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 Shows by viewership numbers, compiled by Nielsen Media Research for June 15-21:
1. “NCIS,” CBS, 10.39 million viewers.
2. “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 10.19 million viewers.
3. “The Mentalist,” CBS, 10.12 million viewers.
4. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS, 9.72 million viewers.
5. “The Mentalist,” CBS, 8.97 million viewers.
6. “So You Think You Can Dance” (Wednesday), Fox, 8.48 million viewers.
7. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 8.42 million viewers.
8. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.31 million viewers.
9. “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 8.25 million viewers.
10. “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 8.04 million viewers.
11. “Wipeout,” ABC, 8.00 million viewers.
12. “So You Think You Can Dance” (Thursday), Fox, 7.98 million viewers.
13. “CSI: NY,” CBS, 7.80 million viewers.
14. “NCIS Thursday,” CBS, 7.60 million viewers.
15. “48 Hours Mystery Tuesday,” CBS, 7.20 million viewers.
16. “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 6.76 million viewers.
17. “Cold Case,” CBS, 6.75 million viewers.
18. “Without a Trace” (Sunday), CBS, 6.70 million viewers.
19. “Million Dollar Password,” CBS, 6.25 million viewers.
20. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 6.05 million viewers.
Here's a list of the Top 10 Cable Network Shows, compiled by Nielsen Media Research:
1. "The Closer" (Monday, 9 p.m.), TNT, 4.78 million homes, 6.47 million viewers.
2. "Royal Pains" (Thursday, 10 p.m.), USA, 4.52 million homes, 6.50 million viewers.
3. "Burn Notice" (Thursday, 9 p.m.), USA, 4.11 million homes, 5.78 million viewers.
4. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 4.04 million homes, 6.09 million viewers.
5. Sprint Cup Racing/Sonoma (Sunday, 5 p.m.), TNT, 3.91 million homes, 5.79 million viewers.
6. "NASCAR Post Race Show" (Sunday, 8:36 p.m.), TNT, 3.79 million homes, 5.60 million viewers.
7. "NCIS" (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.73 million homes, 5.07 million viewers.
8. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.69 million homes, 5.72 million viewers.
9. "NCIS" (Wednesday, 10 p.m.), USA, 3.62 million homes, 4.85 million viewers.
10. "NCIS" (Wednesday, 8 p.m.), USA, 3.56 million homes, 4.91 million viewers.
Farrah Fawcett, the "Charlie's Angels" star whose feathered blond hair and sparkling smile made her the biggest sex symbolof the 1970s, died Thursday after battling cancer. She was 62.
The actress, who in the 1980s stepped out of the fantasy girl image to tackle serious roles, died shortly before 9:30 a.m. in a Santa Monica hospital, spokesman Paul Bloch said.
Ryan O'Neal, the longtime companion who had reunited with Fawcett as she fought anal cancer, was at her side, along with close friend Alana Stewart, Bloch said.
"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."
She burst on the scene in 1976 as one-third of the crime-fighting trio in TV's "Charlie's Angels." A poster of her in a clingy swimsuit sold in the millions.
Move over Lex Luthor. Finally, Superman will be facing General Zod. British actor Callum Blue has joined CW's "Smallville" as a regular on the show. He'll play the young Superman's future arch nemesis in the upcoming ninth season of the sci-fi drama.
Supervillain General Zod from the DC Comics books was introduced in 1980 feature Superman II, where the character was played by Terence Stamp.
CBS will debut nearly all of its new and returning series during the usual September premiere week.
Shows including “The Big Bang Theory” (Sept. 21), “NCIS: Los Angeles” (Sept. 22) and “The Mentalist” (Sept. 24) will debut during the same week most fall shows get underway - a sign of confidence for the network, who plans to roll out a strong fall schedule..
The next season of "Survivor" will begin airing Sept. 17, a week early, while medical drama “Three Rivers” will also debut outside premiere week, opening Oct. 4, to make room for a two-hour debut for “The Amazing Race” on Sept. 27.
AMC has greenlit the dramatic series "Rubicon," from writer and executive producer Jason Horwitch (Pentagon Papers, Medical Investigation). The show is a conspiracy thriller that follows an analyst at a New York City think-tank whose work leads him to uncover a hidden clue that points to an unfolding global conspiracy. The one-hour, 12-episode weekly series will be produced by Warner Horizon Television.
"Rubicon" will join good company when it hits this fall, marking the third series order from AMC after the wild success of "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad".
“This script is an iconic project for us in that it underscores AMC’s brand promise of ‘Story Matters Here,’ combining great storytelling with a world that hasn't been explored on television before. Think tanks are inherently mysterious places with murky agendas, and it’s a great setting for a show like this. Jason's understanding of the conspiracy thriller genre is evident in a plot reminiscent of some great films like Three Days of the Condor and The Parallax View. We're thrilled to have a world class cast, director, and production team to bring this series to life,” said Joel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital content for AMC.
The show’s cast includes James Badge Dale (The Departed), Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under, High Fidelity), Dallas Roberts (Walk the Line, Flicka, The L Word), Jessica Collins (The Nine, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Christopher Evan Welch (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Lauren Hodges (Law & Order), Paul Butler (The Insider, Reign Over Me) with Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Sandlot) and Oscar®-nominated actress Miranda Richardson (The Crying Game, Sleepy Hollow).
Don't count Conan out: Week two of the O'Brien Tonight Show was a good one for the ginger kid. Letterman's Late Show pulled within only 100,000 viewers of the "Tonight Show," but ultimately Conan prevailed in the late-night ratings game.
Jimmy Kimmel's on a good streak as well - he saw his audience jump by more than 25 percent last week.
Stephen Colbert should set up shop in Iraq. Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" has been reporting from Iraq for the past week (and featured the host getting his head shaved), averaging 1.4 million viewers, up 56 percent from the previous week.
Ed McMahon, a face and voice recognized by millions for so many years on late-night television died on Tuesday at age 86, his spokesman said. McMahon is best known for spending 30 years as the full-throated announcer and sidekick for Johnny Carson on NBC's "The Tonight Show".
The veteran TV man, best known for his nightly introduction of Carson in a deep, booming voice with the drawn-out line, "Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" died at a Los Angeles-area hospital, spokesman Howard Bragman said.
"He died early this morning with his wife and loved ones by his side," Bragman said.
"It is impossible, I think, for anyone to imagine the Tonight Show With Johnny Carson without Ed McMahon. Ed's laugh was really the soundtrack to that show," said Conan O'Brien, who replaced Johnny Carson's replacement, Jay Leno, at the onset of June. "For 30 years Ed played his part perfectly, he played it with effortless joy, and sitting alongside Johnny, Ed was an indelible part of what I think is the most iconic two-shot in broadcasting history," he continued.
Tributes to McMahon came from all sides:
• David Letterman: "Ed McMahon's voice at 11:30 was a signal that something great was about to happen. Ed's introduction of Johnny was a classic broadcasting ritual—reassuring and exciting. Ed was a true broadcaster, and an integral part of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. We will miss him."
• Tonight Show cohort Doc Severinsen: "Ed was full of life and joy and celebration. He will be sorely missed. He was one of the greats in show business, but most of all he was a gentleman. I miss my friend."
• Dick Clark: "Fifty years ago, Ed and I were next-door neighbors. Over the years, our friendship grew while he became one of America's favorite television personalities. We were together for years. Ed was a big man, had big talent and a really big heart. We'll all miss him."
• Drew Carey: "Cried over Ed McMahon this am. Started career Star Search/Tonight Show. Ed there for both. Hope he had peace. Wonderful man."
Divorce is the best thing that ever happened to TLC's most soul-sucking show in history. On Monday's episode of "John and Kate Plus 8," the title featured a white-on-black title card that "dissolved" Jon and Kate Gosselin, and the show averaged a series- and network-best 10.6 million viewers, TLC said.
Now we're hearing rumors that Kate will be joining Octo-mom for a new reality show. Who the hell watches this crap?
"Royal Pains," the Mark Feuerstein freshman doctor show finished atop the viewership heap with 6.5 million viewers. "The Closer "(6.47 million) and "Burn Notice" (5.8 million) finished second and third, respectively, among cable dramas. The premiere episode of Jada Pinkett Smith's "Hawthorne" (3.8 million) ranked fourth, and I'm surprised by that, frankly, because the show absolutely sucks.
It came down to the Young Gun, the chick wrestler and the retired basketball star for the big charity win on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" on Wednesday's finale.
All of the second season contestants—minus comedy duo Frangela—returned to the Costa Rican jungle to get their faces on TV once more/ fulfill their contracts as finalists Lou Diamond Phillips, Torrie Wilson and John Salley, scrambled through the final events. After the "Fear Factor"-meets-"Survivor" escapades were through and the jungle dust finally settled, there was only one winner: actor Lou Diamond Phillips!
The 47-year-old was declared King of the Jungle and will receive a check for his charity of choice, the Art Has Heart Foundation, which provides opportunities for underprivileged kids to receive instruction in the arts.
"This experience is head and shoulders and far to the left of anything I've ever done," said Phillips, who spent three weeks of the competition immune to being voted off, whether because he was camp leader or a challenge winner.
"No movie set ever compared to this—this is the real deal and it's been an amazing trip," he said.
But he'll be taking his guest role on "Numb3rs" back, please and thank you. And how about another Young Guns movie? Why not?
MTV announced a new development schedule Tuesday that includes projects from such respected names as SNL's Weekend Update host Seth Meyers, crooner/actor Jamie Foxx and the son of DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg.
MTV has also ordered a pilot of Mark Burnett's docusoap reality project starring former "Hills" co-star (gag) Audrina Patridge.
The as-yet-untitled Patridge pilot represents a potential second life for "The Hills" franchise, whose flagship series suffered the recent departure of lead Lauren Conrad.
The order also continues MTV's relationship with Burnett, who produced the network's Movie Awards earlier this month.
The network is pushing an animated program from Meyers called "The Awesomes," about a superhero who battles paparazzi. Sounds like fail. Another show is "Warren the Ape," a celebrity comeback reality show but with puppets, while a third, "Patito Feo," based on an award-winning teen drama from Argentina.
Meghan Markle has joined the cast of Fox's sci-fi drama "Fringe" in a regular role as an attractive, quick-witted junior FBI agent.
The series, set to return for a second season this fall, stars Anna Torv as FBI special agent Olivia Dunham, who investigates paranormal phenomena with the help of Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter (Joshua Jackson). Markle previously appeared in a story arc on the CW's "90210."
.jpg)
Showtime's teaser poster for "Dexter" season four is below, and it pretty much nails the message on the head. We'll just assume that's just sauce on the little guy's face, but the globs are obviously supposed to give you pause. Dex becoming a dad is going to factor into next season - and we shouldn't forget John Lithgow's promising addition to the cast as the "Trinity Killer".
One of the stars of Bravo's television series "Real Housewives of New Jersey" went to court Wednesday to avoid her sex tape from being released, and won.
A judge granted Danielle Staub's request for a temporary restraining order to prevent her ex-boyfriend Stephen Zalewski from releasing a sexually explicit videotape and nude images of her.
State Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Brogan also ordered Zalewski to produce all copies of the video and pictures of Staub, and he set a hearing for July 21.
Staub, 46, also filed a lawsuit against Zalewski seeking damages for invasion of privacy, defamation and infliction of emotional distress. She claimed she was unaware Zalewski was taping her and only found out about it when someone read her a Star magazine article in which Zalewski discussed the tape.
"It sickened me," Staub told the judge during the brief hearing. Not enough to actually keep your stank Jersey ass from pushing "record" though, huh?
The couple dated from May 2008 to December 2008 and Zalewski appeared briefly on "Real Housewives," which is described on Bravo's Web site as following "five of the most affluent Jersey Girls as they live lavish lifestyles and deal with all the drama that money can buy."
"This is about my kids," Staub said. "I'm a big girl. Do what you want to me. But you broke bread with my children. Don't do this to me. No adult should ever do this to a child."
Eddie Cibrian, who was all up in the tabloids busy recently because of an alleged affair with country singer LeAnn Rimes, is joining the cast of CBS' veteran crime drama "CSI: Miami" as a series regular. He'll play a new character - an officer from the LAPD's Hollywood division who joins the team in Miami.
"CSI: Miami" begins its eighth season in the fall. In the seventh-season finale's cliffhanger, the life of forensic team member, Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez), was left hanging in the balance. According to the show's producers, Rodriguez will return next season.
"The View" co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is an idiot. That much has almost always been clear. But a thief, too? The TV "star" says a claim that she plagiarized parts of her best-selling diet book is "without merit."
Hasselbeck defended her book "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide" on Wednesday, speaking to the camera briefly just before the first break on the ABC daytime show.
Susan Hassett, a self-published author on Cape Cod, claims in the lawsuit filed in Massachusetts that Hasselbeck lifted content from her book on celiac disease "word for word." It doesn't cite specific examples.
The lawsuit also says the books have a similar organization and chapter format. Hassett says she sent Hasselbeck her book as a courtesy after Hasselbeck disclosed she had the digestive disorder last year.
