The development was not unforeseen, since the futures of the summer-season shows had been increasingly in question the longer USA waited to announce their status. Equally predictable is the culprit, USA’s preference to nurture shows with higher ratings rather than spend time, effort, and money on those with enormously loyal audiences yet less impressive Nielsen numbers.

In a way, the stunning success of series like Burn Notice, Psych, and Monk is a double-edged sword, especially if, along with me, you enjoy the crime dramedies and the sci-fi shows. I’m not as big a fan of The Dead Zone as The 4400, but I definitely believe that USA was a stronger, more diverse network with both staples on its schedule.

According to Broadcasting & Cable, USA’s executive vice president of original programming Jeff Wachtel provided the following comment as explanation for the cancellations, not that it will make 4400 and Dead Zone devotees feel any better.

We wish we could keep all of our great shows alive forever. But we feel that we need to give some of our new shows a platform to grow, and it’s with great sadness that we say goodbye to two shows that had a great run and helped to create the resurgence of original programming on our network and on all of cable.

Tags: Anthony Michael Hall, television, The 4400, The Dead Zone, tv, USA, USA Network

Despite the seeming difference in networks, all three shows are actually part of NBC Universal’s roster of television programs, and all three networks are sister channels in the overarching NBC Universal entertainment and media conglomerate. As of yesterday, TV viewers can add yet a third shared trait to the mix: all three excellent series are on their way out the door.

According to a message posted yesterday, December 18, at 3:53pm in the USA Network forums for The 4400, it looks like four, as in four seasons, is the not-so-magic number for the basic-cable drama. That’s because series co-creator and executive producer Scott Peters penned the note to inform fans that The 4400 has been canceled before its fifth season could get underway.

Read on for what Peters said in his own words in the note titled simply “Good-bye.”

To all the wonderful fans of The 4400

It’s with great sadness that I pass along to you the information I’ve just received — The 4400 has been cancelled. We’ve had a great time bringing you this story and submersing you in the lives of all these incredible characters. Thank you especially to the folks on the board here whose tireless devotion to the show is nothing short of remarkable. Shout out to Bubba, by the way! I love your posts, man.

I just spoke to Joel [series star Joel Gretsch, who plays lead NTAC agent Tom Baldwin, I presume] and we had a great talk about what we all accomplished and how much we’ll miss our family that is our crew and our cast… and our fans. But at least we got to go out with a bang! I had an awesome time directing the last episode. I think I got to make almost every single cast member cry (on camera). How much fun was that?!

So let me raise my metaphorical glass to you all and thank you for being so loyal and so dedicated. I wish we could go on forever, but the party has come to an end. Be well and on behalf of all of us at The 4400 — thank you, it’s been a pleasure.

Scott Peters
Creator / Executive Producer
The 4400

I’m not one for teenybop language most of the time, but this news really, truly, deeply sucks. What in the world are USA Network and NBC Universal thinking?

Oh, nevermind—don’t answer that. Executives are probably thinking about money and ratings, as usual, although that doesn’t even half explain why the atrocious Bionic Woman is still hanging around while intriguing Journeyman couldn’t even get the deserved back-nine pickup for a full season. Sometimes the way things work in the television industry boggles the mind beyond belief. I can only hope Peters’ message doesn’t turn out to be the end of the 4400 situation.

Tags: NBC, NBC Universal, Scott Peters, television, The 4400, tv, USA, USA Network

On last night’s episode, it wasn’t so much a question of where the title character Dan Vassar (Kevin McKidd) went, but rather what havoc he wreaked as a result. His companion in time travel, Livia Beale (Moon Bloodgood), has warned Dan over and over (and over) again not to change the timeline by, for instance, interfering when and where he shouldn’t. The aim is to focus on the person or people he’s supposed to help, and to leave everything else by the wayside, even if he has the knowledge and ability to mediate other situations, as well.

The last episode “The Hanged Man” didn’t find Dan unnecessarily butting into business not his own, the typical case. Instead, he inadvertently left something behind while saving a woman and her teenage son just before their trailer home went over a steep cliff: a digital camera light-years beyond the technology available in their mid-1980s era. The repercussions of that mistake were, let’s just say, monumental, giving viewers the weirdest glimpse yet of the grave hazards of being in Dan’s shoes. It was completely mesmerizing TV.

Don’t forget to tune in to the—dare I write it—final episode of Journeyman this Wednesday night at 10pm EST. Dan will meet a fellow time traveler played by actor Don McManus and hopefully also finally track down the elusive scientist Elliot Langley (Tom Everett), a questionable man who clearly knows a whole lot more about the travelers’ predicaments than he’s currently admitting. The last possibility alone makes the next installment “Perfidia” a must-see television event for fans who’ve remained loyal.

Tags: Journeyman, Kevin McKidd, Moon Bloodgood, NBC, television, tv

That’s just what has happened, though, as The New York Times reported last week. When Masterpiece Theater returns next year, it will have three different hosts, of which Anderson is just one, as well as an updated three-part structure. The series will now present three genres of programming: the familiar classic historical dramas in the first five months of the year, mystery entries in the summer during Masterpiece Mystery!, and contemporary dramas during the fall run of Masterpiece Contemporary.

Anderson, who lived in her current home of London for about a decade as a child, will host the Masterpiece Classic portion of the PBS series from January until May. And, she shouldn’t have any problems with the gig since she’s already starred in her very own Masterpiece mini-series, the BAFTA- and Peabody-winning Charles Dickens adaptation Bleak House from 2005.

Even if you’re not a PBS watcher, this is interesting news for those fans who’ll certainly be jonesing for a little Scully while Anderson reunites with her former costar David Duchovny to film the second X-Files feature film. Better still if you’re also a Jane Austen fan is the fact that the forthcoming season of Masterpiece Classic will revolve around six Austen novels.

Tags: Gillian Anderson, Jane Austen, Masterpiece Classic, Masterpiece Theater, PBS, television, tv

If you’re not familiar with Coastal Dreams, it’s a scripted soap opera in a similar vein as MTV’s hugely popular unscripted series The Hills. The story, which unfolds in two-to-three minute webisodes that premiere twice a week, opens with twenty-something Zoe (Danica Stewart) moving into her rich cousin April’s (Kam Heskin) gorgeous beachside home, accompanied by her best friend Stacey (McCall). Zoe’s stalker ex-boyfriend Sebastian tried to kill her during her senior year in college, prompting the summer-long respite from her hometown in Texas with Stacey, who provides emotional support while also working to earn money for law school.

Both friends have the run of the house most of the time as businesswoman April travels around the world, giving them nearly unlimited freedom to tangle with April’s handyman sort-of boyfriend Christian (Charlie Koznick) and local lawman Will (Ken Luckey). Suspense comes in the form of frequent hints that Zoe’s past may eventually interrupt her summer sojourn, and interactive elements allow fans to receive messages on their cell phones related to the show.

Coastal Dreams is now up to Episode 22, which leaves two more installments before the season comes to an end. Continue reading for the Q&A with Tanee McCall, who was gracious enough to participate during the busiest holiday season of the year, and learn more about her background and how the series has caught on with its many fans.

Question: When you accepted the role as Stacey on Coastal Dreams, were you aware that the show was a completely online series? What was your first reaction when you learned about the unique format?

Tanee: I did know that it was going to be an online series, and my first reaction was intrigue. I had never heard of anything like an online soap opera, so I was really interested to see how everything was going to turn out.

Question: You’ve already experienced what it’s like to film a traditional TV show during your appearances on such series as The Shield. What are some of the differences between working in that type of environment and performing on an online series like Coastal Dreams?

Tanee: Compared to movie sets, TV films much faster in my experience so far. But Coastal Dreams was lighting fast. We had such a short amount of time to film a lot of material. It kept everyone on their A game, though, so I didn’t mind it. You really had to stay focused all day because there was not a lot of room for error.

Question: What’s it like to play Stacey, a smart young woman who lucks out with this dream residence during the last summer before she’s about to go to law school?

Tanee: I love Stacey personally. She is driven, but likes to have fun. She is smart, but not dorky. And she is in this really interesting time in her life where she wants to explore the world and where she fits in it. She loves this beach house that she is living in, but I know she is much happier about the fact that she gets to be with her best friend, Zoe.

Question: What would fans of Stacey be surprised to learn about the character? Are there any hidden motivations or personality traits that haven’t come across yet in the episodes that have already aired?

Tanee: Right now Stacey is an open book. If we come back for a second season, then I am sure that she will blossom, and there are some things that happen to her this season that have definitely reshaped her views on certain things in life, therefore, making her a lot less naïve and green to certain situations. So yea, she could have some tricks up her sleeve!

Question: Can you reveal anything about what’s ahead for fans of “Coastal Dreams”? Are there plans for a second season or is there a huge surprise in store down the road?

Tanee: There are a few more plot twists in this season that the audience still has to enjoy. As for another season, the cast and everyone involved are keeping their fingers crosses on that one. The viewers have spoken and they seem to want more. The biggest complaint is that the episodes just aren’t long enough, so maybe if we come back they can extend the length to keep our audience happy.

Question: Would you participate in another completely online series again? What were some of the pluses and minuses of the format that you would take into consideration when deciding?

Tanee: I would consider doing another one again. I loved working on this one so I don’t really have any minuses about the experience.

Question: How does Stacey compare to some of the characters you’ve played in the past? Is there anything in particular that you’ll take away from the experience long after Coastal Dreams has ended?

Tanee: I seem to play the wholesome girl a lot. The innocent, open book type, so Stacey wasn’t a stretch for me. And I always take away new things from every job that I do. As an actor you would be silly not to be a sponge on every single set you are on. Life is a learning experience, so I try and take something away from everything I do, and every experience I have. Life is too short!!!!

I agree 100 percent. If you’re not already following the series, you can watch every episode of Coastal Dreams that has aired thus far on the NBC website.

Tags: Coastal Dreams, Internet television, interviews, NBC, Tanee McCall, television, tv

I already said it once, and I’ll say it again now: a large part of Journeyman‘s downfall was the disappointing performance of its Monday-night sci-fi lead-in Heroes, the once popular and now troubled sophomore series that almost imploded under the weight of too many characters and meandering storylines. Far worse, the two shows were essentially mismatched. Both are science fiction without a doubt. But, the individual plots and main characters don’t appeal to the same demographics. Thus, the comics-inspired Heroes skews much younger and likely more male, as well. It’s no great surprise, then, that Journeyman regularly lost several million viewers from its lead-in. If Heroes had retained or increased its first-year audience to begin with, though, maybe more of its fans would have been interested in the later series.

Another huge factor in Journeyman‘s inability to get a leg up on its competition was the fact that the competition is already so entrenched among the TV-watching public. ABC’s The Bachelor is, in my opinion, an inexplicably popular reality series, while CBS’ CSI: Miami is a seemingly unbeatable member of the insanely loved CSI franchise. How can a newbie earn significant ratings against not one but two such behemoths? When you look at the situation from that commonsensical perspective, Journeyman did a darn fine job attracting the audience it managed to build.

I sincerely hope that NBC reconsiders its shortsighted decision to not pick up a well-crafted and well-acted series, in the midst of a tumultuous writers strike, no less. The only hourlong fall rookie on the Peacock Network that deserves to fade away into oblivion is Bionic Woman, and that’s regardless of whether Katee Sackhoff ever returns or not; even she can’t bring the misguided dud back to life. So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed despite all odds and fervently hoping that some Peacock executive will finally see the light before its too late. Journeyman does not deserve to be canceled.

If you share my high regard for the time-travel series, there are a couple of options available in the form of two active fan campaigns currently underway to save it. While it usually irks me to see people biting off of Jericho‘s Nuts to CBS success earlier this year, in the present case I’ll keep my objections to myself. Both campaigns, Save Journeyman at funurl and SaveJourneyman.net, aim to inundate NBC bigwigs with boxes of Rice-a-Roni (the show and the famous culinary treat each have strong ties to San Francisco). You can visit their respective websites to learn more about how to lend a hand and help rescue a deserving show. I already have.

Tags: Journeyman, Kevin McKidd, NBC, television, tv

The description on the CW website reads in part: “Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants explores one of life’s most emotional and volatile relationships as mothers and daughters from all walks of life compete together—and against other mother/daughter teams—in order to win a no-holds-barred beauty pageant.”

Maybe it’s because I already have a mother to explore our allegedly “emotional and volatile relationship” with that I couldn’t care less about the premise of the series. More likely, however, it’s the “no-holds-barred beauty pageant” detail that’s sending chills up and down my spine. If you’re going to focus a TV show on mothers and daughters, why not feature a few who are doing something that’s truly important? Is that so unimaginable or undoable?

First The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll and now this. I’m starting to think that The CW’s perennially low ratings are cosmic payback instead of just growing pains. Enough with the vapid time-wasters on the tube that make women look incapable of significant accomplishments.

Tags: Crowned, Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants, television, The CW, tv

This actually sounds like smart news from a ratings perspective since the second show, already picked up for a full season in mid-October, has earned far better ratings. But, practicality would make savvy TV watchers assume that networks would prefer to hang on to any show that has original episodes left to air. As of now, Big Shots does—a total of five, in fact.

When Private Practice airs on Thursday December 13, 20, and 27 at 10pm EST, the medical drama will find itself paired with the popular series that spawned it, namely Grey’s Anatomy. Executives will surely be watching closely to see if the matchup that many fans of both series have been yearning for since the fall season began leads to a ratings bonanza, or at least a boost. If that happens, ABC will have a proven scheduling option to pursue in the future, while fans will get to say “We told you so.”

As for Big Shots, I’ve recorded every episode of the series aired thus far save the pilot (somehow I forgot that one, the most important episode by far—Duh!), but I haven’t watched more than ten minutes. As the strike progresses, maybe I’ll finally get around to catching up. Maybe it’s also folks like me that caused the low ratings… On second thought, no. It was probably mainly the poor reviews.

Tags: ABC, Big Shots, television, tv

I truly hope Falls is wrong since after having watched every single episode of Journeyman, I can vouch that its quality and promise for future improvement is as strong as any other freshman series that has already been picked up this season. One of the show’s main problems is that its much-hyped lead-in Heroes performed so underwhelmingly in recent months.

On December 3, NBC pulled Journeyman in order to give the post-Heroes midseason finale time slot to another entertaining rookie, the recently picked-up police procedural Life. The two shows have something else in common besides their network. They both star talented actors from across the pond who do an incredible job coming across as bona fide Americans, Englishman Damian Lewis in Life and Scotsman Kevin McKidd in Journeyman.

McKidd and Journeyman fans will be happy to learn that, despite previous speculation to the contrary, NBC will air all 13 episodes of the show that have been produced, starting with tonight’s eleventh installment “Home by Another Way.” The twelfth episode, “The Hanged Man,” follows on Monday, December 17, with the thirteenth, “Perfidia,” coming to Life‘s former time slot on Wednesday, December 19.

If you want to see Journeyman picked up for a full season, I urge you to make sure you watch all of the remaining episodes. I’d hate to see a show this good get the boot just because of unfortunate scheduling, a sluggish start, and inadequate word of mouth.

Tags: Journeyman, Kevin Falls, Kevin McKidd, NBC, television, tv

In the first category, we have Friday Night Lights (9pm EST) and Las Vegas (10pm) on NBC, Women’s Murder Club (9pm) on ABC, and Sci Fi Channel’s Stargate Atlantis (10pm). And on USA, both Monk (9pm) and Psych (10pm)—the dynamic detective duo—will present Christmas episodes that emphasize the criminal aspect of the year-ending celebration.

Take your pick and don’t forget to record or watch the last of these shows until 2008 arrives.

Friday Night Lights

The Confession: Landry comes clean about murdering the guy who attempted to rape Tyra.

Las Vegas

A Cannon Carol: The holidays are all about charity at the Montecito, and multiple storylines combine the gift of giving with Yuletide subtexts.

Monk

Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa: The title says it all … almost, since the man in question happens to be Adrian Monk. That’s right—sweet little phobic Monk shoots Santa, and the fallout is predictably massive.

Psych

Gus’ Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy: And Christmas will never be the same again after this whopper comes to everyone’s attention. Add a few extra bonus points if, like me, you love guest stars Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show) and Ernie Hudson (Oz, Ghostbusters), who play Gus’ dear old mom and dad.

Stargate Atlantis

This Mortal Coil: In the first installment of a two-part story arc (the conclusion, “Be All My Sins Remember’d,” premieres on January 4), it appears that the Replicators have located Atlantis. Longtime series star Torri Higginson also appears as Elizabeth Weir.

Women’s Murder Club

To Drag & To Hold: Did you guess? Yep, the central murder revolves around a drag queen. And, Lindsay’s ex finally says “I do” to his new lady.

Tags: Friday Night Lights, Las Vegas, Monk, Psych, Stargate Atlantis, Women’s Murder Club, television, tv