Monthly Archives: July 2012

Couric Readying for Daytime ‘Katie’

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 27, 2012

In the post “Oprah” world, daytime TV has been littered with new personalities trying out hour long shows. But Katie Couric, who brings her own “Katie” to daytime Sept. 10, says she’s been uniquely qualified to join the field from her experience on two other networks – 20 year host of NBC’s “Today” show and [...]

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ABC News Takes Victory Lap With Bumps

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 27, 2012

ABC News chief Brian Sherwood likes to address the press away from the podium, with a wireless microphone that allows him to roam the stage and gesture with both hands. So at the TV Critics Association press tour Thursday in Beverly Hills, he was ready to take a literal victory lap, if necessary, while crowing [...]

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Thursday TV: Pre-Olympic Documentaries

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 26, 2012

Even the independent documentary showcases are falling for the competition on the eve of the Olympics. Tonight “Independent Lens” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) returns to close its season, alongside a new “POV” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) both with inspirational athletic stories. In the first, decade-long weightlifting champ Cheryl Haworth is profiled in [...]

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Wednesday TV: Clio Awards for Ads, First Olympic Game

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 25, 2012

With the greater adherence to DVRS that zip past ads and now Dish developing a device that will automatically hop over them, the pressure is on Madison Avenue to create the kind of commercials people will want to see. More than 50 of the best of them from around the globe are collected on “The [...]

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Chatting with Sarah Palin Poolside

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 25, 2012

The Palins are approaching the Kardashians in the sheer number and variety of reality shows they take part in. But even with Todd Palin on board as part of the surreal casting of the upcoming “Stars Earn Stripes,” nobody expected his famous wife to join him at the NBC cocktail party that followed the press [...]

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With ‘Dracula,’ NBC Goes for Blood

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 25, 2012

It’s not just monkeys and talking dogs that NBC needs, it’s vampires. So trailing “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries” by several years, it will go back to the Transylvanian original. A 10-episode “Dracula,” starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers in lead fangs is coming from the network, working in conjunction with the team behind “Downton Abbey.” [...]

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NBC Monkeys with its Comedy Approach

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 25, 2012

Whatever its other failures as a network, NBC could always look to its Thursday night lineup of comedies for the kind of lauded work that just doesn’t appear on any other broadcast network, with the acclaimed “30 Rock,” “Parks and Recreation,” “The Office,” “Up All Night” and “Community.” But being good isn’t enough for NBC [...]

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Tuesday TV: Finales for ‘Deadliest Catch,’ ‘Wild,’ ‘Design Star

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 24, 2012

The opillo-crab season comes to an end, as does the eighth season of “The Deadliest Catch” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) in a two hour episode that includes some critical injuries. It’s followed by an hour long postshow, “After the Catch” (Discovery, 10 p.m.). Speaking of which, can a proposed open-pit mine for copper and gold co-exist [...]

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Cowell Conjures the Judges Drama as ‘X Factor’ Boot Camp Begins

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 24, 2012

Like the fearsome visage in “The Wizard of Oz,” Simon Cowell’s face addressed the reporters at the TV Critics Association press tour Monday with the kind of wrath of the Wizard – via a screen. He and his fellow judges were appearing from Miami, a city that seems to have been almost randomly picked as [...]

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Mariah Carey Confirmed as New ‘Idol’ Judge

By Roger Catlin | Published: July 23, 2012

In a bit of drama that looked a bit like a Bob Newhart bit, Fox Entertainment president announced to reporters at the TV Critics Association press tour that multiplatinum singing artist Mariah Carey to be the newest judge on “American Idol.” Then he tried to get her on the phone. At first misdialing and then [...]

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