Blog Archives
NBC’s Remaking the Sound of Music
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron
For some bizarre reason, NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt has decided to approve a live broadcast of The Sound of Music play. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Greenblatt says, “There used to be a tradition of broadcasting musicals live back in the 1950s, and we’re thrilled to do it once again with a musical that has been a family classic for five decades.”
Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will produce the live play. Zadan and Meron say they do not intended to remake the film version of The Sound of Music because that would be “artistic blasphemy.” No word yet on who will be in NBC version of The Sound of Music or when it will air.
Least Shocking News of the Day: Savannah Guthrie Replaces Ann Curry
Savannah Guthrie, who co-anchored today’s episode of Today with Matt Lauer, has officially been announced as Ann Curry’s replacement. She has been with NBC chief legal analyst and will continue to be in that position. The only thing that has changed at NBC is that Ann Curry is no longer co-anchor of Today. At least, the final chapter of Curry’s Today show saga has been written and everyone can move on.
Ann Curry Leaves Today
It’s official. Ann Curry has left Today, but not NBC. This morning’s show was Curry’s last as co-anchor with Matt Lauer.
USA Today reports that Curry’s new multi-year contract will have her traveling the world with a seven-person crew. She will also produce specials and segments for all of NBC’s news programs as well as be a fill in anchor for the Nightly News. Her new official title is Anchor-at-large and NBC national/international correspondent.
I think that the new position fits Curry better because she prefers hard news. I just wish the official announcement that she was leaving Today this morning came before the show aired, since I missed Ann saying goodbye. However, NBC has posted the video up on MSNBC.com.
Despite rumors that Savannah Guthrie will be Today‘s new co-anchor, NBC still has not announced Curry’s replacement.
What do you think about NBC decision?
AGT’s Second Night in Vegas
Tom Cotter
I was really not looking forward to Tuesday’s America’s Got Talent. After a very disappointing showing on Monday, I didn’t really have any expectation that it would get better. Fortunately, I was wrong. Tuesdays performances were not great, but it was a considerable improvement compared to these awful last few weeks.
The show opened with the magic category. First up was mind reader Eric Dittelman. He was entertaining in his initial audition, but also very intimate. His act seemed a bit small for Vegas. It still might be. As the judges agreed, he’s not a great showman. Nonetheless, overall he was impressive. At this point, the show was already far better than the first night in Vegas. Next up was one of my favorite acts, escape artist Nate Horseman. He was a bit better in his initial audition, but watching him escape from a glass box underwater was still exciting to watch. On the plus side, there might have been higher risk for serious damage, but escaping from a straightjacket is still more exciting. Both Dittelman and Horseman will get a chance to further prove themselves in New York.
AGT’s First Night in Vegas
Archer Ben Blaque
America’s Got Talent began Vegas Week last night and there really was no reason to be optimistic about this season. It has been a disappointment. There have been many acts that were terrible and not even remotely entertaining. Most of the acts that made it through to Vegas were only average.
The hour opened with the crowd of acts scrambling as they were told that they would be split into three groups: the judge’s favorites, the standbys, and those who weren’t on either list. The acts in the last group would not perform in Vegas and would either be sent home right away or sent straight to the New York rounds. This was very repetitive, as the acts were shown on camera all saying basically the same thing that they had a good performance at the auditions and they hope they make it through. This did not hold my attention at all and the time could’ve been used to give the acts more screen time.
Weekly Update: June 25
On Thursday, FX will run a marathon of Charlie Sheen’s favorite Two and a Half Men episodes. It will lead up to the series premiere of Anger Management.
Jennifer Hudson will have a multi-episode on Smash next season.
Alex Trebek is recovering from a heart attack.
TMZ reports that NBC will pay Ann Curry 10 million to leave Today.
Maura Tierny gets a recurring role on The Good Wife.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg likes HBO’s Girls.
NBC Uses a Video Without Permission
In 2009, The Jay Leno Show used an amateur comedy video that it had found on YouTube without permission. Despite the fact that Leno did not ask permission, Brian Kamerer and Travis Irvine were initially happy that he had used the video on his show. All that changed when NBC decided to take the duos video down because of copyright infringement. Yes, you read that correctly. NBC, which could be accused of copyright infringement for not paying or asking to use a video, took down the original posting of a video it essentially stole from Kamerer and Irvine due to copyright infringement.
I am not saying Jay Leno should not have used the video. In fact, anything that gives more exposure to up-and-coming comedians is a good thing, especially since late night talk shows rarely feature stand up comedians nowadays. However, NBC had no right to use the video without asking permission or compensating Kamerer and Irvine and definitely went to far with taking the video down.
NBC May Replace Ann Curry on Today
Despite being with Today since 1997, Ann Curry has only co-hosted the NBC show for a year. However, The New York Times reports that Curry is on the way out and may be gone before the Olympics, if not as early as next week. Once she leaves Today, Curry may become foreign correspondent for NBC.
Prior to Ann Curry’s takeover as co-host to Matt Lauer, Today had been number one in the ratings for 17 years. Since Curry moved from the news desk, Today and ABC’s Good Morning America take turns, almost on a weekly basis, as the highest rated morning show.
While I feel bad for Curry because she is apparently losing her dream job, I hope she because a foreign correspondent because she is better suited for that role, especially since some reports say that some aspects of daytime television clash with her journalistic sensibilities.
Will you miss Ann Curry? Let us know in the comments!
NBC Olympics Trial Coverage Begins Tomorrow
Since the 2012 Summer Olympics are opening soon, NBC is trying to get viewers excited with 56 total hours of Olympic coverage over the next three weeks.
The Olympic Trials coverage starts with diving this Tuesday at midnight ET on NBC Sports Network. NBC will air 14 hours of live diving trials including 5 hours of weekend coverage on NBC with the remaining coverage on NBC Sports. From Federal Way, Washington, NBC will have Ted Robinson doing play-by-play, Cynthia Porter doing analysis, and Alex Flannagan reporting.
Twelve hours of track and field trial coverage begins Friday at 9 pm ET on NBC Sports. Eight days will be covered in total, including four nights in primetime on NBC. The track and field broadcast team includes Tom Hammond, Ato Boldon, Craig Masback, Tim Hutchings, Dwight Stones and Lewis Johnson reporting from Eugene, Oregon.
For the first time, every night of the swimming trials will be shown in primetime on NBC. The 16.5 hours of trial coverage begin Monday, June 25 at 6:30 pm ET on NBC Sports. It will be followed immediately by the first of eight straight nights of trials in primetime on NBC at 8 pm ET. Dan Hicks, Rowdy Gaines and Andrea Kremer will be the team reporting from Omaha, Nebraska.
There will be 8.5 hours of gymnastics trials coverage beginning on Thursday, June 28 at 5:30 pm ET on NBC Sports. It starts 4 straight days of coverage ending with the women’s final in primetime on NBC on July 1. Al Trautwig, Tim Daggett, Elfi Schlegel and Andrea Joyce report from San Jose, California.
NBC Announces New Fall Schedule
NBC is using the Olympics to launch it’s fall schedule. On August 8, Go On will air commercial free following Olympic Games coverage. Animal Practice will get the same treatment, on August 12, following the closing ceremonies.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this is the full NBC Fall Schedule with new shows in ALL CAPS.
Wednesday, Aug. 8
GO ON (sneak peek following Olympic Games coverage)
Sunday, Aug. 12
ANIMAL PRACTICE (sneak peek following Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies)
Monday, Aug. 13
8-10 p.m. STARS EARN STRIPES (two-hour premiere)
10-11 p.m. Grimm
The rest of NBC’s 2012 Fall Schedule is after the jump.
Wait! What's A Dial? 