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The next Koppel?
ABC has announced the date for Ted Koppel’s farewell on “Nightline.” It’s Nov. 22. The speculation about who will replace him ranges from ho-hum to alarming.
Koppel, of course, is the original anchor for the acclaimed late-night news program that was launched in March 1980 in response to the Iran hostage crisis.
The post-Koppel format will debut Nov. 28, but details have not been revealed, leading to the aforementioned speculation. Among the candidates with the biggest buzz are ABC White House correspondent Terry Moran and “20/20” reporter/anchor Cynthia McFadden.
Either would be OK, but hardly Koppel quality.
Another name floating in inner circles is Martin Bashir, the creepy Brit whose sleazy interview with Michael Jackson launched the singer’s child abuse trial. Bashir’s work smacks of tabloid “journalism,” and it’s hard to imagine thoughtful news analysis happening under his watch.
Koppel has been based in Washington, D.C., and there’s talk of moving “Nightline” to New York or dividing the show with a two-anchor format between Washington and New York.
Can Bochco give “Commander” some gravitas?
I’m not a fan of ABC’s surprise hit drama “Commander in Chief”, starring Geena Davis as the first female president, wife and mother of three. This is more domestic drama than political drama.
But Steven Bochco is joining the show as the new executive producer, so I guess I’ll have to give the show another chance. I am a longtime Bochco fan, starting with “Hill Street Blues” and continuing with the current “Over There.”
Creator Rob Lurie is staying with “Commander,” but apparently he was unable to get the show up and running smoothly enough to hit weekly deadlines. Maybe Bochco can give the show some oomph in addition to finishing episodes on time.
Don’t panic …
… If you don’t find your favorite shows on the schedule for the next few weeks.
It’s baseball’s big time: league championships and World Series. Consequently, some new shows are gone altogether for a while, and others are in reruns. That’s because the ratings for baseball this time of the year are sky-high, and nobody wants to waste new episodes on fewer eyeballs.
If you, like me, have become a rabid “Prison Break” fan, you’ll just have to wait a bit for the riveting drama to return.
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