James Hibberd

Joss Whedon, the creator of acclaimed cult favorites “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Firefly,” is returning to Fox and reuniting with “Buffy” regular Eliza Dushku for a new action-drama called “Dollhouse.”

Fox has given a seven-episode commitment to the 20th Century Fox Television project for a planned debut next year.

“It deals with our darkest impulses and our best ones,” Whedon says. “It deals with all the things I like to deal with—strength, weakness, power and corruption.”

“Dollhouse” stars Dushku as Echo, one of a group of secret agents living in a futuristic dorm. Each has the ability to be imprinted with custom personalities and abilities for special assignments. When they return, their newly acquired memories are wiped. The show follows Echo as she takes on a variety of assignments—some romantic, some adventurous, some uplifting, some illegal—and gains awareness of her role and confinement.

The show represents a few reunions: Whedon with Fox, which aired the short-lived fan favorite “Firefly”; Whedon with Dushku, who starred in Fox’s “Nurses” pilot during the last development season as well as Fox’s 2003 series “Tru Calling”; and Whedon and Dushku with studio chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden, whose 20th Century Fox Television also produced his other shows.

Dushku will have a producer credit on the show. Sources say she was instrumental in helping bring Whedon back to television after his three-year absence as a prime-time showrunner. Dushku, who was keen to reunite with Whedon, met him for lunch and he came up with the “Dollhouse” concept. He sold the show to Fox one week later.

“The show was pretty much fully formed,” Whedon says. “I wrote a synopsis, treatment, pilot episode and six suggested future episodes. I made a poster in PhotoShop because I couldn’t sleep.”

Whedon discussed the show with TelevisionWeek Wednesday evening:

TVWeek: How did this idea come about?

Joss Whedon: Rather suddenly. It just sort of blurted forth. I was having lunch with Eliza and she was talking about wanting to do something and I made up the show. We went to Fox and they said, "Yeeeaeah!"

TVWeek: "Buffy" fans are sure to be excited, too.

Whedon: If they could only see what’s in my head right now.... They should be.

TVWeek: Every "Firefly" fan is going to wonder: Was there any reluctance to return to Fox?

Whedon: It’s a brand new day over there. It’s a completely new bunch of people and they seem really intelligent and supportive. Walking back into the building was a little strange. But no. It was absolutely the last thing I saw coming, but absolutely the right thing to do. It’s like one of those movies where you keep waiting for somebody to fall in love with the hot girl. It was sort of meant to be. ... I mean, a network is a network. They have an agenda and it is not yours. And that’s OK, as long as you work hard to make the agendas coincide.

TVWeek: So they’ll air the episodes in sequence this time?

Whedon [laughs]: One can almost guarantee.

TVWeek: The project sounds ambitious. Do you have the budget you’re going to need?

Whedon: That was part of the offer. The network said we want to do seven and it’s a grown-up show. It’s not going to be wasteful, but it has a certain production value. When they said yes, it rang out loud and clear.

TVWeek: Is there anything new with "Buffy" spinoff "Ripper"? [Whedon previously announced he’s trying to set up that show at the BBC.]

Whedon: There isn’t anything new. It might become too problematic. The rights issue with "Ripper" becomes complicated. There are other characters in the woods. We may have to do some fancy footwork. Obviously I’m committed to ["Dollhouse"], but that does not mean I’m not doing "Ripper."

TVWeek: Just recently you were disappointed that 20th shut down the "Buffy" sing-along screenings. Did that make things awkward while doing the "Dollhouse" deal?

Whedon: This is how it works. It’s a small town. The problem they ran up against was a genuine problem. It wasn’t the Disney lawyers telling preschoolers they couldn’t draw Mickey Mouse. They’re not trying to cheat anybody out of their fun. The fact of the matter is that I know they’re trying to make the musicals work.

TVWeek: "Heroes" recently added a character who’s sort of like Echo, in that she can instantly learn any ability. Did that give you an "uh-oh" moment?

Whedon: I didn’t actually know that. I was fine until now. Thanks a lot. One of the first rules of a pilot, you will see everything you are doing somewhere else the year before you do it. I saw "Bionic Woman" and I was like, "Oh, I better change my thing." I like to think that means you’re smack dab in the middle of the zeitgeist. The real thing that’s important is what do you have to say about that person. And what I have to say is never what somebody else has to say. On "Buffy," all the hoariest old tropes—the evil twin, the Monkey’s Paw—what’s important is what you have to say about it.

TVWeek: With "Firefly" star Nathan Fillion doing a lot of guest work right now, any chance of him being in the cast?

Whedon: My first instinct is to look in new places, especially since Eliza and I are already reuniting. It’s a series, not a party. That said, I do not rule anything out.

TVWeek: I was told the series would be for next spring or fall, depending on how fast you write.

Whedon: I can write for spring. There’s a hiccup in that process because of the [potential] writers strike. I will be good to go the moment we are in agreement with the studios. But I won’t pick up a pencil while we’re not.

TVWeek: Since it’s the topic of the hour, any thoughts on the possible strike?

Whedon: I don’t have any terribly original ones. I do know this: The studios are very entrenched and the issues are very crucial. I dislike the idea of the strike because it’s going to hurt a lot of people I love. But if it’s necessary, we’ll go all the way with it. Because we’re talking about the future of media that didn’t used to exist. And if we can’t get a fair deal on that, then it’s just not worth it. Next year, you’re going to see a lot of new novels.

NBC has canceled plans for its six-episode “Heroes” spinoff, formerly called “Origins,” sources say.

“Everybody at the company is evaluating all their production commitments in light of the strike,” a source says. “It still might happen at a later date. If there’s a strike, they want to be prepared to reallocate resources in other ways.”

The show was scheduled to air in the "Heroes" slot as part of May sweeps. The project was announced earlier this year as a way of expanding the network's highest-rated drama and giving the series enough episodes to prevent the ratings erosion suffered by serialized dramas during a long hiatus.

NBC's flagship drama "Heroes" has fallen in the ratings since its sophomore debut this season, with the most recent episode earning a 4.9 rating among adults 18 to 49.

ABC has opted for three additional “Women’s Murder Club” scripts, showing confidence in its Friday night crime drama.

Although CBS' "Moonlight" bested "Club" last Friday in the 9 p.m. hour, "Club" consistently wins among total viewers and is ABC's highest-rated entry in its Friday lineup. The show has averaged a 2.3 rating among adults 18 to 49.

Now ABC just hopes the “Club” writers can finish at least one script by midnight.

You know that scene in action movies where the hero is trapped in a flooding room, the water has risen to his head, he’s up against the ceiling and straining to breathe inside that last couple inches of air?

That’s CBS’ “Cane,” which last night managed to stop the compartment from flooding after five consecutive weeks of ratings drops.

The show has a 2.0 preliminary Nielsen rating among adults 18 to 49, matching last week. Had the numbers sunk further, the rating would have gone from unacceptable-during-any-season-except-this-one to unacceptable-even-with-a-pending-writers-strike. CBS plans to wait another week to see if “Cane” can start bailing out and give itself some breathing room.

Otherwise, Fox won the night with “Bones” (3.2 and on par) and “House” (7.0, down 8 percent from last week).

ABC was second with perennial favorite “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (3.8). Even after 41 years, the “Brown” special won the 8 p.m. hour, besting CBS’ “NCIS,” Fox’s “Bones” and NBC’s “The Singing Bee.” ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” results show followed and was down slightly (4.2). “Boston Legal” was average (3.1).

CBS and NBC tied for third. CBS offered “NCIS” (down 13 percent to a 3.3), “The Unit” (down 7 percent to a 2.8) and “Cane” (2.0). NBC had “Bee” (1.7), “The Biggest Loser” (down 10 percent to a 2.8) and a “Law & Order: SVU” repeat (3.0).

The CW aired a clip show for “Beauty and the Geek” (1.1), which didn’t help “Reaper” (1.1).

Some business to announce: Crain Communications is now syndicating “Rated,” TelevisionWeek's daily ratings and programming blog, to AdvertisingAge, the leading publication covering the media marketplace. The blog lives on both sites, updated roughly at the same time. Check out the AdAge version here.

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Next stop: Syndication to Crain's "Plastics News." (A sample headline from the actual "Plastics News" Web site: "Rexam Closing Ohio Injection Molding Plant" … but, then again, is a 6% ratings increase for "CSI: Miami" really more exciting at the end of the day?)

NBC is being quiet on TV Guide’s report that the network is planning a spinoff for “The Office.” Sources sought to downplay the project, saying the development is still in early stages (which might end up translating as “pilot order next week”). The network was on board, however, with discussing its other “Office” expansion—the four quasi-controversial hourlong episodes that opened the season. The programming effort caused some critical backlash, but generated impressive ratings.

“The viewers have spoken,” NBC scheduling chief Vince Manze says. “This is the most gratifying move we have made all year, and probably the riskiest. Creatively we didn’t think the show lost anything at all. If you look at the ratings, I don’t think the viewers felt the same way [as critics]. We were up against the No. 1 shows on ABC and CBS, and not only did it pay off, the show grew and helped us establish the night.”

In a season where most returning shows drained ratings, particularly due to increased DVR use, “The Office” made gains. The hourlong episodes were up 19 percent compared to their half-hour versions from last fall and boosted the 9 p.m. hour average by a steep 59 percent. And it’s not as if “Office” fans are using DVRs any less than fans of competing shows: “The Office” is one of the largest beneficiaries when DVR playback is factored in.

On whether the network will repeat the stunt, Manze says the decision is up to showrunner Greg Daniels and the rest of the “Office” team.

“[The show’s producers] have an open invitation to do as many [hourlongs] as they like,” Manze says. “It’s totally up to them if they want to do more. But there is a price. It’s tough physically and creatively to keep these going. I’m hoping the experience wasn’t so bad that they would dismiss the idea of more hours.”

Daniels, who just returned from the “Office” fan convention in Scranton, Pa., declined to comment on the spinoff. He praised the ratings generated by the hourlongs, but reserved his most enthusiastic comment for the half-hours.

"The hour specials did great for us in terms of ratings, and the half-hours that we have coming out now are classic episodes,” he said. “The crowds at the ‘Office’ convention in Scranton are clearly our biggest fans, but they went ape over the first act of 'Branch Wars,' which airs this Thursday.”

Whether NBC orders a spinoff or more hourlongs, the network seems to have a desire to capitalize on its best ratings story right now. Given the critics' reaction to the hourlongs and the success of ABC’s spinoff “Private Practice,” a spinoff probably makes more sense. Also, “The Office” is already sold to syndication as a half-hour show, and adding more one-hours (which are later split in two) muddles with the format.

Of course, the network could simply decide to leave the show alone and stick with 22 half-hours a year. But NBC Co-Chair and “Office” executive producer Ben Silverman keeps a Dwight Schrute bobblehead on his desk. And when it comes to expanding "The Office," Dwight likes to nod Yes.

NBC/News Corp.’s Hulu is a significantly evolved step in the right direction for bringing television into the digital age: A user interface that’s winning early raves. No added software to install (except Flash, which most users already have). Custom viewing histories and playlists. Video clip sharing enabled. All good.

But, at least from the beta version details, Hulu is still too much of a broadcast product. Episodes are available for only five weeks. Advertisements wander the screen during video playback (how very TNT). Only two major network parents are on board, limiting the amount of product. Plus, it offers only ad-supported streaming, no download-to-own—which means you cannot watch shows offline and cannot use them on portable devices (so forget watching “Heroes” on the plane).

In other words, the product makes the same mistake made by every network that launches a streaming video player: ignoring file-sharing services.

Although YouTube is repeatedly cited as Hulu’s most significant competitor, the low-resolution, user-generated content site (in its current form at least) is a different animal from Hulu’s polished provider of professionally produced, full-length episodes.

No, Hulu, along with every other network Web site, competes with peer-to-peer services. NBC has the most popular Web site among the major networks and says its streaming service clocked about 17 million unique users in October. According to a Digital Life America study, 32 million users downloaded television shows from peer-to-peer networks during its most recent survey during the month of May.

The reason viewers steal television on torrents is because pirates have an online product that’s arguably better than Hulu or anything else the industry has to offer.

Not just a cheaper product (well, free), which is the reason most people in the industry widely assume viewers steal content, but a better service: more portable, a greater variety of use and the best selection available.

Here’s what legions of torrent fans already know: If you want to watch TV online, you can go to a Fox.com or CBS.com to view ad-supported streams of the network’s most popular shows from the current season (assuming the show is available online in the first place—most are not, particularly cable programs). A fair-sized selection of current and popular shows also is available for download from services like iTunes or Amazon Unbox for a small fee.

Or you can go to a single torrent search engine and download-to-own almost any episode from almost any season of most popular series … for free.

As with the networks’ streaming players, you can watch pirated shows online. But, like iTunes downloads, you can watch pirated shows offline or on portable video players as well. And unlike legitimate services, pirate sites have many, many shows that are unavailable anywhere else online (hey look, complete seasons of “Tales of the Gold Monkey” and “The Larry Sanders Show”).

An example: You can find online the most recent season of “Hell’s Kitchen” on Fox’s media player or iTunes. Or you can unlawfully download-to-own the “Kitchen” season—plus the otherwise unavailable first and second seasons. You can also download all four seasons of the U.K. version of “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Boiling Point.”

Another example: On CBS.com, you can watch the most recent four episodes of “CSI,” or download the same episodes plus the most recent two seasons on iTunes. But on pirate sites, you can download all seven “CSI” seasons.

In other words, you can “own” the Ramsay or “CSI” libraries commercial-free and watch them—as network executives often say on stage at industry conferences—“anytime, anywhere.”

That’s how far behind the digital curve the television industry is right now. Networks and studios sweat every digital release, when most of their popular content is already available—they’re just not making money off it. They’re hoarding sand in a desert.

When Fox said it was pulling its “Family Guy” parody of “Star Wars” offline, one reaction from readers (as posted on this board and others) contained variations of, “I guess this is Fox’s way of telling us, ‘Please download this episode via BitTorrent.’” It’s a pouty and felonious response that reflects an extraordinary degree of viewer entitlement: Give us what we want or we’ll steal it. But, right or wrong, it also reflects the way an increasing number of young online viewers see the marketplace.

The biggest advantage of the network players (aside from their legality, of course) remains ease of use. You go to the site, point and click, streams start instantly. With torrents, users complain of having to sometimes wait hours for a download, while the availability of content is constantly shifting.

Hulu moves the network model forward by combining NBC and News Corp.’s efforts into a single site, and it likely will kickstart some of NBC Universal’s cable networks’ offering more online content. Right now, one of the biggest problems with streaming is that every network is so protective of its content that users have to surf to a half-dozen sites to watch TV shows on a half-dozen different media players.

Until the industry finds a way to shut down pirate sites, or offers a similarly fully stocked, one-stop-shopping product, they’re asking consumers to patronize a bunch of local boutique stores and avoid the pirate’s Wal-Mart. And that’s walking the plank.

ABC has picked up a full season of its Christina Applegate sitcom “Samantha Who?,” the network confirmed, as last night’s ratings show continued growth for the series.

“Samantha” gained last night even though its top-rated lead-in “Dancing With the Stars” fell off a bit.

“Samantha” had a 4.9 rating—its highest number yet and up 9 percent from last week—among adults 18 to 49 in the preliminary Nielsen returns.

The growth shows the sitcom’s viewership isn’t strictly tied to “Dancing,” which was down a couple notches from last week to a 5.3. “Samantha” may have aided 10 p.m.’s “The Bachelor” as well, which leapt 15 percent from last week to a 3.8.

After ABC, which won the night in viewers and the demo, CBS had its second great week in a row for its comedy block. “How I Met Your Mother” had a season high with a 3.3, “The Big Bang Theory” had its best number since its premiere with a 3.6, “Two and a Half Men” had its best since February with a 5.1 and “Rules of Engagement” was up from last week to a 4.2. “CSI: Miami” also was up a couple notches to a 4.8.

For NBC, the song remained the same: “Chuck” (2.7), “Heroes” (4.9) and “Journeyman” (2.4) all matched their series lows. Fox had repeats. The CW’s comedy block was down slightly in some measures, with “Everybody Hates Chris” (1.0), “Aliens in America” (0.8), “Girlfriends” (1.0) and “The Game” (1.1).

UPDATE: Hold on, ABC's ratings changed more than usual in the national ratings. In the final tallies, "Samantha Who?" dropped to match last week's 4.5, "Dancing" dropped a notch to a 5.2 and "The Bachelor" fell to 3.6.

The World Series wrapped up Sunday, with the Red Sox’ sweep giving Fox a ratings victory.

Sunday’s Game 4 tied the highest-rated Series game in three years, since the Red Sox beat St. Louis in 2004. The game earned a 6.6 preliminary rating among adults 18 to 49, according to Nielsen.

Over on ABC, the lineup was pretty much on par: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (2.7), “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (5.1), “Desperate Housewives” (7.1) and “Brothers & Sisters” (5.1).

Third-place CBS ran “60 Minutes” (2.7), a repeat of “CSI” (2.2) while biding its time for next week’s “The Amazing Race” debut, “Cold Case” (3.0) and “Shark” (2.3).

In fourth place, NBC demonstrated why the networks don’t run movies anymore: The box office hit “The Bourne Supremacy” posted a 1.9 rating.

The CW had “CW Now” and “Aliens in America” (both a 0.3, and both down slightly from last week), “Life Is Wild” (down a notch to a 0.4) and an “America’s Next Top Model” repeat (0.6).
But hold on, Friday night was arguably more interesting.

On Friday:

CBS’ “Moonlight” grew 20 percent to a 2.4 to firmly win the 9 p.m. hour, helping CBS conquer the night along with “Ghost Whisperer” and “Numb3rs” (both 2.7). With “Moonlight” winning its hour and the ratings going in the right direction, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a pickup on the vampire detective drama soon.

NBC was second, with “Deal or No Deal” (2.2), “Friday Night Lights” (1.9) and “Las Vegas” (2.4) hanging steady.

ABC was third with a “Grey’s Anatomy” repeat (1.3), “Women’s Murder Club” (dropping a tick to a 2.0) and “Men in Trees” (steady with a 1.7).

Fox’s “The Next Great American Band” fell 20 percent from its week-ago debut to a 1.2 (a rating now called “the ‘Laughlin’”). Even though the show is from the producers of “American Idol,” it’s tough to see Fox being comfortable getting beat by The CW’s “Friday Night Smackdown” (1.4) week after week. Then again, “Nashville” fell to a 0.8 on Fridays before it got the hook.

Scrapped storylines, location changes, production delays, a DUI – you quickly forget all the recent “24” headlines when you check out the season seven trailer (despite Jack Bauer’s self-righteous torture defense) … The unaired “Veronica Mars”-goes-to-the-FBI pilot … The “Hell’s Kitchen” video game, because there’s nothing more entertaining than being verbally abused while cooking a virtual dinner … ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money” and The CW’s “Reaper” receive script orders.

Fox’s World Series coverage continued to dominate the ratings Thursday night, but NBC still managed to post significant ratings gains for its comedy block.

Game 2 earned a 5.1 preliminary rating among adults 18 to 49, according to Nielsen. With the Red Sox so readily dominating the Colorado Rockies, the game is down 12 percent from Wednesday night’s opener. The game is also off 10 percent from the second game last year, which aired on a less competitive Sunday night.

ABC came in second place, with “Ugly Betty” and “Grey’s Anatomy” on par with last week, posting a 3.2 and a 7.3, respectively. “Big Shots” at 10 p.m. was up 10 percent to a 3.3.

CBS was third, with “Survivor: China” down a couple pegs from last week to a 4.4. “CSI” was a repeat (3.8), providing a weak lead-in for “Without a Trace,” which was down 8 percent from its last telecast to a 3.3.

In fourth, NBC’s comedy block, including the return of “Scrubs,” had across the board gains despite the heavy baseball competition.

“My Name Is Earl” was up 33 percent to 3.6, “30 Rock” was up 19 percent to a 3.1, “The Office” was up 4 percent to a 4.7 versus its hour-long edition last week and “Scrubs” posted a 3.8, up 5 percent from its premiere last year. At 10 p.m., however, “ER” was down 7 percent from last week to a 3.7.

On The CW, “Smallville” was down slightly in adults 18 to 49 (1.8) and 18 to 34 (2.1). But “Supernatural” scored season highs in the major demos (a 1.3 for both).

The first game of the World Series on Fox posted its best rating in three years.

With the popular Boston Red Sox playing the Colorado Rockies, the game hit a 5.8 rating among adults 18 to 49 in the national Nielsens, up 61 percent from last year's Cardinals-Tigers match.

Among total viewers, the game was seen by 16.9 million, up 31 percent.

The figures reverse a World Series Game 1 downward trend in recent years, despite the match being a blowout, with the Sox winning 13 to 1.

Like any major sporting event, the game throws its competitors numbers off balance, making week-to-week comparisons suspect.

That said, ABC came in second place with “Pushing Daisies,” down 19 percent from last week to a 3.0, which is a rather steep drop even with the game, particularly since “Private Practice” was up a couple notches to a 4.5. At 10 p.m., “Dirty Sexy Money” also was up slightly to a 3.2.

CBS is up a peg for the second consecutive week, with “Kid Nation” earning a 2.5. “Criminal Minds” was down a tick to a 3.9 and “CSI: NY” was down 7 percent to a 3.8.

Coming in fourth, NBC premiered “Phenomenon” at 8 p.m. to a 2.9, besting the time-period debut of “Deal or No Deal” in the slot in September.

The live show featured “mentalists” performing their acts for judges Uri Geller and Criss Angel with the help of celebrities. The acts included one performer playing Russian roulette with a series of nailguns and another making Carmen Electra claim she felt his touch from several feet away.

Following “Phenomenon,” NBC had “Bionic Woman,” which was down a notch to a 3.3, and then “Life,” dropping 11 percent to a 2.5.

On The CW, “America’s Next Top Model” was down slightly to a 2.3, while “Gossip Girl” was steady with a 1.2. The story is the same in The CW’s target 18 to 34 demo.

Updated at 2:19 p.m.

And the actual retail value of changing your morning game show host is …

About a 10 percent ratings bump.

Drew Carey’s debut week hosting CBS’ classic game show “The Price Is Right” resulted in slightly better numbers than last year with Bob Barker at the microphone.

“Price” averaged 5.4 million viewers for the week of Oct. 15-21, matching the “Price” average from Oct. 16-22 in 2006. Among adults 18 to 49, Carey garnered a modest bump—up 10 percent to a 1.1. For daytime shows, networks typically target women 25 to 54, which also saw a slight increase for Carey—up 7 percent to a 1.6 rating.

Because of the host changing of the guard, “Price” started about a month late this season. If Carey’s first week in October is compared to Barker’s first week in September '06, there are still gains for Carey—up 7 percent among women 25 to 54, 8 percent among total viewers and 22 percent among adults 18 to 49.

Fox has ordered a full season and then some of its Kelsey Grammer newsroom comedy “Back to You,” the network confirmed.

Fox picked up 11 episodes from 20th Century Fox Television, a couple more than the usual back nine, for a total of 24 shows this season.

“Back to You” has stabilized in its Wednesday 8 p.m. slot and most recently earned a 2.4 rating among adults 18 to 49. Though the show hasn’t been a time-period titan, Fox expects “Back” will improve once the remainder of the network’s cylinders fire up in January with the return of “American Idol.” The show has proved to be an able lead-in for “Til Death,” which last week had its second-best performance ever without an “Idol” lead-in.

NBC hopes its new reality series “Phenomenon” will mesmerize viewers tonight. The first show announced by NBC Entertainment Co-Chair Ben Silverman to hit the air, “Phenomenon” has the high-wire distinction of being a live series premiere -- so nobody has, in effect, seen the show outside of rehearsals (there have been other instances of live prime-time series premieres, such as “Dancing With the Stars,” but it’s uncommon for a show to hit the air sight unseen).

Also: Network executives are talking about USA Today’s look at all the factors influencing what makes a hit this season … More free medical advice from experts who know not