Television News Now in Assorted Flavors

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Any one of the following tid bits of news would not have stood on their own as front page worthy news.  Hell, let's be honest ... on a day when there was much else to talk about this would be forum fodder, but it's slow and we got time.  So, let's talk about Buffy, 24, Joe Millionaire, and Donahue.

First, thanks go to Reuters for all this 'news'.

-  On the heels of having his show appropriately cancelled, liberal embarrassment Donahue waxed petulant of the decision by MSNBC and issued a strongly worded protest e-mail (the method 9 out of 10 lazy protesters choose) in which he said, "We were hoping to break through the noisy drums of war on cable and become a responsible platform for dissenters as well as administration supporters" ... I'll wait until you stop laughing.  Ok, ready?  Galvinizing as many as seven people to his cause, Donahue's protest was taken very seriously by MSNBC.  His e-mail is very important to MSNBC.  If he stays on the line an MSNBC representative will take his protest very soon.  We thank Donahue for his patience and hope that he will continue to hold.  His e-mail is very important to MSNBC....

-  Fox broadcasting, known for its quick to cancel policy, has at least been bright enough to pick up 24 for a third season.  It must have been a tough decision for Fox considering that 24 is the fifth highest rated drama on television at the moment among 18-49 year olds who, as we all know, watch SUV ads and then buy SUVs which is kind of the whole point of television anyway. 

Fox, who won sweeps month with the age group, has also devised a secret way to bring back 'Joe Millionaire'.   How you might ask?   Well you wouldn't be the only one asking.  Fox Entertainment Group Chairman Sandy Grushow "declined to say in a conference call when the new "Millionaire" would run or how Fox could maintain the storybook fiction for a new group of contestants, but he promised to remain true to the "values" of the original."  That's right, folks, he is working on the presumption that the first had values of somekind.  I can only presume he is talking about values like 1,000,000, or zero, or even 18-49 years.

- Joss Whedon, producer and writer for several quality shows like Angel, and sacrificial lamb Firefly, has begun to accept the inevitable end to his UPN show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  The show which finishes its seventh and final season in May with an hourlong finale titled "Chosen", had its fate pretty much sealed when Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed this week that she was not returning for another season.  Unlike X-Files creator Cris Carter, Whedon seems saavy enough to recognize that, for most people, when the star of a show leaves there's not much point in watching anymore.  However, that doesn't necessarily mean the end, as UPN executives have expressed interest in a spinoff show and Whedon, who presumably would rather have money than not, appears willing.  To which, I ask, what if one of Firefly's crew members turned out to be a vampire ... huh?  Huh? 

- Elysium

Comments

Oh how I hope Joss does a  show centered around Willow! How sweet that would be.

I'd like to see him focus on Angel more, shows are always better when he is paying close attention to it. Maybe bring a couple of the Buffy crew over to Angel (they don't have powerful magic user yet, so Willow would be a good addition).

I'm surprised Phil lasted this long. He is a part of that "Hate America" class of leftist which isn't going to get moderate liberals to watch. Now if only Bill O'Rielly can be taken off the air...

Mmmm...Willow! (Drool)

How in the Hell are you going to draft women to sign on for "Joe Millionaire 2?"  Won't they be a little more suspicious this time around?

"Well gee, what are the odds that he really doesn't have 50 bajillion dollars?"

Damn, how I miss Firefly.

Its a shame that when there is such a shortage of good stuff on TV that Firefly was cancelled.

Id rather really not see a spinoff of Buffy, considering how good Firefly was. It makes me think hes pretty good at making up new universes, which I would much rather see. If only someone had some kahones and would keep his show around to maturity.

maybe firefly will pull a seinfeld....

lookin on the web today i found out lawrence fishburn is recently married to one of the cast members of firefly.  the actress' last name is torres.  im not that familiar with the cast so i dont know what her role was.

my initial thoughts on firefly was if they were going with a western in space motif then they should have gone all out.  mechanized horses herding cattle and lots of carbon fiber hats, chaps and trench coats would have helped flesh out the universe.  the ship left some things to be desired.  dont underestimate the importance of good art direction for the ship.  in a lot of these shows, the ship is at least a supporting character.

is the show after firefly, "john doe" still around?  i liked that show alot.

i doubt the spinoff would be willow.  she's been a main for years and a spinoff centered around her may not be fresh enough.  though i guess after a long stand on cheers, the audience isnt tired of frasier crane yet.  ill wager it would center around... dawn i think it is?  id personaly like to see a spinoff around giles.  maybe narrated by the current actor and his story all told in flashback when he was in his 20's.  you could do the flip side where slayers hes worked with in the past are the supporting cast.  best yet you could still has guest appearances from angel.  SMG could do guest appearances playing the role of her mother when she was younger.

I've heard rumors that Joss wants to work with Anthony Stuart Head on a Ripper series. This runs counter to other rumors I've heard that Anthony is in discussions with the BBC to star as the Doctor in a revived Doctor Who series.

-Matt

i just did some research on the net so i now know what your talking about mr spook.

that would be great TV i think.  ripper rules! dr who be damned!  he doesnt need to be resurrected =)

i saw the end of the funniest thing yesterday.  the wb is trying to bring back a hunky early 20's lone ranger!  OMG it was horrible!  tonto looked like he belonged on "that 70's show" and the lone ranger was straight from dawsons creek.  it was sooo bad.  firefly deserved a better fate with drivel like that on TV.