The day began with CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler praising the network’s ratings success and announcing that the entire CBS daytime lineup has been renewed for another year.
Tassler also talked about the programming choices behind Under The Dome for Summer 2013, which delivered outstanding ratings for the network. A promo sizzle reel for Season 2 was shown, teasing that “two Dome favorites” will not survive the season premiere.
A preview for Extant, the summer series starring Halle Berry, was also shown. Steven Spielberg is an Executive Producer for the project, which combines two concepts Spielberg has been known for in the past — extraterrestrials and artificial intelligence.
Under The Dome will premiere Monday, June 30; Extant will premiere on Wednesday, July 2.
Unlike FOX earlier this week, Tassler seems to think the traditional pilot process works for CBS. There is also still confidence in limited-run series, with Dovekeepers as one that gets a particular mention.
Intelligence
Intelligence was the first panel of the day, with Executive Producers Tripp Vinson, Barry Schindel, and Michael Seitzman, and actors Marg Helgenberger, Josh Holloway, and Meghan Ory.
Peter Coyote has recently been cast as Marg Helgenberger’s father in an upcoming episode of the show, and characters from the pilot will be returning quickly. Coyote’s character is a former CIA director.
Holloway credits co-star Ory as a “pleasure and a joy” to work with.
Michael Seitzman said that the storyline involving Gabriel’s wife was wrapped so quickly to surprise the audience but also to free Gabriel’s storyline. However, he teased that the Amelia storyline might not necessarily be wrapped up.
Intelligence is purposely set in the present day, going so far as to have a portrait of Barack Obama within U.S. Cyber Command. “We didn’t want to make Star Trek,” Seitzman says.
Drama Showrunners Panel
The top dramas on CBS have really kept audiences at the edges of their seats this season, as evidenced by a promo reel that included the final moments of Joss Carter on Person of Interest. Appearing on the “Drama Showrunners” panel at the TCA press tour were Elementary’s Rob Doherty, NCIS’ Gary Glasberg, Person of Interest’s Jonathan Nolan & Greg Plageman, and The Good Wife’s Michelle & Robert King.
POI’s Nolan mentioned that the immediacy of broadcast television as a “rare and incredible experience” when compared to movies, where he came from. As for Elementary, don’t look for Moriarty to be back in Season 2 — however, we will be seeing Mycroft and Lestrade again by season’s end.
Friends With Better Lives
The CW really seems high on this new comedy, which premieres after the conclusion of How I Met Your Mother. The series stars James Van Der Beek among others, and it looks quite funny.
