TED KOPPEL TO GO TO HBO!!

[MADem]

October 13, 2005 -- TED Koppel has landed on his feet, and he hasn't even jumped yet from ABC. Sources say the "Nightline" host has reached agreement with HBO on a three-year deal that will net him many millions of dollars for 14 hours of programming a year. Koppel will bring four of his producers with him to HBO, a source said. But an ABC spokeswoman told us: "He and <'Nightline' exec producer> Tom Bettag have made it very clear they won't sign any deals until they leave the network." Koppel's last "Nightline" is Nov. 22. Sources said some HBO execs — who are already smarting over the hugely expensive but low-rated "Rome" — are questioning the wisdom of hiring Koppel, who isn't expected to win a huge audience with documentaries.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10132005/gossip/55293.htm

Per the NYPOST, anyway. I hope like hell this is true. It would be interesting to see what he could do without the ABC suits breathing down his neck.

And as for ROME, I highly recommend it!!

[SHRED]

1. 14 hours a year?

WTF?

[Connie_Corleone]

3. That would be 14 episodes I guess. That's longer than most HBO series.

[Connie_Corleone]

2. ROME is a damn good show. nt

[MADem]

5. I enjoy the hell out of it, myself! nt

[liberalnurse]

10. I miss Carnivale'

:cry:

[October]

28. Me too, and Six Feet Under /nt

[MADem]

33. So do I

They could bring it back, depending...it might be a challenge to get the cast back, though, but they could carry on with only a few key players if need be...

It was quite expensive, unfortunately, and that did not work in its favor.

[October]

29. Agree! It took a few episodes, but I'm hooked! /nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

36. I love it

It's my Sunday night addiction.

You have good taste Connie_Corleone. :thumbsup:

[JI7]

4. what is going to happen with nightline ?

the nightline episodes without Koppel almost seem like a joke.

but i am glad he will stick around and as you say hopefully have more freedom to do his thing with the whores getting in the way.

[MADem]

6. They planned to dump him last year, viewers went BALLISTIC

so they backed off. They were going to replace him with, no shit, that asshole ADAM COROLLA, and do a titty-beer show to compete with Leno and Letterman.

That could be back on with him leaving, who knows?

[FreedomAngel82]

14. Me too!

I'm excited to see what he'll do.

[peekaloo]

18. I like Chris Bury and Michelle Martin.

fat chance they'll get the anchor chair though.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. Most HBO shows are "low-rated" in their first season

They catch on with a core group, then spread based on word of mouth when the DVDs come out. The Wire, for example, (which is, by the way, the best cop show in the history of television) did very poorly its first season, but is now a growing classic thanks to circulation on DVD. This is NY Post sour grapes via Murdoch Corp. - bumping up the Fox networks at the expense of a rival, and taking a shot at independent journalism in the meanwhile. They suspect that Koppel's HBO series will be off the media leash, so they're attacking it in advance as some boondoggle. Fairly transparent nonsense from a dependable right wing rag.

[chelsea0011]

8. Rome??? I love it. The "Dynasty" of toga parties

Attia(sp) is the new Alexis.

[MADem]

9. Concur! That would make Servilia Crystal, then!! nt

[chelsea0011]

15. Both of them will be fighting in the pool soon.....and nude

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. I started to watch it but haven't after the second episode. I'll try it

again as I have HBO on Demand. A Rome marathon.

[MADem]

20. It is ADDICTIVE, trust me!!!!! n/t

[rockymountaindem]

11. Rome's low ratings are no surprise to me.

I mean, who can watch a show with *no* likeable characters. Forget some sort of literary fatal flaw, the characters on that show are all flaws and no redeeming qualities. I've seen every episode but one so far and I always come away hating everybody but Pullo.

Admittedly, the aura of the show is good. Seeing ancient Rome reconstructed is interesting. However, considering the poor characters and character development, there isn't enough of that to make the show any good.

[Terran]

13. Jeez, you're pretty rough on these characters

What about Voreunus and his wife? or Octavia? They're ordinary people with human flaws, but I think they're all very sympathetic. Even Caeser honestly loves Servillia, even though he eventually feels compelled to put politics above that. As far as likableness goes, I certainly don't think the show's cast of characters is any worse than The Sopranos or Six Feet Under. Every single character in those highly rated shows was rife with disfunction.

[MsTryska]

22. are you kidding me?

Pullo is my favorite right now.

And i would totally shag Marc Antony too.

[MADem]

24. You do not like Luceous Verenous?

I think he is RICH, in his own way, as a character--your classic company man, wrestling with change and conscience. His wife is wonderful, and his sister in law, I thought her performance was nothing short of superb. And Octavius, what a swell little shit he is!! Such a juicy part for a young actor.

The slaves are fantastic, too, especially Caesar's snarky factotum, who has some of the best lines in the program. Pullo is Everyman, and he has some fine lines too.

You've gotta figure that in tough times, there were tough people. Attia's daughter is the most gentle of the lot, and she spends half the time getting walked on...

I found that era fascinating since childhood, and spent every spare opportunity when I lived overseas to go roaming around Pompeii and Herculano. To see that architecture come to life, populated, with walls and wells and furnishings, is fantastic. And I think the story line, using the two soldiers to tell the tale of Caesar, is ingenious.

[Lex]

26. I agree.

I read that the 2 soldiers in Rome are the only 2 rank-and-file soldiers actually mentioned by name in Caeser's writings.

Their characters and names are based on that.

Cool, eh?

[grasswire]

16. wow!

That's great. Expect some fireworks. Ted won't be constrained by silly network sensibilities.

[peekaloo]

17. I like it. Kind of like a "Curb Your Propaganda" for HBO.

:-)

[Touchdown]

19. Ancient Romans didn't have high british accents.

Why does every swinging swords and sandals epic have to have british accents? It's soooooooo pretentious. As if dialogue in the Queens english somehow makes the show highbrow entertainment. And this show, which brags about it's "realism" is the absolute worst for snooty "Hey look at us! We're creating ART!" non sequitur pretension with the tired old brit accents. :eyes:

Oh' yeah, love Koppel. Can't wait for the new doc show.

[MsTryska]

23. I think this particular show has British accents

because the entire cast is british.


i could be wrong.

[MADem]

31. It is a BBC HBO production

And you are quite right, the vast majority of the cast is indeed British...And not all the accents are HIGH, by any stretch. The merchants have the BBC accent, the working class are more East End/cockney, and the public school accents are the province of the nobility.

[MsTryska]

34. I thought so - i know I recognized a few from

other places - specifically Verenus' wife, she was in Kama Sutra and Bride and Prejudice (indian diaspora flicks) and Attia - altho I don't know where I know her from. Marc Antony too. I should go check the cast bios.

OH MY GOD - i had totally not recognized verenus as the guy in trainspotting who died of AIDS. wow.

And if i recall his character correctly - Marc Antony was the Dark Knight in Knights tale with heath ledger.

[Touchdown]

35. Yep! And that's what I see.

Brits having a Toga Party. It's not the realism advertized.

[MADem]

25. Well, they sure didn't have American accents

And since the Roman Empire stretched all the way to what is now the UK and Ireland, British accents (and faces) are probably closer to the mark than corn fed American ones.

The only other option is to have them all speak Latin, and that would slow the plot down a bit...and might make people think about Mel Gibson's film in Aramaic!!

[Lex]

27. Yeah, I can't believe they are not speaking Latin! Gah! nt

[MsTryska]

21. Rome is low-rated?

i love it.

[the_spectator]

30. So will he have to start swearing a lot now?

Or even worse, get naked on TV? :scared:

[MADem]

32. Who, TED?

Quite frankly, I'd love to hear a "That's a load of bullshit" out of him every now and again!

[crispini]

37. Wow. I just got a reason to get HBO.

I've been holding off, but Koppel? Wow.

[Eurobabe]

38. Rome, low rated?? Mr. 48%er and LOVE IT!!

Sure do miss Six Feet though.