Back in the early '80s, when the Super Bowl moved into prime time, the networks began scheduling a new entertainment show to premiere after the big game, to take advantage of the humongous audience lead-in it provided. NBC started the tradition with The A-Team, which went on to become a big hit and helped the network begin its run of prime-time ratings dominance that lasted the rest of the decade. The next year, CBS used the platform to launch Airwolf, which hung around for a few seasons. ABC previewed The Wonder Years after the game in 1988. That show then had a nice six-year run that included a season in the top 10.
But the tactic of using the supersize audience to launch a show has become a TV-business relic. When it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, networks now go with what they think is their already hot show, instead of something new. For 2007, CBS has given the nod to Criminal Minds to follow Super Bowl XLI. CBS Corp. chairman Leslie Moonves
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Question: I'm a little worried about all of the new characters that will be introduced in the upcoming season of Lost. It seems to me that most successful shows tend to revolve around a consistent group of characters: M*A*S*H, Friends, etc. I know ER has some success with a rotating cast, but Lost seems to lend itself to singling out each character and telling that person's story. But it feels like they're slowly giving up on some of the original characters and introducing new ones for the sake of more flashbacks. What is your take?
Answer: My take is that it's way too early to judge, and that I lean toward giving Lost a chance to prove itself before we jump to conclusions. What's safe to say is that Lost will get hammered no matter what it does. Too many stories about the original characters, and there will be griping that the show isn't moving forward fast enough. Too many new tangents with new characters and story lines, and there will be griping that the show has changed too much.
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Question: My coworkers seem to think CBS' The Class is connected to Friends. One says it is a spin-off, and another said she saw the opening credits on the Internet and the cast is dancing in a fountain, just like the opening of Friends. What can I tell them?
Answer: The only connection between The Class and Friends (beyond the fact that I like both of them) is that the new CBS comedy is cocreated by David Crane, who performed a similar function on Friends. These characters are not related to the Friends characters at all, except that a few of these former classmates show signs of being as endearingly quirky and lovable as Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, Rachel, Joey and Monica. Not even CBS would go so far as to call this the next Friends, which I'm not sure is even possible. But it's one of my favorite new comedies for the fall season (though a number of people in my office were left cold by it) ...
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TNT's The Ron Clark Story (Sunday at 8 pm/ET), starring Matthew Perry, follows the real-life story of an energetic, creative and idealistic young teacher who leaves his small North Carolina hometown to teach in a New York City public school. (All kinds of crazy, right?) Bringing with him some inspirational classroom rules (e.g., "Be the best person you can be"), a few innovative teaching techniques and an undying devotion, Clark is able to make a remarkable difference in the lives of his students. And in doing so, Perry, many will find, is able to warm your heart and maybe even bring a tear to your eye in the final act.
Surveying Clark's impact on his charges, Perry says, "These are all kids who could have easily given up and gone on the wrong side of the tracks and lived a much harder life, so the messa
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The latest castoffs from Fox's So You Think You Can Dance (tonight at 9 pm, the winner is announced Aug. 16 at 8 pm/ET) acted positively cheery when they were sent home last week: Natalie Fotopoulos let out a big fat Greek "Oopah!" while Ivan Koumaev playfully pinched Benji Schwimmer on the butt. The day after their dismissal, TVGuide.com caught up with the "Nativan" (as the 22-year-old jazz dancer and 18-year-old hip-hopper have taken to calling themselves) to find out how making it to the final six has affected them personally and professionally, and where we might se
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