TCA: NBC

NBC Universal had its presentation at the Television Critics Association press tour on Tuesday and Wednesday:

NBC

- Two NBC executives (Angela Bromstad and Paul Telady) came out to reporters and pretty much gave the same, usual canned responses you hear at the press tour every year. They downplayed Ben Silverman's departure from the network; vaguely described the ratings expectations for The Jay Leno Show, which will air as a prime-time strip beginning Sept. 14; and said Heroes "is doing well creatively" - which we all know is a flat out lie. Telady also talked about an "NBC Brand". I guess when you have a lineup of programs like Heroes and Parks and Recreation, I guess you can't go wrong - especially when NBC stands for Nothing But Crap.

In other words, look for the peacock network to stay in fourth place next season. Their idiotic exec session pretty much told journalists that.

- New shows coming this fall are Community, Mercy, Trauma, and of course The Jay Leno Show. Parenthood is being held until midseason due to a personal tragedy that happened to one of its stars.

- Midseason has a show called Day One from former Heroes producer Jesse Alexander. Day One indeed, because that's when this stupid project jumped the shark.

- Can anyone tell me why the Nitwit Broadcasting Company has two medical dramas (Mercy, Trauma) on its fall line-up? Sure, they needed a replacement because of the Parenthood situation, but come on...

-Chevy Chase is in the new comedy Community, which will lead out of The Office on Thursday Nights this fall. The last time Chevy Chase was in a regularly scheduled television gig was a late night talk show for Fox, which lasted all of five weeks in 1993, and considered one of the biggest flops in television history.

SyFy

- First it was Imagine Greater. Now the new slogan is House of Imagination. Why don't they call themselves House of Morons and get it over with?

I liked the first two I came up with: Imagine Dumber and Beyond Stupid.

- SyFy announced they ordered a pilot titled Alpha, which is a scripted show which follows five people who have incredible mental skills. With this is hand, they form their own vigilante justice group.

Is it just me, or does this sound a lot like Heroes to you?

USA

USA Network, which is having success with scripted dramas like Burn Notice this summer, is aggressively developing even more dramas for the future. Projects in development include Facing Kate, Crash Dummies, and a project from legendary producer Stephen J. Cannell and Scott Kaufer.