Feb 2009
Long goodbye for Fox4's Henderson
02/27/09 11:22 AM
Fox4 devoted much of Friday's four-hour Good Day to a "Mega Megan Celebration" in honor of departing co-anchor Megan Henderson. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in. And unclebarky.com slumps to five out of six after missing on one of Thursday's selections to American Idol's top 12 finalists. Plus, CBS has a new Jesse Stone movie Sunday night, with Tom Selleck again in fine form as a weather-beaten small-town cop. Check out our review here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Good Day re-percolates
02/26/09 01:27 PM
Dallas-based Fox4 will go an unconventional route -- at least in the short-term -- after co-anchor Megan Henderson signs off Friday from the station's early morning Good Day. Read our report here. Also, Jerry Seinfeld is returning to NBC as creator-producer of a new comedy-reality series about marital discord. The TV Bulletin Board page has details on this and more. And on the Network News & Reviews page, see what new shows are coming in March -- and which Big 4 broadcast networks are leading the ratings pack.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Jury duty done
02/26/09 10:24 AM
Uncle Barky, jury foreman? Yes, that actually happened Wednesday. But the justice system presumably survived, and we're back in business after a day-long trial and buildup. Check out our picks of which three contestants will survive Thursday's American Idol vote-off. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in for both a President Obama-infused Tuesday and Idol's delayed Wednesday sing-off.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Gotta go
02/24/09 10:32 PM
Two words: Jury duty.
So cornfed unclebarky.com will be out of commission for at least part of Wednesday.
Ed Bark
So cornfed unclebarky.com will be out of commission for at least part of Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Wake up and smell the ratings
02/24/09 01:27 PM
Megan Henderson's impending departure from Fox4 and the imminent arrival of a new guy at WFAA8 make early mornings a fertile field for NBC5. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are a grim reaper for NBC's fallen Heroes. And woo-hoo, it's gonna be Conan and Andy together again. Get the details on our TV Bulletin Board page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Oscar audience grows from last year's low
02/23/09 02:28 PM
Sunday night's Oscar ceremony topped last year's all-time low in the national Nielsens, but still is no blockbuster on the all-time list. Also, Mel Gibson resurfaced deep into the night on Jimmy Kimmel's post-Oscar show. Check out the movie spoof he brought with him.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
It's official: Henderson leaving Fox4
02/23/09 08:28 AM
Megan Henderson, co-anchor of Fox4's Good Day since August 2003, is heading West to KTLA-TV. Get the details here. Also, check out our review of Sunday's Oscar-cast. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings take a look at how Oscar performed in these parts.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
P(l)ay ball: A record number of Rangers games will be on Fox Sports Southwest
02/20/09 01:30 PM
The Texas Rangers have just announced their TV schedule, which mostly will be out of reach for fans without cable or satellite packages. Get our play-by-play here. Also, the new BBC America series Mistresses has both sex appeal and substance.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Ruminating on "Pete's Tweets" and Dale's "procedure"
02/19/09 03:58 PM
Actually, "ruminating" is way too long a word for any self-respecting, character-deprived Tweeter. See what we mean in regards to Dallas-based WFAA8's oft-childlike duo of Pete Delkus and Dale Hansen. Also, unclebarky.com gets lucky with American Idol's first three finalists. And Jimmy Fallon's first-week guest list has some big names attached.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
New for you
02/18/09 01:29 PM
Psst, Fox4's local newscasts at last are in high-definition. The first one quietly arrived at noon Wednesday with no fanfare -- or technical difficulties. Also, unclebarky.com picks the survivors from Tuesday night's 12-way American Idol sing-off, from which only three will emerge Wednesday night after Season 8's first viewer votes are announced.
Note to readers: Nielsen Media Research won't be releasing any further local market ratings until Friday because of digital switchovers by some stations on the previously announced date of Feb. 17 (now pushed back to June 12). So our daily "Local Nielsen ratings snapshot" will be off until then. Also note that all D-FW stations are waiting until June 12 to make the transition.
Also, we want to thank photojournalist Mike Irvin for his pre-paid ad on the right hand side of all unclebarky.com pages. These are what help to keep this Web site going. So check out his services if you would. Especially if you're planning a wedding. And click on the red "Advertise on Uncle Barky" tag if you're interested in placing an ad yourself.
Ed Bark
Note to readers: Nielsen Media Research won't be releasing any further local market ratings until Friday because of digital switchovers by some stations on the previously announced date of Feb. 17 (now pushed back to June 12). So our daily "Local Nielsen ratings snapshot" will be off until then. Also note that all D-FW stations are waiting until June 12 to make the transition.
Also, we want to thank photojournalist Mike Irvin for his pre-paid ad on the right hand side of all unclebarky.com pages. These are what help to keep this Web site going. So check out his services if you would. Especially if you're planning a wedding. And click on the red "Advertise on Uncle Barky" tag if you're interested in placing an ad yourself.
Ed Bark
Two new faces -- and lotsa Facebook -- on the The 33's 9 p.m. local newscast
02/17/09 03:16 PM
Dallas-based The 33 unveiled its new anchor team on Monday's 9 p.m. newscast. Jocular Walt Maciborski tripped over his tongue a few times while Amanda Salinas showed off a nice smile. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in for both last weekend and Monday. And on our still relatively new Web Browser page, CBS says that 2.5 million sets of eyeballs watched David Letterman/Joaquin Phoenix on the Internet within 36 hours of the initial Feb. 11th telecast. We celebrate with a clip from Letterman's perhaps even more bizarre encounter with actor Crispin Glover.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Linking to a pair of self-penned D CEO articles on WFAA8 anchor John McCaa, Latina Lista founder Marisa Trevino
02/17/09 09:41 AM
Your friendly content provider has written an extended profile of WFAA8 anchor John McCaa for the new issue of D CEO magazine. He's long been under-recognized and is nearing the 25-year mark at the Dallas-based station. The rock-steady headmaster of WFAA8's 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts used to be an R-rated standup comic among other things. You can read all about him here.
That same issue of D CEO also has another of your dutiful servant's "Media Matters" columns. This one is on the Web site Latina Lista, which speaks to Latinas/Latinos in ways that the mainstream media doesn't, can't or won't. Here's the link.
Ed Bark
And the Oscar goes to . . .
02/16/09 03:29 PM
ABC's 1979 Oscar telecast hasn't been equaled since, at least in this view. Relive our Top 10 moments on its 30-year anniversary. Also, D-FW-based NBC5 has a replacement for departing meteorologist James Aydelott. And scroll down on the same page for video of a former D-FW weathercaster's crowd-pleasing performance at a Dancing with the Stars-themed charity event in Austin.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside stuff
02/13/09 12:28 PM
Creator Joss Whedon of Buffy, the Vamper Slayer fame looms large over his new Dollhouse series, as he did during Fox's January press conference. Our review is here. Also, WFAA8 Daybreak co-anchor Cynthia Izaguirre at least temporarily renounces the correct pronunciation of her surname. But should she? The latest D-FW Nielsen ratings also are in the house. Plus, HBO further debases baseball with Eastbound & Down, a new comedy series about a profane, cocksure, washed-up relief pitcher.
Ed Bark
Phoenix redux
02/12/09 10:50 AM
Well, so what do you make of this? Bit? Serious meltdown in progress? Or did Dave sometimes act like a bigger ass? Below are highlights from bearded Joaquin Phoenix's already historic Wednesday night visit to Late Show with David Letterman, which surely will have more viewers than his new and supposedly last movie, Two Lovers, which opens Friday and was sneak previewed Wednesday on Mark Cuban's HDNet Movies.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
By the time you get to Phoenix
02/11/09 06:00 PM
Mark Cuban's HDNet Movies channel has another three-pronged "Sneak Preview" Wednesday night (Feb. 11) of a film opening in theaters this Friday. This one, Two Lovers, is billed as Joaquin Phoenix's "final feature film performance," even if he'll likely be back for more after knock, knock knockin' on rap's door. FYI, Gwyneth Paltrow's also in it. And our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Weather ups and downs
02/11/09 10:50 AM
Tuesday night's severe weather throughout the D-FW viewing area brought disruptions to prime-time schedules as well. Also, see which stations topped the weather-infused Nielsen ratings. And meanwhile, there's a little more turbulence at "The 33."
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside pages
02/10/09 03:30 PM
Bad weather's movin' in again, which is great for both local newscast ratings and the profiles of their featured forecasters. We elaborate via a recent promo for CBS11's Larry Mowry, who's still a relative newcomer. Also, the latest D-FW ratings chart the network-by-network audiences for President Obama's first prime-time news conference. And does Comedy Central have a worthy new find in Demetri Martin, whose weekly series premieres Wednesday? Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Babe vs. Romo
02/09/09 12:35 PM
CBS11 sports anchor Babe Laufenberg and Cowboys QB Tony Romo went one-on-one late Sunday night after the Grammys went overtime. But did Tony finally rev up his Romo? Also the new Dancing with the Stars field might not floor you. And you can chat with the stars of TNT's Trust Me right after the Monday, Feb. 9th episode. Details and a link-a-dink are here. Plus, the latest D-FW ratings are groovy for the Grammys.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Take a look inside
02/06/09 01:12 PM
By ED BARK
The new fall season, calming down at last, has occupied most of our time in the past few weeks. Now that there's a little breathing room, here's a catchup round of odds 'n' ends.
Austin-based businessman and bar owner Brad Womack will be the first rose-bearer to get a "second chance at love" on ABC's next edition of The Bachelor, due in January.
Womack, 37, became a pariah in the eyes of some by rejecting both Jenni Croft and De Anna Pappas on the November 2007 Bachelor finale. In the almost three years since then, Womack "has undergone intensive therapy, looking at who he was in a quite painful journey of self-awareness," according to an ABC publicity release.
The network says viewers should "get ready to see a changed, revitalized man who is still optimistic and confident about finding love" on a TV show. Yeah, well, good luck with that. Bachelor viewers currently are on the rebound from the tattered "love" story of Dallas flyboy Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi, who broke up bitterly shortly after giving their hearts to one another.
***A slew of cable series have been renewed for more seasons.
Showtime has picked up both The Big C, starring Laura Linney, and Weeds, fronted by Mary-Louise Parker. It will be a second season for Big C and a seventh for Weeds.
HBO has ordered a second season of Boardwalk Empire, which is still early in its first season. The Prohibition era gangster drama stars Steve Buscemi.
Lifetime has picked up Army Wives and Drop Dead Diva for their fifth and third seasons. And TNT has renewed Hawthorne for a third season.
***Fox has delayed the season premiere of Human Target, originally set for Friday, Oct. 1st, to Wednesday, Nov. 17th. House repeats instead will be paired with The Good Guys on Friday nights.
*** One of ABC Family's three new shows in development is Strut, a scripted one-hour drama series set in a small Texas town.
Publicity materials say the series "revolves around a showgirl named Roxy who marries a stranger after a wild evening, and overnight finds herself living in a small town in Texas and reinventing the high school's struggling drill team." In the process, "she turns the town upside down."
The go-ahead for Strut is "cast-contingent," meaning that the series might not get made if ABC Family doesn't sign the actors it wants.
Checking out: WFAA8 anchor Jeff Brady leaving to become own boss
02/05/09 04:44 PM
Jeff Brady will be joining the ranks of D-FW television newsies who want to try something new. Our complete story is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
"The 33" names new anchors of 9 p.m. newscast
02/05/09 01:51 PM
Two new anchors, one previously revealed on unclebarky.com, will be helming "The 33's" 9 p.m. newscast later this month. The hires were announced on the day after veteran anchor Tom Crespo was dropped. Get the story here. Also, Fox has a big night in the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings. And don't get rid of those cwazy wabbit ears just yet.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Another KO at "The 33"
02/04/09 04:08 PM
Weeknight news anchor Tom Crespo is out as "The 33" continues to chop station veterans. Our story is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside pages
02/04/09 01:54 PM
Veteran WFAA8 reporter Jim Douglas tackled a tough topic Tuesday night -- but as usual handled it impeccably. Also, the latest D-FW ratings are in, and a previously junked Bob Saget sitcom has been resurrected by a rival network.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Flight of the Conchords touching down at Nokia
02/03/09 12:38 PM
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6th, for Flight of the Conchords' May 5th show at Grand Prairie's Nokia Theatre.
New Zealanders Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are in the midst of their second season on HBO, which slots Conchords on Sundays at 9 p.m. (central) following Big Love.
"Special guest" Eugene Mirman will open the Nokia show.
Ed Bark
Riggs, Cheaters creator get in bed together
02/02/09 11:34 PM
Former TV investigative reporter Robert Riggs talks to unclebarky.com about his new duties at Dallas-based Bobby Goldstein Productions, home port for the TV show Cheaters. Also, a former host of WFAA8's defunct La Vida program will be joining The 33's news team, according to sources.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Absolutely, positively final national Nielsens bump Supie XLIII from II to I on all-time list (updated)
02/02/09 04:05 PM
By ED BARK
"Unusual and unexpected adjustments" Tuesday to Super Bowl XLIII's national Nielsen numbers have vaulted it to No. 1 on the all-time list, NBC has announced.
The Peacock's first telecast of a Super Bowl since 1998's XXXII averaged 98.7 million viewers, not the 95.4 million tabulated on Monday. That's the biggest audience in the game's 43-year history, surpassing last year's recording-setting 97.5 million viewers for the New York Giants' upset of the unbeaten New England Patriots.
NBC also had a thriller in view, with the Pittsburgh Steelers scoring their come-from-behind winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals with just 35 second left in the game.
NBC sports chairman Dick Ebersol equated the Super Bowl to a humanitarian gesture.
"The National Football League should feel a great sense of pride in providing a day of enjoyment to American families -- especially those who are struggling in these difficult times," he said in a press release.
NBC also clicked its heels to the tune of a record $206 million in advertising revenue, with each in-game 30-second spot costing $3 million, according to the network.
"Commercials are nearly as big a part of the day as the football itself," NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker said. "This is an extraordinary story for NBC against the backdrop of this economy."
NBC's post-Super Bowl attraction, a one-hour episode of The Office, drew 22.9 million viewers nationally from 9:40 to 10:40 p.m. Last year's followup act, Fox's House, did appreciably better with 29 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The all-time record-holder, which may never be beaten, is NBC's 1996 episode of Friends, which amassed 52.9 million viewers after 94.1 million viewers watched the Dallas Cowboys beat the Steelers.
More inside stuff
02/02/09 02:03 PM
Monthly rollover
02/02/09 02:48 AM
January content has been archived on the Dallas-Fort Worth and Network News & Reviews pages as we begin another new month here at unclebarky.com central. Our first February posts on those pages are a highlight reel from Sunday's Super Bowl XLIII and an update on a Dallas-made film with ties to a veteran CBS11 reporter.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark