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If you liked "Paul Blart, Mall Cop," TLC has a show for you.

The cable network said Friday that it has started production on 12 half-hour episodes of new series "Mall Cops: Mall of America."

TLC aired a one-hour special of the same name earlier in the fall. It averaged 1.2 million viewers among persons 2+ and an average household rating of 1.0. That ratings success led to the series pickup, TLC said in a statement.

Produced by September Films, the series shares the story of the men and women who work the security team at Bloomington, Minn.'s Mall of America, which receives more than 40 million visitors a year.

Mall of America, at 4.2 million square feet, is the largest mall in the U.S. It has more than 500 stores, a 7-acre indoor theme park, a 1.2 million-gallon aquarium, a secondary school, a wedding chapel and major celebrity events.

Executive producers are Peter Davey and Sheldon Lazarus.

Published on Fri. November 20th, 2009 at 3:26PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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Thursday night's season-six finale of "Project Runway" was the highest-rated episode of the season among key demos, Lifetime Television said.

In its first season on Lifetime after five on Bravo, "Runway" is cable's highest-rated reality show among women and households this year, as well as most watched, the network said.

For Thursday's finale, in which 27-year-old New York native Irina Shabayeva was crowned the winner, the show earned a 3.2 rating among women 18-49 (up 28 percent from the season-to-date average), a 3.6 in women 25-54 (up 38 percent), a 2.9 in women 18+ (up 26 percent) and a 3.4 in households (up 31 percent), according to Nielsen Media Research estimates. It averaged 4,275,981 total viewers.

The show was followed by the season-one finale of companion series "Models of the Runway." Kalyn Hemphill was the program's last model standing, and her triumph generated a 1.1 rating among women 18-49 and a 1.3 household rating, averaging 1,475,312 total viewers.

"Project Runway" will return to New York next season, premiering on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 10 p.m. That will be followed at 11 p.m. by the season-two premiere of "Models of the Runway."

For the first time, both shows will be shot and distributed in high-definition.

Both series are produced by the Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture.

Published on Fri. November 20th, 2009 at 2:53PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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Big Comcast news. No, not that news. But while the rest of the world waits for white smoke to bellow out of 30 Rock's chimney, signaling a union between the cable titan and NBC Universal, Comcast announced the extension of an agreement with TV Guide Network on Friday. The deal is a multi-year carriage agreement that will bring Comcast customers TV Guide's original programming and comprehensive program listings.

“Comcast is pleased to bring our customers the comprehensive lineup of programming TV Guide Network provides viewers,” Matthew Strauss, senior vice president of new media for Comcast, said in a statement. “We continue to offer our customers unparalleled choices and the best viewing experience.”

Providing Comcast customers with our programming is an important step in our plans for the transformation of the TV Guide Network,” Allen Shapiro, chairman of TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com, added.

Under its new ownership by Lionsgate and One Equity Partners, TV Guide Network has overhauled its programming in recent months. It announced the basic cable acquisition of the HBO comedy series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which will begin airing on TV Guide Network starting in 2010. It also acquired the exclusive basic cable off-network rights to “Ugly Betty,” which is currently airing on TV Guide Network.

(Note to readers: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)

Published on Fri. November 20th, 2009 at 12:57PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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NBC is turning up the heat in the kitchen with its latest reality competition show. The peacock network announced today that it has picked up a new series, tentatively entitled "United Plates of America," that will pit contestants against each other in a competition for the opportunity to open a new restaurant chain in four cities across America.

"This is the first time the culinary and business worlds have come together in a big event series where the prize is one of the largest in reality TV history," Paul Telegdy, NBC's executive vice president, alternative programming, said in a statement. "Not only will viewers get to watch the competition unfold, they'll be able to eat at the winning restaurant immediately after the show's finale."

The series was developed by  Magical Elves, who have had similarly themed successes with "Project Runway" and "Top Chef."

In place of "Top Chef"'s judge's table stocked with celebrity chefs and food critics, these would be restaurateurs will have their fates decided by a panel of investors who will ultimately have their money tied up in the new chain.

"This show is going to make the American Dream come true for someone out there - all they need is one great idea," said Dan Cutforth, the show's executive producer.

(Note to readers: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)

Published on Thu. November 19th, 2009 at 6:18PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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NBC provided some clarity to its moribund Monday night situation, announcing that "Chuck" will return to the schedule on Sunday, Jan. 10, with back-to-back episodes before falling into its permanent timeslot a night later, running at 8 p.m. and leading into "Heroes."

More surprising was the network's decision to order three additional episodes of "Trauma,"  the rookie drama about emergency responders from producer Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights").

That show was widely reported to be a goner two weeks ago, with the speculation that NBC would keep only one new hospital-themed drama, and that would be "Mercy."

That very week, however, "Trauma" scored its best ratings since its premiere, drawing 6.2 milliion viewers on Nov. 2.

The initial 10 episodes of "Trauma" will culminate their run on NBC's Monday night schedule in early December, leaving an additional six (including the three that were just ordered) that will air next year. No return date for the series has been announced.

(Note to readers: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)

KEYWORDS Chuck | NBC | returning | Trauma
Published on Thu. November 19th, 2009 at 5:45PM | Link | Email | Comments (1) |
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ABC's "Lost" returns Tuesday, Feb. 2, for its sixth and final season with an all-night event.

An hourlong recap special kicks off the night at 8 p.m., followed by the two-hour premiere at 9 p.m.

"Lost" then settles into a new regular timeslot, Tuesday at 9 p.m., starting Feb. 9.

If ABC is still airing "V" at that point in the 8 p.m. Tuesday slot, that would create a nice slice of nerd-vana.

“Lost” was created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof. Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Jean Higgins and Carlton Cuse are executive producers. The show is produced by ABC Studios.

(Note to readers: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)

KEYWORDS ABC | Lost | television
Published on Thu. November 19th, 2009 at 3:39PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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Disney/ABC Television Group is launching a "Grey's Anatomy" webisode series, "Seattle Grace: On Call."

Set primarily in Joe's Emerald City Bar, the show's popular hangout joint for doctors and interns, the webisodes follow the trials and tribulations of many of "Grey's" regulars.

The series premieres Thursday night at ABC.com at 10 p.m., following the broadcast of the latest episode of the ABC medical drama.

Bertolli sponsors the six webisodes, each four to five minutes long, as well as a behind-the-scenes episode that chronicles the making of "Seattle Grace: On Call."

“Our goal with the web series is to expand the ‘Grey’s’ universe by offering a unique perspective of the various happenings at Seattle Grace, while paralleling some of the same storylines seen on the show,” said “Grey’s Anatomy” creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes. “We hope our fans will enjoy a new take on the familiar ‘Grey’s’ world, which will appear exclusively on our website during the time our actual episodes repeat, from November through January.”

Shot documentary-style, the webisode series stars Steven Bailey, Mark Saul, Molly Kidder, Joseph Williamson, Gloria Garayua, Brandon Scott, Nora Zehtener and Robert Baker.

(Note to readers: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)

Published on Thu. November 19th, 2009 at 1:57PM | Link | Email | Comments (0) |
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The magical ratings-boosting power of Heather Locklear delivered a modest kick to The CW’s rebooted “Melrose Place” Tuesday. Whether she'll save the show, however, remains to be seen.

With Locklear reprising her Amanda Woodward character on the rebooted series for the first time Tuesday, the show experienced only a nominal 14 percent bump in total viewers from the previous week, according to Nielsen data, with the show spiking to an audience of 1.5 million.

Happily for The CW, among the network’s money demo – females 18-34 – the show increased its viewership 33 percent.

Meanwhile, another remake is beginning to experience ratings troubles of its own after an incendiary start two weeks ago: ABC’s “V” dropped another 18 percent in total viewers to 9.3 million on Tuesday.

Faring better these days, however, is NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show,” which had its second straight night of increased audience size (up 5 percent to 6.1 million). It was “Leno’s” biggest turnout in six weeks.

(NOTE TO READERS: Josef Adalian is sick and won't be posting until he's better. TheWrap staff will be filing to TVMoJoe until he returns.)
 

Published on Wed. November 18th, 2009 at 6:26PM | Link | Email | Comments (3) |
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