Programming Insider

Did You Know?:
Swoosie Kurtz’s first regularly scheduled primetime series was NBC comedy “Love, Sydney,” which aired from 1981 to 1983 and featured Tony Randall as a gay man who takes in a single woman (Kurtz), and her young daughter (Kaleena Kiff).  Historically, “Love, Sydney” was the first series to feature a gay character as the lead.

Monday 9/05/16

Household Rating/Share
ABC: 3.2/ 5, NBC: 2.8/ 5, CBS: 2.6/ 4, Fox: 1.8/ 3, CW: 0.8/ 1

Percent Change From Saturday 7/04/15:
ABC: no change, NBC: -10, CW: -11, Fox: -18, CBS: -21

For the breakdown by network and individual show, click here
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Final NTIs
Monday 8/29/15: Click here
Tuesday 8/30/16: Click here
Wednesday 8/31/16: Click here
Thursday 9/01/16: Click here

Fast Affiliate Ratings
Friday 9/02/16: Click here
Saturday 9/03/16: Click here
Sunday 9/04/16: Click here

Source: Nielsen Media Research

NBC Eyes “Oliver Twist” Procedural
NBC and Silver Pictures Television have announced a pilot-script deal for “Twist,” a modern-day adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 19th century novel “Oliver Twist.”  The proposed series will focus on a struggling 20-something female who finally finds a true sense of family in a strange group of talented outcasts who use their unique skills to take down wealthy criminals.

Founder of Silver Pictures Television Joel Silver and president Rodney Ferrell will serve as executive producers on “Twist.” Writing team Chad Damiani and J.P. Lavin, known for the upcoming film adaptation of the game “Fruit Ninja,” have signed on to write the series’ pilot. Both Damiani and Lavin will also executive produce the project.

Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” centered on Oliver Twist, an orphan who is sold into apprenticeship with an undertaker who eventually escapes and travels to London where he meets the Artful Dodger and elderly criminal Fagin, who oversees the gang of juvenile pickpockets.

AT&T Audience Network Orders “Religion of Sports”
The AT&T Audience Network has picked up six episodes of docuseries “Religion of Sports,” which will examine the unique examples of sports’ cultural and often spiritual impact in regions around the world.  Created by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, “Good Morning America” co-host and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, and filmmaker Gotham Chopra, the series will debut on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. ET. Christopher Long, Bart Peters, Constance Schwartz-Morini, Martin Desmond Roe and Chris Uettwiller will exec produce alongside Brady, Strahan and Chopra.

Each hour-long episode of “Religion of Sports” will examine instances where specific sports profoundly influence societies and cultures in a manner that extends beyond entertainment value. Episodes will feature NASCAR events, the Calgary Stampede and the rise of UFC and MMA fighting.

ABC to Launch Four New Short-Form Series
ABCd, the digital extension of ABC, is introducing four new digital series this Friday for the free ABC apps for web, mobile and connected TV devices. They are comedy “This Isn’t Working” from YouTube star Lisa Schwartz; “Farm to Plate,” featuring Australian chef Guy Turland; “She Talks,” a docuseries that profiles female entrepreneurs; and “What to Text Him Back,” featuring relationship expert and best-selling author Matthew Hussey as he breaks down dating protocol in the digital age.

Additionally, ABCd will debut interview series “A Little of Your Time with Quinn Marcus” on Thursday, Sept. 15 in conjunction with Marcus’ role as the official social-media correspondent for the 2016 Primetime Emmys. Marcus is known for MTV’s “Girl Code” and MTVu’s “Quinnterviews.”  The network relaunched its free streaming service, along with seven new short-form series, in July. For more specifics, click here

Presidential Debate Moderators Announced
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced that NBC News chief anchor Lester Holt will moderate the first scheduled presidential debate on Monday, Sept. 26 at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York.  ABC’s Martha Raddatz and CNN’s Anderson Cooper are doing the second and Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace the third.  CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano will moderate the vice presidential debate between Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Tim Kaine.

Hugh O’Brien, TV’s “Wyatt Earp,” Dies at 91
Actor Hugh O’Brien, who is remembered for his six season stint on 1955-61 ABC western “The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp,” died on Monday.  He was 91.

Born Hugh Charles Krampe on April 19, 1925 in Rochester, New York, O’Brien was discovered by actress and director Ida Lupino, who signed him to film “Never Fear” in 1949, which led O’Brian to a contract with universal Pictures.  He made multiple appearances on NBC drama anthology “The Loretta Young Show” in the mid-1950s prior to “Wyatt Earp,” and appeared as a guest star on numerous series after it including “The Virginian,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Kraft Mystery Theater” and “The Red Skelton Hour.”  His second regularly scheduled series was NBC action/adventure “Search” in the 1972-73 season.

O’Brien reprised is role as Wyatt Earp in two 1989 episodes of CBS western “Paradise.” He also appeared as Earp in the 1991 Kenny Rogers TV miniseries “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.” And he starred in “Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone,” a 1994 TV movie that included flashbacks to scenes from his old series.  His film roles included “Come Fly With Me,” “In Harm’s Way” and “Ten Little Indians.”  Late in his career, O’Brian made frequent guest appearances in television series and variety shows and toured in the national companies of “Cactus Flower,” ”1776″ and “Guys and Dolls.”

He also made his mark in philanthropy as founder of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership organization.  The organization sponsors 10,000 high school sophomores annually through leadership programs in all 50 states and 20 countries.  The concept for the program was inspired by the nine days O’Brian spent visiting with humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Africa in 1958.

O’Brien is survived by his wife, the former Virginia Barber, whom he married in 2006 at the age of 81.

Fall 2016 Network Preview at Campaign US
-The potential new series hits: Click here
-The potential new series misses: Click here