The official word: CBS announced today its new 2012-2013 primetime schedule, ordering four new series and making four key time period moves to further enhance television’s top-rated schedule. CBS will finish the season as America’s most-watched network for the ninth time in the past 10 years, leading in viewers by the widest margin of any network in 23 years.

The new series include ELEMENTARY, a contemporary take on the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in New York City, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu; VEGAS, a drama inspired by a real-life sheriff and his battle with a powerful mobster for control of Las Vegas in the 1960s, starring Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis; MADE IN JERSEY, starring Janet Montgomery as a smart first-year lawyer with working-class roots practicing at a prestigious Manhattan law firm; and PARTNERS, a comedy about two very different life-long best friends and business partners and their significant others, starring David Krumholtz and Michael Urie.

“These new series feature a great range of bold concepts, rich characters, big stars and fresh faces,” said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment. “From a new take on Sherlock Holmes to an epic battle for control of 1960s Las Vegas to a working-class point of view in a prestigious law firm, the dramas each have a unique style and sensibility. And, our new comedy PARTNERS fits perfectly with the CBS Monday night tradition of relationship comedies with a lot of heart and humor.”

The freshman series will be joined by 19 returning shows, including the season’s #1 drama/scripted program – NCIS; the #1 scripted series in adults 18-49 and #1 comedy – THE BIG BANG THEORY; #1 new series – PERSON OF INTEREST; #1 new series/comedy in adults 18-49/25-54 – 2 BROKE GIRLS; #1 news program – 60 MINUTES; and the eight-time Emmy Award winner THE AMAZING RACE.

The other returning series include HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, MIKE & MOLLY, HAWAII FIVE-0, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, SURVIVOR, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, TWO AND A HALF MEN, CSI: NY, BLUE BLOODS, 48 HOURS MYSTERY, THE MENTALIST and THE GOOD WIFE.

For midseason, the Emmy Award-nominated UNDERCOVER BOSS returns, plus the new reality series THE JOB from executive producers Michael Davies and Mark Burnett. Also for midseason are the new drama GOLDEN BOY and the new comedy FRIEND ME.

The new 2012-2013 schedule is as follows:

On Monday, CBS makes a bold scheduling move and adds a new half-hour series to TV’s top comedy night. The veteran HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER returns at 8:00 PM and provides a strong lead-in for the new comedy PARTNERS at 8:30 PM. The #1 new comedy of the season, 2 BROKE GIRLS, moves to 9:00 PM to anchor the night, followed by the sophomore hits MIKE & MOLLY at 9:30 PM and HAWAII FIVE-0 at 10:00 PM, the top-rated 10:00 PM series on television in adults 18-49.

On Tuesday, CBS uses television’s top-rated dramas as lead-ins for a new one-hour series. The #1 drama/scripted series NCIS remains at 8:00 PM, followed by the #2 drama/scripted series NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM, which will provide a powerful and compatible lead-in for the star-studded new series VEGAS at 10:00 PM.

On Wednesday, a successful night remains intact with potent lead-off hitter SURVIVOR at 8:00 PM, popular thriller CRIMINAL MINDS at 9:00 PM, and the resurgent time period-winning CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION at 10:00 PM, where it improved the time period by 23% in adults 18-49.

On Thursday, CBS creates a powerful comedy block and adds a provocative new drama. The #1 comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY at 8:00 PM is now paired with the #2 comedy TWO AND A HALF MEN at 8:30 PM, creating a formidable comedy duo as a lead-in for the #1 new drama PERSON OF INTEREST at 9:00 PM, which flows seamlessly into the smart new drama ELEMENTARY at 10:00 PM.

On Friday, CBS moves a veteran series to kick off the night and launches a new drama in a protected time period. CSI: NY, which consistently wins its time period, moves to 8:00 PM, providing an established lead-in for the new legal drama MADE IN JERSEY at 9:00 PM. BLUE BLOODS, the night’s most-watched series, remains a solid anchor at 10:00 PM.

Saturday will feature CBS’s CRIMETIME programming from 8:00-10:00 PM, followed by the popular true crime series 48 HOURS MYSTERY at 10:00 PM.

On Sunday, CBS adds a hit drama to a prestigious, award-winning lineup. The acclaimed news magazine 60 MINUTES returns for its 45th season to open at 7:00 PM, followed by the eight-time Emmy Award-winning THE AMAZING RACE at 8:00 PM and the critically lauded and award-winning drama THE GOOD WIFE at 9:00 PM. A proven ratings winner at 10:00 PM, THE MENTALIST moves to Sunday to close out the night.

The New Dramas:

ELEMENTARY stars Jonny Lee Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson in a modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD’s most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare – a sober companion, Dr. Watson. A successful surgeon until she lost a patient and her license three years ago, Watson views her current job as another opportunity to help people, as well as paying a penance. However, the restless Sherlock is nothing like her previous clients. He informs her that none of her expertise as an addiction specialist applies to him and he’s devised his own post-rehab regimen – resuming his work as a police consultant in New York City. Watson has no choice but to accompany her irascible new charge on his jobs. But Sherlock finds her medical background helpful, and Watson realizes she has a knack for playing investigator. Sherlock’s police contact, Capt. Tobias “Toby” Gregson (Aidan Quinn), knows from previous experience working with Scotland Yard that Sherlock is brilliant at closing cases, and welcomes him as part of the team. With the mischievous Sherlock Holmes now running free in New York solving crimes, it’s simple deduction that he’s going to need someone to keep him grounded, and it’s elementary that it’s a job for Watson. Rob Doherty, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Michael Cuesta, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis star in VEGAS, a drama inspired by the true story of former Las Vegas Sheriff Ralph Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher tasked with bringing order to Las Vegas in the 1960s, a gambling and entertainment mecca emerging from the tumbleweeds. Ralph Lamb (Quaid) wants to be left in peace to run his ranch, but Las Vegas is now swelling with outsiders and corruption which are intruding on his simple life. Recalling Lamb’s command as a military police officer during World War II, the Mayor appeals to his sense of duty to look into a murder of a casino worker – and so begins Lamb’s clash with Vincent Savino (Chiklis), a ruthless Chicago gangster who plans to make Vegas his own. Assisting Lamb in keeping law and order are his two deputies: his diplomatic, even-keeled brother Jack (Jason O’Mara) and his charming but impulsive son, Dixon (Taylor Handley). Ambitious Assistant District Attorney Katherine O’Connell (Carrie-Anne Moss), who grew up on the ranch next to the Lambs, also lends a hand in preserving justice. In Vegas, two powerful men – Lamb and Savino – are engaged in a fierce battle for control of the budding oasis, and for both of them, folding is not an option. Nicholas Pileggi, Greg Walker, Cathy Konrad, Arthur Sarkissian and James Mangold, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

MADE IN JERSEY is a drama about a young working-class woman who uses her street smarts to compete among her pedigreed Manhattan colleagues at a prestigious New York law firm. Martina Garretti (Janet Montgomery) finds her firm’s cutthroat landscape challenging, but what she lacks in an Ivy League education she more than makes up for with tenacity and blue-collar insight. After just a few weeks, firm founder Donovan Stark (Kyle MacLachlan), takes note of Martina’s ingenuity and resourcefulness, as does her sassy secretary Cyndi Vega (Toni Trucks). With the support of her big Italian family, including her sexy older sister Bonnie (Erin Cummings), Martina is able to stay true to her roots as a bold, passionate lawyer on the rise in a new intimidating environment. Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, Julia Franz and Mark Waters, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios. Pilot was written by creator and co-executive producer Dana Calvo.

The New Comedy:

PARTNERS is a comedy based on the lives of creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, about two life-long best friends and business partners whose “bromance” is tested when one of them is engaged to be married. Joe (David Krumholtz) is an accomplished architect who leads with his head and not his heart, especially in his love life. That’s in stark contrast to his gay co-worker, Louis (Michael Urie), who is spontaneous, emotional and prone to exaggeration. Both have found joy in their love lives: Joe is newly engaged to Ali (Sophia Bush), a beautiful and sophisticated jewelry designer, while Louis is dating Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a vegan nurse who Louis insists is just a promotion away from becoming a doctor. As news of Joe’s engagement settles, time will tell if their business and personal bond can adapt to the addition of two other important relationships. Emmy Award winners David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television. Emmy Award winner James Burrows directed the pilot.

The New Midseason Series:

GOLDEN BOY is a drama about the meteoric rise of an ambitious cop who becomes the youngest police commissioner in the history of New York City, and the high personal and professional cost he pays to achieve it. As he’s interviewed for a story about his career, Walter William Clark, Jr. (Theo James) flashes back on his hard-fought journey from street kid to the most powerful man in law enforcement. After only three years as a beat cop, Clark’s heroics on the job make him bold enough to ask for and receive the unheard – of promotion to Homicide Detective, angering the members of his new department who are eager to see him fail. Clark’s disappointed to be partnered with veteran Detective Don Owen (Chi McBride), a gruff lifer just two years shy of retirement. He would rather team with First Grade Detective Christian Arroyo (Kevin Alejandro), the alpha dog in the squad who’s just as ambitious as Clark, but without a moral center. Arroyo’s partner is Detective Deborah McKenzie (Bonnie Somerville), a tough third-generation cop and the only female detective in the unit. Also on the team is Detective Joe Diaco (Holt McCallany), well-connected with tremendous resources which Clark might find useful. Though laser-focused on moving up the ladder, Clark’s soft spot is serving as the sole caregiver and supporter of his sister, Agnes (Stella Maeve), a teenager demonstrating increasingly dangerous behavior. Keenly observant and politically savvy, the Golden Boy bases his career decisions solely on his need to succeed as quickly as possible, and he’ll find that his epic journey will be filled with consequences. Greg Berlanti, Emmy Award winner Nicholas Wootton and Richard Shepard, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television.

FRIEND ME is a comedy about two 20-something best friends who just moved from Indiana to Los Angeles to start cool new jobs, but can’t agree on how to socially engage in their new city. Rob (Nicholas Braun) is eager to embrace the L.A. scene and meet new people who aren’t looking down at their smart phones or laptops. Evan (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), however, prefers to socialize online at home in his underwear, web-chatting and playing poker with his Hoosier buddies Mike (Parveesh Cheena), Sully (Tim Robinson) and Farhad (Dan Ahdoot) just a keystroke away. Meanwhile, Rob’s had enough of iChatting, and naively posts a flyer seeking new friends on the coffee house bulletin board, despite Evan’s warning that no good can come from meeting strangers in person. Soon the calls start rolling in, some with potential, some just disturbing, and Rob and a reluctant Evan embark on what will be a series of the most epic adventures – and disasters – of their lives. Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios, in association with The Tannenbaum Company. The pilot was directed by Pamela Fryman.

From reality show masters Michael Davies (“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” “Watch What Happens Live”) and Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Voice”) comes a new reality series, THE JOB, where every week talented candidates are chosen from across the country for a chance to win their dream job at one of America’s most prestigious companies. Host Lisa Ling guides participants through several rounds of the most intense interviews of their lives, including challenges ranging from an on-the-spot quiz to assess their knowledge of the company to deadline-driven tasks while spending a day on the job. But the candidates aren’t the only ones in the hot seat. Adding to the pressure, a rival company is also present and waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and steal any of the contenders by making a competing offer. The participant must then decide immediately whether they will take the rival’s offer or stay in the competition in the hope that they are the last one standing for this once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. Produced by Sony Pictures Television and Embassy Row.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 PM PARTNERS (N)

9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (NT)

9:30-10:00 PM MIKE & MOLLY

10:00-11:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM NCIS

9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES

10:00-11:00 PM VEGAS (N)

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR

9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS

10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY

8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY

8:30-9:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)

9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST

10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY (N)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM CSI: NY (NT)

9:00-10:00 PM MADE IN JERSEY (N)

10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY

8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY

9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY

10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY

7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES

8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE

9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE

10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (NT)

Follow on Social Media:

#Elementary

Twitter: @Elementary_CBS https://twitter.com/#!/Elementary_CBS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElementaryCBS

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/114661016436006638906/posts

#Vegas

Twitter: @Vegas_CBS https://twitter.com/#!/Vegas_CBS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VegasCBS

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100116199784797638011/posts

#MadeInJersey

Twitter: @MadeInJersey_CBS https://twitter.com/#!/MadeInJerseyCBS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadeinJerseyCBS

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/102728364621024910480/posts

#Partners

Twitter: @Partners_ CBS https://twitter.com/#!/Partners_CBS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PartnersCBS

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/113332002724495478974/posts

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

The official word: Two of cable’s most successful brands are once again paving the way to the future with a bold, industry-leading strategy. According to the vision laid out by executives during the annual Upfront presentation today in New York, TBS and TNT will undertake a major transformation over the next two years, evolving from linear television networks into branded video destinations.

"Our strategy is designed to confront the challenges of an ever-growing media universe by focusing on the strength of our brands, the power of our programming and the ability to deliver branded video content that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere and on any device," said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. "To reach our destination, we will focus on leading with the strength of the TBS and TNT brands; cementing each network’s foundation with popular, high-profile acquisitions; expanding our lineup of scripted and unscripted original series to a year-round model; and maximizing multi-screen opportunities."

"Turner continues to make investments in programming that has broad appeal with viewers, and our commitment to producing originals throughout the year and content for all screens will provide tremendous opportunities for our clients and their brands," said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. "As viewer habits progress and we evolve into a One Media World, advertisers continue to look for opportunities to engage with consumers on multiple screens and platforms. Turner’s leading portfolio of linear and digital brands, with enhanced original content, provides our advertising partners with greater reach for their messages, across multiple screens, genres and demographics."

In addition to detailing the strategy for success and growth in the future, TNT and TBS unveiled their extensive original series lineups for 2012-13. TNT and TBS also announced a diverse range of new projects in development from such high-profile creative partners as David Baldacci, Michael Bay, Steven Bochco, Tom Clancy, James Duff, Howard Gordon, Norm MacDonald, Matthew McConaughey, Conan O’Brien, Michael Ovitz, Robert Port, Michael M. Robin, Ron Shelton, Greer Shephard, Don Todd and Dick Wolf.

"At TNT, we’re expanding our programming horizons with new forms and new genres – like we did last year with Falling Skies – and we’re reaching out to new audiences," explained Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "Whatever the form or genre, we’re using what we call the ‘popcorn mindset’ as the guiding principle behind all our development. From a storytelling perspective, that simply means that TNT’s dramas are meant to entertain and excite viewers, take them on a ride and land them safely at the end."

TNT has nine original series on tap this summer, more than any other time in the network’s history. Among the new series joining the network are the eagerly anticipated Dallas and TNT’s first-ever reality-competition show, The Great Escape. TNT is also building its originals slate with the recently greenlit medical drama Monday Mornings and the unscripted series Boston Blue (working title) and 72 Hours (working title).

TBS’s slate of original programming is being developed with two types of comedy lovers in mind. "The Big Bang Theory gives us an ideal foundation from which to launch original series that target our audience of ‘comedy relatables,’ who like comedy that reminds them of their own lives, while Family Guy is one of our anchors for ‘comedy rebels,’ who enjoy more irreverent, provocative comedy," Wright said.

For the comedy relatables, TBS is premiering two new sitcoms this summer, each of which will be paired in the lineup with The Big Bang Theory. Next week, TBS will premiere Men at Work, followed in July by the launch of Sullivan & Son. Later this year, TBS will also debut the scripted comedy series Wedding Band, followed in early 2013 by the premiere of Cougar Town, now a TBS original series. For the comedy rebels, TBS’s slate includes shows like the competition series King of the Nerds (working title) and the newly greenlit Deon Cole’s Black Box and Who Gets the Last Laugh? (working title).

The following is a rundown of new and returning series on the slate for TNT and TBS, as well as descriptions of scripted and unscripted series being developed for the networks.

Current and New Series

Rizzoli & Isles – Season 3 premiere: Tuesday, June 5, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)

Franklin & Bash – Season 2 premiere: Tuesday, June 5, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

Dallas – Two-hour series premiere: Wednesday, June 13, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)

Falling Skies – Two-hour season 2 premiere: Sunday, June 17, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)

The Great Escape – Series premiere: Sunday, June 24, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

The Closer – Final six episodes premiere: Monday, July 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)

Perception – Series premiere: Monday, July 9, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

Leverage – Season 5 premiere: Sunday, July 15, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)

Major Crimes – Series premiere: Monday, Aug. 13, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), then moves to 9 p.m.

Southland – Season 5 coming in February 2013

Monday Mornings – New series coming in early 2013

Boston Blue (working title) – New series coming in 2013

72 Hours (working title) – New series coming in 2013

TNT Scripted Series in Development

King and Maxwell – Bestselling author David Baldacci’s popular characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell aren’t your typical pair of private investigators. Both are former secret service agents, and their unique skill set (not to mention their razor-sharp chemistry) often gives them a leg up on both suspects and conventional law enforcement. Baldacci serves as a consultant on the project. Executive Producer: Shane Brennan. Producer: Karen Spiegel and Grant Anderson. Studio: CBS Television Studios.

The Last Ship – In this exciting action/adventure project based on the popular novel by William Brinkley, the crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic decimates most of the earth’s population. Michael Bay (Transformers) intends to direct the pilot if it is green lit. Executive Producers: Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, Hank Steinberg (showrunner and writer) and Steve Kane (writer). Production Company: Platinum Dunes.

Legends – This suspenseful, action-packed drama is being developed by Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Mark Bomback from the novel Legends by Robert Littell. The story follows a deep-cover operative named Martin Odum, who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. But his own identity comes into question when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t who he thinks he is. Executive Producers: Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Alexander Cary and Jonathan Levin. Studio: Fox Television Studios.

Lew Archer – Based on the title character from Ross McDonald’s popular novels, this project from The Closer creator James Duff and Close to Home creator Jim Leonard follows the sleuth many consider to be "the original P.I." Executive Producers: James Duff, Jim Leonard (writer) and Steve N. White. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Tom Clancy’s Homeland Security – This event-based procedural written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and set in Tom Clancy’s world of espionage pits a select team of domestic intelligence operatives against enemies within and without, from narco-traffickers and nuclear terrorists to cyber-criminals and human smugglers. Executive Producers: Tom Clancy, Michael Ovitz, Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Chris George.

Untitled Steven Bochco Murder Mystery project – This suspenseful and intriguing crime drama will intimately dissect a single murder case over an entire season, from the commitment of the crime through the investigation, arrest and trial. Executive Producer: Steven Bochco (writer). Co-Executive Producer: Eric Lodal (writer).

Untitled Ron Shelton family drama – A disgraced football coach loses his high-profile job in Los Angeles and winds up moving his three kids and 70-year-old father to Louisiana. But this might just be the fresh start they need in this insightful drama from the writer/director of Bull Durham. Executive Producers: Ron Shelton (writer), Michele Weisler and Andrea Buchanan.

TNT Unscripted Series in Development

American Troubadours –From one of the executive producers of American Idol and film star Matthew McConaughey, this new reality competition series is on a mission to discover the best unsigned bar band in America, singer/songwriter bands that represent the greatest tradition of rock and roll. Executive Producers: Nigel Lythgoe, Matthew McConaughey and Anastasia Brown. Production Companies: Nigel Lythgoe Productions and J.K. Livin Foundation.

Cold Justice – This docu-drama, produced by EmmyÒ winners for such series as Law & Order, Project Runway and Top Chef, will follow former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they crack cold cases. Executive Producers: Dick Wolf, Tom Thayer, Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz. Production Companies: Wolf Films and Magical Elves.

Rivals – From the producers of Laguna Beach and Jockeys comes this riveting series set in the glamorous world of thoroughbred horse racing. Executive Producers: Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein for BermanBraun; Gary Ravet for Promark Productions; and Gary Auerbach and Tina Gazzero for Go Go Luckey.

24/7: Los Angeles – OscarÒ-winning documentary filmmaker Robert Port crafted this gripping, all-access look at the men and women who protect the streets of Los Angeles. Executive Producers: Robert Port, Michael Goldstein and Michael Larkin. Production Company: Port Films.

New Series

Men at Work – Series premiere: Thursday, May 24, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

Sullivan & Son – Series premiere: Thursday, July 19, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)

Wedding Band – New series coming in December

Cougar Town – Joins TBS original series lineup in early 2013

King of the Nerds (working title) – New series coming soon

Deon Cole’s Black Box – New series coming in 2013

Who Gets the Last Laugh? (working title) – New series coming in 2013

TBS Scripted Series in Development

The Kid – To try and get his game back, a young and socially naïve golf prodigy named Quinn teams up with Joey, an unconventional new caddy. But much to the dismay of his father, Quinn learns more than just golf, as this new duo makes its way into the high-rolling, fast-moving big-time world of professional golf. The Kid is written by Donald Todd from a story by Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Bamberger and writer Jay Hass, along with David Morse (Tremé) and professional golfer Phil Mickelson’s longtime caddy, Jim "Bones" Mackay. Executive Producers: Donald Todd, Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin. Production Company: The Shephard/Robin Company. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Most Likely – It has been ten years since high school, and the former “most likely to succeed” star student returns to his hometown after losing his job. He winds up working for the former (and still) “most popular” jock in this mismatched buddy comedy penned by Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine). Executive Producers: Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Josh Heald. Production Company: Conaco LLC. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

Zone Lord – Conan O’Brien serves as executive producer on this sitcom with an intergalactic twist. Three roommates awake one morning to discover an evil but very hip alien has moved into their building, along with his diminutive navigator. Executive Producers: Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Ross Venokur. Production Company: Conaco LLC. Studio: Warner Horizon Television.

TBS Unscripted Series in Development

Norm MacDonald is Trending – TBS has ordered a pilot presentation of this talk show from some of the executive producers behind Sports Show with Norm MacDonald and Real Time with Bill Maher. SNL alumnus and former "Weekend Update" anchor Norm MacDonald hosts as he and his team of correspondents sort through the churning mass of pop culture and social media to pull out the funniest, most bizarre and entertaining events so you don’t have to. Executive Producers: Norm MacDonald, Marc Gurvitz and Lori Jo Hoekstra.

Untitled Competition Game Show – This big, unique and physically challenging competition series is being developed by Jared Hoffman and produced by Alloy Digital’s Generate Studios, which was co-founded by Jordan Levin and Pete Aronson. Executive Producer: Jared Hoffman. Production Company: Generate Studios.

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

The official word: The runaway British hit CALL THE MIDWIFE, a new drama that depicts midwifery in 1950s London, kicks off the PBS 2012 fall season with a six-part Sunday-night run that begins September 30.

A production of BBC Worldwide and Neal Street Productions, MIDWIFE further strengthens PBS’ hold on quality Sunday night programs and launches a fall full of drama — both fictional and real — anchored by Ken Burns’s new documentary THE DUST BOWL, PBS ELECTION 2012 coverage of the presidential campaign including FRONTLINE’s award-winning “The Choice,” and the season two return of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC “Upstairs Downstairs.”

Sundays continue to be a source of captivating drama for PBS, while strong Wednesday “Exploration” nights feature new episodes of the science series NATURE, NOVA and an updated NOVA scienceNOW, hosted for the first time by tech guru and New York Times reporter David Pogue. Monday nights open with a series of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW specials that lead into the first fall season of MARKET WARRIORS. The award-winning film series INDEPENDENT LENS moves to Mondays at 10 p.m. beginning October 29, creating a new space for independent film that will also be the home for POV’s 2013 season. Friday night PBS ARTS programs include the four-part series VOCES, which highlights Latino and Hispanic arts, and AMERICAN MASTERS “Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance.”

“PBS’ fall schedule, one of our strongest in years, builds on the knowledge that our programming approach is working, bringing in new viewers throughout the week,” says Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO. “Our incredible Sunday night schedule sets the stage for enhanced weeknight viewing, too. Mondays are poised to bring in a diversity of new voices and perspectives with independent films; popular Wednesday nature and science programs will continue to build with a revamped NOVA scienceNOW; and our nightly politics and election coverage will grow as we move toward Election Day and give viewers new perspectives on the issues they care about.”

High-profile specials dot the fall schedule, led by the star-studded four-hour documentary HALF THE SKY, based on the acclaimed book by The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Pulitzer Prize-winner Sheryl WuDunn, about courageous individuals fighting female oppression around the world. In addition to “The Choice” from FRONTLINE, PBS ELECTION 2012 covers four debates — three presidential and one vice-presidential — and provides an in-depth look at healthcare, among other issues. BROADWAY OR BUST follows the build-up and the heartbreak, the drama and the disappointment of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’s “Death and the Civil War,” by Ric Burns, shows the impact of Antietam on Americans’ relationship with their government.

PBS will present highlights of the fall schedule at TCA Press Tour, July 21 and 22, including sessions on CALL THE MIDWIFE, THE DUST BOWL featuring Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, HALF THE SKY with Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn and others (TBD), PBS ELECTION 2012 coverage, AMERICAN MASTERS “David Geffen,” with the media mogul himself on stage, NOVA “Mars Rising,” which will cover the upcoming August 5 landing of NASA’s “Curiosity” rover, and many others.

Fall 2012 Highlights

BROADWAY OR BUST

Sundays, September 9-23, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

PBS is bound for Broadway with a new three-part documentary series that tracks the real-life stories of America’s top high school musical performers, vying in the ultimate competition to find the nation’s best young theater stars. Part competition, part performance and part non-fiction drama, the series starts in regional theatrical programs, then moves to New York City, where the “best of the best” compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (a.k.a. The Jimmy Awards).

CALL THE MIDWIFE

Sundays, September 30 to November 4, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

Based on a best-selling trilogy by the late Jennifer Worth, CALL THE MIDWIFE is a fascinating portrayal of birth, life and death in a world drastically different from ours. This six-part series offers an unconventional twist to Sunday-night British dramas and brings mid-20th-century London to life, focusing on the joys and hardships of a group of midwives working in London’s East End.

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC “Upstairs Downstairs,” Season 2
Sundays, October 7 to November 11, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

The saga continues at 165 Eaton Place, with new characters upstairs and down, in a six-part sequel to the much-loved MASTERPIECE series from the 1970s. Set in 1936, the lives of masters and servants have never been so captivating, as two new arrivals make their mark and Lady Agnes reveals a dark secret. Alex Kingston (“ER,” “Doctor Who”) joins the cast. The six-part series follows MIDWIFE, starting October 7. Viewers can catch up on the first season with a three-hour marathon September 30.

FRONTLINE “The Choice”

Tuesday, October 9, 2012, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET

The quadrennial election special maintains its reputation for clear, unbiased reporting as it covers the 2012 presidential candidates. “The Choice” provides viewers an in-depth look at President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, exploring the forces behind their campaigns, voter views on the issues and the projected changes the eventual winner will bring to the White House.

THE DUST BOWL

Sunday, November 18 and Monday, November 19, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Ken Burns’s new two-part, four-hour documentary THE DUST BOWL chronicles the environmental catastrophe that destroyed the farmlands of the Great Plains, turned prairies into deserts and unleashed a pattern of massive, deadly dust storms in 1930s America. Personal survival stories and rare archival footage tell the story of the country’s worst manmade ecological disaster. In conjunction with the broadcast, PBS celebrates the centennial of Woody Guthrie’s birth with a repeat of his acclaimed AMERICAN MASTERS profile on Friday, November 16, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

FALL 2012 SCHEDULE

(Listed chronologically by premiere date with multipart series, such as NOVA, listed under first air date.)

PBS ELECTION 2012

Under the umbrella of PBS ELECTION 2012, PBS’ acclaimed news and public affairs shows NEED TO KNOW, PBS NEWSHOUR, WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL and FRONTLINE bring viewers the most trusted and balanced looks at the fall’s biggest election news and events, each with its own unique perspective.

NEED TO KNOW “Campaign 2012”

Fridays, continuing series, 8:30-9:00 p.m. ET

This weekly 30- minute news magazine series, with reporting from across the country, covers political issues from Main Street’s point of view. It profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road in key states. Essays from Jon Meacham and a diverse group of journalists and big thinkers are a weekly feature. Respected and experienced media professionals, including Scott Simon, Maria Hinojosa, Ray Suarez and Jeff Greenfield, both anchor the program and report from the field.

PBS NEWSHOUR featuring 2012 POLITICAL DEBATES

Monday-Friday, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Election-focused programming continues with gavel-to-gavel coverage of the conventions in Tampa and Charlotte, live web streaming of the political activity and conversations with local delegations throughout the day on the ground. Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff co-anchor live coverage of election specials, including the presidential debates on October 3, 16 and 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET and the vice-presidential debate on October 11, at 9:00 p.m. ET, each followed by a 30-minute analysis. NEWSHOUR covers election night on November 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m., with a full evening of news and analysis.

WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL

Fridays, continuing series, 8:00-8:30 p.m. ET

Gwen Ifill hosts PBS’ longest-running public affairs series, which features Washington’s top journalists analyzing the week’s top news stories and their effects on the lives of all Americans.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “Death and the Civil War”

Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

This documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Ric Burns chronicles the bloodiest war in our nation’s history and explores how the shattering death toll of the American Civil War transformed not only individual lives, but the life of the nation, from its understanding of citizenship to the profound struggle of a deeply religious culture to reconcile these events with a belief in a benevolent God. Presented for the 150th anniversary of Antietam, the bloodiest day of battle on American soil.

POV

Thursdays, September 20 to October 25, 2012, 10:00 p.m. ET

The award-winning POV series, which features America’s best independent filmmakers, premieres five films on Thursdays this fall. September 20: “I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful” is Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme’s intimate account of a woman’s five-year crusade to rebuild her beloved neon-green house, her church and her New Orleans community after Hurricane Katrina. September 27: “El Velador (The Night Watchman)” documents the life of a mausoleum guard in Mexico — a reminder that peaceful existence persists amid the turmoil of Mexico’s deadly drug war. October 4: “Give Up Tomorrow” exposes shocking corruption within the Philippines judicial system and one of the country’s most sensational trials. October 18: “Sun Kissed” shows a Navajo couple’s tragic realization that they continue to face consequences of the Navajos’ Long Walk — their forced relocation by the U.S. military in 1864. October 25: “Nostalgia for Light” presents a remarkable meditation on memory, history and eternity in Chile’s remote Atacama Desert.

AMERICAN MASTERS

Monday, September 24, 2012, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET: “The Day Carl Sandburg Died” is a panoramic story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, his work and his legacy, including contributions to poetry, history, music and children’s literature.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET: “Inventing David Geffen” is an exclusive and candid look at the legendary Geffen and his far-reaching influence on American popular culture. He launched the early successes of Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Jackson Browne; co-founded DreamWorks; produced Cats and Dreamgirls; and has become an important political and philanthropic voice. Geffen’s life is illuminated through powerhouse friends such as Cher, David Crosby, Barry Diller, Rahm Emanuel, Elton John, Frank Rich, Stephen Spielberg, Neil Young and more.

LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER “New York Philharmonic Opening Gala”

Thursday, September 27, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Itzhak Perlman, preeminent violinist of our time, performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. The New York Philharmonic, under Maestro Alan Gilbert’s baton, illuminates the magic of Rome with Respighi’s glittering showpieces for virtuoso orchestra: Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome.

PBS ARTS

Friday nights beginning September 28, 2012 (check local listings)

SOUND TRACKS: MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS

Friday, September 28, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

This musical adventure series roams America and the world in search of compelling music, telling the stories behind the sounds and the artists who create it. The magazine-format features three stories and a special “global hit” performance. “The Jazz Ambassador” features a concert and an in-depth interview with Wynton Marsalis. “Brave” introduces viewers to the Scottish folk singer who wrote and sings the theme to Pixar’s newest movie. “The Voice of Africa” follows the country’s most famous living singer, Youssou N’dour, as he runs for president of Senegal, ending with a grand concert celebration.

PBS VOCES

Fridays, September 28 to October 19, 2012, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Latino Public Broadcasting presents this new primetime showcase of outstanding documentaries celebrating the rich diversity of Latino life. September 28: “Tales of Masked Men” takes a colorful look at the fascinating phenomenon known as “lucha libre” and its role in Latino communities in the United States and Mexico. October 5: “Escaramuza: Riding from the Heart” is the story of Escaramuza Charra Las Azaleas, a team of first-generation Mexican-American horsewomen on a two-year journey to represent the United States at the National Charro Championships in Mexico. October 12: “Unfinished Spaces” is set 50 years after the Cuban Revolution, when three architects resume work on Cuba’s National Art Schools, a project left unfinished in 1965 when their creative vision came head-to-head with the revolution. October 19: “Lemon” [description will be available at pbs.org/pressroom]

AMERICAN MASTERS

Friday, December 28, 2012, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET: “Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance” relates how the Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American dance by daringly combining modern and traditional techniques, merging art with social statement and setting ballets to pop and rock music scores.

HALF THE SKY

Monday, October 1 and Tuesday, October 2, 2012, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET

A two-night, four-hour PBS national and international special event introduced by George Clooney, HALF THE SKY follows incredible stories of challenge and triumph, traveling with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and celebrity advocates America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Olivia Wilde on a journey to ten countries, where they meet inspiring individuals and discover how the oppression of women and girls is being confronted. In association with the Independent Television Service (ITVS) as a special presentation of Independent Lens

NATURE

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

The benchmark series returns with latest stories of the wild from international wildlife filmmakers.

October 10: “Siberian Tiger Quest” (w.t.) joins filmmakers Chris Morgan and Sooyong Park to find and film the elusive Siberian tigers in remote Russia. October 24: “Magic of the Snowy Owl” (w.t.) features a bird made popular by Harry Potter’s Hedwig, revealing how these raptors survive in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. November 7: “Animal Odd Couples” (w.t.) investigates unlikely cross-species relationships and how these special bonds relate to animal emotions. November 14: “Ducks: Wings on Water” (w.t.) gets an insider perspective from a wood duck family on an epic migration spanning thousands of miles.

NOVA

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

From cutting-edge police science and space exploration to ancient structures and evidence of ancient technology, NOVA brings viewers stories of intriguing mysteries from this planet and beyond. Go back in time on “Secrets of the Viking Super Sword” (10/10), “Mystery of Easter Island” (11/7) and “Ancient Computer” (w.t.) (11/21) to discover some of science’s best-kept secrets from ancient cultures. See the gritty reality of the forensic crime lab and why forensics in the U.S. is in a state of crisis on “Forensics on Trial” (10/17) and experience exhilarating moments with the team of scientists and engineers responsible for the new Mars rover on “Mars Curiosity” (w.t.) (11/14).

NOVA scienceNOW

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Renowned tech reporter David Pogue of The New York Times debuts as host of six new fast-paced and fun episodes of this science magazine series, bringing enthusiasm and knowledge to the most intriguing stories and breakthroughs of our time. The upcoming season explores six science questions: “What Are Animals Thinking?”; “Can Science Stop Crime?”; “What Makes Us Human?”; “How Smart Can We Get?”; “What Will the Future Be Like?”; and “Can I Eat That?”

INDEPENDENT LENS

Mondays, starting October 29, 2012, 10:00 p.m. ET

The acclaimed Emmy Award-winning independent documentary series moves to Monday nights at 10 p.m. next season. New episodes include “As Goes Janesville,” a story following two years in the lives of laid-off workers, business leaders and elected officials trying to reinvent their lives and their town amid economic crisis, and “The Waiting Room,” a cinema verité portrait of a California city’s public safety-net hospital as it struggles to handle patient overload in a swooning economy and a constantly shifting landscape of health care policy.

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

Or should that be tie-dye-ins? Anyway, the official word:

In conjunction with its newest exhibit, Grateful Dead: The Long, Strange Trip powered by McIntosh, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has announced a range of free public programs that explore the significance and legacy of the Grateful Dead, including interviews with Hall of Fame Inductees Donna Godchaux and Tom Constanten, films, and special lectures. The Grateful Dead were the most important band of the psychedelic era and among the most groundbreaking acts in rock and roll history. They broke all the rules while slowly and steadily building a career that carried them from the ballrooms of San Francisco in the Sixties to arenas and stadiums all over the country in the decades that followed. The Grateful Dead and their followers did much to keep the spirit of the Sixties alive in modern times.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

FILM SCREENING: The Grateful Dead Movie (1977, 132 minutes) was filmed in October of 1974 during a run of five shows at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco as the band was about to go on hiatus from touring. Directed by Jerry Garcia and Leon Gast, The Grateful Dead Movie captures the Dead at one of the peaks of their performing career. Dennis McNally, the band’s biographer, describes it as a “superb concert movie, a mind-bending and adventurous experimental film, and an incredibly perceptive and hip portrait of the Dead Head fan base and their unique relationship to this ‘band beyond description.’” Performances include “U.S. Blues,” “Playing in the Band,” “Casey Jones,” and “Morning Dew.”

This event is FREE with a ticket reservation online at http://tickets.rockhall.com or in-person at the Rock Hall Box Office. Tickets will become available to Rock Hall Members on Thursday, May 17 at 10 a.m. EST and will become available to the general public on Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of tickets will be available for those without internet access through the Rock Hall’s RSVP phone system by calling (216) 515-8426.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

Multimedia presentation by Paul Grushkin, author of Dead Letters, and Steven Marcus, longtime ticket manager for the Grateful Dead. At the core of the Grateful Dead experience was the world’s most devoted fan base: Dead Heads. Dead Heads went to extraordinary, often inspiring, lengths to get their hands on concert tickets by mailing the band and its staff. These letters and envelopes featured personalized artwork the likes of which the U.S. Postal Service had never seen. Since the band’s earliest days, Grateful Dead staff saved tens of thousands of decorated ticket-request envelopes sent to them by Dead Heads hoping to capture the ticketing staff’s attention with their designs. These envelopes are inspirational and hugely insightful, not to mention brilliantly illustrated and unique within the world of rock.

Dead Letters: The Very Best Grateful Dead Fan Mail collects more than 300 of these mind-blowing envelope masterpieces, all presented 14 thematic chapters. Fully authorized by the Grateful Dead, Dead Letters also includes many rare historical photos and memorabilia, all creating a trip, as it were, down memory lane.

Paul Grushkin has been at the forefront of rock merchandising for over twenty five years. As VP of Sales and Marketing for Signatures Network, Sony Signatures, and Winterland Productions, he designed and led the retail merchandising campaigns for hundreds of artists. He is the author and co-author of many books on rock and roll, including Grateful Dead: The Official Book of the Deadheads, Rockin’ Down the Highway: The Cars and Stars that Made Rock Roll, and The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk.

Steven Marcus is the former and founding Manager of Grateful Dead Ticket Sales and was one of America’s top concert ticket-fraud investigators. He’s been uniquely close to the Dead’s inner-circle.

This event is FREE with a ticket reservation online at http://tickets.rockhall.com or in-person at the Rock Hall Box Office. Tickets will become available to Rock Hall Members on Thursday, May 17 at 10 a.m. EST and will become available to the general public on Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of tickets will be available for those without internet access through the Rock Hall’s RSVP phone system by calling (216) 515-8426. This event will be streamed on rockhall.com.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

FILM SCREENING: The Closing of Winterland (2003, 190 minutes) was filmed on December 31, 1978 at the Winterland Ballroom. The band had performed nearly sixty shows at the venue, and so Bill Graham considered them the perfect act for a farewell party. The mammoth three-set show features classics like “Sugar Magnolia,” “Fire On the Mountain,” “Dark Star” and “St. Stephen” and a special appearance by Ken Kesey.

This event is FREE with a ticket reservation online at http://tickets.rockhall.com or in-person at the Rock Hall Box Office. Tickets will become available to Rock Hall Members on Thursday, May 17 at 10 a.m. EST and will become available to the general public on Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of tickets will be available for those without internet access through the Rock Hall’s RSVP phone system by calling (216) 515-8426.

Saturday, July 7, 2012 2 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

HALL OF FAME SERIES FEATURING Donna Jean Godchaux

Donna Jean Godchaux sang with the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979. By the time she was 15, she was singing back-up vocals on sessions at Rick Hall’s Fame recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. She sang on numerous songs recorded at Fame, including Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.” She headed to San Francisco in the summer of 1970 where she met keyboardist Keith Godchaux, and they married shortly thereafter. In 1971 Keith joined the Dead, and Donna joined a short while later. She recorded with the band on Wake of the Flood, From the Mars Hotel, Blues for Allah, Terrapin Station, and Shakedown Street. During their tenure with the Dead, the Godchauxs released the album Keith and Donna, with Garcia on guitar. They also appeared with the Jerry Garcia Band. After leaving the Dead, they formed the Heart of Gold Band. Then, after the death of Keith in 1980, Donna remarried and moved back to Alabama to work at Muscle Shoals. In 2009, she formed a new band, the Donna Jean Godchaux Band, with Jeff Mattson and other members of the Dead cover band the Zen Tricksters.

This event is FREE with a ticket reservation online at http://tickets.rockhall.com or in-person at the Rock Hall Box Office. Tickets will become available to Rock Hall Members on Thursday, June 14 at 10 a.m. EST and will become available to the general public on Friday, June 15 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of tickets will be available for those without internet access through the Rock Hall’s RSVP phone system by calling (216) 515-8426. This event will be streamed on rockhall.com.

Wednesday, August 15 at 7 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

Rock and Roll Night School: “The Road to the Dead: The Grateful Dead and their Musical Roots.”

This class will explore the musical and philosophical roots of the Grateful Dead, from bluegrass, folk and blues to the experiments of the San Francisco Tape Center and composers like Terry Riley and Steve Reich, to the poetry of Neil Cassidy and the philosophy of Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary.

Rock and Roll Night School is a monthly series of educational, discussion-based evening classes offered free of charge. The award-winning education department leads the classes, which are geared towards adults interested in gaining more knowledge about rock and roll history. The program explores the history of rock and roll from its roots to its current incarnations. Special attention is given to the music’s impact on society, its reception by fans, and its most innovative practitioners. Each class includes a presentation, music and video clips, and group discussions.

This event is FREE and RSVPs are not required. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. This event will be streamed on rockhall.com.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 7 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater

HALL OF FAME SERIES FEATURING Tom Constanten

Tom Constanten joined the Grateful Dead as their keyboard player during the recording of the band’s second album, Anthem of the Sun, in 1968. Called T.C. by his bandmates, Constanten studied music at the University of California at Berkeley, where he met Phil Lesh. The two became friends and roommates, and they enrolled in a graduate-level course taught by Luciano Berio, an Italian modernist composer, at nearby Mills College in Oakland. After graduation, Constanten went to Europe to study with avant-garde composers Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and was a sergeant stationed in Denver when the Dead asked him to help them record Anthem of the Sun. Constanten played with the Dead on Aoxomoxoa and Live Dead. He left the group in January 1970. Constanten went on to a long career, composing music, and teaching piano.

This event is FREE with a ticket reservation online at http://tickets.rockhall.com or in-person at the Rock Hall Box Office. Tickets will become available to Rock Hall Members on Thursday, June 14 at 10 a.m. EST and will become available to the general public on Friday, June 15 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of tickets will be available for those without internet access through the Rock Hall’s RSVP phone system by calling (216) 515-8426. This event will be streamed on rockhall.com.

About Grateful Dead: The Long, Strange Trip

Grateful Dead: The Long, Strange Trip explores the band from a non-linear point of view. Individual sections within the exhibit will be devoted to Grateful Dead as a recording group and a touring band, the fans who devotedly followed them, tapers and fellow travelers (people who were important to the band). It will include finished and working manuscripts for classic songs, handwritten notes from legendary taper Dick Latvala, artifacts from original sound designer Owsley “Bear” Stanley, and promoter Bill Graham’s Father Time robe and Grateful Dead Hotline answering machine.

Art and design have always been closely associated with Grateful Dead, and this exhibit included an unprecedented collection of original artwork that is immediately recognizable from the band’s album covers and posters. It features numerous instruments used by the Grateful Dead over the years, including keyboards, drums, percussion, guitars and elements from the legendary Wall of Sound PA system. The Grateful Dead Archive at the University of California-Santa Cruz has loaned a significant number of items from their extraordinary collection, which will open to the public in Spring 2012.

This exhibit will be open through December 2012. Additional programming will be announced in the coming months.

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

Those series will be back July 23. The full, official word:

Featuring a record number of primetime original programming hours, Syfy’s hot Summer 2012 will be highlighted by the premiere of the new unscripted series School Sprits (from executive producer Mark Burnett), Insane or Inspired? and Paranormal Highway (working title) starring Jack Osbourne; new seasons of hits Warehouse 13, Face Off, Alphas, Destination Truth and Haunted Collector, along with the eagerly anticipated Saturday Original Movies Jersey Shore Shark Attack and Bigfoot, plus the series finale of the beloved Eureka.

Syfy will also present a Memorial Day weekend movie festival highlighted by the premiere of Super Shark on May 26th, followed by the semi-annual Twilight Zone marathon on July 4th.

Lost Girl will move to Fridays at 10PM beginning Friday, July 20.

Highlights of Syfy’s 2012 Summer Programming Schedule (All Times ET/PT)

MAY

INSANE OR INSPIRED? (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)

Premieres Friday, May 25 at 10PM

This new series features the most exciting videos from the Internet that celebrate the world of imagination, invention, and extreme experiences. Actors Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Samm Levine (Freaks & Geeks), Brooke Hogan, Ralph Garman, as well as television personality Josh Gates, host of Syfy’s Destination Truth, join comedians Ben Gleib, Owen Benjamin, Jodi Miller, Elliot Chang, Jermaine Fowler, Adam Ray, Christiana Pazistky, KT Tatara and Janet Varney to provide their unique commentary on each of the clips. The result is a fast-paced hour-long countdown of hilarious viral videos. Insane or Inspired? is produced by Comcast Studios with Jay James, Betsy Rott, and Sean Olsen serving as executive producers.

JUNE

HAUNTED COLLECTOR (SEASON 2 PREMIERE)

Premieres Wednesday, June 6 at 9PM

Haunted Collector features eminent paranormal collector John Zaffis, who searches for objects that have become home to paranormal spirits and/or energy. Each week Zaffis and his family help someone who’s terrorized by something strange in their own home, using the latest technology to identify the source of the paranormal activity. On the season 2 premiere of Haunted Collector, the team heads to Warsaw, Kentucky, where a woman’s home is suffering hauntings, possibly from two steamboats which crashed in a fiery collision, killing more than 60 people in 1868. Next, they travel to Huron, Ohio, in a race against the clock to remove the dangerous energy from an abandoned silo, scheduled to be destroyed in 48 hours. Haunted Collector is produced by Gurney Productions. Executive producers are Scott Gurney and Deirdre Gurney.

SCHOOL SPIRITS (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)

Premieres Wednesday, June 20 at 10PM

From executive producer Mark Burnett, School Spirits travels to schools and universities all across the country to recount the true ghost stories experienced on these academic campuses. The stories will be told in first person narratives through the testimonials of real students, teachers, parents and staff that have encountered the paranormal activity, blended with bone-chilling cinematic reenactments to further bring the haunting experiences to life. Executive producers: Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Voice) and Seth Jarrett & Julie Insogna Jarrett (Celebrity Ghost Stories).

SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES (ALL-NEW MOVIES)

· Jersey Shore Shark Attack – Saturday, June 9 at 9PM – Led by an all-star cast of Tony Sirico (The Sopranos), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Jack Scalia (Dallas), Joey Fatone (‘N Sync), William Atherton (Die Hard) and Vinny Guadagnino (Jersey Shore) the movie unfolds during the July Fourth weekend at the Jersey Shore, where angry sharks are on a rampage, devouring residents, leaving it to the local Guidos to save the day. The movie also stars Jeremy Luke as The Complication, Melissa Molinaro as Nooki, Joey Russo as Donnie, Daniel Booko as Balzac, Audi Resendez as B.J., and Alex Mauriello as J-Moni. Jersey Shore Shark Attack is a production of Hybrid Entertainment. The director is John Shepphird. Jeffrey Schenck, Barry Barnholtz and Peter Sullivan are the producers.

· Piranhaconda – Saturday, June 16 at 9PM – Part fish! Part snake! All killer! In B-movie icon Roger Corman’s latest, a hybrid creature – half piranha and half anaconda — attacks a movie crew on location near her nest when her egg is stolen. Now they must outrun and kill the deadly piranhaconda as well as stop the mad scientist who stole the egg – before they all become dinner. Stars Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: I & II) and Rachel Hunter (The Benchwarmers). Piranhaconda is a production of New Horizons, directed by Jim Wynorski.

· Arachnoquake – Saturday, June 23 at 9PM – In Arachnoquake, starring Tracey Gold (Growing Pains), massive earthquakes unleash giant albino spiders. Freed from their ancient subterranean prison, the spiders go on a murderous rampage through New Orleans. Joining Gold will be Bug Hall (The Little Rascals), Ethan Phillips (Star Trek: Voyager) and Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day). The movie is a production of Active Entertainment. Arachnoquake is directed by Griff Furst.

· Bigfoot – Saturday, June 30 at 9PM – Television legends Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family) and Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch) star as life-long rivals battling over Bigfoot. Howard Hesseman (Head of the Class), Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks), Andre Royo (The Wire) and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper (School’s Out) co-star in the movie, which is directed by Oscar and Emmy nominee Bruce Davison (X-Men). Bigfoot is a production of The Asylum.

JULY

DESTINATION TRUTH (SEASON 5 PREMIERE)

Premieres Tuesday, July 10 at 8PM

Season 5 opens with two special back-to-back episodes, as Josh Gates and his team lead viewers on a chase into one of the world’s biggest caves in the jungles of Vietnam to search for Bigfoot. Then, at the overwhelming request of fans, they’ll travel to Romania for a return visit to the haunted Hoia Bachu Forest, the site of their most terrifying investigation to date, and then explore the reportedly haunted Mayan ruins of Tikal in pursuit of a monster known as the Belize Goblin. They’ll also lead viewers into a remote Transylvanian village on a hunt for vampires and journey to Kazakhstan (a Destination Truth first) to search for the legendary Kazakh monster. Destination Truth is executive produced by Brad Kuhlman for Ping Pong Productions (1000 Places to See Before You Die, Celebrity Rehab, FM Nation). Josh Gates and Erin Ryder serve as co-executive producers.

PARANORMAL HIGHWAY (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)

Premieres Tuesday, July 10 at 10PM

Paranormal Highway puts the pedal to the metal as Jack Osbourne and his friend Dana Workman do their own first-person investigations of the most frightening claims of paranormal activity along America’s remote back roads. Fueled by eyewitness interviews and evidence collected by Jack’s state-of-the-art equipment, he and Dana will travel alone, self-documenting their harrowing face-to-face encounters with the paranormal. Production company: BASE Productions. Executive producers: John Brenkus, Mickey Stern, Ron Ziskin.

EUREKA (SERIES FINALE)

Airs Monday, July 16 at 9PM

After five seasons, Syfy’s long-running original series comes to an end and the remarkable residents of Eureka say their goodbyes. During the thrilling final season, the town is reeling after the Astraeus and her crew mysteriously vanished just before their planned launch to Titan. As the town copes with the shocking personal changes caused by the Astraeus ordeal, they continue to uncover the truth about the forces behind the crew’s bizarre disappearance — with shocking results. Eureka stars Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Jack Carter) Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Joe Morton (Henry Deacon), Erica Cerra (Jo Lupo), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo) and Niall Matter (Zane Donovan). Co-creator Jaime Paglia and Bruce Miller are executive producers. The series is produced and distributed by Universal Cable Productions.

WAREHOUSE 13 (SEASON 4 PREMIERE)

Premieres Monday, July 23 at 9PM

Season 4 kicks off with the Warehouse Team still reeling from the shocking events of the climactic season three finale – the loss of Agent Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore), Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder), H.G. Wells (Jaime Murray) and the destruction of the Warehouse itself. Their only hope lies in racing to the other side of the Earth to hunt down an obscure artifact, which may or may not even exist – and if it does exist, what consequences will they face for using it? The most successful series in Syfy history, Warehouse 13 follows a team of government agents who work at a massive, top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and preternatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie Nielsen (Saul Rubinek) charges Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock), Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) and Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself. Sam Huntington (Being Human) will be among the star-studded array of season 4 guest stars. Warehouse 13 is produced for Syfy by Universal Cable Productions. Jack Kenny (The Book of Daniel) is executive producer and showrunner.

ALPHAS (SEASON 2 PREMIERE)

Premieres Monday, July 23 at 10PM

In Syfy’s action-packed hit drama series, an unlikely team of ordinary people with superhuman physical and mental abilities – known as Alphas – takes on mysterious cases the CIA, FBI and Pentagon are unable to solve and go head-to-head with criminal Alphas.

Season 2 picks up eight months after last year’s finale with the stage set for an explosive turn of events at the Binghamton facility (the Guantanamo of the Alpha world) that could have devastating, far-reaching consequences. Dr. Lee Rosen (Emmy Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn), having exposed the existence of Alphas to the unsuspecting public, finds himself discredited and imprisoned by a government desperate to cover up his revelation. The rest of the core team has disbanded and some, without Rosen’s guidance and care, have regressed to their old, destructive ways. They must now battle their individual demons in order to reunite and try to save their own.

Alphas also stars Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Ryan Cartwright and Laura Mennell. Erin Way (Detroit 187, Private Practice) joins the cast this season as “Kat” a mysterious young loner whose Alpha ability allows her to pick up any skill at a glance. But while her skills are permanent, her personal memories are short-lived. The series is produced by Universal Cable Productions and BermanBraun Television with executive producers Bruce Miller, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Gene Stein and Zak Penn. Penn and co-executive producer Michael Karnow are series creators.

AUGUST

PARANORMAL WITNESS (SEASON 2 PREMIERE)

Premieres Wednesday, August 8 at 10PM

Using a mixture of intimate first-hand testimony, actual home video and gritty realistic drama, the hit series Paranormal Witness returns to transport viewers into a world turned upside-down by extraordinary, terrifying and sometimes life-threatening paranormal events. Paranormal Witness is produced by Raw TV (Locked Up Abroad and Gold Rush Alaska). Executive producers are Dimitri Doganis and Bart Layton.

FACE OFF (SEASON 3 PREMIERE)

Premieres Tuesday, August 21 at 9PM

Syfy’s hit competition reality series returns for season 3 with 12 aspiring special effects make-up artists and their unlimited imaginations, competing to create amazing works of living art. The eleven-episode season will feature some of the most difficult challenges ever attempted and high power special guest judges. It all culminates in one winner and one $100,000 grand prize that will launch a career. McKenzie Westmore returns as host. The second season finale became the most watched unscripted telecast in the channel’s nearly 20-year history, transforming 3.58 million total viewers, based on Live+7 data. This also established a Syfy original series record – for scripted and unscripted programs – for most Adults 18-34 viewers with 1.01 million. Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton serving as executive producers.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

ABC plans to add 10 new series to its schedule in 2012-13, including four in the early fall.

It is shaking up the schedule on most nights. For example, scheming soap Revenge will move to 9 p.m. Sunday, between Once Upon a Time and the new 666 Park Avenue to create what one executive called a three-hour “battle of good and evil.”

And there will be tweaks to some shows. Dancing With the Stars in its fall run will feature fan favorites from previous seasons.

This Monday, May 14, 2012 photo shows TV personality Maria Menounos, left, and her partner Derek Hough performing on the celebrity dance competition series "Dancing with the Stars," in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ABC, Adam Taylor)

Gone from the ABC lineup are Desperate Housewives (which wrapped up its final season on Sunday), Charlie’s Angels, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Missing, Man Up, Pan Am, The River and Work It. ABC also dropped Cougar Town, but TBS has picked it up, with new episodes beginning in 2013.

Besides Once Upon a Time, Dancing With the Stars and Revenge, returning shows in the fall or later include America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Body of Proof, Castle, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, The Middle, Modern Family, Primetime: What Would You Do?, Private Practice, Scandal, Shark Tank, Suburgatory, 20/20 and Wife Swap.

In addition, police drama Rookie Blue will begin its summer run on May 24 and Secret Millionaire will be back on June 3.

Here are the lineup plans ABC announced Tuesday, for 8 to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 to 11 p.m. Sunday:

Mondays will consist of Dancing With the Stars and Castle. Beginning in January, The Bachelor will fill the Dancing slot.

Tuesdays will have the DWTS results at 8 p.m., followed by Happy Endings, Don’t Trust the B—- and Private Practice. When DWTS takes a break in January, its hour will go to the new comedies How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) and The Family Tools. Sarah Chalke of Scrubs stars in How to Live as a single mom who, with her daughter, moves back in with her parents (Elizabeth Perkins, Brad Garrett). Family Tools has an unsuccessful man trying to run his ailing father’s handyman business.

Wednesday will have the comedy block of The Middle, Suburgatory, Modern Family and new comedy The Neighbors (couple moves into a New Jersey community where everyone else is extraterrestrial) and drama Nashville. Thelma & Louise writer Callie Khouri created that last show, which stars Friday Night Lights’ Connie Britton as a fading country star and Heroes’ Hayden Panettiere as her unscrupulous, ambitious tour mate.

Thursday kicks off with Last Resort, a new drama from Shawn Ryan (The Shield, Chicago Code). It involves the crew of a nuclear submarine who, after defying orders to fire on Pakistan, take refuge on an exotic island — while still having their nukes. Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal complete the night.

Fridays at first will have Shark Tank, Primetime: What Would You Do? and 20/20. In November, that will change to Last Man Standing, new comedy Malibu Country, Shark Tank and 20/20. Malibu Country stars Reba McEntire, now being called just Reba, as a former singer who, after divorcing her music-legend husband, moves from Nashville to California and tries to restart her career.

Saturday will be college football. Sunday will have America’s Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon a Time, Revenge and 666 Park Avenue, about a building where the residents get all they desire but “shadowy, supernatural forces” may trap them, with Lost’s Terry O’Quinn and Desperate Housewives’ Vanessa Williams as the building’s owners.

ABC also ordered three shows that are not yet scheduled. Mistresses has Alyssa Milano in what ABC calls “a salacious new drama” about friends. secrecy and betrayal. Red Widow involves a widow (Radha Mitchell) from a crime family who wants the truth about her husband’s murder. And Zero Hour blends a clock shop, a treasure map, an abduction, a world at risk and ER’s Anthony Edwards.

ABC’s announcement came during a week of broadcast network proclamations. NBC and Fox have already issued schedules, with CBS and The CW coming. You can find lots more details about the lineups at the HeldenFiles Online, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

The official word:

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning worldwide pop icon Britney Spears and singer, songwriter and actress Demi Lovato will join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell as judges on THE X FACTOR, the hit singing competition series returning this fall on FOX.

Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history. Her musical career boasts nearly 100 million albums sold worldwide and countless awards and accolades, including the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award and Billboard’s Best-Selling Female Artist of the Decade (1998-2008). Spears first captivated audiences with her first single “…Baby One More Time,” an international hit that is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S. So far, Spears has earned a total of five No.1 debut albums and 24 Top 40 songs in her career.

Lovato is an accomplished singer and actress with a devoted and engaged young fan base. Her single, “Skyscraper,” off of her most recent album, “Unbroken,” recently went platinum, while the video for her new single, “Give Your Heart a Break,” already has garnered 10 million YouTube views. Her first album, “Don’t Forget,” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and her second album, “Here We Go Again,” debuted at No. 1. Lovato began acting at the age of 10, and starred in the cable television series, “Sonny With A Chance.” Her film credits include “Camp Rock” and “Princess Protection Program.”

“I’m absolutely delighted Britney and Demi are joining us,” said Simon Cowell. “Britney remains one of the biggest stars in the world, she’s talented, fascinating – and I believe she knows exactly how to spot THE X FACTOR. Demi’s had an amazing career in music, TV and film for someone her age. She’s young, confident, and enthusiastic. I think it’s really important that she speaks to our younger audience. The new panel will be dynamic and will work really well with the changes we are making to the show.”

Spears added, “I couldn’t be more excited to join THE X FACTOR judging panel. I’m a huge fan of the show and now I get to be a part of the action. Simon and L.A. better watch out!”

“I’m so thrilled to join this legendary group of judges on THE X FACTOR,” said Lovato. “To be able to spend each week with Simon, L.A. and Britney watching the best that America has to offer is truly a dream come true.”

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

Fox announced five new series — three comedies and two dramas — for its 2012-13 season on Monday. But the biggest news may be its moving Glee from Tuesdays to Thursdays in the fall.

The musical comedy-drama, set in a fictional high school in Lima, Ohio, will also have a “show within the show” component dealing with the characters who have moved to New York following graduation, add new characters in Lima and have both Kate Hudson and Sarah Jessica Parker in recurring roles during its fourth season.

Jane Lynch, a cast member in the television series "Glee," poses before a screening and Q&A for the show, at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, Tuesday, May 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Also returning to Fox are Bones, Raising Hope, New Girl, The X Factor, Touch, Fringe (for its final, 13-episode season), The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy and American Dad. American Idol, Hell’s Kitchen and Cops will also be back, later in the season. Both X Factor and American Idol will get some creative tweaks. Fox executives on Monday morning would not confirm reports of the hiring of Demi Lovato and Britney Spears as new X Factor judges alongside Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid, but an announcement was expected later in the day.

Series airing new episodes this summer include So You Think You Can Dance (May 24), Masterchef (June 4) and Hell’s Kitchen (June 4). The network has also ordered but not scheduled more Mobbed specials.

Shows no longer in Fox’s plans include Terra Nova, The Finder, Alcatraz, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Breaking In, Napoleon Dynamite and House, which announced some time ago that this season would be its last.

Here’s a rundown of the network’s current plans for the fall, 8 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Monday will have Bones at 8 p.m. followed at 9 by Mob Doctor, with Jordana Spiro (My Boys) as a surgeon working off her family’s debt to Chicago gangsters. Later in the season, Monday will include The Following, a new drama starring Kevin Bacon as an FBI agent chasing a serial killer; one Fox executive called it the network’s “next 24.” Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek, Vampire Diaries) created it.

Tuesday will be all comedy: the returning Raising Hope at 8 followed by new series Ben and Kate, the returning New Girl and new series The Mindy Project, starring and created by The Office’s Mindy Kaling. She plays an OB/GYN looking for a better love life. Ben and Kate involves an irresponsible man moving in with his more serious, younger sister to help raise her 5-year-old daughter.

Wednesdays will have The X Factor in the fall, and American Idol at midseason.

Thursdays will have The X Factor’s results show in the 8 p.m. hour in the fall, and then American Idol at midseason. The 9 p.m. hour will hold Glee.

Friday will be Touch at 8 p.m. and Fringe at 9, with Hell’s Kitchen coming in at midseason, after Fringe is done.

Saturday will be devoted to various sports in the fall, with Cops returning midseason.

Sunday will have overruns of NFL games and animated reruns in the 7 p.m. half-hour, The OT football recap or The Cleveland Show at 7:30, then The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy and American Dad completing the night.

Fox also announced a backup comedy without a planned time slot. That’s The Goodwin Games, where three siblings are vying for a $20 million inheritance by taking on challenges their late father left behind. Scott Foley is among the stars.

The schedule announcement came during a week of broadcast network “upfronts,” when programmers try to entice advertisers with their plans for the next season. NBC announced Sunday, Fox Monday, with ABC, CBS and The CW following. Extensive details of the new schedules can be found in the HeldenFiles Online, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

Some thoughts about "Smash," "Mad Men" and "Survivor." Also, this is the week when the broadcast networks announce their fall lineups, and I will be posting those announcements as they are made. You can see NBC’s below, and Fox’s is due this morning. Many of the details have already come out (as you can see, for example, on TV Tattle) but the boilerplate gives a fuller idea of what each network is thinking. 

As for recent and upcoming viewing, "Smash" concludes its first season tonight, and it’s been a roller coaster. As I have said before, I have liked the show-biz stuff and am far less impressed by the personal stories. Tonight tries to deal with both and — without getting too spoiler-y — I wonder if it has built a box for itself that will be very difficult to break out of in the second season. I will be back when the second season begins, but will be very wary of what direction the show takes. And may post more about the finale after you all have had a chance to see it.

"Mad Men" continues the season-long duel between the aging characters and the younger ones, and last night’s episode found Don feeling especially challenged by his proteges; Betty dismayed when she compares herself to Don’s new, young wife, and Roger having to turn to two young characters to get what he wants. Of course, Roger then touched on the other theme this year (and in past "Mad Men") — that getting what you want is not the same as getting what you need, and you can be as unhappy with what you have as without. Indeed, Roger finally seems to have learned that getting what he wants is destructive — much as it is for Don and the ad campaign, however much Don tries to justify his actions with getting the client.

Betty, with no suggestion of irony, says she is thankful for what she has — but we know better, especially with Henry’s career in decline. Don has moved up in his business — and likes being a boss — but is realizing that there are other smart guys in his wake. Peggy knows she is not always going to be the go-to person.

But the great character in the episode may be Sally, who is making herself in Betty’s image — and brilliantly — but is still seeing that both Betty and Megan have aspects of life that she may want. Sally may even be caught in the idea of how do you have it all: the glamorous independence of Megan and the domestic role of Betty. Only Megan, too, is faced with the realization that getting some of what she wanted — life with Don — diminishes any acting accomplishments she achieves. It is, indeed, too easy for her — which Betty also recognizes, and hates Megan for it.

"Survivor," meanwhile, ended in a way that, while hardly surprising, made perfect sense. Kim played a perfect game, strong in challenges (especilaly at the end, when she needed immunity most) and excellent at the social game. She had too much swagger at times, but she was right about her game-playing skill, as opposed to Alicia, who seemed to think she was the puppet master when she was never really running things. Of course, I hated Alicia from her vindictive early self to her deluded later self to her teary moment on the cast reunion, where her emotions seemed very, very false. I am also dreading the return of Colton, who — like Russell — still does not understand the difference betwen cold-blooded tactics and reveling in malice; but he is so horrifying, as the reunion show demonstrated yet again, that the show must be looking at him as one of the returners on "Survivor: Philippines." 

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

The official word: Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group; and Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2012-2013 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

“Television continues to be the most vibrant, emotionally rich platform in the world,” said Rice. “FOX has been the No. 1 network for eight seasons by delivering groundbreaking, engaging and culturally relevant shows that connect with our audience, not only on-air, but wherever they are in the digital or social space.”

“With first-year culture-driving hits like NEW GIRL and THE X FACTOR and strong returning tentpoles like AMERICAN IDOL and GLEE, we were laser focused on our development and it has really paid off,” said Reilly. “I have no doubt that our two genre-defying new dramas, our new FOX Sports Saturdays, and our three new distinctive, sharp and upscale comedies – all fronted by incredible talent – can propel FOX to even greater success.”

This fall, two new half-hour comedies – THE MINDY PROJECT and BEN AND KATE – will join RAISING HOPE and NEW GIRL on an all-new Tuesday night comedy block. Created by Emmy-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) and starring Kaling, Chris Messina (“Damages”), Anna Camp (“The Good Wife”) and newcomer Ed Weeks, THE MINDY PROJECT features Kaling as a skilled OB/GYN navigating the tricky waters of both her personal and professional life, as she pursues her dreams of becoming the perfect woman, finding the perfect man and getting her perfect romantic comedy ending.

BEN AND KATE, the heartwarming new sibling comedy created by Dana Fox (“What Happens In Vegas”) and directed by Jake Kasdan (“Bad Teacher”), also debuts Tuesdays this fall. Starring newcomer Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon (“Bad Teacher,” Academy Award-winning co-screenwriter of “The Descendants”), the comedy follows a pair of odd-couple siblings – one, an overly responsible single mom; the other, an exuberant kid-at-heart – and their friends as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life.

The compelling new drama THE MOB DOCTOR will debut this fall. Executive-produced by Josh Berman (BONES, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) and Rob Wright (“Crossing Jordan”), the engrossing character drama stars Jordana Spiro (“My Boys”) as a brilliant, life-saving surgeon caught in a complex web between her promising medical career and her family’s debt to Chicago’s Southside mob.

Edge-of-your-seat thriller THE FOLLOWING, created by Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek,” “Scream” franchise) and starring Golden Globe Award-winning Kevin Bacon (“X-Men,” “Frost/Nixon”) and James Purefoy (“Rome”), premieres in midseason. The spellbinding and intense drama follows an ex-FBI agent (Bacon) called out of retirement to track down a devious and diabolical serial killer (Purefoy), the mastermind behind a nationwide string of murders.

THE GOODWIN GAMES, the inventive new comedy from the executive producers of “How I Met Your Mother,” Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Chris Harris, is slated for midseason. Starring Scott Foley (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Felicity”), Becki Newton (“Ugly Betty”) and Jake Lacy (“Better With You”), the family comedy tells the story of three estranged siblings who return home after the loss of their beloved father (guest star Beau Bridges, “The Descendants”), and unexpectedly find themselves poised to inherit more than $20 million – if, and only if, they can adhere to their late father’s trivial wishes.

It was also announced that GLEE, the award-winning cultural phenomenon, will move this fall to Thursdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), following all-new installments of Simon Cowell’s THE X FACTOR (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). THE X FACTOR returns for Season Two with two new judges, who will join Cowell and L.A. Reid on the world’s largest search to award one global superstar or music group a $5 million record contract.

FOX series returning in 2012-2013 include: AMERICAN DAD (Season 8), AMERICAN IDOL (Season 12), BOB’S BURGERS (Season 3), BONES (Season 8), THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Season 4), COPS (Season 25), FAMILY GUY (Season 10), FRINGE (Season 5), GLEE (Season 4), HELL’S KITCHEN (Season 10), KITCHEN NIGHTMARES (Season 5), MASTERCHEF (Season 3), MOBBED (specials), NEW GIRL (Season 2), RAISING HOPE (Season 3), THE SIMPSONS (Season 24), SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Season 9) and TOUCH (Season 2). AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS, NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE and TEEN CHOICE 2012 will also return to the FOX schedule.

Keep up with all the new series on the FOX 2012-2013 primetime schedule at FOX.com or by “liking” the series on Facebook and following the series on Twitter:

Following are the FOX 2012-2013 primetime schedule and synopses of the new series:

FOX 2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                          BONES    

9:00-10:00 PM                        THE MOB DOCTOR (new)

  THE FOLLOWING (new) joins in midseason.                                  

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM                          RAISING HOPE

8:30-9:00 PM                          BEN AND KATE (new)

9:00-9:30 PM                          NEW GIRL

9:30-10:00 PM                        THE MINDY PROJECT (new)

  THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason. 

WEDNESDAY

8:00-10:00 PM                        THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)                  

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                          THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)

9:00-10:00 PM                        GLEE                   

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM                          TOUCH

9:00-10:00 PM                        FRINGE (fall)

  HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.  

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM                        FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)

  COPS returns in midseason.

  ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM                          NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)

7:30-8:00 PM                          THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW

8:00-8:30 PM                          THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM                          BOB’S BURGERS

9:00-9:30 PM                          FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM                        AMERICAN DAD

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Gallery and episodic photos from the new and returning series are available at www.foxflash.com. Additionally, embeddable promotional video from the new series will be posted to www.foxflash.com at the conclusion of the FOX 2012 Programming Presentation shortly after 5:00 PM ET today.]

FOX 2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

NEW SERIES SYNOPSES

The following new comedies will premiere this fall on FOX:

BEN AND KATE

What happens when an exuberant, irresponsible dreamer who always says “yes” moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? BEN AND KATE, a new single-camera young ensemble comedy, follows these odd-couple siblings as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. KATE FOX (Dakota Johnson, “The Social Network”) followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, MADDIE (Maggie Jones, “We Bought a Zoo,” “Footloose”), Kate put her twenties on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with five-year-old Maddie, she’s uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, BEN FOX (Nat Faxon, “Bad Teacher”). Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes you want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He’ll totally screw up your life, but somehow, you’ll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don’t let the Velcro wallet fool you – he’ll probably be a millionaire someday. When Ben comes to crash on Kate’s couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. Kate’s surviving, but not living. Ben realizes that for the first time in their lives, Kate needs his help and he’s determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by offering to help look after Maddie so Kate can get back to experiencing her mid-twenties and making mistakes, since the one real “mistake” she’s made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Always there to help with Ben’s crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, TOMMY (newcomer Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate’s British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch, “Bad Teacher”), is a cocktail waitress at the bar that Kate manages and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if her advice is often questionable and occasionally illegal. From writer/executive producer Dana Fox (NEW GIRL, “What Happens in Vegas”) and executive producer/director Jake Kasdan (NEW GIRL, “Bad Teacher”), BEN AND KATE is a heartwarming story of deeply mismatched siblings: a sister who needs to go for her dreams and a brother who needs to get his head out of the clouds.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20^th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment

CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Dana Fox

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jake Kasdan

CAST: Dakota Johnson as Kate, Nat Faxon as Ben, Maggie Jones as Maddie, Lucy Punch as BJ, Echo Kellum as Tommy

THE MINDY PROJECT

THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend’s wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger’s pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby? Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books – all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman…who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. JEREMY REED (British writer/comedian Ed Weeks) is the walking definition of total bad news. He not only shares a practice with Mindy, but sometimes her bed as well – despite her best efforts to resist. He is funny, self-absorbed and super sexy. In contrast, DANNY CASTELLANO (Chris Messina, “Damages”) is a hothead and guys’ guy who has a habit of stealing Mindy’s patients. Danny criticizes her for everything, including her struggling love life and her lack of professionalism – even though it’s obvious to everyone except Mindy that he secretly admires her work. His blue-collar childhood gives him a big chip on his shoulder, but he is a dedicated physician, which Mindy can’t stand to admit because he’s always getting on her case. Rounding out the office staff are the receptionists – BETSY PUTCH (Zoe Jarman, “Huge”), young, earnest and easily excitable, who thinks the world of Mindy and is always trying to impress her; and SHAUNA DICANIO (newcomer Dana DeLorenzo), a self-assured Jersey Girl who is indifferent to Mindy, always knows where the cool party is and carries a poorly concealed torch for Danny. Mindy is in constant communication with her beloved best friend from college, GWEN GRANDY (Anna Camp, “The Good Wife”), who also happens to be the governor’s daughter. Gwen is a hilarious, sometimes too-blunt friend, and secretly a former carefree party girl (which only Mindy seems to remember). Although Gwen is now happily married to a financial analyst, with a six-year-old daughter, this lawyer-turned-Pilates mom remains squarely in Mindy’s corner. As Mindy attempts to get her career off the ground and meet a guy who passes her red flag test (no drug habits, no skinny jeans and no secret families, among others), only time will tell if she gets her romantic comedy ending.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Universal Television, 3 Arts Entertainment

CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mindy Kaling

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Howard Klein, B.J. Novak (pilot)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charles McDougall (pilot)

CAST: Mindy Kaling as Mindy, Chris Messina as Danny, Ed Weeks as Jeremy, Anna Camp as Gwen, Zoe Jarman as Betsy, Dana DeLorenzo as Shauna

The following new drama will debut this fall on FOX:

THE MOB DOCTOR

For most physicians, the Hippocratic oath is sacred. But for one Chicago doctor, who is indebted to the mafia, saving lives isn’t her only concern. THE MOB DOCTOR is a fast-paced medical drama featuring a brilliant young female cardiothoracic surgeon who is split between two distinct worlds as she juggles her promising medical career with her lifelong debt as a doctor to Chicago’s Southside mob. DR. GRACE DEVLIN (Jordana Spiro, “My Boys”) is a top resident at Chicago’s Roosevelt Medical Center. Smart and self-assured, she’s heralded as one of the country’s most promising young surgeons. But family ties keep her glued to her Southside roots. To pay off her brother’s life-threatening gambling debt, she makes a deal with the devil and agrees to work “off book” for the mafia men she once despised.  During the day, Grace must deal with the emotionally compelling cases at Roosevelt Medical – a toddler in need of a heart transplant, an elderly man desperate to donate a lung to his sick wife, the mass chaos in the wake of a two-train collision on the ‘L.’ But in her other vastly different world, she must juggle an onslaught of mob-related demands, including operating in mob-sanctioned locations, removing bullets from dead bodies to hide incriminating evidence, saving a juiced-up race horse and covertly helping an aging mobster with his erectile dysfunction. All the while, Grace must keep her dual life a secret from everyone: her protective best friend, NURSE ROBERTA “RO” ANGELI (Floriana Lima, “Glory Daze”); her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend, DR. BRETT ROBINSON (Zach Gilford, “Off The Map,” “Friday Night Lights”); her boss at Roosevelt Medical and Chief of Surgery, DR. STAFFORD WHITE (Zeljko Ivanek, “The Event,” “Damages”); her rival, DR. OLIVIA WATSON (Jaime Lee Kirchner, “Necessary Roughness,” “Mercy”); even her well-meaning screw-up brother, NATE (Jesse Lee Soffer, “As the World Turns”), and her overly dramatic mother, DANIELLA (Wendy Makkena, “NCIS”). The only one who knows the true scope of Grace’s activities is the man to whom Grace owes her debt: the charming and diabolical Southside mob boss CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER (William Forsythe, “Boardwalk Empire”), an oddly compassionate killer whose relationship with Grace is more than it seems. Recently released from prison, the former head of the Chicago mob looks to reclaim his place in the organization, with the help of his right-hand associate – and Grace’s ex-boyfriend – FRANCO (James Carpinello, “The Good Wife”). As Grace tries to heed the demands of these two conflicting worlds – not to mention the needs of her own slightly dysfunctional family – her moral center comes into direct conflict with the very immoral things she’s asked to do. But with nerves of steel and a tough-as-nails exterior, she somehow manages to make it all work – at least for now. 

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sony Pictures Television

CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Berman, Rob Wright

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Dinner

CAST: Jordana Spiro as Dr. Grace Devlin, William Forsythe as Constantine Alexander, Floriana Lima as Nurse “Ro” Angeli, Zach Gilford as Dr. Brett Robinson, Jaime Lee Kirchner as Dr. Olivia Watson, Zeljko Ivanek as Dr. Stafford White, James Carpinello as Franco, Jesse Lee Soffer as Nate Devlin, Wendy Makkena as Daniella Devlin

The new drama set to debut midseason is:

THE FOLLOWING

THE FBI estimates there are currently over 300 active serial killers in the United States. What would happen if these killers had a way of communicating and connecting with each other? What if they were able to work together and form alliances across the country? What if one brilliant psychotic serial killer was able to bring them all together and activate a following? Welcome to THE FOLLOWING, the terrifying new thriller from creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek,” the “Scream” franchise). When notorious serial killer JOE CARROLL (James Purefoy, “Rome”) escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, the FBI calls former agent RYAN HARDY (Emmy-nominated actor Kevin Bacon, “X-Men: First Class”) to consult on the case. Having since withdrawn from the public eye, Hardy was responsible for Carroll’s capture nine years ago, after Carroll murdered 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature. Hardy is a walking textbook of all-things Carroll. He knows him better than anyone; he is perhaps Carroll’s only psychological and intellectual match. But the Ryan Hardy who broke the Carroll case years ago isn’t the same man today. Wounded both physically and mentally by his previous pursuit of this serial killer, it’s been a long time since Hardy has been in the field. This investigation is his redemption, his call to action. In contrast to nine years ago, Hardy isn’t calling the shots on this case. He works closely with an FBI team, which includes all-business and tough-as-nails JENNIFER MASON (Jeananne Goossen, “The Vow,” ALCATRAZ) and young, razor-sharp MIKE WESTON (Shawn Ashmore, “X-Men”).

The team considers Hardy to be more of a liability than an asset. But Hardy proves his worth when he uncovers that Carroll was covertly communicating with a network of killers in the outside world. It quickly becomes obvious that he has more planned than just a prison escape, and there’s no telling how many additional killers are out there. The FBI’s investigation leads Hardy to CLAIRE MATTHEWS (Natalie Zea, “Justified”), Carroll’s ex-wife and mother of the criminal’s 10-year-old son, JOEY (newcomer Kyle Catlett). Close during Hardy’s initial investigation, Hardy turns to Claire for insight into Carroll’s next move. The tension rises when Carroll’s accomplices kidnap his intended last victim from nine years ago. Hardy becomes ever more determined to end Carroll’s game when he realizes that this psychopath intends to finish what he started. The thriller will follow Hardy and the FBI as they are challenged with the ever-growing web of murder around them, masterminded by the devious Carroll, who dreams of writing a novel with Hardy as his protagonist. The reinvigorated Hardy will get a second chance to capture Carroll, as he’s faced with not one but a cult of serial killers.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, Outerbanks Entertainment, Bonanza Productions Inc.

CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kevin Williamson

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Marcos Siega

CAST: Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, Jeananne Goossen as Agent Jennifer Mason, Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews, Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews, Shawn Ashmore as Agent Weston, Valorie Curry as Denise, Adan Canto as Billy Thomas, Nico Tortorella as Will Wilson

The new comedy slated for midseason is:

THE GOODWIN GAMES

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when that will’s worth more than 20 million dollars, you can bet someone’s going to find a way to get the cash. From the executive producers of “How I Met Your Mother,” THE GOODWIN GAMES is a single-camera comedy that tells the story of three grown siblings who return home after their father’s death, and unexpectedly find themselves poised to inherit a vast fortune – if they adhere to their late father’s wishes. If any of the Goodwin kids feel like they deserve the money, then it’s HENRY (Scott Foley, “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Felicity”), the eldest child and an overachieving surgeon. He sees himself as a role model for his less successful siblings – and reminds them every chance he gets. Returning home will force Henry to question the choices he’s made, especially as he reconnects with his first love and true soulmate, LUCINDA (Felisha Terrell, “Days of Our Lives”). Middle sibling CHLOE (Becki Newton, “Ugly Betty”) was a child prodigy in math, and her unofficial role as “the smart one” of the family still sends Henry into fits of jealousy. But long ago, Chloe gave up academics in favor of being the popular girl. Now, through a series of hidden messages, her late father will lead Chloe back to her old love of numbers – and back to the person she’s meant to be. Of the three siblings, the youngest, JIMMY (Jake Lacy, “Better With You”), could use the inheritance the most. A small-time ex-con and dull-witted guitarist who’s deep in debt to a loan shark, Jimmy may be the family screw-up, but he has more heart than anyone. Like his siblings, Jimmy’s also returning to something in this town: his eight-year-old daughter. Pulling the strings from beyond the grave is the

children’s late father, BENJAMIN (guest star Beau Bridges, “The Descendants”), a college math professor. Guilty over not parenting his kids better, Benjamin has left behind a series of unique challenges – administered by his estate attorney APRIL (newcomer Melissa Tang). Through these tasks, Benjamin hopes he can get his children to rediscover their true selves and learn the lessons he failed to instill in them while he was alive. Their potential reward? More than 20 million dollars – a fortune that they never knew their father had – and the chance to become the people their father wanted them to be. So let THE GOODWIN GAMES begin! 

PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20^th Century Fox Television

CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Chris Harris

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed (pilot)

CAST: Scott Foley as Henry, Becki Newton as Chloe, Jake Lacy as Jimmy, Felisha Terrell as Lucinda, Melissa Tang as April

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

The official word: NBC announced today an ambitious new primetime lineup for the 2012-13 primetime season that combines one of the top-quality returning lineups on television with a new fall edition of the red-hot musical competition "The Voice" and a crop of six new scripted series in the fall and four at mid-season.

Highlights of the new schedule include an expansion of comedy to Tuesday and Friday nights for a total of five full hours of primetime comedy; the first fall cycle of the hit competition "The Voice" and compelling new dramas from J.J. Abrams and Dick Wolf on Monday and Wednesday nights, respectively.

The season’s new fall comedies are "Go On," "The New Normal," "Animal Practice" and "Guys with Kids."  Other mid-season comedies include "Save Me," "1600 Penn" and "Next Caller." 

The new fall dramas are "Revolution" and "Chicago Fire," while "Do No Harm," "Infamous" and "Hannibal" also will join the lineup in mid-season.

In addition, new alternative series include "Stars Earn Stripes," "Howie Mandel’s White Elephant," "Ready for Love," and "Surprise with Jenny McCarthy."

NBC’s returning shows are highlighted by "The Voice," which returns on Mondays (8-10 p.m. ET) and includes an additional weekly hour on Tuesdays (8-9 p.m. ET).

Other returning scripted series are "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Office," "30 Rock," "Community," "Parenthood," "Parks and Recreation," "Whitney" and "Up All Night."  The alternative series returning are "The Celebrity Apprentice," "Fashion Star," "The Biggest Loser" and "Betty White’s Off Their Rockers." Also renewed are "Dateline NBC" and "Rock Center with Brian Williams."  "Smash" and "Grimm" were given pickups earlier in the season.

The announcements were made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

"We’ve taken a few first steps toward a turnaround over this past season and now we’re seeing a real opportunity to accelerate that process," said Greenblatt.  "We’ve got a lineup of new shows that will really get people to sit up and take notice.  And with the Olympics coming this summer and two nights of ‘The Voice’ in the fall, we’ve also got the tools we need to give our shows the kind of launch they deserve."

Embeddable clips from the new NBC shows are available at: http://www.nbc.com/new-shows/

For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at: http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.

Please like us on http://www.facebook.com/nbc, and follow us at http://twitter.com/nbc and #NBC.

NBC FALL 2012-13 SCHEDULE
*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. – "REVOLUTION"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. –"The Voice"
9-9:30 p.m. – "GO ON"
9:30-10 p.m. – "THE NEW NORMAL"
10-11 p.m. – "Parenthood"

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – "ANIMAL PRACTICE"
8:30-9 p.m. – "GUYS WITH KIDS"
9-10 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. – "CHICAGO FIRE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – "30 Rock"
8:30-9 p.m. – "Up All Night"
9-9:30 p.m. – "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. – "Parks and Recreation"
10-11 p.m. – "Rock Center with Brian Williams"

FRIDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – "Whitney"
8:30-9 p.m. – "Community"
9-10 p.m. – "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY (Fall 2012)
7- 8:15 p.m. — "Football Night in America"
8:15-11:30 p.m. — "NBC Sunday Night Football"

SUNDAY (Post-football/Winter 2013)
7-8 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. – "Fashion Star"
9-10 p.m. – "The Celebrity Apprentice"
10-11 p.m. – "DO NO HARM"

2012-13 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

(Please note: All of the new show websites, video clips and embeddable videos will be active shortly).

New Comedies

"Go On" — Misery loves company. Unless you’re sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, "Friends," "Mr. Sunshine") who thinks misery should just be left alone. After taking some time off, Ryan – who recently lost his wife in a car accident – is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won’t set him back on the air until he seeks counseling. So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible. Played by the fast-talking, sarcastic, and charismatic Perry, Ryan gives grief a real run for its money. Within one day of group therapy, he hijacks the meeting and suddenly the downtrodden are cajoled into playing a game of "who’s got the best sob story?" And in no time all of them are battling it out, trying to one-up each other’s despair. Now, this is fun! Ryan’s total lack of interest in healing might be just what this group needs – and maybe, exactly what he needs to move on with his life. Also starring are Tony winner Laura Benanti ("The Playboy Club"), Julie White ("Transformers"), Suzy Nakamura ("Dodgeball"), Khary Payton ("General Hospital") and Allison Miller ("Terra Nova").  From the Emmy-winning writer and executive producer Scott Silveri ("Perfect Couples," "Friends") comes a new series that proves grief can be good.  Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle") and Karey Burke ("Free Agents," "Miss/Guided") also serve as executive producers.  The pilot was directed by Holland. "Go On" is a production of Universal Television, Dark Toy Entertainment and Silver & Gold Productions.

For embeddable clips from "Go On," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/go-on/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/. Please like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/NBCGoOn and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCGo_On

"The New Normal" — These days, families come in all forms – single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors… It’s 2012 and anything goes. Bryan (Andrew Rannells, "Girls," "The Book of Mormon") and David (Justin Bartha, "The Hangover") are a Beverly Hills couple and they have it all. Well, almost. With successful careers and a committed and loving partnership, the one thing missing is a baby. And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, "One Day"), an extraordinary young woman with a checkered past. A Midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother (Ellen Barkin, "Ocean’s Thirteen"), Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious 8-year-old daughter.  Desperate and broke – but also fertile – Goldie quickly becomes the guys’ surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams.  Surrogate mother, surrogate family. "The New Normal" is produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Ryan Murphy Productions.  Murphy serves as creator/executive producer and director along with executive producer/creator/writer Ali Adler ("Glee," "Chuck") and executive producer Dante Di Loreto ("Glee," "American Horror Story").

For embeddable clips from "The New Normal," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/the-new-normal/. For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NBCTheNewNormal and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCTheNewNormal

"Animal Practice" — Meet Dr. George Coleman (Justin Kirk, "Weeds"), a top-dog New York veterinarian. With an unorthodox style of operating, George’s success comes from his undeniable gift with animals of all kinds. That is, all but the human kind. Dorothy Crane once held the key to George’s heart, but today she also holds the key to the family business as she takes over Crane Animal Hospital.  Not only is she George’s new boss, but her romantic history with him and her lack of experience with animals is seriously cramping his style.  Dorothy is whip-smart and ambitious, and she’s going to make George pay for the past.  Needless to say, he’s determined not to make any changes in his (animal) kingdom — which includes poker games with a resident capuchin monkey.  Also starring are Tyler Labine ("Reaper," "Sons of Tucson") as Dr. Doug Jackson, a vet who’s great with animals but hapless in matters of the heart, Bobby Lee ("Harold & Kumar") as Dr. Yamamoto, and newcomer Betsy Sodaro as Angela.  "Animal Practice" is a production of Universal Television and American Work Inc.  The executive producers are Scot Armstrong ("The Hangover Part II," "Old School") and Ravi Nandan ("Best Friends Forever") of American Work Inc. ("Best Friends Forever") along with Emmy Award winners Joe & Anthony Russo ("Community," "Arrested Development").  "Animal Practice" was written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka ("The Sitter"), who also serve as executive producers.  Gail Lerner ("Happy Endings") also is an executive producer.  Directed by the Emmy-winning Russo brothers, "Animal Practice" is a comedy where the animals are running the asylum.

For embeddable clips from "Animal Practice," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/animal-practice/. For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/. 
Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnimalPractice and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AnimalPractice

"Guys with Kids" — From Emmy winner and executive producer Jimmy Fallon comes a new comedy about three thirty-something dads trying to hold on to their youth, while holding onto their new babies’ hands.  Easy, right?  Thankfully, Chris (Jesse Bradford, "The West Wing"), Nick (Zach Cregger, "Friends with Benefits") and Gary (Anthony Anderson, "Law & Order") have each other to help navigate their survival as new dads, while still trying desperately to remain dudes. Balancing work or staying at home, painfully married or happily divorced, they know that taking care of the little ones while maintaining a social life is a daily challenge. Whether it’s hosing the little squirt down in the kitchen sink or hitting the bar strapped with a baby björn, these guys are on a roller-coaster adventure – parenting like you (and they) have never seen before.  Also starring are Jamie Lynn Sigler ("The Sopranos") and Tempestt Bledsoe ("The Cosby Show").  Someone once said it is much easier to become a father than to be one. These three guys are about to find out just how true that is. "Guys with Kids" is produced by Universal Television and Holiday Road.  Fallon ("Late Night with Jimmy Fallon") serves as executive producer/creator along with executive producer/creator/writer Charlie Grandy (NBC’s "The Office") and executive producer/creator Amy Ozols ("Late Night with Jimmy Fallon") as well as executive producers Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz ("Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place," "American Dad").   Emmy-nominated director Scott Ellis ("Modern Family," "30 Rock") is the director.

For embeddable clips from "Guys with Kids," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/guys-with-kids/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.
Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GuyswithKids and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCGuysWithKids.

"Save Me" — Welcome to the Midwestern suburbs, where exciting things never happen. Well, almost never.  After a near-death experience (choking on a hero sandwich), Beth (Emmy nominee Anne Heche, "Hung") is revived only to realize she now has a direct line to God. Of course, her husband Tom (Michael Landes, "Final Destination 2") is skeptical and dismissive – and his mistress (Alexandra Breckenridge, "American Horror Story") is stunned to learn that her lover’s wife is now a prophet!  But when inexplicable things begin to happen, everyone’s beliefs are tested. Beth starts to say and do things that shock her family and entrance her friends, but she isn’t going to be your typical "fire and brimstone" prophet. Let’s just say, if God had a desperate housewife as His mouthpiece, Beth would be it!  She is the absolute last person on Earth who would be chosen. Then again, they say He works in mysterious ways. And this one is a real mystery! Heather Burns ("Bored to Death") and Madison Davenport ("Shameless") also star.  "Save Me" is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Original Film. Novelist John Scott Shepherd ("Henry’s List of Wrongs," "The Days") is executive producer/creator along with executive producer/director Scott Winant ("Breaking Bad," "True Blood," "Californication") and executive producers Neal H. Moritz ("The Big C," "Prison Break," "Fast Five"), Vivian Cannon ("The Big C") and Alexa Junge ("Friends," "Sex and the City").

For embeddable clips from "Save Me," please visit NBC.com’s official show site: www.nbc.com/save-me/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NBCSaveMe  and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/SaveMe

"1600 Penn" — The Gilchrists are just the average American family dealing with all the everyday issues – like a grown kid who’s forced to move back home, children who are smarter than their teachers and a stepmom (Jenna Elfman, "Dharma and Greg") desperately trying to win over the kids. They’re loving, fun and a little crazy. In other words, just like everybody else. With one exception: they live in a very special house. The White House! Whether it’s entertaining foreign dignitaries, sneaking away for a night out, dealing with middle school crushes or putting out fires – figuratively and sometimes literally – there’s never a dull moment in the Gilchrist White House. For example, the First Son (Josh Gad, star of Broadway sensation "The Book of Mormon") is one of the administration’s biggest liabilities, but also the glue that holds this family together. The President (Bill Pullman, "Independence Day," "While You Were Sleeping") knows too well that the only thing harder than being Head of State is being head of the family. Also starring are Martha MacIsaac ("Superbad"), Andre Holland ("Friends with Benefits"), Amara Miller ("The Descendants") and Benjamin Stockham ("Sons of Tucson").  "Modern Family" meets "The West Wing" in this election-year comedy from Emmy-winning executive producer/director Jason Winer ("Modern Family"). The executive producers are Winer, Gad and Jon Lovett (former White House speechwriter).  Winer also directed the pilot.  "1600 Penn" is produced by 20th Century Fox.

For embeddable clips from "1600 Penn," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/1600-penn/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/. 
Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/1600Penn and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBC1600Penn.

"Next Caller" — What happens when a foulmouthed satellite radio DJ – played by the multi-platinum selling artist and outrageously charming Dane Cook ("My Best Friend’s Girl") – is forced to share the mic with a chipper NPR feminist?  It’s anyone’s call in this sharp new comedy from producer Stephen Falk ("Weeds") and Emmy-winning director Marc Buckland ("Grimm," "My Name Is Earl"). It’s her first day in New York City, and 26-year-old Stella Hoobler (Collette Wolfe, "Young Adult") is ready to take on the world.  After a stint on public radio, she’s been hired to co-host the no-holds-barred show "Booty Calls with Cam Dunne." Smart, spunky and passionate, Stella is determined to elevate the show beyond its boy’s-club-locker-room humor into a respected debate about men, women and the state of human relationships. But there’s a problem: Cam!  She’s going to find out the hard way that he’s got no intention of sharing the spotlight, especially with someone like her. It’s going to be a tense fight, but with the station’s one rule being "make some noise," Cam and Stella could be a winning combination – as long as they don’t knock each other out on their way to success.  Jeffrey Tambor ("Arrested Development"), Joy Osmanski ("True Jackson, VP") and Wolé Parks ("Premium Rush") also star.  The series is created and executive-produced by Stephen Falk ("Weeds") and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Marc Buckland ("Grimm," "My Name Is Earl"), who also serves as executive producer on the pilot.  "Next Caller" is produced by Lionsgate Television and Universal Television.

For embeddable clips from "Next Caller," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/next-caller/. For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NextCaller and follow us on Twitter  https://twitter.com/NBCNextCaller

New Dramas

"Revolution" — Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why?  Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it?  On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.  From director Jon Favreau ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams ("Lost," "Person of Interest") and Eric Kripke ("Supernatural"), comes a surprising "what if" action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally. The series stars Billy Burke ("The Twilight Saga"), Tracy Spiridakos ("Being Human"), Anna Lise Phillips ("Terra Nova"), Zak Orth ("Romeo + Juliet"), Graham Rogers ("Memphis Beat"), J.D. Pardo ("A Cinderella Story"),  Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad"), David Lyons ("The Cape"), Maria Howell ("The Blind Side"), Tim Guinee ("Iron Man") and Andrea Roth ("Rescue Me").  Kripke, Abrams, Favreau and Bryan Burk ("Lost," "Star Trek") serve as executive producers.  "Revolution" is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television.  The pilot was directed by Favreau.

For embeddable clips from "Revolution," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/revolution/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/Revolution and follow us on Twitter  https://twitter.com/NBCRevolution

"Chicago Fire" — No job is more stressful, dangerous or exhilarating than those of the Firefighters, Rescue Squad and Paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51. These are America’s everyday heroes — the courageous men and women who forge headfirst into danger when everyone else is running the other way. But the enormous responsibilities of the job also take a personal toll. Big reputations and hefty egos, coupled with the pressure to perform and make split-second decisions, are bound to put squad members at odds. When a tragedy claims one of their own, there’s plenty of guilt and blame to go around. In the middle of a divorce, Lt. Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer, "House M.D.") tries to go about business as usual but can’t help butting heads with the brash Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney, "The Vampire Diaries") of the Rescue Squad – and each blames the other for their fallen team member.  When it’s "go-time" though, they put aside their differences and put everything on the line for each other. "Chicago Fire" is a look inside one of America’s noblest professions. Also starring are Eamonn Walker ("The Messenger"), Charlie Barnett, ("Law & Order: SVU"), David Eigenberg ("Sex and the City"), Monica Raymund ("The Good Wife"), Lauren German ("Hawaii Five-O"), Teri Reeves ("Three Rivers") and Merle Dandridge ("Sons of Anarchy").  "Chicago Fire" is produced by Universal Television and Wolf Films.  Emmy Award-winning creator/ producer Dick Wolf ("Law & Order" brand), Derek Haas ("3:10 to Yuma"), Michael Brandt ("3:10 to Yuma"), Peter Jankowski ("Law & Order" brand) and Danielle Gelber serve as executive producers.  Haas and Brandt wrote the pilot, which was directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff ("Homeland"). From renowned Emmy-winning producer Dick Wolf and the writing team behind "3:10 to Yuma" comes an edge-of-your-seat view of a dirty job that often means the difference between life and death.

For embeddable clips from "Chicago Fire," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/chicago-fire/ For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/
Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCChicagoFire and follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/NBCChicagoFire

"Do No Harm" — Dr. Jason Cole (Steven Pasquale, "Rescue Me") is a highly respected neurosurgeon who has it all – a lucrative career, confident charm, the gift of compassion. But he also has a deep, dark secret. One morning when he wakes up disoriented in a wrecked hotel room amidst several near-naked women he’s never seen before, he knows one thing: it’s happening again. Every night at the same hour, something inside Jason changes, leaving him almost unrecognizable – seductive, devious, borderline sociopathic. This new man is his dangerous alternate personality who goes by the name of ‘Ian Price.’ For years he’s battled Ian, keeping him in check with a powerful experimental sedative.  But now his – their – body has developed a resistance to the serum, setting Ian free once again. And to make matters worse, after being suppressed for so long, Ian’s hell-bent on taking revenge on his oppressor. With everyone Jason cares about at risk – patients, friends, coworkers and even the woman he loves – he’s got to stop Ian once and for all. Will they find some common ground, or will they bring each other down? Hell hath no fury like an alter ego scorned. Also starring are Alana De La Garza ("Law & Order"), Mousa Kraish ("Superbad"), Michael Esper ("A Beautiful Mind"), Ruta Gedmintas ("The Borgias") and Phylicia Rashad ("The Cosby Show").  "Do No Harm" is produced by Universal Television and Traugott Company.  The executive producer/writer is David Schulner ("Desperate Housewives," "The Event").  Peter Traugott ("Ringer") and Rachel Kaplan ("Ringer") also are executive producers.  Michael Mayer (NBC’s "Smash") is the co-executive producer and director.  

For embeddable clips from "Do No Harm," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/do-no-harm/ For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/ Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCDoNoHarm and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCDoNoHarm

"Infamous" — When wealthy socialite and notorious party girl Vivian Bowers is found dead of an overdose, no one is really surprised.  The heiress to the Bowers pharmaceutical empire has been tabloid fodder for years: wild, pretty, privileged… and now dead at the age of 32.  But for FBI agent Will Moreno (Laz Alonso, "Avatar"), things don’t add up with this suspicious dynasty.  Convinced that the troubled girl’s death was a homicide, he has a clever plan to get to the truth.  Her name is Detective Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good, "Think Like a Man").  Twenty years ago she was Vivian’s best friend and practically grew up inside the Bowers’ home.  And when she appears at Vivian’s funeral, the family re-embraces her and no one is the wiser.  Joanna quickly begins to uncover dark secrets and clues about why Vivian’s life was very much in danger.  At the same time, she rekindles an old romantic relationship and rediscovers the allure of the luxurious lifestyle she once knew.  She’s about to see once again just how the other half lives… and dies.  Also starring are Victor Garber ("Alias"), Tate Donovan ("Damages"), Katherine La Nasa ("Alfie") and Ella Rae Peck ("Gossip Girl").  "Infamous" comes from executive producer/writer Liz Heldens ("Friday Night Lights") and director Peter Horton ("Grey’s Anatomy," "Dirty Sexy Money").  Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein are also executive producers.  The series is from Universal Television and BermanBraun.  

For embeddable clips from "Infamous," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/infamous/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.
Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Infamous and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCInfamous

"Hannibal" — One of the most fascinating literary characters comes to life on television for the first time: psychiatrist-turned-serial-killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.  In this new drama from Bryan Fuller ("Pushing Daisies," "Heroes"), based on the characters from Thomas Harris’ classic novels, we see where this incredible story began. Will Graham (Hugh Dancy, "The Big C") is a gifted criminal profiler who is on the hunt for a serial killer with the FBI. Graham’s unique way of thinking gives him the astonishing ability to empathize with anyone – even psychopaths. He seems to know what makes them tick. But when the mind of the twisted killer he’s pursuing is too complicated for even Will to comprehend, he enlists the help of Dr. Lecter, one of the premier psychiatric minds in the country. Armed with the uncanny expertise of the brilliant doctor, Will and Hannibal (known as a serial killer only to the audience) form a brilliant partnership and it seems there’s no villain they can’t catch. If Will only knew…  Fuller is writer and executive producer.  Martha De Laurentis ("Red Dragon," "Hannibal"), Sara Colleton ("Dexter"), Jesse Alexander ("Lost", "Heroes"), and Katie O’Connell also serve as executive producers.  David Slade is the director/executive producer for the series pilot.  "Hannibal" is produced by Gaumont International Television.
For embeddable clips from "Hannibal," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/hannibal/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.
Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCHannibal and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCHannibal

New Alternative Shows

"Stars Earn Stripes" – The TV cop who wants to prove he can handle a gun in real life.  The athlete making the transition from field to battlefield.  The performer who wants to show how well she can perform under a different kind of pressure.  In this fierce, entertaining and emotionally charged new competition honoring America’s armed forces, nine celebrities will gather at a secret training facility where they will be challenged to execute complicated missions inspired by real military exercises. From helicopter drops into treacherous locations to long range weapons fire, these stars will be tested physically, mentally and emotionally – and emerge in awe of the men and women who do such tasks on behalf of our country every day.  From executive producers Dick Wolf ("Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU"), Mark Burnett ("The Voice," "Survivor") and David A. Hurwitz ("Fear Factor"), this extraordinary show will donate money raised through the competition to veterans’ charities.  Committed to hiring recent vets onto the crew, "Stars Earn Stripes" hopes to inspire other employers throughout the country to make similar commitments to our returning heroes, not to mention proving how impossible their service missions really are.  The series is a production of Universal Television, One Three Television, LLC, Wolf Reality, LLC and Bill’s Market & Television Productions.

For information on "Stars Earn Stripes," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/stars-earn-stripes/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StarsEarnStripes and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCStarsStripes

"Howie Mandel’s White Elephant" — From Howie Mandel ("America’s Got Talent") comes an exciting new game show based on one of the most wildly popular holiday party games in America. A contestant selects a box from a studio full of unmarked packages containing millions of dollars in prizes, showing what’s inside to the others. Then, the next player is faced with a potentially life-changing dilemma: do they steal a prize that has already been revealed, or do they take a chance with another unopened box, hoping what’s inside is worth more? But that’s just the beginning. When there are only two contestants left, Howie will reveal what’s inside the boxes and give the players a choice: share… or steal. If both players choose to share, they will each keep the prizes they have won in the prior rounds. If one player shares and the other steals, the player that chose to steal will go home with all the prizes. But if both choose to steal, they both go home with nothing! The stakes are insanely high as each contestant grapples with the choice of a lifetime… and the white elephant in the room.  "Howie Mandel’s White Elephant" is from Universal Television and Alevy Productions.  Mandel and Mike Marks are the executive producers.

For information on "Howie Mandel’s White Elephant," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  www.nbc.com/howie-mandels-white-elephant/. For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/. Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NBCWhiteElephant and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/WhiteElephant

"Ready for Love" — What does it take to find your soul mate? Well, producer Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives") is inviting every eligible woman in America to participate in an innovative and dramatic new dating competition to find out how easy it can be. She has hand-selected three impossibly handsome grooms and enlisted the three best Matchmakers in the world to find them life partners. Let the dating begin! The show kicks off with mass auditions screened by the Matchmakers, and then launches into a romantic journey that will combine the best elements of in-studio competition and story-based reality. Each week, the contestants will be whittled down until the dramatic finale, when the three "grooms" and final three "brides" decide if they’ll get engaged, married or simply live happily ever after… because they’re all Ready for Love! Bill Rancic ("Giuliana and Bill") and Giuliana DePandi-Rancic ("Giuliana and Bill," "Fashion Police") are the hosts.  "Ready for Love" is produced by Renegade 83, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Television. Longoria, Jason Ehrlich ("The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette"), Greg Goldman ("Secret Millionaire," "Don’t Forget the Lyrics!"), David Garfinkle ("Blind Date," "The 5th Wheel")  and Jay Renfroe ("Blind Date," "The 5th Wheel") serve as executive producers. 

For embeddable clips from "Ready for Love," please visit NBC.com’s official show site:  http://www.nbc.com/ready-for-love/.  For artwork and press information, please visit the NBC Universal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.  Please like us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/NBCReadyforLove and follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/readyforlove.

"Surprise With Jenny McCarthy" – Actress, comedienne and best-selling author Jenny McCarthy hosts "Surprise With Jenny McCarthy," a unique variety show that will treat the audience to a funny, irreverent and heart-warming television experience that centers around giving people surprises of a lifetime. "Surprise With Jenny McCarthy" will spotlight multiple surprises within the one-hour episode — from dramatic reunions to surprise announcements to good-natured pranks with fantastic feel-good twists.  And, whether the surprise is an emotional roller coaster, a heartfelt thank-you, a hero’s reward or a slightly devilish prank with a happy ending, viewers get a chance to know the true stories of the people involved, which makes the payoffs all the more meaningful.  As ringleader, cheerleader, head instigator and mistress of ceremonies, McCarthy helps pull off all kinds of incredible surprises on people from all walks of life.  Funny, touching, engaging, exciting and always unpredictable, "Surprise With Jenny McCarthy" will keep viewers laughing, crying and on the edge of their seats. Arthur Smith ("Hell’s Kitchen," "Kitchen Nightmares") and Paul Buccieri are executive producers of the presentation from A. Smith & Co. and ITV Studios.

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

Every time a new casino opens in a place like Cleveland, the ancient aura of a casino fades a little.

Just getting to a casino used to be a pilgrimage. To Las Vegas, certainly. And later, though with some diminishment, to Atlantic City. Or you had to cross borders, to polyglot places full of tuxedoed men and long-dressed women.

Actor George Clooney appears in a scene from the Warner Bros. film "Ocean's Eleven," a remake co-starring Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon. (AP Photo/Bob Marshak, Warner Bros.)

This was more than sitting around a table with a deck of cards; we’re not talking about gambling movies per se but casino movies. Ones in places with the air of the exotic, whether from those European rounds of baccarat and roulette, or the lights of Vegas rising from the desert night.

In that air was danger in the form of spies, mobsters and ruthless casino bosses. There was the chance for outrageousness, not only financial but also sexual and just plain crazy. (See: The Hangover and the much darker Very Bad Things.)

There was that sense of being in a place that had no relation to the rest of your existence — a playground for grownups, with the price paid in chips but not remorse.

These days, instead of hopping a plane to a land of dreams, you hop in the car for a trip to West Virginia, Pennsylvania — or, now, a county up north. The magic is now as false as the sound of coins from an electronic slot machine.

Don’t get me wrong. I have been to casinos in Vegas, but also to one in West Virginia. But the latter, as sprawling and bright as it may have been, did not seem the sort of place to add to the screen literature of casinos, a literature that is often entwined with adventure and with Vegas, still the spiritual Mecca of casino gambling.

The James Bond novel Casino Royale has been adapted for the screen three times (a TV production in 1954 and movies in 1967 and 2006), and there’s a Casino Royale in the Bond film Never Say Never Again.

TV has been drawn to Vegas again and again, including in the series Vega$ (with Ohio’s own Robert Urich), Las Vegas, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (which has lasted more than a decade and will be back again in the fall) and Crime Story.

The casinos onscreen often were monuments to wealth — yours sometimes, theirs more often. Time stopped inside their walls; they were a world apart from the real one — as long as you have the money to live there.

Once small, frontier outposts in the American West, they were turned into palaces — and, in the movie Casino, Martin Scorsese made them look like temples. Legends walked through them, and through the movies about them. Elvis sang Viva Las Vegas, you know.

The casino-heist adventure Ocean’s Eleven was first the home for the Sinatra/Martin/Davis clan, then for Clooney/Pitt/Damon/Cheadle/and more (who went on to appear in two sequels). Bogart’s Casablanca bistro had a casino in the back. Al Pacino, as The Godfather’s Michael Corleone, moved his family to Vegas; years later, Pacino would be back in Vegas as the casino-owning villain in Ocean’s Thirteen.

The casino was a place for inspiration and salvation. Warren Beatty, as Bugsy Siegel, lost his life in pursuit of his vision of a casino. Pacino’s Corleone thought it was a way to make his business legitimate, even though he built that business on bloodletting. In Indecent Proposal, the couple played by Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore think the only way out of their financial troubles is to win in Vegas.

But they lose, setting up the film’s proposal. Because casinos win more than they lose, often remorselessly.

Croupier, a nicely nasty film set mainly in a small London casino, shows the perils of grifting and the pettiness of many dreams.

The Cooler, a little gem, stars William H. Macy as a loser who can actually transfer his loser-ness to anyone he is near — making him a perfect way for a casino to “cool” hot streaks. So impenetrable do casinos seem, more than one movie has revolved around casino robberies — Ocean’s again, but also the likes of Reindeer Games and the ’50s film noir 5 Against the House.

However bleak the outcome may be, casino movies can pay off as films. The Godfather I and II, for example, rank among the best movies of any type. And we take that art, and the mythology it has created, whenever we walk though any casino’s doors.

And what is in my head? Some of those already mentioned, including the Godfathers, The Cooler, Croupier, Casino, both versions of Ocean’s Eleven and the Daniel Craig Casino Royale from movies, and the ongoing examination of life in casino culture that is TV’s CSI. You might also want to try Hard Eight, the Paul Thomas Anderson drama, with Philip Baker Hall. I could list more.

But I wouldn’t want to cut too deep into your casino time.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

In a new documentary about talk-show legend Johnny Carson, comedian Drew Carey describes his first appearance on Carson’s Tonight Show and begins choking up.

And that just hints at the importance of the moment.

“I asked the one question — talk about your first appearance on The Tonight Show — and [Carey’s answer] went 51 minutes,” said Peter Jones, who made the Carson film for PBS’ American Masters series. It premieres at 9 p.m. Monday.

“I didn’t ask any other question,” Jones said. Carey “told that story in minute detail. And it was at the 51st minute that he finally got to that moment when he was choking up. Obviously, it meant a lot to him. … He was just transported as he was reliving this whole thing.”

Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" set in the 1970's.

That should give younger viewers some idea of how important Carson was. And not only to comedians who relished the chance to make Carson laugh. Also to the millions in the viewing audience eager to see Carson laugh, joke, appear in sketches, comment on the day’s news and share moments with celebrities that could be engaging, somber, flirtatious and occasionally revealing.

For anyone over 30, the importance of Carson may require no explanation. You could see it late at night on NBC, from 1962 until Carson did his last show on May 22, 1992. While he had competitors, he was, as the documentary proclaims, King of Late Night. No one who has followed him can be considered more than a princess or prince. You could mention Carson with Dolly Parton, say, or Ed Ames, and people knew exactly what moment you recalled. Most likely they had seen it, too.

Still, it has been 20 years since Carson ended his run — and almost entirely withdrew from public scrutiny until his death in 2005. Highlights of his work remain available in DVD packages, but Carson wrote no memoir and did not aid anyone else’s attempts.

“People who knew him just knew that there was no way he was going to reveal much about himself,” Jones said in a recent telephone interview. “He said over and over that … he wanted to be remembered purely for the work. There were things in his life that he was ashamed of … that he didn’t want to have belabored in a book or a documentary.”

He was, after all, married four times and dutiful neither as a husband nor a father. He was known to take too many drinks. He had a difficult relationship with his mother who, with a Time magazine writer in attendance, listened to the first joke in a Carson monologue and muttered, “That’s not so funny.”

Carson’s reticence made him a huge get for would-be biographers, Jones among them. “I always thought, this is the most famous guy in America. He’s on every night. And in many ways, people don’t know who Johnny Carson is. I’ve said before, it’s like he hid in plain sight, some of the deepest parts of himself. I thought it would be really great to explore the idea of a man who is so public, also having this remarkably private side to him.”

Jones wrote Carson annually from 1988 to 2003 to ask for an interview. The requests ended when Carson finally called Jones and delivered a firm, final no.

“He was so adamant, repeating over and over again that the work had to speak for itself and he had nothing to add,” Jones said.

But after Carson died, Jones returned to the topic and sought the cooperation of Carson’s estate and family. While some people declined to be interviewed, or talked to Jones only off the record, the estate apparently sensed that it was time to open at least some doors to Carson’s life.

“Peter made quite clear to them that, if we don’t do this soon, people won’t know who Johnny Carson is,” said Susan Lacy, executive producer of American Masters.

With the estate’s support, Jones was able to accumulate dozens of on-camera interviews with Carson biographers and people who had known, dealt with and even competed against Carson. Jay Leno, David Letterman, Dick Cavett, Arsenio Hall and Joan Rivers are all here, for example.

And the estate gave Jones access to something as remarkable as the interviews: the archives of Carson’s programs, including all available Tonight Show recordings and related projects, like a 1982 homecoming special. Since Carson wanted to be remembered for his work, Jones mined that work for insights. Even better, the collection had been painstakingly catalogued.

“There’s a database where you can type in keywords like Nebraska or divorce and get taken directly to clips where those words are used,” Jones said, “to finally get Johnny talking about his life and childhood on The Tonight Show in ways that he never did in other interviews.”

One Tonight Show has gossip columnist Rona Barrett as a guest and she “turns the tables and does a little interview with Johnny,” Jones said. “He talks about his childhood and how through entertaining he was able to feel comfortable in front of people — and also acknowledges that he was in control,” which was always important to Carson.

Jones said he repeatedly found “these little moments where [Carson] would say things and reveal things that he really rarely did in his life. The wives told me that, that on the show he would feel comfortable to share things that he wouldn’t even talk about with them.”

Of course, such conversations went only so far. There always seems to be a point where Carson closes the door again. But the documentary still manages to show Carson’s skill as a performer, the arc of his career, his flaws — and virtues, like leaving $156 million to a charitable foundation. There are the clips — of his hearty laugh, his occasional naughtiness, his animal stunts, his quips. Stars visited the show, but only one star was constant. As an observer in the documentary notes, you weren’t watching The Tonight Show. You were watching Carson.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

The coming DVD and Blu-ray releases include quite a few noteworthy movies, although not always for good reason. Let’s run through? some.…

We Were Here (Docurama, $29.95 on standard DVD) is an excellent and much praised documentary by David Weissman, about the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, as seen by people who were there. It begins on a note of hope, as the gay community grows in San Francisco, but quickly turns dark and despairing as news begins to spread about a “gay cancer” — and people start dying at an alarming rate.

If those early moments are not enough to grab your heart, check one of the extras: a series of public-service announcements about the emotional effect AIDS was having on people who had lost not one or two but all of their friends. The DVD includes a filmmaker interview. The documentary will also be shown on PBS’ Independent Lens series in June.

Glenn Close scored her sixth Academy Award nomination, her third as a lead actress, for Albert Nobbs (Lionsgate, $27.99 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray), in which she plays a woman who passes herself off as a man to work in a hotel in 19th-century Ireland. Close had played Nobbs onstage, and the film was a pet project that she co-produced and co-wrote. She’s good, too. The movie itself is a bit of a slog, although its contemplation of class and gender may appeal to the Downton Abbey crowd. Extras include deleted scenes and an audio commentary by Close and director Rodrigo Garcia.

By the way, with the arrival of Albert Nobbs, you can now find all of the most recent best-actress Oscar nominees on video: Close; the winner, Meryl Streep, in The Iron Lady; Viola Davis in The Help (who should have won); Rooney Mara in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; and Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn.

There was a lot of Oscar talk around Woody Harrelson’s performance in Rampart (Millennium, $29.99 on DVD or Blu-ray) and it was deserved. He did not get nominated; the film was little seen in theaters, and his chances were reportedly hurt more when DVDs sent to Oscar voters turned out to be technically flawed. But Harrelson is fine as a renegade cop with a shambles of a personal life, and the script was co-written by novelist James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential).

I have been a fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum detective novels (One for the Money, Two for the Dough and so on), which manage to be funny and reasonably good mysteries. So it seemed like good news that One for the Money was being made into a movie, which will be on video Tuesday (Lionsgate, $29.95 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray).

Then it turned out that Katherine Heigl was playing Plum. This was a classic case of miscasting (and not the only one in the film) that proved to be unbearable in its attempts at humor, witty banter and romance. In fact, the Rotten Tomatoes website indicated only 2 percent of the reviews for the film were positive — and I am impressed by any reviewer who managed to sit through this.

Also of note this week on the movie side: fantasy thriller Chronicle (Fox, $29.98 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray), about high school students discovering they have special powers, and Liam Neeson fighting wolves in The Grey (Universal, $29.98 DVD, $34.98 in a Blu-ray/DVD combo). Fans of rough justice may want to check out the Walking Tall trilogy set (Shout! Factory, $24.97 DVD, $39.97 Blu-ray), three films based on the exploits of lawman Buford Pusser; the first film, with Joe Don Baker, had some raw power, while the others — with Bo Svenson as Pusser — are far less impressive.

From TV, you can find the first season of the AMC series Hell on Wheels (Entertainment One, 10 episodes, $39.98 DVD, $44.98 Blu-ray); the second season is due later this year. And fans of the Canadian police drama Flashpoint, currently airing on Ion, can catch up on the fourth season in a 13-?episode set from CBS/Paramount ($42.99 on standard DVD); the fifth season, currently in production, will be the last. The War, the acclaimed Ken Burns series about World War II, will be available in an excellent Blu-ray rendition (PBS/Paramount, seven episodes, $129.99).

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

This week, Beacon Journal popular culture writer Rich Heldenfels talks about the latest Johnny Depp/Tim Burton collaboration, Dark Shadows, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Read The Heldenfiles, the blog by Rich Heldenfels