From new "limited-run" event shows (and old ones like 24) to existing but evolving hits like How I Met Your Mother, the dinosaurs of the lower channels are disrupting their own programming models at upfronts this week to fight back against Netflix and Co.
While ABC's upfront presentation on Thursday evening didn't seem like NBC's bloodbath, well, copying a successful formula isn't going to produce the best results. And all of ABC's new shows — yes, even Rebel Wilson's — feel derivative of something else.
ABC isn't in great shape, so it's wildly rebooting its lineup. Click here for all those details, an interactive schedule, plus extended trailers for new shows, pretty good Jimmy Kimmel jokes, and more.
ABC and Disney jumped out ahead of upfronts by announcing its fall lineup early, and the network has already begun cranking up the promo machine for one of its big hopefuls.
In the dead of night, while you were sleeping or paying attention to other less trivial things, ABC and NBC announced the cancellation of Happy Endings and Smash, respectively. Feel free to use this space as a memorial for both shows.
Today in show business news: CBS has renewed CSI for yet another season, the already troubled Jane Got a Gun runs into a Jude Law problem, and Christina Applegate might be the new Beverly D'Angelo.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck was leaving The View, but then she wasn't, and now she's leaving again. We don't really know who to believe, but word is out — again — that the ice queen of daytime talk TV is getting the boot from Barbara Walters' daily gabfest. Just not yet.
"We have no plans for Elisabeth to leave this show," Barbara Walters said at the top of Monday's show, ruining the collective schadenfreude built up since late Friday afternoon, when rumors quickly spread that Hasselbeck had been fired. Why hasn't she?
The latest in the network's tough-mom thrillers — a confusing two-hour premiere centered on the Russian mob in San Francisco — feels more like a fill-in distraction than anything else. Which is exactly what Sunday night doesn't need right now.
Finally, Jay Leno may be leaving The Tonight Show. He will not be leaving today, tonight, or tomorrow, but a new report says his days behind Carson's old desk are numbered.
After 174 days, a bone marrow transplant, and a fight against a life-threatening illness Robin Roberts finally made her return to Good Morning America this morning, capping one of the most inspirational and emotional comeback stories of the past two years.
We already know that Star Wars is coming back to the big screen, but the franchise might also be coming to ABC, a subsidiary of the new LucasFilm owners at Disney.
Today in showbiz news: ABC has a fading awards show on its hands, CBS gets back into the spiritual market, and Kenan Thompson makes his big move. Also: Gosling.
Word comes today that NBC has canceled its first-year veterinary sitcom Monkey Hospital Ape ER Dr. Doolittle's Wonderful, Blunderful ICU Animal Practice after weeks of poor ratings. What other shows are in danger? Let's take a look.
Today in showbiz news: One of the better shows of the new season did only OK in its debut last night, Tom Hanks is officially headed to Broadway, and Jodie Foster is directing another movie.
ABC has made a terrible, terrible mistake with their choice of which Olympic sport to turn into a reality competition. Diving was not the breakout sport of the Olympics. Gymnastics was.
ABC has made the pilot episode of its new country music soap Nashville available online and boy howdy, it's a daggum blast! Well, that might be a little overly effusive, but it is a mostly entertaining, well-acted hour full of fading glory and rising bitchery.
David Chalian, Yahoo's Washington Bureau Chief, has been fired for a comment he made during ABC-Yahoo News' coverage of the Republican National Convention (or whatever there was of it) on Monday when he apparently made a Katrina-Romney-Isaac joke at the Romneys' expense, saying that "they [the Romneys] are happy to have a party with black people drowning."
This would be one of the least surprising choices the Academy could make. Apparently charismatic funny man Jimmy Fallon is in talks to host next year's Oscars ceremony, but there's major network and Academy drama that could stop it from happening.
There's a spectre haunting ABC, or something. We called this yesterday. The kids on Modern Family are expected to start their own contract dispute on Monday and demand more money, just like their parents did, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rejoice, America! You can stop worrying. All the adults from Modern Family have finally reached a deal with ABC that will pay them way more money.
It's only been around six months since the new, revamped CBS This Morning hit the air, and it appears the network has already grown tired of its current co-host lineup, as CBS announced today that the network's chief White House correspondent, Norah O'Donnell, will be replacing current co-host and Early Show alum Erica Hill.
Here's some petty little showbiz news for you: CBS is annoyed that a judge will allow ABC to air a new show called Glass House that the Tiffany network thinks is too similar to its long-running Big Brother, so they've written a tongue-in-cheek press release about their new show Dancing On the Stars.
The ratings for ABC's tightrope walk are in, and the stunt pulled huge numbers, proving that people will flock to television we can all talk about.
Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk across Niagara Falls on a high wire Friday night, and in the process became the first person to clear customs that way, too.
Nik Wallenda, an aerialist and member of the Flying Wallendas family, is slated to walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls Friday night on ABC's 20/20, and whatever happens, the network is very prepared.
Last night ABC debuted its new summertime easy-tainment show Duets, which, alas, is not a series adaptation of that curious Gwyneth Paltrow/Paul Giamatti/Huey Lewis karaoke movie.
Good news for America's snoozing layabouts in need of some soft news: ABC's Good Morning America is branching out with a newly announced afternoon show, creatively titled ... Good Afternoon America.
Network upfront presentations (in which the new slate of programming is bragged about to advertisers) continue today, with ABC unveiling their Fall 2012 lineup.
Last night was the big season finale of Smash, wherein America found out, finally, who was going to play Marilyn in the big Marilyn Musical and probably other things happened like intrigue and romance and, who knows, maybe Debra Messing took her shirt off again. The point is: We didn't watch. Why? Because we were watching the motherfreakin' Bachelorette instead. Yes, it's back.
The Call Sheet sifts through the day's glut of Hollywood news to find the stories even non-industry types care about. Today: ABC has an international hit in a Pan Am, The CW officially invites Carrie Bradshaw to the party, and Alec Baldwin is a busy man.
Word comes in today that TBS, already the noble shelter of NBC-banished Conan O'Brien, has decided to pick up the ailing cult-favorite comedy Cougar Town from ABC for a fourth season, which will air next year. "Hooray!" fans of wine comedy the nation over exclaim. In fact this is cause for celebration for everybody who watches TV, not solely Cougarheads.
Keith Olbermann made his triumphant return to broadcast over the weekend, appearing as a well-behaved panelist on ABC This Week Sunday, where he seemed glad to be one of the people commenting on the news instead of one of the parties in the story.
For the first time in 16 years, it appears ABC's Good Morning America may have finally beaten NBC's The Today Show in weekly ratings, but it wasn't the during the Katie Couric-Sarah Palin death-match. The New York Times's Brian Stelter credits the inimitable Sherri Shepherd, a member of The View's day-time debating panel.
The happy news comes today that HBO has officially renewed their successful fantasy series Game of Thrones for a third season. Gods be good! Seems like lots of shows are getting renewed right now. Let's take a look at what we'll be watching next TV season.
Every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the video clips that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention.
Also: Michelle Williams and Jason Segel are dating, adorably.
Last night ABC unveiled their ostensible Desperate Housewives replacement, a Southern hiss-fest called GCB, which is short for the unmentionable (on ABC at least) Good Christian Bitches. The show isn't shocking stuff, but it's certainly entertaining.
The River has a fun premise, but can it ultimately work?
Folks as obsessed with media personalities as us were surprised to see the three supposedly brainiac contestants on last night's Jeopardy! stumped when asked who Rachel Maddow was, while correctly answering a question about George Stephanopoulos.
The Fox Business host likes Rachel Maddow, libertarianism, and martial arts
No answers for Cougar Town, Paul Bettany is no longer sexy, and Downton scores big.
ABC's Revenge returned to the airwaves last night with a big, conclusive episode that wrapped up one recurring character's storyline in soapy fashion. And also a bit frustratingly.
Last night ABC aired the premiere of their eagerly unanticipated new sitcom Work It, a bizarrely dated show about two unemployed guys who dress like women to get jobs as pharmaceutical sales reps. And boy was it unpleasant.
This is a bit macabre, but the ratings for ABC's annual "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" are at their highest in years when the world is predicted to end.
For the near future George Stephanopoulos will man the ship at ABC's This Week but rumor has it the position isn't permanent and the network is considering at least four other journalists to anchor the public affairs show longterm.
While many watched Bob Costas interview Jerry Sandusky last night, ABC was airing something far more uplifting.
Christiane Amanpour's ABC regrets, the Wenners are officially single again after all these years, and Barack Obama meets his team of Hollywood 'influencers.'
Nielsen's numbers for the first four weeks of the fall television season are in, and the figures don't look great for the three traditional major TV networks, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Joss Whedon has been adapting Shakespeare in secret, ABC close to deal for series based on Michael Lewis parenting book, and Disney isn't letting ABC affiliates talk to Johnny Depp about The Rum Diary.
Today in movies and television: Bradley Cooper is your new U.N.C.L.E., Eminem's boxing movie is back on, and Ben Stiller tries his hand at horror.
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