Welcome to CraveOnline's Idiot Box Updates, where we run down all the latest TV news and separate the facts from the rumors and nonsense on and about the small screen.
Here's a list of the top 20 prime-time network shows by viewership numbers, compiled by Nielsen Media Research for November 1-8:
1. World Series Game 6: Philadelphia vs. N.Y. Yankees, Fox, 22.34 million viewers
2. Sunday Night Football: Dallas at Philadelphia, 21.88 million viewers
3. "NCIS," CBS, 20.18 million viewers
4. "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 17.26 million viewers
5. World Series Game 5: N.Y. Yankees at Philadelphia, 17.09 million viewers
6. "60 Minutes," CBS, 16.85 million viewers
7. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 16.69 million viewers
8. "The Mentalist," CBS, 16.21 million viewers
9. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 15.60 million viewers
10. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 15.29 million viewers
11. "Dancing With the Stars Results," ABC, 15.05 million viewers
12. "V," ABC, 14.30 million viewers
13. "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 13.95 million viewers
14. "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 13.80 million viewers
15. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 13.51 million viewers
16. "The Good Wife," CBS, 12.74 million viewers
17. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 12.73 million viewers
18. "Criminal Minds," CBS, 12.55 million viewers
19. "CSI: Miami," CBS, 12.52 million viewers
20. "Survivor: Samoa," CBS, 12.44 million viewers
Fox has officially cancelled "Dollhouse," Joss Whedon's latest TV fantasy drama. The series finale scheduled to air Jan. 22, and "Dollhouse" creator Joss Whedon spoke on Wednesday about Fox's decision to cancel the sci-fi thriller.
"I don't have a lot to say," Whedon wrote in a post on Whedonesque.com. "I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star (Eliza Dushku), my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again."
Whedon also addressed his plans. "I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking," he wrote, furthering speculation that a sequel to the Emmy-winning Web short "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" might be in the works.
"By the time the last episode airs, you'll know what my next project is," Whedon also wrote. "But for now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear. Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again."
After last week's record-setting premiere, ABC's "V" was riding high on the 80's remake ladder, but with a 10.7 million viewership this week, though still solid, it's down 27% from last week. That's the largest fall from a premiere we've seen for a scripted show this season. If "V" can slow down the rate of viewers jumping ship they'll be just fine - the show's not bad, and it'd be nice to see it last at least a season, no?
Yes, it's true: CBS has picked up a comedy project based on the Twitter sensation Shit My Dad Says, which has amassed more than 700,000 followers since launching in August .and has made its creator, Justin Halpern, an Internet star.
"Will & Grace" creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are expected to executive produce and supervise the writing for the family comedy, which Halpern will co-write with Patrick Schumacker. Obviously, the comedy's title will change if it gets on the air.
Halpern, 29, was driven to move back in with his parents in San Diego earlier this year, and on Aug. 3 he launched "Shit My Dad Says," a Twitter feed made up entirely of insanely ridiculous stuff his 73 year-old father spouts. Enjoy a few examples:
Paul McCartney and Beyonce will star in back-to-back one-hour specials Thanksgiving night on ABC. Beginning at 9 p.m. EST with a Beyonce concert that was taped over the summer in Las Vegas, the show will be followed by a McCartney special that includes highlights from his July concert at Citi Field in New York City. The stadium in Queens sits beside the spot where Shea Stadium used to exist, where Paul and his fellow Beatles played at the height of Beatlemania. Footage from that 1965 concert also will air during the special, as well as other intimate moments with the artists.
Last week’s episodes of Community and "Parks & Recreation" both received some their highest ratings ever last week, building on NBC's goal to make an unstoppable Thursday night comedy force. "Parks & Recreation" wasn’t met with great reviews, nor was the Joel McHale-driven comedy "Community," which was forced to switch time slots from 9:30PM to 8PM. But reshuffling the stack appears to have worked, as last weeks episode of Community pulled in 5.6 million viewers, the highest number in weeks. "Parks & Recreation" scored its highest ratings since last April with 4.9 million viewers.
Both "The Office" and "30 Rock" dropped around 6% in the ratings, however, a surprising twist given the diehard audiences behind both shows. My humble opinion? "The Office" just needs better writing, while "30 Rock" simply needs to use Tracy Morgan more.
Syfy has announced plans to debut a five-episode space-comedy series called "Outer Space Astronauts," combining live action with 2D and 3D animation technology. The half-hour show is a futuristic comedy about eight military misfits on a trip to the outer realms of the galaxy, onboard the O.S.S. Oklahoma.
Creator/executive producer Russell Barrett developed, executed and edited the series on his own, enlisting childhood and hometown friends as stars. "Astronauts" will debut December 8, leading into the season finale of hit reality series "Scare Tactics."
