Cynopsis

08.28.09

Good morning. It’s Friday, August 28, 2009, and this is your first early morning briefing.  And as always, if you prefer to watch this morning’s news instead of reading it, click here.  

Saturday’s Premiere:
HBO: Mayweather/Marquez 24/7 at 1015p

Sunday’s Premiere:
VH1: Tool Academy 2 at 9p

Sunday’s Finale:
BIO Channel: I Survived . . . at 9p

The Disney/ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal announced a transaction whereby A&E Television Networks purchased Lifetime Entertainment Services. The deal, pending normal closing conditions is expected to be finalized this year. The parent company will continue to be A&E Television Networks, LLC (AETN) and the subsidiary will remain as Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC. Financial terms of the agreement were not revealed. Once completed, three top cable networks will merge into one single management entity. AETN will soon encompass the following networks: A&E Network, History, Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Bio, History International, Lifetime Real Women, History en Espanol, Military History and Crime & Investigation Network. Globally, the combined ten networks will reach more than 250 million homes in more than 140 countries. Following the final closing, Abbe Raven, President/CEO, AETN will lead the newly combined company. Furthermore, Andrea Wong, President/CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services will continue in her position as head of Lifetime Networks, reporting to Raven. Robert DeBitetto, President/GM, A&E Network and The Biography Channel and Nancy Dubuc, President/GM of History and History International will both remain in their positions also reporting to Raven.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE IAB MIXX 2009

NBC is opting to delay the second season premiere date for the John Wells cop drama, Southland. Originally, the series was to debut September 25 and now it will open October 23. NBC will air its news magazine show Dateline NBC in the Friday 9p time period until Southland opens. This scheduling postponement will give NBC extra time to promote the launch of Southland’s new season, cite network executives.

TNT renewed its drama Leverage starring Timothy Hutton for a third season with fifteen new episodes. The series, currently airing on Wednesdays at 9p, is scheduled to conclude its second season September 9. Dean Devlin executive produces Leverage along with creators John Rogers and Chris Downey; Devlin’s Electric Entertainment produces.

The Style Network approved a sophomore season of its reality series Giuliana & Bill, following the lives of real-life newlyweds Giuliana and Bill Rancic who live 2,000 miles apart. Giuliana is an entertainment news reporter for E! in Los Angeles while Bill is an author/professional speaker based in Chicago. Production on the second season begins in September. The series is produced by Comcast Entertainment Productions. 

The Big Ten Network relives great moments in college football with a third new season of The Big Ten’s Greatest Games, kicking off September 1 at 8p. With 24 total new episodes, the series airs two episodes each week on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Many of the historic games will correspond with present day match-ups. For example, the September 8 episode showcases Michigan’s 1986 triumph over Notre Dame and this year’s game between the two universities falls soon after on September 12.

Hear ye, hear ye … it’s the fifth annual Tim Nesvig Fellowship and Research Fund raffle. You remember this one — if you’re holding the winning raffle ticket, check out what you win:

2 tickets – 2010 Super Bowl

2 tickets – 2010 Rose Bowl

2 tickets – 2009 World Series (American or National park)

2 tickets – BCS National Championship Game

2 tickets – Daytona 500

2 tickets – NCAA Basketball Final 4

2 tickets – Indianapolis 500

2 tickets – The NBA Finals.

2 tickets – MLB All Star Game

That’s right, two tickets to every single one of those events! Holy smokes! And the money all goes to the Tim Nesvig Fellowship. Can’t beat that. Here’s how it works – raffle tickets are $100 each, drawing to be held on October 13 at Westchester Country Club (winner need not be present). If you’re interested, raffle tickets are available to purchase by calling the tournament hotline at 213 241-7111 or emailing Julie Filkoff at
. The raffle tickets themselves are limited, so no dawdling. Also, when you call, ask about the 2009 City of Hope Golf Classic benefiting the Tim Nesvig Fellowship and Research Fund being held 10/13/09 at the Westchester Country Club in NY. They’re looking for foursomes, sponsors, dinner ticket buyers and auction items! Good luck!

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM THE ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES FOUNDATION

Television and Broadway stage actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth is the latest celebrity to join FOX’s American Idol as a guest judge, reports People.com. Chenoweth will sit alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for the Orlando auditions happening this week. Other celebrity guest judges include Neil Patrick Harris, Victoria Beckham, Joe Jonas, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige and Shania Twain.

Actress Laura Linney stars and executive produces a new half-hour series for Showtime called The C Word (wt) about a woman diagnosed with cancer. The premium network ordered a pilot and production will start this fall. Linney’s character is a suburban wife and mother who must face the emotional roller coaster of her cancer diagnosis, yet still finds the bright side of a bad situation. Darlene Hunt created the series and is also writing and will executive produce along with Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. Original Film in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television will produce.

FOX has a TV adaptation of the dark comedy film Heathers in the works, reports Variety. Mark Rizzo will adapt the film for the small screen will help from Jenny Bicks; Sony Pictures Television will produce in association with Lakeshore Entertainment, which holds the rights to Heathers. The original 1989 movie starred Christian Slater as J.D. the new guy in school and Winona Ryder as Veronica. The pair one by one kill off a group of mean girls in their high school all named Heather, masking each murder as a suicide death. Rizzo will write and executive produce, while Bicks will be a nonwriting executive producer along with Lakeshore’s Gary Lucchesi and Tom Rosenberg.

CBS has a new multi-camera comedy series on the docket from Josh Schwartz, executive producer of The CW’s Gossip Girl and producer Matt Miller (NBC’s Chuck), according to THR. The untitled comedy is about a newly married couple in their 20s working out their new life together and is based on Schwartz and Miller’s recent marriages. 

Casting Notes:

• FX’s Damages tapped Campbell Scott as a series regular, reports EW. Details about his role are still under wraps by the network.
• Melissa McCarthy (Samantha Who?, Gilmore Girls) snagged a recurring role on ABC’s new series Hank headlined by Kelsey Grammer, per EW.
• Also per EW, Lennie James joins FOX’s series Lie to Me as the antagonist Ray Marsh beginning with the new season’s fifth episode.
• From THR, FOX’s Dollhouse added five new cast members: Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Bennett, a Dollhouse employee who shares a past with character Echo (Eliza Dushku); Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica) will play a charming businessman and husband to Echo; Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) joins the cast hoping to stop a killing rampage; Alexis Denisof (Angel) is a US Senator heading a witch hunt to track the hidden organization; and Keith Carradine (Dexter) becomes an arch rival of Dollhouse leader Adelle.

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY:   Following the deployment of Comcast’s Online On Demand trial, Time Warner Cable is putting together a TV Everywhere test of its own with a dozen programming partners to stream TV programs on the web to paying subscribers. Networks participating in the trial include SyFy (the first NBCU network to participate in such a test,) TNT, AMC, HBO, Discovery, CBS, WEtv and BBC America. Time Warner Cable’s trial will also involve a sample of about 5,000 homes in select U.S. markets.   Full edition: CYN DIGITAL.    

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  Eddie Izzard will star in CBBC‘s newly commissioned family-targeted drama, The Lost Christmas (1×90), which is set to premiere in 2011/2012 on BBC One.  Set in Manchester England as folks are preparing for Christmas, a mysterious man named Anthony (Izzard) wakes up in the street unsure of where he is or why he’s there  but with the unique power to find the lost.  Over Christmas Eve Anthony changes the lives of five people whose lives have been destroyed by decisions made earlier in life.  Penned by John Hay and Dave Logan, The Lost Christmas is directed by Hay and produced by Impact Film & Television for CBBC.   Full edition: CYN KIDS.    

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE WESTDOC

Wednesday  A18-49 Analysis: NBC sailed into the winner’s circle Wednesday night with a 2.2/6 A18-49, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. ABC’s Wipeout took out the competition at 8p with a 2.6/8 followed by NBC’s America’s Got Talent: Re-Cap show at 1.8/6. The new edition of America’s Got Talent on NBC won the 9p hour at 3.0/6 with UNIV’s Manana Es Para Siempre next at 2.1/6 and ABC’s new show Crash Course debuted in third place with 1.9/5. Then at 10p, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU repeat capped off the night a winner with 1.8/5 while CBS’ CSI: NY encore wasn’t too far behind at 1.6/5.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

NBC: 5.1/9        America’s Got Talent: Re-Cap Show 4.2/7, America’s Got Talent 6.9/11, Law & Order: SVU [r] 4.2/7

CBS: 3.8/7          CBS News Special: Ted Kennedy 3.1/5, Criminal Minds [r] 3.8/6, CSI: NY [r] 4.4/8

ABC: 3.3/6          Wipeout 4.3/8, Crash Course [p] 2.8/5, ABC News Special: Remembering Ted Kennedy 2.8/5

FOX: 2.8/5          Bones [r] 2.8/5, Bones [r] 2.8/5

UNIV: 2.1/4        En Nombre Del Amor 1.9/3, Manana Es Para Siempre 2.5/4, Don Francisco Presenta 1.8/3

CW: 0.8/1          America’s Next Top Model Encore [r] 0.7/1, America’s Next Top Model Encore 2 [r] 0.8/1

MNT: 0.7/1         World’s Funniest Moments [r] 0.7/1, Magic’s Biggest Secrets Revealed [r] 0.7/1

TELE: 0.5/1        Mas Sabe El Diablo 0.5/1, Ninos Ricos 0.5/1, Victorinos 0.5/1

ION: 0.4/1         Wednesday PM Movie: Assassins [r] 0.4/1

A18-49: NBC 2.2/6, ABC 1.8/6, UNIV 1.7/5, CBS 1.3/4, FOX 1.2/4, TELE 0.5/2, CW 0.5/1, MNT 0.4/1, ION 0.2/1

NBC Universal International appointed Denise O’Donoghue as President/International Television Productions, effective September 14. Previously, Denise was the Co-Founder and former Chief Executive of independent production company, Hat Trick. In her new role, Denise will report to Peter Smith, President, NBC Universal International.

Street Court, produced by Strand Creative Group and syndicated by Litton Entertainment, hired Peter Villapol as Coordinating Producer and Eric Hanson as Branded Entertainment and Digital Producer. Both previously worked on the Montel Williams Show. Street court is scheduled to debut September 21.

Friday Fun Fact:  43.7% of all statistics are made up right on the spot.  Absolutely true.

This day in History:  1830 – “The Tom Thumb,” America’s first steam locomotive, was demonstrated in Baltimore, MD. It was the first passenger-carrying train of its kind to be built in the US.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  Nick Moore – kind of a primetime TV goofy guy … seen on what show? FAMILY GUYS  Kudos to: Spence Shores-Turner Broadcasting/Atlanta; Anne-Lamar Meeker-The Nielsen Company/Richmond; Matthew Nicholson-IMG Media/New York; Lauren Clifford-Hill Holliday/Boston; Alison Rae-Telemundo/Dallas; Sue Coogan-Starcom Mediavest Group/Chicago;Christopher M. Betts-Dish Network/Englewood; Stephanie Brom-Petry Network/Dallas; Bonnie Myers/Teed-Magaurn Video/Portland; Nick Monroe-Monroe Photography/San Diego; Nadine Dekema-The Go-To Girl/Beverly Hills; Aaron Paquette-OTX Corp./Culver City; Eve Noga-Global Edmonton/Edmonton

Today’s Trivia Question:  The character Harriet Winslow appeared regularly on what two series?   (Email
with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Later — Cyn
08.28.09

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009

ABC:  Supernanny [r], Ugly Betty [r], 20/20
AZTECA: Laura de Todos, Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Al Extremo
CBS: NFL Football: New England at Washington
CW:  Smallville [r], Everybody Hates Chris [r], The Game [r]
FOX: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
ION: Reba, Movie: End of Days
MNT: WWE Friday Night Smackdown
NBC: Southland [r], Dateline
PBS: Washington Week, Now on PBS, Bill Moyers’ Journal, Inside
TELE: Mas Sabe el Diablo, Ninos Ricos Padres Pobres, Victorinos
UNIV:  El Nombre del Amor, Manana es para Siempre, Rosa de Guadalupe

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