TVSquad

So, I'm watching a new episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent on USA Network this past Sunday and, like all upstanding Americans do, I was flipping through the channels during a commercial break. As I passed by these channels at the speed of light my eye caught something on Bravo. It was another episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Not a new episode, mind you, just a repeat of a repeat of a repeat that Bravo airs during their Sunday night block.

Now, you're probably saying to yourself 'So what? Cable channels are allowed to air whatever they damn well please.' Well, after lecturing you about your tone of voice I would mention that you had a point. But, thanks to the wonderful world of corporate synergy, your argument would not meet the mustard. You see, Bravo is under the huge umbrella known as NBC Universal, which is the same company that owns USA Network, which is currently airing new episodes of Law & Order: CI on Sunday nights. With all of this information at hand the following question comes to mind:

Who the hell is programming these networks?

AMC has announced that the critically-acclaimed drama Mad Men will return for a second season on July 27, in its new Sunday at 10pm time slot. This moves it away from another hit cable show, Burn Notice, which is staying in its Thursday at 10 time slot, but puts it up against Lifetime's Army Wives (and, for the record, network shows like ABC's Brothers & Sisters)

I don't really see this as a bad thing. People record and watch shows at all different times now, and besides, a lot of hip cable shows have been successful on Sunday nights (The Sopranos, Deadwood, etc). AMC will also have a marathon of the first season's 13 episodes on July 20.

In other news, a soundtrack from the show will be released on June 22, and the first season DVDs will be in stores on July 1.

What do you think of the move?

[via TV Tattle]

Brad told you a couple of weeks ago about the new shows on The CW this fall. The network put aside Sunday nights in order to have Media Rights Capital program the night as it pleased, as an experiment. Now, the lineup that MRC has come up with has been released. The network has put all four shows into production immediately (no pilots) so they'll be ready for fall. The shows will run from 7pm to 10pm. Note: sorry Moonlight fans, your show didn't make it.

Sometimes reruns from a cable series can do rather well on network television as a bigger audience pool checks them out. That wasn't the case with Monk and Psych.

The two USA network hits (often in the top 10 in the Nielsen cable ratings) didn't fare too well when NBC ran them on Sunday nights the past couple of months, so the Peacock Network is pulling the shows immediately. Fans of The Office will be happy to hear that NBC will air a two hour marathon of Office repeats in the 9 to 11 time slot. That is, until they decide to put another reality show at that time.

Remember when I told you Army Wives was worth checking out, despite being on Lifetime? Well, I wasn't the only one who thought it was a good series. It scored record ratings and has now been picked up for a second season. Look for the first of thirteen new episodes to pop up sometime this spring.

That's the question the industry is asking today, after the veteran 60 Minutes reporter died of leukemia a couple of weeks ago.

CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus says that he is going to start looking for additional reporters for the Sunday night show after the New Year rolls around, though he doesn't say that they will be "replacements" for Bradley. But people are starting to talk about it anyway, wondering if CBS will get another big name to fill the vacancy. Some are saying it might be CNN's Anderson Cooper, though those rumors about Cooper joing the network (probably as host of The Early Show) have surfaced before. Others are saying Lara Logan or Byron Pitts, though many think it will be somebody who already contributes to 60 Minutes, like Bob Simon or Scott Pelley.

Who do you think should replace Bradley, if anyone? Just a couple of reporters to add to the rotation, or a star to actually say the words at the start, "I'm ______ _______."