TVSquad

Mark Cuban's HDNet channel has bought the rights to the cancelled NBC series The Black Donnellys.

The first episode of the series will air on Wednesday, June 13, at 8pm. Not only will HDNet air the episodes that were shown on NBC earlier this year, they will also run the seven episodes that never aired.

I wasn't a big fan of The Black Donnellys, but I really like the idea of having so many cable networks that short-lived shows can live on in some way. I still like the idea of have the Short-Lived Channel, a network devoted to all the shows that lasted 1 or 2 seasons. Imagine what that line-up would look like!

[via TV Tattle]

That's Dirty Sexy Money, an upcoming drama on ABC, just to clarify. I didn't want you to think the U.S. Mint was printing up a new type of currency with Dan Rather on the bill in place of one of the presidents.

Although, that would be interesting. "Give me seven quaraters and two pennies for a Rather," you would say. The Rather would be worth $1.77 for some reason.

It's too bad that I don't have a hi-def TV, because I'm starting to get curious about the dizzying array of programming Mark Cuban is making available on his HDNet network. First, he hired Dan Rather to do in-depth reports on current affairs on the hour-long Dan Rather Reports, and now he has... model boxing! Brett talked about Perfect 10 Model Boxing last month; essentially, it's hot chicks in tiny shorts and tops punching each other. Not much more to say about it than that, other than the fact that the show's sponsor, Perfect 10 magazine, shows nude photos of women that aren't surgically enhanced.

So, how does Gunga Dan feel about sharing a channel with fighting hotties? New York Magazine found out; he doesn't have a problem with it, though he doesn't think he'd watch it in his house. Sure, Dan. I'm sure your mind will change when your wife's away on a long weekend.

[via Mediabistro]

Ex-CBS newsman will be the guest tonight on Comedy Central's live Indecision 2006 special at 11pm. The show will be co-hosted by Daily Show host Jon Stewart and Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert. A quote from Rather, from the article linked above:

"J. Stewart and company offered the chance, and I've taken it...I don't do comedy, I do politics, which sometimes is one in the same."

J. Stewart? That seems like an odd way to say his name. Was this an e-mail interview? Even if it was, does it really take longer to write three characters (Jon) than two (J.)? But I digress...

After newsman Dan Rather left was fired from was forced out of departed CBS after four decades plus, a lot of people had no idea what the hell he was going to do. But then came news that he had signed on to Mark Cuban's HDNet, and now comes word that Rather's show will start on November 14 at 8pm.

It will be a news show called Dan Rather Reports, with Rather as the anchor, and will feature three segments: the war, a focus on the middle class, and politics. In other words, it sounds a lot like other news shows, but I guess the secret is in how they'll do it.

And to answer the next question you have, no, he really hasn't seen what Katie Couric is doing in his new seat. He's been too busy.

I have a feeling that the following post about a new syndication deal for Arrested Development will sound unusual now, but will become standard fare as the worlds of television and the Internet continue to merge.

A syndication agreement has been reached between three different companies to syndicate the entire 53-episode run of the critically acclaimed comedy Arrested Development. The agreement was made between Internet portal MSN and cable networks HDNet and G4. According to AOL Entertainment News, the deal marks the first time a web portal has grabbed a fairly recent piece of the rerun market in conjunction with two cable networks.

MSN, which will make viewings of the series free to subscribers, will have rights to the show for three years beginning this fall. HDNet will also have a three year deal and will begin airing the show in September. Comcast-owned G4, which is attempting to diversify its programming, will air AD starting in October.

[Thanks to Rick for the tip]

We knew that Dan Rather was still going to be kicking around, didn't we? The old coot's just too feisty to go away retire; even after quietly leaving CBS after 44 years of service (the last 2 of which were, shall we say, a bit contentious), he'll still be on our TV screens, or at least a small fraction of them.

Just as the rumors predicted, Rather signed with Mark Cuban's HDNet to do a weekly newsprogram called Dan Rather Reports. He'll also be appearing as a guest panelist on Chris Matthews' syndicated show and will be talking to Larry King about his new venture tonight. And I'm sure he'll be giving plenty of "exclusive" interviews to the critics gathered at this week's Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, as he has arrived there yesterday to promote his new venture with Cuban. Now that he's unfettered by his relationship with CBS, I'm curious to hear what spills out of Dan's mouth about his exit. This might get interesting.

After a couple of days of speculation, CBS News made it official today: Dan Rather is leaving the network after 44 years. His contract was supposed to run out in November, but he negotiated an early release because a) he wasn't being used much and b) he could not get a new contract from the network that guaranteed he would get work.

The network is working on a retrospective of Rather's career, which will air in the fall. They will also make a contribution to his alma mater, Sam Houston University.

So what's Rather's next step? Well, he may work for Mark Cuban's HDNet, or he may do something else. But chances are, this isn't the last we've seen of Gunga Dan.

[via Mediabistro]

Since CBS no longer needs his services, Dan Rather is reportedly mulling over an offer to host a weekly news program for HDNet. The network is owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The deal would establish Rather as the host and producer of a one-hour news program. Rather told The New York Times that he also has offers from two other networks but he's leaning toward the HD thing.

I don't have HDTV so I've never seen the network but, I have to wonder, does 74-year-old old-fashioned newsman Dan Rather match with the network?