5 day forecast
TV Notes: 'Army Wives' back; 'Vegas' moved
-
Two friends from Greensburg, David Artuso, left, and Mike Kane hope the Sharks will agree with the claim that their cell phone case design is indeed damage proof on "Shark Tank."
Share with others:
Lifetime's "Army Wives" (9 p.m. Sunday) returns for its seventh season with some major changes.
Most notably, original cast member Kim Delaney, who played Claudia Joy Holden, is no longer on the show, except via flashback scenes from previous episodes. The fate of Claudia Joy is explained in the opening moments of Sunday's episode and actress Katelyn Pippy, who grew up in Moon, returns to guest star in the first few episodes of the season as Claudia Joy's daughter, Emmalin Holden.
Two other series regulars, Sally Pressman as Roxy LeBlanc and Sterling K. Brown as Roland Burton, are no longer series regulars but will appear in several episodes.
Five new actors join the cast through the course of the season: Brooke Shields, singer/songwriter Ashanti, Torrey DeVitto, Elle McLemore and Jesse McCartney ("Locke & Key").
CBS moves 'Vegas'
If you read this Sunday's Post-Gazette TV Week cover story on CBS's "Vegas," bear in mind it was written and printed before the network announced Thursday afternoon that "Vegas" won't be back this month as planned.
Instead, CBS will keep cop drama "Golden Boy" in the 10 p.m. Tuesday time slot, moving "Vegas" to 9 p.m. Friday beginning April 5. A new "Golden Boy" episode previously scheduled for 9 tonight will air as planned.
Why episode order matters
This week NBC aired the Halloween episode of "The New Normal" that was pre-empted last fall due to Hurricane Sandy coverage. Too bad NBC executives chose not to simply bump the episode down a week in the fall and preserve the show's continuity.
This episode included important character turns for Jayson Blair's dim-witted Clay. The show introduced Clay last fall as Goldie's ex-husband who was visiting Los Angeles from Ohio and seeking custody of the couple's daughter.
Until this episode aired, it made no sense why Clay was still around months later, or how there had been a rapprochement between Clay and Goldie. This episode explained all of that. Scheduling changes that go against a show's narrative are stupid, damage the viewing experience and result in self-inflicted wounds for programs and the networks that air them.
Local inventors on 'Shark Tank'
Tonight's episode of ABC's "Shark Tank" (9 p.m., WTAE) features two of the three founders of Greensburg-based Cellhelmet, a protective case for iPhones made in Latrobe.
Mike Kane and David Artuso, both of Greensburg, traveled to Los Angeles in September to tape the episode. A third co-founder, Bryan McHenry, didn't make it because he was on his honeymoon.
"We told him, 'You go make babies, we'll make business,' " Mr. Kane said this week.
In addition to iPhone cases that have been for sale for about a year, Mr. Kane said the company (http://www.cellhelmet.com/) is about to debut iPod cases (these are manufactured overseas).
For their "Shark Tank" episode, Mt. Lebanon native Mark Cuban was among the sharks judging the Cellhelmet product. Mr. Kane said they had no bonding about Western Pennsylvania outside the tank.
"But I can tell you we obviously mentioned we were from Pittsburgh," he said.
The appeal of appearing on "Shark Tank" is the potential to take their company to the next level, Mr. Kane said. "We're very pleased we went out. It's probably the biggest opportunity any entrepreneur could ask for. Regardless of how the show goes, to have your brand interacted with 7 million viewers is pretty phenomenal for a small Pennsylvania startup."
New overnight show
WPXI has replaced "Mad Money" at 3 a.m. weeknights with "Right This Minute," a daily news and entertainment program.
Steven Fabian Lisowski, a 2002 Plum High School grad who goes by Steven Fabian on TV, is among the show's hosts. He previously was a reporter for Channel One, the in-school news channel. You can see his "RTM" reports online at http://www.rightthisminute.com/people/steven.
Cancellations/renewals
Last week ABC canceled "Zero Hour" after just a few episodes aired. This week TLC announced the upcoming 10th season of "What Not to Wear," beginning in July, will be the show's last.
After canceling "Drop Dead Diva" in January, Lifetime and producer Sony Pictures Television came to a financial agreement that has resulted in the show's renewal for a fifth season.
Fox has renewed "The Following," "New Girl," "Raising Hope" and "The Mindy Project" for the 2013-14 season
Channel surfing
NBC's Pittsburgh-set "Hatfields & McCoys" proposed series has settled on Boston as the filming location for its pilot episode. ... History's "The Bible" miniseries wasn't the only cable hit Sunday night: The new History scripted drama "Vikings" also did well with 6.2 million viewers tuning in. ... The CW will revive "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" for a run this summer. Drew Carey won't be back -- Aisha Tyler ("The Talk") takes over as host -- but regulars Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie will return. ... Evil downstairs dweller Mrs. O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) won't be back for the fourth season of "Downton Abbey" but Shirley MacLaine will return as Cora's mother. ... "Louie" fans take note: HBO will air a new stand-up special, "Louis C.K.: Oh My God," at 10 p.m. April 13. ... "The Lead with Jake Tapper" will debut on CNN at 4 p.m. March 18. ... GMC, formerly Gospel Music Channel, will rename itself UP beginning Sept. 1. ... Golf Channel's "In Play with Jimmy Roberts" (10:30 p.m. Tuesday) will include a visit to Latrobe and an interview with golfer Arnold Palmer about a warehouse full of memorabilia Mr. Palmer has collected. ... Speed Channel will become Fox Sports 1 on Aug. 17, carrying Major League Baseball, NASCAR and college football and basketball. ... ESPN will debut the documentary "The Clemente Effect" at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (it also airs at 10:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPN Deportes) about the life and accomplishments of Pirates player Roberto Clemente. The documentary crew visited Ringgold Elementary School North during production to tape scenes of a Roberto Clemente Day celebration. ... Carnegie Mellon University senior Madelyn Glymour, a logic and computation major with a minor in creative writing, won the college contest category of America's Newest Screenwriter Contest put on by the Association of National Advertisers' Alliance for Family Entertainment for her pilot script "Nuclear," about a divorce lawyer with a dysfunctional family life. Ms. Glymour wins a $2,500 cash prize.
First Published March 8, 2013 12:00 am
