SueTube – Let’s talk TV with critic Susan Young

“The Office” is getting a spin-off series. Probably. Most likely. Well, if the pilot comes in and NBC honcho Ben Silverman likes it.

But if it does, and he does, then it’s going to air after the Super Bowl. Sweet.

Silverman cannot confirm nor deny that there could possibly be characters from the large current ensemble cast of “The Office” jumping ship. All he would say is that he was ready to move forward with the spin-off as long as “it did not harm the mothership.”

Gotcha.
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Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.

As previous reports had predicted, NBC has found a way to keep the lights on.

(For David Bianculli’s podcast with Kyle Chandler, go here.)

NBC Entertainment honcho Ben Silverman told writers on a conference call today that if he had to sit next to somebody on the plane telling him this was their favorite show and not to cancel it, he couldn’t take it.

See? You don’t have to ship tons of peanuts to an executive. Just book the same flights he or she is on and make them want to scratch their eyes out.

What wife hasn’t looked at her husband just like this when he’s been making a horse’s hind-end out of himself. The fabulous team of Connie Britton as Tami Taylor and Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor make “Friday Night Lights” one show that shouldn’t be missed. NBC Photo: Bill Records

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Jonathan Whitesell, one of the “Jericho” faithful, sends this message board thread from the fan site JerichoNet2 about the next assault wave.

(I accidently went to Jericho Net instead of JerichoNet2. It creeped me out a bit when the home page comes up with my IP address, my operating system and informs me that “I can see you and you can’t hide” or “you can’t hide from my watchful eye…” Thanks for correcting me on that one, MikesMom.)

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Shawn Ryan, “The Unit”

“The Unit” executive producer Shawn Ryan has been slammed locking the final edit of “The Shield,” but took time to shot me an e-mail about “The Unit” coming back this fall.

As for “The Shield,” Shawn shares that it was “very satisfying to end it the way I wanted to, but a little sad that I’ll never be in the editing room again on ‘The Shield.’ ”

But for fans of “The Unit,” Shawn says “I’m glad that you have a number of fans clamoring for the show. Here’s the scoop: When the strike ended, we were hoping to get additional episodes for the spring, like most shows.”

Unfortunately, Shawn says, CBS didn’t need the episodes for April and May because the network had filled the schedule with new episodes of reality shows like “Big Brother” and “Survivor.” Shawn assures us that CBS loves the show and that ratings-wise it is a “solid base hit although not a home run against brutal competions in ‘House” and ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ ”

Shawn says he thinks the chances are good the “The Unit” will be picked up for the fall – but doesn’t expect CBS to give them a solid answer until closer to the May upfronts.

“We’ve always had to wait until the May upfronts to find out our fate (even after our first season when we were the top rated new show of the year!). I imagine it will be the same again this year,” Shawn says, adding that they don’t feel safe by any means.

David Mamet, Shawn and the other writers have broken out the big plot points for next season, he says, and “I think it’s pretty great and it shakes up the show in a really wonderful way. We’ll go in and pitch it to them soon. I’m very confident they’ll be excited about it creatively. Maybe they’ll be inspired and give us an early pickup after hearing it. More likely, we’ll be waiting until May to learn our fate.”

And that’s the scoop, straight from Shawn. He’s also one of the nicest guys around, and deserves to be treated better by CBS. But, what are you gonna do?

Michael Chiklis and Shawn Ryan of “The Shield,” courtesy of ViewImages

Now, I’m not advocating that anyone should want to be on a reality show, but if that’s what you want to do with your life, then I’m here to give you the 4-1-1

I’m not sure what to think about a program described as a “horror/reality” series, because probably every reality series is an exercise in horror one way or the other. I mean, telling the world you wish you weren’t married to your husband on “Moment of Truth”? Eating crusty, raw and probably diseased sea life on “Survivor”?

Anyway, “13” – which the CW reminds us is only a working title – is described as a “spine-tingling new eight-episode series combining the horror genre with a reality show format.” It airs this summer on the CW and casting begins on Monday, March 31, 2008 (for those people who will read this item in 2010 and wonder where everyone is).

Casting directors are looking for men and women between the ages of 18-30 who are energetic, competitive and full of personality to be part of television’s first scary competition reality show and win a grand prize of $66,666.

Casting calls will take place at the following locations:

LOS ANGELES*
Monday, March 31 & Thursday, April 3
10:00am-6:00pm
CBS Radford
4024 Radford Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
*Must email 13castingLA@gmail.com for appointment time. No one will be allowed on the lot without an appointment.

PHILADELPHIA
Sunday, April 13 Tuesday, April 15
10:00am-6:00pm 10:00am-6:00pm
JD McGillicuddy’s (Manayunk) Mar Bar (2nd Floor of Marathon Grill)
111 Cotton St. 200 S. 40th Street @ Walnut
Philadelphia, PA 19127 Philadelphia, PA 19104
For additional information: 13castingph@gmail.com

MIAMI
Sunday, April 13 & Tuesday, April 15
Location & Time TBD

DALLAS
Sunday, April 13 & Tuesday, April 15
Location & Time TBD

For up-to-date casting information and to apply online or download an application, click here. Deadline for online entries is April 16, 2008.

After watching the series finale of “Jericho,” I felt a little bit like I’d just watched one of those quick catch-ups like the “Lost in 8:15” or the “Battlestar Galactica” update.

You just knew that the producers crammed at least one season, possibly two, into that fortysomething minute episode. Hawkins finally got the bomb evidence to Texas, the pivot point in future history of this nation. Only Texas could change the balance of power, and get rid of the corrupt Cheyenne government.

Beck finally saw the light, and we could see some sparks flying between Beck and Heather (Sprague Grayden). We can only imagine how that could turn out.

We left on the verge of a massive civil war, but with Texas on the side of might and right.

It left me wanting more, yet satisfied in knowing where the series was headed.

Which I’m hoping is at least a couple of made-for-TV movies on the Sci Fi Channel.

Jake (Skeet Ulrich, left) and Beck (Esai Morales, center) on the Feb. 19 episode of “Jericho” on CBS. Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc.

And here’s a little Skeet for you, back when he was giddy over coming back because of the fan’s support:

CBS is staying oddly silent about the future of “The Unit.”

Max Martini, Dennis Haysbert, and Scott Foley star in “The Unit” on CBS. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2007 Broadcasting Inc.

So of course we expect the worst. There are no more episodes scheduled to air this spring, and no word yet on if this solid series will be picked up next season. So rather than sit on our thumbs, it’s time to take some action.

Well, not us really, but Scott Miles, the person who started this online petition.

If you want to voice your discontent, here’s the contact info for CBS:

CBS Comment line 323-575-4913.
Audience Services: audsvcs@cbs.com
CBS TV City attn: Programming
7800 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036

To register your comments online, go here: http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.shtml

Reality rules, as “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Star” took over the top four spots in the Nielsen’s this week.

JULIANNE HOUGH, ADAM CAROLLA on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

And what is dying at the bottom of the barrel? My beloved “Aliens in America.” Here’s the list so you can check out how your favorite shows stack up.

1 AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY 27340 9.5
2 AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY 26080 9.1
3 DANCING WITH THE STARS 21150 7.4
4 DANCING W/STARS SP-3/18 17020 5.9
5 TWO AND A HALF MEN 14060 4.9
6 SURVIVOR:MICRONESIA WE-SP 11560 4.0
7 60 MINUTES 11540 4.0
8 OLD CHRISTINE 11470 4.0
9 LOST 11460 4.0
10 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. 11360 4.0
11 MOMENT OF TRUTH 10920 3.8
12 NCIS 10600 3.7
13 LAW AND ORDER 10490 3.7
14 DEAL OR NO DEAL 3/20 10260 3.6
15 DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON 10080 3.5
16 MEDIUM 10070 3.5
17 CBS NCAA POST GAME SUN 1 10030 3.5
18 OPRAH’S BIG GIVE 9810 3.4
19 CSI: MIAMI 9640 3.4
20 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER 9610 3.4
21 MISS GUIDED SP-3/18 9280 3.2
22 CBS NCAA BSKBL CHMP-SA-4 9200 3.2
23 BIG BANG THEORY, THE 8930 3.1
24 APPRENTICE 7 8830 3.1
25 BACHELOR: LONDON CALLING 8580 3.0
26 DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS 8370 2.9
27 LAW AND ORDER:SVU 8290 2.9
28 CBS NCAA BSKBL CHP-EVEFR2 8210 2.9
29 LAW AND ORDER:SVU-SUN3/23 8090 2.8
30 AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS 8050 2.8
31 BIGGEST LOSER 5 7890 2.8
32 LAW AND ORDER-SUN 3/23 7720 2.7
33 CBS NCAA BSKBL CHP-EVETH2 7630 2.7
34 SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER 7460 2.6
35 20/20-FRI 7360 2.6
36 ELI STONE 7320 2.6
37 NEW AMSTERDAM 7270 2.5
38 SUPERNANNY 6960 2.4
39 LIPSTICK JUNGLE 6950 2.4
40 LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT 6830 2.4
41 HERE COME THE NEWLYWEDS 6730 2.4
42 BIG BROTHER 9-WED 6600 2.3
43 BIG BROTHER 9-SUN 6460 2.3
44 COLD CASE 6350 2.2
45 CSI: NY 6340 2.2
DATELINE FRI 6340 2.2
47 MISS GUIDED-3/20 8:30PM 6310 2.2
48 20/20-9PM 6300 2.2
49 MISS GUIDED-3/20 8PM 6280 2.2
50 EASTER BEAGLE, C. BROWN 6240 2.2
51 LAW AND ORDER-SAT 6200 2.2
52 DATELINE SUN 7PM 3/23 6080 2.1
53 COPS 2 6010 2.1
54 AMW: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK 5910 2.1
55 MEN IN TREES 5890 2.1
56 JERICHO 5730 2.0
57 CANTERBURY’S LAW 5710 2.0
58 WIFE SWAP 5700 2.0
59 LAW AND ORDR:CRIM INT3/19 5440 1.9
60 HOUSE-FRI 9P 5430 1.9
61 BIG BROTHER 9-TUE 5380 1.9
62 DEXTER 5270 1.8
63 LAW & ORDER:SVU-SAT 5230 1.8
64 AMNESIA 5140 1.8
65 COPS 5110 1.8
66 JUST FOR LAUGHS 4870 1.7
67 SIMPSONS 4810 1.7
68 FAMILY GUY 4490 1.6
69 MY DAD IS BETR THN YR DAD 4400 1.5
70 FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN 4280 1.5
71 AMERICA’S TOP MODEL-4 3790 1.3
72 GREY’S ANATOMY-FRI 8PM 3700 1.3
73 SMALLVILLE 3440 1.2
74 TIL DEATH-FRI 8P 3390 1.2
75 UNHITCHED SP-3/23 8:30P 3210 1.1
76 RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES 3130 1.1
77 UNHITCHED 3110 1.1
78 ONE TREE HILL 3000 1.0
79 REAPER-THU 2940 1.0
80 AMERICAN DAD-SUN 7:30P 2700 .9
81 KING OF THE HILL-SUN 7P 2500 .9
82 APPRENTICE 7 3/22 2280 .8
83 BEAUTY AND THE GEEK-3 1730 .6
84 PUSSYCAT DOLLS:GIRL-ENC 1710 .6
85 PUSSYCAT DOLLS:GIRLICIOUS 1640 .6
86 GAME, THE-SUN 1260 .4
87 GOSSIP GIRL-MON 1240 .4
88 AMERICA’S TOP MODEL-4-ENC 1220 .4
89 GIRLFRIENDS-SUN 1170 .4
90 EV HATES CHRIS-SUN2 990 .3
91 ALIENS IN AMERICA-SUN 910 .3

The hype leading up to tonight’s episode of “How I Met Your Mother” was all centered on little miss mess Britney Spears, but the real news was that it appears we’ve just been given the identity of the aforementioned mother.

Or maybe they are just hedging. After all, the promise was made by the producers that the identity of the mother would be revealed before the series finale. And CBS has not yet made a commitment to a fourth season, which is clearly insanity.

Last week’s St. Patrick’s Day episode teased about how close Ted came to meeting his future wife, and the mother of his children. All we saw was the yellow umbrella, which had been mentioned in earlier episodes, and we learned that while Ted partied the night away, his bride-to-be made it an early evening.

In tonight’s episode, Stella (Sarah Chalke) tells Ted that she almost never goes out because it’s hard to find a sitter for her 8-year-old daughter. Oh, but she did go out on St. Patrick’s Day, but she had to go home early. Was that the tip-off to her identity? Is Stella the Mother?

Continuing his passionate quest to find the woman who will one day be his wife, Ted (series star, Josh Radnor) pursues his beautiful dermatologist, Stella (guest star, Sarah Chalke). Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc.

I think she is. And I believe it was brilliant for the creators to cover up the key clue in an episode where critics and writers would be casting their eyes on the performance of post-rehab Britney Spears.

Britney was cute enough, and she didn’t bump into any of the furniture, or shave her head for that matter. She was Stella’s shy receptionist Abby, who has a crush on Ted. But Ted only has eyes for Stella.

Abby (guest star Britney Spears), becomes smitten with Ted, on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER on CBS. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc.
And we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for her next appearance on the show.

If you missed the episode, or want to check it out again, go watch it on the CBS Web site.

Or maybe you just want to see All the Britney Parts:

As of Friday, when CBS announced “Jericho” had been canceled, there was still no word on whether “The Unit” would return.

That would make a lot of people very unhappy, based on the more than 50 comments from readers of my previous blog Unscripted. And it would make me angry as well. “The Unit” has performed admirably through its run, and gained many supporters.

Let’s hope sanity prevails and “The Unit” will be back this fall when the networks need a viewers.

As they bring his body home, the team copes with Williams’s death, on “The Unit”. Pictured: Max Martini, Scott Foley, Dennis Haysbert, Robert Patrick. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS. ©2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Let’s just hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of “The Unit.”