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Daytime vets to vie for viewers in former 'Oprah Winfrey Show' timeslot
Enjoy your summers Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Wendy Williams, Dr. Oz and the ladies of "The View" and "The Talk," because Sept. 10 is shaping up to be a big day in daytime TV. Katie Couric, Ricki Lake, Steve Harvey and "Survivor" host Jeff Probst will launch their new talk shows that Monday, with Trisha Goddard and Marie Osmond also set to premiere this fall.
Bing: More on Katie Couric | Ricki Lake | Jeff Probst | Steve Harvey
The onslaught of new talkers may shake up the whole landscape, but the biggest daytime battle this fall will be between Couric and Lake, who will take on Oprah Winfrey’s vacated spot in the daytime line up. Syndication means the shows may air at any time chosen by local affiliates, but both are hitting that hallowed 3 p.m. timeslot as much as possible, which is also where "Anderson"and "Dr. Oz" air in many markets.
Couric and Lake are well known in the daytime scene, but are also trying to rebrand a bit before they launch. Put simply, they’re each offering to be your new daytime girlfriend, in their own way, and hope to fill “The Oprah Winfrey Show” void.
Morning anchor turned primetime newswoman Couric is looking to combine her news chops with her charm for her daytime return. She is building steam by popping up around ABC with feel good pieces like her jaunt with the royals, "The Jubilee Queen With Katie Couric" She also spent a week co-hosting "GMA" and will likely visit the new spin off, “GAA,” this summer. She’s also making the rounds as a guest on daytime talkers like “The Wendy Williams Show” and launched her own a weekly mini program on Yahoo.
Couric's new show promises big interviews and will be, “somewhat elevated, without being too PBS-y,” Couric said at the May 29 Canadian Upfronts. "I don’t think I’m going to have Snooki on my show, but it’s not going to be Masterpiece Theatre either."
Newly married mom of two Lake, meanwhile, is efforting to show daytime fans she’s grown up since her last stint in daytime (1993-2004). “The Ricki Lake Show” isn’t going to get too sensational or ask, “Who’s the daddy?” Instead, the “Dancing with the Stars” alum is looking back to the early days of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” for inspiration and wants her new show to feel like a conversation with the audience.
Since Lake lacks a network promotion machine like Couric's, she has focused on parlaying her "DWTS" online following into a strong web presence for “The Ricki Lake Show.” She’s even letting fans get involved in creating her new talker by inviting them to monthly production meetings, via her Ustream page. The next meeting is Thursday, May 31, 7 p.m., ET.
“It’ll be interesting,” Lake said of the upcoming battle for viewers at the May 30 Canadian Upfronts. “I don’t know how we’ll fit in. These shows are personality driven, and Katie’s going to do a great, hard-hitting interview (show). I can’t wait to see it. But that’s not my style. I’m sort of more the girlfriend, the Everywoman . . . people think of me as one of their relatives… I think there’s enough audience for everyone.”
The New Guys
The guys coming to daytime Sept. 10 also have strong brands, but Steve Harvey and Jeff Probst are new to daytime TV scene.
“Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” scribe Harvey has found success on morning radio, in print, on a TV game show and on the big screen. The comedian is clearly a formidable opponent who already has a strong fan-following. Not only can Harvey promote himself via his own radio show, but with so many ventures, he’s often making the rounds to promote something, which provides more opportunities to promote his upcoming talker.
Probst, meanwhile, is best known for leading the conversation on “Survivor.” He’s great at asking the contestants probing questions, but his brand has been almost entirely connected with the reality show. He's dipped his feet in as a "Live! With Kelly" guest hosts and since he's new to daytime, staffed his show with daytime vets. He’s executive producing with former “The Oprah Winfrey Show” supervising producer Amy Coleman and their team roster features players from "The Rosie Show," "Rachael Ray,” "Dr. Phil” and "The Dr. Oz Show.”
Like Lake, Probst is trying to get fans involved before the launch. “Very exciting to have your name in the title of a show - Also nerve-wracking,” Probst admitted in his website video (above). “We want it to be fun, we want it to be entertaining, we want it to be something you want to come watch, so I want your feedback… Don’t hold back. Let me know what you like, what you don’t like, what you hope you never see again and then we’ll try to build this show together.”
Stay tuned for more on these shows, as well as Trisha Goddard’s and Marie Osmond’s upcoming talkers.
'Ugly Betty' star being considered for 'Romeo and Juliet'-like series

America Ferrera and ABC could reunite.
The actress, who rose to fame on the network's telenovela-style drama "Ugly Betty," is eyeing a new ABC project called "Pedro & Maria," EW.com reports. Inspired by "Romeo and Juliet," the modernized tale is in development and comes from executive producer Ben Silverman ("The Office" and "The Biggest Loser").
Bing: More on 'Pedro & Maria' | America Ferrera
According to the report, instead of the Capulets vs. the Montagues, "Pedro & Maria" will focus on "two opposites cut from the same cloth caught in the trap of forbidden love. He is a second generation Dominican from the mean streets of Washington Heights. She is a Puerto Rican whose parents made millions as real estate developers. It's a clash of the haves and the have-nots, of Main St vs. Wall St, set against a volatile cultural backdrop that fiercely believes neither side should mix with the other."
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Silverman also produced "Ugly Betty," which aired from 2006-2010, and like the series, "Pedro & Maria" will have a telenovela format. The drama was initially pitched as an interactive series that would allow viewers to vote and choose the direction of the characters and story lines, but it's unknown if that is still a variable.
Paul Lee, ABC's entertainment president, said the network will explore limited-series projects to fill the gap created by hiatuses for hits such as "Scandal" and "Once Upon a Time." Lee made the announcement at last week's upfronts presentation and added that ABC's top-rated series will be clustered into tight runs with all-original episodes for up to 12 weeks at a time. He didn't say "Pedro & Maria" has received the green light yet, but the show and its proposed short-run make it a strong candidate within ABC's new landscape of fewer reruns.
Greg, Peter and Cindy celebrate 40th anniversary of theme park adventure episode

Susan Olsen (Cindy), Christopher Knight (Peter) and Barry Williams (Greg) returned to Kings Island in Ohio for a mini-reunion Sunday, May 19. The "Brady Bunch" alumni celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1973 episode that saw one of TV's most celebrated blended families go on summer vacation at the amusement park.
Bing: More about "The Brady Bunch" | Watch clips and episodes of "The Brady Bunch"
Fans packed the 844-seat venue for four mini-reunions that featured Williams, Christopher and Olsen sharing behind-the-scenes stories, memories and classic clips. Retro TV fans also got to shake hands, get autographs and strike a pose with the stars for $20.
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During the reunion, former wild child Knight, now 55, quipped that he didn't remember much from that time, but enjoyed hearing about the good old days from fans. Olsen, 51, gave fans a time check when she talked about her 16-year-old son with a Mohawk.
Williams, 58, was reportedly the star of the reunion. In addition to emceeing the event, he gave fans a bit of his classic Johnny Bravo and then shared his re-written version of "The Real Slim Shady," "The Real Greg Brady." He rewrote the Eminem song in order to explain his popularity with strangers to his son. The idea sounds a bit ridiculous and the track did not impress his son, but the video is not all that bad.
Billboard Music Awards, blockbuster movies, May sweeps and more
Daytime talk shows promise an A-list lineup the week of Monday, May 20. The Billboard Music Awards and Memorial Day will be hot topics. Blockbuster movie season brings stars from "We're the Millers," "Epic," "Now You See Me," "The Hangover Part III," "Fast and Furious 6," "Before Midnight," "The English Teacher" and "What Maisie Knew." Big screen and TV stars are talking "Behind the Candelabra," "Nashville," "Mad Men," "Criminal Minds," "The Client List," "Save Me," "Arrested Development," "Glee," "Modern Family," "The Middle," "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice," "Shark Tank," The American Baking Competition," "Rock My RV With Bret Michaels" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
Bing: More Daytime TV news | "Behind the Candelabra"
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
"Anderson Live"
Mon: hidden-camera investigations
Tue: (repeat) Co-host Deborah Norville; daughter of the "Coffee Cup Killer"
Wed: (repeat) Co-hosts Lisa Rinna; Ricky Schroder, Sandra Vergara, strange addictions revealed
Thurs: (repeat) Co-host Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi; The Pregnant Man, Bow Wow
Fri: (repeat) Co-host Judge Marilyn Milian; avoiding money scams, Grumpy Cat
"Ellen"
Mon: Ed Helms, Ellen Here's My Talent winner
Tues: Hayden Panettiere; Sophia Grace and Rosie at the Billboard Music Awards; Ed Sheeran performs
Wed: Co-host Jennifer Aniston; Portia de Rossi, Ludacris
Thurs: Amanda Seyfried, Kevin Nealon; Michael Bolton and Delta Goodrem perform
Fri: Steve Harvey, Dr. Neal Barnard; Grizzly Bear
"Good Morning America"
Mon: Michael Douglas; Julianne Moore and Nathan Lane; BHS at "DWTS" with Cameron Mathison; Billboard Music Awards highlights; Olly Murs performs
Tues: Matt Damon; Helio Castroneves, Louis van Amstel and Chelsie Hightower; Aziz Ansari; Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer; Darius Rucker performs
Wed: "DWTS" final four couples and Tom Bergeron; Pitbull performs
Thurs: "Behind the Candelabra" cast, Jason Sudeikis, Trisha Yearwood; Broadway's "Pippin" performs
Fri: Mariah Carey performs in Central Park's Rumsey Playfield
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"Katie"
Mon: Dr. Ian Smith and Sherri Shepherd talk weight loss
Tues: Jenny McCarthy, Jo Frost, Jenna Ushkowitz
Wed: how to save, stretch and make money with Melissa d'Arabian, Andrea Woroch and Daymond John
Thurs: Bob Woodruff; Salute our troops
Fri: TBA
"Live! With Kelly and Michael"
Mon: Colin Farrell, Elisabeth Moss; Candice Glover performs
Tues: "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" winner; Psy talks and performs; "American Idol" runner-up performs
Wed: Morgan Freeman, the "Dancing with the Stars" winners perform; "American Idol" third place contestant performs
Thurs: Co-host Carson Kressley; Ken Jeong, winner of the National Geographic Spelling Bee; 2nd place "Dancing with the Stars" couple performs
Fri: Ethan Hawke, winner of the MathCounts competition; the third and fourth place "Dancing with the Stars" couples perform; summer-long Truckin' Amazing Cook-Off food truck competition kicks off
"Marie"
Mon: Todd Bridges, chef Alex Hitz, Susan Rizzo Vincent
Tues: Kuk Harrell, Alicia Lagano; Savannah Van Band performs
Wed: Behind the scenes at "Marie"
Thurs: Colin Mochrie, Laura McKenzie; Glennon Doyle Melton
"Rachael Ray Show"
Mon: Co-host Guy Fieri; Wayne Brady; Youngblood Hawke performs
Tues: Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Christine Ha, Justin Tuck
Wed: Totally Awesome '80s with original MTV VJs, Huey Lewis, Colin Quinn
Thurs: Hayden Panettiere
Fri: (repeat) Gwyneth Paltrow
"The Talk"
Mon: Co-host Carnie Wilson; Shemar Moore, Anne Heche
Tues: Jeff Foxworthy, Julie Bowen; chefs Marcela Valladolid and Paul Hollywood
Wed: Patricia Heaton, chef Art Smith
Thurs: Isla Fisher, Carter Oosterhouse
Fri: La Toya Jackson, Linda Daly
"Today"'
* Great American Adventure week takes the hosts on the road
Mon: live from Hawaii; Paul Anka
Tues: live from Yellowstone; Joe Bastianich, Michael Caine
Wed: live from Chicago; SQuire Rushnell
Thurs: live from Orlando; Giada DeLaurentiis, Anne Heche; latest eliminated "The Voice" contestant
Fri: live from the Jersey Shore; Co-host New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Bobby Flay and Giada DeLaurentiis; Fun performs
"The View"
Mon: Co-host Brooke Shields; Michael Caine
Tues: Woody Harrelson, Jane Lynch
Weds: John Malkovich; tour of Harlem; Broadway's "Matilda" performs
Thurs: Co-host Jillian Michaels; Jason Sudeikis; John Fogerty performs
Fri: Co-host Chris O'Donnell; Julianne Moore Dr. Kelly Starrett; peforms
"The Wendy Williams Show"
Mon: Maury Povich
Tues: Ray J; Trace Adkins and Penn Jillette
Wed: Bret Michaels
Thurs: (repeat) Kerry Washington and David Alan Grier
Fri: (repeat) Paris Hilton, DJ Armin van Buuren
Schedules are subject to change.
New Season 8 trailer suggests the serial killer's sister gets chatty
Season 7 of Showtime's hit serial-killer drama, "Dexter," ended with Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) making a horrible choice. It's a choice that changed her life and the way she looked at her brother, Dexter (Michael C. Hall), forever.
Plus: 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office'
When the beloved series returns in June, for its eighth and final season, Deb's decision continues to haunt her as her life takes a downward spiral. But what will Deb do? Will she confess and turn in herself and Dexter, too? That's certainly what the show's newly released trailer suggests. Check it out:
"Dexter" Season 8 debuts Sunday, June 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
Juicy conclusion and spoilers for next season dominate Twitter and the web

SPOILER ALERT: This post includes plot points from the Season 2 finale of "Scandal."
To call "Scandal" a guilty pleasure after Thursday night's delicious Season 2 finale would be a misnomer. After all, why should anyone feel guilty for watching what was arguably one of TV's most gratifying and twist-filled closers this year?
Not only did fans see mole Billy Chambers get his comeuppance but the rise and painful fall of Olivia (Kerry Washington) and Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) once again. This, after Olivia devised such an awe-inspiring divorce package for Fitz and Mellie (Bellamy Young). The bit on Mellie being labeled a racist was a thing of beauty in and of itself. But the best part was when viewers learned that Rowan (Joe Morton), the underhanded CIA-B613 boss, is none other than Olivia's dad. Whaaaaat!
This revelation and all the other juicy twists and turns -- including Quinn's (Katie Lowes) penchant for torture and Cyrus' (Jeff Perry ) heart attack and break-up abilities -- captured the attention of 9.1 million viewers. Many of these same viewers flocked to Twitter, GetGlue and the web to give voice to their shocks and delights.
Plus: 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office'
"Exhausted after the #Scandal finale," tweeted fan Mona Scott-Young. "I feel like I've been 'fixing,' drilling & went into cardiac arrest my damn self! #Wow!!" Meanwhile, Lena Dunham got in on the action, too. Not one to be excluded from a good time she tweeted, "Not leaving the house this weekend until I'm caught up on Scandal. I feel left behind & left out like the last girl to get my period."
And if you think the Season 2 finale was a head-spinner, creator and executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, promises a Season 3 filled with more suspense and intrigue, especially when it comes to Rowan and Olivia's troubled father-daughter relationship.
"At the very least, Rowan was trying to get Jake (Scott Foley) to have sex with her and then make a tape of it, which seems creepy on many levels, right?" Rhimes told reporters at a "Scandal" event the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held Thursday night. "I don't know if they were trying to kill her. That's up to interpretation."
Rhimes also said she and the writers considered an ending where Olivia and Fitz spooned in bed and ended up together but, ultimately, they wanted Olivia to have clean hands. "It was charming, adorable and really, really sexy and I love the scene and maybe one day someone will get to see it," Rhimes said. "But the problem with it was that Olivia put the white hat back on and emotionally you felt like she had found her inner core after losing it so badly. It felt like a cheat -- that we were cheating her out of trying to do something good."
"Scandal" Season 3 kicks off this fall on ABC.
Network says comic-book drama remains in the works

Wonder Woman could get another shot in primetime.
"Amazon," the CW's prequel starring the beloved comic-book hero, is in development still, even though it didn't land on the network's fall schedule. "It's being redeveloped," said Mark Pedowitz, the CW's president, following an upfronts presentation Thursday. "We don't want to produce something (inferior). It's the trickiest of all the DC characters."
The original "Wonder Woman" with Lynda Carter aired on ABC from 1975-79. David E. Kelley and NBC attempted to reboot the series, starring Adrianne Palicki in the iconic title role (pictured), for the 2011-12 season but the project died on the vine. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. TV sent out a casting call for a young woman, 5'8" or above, for a series about "the teenage years of the heroine who will become Wonder Woman," EW.com reports.
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The description of the show also included details about the heroine hailing from a "secluded country where she was raised as a solider in a brutal environment. Now a stranger in a strange modern big city, she's a fierce warrior with the innocent heart of a romantic and she will fight to the death to make the world safe."
Pedowitz said the "basics" were all there, but the execution needed work. Producers and networks don't usually cast series until a pilot is ordered, but a project like "Amazon" cannot succeed without the right woman in the lead role.
Soap reboot experience remains a work in progress
"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" have remained in the top 10 on Hulu since premiering on April 29, but the online soap reboots are reducing the number of episodes released per week. Viewing patterns indicated the shows were producing too much content for many viewers to consume, so fans can expect two episodes of each show to air each week, starting Monday, May 20.
Bing: More about "All My Children" | "One Life to Live"
New episodes of "All My Children" will now be released Mondays and Wednesdays, with fresh episodes of "One Life to Live" posted Tuesdays and Thursdays. The behind the scenes series "More" will run as a single show on Fridays.
"When it comes to online, as with all new technology, it's adapt or fail," Prospect Park explained in a news release. "We feel fortunate to be an online company and to have such an opportunity to adapt. Of course, we will continue to evaluate all the data that comes in and will be vigilant about revising our strategy as needed."
The change stems from viewing patterns that have emerged during the first month of streaming. First, fans have been binge viewing or watching on demand, usually during the weekend: That means many fans have been trying to cram five hours of soaps into their weekend. On ABC, fans watched episodes close to their airdate, so they didn't fall as far behind. They also tended to watch only two to three episodes a week. But with the action-packed reboots, it's not as easy to follow when you've missed episodes. Plus, Prospect Park clearly doesn't want fans skipping episodes.
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Another interesting shift in viewing was that fans aren't watching both shows. On television, maintaining audience is a key factor, with fans often watching whatever airs next. That doesn't apply on the Internet. Prospect Park likely hopes that, with less to consume, fans will go back to watching both series.
While the shows will release fewer episodes at a time, production will continue at the same pace through mid-June. Prospect Park will focus on editing while productions halts in July, with production resuming in August.
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Hulu will continue to stream all current episodes for free so that viewers who've fallen behind can catch up. There is no mention in the release about how this affects iTunes or how the show is performing there.
"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" can be streamed via Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes.
New 'Late Night' host says the new 'Tonight Show' star paved the way

Seth Meyers is sending a lot of love and gratitude Jimmy Fallon's way.
Meyers said he wouldn't have been promoted to his new "Late Night" hosting gig if Fallon hadn't proved that anchoring "Weekend Update" is the perfect training ground. Fallon will take the lead on "The Tonight Show" in February 2014. And Meyers will step into his new job around the same time, NBC announced this week.
Bing: More on 'The Tonight Show' | Jimmy Fallon | Seth Meyers
"I think I owe a debt of gratitude to Jimmy for having gone from 'Update' to 'Late Night' and shown that it's a nice progression," Meyers said on the 'Today' show Thursday. "So I'm very happy to be doing it. But, I mean, I think if you sit at that 'Update' desk, you learn how to talk about topical stories and certainly with the guests, you learn to talk to crazy people. Although, if you do late night there are real crazy people as opposed to Bill Hader pretending to be one."
Plus: 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project'
Hosting "Late Night with Seth Meyers" wasn't his only option. ESPN had been courting Meyers to helm a new late-night sports talk show. Meyers impressed ESPN executives when he twice hosted the ESPY Awards. But in the end, Meyers wanted to keep working with his "SNL" boss, Lorne Michaels, and opted to stay at NBC. Meyers, who is the head writer for "Saturday Night Live," will continue working on the show through the fall.
"I'm nowhere near emotionally ready for Saturday to be my last show -- I wouldn't be able to handle that," Meyers said of the "SNL" season finale, which airs May 18. "It's very strange to get a job that doesn't start for eight, nine months. So I think we'll do a lot of talking about it. But I think it'll be one of those things where the first show you do you're gonna learn 1,000 things you didn't know yet."
The "Saturday Night Live" Season 38 finale airs Saturday, May 18, at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET/PT on NBC.
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Deanna Barnert | Los Angeles, Calif.
Entertainment journalist Deanna "TVDeeva" Barnert visits sets, interviews industry players and critiques the final product. Buzz's daytime TV queen covers it all for MSN TV, but loves her sitcoms, soaps and any juicy drama that doesn't call itself Reality TV.


