In an effort to raise awareness, NBC’s Awake is the latest series pilot to be put online ahead of the series premiere to drum up interest. In a part of a growing trend, the opening episode of the parallel universe drama starring Jason Isaacs is being made available 2 weeks before the series’ premiere on March 1.

This comes one day after the network put out the first seven minutes of the mid-season replacement series. The show is created by Kyle Killen (Lone Star) and also executive produced by Howard Gordon (24, Homeland).

A similar tactic was used for Smash, which premiered Feb. 6 to 11.4 million total viewers and a 3.8 rating following The Voice. NBC released the first episode for the “making of a Broadway musical” show beginning Jan. 16 via digital platforms, three weeks before it launched. The network also screened the pilot in select cities.

Awake makes its way to the small screen Thursday, March 1 at 10 p.m., taking over the slot previously occupied by Prime Suspect and The Firm, the latter now airing on Saturdays.

Awake centers on police detective Michael Britten (Isaacs) who finds himself living in two realities after a brutal car accident, one where his wife Hannah (Laura Allen) is alive and the other where his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) is.

Watch the full pilot after the jump.

Continue Reading →

If you’ve been paying attention, you probably know today is Friday. Among other things that means previews for some of our favorite shows are ready and we’re going to bring them to you right here.

First up is Chuck which features special guest Rebecca Romijn. Sadly, she probably won’t be naked and sporting blue body paint but heck, she’s still nice to look at. She’s the bad guy in this week’s episode and we’ve got previews to prove it.

Next up is Grimm, a show that started slow but has gotten better over the weeks. In this week’s episode, an unsolved case returns after Nick encounters a mysterious homicide. I’m guessing that can’t be a good thing.

Finally, we’ve got a preview of NBC’s TV version of John Grisham’s novel The Firm. You may remember the movie version from several years ago which starred Tom Cruise but this one is, of course, different.

It features Josh Lucas taking over the role originated by Tom Cruise in the movie as well as Juliette Lewis and, finally getting a starrting role in a series, Callum Keith Rennie of BSG and, more recently, The Killing. Good for him. He deserves it.

Check out all the previews after the break.

Continue Reading →

Just the other day I was complaining that the cool and accomplished actor Callum Keith Rennie has seemingly been relegated to guest starring roles on many series including Battlestar Galactica, The Killing and most recently, Syfy’s Alphas. Fortunately, it now seems he’s moving away from guest status into leading territory.

Rennie will join Juliette Lewis in a new Legal Drama for NBC called The Firm. The new show is based on the feature film and bestseller by John Grisham. These two actors will join Josh Lucas who has already been cast in the show as Mitchell McDeere, the role originally played by Tom Cruise in the film.

On the show Lewis will play Tammy, Mitch’s “feisty, sexy receptionist, whose work life is made all the more tumultuous by her on-again, off-again relationship with Mitch’s brother, Ray.” Rennie is will play Ray McDeere, Mitch’s “charming yet volatile older brother whose work as an investigator in Mitch’s office is uniquely informed by his past stretch in prison for manslaughter.”

So, he’s playing kinda a bad guy but with a heart . . .in the right place. I see no reason why he can’t pull that off with no problem whatsoever.

Production on The Firm starts soon in Toronto for a mid-season debut on NBC.

Its that time of year. The time when networks announce their entire schedule for the Fall and Mid-Season. First out of the gate is NBC which is introducing 12 new series next season including six dramas and six comedies.

NBC has put six new series including the dramas including The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect and Grimm and comedies Up All Night, Free Agents and Whitney on the fall schedule and has slots reserved for Smash and The Firm in midseason. Drama Awake and comedies Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, Bent and BFF have yet to be scheduled.

Of course, we’re glad to see some of our favorite shows returning next season including Community and Chuck. Oddly absent from the schedule at the moment is 30 Rock, which is apparently being postponed to make way for freshman comedy Whitney. Let’s hope it comes back soon.

Following is the full schedule, descriptions of the new shows and some preview video. This is a big one folks to read on.

*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Sing-Off”
10-11 p.m. – “THE PLAYBOY CLUB”

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “UP ALL NIGHT”
8:30-9 p.m. – “FREE AGENTS”
9-10 p.m. — “Harry’s Law”
10-11 p.m. — “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

Continue Reading →