Three Rivers has been picked up for Fall 2009

It is official! CBS has picked up Alex O'Loughlin's new tv show, Three Rivers, for their Fall 2009 television schedule. His series will air on Sunday nights @ 8pm Central/9pm Eastern.

Photograph ~ Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O'Loughlin) in promo photo for new CBS television series, Three Rivers

TV Guide ~ CBS picks up Three Rivers!

CBS isn't hosting their official up front presentation until Wednesday. However.... TV Guide's Matt Mitovich is already reporting that CBS is picking up Alex O'Loughlin's new television series, Three Rivers! *CHEER*

Today's News: Our Take

Fall TV: CBS Picks Up Seven New Shows, Including Alex O'Loughlin's
by Matt Mitovich

CBS in one fell swoop ordered seven new shows for the 2009-10 season, including projects that will bring familiar faces Alex O'Loughlin, Jenna Elfman and Julianna Margulies back to the tube, sources say.

The new shows getting the OK from the Eye are:

-Three Rivers, starring O'Loughlin and revolving around organ transplant surgeons

-Accidentally on Purpose, a comedy about a movie critic (Elfman) who inadvertently gets pregnant in a fling with a younger man

-The Good Wife, starring Margulies as a woman who returns to work as a lawyer when her hubby gets incarcerated

-The NCIS spin-off sneak-peeked in two recent episodes of the hit procedural, and starring Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J

-Miami Trauma, a medical drama from Jerrry Bruckheimer

-Undercover Boss, an unscripted series summed up by the Hollywood Reporter as "Secret Millionaire meets Dirty Jobs"

-House Rules, about a freshman class of U.S. representatives

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fall-TV-CBS-1006165.aspx

Photograph ~ Jenna Elfman and Alex O'Loughlin

Will Three Rivers be on the CBS Fall television schedule?

A week from today! CBS Network will hold its upfront presentation on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009. That is when we should find out if Alex O'Loughlin's new television series ~ Three Rivers ~ will be picked up for the Fall schedule. *fingers crossed*

Nikki Finke @ Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting "I also hear that MIAMI TRAUMA and THREE RIVERS are still in skintight competition at CBS for the medical show Les Moonves wants." And.......

MIAMI TRAUMA (Warner Bros/CBS-Paramount) is Jerry Bruckheimer's medical show, and I'm told Les wants a medical show. But this may not be the one because sources say it was a "soft screening" and is in competition with Three Rivers.

THREE RIVERS (CBS-Paramount/Deuce Three) is looking likely to be the medical drama Les wants (and wants more than rival Miami Trauma). CBS liked what they saw. And the network loves star Alex O'Loughlin. Not only might he bring his small but rabid Moonlight fanbase, but he recently starred in a Criminal Minds sweeps episode. And I hear CBS Films just put him in the feature film Plan B opposite Jennifer Lopez. Insiders are betting this show with a 24 splitscreen feel will go.


http://tinyurl.com/pxj6xu

http://tinyurl.com/r7s4eg

Moonlight questions in Ask Matt column

Two Moonlight questions from TV Guide's Ask Matt column.

Mourning Moonlight

Question:
I know you'll be getting millions of heartbroken letters from fans of TV shows (in addition to Moonlight) that were cancelled, but I'm writing because my feelings this season are bigger than my normal disappointment from upfronts. I actually think I'm done with network TV. I am so upset with the trend to cancel shows that don't instantly perform that I will be tuning out and going to cable. First Veronica Mars, then Jericho and finally the stake in the heart of Moonlight. It is so depressing to invest in great shows that deserve a bigger audience, but never get them because they are labeled as "quirky" or "genre" or are in "TV death slots." At times it feels like we (the TV watchers) work harder than the networks to create buzz for shows. The one network that may have succeeded in picking me up as a viewer again may be the CW. After Veronica Mars, I boycotted the station, but the loyalty the network seems to be showing to promising shows with low ratings like Gossip Girl and Reaper may have won me over for at least a trial run this year. All I have been hearing about is the drop in viewers for prime time, but it seems like the networks don't understand that they play a big part in this. Why be loyal to a station that isn't loyal to its shows or its viewers? So, stick a fork in me, CBS — I'm done. I and my wallet will be watching commercials on another station. — A.M.

Matt Roush:
With all due respect, and with all possible sympathy, I hear variations on this rant every year at this time. There's always some show (often more than one) that triggers this kind of outpouring, and I don't deny it's genuine, but it's nothing new. Shows get canceled every season. It's a function of the business, which has a terribly high casualty rate, especially for shows that don't hew to a particular network's formula. And while I freely admit that CBS's axing of Moonlight took me by disappointed surprise, you'll never get me to advocate a boycott. Life, and TV, goes on. You never know where the next terrific show will turn up, maybe even on CBS, maybe even on Fridays. I can't afford not to keep an open mind. Getting hooked on a TV show always carries an element of risk. I still think it's worth it. As for giving too much credit to the CW for sticking with its low-rated shows, what choice does it have? If Moonlight had aired on the CW, it probably would have survived. But given that network's parameters, Mick would probably have been a teenage vampire, so it's a bit apples and oranges, no?

Question:
Is there any possibility that another network might pick up Moonlight, now that CBS has canceled it? I know that the show was on the bubble, but I was really surprised by its demise, considering all the buzz that surrounds it. I hope that you are enjoying the upfronts! — Sarah Anne

Matt Roush:
Thanks, but I'd be enjoying them a lot more if they didn't throw curveballs like the Moonlight cancellation my way. My instinct, as always, is to say there's little if no chance that anyone will come along to rescue Moonlight, although as I write this column on a crazy Upfront-week deadline, there's a report that the company renting space on Sunday from the CW may be mulling over putting Moonlight into their mix. I'll believe that when it becomes a reality, but until then, no false hope from this corner.

askmatt@tvguide.com

Hollywood Reporter article confirms Moonlight is being shopped

Nellie Andreeva has written an article for The Hollywood Reporter titled "It was an odd upfront." Basically, it is about how the Writer's Strike changed the normal network pilot season and presentations. In the report, she mentions that Moonlight is being offered to other tv channels. Feels good to have more confirmation of that from the industry.

Here is the part related to our show........

The strike-impacted pilot season contributed to an unusually robust post-upfront market for the shows that didn't make the cut this year, with a number of projects, such as the series "Back to You" and "Moonlight" and pilot "The Pitts," being shopped around.

http://tinyurl.com/3l95r7

A glimmer of hope for Moonlight!

Nikki Finke, from Deadline Hollywood Daily, is giving us a small glimmer of hope!

Primetime Pilot Panic: 'Moonlight' To CW?

EXCLUSIVE: I've just been told by an insider that "there is a chance, only a chance" that Media Rights Capital which will be programming Sunday's two hours on the CW "may elect to take Moonlight as one of those two hours". This is developing to be quite a behind-the-scenes drama because the order came from Warner Bros TV this afternoon to start tearing the Moonlight sets down. But now WBTV will wait until Friday. With 8 million viewers on CBS before being cancelled, Moonlight could wind up the most watched CW show. (Gossip Girl has 2.5 mil...)

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/primetime-pilot-panic-moonlight-on-cw/

New York area Moonlight fans!

Hey! CBS is holding their upfronts tomorrow.... Wednesday, May 14th, 2008.... at Carnegie Hall in New York City at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. A reception will follow at Tavern on the Green. OK..... New York area Moonlight fans ~ How do you feel about picketing for our show? Protesting this insane decision to cancel Moonlight!

Message to Moonlight fans from show producers

Moonlight's producers, Harry Werksman & Gabrielle Stanton, have sent the following message to Moonlight fans.

Exclusive: Moonlight Producers Confirm Cancellation
Kristin Dos Santos, Watch With Kristin

This just might be the most depressing news yet coming out of the New York upfronts.

I've just received word from Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman, bosses of Moonlight, that the series has been canceled.

They sent me this message to pass along to you fans:



It's true. We found out about an hour ago that Moonlight has been officially canceled.

We are truly saddened by the news and are sorry that we won't get the chance to live with our wonderful characters and follow them on their adventures for a second season.

We really want to thank all our loyal fans for their undying love and support of the show. We never would have made it this far without them.

In vampire solidarity...rah, rah!

Gabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman



This series has one of the most dedicated, passionate audiences I've ever seen in the many years in this job. And to all of you I extend a heartfelt hug.

http://tinyurl.com/6dtdwb

More news from TV Guide

As we know, Alex O'Loughlin is currently on vacation. He said he was taking the summer off ~ having turned down several film roles because of the unknown future of Moonlight. Thanks for making him miss out on other work CBS! Grrrrrrr...... Sorry, I was distracted there for a moment. It just makes me angry that the network treated our amazing cast the way they did. Anyway.... Matt Mitovich mentions Alex being on holiday in this article also. I hope Alex, Sophia, Jason, Shannyn, Brian and Eric are all surrounded by their family & friends now!

Fall TV: Moonlight Has Drawn its Last Blood

It's the news no one here wanted to report, but alas, it must be shared. CBS — which earlier today renewed to Old Christine, How I Met Your Mother and The Unit — has opted not to bring back Moonlight for a second season.

Though the vampire-detective drama boasted a fantastically passionate and wonderfully generous (they held a blood drive, people!) fan base, the buzz is that the Eye simply was not happy with Moonlight's retention of its Ghost Whisperer lead-in. At last tally, Mick & Co. were letting slip some 13 percent of Melinda's audience.

For what little it is worth, I'm on a mission to secure for fans some parting words of appreciation from the cult hit's producers. (Alas, Alex himself is currently on holiday.) — MWM

http://tinyurl.com/48xasm

Photograph ~ Mick St John (Alex O'Loughlin) and Beth Turner (Sophia Myles) dancing in Moonlight's season finale, Sonata (episode #1x16)

Variety ~ Combination of factors led to Moonlight's cancelation

CBS passes on 'Moonlight'
Four primetime favorites set for next season
By CYNTHIA LITTLETON

Producers of "How I Met Your Mother," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Rules of Engagement" and "The Unit" can stop biting their nails -- CBS has renewed all four skeins. But fans of "Moonlight" are going to be up in arms because the Eye has passed on a sophomore sesh of the vampire drama starring Alex O'Loughlin.

A third-season renewal of "Mother," from 20th Century Fox TV, was never really in doubt, given its buzzworthy status and its ratings momentum during the past two months since its post-strike return. "Old Christine" was on the fence for a while, and ABC let it be known that if CBS were to pass on a third season the Julia Louis-Dreyfus starrer it would nab the Warner Bros. TV show.

"Rules of Engagement," from Sony Pictures TV, was also a fence-sitter but is known to have its fans at the Eye. "The Unit," from 20th Century Fox TV, is seen as a durable performer that has done respectable business wherever it has run. In fact, the delay in the renewal of "Unit" was something of a surprise.

"Moonlight," meanwhile, was done in by a combination of factors. It's understood that Eye execs were not impressed with the show's creative development, and there was much drama and turnover behind the scenes among producers and scribes. The final straw was the show's middling ratings perf during the past few weeks after its post-strike return.

CBS execs declined comment on any of its pickup news Tuesday. Eye presents its 2008-09 lineup on Wednesday at Carnegie Hall.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985580.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

SAD news ~ Deadline Hollywood Daily reporting Moonlight is cancelled

Primetime Pilot Panic: CBS Official Renewals; UPDATE: 'Moonlight' Cancelled; 'Shark' Kaput, Too

UPDATE: CBS has officially let veteran Moonlight know that it's been cancelled. The network even nixed any remote chance of a mid-season back 13-episode order. See my previous about the renewal saga, 'Moonlight' Not On CBS Fall Schedule But Not Dead; Show Lobbying For Back 13-Episode Order. CBS also axed Shark, a show that deteriorated faster than a CSI corpse left out in the sun...

I'm told CBS today has officially let these veteran shows know they're renewed: Old Christine (WBT), Rules of Engagement (Sony/CBS Paramount), How I Met Your Mother (20th Century Fox TV), The Unit (20th Century Fox TV)

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/primetime-pilot-panic-cbs-officially-renews/

Seat42f says Moonlight may return for midseason

Seat42f is reporting rumors that even if Moonlight is not on CBS' Fall schedule, it could be a midseason show.

More speculation! Is it Wednesday yet?


Moonlight Not On Fall Schedule

Got some Moonlight intel I wanted to share with you guys. It looks like as of right now Moonlight is not on the fall schedule and is not in the plans for pickup. AS OF RIGHT NOW. It appears CBS and Warner Brothers are still trying to hammer out a deal for midseason so the show is not dead just yet. HOWEVER, An EARLY look at the CBS schedule has The Unit moving to Friday's at 9:00PM taking over Moonlight's slot. Like everything else upfront related this is all speculation at this point as CBS fine- tunes their 2008 - 2009 schedule. A lot could change over the next 24 hours. I will update you when I know more.

Stay strong Moonlight Fans!!!!

http://seat42f.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2324&Itemid=247

News from Deadline Hollywood Daily

We have more news from Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily blog about the behind the scenes negotiations for Moonlight. According to her, our show is still fighting!

Primetime Pilot Panic: 'Moonlight' Not On CBS Fall Schedule But Not Dead; Show Lobbying For Back 13-Episode Order

The news just came in to me from my sources.... "They're fighting for a back 13, but Moonlight is definitely not on the fall schedule. But it's not dead, either. Insiders tell me the sticking point is money: that CBS wants Warner Bros to "step up" more financially. But WBTV is saying back to CBS that the network has to step up as well, even though CBS doesn't own the show. Here's what I can tell you about the behind-the-scenes:

Moonlight has been fraught with problems (see below). But CBS' Nina tassler told the producers that she was "very happy" with the direction of the series. The show pitched her the stories for all next season, "and Nina loved them". And then CBS gave the show its list of what the network wanted. But CBS made clear that the renewal of the show was "all going to be dependent on making the last four shows of this season ratings-wise. Well, those ratings were only fair. They didn't win the night, but they won their demos. On the other hand, Friday's ratings are always low. But the real story is, as usual in Hollywood, all about the money. Even though comparatively Moonlight is being done on the cheap (especially when put up against another WBTV show, Pushing Daisies on ABC, which is a notoriously expensive production), and was picked up in the beginning by CBS for a relatively low licensing fee, CBS now wants Warner Bros to pick up more of the tab. There was a specific conversation between the two Big Media outfits about this on Wednesday of last week. "We need you to step up," CBS reportedly told WB. To which WB responded to CBS, "You step up, and we'll step up." Interestingly, I hear that CBS just ordered to series the pilots The Mentalist and 11th hour which both have higher licensing fees than Moonlight. But the producers knew all along that their series was "on the bubble," so to speak. And in response to communication pushing the network to pick up Moonlight, I understand that CBS responded to the effect, "Where's WB? Why won't they step up?"

Meanwhile, there have been other problems. Coming back from the writers strike, the executive producer and showrunner Chip Johanssen was cut loose, despite being a close friend of Tassler’s. Also, series creator Ron Koslow was shown the door after the picket signs went down. That left no official showrunners in place to guide the episodes produced after the strike ended. Husband and wife writers / producers Harry Werksman and Gabrielle Stanton were informally given the reins, and they supervised the most recent four shows ending the season. The question is whether they are up to the task. I hear the Moonlight producers offered to change showrunners to get a CBS renewal. Already, the fallout has led one of the few surviving players, staff writer and producer Jill Blotevogel, to be unceremoniously dumped before any renewal is announced. There's a rumor which I haven't confirmed that, if CBS does renew, it may bring the showrunners from the expected-to-be-cancelled Shark to come in and retool Moonlight.

http://tinyurl.com/3jfc8f

More speculation about Moonlight's future

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos and TV Guide's Michael Ausiello are also speculating about Moonlight's chances for renewal. This always happens during the upfronts. Everyone tries to guess and scoop ahead of time. It's an emotional roller coaster ride! The networks enjoy the attention the "will they or won't they" speculation brings to their shows.

It is hard to deal with, but comes with the territory unfortunately. I just can not believe that CBS would be insane enough to let go of Moonlight, its loyal & amazing fans and Alex O'Loughlin!

Today, Watch With Kristin originally reported that "Moonlight is likely to receive a pickup."

http://tinyurl.com/3h6y2b

In her next report, she changed her stance.....

Moonlight: I'm Staying Firmly in Denial Until Wednesday, But...

Frik! Frak! And darn it all, too.

Don't freak out yet, but the word on Moonlight is suddenly trending negative.

My personal favorite Moonlight source just informed me of rumblings that the show was not looking good for a season-two pickup.

Sadly, Variety's Cynthia Littleton (who is a crackerjack reporter of the highest order) is saying the same thing. In particular, Cynthia reports, "CBS is high on a bunch of its drama pilots this year (no surprise there), and thus, there may not be room on the Eye's sked for more Moonlight next season."

Now, nothing is official until Wednesday, when CBS presents its 2008-09 slate to advertisers, so no need to panic yet, but I thought you guys would want to know the word on the street, for better or for worse.

http://tinyurl.com/4rthed

Michael Ausiello has heard rumors that CBS will renew The Unit and give it Moonlight's time slot. As we've been discussing, this is all just speculation. Plus, the network could simply move Moonlight to another night too... maybe a better night.

Eli Renewed! October Road Axed! Moonlight Dead?

CBS is expected to bring The Unit back, and may slot it on Fridays at 9 pm. What does that mean for Moonlight? Good question.

http://tinyurl.com/3zurxq

Variety speculates about Moonlight's future

The CBS presentations for their Fall tv season is not until Wednesday. However, Variety is trying to predict whether Moonlight will be picked up or not. Until we hear news about our show directly from CBS, it is all just speculation!

Upfronts: 'Moonlight' dims at CBS

Frosh CBS drama "Moonlight" may be facing "Jericho" syndrome. The vampire drama starring Alex O'Loughlin has its rabid fans, but not quite enough of them to make it a slam-dunk pickup for season two.

The Warner Bros. TV drama seemed to be about 50-50 for a renewal during the weekend, but those odds are getting longer, insiders say. CBS is high on a bunch of its drama pilots this year (no surprise there) and thus, there may not be room on the Eye's sked for more "Moonlight" next season.

Speculation is that "The Unit," another bubble drama that is expected to secure a renewal, may move into "Moonlight's" Friday 9 p.m. berth in the fall.

http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2008/05/upfronts-moonli.html