MoonFire

WB Press Release:

THE WB TUESDAY ACHIEVES ALL-TIME BEST RATING IN WOMEN 18-34, MEN 18-34, ADULTS 18-49 AND MEN 18-49

"SMALLVILLE" & "GILMORE GIRLS" LEAD THE WB TO #1 RANK FOR THE NIGHT IN PERSONS 12-34, WOMEN 12-34, TEENS & FEMALE TEENS; #2 IN ADULTS 18-34, WOMEN 18-34, MEN 18-34 & MEN 12-34

"SMALLVILLE" IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY SHOW IN THE WB'S HISTORY, SCORING NEW ALL-TIME NETWORK RECORDS IN ADULTS 18-34, MEN 18-34 & MEN 18-49 AND SECOND-HIGHEST-EVER RATING IN ADULTS 18-49

"SMALLVILLE" ACHIEVES NEW ALL-TIME TUESDAY RECORD IN TOTAL VIEWERS (8.7 MILLION) AS WELL AS IN ADULTS 18-49

"SMALLVILLE" RANKS #1 OR #2 IN VIRTUALLY ALL KEY DEMOS AMONG ALL NETWORKS AND #3 IN TOTAL VIEWERS IN ITS
TIME PERIOD

"GILMORE GIRLS" ACHIEVES ITS BEST-EVER RATINGS IN ADULTS 18-34, PERSONS 12-34, MEN 18-34 AND MEN 12-34 AND SCORES NEW ALL-TIME HIGH PREMIERE RATING IN NEARLY EVERY DEMO & IMPROVES ON YEAR-AGO PREMIERE IN ALL 12-34 & 18-34 DEMOS, INCLUDING +26% IN ADULTS 18-34

"GILMORE GIRLS" SCORES #1 FINISH IN WOMEN 12-34, TEENS & FEMALE TEENS AND #2 IN PERSONS 12-34
BURBANK, CA (September 25, 2002) - The WB New Tuesday, the network television success story of last season, built on its record premieres of a year ago with even greater success as it scored ALL-TIME NETWORK TUESDAY NIGHT RECORD RATINGS IN WOMEN 18-34 (4.7/12), MEN 18-34 (4.0/12), ADULTS 18-49 (3.5/9) and MEN 18-49 (3.1/9).

For the night, fueled by RECORD-SHATTERING NIGHTS FOR BOTH GILMORE GIRLS and SMALLVILLE, The WB ranked #1 AMONG ALL NETWORKS in persons 12-34 (4.5/13), women 12-34 (5.2/14), teens (5.1/16) and female teens (6.5/20). The WB was also #2 in adults 18-34 (4.3/12), women 18-34 (4.7/12), men 18-34 (4.0/12), men 12-34 (3.9/12) and male teens (3.7/12).

SMALLVILLE was extraordinary in its premiere. The series set a NEW ALL-TIME RECORD FOR THE WB in adults 18-34 (5.2/14), men 18-34 (5.5/16) and men 18-49 (4.5/11). The show's rating in adults 18-49 (4.3/11) was the second highest in network history.

SMALLVILLE also set a NEW ALL-TIME TUESDAY RECORD FOR THE WB in total viewers (8.7 million), adults 18-49 (4.5/11) and women 18-49 (4.1/10).

The second-year series, was consistent in defeating its network competition across the board. SMALLVILLE ranked #1 in its time period in men 18-34 (5.5/16), men 12-34 (5.4/16), teens (5.4/17, #1 for the night), female teens (5.3/17) and male teens (5.4/17, #1 for the night). SMALLVILLE was #2 in adults 18-34 (5.2/14), persons 12-34 (5.2/15), women 18-34 (4.9/13), women 12-34 (5.0/14), adults 18-49 (4.3/11) and men 18-49 (4.5/11). The super series also ranked #3 in total viewers (8.7 million) and women 18-49 (4.1/10).

GILMORE GIRLS, in its third season, scored NEW ALL-TIME BEST RATINGS for the series in adults 18-34 (3.4/10), persons 12-34 (3.8/12), men 18-34 (2.4/8) and men 12-34 (2.3/8). The acclaimed series also achieved its best-ever premiere ratings in adults 18-34 (3.4/10), persons 12-34 (3.8/12), women 18-34 (4.4/12), women 12-34 (5.3/15), men 18-34 (2.4/8), men 12-34 (2.3/8), teens (4.8/16), female teens (7.8/24), adults 18-49 (2.6/7) and men 18-49 (1.7/5). The show scored exceptional growth across many key demos premiere to premiere, including +26% in adults 18-34.

GILMORE GIRLS ranked #1 in its time period in women 12-34 (5.3/15), teens (4.8/16) and female teens (7.8/24, #1 for the night). It was also #2 in persons 12-34 (3.8/12).

MoonFire

From SciFiwire:

Superman Helmer Signed

As expected, Brett Ratner (Red Dragon) has signed to direct the fifth Superman movie for Warner Brothers, the studio announced. Last week, SCI FI Wire first reported that Ratner had signed on to direct the film, stepping in for McG, who left the project to helm Charlie's Angels 2: Halo.

The studio described the fifth installment of the blockbuster franchise as "a re-imagining of the Superman legend," originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

As previously reported, Ratner told Variety that he would direct the new Superman installment before he tackled the sequel film Rush Hour 3. Negotiations for Ratner to direct began nearly a month ago. His commitment to Superman, which will require more than 20 weeks of preproduction, means a delay for New Line Cinema's third Rush Hour installment, the trade paper reported.

Jon Peters will produce and Alias creator J.J. Abrams has written the script. "It's been a dream since I was a child to do this movie," Ratner told Variety. "I was born to make this movie. It's the perfect time to make this movie, as everyone is looking for someone to save the world, and who better than Superman?"

MoonFire

Also from SciFi.com:

Smallville Flies High

The Sept. 24 second-season premiere of Smallville gave The WB all-time network record ratings and topped all but NBC for its hour in key demographics, Variety reported. But UPN's new supernatural series Haunted, which debuted opposite Smallville, came out of the gate slowly, the trade paper reported.

Smallville averaged 8.66 million viewers and delivered the best ratings for any WB series on any night in adults 18-34 (5.2/14) and key male demographics, the trade paper reported. It topped its series premiere last fall by 16 percent and placed first or second in its hour in all key under-50 demographics. For the night, The WB led among persons 12-34, the trade paper reported.

Haunted, meanwhile, averaged 3.14 million viewers and retained only 63 percent of its Buffy the Vampire Slayer lead-in among adults 18-34 (1.7/5 vs. 2.7/8), the trade paper reported. Buffy airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT; Smallville and Haunted air at 9 p.m.

MoonFire

Comics Continuum Update:

Spoilers galore for "duplicity" I'll link it here - but hit the spoiler board to discuss. Enjoy.

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Zap2It Update:

TV Land Celebrates 50 Years of 'Superman'
Mon, Sep 30, 2002 06:56 PM PDT


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - TV Land is planning a golden anniversary celebration for Superman, who made his first TV appearance 50 years ago.

The classic-TV network will air four episodes of "The Adventures of Superman" on Friday (Oct. 4) to commemorate the series debut in 1952.

The show, which aired in syndication until 1957, was a big hit in the early days of television, and a long way from the Man of Steel's more recent TV incarnations. Whereas ABC's "Lois & Clark," and now The WB's "Smallville," portray Clark Kent as a sometimes reluctant hero, the 1950s "Superman" was all about "truth, justice and the American way," as the show's opening voice-over intoned.

George Reeves starred as the mild-mannered reporter who took off his glasses and saved the day whenever he was needed. Two actresses, Phyllis Coates and Noel Neill, played Lois Lane during the run of the series. Jack Larson co-starred as Jimmy Olson.

Reeves' life took a tragic turn after the series ended. He was so identified with his character that he had a hard time finding work. He committed suicide in 1959.

The four episodes TV Land has scheduled include the premiere, in which Superman's origin story is told, and one in which Lois dreams she's married to Superman.

The four episodes will air beginning at 9 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 4.

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spazzie

Kelly Brook is going to star in "Romy and Michele: Behind the Velvet Rope," , a prequel to the movie, which will air on ABC.

Here's the full article from zap2it:

'Romy and Michele' Prequel Casts Heigl
Tue, Oct 1, 2002 01:46 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Katherine Heigl is going from "Roswell" to Hollywood, circa 1987.

Heigl has been cast as Romy in ABC's "Romy and Michele: Behind the Velvet Rope," a prequel to the 1997 feature film "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion." Alex Breckenridge will play Michele.

Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow played Romy and Michele, respectively, in the movie.

"Behind the Velvet Rope" flashes back 10 years from the movie, to just after Romy and Michele's graduation. They quickly pack their things and leave their hometown of Tucson, Ariz., for the glitz of Hollywood. There, they embark on a three-year quest to gain entrance to the town's hottest club.

Kelly Brook ("Smallville") also stars.

In addition to "Roswell," Heigl has starred in "Valentine" and "My Father the Hero," among other films. Breckenridge is a relative newcomer, with guest roles on "Undeclared" and "Charmed" and the movie "Big Fat Liar" to her credit.

Robin Schiff, who wrote the screenplay to "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion," is writing and directing the prequel. She'll also serve as an executive producer.

MoonFire

Comics Continuum Update:

ANTHONY HOPKINS IN SUPERMAN?

Anthony Hopkins said that he is interested in playing Jor-El in the upcoming Superman movie.

Interviewed by Access Hollywood at the New York premiere of his new Hannibal Lecter movie, Red Dragon, Hopkins was asked if he will be in Superman, which will be directed by Brett Ratner, who is also the director of Red Dragon.

"I think so. You have to ask Brett Ratner, he's the director," Hopkins said. "I haven't even read the script. But, yeah, if he still wants me."

Asked if he wanted Hopkins, Ratner said: "Absolutely."

In related news, Ratner will be a guest on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly on Thursday, Oct. 10.


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Zap2It Update:

CBS Wins Tuesday as ABC Gets a Lift
Wed, Oct 2, 2002 10:25 AM PDT


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Fast Affiliate Ratings for Tuesday, October 10, 2002.

CBS topped the ratings charts on Tuesday night on the strength of "JAG," "The Guardian" and the season premiere of "Judging Amy." ABC is seeing a strong showing from its Tuesday night comedy lineup as well.

In primetime, CBS averaged a 10.6 rating/16 share for the evening, followed by ABC, 8.0/13 and NBC, 7.8/12. FOX and The WB tied for fourth with 6.2/10 each as UPN trailed, 3.2/5.

In the 18 to 49 demographic, ABC took the lead with a 4.9 rating. NBC was next with 4.5, followed by CBS, 3.7, and FOX, 3.3.

At 8 p.m., "JAG" was in first place with 9.8/16. The new comedy "8 Simple Rules" (8.6/14) is holding onto its strong numbers on ABC, combining with "According to Jim" (7.9/12) for second place. An hour of "In-Laws" on NBC averaged 6.7/11 in third. The WB's "Gilmore Girls" was fourth at 5.7/9 as FOX began its night of baseball in fifth. UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was sixth, 4.0/6.

CBS remained in first place at 9 p.m., as "The Guardian" pulled in a 9.5/15 for the hour. NBC was second with "Frasier," 9.6/15 and "Hidden Hills," 7.6/12. ABC was in third with "Life With Bonnie" (7.2/11) and the debut of "Less Than Perfect" (7.1/11). The WB's "Smallville" earned a 6.6/10 for the hour, topping baseball on FOX. UPN's "Haunted" continues to flounder, earning only 2.4/4.

At 10 p.m., the season premiere of "Judging Amy" scored the highest rating of the night, 10.8/18, to keep CBS in first place. "" was second, 8.5/15, followed by "Dateline NBC," 8.1/14.


Ratings information provided is from fast national data, except for UPN and The WB, which are the results of the overnight metered markets (the top 53 markets across the country). All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

Lana_Lang

Cool, so that's really good right?

BuckeyeFan

Yes, it's very good. Smallville now has three of the most watched single episodes in WB history. When the show premiered, the pilot was the most watched show in WB history....until Vortex aired and broke that record. And now a week later, Heat has come along and broken the record Vortex set.

So all in all, the WB has to be pleased with the ratings. Here's a little blurb from The Futon Critic about it:

Meanwhile over on the WB, "Gilmore Girls" and "Smallville" continued to astonish. The second year young Superman series scored a 6.6 rating and 10 share in the overnights, beating its already record debut numbers from last week (6.3/9). In two weeks "Smallville" has topped its premiere numbers (6.2/9, 10/16/01) twice. This just doesn't happen folks. The Gilmore clan was no slouch either beating last week's numbers by 5% (5.7/9 vs. 5.4/8). Like "Smallville," "Gilmore Girls" is also eclipising last year's numbers (week 1: 5.0/7, week 2: 4.5/7). Kudos all around.

If this keeps up, I think we can happily look forward to season 3... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Shannen

BuckeyeFan

Matt Roush, reviewer for TV Guide, gives excellent marks to Smallville's first two outings in this week's Roush Room column:

On another fantasy front, WB's Smallville is reaping record ratings in its second season, for good reason. The first two episodes have been a blast: wonderfully produced, exciting and enjoyable even at their most formulaic. The Oct. 1 episode was especially fun, as Clark (Tom Welling) fought against hormonal surges that manifested themselves in searing bursts of destructive heat-vision laser beams. I love the way the show tweaks various elements of the Superman/Superboy mythology while also satisfying the target WB audience with coming-of-age allegories (in this case, the need to control one's adolescent sexual urges). Until Fox's 24 returns at the end of October, this is hands-down the most entertaining show in that crowded time period (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET). If you miss it on Tuesdays, WB replays Smallville on Sundays at 5 pm/ET.

Also, NYC's WB 11 site has put up an interview clip of Tom Welling, who stopped by last week to promote the season premiere.

Shannen

[ 10-02-2002: Message edited BuckeyeFan ]

MyrnaLynne

Tom Welling got married! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

BuckeyeFan

Yeah, way back over the Fourth of July weekend. Must have been a reception that lasted way into the night, as Michael seemed pretty damn tired when I met and talked to him the next day! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

On another media note, this was in yesterday's Vancouver Sun:

Michael Rosenbaum who plays baddie Lex Luthor on the WB's locally shot hit Superman-as-a-teen series Smallville, spent a recent afternoon with his grandparents at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Rosenbaum is the first person outside of the marine mammal staff to meet the new baby boy beluga whale. Mom, 14-year-old Aurora, gave birth to the yet unnamed babe on July 20.

Smallville premiered its second season last week, soaring to all-time network records, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show averaged 8.66 million viewers and delivered the best ratings for any WB series on any night in adults 18-34, even outdoing its series premiere last fall by 16 per cent.

Shannen

[ 10-03-2002: Message edited BuckeyeFan ]

MyrnaLynne

Heh, Mr ML and I went to Niagra Falls that weekend - surprised we didn't run into the happy couple up there [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Good to hear you and MR are speaking - you guys must have made an impression on him on his last birthday! ;D

BuckeyeFan

hehe--juding from Tom's tan, I'm guessing they went somewhere tropical for a honeymoon. Hee-hee! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Well, that was the only time I got to talk to Michael was in Chicago before his birthday--that was the day after Tom's wedding, and Michael looked pretty darn tired, but was still gracious to everyone. I'm working for his website now, so who knows--maybe he'll pop in there with some ideas. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Oh, yeah--news. That's what this thread is for. KryptonSite has new season 2 promo shots up, and also report that the Smallville comic book has been delayed again, until October 23rd.

Shannen

BuckeyeFan

Mega-Con, a sci-fi con in Orlando Florida, has announced Michael Rosenbaum will be a guest on March 3, 2003. Check the website for full details.

Shannen

Lana_Lang

So does this mean that Smallville is now the highest rated WB series and not 7th Heaven?