Category Multichannel News

Mar 31 2015

‘Walking Dead’ Finale Devours 15.8 Million Viewers | Multichannel + iZombie (The CW)

‘Walking Dead’ Finale Devours 15.8 Million Viewers | Multichannel.

Still unsure why you should watch The Walking Dead on AMC. Yes, if you read the article attached to the link above, the stats mention the 18-49 age bracket. But “we” all know just how useless that’s become.

Just look at how our age bracket affected Longmire this past viewing season. A&E dumped it and Netflix picked it up. Very possibly due to pressure from our age bracket and because they realized a quality show when they saw one.

The fact is, The Walking Dead isn’t just about zombies, it’s about humans overcoming adversity. The zombies represent just another wall to climb, negative to overcome, or enemy to defeat.

Just when Season 5 of The Walking Dead began, it was announced there would be a Season 6. The first season only had 6 episodes. Season 5 had 16.

There are more “zombie” related shows on television than you count on one hand. The CW has one that is so unique, you should definitely set your DVR to catch it. iZombie, stars Malcolm Goodwin (you may know him from Breakout Kings) and Rose McIver (The Lovely Bones).

Rose McIver as Liv. The CW © 2015 The CW Network, LLC. Credit: Cate Cameron.

Rose McIver as Liv. The CW © 2015 The CW Network, LLC. Credit: Cate Cameron.

Goodwin plays a homicide detective who thinks McIver has psychic powers. The truth is, McIver is a zombie and when she devours the brains of the dead people in the morgue where she works she ends up “digesting” some of their “personality traits” and can “see” who killed them.

iZombie creators Diane Ruggiero and Rob Thomas are the same team behind Veronica Mars (2004 & 2014). iZombie is slated for 13 episodes at this time and I’ve devoured the first two episodes and can hardly wait for more.

iZombie is on the CW Network on Tuesdays at 8pm CST. Set those DVRs, you don’t want to miss this show.

BTW: There’s very little gore or violence in this show, and yes, she does eat brains, but it’s usually tastefully done in a pita pocket or disguised in other ways, so if you’ve avoided The Walking Dead because of the “zombie” element, you shouldn’t have any trouble watching iZombie and will thoroughly enjoy the cleverness of this show.

Oct 22 2014

‘Walking Dead’ Tackles ESPN Football In Ratings | Multichannel

‘Walking Dead’ Tackles ESPN Football In Ratings | Multichannel.

I’m rather confused by this particular article, because The Walking Dead airs on Sunday night and ESPN televises their football games on MONDAY night. So I read a little deeper and I realized the author, Umstead, was comparing “top ratings honors” between the two cable shows.

Hmmmm, must be a slow TV news day. Not to mention the picture he uses is from last season. Oh well, we can’t all be hip and cool.

The chart at the end of the article is rather interesting – right off the bat there’s 2.4 million viewers separating The Walking Dead and Monday Night Football, but again I just don’t get the comparison. There’s over 6 million separating Monday Night Football and the MLB Playoffs.

The Talking Dead is just under the MLB Playoffs with 5.1 million (go Chris Hardwick). America loves its Dead.

Seth Gilliam plays Father Gabriel Stokes in "The Walking Dead" Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC

Seth Gilliam plays Father Gabriel Stokes in “The Walking Dead”
Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC

Over at AMC, Seth Gilliam is now in the mix as Father Gabriel Stokes. Gilliam, 45, has a long and impressive list of TV and movie credits, but is probably most well known for his work on The Wire as Det./Sgt. Ellis Carver.

Tyler James Williams will also be joining the cast of The Walking Dead this season. You might know him from the movie Everybody Hates Chris.

If you saw the premiere episode of Season 5 you may have caught a brief sighting of Lennie James (Morgan Jones), who was in Season 1 and Season 3 and continues to be a fan favorite.

You can look forward to not only this season of The Walking Dead, but AMC renewed it for a sixth season just a few days before the premiere episode on Sunday, October 12.

Oct 21 2014

The Posse Rides Again – @LongmirePosse

This morning I received a tweet from the @LongmirePosse with a link to sign a petition: longmire.epetitions.net (you should copy the link and paste it into a new browser window if you want to sign the petition).

I of course, quickly went there to sign the petition because I, of course, have been and will continue to be a big fan of both the series and the books (written by Craig Johnson).

I myself have been a little vocal about A&E stomping all over the specific demographic that I myself are located in (55+). It’s no secret that A&E wants to distance themselves from the baby boomers even though Nielsen, AARP and several others continue to release tons of data that, in a nutshell, state that the (Nielson) 50-plus market that many advertisers ignore (or insult) is not big: IT IS ENORMOUS.

The AARP October, 2014 Bulletin

The AARP October, 2014 Bulletin

David Wallis wrote a great article that’s published in the newest AARP Bulletin entitled “Selling Us Short.” The deck of the article says: People 50+ have bucks, but advertisers don’t seem to care.

In this article he talks about advertisers that are either ignoring us, or insulting us. Take Esurance as an example and that extremely idiotic commercial starring Beatrice who tapes her recent vacation pictures to her “wall” and unfriends her friend (literally) or the woman who plays candy crush with actual candy using a hammer on her dining room table (3-in-a-row, level 2).

I’m not into rolling my eyes at stupid, insulting commercials. I just hit the 30-second fast-forward button on my DirecTV DVR remote and zap it into outer space.

No thanks Esurance, I’ll stick with my cute gecko telling jokes on the ferry.

Signing the petition isn’t just registering your vote to get a quality show like Longmire back on television. It’s also exercising your right as a 55+ demographic that many networks don’t take seriously.

The same Nielsen study found that the 50-plus market many advertisers ignore (or insult) will control 70% of the country’s disposable income by 2017. Nearly 60% of homeowners over 65 are no longer weighed down by a mortgage compared with just 11% of 35-44 year olds. Baby boomers account for 80% of America’s luxury travel spending.

And here’s a fact for Esurance – consumers over 50 buy nearly five times as many new cars (which require insurance) than does that prized 18-34 demographic.

Now armed with those facts and figures, mosey on over to that petition signing site and exercise your rights. And if you have insurance with Esurance, and you’re a baby boomer, consider cancelling and going with someone who doesn’t insult your intelligence with stupid commercials.

Amen to that! Long Live Longmire!

 

Oct 14 2014

‘Walking Dead’ Returns with Record 17.3M Viewers | Multichannel

‘Walking Dead’ Returns with Record 17.3M Viewers | Multichannel.

Yes, that’s 17.3 MILLION Viewers according to Nielsen live plus same-day data.

If you haven’t seen the premiere episode you can see it at amctv.com without having to log-in, for the next 29 days (as of Tuesday, October 14).

The Talking Dead is also available to watch for the next 26 days (as of Tuesday, October 14). Chris Hardwick had some great guests on the premiere episode of the Talking Dead including Conan O’Brien, Scott M. Gimple and Greg Nicotero. Conan O’Brien was hysterical.

If you’re a baby boomer and think for one minute that other baby boomers aren’t watching The Walking Dead, then go to the amctv.com website and look for an advertisement asking “ARE YOU A FAN OF THE WALKING DEAD?” Join AMC’s Viewer Panel to unlock exclusive content and rewards.

One of the last questions asks for your birth date. When I put in mine, which qualifies me as a baby boomer, it kicks me out saying “that age category is presently filled at the moment.” That tells me AMC apparently wants the opinions of, and appreciates those of us in that silver surfing category.

The No Sanctuary episode of Season 5 of The Walking Dead was phenomenal. Well worth waiting for. Of course I had to wait until yesterday and last night to watch it, because I was so tired on Sunday that I fell asleep just minutes before it came on and woke up when the theme music was playing. At that point I packed it in and gave in to the sandman beating the heck out of me, and watched it online yesterday while I was at work.

I had to watch it again last night when I got home. It’s definitely one of my favorite episodes. Bravo to Norman Reedus for his superb acting upon seeing Melissa McBride. Bravo to the entire cast and crew.

The Zombie Assault Survival Kit from Channel Guide Magazine

The Zombie Assault Survival Kit from Channel Guide Magazine

Don’t forget to shuffle on over to www.channelguidemag.com/zombie for your chance to win a Zombie Assault Survival Kit. It’s got everything you’d need to survive in a zombie apocalypse: A 29-piece Human Survival Kit from Lifeline, a pack of Bicycle-brand Zombie playing cards with 52 tips on surviving a zombie apocalypse, a pet first aid kid, a mini human first aid kit (that’s a human first aid kit, not a first aid kit for a mini-human), a t-shirt, plus some helpful lists and it’s all contained in a nylon drawstring sportbag.

Oct 4 2014

Dead Again – Winner … Joe Schillaci – Alive & Kicking

I admit, I have been more than pissed at A&E for dumping Longmire and insulting my intelligence with Love Prison. I mean I watch and write about TV for a living. I understand demograpics. I’m in the demographic range that they no longer want anything to do with.

But how many 18-49 year olds do you know are buying expensive cars and saving for retirement? I’m quite sure Longmire will land on it’s feet where it will be more than appreciated and bring its 5.7 million fans* with it.

But there are shows on A&E that I’ve been watching since Day 1. The First 48 is one of those. From Miami to Memphis to Birmingham to New Orleans to Dallas and Harris County, I’ve seen them all. I own both “Best of the First 48” DVDs. I’ve laughed and I’ve cried. I’m a very loyal fan and I bet the demographic category I fall in is too.

Joe Schillaci has always been one of my favorites. He openly admitted one morning when having breakfast with two colleagues that he was metrosexual. When I discovered he was taking part in a Dick Wolf crime show called “Dead Again” I was really excited.

Executive Producer Dick Wolf has gone from showing us some of the fictionalized dramas of America’s real cases in Law & Order to Cold Justice on TNT (I’m a fan) and now to A&E with Dead Again.

Joe Schillaci, Kevin Gannon, Michele Wood - the team of Dead Again. © AETV.

Joe Schillaci, Kevin Gannon, Michele Wood – the team of Dead Again. © AETV.

Wolf has assembed a team of experts: Joe Schillaci (Retired Deputy Commander, Miami), a 30 year veteran with a background in homicide and undercover work and a fan-favorite from The First 48; Kevin Gannon (Retired Detective Sergeant, NYC); and Michele Wood (Homicide Detective, Chicago, 13 year veteran).

The 60-minute series uses these experts in their field to re-examine controversial murder cases in which serious unresolved questions still linger long after the verdict was determined.

The episodic premiere was Thursday, October 2. I watched it twice. I’m still thinking about it and today is Saturday. The case and how it ended is haunting me.

Like The First 48, the eight cases Schillaci and the team re-investigate will not be resolved when the 60-minutes is up. The first episode of Dead Again ended so abruptly, with no known resolution, that I believe that’s why it’s still effecting me.

But I guess you can’t watch year after year of true crime murder cases and not have it effect you. But what really marvels me is the difference between Cold Justice and Dead Again.

Cold Justice reopens unsolved murder cases with the consent of local law enforcement and has a go at re-examining the evidence in an attempt to solve the murder.

The premise behind Dead Again is totally fascinating when you seriously think about.

* Longmire fans 5.7 million viewers when DVR views get added in over 7 days. Multichannel News (8/28/14) Updated