Showbiz Sandbox 127: Has NBC Lost Touch With Its Community?
November 28, 2011
When NBC removed the quirky sitcom “Community” from their mid-season schedule the show’s cult following went berserk. Fans launched petitions via Twitter and Facebook and in an ironic twist, got the show selected as TV Guide Magazine’s second annual Fan Favorites winner. In a desperate effort to find success with their primetime programming, NBC has given the “Community” time slot to another acclaimed comedy with mediocre ratings, “Up All Night”. Is anyone minding the store at the struggling network, or are all these calculated strategic moves?
Maybe “Community” can be saved by Netflix. That’s not such a far fetched idea now that the video rental cum streaming service is resuscitating the long-canceled “Arrested Development” by producing another 10 episodes. Yet, as Netflix moves into original content, it stock price continues to decline as some of the companies cash flow problems are made public.
Meanwhile, 30 years after it occurred, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department has decided to reopen the case of Natalie Wood’s death. The legendary actress drowned under mysterious circumstances in 1981 while boating with her husband Robert Wagner. Could investigators actually find new evidence so long after the fact, or are they following tips from sources who might have ulterior motives.
We also cover the top entertainment news stories from the past two weeks including, Ricky Gervais reprising his role as host of the Golden Globes, Google’s new music business and Sylvester Stallone’s plans to adapt “Rocky” into a Broadway musical.
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‘Breaking Dawn’ Feasts On Ticket Sales Over Holiday
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/11/box-office-breaking-dawn-hugo-muppets-arthur.html
Ricky Gervais Will Return As Host of the 2012 Golden Globes
http://theenvelope.latimes.com/news/la-et-gervais-globes-20111117,0,5346227.story
Sheriff’s Department Reopens Natalie Wood Case
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-natalie-wood-20111118,0,6344410.story
‘Arrested Development’ To Be Resurrected By Netflix
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrested-development-be-resurrected-by-263790
Has Netflix Overextended Itself?
http://gigaom.com/video/netflix-400m-stock-bond-sale/
NBC Unveils Midseason Schedule, ‘Community’ and ‘Prime Suspect’ On Bench
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/11/nbc-unveils-midseason-schedule-community-and-prime-suspect-on-bench.html
Plan to Revive Two ABC Soap Operas Collapses
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/plan-collapses-for-reviving-all-my-children-and-one-life-to-live/
Google Music Launches: Free Cloud Storage, 320kps Downloads & D.I.Y. Artist Hub
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/11/google-music-launches-free-cloud-storage-320kps-downloads-diy-artist-hub.html
Sony Proposes Over-The-Top TV Service
http://gigaom.com/video/sony-ott-tv/
Randy Jackson Closes Deal To Manage Mariah Carey
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/randy-jackson-close-deal-manage-258345
Will This Be The Last Year For Best Animated Feature At Oscars?
http://www.goldderby.com/films/news/2125/will-this-be-the-last-year-for-best-animated-feature-at-oscars.html
NBC Buys Human Puppet Family Comedy From the Jim Henson Company
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/nbc-buys-hybrid-human-puppet-family-comedy-from-the-jim-henson-co/
Knopf’s High End Print Package For 1Q84 Pays Off
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/49528-knopf-s-high-end-print-package-for-1q84-pays-off.html
Christian Bale Says “Batman” Era Is Over
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/11/christian-bale-batman-the-dark-knight-rises.html
NBC Greenlights Remake of Classic Sitcom – As A Drama
http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/2011/11/nbc-greenlights-remake-of-clas.php
South Park Team To Keep At It For Five More Years
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/south-park-team-to-keep-at-it-for-five-more-years/
Sylvester Stallone Turning Rocky Into A Musical
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/11/sylvester-stallone-turning-rocky-into-a-musical.html
Glee On Downward Ratings Spiral
http://insideblip.com/node/737/glee-on-downward-ratings-spiral.html
Random House Actively Reviewing Library E-Book Policy
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/49617-no-change-but-random-house-says-it-is–actively-reviewing–library-e-book-policy-.html
Everything You Need To Know About SOPA & The New Copyfight
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/11/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sopa-the-new-copyfight.html
Frame Rate 52 – Aliens On Ice
http://twit.tv/show/frame-rate/52
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