TV Chatting

NBC announced yesterday that they have given renewals to 3 of their most popular shows - The Office, 30 Rock and The Biggest Loser - for the 2009-10 Television season.  The network would not commit on a renewal for Heroes, saying only that the show was "safe" for now.

Also announced was a new title for the John Wells project, previously known as Police and LAPD.  The series is now called Southland and it will take over the ER timeslot after that show’s series finale.  The premiere for Southland is scheduled for April 9.  ER’s season finale will be April 2 and will be a three hour event.  A two hour finale will follow a one hour retrospective on the long-running show.

With Southland taking ER’s slot, that means the new drama Kings will move to Sundays with the two hour premiere set for March 15 from 8-10pm ET.

The new series, currently referred to as the "Untitled Daniels/Schur/Poehler Series," was also presented at yesterday’s TCA panel.  The show from the executive producers of The Office, Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, is a new mockumentary-style sitcom set in the exciting world of local government.  Amy Poehler plays Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana.  Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari and Aubrey Plaza also star.

Also new next season, a new cooking competition show, The Chopping Block. The show will feature celebrated chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White who gives hopeful chefs/restaurateurs working in couples the opportunity to compete in America’s greatest restaurant challenge. 

I am not a fan of competition shows so I don’t know how my son managed to get me to watch this one, but he did.  I really don’t care for opera at all either, but from the moment I saw Neal E. Boyd audition I proclaimed him the winner.  Not only is he an amazing vocalist, Neal has got a beautiful heart and such an honest personality.  He is so humble and really proud to be up there singing for America and his mom (who he obviously loves very dearly).

Along the way I thought there might be a few acts who could knock him out of the running (Nuttin’ But Stringz and Queen Emily for sure), but in the end, America agreed with me and Neal took home the million dollar prize and the Vegas show.

Congratulations Neal!  You deserve it!

You’ve heard of fantasy football, now check out fantasy dancing. Fafarazzi has an online fantasy league for the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars.

Here’s how it works:

1) Pick your 3 favorite dancers to make up your Dancing With The Stars team
2) Tune in and watch Dancing With The Stars, Mondays at 8pm EST on ABC

When the dancers earn points, so do you. You can also create a group to compete against your friends. You’ll get your own private discussion board, too.

Sounds pretty simple, eh?

The new season of Dancing With the Stars starts Monday, September 22 on ABC so hurry on over to Fafarazzi and make your choices! Check out some of their other fantasy games while you’re at it.

Well rumors have been saying that American Idol would be making big changes this season and it looks like they were true.  Fox announced today that songwriter/music producer Kara DioGuardi will be joining the show as a fourth judge.

DioGuardi will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul at the judges table, making the panel an even match at two men, two women. No word yet on how a tie in votes will be settled.

“We are turning the heat up on ‘Idol’ this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” creator/executive producer Simon Fuller said. “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show.”

The Grammy-nominated DioGuardi has written songs for Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Santana and Pink. Over the past four years, she has been awarded 10 BMI Pop Awards for having written the most performed songs on radio.

The new cast of Dancing with the Stars has been confirmed. I’m not a fan of the show to be quite honest, but it is one of the hottest shows on TV and I know a lot of you are looking forward to it so here’s the rundown:

Name: Lance Bass (part of the boy band NSync)
Partner: Lacey Schwimmer (contrary to rumors, he will not dance with a male partner)

Name: Toni Braxton (Grammy winning singer)
Partner: Alec Mazo

Name: Brooke Burke (E! host)
Partner: Derek Hough

Name: Rocco DiSpirito (chef from NBC’s The Restaurant)
Partner: Karina Smirnoff

(more…)

One of the first new shows of the season premieres on NBC tomorrow night. America’s Toughest Jobs is a new competition show from the creator and executive producer of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, Thom Beers.

(Though I generally despise reality and competition shows, this one actually intrigues me a little bit.)

Josh Temple of TLC’s Backyard Nation hosts the competition where thirteen men and women will be tested at some challenging and dangerous jobs. Logging, oil drilling, driving icy roads, and extreme fishing are some of the tasks they are asked to perform. At the end of each episode, the boss and co-workers at their job will determine who will be sent home. The annual salary of each job will be thrown into a pot until the finale, when one contestant will win the cash.

America’s Toughest Jobs kicks off at 9pm ET tomorrow. Here’s a sneak preview from the folks at NBC.