This Wednesday, CBS will make its official announcement for the 2008-09 season, but word has already leaked out that there will be three new drama series in CBS's new schedule. The NCIS spinoff, which I would have nixed, is in there, as well as a Julianna Margulies show called The Good Wife, and an Alex O'Loughlin vehicle set in the medical field and dealing with organ donors called Three Rivers. The latter may not have the sex appeal of Moonlight, but how much you want to bet the O'Loughlin fans will be tuning in?All three of these shows are one-hour dramas, so that means the rumors about Without A Trace, Cold Case and The Unit all being on the bubble were true. Cold Case had a strong finish with a two-parter that performed very well in the ratings, so it could be safe, but the other two are likely to be ending their runs.
Another iffy hour is Eleventh Hour. No word on whether this Jerry Bruckheimer show will get a second season, but the lack of chatter makes me suspect it's not coming back.
The Good Wife casts ER vet Julianna as a lawyer who's forced back to the work when her spouse is convicted and sent the prison. There are big name director/producers attached to The Good Wife, brothers Ridley and Tony Scott (Bladerunner and Spy Game, respectively), as well as David Zucker (A Walk in the Clouds). Who says clout doesn't matter in Hollywood?
Three Rivers has behind the camera, experienced producers, as well -- Carol Barbee and filmmaker Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential). Barbee's last CBS series were Swingtown and Jericho, two shows with cult followings that failed to find a wide audience. She should be perfectly paired with O'Loughlin, then, because his Moonlight series is stlll being mourned by some fans who never understood why it was canceled.
As for the NCIS spinoff, I'm not surprised by the pickup, but I am hoping that the subsequent series is better than the pilot.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-17-2009 @ 1:47PM
HD said...
Uh huh. I'm tired of supporting network shows that die a quick death. I watch CBS on Monday nights - and 60 Minutes Sundays, otherwise CBS is dead to me in prime time. I stopped watching CBS dramas when they killed "Swingtown". ABC and NBC are no better, they cut to the bone and throw on more and more cheap reality filler.
The networks need to come down to reality and realize the days of 20 or 30 million people watching a show are almost over. Cable is thrilled with 5 million (often less, much less) and the networks need to accept that the younger people don't feel the same loyalty to broadcast networks (or the idea of primetime) that those of us that grew up with only the big three have.
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5-17-2009 @ 2:18PM
Scott H said...
One crime procedural, one lawyer show, one doctor show. Wow, it's still 1972 at CBS. If they didn't have a few good comedies, I don't think they'd have any viewers under 50 left. I guess creative writers and producers know not to bother, and they just go to the other networks.
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5-17-2009 @ 3:28PM
lanouette said...
I keep my fingers crossed for Three Rivers being picked up by CBS, so I could see Alex O'Loughlin on my screen in a regular schedule!
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5-17-2009 @ 3:51PM
sam said...
I am excited about the three rivers pick-up because of Katherine Moennig is also on the show. I have followed her since Young Americans. I never watched Moonlight but the actor looks cute and must be good with all the buzz about him.
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5-17-2009 @ 4:24PM
Alexandria said...
Ever since the cancellation of Moonlight, I refuse to watch ANYTHING CBS puts in that Friday 9pm time slot... I didn't watch Moonlight *just* for Alex O'Loughlin or Jason Dohring (to be honest, I had never heard of them before Moonlight), I didn't even watch because it was about vampires (before Moonlight, I had no real interest in vampires).
I watched Moonlight because it was an awesome show. It had a brilliant cast, brilliant scripts, awesome story lines... and it was a fresh new take on vampires. Usually vamps are the bad guys, it was cool to see the vamps as the good guys (although there were some bad vamps too... lol).
The only time I will watch CBS on Friday at 9pm is if they ever bring back Moonlight for a second season... until then I'll watch other programs and be satisfied with watching my Moonlight Season 1 on DVD.
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5-17-2009 @ 4:53PM
Radiant said...
I hope that CBS will officially approve Three Rivers for the 2009-2010 season, with Alex O'Loughlin portraying the leading role, Dr. Yablonski! I believe that Three Rivers will be a widely watched and successful medical drama for CBS!
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5-17-2009 @ 6:27PM
Argus said...
One, maybe two of these posts really feel like they're corporate plants of some kind...
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5-17-2009 @ 7:26PM
Valerie said...
Ok, I hope CBS gets it right and picks up 'Three Rivers'. I'll be tuning in because of Alex O'Loughlin. You are right about his Moonlight fans, we WILL be there...
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5-17-2009 @ 10:40PM
alavenia said...
I hope CBS will pick up Three Rivers, and Alex O'Loughlin will be back on television!
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5-18-2009 @ 12:22AM
Dottie said...
I am SICK at the prospect of CBS cancelling The Unit. I should have known when they stuck it on Sunday nights at 9pm, they were kissing it off. Too bad. It was one of the better dramas CBS had, a military drama with a touch of McGyver. Well, buh bye CBS, 'cuz except for the reality shows you offer me nothing.
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5-18-2009 @ 11:18AM
Dennis said...
I was recently in Las Vegas, and I saw the pilot for Three Rivers. I have to admit, I wasn't impressed. The story was slow, the characters were two-dimensional and cliched, and the bits of action and real drama we did get were interrupted by character development. Plus, how many stories can you really tell about organ transplant?
This show is doomed. It felt like a show trying to be like ER and House, but coming up way short. I liked Alex O'Laughlin in it, but other than him, the other characters were just annoying.
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5-18-2009 @ 8:46PM
Sabine Atkins said...
I hope to see THREE RIVERS and Alex O'Loughlin as Dr. Andy Yablonski! In this wonderful and important series Alex O'Loughlin will show us again that he's charismatic and extremely talented in every role he chooses to play.
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5-19-2009 @ 12:59AM
MichaelC2B said...
I am so happy about Three Rivers. I look forward to TR and to WhiteOut and The Back-Up Plan, Alex's new movies to come out in 9/09 and 1/10.
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