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Channel Surfing: CW to Stay in "90210," HBO Renews "Entourage," Producers of "Do Not Disturb" Ask for Second Chance, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. I caught up on television-watching last night and finally got to watch Sunday's episode of Skins (Tony really is a manipulative sociopath, isn't he?) and watched some Season Two episodes of 30 Rock but, sigh, will have to wait to watch last night's Gossip Girl until tonight.

Netlet the CW has given a full season order to freshman drama 90210, with 22 episodes slated to air this season. “The successful addition of 90210 has taken The CW another step forward in building a cohesive schedule that defines this network as a destination for young women with shows that get our audience talking—and watching,” said president of entertainment Dawn Ostroff. "We're very excited about the chance to watch this ensemble of newcomers and familiar faces coalesce and grow together as we move forward." (Hmmm, methinks Ostroff may have just saved her job with this one.) (Variety)

In other 90210-related news, the drama has booked former Gilmore Girls and Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer Rebecca Rand Kirschner as an executive producer; she'll be overseeing the writers' room while Gabe Sachs (whom I met on Saturday and was absolutely charming) and Jeff Judah will be overseeing the day-to-day showrunning. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC ordered an additional eight scripts to its upcoming animated series The Goode Family--about a family of hapless do-gooders--from King of the Hill creator Mike Judge...

... and Vince and the boys will live to see another day as HBO has renewed Entourage for a sixth season of Hollywood-based debauchery. (Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily)

The producers of FOX's multi-camera comedy Do Not Disturb have apologized "for being the perpetrators of such bad television" and have asked critics for another chance, after the network decided not to air the original pilot and instead launched the series with a subsequent episode that "created much confusion" and didn't reflect well on the overall quality of the series. Having seen both the truly awful original pilot episode, the dull-as-hotel-dishwater "Work Sex" episode, and a third equally boring episode, I can say that the sub-par quality of any of those individual episodes hangs like a dark cloud over all of them. Thanks, but no thanks. (Variety)

Tom Everett Scott (Cashmere Mafia), Regina King (24), and Arija Bareikis (Crossing Jordan) have been cast in NBC drama pilot LAPD, from Warner Bros. Television and executive producer John Wells. Scott will play Russell, a cop and father who is married to a blogger who writes about her marriage to a cop; King will play his partner Lydia. Bareikis will play a patrol cop who shares a fondness for surfing with her son. (Hollywood Reporter)

Canucks can finally get HBO... sort of. HBO is launching a pay channel in Canada as a joint venture between Astral Media and Corus Entertainment, which already air HBO content on the Movie Network and Movie Central. Due to laws which restrict foreign companies from owning or operating channels within Canada, HBO won't actually own HBO Canada but the two companies will expand their programming commitment to HBO from 100 hours per year to 300 hours. (Variety)

Kanye West has shot a half-hour pilot for Comedy Central entitled Alligator Boots that's described as "hip-hop meets the Muppets." West would produce and perform music with rapper Rhymefest; he also appears as the host of the pilot, which is under consideration for 2009. West, Rhymefest and Daniel Kellison serve as executive producers on the project, from Jackhole Prods. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lipstick Jungle didn't exactly make a splash across the pond: only 200,000 tuned in to watch Living's latest US acquisition when it launched last night. Ouch. (Digital Spy)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); Biggest Loser: Families (NBC; 8-10 pm); 90210 (CW); Opportunity Knocks (ABC); House (FOX)

9 pm: The Mentalist (CBS); Privileged (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 9-11 pm); Fringe (FOX)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: 90210.

I'm beyond bored with this tired and underwhelming series but there's nothing else on at 8 pm these days. Sigh. On tonight's episode ("Wide Awake and Dreaming"), Ty announces his plans for an after party after the opening night of Annie's musical; Naomi can't come to terms with her parents' divorce; Brenda, Kelly, and Ryan confront Adrianna about her substance abuse; Dixon offers to help Silver backstage at the musical.

8:40-9:20 pm: Gavin & Stacey on BBC America.

If my gushing review of this bittersweet (yes, it's literally bitter AND sweet) comedy wasn't enough, why not tune in yourself to see just how wonderful the brainchild of writer/co-stars Ruth Jones and James Corden really is? On tonight's episode, Gavin and Stacey attend their respective stag and hen parties.

9 pm: Fringe.

On tonight's episode ("The Ghost Network"), the team investigates the death of bus commuters, whose bodies are frozen like insects in amber, and encounters a man who may have a psychic connection to The Pattern. Plus, Walter requests a piano for the lab. Yes, a piano.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ugh. More Entourage? Do we really need to see Jeremy Piven accept yet another Emmy for a tired performance?
eAi said…
Living only has a 0.6% audience share, 200,000 doesn't seem that bad with that in mind. The BBC on the other hand has about 33% across BBC 1, 2, 3, 4, News and HD...
Anonymous said…
Amen, susie que, amen.

"(Hmmm, methinks Ostroff may have just saved her job with this one.)"

seriously.

Aw, RRK - your favorite!

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