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Jennifer Hudson's nephew confirmed dead

FBI search turns up body of youngster in the back of an SUV; body positively identified as 7-year-old Julian King.

The nightmarish weekend for Jennifer Hudson continued into the week today, as FBI chiefs found the body of Hudson's missing nephew, reports ABC News. The body was discovered in an SUV in Chicago, and was confirmed to be the missing boy this afternoon.

Reports stated that King had been shot multiple times.

A high-priority search for 7-year-old Julian King went underway after the young boy went missing following a double homicide that left Hudson's mother and brother dead on Friday. Hudson offered a reward of $100,000 for information leading to Julian's whereabouts.

Authorities are still sifting through the details of the murder investigation, but police have brought in the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's sister Julia, William Balfour, for questioning about the incident. The two had been separated for over a year. Balfour is currently on parole for previous charges of attempted murder, carjacking, and possession of a stolen vehicle. Balfour, who is not Julian's father, was kicked out of the Hudsons' home last year.

Hudson, 27, rocketed to fame during the third season of American Idol, and went on to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls.

NBC moves Lipstick Jungle, Life

NBC schedule change sees Law & Order headlining crime-themed Wednesdays with Life; Lipstick Jungle banished to Friday.

NBC's schedule hasn't exactly made a whole lot of sense this year, and it's only taken the network until the end of October to realize it. Changes are afoot at the Peacock, and the big winner of the newly reconfigured NBC schedule is the underappreciated Life; the big loser is the underperforming Lipstick Jungle.

According to Media Life, Life will vacate the television equivalent of Siberia known as Friday nights at 10 p.m. and now solve crimes on Wednesday nights beginning November 5. That's great for Life, which stars Damien Lewis as a quirky detective, as middle-of-the-week humpday typically gets many more eyeballs than working-for-the-weekend Friday. NBC has tried to find a spot for Life for a while now, trying the show out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Life will be the 9:00 p.m. meat in the new crimefighting-themed Wednesday-night sandwich, following Knight Rider and preceding Law & Order, which begins its season earlier than expected.

Lipstick Jungle, on the other hand, takes its sassy attitude and flailing ratings to Life's old slot this Friday at 10 p.m., where it follows the adventurous new show Crusoe (boy, does that seems like a mismatch made in hell). With this move, it appears as though NBC is dropping a big can of napalm on Lipstick Jungle.

There could be more moves to be made by other networks soon as well. Monday nights are a mess, with Monday Night Football eating up audiences for Chuck, Heroes, Prison Break, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and ABC will definitely try and fix its struggling threesome of Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, and Dirty Sexy Money.

Let's hear thoughts from all you Life and Lipstick Jungle fans. How would you fix NBC's schedule?

CBS Pulls Ex-List From Schedule

TV Week is reporting:

CBS has made its first major schedule change of the new season, pulling “The Ex List” from its lineup effective immediately [...]

It’s unclear if production on the series will continue. Ten episodes have been produced so far, including the pilot; production is under way on the 11th episode. Four episodes of the show have aired.

Hudson offers $100,000 reward for missing nephew

CHICAGO – Jennifer Hudson and her family offered a $100,000 reward Sunday for the safe return of her missing nephew, as investigators looked for forensic evidence near the home where her mother and brother were found shot to death.

Mourners dressed in their Sunday best milled outside the childhood home of the singer and Oscar-winning actress, along with investigators seeking clues to the whereabouts of 7-year-old Julian King, the son of Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia.

In a statement Sunday evening from publicist Lisa Kasteler, Jennifer Hudson appealed to the public for its help, offering the reward and asking that any information be given to Chicago police.
"Jennifer and her family appreciate the enormous amount of love, support and prayers they have received while she and her family try to cope with this tragedy and continue the search for Julian," the statement said.

Chicago police ramped up search efforts for Julian around the Englewood neighborhood, where Hudson grew up, and transferred custody of a "person of interest" in the killings to state authorities.
An Amber Alert remained in effect Sunday for Julian, who disappeared Friday, the day the bodies of his grandmother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and 29-year-old uncle Jason Hudson were found in the home they shared on the city's South Side. The deaths were ruled homicides.

The Amber Alert listed William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, as a suspect in a "double homicide investigation."

Police said they did not have a motive for the killings but called the case "domestic related." Bond said Balfour had not been charged.

"Detectives are working 24 hours on this case," said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond. "There's a lot of forensic evidence. We have to work the evidence and try and solve this case. Most importantly, we want to find the child."

Authorities said the search for Julian would be citywide, but on Sunday residents and officers focused their efforts "in the immediate vicinity" of the home, said police spokesman Dan O'Brien.
Bond said no weapon had been found at the Hudson home, a three-story house sandwiched by vacant lots littered with trash. Investigators on Sunday moved in and out of the home and examined the trash.
Mourners stopped by the Hudson home, many laying teddy bears along the chain link fence around the property. Others signed a cross that rested on the fence.
"We love you," one message read. Another said, "We'll find the people who did this."
Police officers were instructed to place fliers with Julian King's picture and description in every business in the area.
Jennifer Hudson, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls," was in Chicago with her family during the weekend, her sister said. Her publicist did not disclose her whereabouts, but the Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed she had identified the bodies of her mother and brother.

Bond said Balfour, who had been in police custody since Friday, was transferred Sunday to the Illinois Department of Corrections "based on his active parole violation unrelated to this investigation."

Records from the Corrections Department show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.

Corrections spokeswoman Januari Smith said Balfour would probably remain in state custody until the Illinois Prisoner Review Board looked at his case. She would not say where Balfour was being held.

It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney Sunday, but his mother, Michele Balfour, has denied he was involved the killings or in Julian's disappearance.

In a MySpace blog entry on Sunday, Jennifer Hudson said she was grateful for community support and posted a picture of her sister's son.

"Thank you all for your prayers and your calls," she wrote. "Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely."

Angelina Jolie in Tears After Visiting Afghan Refugees

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie made her first post-twin trip to Afghanistan earlier this week to appeal for more support for refugees who are returning home.

At one point, she gets choked up after witnessing the refugees' poor living conditions.

"When you ask them what they need, they just smile and say, 'Everything,'" Jolie narrates. "They have suffered so much, and yet the Afghan people remain, gracious, open. They have a quiet dignity."

Bad economy good news for low-rated TV shows

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Sarah Connor might have the struggling economy to thank for not being terminated.

Industry observers say the recent cluster of low-rated shows granted full-season orders might have something to do with network executives watching the plunging Dow rather than their shows' falling Nielsens.

No execs would talk on the record, but the economic crisis, combined with the cost of marketing a new series, the lack of new programing inventory because of the Hollywood writers strike and the anticipated difficulty of locking down new advertiser commitments, has networks inclined to play it safe.

"Most years there would be more cancellations then there have been to date," said John Rash, senior vp/director of media negotiations at ad agency Campbell Mithun. "But the dual dynamics of schedule stability keeping ad dollars in place is combining with delayed programing development from last season's writers strike."
NBC's "Knight Rider," ABC's "Private Practice" and Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" recently received orders for an additional nine episodes apiece. Such a move typically indicates a network's confidence in a show's performance and signals the inclination to keep a series on the air for the duration of the season.

But all three shows have posted modest ratings in recent weeks, with "Knight Rider" and "Terminator" having numbers that in previous years would have resulted in cancellation.
The most obvious reasons for the pickups are that many series this fall are doing poorly, and these shows are performing among the best of the worst. Networks are loath to exit the fall without at least one series to tout as a success. Plus, the writers strike, as Rash noted, has delayed quality midseason replacements. And with ratings declining overall because of increasing DVR penetration and audience erosion to cable networks and the Internet, the bar for success keeps being lowered.

But the added element of economic worries this fall makes picking up low-rated shows potentially more attractive, too.

An August survey by the Association of National Advertisers reported that the majority of marketers expect their advertising budgets to be reduced in the next six months.
Once a show is canceled or moved, advertisers have the option of getting their investment back. So even if a drama series is pulling a meager rating, why risk having to resell a time period?
"The way the economy is going, there might be cutbacks in regard to advertising," said Brad Adgate, vp research at Horizon Media. "And there's always frustration from advertisers when shows get pulled too quickly, but if advertisers exercise their options to get out, it would be because of the economy."

Also, the economy directly impacts networks as well as their advertisers. NBC Universal recently announced that the company would trim $500 million from its budget. Given the cost of producing and marketing a new scripted series, the company might have a greater temptation to give a show like "Knight Rider" more time to find an audience.

"From the networks' standpoint, they're loath to cancel since the cost of finding something to replace a show may not be worth it," said Shari Anne Brill, vp and director of programing at Carat. "And advertisers still prefer to be in a quality scripted series to an inexpensive reality show," she said, adding, "I'm in the camp that believes it's a mistake for an advertiser to disappear during a recession because you need the consumer awareness so sales won't grind to a halt."

So far, the networks' doubling down on the bubble shows has had mixed results. "Terminator" and "Knight Rider" hit season lows after their pickups. But last week, "Practice" showed some life, perking up 15%.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Laurence Fishburne is prime "CSI" suspect

Laurence Fishburne is in talks to replace William Petersen as the star of CBS' veteran crime drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

The search for a new lead has been shrouded in secrecy, but sources say Fishburne is being heavily courted to play the new character, described as a doctor/scientist outsider to the CSI unit who has the same genetic profile as a serial killer but hasn't previously acted on any homicidal impulses.

Fishburne, an Oscar nominee for "What's Love Got to Do With It," had been mentioned as one of the "CSI" producers' top choices for the role, along with John Malkovich and Kurt Russell.

DVDs.com, wonderful place for DVD fans

Today I find a cool DVD website DVDs.com, really a wonderful place for DVD fans.

DVDs.com is the Internet's premiere resource for DVDs and Blu-ray discs as well as all sorts of DVD-related electronics. They have over 200,000 movie titles to offer along with an unparalleled bank of unbiased user reviews on tens of thousands of movie titles.They also carry a wide selection of other media and electronics including items such as blank dvds, dvd players and many types of portable dvd player.

You can feel free to search any DVD as you like at DVDs.com, and Best Sellers category also give you some advice. Lots of DVDs items (even Coming Soon category) provide free online trailer, and customer reviews are also very useful.

DVDs.com has partnered Amazon.com to offer customers current movie and product reviews, an unprecedented amount of individual product information and 1-click checkout.

Be sure to check out their new DVD releases section to find all of the hottest movies that have just become available. And in upcoming DVD releases section you’ll find the hottest movies that will be available on DVD in the coming weeks. You can pre-order any upcoming DVD release and they will have it shipped to you immediately upon availability.

Did you know you can rent DVDs and have them mailed directly to your home or office? It’s super simple and you’ll never have to stand in line at the video store again. You pay one flat monthly fee, which allows you to make your DVD rental selections and have them shipped to your door.

Blu-ray discs are the hottest new technology for watching your favorite movies in high-definition. DVDs.com has one of the Internet’s largest select of movies on blu-ray. Shop today to find great blu-ray disc deals.

If you’re looking to back up your DVDs or simply record your own home movies to DVD, you should definitely browse through DVD recorders. We have a wide selection from some of the top brand names including Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic.

http://www.dvds.com

Jonas Brothers, 'Gossip Girl' score teen awards

"Gossip Girl" has six more reasons to say OMG. And so do the Jonas Brothers.

Both the sudsy CW show about a group of tawdry prep-school students and the squeaky clean boy band swam away with multiple surfboard trophies at Sunday's 10th annual Teen Choice Awards. The awards, which were selected by over 30 million votes cast online by teenagers, honor celebrities in TV, film, music, sports and fashion.

"Gossip Girl" was lauded with six Teen Choice Awards: TV drama, breakout show, breakout male actor Chace Crawford, breakout female and TV drama actress Blake Lively and TV villain Ed Westwick, who plays the antagonistic Chuck Bass on the series.

"I feel like I'm still a teenager because I'm perpetually in high school," Crawford said backstage. "And I'm 23."

The awards show at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal Studios Hollywood was hosted by 15-year-old teen queen Miley Cyrus, who picked up three awards. Cyrus kicked off the ceremony with a performance of her new single "7 Things." She later grooved with friend Mandy Jiroux and their dance team M&M Cru as part of a dance-off with Adam Sevani and Jon Chu's dance troupe ACDC. Fergie and the audience later crowned Cyrus' crew as winner.

Throughout the taped ceremony, the Jonas Brothers appeared on stage to field questions from teenagers on Web cameras. At one point, the trio were strapped to harnesses and hoisted over the audience. The "Camp Rock" stars received six awards: choice breakout group, love song, music single, song of the summer, male red carpet fashion icons and male hotties.

Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and "Gossip Girl" weren't the only attendees who sailed away with multiple awards. Will Smith stopped by to pick up three surfboard trophies — one for "Hancock" and two for "I Am Legend." Chris Brown accepted five music awards: choice music male artist, R&B artist, R&B track, rap/hip-hop track and music hook-up for his Jordin Sparks duet "No Air."

Other winners included "The Hills" star Lauren Conrad as choice TV female reality star, "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere as choice TV action-adventure actress and David Beckham as choice male athlete. The soccer player's youngest son, Cruz, stole his father's thunder by unleashing a spontaneous break dancing routine on stage following his pop's acceptance speech.

"He went on tour with the Spice Girls," Beckham later said. "He learned some moves from them."

The Teen Choice Awards is scheduled to air Monday at 8 p.m. EDT on Fox.

Christina Applegate treated for breast cancer

Christina Applegate is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, but the disease was caught early and the actress is expected to fully recover, her publicist said.

The Emmy winner's cancer was detected through an MRI ordered by a doctor and is not life-threatening, publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement Saturday.

Applegate is scheduled to appear on a one-hour television special, "Stand Up To Cancer," to be aired on ABC, CBS and NBC on Sept. 5 to raise funds for cancer research.

The 36-year-old actress has been nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the show "Samantha Who?", in which she plays a woman who wakes from a coma with no memory of who she is.

The show, which debuted last October, marked a return to series television for Applegate, who helped establish the Fox network in 1987 as ditzy teenager Kelly Bundy on "Married ... With Children." The raunchy comedy ran 11 seasons and has been airing in syndication since.

"I'm really grateful that acting is the job that was chosen for me," Applegate told The Associated Press in April. "I get really lost when I'm not working. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with myself. Thank God for dance class and the New York Times crossword puzzle and 'American Idol.' But acting is what I really have to do."

Applegate won an Emmy as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series in 2003 for her role as one of Jennifer Aniston's younger sisters in "Friends." She was nominated for a Tony in 2005 for the Broadway musical "Sweet Charity."

Applegate began acting in films and television as a child and has appeared in such shows as "Quincy," "Family Ties," "21 Jump Street," "Charles in Charge" and Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories."

Soon after "Married ... With Children," she starred in "Jesse," playing a single mother raising a young son. The show lasted two seasons.

Her films include "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead," "Wild Bill, "Wonderland" and "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."

'Grey's Anatomy' star Heigl skipping Emmy quest

Katherine Heigl won't be chewing her manicure at this year's Emmy ceremony: She says she didn't seek a nomination because "Grey's Anatomy" failed to deliver the goods for an award-worthy performance.

Heigl, who was honored as best supporting actress in a drama last year for the ABC series, declined to put her name in consideration for a bid, a spokeswoman for the actress said Wednesday.

"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization" decided against competing, Heigl said in a written statement provided by her publicist, Melissa Kates, who was contacted by the AP.

"In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials," added Heigl. She plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on "Grey's Anatomy," which slipped in the ratings this past season but remained a top 10 show.

An after-hours message left with a publicist for "Grey's Anatomy" creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes was not immediately returned Wednesday night.

Heigl, who shot to box-office success last summer with the comedy "Knocked Up," has established herself as one of Hollywood's rare voices of candor.

In a Vanity Fair magazine interview published in January, she called the hit film "a little sexist" and said that it painted women as "shrews, as humorless and uptight," while the male characters were lovable and goofy.

Heigl also was outspoken when "Grey's" castmates Isaiah Washington and T.R. Knight clashed last year over Washington's alleged use of a homophobic slur.

"I'm going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period," Heigl said at one point of Washington, who ended up being booted from the medical drama.

Nominations for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced July 17. The ceremony is Sept. 21.

Top 20 shows in prime-time Nielsen ratings

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for June 2-8. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (X) NBA Finals Game 2: L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, ABC, 13.5 million viewers.
2. (X) NBA Finals Game 1: L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, ABC, 13.38 million viewers.
3. (15) "Two And a Half Men," CBS, 9.81 million viewers.
4. (22) "60 Minutes," CBS, 9.81 million viewers.
5. (46) "Million Dollar Password," CBS, 9.62 million viewers.
6. (9) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 9.61 million viewers.
7. (53) "So You Think Can Dance" (Wednesday), Fox, 9.56 million viewers.
8. (13) "House," Fox, 9.44 million viewers.
9. (28) "Hell's Kitchen," Fox, 9.36 million viewers.
10. (53) "So You Think Can Dance" (Thursday), Fox, 9.25 million viewers.
11. (25) "CSI: NY," CBS, 9.11 million viewers.
12. (13) "NCIS," CBS, 8.93 million viewers.
13. (15) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 8.91 million viewers.
14. (67) "Swingtown," CBS, 8.57 million viewers.
15. (22) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 8.27 million viewers.
16. (X) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Thursday Special," CBS, 8.21 million viewers.
17. (32) "Rules Of Engagement," CBS, 8.12 million viewers.
18. (32) "Cold Case," CBS, 8.08 million viewers.
19. (79) "Dateline NBC-Sunday," NBC, 7.99 million viewers.
20. (94) "48 Hours Mystery Tuesday," CBS, 7.78 million viewers.

The WB is back ...online

I've long since given up hope for those flying cars we were all supposed to be piloting in the new millennium. Now, I'll settle for that other years ago future dream, all of TV at your fingertips whenever you want it. We're still a ways away from that one, but the new WB is another step in that direction.

The site is still in beta, so the amount of content leaves a little to be desired, but most of it seems to be working, and it gives a good idea of what will be waiting for everybody when the site goes live. They finally came through with my beta invite, and I've been poking around. Hit the gallery for the bigger screen shots of the various areas and interface, and join me after a jump for a quick tour in text. A word of warning, the embedded video after the jump will autostart. Beta.(via TVSquad)

New 'Heroes' Character Could Spell Veronica Mars Reunion

Veronica Mars fans a very special reunion. Francis Capra, aka the toughie 'Ron (and Mars viewers) loved to hate, is joining the NBC hit this fall in the recurring role of Jesse.

Who or what is Jesse? Not much (including his power) is being revealed, of course, but thus far I've found out two things: One, TV's former Weevil is playing evil, and two, his villainous storyline will find him crossing paths with Peter Petrelli.

Capra's arrival of course promises to reunite him with Veronica herself, Kristen Bell, who is rumored (though not yet confirmed, drat!) to be reprising her own Heroes role this season.

Courteney Cox: Dirt Got Dumped

Courteney Cox Arquette just revealed that her FX series, Dirt, will not be renewed for a third season. It got the axe!

“It just got canceled,” Cox told TV Guide yesterday at a charity event in Los Angeles. (Season 2 was cut short by the WGA strike.)

But this won’t put a damper on her and husband David’s producing dreams.

“We’re developing all kinds of stuff right now,” she said. “We’ll be producing more stuff together, for sure.”

OMFG! Gossip Girl Sex Preview

Pillow Talk


Cexy


Confession


SLIDESHOW

Gossip Girl Returns on Apirl 21st Preview

Grey’s Anatomy S4E12 2 Preview

NBC Upfronts: Office Spins Off; Scrubs Scrubbed

A fresh crop of cubemates are headed for the small screen.

NBC officially greenlighted its long-rumored (and not a particularly well-received rumor at that) spinoff of The Office during its annual upfront conference in New York Wednesday.

Scarce details are known about the Dundler-Mifflin redux, including whether the new series will in any way be connected to the folks in the Scranton branch, whether any of the current Office workers will cross over or whether it will be just be a faux-documentary workplace format that the two shows share.

Before the strike, NBC had been working on a special episode of The Office that would serve, much like Grey's Anatomy did for Private Practice, as a backdoor pilot for the new series.

As promised/threatened earlier this year, NBC is limiting its order for high-priced pilots, pushing as many new shows as it can directly into series production. The Office spinoff will be one of the first shows to follow the model, bypassing any formal pilot.

The spinoff will get a massive midseason push in 2009, as it is tentatively slated to debut following NBC's Feb. 1 broadcast of the Super Bowl.

NBC unveiled the plan during its upfront (or, as Peacock boss Ben Silverman called the scaled-back affair, an "infront") presentation, held a full six weeks ahead of the other networks' scheduled presentations.

Along with news of The Office spinoff, NBC also announced that still-strong Steve Carell-led original series will return with hourlong episodes for the month of September.

In October, in order to eke the most entertainment value possible out of the upcoming presidential election, Saturday Night Live will be making regular, and temporary, weeknight appearances.

SNL Thursday Night Live, a live half-hour of politically themed sketches revolving around electoral shenanigans, will follow The Office for four weeks.

NBC announced four new series for its fall lineup.

The Knight Rider action remake, produced by Doug Liman, will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; the drama My Own Worst Enemy, starring Christian Slater as a suburban man leading a double life as a spy, will air Mondays at 10 p.m.; the sitcom Kath & Kim, with the slightly unusual pairing of Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, is set for Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.; and Crusoe, a modern update of the adventure story, will air Fridays at 8 p.m.

Another new show, Merlin, will debut in the midseason.

Also coming back: Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Medium, My Name Is Earl and 30 Rock, with the network revealing that Matthew Broderick will appear in the season finale of the Tina Fey-fronted show.

As expected, ER is returning, with Noah Wyle back for the ride in the venerable hospital drama's 15tt and final go-round.

Friday Night Lights was also granted a reprieve, though will not return until the winter.

And freshman shows Chuck, Life and Lipstick Jungle are matriculating to a sophomore season.

Among the reality shows getting reupped for the fall: Celebrity Apprentice, Deal or No Deal and The Biggest Loser. America's Got Talent, American Gladiators and Most Outrageous Moments will anchor the summer slate, joined by new unscripted fare The Chopping Block (a cooking show) and Shark Taggers.

MIA from the schedule: Scrubs, which is expected to move to ABC.

As for that other long-reported spinoff, Heroes: Origins, it continues to be shelved by the network, not appearing on its lineup for the fall, winter or summer seasons.

As it is, programming for all three seasons was unveiled as part of NBC's new "52 week strategy" designed to ensure new programming year-round, and also allow a better, more complete scheduling picture to help advertisers plan their media strategies for the entire year.

Here's NBC's complete prime-time schedule for fall 2008:

MONDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Chuck • 9-10 p.m. Heroes • 10-11 p.m. My Own Worst Enemy

TUESDAY

• 8-9:30 p.m. The Biggest Loser: Families • 9:30-10 p.m. Kath & Kim • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit

WEDNESDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Knight Rider • 9-10 p.m. Deal or No Deal • 10-11 p.m. Lipstick Jungle

THURSDAY

• 8-8:30 p.m. My Name Is Earl • 8:30-9 p.m. 30 Rock • 9-9:30 p.m. The Office • 9:30-10 p.m. The Office/SNL Thursday Night Live • 10-11 p.m. ER

FRIDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Crusoe • 9-10 p.m. Deal or No Deal • 10-11 p.m. Life

SATURDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Dateline NBC • 9-10 p.m. Knight Rider • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit

SUNDAY

• 7-8:20 p.m. Football Night in America • 8:20-11 p.m. NBC Sunday Night Football

NBC's prime-time schedule for winter 2009:

MONDAY

• 8- 9 p.m. Chuck • 9-10 p.m. Heroes • 10-11 p.m. The Philanthropist

TUESDAY

• 8- 9:30 p.m. The Biggest Loser: Couples • 9:30-10 p.m. Kath & Kim • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

WEDNESDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Knight Rider • 9-10 p.m. Deal or No Deal • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order

THURSDAY

• 8-8:30 p.m. My Name Is Earl • 8:30-9 p.m. 30 Rock • 9- 9:30 p.m. The Office • 9:30-10 p.m. The Office Spinoff • 10-11 p.m. ER/The Celebrity Apprentice

FRIDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Deal or No Deal • 9-10 p.m. Friday Night Lights • 10-11 p.m. Life

SATURDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Dateline NBC • 9-10 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Encore) • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order (Encore)

SUNDAY

• 7-8 p.m. Specials/Dateline NBC • 8-9 p.m. Specials/Merlin • 9-10 p.m. Specials/Medium • 10-11 p.m. Specials/Kings

NBC's prime-time schedule for summer 2009:

MONDAY

• 8-9 p.m. American Gladiators • 9-10 p.m. America's Toughest Jobs • 10-11 p.m. Dateline NBC

TUESDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Most Outrageous Moments • 9-10 p.m. America's Got Talent • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Encore)

WEDNESDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Shark Taggers • 9-10 p.m. America's Got Talent (Results Show) • 10-11 p.m. Law & Order (Encore)

THURSDAY

• 8-8:30 p.m. The Office • 8:30- 9 p.m. The Office Spinoff • 9-10 p.m. Last Comic Standing • 10-11 p.m. The Listener

FRIDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Chopping Block • 9-11 p.m. Dateline NBC

SATURDAY

• 8-9 p.m. Drama Encores • 9-10 p.m. Drama Encores • 10-11 p.m. Drama Encores

SUNDAY

• 7-8 p.m. Dateline NBC • 8-9 p.m. Monk • 9-10 p.m. Nashville Star • 10-11 p.m. Kings (Encore)

David Beckham visits 'Tonight Show'

David Beckham got to know one of his neighbors on national television Tuesday.

Since moving to Los Angeles to play for the Galaxy, Beckham has lived in the same neighborhood as Jay Leno, and on "The Tonight Show" Tuesday the men traded jokes about driving themselves places and life with a constant paparazzi presence.

Beckham apologized for the paparazzi hanging around the neighborhood, but also said American celebrity photographers "have been kind to us" compared to those across the pond.

Leno quizzed Beckham about Emporio Armani ads that feature the soccer star appearing in briefs.

"Do you normally sit around the house like this?" asked Leno.

Women in the live audience screamed and applauded the black and white photo showing Beckham's ripped stomach. However, Beckham said he was nervous during the photo shoot because his "mum" was going to see him lounging around in almost no clothing.

"When the photos came out, she was the first one to call me and say, 'What are you doing?' I had to try and explain it to her and it didn't go down that well," he said.

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Prison Break Reattaches to Sara

If it looks like Dr. Sara Tancredi's head in a box and people say it's her head in a box, and there's no sign of the pretty little neck it was once attached to, doesn't that mean it's Sara's head in a box?

Well, no.

They're going to have to put their heads together on this one, but producers of Prison Break confirmed Thursday that Sarah Wayne Callies, who played Michael Scofield's seemingly lost love Sara, will return for the series' fourth season—and not in a Lost, CSI: Miami or Six Feet Under kind of way.

Executive producer Matt Olmstead tells E! Online's TV blog that Callies' character is actually alive and, while not exactly well, sporting a full head of...well, that's it, a full head.

"She's the real deal," Olmstead said, adding that there will be breaks in the action to see how Sara escaped the axe. (For the second time. This was Sara's second stay of execution. She was originally headed for a season-one death via overdose, but Fox honchos objected to killing her off...and so she stayed.)

"Season four is jumping-forward, hit-the-ground-running storytelling. But we are dropping back, in flashback, and explaining how the characters got to where they are and the situation with her, certainly."

So no matter that Lincoln's son supposedly witnessed Sara's offing or that, for all intents and purposes, it really did seem as if her head was in that box. Apparently, fans still had enough loose ends left with which to weave together a new conspiracy and maintain hope that the doc was alive.

"It wasn't because of the fans that we did that, but it was the combination of the fans' reactions on the boards and emails, and people we, the writers, know personally would ask about it," Olmstead said.

"We knew internally that when we didn't get Sarah Wayne Callies to come back in season three and be there to portray her character's death, as soon as it was written and filmed and we saw it onscreen, we knew that it was actually a way you could describe how this wasn't Sara's head in the box, basically."

(Note to Gwyneth Paltrow: There's hope for your Se7en character yet.)

Prison Break's third season, which was strike-shortened to only 13 episodes, ended with Michael, revenge on his mind, driving down a Panamanian road into network uncertainty. But Fox announced earlier this week it had ordered up a full 22-episode fourth season for this fall, paving the way for a new set of problems—and, apparently, a pleasant surprise—for the steely eyed vigilante.

Cameras are set to roll on the new batch of action, which takes place in Los Angeles this season, in May.

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Early Pick-Ups for The CW

Following in the footsteps of ABC, CBS and NBC, the CW has announced early pick-ups for the majority of their television dramas. As expected, Smallville, Supernatural and newcomer Gossip Girl made the list, but many might be surprised to learn that ratings-challenged One Tree Hill will be back for another season as well.

Also receiving early pick-up notices: America's Next Top Model and Everybody Hates Chris.

The only two dramas waiting official notice are Reaper and Life is Wild.

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Robin Williams, Don Cheadle, Cameron Diaz, Lance Bass, Josh Groban, Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt！

Writers vote to end 3-month walkout

A devastating, three-month walkout that brought the entertainment industry to a standstill ended Tuesday when Hollywood writers voted to lift their union's strike order and return to work Wednesday.

The move allows some TV series to return this spring with a handful of new episodes. It also clears the way for the Academy Awards to be staged on Feb. 24 without the threat of pickets or a boycott by actors that would have dulled the glamour of Hollywood's signature celebration.

"At the end of the day, everybody won. It was a fair deal and one that the companies can live with, and it recognizes the large contribution that writers have made to the industry," Leslie Moonves, chief executive officer of CBS Corp., told The Associated Press.

Moonves was among the media executives who helped broker a deal after negotiations between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, collapsed in acrimony in December.

Residuals for TV shows and movies distributed online was the most contentious issue in the bitter dispute involving the 12,000-member union and the world's largest media companies and other producers.

Under a tentative contract approved Sunday by the union's board of directors, writers would get a maximum flat fee of about $1,200 for streamed programs in the deal's first two years and then get 2 percent of a distributor's gross in year three — a key union demand.

Other provisions include increased residual payments for downloaded movies and TV programs.

"These advances now give us a foothold in the digital age," said Patric Verrone, president of the guild's West Coast chapter. "Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as television migrates to the Internet."

Writers who voted in New York and Beverly Hills were overwhelmingly in favor of ending the strike: 3,492 voted yes, with only 283 voting to stay off the job.

Most writers were happy about the outcome and eager to return to work.

"It will be all hands on deck for the writing staff," said Chris Mundy, co-executive producer of CBS' drama "Criminal Minds." He hopes to get a couple of scripts in the pipeline right away, with about seven episodes airing by the end of May.

Not all shows will get back on the air. Networks might not resume production of low-rated programs that have a questionable future.

Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which stages the Oscars, expressed relief that the strike was over.

"I am ecstatic that the 80th Academy Awards presentation can now proceed full steam ahead," without "hesitation or discomfort" for the nominees, he said.

Writers did not vote on whether to accept the tentative deal, which was reached after a Feb. 1 breakthrough between union negotiators and studio executives.

The guild will mail contract ratification ballots to members over the next few days. Writers can also vote at meetings. All ballots must be cast by Feb. 25.

The walkout stopped work on dozens of TV shows, disrupted movie production and turned the usually star-studded Golden Globes show into a news conference. It also dealt a severe financial blow to a wide range of businesses dependent on work from studios.

The strike took a $3.2 billion toll in direct and indirect costs on the economy of Los Angeles County, the home of most of the nation's TV and film production, according to a new estimate from Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.

The last writers strike, a 153-day walkout in 1988, caused an estimated $500 million in lost wages.

The latest strike began Nov. 5, and formal negotiations broke off Dec. 7 after the guild pushed to unionize writers on reality and animated productions.

Informal talks began Jan. 23 between studio heads and the union, which extended an olive branch by withdrawing its proposal to organize reality and animated shows. It also decided against picketing the Grammy Awards.

Pressure to reach an agreement mounted after the studio alliance reached a tentative contract Jan. 17 with the Directors Guild of America. That deal also brought improved payment for content offered on the Internet.

Among the executives who took the lead in breaking the impasse were Peter Chernin, chief operating officer of News Corp., and Robert Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Co.

Michael R. Perry, a writer for "Persons Unknown" and other TV dramas, said the deal made him hopeful the guild and studios could be "partners in a growing pie" of Internet revenue.

"I want them to be fabulously, filthy rich. I just want my piece," Perry said.

Hollywood's labor pains may not be over, said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment attorney with the Los Angeles firm of TroyGould and a former associate counsel for the writers guild.

He pointed out that the contract between studios and the Screen Actors Guild is due to expire in June.

"The signs are mixed whether this is going to be another difficult negotiation," Handel said. "The actors face all of the new-media issues that the writers and directors faced."

Winehouse dominates Grammys from afar

A resoundingly retro Grammy Awards left its biggest winners nearly speechless. On a night filled with nods to the show's 50-year history, the most trophies went to a 24-year-old singer known for her old-soul voice, and the most sought-after prize went to a veteran jazzman's Joni Mitchell tribute album.

Both Amy Winehouse and Herbie Hancock were dumbstruck by the honors, fumbling for words and thank-you lists, respectively.

"I can't believe I've won five awards," Winehouse said. She coyly sang "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good" via satellite link from London, then dedicated her record of the year trophy to her hometown, parents and jailed husband, "my Blake, my Blake incarcerated."

Hancock, whose "River: The Joni Letters" won album of the year, said after the show Sunday night at the Staples Center that it was "immeasurable how surprised I am."

Presenter Quincy Jones seemed even more excited for the 11-time Grammy winner, throwing his hands wide after reading Hancock's name. "Aaaahhh! Unbelievable. That's unbelievable, man," Jones exclaimed.

Industry observers had expected either Winehouse's "Back in Black" or Kanye West's "Graduation" to take the prize. There was speculation the two may have split the vote of younger, more pop-centric National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences voters, leaving the door open for Hancock.

That result left the typically outspoken West in no mood to share his thoughts. West won four trophies, but after losing out once again in the album of the year category he'd made no secret of coveting, he skipped post-show interview rooms to instead pose for photos with his fiance and members of his entourage.

"I'm good," he said quietly, in response to questions about how he felt. It was a subdued echo of the exuberant call on his "Good Life," which won for rap song.

Winehouse, who won five of the six awards for which she was nominated, perhaps best embodied the evening's spirit of joining the old with the new. Her sound, cultivated on "Back to Black" by producer of the year winner Mark Ronson, blends '50s flavors with modern subject matter and hip-hop influences.

Along those lines, show producers began the evening with Alicia Keys singing "Learnin' The Blues" alongside archival footage of Frank Sinatra, a la Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable" duet with her deceased father in 1992.

"Yeah, Frank," Keys interjected during a Sinatra verse. "Tell 'em."

Beyonce was paired with Tina Turner for a showy — and leggy — rendition of "Proud Mary." Kid Rock joined up with Keely Smith, a winner in the very first Grammys in 1958, for "That Old Black Magic." Hancock and Chinese wunderkind Lang Lang did the dueling pianos thing for a compelling take on George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."

The Beatles were honored by performers from two new interpretations of their music, the Cirque du Soleil show "Love" and Julie Taymor's film "Across the Universe."

Memories dominated West's performance of "Hey Mama," a once-exuberant song from his 2005 album "Late Registration" that he has transformed into a somber tribute since his mother Donda's sudden death last year.

"Last night I saw you in my dreams. Now I can't wait to go to sleep," he sang in the night's most emotional performance.

Accepting the award for rap album, West spoke to his mother: "I appreciate everything and I know you are really proud of me right now and I know you wouldn't want me to stop and you'd want me to be the No. 1 artist in the world."

Veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen took home three Grammys, including best rock song for "Radio Nowhere." Chaka Khan picked up two trophies, including one for best R&B album for "Funk This."

Politics were a subtle backdrop to the evening. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama won an award for spoken word album, for the audio version of his book, "The Audacity of Hope." Presenter George Lopez took note of the historic nature of the Hillary Clinton and Obama candidacies, and will.i.am urged the crowd to vote after a strange free-wheeling freestyle billed as a "mash-up."

And finally, Hancock borrowed Obama's favorite campaign phrase, "Yes we can," when summing up the significance of a jazz artist winning album of the year. (The last was 1964's "Getz/Gilberto," a collaboration between Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto.)

"I'd like to thank the academy for courageously breaking the mold this time," he said. "This is a new day, that proves that the impossible can be made possible. Yes we can, to coin a phrase."

Hollywood writers back tentative pact

Striking Hollywood writers on Saturday gave resounding support to a tentative agreement with studios that could end a strike that has crippled the entertainment industry. However, it appeared the approval process might briefly delay their return to work.

About 3,500 writers packed the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles to hear from union leaders about the proposed deal that was finalized just hours before meetings were held on both coasts by the Writers Guild of America.

A person familiar with the guild's plan, who requested anonymity because of a media blackout, said the WGA board would meet Sunday and decide on whether to authorize a quick, two-day vote of its members to determine if a strike order should be lifted.

Giving writers a 48-hour window to vote on lifting the strike order would help alleviate concerns that the agreement was being pushed too rapidly by the guild's board.

If guild members support lifting the strike order, they could return to work as early as Wednesday.

"The feeling in the room was really positive," said screenwriter Mike Galvin, adding that no one at the Los Angeles gathering said the deal "was crummy."

Compensation for projects delivered via digital media was the central issue in the 3-month-old walkout, which idled thousands of workers, disrupted the TV season and moviemaking and took the shine off Hollywood's awards season.

"I believe it is a good deal. I am going to be recommending this deal to our membership," Michael Winship, president of the Writers Guild of America, East, told reporters before the New York meeting at a Times Square hotel.

Winship said afterward that he was encouraged by the membership's response.

"We had a very lively discussion. I'm happy with what happened. ... At the moment, I feel strongly it (the proposed deal) has a strong chance of going through," he said.

Writers leaving the two-hour-plus New York meeting characterized the reaction as generally positive and said there was cautious optimism that the end of the strike — the guild's first in 20 years — could be near.

Carmen Culver, a film and TV writer, lauded the guild "for hanging tough."

"It's a great day for the labor movement. We have suffered a lot of privation in order to achieve what we've achieved," Culver said.

Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker ("Bowling for Columbine") and a nominee this year for his health-care film "Sicko," attended the New York meeting.

"It's a historic moment for labor in this country," Moore told The Associated Press.

Winship cautioned that it's not a "done deal" until the contract is ratified by members who need to be polled by mail in a process that usually takes two weeks.

An outline of the three-year deal was reached in recent talks between media executives and the guild, with lawyers then drafting the contract language that was concluded Friday.

According to the guild's summary, the deal provides union jurisdiction over projects created for the Internet based on certain guidelines, sets compensation for streamed, ad-supported programs and increases residuals for downloaded movies and TV programs.

The writers deal is similar to one reached last month by the Directors Guild of America, including a provision that compensation for ad-supported streaming doesn't kick in until after a window of between 17 to 24 days deemed "promotional" by the studios.

Writers would get a maximum $1,200 flat fee for streamed programs in the deal's first two years and then get a percentage of a distributor's gross in year three — the last point an improvement on the directors deal, which remains at the flat payment rate.

"Much has been achieved, and while this agreement is neither perfect nor perhaps all that we deserve for the countless hours of hard work and sacrifice, our strike has been a success," guild leaders Winship and Patric Verrone, head of the Writers Guild of America, West, said in an e-mailed message to members.

Together, the guilds represent 12,000 writers, with about 10,000 of those involved in the strike that began Nov. 5 and has cost the Los Angeles area economy alone an estimated $1 billion or more. Studios are represented by Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

One observer said the guild gained ground in the deal but not as much as it wanted.

"It's a mixed deal but far better than the writers would have been able to get three months ago. The strike was a qualified success," said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment attorney with the TroyGould firm and a former associate counsel for the writers guild.

The walkout "paved the way for the directors to get a better deal than they would otherwise have gotten. That in turn became the foundation for further improvements the writers achieved," Handel said.

Heath Ledger Autopsy "Inconclusive"; Actor Possessed Six Prescription Drugs

In the wake of Heath Ledger's shocking death, the AP reports that an autopsy being conducted today is so far "inconclusive." Sources from the medical examiner's office say that more tests are needed, and it will be about 10 days before more details are known.

No illegal drugs were found in the actor's apartment, and a rolled-up $20 bill found near his body has tested negative for any trace of narcotics. Ledger, though, was in possession of six prescription medications, including pills to treat insomnia and anxiety, and an antihistamine, the AP reports. Three of the drugs were prescribed in Europe.

Ledger's passing has been described by his family as "accidental," police reported no obvious indications of suicide, and he was heard alive as late as 12:30 pm (three hours before he was found). Since his death, glowing remembrances of the 28-year-old actor have come to the fore. "He was really polite and nice," Paul Sevigny, the owner of a West Village club Ledger frequented, tells the New York Times, adding that amid a city of hard-partying troublemakers, Ledger "certainly wasn't one of them."

Within hours of the unsettling news, friends, onetime cast mates and other peers made statements fondly remembering Ledger. "I would give back all my awards to have him back," John Travolta told PageSix.com at a Tuesday event. "This whole evening has been really hard for me."

Director Ang Lee also spoke out about the loss, telling the AP, "Working with Heath was one of the purest joys of my life. He brought to the role of [Brokeback Mountain's] Ennis more than any of us could have imagined. His death is heartbreaking."

While Ledger's ex-fiancée, Michelle Williams, is en route to New York City from Sweden (where she was lensing a movie), Naomi Watts, who dated Ledger for 16 months (until April 2004), has canceled all her appearances at the Sundance Film Festival.

Until more details about the cause of Ledger's death emerge, friends and family can only speculate on what went wrong. Ledger's uncle, Neil Bell, tells the Times, "He was in good spirits and having a wonderful time on this Terry Gilliam movie," The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which Heath was filming for a 2009 release.

Ledger's rep hopes to quell any hypothesizing, saying, "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known." (via TVGuide)

Directors, Hollywood studios reach deal

Hollywood directors reached a tentative contract deal Thursday with studios, a development that could turn up the pressure on striking writers to settle their 2-month-old walkout that has crippled the entertainment industry.

"Two words describe this agreement — groundbreaking and substantial," said Gil Cates, chair of the Directors Guild of America's negotiations committee. "There are no rollbacks of any kind."

Among other things, the three-year agreement establishes key provisions involving compensation for programs offered on the Internet.

That issue has been a key sticking point between striking writers and the studios, which broke off talks on Dec. 7.

The writers walkout has halted work on dozens of TV shows, disrupted movie production, turned the glitzy Golden Globes show into a news conference and threatened the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.

The deal between directors and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, was lauded by top executives from eight major companies, including Fox, Paramount Pictures Corp., The Walt Disney Co., CBS Corp., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., MGM and NBC Universal.

In a joint statement, the executives said they hoped the agreement would signal the end of an "extremely difficult period for our industry."

They called on the writers guild to join in the kind of informal talks with industry leaders that preceded the directors' negotiations, and said the deal with directors established a precedent for the industry's creative talent to "participate financially in every emerging area of new media."

The Writers Guild of America said it would evaluate the terms of the directors' proposed contract. The guild also reiterated that it has been calling on the studios to resume negotiations.

"We've been making independent deals, so we're in a negotiating mood," said Writers Guild of America, West, President Patric Verrone, referring to interim agreements the guild has reached with companies such as United Artists and The Weinstein Co.

Verrone declined to comment on specifics of the deal by directors or compare it to what the writers are seeking until he saw a copy of the proposed contract, which he expected to receive from the directors guild.

Writers previously said directors do not represent their interests.

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I like this girl.

'Survivor Micronesia' cast revealed!

Fans
1. MICHAEL BORTONE
2. TRACY HUGHES-WOLF
3. JOEL ANDERSON
4. KATHLEEN SLECKMAN
5. ERIK REICHENBACH
6. MARY SARTAIN
7. CHET WELCH
8. NATALIE BOLTON
9. JASON SISKA
10. ALEXIS JONES

Favorites
11. CIRIE FIELDS
12. JONATHAN PENNER
13. AMANDA KIMMEL
14. JAMES CLEMEN
15. OZZY LUSTH
16. YAU-MAN CHAN
17. ELIZA ORLINS
18. JONNY FAIRPLAY
19. PARVATI SHALLOW
20. AMI CUSACK

When producers initially began mapping out season 16 — yes, 16! — of Survivor, they considered making it their second All-Stars edition. But then they considered something else. ''None of us felt like a full-on All-Stars was the right choice, because we did it once and since then so many other shows have done it,'' says host Jeff Probst. ''It felt like we needed a twist.'' And when has this seminal reality show not embraced a twist? Enter the Fans vs. Favorites concept of Survivor: Micronesia (debuting Feb. 7 on CBS at 8 p.m.), featuring one tribe of former Survivor standouts, and another tribe of newbies who idolize the players they are about to compete against.



So who was lucky enough to make the cut? The Favorites tribe features contestants going all the way back to season 7, including two from the recently completed Survivor: China — gravedigger James Clement and the person who engineered his ouster, Amanda Kimmel. Survivor: Fiji sends its most popular player, 55-year-old Yau-Man Chan, while the Cook Islands season is responsible for three contestants: flirt-tastic Parvati Shallow, triple-crossing Jonathan Penner, and challenge dominator Ozzy Lusth. Rounding out the tribe is Survivor: Panama 's Cirie Fields, Vanuatu's Eliza Orlins and Ami Cusack, and Survivor's biggest villain ever: Pearl Islands ' Jon Dalton (a.k.a. Jonny Fairplay), who once famously faked his own grandmother's death to further himself in the game. ''You can't do the season and not invite your most notorious person,'' says Probst. ''And Fairplay delivered, I will say that.'' Does that mean he delivers a victory? Don't bet on it, laughs Probst. ''This guy is no threat to win this game — zero.''

No people from the highly regarded Palau or lowly regarded Guatemala seasons made the trip. That is in large part because two popular contestants — Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard — already appeared in both those seasons, and Palau's winner, Tom Westman, declined to participate. (No other past winners were chosen.) Survivor: Micronesia was shot on many of the same beaches as the Palau season, and will also feature the return of Exile Island, which was absent from Survivor: China.



The Fans taking on the Survivor two-timers include a large-and-in-charge firefighter (Joel Anderson), a beauty pageant coach (Chet Welch), a golf course vendor (Kathleen Sleckman), and a man who scoops ice cream for a living in Hell…Michigan, that is (Erik Reichenbach). In contrast to recent seasons, where contestants were heavily recruited and largely unfamiliar with the program, the new players of Micronesia are all followers of the show. How they fare against their heroes remains to be seen.

via: EW

FOX Re-Works Midseason Schedule

Fox has tweaked its strike-affected midseason schedule, giving two troubled series, "New Amsterdam" and "The Return of Jezebel James," coveted previews behind ratings juggernaut "American Idol," which returns January 15.

Fox was the first network to rejigger its midseason lineup on November 7, the third day of the Hollywood writers strike, and has made the most dramatic strike-related scheduling move, keeping the incomplete season of "24" on the shelf until next season. Now that the work stoppage is shaping up to be a long one, Fox executives have taken another look at their lineup.

"As we have new information on our needs, we thought it was time to adjust the schedule," said scheduling chief Preston Beckman. "We want to make sure we give all new shows every opportunity to find an audience because we may need them."

The March 10 launch for the supernatural detective drama "New Amsterdam" will follow two previews after "Idol" Tuesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 6. The Parker Posey comedy "Jezebel James" will get sampling after "Idol" on Wednesday, March 12, two days ahead of its premiere. ("Idol" will expand to three nights a week for three weeks, beginning February 21.)

The strike has boosted both shows' chances, since fresh episodes of any shows are in strong demand. In October, Fox shut down production on "New Amsterdam" with seven episodes in the can, and cut the order on "Jezebel James" to 7 from 13.

"New Amsterdam" stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a New York City homicide detective who happens to be immortal, while "Jezebel James" stars Posey as a successful book editor who learns that she is unable to conceive.