves into the rarified air of (dare I say it? about a comic book movie??) art.

If there was ever a valid reason for Marvel to oversee the translation of their own properties to film, this movie is it. Whereas, with the exception of the Batman franchise and the 1978 Superman movie, DC heroes tend to get mired in the interpretive morass between DC and parent company Warner Brothers who makes the DC movies. Marvel actually has comics people (who are also fans) inserted into the decision-making and story-writing process and it shows. There were some big decisions for Marvel to make in the creation of this film and they went the right way practically every time.

1. KEEP THE ORIGINAL STARS. The best decision Marvel made by far, was to lock the stars of the original solo films into The Avengers as well. If Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, et al see The Avengers as a significant project to lend themselves to, then it must be a significant project, right? In a world where perception is king and the emperor ain’t naked until somebody says he is, the perception that The Avengers was a big-star ensemble piece, kind of like Ocean’s 11 with capes, created an image that everyone wanted to live up to.
2. HIRING A FELLOW GEEK AS DIRECTOR. Again, to keep using the Warner’s/DC model as an example of what to do wrong, Warner’s hires big directors for their comics movies, Richard Donner, Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher, Martin Campbell, etc. but they aren’t comics fans. Hiring Uber-geek Numero Uno Joss Whedon to helm The Avengers sent a huge message to fandom that this was a movie for us, done the way we wanted to see it done.
3. IT’S THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, BABY. Having the movies exist as pieces of the same universe as opposed to each living in their own pocket realities was a huge asset in making this movie a dream come true. With cameos by Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury and Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson, Marvel was able to tie all these characters together so that they didn’t need to be introduced or explained at the outset which was a huge time-saver that allowed Whedon to get right into the story.

But the real trick of The Avengers is that Marvel got out of the way and allowed Whedon the opportunity to make a truly personal film that still fleshed out and fulfilled all of the promise an idea like the Avengers contains. First of all, you got a threat big enough to bring that many heroes together in the first place, a villain you know and understand and can really root against with relish, enough character moments to remind us that these people all have lives and concerns beyond their powers and a rational, reasonable excuses for the obligatory hero fight where the good guys square off against one another in a super-powered version of I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours. Plus, the movie is freaking funny! And not funny in a way that makes fun of the genre or the characters or us as fans, but just genuinely gut-bustingly funny. That’s the thing that always took me away from the Marvel comics as a kid. Yeah, they were a lot more like real people than the DC guys, yeah, they had problems I could relate to, but they were just so dour! I mean, half the time I kept expecting to open my copy of The Amazing Spider-Man to find him hanging by a fist-full of webbing around the neck on the opening page! In The Avengers, there are two moments in particular, both featuring the Hulk, that had me and my fellow movie-goers ready to wet ourselves with glee.

Another problem with comic book movies is that character development is largely accidental. Heroes bash and crash and rail against the heavens, but we never really find out much about what truly makes them tick, especially when the movie has more than one hero in it. In The Avengers, Whedon gives each character the opportunity to establish their presence, and more importantly, gives this cast of A-list actors a real chance to act. RDJ’s Tony Stark may still be the cocky, devil-may-care playboy with a hankering for shawarma and an eye for the spotlight, but we also see him in a more intimate moment with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts, Tony’s business partner and girlfriend. Downey’s moments with Paltrow are filled with real tenderness and affection that act as a true contradiction to Captain America’s constant assertion that Tony is nothing more than a vainglorious show-off. You get to see Chris Evans’ Captain America wrestle with his disillusionment at being trapped in the wrong time and his confusion with how his beloved America could have turned out to be the complex and complicated mess it has become. The pull between Bruce Banner (well-played by Mark Ruffalo who replaced former Hulk, Edward Norton) and his desire to do good juxtaposed with his desire to simply be left alone is clearer than in two muddled solo films. Thor’s concern for Jane Foster (the absent Natalie Portman) is addressed in one simple scene and his on-going concern and love for his brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who he cares for despite his villainy, runs through the whole film. And the shadowy pasts of Scarlett Johanssen’s Black Widow and Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye are represented, though they’re still rather shadowy, huh? Whedon put a lot of plates in the air with this movie, and he managed to get them all down without breaking a one. Welcome to the validation of Joss Whedon, ladies and gentlemen. Nice to see a nice guy get his due.

Are there missteps and logical inconsistencies? Sure. How do space dragons fly in the smog-infested air of New York? How did Bruce Banner get all the way to New York City in such a short amount of time on such a small scooter? How is it possible that none of the heroes have eaten in an Armenian restaurant before? But you don’t care about all that.

All you care about is that The Avengers is the biggest, wildest, most fun thrill ride you’ve had at the movies for quite some time and probably for quite some time to come…at least until The Dark Knight Rises hits theatres on July 20. Then again, Chris Nolan’s Batman is so far removed from the world and tone that Whedon and company have created that there’s only one real place to compare them – at the box office, where Hollywood studios show the world how I’ll show you mine if you show me yours is really played on a weekly basis.

Hey Theater Geeks! Let’s Pretend We’re On “Smash”! It’s Tony Nominations Day!

Oh no! No Ivy Lynn, Karen Cartwright or Rebecca Duvall!?!

Oh, wait, Bombshell hasn’t opened yet!

…What? Those actresses are all fictional?!? Really? So that explains the general absence of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark from these nominations for the 2012 Tony Awards, too. Right?

Anyway, here they are -

BEST PLAY

Clybourne Park - Author: Bruce Norris

Producers: Jujamcyn Theaters, Jane Berg?re, Roger Berlind/Quintet Productions, Eric Falkenstein/Dan Frishwasser, Ruth Hendel/Harris Karma Productions, JTG Theatricals, Daryl Roth, Jon B. Platt, Center Theatre Group, Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons

Other Desert Cities - Author: Jon Robin Baitz

Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, Andr? Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett

Peter and the Starcatcher - Author: Rick Elice

Producers: Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Greg Schaffert, Eva Price, Tom Smedes, Disney Theatrical Productions, Suzan & Ken Wirth/DeBartolo Miggs, Catherine Schreiber/Daveed Frazier & Mark Thompson, Jack Lane, Jane Dubin, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, Baer & Casserly/Nathan Vernon, Rich Affanato/Peter Stern, Brunish & Trinchero/Laura Little Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Hummel & Greene, Jamie deRoy & Probo Prods./Radio Mouse Ent., Hugh Hysell/Freedberg & Dale, New York Theatre Workshop

Venus in Fur - Author: David Ives

Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Jon B. Platt, Scott Landis, Classic Stage Company

BEST MUSICAL

Leap of Faith - Producers: Michael Manheim, James D. Stern, Douglas L. Meyer, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Annette Niemtzow, Daryl Roth, Robert G. Bartner, Steven and Shanna Silva, Endgame Entertainment, Patricia Monaco, Debi Coleman, Dancap Productions, Inc., Steve Kaplan, Relativity Media, LLC, Rich/Caudwell, Center Theatre Group, Michael Palitz, Richard J. Stern, Melissa Pinsly/Celine Rosenthal, Independent Presenters Network, Diana Buckhantz, Pamela Cooper, Vera Guerin, Leading Investment Co., Ltd., Christina Papagjika, Victor Syrmis, Semlitz/Glaser Productions, Jujamcyn Theaters

Newsies - Producers: Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher

Nice Work If You Can Get It - Producers: Scott Landis, Roger Berlind, Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Standing CO Vation, Candy Spelling, Freddy DeMann, Ronald Frankel, Harold Newman, Jon B. Platt, Raise the Roof 8, Takonkiet Viravan, William Berlind/Ed Burke, Carole L. Haber/Susan Carusi, Buddy and Barbara Freitag/Sanford Robertson, Jim Herbert/Under the Wire, Emanuel Azenberg, The Shubert Organization

Once - Producers: Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart, Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo, Brian Carmody, Michael G. Wilson, Orin Wolf, The Shubert Organization, Robert Cole, New York Theatre Workshop

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman - Producers: Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Jon B. Platt, Columbia Pictures, Jean Doumanian, Merritt Forrest Baer, Roger Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ruth Hendel, Carl Moellenberg, Scott & Brian Zeilinger, Eli Bush

Gore Vidal’s The Best Man - Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, INFINITY Stages, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Barbara Manocherian/ Michael Palitz, Kathleen K. Johnson, Andy Sandberg, Ken Mahoney/The Broadway Consortium, Fifty Church Street Productions, Larry Hirschhorn/Bennu Productions, Patty Baker, Paul Boskind and Martian Entertainment, Wendy Federman, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Cricket Hooper Jiranek, Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley, Carl Moellenberg, Harold Thau, Will Trice

Master Class - Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Max Cooper, Maberry Theatricals, Marks-Moore-Turnbull Group, Ted Snowdon

Wit - Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

Evita - Producers: Hal Luftig, Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Yasuhiro Kawana, Allan S. Gordon/Adam S. Gordon, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Gutterman Fuld Chernoff/Pittsburgh CLO, Thousand Stars Productions, Adam Blanshay, Adam Zotovich, Robert Ahrens, Stephanie P. McClelland, Carole L. Haber, Richardo Hornos, Carol Fineman, Brian Smith, Warren & J?l? Trepp

Follies - Producers: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, David M. Rubenstein, Michael A. Kaiser, Max A. Woodward, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Adrienne Arsht, HRH Foundation, Allan Williams

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess - Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Rebecca Gold, Howard Kagan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Brunish Trinchero/Lucio Simons TBC, Joseph & Matthew Deitch, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Terry Schnuck, Freitag Productions/Koenigsberg Filerman, The Leonore S. Gershwin 1987 Trust, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Ken Mahoney, Judith Resnick, Tulchin/Bartner/ATG, Paper Boy Productions, Christopher Hart, Alden Badway, Broadway Across America, Irene Gandy, Will Trice, American Repertory Theater

Jesus Christ Superstar - Producers: The Dodgers and The Really Useful Group, Latitude Link, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Waxman-Dokton, Joe Corcoran, Detsky/Sokolowski/Kassie, Florin-Blanshay-Fan/Broadway Across America, Rich/Caudwell, Shin/Coleman, TheatreDreams North America, LLC, Stratford Shakespeare Festival

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

Lysistrata Jones - Douglas Carter Beane

Newsies - Harvey Fierstein

Nice Work If You Can Get It - Joe DiPietro

Once - Enda Walsh

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE

Bonnie & Clyde

Music: Frank Wildhorn

Lyrics: Don Black

Newsies

Music: Alan Menken

Lyrics: Jack Feldman

One Man, Two Guvnors

Music & Lyrics: Grant Olding

Peter and the Starcatcher

Music: Wayne Barker

Lyrics: Rick Elice

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

James Earl Jones, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man

Frank Langella, Man and Boy

John Lithgow, The Columnist

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur

Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow

Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities

Linda Lavin, The Lyons

Cynthia Nixon, Wit

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Danny Burstein, Follies

Jeremy Jordan, Newsies

Steve Kazee, Once

Norm Lewis, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Ron Raines, Follies

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Jan Maxwell, Follies

Audra McDonald, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Cristin Milioti, Once

Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Laura Osnes, Bonnie & Clyde

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher

Michael Cumpsty, End of the Rainbow

Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors

Andrew Garfield, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman [at least someone playing Spider-Man got a nomination!! - Ed. Note]

Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Linda Emond, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Spencer Kayden, Don’t Dress for Dinner

Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher

Judith Light, Other Desert Cities

Condola Rashad, Stick Fly

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Michael Cerveris, Evita

David Alan Grier, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Elizabeth A. Davis, Once

Jayne Houdyshell, Follies

Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost the Musical

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

John Lee Beatty, Other Desert Cities

Daniel Ostling, Clybourne Park

Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors

Donyale Werle, Peter and the Starcatcher

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Bob Crowley, Once

Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Ghost the Musical

Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, Newsies

George Tsypin, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

William Ivey Long, Don’t Dress for Dinner

Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire

Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors

Paloma Young, Peter and the Starcatcher

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gregg Barnes, Follies

ESosa, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark

Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

Jeff Croiter, Peter and the Starcatcher

Peter Kaczorowski, The Road to Mecca

Brian MacDevitt, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Kenneth Posner, Other Desert Cities

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Christopher Akerlind, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Natasha Katz, Follies

Natasha Katz, Once

Hugh Vanstone, Ghost the Musical

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Paul Arditti, One Man, Two Guvnors

Scott Lehrer, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Gareth Owen, End of the Rainbow

Darron L. West, Peter and the Starcatcher

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Clive Goodwin, Once

Kai Harada, Follies

Brian Ronan, Nice Work If You Can Get It

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Rob Ashford, Evita

Christopher Gattelli, Newsies

Steven Hoggett, Once

Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors

Pam MacKinnon, Clybourne Park

Mike Nichols, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Jeff Calhoun, Newsies

Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Diane Paulus, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

John Tiffany, Once

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Bill Elliott, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Martin Lowe, Once

Danny Troob, Newsies

RECIPIENTS OF AWARDS AND HONORS IN NON-COMPETITIVE CATEGORIES

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE

Emanuel Azenberg

REGIONAL THEATRE AWARD

The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.

ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD

Bernadette Peters

SPECIAL TONY AWARD

Actors’ Equity Association

Hugh Jackman

TONY HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATRE

Freddie Gershon

Artie Siccardi

TDF Open Doors

**********************************

TONY NOMINATIONS BY PRODUCTION

Once – 11

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess – 10

Nice Work If You Can Get It – 10

Peter and the Starcatcher – 9

Follies – 8

Newsies – 8

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman – 7

One Man, Two Guvnors – 7

Other Desert Cities – 5

Clybourne Park – 4

End of the Rainbow – 3

Evita – 3

Ghost the Musical – 3

Bonnie & Clyde – 2

Don’t Dress for Dinner – 2

Gore Vidal’s The Best Man – 2

Jesus Christ Superstar – 2

Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – 2

Venus in Fur – 2

Wit – 2

The Columnist – 1

Leap of Faith – 1

The Lyons – 1

Lysistrata Jones – 1

Man and Boy – 1

Master Class – 1

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever – 1

The Road to Mecca – 1

Stick Fly – 1

A Streetcar Named Desire – 1

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