Fox and MSNBC have been attacking each other with more frequency (but probably less violently) than the Black Spy and the White Spy, and one of their main forms of ammunition have been their respective ratings.
So naturally 'Countdown', hosted by the rather large (both in stature and physical size) talking head Keith Olbermann, had to respond to a report that appeared in the New York Post's "Page Six" column claiming that his show is one baboon hair away from cancellation hell.
You really can't say you didn't see this coming. ABC has announced that they have canceled Ugly Betty. The final episode will air this spring. ABC says in a statement that "we've mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty's last season."
I really loved the first season of Ugly Betty, and I continued to watch it into the second season, but somewhere along the line I just lost interest in it. It wasn't the cast, I think it was just that plots kept spiraling into directions I didn't think were interesting (or funny). But now that the show is ending I kinda feel bad about not watching it the last couple of seasons.
So I guess this is the part where we all list our predictions on how the show will end, who Betty will end up, what will happen to Mode, and all that. At least they know the show is ending and can plan a good final episode.
It is with a heavy heart that I must report that NBC has passed on the pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer starring David Tennant. Technically they haven't cancelled. The show has simply been put "on hold". Doctor Who was once put on hiatus too and that lasted 16 or so years (except for some charity specials and a television movie), so Rex is in good company.
Rex was originally going to fill one of the 10 P.M. slots vacated by Jay Leno. It had a strong supporting cast with Jerry O'Connell, Jane Curtin and Jeffrey Tambor. It sounded like a winner, so naturally NBC didn't want it. Still, this isn't the only bad decision NBC has made recently and it probably won't be the last.
This is especially heartbreaking news as people (like myself) will not have the opportunity to introduce David Tennant to their friends that aren't Doctor Who fans. The show might be picked up for the fall, so don't give up hope yet. Feel free to post vitriolic tirades against NBC in the comments.
One man who has been suspiciously quiet about the never-ending battle over NBC's late night lineup is David Letterman. Sure he's mentioned it here and there in a monologue joke or a fake commercial, but he hasn't really let loose with the kind of spittle flying tirade that makes television worth watching.
Last night, the levee finally broke and Letterman's true feelings flowed out of him like a fine, smooth wine in a box with a wide mouth spout. No one was safe, not even Late Night host Lonnie Donnegan.
Ahh, Las Vegas. That hotbed of sin and vice. That holy mecca of fleshly pleasures and the most basic of human instincts. The only place in the world that would give the likes of Carrot Top full time work.
Vegas oddsmakers have weighed in on Conan O'Brien's next move and Fox has topped the list with whopping odds of "-185." ABC placed second followed by CBS, HBO and the Internet. What? No PBS? Sure it's a long shot and the payout would be the entire known universe for a buck bet, but a bet's a bet.
So now that you know the odds, it's time to put your money where your meathole is...
I've been waiting all day for an official announcement from NBC or Conan O'Brien or God on what the network plans to do with Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and the late night dynasty that is The Tonight Show. It looks like we'll have to wait just a little bit longer.
Bill Carter of the New York Times reported on the paper's "Media Decoder" blog that the talks between the network and the show have reached a road block over how much Conan's staff should receive as a severance.
It seems the network isn't ponying up enough dough for putting Conan's people out of work in this wintry economic climate. Conan's people are trying to score his staff members who aren't under a network contract at least $12 million, a number the network has yet to put on the table.
Stay tuned, TV Squadders. An announcement about the announcement is bound to land soon.
If you live in Los Angeles, be prepared to run into a lot of Conan O'Brien fans with severe colds over the next week.
Hundreds of dedicated "Cone-heads" braved some of the nastiest weather LA has seen in years to gather outside Universal Studios to show support for O'Brien and opposition over NBC's decision to remove him from The Tonight Show.
As multiple rain storms swept through the area, intersections flooded and cars choked out in waste-deep water. Wind gusts tore palm trees frond from frond, and flood channels threatened to overflow their drainage pipes.
But, throngs of orange-clad O'Brien enthusiasts gathered outside Universal's main gate -- urging the passing motorists to honk if they supported Conan's quest to hang on to the 11:30 PM slot on NBC.
The whole Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien shakeup may have the rest of the world crying like jilted prom queens, but it's got one man grinning from ear to ear. And no, it's not Jeff Zucker. That would be more of a giant, belly shaking James Bond villain laugh.
While he says that Leno is a "great guy," it still doesn't change his sentiments that he's "glad it failed...Things have worked out in a good way."
I'm sure Conan seconds those thoughts. That should make his first interview on Fox's Up Late at Night with Conan O'Brien especially awkward when he goes on it to promote Southland on TNT.
A lot of words have been thrown around this whole late night shakeup over at NBC and Jay Leno decided that Monday, more than a week after this whole thing hit the fan, was the right time to address the situation. Sounds like NBC isn't the only entity in this mess with a timing issue.
Leno took some time before a round of "Headlines" during Monday's show to explain the situation from his point-of-view. He insisted that when NBC decided to pull the plug on his show and refused to release him from his contract, the network was sure Conan O'Brien and company would go for the new deal. He also said Conan acted like a complete "gentleman" throughout this ordeal and insisted that no one blame him for this mess. I think everyone is way ahead of you on that last one.
TMZ grabbed some footage of last night's sincere explanation.
It appears that NBC is going to hold Conan O'Brien to his word and allow him to leave the network, now that Jay Leno will move back to 11:30 p.m. barring some unforeseen hiccup like a global apocalypse or Jesus becoming Conan's new agent.
The Daily Beast reports that "knowledegable sources" said that if Conan leaves the network, he will be free to appear on other networks under his NBC contract and interested parties are negotiating a payout.
Apparently, the whole mess started by NBC, beyond their going back on their word that Conan could keep The Tonight Show, was over the size of the payout for Conan. The sources don't say the size or even the range of the payout, but rest assured that the actual amount could totally cover the tab you racked up at your local Hooters. You know who you are.
(S03E01/S03E02) Welcome back, Charles. Wasn't that fun? The return of Chuck Bartowski picks up the story where we left off at the end of last season. What we quickly learn is that this is not the same old Chuck. That Intersect thing is an ongoing issue, and as long as Chuck's the man with the data, he will be the man in the middle of the action. Unless General Beckman says otherwise ... more on that and the guitar playing fool after the jump.
It's NBC day at the TCAs and the juicy NBC executive session is up. Jeff Gaspin, Chairman of NBCU's TV division confirmed that starting February 12, The Jay Leno Show will no longer be on at 10 PM ET. The hope is to have Leno at 11:35, Conan's Tonight Show at 12:05, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 1:05.
However, they're still in discussions with the hosts about this. Gaspin hopes to get the situation settled by the start of the Olympics.
It was a long, long, lonnnng first official TCA day yesterday, with CBS, Showtime, and the CW trotting out their newest and finest in front of the critics, followed by the epic Survivor anniversary party Bob mentioned the other day. I'll spill out some highlights later on. But I wanted to quickly start with CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler's very confident executive session.
Why was she so confident? Shows that are often winning their time periods helps. But she also seems to be in a "told ya so" mood about NBC and its Leno / Conan mess. In her opening remarks, for instance, she mentioned how good the freshman slate of shows was doing on every network... except NBC. During the Q&A, she said that the other networks "fared very well during this experimental phase for NBC."
The Disney Channel has confirmed that this upcoming fourth season of the popular tween sitcom Hannah Montanawill be the last. The final season will have guest-stars such as Ray Liotta and Two and a Half Men's Angus T. Jones.
Gee, what was the first clue that this would be the final season, Disney? Was it Miley Cyrus' increasing star power? Was it her singing career (which is for Disney records so it's not like the relationship is ending)? Was it the fact that she's getting older and before too long won't be able to pass for a high school student anymore? Or is she just fed up with the role?
The family reality show that would never say die just died. 
You really can't say you didn't see this coming. 
It is with a heavy heart that I must report that 
Ahh, Las Vegas. That hotbed of sin and vice. That holy mecca of fleshly pleasures and the most basic of human instincts. The only place in the world that would give the likes of Carrot Top full time work. 
I've been waiting all day for an official announcement from NBC or Conan O'Brien or God on what the network plans to do with Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and the late night dynasty that is The Tonight Show. It looks like we'll have to wait just a little bit longer. 
If you live in Los Angeles, be prepared to run into a lot of Conan O'Brien fans with severe colds over the next week.
The whole Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien shakeup may have the rest of the world crying like jilted prom queens, but it's got one man grinning from ear to ear. And no, it's not Jeff Zucker. That would be more of a giant, belly shaking James Bond villain laugh. 
It appears that NBC is going to hold Conan O'Brien to his word and allow him to leave the network, 
It's NBC day at the TCAs and the juicy NBC executive session is up. Jeff Gaspin, Chairman of NBCU's TV division confirmed that starting February 12, The Jay Leno Show will no longer be on at 10 PM ET. The hope is to have Leno at 11:35, Conan's Tonight Show at 12:05, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 1:05.
It was a long, long, lonnnng first official TCA day yesterday, with CBS, Showtime, and the CW trotting out their newest and finest in front of the critics, followed by the epic Survivor anniversary party Bob mentioned the other day. I'll spill out some highlights later on. But I wanted to quickly start with CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler's very confident executive session.
The Disney Channel has confirmed that this upcoming fourth season of the popular tween sitcom Hannah Montana 
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Six Reasons Why '24' Has Jumped the You-Know-What
The Super Bowl Commercials: The Best
