Test Pattern: What's Your Indispensable TV Network?

We all have the networks--whether broadcast or cable, legacy or newbie--that we gravitate to, but I was wondering this morning about so-called indispensable networks.

Given that I write about television, nearly all networks could be said to be indispensable in one way or another, but what I was pondering was that one specific television channel that you can't turn away from, that you automatically switch to when you turn on the television, or which you have on as background while you're doing other things in our multi-tasking obsessed society.

Many years ago, that channel was--perhaps not surprisingly for those of you who know me--Food Network, but it was replaced by BBC America around 2000 and for many years that was my go-to network, the one spot on the metaphorical dial that I could always depend on for diverting fare, soothing background noise, or a sense of the familiar and comforting.

For whatever the reason, sadly, that's not the case anymore and--shock, horror--I've actually gone so far as to remove BBC America from my list of TiVo favorite channels as it's become a 24-hour network showcasing little other than Star Trek: The Next Generation, Top Gear, and repeats of three ubiquitous Gordon Ramsay reality series. (Three standouts this year: crime drama Luther, reality series The Choir, and culinary competition series Come Dine with Me all had short runs, unfortunately, and Doctor Who can't run all year long.)

But that's a rant for another post (and, believe me, it's coming).

What I am curious about is whether you have a specific network that fulfills those needs and just what network that might be. Are you addicted to USA? Hooked on HBO? Famished for Food Network? Drawn to Cartoon Network? Ingratiated towards IFC? Perpetually amazed by AMC?

Head to the comments section to discuss and debate.

Channel Surfing: Amy Ryan Nabs In Treatment Role, Jessalyn Gilsig Talks Glee, Sanaa Lathan Spies Tilda, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Amy Ryan (The Office, The Wire) has landed a role on Season Three of HBO's psychiatric drama In Treatment, where she will play the new therapist for Gabriel Byrne's Paul. That role was formerly supplied by Dianne Wiest's Gina, who was Paul's mentor/psychotherapist for the first two seasons. (Wiest has departed the series.) [Editor: it's about high time that Ryan had a regular gig on a series. She's been a favorite since her turn on The Wire as Beadie, so it's only fitting that she returns to HBO for In Treatnment.] (Deadline)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an interview with Glee's Jessalyn Gilsig, who plays Will's scheming ex-wife Terri. So will Terri be returning for Season Two of Glee? And just what was up with her potentially inappropriate interest in Finn (Cory Monteith)? While Gilsig admits that she hasn't yet received her official pickup from FOX for next season, she did discuss what happened with Finn in this week's episode ("Funk"). "What happened was completely by accident," Gilsig told E! Online about Terri's relationship with Finn. "She sees in Finn so much of what she saw in Will when she first met him because he's the same age as Will was. It's her way of remembering happier times—when she used to be kind to Will. And she realizes, here's a chance to be supportive of this kid." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Sanaa Lathan (Nip/Tuck) is the latest actor to board HBO's comedy pilot Tilda, which stars Diane Keaton, Jason Patric, and Ellen Page, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Lathan will play Sasha Litt, described as "a mysterious new head of operations that RMG head Andrew Brown (Jason Patric) brings in to work at the studio." Production on the pilot, written by Cynthia Mort and directed by Bill Condon, is slated to get underway soon in Los Angeles. (Deadline)

ABC won't be coming to the rescue of cancelled CBS comedy series The New Adventures of Old Christine after talks broke down between ABC and studio Warner Bros. Television. "The network had showed strong interest in picking up Old Christine for the past three years," writes Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "But when the show finally became available this year, a deal proved impossible to make as ABC was said to be unwilling to pay the high license fee needed to keep the veteran comedy series going." Which means that the Old Christine episode that aired May 12th will in fact serve as the series finale. (Deadline)

SPOILER! Leonard Nimoy has hinted that he might be returning to FOX's Fringe, despite the fact that his character, William Bell, appeared to have died in the season finale. "Do I think William Bell is really dead?" said Nimoy in a video on the official website. "This is science fiction. I have died in science fiction many times and somehow magically or scientifically come back. Given that he has disintegrated, what happens in the future remains to be seen." [Editor: his conjecture would also cast doubts upon Nimoy's "retirement" from acting as well.] (via Digital Spy)

What, was the title Conveyor Belt of Doom already taken? Chris Jericho will serve as host of ABC's "extreme game show" Downfall, set to air launch June 22nd. Series, which has been ordered for six episodes, will feature "contestants try to answer questions while on the roof of a Los Angeles high-rise. Meanwhile, 'the largest conveyor belt ever seen on TV' will send potential winnings (cash and prizes), the player's personal possessions and even friends and family over the side of the building." (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC Universal has signed a two-year overall deal with writer Lisa Zwerling (FlashForward), under which she will join the staff of NBC's upcoming drama series The Event as a consulting producer and develop new projects for Universal Media Studios. "Lisa is a breath of fresh air, so smart and passionate," said NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios drama exec VP Laura Lancaster told Variety. "We're impressed with her creative range and feel so fortunate she's decided to make UMS her home." (Variety)

"Sword of omens, give me sight beyond sight!" Cartoon Network has ordered a new animated series of ThunderCats (based on the much beloved 1980s animated series) from Warner Bros. Animation. "The update will combine swords and science with high-stakes battles as good and evil clash for the Stones of Power," writes The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. News comes after Cartoon Network gave a series order to animated superhero project Green Lantern. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC Worldwide America has hired former Nickelodeon executive Herb Scannell has the new president of U.S. operations, where he will oversee digital channel BBC America as well as BBC Worldwide America's US-based studio and production entity. "I would assume (BBC America) has more original shows launching than any other channel in cable TV," Scannell told Variety. "That's just by nature, given the number of shows coming from the BBC that haven't aired here in the States. I do have an interest in supplementing that with made-in-America shows that kind of have the three major attributes that make a BBC show: That they're smart, innovative and irreverent. Those are the key building blocks to think about programming wise and in branding." (Variety)

After nearly 40 years, the axe has fallen on Roy Clarke's long-running British comedy series Last Of The Summer Wine, which will end its run after more than 30 seasons this year, BBC One confirmed. "Last Of The Summer Wine has been part of BBC One for nearly 40 years," said Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, in a statement. "This wonderful final series is a fitting farewell to these much loved characters and I am delighted some of the channel's other heritage brands will be helping to say goodbye in style." (BBC)

Frances Berwick has been promoted to president of Bravo, filling a position that has been empty since Lauren Zalaznick was promoted to president of NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks in 2008. [Editor: congrats, Frances!] (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: ABC Circles Alias Reboot, True Blood Werewolves, ABC Passes on Ghost Whisperer, Chuck, Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Could ABC be dipping its toes back in the Alias well? According to a story by E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos, ABC Studios is said to be considering a reboot of J.J. Abrams' Alias, which starred Jennifer Garner as superspy Sydney Bristow. "It's only very initial talk at this point, but I'm told that the development folks over at the Alphabet network are considering doing a new version of Alias that would borrow some elements of the original series," writes Dos Santos. "But the series would most likely not include any sort of complex mythological throughline such as the Rambaldi prophecy (a storyline that lost some of the fans). According to this source, ABC is hoping to hold onto its lost Lost audience with a re-envisioned J.J. Abrams series, in light of FlashForward not working out so well. (It was canceled last week.)" [Editor: Interestingly, ABC seems slow to get back into the superspy game, with NBC's Chuck already on the air and J.J. Abrams' own Undercovers heading to the network this fall. I also question the wiseness of rebooting a series that only ended a few seasons back and which is closely associated with a particular lead actress.] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

UPDATE: The Wrap is reporting that the potential Alias reboot would be for first-run syndication (a la Legend of the Seeker) rather than for primetime broadcast on ABC. "Network stressed to TheWrap that the talks are in very early stages, and that Jennifer Garner would not be in any way involved," writes The Wrap's John Consoli. (The Wrap)

USA Today's Bill Keveney has an interview with the cast of HBO's True Blood about the third season of the vampire drama, which launches next month and brings a slew of werewolves to Bon Temps.It's just another element added to the supernatural craziness of it all," said Anna Paquin. "There's no way you can ever get bored on a show like this. When you think you've seen it all and done it all, something weirder and wilder comes out of the woodwork." (USA Today)

It's time for Ghost Whisperer to fade into the afterlife. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that the CBS supernatural drama--which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt--will not be picked up by ABC. "After five wonderful seasons and over 100 episodes, we are disappointed to announce Ghost Whisperer will not be returning for a sixth season," said Ghost Whisperer executive producers Ian Sander and Kim Moses in a statement. "We’ve had an incredible experience and owe a debt of gratitude to everyone involved. We continue our relationship with ABC Studios and look forward to developing many more successful projects together in the future." ABC later confirmed the report via Variety's Michael Schneider. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Variety)

Jeffster! The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has an exclusive full-length look at the latest music video from Chuck's Jeffster, their hilariously low-rent version of Jon Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat has teased details about the two-part finale of his first season of Doctor Who to Doctor Who Magazine, which concludes with the provocatively titled two-parter "The Pandorica Opens"--which will feature a cliffhanger for the Time Lord (Matt Smith) and his latest traveling companion (Karen Gillan)--and "The Big Bang." "It's not just the cliffhanger for Episode 12," Moffat told Doctor Who Magazine. "It's like the cliffhanger for every single episode up until that point. This is where the wheels come off. Everything the Doctor is running from lands on his head today." (via Digital Spy)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that Alex Graves (Fringe) has signed on to direct the pilot for FOX's upcoming time travel/prehistoric drama Terra Nova, from executive producers Brannon Braga, Peter Chernin, and Steven Spielberg. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Little Britain creator/stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas are heading back to BBC One, with a new sketch comedy entitled Come Fly with Me, which will be set an airport and feature the comedy duo in a variety of guises. "It's thrilling that Matt and David's next big show will be on BBC One," said Jay Hunt, controller of BBC One. "They are uniquely talented comic writers and performers and Come Fly With Me is a wonderfully exciting idea." (BBC News)

Cartoon Network is prepping weekly animated series Green Lantern: The Animated Series. No information was immediately available other than the fact that the series will follow popular DC Comics character Green Lantern and will launch after this July's direct-to-DVD animated Green Lantern movie. (Hollywood Reporter)

Former Top Chef contestant Marcel Vigneron is heading to sci-fi territory. Syfy has announced that it has given series orders to three unscripted series, which it will launch later this year: Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, Paranormal Witness, and Face Off. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Ratings Report: The Boondocks Scores for Adult Swim

After a nearly two-year absence, Adult Swim's animated comedy The Boondocks returned Sunday night with a ratings smash.

The third season premiere of The Boondocks raked in 2.55 million viewers overall, the highest ratings for an original series at Cartoon Network's latenight imprint in over a year.

The episode also set new records for the series itself, breaking its previous ratings high in adults 18-34, adults 18-24, adults 18-49, women 18-34, and women 18-49.

Additionally, the broadcast also ranked number one in its time period across all key demos for basic cable, no mean feat for a series that's been off the air for two years now. (If that weren't enough, I'm also told that, since the show's premiere Sunday, the episode has also already been streamed over 200,000 times on AdultSwim.com.)

The full ratings release from Adult Swim can be found below.

Season Three Premiere of THE BOONDOCKS Sets Series Ratings Records;
Propels Adult Swim to #1 Among Target Young Adults
100th Episode of AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE Also Scores Significant Gains on Sunday Night

The Season 3 premiere of Aaron McGruder’s Peabody Award-winning animated series THE BOONDOCKS (Sunday, 11:30 p.m.) set several all-time series ratings records and anchored Adult Swim as the #1 ad-supported cable network among key young adult demos, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The first original episode since Feb. 4, 2008, THE BOONDOCKS charted its best performance to date among adults 18-34, men 18-24 and adults 18-49. The premiere also earned Adult Swim’s highest audience delivery on any Sunday night in the 11:30 p.m.-12 a.m. time period among adults 18-34 since Feb. 8, 2009, and adults 18-24 since Nov. 16, 2008. A total of 2.55 million viewers tuned in, the highest overall audience delivery for THE BOONDOCKS since the series’ first season in 2006.

Additional highlights for THE BOONDOCKS include:
· #1 telecast in the timeslot on all television among adults 18-34, adults 18-24, men 18-34 and men 18-24
· #2 program of the day on all television among adults 18-24, behind only Fox’s Family Guy presentation
· #8 among the Top 10 telecasts of the week on ad-supported cable among adults 18-34

Compared to the same time period in 2009, THE BOONDOCKS earned double and triple-digit gains among all targeted demos: adults 18-34 delivery (1,255,000) increased by 61% and ratings (1.8) by 64%; adults 18-24 delivery (835,000) increased by 104% and ratings (2.9) by 107%; adults 18-49 delivery (1,576,000) increased by 57% and ratings (1.3) by 50%; men 18-34 delivery (671,000) increased by 28% and ratings (2.0) by 33%; and men 18-24 delivery (498,000) increased by 102% and ratings (3.4) by 100%. Additionally, adults 18-49 delivery (1,576,000) increased by 57%.

Overall for the week, Adult Swim once again ranked #1 among all ad-supported cable networks for total day delivery of adults 18-34, adults 18-24, men 18-34 and men 18-24. Adults 18-34 delivery (510,000) grew by 15%, adults 18-24 delivery (304,000) grew by 30%, men 18-34 delivery (295,000) grew by 14% and men 18-24 delivery (181,000) grew by 27%. Adults 18-49 delivery (682,000) also grew by 13%.

Also on Sunday night, the 100th episode premiere of AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE (12 a.m.) earned remarkable delivery gains compared to the 2009 time period. Adults 18-34 delivery (989,000) jumped by 79%, adults 18-24 delivery (604,000) jumped by 99%, men 18-34 delivery (524,000) jumped by 42% and men 18-24 delivery (364,000) jumped by 98%. TIM AND ERIC AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB! (12:30 a.m.) earned significant delivery gains as well. Adults 18-34 delivery (464,000) improved by 37%, adults 18-24 delivery (284,000) improved by 44%, men 18-34 delivery (225,000) improved by 15% and men 18-24 delivery (160,000) improved by 52%.

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET, PT), Adult Swim shares channel space with Cartoon Network, home to the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families, and is seen in 97 million U.S. homes.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Channel Surfing: J.J. Abrams to Direct "Undercovers," Eric Dane and Kate Walsh Up for "Grey's" Crossover, Comedy Central Peels "Onion," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

J.J. Abrams is in talks to direct his NBC espionage drama pilot Undercovers for Warner Bros. Television, marking the first time that he has directed a pilot since the series premiere of ABC's Lost. Details of Undercovers, said to be about a husband-and-wife team of spies, have been kept tightly under wraps but several have described it as a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity. Project is written by Josh Reims (Felicity, Dirty Sexy Money), who will executive produce with Abrams and Bryan Burk. (Hollywood Reporter)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Shonda Rhimes' next Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice crossover will revolve around Eric Dane and Kate Walsh. "Mark summons Addison to Seattle Grace to perform a surgery on [a patient] (a.k.a. Leven Rambin)," writes Ausiello. "The storyline spills over into Private when, according exec producer Shonda Rhimes, 'complications arise and Mark ends up taking [her] back down to Los Angeles to get more surgery.'" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Comedy Central is producing a half-hour pilot based on The Onion's Onion Sports Network website. The potential series "is designed to appeal to both casual and hardcore fans of sports as well as the Onion's well-defined style of humor," according to Variety's Jon Weisman. Project will be executive produced by Julie Smith and Will Graham. (Variety)

HBO is developing half-hour drama series T, about a woman who is transitioning into a man via gender resassignment. Project will be written and executive produced by husband-and-wife team Dan Futterman and Anya Epstein, who have just been made executive producers on HBO's In Treatment. Ira Glass and Alissa Shipp will also executive produce. (Variety)

ABC is developing six projects with David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman's Mandeville, the shingle behind USA's Monk, including: workplace comedy Kegs, about a family that runs a beer distribution company from writers Jason Filardi and Mark Perez; drama Tarrytown, about a single mom who moves in with her brother and his daughter when they inherit their father's rundown house in Tarrytown, Texas, from writer R. Lee Fleming; crime drama 1-8-7 Detroit from writer Jason Richman; drama Dorchester Heights, about five friends in Boston whose friendship is put to the test when secrets spill out following the death of one of their close friends, from writer Nikki Toscano; and an untitled drama about a man in his forties who begins to live the life of a twenty-something after suffering a head injury, from writer Joy Gregory. Mandeville has a first-look deal with ABC. (Variety)

Cartoon Network has ordered its first two live-action scripted drama series, with action mystery Unnatural History and thriller Tower Prep getting the greenlight for thirteen episodes apiece. The first project revolves around a high schooler who, along with his charismatic cousin, finds himself caught up in mysteries surrounding the national museum; project was created by Mike Werb and will be produced by Warner Horizon. The latter, Tower Prep, follows a rebellious teen who awakens to find himself trapped at a mysterious prep school for students with "unique potential." Project is written and executive produced by Paul Dini for Cartoon Network Studios and Dolphin Entertainment. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has given a pilot order to crime drama Sugarloaf, about a former Chicago cop who is "kicked off the force after being shot by his ex-captain, who wrongfully accused him in having an affair with his wife. After receiving a payout, Longworth, an observant detective with a sly sense of humor, moves to a small Florida town and joins the state police." The titular cop will be played by Aussie actor Matt Passmore. Project, from Fox Television Studios, is written by Clifton Campbell, who will executive produce with Gary Randall, and will be directed by Peter O'Fallon. Elsewhere at the cabler, Jeffrey Nordling (24), John Heard (Southland), and Michael Arden (Kings) have been cast opposite Radha Mitchell in drama pilot The Quickening. (Hollywood Reporter)

Syndication news: CBS' crime procedural The Mentalist, produced by Warner Bros. Television, has been sold its off-network rights to TNT, who will begin airing the series weekly beginning in fall 2011 and then increase to a full syndication run the following year; price tag was said to be in the region of $2.2-2.3 million per episode. Elsewhere, USA locked up off-network rights to CBS' new series NCIS: LA for roughly the same price; the cabler will begin airing the series weekly in September 2011 and then in a daily strip in 2013. (Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood Reporter)

Former CBS Television Distribution executive Kathy Samuels has been hired as executive producer at Hasbro Studios, the TV production division of the toy manufacturer. (Variety)

Joe Schlosser has been promoted to SVP of NBC Entertainment Television Publicity. He'll report to Rebecca Marks. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Former NBC Entertainment topper Warren Littlefield has signed a deal with Doubleday for a memoir about his time at the Peacock, during which he had a hand in overseeing the development of "Must See TV" Thursdays. (Variety)

Scripps Networks Interactive have reached a deal with Cox Communication acquire a 65 percent stake in the Travel Channel, with the companies forming a joint venture that will act as an umbrella for Travel. Deal is expected to close by January. (Variety)

Stay tuned.