It's with a big sigh of relief that I report that Michael Logan at TV Guide has confirmed that CBS has booked Guiding Light for one more year. That'll make it 72 years of continuous broadcasting -- radio and television. No program can match Guiding Light's longevity, and I would hate to see CBS cancel a show with this kind of legacy.
That said, Guiding Light needs to have a better year going forth than they've had looking back. In fact, since tying with The Young and the Restless last June as Outstanding Daytime Drama at the Emmys, the show has been going through major transitions. The new style of filming, shooting on locations in a New Jersey town that's being used as the fictional Springfield, began on February 29, and it hasn't been welcomed by the critics or viewers.
Last month, Anna told you which shows were on the bubble, the shows that were might not be coming back. Now TV Guide's Michael Ausiello has an updated list of which shows are in trouble. He gives a 1-10 rating for each show, 10 meaning the show is definitely coming back and 0 meaning the stars should start looking for work right now.
The waiting goes on. Kind of like that spinning planet that symbolizes As the World Turns. TV Squad reported recently that many fans of the soap are anxious to see the two gay lovers, Noah (Jake Silbermann) and Luke (Van Hansis), smooch on screen. There are web sites with a clock ticking, waiting for the next on screen kiss from the fellas. Now comes news that TV Guide's Michael Logan questioned Barbara Bloom, head of CBS Daytime, to find out if the show, the sponsor or the network is afraid to depict a homosexual teen love story in the same way they do a heterosexual one?
For the past two decades, give or take a year here and there, actress Martha Byrne has played the character of Lily Snyder on As the World Turns. That all ends next month. According the executive producer Christopher Goutman, "We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain. Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her." That's the show's side of the story. Michael Logan spoke with Martha Byrne to hear her side of the story.
Michael Ausiello at TVGuide.com has been playing with his calculator, or maybe it was an abacus. Anyway, Mike has used some oh-so-creative math to add two and two together to get a major revelation on a CBS sitcom. Okay, here's the scoop. Mr. Ausiello has gotten an exclusive casting tidbit from How I Met Your Mother.
Alicia Silverstone, star of Clueless on the big screen, Miss Match on the small, has been signed for a series of episodes, a mini-arc.
TV Guide has posted this chart to let the viewers know when their favorite TV shows have any new episodes left as a result. Because of the WGA Strike, most seasons for this year will have to be shortened or delayed.
Different networks seem to be taking different strategies with the episodes. Some shows have no new episodes left (Ugly Betty, 30 Rock) whereas some shows have as many as eight left (One Tree Hill, Lost). NBC seems to be the network which has already "shot its load" as it were. I suspect the ones remaining will be mostly used up during February sweeps.
Did you get money for Christmas? I don't get money for Christmas anymore. Gift cards have become the money substitute now, for both adults and kids. But if you did get cash for Christmas, or maybe you got a Christmas bonus or maybe you got cash back for that ugly sweater Aunt Sally bought you, here's a guide to some TV show promotional items and other collectibles you might want to buy.
Heroes stamps. Yup, these are official U.S. stamps, and they come with a pic (actually, Isaac-ish drawing) of your favorite hero. Right now they have Claire, Nathan, Hiro, Peter, and also that mysterious helix symbol. What, no Syler?
I sometimes look around the internet and am amazed by the sheer volume of content. People can write about almost anything -- especially when they're obsessed with a specific topic. And a lot of people seem to be specifically obsessed with television.
Not that I can judge. I'm TV addict who writes for TV Squad. But I sometimes wonder if it all really matters. Is anyone listening to any of us? And more importantly, do we have any influence on the television world at large with our opinions and criticisms?
As a devoted TV addict, I headed out last week to cover the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) and listened in on a panel discussion which looked at the explosion of blogs and TV fan sites and questioned their impact (if any) on the industry.
Like I said yesterday, the press kits have started to come in to the TV Squad offices. Some of them are way cool, some are downright silly and some are nonexistent. Just last week I got one in from the TV Guide Channel for their upcoming red carpet coverage of the Emmy awards. OK, sounds reasonable, right?
When I opened the box and the hermetically sealed canister within, what I saw made me fear that I had just unleashed some unseen beast unto my unsuspecting family. As it turns out, only my dog was in danger.
Kristen Bell, formerly of Veronica Mars, was reportedly asked to join the cast of Lost next season as a new, recurring character (one of The Others!). But, Bell has apparently turned down the opportunity to live and work in Hawaii in favor of living and working on Broadway in New York City.
According to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, Bell will take over the lead role in the Broadway version of Legally Blonde in February. He's putting two-and-two together to come to this conclusion, but it seems pretty logical. She has wanted to do Broadway in the past, but her Veronica Mars schedule would never accommodate it.
This seems like an...interesting...career choice. A role on Lost would boost her visibility with mainstream viewers, while a role on Broadway will only make her visible to those who are into that sort of thing. But, if Broadway's your dream, go for it!
All casting rumors for Lost seem to have been debunked almost as quickly as they spread.
Last week, Isabelle reported on word that Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell and Prison Break's Peter Stormare were being considered for two new recurring roles on Lost. The Stormare rumor got squashed pretty quickly, and today TV Guide's Ausiello is reporting that Kristen Bell won't be joining the cast, either. The reason, he says, is because Bell didn't want to relocate to Hawaii.
Well, shucks. I adore Stormare and would love to see Bell get a gig that'll give her a wider audience.
It seems like Rob Thomas is going through a mid-career crisis. After his series Veronica Mars was not renewed by the CW network back in May, Thomas has been floating around the television world looking for a new venture. Back in early July he was picked to head up the new ABC series Miss/Guided. However, two weeks later he left his position as executive producer and showrunner under the "creative differences" umbrella (I wonder if I could use that line when I leave my IT position).
Now, according to our dear, dear friend Michael Ausiello over at TV Guide, Thomas has joined Big Shots (another ABC show) as a consulting producer. He will be in good company this time around as the executive producers of the show, Danielle Stokdyk and Jennifer Gwartz, were former producers on Veronica Mars.
Were you watching The View the other day and wondering why they announced Whoopi was joining the gang but didn't say anything at all about Sherri Shepherd? TV Guide's Michael Ausiello says it's because she wants a lot more money than ABC wants to pay her. In fact, she wants to make at least what Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck are making. ABC is reportedly looking at other celebs, including Kathy Griffin and Jacquie Reid from CNN.
This is the same woman who pretty much no one even knew until she started to guest host on The View, right? And the same woman who doesn't believe in evolution? Yeah, I thought so.
CSI Producer Carol Mendolsohn tells TV Guide's Michael Ausiello that they have just cast a new female lab technician that will be introduced in the third episode, and there are hints that she's not just a new cast member but a new cast member that will take over for Jorja Fox, whose Sara character might die in that car crash. Executive Producer Jonathan Littman says that the Grissom/Sara storyline will definitely be resolved, and didn't say if Fox would be in the show this season beyond the season opener.
So I guess now we can try to figure out how a dead Sara will come back to the show a year from now.
It's with a big sigh of relief that I report that Michael Logan at TV Guide has confirmed that CBS has booked Guiding Light for one more year. That'll make it 72 years of continuous broadcasting -- radio and television. No program can match Guiding Light's longevity, and I would hate to see CBS cancel a show with this kind of legacy.
Last month, Anna told you 
The waiting goes on. Kind of like that spinning planet that symbolizes 
For the past two decades, give or take a year here and there, actress Martha Byrne has played the character of Lily Snyder on As the World Turns. That all ends next month. According the executive producer Christopher Goutman, "We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain. Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her." That's the show's side of the story. Michael Logan spoke with Martha Byrne 
Michael Ausiello at TVGuide.com has been playing with his calculator, or maybe it was an abacus. Anyway, Mike has used some oh-so-creative math to add two and two together to get a major revelation on a CBS sitcom. Okay, here's the scoop. 
TV Guide has posted 
Did you get money for Christmas? I don't get money for Christmas anymore. Gift cards have become the money substitute now, for both adults and kids. But if you did get cash for Christmas, or maybe you got a Christmas bonus or maybe you got cash back for that ugly sweater Aunt Sally bought you, here's a guide to some TV show promotional items and other collectibles you might want to buy.
I sometimes look around the internet and am amazed by the sheer volume of content. People can write about almost anything -- especially when they're obsessed with a specific topic. And a lot of people seem to be specifically obsessed with television.
Like I said 
Kristen Bell, formerly of Veronica Mars, 
It seems like Rob Thomas is going through a mid-career crisis. After his series Veronica Mars was not renewed by the CW network back in May, Thomas has been floating around the television world looking for a new venture. Back in early July he was 
Yeah, so do I.
On the heels of news that Rory Cochrane is 
All the new shows - VIDEOS
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