11:20a.m.

Just a few moments ago -  in response to my question about the "defining moments" that made him decide to assume the Edward R. Murrow mantle, to become a "more Edward R. Morrow type on air" -  this is how MSNBC's Keith Olbermann responded:

There were a couple that escalated how far I should commit myself.  The first was mission accomplished day.   I remember Chris [Matthews] and I were on the air and I remember saying to him, "are we sure that mission's accomplish?  It seems to me that all the troops are still there in harms way and it's a great dramatic moment but what exactly was the mission?" 

That was the first one.  At that point it was almost heresy to question what that was.

The second one would have been Katrina.  I can still...Read More

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The last ten episodes of Battlestar Galactica will air starting January/2009, announced SCI FI Channel President Dave Howe just a few seconds ago...

ETA: (later in the afternoon)

SCI FI aired a short teaser of Ron Moore's Caprica, the Battlestar prequel set 51 years before the Battlestar time-line, for the critics. The tag lines:

Two families rise...one with strength, one with vision....one family's loss is another's opportunity... a conflict that will shape destiny....

The end of humanity has a beginning....

During the Caprica panel, creator Ron Moore talked about how the concept of Caprica came about, and in the process distributed a small hint about the Battlestar finale.

"[Battlestar xecutive producer] David [Eick]and...Read More

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Cable dramas dominated the Television Critics Association Awards tonight, winning six of the eleven categories.   The 24th annual TCA Awards were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Founded in 1978, the TCA is composed of more than 200 reporters and columnists in print and online media from the United States and Canada.

Critics bestowed three honors on AMC's Mad Men:  Program of The Year, Outstanding New Program, and Outstanding Achievement in Drama.

HBO's The Wire received the Heritage Award, which recognizes a long-standing program that has had a lasting cultural or social impact.  

Paul Giamatti won for Individual Achievement in Drama for his role as John Adams in the HBO miniseries.  John Adams also won Outsanding Achievement in Movies, Minise...Read More

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This afternoon at TCA, Showtime marched out their stars and showrunners for Weeds, Dexter, Brotherhood, and Californication.  If you're a fan of Dexter, as I am, I think you'll find the following discussion of what to expect in the upcoming season of Dexter especially interesting 

Here are some Dexter tidbits from the panel:

The Emmy-nominated Michael C. Hall, who plays Dexter, addressed the "code of Harry" - the strict rules taught to Dexter by his father, Harry.  (For information about the "code of Harry," consult Showtime's Dexterwiki)

"Because of the [last season] discoveries Dexter made about his father, [Harry]" said Hall, "he's in a place where ...Read More

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TCA/11:30 a.m.

Derivative?  Or a reinvention? It's difficult to say without watching a few episodes.  But at first glance, at least two new CBS series appear to have borrowed some concepts from cable successes, namely Showtime's Dexter and USA Network's Psych and Monk.

During the TCA panel, CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler leaked some details about the CSI character (as yet unnamed) who will replace Gil Grissom.  William Petersen, who plays the venerable Grissom, departs CSI in the tenth episode of the upcoming season. 

The new character is an "outsider coming into CSI unit," said Tassler. 

The newcomer will not immediately take the helm, however.  Tassler revealed he will "work his way up and ultimately become head of the team."

...Read More

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ABC Network threw a fabulous bash tonight in the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton.  The event was thick with stars including Vanessa Williams, Lucy Liu, Teri Hatcher, Dana Delany, Gale Harold (who joins DH this season), and others.

The press clustered around the accessible and gracious Teri Hatcher (Susan Mayer) of Desperate Housewives.  She was flanked by Desperate Housewives executive producer Bob Daily. 

I scooted in next to her on the sofa and we chatted briefly about her comedic side.  Hatcher hinted that Richard Burgi, who plays her caddish and unpredictable ex-husband Karl, might be returning to the series.

"I can still fall down the stairs like nobody's business," quipped Hatcher, alluding to the five year time jump in the series this season.

Me: Some of the scenes between...Read More

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Disney Channel's Cheetah Girls panel just wrapped at TCA.  Three of the young stars - Adrienne Bailon (Chanel), Kiely Williams (Aquanetta), and Sabrina Bryan (Dorinda) - stole critics hearts with their giggly, effervescent energy.  The stars were here to promote the third installment of the Cheetah Girls franchise, The Cheetah Girls One World - a colorful Bollywood extravaganza filmed on location in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Throughout the original film, there are elephants, flower petals, and ornate Indian palaces.

Disney Channel previewed the final scene, a lavish Bollywood number set to the thumping  theme "One World." 

Cheetah Girls premieres Friday, August 22, 2008 at 8p.

The young ladies' chemistry was evident on stage.  They sometimes operated as a single organis...Read More

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Okay.  It's 12:45a.m.  What do you do at TCA when you have insomnia?  You read Kung Fu Monkey - the blog of John Rogers, executive producer of TNT's new series Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton.

Here's the clip TNT screened for the critics last week.  Leverage premieres December '08.

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A "reporter" standing in the back and claiming to hail from the "Sarasota Star Herald Tribune" took the mic at ABC's TCA executive session and asked ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson some truly wacky questions.

First, he was anxious about a rumor that ABC is "actively courting Jay Leno at 11:30."

"Is there any truth to those rumors?  And, if so, I have a follow-up," said the reporter.

McPherson tried to fend him off:  "I don't really feel comforable answering that in this forum."

"Is it McPhEERson or McFORCEsom?" the reported asked audaciously.

For a few seconds confusion reigned -  until everyone figured out the voice behind the mic was Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC's late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! ...Read More

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Today, at TCA, the president and general manager of FX, John Landgraf, stepped up to the stage to introduce the channel's newest drama, Sons of Anarchy.  Landgraf told the crowd that "literally the pilot sound work was finished on Sunday night."

The just completed pilot was broadcast on closed circuit into our rooms here at the Beverly Hilton late last night (Monday) and early this morning.  Those of us who were able to keep our eyes pried open long enough to watch were very lucky indeed.

We're about midway through the TCA tour at this point.  Sons of Anarchy is the one new series, so far, that has me anxiously awaiting more, more, more.  The outlaw biker drama is set to debut on Wednesday, September 3.

There are plenty of legal and police dramas on television and FX does both (Damages...Read More

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At this morning's TCA panel for FX's Damages, Timothy Olyphant (Seth Bullock on Deadwood) took the stage with his fellow Damages cast members.  Olyphant joins the cast for season two.

Comparing and contrasting the two shows, Olyphant pointed to Glenn Close, William Hurt and others: "It was a completely different experience...when those guys talk I understand what they're saying."

When asked if it was always clear the Deadwood movie would never come to fruition.

"I thought there was a really strong chance it would never happen," said Olyphant,  "It was never clear.  Nothing was very clear in that experience."

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At the Fox News TCA panel, in response to a question about his participation in the John McCain presidential campaign, Fox News contributor Karl Rove asserted that he plays an informal advisory role only.

"I've donated to McCain.  I have a great many friends in the campaign but I play no official role," clarified Rove. 

"But yeah - I do get phone calls," he added, "People do call me and say 'I'm having dinner w/ a great friend of mine who just happens to be the Republican state chairman of a battleground state'.... [they] stop by the house and pick my brain."

Digging a little further, one reporter asked John Moody (executive VP, news editorial) if Mr. Rove was "on the honor system" in regard to conversations with Steve Schmidt (McCain senior advisor and Rove protégé). ...Read More

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