The Best and Worst of Upfront Week

Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2013

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ABC:

Reducing Repeats With Limited Series

CBS:

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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

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