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Ratings: Disney Channel Edges Nickelodeon in 2015 for First-Ever No. 1 Total-Day Finish
15 hours ago
Thanks to strong original movies like “Descendants” and “Teen Beach 2” and good series launches for “Bunk’D” and “K.C. Undercover,” Disney Channel has finished 2015 as the most-watched cable network on a total-day basis for the first time. It eked ahead of Nickelodeon, ending the Viacom network’s 20-year finish at No. 1 in the total-viewer category.
Nielsen estimates that Disney Channel averaged 1.234 million viewers during any average minute during the calendar year spanning Dec. 29, 2014 to Dec. 27, 2015, beating out Nickelodeon (1.231 million) by about 30,000 viewers. Nickelodeon held the advantage in the key kids 2-11 demo (642,000 vs. 607,000), but Disney Channel fared better in other kids categories like 6-11 (423,000 vs. 328,000, its second largest margin ever) and 9-14 (406,000 vs. 212,000, winning by a record margin).
In primetime, Disney Channel was a top-5 cable TV network for the 13th year in a row in total viewers (1.7 million, ranking fifth). It also led all cable networks for an »
- Rick Kissell
First Look: Aaron Paul and Hugh Dancy in Hulu’s ‘The Path’
16 hours ago
Hulu has released the first photos of “The Path” as it hopes to gain more followers for its upcoming original series.
The Universal Television drama, which was previously titled “The Way”, stars Hugh Dancy as the charming, de facto head of a controversial movement called Meyerism. Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan also star as a married couple involved with the group (him by choice; her by birth) as the show explores issues of relationships and power. Sarah Jones, Rockmond Dunbar, Emma Greenwell, Kyle Allen and Amy Forsyth appear as well.
“The Path” was created by “Parenthood” alum Jessica Goldberg. She exec produces along with “Parenthood” creator Jason Katims and Michelle Lee of True Jack Prods. It premieres March 30 on Hulu.
The new photos are shown below and include more detailed character descriptions. They are courtesy of Greg Lewis and Hulu.
Dancy stars in “The Path” as Cal Roberts, the charismatic, »
- Whitney Friedlander
Cable News Ratings: CNN on the Rise in 2015; Fox News Channel Remains Dominant
18 hours ago
As 2015 comes to a close, CNN and Fox News Channel are celebrating ratings successes in a year that saw overall interest in cable news thanks in large part to the presidential primary debates and the ubiquitous presence of Donald Trump.MSNBC was unable to join the celebration as it was down double-digits in the key news demo to fall deep into third place.
Fox News, with a dominant primetime lineup and host to the most-watched presidential primary debate on record, remained the No. 1 ratings player in cable news and finished second overall to Espn in primetime total viewership — the highest-ever finish for any cable news network. CNN, meanwhile, racked up strong debate numbers of its own — it aired three overall — to deliver the largest gains of any news network and end 2015 with its most competitive finishes in years.
Looking at Nielsen’s most current estimates for the Dec. 29, 2014-Dec. 27, 2015 ratings year, »
- Rick Kissell
IFC Cancels Hockey Comedy ‘Benders’ After Season 1
21 hours ago
IFC has canceled hockey comedy “Benders,” Variety has confirmed.
The series, which was produced by Denis Leary’s Apostle shingle, was created by Leary’s longtime producing partner, Jim Serpico, and Tom Sellitti. It starred Andrew Schulz, Chris Distefano and Mark Gessner as hockey-obsessed friends who play on an amateur team calledthe Chubbys.
“Benders” premiered earlier this year along with David Krumholtz’s comedy “Gigi Does It,” which was also recently cancelled. It did not score with critics. When reviewing the premiere episodes, Variety critic Brian Lowry wrote that “Benders” felt like a “hoped-for companion to ‘The League’ that FX wouldn’t even pick up for Fxx.”
IFC will welcome back stalwarts “Portlandia” and “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” in January. The new seasons of “Maron,” which is also produced by Apostle, and “Documentary Now!” premiere this summer.
»
- Whitney Friedlander
Ratings: ‘Kennedy Center Honors’ Down, Still Lifts CBS to Tuesday Victory
21 hours ago
CBS was the top-rated broadcaster on the final Tuesday of 2015 thanks to a repeat of “NCIS” and a winning performance by the “Kennedy Center Honors,” even if the two-hour special was down from last year.
According to Nielen’s preliminary national estimates, CBS won every half-hour among the broadcasters in 18-49 with “NCIS” (1.2/4 in 18-49, 10.4 million viewers overall) and the “Kennedy Center Honors” (0.9/3 in 18-49, 7.5 million viewers overall) special. The annual special, which this year honored Rita Moreno, George Lucas, Cicely Tyson, Seiji Ozawa and Carole King, maintained the same 0.9 demo rating with each half-hour.
Last night’s 0.9 was down 0.3 from last year and matches the all-time low, set two years ago when the show aired on a Sunday. In total viewers, it was down from last year’s 9.25 million but up a bit from 2013 (7.18 million), when it was up against a very highly rated NFL game on NBC.
Elsewhere last night, »
- Rick Kissell
Jeff Daniels to Appear on Bravo’s ‘Inside the Actors Studio’
21 hours ago
Jeff Daniels is set to stop by “Inside the Actors Studio,”Variety has learned. The Emmy-winning “Newsroom” alum’s episode, which will mark his first time on the Bravo series, is set for Jan. 7.
During his conversation with host James Lipton, Daniels talks about working with Aaron Sorkin, and his role of John Sculley in “Steve Jobs.” He is also promoting his upcoming Broadway run, in which he’ll star in “Blackbird” with Michelle Williams. (Previously, Daniels played the “Blackbird” role off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club.) In the episode, Daniels also discusses working on stage with James Gandolfini in Broadway’s “God of Carnage.”
On the “Actors Studio” stage, Daniels surprises the audience, showing off his musical abilities, singing and playing acoustic guitar.
Prior to becoming an awards contender with “Steve Jobs” and “The Newsroom,” Daniels’ major credits included “Looper,” “Because of Winn-Dixie,” “Something Wild” and “Dumb and Dumber, »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
TV Review: ‘Bordertown’
22 hours ago
Seth MacFarlane’s brand of scattershot animated comedy gets a timely edge in “Bordertown,” the acerbic rejoinder to Donald Trump’s campaign salvo about Mexicans streaming across the U.S. border. Set in the hamlet of Mexifornia, the series focuses on two neighboring families – one Hispanic, the other headed by a conservative white border-patrol agent – whose grown kids are joined in a star-crossed romance. Like MacFarlane’s “Family Guy,” a former stomping ground of series creator Mark Hentemann, there’s a hit-miss quality to the gags, but enough knowing jabs connect to elevate the satirical component above mere wackiness.
America’s shifting demographics are a source of concern to Bud Buckwald (voiced by Hank Azaria), who laments that the Southwestern U.S. by rights “belongs to retired teachers and meth lab entrepreneurs.” Bud gets only moderate pushback from his wife (Alex Borstein), and plenty more from his liberal daughter Janice »
- Brian Lowry
TV Review: ‘Galavant,’ Season 2
23 hours ago
ABC must have gotten a good deal, like really quite a steal, to go ahead and renew “Galavant.” A show with ratings low, but catchy songs, you know, that pretty well describes poor “Galavant.” Now it’s back for season two, and that’s good news for those few who can appreciate something as wildly silly as “Galavant.” And as one of those folks, who felt in on the jokes, here’s a (qualified) cheer for “Galavant.” So savor this brief run, that’s really quite good fun, because blink and you might miss out on“Galavant.”
Actually, “Galavant” rather conspicuously retires that overused ditty in the opening of the season premiere, which cheekily (like most everything else associated with the show) pokes fun at its meager audience, while citing the murderer’s row of big January events (the Golden Globes, playoff football) in its competitive future that are apt to keep things that way. »
- Brian Lowry
Bill Cosby Charged With Sexual Assault in 2004 Case
30 December 2015 7:07 AM, PST
Bill Cosby was charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting a woman in 2004, marking the first criminal charges to be filed since dozens of women have come forward with allegations of being drugged and raped by the comedian.
The comic legend was charged by authorities in Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County with a felony count of indecent aggravated assault stemming from an alleged attack on a former Temple University employee at his Pennsylvania home 12 years ago. Andrea Constand is accusing Cosby of drugging and violating her, according to the Associated Press.
Cosby is set to be arraigned later this afternoon, prosecutors said.
Cosby was charged with aggravated indecent assault, a felony, said Montgomery County District Attorney-elect Kevin Steele at a news conference Wednesday.The charges were filed just days before the 12-year statute of limitations was set to run out. Steele did not name the victim during the news conference, but said she »
- Maane Khatchatourian and Cynthia Littleton
Philipp Kreuzer’s New German Shingle Maze Pacts With Italy’s Indigo Film On Innovative TV Skein (Exclusive)
30 December 2015 6:36 AM, PST
Rome – Maze Pictures, the new independent film label set up by prominent German producers Philipp Kreuzer and Jrg Schulze, has joined forces with Italy’s Indigo Film (“The Great Beauty”) to co-produce high-concept Italo skein “Due di Noi” (Two of Us) written and directed by Ivan Cotroneo.
“Two” is an ensemble 25-minute, twelve episode series in which each character is played by two actors with distinctly different physical traits who represent different masks people wear on the workplace, at home, and in social situations.
Cotroneo is knowninternationally for Italo pubcaster Rai’s hit show “Crazy For Love,” featuring Bollywood style musical numbers, sold widely including to Huace Media International for China, and also for groundbreaking Italian cross-platform sitcom “An Imperfect Mom,” optioned by ABC for the U.S.
Maze launched earlier this month announcing it hadpartnered with Luc Besson’sEuropaCorp Television on thriller TV series “The Crimson Rivers. »
- Nick Vivarelli
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Returning to WrestleMania
29 December 2015 1:21 PM, PST
Dwayne Johnson is returning to his roots.
Better known as “The Rock,” the professional wrestler-turned-actor announced this week that he will be returning to WrestleMania in 2016.
The “San Andreas” star made the announcement on Instagram to his near 38 million fans. He wrote:“It’S Official: People’s Champ is coming home to do 3 things with The People: Set an All-time attendance record, Electrify Dallas like never before & make all time#Wrestlemaniahistory. And we have Fun. Ok that’s four things but you know what the hell The Rock’s sayin’… Thank You#WWEUniverse! It’s always an honor coming home and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
In the post, Johnson didn’t specify whether he’d be fighting at WrestleMania, and WWE has not commented on his return appearance.
Aneight-time winner of the WWE Championship belt, Johnson has found immense success as an action star »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
‘The Walking Dead’ Tops Nielsen Year-End Lists in TV, Social Media
29 December 2015 1:07 PM, PST
More than five years into its run, AMC’s “The Walking Dead” remains a primetime powerhouse and is well-represented in Nielsen’s year-end lists of the most popular TV and social media draws of 2015.
According to Nielsen “live plus-7” estimates through mid-November, “Walking Dead” was the No. 1 entertainment series of the year in adults 18-49 and adults 18-34 and trailed only NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” and “NCIS” in total viewers. It averaged 19.7 million viewers per episode to hold off the year’s hottest newcomer, Fox’s “Empire” (17.8 million).
The zombie drama was the most time-shifted television program of 2015 when comparing its viewership done same-day vs. that done within a week of a telecast. Nielsen estimates that “The Walking Dead” gained 10.89 million viewers in a week’s worth of VOD and DVR playback, and was followed by “The Big Bang Theory” (9.40 million), “Empire” (7.66 million »
- Rick Kissell
‘Glee’ Star Mark Salling Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography
29 December 2015 10:38 AM, PST
Former “Glee” star Mark Salling has been arrested for possession of child pornography, Varietyhas confirmed.
Salling, known for playing Noah “Puck” Puckerman on “Glee,” was arrested early Tuesday after his Sunland, Calif., home was searched per a warrant from the Los Angeles Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Hewas taken downtown for booking. Salling is being held on $20,000 bail, according to jail records.
This is not Salling’s first run-in with the law. Earlier this year, his girlfriend Roxanne Gorzela sued the 33 year-old actor for sexual batteryafter she claimed he shovedherand later forced her to have sex without a condom. Salling filed a countersuit for defamation of character.
Reps for Salling did not immediately respond to requests for comment, though the “Glee” alum is no longer represented by ICM or his managers at Full Circle Management, as the company severed ties with Salling in September. »
- Marianne Zumberge
‘The Big Bang Theory’ Lawsuit Surfaces Over ‘Soft Kitty’ Lyrics
29 December 2015 9:58 AM, PST
“Soft Kitty” has been a longtime source comfort for Sheldon Cooper on “The Big Bang Theory,” but now the song is at the center of a legal headache for CBS and “Big Bang” producer Warner Bros.
On Monday, a lawsuit was filed by the daughters ofEdith Newlin, a New Hampshire teacher who originally wrote a poem about a “soft kitty” in the 1930s. The heirs of Newlin, who died in 2004, claim in the copyright infringement suit that “Big Bang” has used the lyrics to the song without permission, according to the Associated Press.
According to the complaint, the hit comedy has used Newlin’s lyrics — which begin “soft kitty, warm kitty” — on at least eight episodes of the series without permission. The lawsuit,seeking unspecified damages from the sitcom’s producers and distributors, also says the lyrics have been used in the series’ merchandising with shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas and more products featuring the lyrics. »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Seinfeld and His Friends Hit Caffeine High With New ‘Comedians’ Trailer
29 December 2015 8:27 AM, PST
Crackle’s Jerry Seinfeld series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” landed on this week’s trending leaderboard after releasing the trailer for its upcoming seventh season.
The trailer, which features Seinfeld interviewing comedians like Steve Martin and Will Ferrell, has racked up than 500,000 YouTube views to date, more than any other YouTube video shared for the series to date. The trailer also gained traction on Facebook, where the video upload garnered an additional 95,000 views, and more than 7,000 likes, shares and comments.
With most series on break for the holiday, BBC America’s “Doctor Who” aired its annual Christmas Special. The special helped generate more than 2.1 million total engagements, with more than half a million engagements the day of the special. Instagram was the program’s strongest channel the day the episode aired, contributing more than 200,000 engagements, thanks to the #DoctorWho Day post, which ranked as the series’ third most engaging »
- Jason Klein
TV Review: ‘Downton Abbey,’ The Final Season
29 December 2015 8:00 AM, PST
The final season of “Downton Abbey” starts slowly, even by the show’s stately standards. Gradually, though, the plots deepens, building toward addressing long-festering issues, set against the backdrop of the receding of the great house’s way of life, with characters well aware of the inexorable tide. Series creator Julian Fellowes seems understandably sentimental in penning these episodes, exhibiting a fondness for this world shared by fans who made the program such a rousing success for PBS. Whatever the finish holds (eight of nine chapters were previewed), Masterpiece’s crown jewel will be worth savoring until the last note of John Lunn’s score.
As always, Fellowes explores the lives of his sprawling cast – both the aristocratic upstairs family and the downstairs servants who attend to them – with wit, unabashed romance and no shortage of humor. At least in the early going, moreover, he largely steers clear of the »
- Brian Lowry
Super Bowl 50: CBS, NFL Set Spanish Simulcast with Espn Deportes
29 December 2015 7:11 AM, PST
CBS and the NFL have set a deal with Espn Deportes for a Spanish-language simulcast of Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7.
The deal is a win for Espn Deportes given the popularity of football among Spanish-speaking viewers. It’s the first time the NFL’s big game has aired on the channel and the first time the Super Bowl has been on an Espn or ABC-branded channel since 2006.
Espn Deportes already has a big football audience through its airing of Espn’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts.
“As the broadcaster of Super Bowl 50, it was a priority for us to find a Spanish-language partner to televise this historic broadcast and reach the NFL’s Hispanic fan base,” said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus. “The Espn Deportes presentation of Super Bowl 50 will be a great complement to our broadcast on CBS.”
The NFL’s big game will originate from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, »
- Cynthia Littleton
TV Review: ‘Mozart in the Jungle,’ Season 2
29 December 2015 7:00 AM, PST
Again representing the equivalent of a pleasant overture rather than a master concerto, “Mozart in the Jungle” returns for a second season, playing the equivalent of small ball, and relying on impeccable casting to buoy its low-key material. Amazon is, charitably, trying to hit’em where they ain’t – and less charitably, dumping the show – by launching it a few days before New Year’s, perhaps recognizing that this isn’t a huge prestige title or a particularly commercial one, except among those apt to swoon at classical-music cameos. That said, the program’s breezy qualities compensate for its pianissimo approach to storytelling.
Picking up where it left off, the show makes the most of Gael Garcia Bernal (a Golden Globe nominee) as Rodrigo, the alternately imperious, needy, brilliant, eccentric and childlike maestro of the New York Symphony. Beyond an uncomfortable attraction to his assistant/oboist, Hailey (Lola Kirke), Rodrigo »
- Brian Lowry
Ben Silverman Talks ‘Dream and Harsh Nightmare’ of His NBC Tenure
29 December 2015 4:30 AM, PST
Ben Silverman has opened up about his rocky tenure as co-chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment an interview with the podcast Radiate.
Silverman talks about his two-year run at NBC from 2007-2009 as being “a dream and then a harsh nightmare” because of internal and external forces. The factors complicating his job included the writers strike and the global economic meltdown, all of which hit during his first year at the network.
Silverman, who launched the Electus Entertainment banner with Iac after leaving NBC, also discusses feeling hounded by media during the period because he was the “young ‘it’ boy of the moment.”
The Radiate podcast is a newly launched venture of Bloomberg Television anchor Betty Liu focusing conversations with successful people on how they made it. Liu interviewed Silverman along with his longtime friend Chris Burch, fashion retail executive and co-founder of the Tory Burch empire.
Here’s an excerpt from »
- Cynthia Littleton
First Photo: Bran Stark in ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6
28 December 2015 1:45 PM, PST
While HBO has been happily feeding the frenzy over the fate of Kit Harington’s Jon Snow in “Game of Thrones,” it has offered photographic proof that another character will be back on the series.
An image released by Entertainment Weekly gives a glimpse of Isaac Hempstead-Wright returning to his role as Bran Stark, the paralyzed young son of Ned and Catelyn Stark who has the ability to transport himself into animals’ minds and control them.
The character was vacant from season five and was last seen in the season four finale after he met the mysterious Three-Eyed Raven (then played by Struan Rodger and a part that will be assumedby Max von Sydow in the upcoming season). As expected, given the fact that the actor is only 16, Bran looks much more grown up thanthe last time wesawhim.
Hempstead-Wright confirmed his return to the HBO series earlier this year, »
- Whitney Friedlander
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