CBS Upfronts

We wrap up our looks at the network upfronts with CBS, who released their entire 2024-2025 plans.  The week starts with Monday’s familiar comedy block, starting with The Neighborhood followed by Poppa’s House, a new comedy starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.  That is followed by two entries in the NCIS franchise: the OG and the new NCIS: Origins, a prequel narrated by Mark Harmon.  Tuesday remains the same, with different iterations of Dick Wolf’s FBI running all night.

Wednesday continues as all reality, with extra-long episodes of Survivor followed by The Summit, a new show featuring a team of strangers trying to climb a remote mountain in New Zealand.  Thursday has another hour-long comedy block, with Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage taking over for its parent series Young Sheldon, followed by the returning Ghosts.  A new version of Matlock, starring Kathy Bates, follows, and the night finishes with a second installment of Elsbeth.  Friday remains the same, starting with S.W.A.T., followed by Fire Country and the final season of Blue Bloods.  Sunday kicks off with 60 Minutes, followed by Tracker, The Equalizer, and re-runs to protect against football overruns.

On tap for midseason on Wednesdays are game shows The Price is Right At Night, Raid the Cage, and an updated version of Hollywood Squares, featuring Drew Barrymore as the iconic middle square. NCIS: Sydney is on tap to replace Blue Bloods after it wraps up its run in the fall.  Once football is over, Sunday re-runs will be replaced by Watson, a present day take on the literary character who returns to his medical career following the death of his partner Sherlock Holmes.  Not slotted, but still planned for midseason, is the latest installment of The Amazing Race.

Gone and never to be seen again are Bob Hearts Abishola, CSI: Vegas, NCIS: Hawaii, So Help Me Todd, and Young Sheldon.

CBS Upfronts

Forgoing a traditional upfront presentation with an ongoing writer’s strike threatening the start of the fall season in September, CBS announced what they hope will be airing on their network this fall.  With only two new shows on the schedule, things will look very familiar to viewers.  The week starts with a stable Monday, with the comedy block of The Neighborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola followed by two entries in the NCIS franchise: the OG and NCIS: Hawaii.  Tuesday also stays the same, with Dick Wolf’s FBI running all night.

Wednesday goes all reality, with extra-long episodes of Survivor and The Amazing Race taking the entire night.  Thursday has another hour-long comedy block, with Young Sheldon and Ghosts, followed by the returning So Help Me Todd and the new Elsbeth, a spinoff of The Good Wife starring Carrie Preston.  Friday remains the same, starting with the final season of S.W.A.T., followed by Fire Country and Blue Bloods.  Sunday kicks off with 60 Minutes, followed by a new version of Matlock, starring Kathy Bates as the septuagenarian lawyer who rejoins the workforce to win cases and expose corruption from within, The Equalizer, and CSI: Vegas.

On tap for midseason are comedy Poppa’s House, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., and the Justin Hartley drama Tracker, based on the Jeffery Deaver books and which is slated to debut following the Super Bowl in February.

Gone and never to be seen again are NCIS: Los Angeles, East New York, and True Lies.

The Academy Award Goes To

side_oscarAs they finish polishing up the statues for tonight’s awards ceremony, it’s time to finish up our predictions with the major categories. In a strange change of pace, I’ve actually seen one or two of these. So, without further ado, we begin with:

Best Picture

Ford V Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite

I’ve seen a grand total of two of these, so I’ll go with 1917, since Hollywood seems to love a war epic.

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain And Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

I’ll pick one of the two performances I’ve seen and go with Adam Driver.

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saorise Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renee Zellwegger, Judy

I’ve only seen one of these, so I’ll go with the talented Saorise Ronan from the perennial favorite Little Women.

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2015 Emmy Awards – Reality and Movies

Emmy_statueWith the Emmy Awards scheduled for Sunday night, here’s day two of my predictions for the awards, today focusing on reality shows and made for TV movies.  I likely have seen not seen most (any?) of these, so I will probably not have an informed decision, but when has that ever stopped me.

Outstanding Reality Show Host

Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars

Anthony Bourdain, The Taste

Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway

Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night

Jane Lynch already took home the prize for hosting NBC’s hit game show.

Outstanding Reality Show Competition

The Amazing Race

Dancing With the Stars

Project Runway

So You Think You Can Dance

Top Chef

The Voice

The Amazing Race took back the crown last year, and I’m betting that it keeps it again this year.

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

The Colbert Report

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Late Show With David Letterman

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon

What a tough category, as 3 of the shows wrapped up wildly successful runs earlier this year.  That said, I think John Oliver and his HBO show, Last Week Tonight, certainly deserves the award.

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Drunk History

Inside Amy Schumer

Key & Peele

Portlandia

Saturday Night Live

The sexy choice here would be to go with Amy Schumer, since she seems to be on top of the world, but I think the recently-wrapped up Key & Peele will win the prize.

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2014 Emmy Awards – Reality and Movies

Emmy_statueWith the Emmy Awards scheduled for Monday night, here’s day two of my predictions for the awards, today focusing on reality shows and made for TV movies.  I likely have seen not seen most (any?) of these, so I will probably not have an informed decision, but when has that ever stopped me.

Outstanding Reality Show Host

Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night

Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway

Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance

Anthony Bourdain, The Taste

Tom Bergeron has won this in the past, and that seems like as good a reason as any for him to win it again.

Outstanding Reality Show Competition

The Amazing Race

Dancing With the Stars

Project Runway

So You Think You Can Dance

Top Chef

The Voice

The Voice broke The Amazing Race‘s winning streak last year, but I’m thinking the CBS adventure show takes back the crown this year.

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Jimmy Kimmel Live

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon

Real Time With Bill Maher

Saturday Night Live

The Colbert Report broke through last year and wrestled the award away from his pals at TDS.  Given that the show will be wrapping up soon so that Colbert can move over to CBS to take over for Letterman, I would think he will win another award as a going away gift.

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2011 New Fall Season – Wednesdays

CBS

Criminal Minds – Last season saw A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster written out of the show and replaced by Rachel Nichols.  Someone must have realized it was a mistake, as this season Rachel Nichols has been replaced by A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster.  As it enters its seventh season, it may not be the best move to return back to the old status quo.

NBC

Up All Night – Two espisodes in and it has been decent so far, with the appeal of Christina Applegate cancelling out the annoyances of Will Arnett.  The scenes at home with the baby have far surpassed those at work to this point.

Free Agents – This has not been very good so far, despite featuring the return of Anthony Stewart Head to American television sets.  I give it until January, if that long.

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