Sunday, May 31, 2015
Aquarius Versions
The creator of Aquarius says they shot two versions of the series, one for NBC and a more graphic version for iTunes and Europe.
Haunted House Reality
Cracked presents a production report from a guy whose house was featured on a haunted house hunters show.
Israeli West Bank Series
Debra Kamin covers the success, among both Israeli and Palestinian audiences, of an Israeli series about military service in the West Bank.
Critics' Choice Awards Utility
Stacey Wilson Hunt interviews the producer of tonight's Critics' Choice Awards about the value of these awards relative to the Emmys.
Quality Diversity
Eric Deggans has concerns that the new crop of shows touted for their diversity will be derivative and bland.
Brian Williams at NBC
Brian Stelter says NBC is trying to determine a new role for Brian Williams at the network outside of the anchor chair, but Andrew Wallenstein says that wouldn't solve anything.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Schieffer's Retirement
Eric Deggans covers Bob Schieffer's retirement (his last broadcast is tomorrow) as the end of the era of old-school TV news anchors.
Fuller Criticizes Rape Scenes
James Hibberd interviews Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller about his critical views on shows resorting to rape scenes.
Point Spreads & Ratings
David Purdum reports on a study finding that point spreads in sports can help spike TV ratings.
Good TVeets
I think I speak for everyone when I say in the end, the only thing any of us is truly looking for is a comfortable place to watch TV
— Bridger Winegar (@bridger_w) May 29, 2015
I'm 90% sure "Aloha" is a Wheat Thins commercial.
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) May 30, 2015
Just once I wish C-SPAN would break out the kiss cam on Congress.
— Guy Endore-Kaiser (@GuyEndoreKaiser) May 30, 2015
Friday, May 29, 2015
Schumer Analysis
Matthew Gilbert praises Inside Amy Schumer's insight into "the social and pop cultural pervasiveness of misshapen gender norms." Anna Silman says Schumer's comedic stylings would make her the perfect host to shake up The Bachelorette, and Chris Plante says Schumer's guest appearance on the reality series threw into relief the show's problems.
Louie & Louis CK
Sean Fitz-Gerald covers Louis C.K. 's journey to comedy supremacy, while the comedian talked about Louie's recent season at a panel.
Kardashian Sadness
In taking Keeping Up With the Kardashians more seriously than most, Matt Thomas finds in the series unrelenting sorrow and calls for empathy.
Mad Men's Value
Amanda Lotz explains AMC's economic strategy for Mad Men, which didn't involve advertising profitability.
Mad Men Plots
Matthew Weiner revealed a wish list of plots and characters he had apparently hoped to address in the final season, with some crossed off as if achieved. More coverage of the panel event at which this info came out.
19 Kids Coverage
Brian Stelter explains why TLC hasn't cancelled 19 Kids and Counting yet, while Hulu has removed episodes of the series, but won't rule out its return. Stephen Silver says TLC itself should be cancelled.
Survivor's Legacy
Survivor is turning 15 years old. Emily Yahr considers what's behind its enduring influence, and Daniel D'Addario says it still dominates the reality TV genre. The Washington Post has a striking graphic illustrating the over 300 reality shows that have followed in Survivor's wake.
BIg Bang Theory Scholarship
UCLA will now have a scholarship for STEM students endowed by The Big Bang Theory.
Charter Consolidation
Leon Lazaroff warns that cable operator consolidation could lead to cable channel consolidation and more carriage fee standoffs.
Netflix & Regulators
James B. Stewart points out that Netflix's stated positions on issues like net neutrality and the Comcast-TWC merger have hewed closely to what regulators end up deciding.
Aquarius Viewing
Andrew Wallenstein says NBC's posting of Aquarius online will be a test case for binge viewing outside of streaming services, though Josef Adalian reports that we may not ever know how many viewers watch Aquarius online rather than on NBC. The show's TV ratings started out modest.
Thursday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Good TVeets
One of these judges is going to sneeze & ask Vanya or Gokul to spell that. #spellingbee
— Aisha Sultan (@AishaS) May 29, 2015
Gokul spelled "nunatak" the way Curry starts jogging toward the other end of the court before the 3 lands. #spellingbee
— Harry Shuldman (@HarryShuldman) May 29, 2015
I want to ask every couple on house hunters "are you sure you want to buy a house since you're definitely going to get divorced?"
— Michelle Wolf (@michelleisawolf) May 29, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Daily Show Dates
With Jon Stewart departing in early August, Trevor Noah will take over The Daily Show on September 28.
Halt & Catch Fire's Reboot
Andy Greenwald praises Halt and Catch Fire for its narrative overhaul between seasons.
Military Money in the NFL
Charles P. Pierce is critical of the money the U.S. military has pumped into the NFL for marketing purposes.
Tough Time Slots
Jason Lynch identifies fall shows that seem doomed to fail by virtue of their time slots.
Dwindling Audiences For More TV
Gerry Smith notes that expanding television programming is spreading the audiences to watch it all thin.
TV Apps Development
Don Clark and Alistair Barr look at how Silicon Valley is striving to develop the next generation of TV apps. (the google link)
Program Ownership Impact
Joe Flint highlights how the networks prefer to pick up shows their sister studios own (the google link).
Internet Stats
A new study projects that in five years, 80% of the global internet will consist of video. Right now, nearly 37% of US bandwidth during prime time hours is taken up by Netflix alone.
CBS on Apple TV
Les Moonves says CBS will probably be available on Apple's upcoming online TV service.
Comedy Roundtable
Lena Dunham, Amy Schumer, Gina Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Kate McKinnon talk about comedy in a THR roundtable.
Wednesday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
The Briefcase
Critics explore the ethical problems with CBS's The Briefcase: Andy Dehnart, Margaret Lyons, Todd VanDerWerff.
TLC & The Duggars
Advertisers are distancing themselves from 19 Kids and Counting, and Jason Lynch questions the show's future as a result. Anna Silman adds 19 Kids and Counting to her account of TLC's litany of controversies. Joanna Arcieri argues that the problems here go well beyond one show and one channel.
Season Reflections
Toni Fitzgerald identifies the best and worst of TV across the 2014-15 season. Michael O'Connell highlights striking ratings stats from the season. Rick Porter says new shows did pretty well this season, except on NBC. Todd VanDerWerff looks at the conflicted state of network broadcasting. Wayne Friedman reports that 18-49 C3 ratings declined this season.
Charter Coverage
Klint Finley says Charter will try to sell its Time Warner Cable merger to regulators as a check on Comcast's dominance. Matt Krantz puts cable industry consolidation in pie chart form. Joshua Brustein says this may bring more competition to the wireless telecom industry. Charisse Jones notes that John Malone is very pleased. Leila Abboud says Altice is still primed to make a US acquisition despite losing out on TWC. Brian Steinberg reports that Charter will soon start carrying SportsNetLA, finally bring LA Dodgers games to more subscribers. Charter insists it will uphold net neutrality.
Good TVeets
There's not a tv show on earth that wouldn't be improved by a character whose only notes are "as much like Johnny from Airplane as possible"
— Mallory Ortberg (@mallelis) May 27, 2015
It's safe to assume girls named Felicia are having a tough year.
— Jensen Karp (@JensenClan88) May 27, 2015
I wonder how Josh Duggar will do on the Apprentice.
— aaron blitzstein (@BlitznBeans) May 28, 2015
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Respectable Sampling: I Can Do That (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox), Extreme Weight Loss (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Respectable Sampling: I Can Do That (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox), Extreme Weight Loss (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
TiVo Challenges
Colin Dixon expects challenges to increase for TiVo as OTT growth and pay TV consolidation continue.
Charter Pessimism
Hilary Stout says Charter subscribers aren't expecting improved service in the wake of a Time Warner Cable merger.
Connected TV Figures
Will Richmond reports on figures finding that just over half of US homes now have at least one internet-connected TV set.
Summer & Live Efforts
Jason Lynch notes that the broadcast networks are trying more tactics than ever before with summer programming, and Mark Perigard highlights the live events the networks are turning toward to boost ratings.
Netflix User Ratings
Daredevil tops the list of Netflix originals in a user ratings metric, while Bojack Horseman falls just under Arrested Development in last place.
TV[R]EV
A new site called TV[R]EV has started up "to help everyone navigate the TV [R]evolution that’s upon us." It launched with an upfronts/NewFronts infographic.
TLC Criticism
In the wake of the Duggar family situation, Tim Goodman calls TLC "the most socially irresponsible channel on the planet — and growing!"
Emmy Possibilities
Michael O'Connell garners opinions on some big Emmy nominations questions, while Andy Dehnart highlights reality shows he thinks deserve nominations.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Supergirl & The Superheroine Problem
Alyssa Rosenberg considers where Supergirl might fit in terms of the rarity of female superhero stories.
Digital Tools For Historiography
Elana Levine discusses how she has used digital tools for television historiography research.
Hollywood's Gender Imbalance
Jonathan Handel covers the difficult legal challenges to Hollywood's gender imbalance problems.
Stewart's Veteran Program
Dave Phillips tells us about a program developed by Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to help foster media industry employment for military veterans.
Shows Revisited
Noel Murray revisits the M*A*S*H spinoff AfterMASH, while Brian Faucette tells us why the 1960s Batman TV show was smarter than we think.
Netflix Documentaries
Julia Greenberg says Netflix is striving to become a dominant home for documentaries.
ATX Festival
Yvonne Villarreal covers the rise of the ATX Television Festival, which takes place in June in Austin, TX (and which I've been to twice and is great fun).
TVEyes Lawsuit
Eriq Gardner reports media companies are coming together around Fox News' copyright lawsuit against TVEyes, a media monitoring and clip service.
Twin Peaks Info
We now know Twin Peaks will get an 18-episode season and all-new music from Angelo Badalamenti.
ITV Drops Weinstein Buy
ITV has reportedly backed away from a deal for the Weinstein Co.'s TV division.
Cancellation Reasons
Todd VanDerWerff explains the catalysts that are typically behind program cancellation.
Collier Interview
Tim Baysinger talks to AMC Networks president Charlie Collier about AMC's post-Mad Men strategies.
Monday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Nothing…CBS, Fox and The CW were in all repeats.
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Nothing…CBS, Fox and The CW were in all repeats.
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Charter Buying TWC
It's official: Charter plans to buy Time Warner Cable and is confident regulators will approve the deal, insisting that it's a much smaller marriage than Comcast-TWC. Guatham Nagesh and Joe Flint agree that regulatory approval is likely. Time Warner Cable's stock soared in response to the news. Alan Wolk says set-top boxes are a loser in the deal. Zachary Seward explains the merger through charts and maps.
Good TVeets
"You're not smarter than anybody here," Amy Schumer tells JJ. Then she calls him a turd, and she's now my hero forever. #thebachelorette
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) May 26, 2015
Kathie Lee and Hoda blasting Shoop while surrounded by American flags and wine at 10 AM. America remains a strong nation.
— Danger Guerrero (@DangerGuerrero) May 25, 2015
Guys I have a Laura Dern doll. Should I do a SUPERSTAR inspired version of ENLIGHTENED season 3 or? pic.twitter.com/4Y8MFE3k4y
— Angelo Muredda (@amuredda) May 25, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers: A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), Battle Creek (CBS), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers: A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), Battle Creek (CBS), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Apple TV Failing
Alan Wolk notes that Roku is dominating over Apple TV, which keeps falling further behind.
Debate Criteria
Eli Stokols says the GOP presidential candidates must use TV to build national name recognition if they hope to be invited to the early debates.
Supergirl Leak Questioned
Merrill Barr weighs the possibility that Supergirl was leaked purposely as a marketing ploy.
Scheduling Discussion
The latest episode of The Spinoff podcast features the execs in charge of scheduling at ABC and CBS discussing their jobs and the state of their networks.
New In Media Res
Theme: Fan Labor and Feminism
- Monday, May 25, 2015 - Karen Hellekson (Independent) presents: Making Use Of: Online Fan Fiction Spaces
- Tuesday, May 26, 2015 - Abigail De Kosnik and Miyoko Conley (University of California, Berkeley) presents: Fifty Shades of Fan Trailers: Feminist Creation From Fan Archives
- Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - Mel Stanfill (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) presents: Spinning Yarn with Borrowed Cotton
- Thursday, May 28, 2015 - Alexis Lothian (University of Southern California) presents: A Different Kind of Love Song
- Friday, May 29, 2015 - Suzanne Scott (University of Texas—Austin) presents: WoMEN’s Work: Representing Fan Labor on Heroes of Cosplay
Netflix Redesign
Josh Lowensohn explains Netflix's latest interface redesign, rolling out to everyone soon.
Fusion's Struggles
Ravi Somaiya and Brooks Barnes detail the struggles that Fusion has had distinguishing itself to its Millennial target audience.
Good TVeets
Tonight on Mad Men: Joan's business gets off to a rocky start; Don hears from Sally's school; Betty makes Christmas plans.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) May 25, 2015
This season on Game of Thrones all the female characters get trapped in different lifetime movies.
— Erin Hill (@ErinHill2) May 25, 2015
My favorite characters on #GameOfThrones are the direwolves and dragons. By a lot.
— melissa miller (@Serrae) May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Good TVeets
Eurovision is a contest to see which country can make the gayest screensaver.
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) May 23, 2015
Congrats to the class of '15, the first graduates from the Jack and Elizabeth Donaghy High School for Teen Drama, the Arts, and Feelings!
— Brandon Nowalk (@bnowalk) May 24, 2015
Please don't take advice from this news channel. pic.twitter.com/deLkGE3SJe
— You had one job (@_youhadonejob) May 23, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Facebook Potential
Jen Kavanagh says Facebook's reach and data give it the potential to change how entertainment content is made.
Pay TV & OTT Attitudes
Adam Flomenbaum reports on new research on customer attitudes toward pay TV and OTT services.
BBC Three Online
Elizabeth Evans looks at debates about the future of TV and public service broadcasting spawned from the plan to move BBC Three online-only.
2014-15 Summaries
Anthony Crupi says the 2014-15 ratings show a network war of attrition. And EW lists the 50 most-watched network shows of the season.
19 Kids and Counting Takes
James Poniewozik says TLC should cancel 19 Kids and Counting, but Hank Stuever says there's something there to be reclaimed.
EW Paywall
Non-subscribers of Entertainment Weekly will start hitting a metered paywall, unless they arrive via social media.
TWC Talks
Bloomberg reports that we should know next week who will be buying Time Warner Cable, unless the talks fall apart.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Eurovision Stars
Amar Toor goes backstage at Eurovision to consider the future for its featured musical acts.
TV Acronyms
An NBCU video from the upfronts features the leads of Playing House explaining industry acronyms like TVE and ODCR.
A La Carte Costs
Adam Levy covers a survey on what respondents would be willing to pay for channels under an a la carte system.
Viewing the Environment
AJ Dellinger asks users and companies to consider how online streaming and surfing can affect the environment in terms of energy consumption.
Netflix & TV Sets
Josh Lowensohn takes us into the lab where Netflix tests out TV sets designed to work best with the streaming service.
Understanding Kim Kardashian
Art critic Jerry Saltz and David Wallace-Wells chat about what to make of Kim Kardashian and her celebrity.
Rebel Wilson's Fabrications
Anne Helen Petersen says Rebel Wilson's lie about her age is part of the longtime Hollywood practice of star fabrication.
Redstone's Health
Brian Steinberg says concerns about Sumner Redstone's health are raising questions for Viacom and CBS.
Apple TV & Local Channels
Peter Kafka says the goal to include local channels in Apple TV's video service is likely to delay it. Colin Dixon questions Apple's plans.
Media Industries Journal
A new issue of the journal Media Industries is out, featuring:
- Reconsidering Media Economics: From Orthodoxies to Heterodoxies by Stuart Cunningham and Terry Flew
- Hollywood Creative Accounting: The Success Rate of Major Motion Pictures by Sergio Sparviero
- Sponsored Data and Net Neutrality: Exemption and Discrimination in the Mobile Broadband Industry by Danny Kimball
- Mobile Production: Spatialized Labor, Location Professionals, and the Expanding Geography of Television Production by Myles McNutt
- Cartoon Wasteland: Remediating and Recommodifying Archival Media in Disney’s Epic Mickey by Colleen Montgomery
Live Streaming Apps
CNBC covers concern in the sports world about live streaming apps like Periscope, while Jon Erlichman notes the possibility for new global stars to arise via these apps. VH1 is trying to use Periscope to raise its profile.
TLC Controversy
TLC has an issue on its hands with the molestation news about Josh Duggar. The channel has thus far stayed quiet, but curiously ran a 19 Kids and Counting marathon yesterday. Former TLC star Mama June is threatening to sue the channel over the fact that her show got booted off the air for lesser allegations. Update: TLC has confirmed that it pulled the series from the schedule.
Supergirl Leak
The pilot for CBS's Supergirl has leaked to piracy sites, just about as early as a leak gets.
Thursday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Good TVeets
Finally got the "Josh Duggar is good" neck tattoo I've wanted for years, now let me just read today's news as I take a large sip of water...
— Sean Thomason (@TheThomason) May 22, 2015
might have said this before but in case i haven't, the "three's company" theme song is incredibly creepy if you whisper it to yourself
— Mallory Ortberg (@mallelis) May 22, 2015
Have decided to save time by not reading end-of-season ratings press releases and just assuming everyone was No. 1 somehow.
— Brian Lowry (@blowryontv) May 21, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Grace and Frankie and Comedy
Ben Travers says Grace and Frankie illustrates the problem with the Emmys distinguishing comedy from drama based on running time.
Cable Rates
Todd Shields reports on legislation the FCC is working on that would leave cable operators free to raise rates without any local government oversight.
Media Challenges
Richard Greenfield outlines the challenges to traditional advertising- and subscription-based media today.
Today Show Falling
NBC's Today show is flirting with falling into third place in morning show ratings.
NBC's Strategy
Jason Lynch tells NBC what they need to do to keep their 18-49 demo ratings crown next season.
Sports TV Discussion
The Paley Center has posted video of a panel discussion on sports TV featuring the heads of sports at CBS, ESPN, Fox, and NBC. David Beck has coverage of what was talked about.
Spotify Video
Spotify now offers video from ESPN, Comedy Central, and other outlets, which Jon Erlichman says shows the lure of video over audio today. Tom Risen says cable should be worried about this new competition.
Altice Moves
The French telecom group Altice has acquired Suddenlink Communications, and Time Warner Cable could be next.
Wednesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Survivor (CBS)
- Well Below Average: Modern Family (ABC), black-ish (ABC)
- Losers: MasterChef (Fox), Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Survivor (CBS)
- Well Below Average: Modern Family (ABC), black-ish (ABC)
- Losers: MasterChef (Fox), Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Good TVeets
Humans used to measure time by building cathedrals. Now we do it by honoring the retirement of talk show hosts.
— Jeffrey Sconce (@JeffreySconce) May 21, 2015
#Survivor I appreciate they spent time talking about sexism, but they did it AT THE EXPENSE OF TALKING TO WOMEN ABOUT ANYTHING BUT MISOGYNY.
— Amy Von Doom (@spooloflies) May 21, 2015
Twitter is like someone walking up to you in a museum and screaming that the painting you're enjoying means only what they think it means.
— kevinbiegel (@kbiegel) May 18, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
AMC Sets Up Writers' Rooms
Nellie Andreeva says AMC has set up three writers' rooms for dramas it hopes to send straight-to-series.
2014-15 Network Performance
Gary Levin identifies the bright spots and weaknesses of 2014-15 for each network.
Letterman Links
A few David Letterman pieces as we await his final show: Bradley Schauer will miss Letterman's style, which is now at odds with the viral nature of late night today; David Miner praises Letterman for his fringe style of comedy; Charles Passy swims against the tide and criticizes Letterman's style for its meanness; and Lucas Shaw points out that Letterman's company is now sitting on a lot of valuable archival footage. Steve Johnson says Letterman forever changed comedy. Josef Adalian looks at how Letterman disrupted TV.
Comcast's Lost Bid
Michal Lev-Ram delves into how a coalition against Comcast built as it pursued Time Warner Cable.
Verizon's Live OTT
Erik Gruenwedel reports that Verizon's upcoming OTT service will focus on live programming.
FS1 v. AT&T
Alex Kaufman says a live sports-value dispute between Fox Sports 1 and AT&T could go on for a long time.
Screen Time Questions
Diana Graber says questions of appropriate screen time for kids need to extend beyond "how much" and also address "what" and "when." Amy Fleming looks at what screen time rules tech leaders set for their kids.
Tuesday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), The Voice (NBC), The Flash (CW)
- Losers: Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), The Voice (NBC), The Flash (CW)
- Losers: Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
CBS Comedy Departure
CBS will need to find a new head of comedy for the first time in 25 years, as Wendi Trilling will depart the post.
Cable Regulation
Richard Greenfield considers how regulator fears of broadband monopolies could affect cable industry consolidation possibilities.
The Pilot Experience
Writer Danny Chun discusses the pilot process and the joy and pain of having one pilot picked up and another killed.
AMC's Future
Adam Epstein considers what AMC's future programming lineup looks like as Mad Men exits.
Supergirl's Virality
Jason Lynch highlights the substantial global response to CBS's trailer for Supergirl.
NBC Wins 18-49
NBC won the season ratings race in the 18-49 demo; CBS again won handily in total viewers.
Ending Obsession
Arthur Chu says with Mad Men, Letterman, and other things, we need to stop obsessing over endings.
Game of Thrones Controversy
The writer of Sunday's Game of Thrones episode discusses the controversial plotline that took place, as does the actress who plays Sansa. Alyssa Rosenberg questions the negative response, and Laura Bradley thinks critics are missing the point.
Letterman Links
I was going to post some links to Letterman articles, but TVTattle has already done all the work on that.
Good TVeets
Your password must contain one letter, one number, a thinkpiece about Mad Max's feminist overtones and the meaning of a Jaden Smith tweet.
— :: shauna :: (@goldengateblond) May 16, 2015
Dear Every Other Superhero Film & Television Series:
You need to step your game up.
Sincerely,
Everyone who just watched #TheFlash
— hellresidentNY (@hellresidentNY) May 20, 2015
We are now so unabashedly enamored with Bill Murray that he could literally eat a baby on live TV and we'd be all, "That's our Billy!"
— Anthony Crupi (@crupicrupicrupi) May 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Monday Ratings
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Mad Men Preview Supercut
Vulture offers a supercut of all the cryptic "Next week on Mad Men" previews.
Big Data at the Upfronts
Bill Cromwell says the touting of data-based services was a big focus on the upfronts.
UK Decency Concerns
Jasper Jackson reports on a new Ofcom study into British viewer concerns about sex, violence, and swearing on TV.
Girl Meets World Praise
Merrill Barr says Girl Meets World is a legitimately great comedy and important to TV.
Content Ownership is King
Cynthia Littleton says original content ownership has become imperative in the current TV landscape.
Apple's TV Set
Daisuke Wakabayashi reports that Apple dropped plans to produce a TV set over a year ago, though one could still be on the way next year. (Google News link) Colin Dixon offers five reasons why there will never be an Apple TV set.
Yahoo's Video Plans
Erin Griffith talks to Yahoo's new head of video about where the company is headed in that area.
Good Wife Defense
June Thomas doesn't think viewers should be angry about being duped by The Good Wife in regard to Margulies-Panjabi: "The Good Wife team deserves praise for keeping a lid on its personnel issues."
Global Women's Rights Event
A number of TV figures spoke up for feminism at the Global Women's Rights Awards last night, including Shonda Rhimes and Jenji Kohan.
Martin Response
George RR Martin has posted a response to criticism of Game of Thrones' latest episode.
Mad Men Ratings
Nielsen says 3.3 million watched Mad Men live + SD, its third-best draw ever. It reached a series high in the 25-54 demo.
More Letterman Posts
Brian Steinberg looks at how David Letterman revolutionized the 11:30pm time slot. Dave Itzkoff talks to Paul Schaffer about the end of his Letterman gig and with other staffers about leaving. Mike Sacks interviewed Merrill Markoe, Late Night's original head writer.
Good TVeets
If you predicted the Mad Men finale correctly, please make sure to get your free sub from Jimmy John's before 1 pm. Supplies are going fast!
— Josh Spiegel (@mousterpiece) May 18, 2015
Thank god #TheBachelorette found a new, previously unplumbed depth of how to make women feel terrible about themselves.
— Kathryn VanArendonk (@kvanaren) May 19, 2015
So, again, here is who's getting the power to choose between the ladies. pic.twitter.com/v7bDFvfZnA
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) May 19, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Female Directors
Lynn Elber says TV seems to hold greater potential for female directors right now than movies.
Shared OTT Accounts
Wayne Friedman reports on a new survey into how many OTT accounts are used via sharing situations, where a user accessed an account paid for by someone else.
Univision Branding Campaign
Chris Ariens reports that Univision has launched a new branding campaign called "Todo Es Posible" (everything is possible).
Bewitched's Queer Appeal
Taylor Cole Miller reflects on the classic sitcom Bewitched's appeal to queer communities.
Game of Thrones Dismissal
The Mary Sue blog has announced they will no longer cover or promote Game of Thrones after what happened in last night's episode.
Berlanti, Super Producer
Debra Birnbaum profiles Greg Berlanti, who will produce six shows across three networks next season.
Letterman Posts
Noel Murray looks at how Late Night With David Letterman became an institution. Hank Stuever considers what we're losing as Letterman depart. Daniel Kellison talks about working as a talent coordinator for Letterman. David Bauder commemorates the special Letterman-Bill Murray relationship.
New Ad Bureau
Jason Lynch reports on the formation of the Video Advertising Bureau, a broadcast-cable-MVPD consortium dedicated to promoting the power of video advertising, which is actually a replacement of the previous Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau.
Producing Naked & Afraid
Andy Dehnart gets the behind-the-scenes story of how Naked and Afraid is produced.
Multicultural Surge
Janet Stilson highlights the rise in mainstream success of diverse actors and shows.
ESPN's Dominance
Jim Weber explores why numerous competitors have failed to lessen ESPN's dominance over sports TV.
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen shared an infographic with AdWeek laying out program viewing and time-shifting stats from the month of February. And Keach Hagey talked with Nielsen Global President Steve Hasker about adapting ratings as online video expands. Nielsen also posted analysis today about social TV performance.
Upfronts Coverage
More upfronts summary: Networks wait to hear how advertisers will respond to their wares, Alex Weprin notes that TV execs had to fight against the allure of digital media throughout the upfronts & Richard Greenfield looks at how they repudiated digital and mobile advertising during the upfronts, Bill Cromwell summarizes the upfronts in numbers, Toni Fitzgerald identifies fall trends, as does David Bauder, and Jason Lynch highlights fall time slot battles.
Sunday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: 2015 Billboard Music Awards (ABC)
- Fading: The Simpsons (Fox), Family Guy (Fox) -Losers: Battle Creek (CBS), A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: 2015 Billboard Music Awards (ABC)
- Fading: The Simpsons (Fox), Family Guy (Fox) -Losers: Battle Creek (CBS), A.D.: The Bible Continues (NBC), American Odyssey (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Good TVeets
PEOPLE OF COLOR: "Mad Men" ends tonight. White people will be at their most vulnerable. Tonight is the night we make our move.
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) May 17, 2015
*David Benioff is startled awake from his nap in the GoT writers room*
"-WHAT IF SHE GOT RAPED?!"
"David, we're just taking lunch orders."
— Will Weldon (@oldmanweldon) May 18, 2015
Twitter is like a thing where people volunteer to watch television for you.
— Tabatha Southey (@TabathaSouthey) May 18, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
YouTube's Design Overhaul
John Paul Titlow delves into how YouTube overhauled its platform infrastructure to better direct site traffic and compete with Netflix.
The Fast TV Model
Matt Zoller Seitz highlights how "Empire’s narrative profligacy has become the preferred model of scripted TV."
Comedy's Marginalization
Scott Collins notes the decline of comedy on network prime-time schedules next season.
X-Files Fandom
Media studies scholar Bethan Jones explains how The X-Files changed her life. And that could have gotten her in a file at Scotland Yard, as Elizabeth Roberts reports that Scotland Yard secretly compiled dossiers on fans of Star Trek, X-Files, and other sci-fi shows as the turn of the millennium loomed out of fear of cult activities and cyber attacks.
Louis CK Monologue
As you'll note in the Good TVeets, Louis CK created a stir with his SNL monologue last night.
Good TVeets
Did Gawker write tonight's SNL?
— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) May 17, 2015
What will MAD MEN recappers do after tomorrow? You can’t just take all that obsessive 1960s furniture design knowledge & recap a GOOD WIFE.
— Ben Schwartz (@benschwartzy) May 17, 2015
If you need to catch up on the past seven seasons of Mad Men before tonight's finale, here you go. pic.twitter.com/O7J6CYuGER
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 17, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Animated Voices
Robert Lloyd looks back on how animated shows have dealt with key voice actors moving on.
Oprah's Neoliberalism
Nicole Aschoff says Oprah Winfrey's neoliberal representation of the American Dream is essential to her popularity.
Streaming Service Limitations
Chris Morran looks at why we don't have a streaming service with live TV & sports, DVR functionality, and on-demand options all-in-one.
Streaming Australian Originals
Steve Dow wonders when Australia's streaming services, including Netflix, will produce an original Australian series.
Union Commercials Campaign
Dave McNary reports on a SAG-AFTRA campaign to push for more union work on commercials.
Amtrak & Spectrum Space
David Goldman explains why the FCC and spectrum space are relevant to the recent Amtrak accident.
Showrunner Thoughts
Lacey Rose got answers to a handful of fun questions from 23 showrunners, including how they'd end Mad Men and what they think of live-tweeting TV.
College Basketball Changes
The NCAA is adopting new timeout rules for basketball that may improve the viewing experience, plus the shot clock will be reduced.
Friday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers (excluding repeats): AMC Presents: Superstar Duets (CBS), The Messengers (CW), Dateline (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
- Winners: Nothing
- Losers (excluding repeats): AMC Presents: Superstar Duets (CBS), The Messengers (CW), Dateline (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers.
Analysis from Spotted and Fienberg.
Some Mad Men Posts
I can't post all 8 million Mad Men posts that are out there, but here are a few that caught my eye: Lindsay Weber explains why it's a pipe dream to expect a perfect ending for a TV series, Alyssa Rosenberg says we should resist trying to guess at serial endings as if the shows are a mystery to be solved, Robert Bianco insists we should accept ceding control to the creators, and Brian Lowry believes the ending doesn't matter. Libby Hill gives us seven series motifs to look for in the finale. Libby Nelson offers a visualization of character change across the series, and James Poniewozik looks back on Mad Men's journey. Alan Sepinwall will miss his late nights reviewing the series. Dave Itzkoff talked with Matthew Weiner.
Good TVeets
"I hate my coworker" "But do you The Good Wife hate your coworker? Or do you just regular hate your coworker?"
— Tori The Whorrie (@VicTORIousGable) May 15, 2015
God: You can ask me one question, so think caref—
Me: What happened between Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi?
— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) May 15, 2015
June: David Lynch leaves Twin Peaks.
July: He returns, season is 20 episodes.
Aug.: He leaves.
Sept.: He returns, Twin Peaks now real city.
— Josh Spiegel (@mousterpiece) May 16, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Survivor Experience
Charlie Jenkins talks in-depth with Max Dawson about the experience of being on Survivor as a reality TV expert. Part two of the interview is up.
NBCU Upfront
Chris Ariens says NBCU Cable Entertainment's upfront was quite a spectacle, and Adam Buckman notes NBCU's reach and scale were touted.
Upfronts Analysis
More upfronts wrapups: THR gets upfronts reactions from seven studio chiefs, Jethro Nededog learned five things this week, and K.M. McFarland assesses all the new shows. Twitter tells us which pilots were the buzziest on Twitter.
Good Wife Scene Fakery
Michael Ausiello confirms that Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi did not appear together in their characters' final Good Wife scene.
Twin Peaks Back On
And just like that, David Lynch is back on board and Twin Peaks is back on. Lynch will even direct every episode.
Mindy Project Picked Up
As rumored, Hulu has picked up a new season of The Mindy Project, though it's one 26-episode season and not two 13-episodes seasons as the initial rumor went.
Letter to Eddie Huang
Arthur Chu pens an open letter to Fresh Off the Boat creator Eddie Huang taking him to task for arrogance and misogyny. (Link fixed)
Dobrev's Exit
Jarett Wieselman talks to Vampire Diaries showrunner Julie Plec about writing Elena out of the series due to star Nina Dobrev's exit. Emily Yahr explains why Dobrev's exit is a big deal.
Letterman's Pricey Neighborhood
Corey Kilgannon notes that David Letterman's success priced many out of his show's neighborhood.
Netflix News
Netflix is reportedly talking with a Chinese media company about a possible Chinese partnership. Meanwhile, Ted Sarandos is at Cannes talking about upending the film distribution model, which has brought him some European hecklers.
Allen on Amazon
In an interview with Deadline, Woody Allen claims he didn't know what Amazon was before he started making a series for the platform and says he now regrets agreeing to it. Matt Brennan thinks this could be a good thing.
Thursday Ratings
Marc Berman's summary:
- Winners: Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Big Bang Theory R (CBS), Scandal (ABC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bones (Fox), The Vampire Diaries (CW), Wayward Pines (Fox), Reign (CW), American Crime (ABC), Elementary (CBS), Dateline (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
- Winners: Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Big Bang Theory R (CBS), Scandal (ABC)
- Losers (excluding repeats): Bones (Fox), The Vampire Diaries (CW), Wayward Pines (Fox), Reign (CW), American Crime (ABC), Elementary (CBS), Dateline (NBC)
Network numbers from TV By the Numbers. Final ratings. Cable ratings.
Analysis from Spotted.
Good TVeets
The Simpsons has been on the air for 11% of the age of the United States.
— JRehling (@JRehling) May 14, 2015
*group hug* Drinks at the Grill on us. #GoodbyeElena #TVD
— Vampire-Diaries-Net (@tvdnews) May 15, 2015
At this point everyone on Scandal should walk away and start over somewhere else. UPS is hiring .
— Natalie Tindall (@dr_tindall) May 15, 2015
Thursday, May 14, 2015
iPlayer Decline
Henry Mance reports that the BBC's iPlayer streaming service declined in usage for the first time, leading some to question its approach. And the BBC's Global iPlayer will shut down next month.
Marvel Movies on TV
Noel Murray looks at how Marvel's distribution of its movies on cable has expanded its pop culture domination.
AT&T To Offer Hulu
AT&T will offer Hulu access to mobile and web customers starting later this year, and Phillip Swann considers the potential DirecTV implications.
Hollywood's White-Maleness
Alyssa Rosenberg explores how the dominance of white men in Hollywood has persisted for a century. Todd VanDerWerff adds thoughts.