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[05/15/12 - 11:04 AM]
Lee: Look for All-Star "Dancing With the Stars"; "Hulk" Still in the Works
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- "Why just watch, when you can feel?" will be the question ABC asks its audience during today's upfront presentation. Said tagline was underscored by ABC Entertainment Group President Paul Lee following the announcement of the network's 2012-13 schedule. "That really encapsulates this brand," the executive told reporters. "Everything we do is about an emotional connection: great stories, great characters and real emotion."

Other notable developments from today's press call with the ABC chief:

-- "We're going to do something different this fall, we're going to do an all-star edition of 'Dancing With the Stars,'" Lee confirmed. "We're going to be bringing back fan favorites from the last 14 seasons." When asked about who specifically will return, Lee would only say "we can't talk about the casting yet but I would love to see some of the fan favorites from the last seasons come back. And we have many favorites over the 14 seasons... fingers crossed, we are casting now."

-- "I think it's time for Friday night to be a destination again for broad family entertainment," Lee said about the move of "Last Man Standing" to Fridays. He likewise defended his decision to shift "Happy Endings" and "Don't Trust the B----" to Tuesday night: "Of our shows, those are two of our most passionate audiences so we believe those audiences will move to find those shows."

-- Aside from its comedy plans on Tuesdays at midseason, Lee also revealed that "'Mistresses' is a show that we're going to be launching after 'The Bachelor' franchise, probably in May."

-- On the company's Marvel properties: "We did do some development this season, not just with ourselves but also with FOX... Of course you know 'The Hulk' is in development, it wasn't going to be ready for this season but we hope we'll be ready for next season." Beyond "Hulk" Lee said, "We've got some in development but none that I can talk about at this point." As for "AKA Jessica Jones," which was penned by "Red Widow's" Melissa Rosenberg, the executive indicated it won't be moving forward. "We have other development which probably is further at the front of the queue."

-- Lee also indicated they're open to year-round development. "It's much easier to develop midseason [but] it's difficult to break the mold," he said. "In many ways it's easier in terms of casting and staffing up. It's not impossible that we'll make a couple of moves in the next few months." As for whether any of their current pilots are being rolled, Lee said, "Nothing that comes to mind."

-- The executive likewise confirmed a few episode orders. "The intention is to have 'Revenge' absolutely do 22 episodes," Lee said about the Sunday-bound drama. He also indicated "Body of Proof" indeed has a 13-episode commitment for midseason.

-- As for its rollout plans, Lee said, "We did launch two or three shows right at the beginning of the fall last year, we're probably going to continue to do that." Adding, "Staggering show launches works for us, it's been a successful strategy and I think we're going to continue to do so."

-- After the conference, a network spokesperson confirmed to us that "Million Dollar Mind Game" and "You Deserve It" are indeed canceled. As for "Nightline Prime," we're told the series isn't considered something that is picked up or cancelled in the usual sense as it's possible that title could be used again.

-- And finally, TVGuide.com reports that ABC has picked up "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" for a third season of 15 two-hour episodes. The Alphabet made the pickup early - in advance of its season two launch on June 3 - due to the year-long production cycle needed to create the show. Chris Powell will return as host while various show alums will serve as "weight-loss ambassadors" next year. In addition, Walmart has joined as a sponsor.





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· BACHELOR, THE (ABC)
· BACHELORETTE, THE (ABC)
· BODY OF PROOF (ABC)
· DANCING WITH THE STARS (ABC)
· DON'T TRUST THE BITCH IN APARTMENT 23 (ABC)
· EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS (ABC)
· HAPPY ENDINGS (ABC)
· INCREDIBLE HULK, THE (ABC)
· LAST MAN STANDING (FOX)
· MARVEL'S JESSICA JONES (NETFLIX)
· MILLION DOLLAR MIND GAME (ABC)
· MISTRESSES (ABC)
· NIGHTLINE PRIME (ABC)
· RED WIDOW (ABC)
· REVENGE (ABC)
· YOU DESERVE IT (ABC)





[08/20/26 - 12:31 PM]
Netflix and AMC Global Media Announce New Gritty Drama Series, "Bannerman"
The series will premiere on AMC in the US and Canada and will also be available on Netflix in the US and Canada 90 days after the premiere of the season finale on AMC.

[08/20/26 - 11:00 AM]
CBS to Mark 25 Years Since the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks with Extensive Live Coverage and Two Primetime Specials
At 8:00 PM, Tony Dokoupil will anchor a CBS News special from Ground Zero, "9/11: We Remember," featuring three stories of survival, loss and hope.

[08/20/26 - 10:01 AM]
Headed Back to Muskoka: Prime Video Renews "Sterling Point" for a Second Season
The eight-episode series debuted on August 5 and quickly became a top series on Prime Video.

[08/20/26 - 09:45 AM]
Academy Award Nominee and Emmy Winner Steven Yeun to Lead Netflix Series "Pagans"
Yeun will play Gus: A single father struggling to raise two kids alone following his wife's death.

[08/20/26 - 09:37 AM]
AMC Global Media's September Highlights Include "The Walking Dead: Dead City," "Blue Murder Motel," "Age Inappropriate," "Hell Mode," the Return of "Season of Screams" and More!
Other offerings include Sundance Now's "Murderer Behind the Mask"; Acorn TV's "The Sommerdahl Murders"; and We TV's "Love After Lockup: The Road to Rehab."

[08/20/26 - 09:33 AM]
CNN Brings Farm Aid Live to Audiences Nationwide on Saturday, September 26 at 7PM ET
CNN's airing of the evening will include star-studded performances board member artists Willie Nelson and Family, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff and more.

[08/20/26 - 09:30 AM]
From Arcade to Animated Series: "Golden Axe" Set to Premiere Exclusively on Paramount+ Wednesday, September 16
In a hilarious homage to Sega's iconic 1989 video game, "Golden Axe" follows legendary warriors Ax Battler, Tyris Flare and Gilius Thunderhead as they reunite to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder, who just won't seem to stay dead.

[08/20/26 - 09:17 AM]
BET Unveils "Get Your Mind Right," A Multi-Platform Mental Health Initiative Designed to Inform, Inspire, and Connect Black Communities
Rooted in BET's longstanding commitment to uplifting and serving Black audiences, "Get Your Mind Right" reflects the urgency of advancing conversations around mental wellness while encouraging communities to seek support and connecting audiences to culturally relevant support.

[08/20/26 - 08:45 AM]
Genie Bouchard Joins ESPN for 2026 US Open
ESPN will present exclusive "first ball to last ball" coverage of the 2026 US Open beginning Sunday, August 24.

[08/20/26 - 08:34 AM]
ESPN Debuts Little League Alumni Alt-Cast of the MLB Little League Classic Presented by New York Life
Mike Monaco will handle play-by-play alongside analysts Todd Frazier and Devon Travis, with the trio calling the game on-site in Williamsport.

[08/20/26 - 08:31 AM]
Netflix Renews "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" for a Fourth Season
Season four will follow a fresh batch of rookie candidates, comeback hopefuls and seasoned vets across the 2026-27 season.

[08/20/26 - 08:10 AM]
Food Network Serves Up a Frightfully Delicious Fall in New Seasons of "Halloween Baking Championship" and "Halloween Wars"
First up, on Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET/PT "Halloween Wars" will return with host Jonathan Bennett and a "Back from the Dead" theme featuring all-star expert pumpkin carving artists, sugar masters, and cake mavens who will face more difficult challenges than ever before.

[08/20/26 - 08:01 AM]
"The Hunting Wives" Season 2 - First Look Images & Date Announcement
Season two premieres on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26, 2026) and will release exclusively as a Netflix branded series in nearly all countries Netflix is available.

[08/20/26 - 08:01 AM]
Apple TV's Sports Comedy "Stick," Swings Back Into Season Two on November 4
"Stick" returns for its second season on Apple TV on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly until December 30, 2026.

[08/20/26 - 08:00 AM]
The Final Reckoning Begins Emmy-Nominated "Yellowjackets" Returns for Its Final Season on November 20 on Paramount+
As the survivors race to bury their sins before rescue arrives and an old flame roars back into town with plans of her own.