The Big Brand Theory

2015 FX SUMMER TCA: John Landgraf, CEO, FX Networks & FX Productions during the EXECUTIVE SESSION panel at the 2015 FX SUMMER TCA on Friday, Aug. 7 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. CR: Frank Micelotta/FX

FX – Executive Session

John Landgraf CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions

By Valerie Milano

Beverly Hills, CA (The Hollywood Times) 8/8/15 – Less a Q&A than a master class in the rise and (possible) fall of originally scripted programming as the coin of the realm in broadcast media; John Landgraf went all professorial on our collective derrieres and gave us the 411 on originally scripted programming; past, present and future. He’s obviously an out of the box thinker and steers far clear of any bubble that might burst on his watch. And the bubble to which he refers, is the current ‘genre de jour’ that is originally scripted programming. The case he makes is persuasive and logical. His pedigree on the subject is unassailable, since he is one of the pioneers in originally scripted programming serving a master brand – FX. Whatever the next ‘big thing’ is, Landgraf is sure it’s lurking out there on the horizon, and it’s a cinch bet he won’t be caught cheerleading a stagnant business model while yet another sea change swamps the industry.

Welcome to The Jungle

Zoo on CBS

By Valerie Milano

Pasadena, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/1/15 – There’s nothing new under the sun it seems, and so it is with the CBS series premiere of Zoo. Viewers with a basic knowledge of cinematic history will immediately recognize Zoo as a crib of the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, The Birds. In The Birds, we had Avian-Americans going medieval on the hapless residents of Bodega Bay California. There was precious little blood or action; but Hitchcock was the master of tension and build-up. On the CBS series premier of Zoo, we have animals getting pissed and getting even. However, the producers of Zoo trip over their own feet coming out of the gate in their effort to set up characters and background plot. Meanwhile viewers are left fidgeting nervously with their remotes during all the preamble, patiently waiting to watch lions eat people up.  

Showtime

Showtime’s Episodes panel at the Winter press tour Pasadena, CA

Every Actor is interested in TV Now

By Valerie Milano

Pasadena, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/17/14 – “You know, every actor is interested in television right now, and the level of storytelling in TV as a format as a long‑form, open‑ended format is very seductive for the creative talent right now.”  As quoted by David Nevins, President of Entertainment, Showtime, who just happened to be the first one up at the TCA Winter Press Tour 2014.