NBC shows confidence in Kath & Kim
It looks like NBC thinks they have something worth giving a little more love to. Already airing in the cushy post-The Office slot when it premieres October 9th, now NBC has upped the order to thirteen on Molly Shannon and Selma Blair’s Kath & Kim. In an era where shows can be yanked after one airing and episode commitments can never grow beyond six, this is a good sign for a new series.
K&K just finished filming their first episode, which tells me that someone must have liked what they saw. Personally, I think Molly Shannon is incredibly funny, in the right situation. Some of her bits on Saturday Night Live were classically brilliant while others were not so much. But her turn on Pushing Daisies last season was nothing short of brilliant. Blair, however, has a more limited TV resume, though she’s done some awesome work in film. I’m guessing, based on her more dramatic background, that she’s being set up as the straight (wo)man to Shannon’s wackiness.
Still loving that the 36-year old Blair will be playing the daughter of 43-year old Shannon’s character. Maybe with enough hormone injections a seven-year old could give birth, but I guess it’s better than the Aussie version, wherein the actresses in both roles were actually the exact same age. The question is did it come down to Blair being told she looks so young or Shannon being told she’s looking old?
Agent: “Molly, they want you for this new role.”
Shannon: “Really, that’s great!”
Agent: “You’ll be playing this older lady who bickers with her daughter.”
Shannon: “Oh how fun. Who’s playing the girl. Hillary Duff? Lohan?
Agent: “Selma Blair.”
Shannon: “What? Isn’t she older than me?”
Agent: “Well yes, but she looks much youn–”
Shannon: “Don’t you finish that thought.”
Agent: “I’m just saying–”
Shannon: “Zip it or lose it … every bit of it!”
(phone rings)
Secretary: “I have Selma Blair on the phone for Ms. Shannon.”
Shannon: “Tell that old bitch I’m busy.”
Agent: “Look, I can just call back the studio and tell them you’re not–”
Shannon: “Don’t you dare. I’ll take the job. And I’ll show that old biddy that I can still kick! stretch! and kick! … and apparently play fifty.”
When are your favorite NBC shows returning?
NBC has issued a press release with the premiere dates for all their fall shows. This way, you know when to set your DVR.
The full press release includes descriptions for each of the shows. New shows are in all caps.
Heroes will be the first scripted show to return with a two-hour premiere on September 22nd. The first new scripted show will be Knight Rider on September 24th (although I don’t know if you could count it as new since they already broadcast the two-hour pilot).
Complete schedule after the jump.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
“AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS”
Series premiere (8-10 p.m.)
Returns on September 19 (8-9 p.m.) for five weeks; then resumes from
9-10 p.m. on October 24
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
“Heroes” clip show (8-9 p.m.)
Season premiere (9-11 p.m.)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10-11 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
“KNIGHT RIDER” (8-9 p.m.)
“Lipstick Jungle (10-11 p.m.)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
“My Name Is Earl” — one-hour premiere (8-9 p.m.)
“The Office” — one-hour premiere (9-10 p.m.)
“ER” (10-11 p.m.)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
“Chuck” — (8-9 p.m.)
“MY OWN WORST ENEMY” — (10-11 p.m.)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
“Life” — (10-11 p.m.)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9
“KATH & KIM” (9:30-10 p.m.)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
“CRUSOE” — two-hour premiere (8-10 p.m.)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
“30 Rock” — (8:30-9 p.m.)
[via Aint It Cool]
Did you know that Heroes is a top five show?
That was one of the many insights that NBC head Jeff Zucker had on Charlie Rose last night.
Charlie wanted to know what the top five shows in the ratings were, and while Zucker mentioned shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and House, he also included Heroes in that bunch. He named Heroes and four other shows and said “those are the top five.” Now, I love Heroes as much as the next person, but I don’t really remember it being in the top five that much (if at all). Top ten or twenty? Sometimes I guess, but not top five.
I think Zucker didn’t want to name a bunch of shows on rival networks without naming something from NBC, so he threw Heroes into the mix. I guess he wanted to say a buzz-worthy show like Heroes instead of the NBC shows that he could have mentioned that actually are in the top twenty a lot, such as one of the Law and Order shows or Deal Or No Deal.
Video of the interview should be up later today or early tomorrow. The above is not the only odd thing Zucker said.
Apple will no longer sell NBC shows on iTunes
What happens when a major content producer like NBC tells a major digital content distributor like iTunes that it wants more money per episode? If you guessed contract negotiations devolve into a hissyfit, you’re right.
NBC says it will not renew its contract to sell television shows through iTunes when that contract expires in December. And Apple says that’s fine by them, even though NBC is the top supplier of video content for iTunes, with popular shows like The Office, Heroes, and Battlestar Galactica.
NBC wanted to charge more for downloads and also wanted improved anti-piracy measures. Apple has responded by saying NBC essentially wanted to more than double the wholesale price of certain episodes, which would result in videos being sold for $4.99 per episode instead of $1.99. And since NBC would wind up pulling its shows in mid-season if they cancel their agreement in December, Apple has decided not to offer NBC shows at all this fall.
Of course, if it was that black and white, we imagine that Apple would have let NBC go ahead and have its way. After all, customers probably won’t buy episodes if they’re priced that high, and NBC would be forced to lower their prices. There are still a few months before the contract expires, which leaves plenty of time for the two companies to resolve their differences.