Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2013RELATED:
ABC:
Reducing Repeats With Limited Series
CBS:
Restocking the Comedy Coffers
Fox:
24 Ways to Retool With Comedy, Spectacle
NBC:
Betting on Olympics, Voice to Launch New Hits
The
CW: Making Noise With Dramas
USA:
Launching Original Half-Hour Comedies
Turner:
Beefing Up Content Collection
ESPN:
We Welcome the Competition
Univision:
Expanding Its Hispanic Footprint
Telemundo:
Batting 1,000 on Original Content
MundoFox:
Bringing The X Factor, Bridge to Hispanic Viewers
Discovery
en Espanol: Introducing a New Programming Genre, Vroom
Click here to view the fall primetime schedule grid.
Click
here to view pilot clips and trailers from the networks new shows.
Best Pre-Taped Exec Performance
Univision Communications CEO Randy Falco sent up the once-common
pre-taped upfront executive skits when the former NBC exec appeared in an
on-message spoof of the AT&T Its Not Complicated ads that feature a man
in a suit asking simple questions to children such as, Which is better, more
or less?
In the video bit, Falco also asks the kids around him what
theyd do if they paid $2 for a donut and only got half a donut as well as what
theyd do if they got more donuts than they paid for. Kids, of course, say the
darndest things so hilarity ensues. Falco on a voiceover ends the piece with:
Its not complicated. Univision is the only network where you pay for more,
not for less.
Watch
Falcos spoof here.
Kung-Fu Koonin Kills
Not to be outdone by his own technical-snafu-saving self at
a past upfront, in his opening, Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve
Koonin(s stunt doubles) busted out incredible and hilarious acrobatics,
juggling on a unicycle and doing great break dancing moves.
Best-Kept Secret
ABC stole some spotlight upfront eve, announcing May 12 its
authenticated streaming app Watch ABC. The initiative marks the first time a
broadcaster is offering a 24/7 stream of stations content (local, network and
syndicated). It premiered as part of a free preview on WABC and WPVI on May 14,
the day of ABCs upfront presentation.
Best Surprise Appearance
In his first upfront appearance in 15 years, David Letterman
appeared onstage at the CBS show, thanked CBS CEO Leslie Moonves and called
Moonves the man who single-handedly saved network television.
Best Genes
The CW, deservedly known for having some of the best-looking
young stars on the tube, did not have to look far to cast its next potential
heartthrob. At last weeks presentation, The CWs Arrow star Stephen
Amell was joined onstage by the star of CWs upcoming The Tomorrow People,
which will join Arrow on Wednesdays. Arrows Amell and Tomorrow
Peoples Robbie Amell then revealed theyre also joined by something else:
blood. The two are cousins.
Best Show-Stealer: Netflixs Bluth Banana Stand
Attendees leaving NBCs upfront at Radio City Music Hall
around 1 p.m. last Monday were greeted by a guy in a banana suit by the exit.
He was part of a stunt Netflix set up across the street: A pop-up Bluth Banana
Stand giving out free frozen bananas-a nod to the resurrected series Arrested
Development. NBCs upfront, which was shorter than last years lengthy
presentation, did not provide refreshments. So free food was a welcome sight to
many an upfront-goer, even if the banana stand line extended around the corner
and down the street. The iconic stand is on a tour to promote Netflix May 26
launch of new, original episodes of the series. The tour locations are announced
via Twitter at @arresteddev. About
7,500 people moved through the line across from Radio City, Netflix said. The
stand was all over New York last week, but its appearance outside the first
upfront of the week was hardly coincidental.
Missed Opportunity: Remembering the Show in Show
Business
Anyone who is in the business of putting shows on the air
would best be served to put on a show at the upfront-especially with
presentations held at iconic structures around Manhattan. Several companies did
this well-Turner with its Koonin stunt-double and live comedy; USA with a
musical number from the cast of Psych, a virtual choir featuring most of
the USA characters (and the ad sales staff), fireworks and performance by
Passion Pit; ESPN with anchors and sports figures galore; and Univision, which
had snow and telenovela stars and a performance by Enrique Iglesias.
Granted, the cable programmers dont have to
wait until the last minute like the broadcast nets to set their schedules, but
there are things they do know and they can play to those strengths. It was a
no-brainer for ABC to again spotlight Jimmy Kimmel, who always kills roasting
the network. But its CBS who continues to show how its done, with its
surprise David Letterman appearance, a comedy set by Robin Williams and kicking
off the show with a musical number by the How I Met Your Mother cast,
which concluded the song live, in person, onstage at Carnegie Hall, using
yellow umbrellas iconic to the show. Fox runs a tight ship with good exec banter
and welcomed attendees with fanfare and free chocolate bars. Its also no
coincidence that CBS and Fox, the two top-rated networks, are also the top
upfront party-throwers, presenting lavish gatherings with access to their stars
and sales forces that add true sparkle. So it really sticks out when networks
dont seize the platform they have to show off their shows. We dont mean to
pick on NBC, but they know they have Olympics and a big new late-night plan to
tout. Rather than lean on the execs who even admitted up there that theyre
exhausted (Bob Greenblatts word), how about grab Seth Meyers to do some
hosting like ESPN does with its anchors? Bring out an Olympian or two?
Especially after CBS outstanding HIMYM number, we are still waiting for
Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon to wa
