or


[11/04/03 - 12:00 AM]
CBS Trims 'Becker,' 'Stones' and 'Reagans'
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- CBS has put the future of its veteran comedy "Becker" in limbo once again as the network announced yesterday it will not order any additional episodes this season beyond the 13 originally ordered. The series however is not canceled and remains in contention for the network's fall 2004 schedule.

In addition, the Eye has also rolled back its commitment to its midseason comedy "The Stones," opting to halt production on the series after nine episodes, four short of its original 13 episode order. Both moves were in reaction to a lack of real estate on CBS' schedule. With all of its comedies performing well, CBS executives didn't see the need to overstock its midseason commitments as it had in previous years (i.e. second seasons of "Baby Bob" and "Ladies Man" as well as "Charlie Lawrence," all of which ended up being dumped into summer runs). With 22 episodes between "Becker" and "The Stones," CBS will more or less have a complete season for the Wednesday, 9:30/8:30c half-hour.

The news marks the latest chapter in a bizarre history for both "Becker" and "The Stones." The latter was originally scheduled to premiere this fall in the Wednesday, 9:30/8:30c slot while the former wasn't even renewed for its current season when CBS announced its fall lineup back in May. A month later, CBS executives decided to give "Becker" a 13-episode order for midseason and a month after that bumped "The Stones" to midseason in favor of a fall start for "Becker." "The Stones" will now bow some time in the spring, taking over for "Becker" in the Wednesday, 9:30/8:30c slot.

Meanwhile in other CBS news, the network has decided not to air its controversial mini-series "The Reagans." The project had been a recent source of debate as script reviews by various publications called into question the mini-series' authenticity when it came to the beloved Republication figure. In a statement to the press, CBS said:

CBS will not broadcast THE REAGANS on November 16 and 18. This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script.

Although the mini-series features impressive production values and acting performances, and although the producers have sources to verify each scene in the script, we believe it does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans for CBS and its audience. Subsequent edits that we considered did not address those concerns.

A free broadcast network, available to all over the public airwaves, has different standards than media the public must pay to view. We do, however, recognize and respect the filmmakers' right to have their voice heard and their film seen. As such, we have reached an agreement to license the exhibition rights for the film to Showtime, a subscriber-based, pay-cable network. We believe this is a solution that benefits everyone involved.

This was not an easy decision to make. CBS does tackle controversial subjects and provide tough assessments of prominent historical figures and events, as we did with films such as 'Jesus,' '9-11' and 'Hitler.' We will continue to do so in the future."

It's not clear when the project will air on the pay channel.





  [november 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· 9/11 (CBS)
· BABY BOB (CBS)
· BECKER (CBS)
· CHARLIE LAWRENCE (CBS)
· HITLER: THE RISE OF EVIL (CBS)
· JESUS (CBS)
· LADIES MAN (CBS)
· REAGANS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· STONES, THE (CBS)





[07/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
CBS Unveils Fall Primetime Premiere Dates for the 2025-2026 Season
Highlights include an early return for "Watson" on Monday, October 13 in place of the previously announced "FBI" spin-off "CIA."

[07/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
HBO Max to Host Fan Experiences for Upcoming Seasons of "Peacemaker" and "It: Welcome to Derry" in San Diego
The festivities include a panel in Hall H, where showrunner/writer/director and Co-Head of DC Studios James Gunn and the cast of "Peacemaker" will share new details about the upcoming season and premiere the global trailer for season two.

[07/11/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
There's always a message in the music.

[07/11/25 - 06:00 AM]
"Love Island (UK)" 10th Anniversary Special Date Announcement
The special premieres in the US on Friday, July 11.

[07/11/25 - 02:01 AM]
Netflix Will Release "Death Inc." Seasons 1, 2 and 3
The series is a comedy centered around a family-run funeral home and the relationships between the eccentric characters who inhabit it.

[07/10/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "The Winning Try" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After his career fell apart, a disgraced rugby star finds purpose coaching his old school's team - driving them and himself toward growth and redemption.

[07/10/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "The Nice Guy" - Teaser Trailer #3 - Disney+
He wants out for good. But the past comes with strings.

[07/10/25 - 05:03 PM]
Meagan Good Returns to Lifetime to Executive Produce and Star in the Alluring New Thriller "I'll Never Let You Go" Alongside Antonio Cupo and Thomas Cadrot, Premiering August 16 on Lifetime
Good stars as Emily Westover, a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Cupo).

[07/10/25 - 12:01 PM]
"Virgin River" Is Returning for Season 8
"On behalf of myself and the whole 'Virgin River' family, we're eternally grateful to Netflix and to the fans for allowing us to continue on this journey with these beloved characters," said showrunner Patrick Sean Smith.

[07/10/25 - 12:00 PM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: New York Mets to Visit San Francisco Giants on July 27
Karl Ravech will call the action with analyst Eduardo Pérez, analyst and five-time World Series Champion David Cone and reporter Buster Olney.

[07/10/25 - 11:04 AM]
Paris Berelc to Co-Star and Executive Produce Upcoming Tubi Original YA Romantic Comedy Film "Kissing Is the Easy Part"
Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of my Dreams) is set to direct the film, which is based on the popular Wattpad webnovel (currently at 31.9 million reads) of the same name by Christine Duann adapted by Rebecca Webb.

[07/10/25 - 10:30 AM]
HBO Orders Untitled American History Sketch Comedy Starring and Executive Produced by Larry David and Higher Ground
President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion. ...But then Larry David called.

[07/10/25 - 10:10 AM]
Apple's Acclaimed Sci-Fi Series "Murderbot" Lands Season Two Renewal
The season one finale of "Murderbot" premieres globally this Friday, July 11.

[07/10/25 - 10:06 AM]
AMC Networks Returns to Comic-Con International with Dynamic Lineup of Fan-Favorite Series Panels, Screenings, A Shudder Fan Activation & More
Panels include a return to Hall H for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, featuring an exclusive first-look at the official trailer from the third season, premiering Sunday, September 7 on AMC and AMC+.

[07/10/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Marc Maron: Panicked" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
He's mining for gold in a river of panic.