Articles by Jeff Pfeiffer

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Comedy

VOD Spotlight: “Little Fockers”

April 5, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

More than 10 years after Meet the Parents introduced insecure nurse Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) to the overbearing Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and six years after the mismatched in-laws first got together in Meet the Fockers, the comedy franchise continues. The characters and the stars who play them are older, as Greg and wife Pam (Teri Polo) juggle work and parenthood in a way that families can relate to. “When you’re making the third film in a series, the constant question is ‘How do you keep it fresh and retain what people liked about the first two movies?’” asks […]

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TV News & Program Updates

Bounce TV to become first broadcast network created exclusively for African Americans

April 4, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

Today it was announced that a new TV channel called Bounce TV will be launching this fall, becoming the nation’s first-ever over-the-air broadcast network designed exclusively for black audiences, primarily targeting the 25-54 age group with a programming mix of movies, live sporting events, documentaries, specials, faith-based programs, off-net series, original programming and more.

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Historical Programming

The Infamous Borgias Are The Focus Of Showtime’s New Historical Drama Series

April 3, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

Of the three drama series featured in this cover story, the only one based on actual historical people and events is Showtime’s The Borgias, which chronicles the infamous Spanish family that held power in Italy — and throughout the church — during the early Renaissance after their patriarch, Rodrigo Borgia (played in the series by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons), manipulated his way into being elected Pope Alexander VI. Despite being tied to historical people and places, though, The Borgias definitely does not suffer from lack of drama. Where the other series may be able to rely on myth and make-believe, […]

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Comedy

April Fools: Four foolish TV show concepts

April 1, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

In honor of April Fool’s Day, we thought we’d take a look at a few of the most foolish ideas for television shows we’ve ever seen. Whether it’s trying way too hard to spin off a legendary show, or greenlighting a project that never even should have pulled up to the traffic light, these examples from over the years demonstrate that networks are willing to get fooled time and time again when it comes to series ideas that they think will work. Fortunately, in most cases, audiences didn’t fall for these jokes. AfterMASH — CBS, 1983-84. M*A*S*H had just ended […]

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Comedy

Utter CHAOS — CBS debuts new action comedy series tonight

April 1, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Jeff Pfeiffer In the new comedic drama Chaos, a group of rogue CIA spies in the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) combats threats to national security amid bureaucratic gridlock, incompetence and political infighting. The genesis of the series came from an interesting combination of sources, as creator and co-executive producer Tom Spezialy explains. “I’d always been a big fan of [the movie] The Four Musketeers and wanted to do an updating of it. And I was doing research for another CIA show, and it was [a book] about the story of an ex-operative who was telling of his […]

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TV News & Program Updates

70th annual Peabody Awards television winners

March 31, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

A record 39 recipients of the 70th Annual Peabody Awards were announced today by the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The winners were chosen by the Peabody board as the best in electronic media for the year 2010. The oldest awards in broadcasting, the Peabodys are considered among the most prestigious and selective prizes in electronic media. For more information and a complete list of winners, visit www.peabody.uga.edu. Here are some of this year’s television winners that would have been seen by a national audience, along with comments on each from the Peabody winners press […]

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TV News & Program Updates

CBS stars tweet live during #CBSTweetWeek

March 31, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

From April 3-11, fans of CBS primetime series, specials and sporting events will be able to watch actors, musicians and sports analysts tweet live on Twitter during the broadcast of their respective programs. Throughout the shows, fans will be given first-hand commentary and the chance to submit questions. To participate in #CBSTweetWeek, fans can either follow on Twitter or log into cbs.com/tweet_week at the scheduled start times. Fans participating via Twitter should use the respective show’s hashtag and talent’s Twitter handle when submitting questions. Here is the tweeting schedule for Tweet Week, with respective Twitter handles and hashtags:

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Drama

TNT releases new “Falling Skies” trailer

March 29, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

Today TNT unveiled this new trailer for its cool-looking sci-fi action series Falling Skies, which premieres June 19. The series comes from executive producer Steven Spielberg, and it stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood and Drew Roy. The story opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. The few remaining survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back.

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Movies

Syfy Original Movies hit No. 200 … and show no sign of stopping

March 24, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Jeff Pfeiffer Happy 200th, Syfy Original Movies! This Saturday, March 26, Syfy airs the 200th of its infamously “so bad it’s good” type of movie. I knew they really churned these things out, but man, the number “200” still threw me for a loop. The film is Scream of the Banshee, starring Lauren Holly and Lance Henriksen. When a college professor opens a mysterious box, she and her students hear the, um, scream of the banshee. Since everyone who hears the scream is fated to die a strange and terrible death, they must find a way to stop the […]