NBC Picks Goes Full Season With "Revolution", "Go On" and "The New Normal"

On the heels of winning its first premiere week in the A18-49 demographic in nine years, NBC has picked up three of its new fall series - the adventure-drama "Revolution" and the comedies "Go On" and "The New Normal" -- for full-season commitments for the 2012-13 season, it was announced today by Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment.

"We're impressed with the imagination and creative direction of the entire team on 'Revolution,' not to mention the immediately strong response we got from the audience," said Salke. "Ordering the full season of this show is a pleasure. Thanks to J.J. Abrams, Erik Kripke, Jon Favreau, and everyone at Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television for their dedication to making a truly unique series. And I personally love to escape into a world where there is no power, the phone doesn't ring, and the pace of life slows down -- if only for one hour a week!"

She added: "We're also very proud of our new comedy block of 'Go On' and 'The New Normal.' In partnering with Matthew Perry for 'Go On,' creator Scott Silveri has created a comedy with a highly original voice that deftly combines humor and emotion. And Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler have created a truly unique family in 'The New Normal' that is reflective of the changing dynamics of the world we live in. These shows are both welcome additions to our new lineup!"

"We're very pleased with early results of the last three weeks of our fall season roll-out," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. "The strategy for this season was to draft off the promotional platform of the Olympics and then begin our season early and strong. I think we've accomplished both of those goals, yet we know it's a long season and there's much work ahead of us. We are so appreciative of all the great talent that is working so hard on these shows."

"Revolution" is averaging a 3.6 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 9.8 million viewers in "live plus same day" results through its first three telecasts. "Revolution" debuted on September 17 with the highest 18-49 rating (4.1) for a premiering drama on any network in three years (since ABC's "V" on October 3, 2009, 5.2) and the highest for a premiering NBC drama in five years (since "Bionic Woman," September 26, 2007, 5.7). And in the two weeks since then, "Revolution" took on premiering competition from ABC's "Castle" and CBS's "Hawaii Five-0" and led that competition in every key demographic both weeks. And the first two weeks of "Revolution" have set time-shifting records for NBC, growing by 1.36 ratings points in 18-49 in week one and then 1.74 in week two when going from Nielsen's "live plus same day" ratings to its "live plus three day" data. Those are the two biggest increases ever for an NBC telecast. Among series on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, only ABC's "Modern Family" has ever earned a bigger increases than "Revolution's" week-two gain of 1.74.

"Go On" is averaging a 3.2 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 8.6 million viewers overall in "live plus same day" averages for its first three regular-slot telecasts, ranking it currently as the #1 new comedy of the fall (a special preview of ABC's "The Neighbors" also earned a 3.2). The 3.2 rating is a 33 percent increase on the 2.4 NBC averaged in the time period last season in 18-49. "Go On's" September 11 regular-slot debut scored NBC's top 18-49 rating for a comedy premiere (3.4) in the last two years.

"The New Normal" is averaging a 2.2 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 6.0 million viewers overall through its first three regular-slot episodes, according to Nielsen Media Research. The most recent "New Normal" telecast retained 74 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Go On," matching its best retention to date and up from 65 percent the prior week. And in "live plus three day" ratings that add time-shifted viewing for the first three days after live broadcast, last week's "New Normal" increased its retention of "Go On" to 87 percent (with a 2.77 rating vs. a 3.19).

What would you do without it all? In this epic adventure from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions and "Supernatural's" Eric Kripke, a family struggles to reunite in an American landscape where every single piece of technology -- computers, planes, cars, phones, even lights -- has mysteriously blacked out forever. A drama with sweeping scope and intimate focus, "Revolution" is also about family -- both the family you're born into and the family you choose. This is a swashbuckling journey of hope and rebirth seen through the eyes of one strong-willed young woman, Charlie Matheson (Tracy Spiridakos, "Being Human"), and her brother Danny (Graham Rogers, "Memphis Beat"). When Danny is kidnapped by militia leaders for a darker purpose, Charlie must reconnect with her estranged uncle, Miles (Billy Burke, "The Twilight Saga"), a former U.S. Marine living a reclusive life. Together, with a rogue band of survivors, they set out to rescue Danny, overthrow the militia, and ultimately re-establish the United States of America. All the while, they explore the enduring mystery of why the power failed, and if -- or how -- it will ever return.

The series also stars Zak Orth ("Romeo + Juliet), JD Pardo ("A Cinderella Story"), Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad"), David Lyons ("The Cape"), Maria Howell ("The Blind Side"), Daniealla Alonso ("Friday Night Lights"), Tim Guinee ("Iron Man") and Elizabeth Mitchell ("Lost"). Kripke, Abrams and Bryan Burk ("Lost," "Star Trek") serve as executive producers, and Jon Favreau ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") serves as co-executive producer. "Revolution" is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was directed by Favreau.

Matthew Perry ("Friends," "Mr. Sunshine") stars as Ryan King, a recent widower and sports talk radio host ready to get back to work after the loss of his wife. Ryan's alpha-male boss, Steven (John Cho, "Star Trek," "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle"), has a different plan in store for Ryan, making him attend grief counseling before returning to the air.

A reluctant Ryan finds himself in a support group for "life change" where he meets an oddball cast of characters. Ryan's total lack of interest in "the healing process" proves distracting, and he soon butts heads with the by-the-books group leader, Lauren, played by Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti ("The Playboy Club"). Back at work, Ryan is confronted with the fact that he hasn't really processed his grief and realizes Lauren and the other members of the group might be key in helping him move on.

Also starring are Tony Award winner Julie White ("Transformers"), Tyler James Williams ("Everybody Hates Chris"), Suzy Nakamura ("Dodgeball") and Brett Gelman ("30 Minutes or Less").

In addition, Lauren Graham (NBC's "Parenthood") will guest-star in an upcoming episode of "Go On" as Ryan King's (Perry) old college friend and his former radio talk show co-host. An airdate for Graham's episode will be announced later. Multiple Emmy Award winner Bob Costas from NBC Sports and Chris Bosh from the NBA's world champion Miami Heat also will appear as themselves in additional episodes.

"Go On" is a touching new comedy created by Emmy Award-winning writer/executive producer Scott Silveri ("Perfect Couples," "Friends"). Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Karey Nixon ("Free Agents," "Miss/Guided") and Jon Pollack ("Up All Night," "30 Rock") also serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by Holland. "Go On" is a production of Universal Television, Dark Toy Entertainment and Silver & Gold Productions.

These days, families come in all forms - single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors... It's 2012 and anything goes. Bryan (Andrew Rannells, "Girls," "The Book of Mormon") and David (Justin Bartha, "The Hangover") are a Los Angeles couple and they have it all. Well, almost. With successful careers and a committed, loving partnership, there is one thing that this couple is missing: a baby. And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, "One Day"), an extraordinary young woman with a checkered past. A midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother (Emmy and Tony Award winner Ellen Barkin), Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious eight year-old daughter. Desperate and broke - but also fertile - Goldie quickly becomes the guys' surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams. Surrogate mother, surrogate family.

Ryan Murphy serves as creator/executive producer and director along with creator/executive producer Ali Adler ("Glee," "Chuck") and executive producer Dante Di Loreto ("Glee," "American Horror Story"). "The New Normal" is produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Ryan Murphy Productions.

"Full House" Reunion

In the late 80s going into the early 90's, when Friday nights outside of the house didn't really mean all that much yet, I had Full House. TGIF was hitting it's stride and so was the Tanner family. Michelle couldn't pronounce ice cream and Joey was telling bring the cheese with lines like, "Cut It Out."

25 years later the cast decided it was time to reunite but of course the Olsen twins didn't show up.  Sweet. The last thing one of those twins was known for was being the "girlfriend" of Heath Ledger before he died. Great legacy.

Check out the photo of the cast below featuring; Candace Cameron Bure, Bob Saget, Jodie Sweetin, John Stamos, Lori Loughlin, Dave Coulier, Andrea Barber, Scott Weinger

The Inquisitor

Green Lantern: The Animated Series Clip

The second half of the first season of Green Lantern: The Animated Series is quickly on its way. Fan-favorite Guy Gardner will be making his appearance in these episodes as it follows a new story arc. It is also nice to see the tease for the Manhunters having a bigger part in this second half of the season. The episode is cleverly titled "The New Guy" and Hal returns from being out in space for so long that he's been replaced by Guy as the Green Lantern of Sector 2814. Check the clip above and don't forget to catch the full episode on September 29th.

Wonder Woman Pilot in Development: Strike Two

The David E. Kelley Wonder Woman pilot will go down by many as one of the all-time great failures. Assuming you can get your hands on a copy. I got pals who could hook me up, sure. But seeing the few minutes that leaked online (Like here for example) didn't entice me to see the rest.

You know how some things are so bad, they're good? This was so bad, what shit did Warner Brothers/DC Comics snort to commission this? They get props in my book for taking the risk on the unorthodox Kelley, the final results notwithstanding.

A year and change after NBC passed on the infamous Adrianne Palicki-non-starter, they're taking a second swig at the sauce, per Vulture. This attempt for the CW and this time they plan is to "Smallville it." Even picked a title reeking of the Superman-cock tease waste-of-time: Amazon. Diana would be Wonder Woman in everything but name, costume and spend 10 years deciding if she wanted to use her powers for good. In between fighting her rogues gallery and meeting her allies WB would allow.

On a positive note, Wonder Woman headed back to television suggests Justice League is looking less like a sure-thing on the movie-front. Why bother developing a pilot, with serious intentions to go to series, if WB hires a separate actress for the films?

Joss Whedon's Marvel TV Show is S.H.I.E.L.D.

It was never going to be anything as big as say The Avengers: The Series. Imagine the cash Disney would bleed to fund that sucker! Nobody thought that was the case, to be fair.

No, everyone assumed that Marvel show Joss Whedon would tinker with in between punch-ups on The Avengers 2 was gonna be more S.H.I.E.L.D. catered. Guess what? It is. Oh, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is also the title and it has the greenlight from ABC.

Whedon’s brother Jed and sister-in-law Maurissa Tancharoen will co-author the pilot for Joss to direct. And since every actor used their blood for ink on their Marvel contracts (Robert Downey Jr. probably the sole exception), don't be surprised if you randomly see Marc Ruffalo getting a cup of coffee at the S.H.I.E.L.D. kitchen or Sam Jackson, the movie-player we'll see the most, ordering in Chinese.

Watch it be about the guy playing Galaga.

Beverly Hills Cop Headed to TV?

That laugh, all those bananas stuffed in tailpipes, Judge Reinhold getting a paycheck. How has Beverly Hills Cop 4 not been made!?!

They say "script problems," but that's a lark. Everything that made the 1984 original what it is came about by Eddie Murphy and helmer Martin Brest throwing out the script (Awful, according to those who reading it) and improvising whatever was scheduled for that day's shoot. And any concerns with stinky screenplays didn't stop Beverly Hills Cop 3 now did it (John Landis will get first in line to tell you how bad it turned out)?

So whatever the reason a fourth Axel Foley adventure didn't happen is anyone's guess.

Its inability, and more importantly the falling star-power of its lead, might explain why Murphy in the coming years opened up to the chance of a weekly TV procedural version, an idea dating back to the late 80s. He confessed as much to Rolling Stone a year back and, reports Vulture, is teaming up with The Shield creator Shawn Ryan to bring Axel to the small-screen.

Details, early as they are, understandably remain on the mum-side save for its design as a "buddy cop show" and Murphy's limited onscreen involvement (The pilot, obviously, where his mug getting all the exposure/promotions and here & there pop-up appearances).

If they're serious, cable television is their safest bet. Imagine Murphy standing next to the USA "Characters Welcome" banner or TNT's "We Know Drama." Doesn't ring as the idea to work for twenty-two shows a year.

The Office Closing This Season

Tried my best to stomach the Michael Scott-absent eighth season of The Office, and the best I could muster was the opening two episodes and closing few. The single-camera comedy was never going to be the same without star Steve Carell. Much as NBC and executive producer /showrunner Paul Lieberstein said otherwise, that wasn't lost on them. A feeling most certainly not lost on viewers as the series suffered its lowest ratings since it premiered in 2005.

So to hear executive producer Greg Daniels confirm this ninth season will be its last comes as too little, too late. They had their chance at a classy swan-song, leaving viewers wanting more (You can count with one hand how many popular comedies had the balls to do that!)

In addition to Carell, Lieberstein, Mindy Kaling (Watch The Mindy Project, NBC passed on, be this season's breakout hit) and B.J. Novak are gone, Rainn Wilson gearing for his Dwight Schrute-focused spin-off The Farm and remaining series MVPs Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Ed Helms in limited use thanks to their film careers and on platinum pay.

Daniels promises this closing season will have "drama" to Jim & Pam's marriage, the identity of the Scranton Strangler and who is working on the documentary on the series-within-a-series.

Paul Pfeiffer Is A Legal Juggernaut

I was just watching The Wonder Years last night and couldn't believe how well the show holds up. It's one of my favorite shows of all time and holds as special place in my heart because it was a show that my whole family could watch. You always wonder what happens to some of these actors that are no longer in the entertainment industry, well thanks to Mike Spring editor over at DVDSnapShot.Com, we now know what happened to Paul Pfeiffer.

A tweet put up by Spring links to the law offices MorrisonCohen LLP where Josh Saviano aka Paul Pfeiffer is proudly on display. The guy brought it on the Wonder Years and other aspects of the entertainment world, went to Yale, and is now a champion lawyer. Take that Fred Savage.

Vince Vaughn Rebooting the Brady Bunch for the Twenty-First Century

The Brady Bunch is one of those shows whose appeal is lost to me. I mean, I get it. It just wasn't of my generation. I caught the reruns, played on Nick-at-Nite, TV Land, even VH1 (with an accompanying Pop-Up-Video version of every episode). But it always played too syrupy-sweet for me, and I liked a lot of crap as a kid!

The Brady Bunch Movie, on the other hand, is pretty ingenious. Plays up the cornball out-dated 70s-ness of the series in the mid-90s when grunge was hanging by its last, flannel thread. It's a comedy made by people in on the joke. Then they did a couple of sequels but damned if I watched him.

Well Vince Vaughn, his feet wet off Sullivan & Son, the TBS sitcom that looks like it was pulled straight out of the 80s (not a compliment), and CBS are gearing up for TV reboot. Mike Mariano (writer/producer on My Name is Earl and Raising Hope) is writing the pilot and there are some tweaks planned to update the Bradys, like having Mike and Carol Brady's exes around and them having a child together.

You all know the theme-song so I won't embed it below. What I will do however is a half-assed defense of the idea – in other words the "It could have been worse!" defense. In the early 90s after a couple of TV reunion movies did big numbers, CBS got the idea with baby-boomers entering their 40s and shows like Thirtysomething hot, why not a dramatic series about the Bradys called, wait for it, The Bradys?

Just watch the below (The opening credits but it perfectly sums up the wrongness of it all), and be amazed that people in authority, and paid millions of dollars annually, thought a drama about the Brady Bunch, featuring a laugh-track...for some reason, was a swell idea.

Laurence Fishburne Joins Hannibal

Laurence Fishburne (or Max the Orderly as we lovingly call him) must have hated the taste of that blue pill. The Matrix alum went cold turkey from procedural television exiting his two-year stint headlining CSI. Being Clark Kent's boss might have its perks but it's not a year-round gig – any hypothetical Superman sequel wouldn't shoot until 2014 at the earliest.

TV Line reports he’s headed back to the tube, solving crimes on a weekly basis. He'll play Jack Crawford, head of the FBI Behavioral Sciences for Hannibal, NBC's crime drama focusing on the relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lector. Interestingly this would mark the second time, in such short order no less, Fishburne has carried on a role traditionally played by a white actor; Dennis Farina in Manhunter, Scott Glenn in Silence of the Lambs and Harvey Keitel in Red Dragon.

Even when the papers are signed, the arrangement for Hannibal, from Bryan Fuller of Pushing Daisies so you know it stands a better chance of not being crap, would involve 13 episode seasons, no more, no less in the event it's a hit when it premieres mid-season 2013. So Fishburne, and leads Mads Mikkelsen (God are we all curious to see how he plays Hannibal the Cannibal) and Hugh Dancy, can still enjoy his plum film roles.