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“ Tube Talk ”
How good was the premiere of 24? By contrast, the return of American Idol appeared to be a severely jaded affair - although 55 million Americans would probably disagree.
Never mind, because back here in the UK we have two excellent new shows starting this week: Prison Break (Monday at 10 on Five) and Supernatural (Sunday at 9 on ITV2). Great promo on the part of Five, but what's with the whole "scary is sexy" campaign for the latter?
Derek: "Any info on season 4 of Nip/Tuck? I hear [cough, splutter] will be back - is that true?"
Neil: Highlight to read: Yes, Quentin will be back next season - but we'll have to wait until the autumn to see it, unfortunately.
Marilyn: "Do you know if there is going to be a third season of Doc Martin?"
Neil: There will be! Or rather, I'm betting my ageing collection of Noel's House Party tapes that there will be.
Caz: "Do you know if the Golden Globes awards show that aired in the US last evening, 17 January, will air on UK television?"
Neil: They did - the following night on Living TV 2. If you missed it you can catch it tomorrow (Sunday) at 7.30pm on Living.
Charlie Wates: "Do you know how many series of Lost there are going to be?"
Neil: Probably several more than there should be.
Andrew: "The first season of The 4400 was released on R1 and R2 dvds last year, do you know/think there is any chance of the same happening with season two? Also, when you said it would return in the summer, is that on the USA Network or on Sky One or on both? Thanks very much."
Neil: The DVD set hasn't been released in the US yet - it's still being "worked on" - but should be out here around the same time. "Summer" applies to both networks; there'll probably be a three or four week delay.
James Morton: "Hi Neil, love the column. Any idea of if and when we'll get to see Everybody Hates Chris here in the UK? Cheers."
Neil: Five and Paramount Comedy, some time in the next few months.
Rob: "How did the Lost finale do in the ratings for Channel 4? Also, how has Richard Hammond's 5 o'clock show done in comparison to Richard and Judy lately? Cheers!"
Neil: The final two episodes pulled in 4.7 million and 4.1 million respectively, hitting a peak of 4.8 million in the final quarter hour. Richard Hammond has shed half of O'Grady's audience and is lagging behind R&J by around 300,000 viewers.
Emma: "Hi, is there any news on the Sky One series, Weeds? I have had a search about and can't find anything?"
Neil: The second season goes into production shortly and will air on Sky One this autumn.
John Bond: "Can you please tell me when Oprah Winfrey is starting on ITV2?"
Neil: Yes, at last. Weekdays at 4.40pm from Monday 30th.
Stephen W: "Do you know why some Freeview channels such as abc1 only run from 6am to 6pm, yet on Sky they run 24hrs? Further to that, why cant freeview put the channels neatly together? I have tried writing or emailing them and all I got was a basic response, I have even tried to contact shows such as ABC asking them the questions. Can you help by pointing me in the correct direction?"
Neil: "DTT bandwidth is extremely limited" is the answer to your first question (although it should be noted that abc1 are looking to expand their hours on Freeview). As for the second, it depends on how you define "neatly". There was a reshuffle recently to do just that.
Christina Kelly: "Do you know if Freddie which stars Freddie Prinze Junior has been picked up by UK TV? Also has Commander-In-Chief been picked up in the UK yet?"
Neil: Trouble has just landed the rights to this show - look out for a March debut. Still 'no' to CIC...
Kara: "Hi! Do you possibly know when Channel 5 are planning to air the CSI season 5 finale (Grave Danger)? They aired the penultimate epsiode last week but I've checked the listings and appears they're showing repeats! It's apparently a brilliant episode and I don't want to miss it! Thankyou!"
Neil: Next Saturday (28th) at 9.10pm, in advance of the season six premiere that Tuesday at 9pm.
Zed: "A few weeks ago I spotted on Aint it Cool a mention of a series called Maddigan's Quest being made in New Zealand. I found the shows site at www.maddigansquest.com which says it has BBC involvement. The trailer for the series looks really cool and you can watch the first ep which is ok but I suspect the series will get better. Do you know when the BBC is going to screen this? Are they deliberately keeping it under wraps? I'm from NZ but none of my friends back there have heard of it."
Neil: Thursdays at 4.30pm, beginning this week (26th). It debuts in NZ next month.
Pete Woodward: "Have Bravo given any indication on when they plan to air the fifth and final season of Alias?"
Neil: Looks like it'll be Fridays at 9pm, beginning March 24.
That's all for this week - do write in and let me know what you think of the new US fare. More next Saturday!
Never mind, because back here in the UK we have two excellent new shows starting this week: Prison Break (Monday at 10 on Five) and Supernatural (Sunday at 9 on ITV2). Great promo on the part of Five, but what's with the whole "scary is sexy" campaign for the latter?
Derek: "Any info on season 4 of Nip/Tuck? I hear [cough, splutter] will be back - is that true?"
Neil: Highlight to read: Yes, Quentin will be back next season - but we'll have to wait until the autumn to see it, unfortunately.
Marilyn: "Do you know if there is going to be a third season of Doc Martin?"
Neil: There will be! Or rather, I'm betting my ageing collection of Noel's House Party tapes that there will be.
Caz: "Do you know if the Golden Globes awards show that aired in the US last evening, 17 January, will air on UK television?"
Neil: They did - the following night on Living TV 2. If you missed it you can catch it tomorrow (Sunday) at 7.30pm on Living.
Charlie Wates: "Do you know how many series of Lost there are going to be?"
Neil: Probably several more than there should be.
Andrew: "The first season of The 4400 was released on R1 and R2 dvds last year, do you know/think there is any chance of the same happening with season two? Also, when you said it would return in the summer, is that on the USA Network or on Sky One or on both? Thanks very much."
Neil: The DVD set hasn't been released in the US yet - it's still being "worked on" - but should be out here around the same time. "Summer" applies to both networks; there'll probably be a three or four week delay.
James Morton: "Hi Neil, love the column. Any idea of if and when we'll get to see Everybody Hates Chris here in the UK? Cheers."
Neil: Five and Paramount Comedy, some time in the next few months.
Rob: "How did the Lost finale do in the ratings for Channel 4? Also, how has Richard Hammond's 5 o'clock show done in comparison to Richard and Judy lately? Cheers!"
Neil: The final two episodes pulled in 4.7 million and 4.1 million respectively, hitting a peak of 4.8 million in the final quarter hour. Richard Hammond has shed half of O'Grady's audience and is lagging behind R&J by around 300,000 viewers.
Emma: "Hi, is there any news on the Sky One series, Weeds? I have had a search about and can't find anything?"
Neil: The second season goes into production shortly and will air on Sky One this autumn.
John Bond: "Can you please tell me when Oprah Winfrey is starting on ITV2?"
Neil: Yes, at last. Weekdays at 4.40pm from Monday 30th.
Stephen W: "Do you know why some Freeview channels such as abc1 only run from 6am to 6pm, yet on Sky they run 24hrs? Further to that, why cant freeview put the channels neatly together? I have tried writing or emailing them and all I got was a basic response, I have even tried to contact shows such as ABC asking them the questions. Can you help by pointing me in the correct direction?"
Neil: "DTT bandwidth is extremely limited" is the answer to your first question (although it should be noted that abc1 are looking to expand their hours on Freeview). As for the second, it depends on how you define "neatly". There was a reshuffle recently to do just that.
Christina Kelly: "Do you know if Freddie which stars Freddie Prinze Junior has been picked up by UK TV? Also has Commander-In-Chief been picked up in the UK yet?"
Neil: Trouble has just landed the rights to this show - look out for a March debut. Still 'no' to CIC...
Kara: "Hi! Do you possibly know when Channel 5 are planning to air the CSI season 5 finale (Grave Danger)? They aired the penultimate epsiode last week but I've checked the listings and appears they're showing repeats! It's apparently a brilliant episode and I don't want to miss it! Thankyou!"
Neil: Next Saturday (28th) at 9.10pm, in advance of the season six premiere that Tuesday at 9pm.
Zed: "A few weeks ago I spotted on Aint it Cool a mention of a series called Maddigan's Quest being made in New Zealand. I found the shows site at www.maddigansquest.com which says it has BBC involvement. The trailer for the series looks really cool and you can watch the first ep which is ok but I suspect the series will get better. Do you know when the BBC is going to screen this? Are they deliberately keeping it under wraps? I'm from NZ but none of my friends back there have heard of it."
Neil: Thursdays at 4.30pm, beginning this week (26th). It debuts in NZ next month.
Pete Woodward: "Have Bravo given any indication on when they plan to air the fifth and final season of Alias?"
Neil: Looks like it'll be Fridays at 9pm, beginning March 24.
That's all for this week - do write in and let me know what you think of the new US fare. More next Saturday!
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