We all know ABC's V has been plagued with problems, but one thing seems for sure, after achieving exceptionally high ratings in its premiere ABC will be wanting to move quickly to solve them.

Prior to its premiere, one solution path ABC took was to shut down production on the remainder of season one until early next year. At the time when that happened, speculation ran rife that the series was already doomed. Last nights ratings may have changed all that, although of course we're only one episode in so anything can happen.

The latest news is ABC has re-shuffled the names at the top. Variety report that showrunner Scott Peters has been dumped and replaced by Scott Rosenbaum. Well, I shouldn't say dumped because Peters will stay on as an executive producer alongside Jace Hall and Steve Pearlman. Executive Producer Jeff Bell isn't so lucky, he's now gone.

I'm not really sure about the logic of playing with those in charge of a show that's already receiving rave reviews and destroying its competition in the ratings. I suppose we'll have to see how the next three episodes play out, but if they play out well, I wonder how the show will go once a new team take over - and just what exactly led to the reshuffle.

I'll be wondering for a while though. Once the first four play out, new episodes won't air until after the Olympics in 2010.

Tags: V

ABC's sci-fi drama V premiered on Tuesday and immediately sent a message.

The sci-fi series pulled in 14.30 million viewers overall to:

• score ABC its best viewer numbers for an 8 p.m. timeslot since Lost in 2004
• deliver bigger ratings than any other new show this season
• be the No.1 program for the night across all demo age groups (12-54)

V also managed to improve its viewer numbers as the premiere episode played out, beginning with 14.1 million viewers and ending with 14.5 million.

If you were one of the millions that enjoyed it, the bad news is there are only 3 more episodes before ABC will pull the pin on it until the remaining season one episodes kick off early next year. I can't see how such an early break is going to work well for the series, but we'll see.

Source: Variety

Tags: V

Check out five awesome new wallpapers promoting ABC's V, which premieres tonight! I like all of these, and the catch phrases are clever - except perhaps for the Australian one (above), which sounds more like a venereal disease than it does G'day mate.  VD, ay mate?

All the non-Aussie ones are after the jump.

Read more...

Tags: V

Laura Vandervoort is perhaps most well known to fans of Smallville, although anyone who has searched for 'Supergirl' on Google will probably know who she is too.

Recently there's been a little buzzing around the traps that she'll be reprising her role on Smallville as Clark's cousin Kara, aka Supergirl. Not true, according to Vandervoort:

I've heard rumors, and that's weird because I haven't heard anything from them. I've been getting text messages from my friends whose co-workers heard that I was going to return, and they think that I am because I am in Vancouver working on a Warner Bros.-produced show, but no. They haven't called, and I'm sad to say that. I'd love to return.

The above quote comes from an interview with her by Visitorsite where she also discusses her latest role as the alien recruiter in V, which premieres on ABC tonight at 8pm! Head to Visitorsite for the full interview.

Tags: Laura Vandervoort, Smallville, V

ABC's new sci-fi series V is only days away (Nov 3) from its premiere, but it's the latest news that has tweaked my interest. According to Variety, the original creator of the 1983 V mini-series, Kenny Johnson, still has the rights to produce a V feature film - and he plans to use it.

"When I discovered that I controlled the motion picture rights to V, I suddenly had a lot of new best friends," Johnson said. "All the major studios, Fox, Paramount, MGM, Warners, wanted to buy the rights with a whole lot of money. They see it as a $200 million tentpole picture, and want to bring someone else to direct. I took a deep breath and said no."

Johnson, who has nothing to do with ABC's re-imagined version apart from creator credit (for the original V), is planning to bring V to the big-screen irrespective of whether the ABC series succeeds or fails.

"If the show succeeds, it gives us an opportunity to go out with a one sheet that says, 'You like the show, now see the original classic reborn. And if the show doesn't do well, we can always say, 'Here is the V you've been waiting for.' I got into the business to direct and do what I do, so what we've been endeavoring to do is to set up an independent production and produce this movie for $50 million. So I can hang on to the director reins and make sure it gets done."

I have no problem with a feature film taking a different approach to the V concept than the new TV series. The only thing I'd ask for (which I admit is probably never going to happen) is that Johnson considers keeping Morena Baccarin in the title role. Now that would be awesome.

Tags: V

Check out a new poster for ABC's V:

Tags: V, V poster

ABC's V premieres on November 3, will air for only four episodes, and then will vanish until sometime early in 2010.  But before all that, ABC has released the first eight minutes of the series online.  Watch it below:

Tags: V