TV

The latest television news from the Plain Dealer

WBNX Channel 55 kicks off shows

by Julie E. Washington/Plain Dealer Reporter

Thursday January 08, 2009, 5:37 PM

CLEVELAND -- WBNX Channel 55 starts 2009 with three new shows aimed at distinct audiences.

For homeowners into cooking and cocooning, there's the lifestyle show "Better Cleveland." Horror fans will dig "13 Fear is Real," a reality show that makes 13 people face their worst fears in an elimination competition. For super-hero worshipers, there's "Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight," an American adaptation of a Japanese live-action series.

Melanie Murphy, Miss Ohio 2006, will host local segments of "Better Cleveland," said Channel 55 general manager Lou Spangler. Her segments start airing in early February. The daytime lifestyle program, which airs at 2 p.m. weekdays, replaces the court shows "Jury Duty" and "Eye For an Eye." The court shows have been moved to late night.

Continue reading "WBNX Channel 55 kicks off shows" »

PBS President Paula Kerger calls digital delays "inexcusable''

by Mark Dawidziak/Plain Dealer Television Critic

Thursday January 08, 2009, 4:14 PM

Los Angeles - Paula Kerger, the president of PBS, used her semi-annual meeting with the nation's TV critics to wag an admonishing finger at the federal overseers of the Feb. 17 switch to digital television. She is particularly distressed that viewers seeking coupons for converter boxes are being on a waiting list.

"I'm very disheartened to hear that, a month before the DTV deadline, the federal government has run out of money to help citizens purchase digital converter boxes,'' Kerger said. "Consumers need those coupons, and they need them now, and to put them on a waiting list, which is what is happening, is inexcusable.''

Viewers with sets not hooked up to a cable or satellite connection can request up to two $40 coupons per household to help pay for converter boxes that translate digital signals to analog. On Monday, the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that the coupon program had hit the $1.34 billion funding ceiling established by Congress.

Continue reading "PBS President Paula Kerger calls digital delays "inexcusable''" »

Ken Burns back at the plate with more "Baseball''

by Mark Dawidziak/Plain Dealer Television Critic

Thursday January 08, 2009, 2:03 PM

Los Angeles - Ken Burns is going into extra innings with "Baseball.'' PBS executives told TV critics gathered for their semi-annual press tour that the Burns documentary "The Tenth Inning'' will premiere in the spring of 2010.

"Baseball fans will be happy to know that the game is not over with the '9th Inning,' '' said John Boland, the chief content officer of PBS. " 'The Tenth Inning' will air along with an encore of the nine-part original 'Baseball' series.''

The "Baseball'' documentary first aired in 1994 and was seen by more than 48 million viewers. "The Tenth Inning'' will follow the story of Major League Baseball from 1993 to 2008.

Continue reading "Ken Burns back at the plate with more "Baseball''" »

Ian McKellen's "King Lear'' a case of no nudes is good news for PBS

by Mark Dawidziak/Plain Dealer Television Critic

Thursday January 08, 2009, 12:13 PM

Los Angeles -- PBS won't be courting controversy when "Great Performances'' airs a filmed version of Ian McKellen's stage triumph in Shakespeare's "King Lear'' at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 25. The production's much-discussed nude scene will not be as revealing as it was on stage.

"It's like any television movie technique,'' said David Horn, the executive producer of "Great Performances. "It's clearly suggested. It's obvious that he takes his clothes off, but it's not shown in its entirety.''

McKellen jokes that TV viewers won't be missing much.

"I think it's discreetly avoided, the moment, in which Lear, not McKellen, but Lear removes his clothes,'' said the two-time Oscar nominee (for "Gods and Monsters'' and "Lord of the Rings''). "It may have been thought, as I thought it was in theater, often distracting. Inevitably if a man or woman takes his clothes off on stage, the eyes are going to go to those parts that are normally hidden and at that moment there may be something of import which the scene is about is lost. If it's a distraction of that sort, it's not worth the candle, but it's quite clear that Shakespeare intends Lear to, at least, start removing his clothes. Whether he does or does not do that completely, I think is not resolved in the TV version.''

Continue reading "Ian McKellen's "King Lear'' a case of no nudes is good news for PBS" »

Trump rounds up Dennis Rodman, Khloe Kardashian, other celebs for new 'Apprentice' season

by Frazier Moore/Associated Press

Thursday January 08, 2009, 8:56 AM

NEW YORK — Former NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman, country music's Clint Black and TV personality Khloe Kardashian will get down to business on NBC's upcoming "Celebrity Apprentice." The slate of 16 celebrity rivals also includes Joan and Melissa Rivers, former football great Herschel Walker, "Baywatch" star Brande Roderick and one-time scandalous comic Andrew Dice Clay.

Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton, singer Brian McKnight and comedian Tom Green will also compete in business-oriented challenges around Manhattan, along with poker champ Annie Duke, pro golfer Natalie Gulbis, actress-model Claudia Jordan, singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and former "Monster Garage" host Jesse James.

"Celebrity Apprentice," hosted by Donald Trump, returns March 1.

New shows 'Better Cleveland,' 'Fear' and 'Kamen Rider' on Channel 55

by Julie E. Washington/Plain Dealer Reporter

Wednesday January 07, 2009, 2:27 PM

WBNX Channel 55 starts 2009 with three new shows aimed at distinct audiences. For homeowners into cooking and cocooning, there's the lifestyle show "Better Cleveland." Horror fans will dig "13 Fear is Real," a reality show that makes 13 people face their worst fears in an elimination competition. For super-hero worshippers, there's "Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight," an American adaptation of a Japanese live-action series.

Melanie Murphy, Miss Ohio 2006, will host local segments of "Better Cleveland," said Channel 55 general manager Lou Spangler. Her segments start airing in early February. The daytime lifestyle program, which airs at 2 p.m. weekdays, replaces the court shows "Jury Duty" and "Eye For an Eye." The court shows have been moved to late night.

Continue reading "New shows 'Better Cleveland,' 'Fear' and 'Kamen Rider' on Channel 55" »

Susanne Horgan out at Channel 5; Alicia Booth on maternity leave

by Julie E. Washington/Plain Dealer reporter

Wednesday January 07, 2009, 2:00 PM

Weekend meteorologist Susanne Horgan has left WEWS Channel 5. The station opted not to renew her contract, said general manager Victoria Regan. Horgan left in mid-December and was replaced by meteorologist Jeff Mackel.

Viewers who miss seeing reporter Alicia Booth, take heart -- she returns from maternity leave on Friday, Jan. 16, Regan said.

New `Idol' Kara DioGuardi judge says male contestants hold edge

by Lynn Elber/The Associated Press

Wednesday January 07, 2009, 8:13 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kara DioGuardi was fretting about being the new face of "American Idol," and she put the blame on hungry mosquitoes. "Here I am in Hawaii and I wake up yesterday and I'm covered in mosquito bites, 15 to 20, and it looks like I have the chicken pox," the songwriter-producer said on Tuesday.

"Nobody cares about a songwriter with mosquito bites. But a judge on `Idol' who's about to go in front of the press, that's a whole other story," said DioGuardi, who has joined the "American Idol" judging panel and has a whirlwind promotional schedule next week in New York that includes David Letterman's show.

DioGuardi is a hit machine whose songs have been recorded by Gwen Stefani, Faith Hill, Marc Anthony and others, including past "Idol" winners. She represents a big change for the hit Fox series, which is adding a new voice to those of veteran judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul in an eighth-season effort to freshen its familiar formula.

"American Idol" was the No. 1 program last season despite a small ratings dip, and DioGuardi said she's honored to be part of it. The season debut, and hers, is Jan. 13.

Continue reading "New `Idol' Kara DioGuardi judge says male contestants hold edge" »

Glenn Close ready to inflict more Damages'

by Chuck Barney/Contra Costa Times

Tuesday January 06, 2009, 1:18 PM

In its electrifying debut season, the FX legal thriller "Damages" was one of those rare shows capable of wreaking bodily harm upon the viewer. Week after suspenseful week, it would seize us in its clutches, bore deep into our skulls, send shivers rattling down our spines and turn us into quivering wrecks.

Naturally, we had a ravenous hunger for more.

But now that Glenn Close and company have finally returned for Season 2, we can't help but anxiously wonder: Will they ever be able to top themselves? And, if they do, will our hearts be able to hold out?

The good news is that all our favorite partners in deceit are back, including Close as ruthless, high-powered attorney Patty Hewes, Rose Byrne as her revenge-minded protege Ellen Parsons and Ted Danson as the devious, but pathetically insecure billionaire Arthur Frobisher (yes, he survived last season's attempt on his life -- but just barely).

They are joined by an impressive batch of newcomers headlined by Oscar winner William Hurt, who teams with Close for the first time since their work in 1983's "The Big Chill." Also along for the dark thrill ride are Timothy Olyphant (the sheriff in "Deadwood") and Marcia Gay Harden.

Continue reading "Glenn Close ready to inflict more Damages'" »

TV Guide is sold to Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

by Associated Press

Tuesday January 06, 2009, 8:21 AM

LOS ANGELES — Macrovision Solutions Corp. has canceled its deal to sell the TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com for $255 million to Allen Shapiro and One Equity Partners, and will instead sell them to movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. for the same price but better terms.

The new deal moves ahead the closing target time by about a month to Feb. 28 and reduces the payments Macrovision might have to make if the assets don't perform as well as they had in the past after the sale.

"Speed, certainty to close and the overall terms of the transaction have been important considerations for us," Macrovision Chief Executive Fred Amoroso said in a statement Monday, noting the new agreement "represents an improvement for us."

Continue reading "TV Guide is sold to Lions Gate Entertainment Corp." »