Monday, July 23, 2001
NBC might need some new friends
PASADENA, Calif. — Some of your favorite friends may be leaving NBC next spring. Contracts for Anthony Edwards, Eriq LaSalle, Tom Brokaw and the entire cast of Friends all expire next year, and network executives aren't sure who will stick around after that.
John Wells, ER executive producer, says that Mr. Edwards likely will leave the medical drama after this season, but he's confident that Mr. LaSalle will sign a new contract.
Original cast member Sherry Stringfield returns to the show for the eighth season this fall, “though not right away,” Mr. Wells told the Television Critics Association.
ER opens with viewers finally meeting the parents of Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle), he says. Mr. Wyle is under contract through the 10th season (2003-04).
The fate of Friends, also heading into its eighth season, won't be known until December, says Jeff Zucker, NBC Entertainment president.
Executives at Warner Bros., which produces the series (and ER), “know we want another year or two,” Mr. Zucker says.
“We feel like the show has a lot more years in it,” says David Crane, Friends executive producer. “Certainly the decision to have Rachel become pregnant has really energized the show and given us some exciting directions to go into the new season.”
NBC News executives insist that Mr. Brokaw's 10-week summer vacation is just that, and not a prelude to retirement. But they don't know if he will leave his NBC Nightly News anchor chair when his contract expires next year.
“I don't know what he's contemplating,” says Andrew Lack, NBC president and COO, and former NBC News president. Mr. Brokaw requested the 2 1/2 months in his beloved Montana because he didn't get away much last year, with the presidential campaign and the summer nominating conventions.
“Everybody at NBC News hopes that Tom will be around for a god long time,” says Steve Capus, who was recently promoted to Nightly News executive producer from Brian Williams' prime-time MSNBC newscast, The News with Brian Williams.
Mr. Williams, who has been filling in for Mr. Brokaw, is his likely successor, though he's in no hurry for the job, Mr. Capus says.
“The two men get along famously. There's no soap opera there,” Mr. Capus says.
“If Tom decides to pack it in and retire, we've got the best guy going. I'm blown away by the man's talent,” says Mr. Capus, who has worked with Mr. Williams on live interviewes, White House reports, live broadcasts from the field and 12-hour marathon election night anchoring.
L.A. Law reunion: The old L.A. Law gang could reunite for a NBC TV movie during February sweeps, if all the pieces fall into place. William Finkelstein, who produced the first several seasons of the Emmy-winning drama (1986-94), is writing a reunion script, says Stephen Bulka, NBC vice president for movies and miniseries.
All of the original cast members — Jimmy Smits, Susan Dey, Richard Dysart, Harry Hamlin, Alan Rachins, Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker and Corbin Bernsen — have expressed a willingness to do the movie if they like the script, Mr. Bulka says. John Spencer, who joing the cast later, says he's interested in the movie, if he can work out a filming schedule around The West Wing.
Critic's choice: HBO's The Sopranos was the big winner at the 17th annual Television Critics Awards Saturday night. The mob hit was named program of the year, and tied with The West Wing as best drama. Star James Gandolfini also was honored as best drama performer for the third consecutive year.
Other winners: Ken Burns' Jazz, news and information series; Malcolm in the Middle, comedy series; Jane Kaczmarek, comedy performer; Gilmore Girls, best new series; Life with Judy Garland: Me & My Shadow, best movie; and Between the Lions and Sesame Street, best children's series.
Sid Caesar, who was presented a lifetime achievement award, stole the show. He delivered a thank-you to the critics by speaking double-talk gibberish in three languages (French, German, Italian). The 78-year-old former Your Show of Shows star, who recently had hip surgery, slowly walked with a cane off the stage to his seat — and then returned to the podium to thank his wife of 58 years.
John Kiesewetter is reporting from the Television Critics Association summer press tour.)
Talk of the tour
Shane Salerno, executive producer of NBC's (ital) UC: Undercover (end ital) show, explaining that the drama about a top-secret Justice Department crime-fighting unit is not related to the University of Cincinnati or another college:
“It's not affiliated with any university,” he says. “UC is a trade name. It's frankly what undercover agents call themselves . . . In the future, it would be great to be able to call it (end ital) UC, and maybe this is a way of platforming it.”
NBC might need some new friends
