By Lynn Elber & David Bauder
NEW YORK (AP) --Glance at next season's schedule for CBS and you could be forgiven for wondering what decade it is.
The network is adding remakes of 1980s series "Murphy Brown" and "Magnum, P.I." to a line-up that already includes blasts-from-the-past "Hawaii Five-0" and "MacGyver."
CBS executives said Wednesday that the "Murphy Brown" reboot, which again stars Candice Bergen, moves TV anchor Murphy out of prime-time. She hosts a morning cable show with the snappy title of "Murphy in the Morning," and is facing off against her son on a competing network.
A change that "Magnum" fans should watch for, beside a missing comma in the revamp's title: The private detective has a goatee instead of the signature moustache of original star Tom Selleck. Jay Hernandez plays the new Thomas Magnum.
While ABC and NBC have found comedy reboot success with, respectively, "Roseanne" and "Will & Grace," CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl acknowledged it's not a slam-dunk. That's why "Murphy Brown" is getting a supportive Thursday berth, airing after established comedy hits including "The Big Bang Theory" and "Mom."
Bergen's show is "going to get a lot of attention, we expect people (viewers) to come. But we want to make sure it doesn't kind of fade out after the buzz of the premiere," Kahl told reporters as the network unveiled its 2018-19 schedule for advertisers.
MOVING TOWARD DIVERSITY
New "Magnum" star Hernandez, who is of Latino descent, is among the actors of color joining the CBS line-up, long criticized for a lack of inclusion.
A number of freshman shows feature African-Americans leads, including "God Friended Me," a comedy-drama with Brandon Micheal Hall as an atheist who does God's work after they become Facebook friends. In the sitcom "The Neighborhood," Cedric the Entertainer stars as an opinionated man who has to adjust to new white neighbors, and Damon Wayans Jr. and Amber Stevens West play young marrieds in another comedy, "Happy Together."
Midseason will bring the comedy "Fam," starring Tone Bell, and "The Red Line" from producers Ava DuVernay ("Selma," ''Queen Sugar") and Greg Berlanti, about the mistaken shooting of an African-American doctor by a white police officer. Along with Noah Wyle, the series stars include Howard Charles and Emayatzy Corinealdi.
MORE 'BANG'
"The Big Bang Theory" enters its 12th year this fall, and is still a draw: This season's finale, in which the Amy and Sheldon characters wed, was the most-watched show last week. Kahl and programming chief Thom Sherman said they see no end in sight, as long as the producers feel they still have stories to tell.
It's in "peak form" and CBS hopes to get a few more years out of it, the executives said.
LOX WITHOUT LES
Back in 1996 when he ran CBS' entertainment division, Leslie Moonves started an annual breakfast meeting with reporters on the day CBS presented its fall schedule to advertisers. He continued coming to the session, informally known as "lox with Les," even when he ascended to the role of corporate chieftain and underlings presented the schedule. He loved to kibbitz and take shots at rivals.
But with Moonves in the midst of a corporate battle over control over CBS Corp., even he was convinced that showing up to a roomful of reporters wasn't a particularly good idea.
"When the number of questions he couldn't answer outnumbered the number of questions he could, he felt it was better to sit this one out," said Kahl.
SMOKING HIM OUT
Snoop Dogg should be used to smoke.
But it was amusing to watch the rap star and host of the TBS game show "The Joker's Wild" get a little lost in a cloud of it. Snoop briefly performed some of his best-known songs before an audience of advertisers attending the Turner Networks' schedule presentation at Madison Square Garden's theater.
An onstage smoke machine did its job efficiently as Snoop was about to make his exit, and as he became enveloped in the smoke, he was heard to mutter some concern about the door where he had to make his exit. A stagehand with a flashlight showed him the way.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More