Sorry if this is old news, but at least he's getting a shot at his own show. http://apnews.excite.com/article/20030512/D7QVUR480.html NBC Adding 3 New Dramas, 3 New Comedies May 12, 2:53 PM (ET) By DAVID BAUDER NEW YORK (AP) - With the days of "Friends" and "Frasier" numbered, NBC is turning to Whoopi Goldberg, John Larroquette, and a racy British import next fall in an effort to develop new comedies. Three new dramas, including one starring "The West Wing" refugee Rob Lowe, will also be on the schedule, NBC announced Monday. It was the first of seven broadcast networks to present its fall schedule to advertisers. NBC will probably end the season as the second most popular network behind CBS, which is first among the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic. But its most popular comedy, "Friends," is going into its last season. Another durable comedy, "Frasier," has falling ratings. NBC's batting average for new comedies has been poor recently. "Obviously, finding comedy success is critical," said NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker. In Goldberg's new show, "Whoopi," she's an ex-singer running her own hotel in New York City. "Happy Family" has ex-"Night Court" star Larroquette and Christine Baranski as a couple whose children move back home after college. Both will air before the fading "Frasier" on Tuesday. NBC is also switching the sophomore-year comedy "Good Morning, Miami" and the hit drama "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit" to Tuesday. "Perhaps the biggest goal is to fix Tuesday night," Zucker said. "Couplings," an American version of a hit British comedy, will get the valuable Thursday 9:30 p.m. time slot. An obvious cousin of "Friends" but decidedly more raunchy, Zucker said it needed to be shown when children should be asleep. He called the cast "the hottest sextet to hit American television in a decade." NBC has already recast the show after one try didn't work. NBC is canceling the comedies "Just Shoot Me" and "Watching Ellie," and won't bring back the mob drama "Kingpin.""Crossing Jordan" is off the schedule until next winter because star Jill Hennessy is pregnant. The long-running newsmagazine "Dateline NBC" has been cut from three to two airings per week, losing its Tuesday berth. The show is searching for a replacement for retiring co-anchor Jane Pauley. Lowe, who left "The West Wing" this season in a contract dispute, lands quickly on his feet with "The Lyon's Den." He'll star in the Sunday night drama as a maverick Washington lawyer from a well-connected political family. NBC also announced that it has extended its deal with Warner Brothers Television to keep "ER" on the air for at least three more seasons. Two dramas thought to be on the bubble for returning, "Ed" and "Boomtown," will both be on the schedule. Vanessa Williams will join the cast of "Boomtown." NBC also ordered a comedy series starring "Saturday Night Live" cast member Tracy Morgan to start in midseason. That means Morgan will leave the late-night sketch comedy. NBC's other new series: _"Las Vegas," a drama that stars veteran actor James Caan leading a surveillance team in charge of security at a casino. _"Miss Match," a lighthearted drama based on a real-life Manhattan woman who's a divorce attorney by day and a high-priced matchmaker at night. Alicia Silverstone stars.
If they didn't mention it, its probably safe. Its been a sleeper hit for them, they would be dumb to cancel this show. BTW: Did any of you watch that show called "Undeclared." I thought that show was hilarious, but perhaps the viewing audience was to slim of a target.
Watching Ellie is gone? HA! The Seinfeld curse is now complete...Let's hope Wayne Knight doesn't get his own show...
i watched undeclared...wouldve kept watching it if they hadnt cancelled it. bring back freaks and geeks!
Actually, I think besides Jerry, Wayne Knight would have a funny ass show. He was my 4th favorite character.
Katan is definately gone, but I haven't heard about Fey. Damn, the show is bad enough, but with Morgan, Kattan and Fey gone, damn they are gonna suck even more. They need to find some talent and fast.
Uh, I think Kattan and Morgan leaving is a good thing for SNL. Kattan is just not funny. Never was, in fact. Morgan plays the token black guy well, but any attempt at a stand-alone memorable character just flat-out sucks. Astronaut Jones? Brian Fellow? Please. My plan for elevating SNL back to greatness: 1) Promote Seth Myers and Will Forte to full-time status (provided Forte stops those awful and awkward presidential candidate skits during Weekend Update). 2) Add some more funny women to the show as part-timers. 3) Fire Horatio Sanz the next time he laughs like an idiot while butchering his lines. 4) Fire Jimmy Fallon if he encourages Sanz. 5) Bring back the political satire. Don't pull punches. 6) Add some new writers (i.e. new blood). 7) Add Another Brother to the cast With my plan, SNL will soon usher in another Golden Age of Saturday Night Television!
Judge for yourselves. The guys don't do anything for me personally. Breckin Meyer was supposed to be one of the 6 but he was replaced. Inside Shwartz wasn't a great sitcom but Breckin has good screen presence and comedic timing. I've seen one episode of the British version and wasn't all too impressed with it personally.
Boomtown on the bubble. You must be fugging kidding me. I'll be a mad mofo if they cancel this show. It's one of the best shows on TV. Actually it is the best show on TV next to 24 and The Shield.
Boomtown was renewed and will air Friday nights at 10/9c and Vanessa Williams joins the cast. Hopefully no Rick Fox cameos though.
Very glad to hear that. The writing and the characters are great. Not the Vanessa Williams part though, she sucks. Maybe it's jumping the shark now....
Forte sucks! You have to jack up the volume to hear him sometimes. The only reason those Falconer sketches are funny is because of that falcon puppet. Seth Myers, Jeff Richards, and Fred Armisen should become repertory players. Dean Edwards needs to be given more oppurtunities. Horatio Sanz is hilarious and anybody who saw the Elton John bit last Saturday knows what I'm talking about. Fallon needs to be put in his place. Weekend update-ok, Jarred's Room-funny, Boston Teens- funny, Nick Burns-funny. As for the political sattire, I read something where Will Ferrel said that his old buddies at SNL were probably worried like they've never been worried before about backlash for their political jokes.
Does Jimmy Fallon really have talent? I sometimes wonder about that guy. Bring more female talent? The females are the only people who have any talent on the show as it is.
