August 6th, 2009
“I put funny first… and I just happen to have boobs.” — responded Wanda Sykes when asked about what it’s like being one of the only woman, outside of Chelsea Handler, to have her very own late night talk show at TCA 2009. 
August 6th, 2009
1:43PM: “Rachel Berry is similar to how I acted when I was eight years old,” admits star Lea Michelle when asked if she can relate to her GLEE character. “Singing and performing was my passion.”
1:46PM: A reporter — who clearly hasn’t seen the show — asks if GLEE is simply an attempt to cash in on the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL phenomenon. Co-creator Brad Falchuk reveals that he hasn’t seen HSM, but believes the success of the Disney franchise may have created opportunities for a show such as GLEE. Adds executive producer Dante Di Loreto, “I think the world’s a better place if there are more people singing and dancing.”
1:47PM: In response to a GLEE fan’s worst fear, that the show is too smart for a country that finds TWO AND A HALF MEN funny, Falchuk says matter-of-factly, “that would suck!”
1:48PM: Apparently, creative genius/producer Ryan Murphy is absent from the panel because he is in New York shooting a movie with Julia Roberts. Who knew?
1:49PM: Falchuk promises that where Jessica Gilsig’s character’s ‘fake pregnancy’ actually ends will be someplace very interesting, dramatic and real.
August 5th, 2009
2:57PM: “Something new and different,” is the theme of the panel and what co-creator Brad Wright promises STARGATE: UNIVERSE [SGU] is all about. “Other than the ‘Stargate,’ which is very much at the core of the show, a whole lot is different from the original series.”
2:59PM: David Blue comes out of the closet… as a huge nerd/ geek. Explains the actor, “It’s a great role to play because I get to come onto the show, watch the Stargate turn on, and like anyone of us in the same situation be absolutely flabbergasted.” Adds co-creator Brad Wright, “David Blue is our on-set focus group.”
3:01PM: Still apprehensive about this nerdy Sci Fi SyFy show? Perhaps co-creator Robert Cooper’s taste in television can entice you, “I’m a huge fan of FIREFLY, which kind of set the bar for modern day science fiction for us. I’m a big fan of the SHIELD, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and their shooting styles and the way they use character to forward their series.”
3:03PM: Actor Lou Diamond Phillip’s gets the panel’s biggest laugh by explaining how he came to the role. “Like Edward James Olmos [on BSG] they needed another three-named ethnic guy.”
August 5th, 2009
12:12PM: TRAUMA is not going to be blowing up the world each and every week. Which sadly, doesn’t come as much of a surprise since NBC President Angela Bromstad just spent the morning railing against the increasing cost of production and fancy explosions + shutting down a major San Francisco highway for five days sounds really expensive.
12:13PM: Executive producer Dario Scardapane promises that while the explosions will grab your attention, what hopefully grabs your heart are these characters. Aahhhhhhh
12:18PM: Just learned that TRAUMA star Cliff Curtis is a New Zealand native. Futher proof that anyone with an accent sounds cooler than me.
12:22PM:“TRAUMA is what happens during the twenty minutes before you hit the double doors,” elaborates Scardapane in what’s turning out to be the catchiest elevator pitch of the day thus far. “This is the stuff you didn’t see on ER.” Well, except for the time that helicopter landed on Dr. Romano, or the time there was that mass casuality train-wreck, snow storm, flood….
August 5th, 2009
9:50AM: NBC Entertainment President Angela Bromstad defends summer programming, saying that MERLIN and THE PHILANTHROPIST have done ‘okay.’ And MERLIN in particular, is on brand. As per THE LISTENER… crickets… crickets…
9:52AM: Paul Telegdy, NBC Executive Vice President of Alternative (read: Reality) Programming proclaims Paula Abdul, “an exceptional talent that I’ve been lucky to meet a few times.” In other-words, we set the odds at 50/50 that you can expect “Paula Thinks You’ve Got Talent” come Summer 2010.
9:53AM: Bromstad is looking forward to Bryan Fuller creating his own shows (so to are we), and swears that HEROES is doing exceptionally well this season. We’ll believe it when we see it.
9:54AM: Apparently, Ben Silverman’s plan all along was to transition back to his entrepreneurial roots. Riiiiigggghhhhttttttt
9:56AM: Bromstad and Telegdy brilliantly dodge the question pertaining to the numbers THE JAY LENO experiment has to attract to be considered a success.
9:59AM: FYI: If you don’t fall between the ages of 18-49, you don’t exist in the eyes of NBC. Sorry Mom and Dad.
August 4th, 2009
Like a dead man woman walking, CW President Dawn Ostroff tried her best to delay the inevitable. But alas, at the annual press tour, it’s surprisingly difficult to avoid the firing squad that is the Television Critics Association as they anxiously await their opportunity to unleash a flurry of questions, most of them revolving around the current status of Mischa Barton’s health. So after distracting the audience with shiny beautiful things (namely Elle Macphersen’s sparkly sequined jacket during THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE panel), the smoldering Robert Pattinson-esque looks of new VAMPIRE DIAIRES bad boy Paul Wesley and promo after promo after promo for the network’s slew of new shows that the CW swears — you’ll be like totally blogging, tweeting and im’ing about — it was time. Time for Ostroff to answer for her crimes against humanity (Read: EVERWOOD’s cancellation!) Okay not really (and yes, still bitter!). But here’s what she did have to say, minus a few really inane questions from a few traditional print journalists who shall not be named.
On why SMALLVILLE was the best choice for Friday: It was the best way to open up Friday, with a big established hit like SMALLVILLE.
On what the CW can offer to guys over 35: There are a lot of men who watch SMALLVILLE, SUPERNATURAL and TOP MODEL. Maybe they don’t admit it, but people come up to me all the time and tell me they love the network.
On the future of SMALLVILLE: This season I think the producers have done a great job. Zod is going to be the big villain and we’re all going to be kneeling to Zod. The cast is excited, as are the producers and we have high hopes for it staying on the air.
On the future of SUPERNATURAL: Eric Kripke has done a great job with the show and creatively it has gotten stronger every year. The cast is wonderful and we’re hopeful that it will stay on the air. (FYI: That noise you just heard was the squee of 2 million fangirls.)
August 4th, 2009
MP Stars: Colin Egglesfield, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro, Katie Cassidy
11:00AM: Laura Leighton on Sydney’s return, “Playing Sydney the first time was such fun there was no downside to playing her again.” Thomas Calabro on Michael’s return, “I was very excited that he had even more money than before, ultimate power, and if he continues to be an evil dower it bodes well for that.”
11:02AM: When asked where MELROSE PLACE 2.0 will fall in terms of tone, producer Todd Slavkin promises that “it’s still the most scandalous address in West Hollywood.”
11:04AM: Ashlee Simpson-Wentz borrows a line from Britney Spears, proclaiming that the really innocent character she plays is… not so innocent.
11:04AM: Executive Producer Darren Swimmer doesn’t feel like there are lessons to be learned from 90210’s first season. Any readers care to educate him?
11:07AM: Spoiler Alert #1: Swimmer promises that Sydney’s murder won’t be milked out over the entire season, but will wrap up after several episodes.
11:08AM: Since we know Heather Locklear is totally reading this, we just thought you should know: According to the producing team, the door is always open for you to return and they’ve got a great way for you to come into the show.
August 4th, 2009
TVD Stars Katerina Graham, Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev
9:16AM: Before we bite into live blogging THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, full disclosure: All typos, spelling and grammatical errors may-or-may-not-be as a result of one too many drinks at last night’s phenomenal CW/CBS/Showtime party.
9:19AM: “A lot of my cast-mates and I have been doing a lot of great things and it all started out with DEGRASSI,” explained THE VAMPIRE DIARIES star Nina Dobrev on the CW farm system that is DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION.
9:21AM: When asked by a reporter when the obsession with vampires will end, executive producer Julie Plec correctly answers, “Hopefully not before September 10th [when the show premieres]” Well played Plec, well played.
9:23AM: Put on the spot to make a “Sophie’s Choice” of her very own, Dobrev sidesteps choosing a favorite co-star only to reveal that in terms of the characters, “Stefan is the man who tries to reach Elena’s soul and cares about her, where as Damon has that bad boy quality which at the end of the day no girl can resist.”
August 3rd, 2009
2:33PM: In an effort to prevent anyone in the TCA audience from getting accidentally knocked up, CBS starts the panel of by handing out ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE branded condoms.
2:35PM: Good news: ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE is not a rip-off of Knocked Up. Bad news: It’s simply a rip-off based upon a book of the same name.
2:36PM: Because nothing says ‘funny’ like a single, pregnant film critic about to lose her job, a TCA member asks if protagonist Billie (played by Jenna Elfman) will suffer the same unfortunate fate that has befallen many of her real-life film critic counterparts. Umm…. we’re gonna go ahead and guess no.
2:39PM: What’s the one downside of no longer getting to commute to the New York based set of UGLY BETTY? “I won’t be getting as many air miles,” joked co-star Ashley Jensen, being sure to add on a more serious note, “I had a wonderful time on UGLY BETTY, was very sad to go, but am happy to be here. Plus, it would have been kind of difficult to be flying to New York with this all inside me [Jensen points to her belly, which if you didn't know, is expanding rapidly courtesy of the little bundle of joy that's growing insider of her]” Adds show creator Claudia Lonow, “Expect Ashley’s character to gain a lot of sympathy weight.”
August 3rd, 2009
Source: Alan Sepinwall’s Twitpic
Is it pure happenstance that mere days after sending a roomful of hungry TV critics free pizza (see above photo) Craig Ferguson’s TCA panel was filled to the brim, so much so that there was overflow in the hallways? Okay, probably. After all, Ferguson is one of the sharpest and funniest comedians (or, as he refers to himself “middle-aged white guys”) on the dial, as you’ll quickly discover upon reading his no-holds-barred responses to questioned lobbed his way by a room full of fans. Err… I mean, TCA members.
On his upcoming book: It’s reasonably priced and available on September 27. It’s an autobiography and I’m looking forward to reading it. I hear it’s great.
On NBC’s decision to go with Leno at 10PM: I’m mystified by many things and that one I don’t really understand what’s going on there either. But I don’t program television, I’m just the pretty one that reads the computer.
On twitter: My broadcast is unedited thought. That’s why I would never twitter. I’ve got an hour to fill every f*cking night!
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