It’s the Winter Television Critics Association tour where TV critics and bloggers escape the cold to come out to somewhat warmer Pasadena, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles known for the wonderful Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl, and where Sheldon Cooper lives.
Over the next few days, networks will trot out stars and execs to hawk their new shows and tell the press how well they’re doing in the ratings, using more spin than a tennis ball.
With that said, here’s what been going on:
TV Land
- Move over Bears-Packers, there’s a new rivalry in town: Erica Kane vs. Betty White. TV Land announced Wednesday its Hot In Cleveland sitcom will have a crossover with ABC’s daytime soap All My Children featuring Wendie Malick’s character in a rivalry with star Susan Lucci, set to air in February. The TCA presentation featured the entire Hot in Cleveland cast, but most questions were lobbed at Betty White. HIC’s new 20-episode season kicks off on January 19.
- And thanks to Cleveland, (not Cleveland Show, mind you) you’re seeing more and more first-run sitcoms pop up on cable – TV Land is rolling out Retired at 35, featuring someone who, well, retired at 35 (might as well rename it Lucky Bastard.) CMT is also getting into the cablecom business with Working Class, featuring former Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant star Ed Asner.
TV Land also announced it was moving its annual awards show from Los Angeles to New York, to the disappointment to all six people in L.A. who actually care. The shows honored next year include The Cosby Show and Family Ties - both will have their full casts on hand (and that means Tina Yothers and Tempsett Blesdoe are still alive!)
TV One
Another network with TV its name has – you guessed it – another sitcom premiering this month. The show is titled Love That Girl!, with former Fresh Prince cast member Tatyana Ali has a divorced woman returning to Los Angeles to work in her father’s (played by Seinfeld and Marblehead Manor alum Phil Morris) realty business. Morris also created and produces the show. TV One, which targets an older African-American audience is rolling out the sitcom on January 10 – a night before BET brings back The Game and rolls out a new sitcom titled Let's Stay Together. More on those two shows in the next TCA post.
ESPN
The network announced Wednesday it will take a look at one of the most scrutinized positions in football – the quarterback. The Year of the Quarterback is being examined on ESPN’s NFL and college football-related shows, along with specials and even during the football games themselves, The year-long initiative will look at recruitment, leadership qualities, race, and perhaps why the Bears haven’t had a decent one in fifty years….
Stay tuned… there’s more TCA stuff to come!
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