Ask Uncle Barky

Q&A: April 9

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2010-04-09T15:57:18-05:00

Question: Why was Kim Fischer recently removed from the weekend morning news show on (Fort Worth-based) Channel 5? ...Vice president of content development Susan Tully said in a statement that "with Brendan's contract coming to an end, he and the station have agreed that Sunday (Jan. 17th) will be his last day as a member of the NBC D-FW team."

Q&A: March 9

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2010-03-09T13:38:12-06:00

The network is using rotating hosts for now, but it's likely to boil down to a choice at some point between White House correspondent Jake Tapper and Nightline co-anchor Terry Moran. ...Answer: As first reported on unclebarky.com, Stegall left Fox4's early morning Good Day program to join Fox News Channel in March 2007.

Q&A: Feb. 2

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2010-02-02T15:58:33-06:00

Is it really that hard to read off a TelePrompTer, because Jane (McGarry) at Ch. 5 and Gloria Campos at Ch. 8 can't seem to read anything in front of them. ...Answer: There's next to no chance that any of them would change call-letters after having their W's grandfathered in. However, if that happened, they apparently would have to conform to geography and switch from W to K -- or vice-versa.

Q&A: Jan. 6

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2010-01-06T12:05:01-06:00

In one respect I think it's lost its bearings, never more so than at the end of Season 4, when duplicitous Ben Linus "moved" the island by turning a subterranean frozen wheel. ...Answer: For better or worse, TNT has grown accustomed to using its most popular series as a potent lead-in launch pad for the network's new drama series.

Q&A: Nov. 4

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-11-04T13:39:58-06:00

The artist is Rob Pierce, and here's his website, where you can hear an acoustic guitar portion of "Blue Skies" and get lots of other information on him by clicking around. ...Question: Why in the world would CBS run repeats of NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles last week when the new TV season is hardly underway?

Q&A: Oct. 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-10-20T12:35:44-05:00

Some of the writing is still crisp and funny, as when Meyers deadpanned, "It was revealed this week that the cast of the upcoming Celebrity Apprentice will include Sharon Osbourne, Sinbad and Rod Blagojevich. ...It also should be noted that the content of CBS11's 10 p.m. news is on a par with WFAA8's on many nights.

Q&A: July 28

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-07-28T11:56:45-05:00

Addendum: Hansen says it in fact was weathercaster Pete Delkus who initiated the joke about Campos' four-month sabbatical during their nightly banter. ...Question: Recently I watched the 8 episodes of Wonderland that were produced in 2000 (for ABC) and were recently available on DirecTV.

Q&A: July 17

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-07-17T14:08:03-05:00

Answer: CBS says in a press release that Guiding Light will have its final telecast on Sept. 18th after 72 years and more than 15,700 episodes on TV and radio. But TeleNext Media, which produces it, said in a statement last April, "We are working hard to find the show a new home, and we are exploring all our options to continue to bring loyal fans the characters and stories they love."

Q&A: April 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-04-20T11:42:52-05:00

I've never really heard much about the ratings for Life, and I was late coming to this party, but I've become a fan. ...Fallon's openings indeed are still painful, but I did kinda like the recent joke about how the new White House dog, Bo, "arrived just in time because Sasha and Malia were getting tired of throwing frisbees to Joe Biden."

Q&A: April 1

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-04-01T11:47:24-05:00

Surely the brilliant minds at the networks must know that if you put a high-concept show on holiday hiatus, bring it back on a different night, schedule it opposite Law & Order and then fail to advertise it, the show is going to lose ratings. ...Although in fairness to ABC, the network didn't scrimp on promotion for Mars and gave it two of its best available time slots.

Q&A: March 17

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-03-17T12:10:34-05:00

It's now open for business, although the website so far amounts only to a picture of Brady and this come-on: "WHEN THE CONTENT COUNTS: We capture the essence of your business identity or cause, develop a compelling digital story, and convert it into the forum of your choice. ...New episodes of Eureka are set for July, and a second season of Sanctuary is due "sometime in 2009," says the network.

Q&A: Jan. 21

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-01-21T17:41:14-06:00

Answer: FX says that Rescue Me will return for a fifth season in spring 2009, but doesn't have a specific date yet. ...Off hand, I wonder if it's because of her support for Barack Obama and D-FW being such a GOP-friendly area.

Q&A: Jan. 13

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2009-01-13T10:14:04-06:00

Answer: The producers plan to end Lost at the end of the 2009-10 season, which leaves two more seasons to go. ...Answer: Izaguirre, who's beginning her second year as co-anchor of WFAA8's Daybreak, has not proven yet that she's a long-term answer for the station's continuing early morning ratings woes.

Q&A: Dec. 10

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-12-10T14:57:18-06:00

Declining ratings and escalating actor salaries -- for the likes of William Shatner, James Spader, Candice Bergen and John Larroquette -- are not a good mix for any network, especially in horrendous economic times. ...Question: I know NBC says it's returning in January, but I would like to know what you've heard about the future of Knight Rider.

Q&A: Sept. 10

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-09-10T14:20:01-05:00

I think it's a watchable enough show, although David Caruso as Horatio Caine has become a parody-palooza with his on-and-off sunglasses routine and terse one-liners.... Here's a video look, courtesy of the CBS Early Show, at what cast member Emily Procter calls "the more comic book version" of the three-pronged CSI franchise.

Q&A: June 24 (updated on Regent Ducas question)

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-06-24T12:24:40-05:00

Answer: The sixth season set is due on Aug. 26th, a week before the seventh and final season of The Shield premieres Sept. 2nd on FX. ...Answer: Actually, his contract with WFAA8 expires at the end of July, at which point he'll leave the station's early morning shift and head to WSB in Atlanta, where his father, Don, once prospered.

Q&A: June 11

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-06-11T15:14:33-05:00

Question: Any idea on how long Channel 11 is going to continue this charade of Kristine Kahanek being referred to as the chief meteorologist while they clearly shove Larry Mowry down our throats when the critical weather occurs? ...Answer: Let's just say that CBS11 wants to re-sign Kahanek to a new contract, but that Mowry clearly is the station's featured meteorologist of the future.

Q&A: April 8

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-04-08T16:55:53-05:00

Answer: NBC's newly announced 52-week schedule has Lipstick slated for a 9 p.m. (central) Wednesday slot this fall. ...At this point it looks as though the network is planning to permanently discharge the series, but its new fall lineup won't be announced until next month.

Q&A: March 11

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-03-11T13:20:00-05:00

Lost then will return on April 24th in a later time slot (Thursdays at 9 p.m. central) for the first of the five strike-added episodes. ...Answer: Hansen certainly would agree that he deserves at least that amount, and my guess is he's probably getting it -- or at least very close to that figure.

Q&A: Jan. 16

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2008-01-16T15:00:02-06:00

He's also president and CEO of Wise Counsel, described as a non-profit "strategic and crisis communications company providing spokesman services, media coaching-training and crisis mitigation and management planning to business, industry, churches, ministries and faith-based schools." ...Answer: In the early going, Price has increased its ratings a bit nationally in the so-called "key adult demographics" of 18-to-49 and 25-to-54.

Q&A: Dec. 12

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-12-12T12:17:26-06:00

Question: What is the reason (or is there a reason) for Brad Davis doing the color with Mark Followill on TV broadcasts and Bob Ortegel switching over to ESPN radio for Dallas Mavericks games? ...Answer: Big Bob can be condescending, but they did mesh much better as the season wore on. Ortegel is supposed to be splitting his time between radio and TV this season, but Davis so far has done the tube talk.

Q&A: Dec. 3

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-12-03T17:18:17-06:00

Question: It started with a network logo in the lower right hand corner and now we have TV pop up ads which run across the screen during shows. They are promos for other shows, but how long before networks start selling pop ups for extra revenue to get back at viewers who record shows and skip the 20 minutes per hour of commercials?

Q&A: Nov. 12

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-11-12T12:06:10-06:00

Monday nights have been even more confusing, with Dancing with the Stars bleeding into the new Samantha Who?, which then lops a few minutes off late-starting episodes of The Bachelor. ...Answer: Life, my favorite new drama series of the season, is very slowly catching on, although its ratings on downtrodden NBC still might not be enough to get it a full season.

Q&A: Oct. 31

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-10-31T12:28:11-05:00

Question: I had a meltdown the other night when I saw CBS promoting the upcoming "Battle of the Century" -- the Pats vs. the Colts with a tease that the Houston-Raiders game may be regionally subbed for the New England-Indianapolis war. ...Ebert & Roeper, which lately has featured Dallas' own Robert Wilonsky subbing for the still recovering Roger Ebert, is supposed to air at 12:30 a.m. following a repeat of The Gordon Keith Show.

Q&A: Oct. 30

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-10-30T16:06:10-05:00

Among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds, though, Murder Club sags to 75th place, narrowly trailing CBS' competing new series Moonlight and ranking just a few rungs ahead of NBC's exemplary Friday Night Lights. ...The cousin you refer to, William Mapother, has played a prominent member of "The Others" on Lost and also guested this season on the first episode of the new Fox series K-Ville.

Q&A: Oct. 11

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-10-11T12:29:33-05:00

What's your take on these shows -- Dirty Sexy Money (ABC), K-Ville (Fox), Big Shots (ABC) -- and whether they'll make it? ...Dirty Sexy Money is well-acted, fun to watch and likely to get a full season run with decent ratings so far opposite CSI: NY.

Q&A: Oct. 8

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-10-08T11:11:51-05:00

Question: I heard a lot of hoopla that Jericho was being picked back up, but I haven't seen when. ...Asked about when Fox4 will join NBC5, Belo8 and CBS11 in the HD firmament, she said, "When we do it, we'll do it right."

Q&A: Sept. 10

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-09-10T16:56:54-05:00

Answer: The new fall season doesn't look as promising as the old, but I like both NBC's Chuck and Life, and Fox's Back To You. ...Question: Is there any good reason that Everybody Loves Raymond has disappeared from Channel 33's evening lineup (from 10 to 11 p.m. weeknights)?

Q&A: Aug. 22

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-08-22T12:38:03-05:00

In a nutshell, the chances are better than before now that David Milch doesn't have to immediately turn his attention to writing second season scripts for John. Question: Why does it seem for the past two or three weeks now that every time David Finfrock is doing the weather he has these coughing fits.

Q&A: July 2

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-07-02T13:41:32-05:00

In D-FW, however, Belo8 is still offering a pretty stark alternative, and managed to win the May "sweeps" at 10 p.m. as an alternative to the crash-bang approach on NBC5 and now CBS11. ...As for other ways to hook viewers, NBC5 tries to keep ratings up in the second 15 minutes of newscasts with a steady diet of miracle diets, bargain shopping, health alerts and wrinkle removal stories.

Q&A: June 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-06-20T15:53:15-05:00

There's also HBO's new Flight of the Conchords (two dweebish New Zealand singers on the loose in New York) and new episodes of Entourage from 9 to 10 p.m. Sundays on HBO. ...Question: Now that the networks have announced their fall schedules, when will the local stations announce changes to their 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. schedules?

Q&A: May 28

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-05-28T21:45:17-05:00

Answer: Savaged by the few critics who bothered to review it, Sons of Hollywood had its full 12-episode run on A&E, but the final six were burned off on one night, April 29th. ...Question: When a newscaster tells me they'll be back with more news in 30 seconds, do they think I'm more likely to stick around if it's a short time vs. the normal commercial break of 3-4 minutes?

Q&A: May 3

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-05-03T16:33:31-05:00

Answer: It was a combination of Celine singing "If I Can Dream" by herself, an Elvis stunt double and "rotoscoping" to fill in an image of the King from his 1968 NBC "Comeback" special. ...Kelly joined FNC in 2004 after working as a legal and general assignments reporter for ABC News affiliate WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. She used to be a corporate litigator and has a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School, where she was editor of the Albany Law Review.

Q&A: April 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-04-20T09:13:53-05:00

Question: I know it's horribly shallow and silly, but I'm a fan of The Dresden Files on the Sci Fi Channel.

Q&A: April 9

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-04-09T13:39:55-05:00

Question: I just saw that the first season of WKRP in Cincinnati will be released in a 3-disc DVD set. I remember a few episodes were released on VHS years ago, but the music had been changed to dodge copyright royalty fees. ...Nielsen is supposed to monitor every set in a given home, but it's still up to individuals to "sign in" when they turn on the set. Under the diary system, stations had to wait about a month after a sweeps period to get demographic information on what age groups were watching, how many men vs. women, etc. Since Feb. 2006, that's all been available on the day after.

Q&A: March 30

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-03-30T15:43:47-05:00

Answer: Banfield joined Court TV in July 2005 and is still co-anchoring the weekday Banfield and Ford trial coverage show from noon to 2 p.m. central. ...Answer: In no particular order, here we go: Friday Night Lights, 24, The Office, Lost, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Sopranos, Entourage, American Idol and -- sorry -- Dancing with the Stars.

Q&A: March 28

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-03-28T18:14:49-05:00

Question: With the terrible exception of The Simple Life, has any other TV show that had a cult following (Arrested Development for example) ever go to another network and find success? ...Here's the official corporate response from Dave Muscari, vice president of product development for Belo8 and The Dallas Morning News: "Valeri Williams initially came to work for us as a reporter in 1992.

Q&A: March 6

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-03-06T12:54:05-06:00

Question: My husband has an inexplicable habit of watching Ch. 4's Good Day morning show, so I see it way more often than I really care to. ...Answer: Big Day, which was supposed to have a 13-episode run leading to the February return of Lost, instead was cut in half, with the rest of the episodes running on ABC.com.

Q&A: Feb. 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-02-20T17:33:16-06:00
Fox entertainment president Peter Liguori told unclebarky.com in January that the show was "very unlikely" to film much in North Texas next season if the network picks up the series. ...Question: Just saw your bulletin that Studio 60 was likely canceled -- not surprising and not nearly as disappointing as it would've been four months ago. How is its "cousin," 30 Rock, doing?

Q&A: Feb. 9

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-02-09T14:55:15-06:00
Answer: Grease will finish its run, but the American Idol wanna be continues to have a tough go on Sunday nights against heavy-duty competition from the likes of NFL playoff games, the two-hour launch of 24 and the Super Bowl. ...So in the end, I think there's a better chance that NBC will bring back the deservedly praised Friday Night Lights, which likewise has struggled in the ratings but draws an overall younger audience and is much more affordable.

Q&A: Jan. 30

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-01-30T14:51:18-06:00
Answer: The actor, Rory Cochrane, reportedly grew weary of the show's frequent use of forensic terminology and asked to be let out of his contract.... His latest listed credit is The Company, a TV miniseries currently in post-production according to the website imdb.com.

Q&A: Jan. 24

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-01-24T14:20:58-06:00
Question: A few years ago I saw a lot of press about ESPN producing a movie about the mythic "Ice Bowl" -- the 1967 NFL championship game between the Cowboys and the Packers. ...There's also been some fierce competition on Sunday nights, though, including Fox's launch of 24 and some high-powered NFL playoff games.

Q&A: Jan. 5

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-01-05T16:47:37-06:00
It's a shame that the ratings aren't better for FNL, although I've had some emails from would-be viewers who can't tolerate the show's at times jittery hand-held camera approach. Whatever the reason, it looks like a first-rate series could be going down the drain after this season despite NBC's very best efforts to keep it afloat.

Q&A: Jan. 3

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-01-03T17:32:47-06:00
Answer: Walker, who joined the station in September 2001, voluntarily has left to pursue other interests.... She came to Belo8 from WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, her station bio says.

Q&A: Jan. 2

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2007-01-02T15:19:19-06:00
Answer: Well, clearly she can't cover the Dallas PD. Even so, CBS11 definitely has the inside track on police department intrigue, even if Kunkle isn't likely to give his new bride too much news she can use in terms of any scandals or malfeasance. ...CBS Corporation chairman Leslie Moonves, for example, is married to Julie Chen, still a co-host of both the network's Big Brother and The Early Show.

Q&A: Dec. 27

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-27T14:24:10-06:00
Answer: Well, Fox4's Good Day in particular has slumped in the early morning ratings ever since introducing its new set. Might it be the music, too? ...On the other hand, Fox4's local 9 p.m. newscast is doing pretty well in the face of overall lousy ratings for Fox's prime-time entertainment programming during the first several months of this season.

Q&A: Dec. 20

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-20T15:21:04-06:00
DVDs of Seven Percent Solution (1976) do exist, but they must not have made many of 'em. Prices for even a previously used copy start at $78.99 on amazon.com. And ER indeed is having a resurgent year, both quality-wise and in the ratings, where it still wins with advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds despite being in its 13th season.

Q&A: Dec. 15

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-15T19:26:04-06:00
Question: Hate to ask an obvious, perennial question, but when is It's a Wonderful Life going to air this season? ...NBC is presenting it twice this month, on Saturday, Dec. 16th and on Christmas Eve (7 to 10 p.m. central time each night).

Q&A: Dec. 13

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-13T18:16:26-06:00
Ironically I was at Emmitt Smith's Dancing with the Stars-themed charity event in Dallas when Babs went through her annual list.... The others, which were rolled out in no particular order, says ABC, are: Tennis great Andre Agassi Vogue editor Anna Wintour Hip-hopper Jay-Z Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey Pastor Joel Osteen Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's widow, Terri Irwin Jon Benet Ramsey's father, John Ramsey Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen "Brangelina" -- Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (They apparently count as one, because that makes 11.)

Q&A: Dec. 12

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-12T10:17:23-06:00
"I've been doing this for 25 years, and sometimes I run into on-air people who are one person on TV, and another off," Aguilar writes via email.... I don't believe she's dating anyone, but I know that she doesn't like to be "fixed up."

Q&A: Dec. 11

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-11T16:06:58-06:00
Answer: Friday Night Lights continues to struggle in the Nielsens, but NBC commendably has picked it up for a full run this season. ...Recently named one of this year's Top 10 TV series by the American Film Institute, Lights currently ranks 82nd in total viewers, averaging 6.1 million a week.

Q&A: Dec. 8

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-08T15:28:14-06:00
I try to watch as many as possible, but I've found over many years that pilot episodes usually are very good indicators of whether a series is going to stink or shine. ...And on unclebarky.com, I wrote in part, "In a season full of new serials, this is the one to invest in. The first three episodes are thoroughly captivating, with cliffhangers that might leave you with mouth agape.

Q&A: Dec. 7

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-07T20:30:19-06:00
Question: I was watching, or at best trying to watch the Channel 21 newscast the other night, and it's terrible. ...As for content, the newscast is pretty much at the level of a Double A minor league baseball team right now, sort of like the Frisco Roughriders vis a vis the Texas Rangers.

Q&A: Dec. 5

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-05T22:04:09-06:00
A group of New Orleans jazz musicians performed an amazing arrangement of "O Holy Night," and I'm trying to figure out if there's a recording of it out there . ...The featured musicians, all of whom have benefited from Tipitina's Foundation to save New Orleans music, are: Troy Andrews, trumpet; Kirk Joseph, sousaphone; Roderick Paulin, saxophone; Stephen Walker, trombone; Mervin "Kid Merv" Campbell, trumpet; and Bob French, drums.

Q&A: Dec. 4

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-12-04T16:20:08-06:00
Question: With the production of DVRs happening at such a rapid rate, what are Nielsen and the networks doing to account for the recorded shows that people watch? ...BEANJRR1@aol.com Answer: Weekend anchor Loriana Hernandez recently fell victim to the mandated downsizing, and sports reporter Richard "Cash" Sirois is being dropped at the end of this year.

Q&A: Nov. 30

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-11-30T21:10:07-06:00
Answer: BET says that a "special sampling" of The Wire will run from Jan. 10-12 as an introduction to the under-appreciated HBO series. The "formal premiere," beginning with Season 1, is set for later in January, with a date still being determined.

Q&A: Nov. 29

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-11-29T20:08:40-06:00
Answer: NBC's The Black Donnellys, created by Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis (Crash), originally was supposed to supplant ER in January, with the longrunning hospital drama then returning in the spring. ...Likely slots: Mondays or Wednesdays at 9 central, 10 eastern in place of either What About Brian or The Nine, which recently was put on hiatus.

Q&A: Nov. 28

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-11-28T22:04:16-06:00
Answer: Both Six Degrees and The Nine supposedly will return at some point next year after being put on hiatus by ABC.... So far this season the only new serial to really make it big is NBC's Heroes, which in September was unclebarky.com's pick to be prime-time's sleeper hit of the season.

Q&A: Nov. 27

unclebarky@tx.rr.com — 2006-11-26T19:51:59-06:00
If a show opens virtually DOA, it's unlikely to pick up many if any new viewers as the season wears on. Fox's Vanished likewise was a serial, and a very complex one at that. ...NBC also is hanging in there with the new 30 Rock, which recently was moved to Thursdays as part of a bravura comedy bloc that also includes My Name Is Earl, The Office and, beginning on Nov.