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Thoughts on ABC Signature now becoming 20th Television as of today

by Sports Benches

Today we saw a huge change within ABC and Disney having recently found out that they won’t change the ABC Signature logo & its on-air ident — despite wearing the current on-air bug since its last update for a few years now. Instead, ABC Signature will now be merged under 20th Television effective immediately to kickstart the new month of October.

So will we continue to see tonight’s episode of High Potential and Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as Thursday’s nights episode of Grey’s Anatomy and also future episodes of The Rookie in early 2025 being an ABC Signature production? 

Don’t know but I assume probably that will continue at least during the short term until the end of their respective contracted season in around May 2025, so that would be yes. Then depending on their series renewal for 2025-26, we will definitely see those shows being relocated under 20th TV’s production but it will still be on ABC.

Not everyone will notice about the on-screen changes very quickly since this season’s ABC Signature slate of scripted/unscripted shows have either already been wrapped up or currently midway through production.

Yeah, no surprise to see this coming when ABC Signature chose not to get their logo/on-air ident updated despite the network’s logo change a few years ago. However, we know the Fox-Disney merger was of course behind this when it comes to the studio production side of things. Now this makes sense for ABC Signature to farewell after a decades-long run (that began with Touchstone TV followed by ABC Studios and then ABC Signature over these past few years) by joining sister subsidiary 20th Television that will make one studio arm a whole lot bigger & also effective all under the one roof. Also sending out thoughts to some staff impacted by the merger with some leaving while some will get new roles at 20th TV.

What’s next now? Shutting down/selling up Freeform – one of Disney’s basic cable general entertainment channels. The only things they’re doing right now is having a bunch of reality stuff on air alongside some syndicated repeats and some annual year TV show or movie themed marathons other than having to fulfil a lifelong content agreement with The 700 Club after they ran out all of their own scripted programming earlier this year. 

Not even While You Were Breeding would count when they weren’t there on any of their recent schedules when Freeform decided not to put them on the air one year ago despite wrapping up production. They said that they no longer fit network programming strategy for comedy or other original scripted slate at any kind but then the issue were more like Freeform being on its last legs as a network. 

We still haven’t heard back or what will happen with Freeform’s two in-development projects though like horror drama Night’s Edge and a High School teen drama Rush. I guess they might be Hulu or FX/FXX projects after all should Freeform be the next to go from now.

This is something to keep an eye on over the next coming months or sometime in 2025 with more and more paying TV subscribers tuning in from their devices like Netflix, Disney + & Max.

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Grey’s Anatomy Season 21, Episode 1 “If Walls Could Talk”

by Admin

Grey’s Anatomy has returned with its 21st season. The longest medical drama in history just breaks ground on another round of medical crisis laced with emotional ruminations, hospital politics, and interpersonal drama. 

The premiere episode is directed by longtime guest player Debbie Allen. We pick up where the last season left off. Our anchor characters, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Bailey (Chandra Wilson), are out of their jobs at Grey Sloan Memorial after being sacked by Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen) – Mer over her illegal research, Bailey after coming to her intern’s defense. 

With such massive changes in the hospital, the doctors must keep going. The premiere episode sees the usual retinue of dramatic patients: protester falling off the sky into the windshield of a car driven by a minor, an injured radical activist crawling through the vent to evade police. It’s just another day at Grey Sloan Memorial. 

No longer the chief at Grey Sloan, Bailey tries to play it cool and busy herself at her clinic, but she cannot help it when her former residents come calling for aid. Meanwhile, Mer is in legal trouble with Catherine for her unauthorized Alzheimer’s research. Jackson Avery (returning fan favorite Jesse Williams) comes back to mediate the situation, but by now we already know these ladies ain’t gonna make it easy. 

Things take a surprising turn when Meredith finds Catherine collapsed at her office. It turns out that she has a spinal tumor and warns Mer against telling Jackson and Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr).

Soapy drama is always at the center of Grey’s Anatomy. And it continues to deliver exactly that for its loyal audiences. The novelty has worn off a long time ago (probably around the time they got Lexie Grey killed while trapped under an airplane), but the show consistently knows what audiences want from it. As usual, the hot blooded young interns serve up the relationship drama. This season, we have Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis) and Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane)’s budding romance, while Simone Griffith (Alexis Floyd) faces uncertainty as Lucas Adams (Niko Terho) must make the choice between leaving or staying to repeat his first year. These storylines do not have quite the same bite as the heydays of MerDer or the Alex-Izzie-George love triangle, but they remain on brand: push and pull chemistry, denial, misdirection, sexual tension. 

At this point, Grey’s has an established playbook that people will latch on to for as long as possible. The banters remain heated, the music remains stirring, the scenario as loopy but heartwarmingly wrapped as always. It does feel same old, same old, but Grey’s Anatomy is an establishment now – people tune in out of habit. Those yearning for some spice might no longer be satiated, but as long as the formula sticks, it’s a comfort food that people keep coming back to.  

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Looking back at the season 33 premiere of ABC and Disney +’s Dancing With The Stars the other day & what you need to know for those tuning in outside of the USA & Canada

by Sports Benches

Didn’t know the season 33 premiere of Dancing With The Stars unexpectedly appeared as a full show episode on one of the unofficial YouTube channels the other day where everyone including myself were finally able to watch it for those living outside USA & Canada. Gotta say it’s about time having watched several bunch of Australia’s own DWTS before but this US DWTS sets the standard better that is unmatched than any other dancing show. 

It’s been a spectacular start by the way with the likes of USA Rugby 7s women’s star IIona Maher & actor Eric Roberts (sister of Julia Roberts) as one of the contestants alongside professional dance partners Alan Bernstein and Britt Stewart respectively with AFV’s Alfonso Ribiero & Julianne Hough (co-hosts) steering the ship as always. I know Roberts from that 2011 ABC dance drama pilot called Grace which is available to view on YouTube while Maher has won many hearts of including the Rugby world following her team’s bronze medal win at Paris 2024 a few weeks ago over Charlotte Caslick’s Aussie 7s team.

Sure, the performances by Maher and Roberts may not the best they would’ve liked but at least both did their best (Maher 8th & Roberts 13th/last) when many others went on to top the leaderboard. Although next week’s Episode is going to be huge where the bottom two performing couple contestants will have bow out the ballroom that could spice things up as the weeks go by until at least the end of November. 

For those who want to see what the DWTS is like as a full-length episode, go to YouTube while you can before the creator is going to take it down before anyone notices it without getting caught with a strike warning, etc. Here’s hoping ABC Network management can put this up as a full-show episode of each one one day after the original airing is over on their official DWTS YouTube channel like they do for their news department such as Good Morning America, The View and World News Tonight with David Muir,

As someone who has been regularly tuning in to General Hospital on YouTube for a few years now, here’s also hoping ABC can do the same by making this available (same day episodes) to everyone outside US & Canada on their official GH YouTube channel as well – since almost no TV station back in Australia wants it much like a few other original ABC US shows – despite seeing all other US soaps legally available at least through 10 & 10 Play online. Although it seems they’re currently doing this on Facebook but only for the last five minute parts of each episode on weekdays (or Tuesday-Saturday from our end).

And for those who want to get more of DWTS, you can look out for each couple contestants’ dance performances a few times during each mid-week episodes that will come out as individual clips. That’s the only best bet you can do as an overseas DWTS fan/viewer & for those living in US/Canada, you can look back the season premiere episode at anytime on Hulu & Disney + with episode two next Tuesday between 8-10pm ET on ABC & Disney +.

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US’s version of the original hit Haut Potentiel Intellectuel French drama High Potential finally made it to ABC & Hulu last night with more episdoes to come on Tuesday nights

by Sports Benches

The US version of the original French hit crime-comedy drama Haut Potentiel Intellectuel has finally made it on the big ABC last night called High Potential when the series was first ordered 18 months ago and then the writers’ and actors’ strikes have put them on hold until the start of this 2024/25 TV season. But glad to hear the feedback turned out to be really good by their audience with little to no negativity so far across social media that should really translate into their season’s ratings success right from the word go ahead of episode 2 next Tuesday straight after Dancing With the Stars at 10pm ET/PT.

High Potential is led by Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory alongside Daniel Sunjata as Adam Karadec (good to see US’s HPI put his first name on it rather than being just known as Karadec) including Javicia Leslie (Daphne), Judy Reyes (Selena) as well as Garret Dillahunt (Melon) & Taran Killam (Ludo Radovic) – such a strong cast to pull off likewise with the French show.

Some of the setting we saw there for the pilot episode does look like the one we first saw on social media from 18 months ago when ABC was putting them in pilot mode against several other dramas like Judgement, The Hurt Unit & even a Good Doctor spin-off called The Good Lawyer.

Although the pilot filming location was in Vancouver, Canada at the time before US’s HPI relocated its set to LA’s Fox Studios earlier this year since they’re allowed to film more episodes that covers season one (think it’s 10 episodes for fall). 

However, what we do really know is that US needs someone who can be like Morgan the mom of three & an unconventional crime solver from sweeping floors — and yet High Potential didn’t disappoint anyone so far along the way as we shall see how this ends up between now and the end of this year. 

We can also think HPI (first half season) and The Rookie (second half season) are going to be a great match to pass over the baton or even air alongside each other at some point that can power up some crime-solving fun on Tuesday nights if High Potential gets renewed for season 2 & The Rookie gets to stay on for a possible 8th season ahead of the 2025/26 season.

We can even see some comparisons there when it comes to pitting US’s HPI v The Mentalist (CBS) that ran from 2008-15, one of ABC’s former shows in Castle from 2009-16, Sherlock Holmes’s inspired Elementary (CBS) between 2012-19 & don’t forget Bones (FOX) too from 2005-17. All of those shows had great success that ran for a few great years before they ended things at the right time and no doubt High Potential can follow this path without any bad reason at all following their debut on-air pilot episode.

Congrats to the behind the scenes crew like Drew Goddard & its creators on the original HPI show on making this happen that wowed ABC management while it’s great seeing some actors/actresses back on TV after all this time when a few others from other failed pilots that didn’t make it had to move on as you never know what could happen in the TV business. If you want to give US’s HPI a shot then why not head over to Hulu & all you need is a subscription to start watching at any time. Sure the same will apply with Disney + (can’t find a release date there just yet) for those outside the US/Canada.

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Thoughts on Australian and New Zealand Disney + subscribers now able to watch same-day Grey’s Anatomy episodes ahead of the new Season 21 starting later this month

by Sports Benches

It’s been a long time coming for Grey’s Anatomy fans in Australia when the series was first aired on Seven Network for a number of years back in around 2006-2007 with updated episodes usually several months after the US. Although there wasn’t much hype though over the last decade before they eventually no longer hold any rights of the ABC (USA) flagship prime-time drama as of early 2021. Fortunately, Disney + has picked up the pieces from here where episodes were being a few weeks old in recent seasons and now they will get same-day episodes access as the original US airing including their New Zealand subscribers ahead of Season 21 – which will begin on Thursday 26th September/Friday 27th September here.

Don’t know what time Disney + will drop off these same day Grey’s episode each Friday from this upcoming season (definitely not at the same time as the ABC airing on TV which would be 10pm either side of the US/12pm either side here/2pm either side of NZ), but it’s likely to be around between late afternoon to early evening when the next day on-demand new episodes end up on Hulu as per usual with other ABC scripted prime-time shows.

Sure, times flies so fast with Grey’s over nearly two decades considering the number of high-profile actor/actresses have came here and gone like Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh & Katherine Heigl. But it’s still a brilliant and iconic long-running show to watch with Ellen Pompeo still around mainly in a executive producer role alongside some occasional acting as Meredith including Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey and several others like Camilla Luddington (Dr. Jo Wilson), James Pickens Jr. (Richard), Kevin McKidd (Owen) & many more.

So glad to hear that Grey’s Australian fans will be able to catch up the latest from Sloan Grey Memorial Hospital in Seattle & its characters alike without having to wait weeks or even find spoilers online when you can simply wait just hours after the original US airdate/airtime going forward & it’s all yours to watch from home or on the go via Disney +. And wouldn’t it be great if ABC Signature (their studio production) finally updated their on-air ident at the same time of the new Grey’s season premiere with the same ABC on-air logo that was last revamped back in 2021 but they still kept the same branding despite this as we shall find out with ABC’s long-awaited new drama show of High Potential (adapted from France) by mid next week.

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Thoughts on All My Children’s latest revival pitch this time in the form of TV movies

by Sports Benches

The famed All My Children revival pitch has taken another turn this time in the form of a TV movie series that goes from holidays to Christmas themed storylines, having last heard a few years ago when they tried making it into prime-time called Pine Valley. The plot for Pine Valley was about a young journalist coming into town who kept a close eye on family feud with a secret middle ground between the Kane and Santos families that could impact this community.

However, that route was quietly rejected at all without any consideration of a pilot presentation and even a series order past the initial development phase by ABC – especially when they got so many other new scripted shows to consider like High Potential which will finally start next week following the 2023 Hollywood TV Strikes.

Yeah, that was a bit of a no surprise there when it took so long to find out which was disappointing. But even though if Pine Valley did go into pilot, it wouldn’t have worked out anyway considering how the TV business works. Also, it would’ve been a waste of time with the people coming back onboard for that one occasion & then the pilot fails where we may have never possibly seen it on the air, with most failed TV pilots locked up in an undisclosed warehouse storage vault.

Fortunately, ABC’s parent company Disney transferred this AMC revival pitch to one of their cable TV movie channels at Lifetime, who is part of the Disney family when they are currently owned by A & E Networks.

Yes, we still don’t know for sure as this AMC revival has barely made it past the first step so far before they can go get approved for production. But what we do know is that the fictional setting will always be situated in Pine Valley in Pennsylvania as it remains to be seen which characters from the original soap we shall see should this be approved.

So far there’s no writer & producers onboard when this is no longer Pine Valley the prime time pitch but hoping Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos can come back once again at least behind the scenes with a bit of on-air cameo since they run a syndicated daytime talk show together called Live with Kelly and Mark!

I also know some soap fans aren’t happy with Cameron Mathison currently playing Drew Cain on General Hospital in recent years who was a big part of AMC a long time ago as Ryan Lavery, but I guess his yearly TV movie commitments is currently tied up with the Great American Family channel for now.

One can hope an AMC revival is coming closer towards the airwaves sooner rather than later albeit on cable TV/streaming with the franchise rights currently under ABC/Disney’s hands once again off Prospect Park since 2016. Let’s hope they can see light at the end of the day since soaps and TV movies have a great connection there when it comes to actors/actresses, etc.

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