Networks Reveal Their 2012 Fall Schedules

This week the big four networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox) revealed their plans for the 2012-2013 TV season that begins usually around mid-September. While subject to change, the main takeaways is the new shows and those that got cancelled to make room for them. Some favorites have been moved around. So far there doesn't seem to be many standouts with the pattern being an emphasis on comedy and more reality competition. Below is the summary of what is cancelled, new shows, links to trailers and new shows descriptions along with a completely uninformative opinion if a show is dead on arrival (DOA) or not.

ABC
Cancelled: Charlie’s Angels, TBS-bound Cougar Town, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Man Up, Missing, Pan Am, The River and Work It
New Shows: Last Resort, 666 Park Ave., Mistresses, The Family Tools, How to Live with your Parents, Malibu Country, Nashville, The Neighbors, Red Widow, Zero Hour
Trailers
Press Release with Show Descriptions
DoA: all but Zero Hour

CBS
Cancelled: CSI: Miami, A Gifted Man, How to Be a Gentleman, NYC 22, Rob and Unforgettable
New Shows: Elementary, Vegas, Made in Jersey, Partners, Golden Boy, Friend Me, The Hob
Trailers
Press Release with Show Descriptions
DoA: all but Elementary

Fox
Cancelled: Alcatraz, Allen Gregory, Breaking In, The Finder, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Napoleon Dynamite and Terra Nova
New Shows: The Mob Doctor, Ben and Kate, The Mindy Project, The Goodwin Games, The Following
Trailers
Press Release with Show Descriptions
DoA: Ben and Kate, The Mindy Project, The Goodwin Games. Mob Doctor has decent chance and The Following will survive the season.

NBC
Cancelled: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Chuck, Free Agents, Harry’s Law, The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect and The Firm
New Shows: Revolution, Go On, The New Normal, Animal Practice, Guys with Kids, Chicago Fire, Save Me, 1600 Penn, Next Caller
Trailers
Press Release with Show Descriptions
DoA: all but Revolution

CW
Cancelled: Ringer, The Secret Circle, One Tree Hill (which aired its series finale on April 4), H8R, Remodeled and The L.A. Complex
New Shows: Beauty and the Beast, Arrow, Emily Owen, MD, Cult, The Carrie Diaries
Trailers
Press Release with Show Descriptions
DoA: Emily Owens. Carrie Diaries, Cult. Arrow and Beauty and the Beast will last season but only one will get renewed.

Linkfest - Avengers Assemble

Just realized it has been weeks since posted anything. I guess just have not found much that I felt like posting about but here are a few new things. Most of it is politics related after the break.

The Avengers Smash Weekend Record
In just three days, The Avengers took in a record breaking $207.1 million in the US box office smashing the previous record of $169.2 million held by Harry Potter 7.2. The movie deputed in most other parts of the world last week so now at the end of its first full week out, its total is already a staggering $654.5 million. It did in one week what the most successful movie of 2012, The Hunger Games, took months to make. For those on the fence, you should see it.

It really is as good as people say. The first hour of story building can drag at times but even then the character interactions are entertaining enough to not matter. When the movie shifts to New York though, that is when everything snaps into perfect place. The last hour is just wall to wall action that always servers the characters or the story. There are even a few "Whedoneque" moments of humor that are inserted at just the right moments.

This movie is the epic story telling that Michael Bay keeps trying to achieve with Transformers but falls short because he fails to recognize that spectacle that doesn't serve the story or character is pointless. See the entire tilting building sequence for evidence of this. It had lots of spectacle but could remove entire sequence from movie and have no impact on story or characters. You can't really say the same about the Avengers. Every sequence has purpose, even a throwaway line that is followed up after the credits. When watch do make sure to at least stick around for the mid-credits scene that introduces the villain Thanos. His goal? Make Death fall in love with him by destroying all life. Hopefully Whedon will write and direct the sequel just to see that fight. Next time he might be able to get in the classic "Avengers Assemble" line as could not without it seeming forced and corny. Good call.