Wanted: a name for Peter Chernin's new company

Wanted: a name for Peter Chernin's new company

 

Anyone out there have a good name for Peter Chernin's new production company?

If so, the soon-to-be-free News Corp. president wants to hear it. Chernin has been soliciting everyone he knows to come up with an unpretentious moniker for the TV and movie venture he's launching in two weeks after his executive contract expires June 30.

For a moment Chernin actually entertained the idea of calling his new outfit "Clown Co." -- a raspberry to the skeptics at Google Inc., who used those exact words to dismiss Hulu, the online video service and competitor to Google's YouTube launched last year by News Corp. and NBC Universal that has become an overnight sensation.

Marketing executive Tony Sella, Chernin's favorite creative advertising guru at News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox movie studio, sketched out a potential logo of one smiling and one frowning clown based on the thespian comedy/tragedy masks.

Fortunately, when Chernin thought it through he came to his senses and realized that the Clown joke would have worn thin in a Hollywood minute.

Meanwhile, Chernin is in the process of locking down office space in Santa Monica, and after he vacates his executive suite will be temporarily housed in the Tom Mix stables building on the Fox lot where the legendary cowboy actor used to board his horses.

-- Claudia Eller

Photo: Peter makes a pitch to Peter Chernin on the "FOX-y Lady" episode of "Family Guy" / Fox

'Mad Men' sets return date, plus news on 'Futurama,' 'Nurse Jackie,' 'Caprica'

A bunch of news -- good news -- broke today about various shows that are returning on various networks. I'm about to hop on a flight back to Chicago in a few minutes (I've been in New York for a few days), so here are the facts:

"Mad Men" will return on AMC Sunday, Aug. 16. There will be a Season 2 marathon on Aug. 10. The full press release is below. "Nurse Jackie," the promising Edie Falco show about a drug-addicted nurse, had a strong premiere for Showtime on Monday, and the network is so high on the show (if you'll pardon the pun) that it has already picked up "Nurse Jackie" for a second season. The press release is below."Futurama" is returning. New episodes have been commissioned by Comedy Central. Wrong show, but appropriate quote, "Numfar, do the dance of joy!" Major points to you if you know what show that quote comes from. Check out Zap2it.com's story here.I'll have much more on the Sci Fi front soon, but in a Wednesday interview, the network's president, Dave Howe, confirmed that the "Battlestar Galactica" TV movie debuts in November. He also said that "Caprica," a prequel series set in the "Battlestar" universe, will likely debut in January. He also said that three to five years down the road, we may actually see a "Battlestar" feature film (I know, be still our hearts. It's just a possibility, however, and if it does happen, it won't be for a while).

AMC's press release on the return of "Mad Men":

AMC ANNOUNCES MAD MEN SEASON THREE PREMIERE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH AT 10PM ET/9 PM C

 

Premiere Episode to be Presented with Limited Commercial Breaks

 

Second Season 13-Episode Marathon Begins Monday, August 10 at 7 amET

 

First and Second Season Available On Demand

 

 

New York, NY â€" June 10, 2009AMC will premiere the third season of itscritically-acclaimed, award-winning drama Mad Men onSunday, August 16th at 10PM ET/9PM C. The premiere airingwill be presented with limited commercial interruptions.

Leading up to the highly-anticipated newseason will be a Mad Men marathon on Monday, August 10, from 7AM â€"8PM EST, featuring all 13 episodes from the series’ award-winning secondseason.

Beginning today, Season One is availableOn Demand, in both standard- and high-definition.  Season Two will be availableOn Demand starting Monday, July 20.  The pilot episode entitled “Smoke Gets InYour Eyes” is available now for live streaming on www.amctv.com.

Mad Men debuted in July 2007 and has gone on to win multiple Emmy®Awards, including the Emmy for Outstanding Drama, a first for a basic cableseries. It is also the only basic cable series to win the Golden Globeaward two years in a row (2007 and 2008) for Best Television Series-Dramaand was the recipient of a Peabody award in 2008.  It has gained unprecedentedrecognition and has been hailed as, “One of the most critically acclaimed TVshows 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 isthe future of TV, the future is looking good.”

Mad Men is created, written and executive produced by MatthewWeiner (Executive Producer/Writer, The Sopranos), co-executive producedby Scott Hornbacher (The Sopranos), and produced by Lionsgate.  AMC’sJoel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital contentand Vlad Wolynetz, VP of Production, Series and Movies, oversee development andproduction for the network.

Showtime's press release:

NURSE JACKIE WORKS A DOUBLE

 

SHOWTIME Renews Its New Critically-Acclaimed DarkComedy Series

Starring Emmy®-winner Edie Falco For A SecondSeason

 

LOS ANGELES, CA â€" (June 10, 2009) â€" In the wake of one ofSHOWTIME’s most critically acclaimed original series debuts, the networkhas renewed its new dark comedy series NURSE JACKIE, a co-production withLionsgate starring Emmy®-winner Edie Falco for a second season.  Theannouncement was made today by Robert Greenblatt, President of Entertainment,Showtime Networks Inc.  Production of 12 new episodes will begin this fallin New York City.

 

"NURSE JACKIE was a home run for us when Edie Falcodecided to come aboard over a year ago,” said Greenblatt. â€œWe're thrilled that the critics, our affiliates, and the public ingeneral have had the reaction to the show that we hoped they would.  WhileSHOWTIME was already in the pink, we're grateful to get a big shot in the armfrom this feisty little nurse.”  

 

NURSEJACKIE premiered Monday, June 8 to both audience and critical acclaim. After making her return to premium television, Falco has received some of thebest reviews of her accomplished career for her role as the complicated NurseJackie Peyton.  USA Today gave NURSE JACKIE 4 Stars, stating,“Here’s a cure for TV’s summer doldrums:  “Takeone great actress and one great role; repeat for 12 weeks;” TheWashington Post says “NurseJackie is one of the true choice cuts of the year,” and TV Guide noted“Watch Edie Falco become one of those rare talents who will someday addcomedy Emmys to her drama stash.”

 

Theseries is a co-production of Showtime Networks Inc. and Lionsgate Televisionand was created by Evan Dunsky and Liz Brixius & Linda Wallem (The Comeback, That ‘70's Show). Wallem and Brixius are executive producers and show runners.  JohnMelfi and Caryn Mandabach are executive producers.  Richie Jackson,Christine Zander, Mark Hudis and Evan Dunsky are co-executiveproducers.  

 

NURSEJACKIE is a half-hour dark comedy that is at turns wicked, heartbreaking andfunny.  Edie Falco stars as the title character Jackie Peyton, astrong-willed and brilliant -- but very flawed-- emergency room nurse in a complicated New York City hospital.  A lapsedCatholic with an occasional weakness for Vicodin and Adderall to get herthrough the days, Jackie keeps the hospital balanced with her ownkind of justice. Every day is a high wire act of juggling patients,doctors, fellow nurses and her own indiscretions.  The first season alsostars Eve Best, Peter Facinelli, Merritt Wever, Haaz Sleiman, Paul Schulze,Anna Deavere Smith, Dominic Fumusa, Ruby Jerins, Daisy Tahan and StephenWallem.

 

Theshow is co-produced by Lionsgate and Showtime Networks in association withCaryn Mandabach Productions and Madison Grain Elevator Inc. & DelongLumber.

HBO's sexy vampire saga returns for second season
Alan Ball ('Six Feet Under' brought to TV in fall 2008, where it emerged as HBO's most popular show. An average of 7.8 million viewers were watching each episode by the end of Season 1.

Anna Paquin, In Flesh And 'Blood'

It's the era of Twilight, and pop culture is swarming with the undead. Terry Gross talks to Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paquin, star of HBO's vampire series True Blood.