MTV's "Teen Wolf" Renewed for a Fourth Season

 

Photo Credit: MTV

 

An early Halloween treat! The always entertaining Teen Wolf will return for a fourth season. The new episodes, 12 in all, will be accompanied by a weekly talk show, Wolf Watch, that will begin airing when the second half of the third season begins on January 6. In my opinion, any number of new episodes is a positive sign for the highly rated series. The fourth season is expected to air sometime later next year.

New Television Series Spotlight: "Reign" Debuts Tonight on The CW

Photo Credit: The CW

Perhaps the most unlikely series ever to air on The CW, Reign, premieres tonight at 9:00pm ET. Reign centers around the rise of Mary, Queen of Scots, who arrives in France to be with her soon to be husband, Prince Francis, and must deal with a sometimes dark world that she is not accustomed to. Since a historical drama is clearly a risk for The CW, I assume the pilot must have been great in order to receive a series order. As a result, I am intrigued and will be watching.

Nielsen Ratings for the Week of October 7, 2013: Football and Baseball Lift Fox

FOX managed to land in third place among the broadcast networks for the week of October 7, courtesy of football, baseball and its Monday night line-up of Bones and Sleepy Hollow. While trailing CBS and NBC, FOX snuck past ABC, which has work to do on Sunday nights with the declining Once Upon a Time and Revenge. Both series have seen noticeable viewer erosion since last year. Even veteran America's Funniest Home Videos was down, but when competing against a football overrun that is to be expected. Of course, all three series fared better than Betrayal, which scored less than three million viewers and will likely be cancelled any minute now.

NBC's combination of Sunday Night Football and The Voice helped the Peacock network to a second place finish, along with new entry The Blacklist, which continues to impress. The reliable NCIS franchise, The Big Bang Theory and The Millers helped CBS to another first place finish, but the Eye network has much work to do to revamp Monday evenings and may want to take a closer look at Sunday, considering its aging dramas. The CW fared better now that most of its fall line-up is in place, but the once mighty The Vampire Diaries is now the fourth highest rated series on the network, which is concerning. Arrow, new entry The Tomorrow People and the long running Supernatural were the network's top rated programs for the week.

Ratings for the week of October 7, 2013 (courtesy of Nielsen Media Research)

Total Average Viewers (in millions) by Network:
CBS - 9.22
NBC - 8.44
FOX - 7.49
ABC - 6.98
The CW - 1.69

Top 30 Shows (viewers in millions):

1. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC) - 22.07
2. NCIS (CBS) - 18.33
3. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 17.64
4. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick (NBC) - 16.02
5. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) - 14.84
6. The Voice (NBC-Monday) - 14.64
7. The OT (FOX) - 14.11
8. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) - 13.00
9. Football Night in America Part 3 (NBC) - 11.78
10. The Millers (CBS) - 11.73
11. Person of Interest (CBS) - 11.65
12. The Blacklist (NBC) - 11.18
13. Criminal Minds (CBS) - 10.98
14. FOX MLB ALCS Game 2 Pregame (FOX) (s) - 10.88
15. Modern Family (ABC) - 10.64
16. 60 Minutes (CBS) - 10.62
17. Blue Bloods (CBS) - 10.56
18. Castle (ABC) - 10.51
19. The Voice (NBC-Tuesday) - 10.20
20. The Crazy Ones (CBS) - 9.69
21. Survivor (CBS) - 9.60
22. The Mentalist (CBS) - 9.39
23. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) - 9.24
24. Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 9.14
25. Elementary (CBS) - 9.06
26. Scandal (ABC) - 9.01
27. CSI (CBS) - 8.82
28. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) - 8.79
29. The Good Wife (CBS) - 8.46
30. FOX MLB ALCS Game 2 (FOX) (s) - 8.35


(r) = Repeat
(s) = Special
(p) = Premiere

Michael Apted's "56 Up" Premieres Tonight on "POV"

Photo Credit: PBS/POV

Director Michael Apted has examined the lives of a group of people every seven years for nearly five decades in an ongoing documentary series. Along the way, some have dropped out of the project, but the ones who remain are part of a truly unique experience. In the seventh installment, 56 Up, Apted uses flashbacks to highlight the differences from the participants first appearance, in the 1964 documentary Seven Up!, and the results are truly fascinating.

Life seldom turns out how we expect it to, especially when we are children looking toward the future, and that is true for most of the participants in the film, some of whom have come full circle in ways they probably never imagined. While every story is unique, I was particularly impacted by Neil and Jackie, who have endured tremendous hardships, but keep moving forward despite those challenges. The candor expressed by the participants is refreshing and sometimes surprising, as some of them express mixed feelings about continuing to appear in the films. Of course, they have a choice not to appear, but some feel loyal to the series, others seem to enjoy the spotlight and others may just be curious and want to see how their peers are doing. Considering the probing questions that Michael Apted poses to them, I can understand the reluctance of some of them to participate.

56 Up premieres tonight on POV on PBS. Check your local listings for more information.


Press Release: They’ve Been Filmed Every Seven Years Since 1964. Now the “Kids” Are  ‘56 Up,’ Premiering on POV, Monday, Oct. 14, 2013 on PBS INDIES SHOWCASE 

What Becomes of the Dreams of Children? Acclaimed Director Michael Apted Returns With Latest Installment of Groundbreaking Documentary Experiment That Began with ‘Seven Up!’ 
“It is a mystery, this business of life. I can't think of any [other] cinematic undertaking that allows us to realize that more deeply.”—Roger Ebert 

In 1964, director Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Gorky Park, Gorillas in the Mist) was a young researcher on the experimental documentary series World in Action for a program called Seven Up!, produced for England’s Granada Television. Taking its cue from the Jesuit maxim “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man,” the film focused on 7-year-olds from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. By asking 14 children about their lives and their hopes and fears for the future, the filmmakers aimed to explore contemporary English attitudes, especially regarding the class system, as expressed by children. And by following the youngsters as they progressed through life, the Up series looked to test the strength of that system and the truth of the Jesuit saying. Was the adult already visible in the 7-year-old? 

After Seven Up!, Apted took the series’ directorial helm, and over the half-century since, he has returned every seven years to ask the same subjects to talk about how they see their lives. The result has been a unique, inspired and always-surprising chronicle of lives-in-the-making. In 56 Up, Apted finds the “kids” have mostly weathered the marital, parental and career tumults of middle age with remarkable aplomb, even as they begin facing the challenges of aging, illness and economic crises.

56 Up has its national broadcast premiere on Monday, Oct. 14, 2013 at 10 p.m. (check local listings), on the award-winning PBS series POV (Point of View). The film is part of the new PBS INDIES SHOWCASE, a four-week series of independent documentaries airing on Monday nights from Sept. 30-Oct. 21. POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series and the recipient of a 2013 MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. 

From cab driver Tony to schoolmates Jackie, Lynn and Susan to the heartbreaking Neil, more life- changing decisions and surprising developments are revealed as the participants turn 56. Apted employs a telescopic method when presenting his subjects, cutting back and forth between the present time of 56 Up and clips from earlier installments to create portraits in motion. For veteran viewers of the series, this is rich cinematic fabric. Apted quickly and dramatically brings up to speed anyone who hasn’t seen some or all of the previous films.  

Not all original Up subjects have agreed to participate in each of the films. Some have dropped out and then back in, for reasons they best explain themselves, and one of the delights of 56 Up is the love-hate relationship some have with the series. 

“This project has spanned my entire working life. It has been a unique and fulfilling experience, the  one I treasure most in my career,” says Apted about the Up series, which won a 2013 Peabody Award. “I never know how each new film will turn out, except that it’ll be quite different from the last. 21 Up was full of hope, 28 was about children and responsibility, 35 was concerned with mortality when some were losing parents, and 49 had a sense of disappointment with lives maybe not fully achieved. Yet 56 Up is quite different again, which goes to prove, if nothing else, that our series mirrors life—and is always full of surprises.” 

56 Up is another step in a life-spanning project—for filmmaker, subjects and viewers—that has no parallel in the history of film. Like its predecessors, it probes a profound question: What becomes of the dreams of children? 

56 Up is a production of ITV Studios Limited. Like all the episodes of the Up series since 28 Up, 56 Up is a First Run Features release in the United States; it will be available on DVD this fall. 

Meet the people in 56 Up: 

Ebullient, charming, cockney-accented East Ender Tony wanted to be a jockey when we met him in Seven Up! The series followed him as he saw his dream come true and then gave it up to be a cabbie. He’s been successful enough to own a home in England, which he shares with his wife, Debbie, and their children and grandchildren. He also owns a vacation home in Spain. In 56 Up, Tony shows the lot he was planning to develop before the economy turned sour. He seems happy, yet he harbors guilt about infidelities and frustration with the immigrants who have changed his beloved East End. He talks about 32 years of marriage. “High and low, Debbie has stood by me,” he says tearfully. “At the end of it, I still love her so.” As he visits the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, formerly the site of a dog track in his East End neighborhood, he brims with pride. The Up series has brought him such recognition that when astronaut Buzz Aldrin was his passenger, a taxi driver pulled up and requested an autograph. When Tony asked Aldrin to oblige, the other cabbie said, “No . . . I want your autograph.” Says Tony, “To this day I thought to myself, ‘I’m more famous than Buzz Aldrin? He’s the second man to land on the moon!’” 

“I want to be an astronaut, or if I can’t be an astronaut, I think I’ll be a coach driver,” said 7-year-old Liverpudlian Neil. He went from happy child, to homeless young adult, to a man working doggedly at political and writing careers that can’t sustain him financially. He says he’s appearing in 56 Up in part because he “wants to set the record straight in a number of ways. For so many millions of people I’m here wearing my heart on my sleeve and they think they know absolutely everything about me.” Despite doubts about God and religion expressed in previous Up films, Neil is seen in 56 Up working as a lay minister at a local church. 

Peter and Neil were friends growing up in Liverpool. Peter stopped participating after 28 Up because the media and viewers saw him as “angry young Red in Thatcher’s England,” but he has returned for 56 Up with the frank intention of promoting his folk band the Good Intentions. “I was an easy target,” he says of his experience 28 years ago. “I was absolutely taken aback, genuinely shocked by . . . the level of malice and ill will directed at me. Until you’ve experienced it yourself, you can’t begin to appreciate how it feels.” With two children and a wife, Gabbie, who shares his passion for music and plays accordion in the band, “I feel a lot happier with myself, happier in my own skin.” He left the teaching profession shortly after 28 Up, studied law and joined the civil service. “I don’t think really life is there to be regretted,” he says. “Life is there to be lived.”  

Nick, who went from farm boy to Oxford University student, to nuclear-fusion researcher, to teacher of electrical engineering, and Suzy, who was one of the more privileged children and who became a
3 of 5 homemaker, interview each other and debate the effects of the film. Says Suzy, “The problem I have is that you don’t get a very rounded picture, you get the odd comment.” She vowed at age 49 that she would bow out of the series, yet, she laughs, “I suppose I have this ridiculous sense of loyalty to it.” Adds Nick: “They film me doing all this daft stuff and it’s seven days out of every seven years . . . it’s all this excitement . . . and then they present this tiny little snippet and it’s like, ‘Is that all there is to me?’” Yet Nick, who lives in the United States with his second wife, Cryss, also presents the most spirited defense of the series, saying, “The idea of looking at a bunch of people over time and how they evolve was a really nifty idea. It isn’t a picture really of the essence of Nick or Suzy; it’s a picture of everyman.”  

Sue, who spent her middle years as a working, single mom, is in a long-term relationship, has happy children and has advanced to the top of the administrative department of the School of Law at Queen Mary, University of London, even though she never went to college. Paul, who lived in a children’s home as a 7-year-old, emigrated to Australia in his early teens and is happily married with five grandchildren; he’s proud that his daughter, Katy, is the first member of his family to go to university.  

Symon lived in the same children’s home as Paul. The only child of a single mother who died at age 35, he is biracial. He’s survived a divorce and has a difficult relationship with his five children from the union. 56 Up finds him working in a warehouse and living happily with his second wife, Vienetta, and his 18-year-old son. Symon and Vienetta have an incredibly busy life, which includes fostering children and teens, who express their profound gratitude in 56 Up. If Symon has one regret, it’s that he didn’t push himself academically, but his wife’s drive makes up for his laid-back personality. 

The Up series has followed Jackie through marriage, divorce and childbirths. In 56 Up, she tells viewers about the family deaths she has endured—her sister, ex-husband, mother-in-law, stepmother and brother-in-law—as well as government cuts to her disability benefits for rheumatoid arthritis. Yet the birth of her first grandchild brings hope and joy, and she has even dipped a toe into Internet dating. Despite all her troubles, she sees herself as an optimist. “My glass is always half full, never half empty. That’s the way it will continue to be, I hope.”  

Lynn, Jackie’s schoolmate, was the 7-year-old who wanted to work in Woolworth’s. Instead she was a children’s librarian for more than 30 years. Happily married, she has a growing family of grandchildren but recently lost her job due to budget cuts. Then the financial crisis hit, and one of her grandchildren was born prematurely. “What I thought was stress was nothing,” she says. But her husband of 37 years “is still my soul mate. We’ve just grown together.” 

Andrew and John, along with Charles (who stopped appearing after 28 Up), were attending a pre- preparatory school in Kensington in Seven Up!, and they exhibited almost comically upper-crust attitudes. “I read the Financial Times,” the 7-year old Andrew declared, while little John chimed in, “We think I’m going to Cambridge and Trinity Hall.” Andrew married, had two sons and became a partner at a firm of solicitors. John studied at Oxford and became a barrister. He married Claire, and the two have spearheaded environmental projects in England and charitable work in Bulgaria, which he finds more satisfying than “winning some fantastic case on some ludicrous, arcane point of law.” In 56 Up, John explains that he missed a couple of films because he felt the depiction of him as privileged was a misrepresentation. “What viewers were never told was that my father died when I was 9, leaving my mother in very uncomfortable financial circumstances  . . . and that I got a scholarship to Oxford.”  

Bruce, as a boy attending private school, wanted to be a missionary in Africa. Instead, he graduated from Oxford, and at 35 took a sabbatical to teach in Bangladesh. Over the years, he longed for a spouse. In 42 Up, Bruce revealed he had met a fellow teacher, Penny, while working in London’s East End, and had tied the knot. In 56 Up, they are still married and have two sons who attend a Quaker school. 

New Series Spotlight: "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" Premieres Tonight on ABC

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland hopes to capitalize on the popularity of its parent series, Once Upon a Time, but has an uphill battle in a tough Thursday night time slot opposite The Big Bang Theory. The new series follows the adventures of Alice (Sophie Lowe), who is not in Wonderland anymore, and is being treated by doctors for her alleged mental illness. However, the denizens of Wonderland come looking for fair Alice, who still pines away for her long lost love, Cyrus (Peter Gadiot). Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, which debuts tonight at 8:00pm ET on ABC, fits well into the female centric Thursday night for the alphabet network and should benefit from the interesting casting of John Lithgow as the voice of The White Rabbit and Iggy Pop as the voice of Caterpillar. However, since the parent series is bleeding viewers, I wonder if there is enough interest to sustain a spin-off? Time will tell.

"American Horror Story: Coven" Premieres Tonight on FX

Ryan Murphy's Emmy winning American Horror Story returns with a new self-contained season starting tonight at 10:00pm ET on FX with a cast to literally die for. The returning Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga and Denis O'Hare are joined by newbies Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Patti LuPone, Danny Huston, Leslie Jordan, Gabourey Sidibe and Mare Winningham! I do not know how Ryan Murphy attracts so much terrific talent, but I hope he keeps it up every season. With just Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates alone, the series should be amazing, but add all of those other names (and more!) and you have one of, if not the best, ensemble casts ever assembled for a television series.

Coven will center around, of course, a group of witches and, like the previous two series, will time travel. Unfortunately, the witches are endangered and even face extinction. In order to protect the younger generation, a school has opened in New Orleans (where else?), and the leader of the coven, Fiona (Lange), helps train the youngsters, while also working to protect their secrets. Lange is already a force of nature, but with magical powers at her disposal she might just be unstoppable. She can cast a spell on me anytime.

The CW Serves Up the Second Season of "Arrow" and the Premiere of "The Tomorrow People" Tonight

Photo Credits: The CW

The first season of Arrow was intense and I suspect the sophomore season will be even more intense. This is an action/adventure series after all and there should be a lot of, well, action. However, the breakneck pacing and lack of character development that hampered the first season needs to be rectified during season two. While I understand the demographic The CW is trying to attract (and I am no longer a part of), I hope the network understands that their audience is diverse and fan boys come in all ages. There is no arguing with success though. Arrow is the highest rated series on The CW and what works for year one may be repeated in year two. However, that does not mean the show should not try to improve and become more well rounded. I am a long time fan of Green Arrow and want the series to be its best. The potential exists for that to become a reality.

Arrow airs at 8:00 pm ET on The CW

Mankind is evolving and once ordinary people are now developing paranormal abilities.
Those abilities include telekinesis, teleportation and telepathy, which makes those individuals dangerous and a potential threat to the stability of the nation. As a result, a group of them, known as The Tomorrow People, lead covert lives away from the human population and from those who wish to eliminate them. The series stars Robbie Amell, cousin of Arrow star Stephen Amell.

The Tomorrow People airs at 9:00 pm ET on The CW

Nielsen Ratings for the Week of September 30, 2013: "The Voice" and "The Blacklist" Score for NBC

James Spader stars in The Blacklist

 

NBC now dominates Monday, courtesy of The Voice and The Blacklist, while ABC remains strong, with Dancing with the Stars and Castle. However, CBS has fallen into fourth place, after FOX, which has the underrated Bones and new hit Sleepy Hollow. Regardless of the lackluster Monday showing, the Eye network is still in first place in overall viewers and continues to perform well on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and, for now, has a comfortable lead over NBC.

 

ABC received positive news with the return of Scandal, which won its Thursday night time slot and scored its highest ratings to date. On the other hand, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D was down from its premiere episode, but what is not reflected in these numbers are the DVR playback totals, which were impressive for the series, so it still looks like ABC has a new hit show. Also of note, NBC's Chicago Fire landed in the top 30, CBS's The Millers is off to a strong start with a top ten finish, the aforementioned Sleepy Hollow was the highest rated series on FOX for the week, and The CW scored decent numbers with the return of The Vampire Diaries and the premiere of its spin-off, The Originals. 

Ratings for the week of September 30, 2013 (courtesy of Nielsen Media Research)

Total Average Viewers (in millions) by Network:
CBS - 10.85
NBC - 8.72
ABC - 7.37
FOX - 4.82
The CW - 1.37

Top 30 Shows (viewers in millions):

1. NCIS (CBS) - 19.98
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 18.22
3. 60 Minutes (CBS) - 17.94
4. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC) - 17.69
5. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) - 15.09
6. The Voice (NBC-Tuesday) - 14.54
7. The Voice (NBC-Monday) - 14.12
8. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick (NBC) - 13.29
9. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) - 13.10
10. The Millers (CBS) (p) - 13.09
11. Person of Interest (CBS) - 12.35
12. The Crazy Ones (CBS) - 11.71
13. Blue Bloods (CBS) - 11.37
14. The Blacklist (NBC) - 11.35
15. Modern Family (ABC) - 11.12
16. Criminal Minds (CBS) - 11.12
17. Castle (ABC) - 10.88
18. Scandal (ABC) (p) - 10.52
19. Football Night in America Part 3 (NBC) - 10.40
20. Survivor (CBS) - 10.16
21. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) - 9.75
22. The Amazing Race (CBS) - 9.74
23. CSI (CBS) - 9.66
24. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) - 9.60
25. Elementary (CBS) - 9.38
26. Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 9.34
27. The Good Wife (CBS) - 9.23
28. Chicago Fire (NBC) - 8.74
29. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (ABC) - 8.66
30. The Mentalist (CBS) - 8.55


(r) = Repeat
(s) = Special
(p) = Premiere

The Ninth Season of "Supernatural" Begins Tonight on The CW

Time sure does fly. Has it really been nine years since the Winchester brothers (Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki) started their journey to battle all things Supernatural? The bros are back tonight at 9:00pm on The CW and must deal with the angels who descended to Earth in the season eight finale and there is no telling how they will use their vast power. In addition, Sam and Dean are dealing with more interpersonal battles that are the result of years of experience with death and destruction. Misha Collins (Castiel) is now a series regular, so it is no longer a two man show, but is there a way to bring Bobby (Jim Beaver) back for good? Please? My only other wish for the ninth season is for the series to be more consistent. Some episodes feel tired, while other seem brilliant, so try to find a nice balance.

The CW Offers Many Bloodsuckers Tonight in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals"

Photo Credits - The CW

The Vampire Diaries was once my favorite series and even though it is aging (the fifth season begins tonight at 8:00pm ET on The CW), the series still has a lot of (undead) life in it. Part of the success of the show lies in the continuity of the cast which includes Nina Dobrev (Elena/Katherine), Ian Somerhalder (Damon) and Paul Wesley (Stefan/Silas). The fifth season finds Silas using Stefan's likeness to infiltrate the town of Mystic Falls while Stefan is stuck to the bottom of a lake. Meanwhile, Elena and Caroline (Candice Accola) are off to college and Tyler (Michael Trevino) returns to town. In addition, Bonnie's (Kat Graham) death will not stop her from appearing as a ghost throughout the season and it will be interesting to see Elena and Damon as an actual couple, with no mind tricks. I would like to see more attention paid to the interpersonal relationships between the characters and less action/adventure stories and how about a Halloween themed episode? Please?

The Originals, a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries, debuts tonight at 9:00pm ET on The CW before moving to its regular time slot on Tuesday, October 8 at 8:00 pm ET. Three characters from The Vampire Diaries, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gilles) and Rebekah (Claire Holt), have moved from Mystic Falls to New Orleans, where Klaus intends to retake the city that his original vampire family built centuries ago. However, he will have to dethrone his protégé, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), in order to become the leader. Klaus is also expecting a child with Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin), but has mixed feelings about becoming a parent. I cannot think of a better setting that the magical city of New Orleans for a series about vampires.

New Series Spotlight: "The Millers" Premieres Tonight on CBS

The Millers, which premieres tonight at 8:30pm ET on CBS, is one lucky new series because it has The Big Bang Theory as a lead-in. I am not sure if The Millers will need to do equally as well as TBBT to survive, but its cozy time slot should keep it around for a while. The new series stars Will Arnett as Nathan Miller, a middle aged man whose parents are going through a divorce after being married for 43 years and his mom, Carol (Margo Martindale), decides to move in with him. Meanwhile, Dad (Beau Bridges), moves in with daughter Debbie (Jayma Mays). I plan to watch the series mainly because of Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges and it should fit nicely out of The Big Bang Theory, although it is likely to skew older.

Nielsen Ratings for the Week of September 23, 2013: "The Big Bang Theory" Returns Strong

CBS won the first week of the new television season in total viewers, but NBC is (surprisingly) close behind, thanks to football, The Voice and new entry The Blacklist, starring James Spader. NBC also received a boost from the aging Law and Order: SVU, which attracted more than nine million viewers and landed in the top thirty in a highly competitive week. The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles and new entry The Crazy Ones (pictured above) captured five of the top ten spots. The Eye network is still going strong, but Monday night is not what it used to be and new series Hostages landed in third place in its 10:00 pm time slot, after the aforementioned The Blacklist and ABC's Castle.

Speaking of ABC, Dancing with the Stars was its sole entry in the top ten, but Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D pulled in over twelve million viewers in its debut and looks like a solid anchor for Tuesday night. The return of Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy also helped ABC to land in third place for the week and ahead of fourth place FOX by nearly two million viewers. FOX had little to smile about with only one program (The OT) in the top thirty. However, new series Sleepy Hollow continues to do well in the highly competitive 9:00 pm Monday night time slot. In its second outing, the series attracted over eight million viewers and was FOX's second highest rated program of the week. Finally, The CW was in repeats and came in last, as usual.


Ratings for the week of September 23, 2013 (courtesy of Nielsen Media Research)

Total Average Viewers (in millions) by Network:
CBS - 10.38
NBC - 9.71
ABC - 7.99
FOX - 6.01
The CW - .78

Top 30 Shows (viewers in millions):

1. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC) - 20.49
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (s) - 20.44
3. NCIS (CBS) (p) - 20.02
4. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (p) - 18.99
5. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) (p) - 16.35
6. The Crazy Ones (CBS) (p) - 15.52
7. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick (NBC) - 15.26
8. The Voice (NBC-Monday) (p) - 14.98
9. The Voice (NBC-Tuesday) (p) - 14.35
10. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) - 13.57
11. The OT (FOX) - 12.89
12. The Blacklist (NBC) (p) - 12.58
13. Person of Interest (CBS) (p) - 12.44
14. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (ABC) (p) - 12.12
15. Modern Family (ABC) (s) - 11.71
16. Blue Bloods (CBS) (p) - 11.70
17. Modern Family (ABC) (p) - 11.66
18. Two and a Half Men (CBS) (p) - 11.59
19. Castle (ABC) (p) - 11.46
20. Football Night in America Part 3 (NBC) - 11.36
21. Criminal Minds (CBS) (p) - 11.27
22. 60 Minutes (CBS) (p) - 10.67
23. Elementary (CBS) (p) - 10.18
24. The Mentalist (CBS) (p) - 9.70
25. Law and Order: SVU (NBC) (p) - 9.58
26. Survivor (CBS) (p) - 9.54
27. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) (p) - 9.46
28. How I Met Your Mother (CBS) (p) - 9.40
29. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) (p) - 9.28
30. The Good Wife (CBS) (p) - 9.15


(r) = Repeat
(s) = Special
(p) = Premiere

Television Spotlight: ABC's Sunday Night Line-Up includes "Once Upon A Time" "Revenge" and "Betrayal"

After a great first season, Once Upon A Time fell into a sophomore slump last year. Too many new characters diluted the chemistry of the core cast members and the stories became increasingly bizarre. However, I plan to watch the third season, but there needs to be improvement early on to keep me watching. The third season opens with a search for Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), who is being held against his will in Neverland by the Lost Boys and Peter Pan. Later in the season, there will be crossover episodes with spin-off series Once Upon A Time in Wonderland. The first half of season three will air this fall and the second half will air in the spring of 2014.

The third season of Once Upon A Time begins tonight at 8:00pm ET on ABC

Revenge also experienced a sophomore slump, but the actors are so pretty that it was difficult to stop watching. However, my patience has already been tested, so I am not sure how many more. outlandish storylines I can tolerate. Rumor has it that the third season will be more grounded, like the first one. Former showrunner (and creator) Mike Kelley has been replaced as executive producer and stars Ashley Madekwe (Ashley) and Connor Paolo (Declan) will not be returning. Joining the cast is Justin Hartley, who will portray Victoria's long lost son. Hopefully the changes will translate into a much better show.


The third season of Revenge begins tonight at 9:00pm ET on ABC

Betrayal is a new series and is based on the Dutch show Overspel. The ensemble drama should fit nicely out of Revenge and the series looks like it could be just as soapy. Betrayal centers around two unhappily married people, Sara Hayward (Hannah Ware) and Jack McAllister (Stuart Townsend), who begin an affair and find themselves on opposite sides in a murder trial. James Cromwell (recent Emmy winner for American Horror Story: Asylum) and Henry Thomas co-star.

The first season of Betrayal begins tonight at 10:00pm ET on ABC

The Fifth Season of "Glee" Begins Tonight on FOX

Glee beings its fifth season tonight at 9:00 ET on FOX. The musical/comedy/drama will pay tribute to the Beatles in the first two episodes and then tackle the loss of Finn Hudson, portrayed by Cory Monteith, who died this past summer, in the third. The series will then go on hiatus until the baseball playoffs are over. Only a few original characters will be seen regularly during the fifth season, including Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer), and Sue (Jane Lynch). Meanwhile, the recurring newbies from last year, including Jake (Jacob Artist) and Marley (Melissa Benoist), are now series regulars. I think the new characters, along with returning veterans Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Blaine (Darren Criss), will be able to fill the void of the many now recurring original characters. While some may think that Glee is past its prime, I still find the series to be enjoyable and the way in which new characters are introduced and integrated is seamless. The series has already been renewed for a sixth (and possibly final) season.

CBS's Thursday Night Line-Up Looks Promising with "The Big Bang Theory" "The Crazy Ones" and "Elementary"

The Big Bang Theory begins its seventh season tonight at 8:00 pm ET on CBS with back to back episodes. The always intelligent and funny series has seen a dramatic increase in its ratings over the past two seasons and it will be interesting to see if that trend continues through season seven. The Big Bang Theory is my favorite ensemble comedy since The Golden Girls and I can watch the reruns over and over again and never be bored.

The Crazy Ones debuts tonight at 9:00pm ET on CBS. I planned to watch the series when I first heard about it because of Robin Williams, who is one of my favorite actors. What makes me even more excited about the series is that David E. Kelley (Boston Legal) is the creator, executive producer and he also wrote the Pilot episode. Williams stars as an advertising executive who can allegedly sell anything to anyone. The Crazy Ones also stars Sarah Michelle Geller (Ringer) and James Wolk (Political Animals).

Elementary returns for a second season tonight at 10:00 pm ET on CBS. The detective drama based on legendary detective Sherlock Holmes had an above average first season, but lacked consistency during the latter episodes. The performances by Jonny Lee Miller (Sherlock) and Lucy Liu (Watson) are to be commended and their chemistry is what makes the series work so well. The new season begins in London where Holmes and Watson investigate an unsolved mystery.

Nielsen Ratings for the week of September 16, 2013: CBS Scores with the Emmys, Impressive Debut for "Sleepy Hollow" on FOX

Ratings for the week of September 16, 2013 (courtesy of Nielsen Media Research)

Total Average Viewers (in millions) by Network:
CBS - 9.09
NBC - 7.49
ABC - 5.36
FOX - 4.43
The CW - .95

Top 30 Shows (viewers in millions):

1. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC) - 20.51
2. Emmy Awards (CBS) (s) - 17.76
3. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) (p) - 16.04
4. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick (NBC) - 14.55
5. Under the Dome (CBS) - 12.10
6. America's Got Talent (NBC-Wednesday) - 11.49
7. America's Got Talent (NBC-Tuesday) - 11.19
8. NCIS (CBS) (r) - 10.64
9. Sleepy Hollow (FOX) (p) - 10.10
10. Football Night in America Part 3 (NBC) - 9.76
11. Survivor (CBS) (s) - 9.73
12. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (r) - 8.95
13. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (s) (r) - 8.01
14. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) (r) - 7.99
15. Bones (FOX) (p) - 7.76
16. Two and a Half Men (CBS) (r) - 7.03
17. Shark Tank (ABC) (p) - 6.86
18. Castle (ABC) (s) (r) - 6.81
19. Two and a Half Men (CBS) (s) (r) - 6.73
20. Big Brother 15 (CBS) - 6.71 
21. Last Man Standing (ABC) - (p) 6.67
22. X-Factor (FOX-Wednesday) - 6.62
23. X-Factor (FOX-Thursday) - 6.43
24. Blue Bloods (CBS) (r) - 6.30
25. Person of Interest (CBS) (r) - 6.24
26. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) (p) - 6.17
27. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) (s) (r) - 6.12
28. Dads (FOX) (p) - 5.76
29. Saturday Night Football (ABC) - 5.73
30. 20/20 (ABC) - 5.60


(r) = Repeat
(s) = Special
(p) = Premiere

The Second Season of "Nashville" Begins Tonight on ABC

I will admit that the only reason I am still watching Nashville is because of Connie Britton, who portrays Rayna Jaymes. While the first season had it moments, both musical and otherwise, I found it to be mediocre overall. I plan to stick with the series for the short term and hope that Nashville reaches its potential. The show has a lot going for it, including a talented cast, but it needs to be consistently good going forward, or this viewer will be not be watching much longer. Season two begins tonight at 10:00pm ET on ABC.

The Second Season of "Chicago Fire" Begins Tonight on NBC

Chicago Fire begins its second season tonight at 10:00 ET on NBC. The series has moved from Wednesday to Tuesday, but has not lost anything in the process. The first episode is filled with the usual mix of drama and more lighthearted moments, courtesy of the gang at Engine Co. 51. More drama is ahead for Kelly (Taylor Kinney), who realizes that he may not be the father of Renee's baby and also appears to be the target of an arsonist who makes life very difficult for him. In addition, budget cuts are prompting the closure of area fire stations and Engine Co 51 is on the short list. As a result, Chief Boden (Eammon Walker), has to tighten the purse strings and take on other displaced firefighters, which has significant impacts within the department. Meanwhile, Mouch (Christian Stolte) makes an important decision about his future.

Chicago Fire is an entertaining and exciting series featuring a fine and eclectic ensemble cast and is well worth watching.

New Series Spotlight: "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Premieres Tonight on ABC

One of the most talked about new series, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., debuts tonight on ABC at 8:00 pm ET. Based on elements of the Marvel Comics universe, the series will focus on the covert group known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) who handle strange cases, including those involving superhuman activity. Clark Gregg leads the cast as Agent Coulson, who was allegedly killed in Marvel's The Avengers movie last year. The series also stars Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennett, Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge. Expect guest appearance from superheroes and villains, as well as references to the ever expanding Marvel Universe.

New Series Spotlight: "The Blacklist" Starring James Spader

I admit it. I will watch anything featuring Emmy award winning actor James Spader. His stint as Alan Shore on Boston Legal was phenomenal and made me a fan for life. Spader is the main reason why I plan to become a regular viewer of The Blacklist, which premieres tonight at 10:00 ET on NBC. The pilot episode is a fast paced, surprising thrill ride centering around a rookie FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone), who is handpicked by one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, Raymond Reddington (Spader), to act as his liaison to her superiors in an effort to help them track down other dangerous fugitives. Why Elizabeth? Well, the two share some sort of connection that may appear to be obvious, but I suspect it will turn out not to be what viewers are thinking. If the first episode is any indication, the series is too intelligent to go for the easy answer. Harry Lennix, Ryan Eggold and Diego Klattenhoff co-star.