TV with MeeVee

CW Releases '08-09 Schedule

• Mondays: "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill"
• Tuesdays: The new "90210" with "guest star" Jennie Garth followed by "Surviving The Filthy Rich"
• Wednesdays: "America's Next Top Model" and "Stylista"
  
• Thursdays: "Smallville" and "Supernatural," same as now
• Fridays: "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Game" and an "ANTM" replay.

No word yet on what Media Rights Capital will produce for the three hours it's bought on Sunday night.

"Reaper" returns at midseason. Yayyyy!

Deets on the new shows after the jump...

(Right, "Gossip Girl's" Blake Lively and Leighton Meester at The CW Upfront presentation that was held at Lincoln Center today.)

Upfronts Update! "Reaper" To Return!

Yesterday was full of anticlimactic "news" - Jimmy Fallon taking over "Late Night," "Scrubs" moving to ABC to finish out its run. But after the sun went down here in the east, that was lots of good stuff posted on the fall schedules, including widespread reports that "Reaper" has been given a 13-episode midseason order by CW. We won't know for absolute sure until CBS and CW announce their deals on Wednesday, but it looks like a lock. (Ooops, CW announces late today.)  And I don't care if it came about because the writers strike screwed up the development season. I will watch "Reaper" tonight with a full heart.

ABC will announce its plans this morning. In the meantime...

• Michael Rapaport ("War at Home," "My Name Is Earl") will play a fed on "Prison Break" (Hollywood Reporter).
• Several sources say ABC has picked up "Life On Mars," an American remake of the Brit series about a cop who suddenly finds himself transplanted to the - bad hair alert! - 1970s. Surprisingly, it's a drama. Apparently that was contingent on ABC also picking up producer David E. Kelley's "Boston Legal" for another season.
• CBS has picked up Jerry Bruckheimer's "Eleventh Hour," the drama "The Mentalist," the thriller "Harper's Island," and the Jay Mohr comedy "Project Gary."
• Nikki Finke says it was nice of CBS to renew "The Unit" while several of its stars are visiting troops in Iraq. But she also has a lot of inside scoop on why "Moonlight" hasn't yet been renewed and may not be.

Tonight's Picks: Tuesday, May 13

It's Rocker David vs. Cute David vs. That Chick Who's Probably Going Home This Week. THIS...is "American Idol."

On "Reaper," the Devil wants Sam to find out who's leaking Hell's secrets. The bad news is that it turns out to be Gladys, who works at Hell's DMV branch. This should be a nice showcase for actress Christine Willes, who has been amusing in this small role since the pilot.

ESPN airing a film festival fave? "The Zen of Bobby V" is a documentary following former Mets manager Bobby Valentine as he tries to build Japanese baseball into a real rival for the stateside game.

More Hot Rumors For Upfront Week

• Consensus has it that "Eli Stone" is coming back to ABC, though I can't understand why. "October Road" is dead. Sources disagree on "Women's Murder Club," though given the title...
• CBS is expected to bring back "The Unit." Still no word on whether "Reaper" will be back on CW, which has gotta be thought of as bad news.
• Zach Braff told fans on MySpace what has been the worst-kept secret in Hollywood - "Scrubs" is moving to ABC for its eighth season.
• Producers are trying to get CBS to pick up Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton's "Back to You," which was dropped by Fox. Here's pix of Grammer at a "memorial" erected by fans over at Fox this morning. People are weird, no?

Morning Links on Jason Castro's Last Day on "Idol"

Man, last night was uhg-leee on "American Idol." Dreadlocks Boy is definitely going home, unless there's some sort of rift in the time-space-tweener girl continuum. So we're counting down the minutes to the results show. In the meantime...

• "Hannah Montana" ratings took a big hit this week. Could it really be that ginned-up Vanity Fair photo controversy? Does that at least give us an excuse to run the picture again? (TV By The Numbers)
• Obsessive analysis of the identity of the last Cylon mole on "Battlestar Galactica." (Cellounge)
• The "Veronica Mars" Cruise. Oh dear. (Cruise to Mars)
• "Smallville" season finale spoilers. (TV Addict)
• Josh Radnor reassures fans about the return of "How I Met Your Mother." (TV Squad)
• Last night's episode gives fresh evidence why "Reaper" must be renewed. More Gladys!!! (TV Squad)
• Our friend Tim Goodman's Monday column had some plain-talk common sense for network executives. Which will of course be ignored. Sigh. (SF Gate)

Here's Hoping They Don't Send "Reaper" To Hell II

You might remember we strongly recommended that CW renew "Reaper," which was one of our favorite new shows of the season. News reports suggest that "Reaper" has a good chance to be among the "bubble shows" that will survive till the fall. Apparently the writers strike hasn't done much for networks' development of new shows. But still, the good folks at "Reaper" have asked us to ask you to please watch the show tonight at 9. If you want to send socks to the boss at CW - "Reaper's" version of the send-peanuts-to-save-"Jericho" campaign - you should send them to Dawn Ostroff, 3300 W. Olive Avenue, Burbank 91505. And here's a taste of tonight's show, fully capturing its mix of humor and horror, to remind you why you should care...

Tonight's Picks

Down to the final four on Fox's "American Idol." Personally I can't believe Jason aka Dreadlock Boy, is still there. But Mrs. TV With MeeVee thinks Syesha is going home this week.

Here's hoping CW renews "Reaper" for another season. They're doing their best to make us love them tonight, with an episode involving both broken hearts and chainsaw-wielding insanity.

Never let the newbie take the wheel when the weather gets bad. Tonight on Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," someone breaks that rule.

Here's Hoping They Don't Send "Reaper" To Hell

CW's "Reaper" was one of my favorites among the new shows last fall, and now we're fighting to save it. How much does that suck?

Already it appears that "Aliens In America," another smart CW show, has been canceled, since cast members are taking other jobs, including a gig for Adhir Kalyan, who played Raja, on "Nip/Tuck."

Now "Reaper" has been listed as "on the bubble," and star Bret Harrison's web site is half-seriously suggesting that we follow the lead of "Jericho" fans and their peanuts and bury CW executives under an avalanche of tube socks. Because, you see, Harrison's everyman hero Sam Oliver finds much-needed comic relief with Tyler Labine's feral, Belushian sidekick Bert 'Sock' Wysocki.

I can't say the example of "Jericho" is ultimately all that inspiring - they got the show back on the air, for seven episodes, and even fewer people watched it this season. So buh-bye. In a way that sucks even more than a simple cancellation. But "Reaper" deserves to live.

Morning links busted with pot, Ecstasy, steroids, underaged country singer

No, no, no, we're not Gary Dourdan OR Roger Clemens. We're just good old morning links. We kid because we crave your attention...

• Early word on"Family Guy" spinoff "Cleveland" (right) and other pilotless fall pickup probables. (Hollywood Reporter)
• The return of "House" gives Fox a boost. (TV Decoder)
• And more on Monday ratings. (Televisionista)
• A loooooot of kids want to be in "High School Musical." Like, no kidding. (Buddy TV)
• Coming this fall on the "24" prequel: Jack Bauer in Africa. Cool! (Buddy TV)
• Big episode for "Reaper" Tuesday. C'mon, CW, renew this show! (TV Squad)
• Lucille Bluth and other "90210" casting news. (TV Addict)
• Katie's ratings still suck to the max. (TV Week)

Morning Links With Bare Shoulders By Annie Leibovitz

Saving "Reaper" from the cancellation scythe? (LA Times)
Fixing CW in general. (Reuters)
Gale Harold joining "Desperate Housewives." (Televisionista)
I'm not the only one with a contrarian rant about the Miley Cyrus brouhaha. (Televisionista)
"House" episode deconstructed. "Other hand!" Funny! (TV Squad)
"Gossip Girl" recap - what are they saying about Miley? (Buddy TV)

"Reaper" Has A List Of Things It Looks For In A Woman

Apparently, Ben has a list of what he looks for in a woman. OK, a lot of people do. But Ben's list is long and specific and he keeps it with him at all times. When the boys grab it and read it out loud, it becomes totally apparent why he's still single.  Now, how much do you want to bet that tomorrow night's episode of "Reaper" involves someone who appears to have all of the qualities he's looking for, but turns out to be evil?

CW Serves Up Spring Sked

More news from the busy bees at CW. After all the other recent fun, the network has announced a new spring schedule that puts fresh episodes of "Gossip Girl" (right) and "One Tree Hill" back to back on Mondays, beginning April 21, and shifts some other shows, but not the Thursday duo of "Smallville" and "Supernatural." The whole press release follows, including all the premiere dates...

THE CW NETWORK LOCKS IN MIDSEASON SCHEDULE
WITH NEW EPISODES AND NEW TIME PERIODS

New Episodes of Freshman Hit GOSSIP GIRL Return on Monday, April 21, Paired with Originals of ONE TREE HILL, Creating New Night of Drama for The CW

March 4, 2008 (Burbank, CA) ─ The CW Network has set its new midseason schedule, featuring brand new episodes of its scripted series and several strategic moves to bolster new nights and new time periods.

New episodes of freshman sensation GOSSIP GIRL return to The CW schedule beginning Monday, April 21 (8:00-9:00p.m. ET). On April 7, ONE TREE HILL moves to its new night and time on Mondays (9:00-10:00p.m. ET), following GOSSIP GIRL and creating a powerful night of drama for The CW.

With ONE TREE HILL moving to Mondays in April, the climactic final original episodes of PUSSYCAT DOLLS PRESENTS: GIRLICIOUS will air on Wednesdays starting April 9 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET), following AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL.

CW Giveth, CW Taketh Away

We told you yesterday about CW's early pickups for shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "Everybody Loves Chris." What they of course didn't mention was that at the same time they were sending out that press release, they were whacking 25-30 employees behind the scenes, including their entire comedy department.More reality shows are definitely coming down the pike for the fall, sez the Hollywood Reporter. Why? CW's decision not to renew pro wrestling means the network now has to find a low-cost Friday night programming lineup.

What all this means for shows that didn't get "early" renewals - notably our favorites "Reaper" (pictured) and "Aliens in America" - is not yet clear.

CW Announces Post-Strike Schedule

CW became the final network to announce its post-strike plans for original episodes of show like "Gossip Girl." But it's late on Friday afternoon and I'm all written out. So here's the dealio...I'm just gonna use the snip tool in Windows Vista and show you the chart they sent me. Finally, something good about Vista.

CW Sets Its "Midseason" (Strike) Schedule

The "big" moves are the return of three variously skanky reality shows and the reshuffling of some of the network's scripted series, most of which will be in reruns any second now if they're not already, thanks to the writers strike.

First if not foremost is the return of "Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious," premiering Feb. 18 at 9 as part of its new Monday line-up (right, Robin Antin). "Gossip Girl" moves to Mondays on Jan. 28. The catfights and insanity of "America's Top Model" return for a tenth cycle on Feb. 20 at 8, with Paulina Porizkova stepping in as a new judge. Repeats of "Girlicious" will follow on Wednesdays.

Then CW’s "social experiment" (yeah, right) "Beauty and the Geek" bows for a fifth cycle at 9 on March 11,  stepping into the post-"One Tree Hill" slot. "One Tree Hill" is the only scripted series with a significant amount of new episodes in the can for this season, as it bows tomorrow night with the new great-leap-forward storyline (apologies to the Chinese communists) that moves its characters four years into their futures.

Meanwhile, "Reaper" moves to Thursdays at 9 on Feb. 28, where it will follow "Smallville" for a night of entertaining reruns. There's also some Sunday stuff, but hell, I'll just paste the schedule in after the jump.

Halloween's-Scariest-Trick-Is-The-Writers-Strike Links Fest

• Nikki Finke says no strike for a couple of days, anyway. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
• "Heroes" continues to slip in the ratings. (Televisionista)
• Deep thinking about "Reaper." Yup. (TV Squad)
• "Dancing With The Stars" results recap. (BuddyTV)
• People are getting really sick of Jerry Seinfeld shilling for "Bee Movie." He's lost the funny. (The Hater)
• Beatboxer Blake Lewis, the 2nd place finisher on "American Idol" last year, has an album coming out. (Buzzsugar)
• Ugly Betty is incredibly hott! (Seriously OMG)
• "Samantha Who?" gets a full season from ABC. (Hollywood Reporter)
• "Jericho": not good, but you know you can't stop watching (Slate)
• You did WHAT in my house? You hid WHAT in my couch? You met my mother HOW? (Seriously OMG)

Lunchtime Links: "Veronica Mars" DVDs, "Reaper" Pranks...

"Veronica Mars" season 3 DVDs are out and they look great. (BuzzSugar)

Sam is still a dumbass on "Reaper," but I love what Andi did to  the manager's car. (Seriously, OMG!)

"Heroes" just isn't ringing Kathie's bells anymore. Is the show going off the rails? (GMMR)

Troubled "Lost" actress Michelle Rodriguez was in and out of the bathroom at a party awhile ago, and bloggers said it must have been drugs. Wrong! She proved it by releasing drug test results. (TMZ)

"Reaper" Plays Magic Tricks

I can't decide whether I think that the weird thematic magic at the beginning of each episode of "Reaper" is irritating or clever. I definitely like the job-negotiation bits, where Ted the Work-Bench boss is horrible, but not nearly as bad as the Devil.

Well, the Devil is meaner, but the Work Bench is way more soul-crushing.

Anyway, this week the escaped soul is a magician, and Sam is trying to get his work responsibilities (for Work Bench and for Hell) out of the way before a rock show on the weekend.

It's what any slacker worth his salt would do.

I'm glad we actually get to learn more about Ben, but annoyed that Sam acts like such a dingus around Andi.

I can't say much more, because, well, baseball.

"Reaper:" Even The Devil Wants You To Kiss Her, Dude

BuddyTV beat me to a recap of this week's "Reaper" but I still have something to say about it: I really wish Sam would just kiss Andi. It's frustrating to me, even though I know his hesitation is important to the show as a whole. I mean, only a few minutes into last night's show, I found myself shaking my fist at the screen and shouting about it. But I think that's probably a good sign of character development: it means Sam is someone I can relate to.

It's not just Sam. Most of the major characters in the show are stuck in an unhealthy emotional rut. If they were my friends, I'd be really annoyed with them, but as it is, I'm looking forward to next week to see if they make any progress.

Andi is afraid of moving on from her father's death and wants her life to stay "exactly the same." Sock, as much as he says he's happy to live like a bum and leech off his mom, is still obviously in love with Josie. Josie seems to have achieved fulfillment, but that's crap: she still loves Sock. I can tell because she still hasn't changed her password from "Grumpy," her old nickname for Sock's... you know. (Eeeeeew.)

The only characters who say they're fulfilled are the Devil and Ted, the Work Bench boss. And Ted is... not really all that three-dimensional a character. He's not overbearingly evil, despite his embarrassing past of gambling and shoe addiction. He's an annoying boss, but he's evil only in that he represents bland middle-class aspirations that Sam and Sock don't share. I hope we get to learn a little more about his character. Does he work for the devil? After all, if the Department of Motor Vehicles is an outpost of hell, why not the Work Bench?

And what's with Ben? Can we get a little bit of his backstory other than "minister's son?"

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)

"Reaper" Re-shoots: Somebody Call A Razor!

Just one flaw in the otherwise terrific pilot episode of "Reaper" as it aired last night on CW. A handful of scenes were re-shot to accommodate the re-casting of hero Sam's crush. (Missy Peregrym now has the part.) But in those new shots last night, Bret Harrison as Sam had WAY more stubble in the moustache area than in the shots from the original pilot. It was kinda silly.

Loving "Reaper," Part 2

OK, so I already told you the setup for "Reaper," and the big deep subtle reasons why it works. Now let me tell you why it's so puppy-dog likable and why I think it's better than "Chuck." And then if you're still not convinced that you should watch the premiere tonight on CW, I will come to your house and change the channel for you.

And by the way, a caveat: I am an insane "House" fan, and "Reaper" airs opposite it. If you don't get reviewer DVDs of both shows (nyeah nyeah) or have a DVR, I understand this is going to be a difficult decision. But if you must choose just one show tonight, consider that "House" is, deservedly, a giant-ass hit, and "Reaper" is a brand new series on a dinky little also-ran network. Who needs your help more? When I'm done with this post, I'll share a few spoilers about tonight's "House," too.

So why "Reaper?" Five more reasons:

1) The leading man. Bret Harrison was the best thing about the wildly uneven Fox sitcom "The Loop," a put-upon everyman wading through a horde of scenery-chewing loonies. There were great moments on that show, and also scenes so bad I changed the channel. Here his pained looks and yelps of outrage are in the service of a much more finely calibrated script that actually makes sense from scene to scene. And he's like, a real guy, not a cartoon. His wounded innocence and nascent courage here provide the grounding for all...the...crazy....shit.

Pictured: Rick Gonzalez as Ben, Bret Harrison as Sam, and Tyler Labine as Sock, from episode two.

Review: Don't Miss The "Reaper"

The most fun you can having watching TV this week comes tonight, when CW rolls out the premiere of "Reaper." It's hilarious and scary and more believable than "Chuck," to which it's often compared, even though one of the main characters is...The Devil.

Bret Harrison stars as Sam, a slacker clerk at the Work Bench big box store - think Home Depot. He ends up with a Satanic side job, capturing Hell's escapees with the help of his co-workers and a few supplies from the store. Never has a Dirt Devil vacuum done such important work.
(Pictured: Harrison and Labine.)

As the show opens, Sam is an underachiever and not really proud of it. For some reason his parents have let him drift, and his party-hearty buddy Sock (Tyler Labine) encourages it. Then, on his 21st birthday, a bunch of deeply weird stuff begins happening to Sam - dogs freak out at his approach, and then he gets carjacked by this really friendly guy in a nice suit. And oh yeah, he seems to have acquired a few minor super powers. Sam is freaking out even before his parents tell him why all this is happening, why they've never pushed him toward college and a career: Before he was born, they sold his soul to the Devil, aka the guy in the back seat, effective when he turns 21.

When Sam hits his birthday party that night, he is seriously ready for some shots.

Fall TV Night-By-Night: Tuesday

Tuesday's prime-time lineup features the most doomed hour of television this fall and a tough choice for viewers at 9 o'clock.

Many, me included, think ABC has lost its mind in opening this night with the new sitcoms "Cavemen" and "Carpoolers." "Cavemen," spun off from the Geico insurance ads, is a) bad b) controversial c) really bad or d) all of the above. As you may have guessed, the correct answer is (d). The producers say they're trying to satirize prejudice, but for some viewers at least, they're enacting it. "Carpoolers," on the other hand, is just bad. Some critics predict "Cavemen" will be the first show canceled this fall, although you can perhaps wonder if sheer curiosity might bring enough of an early tune-in to earn it a reprieve. ABC isn't rolling out these two until Oct. 2. Otherwise, the network is sitting pretty with returning shows "Dancing With The Stars" and "Boston Legal," both due Sept. 25.

CBS stands pat for its more traditional viewers with "NCIS" and "The Unit" followed by the new Jimmy Smits drama "Cane," all on Sept. 25 The latter show, about a large Cuban American sugar-cane dynasty in Florida, is more soap opera than action thriller, but still, this looks like a solid if unsurprising evening of television. And there's a lot of word of mouth on "Cane," thanks mainly to Smits and some young eye candy.

Backstage With "Reaper" And Ray Wise

Two "Reaper" related clips for you today: an old Ray Wise interview from his role in "Twin Peaks," (so THAT'S why he makes such a great devil!) and this fun backstage video of Sock doing his part for global warming... by taking off his pants.

Don't Fear The (Autographed) Reaper (Poster Contest)

CW's "Reaper" is one of my very favorite pilots this summer, and now thanks to blog-loving CW, you have a chance to own a "Reaper" poster signed by pilot director Kevin Smith. Bowing Sept. 25, the show stars Bret Harrison of "The Loop" as Sam, a slacker who finds out that his parents have sold his soul to the Devil,  effective on his 21st birthday. Turns out, though, that the Devil, played by Ray Wise ("Twin Peaks"), has a plan for this hapless big-box-store wage slave. He needs Sam to serve as a bounty hunter, tracking down Hell's escapees here on earth. So, aided by his Bluto-esque pal "Sock," played by Tyler Labine ("Invasion"), Sam must tackle Hell's worst here on the streets of 2007 suburban America. Did I mention that the gateway to Hell is the DMV? "Reaper" is funny, it's scary, it's like "Ghostbusters" with Fox attitude -  except it's on CW. So send us an email with "Reaper Contest" in the subject line and we'll pick one contestant at random on Sept. 7 to win this frame-worthy souvenir of what promises to be one of the fall's hottest shows.

MeeVee Exclusive: An Interview with "Chuck" star Zachary Levi

"What do I have to complain about? I get to be Chuck in a show called 'Chuck.' That's ridiculous!" said Zachary Levi. 

Levi played the scheming Kip on ABC's "Less Than Perfect" and co-starred in "Big Momma's House 2" as an FBI neophyte. But on NBC's "Chuck," debuting Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 8 ET, he's the main attraction. What's that like?

"Oh, man, I don't know," he moaned happily on the phone with MeeVee. "It's definitely different, and there are definitely things that are much more of a challenge, but I look at this as the biggest blessing I've received."

Levi stars as Chuck Bartkowski, a twentysomething underachiever in the giant Buy More store's Nerd Herd (think Best Buy and the Geek Squad). He's depressed and still mooning over a college girlfriend. But then he gets a mystery email from his old college roommate with a mind-expanding attachment - a psychedelic photomontage that downloads a database of CIA and NSA secrets into Chuck's brain.

"Reaper" vs. "Chuck"

Imitation is the sincerest form of television, as we all know. This certainly isn't the first time that two heavily promoted fall shows have seemed oddly alike. But there's no suggestion that NBC's "Chuck" (starring Zach Levi, left) and CW's "Reaper" (starring Bret Harrison, right) and were cribbed from each other. What's really odd is that they're both action-comedies and both good. And the people from the two shows say only nice things about each other. How un-Hollywood is that? Very.

In other words, it appears to be an actual coincidence that two of the fall's critical faves are both about a slacker who works at a big-box store and ends up battling evil way out of his league. You'll be reading a lot more about these two before "Chuck's" Sept. 24 debut, followed by "Reaper" on the 25th. But we thought we'd make them go head-to-head and see how it comes out, after the jump.

"Reaper" Becomes A Beverage

Following the success of "The Simpsons" reverse product placement (putting Buzz Cola into 7-11 stores and so forth), we can expect to see a lot more attempts to make real life imitate TV.

For example, the CW now has a drink named after its new show "Reaper."  They've hired a promotions agency to hand out the drink free (one per customer, please) at a number of bars in major cities.

The drink is appropriately a deep red hue, but otherwise sounds kind of gross: sweet and dry vermouth, bitters, and sloe gin. That'll reap you right quick.