New NBC Drama Series (cancelled, movie, Law & Order, heroes)

[tigerlily]

Sigh. Scrubs may be cancelled. Why is ER still on the air? What was the point after Clooney left? LOL. For those that liked Robin Weigert (me)as Calamity Jane in Deadwood and Kevin McKidd (me, also) as Lucius Vorenus in Rome they'll be back in two new drama series. Adam Arkin is one of my favorites. I would never have thought to read Bushnell's books, but I sure enjoyed "Sex in the City".


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/11/bu...gewanted=print

...
The network has not yet made decisions on two long-running hits — “Law & Order” and its spinoff, “Criminal Intent” — but it has decided on some other series that had been considered in danger of cancellation. “Friday Night Lights,” which was among the best-reviewed shows of this season, though not a ratings success, will be renewed. So will the drama “Vegas,” which is adding Tom Selleck to its cast.

But NBC will cancel the dramas “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “The Black Donnellys” and “Crossing Jordan.” It also is likely to pass up another year of the comedy “Scrubs,” which has become prohibitively expensive.

NBC will fill many of the holes with the new dramas. The network has yet to order any new comedies, though it probably will add one of three potential entries by Monday.

The drama that is certain to get the most instant recognition is “Bionic Woman,” a 21st-century remake of the 1970s series. This one stars Michelle Ryan as an accident victim remade with bionic parts who is embroiled in a secret government project, which also includes a previous bionic prototype, played by Katee Sackhoff. The series was once thought to be in trouble, but the pilot is now getting some of the strongest favorable reviews inside NBC.

NBC will have another science-fiction-based series in “Journeyman,” which stars Kevin McKidd (of “Rome”) as a happily married journalist in San Francisco who begins to travel back in time for reasons he cannot understand.

A third series with sci-fi elements is “Chuck,” in which a young computer whiz, played by Zachary Levi, becomes a reluctant government agent after information from a supercomputer is downloaded into his brain.

A new police drama called “Life” will star Damian Lewis, who had a lead role in HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” as a former police detective who returns to his old job after winning a huge cash settlement for a wrongful conviction for murder that sent him to prison for 12 years. Adam Arkin, once of “Chicago Hope,” and Robin Weigert of “Deadwood” are also in the cast.

The final new drama is “Lipstick Jungle,” based on the book by Candace Bushnell, whose previous book turned into the HBO hit “Sex and the City.” This show will cover similar territory, covering the lives of a group of successful professional women in New York. It stars Brooke Shields, Lindsay Price and Kim Raver, who most recently starred as Jack Bauer’s girlfriend in “24.”

Among the shows already renewed for next season are the comedies “The Office,” “Earl” and “30 Rock,” and the dramas “E.R.,” “Heroes,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Medium” and the game show “Deal or No Deal.”

The final decision on the other “Law & Order” series may not be made until next week, an NBC executive said.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by tigerlily

The network has not yet made decisions on two long-running hits — “Law & Order” and its spinoff, “Criminal Intent”

I thought Criminal Intent was on CBS. No, wait. That’s Criminal Minds. There’s so many cops, lawyers, and doctors shows on TV I can’t keep them all straight. I solve the problem by not watching any of them.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

But NBC will cancel the dramas “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “The Black Donnellys” and “Crossing Jordan.”

No great loss on any of those.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

It also is likely to pass up another year of the comedy “Scrubs,” which has become prohibitively expensive.

That just makes me sad. I’m not entirely surprised though. SCRUBS is produced by Paramount, which NBC does not own, and in this world of mega-corporations, it’s just corporately incorrect to air a show you don’t own.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

The drama that is certain to get the most instant recognition is “Bionic Woman,” a 21st-century remake of the 1970s series. This one stars Michelle Ryan as an accident victim remade with bionic parts who is embroiled in a secret government project, which also includes a previous bionic prototype, played by Katee Sackhoff. The series was once thought to be in trouble, but the pilot is now getting some of the strongest favorable reviews inside NBC.

I’m just old enough to be excited by this.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

NBC will have another science-fiction-based series in “Journeyman,” which stars Kevin McKidd (of “Rome”) as a happily married journalist in San Francisco who begins to travel back in time for reasons he cannot understand.

Ugh. I love sci-fi. But that idea has been done to death.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

A third series with sci-fi elements is “Chuck,” in which a young computer whiz, played by Zachary Levi, becomes a reluctant government agent after information from a supercomputer is downloaded into his brain.

Wasn’t this a Disney movie with Kurt Russell back in the ’60s?

Originally Posted by tigerlily

A new police drama called “Life” will star Damian Lewis, who had a lead role in HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” as a former police detective who returns to his old job after winning a huge cash settlement for a wrongful conviction for murder that sent him to prison for 12 years. Adam Arkin, once of “Chicago Hope,” and Robin Weigert of “Deadwood” are also in the cast.

Sounds like a great cast, but do we really need another cop show? Now if he were a bionic cop in prison, I might watch.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

Among the shows already renewed for next season are the comedies “The Office,” “Earl” and “30 Rock,” and the dramas “E.R.,” “Heroes,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Medium” and the game show “Deal or No Deal.”

Still no word on Law & Order: Elevator Inspectors Unit.

Originally Posted by tigerlily

The final decision on the other “Law & Order” series may not be made until next week, an NBC executive said.

D’oh! I spoke too soon!

[tigerlily]

I also remember Bionic Woman - wasn't that a spinoff from Six Million Dollar Man? The only dramatic series I like involving cops is "The Wire". I hope Kevin McKidd will make the time traveler show worth watching.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by tigerlily

I also remember Bionic Woman - wasn't that a spinoff from Six Million Dollar Man?

You bet it was. When I was 5 years old, I wanted to be Steve Austin. "We can rebuild him!"

Originally Posted by tigerlily

The only dramatic series I like involving cops is "The Wire".

Agreed. The Wire is one of the best shows on TV. But it isn't what I would call a pure "cop show," because some of the best characters on that show are the crooks.

[missyM]

Oh my gosh!
Just the other day, my DH and I were trying to remember how the bionic woman got smashed up in the first place. We remember the $6M Man's accident, but not hers.

[pambeesly]

Yay, Scrubs is renewed for next year! I'm just not too sure about anything after this next season...

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by missyM

Oh my gosh!
Just the other day, my DH and I were trying to remember how the bionic woman got smashed up in the first place. We remember the $6M Man's accident, but not hers.

Parachuting accident.

And she was a tennis star. Which is what all Top Secret government agencies look for in spies.

[Tek_Freek]

Studio 60 was one of the best shows on NBC. They moan and groan because no one watches their channel. Well that was one of the very few shows that got me to turn to NBC. Not much left now.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Studio 60 was one of the best shows on NBC. They moan and groan because no one watches their channel. Well that was one of the very few shows that got me to turn to NBC. Not much left now.

I loved Sorkin's previous work -- A Few Good Men, Sports Night, The West Wing. But something about Studio 60 just never grabbed me. The writing was crisp as ever, and the cast was brilliant, but I can't think of a single character I cared about on the show. The most interesting character was Stephen Webber's character, and he was barely on it.

I might pick up the DVDs someday, but Studio 60 is honestly not a show I'm sorry to see go away.