Comic Con Analysis for TV Watchers and Wannabes Part Three

Is posted at the new blog (launching officially to replace this one next Monday!)

It is here.

New Watch List is Live...sort of.

On the new blog. Still being built, but you can bookmark it now. It ain't movin'.

New Watch List for 2008-09 TV Season.

Premiere dates, watch list, fall schedules are coming

Man you guys are impatient! I'm compiling the list now, you know, when I'm not cramming to finish a spec or doing my day job. Of course, you'll have to go to the new blog to find it all, since those things will have their own pages on the brand spankin' new Wordpress do-majigger.

So patience please. Until then, look at Hugh Laurie.



Or Rally Monkey.



Or Bacon Cat.

Comic Con Analysis for TV Watchers and Wannabes Part One

You've probably seen all of the news smothered over the internet like Smuckers raspberry preserves (yum), and you may have even seen some of the panels.

Now I want to pick it apart and analyze it all. What does all of this MEAN?

The week before Comic Con a little event called the TCA Fall Press Tour happened...not that'd you'd know, because it got a thimble-size of the press Comic Con received. Anymore the networks realize that connecting with fans is as important (if not moreso) than chattering at TV critics and reporters who cover this stuff for a living. Granted, most critics are also TV fans, and it becomes evident as they pick good quality shows to support which just don't get the ratings they need to survive. It happens every year.

Still, getting fans engaged, the kind who go to big events like Comic Con can be "make or break" for a film, and now for TV shows too. Lost set the precedent (though I'm sure other shows have visited before that show launched) for launching at Comic Con and getting fan support early. If the fans like you, buzz builds online and people get excited for the show.

The lesson learned in 2007 was it is not enough to hype the pilot. Too many shows (See: Invasion, Surface, Bionic Woman and Journeyman) placed too much emphasis on the pilot and not on the whole show. The good news, is that for the shows that approach the marketing of their shows with creativity and flair (and let's be fair, we're talking mostly 'genre' shows here), it can pay great dividends. Two years ago Heroes was the belle of the ball. Last year the big buzz was around Pushing Daisies and Sarah Connor Chronicles. All of those shows saw good sampling based in part on their launches at Comic Con.

So what about this year? Who has benefited the most from their appearances at Comic Con. Let's give each network a grade.

ABC presented panels for Lost and Pushing Daisies, both returning shows. ABC hasn't picked up their midseason shows yet, and their new fall shows don't really qualify as 'genre'. Both panels were packed and response was very positive. The "Lost" panel gave away some fun prizes to people who asked questions and showed a short teaser video tieing into the new ARG running this year. They put the panel in the largest room (Hall H) which shows just how much demand there is for the show at Comic Con. "Daisies" also got good buzz going again with some clips for next season (the benefit for returning shows this year is that most have already started shooting at least a couple of episodes, so there was stuff to show). ABC did a good job with their show promotion, though I think "Daisies" could have used a stronger push. Overall, a good job. Grade: A-

CBS had no presence at Comic Con this year. Their only new genre show is Harper's Island which was nowhere to be seen. Viacom makes up for this shortcoming with its Showtime offerings, which we'll get to later. Grade: D

Fox pulled out all the stops for its shows. Not only did the new J.J. Abrahms show Fringe get lots of viral marketing, a panel and a screening of the pilot, but Fox was there to strongly promote Season 2 of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and other returning shows. Offerings ranged from the obvious (The Simpsons, Family Guy, 24) to the surprising (Bones, Prison Break, American Dad. And then there was Joss. Of course, nothing could hold back the hordes of Whedonites who needed their fix of Dollhouse. The panels were all well attended (although Fringe was less full than I expected), the marketing was really great for the fall premieres, and definitely buzz was built for the new shows. I think Fox knows how to promote their genre offerings. Grade: A

NBC After mixed results from their Comic Con promotion last year, I was glad to see that NBC bounced back and charged ahead aggressively. They too presented some unusual offerings -- The Office writers panel? (A dream for us!) But they were in full force for freebies and viral campaigns for Knight Rider, Chuck, The Office, and Heroes. They also did well to give lots of early info on midseason show Kings which got some good buzz and attention at the Con. Disappointments: No Merlin or Crusoe news. Their booth in the exhibit hall was similar to last year, but the giveaways were good, and the Comic Con exclusive merchandise was very popular. Grade: A-

The CW Okay, so I know Supernatural and Smallville were both there, but where the heck was Reaper?? Grade: C- (Kudos to WB for promoting their studio backed shows -- they had the Nerd Herd car giveaway/drawing)

Hard to believe that was just the network presence! Next post: The cable nets, and how does this impact writing specs?

UPDATE: A myriad of panels!

NBC's Show Panels

Changes Afoot

As you can see, things are a bit in flux for me right now. San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching this week, and I am almost entirely devoted to getting ready for my wall to wall coverage of the event.

Also, this blog will be changing soon. I've registered the domain shoutingintothewind.com and the blog will be moving there, on Wordpress. I've already had a good friend of mine transfer over all of the archives, and most of the new posts will go over there once Comic Con is over. Meanwhile, I'll be posting over at the Geekerati Blog for the duration of Comic Con.

August 1st the new blog will go live with even more changes to be rolled out in the coming weeks. Once Comic Con ends, I start ramping up for the fall TV season. That means a new watch list must be created!

What's that? What about my writing? Oh there's that too. And don't think I haven't forgotten why I started this blog. I'll be talking even more about writing, mine and others, over at the new blog. I'm really excited about making these changes, and I hope you'll like them too.

So, look for me at Comic Con, read up on what I'm doing this week at Geekerati, and I'll point the way to the new blog soon enough!

She Returns

Yes, hello, I'm back. Wow, I need to do some dusting, remove the cobwebs...

So, did you miss me? I missed you! No, I did. Honest!

Noticed we're getting a trickle of new tv news lately...but right now, I'm more concerned with how everyone's writing is going. So, answer the following in comments:

1. Are you currently writing? (this had better be a yes)

1a. If you are NOT writing, what is your deal?
1b. If you are writing, what are you working on -- new draft, rewrite, tv, film, etc?

2. Do you see yourself entering any contests or fellowships this year? What is your goal before the end of 2008? What do you want to have accomplished?

Believe me, I know that second question is really tough -- looking ahead is difficult, especially when mired in a draft. But, I've found it important to take stock of where I am and where I want to be over the last month, and there's a pretty wide chasm between the two. I've got some work ahead of me.

Tomorrow, we'll get back to business. I'm also gonna be spinning up some new blogtastic ideas. Stay tuned, as we say...

Comic-Con '08

If you are or know anyone who is a content creator (books, comics, film, tv, web) and who will be at Comic-Con, I'm looking to put together some "off the beaten path" interviews for Geekerati, both for the blog and for our internet radio show/podcast.

Please email me if you have an interest in being interviewed or has a friend (or client, if you are PR) that would like to be interviewed.

Thanks all! To my readers: I'll be twittering the whole thing, as I did last year. I'm hoping to really improve coverage, particularly focused on the TV panels (and there are a LOT of them this year), not only for my blog but for the aforementioned blog and podcast.

The 2007-08 Season TV Watch List

Updated on 06/10.

New Series Premiere Dates / Status:

NETWORK:

• Dance War (ABC) (could return next year)
  
• Farmer Wants a Wife (CW) Wed 9 PM
  
• Swingtown (CBS) Thurs 10 PM
  
• Fear Itself (NBC) Thurs 10 PM
  
• The Mole (ABC) Mon 9 PM
  
• When Women Rule the World (Fox) TBD 9 PM
  
• Celebrity Circus (NBC) 6/11 9 PM
  
• Wipeout (ABC) 6/24 8 PM
  
• I Survived a Japanese Gameshow (ABC) 6/24 9 PM
  
• The Baby Borrowers (NBC) 6/25 8 PM
  
• Hopkins 24/7 (documentary series) (ABC) 6/26 10 PM
  
• Dance Machine (ABC) 6/27 8 PM
  
• High School Musical: Summer Session (ABC) 7/20 8 PM
  
• Wanna Bet? (ABC) 7/21 9 PM
  
  

CABLE:

• Tell Me You Love Me (HBO) Sun 9 PM
  
• America's Psychic Challenge (Lifetime) Fri 10 PM
  
• Girl Meets Cowboy (We) Sun 10 PM
  
• The Shot (VH1) Sun 10 PM
  
• It's My Party (Lifetime) Fri 10 PM
  
• In Treatment (HBO) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• Step It Up and Dance (Bravo) Thurs 10 PM
  
• Sarah Jane Adventures (SciFi) Fri 8 PM
  
• The Alaska Experiment (Discovery) Tues 10 PM
  
• In Plain Sight (USA) Sun 10 PM
  
• Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime) 6/16 10:30 PM
  
• The Starter Wife (series) (USA) October TBD
  
  

Renewed for 2008-09 Season (New shows for 07-08 indicated in bold):

• Damages (FX) (Also renewed for 2009-10)
  
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) Mon 8:30 PM
  
• Dexter (Showtime) Sun 9 PM
  
• Ugly Betty (ABC) Thurs 8 PM
  
• Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Thurs 9 PM
  
• Desperate Housewives (ABC) Sun 9 PM
  
• Brothers & Sisters (ABC) Sun 10 PM
  
• Lost (ABC) Thurs 9 PM
  
• Dancing With the Stars (ABC) Mon 8 PM/Tues 9 PM
  
• America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC) Sun 7 PM (19th season)
  
• Supernanny (ABC) Wed 9 PM
  
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Sun 8 PM
  
• Wife Swap (ABC) Wed 8 PM
  
• The Bachelor (ABC) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• WWE Smackdown (CW) Fri 8 PM (moving to MyNetwork TV next year!)
  
• Heroes (NBC) Mon 9 PM
  
• Gossip Girl (CW) Wed 9 PM
  
• America's Next Top Model (CW) Wed 8 PM
  
• Smallville (CW) Thurs 8 PM
  
• Everybody Hates Chris (CW) Mon 8 PM
  
• Supernatural (CW) Thurs 9 PM
  
• Survivor (CBS) Thurs 8 PM
  
• The Amazing Race (CBS) Sun 8 PM
  
• 60 Minutes (CBS) Sun 7 PM
  
• CSI: Miami (CBS) Mon 10 PM
  
• CSI: New York (CBS) Wed 10 PM
  
• C.S.I. (CBS) Thurs 9 PM
  
• NCIS (CBS) Tues 8 PM
  
• E.R. (NBC) Thurs 10 PM (renewed for 15th and last season)
  
• 24 (Fox) 9 PM (Won't air until January 09)
  
• One Tree Hill (CW) Tues 9 PM
  
• Big Brother (CBS) Tues 9 PM
  
• Prison Break (Fox) Mon 8 PM
  
• Samantha Who? (ABC) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) Wed 10 PM
  
• Chuck (NBC) Mon 8 PM
  
• Life (NBC) Wed 10 PM
  
• Private Practice (ABC) Wed 9 PM
  
• Pushing Daisies (ABC) Wed 8 PM
  
• Kitchen Nightmares (Fox) Wed 9 PM
  
• Law and Order (NBC) Wed 9 PM
  
• Friday Night Lights (NBC) Fri 9 PM
  
• Lipstick Jungle (NBC) Thurs 10 PM
  
• How to Look Good Naked (Lifetime) Fri 9:30 PM
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) Thurs 8:30 PM
  
• Deal or No Deal (NBC) Wed 8 PM
  
• My Name is Earl (NBC) Thurs 8 PM
  
• The Office (NBC) Thurs 9 PM
  
• Medium (NBC) Mon 10 PM
  
• Celebrity Apprentice (NBC) Sun 8 PM
  
• Law and Order: SVU (NBC) Tues 10 PM
  
• Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox) Mon 8 PM
  
• Tim Gunn's Guide to Style (Bravo) Wed 10 PM
  
• Project Runway (Lifetime) MOVING TO LIFETIME!!
  
• Sunday Best (BET) Sun 8 PM
  
• American Gangster (BET) Thurs 10 PM
  
• Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo) 10 PM
  
• Top Chef (Bravo) Wed 10 PM
  
• Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo)
  
• Top Design (Bravo)
  
• Shear Genius (Bravo)
  
• The Millionaire Matchmaker (Bravo)
  
• Million Dollar Listing (Bravo)
  
• Breaking Bad (AMC) Thurs 10 PM
  
• American Idol (Fox) Tues/Wed 8 PM
  
• House (Fox) Mon 9 PM
  
• Bones (Fox) Tues 8 PM
  
• Lincoln Heights (ABC Family) Mon 8 PM
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) Mon 9 PM
  
• Ghost Hunters (SciFi) Wed 9 PM
  
• The Game (CW) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? (Fox)
  
• Don't Forget the Lyrics! (Fox)
  
• Cops (Fox)
  
• America's Most Wanted (Fox)
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) Sun 8 PM
  
• Family Guy (Fox) Sun 9 PM
  
• Boston Legal (ABC) Wed 10 PM
  
• The Ghost Whisperer (CBS) Fri 8 PM
  
• The Tudors (Showtime) Sun 9 PM
  
• Eli Stone (ABC) Thurs 10 PM
  
• The Moment of Truth (Fox) Wed 9 PM (returns 6/12)
  
• Reaper (CW) Tues 9 PM
  
• The Unit (CBS) Tues 9 PM
  
• Cold Case (CBS) Sun 9 PM
  
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) Mon 8 PM
  
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• Criminal Minds (CBS) Wed 9 PM
  
• Without a Trace (CBS) Thurs 10 PM
  
• Numb3rs (CBS) Fri 10 PM
  
• 20/20 (ABC) Fri 10 PM
  
• Scrubs (NBC) Thurs 9:30 PM (moves to ABC)
  
• According to Jim (ABC) Tues 9 PM (returns midseason)
  
• 10 Items or Less (TBS) 11 PM
  
• Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TBS) 10 PM
  
• Frank TV (TBS) Tues 11 PM
  
• The Bill Engvall Show (TBS)
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) Sun 8:30 PM
  
• American Dad (Fox) Sun 9:30 PM
  
• Torchwood (BBC America) Sat 9 PM [Season 3 only 5 eps no date]
  
  
  

Series Death Watch (New shows for 07-08 indicated in bold):

• Online Nation (CW)
  
• Nashville (Fox)
  
• Viva Laughlin (CBS)
  
• Kid Nation (CBS) Wed 8 PM
  
• Las Vegas (NBC) Fri 10 PM
  
• Girlfriends (CW) Mon 9 PM
  
• Jericho (CBS) Tues 10 PM
  
• The Return of Jezebel James (Fox) Fri 8:30 PM
  
• Journeyman (NBC) Mon 10 PM
  
• Bionic Woman (NBC) Wed 9 PM
  
• Phenomenon (NBC) Wed 8 PM
  
• Clash of the Choirs (NBC)
  
• Secret Talents of the Stars (CBS) Tues 10 PM
  
• Exalted! (BET) Sun 9 PM
  
• Amne$ia (NBC) Fri 8 PM
  
• Men in Trees (ABC) Wed 10 PM
  
• Battlestar Galactica (SciFi) 9 PM (Series Ending)
  
• Back to You (Fox) Wed 9:30 PM
  
• October Road (ABC) Mon 10 PM
  
• Aliens in America (CW) Mon 8:30 PM
  
• Beauty and the Geek (CW) Tues 8 PM
  
• New Amsterdam (Fox) Mon 9 PM
  
• K-ville (Fox) Mon 9 PM
  
• Big Shots (ABC) Thurs 10 PM
  
• CW Now (CW) Sun 7 PM
  
• Cavemen (ABC) Tues 8 PM
  
• Carpoolers (ABC) Tues 8:30 PM
  
• Cane (CBS) Tues 10 PM
  
• Life is Wild (CW) Sun 8 PM
  
• American Band (Fox) Fri 8 PM
  
• Crowned (CW) Wed 8 PM
  
• Women's Murder Club (ABC) Tues 10 PM
  
• Welcome to the Captain (CBS) Mon 8:30 PM
  
• Oprah's Big Give (ABC) Sun 9 PM
  
• Shark (CBS) Sun 10 PM
  
• Power of 10 (CBS) Wed 8 PM
  
• Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious Wed 9 PM
  
• Notes from the Underbelly (ABC) Mon 9:30 PM
  
• Duel (ABC) Fri 9 PM
  
• Moonlight (CBS) Fri 9 PM
  
• Cashmere Mafia (ABC) Wed 10 PM
  
• Canterbury's Law (Fox) Fri 9 PM
  
• The Singing Bee (NBC) Tues 9:30 PM
  
• Miss/Guided (ABC) Thurs 8PM
  
• quarterlife (Bravo) Tues 10 PM
  
• Unhitched (Fox) Sun 9:30 PM
  
• Dirt (FX) Tues 10 PM
  
  

Returning Series Premiere Dates:

NETWORK:

• Hell's Kitchen (Fox) Tues 9 PM
  
• The Bachelorette (ABC) Mon 9 PM
  
• Last Comic Standing (NBC) Thurs 8:30 PM
  
• So You Think You Can Dance? (Fox) Tues 8 PM
  
• Nashville Star (NBC) Mon 8 PM
  
• America's Got Talent (NBC) 6/17 9 PM
  
  

CABLE:

• Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) Sun 10 PM
  
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) Thurs 10 PM
  
• The Ultimate Fighter (Spike) Wed 10 PM
  
• Stargate Atlantis (SciFi) Fri 10 PM
  
• Brotherhood (Showtime) Sun 10 PM
  
• South Park (Comedy Central) Wed 10 PM
  
• The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central) Wed 10:30 PM
  
• Law and Order: Criminal Intent (USA) Sun 10 PM
  
• Drawn Together (Comedy Central) Fri 10:30 PM
  
• Nip/Tuck (FX) 10 PM
  
• The L Word (Showtime) 10 PM
  
• Hotel Babylon (BBC America) Wed 9 PM
  
• The Riches (FX) Tues 10 PM
  
• Greek (ABC Family) Mon 8 PM
  
• Deadliest Catch (Discovery) Tues 9 PM
  
• Doctor Who (SciFi) Fri 9 PM
  
• Workout (Bravo) Tues 10 PM
  
• Robin Hood (BBC America) Sat 9 PM
  
• Wildfire (ABC Family) Mon 9 PM
  
• Burn Notice (USA) 6/10 10 PM
  
• Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List (Bravo) 6/12 9 PM
  
• Weeds (Showtime) 6/16 10 PM
  
• Flipping Out (Bravo) 6/17 9 PM
  
• Monk (USA) 6/18 9 PM
  
• Psych (USA) 6/18 10 PM
  
• 30 Days (FX) 7/3 10 PM
  
• The Shield (FX) 9/2 10 PM
  
  
  

A brief explanation of the watch list:

New shows premiere dates / status - consider this the neutral zone, detailing the premiere dates for new shows and tidbits of info which could forecast a move to another category.

Shows likely to be axed - their numbers aren't good, news stories point to it being yanked, it may soon end up in the cancelled category.

NEW Series Pickups- this doesn't mean it is renewed for next year, just that the series has gotten a full season order. (e.g., 'back nine' pickup).

Likely pickups - the numbers are good, all we need is the confirmation from the network (again, this is for full season orders, not renewals).

Renewed - Will be back next season (new or older shows).

Series death watch - they've been on the air and their time may be coming. We watch and wait... (new or older shows)

All other series premiere dates - Just what it says. These aren't new series, but their premiere dates are listed and updated, just as an added service to you, my loyal readers and googlers passing by...

** New this year, I will be tracking the reality shows as well as scripted

Outside the Box

So, Michael over at Red Right Hand has already posted his thoughts and juicy tidbits from the "Breaking into the Box" event put on by the Writers Guild Foundation on Saturday.

I agree with him on several items, particularly on the value of the non-writers to the discussion. The agents, managers and execs add insight to this whole process of trying to write for television. The showrunners provide their learnings in the trenches and some of the nuts and bolts of running/writing television, but it's the agents, managers and execs that are the gatekeepers to this kingdom.

Breaking into the Box

I'll be spending my day at the WGA for this event titled "Breaking into the Box."

Here are the panels for this sold out event:

PANEL – TELEVISION IN THE POST-STRIKE WORLD
The landscape has changed and we all need to learn how to navigate this new terrain. What is the future of scripted programming? Will ‘pilot season’ ever be the same again? How does this affect our world big picture? And how does it affect each of us individually?

Panelists: Shawn Ryan, Brannon Braga, Chris Brancato, Sue Naegle, Josh Barry (ABC). etc.
Moderator: Nell Scovell

PANEL – GETTING IT DONE – HOW A SHOW IS MADE
The nuts and bolts of the process from script to screen – greenlight to final cut. Showrunners, executive producers and writers discuss how a show is set up from start to finish and how a production schedule works.

Panelists: Marc Korman (Endeavor) Damon Lindelof, Allan Heinberg, Kevin Falls, Robin Schiff
Moderator: John Sacret Young

PANEL – GETTING THE JOB – BREAKING IN
Writing the spec script; what to do with it; getting an agent; how to swing things if you DON’T have an agent; what to do if you have a “reality” idea; the importance of WGA signatory shows; resources available; other ways to swing your big break; what is the difference between networking and harassment? Who do I ask to read my stuff and when is that appropriate? All things you need to know before you even start…

Panelists: David Babcock, Josh Appelbaum, Jessica Goldberg, Liz Tigelaar, Lenny Bekerman, Robin Budd (Mandalay Entertainment)
Moderator: Jay Kogen

PANEL – MANAGING YOUR CAREER
Okay. You got one job. Now how to turn that into a career?

Panelists: Margaret Nagle, Cindy Chupack, Nancy Etz (CAA), Larry Shuman, Elizabeth Stephen (Mandalay Entertainment)
Moderator: Jan Oxenberg

The fall schedules 2008-09

So, now that upfronts are over, let's take a look at how the networks stack up against each other next year. Keep in mind that now everyone has shown their cards, there may be a tweak here or there to move shows away from each other.

MONDAY

8 PM

ABC Dancing with the Stars
CBS The Big Bang Theory / How I Met Your Mother (8:30)
NBC Chuck
Fox Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
CW Gossip Girl

9 PM

ABC Untitled Tyra Banks&Ashton Kutcher / Samantha Who (9:30)
CBS Two and a Half Men / Worst Week (9:30)
NBC Heroes
Fox Prison Break
CW One Tree Hill

10 PM

ABC The Bachelor / Boston Legal (after Bachelor ends)
CBS CSI: Miami
NBC My Own Worst Enemy

TUESDAY

8 PM

ABC Opportunity Knocks
CBS NCIS
NBC The Biggest Loser: Families
Fox House
CW 90210

9 PM

ABC Dancing Results Show / Scrubs/The Goode Family(9:30) (after Dancing ends)
CBS The Mentalist
NBC The Biggest Loser: Families / Kath & Kim (9:30)
Fox Fringe
CW Surviving the Filthy Rich

10 PM

ABC Eli Stone
CBS Without a Trace
NBC Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

WEDNESDAY

8 PM

ABC Pushing Daisies
CBS The New Adventures of Old Christine / Project Gary (8:30)
NBC Knight Rider
Fox Bones
CW America's Next Top Model

9 PM

ABC Private Practice
CBS Criminal Minds
NBC Deal or No Deal
Fox 'Til Death / Do Not Disturb (9:30)
CW Stylista

10 PM

ABC Dirty Sexy Money
CBS CSI:NY
NBC Lipstick Jungle

THURSDAY

8 PM

ABC Ugly Betty
CBS Survivor
NBC My Name is Earl / 30 Rock (8:30)
Fox The Moment of Truth
CW Smallville

9 PM

ABC Grey's Anatomy
CBS CSI
NBC The Office / The Office/SNL Thursday Night Live (9:30)
Fox Kitchen Nightmares
CW Supernatural

10 PM

ABC Life on Mars
CBS Eleventh Hour
NBC ER

FRIDAY

8 PM

ABC Supernanny
CBS The Ghost Whisperer
NBC Crusoe
Fox Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?
CW Everybody Hates Chris / The Game (8:30)

9 PM

ABC Wife Swap
CBS The Ex List
NBC Deal or No Deal
Fox Don't Forget the Lyrics!
CW America's Next Top Model (Encore Presentation)

10 PM

ABC 20/20
CBS Numb3rs
NBC Life

SATURDAY

8 PM

ABC College Football
CBS Crimetime Saturday
NBC Dateline NBC
Fox Cops / Cops (8:30)

9 PM

ABC College Football / Movie
CBS Crimetime Saturday
NBC Knight Rider (Encores)
Fox America's Most Wanted

10 PM

ABC College Football / Movie
CBS 48 Hours Mystery
NBC Law & Order: SVU (Encores)

SUNDAY

7 PM

ABC America's Funniest Home Videos
CBS 60 Minutes
NBC Football Night in America
Fox The OT (NFL post-game)

8 PM

ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
CBS The Amazing Race
NBC NBC Sunday Night Football
Fox The Simpsons / King of the Hill (8:30)

9 PM

ABC Desperate Housewives
CBS Cold Case
NBC NBC Sunday Night Football
Fox Family Guy / American Dad (9:30)

10 PM

ABC Brothers & Sisters
CBS The Unit
NBC NBC Sunday Night Football

Interview with 'Big Bang Theory' writer Dave Goetsch

It was a great Geekerati show last night. Dave was very open and informative about writing for TV, the future of television and his geek preferences.

Check out the interview in the sidebar.

Bad news for Moonlight fans

Moonlight is cancelled. So is Shark. Not much by way of details, but saw it at Nikki Finke's blog.


Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily

Quick renewal news

CBS has renewed "How I Met Your Mother" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine", giving 'Christine' a full 22-episode season order! "Rules of Engagement" also received a pick up for next season.

Upfronts approaching

Right now, stay tuned to Nikki Finke's blog for all the pilot news and rumors.

She's reporting that of the bubble shows, "Boston Legal" and "The Game" are renewed. Still waiting to hear about "The Unit" and "Moonlight" from CBS. Also waiting to hear the fate of "Reaper". "Til Death" gets another year, but "Back to You" has been cut loose by Fox. Now appears that "New Amsterdam" is canceled, but "Eli Stone" has been renewed!

This week I'll be covering the upfronts -- the announcements, the schedules, and what it all means. Hope to see you in the comments!

5:15 PM UPDATE: REAPER HAS BEEN PICKED UP!!! THE UNIT HAS ALSO BEEN PICKED UP.

In case you are following the pilot news, I thought I'd try to post a scorecard of which shows are looking to make the network schedules (confirmed from several sources):

ABC:

Life on Mars (new showrunners will come from October Road)
Opportunity Knocks (reality/gameshow)
The Goode Family (Mike Judge animated)

CBS:

11th Hour
Mythological X (to be retitled The Ex-List)
The Mentalist
Untitled Ed Yeager comedy half hour (now called Project Gary)
Harper's Island (midseason)
Worst Week (half hour)

Fox:

Fringe (J.J. Abrams)
Dollhouse (Joss Whedon) (midseason)
The Cleveland Show (Family Guy spinoff)
Class Dismissed (Mitch Hurwitz produced animated)
The Inn (half hour)

CW:

90210 spinoff
How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls

Social Surplus and the Dawn of a New Age

My good friend and general pulp bastard (mad, of course) Bill Cunningham, linked to the video below on his blog the other day. By sheer coincidence I happened across a blog post by the man speaking in that video, Clay Shirky, which happens to be a loose transcription of that speech. I urge you all to read it or watch the video because it speaks to our desired industry, television, in a way that may help you understand the current sea change in entertainment.

The ways people find to spend their time are changing. This blog is an example. Multi-player video games. Interactive web content. Social networks, like Facebook, Yelp, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Pownce, Jaiku, Orkut (just google "social network" and look at all the links).

Television is taking up less of people's time, something that has become very apparent as people watch what they want when they want, and not when programmers put it on the airwaves.

From the blog post/video, which really, you should read or watch right after you finish reading this post:

So how big is that surplus? So if you take Wikipedia as a kind of unit, all of Wikipedia, the whole project--every page, every edit, every talk page, every line of code, in every language that Wikipedia exists in--that represents something like the cumulation of 100 million hours of human thought. I worked this out with Martin Wattenberg at IBM; it's a back-of-the-envelope calculation, but it's the right order of magnitude, about 100 million hours of thought.

And television watching? Two hundred billion hours, in the U.S. alone, every year. Put another way, now that we have a unit, that's 2,000 Wikipedia projects a year spent watching television. Or put still another way, in the U.S., we spend 100 million hours every weekend, just watching the ads. This is a pretty big surplus. People asking, "Where do they find the time?" when they're looking at things like Wikipedia don't understand how tiny that entire project is, as a carve-out of this asset that's finally being dragged into what Tim calls an architecture of participation.

Seriously people, if you aren't fully plugged in to the new world, you are missing the boat.

The Hot Specs of 2008 - The Dramas

This is a work in progress. I encourage everyone to submit their opinions and any information they have regarding the viability of specs for shows I've listed or those I haven't. I will update with your suggestions if it appears reasonable.

It's time again for my annual list of the "hottest" shows to spec for TV writers. Keep in mind, that is very important now to not only have a couple of good episode specs, but also a spec pilot, a spec feature or a play, to show how you can create your own "universe" and story. Showrunners/agents/managers today want to see both.

But, the traditional TV Spec is far from dead. It's still a valuable tool many showrunners use to assess new writers, and agents/managers like specs because it gives a good indicator of how well you can mimic voice and tone of a show, important for getting you staffed.

So, without further ado, here are the hottest specs this year, in order of perceived "hotness":

1. Dexter

Everyone I know is writing a "Dexter" spec. This could be good or bad, depending on your viewpoint. The feeling is you can do a lot of edgy stuff with Dexter you can't really do with even, say, "Criminal Minds". Like "House" last year, it runs the risk of being over-specced, but for now, this is a good bet if you have a great idea you can execute for the character and the show.

2. Mad Men

It's weird -- this show is probably the least seen of all the 'hot specs' and yet I continue to hear people talking about how this is *the* show to spec. I am a bit dubious, but since so many people are doing "Mad Men" specs, I feel it has to be this high on the list.

3. Pushing Daisies

It's rare to see a first year show so far up the list, but because this show has such a distinct voice, a lot of people feel like they want to give it a try. How showrunners will respond to a "Pushing Daisies" spec is the question, as there is so little else on the air like it, what would it really help a showrunner understand about your type of writing. I suppose "Ugly Betty" or a couple of other shows with some 'whimsy' to them would be plausible.

4. House

It's still a 'go-to' spec for most procedural type shows. It's more fun to read than your standard CSI/L&O/Criminal Minds spec, but still shows you can do procedural. This has been so popular for so long, I wouldn't be surpised if it wears out its welcome this year, so write it fast and use it quick before it goes stale.

5. The Closer

Also good for showing chops at witty lead character and procedural elements, it seems to have really gained in appreciation the last year or so.

6. Ugly Betty

Only in its second year, it's still fresh enough. If the ratings continue their downward slide however, it may not last longer than another year. Time will tell.

7. Brothers & Sisters

I had a tough time determining whether this was #6 and UB was #7, but ultimately, I think this one has longer term potential, but there's still a lot of people out there who haven't seen it. Still, if you need a serialized spec to go with a procedural for your portfolio, this one might meet your needs but if you like writing teens...

8. Gossip Girl

Another first year show with some upside. This will continue to gain in popularity. You might wait until summer to write this one -- just to see what kind of changes are in store for next year. (of course, if you can suss out any show changes, it's a good thing for any of these).

Lukewarm They aren't as hot as they used to be, but they still get some mileage:

Desperate Housewives
Nip/Tuck
Rescue Me
Big Love
Grey's Anatomy (the love affair is waning)
Heroes
Supernatural
Lost

The Wildcards These shows may become popular specs this year, but right now I can't find many people willing to take on the challenges they present. Still, I think this category of specs should be considered:

The Riches
Chuck
Damages
Friday Night Lights
Burn Notice
The Sarah Connor Chronicles (now that it has been renewed)
Dirty Sexy Money
Life (I have a great idea for this one, but I don't know that the popularity of the show is high enough to rate)

The Aged and Infirm These specs are nearing or past their expiration date. Even if you have a great one of these, it may be time to consider writing a new spec. An agent or manager might read it, but you know, it pays to stay timely:

Criminal Minds
L&O, L&O: SVU and L&O: Criminal Intent
Cold Case
The Sopranos (seriously? it's over! move on)
Without a Trace
Boston Legal
Smallville
Medium

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! You may love the show, or think you have a great idea for it, but I can assure you, no one will read it if it is for any of these shows:

The Ghost Whisperer
NCIS
ER
Prison Break
Battlestar Galactica (unless you are trying to get staffed on 'Caprica')
Men in Trees
The Unit (all but cancelled)

Other thoughts or opinions on the dramas? I'll post the comedies tomorrow.

Pilot news!

God Bless Nikki Finke and her insider-y knowledge. She's posted some pilot news on her blog today.

If you haven't listened to my radio show (prominently featured in the sidebar over there) I make my own predictions as to what will make it to the schedules, particularly for dramas. I'd say I'm almost right on so far...

Sarah Connor Chronicles Renewed by Fox

In the Hollywood Reporter this morning. Fox gave a 13 episode order to "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" for next season. No word on whether it will be scheduled for fall or spring...I say this reduces the chances for "New Amsterdam" even further (sorry Mom).

Recalibrating

I don't blog much about the craft of TV writing. You can get far better advice and teaching from Jane or John.

And I don't blog too much about my own personal writing process. Mostly because I don't know that my process is relevant to you, as a reader. Everyone has to find a process/method that works for them. Some of my friends LOVE notecards -- putting beats or character notes on cards and tacking them on the wall. Some love outlining. Others don't outline at all (those are the ones I marvel at...if they claim not to outline and yet come up with something resembling coherence). You, as a writer, have to find what works specifically for YOU. If one method doesn't work, you try something else until you find something that does.

Some people write early in the morning, some late at night. Some people like to write in cafes, others in their homes, even still others like to write outdoors.

Some like to dictate notes. Others scribble notes on post-its. Some people write in sequence, others write out of sequence, skipping around from one scene to another.

It all doesn't matter. There's no 'right way' to put together your writing.

What matters is that YOU ARE WRITING.

And that's something I haven't been doing enough of. I try to keep my blog updated, simply because it helps me know what is going on 'out there', but also to keep my mind sharp. I used to use my blog as a warm up exercise for my script writing, but lately the blog writing is its own thing. I'm by no means giving it up, but I've had to think hard about my own writing process and why it hasn't been working for me lately.

Part of the problem, is that I went down the wrong road story-wise. I ended up in a cul-de-sac, stranded, and had to find my way back to the start. Now I've turned around and headed a different direction. I also find I need deadlines to keep moving forward. I have a tendancy to 'idle' too long...I'll sit, revise a line here, a line there, but not make any forward progress...to extend the car/road metaphor, it's like revving the engine in neutral.

Good thing: going to the gym again. This has made it much easier to clear my head for actual writing. Story problems can be broken down in the 30 minutes on the elliptical, or I can watch 'Law & Order: SVU' on the treadmil on mute and play 'guess the plot twist'. That's always fun.

I've been struggling with whether to gear up for contest season. I promised a 'what to spec' post, which I am almost finished with, research wise and will have posted in the next few days. I've asked myself what the contests or the fellowships can do for me now...and, in some cases, if I even have a shot at them. I won't rehash my reasoning, but suffice to say, at this moment I don't think I'll be submitting to any contests or fellowships this year.

I'm still going to write a new spec, and I'm going to finish my two new pilots before fall. I'm trying to stay optimistic about the potential of certain circumstances, and hope that I can pursue my aspirations along a slightly different path. Some of you will understand this, I think.

In any case, I'm back to writing. It's all good.