"Action News," Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd's comedy project starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, has landed at Fox with a 13-episode commitment.
The multicamera comedy, from 20th Century Fox TV, is set at a local TV station and revolves around the reuniting of a male and female anchor team (Grammer, Heaton).
Levitan and Lloyd penned "Action News" on spec. Despite a steep license fee commanded by the project's marquee stars, ABC, CBS and Fox bid on it.
Fox entertainment president Peter Liguori called "Action News" "a triple threat." "We have a good script, two terrific, proven writers and two leads with proven, outstanding comedy chops," he said.
"Action News," which is targeted for fall, is the first project to come out of the rich three-year deal "Just Shoot Me!" creator Levitan and "Frasier" showrunner Lloyd inked with 20th TV in July. Advertisement
"Bringing Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton back to television together is a remarkable opportunity," 20th TV president Gary Newman said. "It also makes us feel very good about making the deal with Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, who have done so much great television over the years. Having the show in the hands of two incredibly talented smart showrunners and with the likes of Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, we're in as good a shape as we can be to be successful."
OK that's the hype. The realities are that this show will see some early sampling and then not much more will happen. I hope I'm wrong. But I think we've seen what happens when actors who play iconic characters in sitcoms who go on to other sitcoms never repeat that success. The other strike against the show is that show biz formats are proving to be not that interesting to viewers. 30 Rock, Sunset Strip. Newsradio was the last marginal hit about the broadcasting business. What was the last? WKRP?
Peter Ligouri used the phrase "triple threat". He might be right, but not the way he intended. I think some of those reasons he mentioned are detriments rather than benefits. There is only so much of a profit margin a FOX sitcom can allow. With a license fee higher that our national debt and FOX not known for its top 10 sitcoms, how much money in ad sales can they really expect? And for how long?
But the writing and execution by the cast will make the difference in whether this shows stays or goes. It's not the director or the producer. This will rest with the script and how Heaton and Grammer approach it. If they can stick with character humor(providing the characters are well rounded in the first place), it will be a lot funnier. If they go for the one, two punch, it's over. It'll definitely get two seasons regardless unless it is so pathetic that FOX just needs to cut its losses. But even if it continues, don't expect another Fraser or Raymond. For my money, I'm going to be hard-pressed to see anybody other than Debra Barone and Fraser Crane doing Action News together in spite of how great these actors really are.
I think Til Death will get renewed so I assume it will be paired with the Brad Garret laugher somewhere on the Fox schedule. Maybe if House moves to Thursday, it will be on Tuesday.
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Originally posted by TV-aholic: Thats great for FOX... but what night will they put it on???
Thursday & Friday is certain death Sunday's at 9:30 is not compatible Mondays at 8pm? Wednesdays at 9pm?
I agree it will probably be paired with 'Til Death leading off Mondays or Tuesdays. Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton...it has got to be good.
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Originally posted by mushu_jj: I think Til Death will get renewed so I assume it will be paired with the Brad Garret laugher somewhere on the Fox schedule. Maybe if House moves to Thursday, it will be on Tuesday.
quote:
Originally posted by TV-aholic: Thats great for FOX... but what night will they put it on???
Thursday & Friday is certain death Sunday's at 9:30 is not compatible Mondays at 8pm? Wednesdays at 9pm?
I used to get excited about this kind of stuff because they both were in good shows.... but
A - It's on FOX and they typically don't have quality traditional comedies (as in format)
B - Both of these actors were successful because of the terrific supporting cast so.....
C - 9 out of 10 times, a show built around an "established star" (or stars in this case) fails because the writers are so focused on their characters and provides a supporting cast that looks like an afterthought.
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Posts: 5948 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 20 September 2006
Yeah, you're probably right. But with comedy in the state that it is in today, this at least gives us hope (of course, 'Til Death did as well).
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Originally posted by xwiseguyx: I used to get excited about this kind of stuff because they both were in good shows.... but
A - It's on FOX and they typically don't have quality traditional comedies (as in format)
B - Both of these actors were successful because of the terrific supporting cast so.....
C - 9 out of 10 times, a show built around an "established star" (or stars in this case) fails because the writers are so focused on their characters and provides a supporting cast that looks like an afterthought.
Personally - I'll keep my fingers crossed and watch it longer than most people because I'll want it to be good.....-
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Originally posted by tvfan300: Yeah, you're probably right. But with comedy in the state that it is in today, this at least gives us hope (of course, 'Til Death did as well).
quote:
Originally posted by xwiseguyx: I used to get excited about this kind of stuff because they both were in good shows.... but
A - It's on FOX and they typically don't have quality traditional comedies (as in format)
B - Both of these actors were successful because of the terrific supporting cast so.....
C - 9 out of 10 times, a show built around an "established star" (or stars in this case) fails because the writers are so focused on their characters and provides a supporting cast that looks like an afterthought.
====================
Posts: 5948 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 20 September 2006
You know this one sounds like it has potential. If it's from one of the guys on Greg the Bunny then I'll give it a chance. That puppet invasion was just short of complete brillance when it originally aired on Fox. As for the comment on Til Death, I think this show may have a future after all. Fox seems to like it, I hear Brad Garret has demanded creative changes, and it will soon air after the Death Star (Idol). All of this bodes well for that show's future.
FOX needs to cultivate TD after AI this spring and pair it with Action News on Wednesday at 9:00 next fall where the schedule will be Bones/TD/AN. At midseason, move TD/AN to 8:00, pair AI with Kirstie Alley's new show (Minister of Devine) at 9:00, and move Bones to help another night (Thursday?????). Then, if TD/AN is successful, they're set to have an all-comedy Wednesday in the fall of 2008 with TD/AN/MD/New Comedy.
Between Action News and the Minister of Divine, I think Fox has a solid two comedies coming in for next year. The problem is there's no timeslots for them. Maybe Fox can move Bones to Tuesdays at 8, House to Thursdays at 8 and launch a Wednesday comedy block right away. Both Bones and House can launch the new dramas while Prison Break and 24 hold down the fort on Monday. Then come midseason have Prison Break and Bones share Monday at 8 with Idol Death Star taking over Tuesday at 8 and whatever Wednesday comedy doesn't do well. Fridays should stay Nanny 911/ Trading Spouses as they do well in the demos for a Friday. Sunday can remain animation domination with maybe a new comedy or animated cartoon at 7:30 following the NFL.
Greg the Bunny was awesome. Ranked right up their with Andy Richter COntrols the Universe in terms of great comedies meeting a quick death on Fox.
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Originally posted by mushu_jj: You know this one sounds like it has potential. If it's from one of the guys on Greg the Bunny then I'll give it a chance. That puppet invasion was just short of complete brillance when it originally aired on Fox. As for the comment on Til Death, I think this show may have a future after all. Fox seems to like it, I hear Brad Garret has demanded creative changes, and it will soon air after the Death Star (Idol). All of this bodes well for that show's future.
Posts: 1238 | Location: Great White North | Registered: 10 November 2006
I think Greg was more a part of the post-9-11 curse which saw viewers not ready for that type of comedy. Of course blaming Fox for being idiots is always fun too so lets give them blame where blame is due! This show would've worked post-Simpsons if Fox would've had the balls to put it there.
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Originally posted by PaulC: Greg the Bunny was awesome. Ranked right up their with Andy Richter COntrols the Universe in terms of great comedies meeting a quick death on Fox.
quote:
Originally posted by mushu_jj: You know this one sounds like it has potential. If it's from one of the guys on Greg the Bunny then I'll give it a chance. That puppet invasion was just short of complete brillance when it originally aired on Fox. As for the comment on Til Death, I think this show may have a future after all. Fox seems to like it, I hear Brad Garret has demanded creative changes, and it will soon air after the Death Star (Idol). All of this bodes well for that show's future.
can you say studio 60 part deux? or the class fall '08, both series were hotly contested among the networks and after paying high liscencing fees, both networks find themselves with shows that were amply sampled orginally but just saw the viewership go down down down down down. =/
i for one would like to see something like that work. i'm a big fan of shows that show the 'behind the camera' take on things but the odds are against action news.
The difference between this show and those is 1) Studio 60 is a drama and 2) The Class has no notable stars. I think it has a shot.
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Originally posted by bdent: can you say studio 60 part deux? or the class fall '08, both series were hotly contested among the networks and after paying high liscencing fees, both networks find themselves with shows that were amply sampled orginally but just saw the viewership go down down down down down. =/
i for one would like to see something like that work. i'm a big fan of shows that show the 'behind the camera' take on things but the odds are against action news.
Originally posted by ragincajun: FOX needs to cultivate TD after AI this spring and pair it with Action News on Wednesday at 9:00 next fall where the schedule will be Bones/TD/AN. At midseason, move TD/AN to 8:00, pair AI with Kirstie Alley's new show (Minister of Devine) at 9:00, and move Bones to help another night (Thursday?????). Then, if TD/AN is successful, they're set to have an all-comedy Wednesday in the fall of 2008 with TD/AN/MD/New Comedy.
I a big fan of Bones, and it is doing very well, but I dont see it as being a show that can anchore a NEW night like Thursdays on FOX.
