Tyler Labine has been tapped to star in Sons of Tucson, a Fox comedy pilot about a thirtysomething guy hired by three boys to pose as their pop while the real dad is in prison. Should Reaper get picked up for a third cycle, Labine would step down from this new gig.
In other Fox pilot castings, Tony Hale — currently recurring on Chuck — will play a lawman suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder on Cop House, a comedy about a halfway house for troubled policemen.
Also, Brit beauty Natalie Dormer (The Tudors) has landed the lead on Masterwork, playing an MI-5 agent who, in tandem with an American G-man, recovers stolen artifiacts.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Pilot News: Law's in Order for Faison, Gretsch Boards V
Scrubs star Donald Faison will join Cedric the Entertainer and Madchen Amick in The Law, an ABC comedy pilot about reserve LAPD officers, says the Hollywood Reporter.
In other ABC pilot news, Joel Gretsch (The 4400) has been added to the cast of V, playing a Catholic priest who observes a rebirth of faith after the Visitors hit town. Pre-V-iously announced cast members for this reboot include Morena Baccarin, Scott Wolf and Morris Chestnut.
Also, Less than Perfect alum Sara Rue has landed a role on Eastwick, playing the BFF of Lindsay Price's spellcaster, while onetime Titanic passenger Billy Zane (who has a Samantha Who? run starting shortly) has been cast as the managing partner of a hoity-toity law firm in an untitled drama from Dave Hemingson (How I Met Your Mother).
In other ABC pilot news, Joel Gretsch (The 4400) has been added to the cast of V, playing a Catholic priest who observes a rebirth of faith after the Visitors hit town. Pre-V-iously announced cast members for this reboot include Morena Baccarin, Scott Wolf and Morris Chestnut.
Also, Less than Perfect alum Sara Rue has landed a role on Eastwick, playing the BFF of Lindsay Price's spellcaster, while onetime Titanic passenger Billy Zane (who has a Samantha Who? run starting shortly) has been cast as the managing partner of a hoity-toity law firm in an untitled drama from Dave Hemingson (How I Met Your Mother).
Pilot News: Skeet's Back, Sexy Zoe Plays House, and More
Skeet Ulrich, whose Jericho famously managed a (singular) death-row reprieve, is on his way back to CBS as the lead in Back, a drama pilot about a man who returns home to discover he was reported missing eight years earlier, just after Sept. 11. (No, I don't quite get the premise either.)
In other CBS pilot castings, Zoe McLellan (Dirty Sexy Money) has landed a role in House Rules (playing one of several newly elected congresswomen and —men), while Nickelodeon poster boy Drake Bell is diving into The Fish Tank, a comedy about a teen living alone in his family's home.
Also, Chris Parnell (30 Rock) and Missy Pyle (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) have joined Big D, playing the sister and brother-in-law of a East Coast husband who moves with his wife to Dallas.
In other CBS pilot castings, Zoe McLellan (Dirty Sexy Money) has landed a role in House Rules (playing one of several newly elected congresswomen and —men), while Nickelodeon poster boy Drake Bell is diving into The Fish Tank, a comedy about a teen living alone in his family's home.
Also, Chris Parnell (30 Rock) and Missy Pyle (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) have joined Big D, playing the sister and brother-in-law of a East Coast husband who moves with his wife to Dallas.
Warner Bros Remaking Stephen King’s It
When I was younger, I read a lot of Stephen King books. Over the years, Hollywood has turned a lot of King’s library of work into crappy horror adaptations — The Shining and Carrie might be the two exceptions. For a writer known primarily as a horror novelist, it’s surprising that the movie adaptations of his non-horror stories, like Green Mile, Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption, are probably better known, and definitely more revered.
But if you asked me when I was 11-years old, what my favorite Stephen King movie was, I would quickly tell you — the 1990 television miniseries adaptation of It. It scared me, kept me up, and I loved it. I remember rewatching the VHS copy that I had recorded off of cable, over and over again. Well guess what… Warner Bros is remaking the novel for the big screen.
They’ve hired Dave Kajganich to pen the screenplay adaptation. I’m not sure that the property could be cut down to fit into the standard 90 or 100 minute movie. The paperback is 1,104 pages, and the miniseries clocked in at 192 minutes (over 3 hours). And if the idea of a 100 minute movie doesn’t worry you, how about the fact that Kajganich’s biggest credit was the disaster that was the 2007 Invasion of the Bodysnatchers remake — The Invasion. I haven’t seen It in years, and I’m sure its one of those films that doesn’t live up to my childhood memories. Could It bennifit from a redo? Probably. But as a 100-minute feature film?
The official book description follows: “They were just kids when they stumbled upon the hidden horror of their hometown. Now, as adults, none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them all back to Derry, Maine, to face the nightmare without end, and the evil without a name.” The book is availabe forfor around $9 on Amazon.
But if you asked me when I was 11-years old, what my favorite Stephen King movie was, I would quickly tell you — the 1990 television miniseries adaptation of It. It scared me, kept me up, and I loved it. I remember rewatching the VHS copy that I had recorded off of cable, over and over again. Well guess what… Warner Bros is remaking the novel for the big screen.
They’ve hired Dave Kajganich to pen the screenplay adaptation. I’m not sure that the property could be cut down to fit into the standard 90 or 100 minute movie. The paperback is 1,104 pages, and the miniseries clocked in at 192 minutes (over 3 hours). And if the idea of a 100 minute movie doesn’t worry you, how about the fact that Kajganich’s biggest credit was the disaster that was the 2007 Invasion of the Bodysnatchers remake — The Invasion. I haven’t seen It in years, and I’m sure its one of those films that doesn’t live up to my childhood memories. Could It bennifit from a redo? Probably. But as a 100-minute feature film?
The official book description follows: “They were just kids when they stumbled upon the hidden horror of their hometown. Now, as adults, none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them all back to Derry, Maine, to face the nightmare without end, and the evil without a name.” The book is availabe forfor around $9 on Amazon.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
More Beverly Hills Cop IV Details Emerge
Can someone perform a drive-by on this project while blasting Harold Faltermeyer instrumentals? We’ve already seen a 180-spin with Beverly Hills Cop IV, with poolguy Brett Ratner originally playing to the kiddies, then predictably back-pedaling and labeling the film “hard R, brah” followed by a tepid review of the script and its more serious “standard cop movie” tone (Judge Reinhold gets murdered etc).
Apparently screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, who remain hot from adapting Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma, have been tinkering with their original draft. CineFools just interviewed Brandt, who clarifies that the BHC4 script is a reworking of their older, unrelated script entitled Dying Day. This reminds me of how a script entitled “Simon Says” was used, adequately if not definitively so, for Die Hard 3. Brandt had this to say about the project’s progress…
"The studio called and the producers called and said hey we just got a new draft of Beverley Hills Cop 4 and the writers we keep hiring keep trying to write a comedy and we don’t want a comedy. …So what they said to us was they wanted to go back to that and Derek and I had written a script two years ago called Dying Day which was kind of a buddy cop thing set in LA with buddy FBI agents but it wasn’t jokey at all it was pretty hardcore everybody died in the end and it was the kind of movie/script that everybody who read it really liked but nobody was ever going to make it into a movie. Too dark. And they said they would like to turn Dying Day into Beverley Hills Cop 4."
These statements align with the script review Latino Review posted last year: it’s more 1997 Metro shoot ‘em up generica and less 1994 Beverly Hills Cop 3 summer FAIL. Brandt does seem to grasp the detective actioner roots of the franchise—noting that BHC was at one point a Sly Stallone vehicle—and I do think Eddie Murphy is totes capable of reprising Axel Foley’s FU witticisms and Detroit street smarts (speaking of which, save Detroit, Axel); playing Richard Pryor in Bill Condon’s biopic is a promising sign that he wants to be funny again.
But Brett Ratner, oh Ratner, does not possess the jumper cables, the patience, nor the ambition to dust the ’80s off the franchise while paying exquisite homage to what’s come before. He churns out blocks of mediocre that are easy to market and that exude no concept of history, cinematic or otherwise. Combined with a script that wasn’t written with an aged Axel Foley or the legacy in mind—unlike Stupnitsky and Eisenberg’s Ghostbusters 3—it sounds as souless as the last sequel. But, you know, darker, man. Why not just have John Singleton remake it with Nick Cannon?
Apparently screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, who remain hot from adapting Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma, have been tinkering with their original draft. CineFools just interviewed Brandt, who clarifies that the BHC4 script is a reworking of their older, unrelated script entitled Dying Day. This reminds me of how a script entitled “Simon Says” was used, adequately if not definitively so, for Die Hard 3. Brandt had this to say about the project’s progress…
"The studio called and the producers called and said hey we just got a new draft of Beverley Hills Cop 4 and the writers we keep hiring keep trying to write a comedy and we don’t want a comedy. …So what they said to us was they wanted to go back to that and Derek and I had written a script two years ago called Dying Day which was kind of a buddy cop thing set in LA with buddy FBI agents but it wasn’t jokey at all it was pretty hardcore everybody died in the end and it was the kind of movie/script that everybody who read it really liked but nobody was ever going to make it into a movie. Too dark. And they said they would like to turn Dying Day into Beverley Hills Cop 4."
These statements align with the script review Latino Review posted last year: it’s more 1997 Metro shoot ‘em up generica and less 1994 Beverly Hills Cop 3 summer FAIL. Brandt does seem to grasp the detective actioner roots of the franchise—noting that BHC was at one point a Sly Stallone vehicle—and I do think Eddie Murphy is totes capable of reprising Axel Foley’s FU witticisms and Detroit street smarts (speaking of which, save Detroit, Axel); playing Richard Pryor in Bill Condon’s biopic is a promising sign that he wants to be funny again.
But Brett Ratner, oh Ratner, does not possess the jumper cables, the patience, nor the ambition to dust the ’80s off the franchise while paying exquisite homage to what’s come before. He churns out blocks of mediocre that are easy to market and that exude no concept of history, cinematic or otherwise. Combined with a script that wasn’t written with an aged Axel Foley or the legacy in mind—unlike Stupnitsky and Eisenberg’s Ghostbusters 3—it sounds as souless as the last sequel. But, you know, darker, man. Why not just have John Singleton remake it with Nick Cannon?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Lethal Weapon Series is Dead
Screenwriter Shane Black tells Moviehole that he doesn't think a Lethal Weapon 5 will ever happen. Black had written a script for the fifth film that he was expected to direct.
The site says that a contact at Warner Bros. Pictures agreed with Black, saying "That one is as good as dead. It won't happen. Which is a pity," adding that Black's screenplay was "fabulous. A much better send off than [Number 4]."
Last October, Richard Donner was quoted as saying that "Mel [Gibson] turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn't involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be."
Back then, Donner said he had his own version of the fifth film in the works. "Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren't given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver."
The site says that a contact at Warner Bros. Pictures agreed with Black, saying "That one is as good as dead. It won't happen. Which is a pity," adding that Black's screenplay was "fabulous. A much better send off than [Number 4]."
Last October, Richard Donner was quoted as saying that "Mel [Gibson] turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn't involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be."
Back then, Donner said he had his own version of the fifth film in the works. "Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren't given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver."
Vin Diesel Hints at Third Riddick Movie
In an interview with GameSpot talking about the upcoming "The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena" game, Vin Diesel hinted at a third movie in the "Chronicles of Riddick" franchise.
"Maybe we're too tight-lipped about the next 'Chronicles of Riddick' film, and I think circa the release of [Dark Athena] that's probably when you'll start hearing more about the next 'Riddick' film," Diesel said. "It is underway and I almost think it's a coincidence that we haven't heard anything, that there hasn't been a lot of public stuff on the 'Riddick' movie.
Diesel added that David Twohy, who wrote and directed Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, is finishing up the script.
"Assault on Dark Athena" hits stores on April 7th.
"Maybe we're too tight-lipped about the next 'Chronicles of Riddick' film, and I think circa the release of [Dark Athena] that's probably when you'll start hearing more about the next 'Riddick' film," Diesel said. "It is underway and I almost think it's a coincidence that we haven't heard anything, that there hasn't been a lot of public stuff on the 'Riddick' movie.
Diesel added that David Twohy, who wrote and directed Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, is finishing up the script.
"Assault on Dark Athena" hits stores on April 7th.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Do You Care About a Fantastic Four Reboot?
IESB has learned that 20th Century Fox is developing a Fantastic Four reboot, but does anyone care? The studio has released two films previously, both of which made around $300 million worldwide and are considered commercial successes (but not compared to such franchises as Batman, Iron Man, and Spider-Man). Marvel has changed the game, and the way studios are looking at superhero properties. Fox now wants to reboot the series in a tone described as “less bubble gum” and more in the vein of Marvel’s Iron Man than Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
But as I asked before, does anyone really care? Any interest I had in the comic book property was ruined by Fox’s previous efforts, and I assume that anyone who wasn’t a fan of the previous two films (i.e. anyone over the age of 12) won’t be on board for a potential reboot. I doubt that Fox would be able to lure any “visionary” filmmakers to the project, especially since they have developed a reputation of not being artist-friendly.
But as I asked before, does anyone really care? Any interest I had in the comic book property was ruined by Fox’s previous efforts, and I assume that anyone who wasn’t a fan of the previous two films (i.e. anyone over the age of 12) won’t be on board for a potential reboot. I doubt that Fox would be able to lure any “visionary” filmmakers to the project, especially since they have developed a reputation of not being artist-friendly.
Moviegoers Watch the Watchmen
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
Warner Bros. Pictures' Watchmen dominated the domestic box office this weekend, but was held back by its long 2:40 running time and less showings. The Zack Snyder-directed graphic novel adaptation earned an estimated $55.7 million from 3,611 theaters, for an average of $15,413 per location. Made for about $150 million, Watchmen marks the third-highest March opening of all time, trailing just Snyder's own 300 ($70.9 million) and Ice Age: The Meltdown ($68 million). The debut is also the sixth best for an R-rated film. IMAX theaters accounted for $5.5 million of the film's $55.7 million opening, which is the company's best opening-weekend number after The Dark Knight's $6.3 million. Internationally, Watchmen topped the box office as well with $27.5 million from 5,097 theaters in 45 markets. Worldwide, the film has earned $83.2 million after three days.
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail added another $8.8 million in second place to bring its total to $76.5 million after three weeks.
20th Century Fox's Taken, starring Liam Neeson, climbed a spot from fourth to third with $7.5 million in its sixth weekend. The successful action-thriller has collected a strong $118 million.
Fox Searchlight's Slumdog Millionaire took a 42.4% dip in sales for the first time, but still made $6.9 million in its 17th weekend in theaters. The Danny Boyle Oscar winner, produced for about $15 million, is now up to $125.4 million.
Columbia Pictures' Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring Kevin James, climbed back into the top five with $4.2 million. The $26 million comedy has earned $133.6 million after eight weeks.
Last week's openers took big tumbles this weekend. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience lost 77.7% of its first weekend ticket sales to add just $2.8 million for a total of $16.8 million, while Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li lost 71.1% and earned just $1.4 million to bring its total to $7.1 million.
Warner Bros. Pictures' Watchmen dominated the domestic box office this weekend, but was held back by its long 2:40 running time and less showings. The Zack Snyder-directed graphic novel adaptation earned an estimated $55.7 million from 3,611 theaters, for an average of $15,413 per location. Made for about $150 million, Watchmen marks the third-highest March opening of all time, trailing just Snyder's own 300 ($70.9 million) and Ice Age: The Meltdown ($68 million). The debut is also the sixth best for an R-rated film. IMAX theaters accounted for $5.5 million of the film's $55.7 million opening, which is the company's best opening-weekend number after The Dark Knight's $6.3 million. Internationally, Watchmen topped the box office as well with $27.5 million from 5,097 theaters in 45 markets. Worldwide, the film has earned $83.2 million after three days.
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail added another $8.8 million in second place to bring its total to $76.5 million after three weeks.
20th Century Fox's Taken, starring Liam Neeson, climbed a spot from fourth to third with $7.5 million in its sixth weekend. The successful action-thriller has collected a strong $118 million.
Fox Searchlight's Slumdog Millionaire took a 42.4% dip in sales for the first time, but still made $6.9 million in its 17th weekend in theaters. The Danny Boyle Oscar winner, produced for about $15 million, is now up to $125.4 million.
Columbia Pictures' Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring Kevin James, climbed back into the top five with $4.2 million. The $26 million comedy has earned $133.6 million after eight weeks.
Last week's openers took big tumbles this weekend. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience lost 77.7% of its first weekend ticket sales to add just $2.8 million for a total of $16.8 million, while Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li lost 71.1% and earned just $1.4 million to bring its total to $7.1 million.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Weekly Ratings: 3/1 – 3/6
Sunday Ratings: Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone Ices the Competition
7 pm/ET
60 Minutes topped the hour with 14.12 million total viewers, besting the conclusion of Fox's NASCAR coverage (10.52 mil, No. 1 in demos). SNL: The Best of Tracy Morgan placed fourth (behind ABC's videos show), with three mil.
8 pm
Extreme Makeover (10.96 million viewers) just barely edged out The Amazing Race (10.75 mil). SNL: The Best of Will Ferrell improved on Tracy's highlights reel, delivering 5.63 mil.
9 pm
In the three-way competition between two-hour "events," CBS' Jesse Stone: Thin Ice placed first - and was the night's most watched program - with 15.13 million viewers. That marks a 16 percent increase over the mystery series' previous installment. Brothers & Sisters (ahem) "came to life" with nearly 12 million viewers, a 27 percent surge over its last outing. The second cycle of Celebrity Apprentice premiered to 8.8 mil, an 18 percent plunge from the first season's opener. Maybe next time, the Donald should promise a "shocking death".
Monday Ratings: Luckily, Bachelor Viewers Are Not Quite So Fickle
8 pm/ET
The two-hour season finale of The Bachelor: Flip-Flop Edition was the night's most watched program, averaging 15.45 million total viewers — the series' best audience since Bob chose Estella in November 2003. CBS' sitcombo secured second, with Big Bang Theory holding steady at 10.94 mil and How I Met Your Mother delivering 11.08 mil. 24's White House siege averaged 11.1 mil over its two-hour run, and gained viewers each half hour. Chuck (6.6 mil) inched up a bit from last week's all-time low.
9 pm
Two and a Half Men trailed The Bachelor with 15.42 million viewers (up 500K from its last fresh outing), while lead-out Rules of Engagement returned to 11.86 mil, which was good for third in its time slot. Heroes matched last week's 7 mil.
10 pm
Proving that car-crash television can work, The Bachelor: After the Rose drew its largest audience ever — 17.5 million viewers. CSI: Miami settled for second with 13.3 mil, down 400 thou. Medium took a big hit, slipping 14 percent to 7.28 mil.
Tuesday Ratings: Idol Would Do Anything for Love
And if push came to shove, yes, it probably would do that. On with Tuesday's tallies!
8 pm/ET
American Idol averaged 24.21 million total viewers, matching last week's sing-off. Placing third behind a not-new NCIS (13.7 mil), The Biggest Loser weighed in with nearly 9 mil over its two-hour run, dropping 700K week-to-week. The CW's Reaper returned to an audience of 2.36 mil, down 330 thou from its May 2008 freshman finale.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist played also-ran to Idol, delivering 12.76 million viewers.
10 pm
The Bachelor: After the Final Rose — Part 2: ABC Likes Ratings made a date with 10.85 million viewers. That was just enough to best a Without a Trace repeat (10.5 mil) and top the hour.
Wednesday Ratings: Top Model Is Still Lookin' Good
8 pm/ET
An audience of 22.5 million total viewers tuned in for American Idol, marking a 9 percent increase over last week's results show. (But really, Tatiana? Oh, the pain had best end tonight.) Knight Rider's series finale managed a distant second with 5.76 million viewers, representing a 21-percent drop-off from the show's debut. Trailing repeats of CBS sitcoms and Lost, the season premiere of America's Next Top Model averaged 3.89 million viewers over its two-hour run, up 11 percent from its previous opener. Plus, to paraphrase Dr. Johnny Fever, you should see what it's doing with teenage girls!
9 pm
Opposite a Criminal Minds repeat, Lost won the hour and the demos with 10.61 million viewers, a gain of 800K from last week's Idol-ized outing. In third, Fox's Lie to Me (10.2 mil) was down 9 percent.
10 pm
Even with CSI: NY and Law & Order serving leftovers, the freshly canceled Life on Mars (5.67 mil) managed just a 100K gain.
Thursday Ratings: CSI Digs Up a Big Audience
8 pm/ET
American Idol's lucky number was (Top) 13, as it won the night with an audience of 21.24 million total viewers, a 6 percent dip from Wednesday's results show. Survivor placed a distant second with 11.98 mil (down 300K week-to-week), followed by Ugly Betty (slipping 430 thou, to 6.38 mil). NBC's Earl (5.55 mil) dropped 17 percent from its last fresh outing, while Kath & Kim (4.16 mil) saw a decent gain.
9 pm
CSI nipped at Idol's heels for best-of-night honors, surging 17 percent to deliver 20.8 million viewers. That's the procedural's biggest draw since Grissom said goodbye. (Um, thanks, Taylor Swift...?) With Grey's taking a knee (and goosed by Idol's overrun), Hell's Kitchen cooked up a second-place finish with 8.63 mil. The Office (8.63 mil) dipped 270K, while 30 Rock leaped 17 percent to hit 7.35 mil.
10 pm
Eleventh Hour was No. 1 in viewers (with 12.15 mil, up 420K), while ER (8.789 mil) topped the demos.
Friday Ratings: For Sarah Connor, Chronic Ills
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour with 11.13 million total viewers, dipping nine percent week-to-week. But will li'l Min-Min ever be able to patch things up with Sam? Placing fourth behind Wife Swap (4.25 mil) and Howie Do It (4.1 mil), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles short-circuited another 14 percent, slipping below the three mil mark. Poly-alloy endoskeleton or not, that's gotta hurt.
9 pm
Flashpoint was No. 1 with 9.83 million viewers, up 660K. Siegfried & Roy worked magic for 20/20, which saw 8.4 mil tune in for a special outing. Friday Night Lights (3.82 mil, down 10 percent) edged out Dollhouse (3.55 mil), which dropped another 14 percent.
10 pm
Numbers notched 10 mil (up 400K), followed by a regular 20/20 (7.6 mil) and Dateline (4.8 mil).
7 pm/ET
60 Minutes topped the hour with 14.12 million total viewers, besting the conclusion of Fox's NASCAR coverage (10.52 mil, No. 1 in demos). SNL: The Best of Tracy Morgan placed fourth (behind ABC's videos show), with three mil.
8 pm
Extreme Makeover (10.96 million viewers) just barely edged out The Amazing Race (10.75 mil). SNL: The Best of Will Ferrell improved on Tracy's highlights reel, delivering 5.63 mil.
9 pm
In the three-way competition between two-hour "events," CBS' Jesse Stone: Thin Ice placed first - and was the night's most watched program - with 15.13 million viewers. That marks a 16 percent increase over the mystery series' previous installment. Brothers & Sisters (ahem) "came to life" with nearly 12 million viewers, a 27 percent surge over its last outing. The second cycle of Celebrity Apprentice premiered to 8.8 mil, an 18 percent plunge from the first season's opener. Maybe next time, the Donald should promise a "shocking death".
Monday Ratings: Luckily, Bachelor Viewers Are Not Quite So Fickle
8 pm/ET
The two-hour season finale of The Bachelor: Flip-Flop Edition was the night's most watched program, averaging 15.45 million total viewers — the series' best audience since Bob chose Estella in November 2003. CBS' sitcombo secured second, with Big Bang Theory holding steady at 10.94 mil and How I Met Your Mother delivering 11.08 mil. 24's White House siege averaged 11.1 mil over its two-hour run, and gained viewers each half hour. Chuck (6.6 mil) inched up a bit from last week's all-time low.
9 pm
Two and a Half Men trailed The Bachelor with 15.42 million viewers (up 500K from its last fresh outing), while lead-out Rules of Engagement returned to 11.86 mil, which was good for third in its time slot. Heroes matched last week's 7 mil.
10 pm
Proving that car-crash television can work, The Bachelor: After the Rose drew its largest audience ever — 17.5 million viewers. CSI: Miami settled for second with 13.3 mil, down 400 thou. Medium took a big hit, slipping 14 percent to 7.28 mil.
Tuesday Ratings: Idol Would Do Anything for Love
And if push came to shove, yes, it probably would do that. On with Tuesday's tallies!
8 pm/ET
American Idol averaged 24.21 million total viewers, matching last week's sing-off. Placing third behind a not-new NCIS (13.7 mil), The Biggest Loser weighed in with nearly 9 mil over its two-hour run, dropping 700K week-to-week. The CW's Reaper returned to an audience of 2.36 mil, down 330 thou from its May 2008 freshman finale.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist played also-ran to Idol, delivering 12.76 million viewers.
10 pm
The Bachelor: After the Final Rose — Part 2: ABC Likes Ratings made a date with 10.85 million viewers. That was just enough to best a Without a Trace repeat (10.5 mil) and top the hour.
Wednesday Ratings: Top Model Is Still Lookin' Good
8 pm/ET
An audience of 22.5 million total viewers tuned in for American Idol, marking a 9 percent increase over last week's results show. (But really, Tatiana? Oh, the pain had best end tonight.) Knight Rider's series finale managed a distant second with 5.76 million viewers, representing a 21-percent drop-off from the show's debut. Trailing repeats of CBS sitcoms and Lost, the season premiere of America's Next Top Model averaged 3.89 million viewers over its two-hour run, up 11 percent from its previous opener. Plus, to paraphrase Dr. Johnny Fever, you should see what it's doing with teenage girls!
9 pm
Opposite a Criminal Minds repeat, Lost won the hour and the demos with 10.61 million viewers, a gain of 800K from last week's Idol-ized outing. In third, Fox's Lie to Me (10.2 mil) was down 9 percent.
10 pm
Even with CSI: NY and Law & Order serving leftovers, the freshly canceled Life on Mars (5.67 mil) managed just a 100K gain.
Thursday Ratings: CSI Digs Up a Big Audience
8 pm/ET
American Idol's lucky number was (Top) 13, as it won the night with an audience of 21.24 million total viewers, a 6 percent dip from Wednesday's results show. Survivor placed a distant second with 11.98 mil (down 300K week-to-week), followed by Ugly Betty (slipping 430 thou, to 6.38 mil). NBC's Earl (5.55 mil) dropped 17 percent from its last fresh outing, while Kath & Kim (4.16 mil) saw a decent gain.
9 pm
CSI nipped at Idol's heels for best-of-night honors, surging 17 percent to deliver 20.8 million viewers. That's the procedural's biggest draw since Grissom said goodbye. (Um, thanks, Taylor Swift...?) With Grey's taking a knee (and goosed by Idol's overrun), Hell's Kitchen cooked up a second-place finish with 8.63 mil. The Office (8.63 mil) dipped 270K, while 30 Rock leaped 17 percent to hit 7.35 mil.
10 pm
Eleventh Hour was No. 1 in viewers (with 12.15 mil, up 420K), while ER (8.789 mil) topped the demos.
Friday Ratings: For Sarah Connor, Chronic Ills
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour with 11.13 million total viewers, dipping nine percent week-to-week. But will li'l Min-Min ever be able to patch things up with Sam? Placing fourth behind Wife Swap (4.25 mil) and Howie Do It (4.1 mil), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles short-circuited another 14 percent, slipping below the three mil mark. Poly-alloy endoskeleton or not, that's gotta hurt.
9 pm
Flashpoint was No. 1 with 9.83 million viewers, up 660K. Siegfried & Roy worked magic for 20/20, which saw 8.4 mil tune in for a special outing. Friday Night Lights (3.82 mil, down 10 percent) edged out Dollhouse (3.55 mil), which dropped another 14 percent.
10 pm
Numbers notched 10 mil (up 400K), followed by a regular 20/20 (7.6 mil) and Dateline (4.8 mil).
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