Channel Surfing: CBS Cans "Unit," "Eleventh," "Without a Trace," CW Orders "Melrose," "Vampire Diaries," "Beautiful Life," NBC Axes "Earl," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

CBS has opted to cancel dramas The Unit, Without a Trace, and Eleventh Hour and will renew dramas Cold Case and NUMB3RS and comedies The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried. (Hollywood Reporter)

CW has ordered three new drama series for next season, giving the greenlight to Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries, and The Beautiful Life, while Privileged, Reaper, Everybody Hates Chris, and The Game have all been officially cancelled. Meanwhile, the CW has announced that it will not go ahead with the planned spin-off of Gossip Girl but has indicated that drama Life Unexpected remains in contention for a midseason order. The network will unveil its schedule to advertisers tomorrow. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)

After NBC's cancellation of comedy series My Name is Earl, producers on the 20th Century Fox Television-produced series are said to be shopping it elsewhere, including to FOX and ABC. Series co-star Ethan Suplee has started a Save Our Show campaign on Twitter and urges fans of Earl to spread the word. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC Entertainment Group president Steve McPherson has defended the network's decision to move dramedy Ugly Betty to Friday nights, saying that it's not a sign that Betty is on her way to the grave. "I love the show [and] America [Ferrera] is one of our biggest stars," said McPherson. "[But] you look at [Betty's declining ratings on] Thursday night and we think we have a big opportunity with Flash Forward. You have to make some bold moves sometimes. To me, I'd love to see [Betty] have a great run on Friday night the way Ghost Whisperer has [for CBS]." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Meanwhile, My Name is Earl creator Greg Garcia lashed out at NBC, which announced that it was not bringing Earl back next season. "It’s hard to be too upset about being thrown off the Titanic," said Garcia, who said he intends to shop the series to other networks. "They woke me up at 7:30 to let me know. I e-mailed Jeff Zucker [president and chief executive of NBC Universal] on Sunday, and I never got a response. But this is show business. The writing was on the wall. When you go to bed the night before the schedule is out, and no one has spoken to you, you know what’s happening. You get somewhat frustrated with how it’s being handled, but that’s the business we work in. I’ve never fooled myself that it’s a fair or friendly business." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Richard Coyle (Coupling) will be recast on CBS' new series Miami Trauma. (Futon Critic via Twitter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talked with Privileged creator Rina Mimoun about the CW's decision not to bring back the series for a second season. "It's truly heartbreaking," Mimoun told Ausiello via e-mail. "I'm so grateful to everyone out there who supported our little show and fell in love with Megan Smith. She was the most delightful character I've ever had the pleasure to write and watching JoAnna Garcia bring her to life every day was a gift I will never forget. I'm incredibly proud of the work we did and forever indebted to all the fans, critics and to Warner Bros. for being so wonderful and supportive. I will miss this more than you know." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

A&E will launch Season Two of drama The Closer, starring Benjamin Bratt, on June 23rd. Guest stars for the upcoming series include Christine Lahti, Whoopi Goldberg, and Lori Petty. (via press release)

Nickelodeon has given a pilot order for a series based on DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens feature film. Also on tap for DreamWorks Animation: a Shrek Halloween special entitled Scared Shrekless and a Kung Fu Panda holiday special. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: ABC Cancels "Samantha Who," NBC Renews "Law & Order," CBS to Order at Least Seven Series, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

In a surprise twist, ABC has opted to cancel comedy series Samantha Who, after it was widely believed that the network would renew the Christina Applegate-led comedy. The reason behind the cancellation was budget-cutting by the network and the comedy series was unable to reduce its budget enough to make a third season financially viable for ABC. The network had attempted to transition Samantha to a multi-camera format from single-camera in efforts to cut as much as half a million dollars per episode. (Variety)

NBC has given out an eleventh hour renewal to long-running legal procedural Law & Order, bringing the series' total to twenty seasons, tying it with Gunsmoke for the longest running drama series on television. It's believed that the order is for sixteen episodes. NBC will unveil their fall schedule to advertisers later today. (Hollywood Reporter)

CBS is set to unveil its fall schedule to advertisers on Wednesday but some details are leaking out about which series will land a place on the lineup. CBS is said to have given series orders to the untitled NCIS spin-off (referred to by some outlets as NCIS: Legend), The Good Wife, Three Rivers, Miami Trauma, and comedy Accidentally on Purpose. All series got the go-ahead to start staffing, along with dramas House Rules and U.S. Attorney, a likely sign that the latter series will also be ordered to series, possibly for midseason. CBS also ordered an unscripted series called Undercover Boss, which follows an executive who goes undercover as an entry-level drone at their own company. It's also believed that Old Christine will return, possibly paired with Accidentally on Purpose, as will comedies Gary Unmarried and Rules of Engagement. (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)

Meanwhile, the CW is set to announce the addition of Melrose Place and Kevin Williamson-executive produced supernatural drama Vampire Diaries when it unveils its schedule on Thursday. Privileged, however, which had been rumored to get a second season renewal, will not go ahead at the network. (Los Angeles Times)

Following FOX's announcement that it would renew Dollhouse for a second season, The Live Feed's James Hibberd chatted with series creator Joss Whedon about the news and asked whether fans would notice if the budget were cut. "My hope is “No.” In the fifth year of “Angel” we cut our budget significantly, yet we built a completely new set, we had an episode set on a submarine in the ‘40s," said Whedon. "Nobody felt like it was a cut back. Ultimately if the stories aren’t involving and somebody is going, [snobbish voice] “This doesn’t look as expensive as the last episode,” then the person has strange priorities." As for what to expect next season, Whedon offered a few thoughts. "The last few episodes we got to play "the man behind the curtain" a lot. We did less of, “And this week, she’s a neurosurgeon!” Which we’ll still do to an extent, it’s part of the fun. But we got into what makes the place tick, what makes it wrong. It was less, “Murder She Was Imprinted to Write.” The episodes were more satisfying and the network responded to that. And we also responded to their ideas about pacing and it being more of a thriller and a conspiracy so they were seeing what they were hoping for when we got the aspect we were looking for." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Meanwhile, TV Guide.com's Matt Mitovich caught up with Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku to talk to her about the FOX series' renewal. "I was in Uganda the past two weeks. I landed Friday night about midnight, and when I touched down the first message was a text from Joss saying, "We're back on, kid! Get ready to raise hell!" [Laughs] It was a nice homecoming," said Dushku, who said that the reason the series returned for another season was down to the fans. "We are so grateful and just bowled over by the support and the love and the loyalty. We are so excited to do the second season because it took us until the last six or so episodes to hit our stride; now we get to really have some fun." (TVGuide.com)

Lifetime has ordered twelve episodes of comedy Sherri, starring The View's Sherri Shepherd as a woman who juggles being a single mother, a paralegal, and an actress. Series, from executive producers Sherri Shepherd, Terri Minksy, Nina Wass, and Gene Stein, does not yet have an air date. It also stars Tammy Townsend, Kali Rocha, Elizabeth Regan, and Kate Reinders. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan checks in with Friday Night Lights star Zach Gilford about his recent appearance on the season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, what is in store for his character next season on Friday Night Lights, and what's next for the actor. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Cabler G4 will launch two new series in the next few months. First up is The International Sexy Ladies Show, which launches June 7th and features comedians--such as Doug Benson, Steve Byrne, John Caparule, Mitch Fatel, Joy Koy, Sherrod Small, and Alex Zane--as they offer humor-based commentary on clips from around the world featuring women "participating in unusual activities." Ten episodes of the series, from Colour TV, are on tap. In August, the cabler will launch 2 Months, $2 Million, a reality competition series where "four online players will hunker down in a Las Vegas mansion and, using their own money, try to accumulate a vast amount of cash by competing against anonymous players on the Internet." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Dancing with the Upfronts: ABC Dumps "The Unusuals," FOX Officially Axes "Sarah Connor," CBS Renews "Cold Case"

While I am still over the moon about NBC's decision to renew Chuck for a third season this fall, this weekend didn't bring good news for fans of several series.

ABC has confirmed that it will not be renewing freshman drama series The Unusuals for a second season. The Sony Pictures Television-produced series, created by Noah Hawley, had struggled in the ratings this season, launching in the post-Lost berth on Wednesdays at 10 pm (traditionally a show killer). ABC attempted to test The Unusuals in an alternate timeslot, airing one episode in a Tuesday slot at 10 pm but the series, about the cops in Manhattan's quirky 2nd Precinct, never quite gelled with audiences.

Which is a shame as the series offered a fantastic character study each week, some bizarro crimes, and one of the best ensembles on television today, with all of the actors--including Amber Tamblyn, Jeremy Renner, Adam Goldberg, Harold Perrineau, Kai Lennox, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Joshua Close, and Terry Kinney--turning in memorable and fully realized performances. The Unusuals is slated to wrap its first season run with a handful of unaired episodes beginning May 27th.

Meanwhile, FOX has finally confirmed what many have known for some time now: it has terminated Sarah Connor Chronicles. The series, from Warner Bros. Television, will not be returning for a third season, despite an outpouring of fan support for another go-around.

While it seemed like on-the-bubble Privileged, which wrapped its freshman season earlier this year, could be returning for a second season on the CW, it's now thought to be extremely unlikely that Privileged will return.

CBS reached a deal with studio Warner Bros. Television to renew cop procedural Cold Case for a seventh season this fall. However, it's thought very unlikely that fellow procedural Without a Trace will return.

And should NBC not be decide in the eleventh hour to renew supernatural drama Medium, CBS has reached a deal with sister studio CBS Television Studios (formerly CBS Paramount Network Television) to pick up the Patricia Arquette-led drama, much like ABC picked up Scrubs after NBC passed on continuing the series.

Meanwhile, ABC has a deal in place to pick up The New Adventures of Old Christine, should CBS not renew, but it's thought that Old Christine will get a spot on CBS' fall schedule, after all.

Stay tuned.

Dancing with the Upfronts: ABC Orders Eight More New Series, Renews "Better Off Ted," "Castle," and "Scrubs"

A few days ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers on Tuesday, ABC indicated several early pickups and renewals, creating a diverse slate of programming that includes six new dramas and two new comedies (in addition to several already previously announced) and a slew of surprising renewals.

ABC has gone ahead and reportedly handed out series orders to dramas The Forgotten, Happy Town, The Associates (which is also being referring to by some outlets as The Deep End), and Eastwick and comedies Cougar Town, Hank (a.k.a. Awesome Hank), and The Middle.

An updated version of sci-fi cult hit V, from The 4400 creator Scott Peters, is said to be on tap for midseason, though as of press time discussions are still ongoing between the network and studio Warner Bros. Television about the episodic order, with ABC said to have offered six episodes in a limited series format and the studio pushing for a larger episodic count.

The series pickups come on the heels of ABC's announcement last week that it had ordered ensemble sci-fi drama Flash Forward and comedy Modern Family to series.

Additionally, the Alphabet has announced renewals for freshman drama series Castle, starring Nathan Fillion, and comedies Scrubs and Better Off Ted, the latter of which made me jump with joy. (I had seriously considered a Ted a goner.)

Not such good news, however, for fans of ABC's freshman drama The Unusuals, which is not expected to return next season. (As I consider myself one of the series' few devoted viewers, it is bad news indeed.)

Scrubs is returning next season with Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, and Neil Flynn set to reprise their roles on the long-running comedy series. Zach Braff has signed on to appear in six episodes in order to help the series transition into a new storylines. However, one fly in the ointment: E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that Sarah Chalke has yet to sign a similar deal and Judy Reyes is not yet under contract to return and "would more than likely be billed as a guest star." Additionally, series creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence is reportedly looking into altering the series' single-camera format as well, likely in order to reduce costs.

Castle and Better Off Ted, meanwhile, are both expected to return next season with thirteen episodes a piece. Given the number of comedies which were either ordered to series or renewed, it seems extremely likely that ABC will look to expand its comedy offerings to more than one evening next season. (Just don't expect any pickups for comedy pilots Canned, No Heroics, and Best Thing Ever, all of which are said to be out of the running completely.)

Looking for some more info on ABC's new series, expected to be announced on Tuesday? Look no further.

Flash Forward, from ABC Studios and creators Brannon Braga (24) and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight), follows a group of diverse strangers across the planet after a strange incident renders the entire planet's population unconscious for two minutes and seventeen seconds, during which they all glimpse into a period six months into their own future. A group of FBI agents attempts to construct a pattern of this occurence--codenamed The Mosaic--and find out its origins and just what these fragments are trying to tell them. Series stars Joseph Fiennes (Pretty/Handsome), John Cho (Star Trek), Jack Davenport (Swingtown), Sonya Walger (Lost), Zachary Knighton (Life on a Stick), Peyton List (Mad Men), Courtney B. Vance (ER), and Christine Woods (Welcome to the Captain). (For more on Flash Forward, you can read my advance review of the pilot script from December here.)

The Forgotten, from Warner Bros. Television and Jerry Bruckheimer Films & Television, stars Reiko Aylesworth (24), Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks), Rochelle Aytes (Drive), Michelle Borth (Tell Me You Love Me), Anthony Carrigan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), and Bob Stephenson (Jericho) and revolves around a group of amateur crimefighters who belong to a group called the Identity Network that seeks to solve John Doe murder cases and bring their killers to justice.

Happy Town, from ABC Studios and executive producers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg (all of whom worked on ABC's Life on Mars this season), focuses on a seemingly idyllic small town in Minnesota (nicknamed "Happy Town"), only just recoved after a slew of child abductions seven years earlier, is once again shaken to its core when another crime occurs. The series' ensemble cast includes Geoff Stults (October Road), Amy Acker (Dollhouse), John Patrick Amedori (Gossip Girl), Lauren German (Hostel: Part II), Sarah Gadon (Being Erica), Sam Neill (The Tudors), Dean Winters (Rescue Me), Robert Wisdom (The Wire), and Jay Paulson (October Road).

The Associates (a.k.a. The Deep End), from 20th Century Fox Television, was originally developed for this season and then retooled. Written and executive produced by David Hemingson (Kitchen Confidential), it follows a group of young associates and the well-dressed partners at a high-profile and cutthroat Los Angeles law firm both in and out of the office. It stars Tina Majorino (Big Love), Billy Zane (Samantha Who?), Ben Lawson (Neighbours), Matthew Long (Jack & Bobby), Clancy Brown (Carnivale), Norbert Leo Butz (Dan in Real Life), Leah Pipes (Life is Wild), and Sherri Saum (In Treatment).

Eastwick, from Warner Bros. Television, writer Maggie Friedman, and director David Nutter, is based on the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick and follows a group of very different women in small town New England who are blessed (or is it cursed?) with supernatural powers and whose lives become intimately entangled with a devilishly seductive mystery man. The series stars Rebecca Romjin (Ugly Betty), Jaime Ray Newman (Veronica Mars), Lindsay Price (Lipstick Jungle), Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect), Ashley Benson (Days of Our Lives), Veronica Cartwright (The Nine), Paul Gross (Slings and Arrows) and Johann Urb (Dirt).

V, from writer/executive producer Scott Peters (The 4400), is expected to bow midseason as a limited "event" series and is based on the cult 1980s series about an alien invasion by manipulative reptilian aliens (albeit disguised behind human-like flesh) known as The Visitors. The series stars Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Morena Baccarin (Firefly), Joel Gretsch (The 4400), Morris Chestnut (The Perfect Holiday), Scott Wolf (The Nine), Alan Tudyk (Dollhouse), Lourdes Benedicto (Cashmere Mafia), and Logan Huffman (America).

Cougar Town, from Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, stars Courteney Cox (Dirt) as a newly divorced 40-year-old Florida realtor who faces reentry to the dating scene after raising a 17-year-old son (Dan Byrd). Series, from ABC Studios, also stars Christa Miller (Scrubs), Ian Gomez (Felicity), Josh Hopkins (Swingtown), Busy Phillipps (ER), and Brian Van Holt (John From Cincinnati).

Hank (a.k.a. Awesome Hank), from Warner Bros. Television and writer/executive producer Tucker Cawley (Everybody Loves Raymond), revolves around a laid-off Wall Street executive (Kelsey Grammer) who is forced on hard times and must return to his hometown with his wife and kids and reconnect with his family. Series also stars David Koechner (American Dad), Melinda McGraw (Mad Men), Macey Cruthird (Hope & Faith), and Ryan Wynott (Tell Me You Love Me).

The Middle, also from Warner Bros. Television and creators Eileen Heisler and Deanne Heline (Lipstick Jungle), was originally developed for ABC several years ago as a Ricki Lake vehicle. This time around it stars Patricia Heaton (Back to You), Neil Flynn (Scrubs), Charlie McDermott (Frozen River), Atticus Shafer (The Unborn), and Eden Sher (Sons & Daughters) as the members of a typical middle-class American family living in the Mid-west.

Modern Family, from 20th Century Fox Television and creators Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd (Back to You), tracks the lives of three American families--one a traditional nuclear family, one a gay couple with an adopted Vietnamese baby, and the last an older man with a young Latina wife--as they are filmed by a Dutch documentary crew. Series stars Ed O'Neil (John from Cincinnati), Ty Burrell (Back to You), Sofia Vergara (Dirty Sexy Money), Julie Bowen (Boston Legal), Eric Stonestreet (This Might Hurt), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Do Not Disturb), Sarah Hyland (Lipstick Jungle), Nolan Gould (Eleventh Hour), and Ariel Winter (ER).

Earlier this year, ABC announced renewals for such series as Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, America's Funniest Home Videos, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing with the Stars, Ugly Betty, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Supernanny, and Wife Swap.

ABC will unveil its full schedule to advertisers on Tuesday.

Channel Surfing: FOX Renews "Dollhouse," "Bones" Gets Two Season Pickup, "So You Think You Can Dance" on Tap for Fall, and More

Welcome to (a very early edition of) your Monday morning television briefing on the first day of the 2009 network upfronts.

In a surprising twist, FOX has renewed drama series Dollhouse for a second season. Dollhouse, which secured a thirteen-episode order from the network, is expected to remain on Friday evenings next season. Variety's Cynthia Littleton writes, "The 20th Century Fox TV fantasy drama starring Eliza Dushku has delivered modest but consistent ratings on a low-trafficked night, thanks to Whedon's built-in fan base." It's believed that the renewal was secured after the studio agreed to drastically reduce the series' budget and accept a significantly lower license fee. Just what that decision will mean for the writing staff and cast of Dollhouse remains to be seen. (Variety)

Good news for Bones fans (even those irked by the season finale's twist): FOX and studio 20th Century Fox Television have signed a deal to renew Bones for not one but two seasons. The eleventh hour renewal came down to the wire as the two sides had to hammer out a new license fee for the series, which is returning for its fifth season this fall. News of Bones' renewal was announced by creator Hart Hanson via his Twitter account. Hanson also indicated that frequent guest star Stephen Fry would reprise his role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the series. "There is every chance," said Hart, again via Twitter, "that Stephen Fry will be on Bones in the future." (Variety)

Elsewhere at FOX, the network is expected to announce a first-ever fall outing for reality franchise So You Think You Can Dance next season, likely to be paired with drama Glee on Wednesdays. Other potential timeslot pairings include House and Lie to Me on Mondays,Fringe and Human Target on Tuesdays, and Bones and So You Think You Can Dance's result show on Thursday. Just what will be paired with Dollhouse on Fridays? Past Life perhaps? Meanwhile, comedies Brothers and Sons of Tucson are expected to bow in midseason. (Hollywood Reporter)

Still more FOX news: FOX has ordered 13 episodes of comedy Brothers, starring Michael Strahan, Darryl "Chill" Mitchell, and CCH Pounder. Series, from Sony Pictures Television and Tantamount, revolves around the strained relationship between two brothers, one a retired NFL player (Strahan) and other a wheelchair bound man (Mitchell) whose own dreams of NFL glory were sidelined by a car accident. Meanwhile, drama Maggie Hill is said to still be in contention for a midseason slot. (Hollywood Reporter)

CBS has reportedly given a go-ahead to begin staffing on three new drama series, making their official series orders all the more likely later this week. The untitled NCIS spin-off, medical drama Three Rivers (starring Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin), and legal drama The Good Wife (starring Julianna Margulies), all of which hail from CBS Television Studios (formerly known as CBS Paramount Network Television) have all been told to begin staffing ahead of CBS' official upfront presentation on Wednesday. (Variety)

Meanwhile, Nikki Finke is reporting that CBS has given medical drama Miami Trauma a greenlight to start staffing and that the Eye is considering launching U.S. Attorney in midseason. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

ABC has renewed reality series True Beauty for a second season. Project, from executive producers Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher, featured ten handsome contestants who live together in a house and undergo a series of challenges to determine which of them has the most inner beauty. (Futon Critic)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a fantastic interview/profile of Jane Lynch, currently on the small screen in Starz's Party Down and FOX's Glee. Lynch said that Party Down, created by Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd, was the most fun she'd had in her life. "It’s what I really love to do. I love being part of a team where everybody’s kind of got equal weight, Lynch told Ryan. "It’s about teamwork. There’s really no room for the big ego-trip thing that you hear about." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

SPOILER: Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello catches up with Prison Break executive producer Matt Olmstead after Friday evening's season finale to discuss the shocking ending of the series, which saw the death of Wentworth Miller's Michael Scofield. "For me, it is a happy ending," Olmstead told Ausiello. "Look at the very first episode of the season when Michael realizes Sara's alive. They have a chance to run away, and they both elect not to because, as two people of conscience, they can't live with what they both now have experienced. And at the end of the finale, when they're on the beach and talking about the baby that's coming, that's a huge victory in that they both stood their ground and, with the help of other people, brought down the ultimate antagonist. So they have their moment." Olmstead also teases the plot of the two-hour direct-to-DVD Prison Break film, which is due to be released on July 28th. "Sara is on the hook for [killing] Michael's mother and she gets locked up while pregnant," said Olmstead. "The tables are turned… once a doctor in prison now imprisoned, and Michael's on the outside. The majority of the cast is back. It's Michael, Lincoln, Sara, Sucre, T-Bag, Mahone... all the heavy-hitters." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO has handed out a series order to animated series The Ricky Gervais Show, which will feature Gervais, his longtime writing partner and friend Stephen Merchant and the quirky Karl Pilkington, who has appeared with Gervais and Merchant on their podcast and will be the focal point for the series. Series, which has been ordered for thirteen episodes, hails from Media Rights Capital and Wildbrain and is expected to launch in 2010. "Karl is a man who believes that a sea lion is a cross between a fish and a dog," said Gervais and Merchant in a statement. "Hopefully, Karl will enter the pantheon of animated greats."(Variety)

Reports are swirling that ITV sci-fi drama Primeval, which airs Stateside on BBC America and Sci Fi, could birth a spin-off of its own. Executive producers Jonathan Drake and Tim Haines have reportedly begun drafting plans for a second Primeval-based project that could expand the series' mythology outside the UK and could be set in the United States. (Digital Spy)

Former CSI castmember Jorja Fox will guest star on an upcoming episode of Lifetime's dramedy Drop Dead Diva, which premieres July 12th. Fox will play a "soccer mom with a criminal past" on an episode of the Lifetime series about a dead model who is reborn into the body of an overweight attorney. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

20th Century Fox Television has signed a deal with Columbia Records to release music from the upcoming series Glee on iTunes and other digital platforms as well as on compact disc. (Hollywood Reporter)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin talks with Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr about what's to come on the CW drama series. Szohr teases that Vanessa will definitely get over Nate ditching her for Blair and that there could be the potential for another encounter with Chuck Bass. "Obviously, Vanessa's a little bit hurt because that's her boyfriend, but what comes around goes around, so I'm sure Vanessa will be all right. [...] Vanessa hates Chuck... that's what's fun about it. We'll see." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

FOX and animation studio Aniboom have teamed up on a contest where animates can submit short films. The prize: a development deal at FOX and the opportunity to create the "next great animated holiday special" or, potentially, a weekly series. "FOX has long been the sole primetime animation powerhouse, and we're searching for a fresh new animated holiday special that could potentially become an instant classic and maybe even a weekly series," said FOX president Kevin Reilly. "By tapping into Aniboom's community of undiscovered talent, we hope to find the next original hit holiday concept, like Simpsons Treehouse of Horror or A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas." (Hollywood Reporter)

Ryan Seacrest has indicated that there could be some major changes in store for next season of FOX's American Idol. "I don't know what they'll do next year. I don't know if they'll keep the tweaks that they've made this season or if they're going to implement new ones," Seacrest told Broadcasting & Cable's Marisa Guthrie. "But it's no secret that Simon is thinking about it being his last season. Everyone's deal is up next year except for Paula's." (Broadcasting & Cable)

CBS Television Studios have signed a two-year first-look deal with Drew Carey, currently the host of daytime game show The Price Is Right. Under the terms of the deal, Carey will develop projects via his International Mammoth TV shingle. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

NBC Infront News, Plus Fighting the Good Fight for "Chuck"

There wasn't much in the way of news at yesterday's NBC Infront, which I attended at the Globe Theatre on the Universal backlot, although I will say that I did tell Ben Silverman to please renew Chuck. (Yep, right to his face.)

The second annual NBC Infront presentation, overseen by Ben Silverman, Mike Pilot, Dick Ebersol, Angela Bromstad, Vivi Zigler, and Paul Telegdy, was pretty similar to the one given in New York last week (and likely the one in Chicago as well).

Silverman said that the fall schedule was still not locked and urged advertisers to speak up about their support for bubble series like Chuck and that there were still negotiations going on behind-the-scenes on these series. After hearing Silverman (and confronting him later on the red carpet), I do feel like NBC will be bringing back Chuck... if they can reach a financial agreement that makes sense for all concerned parties.

Silverman's reaction to my heartfelt pleas to renew Chuck certainly indicated that he's not only aware of the fan and critical support for the series. (Silverman smiled and laughed and turned to the head of NBC Agency and said, "*This* is what I am talking about!") Methinks that the advertiser love has certainly improved Chuck's chances, but it's all going to come down to dollars and cents at this point. Still, no decision is still good news at this point.

Much of NBC's presentation focused on the controversial decision to schedule Jay Leno five nights a week at 10 pm and execs were quick to point out that the move is not bringing late night to 10 pm, but rather Jay Leno to primetime. Silverman said that Jay Leno is "topical, live on tape, comedic, and branded" and said that the use of Leno at 10 pm weeknights would allow NBC to "schedule more aggressively and surgically between 8 and 10 pm."

Trailers were shown for each of the new scripted series which include Trauma, Mercy, Parenthood, Day One, and comedies Community and 100 Questions. With the exception of a new trailer for Jesse Alexander-created Day One (which I have yet to see anywhere online), the clips were very similar (or identical, in some cases) to those shown to advertisers in New York. Particular mention was paid to unscripted series such as I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, The Marriage Ref, and Who Do You Think You Are?, as well as the Vancouver Olympic Games.

Silverman said that having a "focused lineup between 8 and 10 pm" will allow the network to "build themes across nights." It's still not clear what those themes will be but Silverman offered a slight taste of what we can expect to find on NBC each night, ahead of the release of the official schedule next week.

Mondays: Heroes and a new series (as yet undetermined)
Tuesdays: Biggest Loser
Wednesdays: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Thursdays: Comedies, including six episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (which Silverman seemed to indicate would air at 8 pm)
Fridays: High-end scripted programs
Saturdays: Drama Encores, Dateline, Saturday Night Live
Sundays: Football, special events like Golden Globes

Execs also heralded the return of freshman series Southland and Parks and Recreation, which it lauded as upholding the high comedic bar set by 30 Rock. (The series' Aziz Ansari and Ben McKenzie, meanwhile, were on hand to open the event and introduce Mike Pilot and Ben Silverman.) Silverman pointed to patience with comedy paying off, believing that Parks and Recreation could join the ranks of slow-to-catch-on NBC comedies like Seinfeld, The Office, and 30 Rock, and said their mission was to offer programming to "inform, entertain, and inspire."

Responding to a question from an advertiser, Angela Bromstad was quick to say that she didn't anticipate any content-related issues at the 8 pm or 9 pm hours stemming from such post-watershed series like Law & Order: SVU airing at an earlier hour. Silverman himself said that Law & Order: SVU now plays around the country around the clock and they did not anticipate any issues with airing the series before 10 pm.

NBC will announce its schedule and any additional series renewals and pickups on May 19th.

Dancing with the Upfronts: Rounding Up the Buzz on Pilots at ABC, FOX, CBS, and CW

The networks aren't expected to announce their schedules until the week of May 18th, but ABC got a jump on the competition yesterday by announcing that they had given an early pickup to single-camera comedy Modern Family, from writer/executive producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, giving the series an initial thirteen-episode commitment.

Looking extremely likely for a series order at ABC is drama Flash Forward, especially given the fact that ABC has already launched an on-air viral campaign for the series with its "What did you see?" tagline. ABC executives are slated to screen the pilot and it's a given that Flash Forward will make it on the schedule. Other slots on the schedule could go to such drama projects as Happy Town, V, Limelight, Empire State, The Unknown, or Eastwick.

On the comedy front Awesome Hank (formerly known as Untitled Kelsey Grammer) is looking positive as are Ricky Blitt's Romantically Challenged (formerly known as Single With Baggage) and Bill Lawrence's comedy Cougar Town, though I've also heard some negative buzz forming about the latter. I'm hearing from several sources that comedies Pulling, Best Thing Ever, and The Law turned out decent but not spectacularly, although ABC's redo on The Middle screened very well. It seems like there's no hope for comedies No Heroics and Canned, however.

Meanwhile, several ABC pilots have gotten some title changes, with Lauren Graham's untitled comedy pilot reverting back to Let It Go (its original moniker), the untitled Tad Quill pilot now getting retitled as Best Thing Ever, the untitled Anita Renfroe pilot will now be called Bless This Mess, and Don't Try This at Home is now entitled Married Not Dead.

Meanwhile over at CBS, looking likely for a pickup is legal drama The Good Wife, starring Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles, Christine Baranski, Matt Czuchry, and Archie Panjabi, and the untitled NCIS spin-off is a lock, whereas the jury is deadlocked on the fate of medical dramas Three Rivers and Miami Trauma.

Hot comedies at the Eye are said to include Accidentally on Purpose, Happiness Isn't Everything, and Waiting to Die.

FOX is said to be extremely high on Simon West-directed action pilot Human Target, starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Jackie Earle Haley, which is based on a DC Comics title. Meanwhile, medical drama Maggie Hill, starring Stuart Townsend, Christina Cole, Alfre Woodard, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Luke Mably, Denis O'Hare, and Anna Rose Hopkins, and supernatural drama Past Life (formerly known as The Reincarnationist) also said to be in contention.

On the comedy side, Sons of Tucson has emerged with the biggest buzz and Brothers and Cop House are said to be in contention as well. Reaction was mixed to Mitch Hurwitz and Christine Zander's US adaptation of British series Ab Fab, which here stars Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Johnston, Zosia Mamet, and Toni Trucks. I'm also hearing that Two Dollar Beer is stone cold and there's nothing to see on The Station, Walorsky, and Firsts, none of which have shot yet.

The revival of Melrose Place is considered a lock for the CW's fall schedule, so no surprise there that the netlet will go ahead with another update of a classic soap series.

Rather surprisingly, Privileged could get a second season renewal, thus tying up some of the available real estate at the CW. The Beautiful Life, from executive producer Ashton Kutcher, is looking strong, as are Kevin Williamson-adapted supernatural drama Vampire Diaries and Light Years. One fly in the ointment, however, is that Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke is claiming that the untitled Gossip Girl spin-off, which would focus on a teenage Lily Rhodes (Brittany Snow) in the 1980s, is "now dead." Or is it? E! Online is reporting that the project is not dead. ("Nothing is dead," says E! Online's unnamed network source close to the network.)

The CW is out of the comedy game, so there were no comedy pilot orders this season and the CW is closing up shop with The Game and Everybody Hates Chris taking a bow this month.

NBC Announces Six New Series, Renews Four Returning Series... But No News for "Chuck"

NBC unveiled part of its plan for the 2009-2010 season just a few hours ahead of its infront presentation to advertisers in New York.

The Peacock ordered six new series including dramas Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy, and Day One (described as an "event series") and comedies 100 Questions and Community.

NBC also officially announced that it had renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation, as well as ordering six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.

As expected, there was no mention of on the bubble series like Chuck, Law & Order, and My Name is Earl, although the network was quick to acknowledge that additional renewals and pickups will be announced May 19th, when NBC announces its full 2009-2010 schedule. (Also missing: Medium, which some news outlets had reported as already being renewed.)

It's a rather full offering (with the potential for further orders), considering that NBC has lost its 10 pm hour during the week. Just how all of these series, along with the slew of programs that the Peacock had already renewed ahead of its infront presentation (including The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Biggest Loser,Celebrity Apprentice, and Friday Night Lights), will fit into the complicated rubric that is NBC's primetime schedule remains to be seen.

The full press release from NBC, along with descriptions, photos, and featurettes about the new series, can be found below.

NBC ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS LINEUP OF PROGRAMMING DOMINATED BY NEW SCRIPTED SERIES FOR 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SEASON THAT EXTENDS THE NETWORK'S QUALITY BRAND

New Series Include Four Dramas: Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the Event Series Day One as Well as Two Comedies: Community and 100 Questions

Returning Series Pickups Include Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and Six New Episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday

NEW YORK CITY – May 4, 2009 – NBC unveiled today a strong lineup of broad and diverse quality programming for the 2009-2010 television season announcing the pickups of six new series featuring four new dramas including Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the event series Day One, as well as two new comedies including Community and 100 Questions. Four returning series pickups were also announced today including Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and the addition of six new episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday skewering today's top stories in live half-hour primetime shows.

The new and returning series will launch next season and the epic event series Day One is slated to premiere out of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The Jay Leno Show will be broadcast Monday-Fridays, 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in the fall. Previously announced series pickups include The Office, 30 Rock, The Biggest Loser, The Celebrity Apprentice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Friday Night Lights, and new alternative series The Marriage Ref, Breakthrough With Tony Robbins and Who Do You Think You Are?

Additional series pickups will be announced May 19, when NBC announces its 2009-2010 schedule.

NBC unveiled pickups for the upcoming broadcast season in the first of a series of presentations today and tomorrow to key advertisers from Studio 8H-the home of NBC's Saturday Night Live-at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Presentations will continue in Chicago on May 7 and Los Angeles on May 12.

"We are thrilled to be announcing such an awesome slate of new series that build on our existing quality brand and deliver emotional, human stories," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC will strive to make viewers feel and our shows represent the full range of human emotion from laughter to tears. We can't wait to share these concepts with our audience and our advertising partners."

"These new series will showcase fresh talent and bold, original concepts that are extremely well executed," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "We are grateful to the producers, casts and crews -- and our team -- who have delivered incredibly compelling and entertaining new series."
In response to an evolving media marketplace and the changing needs of advertisers, NBC has created a more innovative, client-centric approach to its traditional Upfront with a series of one-on-one client presentations, which began today in New York City. These presentations are interactive and, unlike other networks' Upfront presentations, will include a Q & A with advertisers and NBC sales and entertainment executives.

NBC will also host advertisers and affiliates at a "Night of Comedy" featuring appearances by some of its biggest comedy stars including Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Rainn Wilson and Tracy Morgan on Tuesday, May 19 in New York City.

2009-2010 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New Dramas:

PARENTHOOD

From the executive producers of the box-office hit Parenthood -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.



TRAUMA

Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.



MERCY

"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.



DAY ONE

From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.



New Comedies:

100 QUESTIONS (fka 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne)

Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.



COMMUNITY

From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.



Stay tuned.