NBC unveils new programs for fall

NBC unveils new programs for fall

For the second year in a row, NBC separated itself from its competitors by announcing the programs that will be on its schedule in the 2009-10 season two weeks before the rest of the broadcast networks present their schedules to advertisers in Manhattan. But this year, NBC held back on the goods -- that is, which shows will take over which time slots, because its executives want Madison Avenue to play a role in the network's scheduling decisions. For the complete story, check out Showtracker.

News on new seasons of 'Fringe' and 'Mad Men'

AMC has confirmed that Season 3 of "Mad Men" will debut in August (The Los Angeles Times reports that the season will begin on Aug. 16). Production began on the third season Monday in Los Angeles. 

For more "Mad Men" news, look here.

NBC is dominating the TV news today, but Fox got in on the action: In a widely expected move, it picked up "Fringe" for a second season. The season finale, which features a guest turn from Leonard Nimoy, airs May 12.

There's more "Fringe" news here.

Both press releases are below.

FOX PICKS UP SECOND SEASON OF “FRINGE”

No. 1 New Series Among Adults 18-49 Renewed for Full Season

Season Finale Guest-Starring Leonard Nimoy Airs Tuesday, May 12, on FOX

FOX has renewed FRINGE, the No. 1 new series among Adults 18-49, with a full second season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company.

“FRINGE proved to be a notable addition to our schedule all season and it really has fans buzzing as it builds to a fantastic season finale,” said Reilly. “J.J. and the whole Bad Robot team have been phenomenal partners, and we look forward to years of making great television with them.”

“FRINGE continues to gain momentum, creatively and with viewers,” said J.J. Abrams, series co-creator and executive producer. “We couldn’t be more thrilled that FRINGE will continue to freak people out for at least another season!”

FRINGE has captivated audiences this season, winning its Tuesday time period weekly among key demographics and ranks as the No. 1 new series in primetime among Adults 18-49.

Questions will be answered when the first season of FRINGE wraps up with two all-new episodes. First, on Tuesday, May 5 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT), Olivia experiences “awake dreams,” Walter divulges key information about the Z.F.T. manifesto and Peter reveals a secret that yields unexpected results in a disturbing case. In the climactic finale airing Tuesday, May 12 (9:04-10:00 PM ET/PT), discoveries are made, loyalties are tested, otherworldly origins are discovered and guest star Leonard Nimoy debuts as a pivotal person of interest.

Created by J.J. Abrams & Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, FRINGE stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo, Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole. The series is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Jeff Pinkner, Bryan Burk and J.H. Wyman serve as executive producers, while Kurtzman and Orci are consulting producers. Additionally, Pinkner and Wyman serve as the series’ showrunners.

AMC’S AWARD WINNING SERIES “MAD MEN” BEGINS PRODUCTION OF THIRD SEASON ON MONDAY, MAY 4th
 

Produced by Lionsgate, New Season Set to Debut in August 2009 

 

NEW YORK, NY â€" May 4, 2009 â€" AMC announced today the start of production on season three of its award-winning and critically acclaimed original drama series, “Mad Men.” Created, written and executive produced by Matthew Weiner (Executive Producer/Writer, "The Sopranos"), “Mad Men” follows the personal and professional lives of New York advertising execs circa 1960.  Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, produces the series for AMC.  Season three is scheduled to premiere in August 2009.

 

Returning cast members include Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm (“We Were Soldiers”), Elisabeth Moss (“West Wing”), Vincent Kartheiser (“Angel”), January Jones (“We Are Marshall”), and Christina Hendricks (“Kevin Hill”), as well as guest star John Slattery (“Charlie Wilson’s War,” “K Street”).

 

“Mad Men” debuted on AMC in July 2007 to great acclaim.  The series has gone on to win six Emmy Awards, including the Emmy for Outstanding Drama, the first ever for a basic cable network.  It is also the only basic cable series to win the Golden Globe award two years in a row (2007 and 2008) for Best Television Series-Drama.  It has gained unprecedented recognition and has been hailed as, “One of the most critically acclaimed TV shows ever,” by the New York Post.  TV Guide called it, “madly, marvelously mesmerizing,” while The New York Times said, “It’s a sleek, hard boiled drama with a soft, satirical core.”   USA Today said, “If this is the future of TV, the future is looking good.”

 

 About AMC

AMC is a multi-platform network that celebrates movies and high-quality scripted series.  Among the elite services available in nearly 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC defines what it means to be a movie network today, creating a distinctive viewing experience that celebrates all that is enduringly cool, personal and powerfully relevant about movies.  AMC's comprehensive library of popular movies strike a meaningful chord with its audience, and its critically-acclaimed slate of originals all have a cinematic quality that allow them to complement and be complemented by some of the best movies of all time.  In 2008 AMC won 8 Emmys, the most wins by a basic cable network in any single year.  AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, WE tv and Sundance Channel.

 

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, generating two consecutive years of $300 million-plus domestic theatrical box office, operating a $500 million-plus home entertainment business and producing a broad slate of prime time television series for fiscal 2007.  It is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, and video-on-demand content.  Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 10,000 titles is a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses.  The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

 

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