Tuning In to TV

Summer slot for ‘Kings’

NBC’s “Kings” is on the move again, this time to summer.

After originally being scheduled midseason as a Thursday-night drama, the series actually premiered on a Sunday (March 15) and was moved to repeat-laden Saturday night after its four low-rated Sunday episodes. Then, the contemporary King David drama — which stars Ian McShane (HBO’s “Deadwood”) — was pulled off the schedule.

Now it’s returning to its 8 p.m. Saturday slot on June 13, where it will finish its run through July 25.

Meanwhile, beginning Saturday, NBC will air reruns of “Law & Order: SVU,” the freshman cop drama “Southland” and “Law & Order,” in the “Kings’” slot until its June 13 return, notes the Hollywood Reporter.

Serving up new shows

Coming off of its highest-rated quarter ever, Food Network unveiled eight new prime-time shows at its upfront presentation Tuesday in New York.

The cable network’s focus on cooking competitions continues in the upcoming programming slate. “Chefs vs. City” is a foodie version of “The Amazing Race” in which notable chefs Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez take on a pair of local chefs in a different city each week, vying in a series of five challenges. The series begins in July.

Launching in the fall is “Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin.”

Mr. Corwin, whose former series “The Jeff Corwin Experience” appeared on Food’s sister network, Animal Planet, will head to foreign locales to taste native cuisines.

“We don’t want to overdo it with competition shows, but viewers like it,” network President Brooke Johnson tells Daily Variety. “We sort of have a bifurcated strategy. We have the ‘In the Kitchen’ blocks — Saturday and Sunday morning, and weekdays — which are as important to us as prime time. We’re able to develop new shows and draw on talent from the kitchen.”

The network has done well with competition series, such as “Iron Chef America” and “Food Network Challenge.” Top-performing shows also travel far from the network’s in-house kitchen, focusing on restaurants and cuisine from across the globe — such as “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (hosted by 2006 “The Next Food Network Star” winner Guy Fieri), the network’s No. 1 show in prime time.

According to Variety, Food Network was up 16 percent in total viewers in 2009’s first quarter compared to a year earlier (982,000 versus 844,000). “I’d be lying if I didn’t say we were helped by the writers strike,” Miss Johnson said. “People started sampling us and didn’t go back. We’ve had that great base to build on.”

Other new prime-time programming coming to the Scripps-owned cable network includes: “Worst Cooks in America” and “Foods That Changed the World.” Existing series drawing renewals are “The Next Iron Chef,” “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” and “The Next Food Network Star.”

On the daytime side, “Sandra’s Money Saving Meals” will premiere May 10, “Viva Daisy” returns for a second season in July, and “What Would Brian Boitano Make” — in which the former Olympic figure skater entertains guests — begins in August.

Story Continues →