WEEKLY TV NEWS

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NBC Planning Series Inspired by Universal's Van Helsing Source: Variety Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Universal has already pacted with NBC for Transylvania, a drama series inspired by writer/director Stephen Sommer's monster film Van Helsing, due out next May and starring Hugh Jackman. The network has given Universal Network Television a pilot commitment for a drama that, while not a spinoff or sequel, will be set in the same universe as the feature film.

Sommers will write the pilot script and executive produce the series with partner and longtime editor Bob Ducsay. And, in another connection to the movie, the potential series will likely be shot on the same 19th-century village set that Universal built in Prague and used for Van Helsing.

Universal has high hopes for the film giving Sommers the right to populate it with all of its most famous monsters, allowing Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing to battle Dr. Jekyll, the Werewolf and Dracula.

Though the series will be set in the same 19th century vein as the film, Van Helsing will not be a character in Transylvania. Instead, the series will be a character-driven soap opera and the central figure will be a young cowboy from Texas who's pressed into duty and becomes the sheriff in a town where oddities abound.

Universal is already hoping that Van Helsing will spawn a film sequel.

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Following the sudden death last Thursday of star John Ritter, ABC is finding that it's not so simple to determine the fate of hit show 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

Facing a dilemma the likes of which broadcasters haven't seen in years--the loss of a leading actor in a vehicle built around him--shocked network executives are being forced to ponder the future of a young sitcom that was one of the bright spots on ABC's otherwise abysmal prime-time lineup, let alone whether to even continue airing the show.


8 Simple Rules...' second season, which was scheduled to begin on Sept. 23, was postponed and filming was stopped as the show's cast and crew, as well as Ritter's friends and Hollywood colleagues, gathered at a private funeral service on Friday to remember the former Three's Company star. A memorial service is being planned.

Meanwhile, the tributes continued to pour in from other industry veterans who knew him.

"I can truly say that his loss will be felt very personally across the industry, as John had the wonderful ability to make everyone he worked with feel like not just a colleague but also a friend," ABC entertainment president Susan Lyne said in a statement.

"John Ritter was a force of nature. He'd sweep onto a quiet set and it would instantly turn into a laugh-filled room," said Flody Suarez and Tracy Gamble, Rules...' executive producers. "For everyone here, coming to work each day was a joy. You always knew, at some point, there would be a patented John Ritter pratfall or spit take. He had no shame when it came to making us laugh. We will miss his smile, we will miss his laugh and, mostly, we will miss his incredible kindness."

"To all who knew him, he was an inspiration. His endless talents and unparalleled human spirit were a gift to us all that we will cherish...Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," said Touchstone president Stephen McPherson.

While both executives at ABC and Disney, which produces the show, were reportedly too shaken up to comment on Rules...' future last week, some Hollywood observers speculated that the Alphabet net is more likely to revamp the show rather than scrap it.

"It's really in the tradition of Hollywood that the show must go on," one high-level TV exec told Daily Variety. "Shut down production for a while to pay respect and mourn and figure the whole thing out. But I don't think there's anything disrespectful [about going forward]. There are a lot of people whose livelihoods depend on the show."

Some of the suggestions already raised include restructuring Rules... around costar Katey Sagal, who plays Ritter's wife in the show, or find a new male actor to try and fill the father-figure role left void by the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor's passing.

A spokeswoman with ABC had no comment regarding such talk.

But according to the New York Daily News, one possibility being bandied about would be to bring in another popular '70s-era icon who might play a brother to Ritter's bumbling dad, Paul Hennessy.

Already talk has centered on Henry Winkler for the job. The former Fonz from TV's Happy Days is an old pal of Ritter's and was scheduled to guest on the episode which the actor never completed due to his sudden death.

Other potential candidates could include sitcom vets Tony Danza, Howie Mandel and even Richard Kline, Ritter's Three's Company cohort.

Regardless, should producers forge ahead, they'll still have the delicate matter of what to do with his character. Having the bumbling dad of two teenage daughters and a preteen son die on the show is a hard sell comedy-wise.

"The show's so irreverent, it's hard to imagine the [daughters] on the show being as shallow as they seem and people finding that appropriate," another insider told Variety. "Audiences have to feel these characters are real. They can't pretend dad is off on a business trip."

Perhaps the biggest question mark is the fate of the three episodes already filmed for the second season. Should ABC decide not to go forward with the premiere Sept. 23, another option would be to possibly delay Rules...' return until November or January out of respect for Ritter and give producers, cast, and fans time to mourn.

In the meantime, the network might give producers some breathing space by substituting 8 Simple Rules... in its current Tuesday time slot with According to Jim or George Lopez.

Either way, history hasn't been kind to sitcoms which have suffered the permanent loss of key castmembers.

NewsRadio never really got over the death of star Phil Hartman in 1998, and despite filling the void with Jon Lovitz, it was canceled a year later.

CBS' 1991 series The Royal Family lost its sense of humor less than a month after it premiered with the death of star Redd Foxx. Producers wrote his demise into the storyline and moved forward with costar Della Reese's character and added actress Jackee to the cast as her half-sister helping her cope. Ultimately, audiences couldn't cope and the Eye was forced to axe it.

Before his untimely death, Ritter was looking forward to a good week both personally and professionally.

Not only was he happy to have friends like Winkler and director Peter Bogdanovich guest starring on the fourth episode, but the thespian was also celebrating his daughter Stella's fifth birthday on Thursday, when he became ill.

He was also looking forward to actress-wife Amy Yasbeck's birthday on Friday--not to mention his own 55th birthday this Wednesday and his wedding anniversary on Thursday.

In remembrance of Ritter, ABC plans to air a special one-hour tribute to him during 8 Simple Rules...' time slot (which would've been a repeat of the show's first season finale) at 8 p.m. Diane Sawyer hosts.

Also, Nick at Nite is planning to air a Jack Tripper marathon with nine hours of Three's Company episodes scheduled to run tonight through tomorrow morning.

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Entire Batman: The Animated Series Coming to DVD? Source: The Digital Bits Tuesday, September 16, 2003

The Digital Bits has some interesting news on what may be coming...

With all the news lately about different TV shows being released on DVD, and with an industry conference on this very subject set for next month, we've learned that Warner is planning on releasing more animated TV product on our favorite format. Specifically, sources are telling us that 2004 could see the release of full seasons of Tiny Toon Adventures and Batman: The Animated Series from the studio, with the possibility of Animaniacs and more superhero animated TV product further down the line.

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The Show Goes on for 8 Simple Rules Source: Associated Press Tuesday, September 16, 2003

ABC's 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter will continue despite star John Ritter's death last Friday at the age of 54.

The final three episodes of "8 Simple Rules…" completed by Ritter will air sequentially beginning with the season premiere on Tuesday, September 23 8/7c, says ABC. Each of these episodes will open with a special introduction by members of the cast.

After the three episodes, the series will go into repeats while writers retool it and production starts. Future episodes will then take viewers into the Hennessy household as they experience the loss of a beloved father and construct a new life.

"Everybody recognizes that John loved that show... He'd have wanted the show to continue," Lloyd Braun, chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group, said today.

It hasn't been decided if the death of Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy, will mirror what happened to the actor. While the idea of recasting Ritter's role was quickly rejected, new characters will be added at some point, said ABC.

[ericgtr]

It will be interesting to see how they handle that and how well it will do overall, I agree that the show should continue though there are plenty of twists they can come up with. A single mom with three hot teenage daughters, imagine the possibilities [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]