News

[managermike99]

October 11, 2012

Liberty Television announced today that new episodes of The Follower will continue right through to early December and then production will be halted. Starting in January the Tuesday 10pm slot will be filled by new episodes of Alcatraz.

Also, Lost in the 80's is cancelled with new episodes being burned off before Christmas. After Christmas the Tuesday 8:30pm slot will be filled with the new sit-com "TGIM" (thank God It's Monday).

[managermike99]

October 11, 2012

Liberty Television has signed an agreement that will open the door to the possibility of a backdoor pilot.

Harry Bosch, the main protaginist in Liberty TV's rookie cop drama "Hollywood RHD" has a famous half-brother lawyer "Mickey Haller" also known as "The Lincoln Lawyer". Although the two men do not get along Haller will make some guest apperances coming up in H-RHD to help his brother with some legal troubles. Both Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer are from the books of Michael Connelly. Lincoln Lawyer was pitched last year to ABC who ultimately passed on the project, and while Liberty TV was interested in the treatment, they already had RHD in the works. However, with the modest success of RHD the network is considering picking up Lincoln Lawyer next year and pairing it with RHD.

[managermike99]

October 29th, 2012

Production halted due to Hurricane Sandy hitting the east coast.

Liberty television joins the other major networks in halting production on several television programs that film on the east coast in the wake of Hurricane Sandy hitting the eastern seaboard.

Electric Sheep, In Truth, Paterson Night, and Wildwood have halted production. The Follower which is filmed in New York had already halted production for the season.

No word from the network if this will delay the airing of new episodes.

[managermike99]

January 30, 2013

It was formally announced today that Andre Braugher (Last Resort, House, Homicide: Life on the Street) has been signed to star in Liberty Television's new series "Stoops" as Julius, the lead role. While Stoops is still in the pilot process most industry insiders feel this show is almost a sure bet to get an order for the 2013-14 season.

Stoops is a 60 minute drama from creator Shonda Rhimes ("Wldwood").

Julius (Braugher) is a black man from the streets of Baltimore who has grown up into a successful businessman. He runs a large chain of convienience stores "Stoops" in poor black neighborhoods, with his managers and employees owing a chunk. Despite all the good he does for the 'hoods he still has his many detractors who only see him getting rich, and they say its at the expense of the very people he is helping. His most vocal detractor is Mikey, one of his best friends growing up who despite not having any success with his methods is an activist who believes you must change the whole system, not one life at a time. Despite their differences Julius and Mikey remain good friends. The show centers around the dichotomy that is the life of Julius including his business, his wealth, his model white wife, and his two spoiled children. Viewers will be asked to take a stand; for Julius or against Julius, there will be no sitting on the fence.

Shonda received much negative press for her "white" centric Wildwood, so perhaps this is a way of striking back or appeasing her critics. The show promises not to be cliche, but rather challenging. Talks are also with Aubrey O'Day to play the wife. The Liberty network has also been called to task the past couple years for their lack of program diversity, something this show would help alleviate.

[managermike99]

February 5th, 2013

Liberty Television development update for Fall 2013.

Night Moves (60 min, Dramedy)
Pilot has been ordered.

Righteous (60 min, Dramedy)
Script only

Torts (60 min, Legal Drama)
Script only

Punjab (30 min, Sit-Com)
Pilot ordered for eVoloution Cable network

Victim (60 min, Crime Drama)
Script only

~untitled Jamie Lee Curtis Project~ (30 min, Sit-Com)
Script only

Horror Night (30/60 min, Horror shorts)
30 minute pilot ordered

Speedy Creek (30 min, Sit-Com)
Script only

The Tropics (30 min, Sit-Com)
Pilot ordered

Long Haul (60 min, Drama)
Script only

Stoops (60 min, Drama)
Pilot ordered

Cinnamon Bay (60 min, Drama)
Pilot ordered

~untitled Fitness Show~ (120 min)


The Lincoln Lawyer (60 min)
Pilot ordered

Catch Me (60 min, Crime Drama)
Script only

Skull Valley (60 min, Drama)
Script only

[managermike99]

February 5th, 2013

Casting announcements for Liberty TV's pilot programs so far.

Stoops;
Andre Braugher (Julius..lead)
Aubrey O'Day (Julius' wife)
Mos Def (Mikey)
Reg E. Cathey (politician)
Michael Ealy (Financial wizard)

Night Moves:
Will Forte (Pat Willis..owner..Diamonds)
Gill Bellows (Kerry Kanada..owner...Rust)
Teresea Palmer (Allie Berber..Diamonds..floor manager)
Gill Garci (Darrin Figaro..Booking Agent)
Devon Werkheiser (Boyd Zingg..singer)
Darrin Dewitt Henson (investor)
Fred Ewanuick (Murray McPherson...Rust...busboy)
Chris Salvatore (Mike Morrow...Diamonds..Bartender)
Jennifer Elise Cox (Jaz Janus...singer)



Cinnamon Bay;
Lucas Till (Riley Mattheson)
Jamie Luner (Rain Arwine)
Kari Klinkenborg (Dinah Housden)
Jorid Molla (Alexandre Giroux)
Nathan Mobley (Petr Skumora)
Rebekah Kochan (Nancy Fillmore)





Lincoln Lawyer;
Adam Grenier (Mickey Haller)
Richard Tyson (Frankile Cliche...bodyguard/chauffeur)
Rena Sofer (Maggie MacPherson)
Mackenzie Aladjem (Hayley Haller)
Francesca Cecil (Zella Demario...a bounty hunter)
Dave Coulier (Jimmy Barnes...lawyer/friend)
Johnny Whitworth (Cal Sawyer...lawyer/rival)
Ron Rifkin (Judge Farrell)



Punjab
Rachel Leigh Anderson (Tania Cox)
Jim O'Rear (Jamie Purvis)


The Tropics
Britt Hysen (Anna Jaymes...Groupie)

Horror Night
Sabine Mondestin (herself)
Cassanda Peterson (Elvira Mistress of the Dark)
Emo Phillips (himself)
Bridget Marquardt (herself)

[managermike99]

February 8th, 2013

Gage Golightly (Teen Wolf, Ringer, The Troop) has been added to the pilot of "Night Moves". Gage will play Jessie "Jess" Willis, the overbearing and ambitious daughter of nighclub owner Pat Willis (Will Forte).

[managermike99]

February 8th, 2013

Felix Ryan (Power Rangers Samurai), has been added to the summer 2014 show "Executioner" based on the US Drone program that has been getting much public attention as of late.
Lt. Scott Taylor (Felix Ryan) is the prototype of the new breed. No formal pilot training as studies have shown that trained pilots have a harder time adjusting to drones then new hires off the street. He is also of Armenian descent.

Leslie-Ann Brandt (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena) has landed the role of Maj. Dixon, struggles with both the morality of the job as well as her place as a black woman, an engineering genius, and a patriot.


Johnny Pacar (Make it or Breat It, Light 29 Down) has also been added to "Executioner". He plays a disgruntled pilot "Eddie Weaver", a Minnesota hockey nut and fly boy fanatic who is not too happy about being sent to fly drones, and has trouble adjusting to his new assignment.

[managermike99]

February 15, 2013

2013 Broadcast Network Upfront Meetings


May 13, 2013 NBC New York Morning
May 13, 2013 FOX New York Afternoon
May 14, 2013 Univision New York Morning
May 14, 2013 ABC New York Afternoon
May 15, 2013 Liberty New York Morning
May 15, 2013 CBS New York Afternoon
May 16, 2013 CW New York Morning

[managermike99]

March 13, 2013

Liberty Television today confirmed that when new episodes resume in April two of its prime time dramas, Global Lock and Prince of Motor City will have an intertwined crossover storyline that will run the rest of the season, over multiple episodes.
The ironic thing for industry watchers is that these two shows may very well be in a deadly struggle of their own against each other for a spot on next year's prime time schedule. Most experts predict one or the other will be cancelled.

[managermike99]

April 9, 2013

Word has leaked out that Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank) has signed on to develp a new project brought to him by Liberty Television and slated for the fall of 2014.
The only details known so far is that the show will be a competition between two teams, with competition as well within the teams, and combines elements of Survivor, Amazing Race, Mantracker, and even a bit of a Myst and other RPG video games influence.
The thing that attracted Burnett to the project is said to be that it reminds him of the first two seasons of Survivor, and how that show was and could have been if it hadn't turned into the soap opera reality show it became.
Word is also that Liberty Television, despite its history of not doing reality television, is so excited about this project that it is even effecting the direction of this year's upfront and schedule.

[managermike99]

April 30, 2013

PLS Media and Liberty Television have put together a project to create a made for TV 2-part movie for the 2014-15 season out of Harlan Coben's novel "Gone For Good".
Will's ex-girlfriend has been killed and his brother Ken, has disappeared. He was the prime suspect in the girl's murder. Will also has the demands of his job as a worker with the homeless of the New York City. When he finds out that his brother is alive after all and his current girlfriend disappears as well, Will is arrested by the FBI as the prime suspect to the murder of the girl. Will is at breaking point. Only his friend Squares and Will's determination to get justice, and find out what he needs to ensure that justice is served, keep him going during further mystery and danger. Will and Ken had some famous but bad people go to school with them, the gangster McGuane and the assassin known as Ghost, and the roots of the jeopardy Will finds himself in are in his school years.

[managermike99]

June 10, 2013

Detroit 1-8-7; 2013-14 season preview

Liberty TV has announced that Detroit 1-8-7 will return for its 4th season on Thursday, September 12th 2013, making it one of the network’s earliest premiers. This will be the show’s 3rd season on Liberty, with its first season having been 2010-11 on ABC. Often seen as a “bubble” show by industry insiders and not a shoe-in for renewal, the network has put that to rest by not only putting in a full season’s order but expanding it to a minimum of 24 episodes this season, adding new writers, and a new cast member; Neal McDonough.

Looking back at 2012-13 the show found its groove again with the volatile pairing of enigmatic Det. Fitch (Michael Imperioli) and newcomer fiery Det. Kirchof (Serinda Swan). The show combined its episodic format with a few ongoing storylines that all seemed to crash together at the end of the season. The final episodes saw the murder of former squad member Det. Washington, Fitch’s nervous breakdown, Mahajan coming face to face with the serial killer Kahn, and Kirchof’s past coming to light.

While Liberty TV was happy with the show’s progress and the writing, the fans and critics were both luke warm to the show, with a ratings high on the 18th episode on April 18th of 1.1/3 3.40, up from a season opener of 0.8/2 2.71 on September 20th, and a season low on episode 2 of 0.6/2 2.05. The ratings slowly climbed during the season thanks to the writing, the new show dynamic between Fitch and Kirchof, the emergence of character Mahajan as a star, and the network’s willingness to publically support the show’s chances of continuing. The 22 episode series finished with an average rating of 0.94 in the Thursday 9pm slot.

It’s competition during that slot was Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, Person of Interest on CBS, Beauty and the Beast on CW, Glee on FOX, and The Office and 1600 Penn on NBC. It was a very difficult time slot to compete in but any well written police procedural will find its audience as did Detroit 1-8-7. That loyalty and consistency will be put to the test again this season in the same tough time slot.

This season Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC, CBS counters with a pair of sit-com’s; Robin Williams new Crazy Ones and the hit show Two and a Half Men, CW has freshman offering Reign, FOX has Glee returning in the Fall; and then Freshman show Rake with Greg Kinnear in mid-season, and NBC has freshman sit-com’s Sean Saves the World, and the Michael J Fox show. The night has become a little less “procedural and criminal in nature” which means Detroit 1-8-7 seems to be in a good spot for continued success.

A new detective is being added to the squad for the upcoming season, Russ Renna (played by Neal McDonough). Renna has recently joined the Detroit Police Department after a long career with the FBI. He has his sights set higher then Detective and has been sent here to get his feet wet and his hands a little dirty. While his instincts and detective work are tremendous his squad mates don’t like his higher ambitions, as well as his unwillingness to get emotionally attached to his work or to take a chance. The newbie will be paired with sophomore detective Kirchof to temporarily replace Fitch who is desk bound after his nervous breakdown last year. Most of the squad though is operating under the assumption that Fitch is burned out and will never return to the field. They also wonder if Renna is after Mason’s job. One of the new storylines this season will be the return of Bobby Fitch (played by Vadim Imperioli, Michael’s real life son) to Detroit to live with his father because the 15 year old is caught in a cycle of violence and bullying. However, his Father’s current condition, his job, and Detroit threaten to make the situation worse. To make matters worse Bobby falls into cahoots with Kirchof’s younger brother Blake who is a drug dealer, causing tension between Fitch and Kirchof. Mahajan becomes a poster boy for the department, a new face in the affirmative action drive, while at the same time coming under fire by his brothers in blue as he begins to date Det. Washington’s widow.

Behind the scenes the show is trumpeting the addition of 3 new writer/producers to the staff, all of which are veterans of the Law & Order series. Richard Sweren and Julie Martin will work as a tandem, while Luke Schelhaas has also been added. Fred Berner has also been added behind the camera as an additional Director, he too is a veteran of the Law & Order procedural. Showrunner-Supervising Producer, Mick Betancourt told the press that these additions were to strengthen the show’s focus in being “ripped from the headlines” but also being realistic. “We did not want to run the risk of running out of new ideas and beginning to create absurd storylines and overblown situations”, said Betancourt on the official media press release.

Episodes already being written for next season include;
• A man loses his temper while having a fight with his wife and drives through a restaurant patio killing a child
• A pair of brothers are arrested for kidnapping when it is discovered they have kept a girl there as a sexual slave for over a decade; and it brings the detective work of former squad mate Longford into question
• The suburb where Captain Mason lives has to contact the squad when there own police staff refuse to arrest 4 suspects in a rape because they are prized members of the high school football team
• Two men and one woman are shot in separate incidents within a couple hours in the same neighborhood and police are left with no witnesses, no suspects, and no patience

Jason Richman remains as the Creator, Executive Producer, and a writer for the show, with Betancourt acting as showrunner, and David Zabel remains as an executive producer, and writer/producer and also in charge of overseeing the writing staff. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman continue to assist Betancourt and Zabel as EP’s, while Kevin Hooks, Dean White, and Jeff Nachmanoff return as directors in addition to the newcomer Fred Berner. Phononzell Williams and Nikki Toscano return as writer/producers, in a stable that also now includes Zabel, Schelhaas, and the team of Sweren/Martin. Doing the simple math that’s 5 writers/teams sharing the 24 episode order, or around 5 episodes each, a very manageable number.

[managermike99]

June 11, 2013

Channel 97 ; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty TV has announced that Channel 97 will return for it’s 5th season on Saturday, October 5th 2013 in its new Saturday night 10:30pm time slot. As has been widely reported in the industry, while ratings have been relatively low for the show it has distribution deals in Europe, Japan, Canada, and Australia which provide enough funding to keep it viable. Liberty has announced that this will be Channel 97’s final season on the network, however it has agreed to carry the show on it’s Gen80 cable network if the producers can find enough other revenue to bring it back for a 6th season.

Looking back at it’s 2012-13 season the introduction of Tristan to the show was panned as a “jump the shark” move and his role was scaled back during the year, and the producers even lampooned themselves by titling one of the episodes 4.11 “Jump the Shark”. Without a lot of other major changes the show continued to take on an episodic feel with the potential romance between Graham and Victoria not coming to completion.

The show’s ratings did a slow climb during the year as viewers fled new shows and returned to Channel 97, and the vote of confidence from the network and producers helped as well. The show opened at a 0.6 demo, and rose to 0.9, and even hit a 1.0/2 3.05 high for episode 4.19 on April 22nd. The 22 episode season finished with an average demo of 0.79 in the Monday 8pm slot.

It’s competition during the Monday 8pm slot was stiff with ABC offering Dancing With The Stars and The Bachelor at mid-season, CBS countering with How I Met Your Mother, CW with 90210 and the Carrie Diaries mid-season, FOX with Bones, and NBC with The Voice and Biggest Loser at mid-season. With every genre represented and tough sit-com competition from HIMYM the low ratings of Channel 97 did not bother network executives.

This season will see Channel 97 move to Saturday nights at 10:30pm. While this is often seen as part of the “dead zone” of network television it actually bodes well strategically for a number of reasons. It takes the show away from formable opposition, it takes it to a spot where comedic sketch shows have often been put, much of the show’s views are through PVR and next day Sunday is better then next day Tuesday, and if the College football games on the other networks turn into routes then it could draw viewers who are flipping the channels. Network executives are hoping to retain 100% of their audience in the new spot. The time slot features college football on ABC and FOX, crimetime repeats on CBS, and repeat programming on NBC.

The biggest show development this year is the departure of the main character no less, as Liberty negotiated the release of Will Forte so he could helm the new dramedy Night Moves. Forte however will star in the first episode, as well as the two final episodes. Taking his place in the show will be none other than the show’s creator “Weird” Al Yankovic. Uncle Al long presumed dead will return to the show and take back his television studio (and farmhouse). Can Uncle Al manage to keep the channel viable?

Even though the show may continue on through cable and syndication the writers are focusing the year on a swan song which will pay tribute to many of the zany moments of TV, pirate radio and TV stations and events, bringing in guest stars with some meaning (Michael Richards “Kramer” from Seinfeld will return as he was in the original UHF; Fran Drescher as a DIR/PROD ), and allowing several cast members to each pen and produce an episode of the show (Curtis Armstrong, Paul Dano, Will Forte). Behind the scenes the void left by Will Forte will be covered by more input from the Saturday Night Live alumni and influenced writer/directors Phil Lord, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Crocker.

Al Yankovic remains the creative force behind the show as creator and executive producer, while John Hyde is the showrunner, and Jay Levey supervises the writers and is also an EP. Bill Fishman and Kelly Makin remain the busiest of the directors while Curtis Armstrong, Paul Dano, Will Forte, Fran Drescher, and Al Yankovic will also take turns behind the camera this season. There has also been hints that more guest directors may be brought in as well. The senior writing staff consists of Al Yankovic, Jay Levey, Phil Lord, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Crocker. It should be interesting to see if the show changes its cadence to appeal more to a SNL / SCTV / sketch comedy audience on Saturday night and less on a traditional sit-com audience.

Some of the episodic storylines that are being worked on are to tribute/lampoon UHF, Rock of Ages/Cop Rock, Geraldo Rivera’s Al Capone vault special, George Michael’s Sports Machine, Solid Gold, Michael Moore, Max Headroom, Tokoyo Rose, Radio Caroline, Hackers, WarGames, Videodrome, The ‘Stans, and many more.

[managermike99]

June 19, 2013

Shivers; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty television has announced that Shivers will return on Sunday, October 6th for its 4th season with a big double episode from 9pm-11pm EST/PST, 8pm-10pm CST. While the show has had very good ratings there was some concern over the continued involvement of creator Robert Jackson Bennett, Jim Couf (writer/creator), and Mick Jagger (EP). However, when Liberty television stepped up with a big budget increase which will allow the show to have more outside on location scenes as well as special effects it appeased Bennett who agreed to continue the project. Without Bennett it was rumored that Couf and Jagger also would take a bow.

The main complaint of the show from the creators was that the show had stepped more toward an MTV like teenage relationship show, and less the National Treasure meets Highlander vision held by Bennett and Jagger. With the new budget and after the opening writer meetings this looks like it will change in 2013-14 back to the globe trotting romp it was intended to be. The death of Kara ("Mom") and the detainment of Fadi at Guantanomo Bay create two huge jumping off points for season four.

The show premiered strong with a 1.8/4 6.01, but would not reach those numbers again that season with shows averaging between 1.5 and 1.7 ratings. The show averaged a 1.6 demo over its 22 episode season on Sunday nights at 10pm. With a higher promotional budget and a later start which will allow more promotional build-up for a big movie like 2 hour opening event, the hope is to increase the ratings out of the gate.

The network competition in the Sunday 10pm time slot was 666 Park Avenue / Red Widow on ABC; The Mentalist on CBS; and Sunday Night Football and The Apprentice on NBC. Sunday night is also a strong night for cable TV offerings. There was some thought put in to not sacrificing the show against the NFL and putting off its premiere until January. It remains in the same night and time in 2013-14 and will face Betrayal on ABC, Mentalist on CBS, and NFL/Crisis on NBC.

This season we are told will see Tyler leave school to travel with his Father to Russia as both grieve over the loss of Kara in different ways. The opening night 2 episodes will heavily involve the Rolling Stones (doing a concert in Russia), and reveal two new antagonists for the season as the Society gets a strong lead on Satan's current incarnation, a Russian mobster with terrorist ties in the middle east. Pasha Lychnikoff ("A Good Day To Die Hard", "Big Bang Theory") joins the cast as Boris the aforementioned mobster, while George Tchortov joins as Yuri ("Goon" "Lost Girl") a former up and coming Lieutenant in the organization until he witnessed the true identity of Boris. Yuri wants to work with the Society to bring down the devil but is not trusted, and can not break through the barriers of mistrust as well as the grief still being experienced. Fadi's storyline of containment will continue, and eventually he finds himself back in the middle east, disenfranchised and disinterested in life. While Tyler and Henry ("Dad") seem at times to be handling their grief well it soon becomes apparent that Tyler's motives for finding the devil now include understanding where his Mother now resides and whether a reunion could possibly take place.

[managermike99]

June 21, 2013

Night Shift; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty Television has announced that Night Shift will return for its 5th season on September 16th as part of the Monday night 2 hour sit-com block which harkens back to the days of the TBA Monday night Lites.

The main two storylines last season involved Olaf's relationship with Carla, a reality show wannabe, and John's losing the store to the IRS. This season those two story conventions will continue to have an impact but the show will shift back to featuring more of Daniel and the introduction of his Mother to the show (Kathy Bates).

The show's ratings had an incredibly steady incline throughout the season that saw it rise a ratings tick every 4th or 5th episode from a start at 1.0 to a finish at 1.4. Some of this had to do with the consistency of the show and the writers, the Carla storyline played well with fans, and the general rise in fortunes of the network as well. The season's ratings low was in the second episode doing a 1.0/3 2.82, and a ratings high in the final 22nd episode of the season doing a 1.4/4 4.04 rating (a 40% rise). The 22 episode season had an average 1.27 demo in the Monday 9pm slot.

The competition in that slot was Dancing with the Stars and the Bachelor on ABC, 2 Broke Girls on CBS, Gossip Girl and 90210 on CW, the Mob Doctor and the Following on FOX, and The Voice and the Biggest Loser on NBC.

Going forward in 2013-14 the show will compete on ABC still with DWTS, CBS returns with 2 Broke Girls, CW brings in Beauty and the Beast, FOX counters with Sleepy Hollow and The Following, and NBC continues with the Voice. A quick analysis see's the competitive landscape to be pretty much unchanged but with waning ratings for DWTS and the Voice as reality competition shows run their course, things look solid for Night Shift to pick up where it left off. The network is looking to build on the show's ratings and feel that another 20% increase in viewership is within reach.

The big news for the show is the addition of Kathy Bates to the lineup playing Daniel's mother. When a new girl, actually a divorcee 10 years Daniel's senior Rory (Kristen Harris) joins the day shift suddenly Daniel's interest in the store and working the day shift increases. He hatches a plot to see his mother, a successful doctor out of the Mayo clinic in Rochester, buy the store and allow him to run it. She is thrilled to see her slacker son has finally found an interest in life and not only buys the store but moves to be closer to her son and run her own practice. However, this is not what Daniel had intended and now he has to deal with his type-A mother and actually try and run the store. John returns to the store but in the night shift working with Olaf and being tormented by Daniel, and gets into trouble with town council when his fondness for Canada causes him to adopt a Moose. Having Daniel's mother in the scene also motivates Olaf to find his birth parents, and that will see the introduction of Bill Fagerbakke as his father Sven. Fagerbakke is best known for his role in another Minnesota set show "Coach" where he played "Dauber".

Behind the scenes the show will remain consistent with David Litt and Chris Downey remaining as Executive Producers and heads of writing. Kathy Bates joins the director ranks and will be behind the camera for a couple episodes this season.

Chris Dingess, Katie Ford, and Caryn Lucas return as Writer/Producers, while Richard Correll, Katy Garretson, and Scott Ellis return as Directors.

The show has received a full 22 episode order from the network, and is expected to be looking at syndication deals this summer.

[managermike99]

June 24, 2013

Tuesday's Gone; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty Television has announced that Tuesday's Gone starring Amanda Peet will return for it's 3rd season on September 16th as part of the Monday night 2 hour sit-com block.

The main storylines last season revolved around two love interests for Tuesday, Joey Savage (Jeff Fahey) and Stefan (Patrick Huard), the need for Roger and Bonnie to gain a little distance from hurricane Tuesday to save their marriage, and the rebellion of Tuesday's daughter Madison. In short the show continued with the primary pretense of a woman who while kind hearted and fun, refuses to grow up and accept responsibility.

The show's ratings began to turn around in November when new fans began to find the show compared to alternatives, and saw the show rise from a 0.8 rating to a 1.2 rating. The ratings low was actually in episode 6 which did a 0.8/2 2.95, and finished with a high in the season finale episode 22 with a 1.2/3 3.49. As can be ascertained from the ratings the show's growth was entirely in the right demo for strong ratings. The show finished with a 1.0 average demo in the Monday 9:30pm timeslot following Night Shift which finished with an average of 1.27 demo, holding 79% of the audience.

The competition in the slot was Dancing with the Stars and the Bachelor on ABC, Mike and Molly on CBS, Gossip Girl and 90210 on CW, the Mob Doctor and the Following on FOX, and the Voice and Biggest Loser on NBC. Night Shift and Tuesday's Gone did about half the demo ratings as CBS' 2 Broke Girls and Mike and Molly, which if Liberty was honest they would tell you was a good year.

Going forward in 2013-14 the show will compete on ABC still with DWTS, CBS has new sit-com Mom (follows 2 Broke Girls), CW has Beauty and the Beast, FOX counters with Sleepy Hollow and the Following, and NBC continues with the Voice. Like it is for Night Shift the competitive landscape remains pretty much the same but there is always a chance that if Mom slips lower then Mike & Molly, then Tuesday's Gone can pick up some of that sit-com audience. Couple that with declining ratings for DWTS and the Voice and the network is optimist that ratings growth of 20% or more is a proper target for this season.

The show's storylines this year may seem a bit like last year's but will allow for the introduction of three new, strong, actors in a recurring roles. Jeremy Ratchford ("Cold Case") plays Cass, a night club manager and former radio executive who has the exciting fun filled lifestyle that Tuesday craves and is drawn to; but he wants what Tuesday has in suburbia instead. With Roger and Bonnie having moved, but still regulars on the show, the new house owner next door is a self-confident divorcee named Dana played by Cole Hauser ("Chase", "Olympus Has Fallen"). Both these actors have signed on for at least until the end of November, and they and the producers will make a mutual decision on whether they will return based on fan reaction. The third man will be Bradley Whitford ("West Wing") playing Tuesday's new chauvanistic boss Mr. Danielson, and will begin a recurring role in January. Raymond J Barry ("Justified") will also drop in for more appearances as Tuesday's gambling addicted father, and there is also an effort to find an actor and write in a recurring role for Madison's birth father. Madison's rebellion and efforts to connect with her Father will continue this season as a story vehicle. The writers are also working on penning a dream episode where Tuesday see's herself in a 1960's office girl position; seen as a tribute to "Mad Men" that will prominently feature Bradley Whitford. Oh, and then there is the much anticipated episode where Tuesday (Amanda Peet) goes Blonde!

Behind the scenes Michael Keaton and Marlan Wayans are still listed as creators and executive producers but have little day to day involvement in the show. Michael Hanus continues as the Showrunner, while Michael Caleo, Dan Callahan, Adam Ellison, and Kim Wayans continue as writer/producers. Caleo and Wayans also join Robert Berlinger and John Fortenberry as episode directors. Guy Christie remains head writer.

The show has already received a full 22 episode order for the season from the network.

[managermike99]

June 25, 2013

Wildwood; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty Television has announced that Shonda Rimes' Wildwood will return for its 2nd season on October 13th in its 9:00pm Sunday night time slot.

The first season was a wild ride, with a very strong season high ratings premiere of 1.6/4 5.05 but then began to slide down to a 1.3 demo. The season finale which was broadcast on May 26th turned in the season low rating of 1.3/4 4.24. There was a lot of contoversy as well over creator Shonda Rimes and the thought that her show did nothing to advance the cause of African Americans. The show was forced to suspend production when Hurricane Sandy hit the coast including the real Wildwood, New Jersey, and there was a big gap between Nov 25th when episode 10 aired and May 5th when it returned with episode 11. That time was used wisely on discussing and changing some creative aspects of the show, changes that would not have been able to have been made in a normal year. However, it did shorten the show's episodes from an expected 22 to only 15 episodes in his freshman year and killed its momentum.

Season 1 finished with an average demo of 1.43, an excellent average but its downward trend was disturbing. It's competition in the Sunday 9:00pm slot was Revenge on ABC, The Good Wife on CBS, Family Guy/American Dad on FOX, and NFL Football/The Apprentice on NBC. Overall its a tough time slot only because of the NFL. There was some thought that the show was going to appeal more to an overall family audience, being a smart coming of age vehicle which would be quite different from the other shows in the slot. However, the show turned into a much edgier product that may have lost some of that mass appeal. Season 2 will see the exact same competition with the exception of Believe replacing the Apprentice mid-season on NBC.

The main storylines involved Kristina getting a job underage at a Wildwood shore bar using fake I.D., being dragged into the drug trade, running a foul of a drug dealing biker gang, and a home invasion of her house which gets interrupted by Hurricane Sandy. The season wraps up with the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and Kristina being drugged and raped at a bush party.

In season 2 the writers and creators will focus on the intense emotional state of main character Kristina as she deals with keeping her rape to herself, the fall out of the hurricane, and her ever complicated work situation. Kristina will befriend two boys, a Jewish boy "Billy" (Logan Lerman) who wants to be more then just friends, and an African American boy "Lost" (Tyler James Williams) who she wants more from then just friendship. On the work front Kristina has to try and find a new job on the boardwalk as it rebuilds after the Hurricane, and not all club owners are as easy to fool as Ruggs was last year. To deal with her internal pain she turns to writing only to have her secrets revealed publically by a mean spirited classmate which drives her to self-mutilation and thoughts of suicide. In the second half of the year Kristina finally finds an outlet for some of her pain as she joins a small pro-wrestling group that performs on the Shore. The writers have decided for the most part to continue using parents minimally in the show, a kind of Charlie Brown type atmosphere, very much like the older TBA coming of age drama E.K., which highlites the way the teens perceive the world, being alone without guidence, even though the truth may be vastly different. However, there is some thought to giving Joely Fisher who plays Kristina's Mom a bigger role because there is talk of her leaving the show unhappy with the current agreement.

Behind the scenes the big news is that Shonda Rimes has added a second show to the network "Stoops" so she will be spending less time with Wildwood this year. The responsibility for the show's direction will fall heavier on the shoulders of Diane Ruggiero who is a creator, executive producer, and writer, as well as Betsy Beers an executive prodcuer. Kenneth Biler, Scott Reynolds, David Solomon, and Jeff Woolnough also play key roles in production, writing and directing.

The show has only received a front 13 episode order at this point, not a full season committment. The Sunday 9pm slot which leads into "Shivers" is considered a strategically important slot for Liberty TV and the show is expected to get back to its 1.5/1.6 level of demos.

[managermike99]

July 4, 2013

Greatest Hits; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty television is proud to announce that Greatest Hits starring Freddie Prinze Jr will be returning for its 3rd season on Wednesday, September 18th at 10pm eastern time.

The main storyline early in the new season will have Marshall (Prinze Jr) trying to keep himself, Monique (Neve Campbell), and Sarah (Talen Ruth Riley) hidden in North Africa, while his former friend Leif Harlowe (Michael Cade) tries to track them down for the FBI because he believes he was betrayed by Marshall. That storyline will not drag out however, and soon Marshall will find himself back stateside with a glum future. He will even have to move back in with his mother (Lisa Hartman Black), something that does not look good on a hitman's resume. Marshall finds himself breaking his longtime oath and working for the CIA as a means to get out from under his troubles.

Last year the show's ratings saw a modest incline from a low of 1.3/4 4.27 in episode 1, to a high of 1.6/4 5.60 in the season finale episode 22. The show finished the season with an average demo rating of 1.47 well above the average for the network's ratings.

This year the show will remain in the same Wednesday 10pm slot. Last season the competition was Moden Family and Suburgatory on ABC, Criminal Minds on CBS, Supernatural on CW, X-Factor and American Idol on FOX, and Law & Order SVU on NBC. Quite simply this may have been the toughest time slot in all of TV, and Greatest Hits performed well. This year Super Fun Night replaces Suburgatory as follow-up to Modern Family on ABC, The Tomorrow People replaces Supernatural on CW, while the rest of the competition remains the same. The network would be happy if Greatest Hits could average this year it's high water mark from last year of 1.6 demo.

The show is getting a bit of a face lift in front of the camera with Neve Campbell becoming a regular at the start of the season, and an enhanced role for Lisa Hartman Black for later in the year. There are talks of Hilary Duff or Yvonne Strahovsky perhaps joining the show later in the year, and a reoccuring small role in front of the camera for EP John Cusack as a former hitman.

Behind the camera the show had to shuffle after the passing of writer Tom Jankiewicz who was part of the original Grosse Pointe Blank gang with Cusack. Jonah Stroh (writer/producer) and Brian McCulley (writer/director/producer) have been added to help pick up the slack in one of the smallest principal crews on network TV.

The show has received a full 22 episode order and there is some talk it could be expanded to 24 episodes if warranted.

[managermike99]

July 17, 2013

Hollywood RHD; 2013-14 Season Preview

Liberty Television has announced that Hollywood RHD will return for its 2nd season on September 18th, back in its Wednesday 8pm timeslot.

The first season introduced us to the hard boiled character, jazz loving Harry Bosch, and a revised world that he lives in different from the book version. While most stories were episodic there was a 3 episode run featuring a nemesis for Bosch by the name of Henrique Nilsson a fashion magnate. Another 3 episode run was based around his deceased Mother. A major departure from the books was also created when Bosch purchased an interest in a Blues club, and another departure was the intersection of his life with his half-brother lawyer Mickey Haller "The Lincoln Lawyer".

The biggest surprise according to critics of the entire Liberty TV upfront was that the network passed on the small scree version of "The Lincoln Lawyer". Most observers believed the show would be picked up and put on the same Wednesday night line-up, possibly do some cross overs, and strengthen the network ties with author Michael Connelly. Perhaps the relatively low numbers for Hollywood RHD caused the doom of the pick-up.

The show's ratings were a major disapointment to the network, with a big deal for star Billy Burke to play Bosch and the partnering with Connelly. A police procedural of this nature and clout was expected to come in near the 2.0 mark for the demos but fell far short. The show began in the 1.0 and 1.1 range and late in the season took a jump to the 1.2-1.4 range. The premiere did only a 1.1/4 4.80, the season low was episode 1.06 on Halloween night which despite the episode drawing excellent reviews did only a 1.0/3 3.90, and the season high surprisingly happened on January 16th in its first episode back from the holiday thaw at 1.3/3 5.33 for episode 1.12. One unfortunate trend that industry analysts did notice was the more lurid the subject of the episode the better it did in the ratings. The show finished its 22 episode run with an average demo of 1.17. If that rating does not improve to at least a 1.4 average this season its possible the show may get cancelled before season 3.

One complicating factor is the big guaranteed contract the network gave to Billy Burke at the behest of Michael Connelly to get him away from NBC's project "Revolution". That 5 year contract means the network will need to find other work for Burke in the case of cancellation, or eat his salary.

One way the network has found of stretching Burke is to get an equivalent of an additional 2 episodes out of him in the summer of 2014 and presumably onwards in a TV movie. This time in 2014 it will be a Harry Bosch movie "Angels Flight" based on the book of the same name which will take place before the current TV series. Most of the cast for the TV movie will be different then the show.

Competition for the show in 2012-13 was "The Middle" and "The Neighbors" on ABC, "Survivor" on CBS, "Arrow" on CW, "The Ex Factor" on FOX, and "Animal Practice" and "Guys With Kids" on NBC. Not the stiffest competition on the schedule and some observers felt it would be better to move the show to 9pm and move two of the established Liberty TV sit-coms to this night to take advantage of other network's weaknesses. However, the show remains in the same slot and will face "The Middle" and "Back in the Game" on ABC, "Survivor" on CBS, "Arrow" on CW, "X-Factor" on FOX, and in a case of irony "Revolution" on NBC replaces its failed sit-com's.

This season will continue to see character development as Bosch fails to get along to get along, and fights the system. His jazz club will hire a new waitress and singer wannabee "Roberta 'Flack' Taylor" (Ingrid Rogers) who will become a love interest for Harry as he unwisely mixes business with pleasure. In addition scumbag Henrique Nilsson, Mickey Haller (David Cubitt), former pornstar Paula Platinum (Ginger Lynn)and a reporter Jack McEvoy (Ari Cohen) will all occur as repeat guest stars or program regulars.

Behind the camera Michael Connelly remains a consultant to the show he co-created, John Romano, Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, and Joel Gotler remain the braintrust behind the show, while Christopher Chulack, Peter Ellis, Kristoffer Tabori, and Tom Jewett remain the day to day directors, producers, and head writers.

The show has yet to receive a formal 22 episode order but that seems like just a formality at this point in time.