CNN, Sky News and al-Jazeera correspondents share award

CNN, Sky News and al-Jazeera correspondents share award

Sky Women in Film and TV awards honour Alex Crawford, Sara Sidner and Zeina Khodr for Libyan reporting

Three female correspondents – Alex Crawford of Sky News, Sara Sidner of CNN and Zeina Khodr of al-Jazeera – have shared the achievement of the year prize at the 2011 Sky Women in Film and TV awards in central London.

WFT said the three women won the award for setting an example to their colleagues, because they were on the streets with the rebels, reporting under fire, while others seemed to report from their hotel rooftops in Tripoli.

Sue Perkins won the news and factual presenter award for her role on the BBC2 shows The Great British Bake Off and The Supersizers, while Janice Hadlow, controller of BBC2, was also honoured for her contribution to television.

The lifetime achievement award went to the comedian and actor Victoria Wood. The best performance of 2011 prize was won by the actor Emily Watson, for her central role in Appropriate Adult, the ITV drama that also starred Dominic West as mass murderer Fred West.

The award for most inspirational woman went to Anna Scher, the founder of the Anna Scher Theatre school in London, which has produced a steady stream of actors for film and television.

The new talent award was won by Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the BBC science presenter of Do We Really Need the Moon?.

Other winners included writer Joanna Scanlan, for Getting On, and comedy director Mandie Fletcher for her work on Blackadder, Jam & Jerusalem and Butterflies, while Sarah Cooper, the chief operating officer of BBC Worldwide, won the corporate business award.

Full list of winners:

The Barclays Corporate Business Award: Sarah Cooper

The BBC News and Factual Award: Sue Perkins

The Channel 4 Creative Innovation Award: Deborah Sathe

The Deluxe London Director Award: Mandie Fletcher

The Envy Producer Award: Andrea Calderwood

The Eon Productions Lifetime Achievement Award: Victoria Wood

The International Film Guarantors Project Management Award: Jane Frazer

The ITV Achievement Of The Year Award: Alex Crawford, Sara Sidner, Zeina Khodr

The Littlestar Contribution To The Medium Award: Janice Hadlow

The MAC Best Performance Award: Emily Watson

The Panalux Craft Award: Victoria Boydell

The Skillset Inspirational Woman Award: Anna Scher

The Talkback Thames New Talent Award: Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock

The Technicolor Writing Award: Joanna Scanlan, Vicki Pepperdine, Jo Brand

Downton Abbey sponsorship by Aviva falls foul of broadcasting code

Downton Abbey sponsorship by Aviva falls foul of broadcasting code

Aviva's sponsorship of ITV's hit drama Downton Abbey attracted the ire of viewers and has now fallen foul of media regulator Ofcom's broadcasting code for straying too close to advertising.

Under the media regulator's rules programme sponsorship is treated separately to TV commercials and must not "contain advertising messages or calls to action".

The first Downton Abbey sponsorship bumpers for the insurance company, which run at the beginning and end of advertising breaks, developed a story of a character called Gary and his motorcycle accident, recovery, inability to return to work and decision to retrain for a new career.

One of the sponsorship credits showed Gary holding a document and exclaiming that it is his insurance policy and that he thinks it covers him if he trains for a new course.

Ofcom said the scene referred to a benefit of taking Aviva's income protection policy.

"Credits must not encourage the purchase or rental of the products or services of the sponsor or a third party," said Ofcom. "The focus of the credit must be the sponsorship arrangement itself."

Ofcom said the credit "amounted to an advertising message", which therefore broke broadcasting code rules on sponsorship credits.

Aviva amended subsequent sponsorship credits, one of which features a character called Jane, removing the phrase "It's my insurance policy".

However, Ofcom concluded that "it was still clear that the character was referring to an insurance policy that covered him even if he undertook a training course".

It ruled that the amended credits remained in breach of the broadcasting code.

Channel TV, which is responsible for compliance of the show on behalf of ITV, said Aviva's intention was to "create a strong thematic link to ITV Drama… with the Aviva mini-drama being played out in the sponsor credits".

'Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons Has a New Imaginary Friend

'Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons Has a New Imaginary Friend

Sheldon Cooper has a new friend: a giant, imaginary rabbit. Bazinga!

Actually, it's Cooper's alter ego, Emmy-winning "Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons, who'll be cavorting with the faux friend, as the star of a 2012 revival of "Harvey."

Mary Chase won a Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1945 for "Harvey," the story of a man named Elwood P. Dowd, whose family and friends are worried about his tall bunny buddy.

Parsons will play Dowd in the revival, while Jessica Hecht (best known as Ross' nemesis Susan on "Friends") will play his sister and "Murphy Brown" alum Charles Kimbrough will play the head of the sanitarium where Dowd's sister tries to have him committed.

"The Little Dog Laughed" director Scott Ellis will direct "Harvey," which opens in previews on May 18, and has an official opening night scheduled for June 14.

The 1950 "Harvey" movie earned an Oscar nomination for Jimmy Stewart, who also starred in a 1970 Broadway version. The 2012 revival will be Parsons' second trip to Broadway, after he earned positive reviews for his debut last spring in "The Normal Heart."

The Real Story Behind the NBC Telepic 'My Kidnapper, My Love'

The Real Story Behind the NBC Telepic 'My Kidnapper, My Love'

There are words of wisdom that flash before you that you don't fully appreciate until the circumstance hits you between your eyes.

One of those aphorisms that resonates with me is "no good deed goes unpunished."  Let me explain.

Before there was Ari Emanuel, before there was Mike Ovitz, before there was Sue Mengers, there was Stan Kamen.

Stan Kamen called. "You know Jim Stacy, the actor who had a terrible accident? He's not a client, but he's a friend of mine, and I'd like you to help him. Meet with him, OK? He has a book he loves, and maybe you can help him set it up?"

James Stacy was a tall, dark and handsome young actor, got lucky in a couple of Disney features and became a working TV lead when he suffered the loss of literally an arm and a leg in a motorcycle accident.

I was never a fan of Kamen nor him of me. Never friendly, he unexpectedly and warmly greeted me at Mrs. Lastfogel's funeral while walking and holding hands with Warren Beatty. That did impress my future wife, who joked, "He must have thought you were someone else."

But, still newly hatched in L.A., I wasn't about to ignore his request and asked Jim Stacy to come in. He brought a book called "The Dark Side of Love" by Oscar Saul (who actually was a client of WMA's Mike Zimring). Saul had major screenwriting credits including Sinatra's "Joker is Wild" and Kazan's "Streetcar Named Desire."

The book told the story of a blind, lonely war vet who operates a newsstand in New Orleans. He finds a runaway "slow" teenager from a wealthy family, puts her up, falls in love with her and gets involved in a sleazy kidnapping hoax to help his troubled older brother. Stacy's idea was to switch blindness to missing an arm and a leg. For once, I didn't need to read the novel.

Only NBC was "open" and I called, getting a young exec named Deena Kramer. A friend of a client, we kept meeting at all the young industry events at the time, had often dined together and she now considered me her buddy, which is why she was candid when I pitched the story.

"Oh my god, that's horrible. Who would want to tune in to that? Pasadena, Arthur. Better luck next time." Y

eah, what are friends for?

CBS and ABC were closed, no meetings. What am I to do? I needed to report back to Kamen that I had taken Stacy to at least one buyer.

I have to use the "malady card," and I went over Deena's head to Deanne Barkley, the boss of NBC TV movies.

"I'd like to bring Jim Stacy in to discuss his favorite novel." Deanne says, "I'd love to meet Jim, let's do it? What's the book?"

"'The Dark Side of Love' by Oscar Saul."

I was about to do a brief pitch when she screamed, "I love that book! I tried to buy it when I was at Stigwood, but it was under option. Can you come over tomorrow?"

Parking was a bitch in the massive NBC lot. It's hard to believe today, but in 1979 there was no "disabled parking" at most companies and the available spot offered us would have Jim Stacy hopping for a half mile.

So we complained, with Jim getting out of the car and showing he was missing a leg!

The guy called upstairs and a secretary, whose little AMC Pacer was illegally parked in a major executive's spot directly in front of the studio door, came down to move it. We took her space -- she was not happy.

Much better reception greeted us as we entered Deanne's offices.

She swung open her door and said, "Get in here!" She kissed Stacy and me, and before we could sit down, she said, "You have a deal! I have loved this novel for years. I have material in one of these files where I found incredible writers who can adapt it, although I know the author has done his own screenplay. You know, Arthur, you might check into that."

Stacy lit up like a holiday candle.

"Well, you understand I don't want to play it blind. Our character has enough going against him with one arm and one leg. Is that OK or what?"

"Absolutely," screams Deanne. And the casting for the young girl can be a delight there are so many fantastic young actresses out there ..."

Some industry gossip, more hugs and kisses and we were off.

On the drive back, Stacy says, "My brother will adapt the script."

I knew this day was too good to be true.

Louie Elias was Stacy's brother and, by profession, a stunt man.

Stacy could not be talked out of his wish that his brother write the teleplay. Knowing Deanne's affection for the novel, I was concerned that this might end the deal.

But I had to move forward and called her with the news. Louie had "found the book" and a promise was made.

To my amazement Deanne agreed. "We can get a cheap first draft and if it's terrible, we'll bring in someone to rewrite."

Since he had no writing agent, I made the deal with NBC and it was for $15,000.

His draft was good, actually impeccably good. Deanne requested minimal changes, and it was ordered to production.

NBC attempted to get it for "in-house," but I was able to keep it open for a supplier as an agency package.

I was working closely with Bob Banner at the time, and we visited his offices, but Stacy was not impressed.  He liked Roger Gimbel's office at Studio Center much more and, since living nearby in Sherman Oaks, advised me to make a deal with Gimbel and EMI.  Stacy would star and produce.

Actor Sam Wanamaker was chosen to direct and Glynnis O'Connor cast as the young runaway.

Shooting took place in New Orleans.

Rick Nicita, O'Connor's agent at the time, called me early one morning to advise that Glynnis had called him to complain about producer-star Stacy's alcohol-fueld harassment in the middle of the night.  Both of us got into it with Tony Converse, Gimbel's line producer, a truly nice man, and I called Stacy and attempted to question his actions.  Of course he denied it all.

Stacy wanted Mickey Rooney to play his brother, although everyone believed Rooney, 15 years older than Stacy, was too old. He also wanted $40K, which was $20K more than was budgeted.  Gimbel said absolutely no, so Stacy paid the difference from his pocket.

The picture. with J.D. Cannon as a Javert-like cop pursuing Stacy and Mickey Rooney as Stacy's gambler brother, turned out pretty well.

It was the night of the industry screening that agency legal chief Roger Davis called me down to his office. A would-be-producer had threatened a lawsuit against WMA, Stacy and NBC as he claimed he brought "Dark Side" to Stacy with the switch from blindness to Stacy's condition and he wanted compensation and credit.

He sent over a document indicating that he had once optioned the book.

Davis looked at me (and I will never forget that hostile glare) as if I had conspired to fraudulently get Stacy's movie made by intentionally cutting out some other producer. This was totally contrary to Weisbord and Lastfogel's code: our people, our family, our agents are always in the right.

"I don't understand, first of all I never heard of this guy, Stacy told me his brother, who adapted the novel, brought the book to him. I reminded Davis, "options expire all the time. Once his option was over, his position was over."  That was my position then and it is now. The Morris office, I understand, settled.

The other more troubling news I learned long after the picture was telecast, was that Stacy and his brother, along with a prior unmentioned "producer," had, through him, access to Oscar Saul's adaptation of his own novel.

It makes one suspect that rather than "adapting" Saul's novel, could it be that someone simply made the "blind" switch, the rest of the screenplay solely by Oscar Saul and not the work of anyone else?  Could it be?  We will never know.

For whatever reason, Oscar Saul, who may have been entitled to more compensation and credit, took the money offered and went to Paris.

When Stacy wasn't getting immediate attention during the course of the network movie development, he would call my house at all hours, frightening my new bride.

I learned that the repurcusions of his horrific accident, which afforded him a multi-million dollar payout, had affected his self-esteem in reverse; he believed his was totally entitled to special treatment by everyone.

It also led to hard drinking and its mean consequences.

But that wasn't the most disturbing aspect of this situation.

In a mutual agency-EMI staff meeting, producer Roger Gimbel complained: "I hope in the future we will not have to do movies like this one."

As there would have been a half dozen production companies who would have been thrilled to be given a network production order (value of the negative from "backend" at the time: $1.5 million), I silently vowed that I would never bring his company any new deals.

The NBC version of Dark Side of Love was telecast as "My Kidnapper, My Love," was very well received and has emerged as a popular video worldwide under its original title.

Weekend UK TV reviews: Black Mirror; Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook; and The Party's Over: How the West Went Bust

Weekend UK TV reviews: Black Mirror; Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook; and The Party's Over: How the West Went Bust

Think Cameron has it tough? This prime minister has to have sex with a pig on live television

Touching and funny … Rory Kinnear (centre) as Prime Minister Michael Callow.

In his preview of Black Mirror (Channel 4), Charlie Brooker offered The Twilight Zone as one of the key influences for his new Sunday night dramas. To the untrained eye, the first of them, National Anthem, looked suspiciously like political satire – and a very superior one – rather than a sci-fi vision of technology's power to distort the world. All the gadgetry seemed only too familiar and the voyeurism all too credible: there's more dystopia in an episode of Spooks.

Rather less credible was the premise in which we were asked to believe, that Princess Susannah – think Kate Middleton – had been abducted and that the kidnappers had threatened to kill her unless the prime minister – think David Cameron: really, please do, as you'll never be able to take him at all seriously again – had sex with a pig live on television. As it emerged right at the end that the kidnap was a piece of performance art by a Turner prize-winner, plausibility was further stretched to breaking point. Could you picture Tracey Emin holding up a police escort and abducting Kate? Or that no one would notice that the severed finger came from a man, not a woman?

Yet none of this really seemed to matter, as good satire often lies as much in the fun you have along the way as in the absurdity of the set-up. And where this scored heavily was in the way everything was played as near-straight drama. There was an inexorability about Rory Kinnear as a PM tortured by focus groups and Twitter stats, whose decision to fall on his pork sword is ultimately driven by how he will be perceived in the ratings, that was both touching and funny. And Lindsay Duncan's understated press secretary – no Malcolm Tucker she – was just a delight. "Don't get it over too quickly, sir," she advised, as the PM prepared for the performance of his life. "Otherwise, the public will think you are enjoying it rather too much." Brilliant.

Brooker is no shrinking violet – though he did rather skate around the bio-mechanics of getting a hard-on in the presence of a pig, so either he has some taste boundaries after all or inside knowledge of politicians' attraction to the trough – so naturally the PM was not spared closing his eyes and thinking of the polls. In so doing, he lost the love of his wife and gained the sympathy of the nation. So no getting any bright copycat ideas, anyone. Imagine having to feel sorry for Cameron.

If Dark Mirror was nine parts satire to one part dystopia, Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook (BBC2, Sunday) was precisely the opposite. The programme started off as yet another all too familiar portrait of the Harvard geek turned Silicon Valley billionaire: I had already heard more than enough about Zuckerberg five years ago and nothing I've learned since has added to my sense of wellbeing. All that's changed is that every month you have to add another nought on to his net worth.

Yet about halfway through, things picked up considerably when presenter Emily Maitlis stopped changing into a new outfit for every shot and started asking serious questions. The Facebook she exposed was truly the Heart of Darkness: not least because everyone associated with the company is under the impression they are performing a massive social good. "We don't want you to spend more time on Facebook; we want the time you spend on Facebook to be so valuable you come back every day," said Zuckerberg, apparently unaware these two statements are contradictory.

But as there are now 800 million people signed up to Facebook, with nearly half that number logging on for between 30 minutes and four hours per day, then Zuckerberg has clearly won the argument, though it looks as if whatever it is Facebook users actually do on the site is rather more valuable to Zuckerberg than anyone else. There's a Facebook icon that enables you to say you like Coca-Cola. Personally I can't see why anyone would waste a moment clicking on it, but there are 35 million Facebook users who have proved me wrong. What reward do you get for clicking the like button? A life time of Coca-Cola adverts on your Facebook page? Whoopee. If this is the future, count me out.

Not that there necessarily will be much of a one, according to Robert Peston in The Party's Over: How the West Went Bust (BBC2, Sunday). There's been a rash of these economic disaster docs this year and I've found them all oddly comforting. Not because so many people are out of work or the boss class is still raking it in, but because it restores my faith in my own sanity. As every presenter before him, Peston dug up any number of experts to say: "Nobody saw the downturn coming." Just for the record, I did. Being a depressive sometimes has its upsides.

CSI's Helgenberger's stage dreams

CSI's Helgenberger's stage dreams

Marg Helgenberger has confessed she would like to tread the boards.

Now that the US actress is about to hang up her lab coat in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, she is eyeing up a move into theatre.

"I would love to do a play. It's been far too many years," she said.

"I'm not going to reveal how long it's been, but I would love to go to London. It would be very exciting, as well as other cities, New York, or here. I'm not opposed to doing a play in Los Angeles."

Marg, who has appeared in Erin Brockovich, is also keen to appear on the big screen again, following her roles in 2007's Mr Brooks alongside Kevin Costner and Demi Moore.

"I would like to do more films. I think the last one I did was Mr Brooks, which was a few years ago," she recalled.

"I did one with Val Kilmer (Columbus Day) but that didn't go anywhere unfortunately. I'm not opposed to doing another television series. I just need a break from it right now."

The full original series of CSI premieres on CBS Drama from December 12 at 9pm. For more information, visit www.cbsdrama.co.uk

Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley exit Daybreak

Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley exit Daybreak

Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley have made their exit from troubled ITV breakfast show ‘Daybreak’.

It was a low-key affair intended to maintain the illusion that they weren’t axed from the show with both mentioning their future work for ITV.

“I'm off to concentrate on the football and Christine is being put on ice,” said Chiles, referring to Bleakley’s new job alongside Phillip Schofield as host of the upcoming series of ‘Dancing on Ice’.

The pair’s departure was announced in November following the continued disappointing viewing figures which have dogged the show since its birth just over a year ago.

Bleakley ended the show saying, “As you may or may not know, this is our last show. We'd just like to say thanks a million to the rest of the on-air team. That is just about it from us, good luck and have a great Christmas. Bye bye.”

Last week Christine Bleakley spoke of her impending ‘Daybreak’ exit.

She said, “It will be nice to let my hair down a bit more and enjoy life more now that time schedules will be different and I don't have to get up at 3am midweek. So I might start going out more midweek and enjoy my evenings again.”

Lucky her.

Also in todays press.....

Also in todays press.....

'Strictly' star Robbie Fowler has spoken of his anger over abuse on Twitter after fans of the show suggested he was using the recent death of his friend Gary Speed to get sympathy. “It was hard as you have to concentrate on dancing,” he said. “But comments on Twitter like 'Robbie's only doing it for sympathy' were ridiculous, shocking.” [The Sun]

Jeremy Clarkson's recent rants, including one in his column in The Times about suicide victims over the weekend, have reportedly raised concerns over his mental state. A source from the BBC told The Mirror that 'there is a feeling he’s more vulnerable than he should be and that’s why his judgment isn’t A-grade'. [The Mirror]

Romance between TOWIE's Mark Wright and model Emily Scott is off the cards, according to the Essex club promoter. “Emily is a lovely person and a very pretty girl but there is no romantic interest there for me and I am not interested in starting a relationship with her,” he said. The pair flirted while in the jungle on 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' [The Sun]

Too much sex and swearing on TV, says David Jason

Too much sex and swearing on TV, says David Jason

David Jason has hit out at the amount of swearing, violence and sex on the TV.

The 71-year-old 'Only Fools and Horses' star says that he's often shocked by the images shown, and that he has to 'protect' his 10-year-old daughter from what's broadcast pre-watershed.

“Take the adverts - I was watching SpongeBob, a favourite cartoon of ours, but suddenly a scent advert came on with this girl stripping off as she walks towards the camera,” he said. “It's done for mums but they forget a lot of girls are watching these powerful images.

“There wasn't much on telly the other night so with Sophie and her friend we watched 'Laurel and Hardy', made in the 1930s, and these kids laughed like drains.

“That's humour - doing what funny people have done since comedy began without being edgy and pushing boundaries.

David Jason, who is best known for his role as Del Boy, also criticised the amount of swearing on TV: “Today they push down barriers. Take the 'f' word. It's become commonplace. Language has implications and it's offensive if it's meant to denigrate something or someone. 'Only Fools' had nothing unpleasant, really.”

Jason is set to appear on BBC1 over Christmas starring in 'The Royal Bodyguard', a role he says attracted him because it was 'safe' for family viewing.

TV Tonight 5th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

TV Tonight 5th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

    2 Broke Girls S01E11: "And the Reality Check"
    A Question of Sport S43E02: "December 5, 2011"
    Adventure Time with Finn and Jake S03E20: "Holly Jolly Secrets (2)"
    Adventure Time with Finn and Jake S03E19: "Holly Jolly Secrets (1)"
    Alaska State Troopers S03E02: "Grizzly Showdown"
    American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior S02E22: "The Build-Off (1)"
    American Pickers S03E14: "Not So Cheap Thrills"
    Animal Cops: Houston S09E16: "Criminal Acts"
    Being Erica S04E10: "Purim"
    Best Dish - The Chefs S01E26: "Episode 26"
    Cake Boss: Next Great Baker S02E02: "Life-Sized Cakes"
    Canada's Worst Driver S07E07: "Glazed Over"
    Castle (2009) S04E10: "Cuffed"
    Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers S01E02: "Series 1, Episode 2"
    Come Dine With Me S17E85: "Series 17, Episode 71"
    Conan S02E13: "Alec Baldwin, Damon Wayans Jr., Yelawolf"
    Coronation Street S52E246: "Mon 5 Dec, 2011 [Episode 1]"
    Coronation Street S52E247: "Mon 5 Dec, 2011 [Episode 2]"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E85: "Episode 1765"
    Desperate Scousewives S01E02: "Series 1, Episode 2"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E11: "Series 8, Episode 11"
    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives S13E02: "Coast to Coast Classics"
    Disappeared S04E07: "Vanished in Vermont"
    Dispatches S25E29: "Landlords From Hell"
    Doctors S13E158: "Trust"
    Drop Down Menu S01E21: "Episode 21"
    EastEnders S27E193: "December 5, 2011"
    Emmerdale S40E284: "December 5, 2011"
    Enlightened S01E09: "Consider Helen"
    Familiediner, Het S14E06: "Season 14, Episode 6"
    General Hospital (US) S49E172: "#12446"
    Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden S22E66: "Season 22, Episode 66"
    Gossip Girl S05E10: "Riding In Town Cars With Boys"
    Hacktion S01E09: "Bizalomkör"
    Hart Of Dixie S01E10: "Hairdos & Holidays"
    Hawaii Five-0 (2010) S02E11: "Pahele (Trap)"
    Heartland (CA) S05E09: "Cover Me"
    Hollyoaks S17E241: "December 5, 2011"
    Hotel cæsar S28E118: "Season 28, Episode 118"
    Housos S01E07: "Foxtel"
    How I Met Your Mother S07E12: "Symphony of Illumination"
    I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! (UK) S11E20: "Coming Out"
    InSecurity S02E09: "The Spy, the Friend and Her Lover"
    Jeopardy! S28E56: "Show #6261"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E170
    Johnny Test S05E31: "A Holly, Johnny Christmas"
    Junior Apprentice S02E07: "Popcorn"
    Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon S01E10: "Episode 10"
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E186:
    Late Show with David Letterman S18E169
    Lingo (NL) S23E25: "Season 23, Episode 25"
    Little England S01E12: "Episode 12"
    Lizard Lick Towing S02E01: "Season 2, Episode 1"
    Love & Hip Hop S02E04: "Fizzy-chotic"
    Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too S03E01: "Let the Bad Begin"
    Love That Girl! S02E23: "The Me Nobody Knows"
    Mad S02E14: "Captain Ameri-can't / My Supernatural Sweet Sixteen"
    Masterchef - The Professionals S04E17: "Series 4, Episode 17"
    Meteorite Men S03E02: "Return to Sweden"
    Mike & Molly S02E10: "Molly Needs a Number"
    Modern Marvels S16E56: "More Candy"
    Monday Night Football S42E18: "San Diego Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars"
    Mongrels S02E06: "Series 2, Episode 6"
    Neighbours S27E236: "Episode 6306"
    Never Mind the Buzzcocks (UK) S25E10
    Neverland S01E02: "Part 2 of 2"
    One Life to Live S44E99: "Ep. #11078"
    Only Connect S05E17: "Analysts v Antiquarians"
    Pair of Kings S02E16: "Pair of Santas"
    Panorama S59E52: "The Truth About Supermarket Price Wars"
    Pasila S04E05: "Routalempi netissä"
    Pauw & Witteman S06E61: "Season 6, Episode 61"
    Pawn Star$ S04E56: "Looney Dunes"
    Pawn Star$ S04E55: "Blaze of Glory"
    Pointless S05E71: "Series 5, Episode 71"
    Prosto w serce S02E66: "Season 2, Episode 184"
    Ridiculousness S01E14: "Cole Hernandez"
    Rizzoli & Isles S02E12: "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
    Ross Kemp Back on the Frontline S01E04: "Episode 4"
    RTL Boulevard S12E66: "Season 12, Episode 66"
    Scouted S01E02: "Valenteen & Kelsie"
    Showder Klub S08E07: "Episode 7"
    Skin Deep: The Business of Beauty S01E04: "Episode 4"
    SpangaS S05E66: "Season 5, Episode 66"
    Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets S02E01: "Night Angel"
    Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two S08E46: "Series 8, Episode 46"
    Tamayura Hitotose S01E10: "Episode 10"
    Tegenlicht S10E12: "2011: Eerlijk zullen we alles delen"
    The A List: Dallas S01E09: "Forgive My Vengeful Ways"
    The Amazing World of Gumball S01E28: "The Club"
    The Apprentice (IRE) S04E10: "Season 4, Episode 10"
    The Bad Girls Club S08E00: "Preview Special"
    The Best Thing I Ever Ate S06E07: "Season's Eatings"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S25E180: "Ep. #6209"
    The Closer S07E12: "You Have the Right to Remain Jolly"
    The Colbert Report S07E153: "Jimmie Johnson"
    The Daily Show S16E153: "Ben Lowy"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E60: "Josh Duhamel, Laura Dern"
    The Gadget Show S16E17: "Christmas Special"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E62: "December 5, 2011"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S07E206: "Justin Long, Noomi Rapace"
    The Layover S01E03: "Rome"
    The Million Pound Drop Live S07E01: "Series 7, Episode 1"
    The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills S02E14: "Malibu Beach Party From Hell"
    The Rosie Show S01E31: "Marlee Matlin, Patti LaBelle"
    The Sing-Off S03E12: "The Sing-Off Holiday Special (Live)"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E202  
    The View S15E64
    The Young and the Restless S39E177: "Ep. #9792"
    Thuis S17E71: "Season 17, Episode 71"
    Two and a Half Men S09E11: "What a Lovely Landing Strip"
    University Challenge (1994) S18E23    Vanguard S06E05: "Two Americas"
    Voetbal International S04E36: "Season 4, Episode 36"
    Watch What Happens: Live S05E22: "Season 5, Episode 22"
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    You Deserve It S01E03: "Season 1, Episode 3"

Chelsea Clinton NBC News Debut Set for Dec. 12

Chelsea Clinton NBC News Debut Set for Dec. 12

The 31-year-old daughter of former President Bill Clinton will report on an Arkansas non-profit in her first "Rock Center" segment.

Chelsea Clinton's first appearance as a NBC News correspondant is set for Dec. 12. The former first daughter will appear on Rock Center With Brian Williams during a segment about a nonprofit organization in her home state of Arkansas.

The report is part of the network's "Making a Difference" franchise and was spearheaded by Clinton, notes the New York Times.

Clinton's profiles will be broadcast on Rock Center as well as the NBC Nightly News. Clinton joined the news organization in mid-November, at which time the network stressed that she will not be a traditional news correspondant, i.e., she won't be reporting on politics.

Clinton said of her new position, "I hope telling stories through 'Making a Difference' -- as in my academic work and non-profit work -- will help me to live my grandmother’s adage of 'Life is not about what happens to you, but about what you do with what happens to you'."

Clinton, 31, also recently joing the board of Barry Diller's IAC and is the second daughter of a former president to work for the company. George W. Bush's daugher Jenna Bush Hager is a correspondant for the Today show, while Meghan McCain, the daughter of Arizona Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain, reports for MSNBC.

Cancelled or Renewed.....

Cancelled or Renewed.....

Status updates on the new and old shows, some as you can see got cancelled in their first season.

Lifetime     Army Wives                  10 new eps. ordered
FOX             Allen Gregory                Canceled in S01
Disney Channel     A.N.T. Farm                 Renewed for S02
ABC             Pan Am                          Canceled in S01
ABC Family     Pretty Little Liars             Renewed for S03
VH1             Mama Drama                  New Show (Ordered)
WE             Mary Mary                  New Show (Ordered)
NBC             Up All Night (2011)              2 new eps. ordered
TLC             Geek Love                  Pilot Ordered

Real-Life 'Breaking Bad': Math Professor Accused of Running Meth Lab in Boston

Real-Life 'Breaking Bad': Math Professor Accused of Running Meth Lab in Boston

A college professor has been charged with distributing the drug along with her son, echoing the plot line of the Emmy-winning AMC drama series.

It seems there is a real-life version of Walter White living among us.

A college professor in Boston has been accused of running a meth lab out of her home alongside her 29-year-old son.

Irina Kristy, 75, who has taught math for more than 20 years at two Boston universities, will be arraigned Dec. 21 on charges of “distribution of meth, conspiracy to violate the drug law and drug violation in a school zone," according to the Boston Globe.

Her son, Grigory Genkin, pleaded guilty to the same charges Nov. 14, the same day a summons was filed against Kristy. Genkin, who turned himself in to authorities, was ordered to be held on $1,000 cash bail. He is due back in court Dec. 20.

Kristy, who declined to comment to the Globe, teaches full-time at Boston University. She was put on administrative leave at Suffolk University, where she is an adjunct profesor, last week.

Kristy and Genkin live about 500 feet from City Hall and an elementary school. Their home was searched Nov. 7 by investigators from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and “a large amount of materials believed to be hazardous’’ were removed from the residence, police said last month.

The real-life case echoes the plot line of AMC's Breaking Bad, in which Bryan Cranston stars as Walter White, a high school chemistry and father of two who learns he has inoperable lung cancer and begins cooking crystal meth with a former student (Aaron Paul) in an effort to secure his family's financial future. Cranston has won three Emmys for the role.

Meanwhile, despite his life being in danger due to his illegal activities, Walter White remains a free man.

Fox Announces Its Midseason Schedule: Alcatraz, Touch, and Breaking In All Make the Cut

Fox Announces Its Midseason Schedule: Alcatraz, Touch, and Breaking In All Make the Cut

Fox’s midseason scheduling announcement is hot off the presses, and your resulting excitement should be directly proportional to how you feel about three of the network's most bankable commodities: American Idol, J.J. Abrams, and Kiefer Sutherland.

Let’s get the singing-show news out of the way: Regardless of what Fox would like you to think, The X Factor’s first season is a dud. The judges are lackluster, the contestants forgettable, the host incompetent, and the show, as a result, irrelevant. With American Idol, however, Fox execs can at least look forward to stirring up a little buzz. It’ll air on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with a two-day premiere on January 18 and 19, followed by a special "extended primetime broadcast" on Sunday, January 22. I can't wait to see how J-Lo manages to sneak a Fiat onto the stage despite the objections of Ford, a longtime Idol sponsor.

Next up, Alcatraz, a show we’re decidedly iffy about. The J.J. Abrams drama about the mysterious reappearance of missing guards and inmates from the famous prison will debut with a two-hour series premiere on Monday, January 16 before settling into its regular spot after House on Monday January 23. (The good doctor will finish out his final season in a slightly different timeslot, of Mondays at 8pm instead of Mondays 9pm.)

Touch, from Heroes creator Tim Kring, brings the Return of Kiefer; it's a “preternatural drama in which science and spirituality intersect with the hopeful premise that we are all interconnected, tied in invisible ways to those whose lives we are destined to alter and impact.” Sounds like the description for an EST seminar, but whatever, I’ll check it out when it debuts with a "special" preview after Idol on Wednesday, January 25 before its series premiere on Monday, March 19.

Then there are a few zombies thrown in for variety: Not actual, Walking Dead-style zombies, but shows resurrected from the TV graveyard. That’s right: COPS, the inspiration for South Park’s "White Trash, In Trouble," returns to Saturday nights on January 7, while Breaking In, which was canceled last May only to be revived in August, kicks off its 13-episode second season on Tuesday, March 6. The bizarre yet delightful Bob’s Burgers returns to the Animation Domination block on Sunday, March 11.

Finally, while we'll be losing a lemon in Allen Gregory—which Fox opted not to mention in its official scheduling announcemnt—we'll be trading it on Sunday, January 15 for a possible turkey in Napoleon Dynamite, the animated version of the movie that stopped being cool to quote about seven years ago. Note: Before you rejoice over the Allen Gregory omission, remember that Fox was always planning on clearing space for Napoleon Dynamite and Bob's Burgers. That said, it's still not a good sign for the Jonah Hill animated comedy (and by that, we mean it's a great sign).

FOX's Midseason Premiere Dates
New shows are in ALLCAPS

Thursday, January 12
THE FINDER

Sunday, January 15
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

Monday, January 16
ALCATRAZ (two-hour series premiere)

Wednesday, January 18
American Idol

Monday, January 23
ALCATRAZ (time-period premiere)

Wednesday, January 25
TOUCH ("special preview")

Tuesday, March 6
Breaking In

Sunday, March 11
Bob's Burgers

Monday, March 19
TOUCH (series premiere)

Madonna Will Perform During Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show

Madonna Will Perform During Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show

The news was confirmed during NBC's "Sunday Night Football" game between the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints.

NBC and the NFL confirmed Sunday night that Madonna will perform during the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVI, set to air Feb. 5 on the network.

Madonna has partnered with a creative team from Cirque du Soleil, choreographer Jamie King and multimedia artists from Moment Factory to create the performance.

The news, which had been widely rumored for some time, was confirmed during NBC's Sunday Night Football coverage of the game between the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions.

Super Bowl XLVI is set to take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

More than 162 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year’s halftime show, which will again be broadcast around the world.

Previous halftime performers include the Black Eyed Peas, the Who, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2.

Madonna is currently in the recording studio working on a new album scheduled to be released next year. Her new film, W.E., which she directed, wrote and produced, is opening in a limited one-week awards-qualifying run Friday in Los Angeles and will open nationally on Feb. 3, two days before the Super Bowl game.

The halftime show is an NFL Network production and will be executive produced by Ricky Kirshner and directed by Hamish Hamilton.

Chelsea Handler brings back "After Lately"

Chelsea Handler brings back "After Lately"

Chelsea Handler may have more jobs than James Franco -- award-winning actor, daytime television star, writer, director, novelist, academic.

Handler is a queen of late-night TV talk shows who has hosted "Chelsea Lately" on cable TV network E! since 2007. She is the author of four best-selling books, creator a new TV sitcom scheduled to air in January and recently signed a development deal with E! to create several new series.

And Sunday, Handler's "mockumentary" series, "After Lately," debuts for a second season of spoofing her guests, her "Chelsea Lately" staff and herself as they work on the show.

"It's fun and funny to just exploit what goes on at our workplace because there aren't a lot of workplaces like it. Everything is based on real situations. You get a real glimpse into what's happening in our real lives. We fight all the time but we're one big happy family," Handler told Reuters.

It may be hard to imagine the famously outspoken Handler holding her tongue about anything -- one of her books is titled "Are You There, Vodka? It's me, Chelsea -- she said she and her staff often use "After Lately" to communicate unspoken ideas and issues that come up between them.

"It's can be a passive aggressive way to tell people we think they're annoying. If someone does something stupid, we're like, 'let's write an episode about that,'" said Handler. "It's a good way to say, 'Oh wait, everyone in the office thinks I'm a narcissist.'"

The show's second season will poke fun at celebrity guests including Jane Fonda and Sharon Osbourne, as well as Handler's friends Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon -- the latter appeared on the first season of "After Lately."

"They're all for it," said Handler of recruiting her A-list pals to be mocked on late-night television.

"We're all really good friends and they're totally into it. After we did the first episode with Reese she was like, 'I have to come back next season,' and when Jen saw Reese's episode, she was like, 'I want to do an episode too!'"

Witherspoon's episode spoofs her recent attempt to write a speech to honor Handler at an upcoming awards ceremony.

"I'm so annoyed with Reese hanging out at the office all day that I just go off on her," said Handler who is an amped-up version of herself on the show. "Jen (Aniston) ends up commiserating with the writers about how big my head has gotten. Then Jen says that they're only friends with me so that I don't talk about them on my show."

The deal Handler recently signed with E! guarantees that her inaugural series "Chelsea Lately" will air on the network through 2014. Handler told Reuters that among the projects she's developing are late-night shows for comics Ross Matthews and Whitney Cummings.

Cummings eponymous NBC sitcom "Whitney" has received mixed reviews and suffered a recent schedule shuffle, but "2 Broke Girls" the CBS series she co-created, is a hit. Handler's upcoming series based on her book, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea," premieres on NBC in January.

"I think it's the best time, possibly, to be a woman in comedy," said Handler. "It's good to be in a group of women that are succeeding. You're just trying to bring each other up so if one woman does well, we all do well.

CBS and FOX take top honors in November sweeps

CBS and FOX take top honors in November sweeps

CBS won the November television sweeps period for the 11th straight year but Fox took the honors with the 18-49 year-old age group most coveted by advertisers, according to ratings data on Tuesday.

ABC finished second to CBS in terms of overall viewers, thanks partly to the success of its Emmy-award winning comedy "Modern Family". But there was little joy for NBC, which came last again among the leading four TV networks despite featuring a slew of new comedy and drama shows.

The November sweeps are one of four periods each year in which detailed viewing habits are measured across the United States and used by local TV stations to set advertising rates.

Fox said it had boosted its 18-49 ratings by 13 percent -- the biggest of any network -- compared to November 2010 to give it a victory in the audience group for only the second time.

Fox said its win among those younger viewers was fueled by new comedy "New Girl", reality show "The X Factor" and pricey dinosaur drama "Terra Nova". In terms of overall viewers, Fox finished in third place.

CBS, which boasts hit comedies "Two Broke Girls" and "Two and A Half Men" along with veteran crime shows "NCIS" and the "CSI" franchise tends to attract older viewers. But the network finished second in the 18-49 demographic for the November sweeps, behind Fox and ahead of female-friendly ABC.

NBC, which has revamped its management and prime-time line-up since being taken over by cable giant Comcast in January, saw a five percent decline in overall viewers during November sweeps.

NBC axed its much talked-about new drama "The Playboy Club" after just three episodes in October, along with new comedy "Free Agents". The network's hopes for its "Prime Suspect" remake have also foundered and production of the crime drama has been suspended pending a decision on the show's future.

CBS is part of CBS Corp, Fox is a unit of News Corp, ABC is part of Walt Disney Co. and NBC is majority-owned by Comcast.

7 hit shows that might have stayed too long at the party

7 hit shows that might have stayed too long at the party

This is not a story about ratings. This is a story about shows that have overstayed their welcome.

Shows like "Glee," "House" and "Grey's Anatomy" are still pulling in respectable ratings, but are a shadow of what they once were. For every show like "Freaks and Geeks," "Sports Night" and "Party Down" -- great shows that were canceled too soon -- there are series that risk their ultimate TV legacy by staying too late at the party.

Here's why "Dexter" and six other once-terrific shows are past their prime in primetime.

1. "DEXTER"

That twist in Sunday night's episode -- which we won't spoil in case it's still sitting on your DVR -- gave us pause for a moment. Could this be the thing that turns season six around? Nope. The season's still a mess.

Writers have Dexter Morgan tackling religion and where, or if, it fits into his life.

A guest stint by Mos Def as reformed killer Brother Sam was the highlight of those efforts, but everything else about season six has fallen flat.

That includes the return, sorta, of Dexter's dead serial killer brother; the painfully cheesy therapy sessions for Deb; the embarrassing way the writers have completely decimated Maria LaGuerta; and the mind-boggling reason Dexter has all of a sudden embraced killers like Travis and Trinity's son, Jonah.

If "Dexter" had been a lesser show, around season two or three viewers might have started to question the fact that there seem to be an awful lot of serial killers who a) live in Miami and b) always seem to cross paths with Dexter, even outside his police duties.

"Darkly Dreaming Dexter," the novel in which the Dexter Morgan character was introduced, has become "Deeply Disappointing Dexter."

2. "HOUSE"

He's been in jail and rehab. That's fine if you're, say, playing Iron Man. But if you're a doctor, the go-to diagnostician, this is not the resume you want to present to your patients.

Add in the many, many cast changes, and the fact that the show has fallen into a formula of bringing Hugh Laurie's House to the brink of redemption, only to see him embrace his inner jerk once again, and the diagnosis is clear: After this, the show's eighth season, it is most definitely time for "House" to be surgically removed from the Fox lineup.

3. "GLEE"

The first season of the show was something new and different and fun.

The second season -- it was kind of like that kid you knew in junior high who came back from summer vacation for the first year of high school and had outgrown his awkward phase.

His sudden popularity went to his head, and he became a bully who was berating the Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon because they wouldn't let him play their music on his show.

And he kept relying on stunt casting like Gwyneth Paltrow and Britney Spears, shifting focus away from characters like Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester, who, in season one, had already secured herself a spot among the all-time great TV characters.

"Glee," by that point, had begun to drink its own Kool-Aid -- or slushies in this instance -- and creator Ryan Murphy's media fights with rock stars were just the most public proof that the show had become too self-important.

Of course, it is important, and wonderful, to see diverse characters on TV, especially for younger viewers. But it is possible for people to not enjoy "Glee" and its many musical interludes and still support the show's point of view.

Popularity and show quality don't always go hand-in-hand, but it is worth noting that the most recent episode of the show is down 2 million viewers from the third season premiere.

4. "THE SIMPSONS"

"The Simpsons" writing staff, on any given day, could probably throw away more good jokes than most comedy writing staffs could come up with in a week. Even in its 23rd season, the show is still funny.

But it's also tired.

We know these characters in and out at this point, from Homer and Bart to neighbor Ned and supporting Springfieldians like Comic Book Guy and Squishee-slinging Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu. While there was a sweet spot when that familiarity allowed writers to do things with the characters that tickled fans, now it just means the show never feels fresh anymore.

And by the time "The Simpsons" hits its 25th season -- it was renewed earlier this year for its 24th and 25th seasons -- we're going to be longing even more for those earlier years when the show could still surprise us.

5. "GOSSIP GIRL"

Doesn't it feel like "Gossip Girl" has been on for longer than five seasons? Yeah, that's not a good thing. Soapy dramas have to walk a fine line between too little action and piling on so much drama that the storylines and characters become tedious and unbelievable.

"GG" has hit the latter point.

Was it the Blair/Dan flirtation that sent the show hurling towards jump-the-shark status? Serena's affairs with her teacher and Nate's married cousin (and Nate himself)? The Blair and Chuck breakup and her eventual engagement to a prince? Jenny dealing drugs? Dan's novel? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

6. "30 ROCK"

Like "The Simpsons," "30 Rock" is still pretty funny. And also as with "The Simpsons," we feel like we know the "30 Rock" gang pretty well as the show prepares to debut its sixth season in January.

Familiarity often opens comedic possibilities for a sitcom. But all it has done for "30 Rock" is open the door to make the characters even more outlandish, and to repeat the same jokes about them over and over. We get it -- Kenneth the Page is backwards, Liz Lemon is perpetually single and career-obsessed, Tracy is crazy, Jenna is pathologically selfish, Frank is gross.

With Alec Baldwin -- who rightfully snagged lead comedy actor Emmys for what were the show's two best seasons -- continuing to say season six will be his last, it's time to enjoy the antics of the show, and the show-within-the-show, for one more season. And then let's send "30 Rock" off to that big cancellation heap in the sky.

7. "GREY'S ANATOMY"

"Grey's Anatomy" has had so many casting changes that we literally can't remember who's still on the show sometimes.

Earlier this year, series creator Shonda Rhimes tweeted the current season would "definitely not" be the series' last.

That's too bad.

And there's been so much partner-swapping, overwrought drama and McDreamy pouts over the problem of the week in his relationship with the angst-addicted Meredith that it's difficult to believe so many viewers have stuck with the show this long, its eighth season.

The Denny/Izzie brain tumor storyline alone would have done some shows in -- and that was back in season five.

Newt Gingrich mocks Fox News

Newt Gingrich mocks Fox News

Why is Newt Gingrich taking a jab at Fox News?

At a town hall event in South Carolina on Tuesday, the new GOP frontrunner mocked the network's analysts, suggesting that they don't know anything.

When asked a question about the HIV/AIDS vaccine, Gingrich said that he couldn't answer the question because he didn't know.

And then he added this:

"One of the real changes comes when you start running for President -- as opposed to being an analyst on Fox -- is I have to actually know what I'm talking about."

How would Gingrich know this? Because he was an analyst for Fox News. The former Speaker of the House contributed to the network until March, when Fox suspended him because of his upcoming presidential run. It then canceled the contract in May.

The same happened to Rick Santorum, but not Sarah Palin. Perhaps Fox chief Roger Ailes knew Palin wasn't going to run, seeing as many view him as the GOP kingmaker.

Gingrich's joke isn't all that surprising in and of itself. His campaign has been built on snark and savaging his critics, particularly the media.

But Fox is different. Not only did Gingrich once get paid by Fox, but he has also appeared on the network 52 times since he announced his candidacy. Per a New York Times story on Thursday, he has appeared more on Fox than any candidate save Herman Cain.

Though Fox declined to comment on Gingrich's specific words, a spokesperson did note that Gingrich appeared for a full hour on Sean Hannity's show Wednesday.

Jimmy Fallon recording comedy album for 2012 release

Jimmy Fallon recording comedy album for 2012 release

Jimmy Fallon might be a big-shot late-night TV host these days, but he still knows that he's a comedian first and foremost.

The "SNL" alum and "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" emcee is recording a comedy album for Warner Bros. Records, in a new deal that makes him a member of the Warner Music Nashville roster. (Does this mean there will be plenty of country offerings on the new offering?) The album will be released in summer 2012.

According to Warner, the album "will include music, parodies and other impresario compositions that became instant classics after performances by Jimmy and his guests on the 'Late Night' show.'"

"Having a new album coming out soon on Warner Bros. means so much to me," Fallon said of the upcoming effort. "Mostly, it means I should probably start writing some songs."

Fallon's 2002 comedy album "The Bathroom Wall" was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Spoken Comedy Album category.