May 16, 2008 11:28

Upfronts Roundup: You Have the Floor

Now that upfronts are over, I'm on deadline for a couple different print pieces and must retreat into my cobwebbed, candlelit study to compose. But in the meantime I thought I'd post an open thread for your reactions to the week's announcements.

Also, feel free to ask any questions about any news I may have omitted—I know I tend to focus mainly on the new shows, but there's always more out of the upfronts than I get around to typing down—and once I have some downtime, I'll try to answer them. Just keep in mind that 95% of those answers will be "I don't know!", "Leave me alone, I'm on deadline!" and "That does it, I'm quitting this job and starting a goat farm!" That said, don't hold back.

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May 16, 2008 11:09

Lost Business: Spoiler-Free Zone

According to Lostpedia there are—as will inevitably happen—season-finale spoilers floating around out there. I almost don't want to post about this at all, because Tuned Inlanders are reliably great about avoiding spoilers and nobody (as far as I know) has posted anything like that here. That said, since we've got to weeks to wait and discuss before the finale, a caution to newcomers and a reminder to oldcomers: Don't even think about it. Let's keep the Tuned In comments area free of spoilage (of episodes yet to air, not ones that have already aired, obvs).

And for God's sake, use the coasters!

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May 16, 2008 10:35

Fox: Selling Admen on... Fewer Ads?

Anna Torv (right) investigates strange biology in Fringe. / Mark Ben Holzberg/FOX

TV critics tend to focus so much on new programming that you might forget that the upfronts are, foremost, about selling ads. But though Fox had debuts to announce from a pair of big-name TV creators, arguably the biggest news it made had to do with the ads in those shows.

J.J. Abrams' Fringe and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, said Fox president Peter Liguori, would be part of an experiment Fox is calling "Remote-Free TV." These high-profile dramas will air with half the usual amount of commercials and network promos. The obvious reason: people hate commercials, have a lot of means of skipping them and it's becoming impossible for networks, and the people who give them their money to ignore.

You'd think this would not be a popular announcement to make in front of a roomful of ad execs, and it's true there was not a lot of wild cheering. The move is either waving a white flag to the TiVo army or a wily way of seducing them back into the ad-watching fold, and Liguori pitched it as the latter. (Just put the remote away, dearie... over on the other side of the room... you'll be so much more comfortable...) Viewers will be more excited about the programming, he said, and they'll pay closer attention to the ads that do air.

Me, I say: that much quicker to fast-forward through the commercials! But what do I know? First impressions, and bad cellphone photography, after the jump:

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May 16, 2008 9:23

The Morning After: Skyrockets in Flight

Out(?) with the old: Lieberstein and Ryan. / NBC Photo: Chris Haston

Journey back with me to fall 2007. Miley Cyrus was innocent; Hillary and Rudy were shoo-ins to win their parties' nominations; and The Office was kicking off its season with several hourlong episodes that were bloated, slack and not up to the show's standard.

It's May 2008, and how much has changed! Namely: The Office sent off its abbreviated season 4 with an hourlong episode that also happened to be the best of the season. Spoilers and a few impressions after the jump:

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May 16, 2008 8:08

Lostwatch: We All Know the Story

The Oceanic Six meet the press. / ABC

SPOILER ALERT: Before you read this post, enter the greenhouse through a hole, find the patch of anthuriums, flip the switch behind them and watch last night's Lost.

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