TV with MeeVee

"Heroes" Nabs Speedy "FNL" Cutie

It must be summer, because it's time for an endless stream of "Heroes" casting news. Blonder-than-blonde Brea Grant of "Friday Night Lights" is the latest to join the increasingly mammoth cast, word is she'll be playing a super-fast superhero who is described as the Joker to Hiro's Batman. The new character's name is Daphne, and she runs afoul of Hiro when she tries to rip off the Nakamura family.

"I'm stealing a secret that's been kept in Hiro's family for a long time that he's just now found," Brea Grant told The Associated Press during a break in filming in downtown Los Angeles. "He stops time right as I grab it, but in that second it took him to grab it, I almost make it out of the office."

It's going to be fun to see Hiro with an arch nemesis, especially a cute, female one. Daphne will be appearing in Season 3, which picks up where the truncated Season 2 left off. Since the title of the next volume of "Heroes" is "Villains," I'm guessing this won't be the last bad-guy casting we see.

Lunchtime Links, Side of Fries

• "Battlestar Galactica" fans love "Battlestar Galactica," true, but there aren't that many of them. (TV By The Numbers)
• Crappy ratings for "Monk" and "Psych," too, in their move to broadcast. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Talking to Barry Watson of "Samantha Who?" (BuzzSugar)
• Deconstructing the TV Guide cover with "The Office." (Give Me My Remote)
• "Friday Night Lights" deal with DirecTV the new template for series survival? (NY Times)

A Couple Of Afternoon Links

• Seth Rogen in a weed-friendly comedy! Dude! (TV Guide)
• Looks like "Friday Night Lights" converted on fourth down. (TV Barn)
• Nikki Finke thinks NBC honcho Jeff Zucker has lost his mind with this "My Name is Earl" promo in which he gets in a couple of writers-strike-related digs. I think any network exec who goes on a show and isn't brandon Tartikoff needs mental help, but that's another issue. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

Ratings Giveth, Taketh Away

That sounds you hear is groaning from the fans of shows that are predicted to be heading for cancellation. We've already talked about "Jericho." Now the Hollywood Reporter says Lifetime has passed on the chance to pick up "Men In Trees" and "October Road" from corporate sister ABC, likely dooming "Road" and maybe "MIT" as well. Meanwhile, TV Decoder says don't get your hopes up for the survival of Julianna Margulies' drama "Canterbury's Law" and "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman Palladino's sitcom "The Return Of Jezebel James" (right). Both got what are technically referred to as "sucky" ratings over the last week. TV By The Numbers" says the same thing. The bright spot, according to the AP, is "Friday Night Lights," as the executive producer says he's optimistic NBC will renew the beloved but ratings-challenged drama.

"Friday Night Lights" To Return, Platform Neutral

The small but enthusiastic cult of "Friday Night Lights" fan is whooping it up this morning, drinking keg beer and impregnating cheerleaders, as NBC has renewed the show for a third season. But Deadline Hollywood Daily reports the savior of the show is really satellite's DirecTV, which stepped in as co-producer - Hollywoodese for "paid some of the bills" - in return for a satellite broadcast window that will come around the same time as NBC's airings.

"Friday Night Lights" Facing Finale?

E! Online's Kristen says she's hearing rumors that "Friday Night Lights" might get wrapped up as a two-hour TV movie, in other words, there would be no "wait till next season" for the terrific but ratings-challenged NBC entry about a small Texas town and its football team. We've already told you that the show's return on Friday nights has been less than stellar and the prognosis dim. Fans of course are starting save-our-show efforts:

"Friday Night Lights" Go Dim

Things look bleak for the Dillon Panthers, and the small, dedicated fanbase is rallying to keep "Friday Night Lights" lit in yet another one of those incredibly irritating "save my show" endeavors.

Look, I get that you like the show. I get that it's well-made and that it's been mistreated by the network, who gave it a shaky lead-in and a terrible time-slot and then punished it for not getting an audience. But do we need to build an enormous groundswell of support and a fan-driven protest to save what is, at best, just another high-school drama?

Yes, I know it's more than just a football show. Hot kids, small town, relationships, love, learning, complex on-and-off-the-field social dynamics. I get that high-school football is a big deal for a small town in Texas and television about high-school football is a big deal for fans. But get over yourself, BWE: It's not an "act of cruelty" to cancel your favorite show. You want to see an act of cruelty? Watch the video below, which shows airport police killing a man with a taser. (Warning: Contains actual footage of actual airport police actually killing a man with a taser.) After that, are you still outraged about "Friday Night Lights" getting only two seasons?

Late Afternoon Reading: "American Idol" Malaise?

• In what might be an ominous sign when viewed alongside this season's ratings slippage, I've started to read a few "What's wrong with..." and "How to fix..." posts about "American Idol." Here's the best one I've read so far. (TV Squad)
• Meanwhile, in the scripted world, producers are already starting to figure out what shows are worth putting back into production for half a dozen or so episodes this season if the strike gets settled soon. Hint: It's the hits. (Reuters)
• Thus, you won't be surprised to hear that FX's middling "Dirt" and its quite excellent but under-watched "The Riches" will be making do with the seven episodes each has already filmed this season. (Hollywood Reporter)
• But it appears that the three remaining episodes of ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" will be held over until September. (Televisionista)
• Bill Petersen is talking about leaving "CSI" again. (Buddy TV)
• And there may be bad news for "Friday Night Lights" fans. (Televisionista)
• First non-pilot pickup for next season under NBC's new business regimen? Sitcom "Kath and Kim," starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Critics Love "Pushing Daisies," Hate "Cavemen"

(Begin pointless personal digression.) I have a soft spot for the semi-annual TV Week Critics Poll. (Read the story here and results here.) Back when the magazine was called Electronic Media, I used to be in the poll all the time, and I started talking to the people over there - we were all in Chicago at the time - and I ended up getting hired as assistant managing editor. While I worked there I ran the poll a couple of times, too, which gave me lots of time to talk to my critic friends who I only got to see on press tour otherwise. So this poll is like an old pal. (End pointless personal digression.)

But seriously, "Pushing Daisies" is better than "Mad Men"??? I don't think so. Better than "House" or "The Office"?? Really? Uh, no.

Ten Best Series
1. Pushing Daisies
2. Mad Men
3. Dexter
4. 30 Rock
5. Friday Night Lights
6. Damages
7. House
8. The Office (tie)
8. Ugly Betty (tie)
10. Californication

Worst after the jump...

Family Friendly Programming Awards - Not Bad, Actually

Too often "family-friendly" is a TV code word for "lame crap for the kids." But nearly a decade ago a group of major advertisers put their money where their mouthes were and funded the Family Friendly Programming Forum, which provides seed money for the development of family friendly TV scripts. The show gets on the air, the fund gets reimbursed. Simple as that. And the results have been pretty good, including "Gilmore Girls," "Friday Night Lights" and "Everybody Hates Chris." Separately, the group promotes the annual Family Television Awards, which were handed out Wednesday night in Hollywood, with the ceremony to be televised Dec. 27 on CW.

Now, you're not going to find "The Wire" or "Weeds" here (and ironically you won't find any CW shows either). But the winners mostly demonstrate that the Forum has been true to its word, making inclusive, family-friendly shows that regularly defy the "lame crap for kids" stereotype by being at least halfway decent and often very good. (This year, not surprisingly, it's Fox that brings the average down.) This year's winners are:

Comedy - "Ugly Betty," ABC
Drama - "Heroes," NBC
Actor - Zac Efron ("High School Musical 2," ABC Family)
Actor - Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights," NBC)
Actress - America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty," ABC, pictured)
Miniseries or Special - "Planet Earth" BBC/Discovery
Movie Musical - "High School Musical 2," ABC Family
New Series - "Pushing Daisies," ABC
Cable Series - "Kyle XY," ABC Family
Reality - "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" Fox
Favorite Newcomer - Zachary Levi ("Chuck," NBC)

Morning Links Exchange

Julian McMahon talks about the upcoming season of "Nip/Tuck." (Buddy TV)
And is "Nip/Tuck" the new "Love Boat?" Uh, no. (TV Addict)
The Times, of all places, offers a bracingly sardonic assessment of a reaction to a recent tragedy/normal Darwinian interaction on "Meerkat Manor." (NYT)
Goodman asks his blog readers which of their favorite shows are going off the rails this season, and "Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights" and "Rescue Me" all come up a lot. Some smartass also complains about the current season of "Veronica Mars." (SFGate)
Recap of the third episode of "Reaper," which I haven't seen yet because I watched "House." (Buddy TV)
Myself I lost track of "Damages" a long time ago - no rooting interest - but here's every twist and turn of this week's ep. recounted in advance of the season finale. (TV Squad)
We've mentioned the way DVR ratings have been roiling the waters. Now comes word that the execrable soap "Gossip Girl" has been renewed mainly on the strength of its live+ ratings. (Televisionista)
Cable ratings good for "Brotherhood." (Hollywood Reporter)
And last week's top broadcast shows. (AP)
"Bionic Woman" ratings could use a power boost. (E! Online)

"Friday Night Lights" Vs. "Tell Me You Love Me"

Can you even compare "Friday Night Lights" to "Tell Me You Love Me?" Sure you can! One may be an NBC family prime-time production and the other an HBO joint for adults only, but they're both dramas with overwrought emotion, pregnancy, sex, and betrayal.

This is especially true if, like me, you're willing to count football as a metaphor and/or substitute for sex. Think about it: men competing for territory, a lot of grappling and grunting, impossible expectations, cheering spectators, college scholarships... it's all there.  The football widows of the world will agree with me, anyway. If you don't, you're free to regard couples therapy as a substitute for professional sports. All the sports fans dragged away from Monday Night Football to go to group counseling will agree with me about that.

Anyway, the point is this: on "Tell Me You Love Me," there's a couple with new kids who are feeling let down by each other, and fans are fighting and having sex in a lot of the same ways the characters on the show do. In the case of "Friday Night Lights," there's a whole pregnancy sub-plot, and fans feel horribly betrayed that NBC has turned the show into a football-centric "Grey's Anatomy" melodrama-fest. They're totally the same show with different actors. And different levels of raw, explicit sex.

Your Minimum Daily Requirement Of Morning Links

• Who won "Big Brother 8?" Who cares! Well, actually, Give Me My Remote Does. Let's just say the choice was hilariously appropriate. (GMMR)
• Pictures and spoilers from the season premiere of "Friday Night Lights." (Televisionista)
• "The Office" spoilers and pix. (GMMR)
• Are "Heroes" co-stars Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere dating? She just turned 18 and he's what? (Televisionista)
• "Gilmore Girls" star Lauren Graham inks a big development deal with NBC. (TV Squad)
• Molly Shannon signs for a multi-ep stint on "Pushing Daisies" as the owner of a saltwater taffy shop across the street from the Pie Hole. (Ausiello)

Fall TV Night-By-Night: Friday

Three new shows, all at 9 p.m., and one of them premieres tonight. Yet it's a returning show that's about the only thing I can recommend on Friday night. Still, Fridays are better than "random repeat Saturdays."

Beginning on Oct. 12, ABC will air "20/20" at 8 and put on "Men In Trees" at 10 on Fridays. I'm baffled at the endurance of the latter, a shotgun wedding between "Northern Exposure" and "Sex And The City" - She's a writer of romantic advice! She needs it herself! And there are bears! It's not a formula I get, and star Anne Heche just strikes me as weird. But whatever. The one new show bowing that night on the network is "Women's Murder Club," a rote drama based on novels by the serial-killer-novel hack James Patterson. It stars Angie Harmon as a cop who's assisted in solving murders by her circle of friends in other professions. I will not be watching.

CBS rolls out its Friday schedule on Sept. 28, with the inexplicably popular bit of Jennifer Love Hewitt nonsense "Ghost Whisperer" at 8 and the modest procedural success "Numb3rs" at 10. At 9, the eye will offer "Moonlight," a new series with Alex O'Loughlin (pictured) as a vampire private eye. Yup.

The Peacock Flies On Monday

NBC's portion of the tour is about to get underway with an appearance by new co-chairmen Marc Graboff and Ben Silverman. But there's already a good omen for worried "Friday Night Lights" fans. The goodie bag includes a Dillon Panthers logo towel. (More like a facecloth, actually.) I'll liveblog here if there's news...

HERE IT IS (UPDATED): "Friday Night Lights" moves to 9 p.m. Fridays in the fall, "hammocked" between "Deal Or No Deal" and the new, Tom Selleck-equipped "Las Vegas." It's a full-season pickup, too. ...

MORE: "Grey's Anatomy" ejectee Isaiah Washington has been signed to join the cast of the new "Bionic Woman." He'll be in five of the first six episodes. "He's wonderful actor and he's a great  performer - and he became available," Silverman said, getting a big laugh. ...

MORE: JERRY SEINFELD will guest-star as himself on the season premiere of "30 Rock." He'll go head-to-head with Alec Baldwin as NBC exec Jack Donaghy. ...

MORE: Donald Trump will be back with "The Apprentice" - but this time the contestants will be celebrities. The celebrity guest wish list, Silverman said, includes Rosie O'Donnell - "Donald personally told me to extend an invitation to her." Heh heh. Yeah, that'll happen. ...

 MORE: "All in the Family" auteur Norman Lear will oversee a new dramedy. ...

MORE: Summer series "The Singing Bee," hosted by Joey Fatone, did so well in its first airing that it will be coming back in the fall, Tuesday nights at 9:30.

 AND FINALLY: NBC Universal in all its many corporate guises will have a "Green Is Universal" week Nov. 4 through 11 where they'll be ecologically pro-active in every possible way. That includes "green-themed" programming on all of NBC's prime-time shows, with characters like Michael Scott of "The Office" tackling environmental issues. That oughta be good.