Television News

Showtime announced today during their TCA presentation that Shameless has been renewed for a tenth season. The pickup, which comes in the midst of Season 9, extends the cable drama's already-impressive run, which recently surpassed the 100-episode milestone. The cable network's longest-running series, Shamelesscontinues to be creatively strong and draw solid viewership. Though after eight years on the air, its typically-consistent audience numbers could be showing signs of weakening. Multiple episodes this season have garnered less than 1 million viewers for the first time in its history. William H. Macy stars in Shameless as a deadbeat alcoholic father of six c…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Last week, "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris tweeted a photo of "American Idol" Carrie Underwood all dressed up as a retro stewardess for an upcoming episode of "How I Met Your Mother" and we could almost hear her saying, "What would you like? Coffee, tea or me?" Now, CBS has posted official photos from the upcoming episode and Underwood is '60s flight attendant perfection. The episode, "Hooked" has not been scheduled yet, although the show's creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas said earlier this month that is will likely air in March. Underwood's character, Tiffany, strikes Barney's (Harris) fancy. [imgleft] […

Showtime announced that the sophomore sitcom Episodes has been renewed for a third season. The network has picked up nine more half-hour installments of the Matt LeBlanc comedy, in which he plays a fictionalized version of himself. No return date has been set for Season 3 of Episodes, but production is slated to begin in 2013. (Source: TV by the Numbers) Click here to view the article

Showtime announced that Ray Donovan will be returning for a third season. The drama has continued to perform well for the network in its second season, averaging 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and seeing recent episodes hit season-high ratings. 12 new episodes have been ordered for Season 3 of Ray Donovan. Production is expected to begin in early 2015, with a likely premiere in the summer. Click here to view the article

The series was planned for a nine episode run, but after a very mediocre response it has been cancelled after just 2 episodes and pulled from its schedule. Click here to view the article

The CW announced today that Supergirl has been renewed for a fifth season. Airing on Sunday nights this season for the first time in its run, the series has continued to draw respectable ratings that place it in the middle of the pack compared to other shows in the network's lineup. The action drama has been a solid addition to The CW's superhero lineup since its move from its original home on CBS after Season 1. Airing on The CW, the show benefits from crossover episodes with other shows from the DC Comics universe, which have proven to give it a significant ratings bump. All four other superhero series were also picked up today by The CW. Fans can look forward…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Ted's story of "How I Met Your Mother" will continue for at least another year. CBS has given the comedy an early pickup for the 2010-11 season, the network confirms to Zap2it. The news comes on the heels of series creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas signing a new deal with "HIMYM" producer 20th Century Fox TV, which secures their services for three more years and includes new development as well as the current show. The early renewal is something of a changeup for "How I Met Your Mother," whose renewal has been left to the last minute more than once in its five-season life. The show, however, has earned solid ratings so far this season as the…

USA Network announced today that it has renewed Covert Affairs for a fourth season. The Toronto-produced drama was picked up for 16 episodes, although no time frame has been set for its return. The network also announced renewals of White Collar and Royal Pains for additional seasons. (Source: TV by the Numbers) Click here to view the article

Showtime announced that Masters of Sex has been renewed for a third season. The cable network has ordered 12 new episodes of the sophomore drama for a likely return in summer 2015. The Emmy-nominated series is currently at the midway point of Season 2, with six episodes remaining before its season finale on September 28. Click here to view the article

The CW announced today that DC's Legends of Tomorrow has been renewed for a fifth season. The superhero drama, which has continued to be a reliable and steady performer for the network on Monday nights, is currently in a mid-season break with the second-half of Season 4 returning in April. Premiering in 2016 as an ensemble series featuring characters spun-off from Arrow and The Flash, the show takes place in the same shared DC Comics universe but with a time travel twist. While earlier seasons saw the legends taking part in crossover episodes with its sister shows, it has recently been staying in its own contained storylines. The CW renewed all five of its DC su…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Fast National ratings for Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 "House" led FOX to the top of Monday's ratings pile, while "The Bachelor" also scored pretty well for ABC. The CW's "Life Unexpected," meanwhile, fell a bit from its premiere. FOX finished the night with 12.4 million viewers and a 7.4 rating/11 share in households, beating out ABC's 11.1 million and 7.3/11. CBS (9.1 million, 5.9/9) came in third, followed by NBC (5.2 million, 3.2/5). The CW trailed with 2.2 million viewers and a 1.4/2. FOX also led among adults 18-49 with a 4.3 rating. ABC's 3.6 was good for second. CBS, 2.8, finished third, followed by NBC, 1.9, and The CW, 1.0. Monday hou…

TNT has renewed freshman drama Major Crimes for a second season. 15 new episodes have been ordered for summer 2013 after a successful start to its first season that saw the show rank as cable's #1 new series for the year-to-date. The first season of Major Crimes is scheduled to conclude on October 15, 2012. (Source:TV by the Numbers) Click here to view the article

Freshman comedy Working the Engels has been cancelled after one season. The Canadian-based series, which starred Andrea Martin, was a collaboration between U.S. and Canadian entities - the first of its kind for a sitcom. NBC pulled Working the Engels from its schedule today, cutting its debut run short after just five episodes. Canadian broadcaster Global Television, which aired season one in its entirety earlier this year, announced that the show has been cancelled up north as well, citing low ratings as the primary reason. Click here to view the article

The CW announced today that The Flash has been renewed for a sixth season. The action drama continues to be one of the network's strongest-performing series, with ratings that consistently top its fellow superhero-based entries. Currently in its fifth season, the series recently surpassed the 100-episode milestone - an impressive feat for a superhero-based TV show. Though fellow veteran Arrow, which premiered two years before The Flash, is just days away from reaching episode 150. The Flash follows forensic scientist Barry Allen, who fights crime using his speedster abilities as The Flash, with help from his friends at Star Labs. Based on the DC comic, the serie…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] The cast and producers of "Damages" will be doing weekly conference calls this season, offering their thoughts on the previous episode and what's to come. Zap2it is on the case with them. (A rather large spoiler is coming in a couple sentences' time, so if you haven't watched the season premiere yet, best to click away now.) "Damages" kicked off its third season Monday (Jan. 25) with a doozy of a "six months later" revelation. Police investigating a car that rammed into Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) uncover a body in a trash bin -- none other than that of Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan). From the earliest evidence, it looks like his death may tie into the…

TNT has announced that sophomore drama Franklin & Bash has been renewed for a third season. The series stars Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as two street-smart lawyers and longtime friends who are recruited into a legendary, but uptight, law firm. “Franklin & Bash, with its winning cast and some of the sharpest dialogue on television, is a refreshingly clever, light-hearted take on the courtroom drama,” said network executive VP Michael Wright in a press release. “We look forward to spending another season with Breckin, Mark-Paul and the rest of the terrific cast and crew of Franklin & Bash.” The number of episodes ordered is not known, nor is the…

Who’s your favorite Doctor? OK, it’s probably not Peter Capaldi, but he is the Doctor. Like any other Doctor he is very different, but not completely unlike all those that have come before him. He does indeed share traits with his predecessors; he’s still brilliant, still resourceful, and still energetic. And yes, he still has absolutely no dress sense what so ever. He is also loyal, steadfast, and absolutely determined to get to the truth. However, he does have a personality that is all his own, a style that sets him apart from other Doctors. This one has an accent that could curl your hair, looks physically older than most other Doctors, and has a bit of a mean streak.…

The CW announced today that Supernatural has been renewed for a 15th season. The network's longest-running drama continues to be a solid performer after well over a decade on the air. Supernatural has been on television longer than most other shows regardless of their network, with a loyal fan base that has helped keep its ratings consistent year after year. The show's impressive run will hit the 300-epiosode milestone in early February. View full article

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is likely headed back into series TV with the lead role in CBS' planned "Criminal Minds" spinoff. Whitaker is close to signing a deal to star in the spinoff, which will focus on a new group of FBI profilers. The "Last King of Scotland" star will also get a producer credit on the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The spinoff will be introduced during a "Criminal Minds" episode set to air in the spring, in keeping with how CBS has launched the newer iterations of "CSI" and "NCIS: Los Angeles." Whitaker will play a former top FBI profiler who has been out of the spotlight for several years when he takes over as…

HBO announced today that Boardwalk Empire has been renewed for a fourth season. The Emmy Award-winning drama, which chronicles the life of "Nucky" Thompson during 1920s prohibition in Atlantic City, only recently began its third season on September 16, 2012. “Terry Winter, Martin Scorsese and the rest of their outstanding team continue to produce a stunning show that never fails to surprise and entertain,” said the network's president of programming, Michael Lombardo. “We are excited to bring this unique series back for a fourth season.” No time frame has been announced for the show's fourth season at the time of this writing. (Source: TV by the Numbers) Click…

The last we seen of our friends that live among the walking dead, they had reached the famed Terminus, where they discovered that their friends had already been there, or were still there, and they weren’t anywhere in sight. A battle ensues and before you know it our friends are trapped in a boxcar. And, of course, we pick it up right where we left off. We also get an insight as to why the sanctuary people are the way that they are, “You’re either the butcher or the cattle”. Cannibalism, it’s a wonder that it took five seasons for this part of the human psyche to rear its ugly head. We’ve seen our friends go through many hardships to get to this point. They have had to k…

The CW announced today that Charmed has been picked up for a second season. The rebooted drama premiered in the fall, quickly earning a top-up for a full-season's worth of episodes after its first four weeks on the air. Now less than three months later, Season 2 is confirmed to be on the way. Charmed follows sisters Mel and Maggie, whose worlds were shattered after the death of their mother. When they find out they have an older sister named Macy who their mother kept from them, the three sisters suddenly exhibit strange new abilities. They soon find out they are The Charmed Ones - powerful witches just like their mother was. And their new mission is to protect human…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Is "Glee" star Lea Michele's youthful-geriatric look as Rachel Berry worthy of an award? The Costume Designers Guild thinks it might be. The guild announced their nominees for their 12th annual awards, and "Glee" was among the nominated TV shows. Other shows nominated for their contemporary costuming include "Big Love," "Dancing With the Stars," "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and "Ugly Betty." The awards -- which honor contemporary, period and fantasy costume design in films, TV and commercials -- will be held on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Beverly Hilton. The full list of nominees: Excellence in Contemporary Fil…

NBC announced today that it has picked up freshman series Revolution for a full season. The sci-fi adventure drama is three episodes into its first season and has pulled in strong numbers for each airing in its Monday 10:00pm time slot, so far averaging a 3.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic. “We’re impressed with the imagination and creative direction of the entire team on ‘Revolution,’ not to mention the immediately strong response we got from the audience,” said NBC Entertainment president, Jennifer Salke. “Ordering the full season of this show is a pleasure. Thanks to J.J. Abrams, Erik Kripke, Jon Favreau, and everyone at Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television…

Carol, Tyreese, and Judith have rejoined the group, or rather, the group has rejoined them, depends on which way you look at it. Rick actually asked Carol if his group could join her’s, probably because of the guilt that he feels over ejecting her from the prison. Although, it doesn’t seem like Carol wants to stay. She finds a serviceable vehicle while out on a water gathering trip with Daryl and sneaks away during their little feast at the church, but Daryl is not going to let her get away. He follows her and when he catches up they get buzzed by the car with the white cross that kidnapped Beth and they take pursuit. Rick accepts Tara into the group, even though she was…