‘Kennedys’ finds new channel
“The Kennedys” miniseries has found a home on cable’s ReelzChannel.
The ambitious 8-part miniseries, a portrait of the Kennedy family told in a multigenerational manner, was produced by the History Channel but abruptly yanked from the upcoming lineup last month.
That network said the project, which stars Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes as John and Jackie Kennedy, did not fit the “History brand.” The real-life Kennedy family and associates were said to be unhappy with it, claiming its scripts were inaccurate and overly critical.
Showtime subsequently passed, also, but ReelzChannel will air the series beginning April 3.
ReelzChannel is available in 60 million homes, including those in the Spokane area with Dish Network and DirecTV.
‘Dallas’ redux
TNT says Larry Hagman is returning to Southfork Ranch for the pilot of an updated “Dallas.”
Also signed for the series pilot are two fellow “Dallas” veterans, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy.
Hagman will reprise his role as villainous oil baron J.R. Ewing. Gray will again play J.R.’s wife, Sue Ellen, and Duffy returns as his younger brother, Bobby.
The original “Dallas” ran from 1978 to 1991 as a pioneering prime-time soap on CBS.
The new story focuses on the Ewing offspring as they clash over the future of the family dynasty. Josh Henderson and Jordana Brewster also star.
Hello, Hulu
Viacom has agreed to return “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and the “Colbert Report” starring Stephen Colbert to Hulu, nearly a year after pulling the two high-profile shows off the online video service in a dispute over financial terms.
Full-length episodes of both have streamed on the shows’ websites, TheDailyShow.com and ColbertNation.com, where they will continue to be available.
Viacom also said that it would make available several other popular shows – including MTV’s hit “Jersey Shore” and “Teen Mom 2,” Comedy Central’s “Tosh.0” and TVLand’s “Hot in Cleveland” – to the Hulu Plus subscription service 21 days after each episode’s televised debut.
More than 2,000 episodes of shows such as “Reno 911,” “Beavis and Butt-Head,” “Real World” and “The Chappelle Show” would also find their way from Viacom’s library to the Hulu Plus service, which costs users $7.99 per month.
‘Real’ in Vegas
MTV has wrapped up its 25th season of “The Real World” at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
The show first came to Las Vegas for its 12th season in 2002. The cast lived at the Palms Casino Resort during filming.
The latest roommates were filmed living in a four-bedroom suite with hot tub, bowling alley, pool table and bar.
The new season premieres in March.
Nine for ‘NCIS’
Television’s top-rated scripted series, “NCIS,” will be back for a ninth season.
CBS says it’s renewing the drama that stars Mark Harmon and an ensemble cast including Michael Weatherly, Rocky Carroll and Pauley Perrette.
“NCIS,” a spinoff of the action-legal drama “JAG,” has climbed steadily in the ratings since its 2003 debut, with this week’s episode drawing the show’s biggest audience ever, nearly 23 million viewers.