Liz Finn-Arnold
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Top TV Stories of 2007: Sanjaya
If you're scratching your head and asking "Sanjaya Who?" then you probably don't own a TV, or a computer for that matter. For two months, Sanjaya-hysteria ruled our television airwaves (sometimes three times a week). Thanks to a little show called American Idol, Sanjaya became one of the breakout reality TV stars of 2007.Like many breakout reality TV stars, Sanjaya Malakar was able to successfully steal the spotlight from his more worthy opponents, gliding by on personality and charisma. He's living proof that a winning grin and luscious locks can sometimes take you a lot farther than actual talent.
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American Idol season seven hype begins
It's not even December, and American Idol's seventh season is still a month and a half away -- but the hype has already begun. According to an interview with Extra, the American Idol judges - Simon, Paula, and Randy -- are in agreement: This is going to be the BEST SEASON EVER!!Last year, as you may recall, season six was often slammed by fans and critics as the WORST SEASON EVER. Who could forget Sanjaya? Oh wait, we did. His 15 minutes of fame only lasted 12.5 minutes. But for all of our Sanjaya-bashing, at least he kept things interesting in an otherwise bland and uninspiring year. Seriously, does anyone even care that Jordin Sparks just released her debut album?
Continue reading American Idol season seven hype begins
NBC picks up webseries 'quarterlife'
It's being called a "revoluntionary step" in television entertainment. Quarterlife, created by thirtysomething's Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, has the honor of becoming the first webseries to be acquired for broadcast television. The hour-long drama will begin airing on NBC sometime in February.Herskovitz and Zwick reportedly launched the series (about a twentysomething video blogger and her friends) directly on the web in order to maintain complete creative control. However, after viewing the series online , I began to suspect that quarterlife simply wasn't good enough for primetime. In fact, I doubted it would ever gain a strong fanbase or end up on network television.
Shows how much I know.
Continue reading NBC picks up webseries 'quarterlife'
WGA Strike: Writers and studios agree to resume negotiations
Variety is reporting this morning that negotiations between the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) and the WGA (Writers Guild of America) will resume after Thanksgiving. However, the WGA will remain on strike, even though the AMPTP had originally insisted that they would only resume negotiations if the striking writers temporarily went back to work.A joint statement was released late Friday night, reading: "Leaders from the AMPTP and the WGA have mutually agreed to resume formal negotiations on November 26."
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WGA Strike: soap writers won't cross picket line
Yesterday, Variety reported that several writers from the Young and the Restless had crossed the WGA picket line in order to keep their jobs. After the article ran, a spokesperson for the WGA-East condemned those planning to cross the picket line and warned them that they'd "never be full members of the Writers Guild again."However, the Variety article isn't true, according to a memo sent out late Tuesday from the WGA-West and the Y&R writing staff. The Y&R statement reads: "We were incensed to read the incorrect information printed in Variety that several writers on our show sought financial core status...Our entire writing staff of 18 is united and we fully support our union."
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WGA Strike: week two updates
We've entered Week Two of the WGA Strike, and although we're not getting any closer to a resolution, there's still plenty of WGA Strike news to report:- The WGA-East declares that "Ellen DeGeneres Not Welcome in NY."
- Lost's co-creator Damon Lindelof announces, "Television is dying" in the New York Times.
- Some soap writers are crossing the picket line to resume work.
- Today (Tuesday) was dubbed "Picketing with the Stars" as 100 actors from 30 TV shows joined the picket line at Universal Studios in a show of solidarity.
- Seventeen entertainment blogs went dark for a day in support of the writer's strike.
- Peter Chernin (president of Fox's parent company, News Corp) bragged that the strike is "probably a positive" for the company as it will most likely save them money.
- CBS News is preparing for a possible strike by 500 of their news writers.
- The Simpson's Mr. Burns tells striking writers they can't have the internet: "It's Mine!"
Quarterlife: Part one and part two (webseries premiere)
(S01E01)"We blog to exist...therefore, we are idiots." (Dylan Krieger)I mentioned last week, that I am a huge fan of Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (creators of thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again), and I was eagerly anticipating the launch of their new webseries, quarterlife. Lots of people have talked about producing programming for the internet, but nobody has been able to launch a completely original successful series with mass appeal and excellent production value -- yet. So, I put a lot of faith behind the professional team of Herskovitz and Zwick, and applauded their bold experiment.
Unfortunately, their experiment, at least to me, went horribly wrong.
Continue reading Quarterlife: Part one and part two (webseries premiere)
Brothers & Sisters creator asks Governator to do something about WGA strike
The WGA strike continues. And it doesn't look like there's an end in sight (as all negotiations have stopped). The longer the strike lasts the greater impact it will have on the economy -- especially the California economy. So what is California's Governor Schwarzenegger doing about it?Nothing, according to Brothers & Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz. In an open letter to the Governator, on yesterday's Huffington Post, Baitz basically accuses Schwarzenegger of "fiddling while California burns."
Continue reading Brothers & Sisters creator asks Governator to do something about WGA strike
Thirtysomething co-creator explains reasons for leaving TV
Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick are responsible for creating some of my favorite TV shows: thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again. They've influenced my writing and even my desire to write for TV probably more than anyone else in Hollywood. They've been absent from the TV landscape for a couple of years, and I've definitely missed them.Luckily, Herskovitz and Zwick are back with a brand new series, called quarterlife. The series, however, will not currently be available on ABC or any other network. Herskovitz and Zwick are bringing this new series to life on the web. And in a recent L.A. Times item, Herskovitz explains why they've left traditional television behind.
Herskovitz believes "the business of television has become an exclusive club, closed to new members," which has some producers "turning to the internet to have a voice."
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TV production halts as showrunners refuse to cross WGA picket lines
It's Day Three of the WGA Strike, and things are getting serious. Production on some scripted sitcoms and dramas is already coming to screeching halt -- despite the fact that completed scripts have yet to be shot. Sitcoms which have already gone dark are: The New Adventures of Old Christine, Back to You, 'Til Death, and Rules of Engagement. And with Steve Carrell refusing to cross the picket line, The Office has shut down for business, as well.
Meanwhile, Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice) and Shawn Ryan (The Shield, The Unit) have publicly stated that they won't perform their showrunner responsibilities either. Without their showrunners, these high profile dramas will most likely cease production earlier than networks expected.
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