American Dreams- News Archive

Estes Fox Drama Strong Contender For Pick Up

Absolute last chance for American Dreams

Here is the plan:

We are going to email Jeff Zucker on Friday with a specific message. We've already poured our hearts out, now we want to make a very specific point. All you have to do is copy and paste this message into your email:

Mr. Zucker, I am a loyal watcher of American Dreams. Please don't go searching for viewers via new tv pilots. We're here, and we're already watching! Please keep our dreams alive, and find a place for "American Dreams" in NBC's fall schedule.

Sincerely,

(your name here)

Subject: ATTN: Mr. Zucker

Send this email to jeff.zucker@nbcuni.com and AmericanDreams@nbcuni.com

It's that simple!

Is ‘American Dreams’ dead?

NBC hasn’t yet formally said they’ve cancelled the hour-long period drama, but that rumor is definitely out there. An NBC spokeswoman told me in an e-mail “Contrary to what you’ve read, there has been no official decision. My understanding is that we will know next week.” Yet this fan fears that the show is not coming back, and that would be a shame.

In my job, I get a lot of mail from TV viewers who are angry that there’s so much reality TV programming out there. Over and over again, the same complaint comes up: It’s taking up space that could be given to quality scripted programming, they say.

Yet I admit that I often looked at a schedule filled with the latest boorish sitcom (Hey! Let’s put a fat guy and a beautiful blonde woman together, that’s never been done before) or “CSI” knockoff and thought: What quality scripted programming?

In my head, though, there was always one huge exception: “American Dreams.” The show tells the story of the fictional Pryor family growing up in Philadelphia during the turbulent 1960s. Son JJ is a Marine who was injured in Vietnam (a scene of him being held prisoner with other Marines sticks unnervingly in my head still). Daughter Meg, the center of most of the scripts, dances on “American Bandstand,” which of course started out in Philly. Her sister Patty, still in grade school, is the family brain. And young Will began the show using leg braces from polio, but a risky surgery now has him walking without assistance.

Dad Jack and mom Helen are fascinating, too. Jack runs a TV and appliance store, and his work with African-American salesman Henry Walker has opened the Pryor family’s eyes to racism and the civil-rights movement. Since the show’s beginning, Helen has reached outside of her family to see if taking college classes and working outside the home is right for her.

It would have been easy to sketch out these characters, toss in the issues of the era – Vietnam, racism, women’s rights, polio – and go no further than that. Yet every character on “American Dreams” feels fully realized, like people we know. They’re far from perfect. Jack wasn’t thrilled at all about Helen choosing to take a job and changing the old order of things. Even with a brother fighting in Vietnam, Meg still ventured out to demonstrate with friends in the peace movement. With her own son missing in action, Helen had to battle with herself and decide whether or not she would help a young man avoid the draft and flee to Canada. The issues were never clean-cut and the characters’ decisions never easy. Lots of good talking fodder for families here.

I’m the youngest of seven. Like Meg, my father was a World War II veteran, my brother a veteran of the Vietnam War. I was too young to remember the 1960s, but I know they changed my family, my country, forever. It’s fascinating and yes, even educational to watch the era play out on screen. We’ve come so far in many ways, yet in others, we haven’t come far enough. I can imagine kids who might be bored by a documentary approach to the 1960s or Vietnam or civil rights actually becoming engaged by the way the “Dreams” characters move through the issues.

Sure, there are plenty of TV shows that take us into worlds we don’t inhabit daily, and that’s OK. Shows about Superman’s childhood, shows about murder and crime and law. But for me, ending the week with a Sunday viewing of “American Dreams” was a constant reminder that so much of what’s important in life can be found very close to home.

If “American Dreams” does get its pink slip next week, it’ll take a place of honor on my mental list of great shows whose genius was never recognized (“Freaks and Geeks,” “My So-Called Life,” “Relativity,” I’m looking at you.) And I’ll be waiting eagerly for the entire series to come out on DVD. But in the meantime, I’m just going to keep “Dream”-ing.

TV Guide: Ask Matt

Matt: True, there was much more story to tell, but I fear we won't be seeing any more chapters. The official line is that NBC has not announced or confirmed a cancelation, but it's all but certain. One source tells me the show's soundstages have been released, which doesn't sound good. But it was a real long shot anyway, even before its move to Wednesdays, once Extreme Makeover: Home Edition started crushing it like a bug on Sundays.

NBC Aerial Banner Update

Jeff Zucker DEFINITELY saw the banner, as well as many others from the NBC offices. Mr. Zucker is in LA this week and next because they are screening all the pilots, and deciding what the fall line-up will be. All our efforts have not gone unnoticed- either by NBC or the AD production staff. Mr. Prince himself says it is all greatly appreciated.

Good news, huh? So we should all be praying and hoping that some of NBC's pilots really stink, because that will give us a better chance at having AD fit into next season's schedule. ;)

Also, a couple random pieces of news...

I had only been to Burbank one other time in my life before this past Wednesday. I had NO idea that this city block was the Mecca of tv production studios. The WB studios are right next door to NBC, and ABC and Disney are in the immediate vicinity. Rhino Records, Elektra Records, and Warner Records are around the corner. Our aerial banner could be seen from all of these studios and offices. VERY good publicity. And do you want to hear the best part? Dick Clark Productions is practically across the street from NBC, they face each other. Before the plane arrived, I went to Dick Clark Productions and gave them the heads-up in case any of them wanted to see it. They were very supportive!

While I was standing outside of the studios trying to get video of the banner, there were all these people standing outside in a line... and I realized that they were standing in line to see a taping of the Ellen DeGeneres show. All of a sudden, someone yells, "There she is!!!" and everybody starts clapping and waving. Ellen was driving up to the studio! She was waving and saying hi to everyone from her car, so I yelled, "Ellen! Look up in the sky!!" She said, "I can't, I'm driving!" But hopefully once she drove in and parked, she looked up and saw our efforts. It would be really great if she did since we have all been writing her about having the cast of AD on her show.

AND... NOW THE BEST FOR LAST...

Brian Williams, (the "Nightly News" anchor on NBC) is a huge fan of American Dreams. He just happened to be in LA on Wednesday, and he was driving into the studio while our banner was flying. He called Mr. Prince, and congratulated him on such a cool idea, and said he was going into NBC meetings that morning, and was going to tell everyone he came in contact with to go look at the banner. Very cool, huh?

Thanks so much to all of you who donated, and who have contacted NBC. You a such a huge part of this success!

:) We're Keeing the Dream Alive...

Leigh

Fans Flying High to Support NBC’s "American Dreams"

If they craned their necks upward they would have seen an airplane with a big banner behind it. In large red letters it said: "Save American Dreams." The banner could also be seen from Dick Clark's office, which is right across the boulevard from NBC. Clark produces "American Dreams."

NBC hasn't said if the series will return in the fall. The fall schedule will be announced in a couple of weeks.

Fans Flying High to Support NBC’s "American Dreams"

The coordinator of the campaign says, “I’ve had fans write to me from every demographic. A twelve year-old girl wrote to say that she watches it with her mother and grandmother. A father wrote to say it’s the one hour of television each week that his whole family enjoys together. Everyone who contacts me is distraught that the show they love may not come back next season. “American Dreams” sparks a unique passion in viewers. People who have never thought to write to a network to save a show have been writing, calling, and emailing NBC about this show. Watching “American Dreams” is not a passive experience, it makes people connect- both with the show and with each other.

According to our government, Americans want to return to morals and values. According to the FCC, viewers want programming that is appropriate for the whole family. NBC achieves both of these goals with “American Dreams.” We think quality family programming is worth fighting for, and we hope you will help us.

Our aerial banner will be flying over NBC Studios Burbank, at 3000 West Alameda Ave. Burbank, CA 91523. It will fly for one hour beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2005.

If you are interested in making a small donation to the aerial banner part of the campaign, you can go here for more information: www.americandreamsfanclub.com/donation.htm

'Dreams' Isn't Done Yet

Everyone has heard the news/rumor that American Dreams has been canceled. You've read it on news sites, message boards, and official sites for the AD cast. This is the information that I have, straight from Jonathan Prince, the show's creator...

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is official yet. It doesn't look good right now, but NOTHING IS OFFICIAL. We still need to show NBC how much American Dreams means to us, and tell them why they MUST bring our show back.

Just because you read it on CNN or AOL or Yahoo doesn't mean that's the final word. That article went out of the AP wire, and everyone picked up the exact same article. The article even stated that NBC has not confirmed it.

Arlen's, Brittany's and Rachel's webmasters have announced the cancellation news on their sites. They have heard the news straight from the source, BUT- let me tell you what they have been told. They were told that the chances of the show coming back are VERY SLIM. BUT- NBC could still change their minds before mid-May. This is in no way over. Stranger things have happened. This is not just my opinion. This was told to me by members of the crew.

We are still asking NBC to keep our show... it is not the time to write, "You people are idiots," or "I'll never watch NBC again!" We need to persuade them to keep the show, not berate or insult them.

I will continue to post more whenever I hear anything.

Please continue to follow these suggestions. Postcards will be most helpful, but do ALL of them.

Remember that nothing official has been declared. We still have a chance. In other words, it's not over until the fat lady sings. The fat lady may be warming up, but she ISN'T SINGING YET!!!

Once NBC does announce something to the public, we really have nothing else to do. So please, let'sat least go out fighting.

Use every form of communication you can think of. Just imagine if all day on Monday and Tuesday, their phone lines, emails, mail boxes, fax lines, etc... are all filled with messages from AD fans. They would be overwhelmed.

KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE

Write a postcard, (or 50 postcards!) to NBC President Kevin Reilly

Kevin Reilly
President, NBC Entertainment
3000 W. Alameda Ave
Burbank, CA
91523

Call NBC: (212) 664-4444 Ask to leave a comment about American Dreams.

Write emails to NBC: AmericanDreams@nbcuni.com

Money talks. It sucks, but it's true. So:

Buy the S1 DVD set from NBC:

Buy the S1 soundtrack from NBC

What you can do to magnify the effect of this aerial banner... Tomorrow, (and until the end of the week,) CALL NBC BURBANK and tell them why they MUST renew American Dreams. I want their phones to be going off the hook tomorrow so that all anyone can think or talk about tomorrow is American Dreams.

CALL NBC: 818-840-4444

NBC Drops 'Dreams'

Save our Show Campaign - the last big push!

-- THE LAST BIG PUSH --

NBC will make their decisions about all their shows by May 1st. We want to once again show our support for American Dreams. Our email campaign had a huge impact, and now we want to do the same with postcards. This is our last chance to ‘Keep the Dream Alive!” Here’s how you can help…

From April 20th to 27th, send postcards to NBC president Kevin Reilly. Send one every day if you want. Get your siblings, parents, cousins, friends, coworkers… EVERYONE to send a postcard in support of American Dreams. Have you already sent in a postcard? Do it again!!

This is our very last chance to show NBC what American Dreams means to us. I hope you’ll help us out.

Also, to hear a message to fans from Jonathan Prince, go to the official campaign website at: www.americandreamsfanclub.com/dreamalive.htm

Thank you so much!

Here is Kevin Reilly’s address:

Mr. Kevin Reilly
President, NBC Entertainment
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA
91523

Bubble Series

Condition: Talk about mixed signals. On one hand, NBC decided not to air a hastily filmed ending to last month's ``season'' finale that would have essentially killed the series. On the other hand, key members of the cast were allowed to film the pilots of new series under consideration for next September. Tom Verica, Brittany Snow, Gail O'Grady in ``American Dreams.''

Prognosis: A case that would stump any TV doctor. Some insiders think the network will keep ``Dreams'' as its token family drama. Others think the dream is dead. (Source: MercuryNews.com)

Save Our Shows

His recently mailed letter is in support of the well-regarded NBC dramatic series "American Dreams," a show that is "on the bubble," as one publicist for the program put it recently. She meant that, because of a measurable fall-off in ratings during its third season, "American Dreams" is in real jeopardy of being canceled.

"We face an uncertain future," said series creator and executive producer Jonathan Price. "In the next few weeks, NBC will look at their new pilots that they have made. They will compare them to what they already have, and they will decide whether they are going to pick us up or not."

Debuting in 2002 to solid ratings and even better reviews, "American Dreams" stars Tom Verica and Gail O'Grady as the parents in the Pryor household in Philadelphia during the mid-1960s. With Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" stage as one of its backdrops (Clark, recovering from a stroke suffered late last year, is one of the "Dreams" executive producers), the series began with a glimpse of what middle America was like before the death of President John F. Kennedy and concluded its first hour with that tragic event.

But, as the series has shadowed on screen the events of the 1960s, in this decade the show was brought to its knees by its prime-time competition. The ratings took a hit last season when CBS scheduled its big-performing crime drama "Cold Case" against "American Dreams" on Sunday nights, and then this season the audience was further eroded by ABC's success with its "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" reality series.

By early this year, the network's programmers had so little faith in the show's ability to generate the ratings they wanted during the February ratings sweeps -- one of the quarterly periods when viewer levels determine how much networks and affiliates can charge for commercial time -- that they took the show temporarily off the air. When they brought it back last month to air the season's final four episodes, they removed the series from a tough Sunday night spot and shoved it into a tougher Wednesday position, where it faced competition from ABC's red-hot new drama "Lost," as well as two episodes of the most-watched CBS reality show, "Survivor: Palau."

"I think it was horrible moving it to Wednesday night," Spencer told the Mobile Register after mailing his letter to the network. "That was horrible, because that is a great show. They shouldn't have done that."

Tube pundits in the press have all but written off the show -- the same as they have done with "Star Trek: Enterpise," the UPN series that was canceled by its network earlier this year.

The "Star Trek" prequel, airing Friday nights this season, stars Scott Bakula as Capt. Jonathan Archer, commander of a 22nd century starship in the pioneering days of human interstellar travel. Only five more episodes are left to be aired, and on behalf of the show, many of its fans have been vigorously sending out letters, postcards and e-mails, organizing online petitions and even picketing Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

The activity is not expected to do any good, however.

"There's no chance that the mission...to keep the four-year-old 'Enterprise' on the air is going to succeed," writes Michael Logan in the April 17-23 issue of TV Guide. "The fate of the series is sealed."

But there's every chance that "American Dreams" might be saved by its fans, Price said.

"I've heard from the folks at NBC, that they have received more postcards and e-mails about 'American Dreams' in the last two weeks than they have received on any show that has been in a similar position," Price said.

Perhaps most telling, Price said, is that the network has not ordered the "American Dreams" sets taken down. In other words, they are still paying big bills and studio rent to keep the show's 1960s sets standing.

Spencer, 67, said he never before felt so passionately about a television series that he would write a letter to a network. But the program has struck a chord with him.

"It's because I have been there and done that," said Spencer. "As a matter of fact, and I am not a hero and I am not trying to make myself out a hero, but I was one of the first Americans in Vietnam. I was in there when we still went in wearing civilian clothes."

The war in Vietnam is one of the issues that has been dealt with in "American Dreams," and Price said it will continue to be a component in the stories he tells if his show goes on. The series also has focused on the racial issues that confronted the country then, as well as other societal and cultural developments that made the 1960s such a tumultuous period.

Spencer, who was born in Philadelphia where the show is set, said, "I think a lot of folks can relate to that show. It's not like some of these doctor shows or some of these 'CSI' shows that you sit there and watch and are spellbound because of all the magic that goes on. It's a show that you have actually been there and done. One way or another, some phase of that show you have lived through."

Grace Jones is another Mobile television viewer who has been touched by the series -- so touched that she said she also plans a letter to the network. The early 1960s, she said, were a lot like the 1950s, when she was a teenager watching Clark's "Bandstand."

She said, "I can remember in '57 watching the Dick Clark show on a small, black-and-white TV. (On 'American Dreams') the story line is really good, about the daddy who is the boss of the family. That really is how it used to be.... The '60s were not that different until late in the '60s when the radical changes started coming about."

If the show is to end with just three seasons of episodes produced, the network will do a disservice to its viewers by not wrapping up the ongoing stories, Jones said. In the last episode that was made, for example, teen Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) had rebelled against her parents by climbing onto the back of a motorcycle.

"They didn't tie up enough loose ends," Jones complained. "Like with Meg riding off on the back of the motorcycle with the little punk next door. Where is that going? Is she going to make him stop at the next corner and get off, I hope?"

No, Price answers, Meg's ride will take her far away from the Philadelphia suburbs. That is, it will if the series gets its fourth season.

"When we last saw her in the television show, she had gotten onto the back of a bad boy's motorcycle and started driving to Berkeley. We'll pick her up in Berkeley in 1967 in the middle of the anti-war movement. Her family in Philadelphia is waiting for her to come home, in fact sending one of their family members to go bring her home."

Price gave a few more indications of what will happen on the show if a fourth season gets a green light from NBC.

"In our show it will be January of 1967 when we start the show in season four," he said. "We intend to pick up where we left off, with the character of JJ (Will Estes), the returned Marine, now working for a company that has a bid making the spacesuits for the Apollo program. So this show will very closely follow the space program, including in January of 1967 that tragic fire on the Apollo 1 mission killing three astronauts."

Price is encouraged that the network is talking with him and that the show's sets are still standing. He said "Dreams" has a "better than fighting chance" now at renewal, thanks to its fans.

"If your readers are asking whether the letters make a difference, indeed they do," Price said. "When they write those postcards to NBC in Burbank or when they e-mail to AmericanDreams@nbcuni.com, literally somebody sits there counting. Last week there were 4,000 e-mails. There is an online petition that has over 20,000 signatures."

He suggests sending postcards to the attention of NBC Entertainment President Kevin Riley (NBC, 3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91523).

"I think old-fashioned postcards work the best," Price said. "You know why? Because you can see them. You can feel them. You can touch them. They can dump them on someone's desk." (Source: Mobile Register)

USA Today: The TV Show Survivors/Victims

*** Please Note NBC has not confirmed this news nor could I find anything on the USA Today Website***

USA Today and AICN have revealed which scripted shows are dead, which will live on when the new season of shows begins in September, and which may or may not be back. Final decisions for some still aren't set but for the most part they seem to be locked in.

High profile renewals that are certain include: "24", "Alias", "Boston Legal", "Charmed", "Cold Case", "Crossing Jordan", "Desperate Housewives", "ER", "Gilmore Girls", "Grey's Anatomy", "House", "Joey", "Las Vegas", "Lost", "Malcolm in the Middle", "Medium", "Numb3rs", "The OC", "One Tree Hill", "The Simpsons", "Reba", "Scrubs", "Smallville", "7th Heaven", "That 70's Show", "Veronica Mars", "The West Wing", "Without a Trace" all three "CSI", and all four "Law & Order".

Cancellation wise most of the ones going are shows which failed to launch with the new season or others which only did ok. Long running shows ending for this season include "Enterprise", "JAG", "Third Watch", "NYPD Blue", "American Dreams" and "Everbody Loves Raymond". More recently launched titles like "Point Pleasant", "North Shore", "LAX", "Jake in Progress" and "Medical Investigation" are all gone.

Still undecided for now are such high profile titles as "Will & Grace", "Judging Amy", "8 Simple Rules", "Arrested Development", "Jack & Bobby", "Kevin Hill", "The Office" and "Summerland". You can however have a say by voting in online poll. If you can't see your favourite show in this list, be sure to click here for the full one. Source: http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/050413l.php)

Philly-born star says 'American Dreams' not dead yet

The fact that NBC chose to run Dreams' season-finale episode March 30 instead of a quickly produced alternative ending for the whole series bodes well for the struggling third-year drama, he says.

"I view it as a positive sign," says Verica, who plays patriarch Jack Pryor. "Our executive producer [Jonathan Prince] didn't want the alternate ending. He felt it would be the final nail in our coffin."

As the cast began production on the season finale in late February, NBC asked the producers to shoot an alternative ending that would tie up the story lines, according to Verica, 40, a Haverford High alum.

The acclaimed Dreams, set in Philly during the 1960s, revolves around the Pryor family. Dick Clark's American Bandstand serves as a backdrop, and Clark is an exec producer.

In the season cliffhanger, viewers saw Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) defy her father by riding off to California with her draft-dodger boyfriend on his motorcycle.

The 12-minute alternative ending takes place three years later. On the day of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, Meg returns home and faces her family.

That segment "felt thrown together, not really thought out," Verica says. "I'm glad it didn't air."

After production wrapped, "we all left not knowing which one would run. It was very strange not to know. Everything was so abrupt." About a week before broadcast, the cast was told.

Meanwhile, Dreams' fate won't be known until NBC announces its fall schedule to advertisers next month. The show "has a shot, but it's a long shot," says a high-ranking NBC executive.

As for fan reaction, Verica is surprised by the e-mail campaign to save Dreams.

"A lot of times, people say they love a show, but for someone to actually sit down at the computer and put something into action is a different thing.

"A family show like this, as a period piece, hits a chord with a lot of people who care about quality TV. You can't watch CSI with your 6-year-old. You can watch our show with anybody in your family."

Verica and the cast are under contract for three more years, but if NBC whacks Dreams, they can do other projects.

Gail O'Grady, who plays Pryor's wife, Helen, shot an ABC pilot about women selling real estate called Hot Properties. (See rip-off, Desperate Housewives.)

Verica plans to direct an independent film in the fall - possibly in our town.

Tentatively titled All This Falling, it's about a young writer who returns to his hometown of Easton, Pa., for his mother's funeral, hoping to figure out his own life. (Article By Gail Shister Inquirer Columnist)

American Dreams Cries "S.O.S."!

In last week's tumultuous season finale, Meg rode off to an uncertain future in California on the back of a motorcycle, leaving behind a family in Philadelphia divided by issues of war and peace circa 1966.

"I was trying so hard to break people's hearts with the truth," says executive producer Jonathan Prince, who oversaw an episode as uncompromising as it was honest, a send-off meant to send a message. "I wanted to have the network executives and [viewers] say in the end, 'We've got to keep this show on the air.'"

Here's hoping that NBC considers how crushed the show's 7.5 million viewers will be if the network cancels this modestly rated but life-affirming family drama. It may not have sustained a level of greatness in its three seasons, but it's been consistently endearing, ambitious and layered. (Plus it had a beat you could dance to.)

In an era when families have far too few viewing options and legislators decry indecency, there needs to be room on a broadcast network's schedule for a quality series that rakes in more goodwill and admiration than revenue.

Have a heart, NBC. Save American Dreams.

In defense of American Dreams

I was reading a few weeks back that NBC had decided to move it’s family period drama American Dreams to Wednesday nights. Some buzz was this was not a good sign. It meant to some that NBC was cutting the show loose, not planning a fourth season for Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) and her family in Philly. I didn’t know why this little scheduling change was such cause to believe the show had lost it’s network support. What was the big deal about Wednesdays? Then, a few weeks after that, I recognized the big about Wednesdays. Lost. NBC had moved American Dreams opposite ABC’s huge hit, Lost. Yeah, probably not a good sign.

So will American Dreams come back to face Lost next year? Will it come back at all? Forget about why that plane crashed on that island, the mystery of American Dreams’ future is what concerns me right now. My hope is NBC will put the modest ratings aside and realize they have in AD a drama which doesn’t involve law, order, medicine, dead bugs or punch lines about sex. This is the show I can point to when my mom says the only thing on TV these days is “murder, reality, or crude sitcoms” – nothing for families.

American Dreams is breath of fresh air. It’s not the greatest show on television, but it’s a very entertaining, engaging, original, and well-acted hour drama which offers first-rate family conflicts, great period elements, a chance for us to see our own current events discussed in analogy-form, and also, some darn good music. I’ve only seen two episodes of American Dreams, the last two of the season, in fact, but that was enough to get me saying out loud “Man, they cannot cancel this show!

For the uninitiated, which, again, I admit, I am more or less myself, American Dreams tells the story of Meg Pryor, the smart, headstrong, “typical teen” eldest daughter of a close-knit Catholic family. The first three seasons have tracked her journey from teenybopper to thoughtful, politically aware young adult in 60s Philadelphia.

Meg’s whole family, in fact, serves a microcosm of the era, the good and the bad. Mom Helen (Gail O’Grady) explores her potential outside of the home. Dad Jack (Tom Verica) and his business partner Henry (Jonathan Adams) run a mom-and-pop store decades away from being run out of town by Wal-Mart. That’s the good side. But on the bad side, both Helen and Jack contend with what the changing times has done to their family and their kids: JJ (Will Estes) who did a tour in Vietnam and Meg, again, is taking off with her boyfriend who Jack declares “a coward.” On the other hand, Henry, who is African American, sees the times not changing quickly enough sometimes, as his son Sam (Arlen Escarpeta), Meg’s friend, still has to contend with second-class citizen treatment too often.

All of these events are set against the best soundtrack on TV- though, I’m a Motown maniac, so maybe I’m not unbiased enough to judge. (And the fact the show had someone playing high priestess of soul Nina Simone once is reason enough for me to love it…). Meg and her buddy Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) dance on American Bandstand, and the songs on Bandstand are often shown in real clips from the 60s, or performed by famous current singers in what is one of the show’s unique elements. For instance, The Duff sisters appear as the Shangra-Las, Brandy Norwood shows up as Gladys Knight. You get the drift. Others who have appeared include two American Idols (Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia) a Destiny’s Child (Kelly Rowland) a country diva (LeeAnn Rimes), an alt diva (Alanis Morrisette) an R&B diva(Monica) and several groups including Third Eye Blind and this season, Fountains of Wayne. The result is instant multi-generational appeal, baby boomers want to hear the songs (many which aren’t covered by guest stars but just played in the background…) and teens want to see their favorites.

Another in the plus column, for those of you who are counting.

NBC has had its own time of transition this year, if you want to make the analogy to the sixties. A lot of their staples have gone, they’ve yet to find a new hit comedy, and the shows the top 10 which they used to own is now a land, many weeks, out of reach. More bad sitcoms and a new Law & Order seem to be their only response. Keeping an original quality program that isn’t giving them big numbers will probably not be their next move. Instead, I expect to see NBC make the first really bad cancellation they’ve made in a while. I expect to see, next season, Wednesday (or Sundays) at 8PM, more “murder, reality, or crude sitcoms” as my mom would say. And as for the Pryors, well, I’m thinking the only place we’ll see them is in our own dreams…or on dvd. (From @N-Zone Magazine)

Whoa: Lawrence, Fields Take 'Bow' at WB

In other pilot casting moves, CBS has signed Katherine Waterston for its untitled Marsh McCall comedy, and Kel Mitchell will join AJ Calloway in "The Show" at UPN.

Joseph "Don't Call Me Joey" Lawrence, former "Facts of Life" star Kim Fields and Charles Duckworth have signed on to The WB's "Bow," which follows the rapper formerly known as Lil' Bow Wow, and less formerly as Bow Wow, as he becomes an adult and starts to take charge of his own life.

Lawrence, who starred in the Frog's "Run of the House" last season, will play Bow's agent, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor whose cry of "Whoa!" set teenage hearts aflutter on "Blossom" in the early 1990s also starred in the Oxygen movie "Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber" and had a recurring part on NBC's "American Dreams."

Fields, who played Tootie on "The Facts of Life" and also starred in "Living Single," will play Bow's mother. Her recent credits include guest appearances on "One on One" and Lifetime's "The Division."

Duckworth, who will play Bow's best friend, has appeared in the feature "thirteen" and on such shows as "ER" and "Wanda at Large."

At CBS, Waterston -- the daughter of "Law & Order" star Sam -- will star opposite Jonathan Silverman and Reid Scott in the McCall comedy. It's about three siblings who take care of their dad when their mother leaves him.

Finally, Mitchell will play BET host Calloway's producer and friend in UPN's "The Show with AJ Calloway," a fictionalized portrait of Calloway's life with a late-night show standing in for his real-life gig as host of BET's "106 & Park." Mitchell, best known for the Nickelodeon series "Kenan & Kel," currently co-hosts the syndicated show "Dance 360."

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, March 30, 2005

FOX took the crown among adults 18-49 with a 5.4 rating, topping ABC's 4.7. NBC's 3.1 was third in the key demographic. CBS averaged 2.8, UPN 1.6 and The WB 1.3.

"Lost" dominated the 8 p.m. hour with a 10.7/17. CBS was a distant second with "60 Minutes," 6.5/10, while FOX took third with "That '70s Show," 4.8/8, and "The Simple Life 3," 4.8/8. NBC's "American Dreams" was fourth, not too far ahead of "America's Next Top Model," 3.8/6, on UPN. The WB showed a repeat of "Smallville."

Sweet 'Dreams'

While fans, sniffing cancellation in the airwaves, have been waging a campaign of earnest e-mails on its behalf, they may be tilting at network windmills. NBC has been silent on the show's fate, but the ratings have spoken loudly: Demolished on Sundays by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, it's now sinking beneath the crushing weight of Lost on Wednesdays.

If American Dreams does slip from prime time's mortal coil into the afterlife of cable repeats and DVD releases, this season will have lost one of its finest, if flawed, hours. Because, even at its most pedestrian, American Dreams -- like the doomed Once and Again, and Freaks and Geeks before it -- attempts to show three-dimensional characters that most people might actually recognize from their daily lives.

After all, the number of TV viewers who are forensic scientists, homicide detectives, prosecutors, defense attorneys, big-city hospital docs or desperate housewives trying to solve a murder is absurdly small. And, as wonderful as Six Feet Under and The Sopranos are, chances are if your family is a 10th as twisted as these, you're probably not watching much TV anyway because your home life has way too much drama already.

Instead, American Dreams, set in the early and mid-1960s, offers the Pryors, a white, Catholic, working-class Philadelphia family coping with the decade's rapid and confusing changes. Jack (Tom Verica), owner of a small TV store, is an old-school patriarch. Helen (Gail O'Grady) is the dutiful wife raising four all-American kids: track and football star J.J. (Will Estes); bubbly Meg (Brittany Snow), who'd like nothing better than to dance her life away on American Bandstand; know-it-all Patty (Sarah Ramos); and Will (Ethan Dampf), who's recovering from polio.

But this bubble of picture-perfect-yet-hardscrabble domesticity can't be shielded from the outside world. African-American Henry Walker (Jonathan Adams), who works for Jack, is beginning to question his role at the bottom of the food chain.

Meanwhile, his son, Sam (Arlen Escarpeta), and nephew, Nathan (Keith Robinson), take their growing awareness in different, and sometimes conflicting, directions. Sam wants to go to college and push the system forward from within, while Nathan has more radical, Afrocentric ideas.

There's also the looming shadow of the Vietnam War, which Jack and J.J. support -- J.J. signs up for a tour of duty -- while Meg becomes increasingly vocal against it. At the same time, Helen begins to wonder if her life has moved beyond packing lunches and making dinner.

With such ingredients, it would be easy for American Dreams to be consistently ham-fisted -- especially considering creator/producer Jonathan Prince's unvarnished liberalism. Yet Jack and his cop brother, Pete (Matt Armstrong), are never conservative caricatures but deeply developed characters. By contrast, some of Meg's anti-war friends -- such as brooding boyfriend Chris (Milo Ventimiglia) -- come off as hollow and insincere.

Sam and Meg, who both enjoy an interest in music, have long shared an unspoken emotional connection. (Internet fans even dubbed them "Smeg" because they seemed like such an obvious couple.) But the barrier of race has kept them apart for three seasons, and Prince is not succumbing to some feel-good Kumbaya moment. When Meg recently confessed to her usually even-tempered brother J.J. -- who himself crossed the color line during the war with a Vietnamese woman -- that she might be having feelings for Sam, he exploded like a mortar shell.

It's this shifting sand of emotions and loyalties that makes American Dreams so satisfying. The complexities of race and war are rarely dealt with in weekly prime time, and that American Dreams does this -- even if it's set safely in the past instead of a more pointed present -- gives it texture.

In this sense, it very much parallels another NBC show from just over a decade ago that failed to find a mass audience, I'll Fly Away.

Set in the early '60s Deep South, it too was the story of white and black families held together yet pushed apart by history and happenstance. Created by the team of Joshua Brand and John Falsey (Northern Exposure, St. Elsewhere) and starring Sam Waterston and Dallas' Regina Taylor, I'll Fly Away -- inexplicably still not available on DVD -- was more sharply written than American Dreams.

With the civil rights movement as its backdrop, the story of by-the-book small-town prosecutor Forrest Bedford (Waterston) and his maid, Lily Harper (Taylor), I'll Fly Away had moments of pure literary grace. (Thankfully, I'll Fly Away came along before the specter of such blatant product placement as the Campbell Soup essay-contest plot point in American Dreams.)

But that, along with a shelf full of awards, wasn't enough to avoid cancellation after 38 episodes (a wrap-up sequel later aired on PBS).

It's funny: Americans say they want quality family programming, but when they get it, they flip the channel in favor of the grisly CSI or Fear Factor.

Part of the problem is that viewers tend to shy away from period pieces, but Prince tried to soften the blow by having well-known contemporary pop stars guest-star on American Dreams, playing musical heroes of the day.

This season alone, John Legend was Stevie Wonder, Fountains of Wayne were the Hollies, and Everclear's Art Alexakis appears tonight playing Country Joe & the Fish's I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die. Music seemed to be the show's original flashpoint -- NBC pushed this side of it relentlessly during the first season, and some hardcore pop fans fumed about songs being played with no respect for their actual release dates.

But music, while still an integral part of American Dreams, has rightfully receded in importance, taking a back seat to stories of growing up in troubling times and seeing the parallels with our own.

Prince has said he has a 10-year arc for American Dreams, taking the Pryors and Walkers to the cusp of the '70s. But even if American Dreams gets a stay of execution -- NBC head Jeff Zucker is a big admirer -- it's doubtful Prince will have several years to take his characters on their life journeys.

And when American Dreams goes dark, it may be down to a hardy few like Everwood, The Gilmore Girls and Jack & Bobby -- none of them ratings blockbusters -- to remind us that TV families don't need to coast by with empty heads and smart mouths. They can have brains and hearts, too.

Letter of Support from Jonathan Prince

For reference, you can get updates on the email campaign at: www.americandreamsfanclub.com/dreamalive.htm and You can find the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/SaveAD/petition.html

* * * * * * * * * * * *
To the Friends and Fans of "American Dreams"

When I first wrote the pilot script for our show, I had no idea where the series might lead. (In fact, I had no idea we'd even make the pilot at all) But I knew that I wanted to create a show about families. A show about raising children. A show that might provide a safe place for families to sit and watch together. One that provokes discussion and provides an entertaining and emotional distraction. An hour to get your son off the Xbox, your daughter off her text-messaging, and you and your spouse away from the TIVO…

And "American Dreams" has become that show to so many of you. You, our friends and fans, are connected to the Pryors and the Walkers. You recognize these families that are struggling, but surviving in the difficult times of the 1960’s. Little did I know that because of the tragedy of 9/11 and the war in Iraq, and because of the continued struggle for the rights of women and minorities in the workplace, that our period piece about the 60’s would be one of the most relevant shows on television.

You embrace our fictional families with a flesh and blood connection that feels so very real. (Much in the same way I do.) You worried about JJ in Viet Nam. You get angry with Jack. You feel for Henry. You pray for Helen. You get annoyed with Patty. You hope the best for Meg. You're happy she has Roxanne. You empathize with these characters, as you and your family struggle to survive our own challenging time in history.

You love the actors and the writing. You love the music and the pop culture. You love the classic artists and today’s artists re-interpreting the great songs of the 60’s. You love the way the show makes you feel, while you're watching it… and for a while afterwards. How it makes you feel about the characters in the show, about the stories, and maybe even about your own family.

You love the same things about this show that I do. And when I read your comments on line, I'm moved by them. Influenced by them. Grateful that you're watching and writing and critiquing and commenting.

Your support has meant so much to me. And to our cast and crew.

Please keep it up. You can make a difference. Your emails and postcards are being heard and read. In fact, I recently printed the latest version of one of your on-line petitions, and plunked the 550 page document on the President of NBC's desk! So spread the word, have people add their names to that petition, as I will do it again some time in April.

You can help me keep this show on the air. Whether it’s on Sundays or Wednesdays or whatever night NBC deems right…

And this week, if you're moved to do so, please send your emails after the show, (to AmericanDreams@nbcuni.com.) The folks at NBC are listening, they are looking to see this Thursday morning if we really do have the kind of organized fan support that I've been bragging about.

I hope you enjoy this Wednesday’s Season Finale. I hope it breaks your heart a little bit. I hope it leaves you longing for more.

With gratitude,

Jonathan Prince

TV Guide: America Needs Meg (Contains Spoilers)

Television characters aren't real, but our attachment to them is. With that in mind, I hope we haven't seen the last of plucky protagonist Meg Pryor, the headstrong, idealistic teen daughter on "American Dreams", played so convincingly by winsome actress Brittany Snow.

In last week's tumultuous season finale, Meg rode off to an uncertain future in California on the back of a motorcycle, leaving behind a family in Philadelphia divided by issues of war and peace circa 1966.

"I was trying so hard to break people's hearts with the truth," says executive producer Jonathan Prince, who oversaw an episode as uncompromising as it was honest, a send-off meant to send a message. "I wanted to have the network executives and (viewers) say in the end, 'We've got to keep this show on the air'."

Here's hoping that NBC considers how crushed the show's 7.5 million viewers will be if the network cancels this modestly rated but life-affirming family drama. It may not have sustained a level of greatness in its three seasons, but it's been consistently endearing, ambitious and layered. (Plus it had a beat you could dance to.)

In an era when families have far too few viewing options and legislators decry indecency, there needs to be room on a broadcast network's schedule for a quality series that rakes in more goodwill and admiration than revenue.

Have a heart, NBC. Save "American Dreams".

Lifetime Gig For Estes

Ben Taylor On Rolling Stone

The front cover article talks about the sons and daughters of some of the rock stars from the 60's and 70's.

Ben Taylor is on the front cover. (I didn't get a chance to find much on him as I skimmed the article, but I did see a picture of him when he was little, with his sister, I can't think of her name, and his parents James Taylor and Carley Simon).

Ben Taylor is the same guy who played Cal on American Dreams, who performs at The Lair, and is friends with Beth, during the first few episodes of the Third Season.

I just thought I'd give you the news. If anyone gets a chance to visit the store, check out the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine, if anyone's interested.

IMPORTANT- new way to Save American Dreams

After the season finale airs this Wednesday night, we need to BOMBARD NBC with positive and pleading emails. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL BEFORE THE END OF THE SHOW ON WEDNESDAY. What we want to accomplish is an obvious and cohesive show of support. Between Wednesday night March 30th at 9 pm, and Thursday March 31st at 5 pm, write to:

AmericanDreams@nbcuni.com In the Subject Line, you MUST write: "SAVE OUR SHOW."

Remember, do not email this address before the show airs on Wednesday.

I have not always been supportive of writing emails to this address in the past, because I did not know if it was being closely monitored. But I have definite confirmation that NBC will be watching this Wednesday and Thursday. Write to this email address only!

Everyone's subject line should be the same, but in the body of your email, say whatever you would like NBC to know. BE PASSIONATE. Tell them why the world needs American Dreams.

Also, pass this on to anyone and everyone. Mr. Prince is hoping for hundreds and hundreds of emails, but I know you guys... we can get THOUSANDS. We can do this! KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!!!

Daphne Zuniga Gets New Show

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is the fictional story of the Kerr family - three dynamic women in transitional periods of their lives. When Sophie receives a scholarship to attend a prestigious private school in New York, the girls convince their mother that they should all move to the city from their quiet hometown in New Mexico. Recently abandoned by her husband (who left his family for his secretary), 40-year-old Lynn Kerr is up for the challenge of not only becoming a single parent to Karen (18) and Sophie (16), but giving New York a try. Sophie quickly discovers that her new high school is not the easiest place to fit in. The school is ruled by a popular crowd of wealthy society kids known as Beautiful People, the BP's. Karen, an aspiring model, and Lynn, who gets a job in a dress shop, also find the city full of challenges, but with each other's support, all three women venture on a journey of self discovery.

"Entertainment Weekly" TV's Endangered List: Last Rites of Spring

AMERICAN DREAMS

(NBC, 7.5 million viewers, down 15%) Dreams was hampered by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Now it's battling Hurricane Lost. Still, it's a likely keeper: "NBC has so many holes in its schedule that keeping it around gives them one less problem to deal with," says a network insider. (Two hammers).

Sarah Ramos (Patty) On Scrubs

SCRUBS --(9:00PM-9:30PM) --(TV-14)

"My Big Move"

TURK DEALS WITH THE REALIZATION THAT HIS BEST FRIEND MADE OUT WITH HIS WIFE AND DR. COX IS FORCED TO ASK ELLIOT FOR HELP-- Reeling after the news that J.D (Zach Braff) and Carla (Judy Reyes) kissed after a night at the bar, Turk (Donald Faison) lets the two of them decided who will take responsibility and have to deal with the silent treatment indefinitely. Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) reluctantly turns to Elliot (Sarah Chalke) for help getting through to a young, female patient (guest star Sarah Ramos, NBC's "American Dreams"). Meanwhile, Janitor (Neil Flynn) petitions Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins) for a new janitor's uniform, only to find his coworkers no longer fear him in his new threads.

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, March 23, 2005

FOX held a slight edge among the ad-friendly adults 18-49 demographic, posting a 6.4 rating to edge the 6.3 for CBS. ABC's 2.5 was good for third, beating NBC's 2.4. UPN came in at 1.6 and The WB at 1.1.

"Survivor: Palau," 10.8/17, dominated the 8 p.m. hour for CBS, nearly doubling the average of second-place ABC's "Lost" repeat (5.6/9). FOX was third with "That '70s Show," 5.2/8, and "The Simple Life 3," 5.1/8. "American Dreams" put NBC in fourth. UPN got a 3.1/6 from "America's Next Top Model," while The WB trailed with a "Smallville" rerun.

'American Dreams' awaits verdict

This month NBC moved the show to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, from Sundays. It now competes against such hits as Fox's "American Idol" and ABCs "Lost."

NBC likely won't decide the fate of the series until later this spring.

Fans of the three-old-series, which focuses on how mid-1960s turmoil affects a Philadelphia family, fell in love early when many viewers had a revelation: It might be a '60s nostalgia show, but it cleverly deals with contemporary issues. Yes, daughter Meg dances on "American Bandstand" as the Vietnam War rages. But the emotionally charged storylines were remarkably modern.

The show's creator, Jonathan Prince, told The Post his vision for the show: "The '60s tore a lot of things apart. We haven't done a good job of putting them back together. No one is telling stories on TV about how we are dealing with that legacy -- gay rights, racism and our current unjust war. This is no 'Wonder Years.'"

Prince, a Harvard grad and veteran Hollywood writer and producer, sees his show as a metaphor for the troubles facing U.S. culture today. And he brings an unabashed heart-strings-tugging point of view to the serial, which is a far cry from the cold "CSIs" and "Law & Orders" that dominate nightly drama.

"'American Dreams' leaves you satiated after an episode is over. You are better for having watched the program," said Summer Brooks, who runs a Web site (www.americandreamsfanclub.com) which is trying to save the show. "Watching 'American Dreams' is not a passive experience."

Prince's characters have been through it all: war, racism, teen pregnancy, female empowerment and the loss of innocence from both a personal and cultural perspective.

The show also has been delightfully frivolous, using current pop stars to portray '60s music icons including "American Idol's" Kelly Clarkson as Connie Francis to Usher as Marvin Gaye. Tonight's episode has modern rockers Fountains of Wayne appear as the Hollies. It is great fun, but also cleverly shows the often-neglected connection of how pop music provides the soundtrack to our lives.

Prince is preparing for both the future and for the end. In the final two episodes he sets the seeds for the series next season. Meg will work on "American Bandstand" booking acts as she holds down a TV news producer job. Her friend Roxanne will stay on Bandstand as the show's hairdresser. If the show is canceled, Prince already has filmed an ending NBC would presumably air at some point in late spring as a conclusion for fans.

Prince, however, thinks the odds are decent the show will return. Still, if "American Dreams" ends, Prince has no problem already writing its epitaph:

"If families felt something from a TV show and could comfortably sit with their kids and talk about drugs, sex, race, religion and war -- and not be preached to -- then that's the footprint we left."

TV Guide's Ask Ausiello

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Among adults 18-49, FOX's 6.1 rating led the way by a comfortable margin. CBS was second at 4.9, followed by ABC, 3.1, and NBC, 2.7. UPN averaged 1.6 and The WB 0.8.

"Survivor: Palau," airing on Wednesday to make room for NCAA tournament coverage Thursday, scored a 10.7/17 for CBS at 8 p.m. ABC grabbed second with a repeat of "Lost," 5.9/9. An hour's worth of "That '70s Show" on FOX came in third, ahead of "American Dreams," 4.1/6, on NBC. "America's Next Top Model," 3.5/5, finished fifth, and a "Smallville" rerun on The WB brought up the rear.

Want decent family TV? Then help save 2 shows

Take the Parents Television Council, which says it has one million members. Nattering nabobs of negativism, they spend most of their time howling about the dire state of TV, picking one risque incident here and one tasteless epithet there, and flooding the Federal Communications Commission with complaints.

Guys, here's a chance to be positive for a change: Two of the shows you love, 8 p.m. dramas that ooze family and moral values from every scene, are hanging by cobwebs, though still not canceled.

The threads holding NBC's American Dreams and CBS's Joan of Arcadia on the air would snap even before Alias' Sydney Bristow could climb back to safety. But, aided by the shrill cries of the council, as well as thousands of other less politicized viewers, rescue may still be possible.

Last month, NBC cut the production of Dreams, the moving story of a Philadelphia family in the '60s, when the times, they were a-changin'. Last week, the network moved the show from Sundays to Wednesdays. Despite powerful story lines and a soundtrack that in a single show can include everything from Paul Butterfield to Paul Revere and the Raiders, with Bob Dylan in between, Dreams couldn't keep up with the joy and bathos of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Dreams will wrap its third season running Wednesdays at 8 through the end of the month.

Joan of Arcadia, a surprise hit last year, bumps along on Fridays, dwindling in the ratings despite a close connection to God. He doesn't just return the producers' phone calls. He also shows up on-screen every week, in different guises, to push teenager Joan Girardi down paths that not only lead to spiritual awareness and self-discovery, but are also just plain fascinating.

March Madness basketball blankets CBS the next couple of weeks. Joan will return April 1, with four consecutive new episodes before the curtain falls for the season.

Gorgeously acted by multigenerational casts, with voices unheard anywhere else in prime time, the shows are unique: satisfying for adults, with strong hooks for preteen and older children. But neither will make a peep during the sweeps in May, when networks go all out to maximize viewership - and when the new fall lineups are announced.

Joan ranks No. 1 with the council, for family-friendly programming, "uplifting without being saccharine," says the endorsement. Dreams comes in No. 9 on the Top 10 list, which, it must be acknowledged, includes Home Edition (No. 6) as well as such dramatically mediocre fare as the WB's 7th Heaven and a couple of Pax programs.

A sad message in the ratings decline of both Joan (tied for 72d place among 182 major network shows) and Dreams (tied for 79th) is that Americans in general don't much like complex TV drama unless it contains a dose of sex or violence. But the Parents Television Council wields power, even if it doesn't always reflect popular taste. (CBS's CSI, television's No. 1 drama, and Two and a Half Men, the No. 2 comedy, are on its Worst 10 list.)

And there are some important, receptive ears at both networks. Jeff Zucker, president of NBC Universal Television Group - the big boss - swears up and down the flagpole (when Fear Factor contestants aren't slipping off the pig grease on it) that American Dreams is his favorite show.Nina Tassler developed Joan of Arcadia before being named president of CBS Entertainment last year.

Networks can make money besides selling just raw ratings. You don't think they could get a premium from advertisers by pushing Dreams' and Joan's quality and family appeal?

Trekkies have raised millions of dollars in a worldwide appeal to keep the Starship Enterprise flying, or whatever it does. Family-oriented folks should be able to beat that effort for Joan and Dreams.

Near the top of the council's home page (www.parentstv.org) is a link that says, "File an FCC Complaint." For the next two months, the group could give up its role that by comparison makes Dreams' bratty tattler Patty Prior look like an angel. It could change the click to a direct, Don't-Cancel-Dreams line to Zucker, and add another urging the renewal of Joan that goes to Leslie Moonves, copresident and co-chief operating officer of Viacom Inc., which owns CBS.

Postcards - not letters - can make an effective flank attack, both for council folk and the rest of the people in the world who would like to act independently to support TV that is both entertaining and important. Flood the honchos' mailboxes at the addresses in the accompanying box.

And don't feel as if it's a big waste of time. How can you give up on family television, when it can offer so much? Be like Joan, who goes with God even when he gets her so confused, she could spit.

"You feel frustrated and victimized," he told her last week. "Yet you're still talking to me. So, somehow, you know this isn't pointless."

Where to Write to Save Two Shows
For American Dreams:
Jeff Zucker, President
NBC Universal Television Group
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

For Joan of Arcadia:
Leslie Moonves
Copresident, Co-Chief Operating Officer
Viacom Inc.
CBS Television City
7800 W. Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif. 90036.

Season Program Rankings: #78 out of 180

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, March 9, 2005

FOX also led among adults 18-49, posting a 6.8 rating in the demographic advertisers covet. ABC, 4.0, finished second, while CBS's 3.0 nipped NBC's 2.9 for third. UPN averaged 1.6 and The WB 0.9.

A rerun of "Lost" won the 8 p.m. hour for ABC with a 7.9/12. FOX got a 6.3/10 from two episodes of "That '70s Show," finishing just ahead of Dan Rather's CBS send-off, "A Reporter Remembers." The first Wednesday airing of "American Dreams" posted a 4.6/7 for NBC, on par with the show's season average. "America's Next Top Model" earned a 3.4/5 for UPN. The WB went with a repeat of "Smallville."

Message from Jonathan Prince!

In a Slice of the 60's, Hold the Nostalgia

The pitch continued, "What did we lose and what did we learn in those 10 years?"

That was in the summer of 2001. Now, after a five-week hiatus, the show resumes its third season but in a new time period: tonight at 8 , Eastern and Pacific times; 7, Central time. Mr. Prince, in a telephone interview from Los Angeles, said he had always imagined that "American Dreams" would be a topical show. Its plots would dramatize the whiplash-inducing changes of the 1960's before a nostalgic backdrop of the music of "American Bandstand," on which two teenage characters are dancers. He planned to end the pilot episode with the main characters - a Philadelphia family - hearing the news that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.

After Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Prince said, he realized that the show would no longer be rooted in nostalgia: that in the series's fall 2002 debut, the mourning in the aftermath of Kennedy's death would remind viewers of the days following the terrorist attacks the previous year. "After 9/11, suddenly there were people saying, 'I know what it's like to have that sense of loss in our country,' " he said. With this new idea of making "American Dreams" reflect today's political landscape, Mr. Prince went forward. " 'A nation grieves' became the first parallel," he said.

But not the last. In its two and a half years on television, "American Dreams" has illustrated the struggles of the 1960's - over roiling issues like civil rights, women in the workplace and abortion - through their effect on the show's characters. Throughout, the central character, Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow), has continued to dance on "American Bandstand," which, on the series, stands apart from the political turbulence she's witnessing.

Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment, said that narrative touchstone had allowed "American Dreams" to achieve a tonal balance between comfort and cultural disarray. "It started in a relatively benign place and has had to evolve with the chronology of history," he said in a recent telephone interview. "It's true to the tumult of the era, but it still leaves you with a warm feeling."

The show was moved from the Sunday slot it had occupied since its debut because after two years of decent ratings, it lost a chunk of its audience last fall to ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Mr. Reilly said he was committed to giving "American Dreams" a chance, having paired it with another topical drama, "The West Wing." "Anytime you have a show of quality that is also advertising-friendly - and there are several significant advertisers that have really backed the show - that's a business we can live with even if it's not a major hit by the numbers," he said.

In the last year, the show has focused on the Vietnam War, both overseas and on the home front, as the conflict expanded in 1965 and 1966. Meg's brother, J. J. (Will Estes), became a marine and viewers watched his experience in Vietnam. In turn, worried about his enlistment, the high school student Meg was swept up in the burgeoning antiwar movement.

In telling this 40-year-old story, Mr. Prince said, the series "became the most contemporary show on the network." He listed the analogous threads between then and now, as he has written them into the show: "This nasty little war we're fighting in '63 and '64, like the war in Iraq, starts to feel like this isn't going to be a quickie. You have a country that's divided. And if you don't agree with the Texas president, you're un-American."

To chronicle a realistic story about a soldier's experience in Vietnam, as well as how that reflected on Iraq, Mr. Prince said, he had to send J. J. away for a length of time that made him uncomfortable as a producer. But when it became clear that the United States military was not leaving Iraq anytime soon, he decided it was safe to put J. J. in combat for a year to show "the grunt's-eye view," he said.

In episodes that began last January, J. J. was in Saigon and the Cambodian jungle, held captive, wounded and eventually sent home.

Sgt. Maj. James Dever, the show's military consultant and a retired marine who served in Vietnam, said in a telephone interview from California that he brought in as extras marines who had served in Iraq, to make the action scenes realistic. "Nobody has really shown the earlier version of Vietnam," Sergeant Major Dever said of "American Dreams." A lot of the Vietnam veterans I've talked to love that it shows how things were changing at home."

Through the series's family prism, what was changing at home was Meg's political awareness. In the finale of the second season, she was arrested at a protest. Last fall, she directed a school play, "Henry V," and turned it into an antiwar parable. Mr. Prince chose Meg as the activist character because "when Meg is screaming about the war, it comes from her body and her heart because of her brother," he said.

"It's not an intellectual treatise about Abbie Hoffman and the boys at Brandeis," he added. "We've seen that a million times."

Mr. Prince described his political bent without hedging: "I'm a staunch left-leaning liberal Democrat." But he said the show wasn't meant to reflect those views. "The red states think that this is their show, because it's about family values," he said. "And the blue states think it's their show because it's about a sister protesting an unjust war that her brother's fighting in. I'm content to live on both sides of the aisle."

He will need viewers of all party affiliations to watch "American Dreams" for the rest of the season if it is to be renewed. He said he was hopeful. "I've produced a lot of shows, and I've had a lot of failures," he said. "And I know how and when to give up. With this one, I can't give up."

Ask Matt by Matt Roush at TVGuide.com

Matt: Let this serve as my plug to remind fans that this very enjoyable and worthwhile — but also low-rated and endangered — family drama moves to Wednesdays this week. (The good news, such as it is: Lost is a repeat, but it will probably still crush NBC's terrific little '60s show.) Fact is: It was being clobbered on Sundays by another ABC show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, so this is basically a case of trying something new, trading one bad situation for another. (This is the time period where Ed struggled for viewers yet survived for several seasons, so maybe it's not such a dead end.) By all accounts, including first-hand conversations I've had, NBC loves this show and advertisers love this show, but the loyal base of viewers is alarmingly low. There are four more episodes left this season, so enjoy them, spread the word, and hope for a miracle come May when the new season is announced. Dreams has been "on the bubble" for most of its time on the air, so (not unlike Ed) it's actually pretty amazing it has made it through three seasons.

Keep The Postcards Coming!

She also mentioned that neither calling nor emailing have as great of an effect. Emails are not always sent to Jeff Zucker's office, and sometimes they are just too busy to take calls. So keep those postcards coming!!!

WE ARE BEING HEARD-- SO KEEP IT UP! (Click here for info on the Post Card Writing Campaign)

I couldn't be happier, I am in awe of all of you for your hard work!
Leigh

Brittany's 'The Pacifier' Number 1

According to Exhibitor Relations reports, "Pacifier" beat "Be Cool," which earned $23.5 mil in second place. It turns out that "Pacifier" is one of Diesel's best-ever openings, and "Cool's" second place spot is one of John Travolta's best-ever openings.

Proving he can open a family comedy as easily as a high-action film, Diesel's past personal bests have been "XXX" at $44.5 mil and "Fast and the Furious" opening at $40 mil. The ensemble war film "Saving Private Ryan," which he was in, opened at $30.5 mil and more recently, "The Chronicles of Riddick" captured $24.3 mil its opening weekend.

Travolta's past best includes "Face/Off" at $23.4 mil, "The General's Daughter" at $22.3 mil and "Ladder 49" at $22 mil. The original hit film "Get Shorty," which has some of the same characters from "Be Cool," opened at $12.7 mil and ended up making $72 mil total.

Third place this weekend went to Will Smith's comedy "Hitch" which took in $12.5 mil and last week's best opener, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," fell to fourth place, dropping 45 percent and bringing in $12 mil.

This year's best picture, "Million Dollar Baby," was the only film in the top 10 that had an increase from last week, getting a 16 percent boost and making $8.5 mil in fifth place, for a cumulative $76.9 mil at the box office.

The biggest percentage drop this weekend was for "Man of the House," which fell 61 percent, from fifth to eighth place, earning $3.5 mil and $13 mil total, and "Cursed" which fell 60 percent from the fourth to seventh spot, making $3.8 mil and earning a total of $15 mil.

Next week, the animated film "Robots" opens against the Bruce Willis action film "Hostage" and a re-release tamer version of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

New Will Estes / Rachel Boston Interview

Also Also coming soon to tommy2.net.... Have you ever wanted to hear the complete versions of the musical performers that have been on AD??? Well, coming soon tommy2.net will have the American Dreams juke box. It will be a place to listen to the complete versions of these songs. From Michelle Branch to Jojo to Joss Stone tommy2.net will have them. Look for this in the next few weeks!

Dick Clark Rehabilitation Continues

Yelena Shuster Wins $100,000 in NBC's 'American Dreams,' Campbell Soup Company and Scholastic National Essay Contest

The essay contest asked participants to describe, "How does your American Dream compare to that of your parents"? The contest was open to teenagers 13- 18 who are in grades 9-12. Shuster received a telephone call today from Scholastic alerting her that she had won.

"I am very honored to have been selected as the winner of this contest," said Shuster. "I am grateful to Campbell's Tomato Soup, NBC and Scholastic for their efforts, as the prize money will make it easier for me to work toward achieving my dreams."

Shuster's first-person essay impressed the panel with her rich and compassionate tribute to her wise Ukrainian grandmother -- or "babushka." A senior in high school, Shuster plans on studying journalism and English at one of the several colleges from which she awaits word of acceptance, including Harvard, Columbia, Wellesley, Stanford, Pomona Colleges, UCLA and the University of California at Berkeley. What she likes most about "American Dreams" is the music and "American Bandstand" performances by contemporary artists who portray classic 1960s icons.

Brittany Snow, who plays Meg Pryor on the "American Dreams" series, will join executives from Campbell's Tomato Soup and Scholastic at Campbell Soup Company's world headquarters in Camden, N.J. to award Shuster her $100,000 check. The check presentation will be broadcast during the credits at the end of the March 9 episode of "American Dreams."

In addition to Campbell's Tomato Soup awarding $100,000 to the grand prizewinner, Shuster's school, Hebrew Academy, will receive one million Campbell's Labels for Education(TM) labels.

The essay contest, which launched in August 2004, asked teenagers in grades 9-12 nationwide to write an essay on "How does your American Dream compare to that of your parents?" The contest was then mirrored in a storyline on NBC's "American Dreams" drama series and was promoted nationwide on Campbell's Tomato Soup cans in addition to being part of a Scholastic in- school educational program. Representatives from Scholastic, NBC and Campbell judged the entries.

Scholastic Marketing Partners, a division of Scholastic, that publishes Instructor Magazine, and develops custom supplementary educational materials for schools, developed a multi-faceted and interactive program that included in-school and online curriculum for teachers and for students. These materials were distributed to more than 11 million teens in 60,000 high school classrooms.

The effort adds new meaning to enhanced, interactive television and marks the first time that a television program was wedded to a branded product in such a partnership. The campaign included a cross-promotional effort that projected the creative storyline into real-time activity allowing "American Dreams" viewers to both watch and participate. At the same time, teenagers around the country were benefiting from an in-school curriculum program that teaches the history of the period while promoting inter-generational dialogue.

"American Dreams" is from NBC Universal Television Studio. Dick Clark ("American Bandstand"), Jonathan Prince ("Wilder Days"), and David Semel ("Beverly Hills 90210) are the executive producers.

Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) is a global manufacturer and marketer of high quality soup, sauces, beverage, biscuit, confectionery and prepared food products. The Company is 135 years old, with nearly $7 billion in annual sales and a portfolio of more than 20 market-leading brands. For more information on the company, visit Campbell's website on the Internet at http://www.campbellsoup.com.

Scholastic Corporation (Nasdaq: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school- based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, http://www.scholastic.com.

The NBC Agency, founded in November 1999, is a multi award-winning advertising team that made "Must See TV" a household slogan and reinforced the term "appointment television" for NBC programming. It is a unique, full- service advertising agency servicing the advertising and promotional needs of all NBC-Universal owned entities, which include entertainment, news, sports and corporate divisions of NBC as well as the cable, Internet and syndicated properties and brands that the company owns or holds an equity interest in, such as CNBC, MSNBC and MSNBC.com, Bravo, USA, SCI FI, Trio, Telemundo and NBC-Universal Television Distribution.

Copyrights Keep TV Shows off DVD

The show, which centered on a fledging radio station with a nerdy news director and wild disc jockeys, had a lively soundtrack, playing tunes from rock 'n' rollers like Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Elton John and the Eagles.

For many TV shows, costs to license the original music for DVD are prohibitively high, so rights owners replace the music with cheaper tunes, much to the irritation of avid fans. And some shows, like WKRP, which is full of music, will probably never make it to DVD because of high licensing costs.

"The indication from the studios is that we may never see (WKRP in Cincinnati) because of all the music that would have to be licensed," said David Lambert, news director of TVShowsOnDVD.com, a clearinghouse of information on TV shows released on DVD. "As the DJ spins the record as he's talking to Loni Anderson, if there is music playing even for a couple of seconds, then the people producing the DVDs would have to license it."

Fox Home Entertainment wouldn't provide an official release date for DVDs of the show.

"It's not totally dead in the water, but there is a huge obstacle of music licensing," said spokeswoman Shari Rosenblum. "It's being looked at and it's on the radar."

DVD sales are credited with driving studio growth, and TV shows on DVD have been a surprise -- and lucrative -- market, according to a September 2004 Merrill Lynch report. The report estimates that consumer spending on TV DVDs will grow from $2.3 billion in 2004 to $3.9 billion in 2008.

But serious fans want the whole show, not mangled scenes missing critical music.

"The fans don't want syndicated cuts. They don't want the songs replaced. They don't want anything censored for political correctness. They want to see it in the way they originally saw it broadcast, enjoyed it and fell in love with it," Lambert said. "You can almost always count on some music replacement. We've got entire theme songs being replaced."

There are plenty of examples, he said. The original theme song for the show Married ... With Children -- "Love and Marriage" sung by Frank Sinatra -- was replaced on the third-season DVD. Fans also complained when the song "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues was missing from a critical scene in the Wiseguy DVD set. The second-season DVD sets of Quantum Leap and Northern Exposure both contain noticeable music replacements. And DVD distributors don't always reveal on the box cover that music has been replaced, either.

Only selected episodes from the first season of Ally McBeal have been released in the United States because of the high cost of music licensing. But in the United Kingdom, where different licensing deals have been struck, viewers can order all five seasons of the show.

"I think the studios are a bit shortsighted," Lambert said. "A lot of fans -- if they understood the situation -- would gladly wait a little longer and pay a little more to get the complete, original version."

However, there are exceptions. Moonlighting is one of the success stories. After more than two years of lobbying by fans, the first two seasons of the show are scheduled for release this May with the music intact.

"I was unwilling to replace the music," said Moonlighting creator and executive producer Glenn Gordon Caron, who now produces Medium. "I felt that was integral to the show. That really stymied its video and DVD release for years."

At one point, Anchor Bay Entertainment, one of the DVD distributors that held the rights, suggested cherry-picking the episodes, releasing only those that didn't contain music.

"I said, 'That's absurd. I have no interest in you doing this,'" Caron said.

Navigating music licensing issues can be more difficult for shows where the music experience is central. The producers of one current show, American Dreams, went to extraordinary lengths to prepare the show for DVD.

American Dreams centers on a family in Philadelphia in the tumultuous 1960s. Motown tunes and folk songs play throughout. Two of the teenage characters regularly dance on American Bandstand, and the show includes some classic footage from the '60s show. It also re-creates the Bandstand experience, with modern stars like Usher playing Marvin Gaye and Hilary and Haylie Duff playing the Shangri-Las, among others.

For the release of the first-season DVD last fall, executive producer Jonathan Prince watched every episode again and rated the importance of every song in each episode. A "1" meant the song could not be replaced; a "5" was unimportant to the story.

Prince kept music he deemed critical to particular scenes, as well as performances of guest stars and music for the Bandstand dancers. But some background songs -- when the kids get ready for the prom, for instance -- were replaced with "cheaper needle-drops" from the '60s. Prince said he doubted even hard-core fans would notice the difference.

"I'm a music freak. This matters to me," Prince said. "We probably kept 80 percent of our music."

"If they can't promise that the music is part of the DVD, you're going to have pissed-off fans," Prince added. Music is so critical to shows, it would be like "watching 90210 without Luke," he said.

Brittany Interview At TeenHollywood.com

E! Online's Fifth Annual Save One Show Poll

Prince Fights for His 'Dreams'

Almost 20 years later, Prince is the creator and show-runner of American Dreams, which is in its third season on NBC. Dreams is in trouble, and he is campaigning to save it. Season-to-date, it has a mediocre 2.5 average rating among 18-49s, dangerously below the average of two shows already cancelled by NBC this season: LAX, with 2.6, and Father of the Pride, with 3.0.

The network's decision could come anytime in the next few months. Persuading network execs to keep a show is a daunting task, but Prince is ready.

SEASONED PLAYER

The son of an eye doctor and a schoolteacher, Prince attended Beverly Hills High School, where he got to know Shawn Cassidy and Nicolas Cage. He majored in English at Harvard but also took courses in conflict resolution and diplomacy-essential skills, he says, for any television producer.

He started in TV in 1982 as a production assistant on several of Dick Clark's Whatever Became of. celebrity specials. Throughout the early '80s, Prince struggled as an actor, mostly playing precocious kids. Feeling that his repertoire was limited, he decide to go behind the camera.

Meeting Burns was a turning point; after finishing work on 18 Again, he moved into TV, learning to write, direct and produce. His credits include shows from MTM (Annie McGuire and City) and Witt-Thomas (Lenny and Blossom). Prince also perfected his pitch technique. From 1994 to 2002, he helped create and run more than a dozen other pilots, series and specials, such as Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, Youth in Revolt and Grown Ups.

Prince turned to drama in 2002 with American Dreams, a vehicle that explores serious topics through the eyes of a Catholic family in Philadelphia during the 1960s. A storyline about soldiers sent to Vietnam parallels the experience of military families whose lives have been uprooted by the Iraq War. The show has also covered women's rights, voting rights for African-Americans and homophobia, relevant themes today.

"Some of our best episodes are about emotions," Prince says. "But empathy on TV isn't really a ratings-buster."

To boost the program's chances of staying on air, Prince has put considerable effort into making Dreams an ad-friendly show. "Our job is to sell Coke and cars and floor wax," he says. And he has found creative ways to do it.

VINTAGE COMMERCIALS

During the first season of American Dreams, Prince says, NBC wouldn't let him include footage from a 1963 Coke commercial, concerned that other advertisers might resent the plug. By the second season, he had persuaded the network to experiment with product placement-on the condition that it wouldn't seem out of place on the show. Vintage TV spots from Coke could appear when a character watched television. A glass of Ovaltine and a cheese sandwich using Kraft singles would be appropriate if a character wanted a snack.

Prince then took his ad-friendly quest a step farther, writing storylines around several products, including one about a Campbell Soup writing contest the company actually conducted in the '60s. (In the Dreams version, one of the characters wins.) He persuaded Campbell Soup to run the same contest in 2005, this one with much bigger prizes.

While Campbell Soup isn't paying him directly for the advertising, Prince says his show benefits: Millions of cans of soup have "Watch American Dreams" printed on their label.

Despite his efforts, it's unclear whether the ad relationships Prince has forged will influence NBC execs about the show's fate. They pulled Dreams from the schedule for the February sweeps. When it returns in March, it moves to Wednesdays at 8 p.m. opposite Lost, from its previous slot on Sundays at 8 p.m.

Prince, however, has a few tricks that could boost ratings in this season's final stretch.

CELEBRITY GUESTS

On the March 9 episode, Campbell Soup is announcing the winner of the $100,000 grand prize in the essay contest it cooked up with Prince. On March 16, Paris Hilton will play actress Barbara Eden, whom the Dreams' girls meet on the set of I Dream of Jeannie on a trip to Los Angeles.

And if Dreams returns for a fourth season, pop superstar Usher has agreed to perform on the show. (Usher has already appeared on Dreams, as have The Kinks, John Legend and other entertainers. Prince recruits top artists to sing period hits for his drama.) Prince also wants to keep addressing the cultural revolution of the 1960s, which began with the assassination of John F. Kennedy and ended with the resignation of Richard Nixon.

For now, he is cautiously optimistic about the show's future. "The good news is that NBC asked us to keep the set standing," Prince says, "so we're negotiating our lease for next year."

New Pilot For Will Estes

Rachel Boston Cast In Pilot

Virginia Madsen's Rejected Role

"Originally, I was supposed to be the catalyst for Helen to go to the university," she recalls. "[But the plot] started to look a little too controversial when I read a script where I was smokin' a joint. That was the end. They were like, 'Uh-uh!' I went from being a strong feminist to a divorced alcoholic. That's where my character was going... so we parted ways. It was OK."

Certainly, in the immediate future, you won't find the 41-year-old toast of Tinsel Town in any danger of compromising her artistic integrity (or starring in any more bombs like Hot to Trot or Zombie High). In fact, she can pore over screenplays at her leisure during breaks from shooting her next feature, The Wrong Element — a highfalutin' Harrison Ford thriller, no less!

Since Sideways intoxicated critics, she marvels, "Everything has changed in my career. I can't believe that there's so much interest in me out there now. I have this stack of scripts that are for [movies with] budgets over $1 million. That's new for my career.

"And there are more names that I recognize on scripts now," she adds. "It's nice that I'm not calling my agent saying, 'Have you got anything for me?' Now he's like, 'Why haven't you called me back? I'm sending you four scripts!' So [my prospects have radically] changed. It's like night and day."

'Gilmore's' Ventimiglia Goes Back to School for WB

Already cast are Ernest Waddell and Penn Badgely. Ventimiglia, featured in a 10-episode arc on the NBC drama "American Dreams," will next be seen starring opposite Christina Ricci in Wes Craven's feature "Cursed."

Meanwhile, former "Melrose Place" star Daphne Zuniga has been tapped for ABC Family's summer series "Beautiful People," which follows a divorced mother and her two teen daughters as they move from a small town in New Mexico to New York.

Paris In A Bottle

The '60s-era drama, which incorporates real-life musical and entertainment stars into its "American Bandstand" setting, is averaging 7.5 million viewers this season - down 1.1 million viewers from last season, according to Nielsen.

And NBC recently cut its original order of episodes this season from 19 to 17 - never a good sign.

NBC has, however, moved "Dreams" to Wednesdays at 8 beginning March 9 - hoping to attract more eyeballs in a viewer-friendly timeslot, while hoping the show won't be steamrolled by ABC's megahit "Lost."

"Dreams" has turned Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor) and Will Estes (JJ Pryor) into teen idols - and has attracted a bevy of A-list guest stars, including Chris Isaak, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Love Hewitt, LeAnn Rimes and Hilary Duff.

"We are big fans of the show, but it's too soon to say whether it will be back next season," an NBC spokesman said yesterday.

Filmmakers from Rochester working on popular NBC show

They are also helping local rock band Footage with their premiere music video and are currently in postproduction on a commercial featuring comedian Jack Black.

Christie says they want to come back to Rochester to produce a film. “We have a strong intention on coming back and shooting a feature film here, not to the extent that has been done before but a big budget film. Tens of millions of dollars film shot here; being from Rochester we really want to give back to the community.

Beginning March 9, American Dreams airs every Wednesday from 8 pm – 9 pm on NEWS 10NBC.

Can American Dreams Be Saved?

TV Guide Online: How are spirits on the set at this point?

Jonathan Prince: The cast and crew are determined to finish the year with the same joyful approach that we have every day. But to be honest, they're afraid more than anything else. They're worried that they may have to get a new job this summer, a new series. And frankly, it's rare to work so hard on something that you're so proud of, that makes so many people feel something and isn't just another franchise procedural. It's funny, our actors' desire to keep doing this show is greater than the their desire to be on a highly rated show. I think that speaks volumes about them.

TVGO: Frankly, I'd rather watch American Dreams than anything with Law or Order in the title, too. What's coming up in the next few episodes that we won't want to miss?

Prince: First, [on March 6] Meg and Roxanne graduate, and Meg and Sam try to have a romantic relationship. [They're] this white girl and black boy in the '60s... and well, people will have to tune in to see what happens. [In subsequent episodes], Bandstand goes to Hollywood, and Roxanne and Meg meet Barbara Eden [played by Paris Hilton] on the set of I Dream of Jeannie, and Meg spends the night with a group of hippies. Third, Chris (Milo Ventimiglia) returns... and Meg discovers that he was drafted.

TVGO: Let's talk musical guests.

Prince: Brian McKnight plays Stokely Carmichael... Art Alexakis of Everclear sings "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag"... John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting does an original, "If God Made You," and John Legend sings "Uptight" as Stevie Wonder...

TVGO: That's a cooler lineup than freakin' TRL. So, will you take the show to cable if NBC lowers the boom?

Prince: I can only hope that would be an option. But I'd keep making this series and air it anywhere we can — in fact, at my house.

TVGO: Do you feel, in a sense, let down by viewers who rage against sex and violence on TV, then when they finally get a quality alternative, don't watch it?

Prince: Absolutely. The desire to watch "quality family programming" is one that we all hear from viewers on a daily basis. And those who loudly proclaim the need for such network programming should use their voices to make others aware that such a show already exists and that we've aired 57 episodes of an incredibly fine series. Perhaps our challenge lies in making them, and others, aware of our show. Perhaps those who complain about the need for alternatives to the sex and violence on TV, for some reason, aren't yet aware of American Dreams.

TVGO: There you have it, people. It's now or never. Are you hopeful that the show will fare better on Wednesdays than it did on Sundays?

Prince: Sunday nights are a most difficult time slot — we were surrounded. Wednesday nights give us a very compatible and noble lead-out — The West Wing, and I am thrilled that NBC is pairing up these two very fine "American dramas." At the same time, as far as competition is concerned, we may be going from the frying pan into the metaphorical fire — Lost and American Idol and America's Next Top Model and even a bit of Survivor. Ah, well...

TVGO: Is there anything that you haven't done to attract viewers so far that, in retrospect, you should have?

Prince: I don't know. We continue to book incredible guest stars and stunt-cast [everyone from] Paris Hilton to Tavis Smiley. I guess we might've tried to jump the shark and made our "housewife" a little more "desperate." But we never wanted to alienate our loyal viewers in the attempt to grab ratings. This season alone, we've done a wedding, a graduation, a prom, an election, a birth and a war. [Sighs] I'm exhausted.

Jamie Elman: Man of Your Dreams

Keeping warm with the help of American dreamer Snow.

But don't let the spazzy specs fool you. Mention the name Jamie Elman in any Canadian classroom, and you're bound to see a few girls swoon. Before heading south, the 26-year-old Manattan-born, Montreal-bred actor spent three years playing the campus stud on the popular Canadian teen sitcom Student Bodies.

So, which character is closer to the real Elman? "Heartthrob is not the first word I would use to describe myself," Elman says. "I was the stud on the show because I was hooking up with the pretty girl. For Luke on American Dreams, music is his creative outlet."

And yet Elman's luck with the ladies seems to have followed him to the States. In American Dreams, he has set his sights on the lead character, Meg (Brittany Snow) and does get his shot.

Next up, the Elman appears in Shattered Glass, the true story of a D.C. journalist (Hayden Christensen) who fabricated many of his articles. Elman plays a fellow reporter.

Which got us to wondering...

What was it like meeting fellow Canuck Hayden Christensen? "I didn't want to bring up Star Wars, even though I'm a big fan of the movies. I was self-conscious and didn't want to accidentally go, 'Hi, Hayden, nice to meet you. Jesus Christ, you're Darth Vader!' But I met him and then an hour later, he came up and said, 'Hey, I just placed you--you're Cody from Student Bodies!' "

Does he get that a lot? "Well, our audience was predominantly teen girls. But then the network thought the show was kind of edgy and cool and put it on in prime time, and it got a bit more sexy and racy. Then people would come up to me at bars, slip me cocktail napkins discreetly and ask for my autograph. But it would be a 35-year-old guy, and I'm like, 'Why do you want this?' And he'd say, 'It's for my daughter, but make it out to Mike.' "

How did he score the role on American Dreams? "There were, like, 15 producers in the room, and I had to play the piano and sing a song. We were supposed to play a tune from the '60s, and I thought I'd picked a good song--'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen. I was just about to play, and they shouted out, 'No show tunes!' so I launched into the entire score from Fiddler on the Roof. And that's probably the moment they decided we could work together."

As someone who grew up in Canada, is it strange being on a show called American Dreams? "I'm very proud to be a dual citizen. As a kid, it was always cool and different to say, 'I'm an American.' For the first 23 years, I was an American living in Canada, even though, of course, I wasn't, because I moved there before I could talk. But I was obsessed with the States. I had an American flag in my room--and even American flag pillowcases."

Dual citizenship. How cool is that? "It allows me to work here, but it also causes my friends--male and female--to propose marriage to me frequently. They're like, 'Please, I need your help, we'll go to Hawaii. I'll pay for the trip.' "

Is he considering any of the offers? "Absolutely not. I'm waiting for that one special girl, for one thing. I'm single right now. Well, pretty much."

Yeah, still playing the stud.--Rhonda Richford

Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino On Milo

'Dreams,' 'Contender' Swap Spots for NBC

The moves are among several changes the network is making to its midseason schedule, including a special preview and new premiere date for the comedy "The Office" and an earlier start for the fourth "Law & Order" series.

"We are tweaking our rollout of three fine and promising series ... in order to provide the best launch platform possible in March," says Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment. "Plus, 'American Dreams' will have the chance to add new viewers to its loyal audience in its new mid-week position."

"The Contender," a Mark Burnett-produced series in which 16 up-and-coming boxers vie for a $1 million prize, was previously scheduled to premiere Monday, March 7 and then move to its regular spot at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays. NBC has kept the 90-minute premiere but shifted the show's regular home to 8 p.m. Sunday, beginning March 13. A second preview episode will air following "The Apprentice" on Thursday, March 10.

The show has bounced around several spots on NBC's schedule, having first been set for Tuesdays, then moved to Wednesdays to get out of the way of FOX's "American Idol." Such frequent schedule moves are often a bad sign for a show, but NBC executives insist they're huge fans of "The Contender" and want to give it every chance to succeed.

It will face some formidable competition on Sundays, however, from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and CBS' "Cold Case," both of which draw more than 15 million viewers per week.

"American Dreams," meanwhile, will air the final episodes of its third season at 8 p.m. Wednesdays beginning March 9. It will mark the first time that the show, which has been benched for February sweeps, has aired outside of its Sunday home.

NBC has also moved up the premiere date of "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" by several weeks. After a preview on Thursday, March 3, it will settle into its 10 p.m. Friday spot the following night. It takes over for "Medical Investigation," which has taken a hit the past couple weeks from the new CBS show "Numb3rs."

Finally, the premiere of "The Office" has moved back one week to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. The American adaptation of the BBC hit will get a preview at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, following an early-starting episode of "The Apprentice."

NBC Tweaks Spring Schedule

BURBANK, Calif. -- February 7, 2005 -- NBC has fine-tuned its next tier of Spring programming by moving up the preview and series premiere of 'Law & Order: Trial by Jury" to March 3 and March 4 (respectively) while adding a March 24 preview to its new comedy "The Office" followed by a new premiere date on March 29. NBC also gives "The Contender" two previews (March 7 and 10) prior to its new series premiere date on Sunday, March 13.

In additional news, NBC also offers fans of "American Dreams" their first chance to see the series on a weekday beginning Wednesday, March 9 (8-9 p.m. ET).

The announcement was made by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment.

"We are tweaking our rollout of three fine and promising series in 'Trial by Jury,' 'The Office' and 'The Contender' in order to provide the best launch platform possible in March," said Reilly. "Plus, 'American Dreams' will have the chance to add new viewers to its loyal audience in its new mid-week position."

"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" will now preview on Thursday, March 3 (10-11 p.m. ET) while its official premiere will follow on the next night, Friday, March 4 (10-11 p.m. ET).

"The Office" will preview on Thursday, March 24 (9:30-10 p.m. ET) after an all-new episode of "The Apprentice." The comedy will then premiere in its regular day and time on Tuesday, March 29 (9:30-10 p.m. ET).

"The Contender" will still preview on Monday, March 7 (9:30-11 p.m. ET) but will now have a second preview on Thursday, March 10 (10-11 p.m. ET). In addition, the unscripted drama will have a new premiere date on Sunday, March 13 (8-9 p.m. ET).

"American Dreams" -- now in its third season -- will move for the first time from its Sundays (8-9 p.m. ET) perch to Wednesdays (8-9 p.m. ET) beginning March 9.

"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" is the latest series from Dick Wolf, architect of the most successful brand in primetime television with NBC's "Law & Order" -- and takes viewers where they have never been before. For the first time, a "Law & Order" series is told not only from the point-of-view of the prosecutors and police but also from the perspective of the defense attorneys, defendants, judges and jurors.

"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" stars Bebe Neuwirth ("Cheers," "Chicago"), Amy Carlson (NBC's "Third Watch"), Fred Dalton Thompson (NBC's "Law & Order"), the late Jerry Orbach (in a few episodes) and Kirk Acevedo ("Band of Brothers"). Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer; Walon Green and Peter Jankowski are executive producers; Arthur Forney and Richard Pearce are co-executive producers. "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" is a production of Wolf Films in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

"The Office," from Reveille and NBC Universal Television Studio, offers a documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5. The comedy is based on the award-winning BBC hit "The Office" and offers a fly-on-the-wall docu-reality parody about modern American office life, the series delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder-Mifflin paper-supply. Steve Carell ("The Daily Show"), Jenna Fischer ("Miss Match"), John Krasinski, "Kinsey"), Rainn Wilson ("Six Feet Under") and B.J. Novak ("Punk'd") star.

"The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Howard Klein.

Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone ("Rocky"), executive producer Mark Burnett (NBC's "The Apprentice," "Survivor") and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Co-Principal, DreamWorks SKG are executive producers for "The Contender" an unscripted series about the search for the next boxing superstar. "The Contender" follows 16 professional boxers as they come to a training camp to follow their dream of becoming a champion boxer.

Stallone and international sports legend Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as both hosts and boxing mentors to this group of fighters as they each try to improve their skills in order rise to the rank of professional boxers. "The Contender" is a joint production between Mark Burnett Productions, DreamWorks Television and Rogue Marble.

The evocative drama "American Dreams" has won two Emmy Awards and is set against the memorable music, the cultural clashes, and the Vietnam War during the 1960s. The ambitious series depicts the American landscape -- as seen through the youthful Pryor family of Philadelphia as they brace for the cultural turbulence ahead that still resonates in this contemporary era.

Brittany Snow, Vanessa Lengies, Gail O'Grady, Tom Verica, Will Estes, Rachel Boston, Ethan Dampf, Sarah Ramos, Jonathan Adams, Arlen Escarpeta and Ben Taylor star. Michael Rodgers also is a recurring cast member. The drama continues to embrace contemporary musicians as guest stars who portray classic 1960s icons on "American Bandstand." Dick Clark ("American Bandstand") and Jonathan Prince ("Wilder Days") are the executive producers. "American Dreams" is from NBC Universal Television Studios.

The dream may be over for ``American Dreams''

NBC last week cut back its season order of the family drama from 19 episodes to 17. Moreover, the network shelved ``Dreams'' for the February sweeps. It won't return until March.

`It's very clear we're on the bubble,'' says Tom Verica, who plays patriarch Jack Pryor on ``Dreams,'' set in the turbulent `60's against the backdrop of Dick Clark's ``American Bandstand.''

`It's really demoralizing. The gypsy life we lead as actors, things happen quickly. Unfortunately, they're usually out of our control. I'm very proud of this show. There's got to be room for a quality family drama.`

The critics -- and NBC czar Jeff Zucker -- love ``Dreams,'' but it's getting clobbered at 8 p.m. EST Sundays by CBS's ``Cold Case'' and ABC's ``Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.''

In its third season, ``Dreams'' averages 7.5 million viewers, down from almost 10 million in 2002-03 and 8.8 million last season. It ranks 81st on Nielsen's Hit Parade.

To offset ``Dreams'' hefty price tag (estimated at more than $1.7 million per episode), executive producer Jonathan Prince has peppered the show with product placements from big-time sponsors.

In one case (Campbell's Soup), he even created a storyline around it. Still, odds are slim that ``Dreams'' will make NBC's fall cut.

Last week was brutal on the cast, Verica says, because the end of production was suddenly moved up more than two weeks, to Friday. NBC won't decide until May whether the 17th episode was the season finale or series swan song.

That episode ``was originally designed to be a cliffhanger,'' says Verica. ``It would be a tremendous disappointment if this is how the show ends.''

A 20-year veteran of TV, Verica is no stranger to disappointment. With a quality show, however, the prospect of cancellation still stings.

``I've gotten better at this,'' he says. ``My business head says, `Business is business.' My skin has gotten a little thicker. On a personal level, this is a quality show and we have some pretty high-profile supporters.''

They include ``NBC Nightly News'' anchor Brian Williams, whose teenage daughter, Allison, did a cameo as an East Catholic High student; and Gary Sinise of CBS's ``CSI: Miami,'' whose two daughters appeared as dancers on ``Bandstand.''

Even ``Curb Your Enthusiasm'' creator Larry David, who hates everything, told Verica that ``Dreams'' is the only show he watches every week. ``I was stunned,'' Verica said. `He's the biggest curmudgeon in Hollywood.`

'American Dreams,' Campbell Soup Name Semi-Finalists

These semi-finalists were selected from more than 43,000 entries received in the Campbell's Dreams essay-writing contest for high school students, launched in August, 2004. The contest was mirrored in a storyline of the third-year of NBC's "American Dreams" drama series and was promoted nationwide on Campbell's Tomato Soup cans in addition to being part of a Scholastic in-school educational program. The winning entries were judged by representatives from Scholastic, NBC and Campbell's.

The 100 semi-finalists (listed alphabetically by state) are: Jessie Craig from Fairbanks, Alaska; Tiffany Canning from Trussville, Alabama; Maria Boackle from Birmingham, Alabama; Krista Messer from North Little Rock, Arkansas; Sean Carroll from Bentonville, Arkansas; Thomas Cong from Mesa, Arizona; Michael Fan from Gilbert, Arizona; Evan Purcell from Bullhead City, Arizona; Yelena Shuster from San Francisco, California; Brian Van Vlymen from Simi Valley, California; Jordanna Geller from San Diego, California; Garrett Olson from Paramount, California; Azieb Ermias from San Pedro, California; Surya Kundu from San Jose, California; Ben Goode from El Dorado Hills, California; Kathy Lao from Stockton, California; Foram Bhatt from Canoga Park, California; Ethan Sanchez from Oakdale, California; Kyle Patterson from Yorba Linda, California; Nathan Adkisson from Cedaredge, Colorado; Cosette Davis from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Michelle Fares from Jacksonville, Florida; Lindsay Hebert from Clearwater, Florida; Austin Knipp from Plant City, Florida; Dan Dinh from Atlanta, Georgia; Verdell Walker from Cataula, Georgia; Rachel Thom from Martinez, Georgia; Sarah Hoff from Rocky Face, Georgia.

Emily Stott from Emmett, Idaho; Camron Hammond from Saint Anthony, Idaho; Brian Schuh from West Salem, Illinois; Brandon Weisenberger from West Salem, Illinois; Elizabeth Keating from Tinley Park, Illinois; Laura Bollin from Chicago, Illinois; Myah Gary from Carbondale, Illinois; Ashley Sewell from New Lenox, Illinois; Samantha Levy from Burr Ridge, Illinois; Lindsay Beeching from Demotte, Indiana; Emily Dominique Rice from Waterloo, Indiana; Sarah Pepper from Newburgh, Indiana; Matt Dye from Trenton, Kentucky; William Flatt, Jr. from Radcliff, Kentucky; Amanda Stoney from Lawrence, Massachusetts; Anthony Damiano from East Falmouth, Massachusetts; Padraig Shea from West Springfield, Massachusetts; Jeff Tseng from Silver Springs, Maryland; Anne Garboczi from Gaithersburg, Maryland; Michelle Johnson from Dimondale, Michigan; Sarah Winchel from Flat Rock, Michigan; Samir Sharma from Portage, Michigan; Katherine Visscher from Holland, Michigan; Ashton Kramer from Plymouth, Michigan; Orion Rhodes from Warrenton, Missouri; David Norton from Springfield, Missouri; Jessica Lin from Warren, New Jersey; Melissa Packowski from Wood Ridge, New Jersey; Matthew Van Orden from Morris Plains, New Jersey; Lisa Trimmer from Sea Girt, New Jersey; Joanne Cornell from Sayreville, New Jersey; Gabriel Sloyer from Lawrence, New York; Daniel Hymann from Bellmore, New York; Jessie Atkin from Rochester, New York; Mark Norsworthy from APO AE, New York.

Nathan Demarcus from Piqua, Ohio; Seth Mehok from Dennison, Ohio; Lynn Gehring from Hubbard, Ohio; Amanda Engelhart from Akron, Ohio; Patricia Williams from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Sarie Schoen from Central Point, Oregon; Kyle Wu from Beaverton, Oregon; Emanuel Costache from Milwaukie, Oregon; Gabriella Sacidor from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Capri Mancino from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tracey Gerlach from Beech Creek, Pennsylvania; Jessica Browning from Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Sean Traynor from Yardley, Pennsylvania; Daniel Webb from Harrisville, Rhode Island; Percy Xu from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; Bethany Zimmerman from Rock Hill, South Carolina; Charlotte Buhler from Mitchell, South Dakota; Laura Clark from Eureka, South Dakota; Katherine Smalley from Hixson, Tennessee; Jessie Voss from Ooltewah, Tennessee; Chansin Elizabeth Bird from Granbury, Texas; Madelon Osborne from Menard, Texas; Cheyenne Pietsch from El Campo, Texas; Katie Turkiewicz from Temple, Texas; Teresa Brucker from Katy, Texas; Erin Welker from Garland, Texas; Alfred Anderson, Jr. from Arlington, Texas; Lindsay Knott from Humble, Texas; Cheng Qian from Sugar Land, Texas; Lindsay Wright from Chantilly, Virginia; Lindsay Carver from Yorktown, Virginia; Emily Timmer from University Place, Washington; Juan Vasquez from Bellevue, Washington; Jaida Temperly from Hazel Green, Wisconsin; Carol Simonson from De Pere, Wisconsin; Greta Koch from Berlin, Wisconsin; Rebecca Kitchens from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

The grand-prize winner will be announced on March 6, in that evening's episode of "American Dreams" on NBC (8-9 p.m. ET).

-To enter the contest -- which ran from August 15, 2004 through November 30, 2004 -- students were asked to write an essay answering the question, "How does your American Dream compare to that of your parents?" The contest was open to students ages 13-18 years-old in grades 9-12 across the country. In the parallel storyline, book-smart high-school student Patty Pryor (Sarah Ramos) also enrolled in a similar essay contest.

The cast of "American Dreams" also appeared in a 30-second spot to encourage student participation. The story thread will continue to weave through additional episodes during the season.

"This is a win-win all the way around," said John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer for NBC Universal Television Group. "Two terrific things have happened as a result of this campaign. First, we were able to very successfully cross promote brands with our popular NBC Sunday night series, 'American Dreams,' and both Campbell's Soup and Scholastic Magazine. Second, a very deserving student is going to walk away with a very rich scholarship to the college or university of his or her choice and several other prize winners will also be awarded scholarship money. It is an excellent example of partnering with other visionary companies for the benefit of everyone connected to this project. My deepest thanks to Campbell's Soup and Scholastic Magazine for pulling out all the stops and working with us on this campaign. I also extend my sincerest congratulations to everyone who entered the contest and especially to the semifinalists."

In addition to Campbell's Tomato Soup awarding a $100,000 college scholarship to the grand prize winner, that winner and a friend will also have walk-on roles that will enable them to participate in the "American Bandstand" scenes during a future episode. The winner's school will also receive 1,000,000 Campbell's Labels for EducationTM bonus certificates. Campbell will also award nine first-prize scholarships of $2,500 and 100,000 Labels for Education bonus certificates to the first-prize winners' schools.

To get students and teachers excited about the Campbell's contest, Scholastic Marketing Partners, a division of Scholastic, developed multi-faceted educational materials. Some of these included in-school and online curriculum for teachers, student magazines and magazine "advertorials" for students, which were distributed to more than 11 million teens in 65,000 high school classrooms nationwide.

The effort adds new meaning to enhanced interactive television and marks the first time that a television program was wedded to branded entertainment in such a partnership. The campaign included a cross-promotional effort that projected the creative storyline into real-time activity that allowed "American Dreams" viewers to both watch and participate. At the same time, teenagers around the country benefited from an in-school curriculum program that teaches the history of the period while promoting inter-generational dialogue.

"Our partnership with Campbell's and NBC has been a huge success ," said Steve Palm, Vice President of Scholastic Marketing Partners. "We had an overwhelmingly positive response to the contest from teachers and students nationwide, and received thousands of remarkable stories from students across the country. This program clearly illustrates the importance of building strong connections between parents, teachers and children in home and school environments."

Campbell's Tomato Soup also has promoted the contest in a variety of ways, including: placement on 42 million labels of its iconic can; print, radio and television advertising; and on a national, free-standing insert back in September 2004.

Dick Clark ("American Bandstand") and Jonathan Prince ("Wilder Days") are the executive producers. "American Dreams" is from NBC Universal Television.

Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality soup, sauces, beverage, biscuits, confectionery and prepared food products. The company is 135 years old, with nearly $7 billion in annual sales and a portfolio of more than 20 market-leading brands. For more information on the company, visit Campbell's website on the Internet at www.campbellsoup.com.

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.

The NBC Agency, founded in November 1999, is a multi award-winning advertising team that made "Must See TV" a household slogan and reinforced the term "appointment television" for NBC programming. It is a unique, full-service advertising agency servicing the advertising and promotional needs of all NBC-Universal owned entities, which include entertainment, news, sports and corporate divisions of NBC as well as the cable, Internet and syndicated properties and brands that the company owns or holds an equity interest in, such as CNBC, MSNBC and MSNBC.com, Bravo, USA, SCI FI, Trio, Telemundo and NBC-Universal Television Distribution.

O'Grady On Life & Style

O'Grady Plays 'Single Mom' Again

Besides her weekly role as 1960s matriarch Helen Pryor on NBC's nostalgic Sunday series "American Dreams," the actress reprises her 2003 part as a more modern parent in the new Lifetime movie sequel "More Sex & the Single Mom," which premieres Monday, Feb. 7.

Another court case draws her character, Baltimore paralegal Jess, back together with ex-flame Alex (fellow returnee Grant Show, of "Melrose Place" and the new FOXseries "Point Pleasant") who still doesn't know she gave birth to his son.

Jess tries to maintain the secret, but Alex soon determines his link to the 3-year-old in her house. Although she has moved on, as proven by her engagement to attorney Steve (Rick Roberts, "L.A. Doctors"), she retains strong feelings for Alex. While trying to sort her emotions, Jess also counsels her daughter Sara (Chelsea Hobbs, replacing the first film's Danielle Panabaker), who is experiencing first love with an older photographer (Lucas Bryant).

Since "More Sex & the Single Mom" has the same executive producer (Andrea Baynes), director (Don McBrearty) and writer (Judith Paige Mitchell) as the original movie -- which will be repeated right before the sequel debuts -- O'Grady had more incentives to return.

Zap2it: Did you expect there to be a sequel to "Sex & the Single Mom"?

O'Grady: No, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm glad it was left open so we could do a sequel. They've left this one open for another one, too, so we'll see.

Zap2it: Were you surprised the first film earned the kind of ratings that merited a sequel?

O'Grady: We were thrilled. We shot the movie and felt like we did a good job ... then we found out it was up against the finale of the first season of "The Bachelor," so I called everyone and said, "Good job, had a nice time working with you." We weren't expecting anything, so we were absolutely thrilled that it did so well.

Zap2it: Are you satisfied that the sequel reunites the characters believably?

O'Grady: It could have been a case of "jumping the shark," but they figured it out in an organic way. It's life, so it makes sense. I also like that Jess isn't made a victim. I think women like to see a strong female; you can be vulnerable but you don't have to be weak, and Jess handles things with a certain amount of strength and pride. She has problems, but she isn't down for the count. That always makes it more interesting for an actor, and for a viewer, it's not quite so precious.

Zap2it: Did you sense a chemistry with Grant Show right from the start?

O'Grady: We had met before, and we have mutual friends. It's always nice to work with people you know and enjoy, and we had a good time working together, but the chemistry was sort of built in before we even started the first movie.

Zap2it: How would you compare the mom in the "Sex & the Single Mom" movies to the mom in "American Dreams"?

O'Grady: I like that these are two very different characters. When you look for something to do on your hiatus, you always hope that you get to explore a completely different life.

Zap2it: That said, both women have very strong relationships with their daughters.

O'Grady: I think that's universal. No matter what decade you're portraying, you cannot get away from the mother-daughter dynamic. It isn't unique to any movie or TV show.

Zap2it: Do you find that fans of "Sex & the Single Mom" mainly are women?

O'Grady: I love that I recently ran into a man who didn't know I had done the second one, and he said, "Do you think you're going to do another? You kind of left us hanging." It's nice to hear that from a man, too.

Zap2it: If there does turn out to be a third "Sex & the Single Mom" movie, what do you foresee for the characters?

O'Grady: Well, if I tell you that ... if you watch the second one, you can kind of see where these characters might end up. It's not tied up in a neat little package again.

Zap2it: Do you consider yourself selective about what you do during your series "downtime"?

O'Grady: I come from that Midwestern mentality that you make hay while the sun shines, so it's not to the extent of being a workaholic, but I love working. As an actor, you want to keep your face out there. It's feast or famine, so you take the jobs.

Zap2it: Is "American Dreams" still keeping your interest engaged?

O'Grady: I'm so proud of the show. When you get something you enjoy talking about, it makes your job that much more fulfilling. You don't feel that way about all series you do. This is one I love going to work and doing.

Zap2it: Are you pleased the show's family drama is as essential as, if not more than, the "American Bandstand" re-creations?

O'Grady: I look at the music on the show as a separate character, only one part of the show. A lot of people thought it would be a show just about "Bandstand." You can't have a drama series that's just about kids dancing.

Zap2it: You first became prominent as receptionist Donna Abandando on "NYPD Blue." What are your feelings about that ABC show ending?

O'Grady: I cannot believe that it has been on as long as it has, and that it has been able to maintain the quality ... but then, that's [executive producer Steven] Bochco. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be on that show, because it gave me not just a job, it gave me a career. At the time, "NYPD Blue" was groundbreaking television, and you felt like you were doing something different. It felt important. I can't say enough about what that experience was like for me.

An American Tragedy?

TV Guide Tidbit

Monday, January 31, 2005
Ask Matt by Matt Roush

Question: Please tell me something good about the future of American Dreams! I've heard rumblings that this might be the last season for this wonderful show. Any chance Jeff Zucker's affection for the show saves it yet again?- Julie

Matt: Hard to say. I'm still pretty astonished that it survived into this season. One troubling sign is that, like so many marginally rated shows, American Dreams will be sitting out the February sweeps. (Which actually makes sense when you consider that nearly every Sunday has a major event: the Super Bowl, the Grammys, the Oscars.) The show will return in March with at least a month's worth of episodes, but it's unclear how many will be made this season. (Like last year, it will likely fall short of 22.) Bottom line: I'd say hope for the best but expect the worst. If there's any silver lining, it's that NBC's fortunes are such that they may stick with this because they have so many problems elsewhere.

Official Writing Campaign List

About writing to the presidents of NBC- write a postcard every day if you want... think about filling up hundreds of mailbags at NBC. We need to make a statement.

Our slogan is: "KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE."

Thank you all for your help and support- writing to these people is SO IMPORTANT.

CONTACT LIST: www.americandreamsfanclub.com/dreamalive.htm

KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE

I just got back from Los Angeles and talking to Jonathan Prince about the fate of American Dreams. It is true, the season has been cut back from 19 episodes to 17. They thought this might happen, so they deliberately made episode 17 as if it could be the season finale.

This isn't good news... however, IT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS CANCELED... YET. NBC has still not decided whether or not they will have a 4th season. Everyone at AD is still fighting for it, and they are all optimistic. The writers are still writing plotlines for next season. The sets are not going to be taken down. So the door is still wide open regarding the fate of the show.

How you can help ASAP:

Yes, writing the presidents of NBC is definitely an impotant way to go. Have everyone you know write them. PLEASE remember that you need to send postcards, all mail in envelopes may still be discarded.

Tell them why you love the show- why it is important to your life. Who do you watch it with? What discussions arise from the show? Do you own the soundtrack and DVD sets? If so, mention it! Make it heartfelt and personal. Tell them how you are also supporting the advertisers on the show, (i.e. Campbell's, Ford, etc...)

This is the time to go into action- having a campaign for a show AFTER it has been canceled almost never works... the time is NOW.

I will have more updates on a hundred other ways to help the show later this evening or tomorrow morning. We've been brainstorming all day.

KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!

Leigh
The Official American Dreams Fan Club

Important Information for AD!!

Jeff Zucker
President, NBC Universal Television
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY
10112

Kevin Reilly
President, NBC Entertainment
3000 West Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA
91523

Kindra
webmaster of Arlen's Official Web Site
www.ArlenEscarpeta.com

Sign the Petition

Fast National ratings Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005

Even though CBS easily won the night across the wide audience, adults 18-49 went to ABC by a similarly large margin. ABC took the key demographic with a 5.7 rating, far ahead of second place CBS' 3.8 rating, while NBC's 3.4 and the 3.1 rating for FOX were also in the mix. The WB was in fifth again with a 1.1 rating.

At 8 p.m. CBS got a 10.6/16 from "Cold Case," though ABC picked up some ground with the 9.2/14 for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." FOX grabbed third with "The Simpsons" (5.7/9) and "Arrested Development" (4.1/6), edging NBC's "American Dreams." The WB got a 2.3/3 from "Charmed."

Joss Stone Has American Dreams

Dick Clark Goes Home From Hospital

Clark, 75, was released from a Burbank hospital and will continue recuperating at his Malibu home, publicist Paul Shefrin said.

Clark was grateful for the many cards and letters he received during his hospital stay.

"He was very touched by the outpouring of support, not only from the celebrity world but from the people on the streets of New York," Shefrin said.

For the first time in 32 years, Clark was unable to host his "New Year's Rockin' Eve" show from Times Square. Daytime talk show host Regis Philbin stood in while Clark watched from his hospital bed.

During the broadcast, fans on the street held up "Get Well Dick" signs. Madonna, John Travolta, Janet Jackson and other celebrities were shown on videotape expressing best wishes.

Shefrin wouldn't discuss the impact of the stroke.

Clark produces the American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Golden Globe Awards through his dick clark productions inc.

Fast National ratings Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005

Among adults 18-49, CBS had a 14.0 rating, doubling up the competition in the key demographic. ABC had a 6.9 rating in the important demo, as FOX moved up to third with a 2.6 rating. NBC was fourth with a 2.3 rating, still beating the 1.0 for The WB.

Football gave CBS a 23.7/33 in its second hour, as ABC moved up with a 10.7/15 for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." NBC was third with "American Dreams." FOX was fourth again with "The Simpsons" (4.8/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.4/5). The WB was fifth with the 2.2/3 for "Charmed."

Will & Rachel Talk About The Wedding

New Sam Page Drama

Writer Tidbit

Bandstand icon Dick Clark still hospitalized nearly six weeks after stroke

Clark, 75, will watch Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, which he's produced for more than 20 years, from his hospital bed with his wife Kari, spokesman Paul Shefrin said. "He's still doing rehab and he's closer to being released from the hospital," Shefrin said. A date for his release hasn't been determined.

Clark was hospitalized at an undisclosed Burbank hospital on Dec. 6 after suffering a mild stroke. Shefrin wouldn't disclose specifics on the impact of the stroke or whether there was any paralysis.

Asked about a tabloid report this week saying Clark's recovery was slowed because of his diabetes, Shefrin said, "At no time has anybody on Dick Clark's side of the fence been told that the pace of the recovery is being affected by his diabetes."

Clark went from hosting American Bandstand, Bloopers and game shows to producing awards ceremonies including the Golden Globes and the American Music Awards. After hosting New Year's Eve live from Times Square for 32 years, the ailing Clark was filled in for by Regis Philbin in this year's celebration.

The Official American Dreams Fan Club

To learn more about membership benefits, and to join, go to:
www.americandreamsfanclub.com

Fast National ratings Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005

FOX also won among adults 18-49, doing a 7.4 rating in the key demographic. ABC was behind, delivering a 7.2 rating for the night. NBC and CBS tied for third with the same 3.3 rating. The WB trailed with a 1.2 rating.

ABC moved into first for the 8 p.m. hour with the 11.2/16 for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." CBS' "Cold Case" was second with a 10.2/15. FOX got a 9.0/13 from the first hour of the two-night "24" premiere, while NBC was a distant fourth with "American Dreams." The WB's movie was fifth with a 2.0/3.

NBC's 'Dreams' floats on

Meg Pryor, a Philadelphia teenager played by Brittany Snow on the NBC Sunday night drama “American Dreams,” hits the jackpot in 1963 when she is selected as a regular dancer — and her good fortune, which began when the series did, in 2002, has carried “American Dreams” into a successful third season. As loyal viewers know, each episode includes several '60s songs as background music as well as a segment of “American Bandstand” with actual footage from the earlier show cleverly intercut with contemporary re-creations of the original acts.

While Meg dances her way through the 1960s, pausing to cope with the usual teenage traumas, her father — stern, clean-cut Jack Pryor, played by Tom Verica — has a tough time keeping up. The question he posed in the series' pilot — “When did my dreams become not enough?” — continues to be the anthem for the whole show, which covers such issues as Vietnam, integration, women's rights and drugs through the lives of the Pryors and their friends.

Usually, the history of the 1960s is told from the perspective of the winners — the protesters, the feminists, the Democrats,” said Jonathan Prince, who created the series and is one of its executive producers. I wanted to tell the story of the '60s from the perspective of the people who had the most to lose.

For Snow, who is 18, the '60s are both a distant era and familiar territory. Before filming the pilot, Prince gave her a stack of books to read about the decade, but she had already formed some opinions from her parents' experience.

I picture my mom ironing her hair on an ironing board, and my dad in crazy shirts and weird glasses,” she said. “I thought it was strange that my character's father objects to her appearing on TV, because today being on TV is considered no big deal.

But she finds much of the decade familiar.

What's cool about doing the show are the similarities to today,” she said. “The way my character deals with her dad, her best friend, boys — kids can relate to all that today.

Fashion is another bridge to the past.

Cardigan sweaters, pencil skirts, pointy shoes, they're all back. I borrow clothes from wardrobe to go to parties, and nobody realizes I'm even in costume.

The Wonder Years,” broadcast from 1988 to 1993, was about an adult recalling that decade. But the retrospective tone of that show made it reassuring: You knew the lead character, played by Fred Savage, was going to be all right. Not so with “American Dreams,” in which everything is up for grabs: the future of the son who served in Vietnam, the safety of the Walker family as race riots erupt, even the stability of the Pryors' Ozzie-and-Harriet marriage.

This is the story of the '60s as a work in progress,” Prince said.

The story, like the decade, is inseparable from its music. Clark, an executive producer of the show, appears in the “American Bandstand” segments in old black-and-white footage (all of which he owns). And a remarkable lineup of contemporary pop stars work for significantly less than their usual rate just for the opportunity to impersonate singers from the 1960s. Guest stars have included Kelly Clarkson as Brenda Lee, Nick Lachey as Tom Jones and Alicia Keys as Fontella Bass. The contemporary stars lip-sync the music — but so did most of the original artists when they appeared on Bandstand.

By coupling classic songs with contemporary performers and presenting them in their original context, “American Dreams” has made the music of the 1960s (not to mention the children of the '60s) a little more relevant to a new generation.

Dick Clark Remains Hospitalized

Help Promote Dreams With 50+ Other Fans

The main purpose of this group, is to focus on promoting the best tv drama, American Dreams.

If you are a fan that wants to show their support and dedication, then this will definitely help us promote the show by letter campaigning to the media world!

Weekly assignments are located in the Database section of the groups home page. The Database contains a list of shows, magazines, and other contacts.

Click here to join.

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005.

NBC had the 18-49 demographic win all to itself with a 3.8 rating, but CBS wasn't far off with a 3.6 rating in the important age range. ABC stayed third with a 3.0 rating, edging FOX's 2.9 rating. The WB was last again with a 1.3/2.

At 8 p.m., CBS' "Cold Case" was in the lead with a 9.6/15. ABC's "EM: HE" improved to a 7.1/11 to take second away from NBC, which was third with the 5.0/8 for a new "American Dreams." Fourth went to FOX's movie, as "Charmed" was a distant fifth on The WB.

Tuned In: Networks should resolve to keep these shows

But let's try to be more affirmative when crafting resolutions for the broadcast networks. Rather than suggesting things to give up that we know they won't -- gratuitous sex and violence, reality shows -- let's make some suggestions to the networks for shows to keep. This year, there's a bumper crop from which to choose.NBC: NBC is the new ABC, the network I watch so rarely I have almost nothing on its air to recommend.

I kind of liked "LAX," but it crashed on takeoff. The always commendable "American Dreams" has improved its story telling this fall, so that's a keeper. "Scrubs" continues to chug along, wearing its heart on its comedic sleeve. And "The West Wing" has seen a big improvement in the quality of its story telling this season.

But beyond those three shows, there's nothing must-see in NBC's depleted arsenal. The second round of "The Apprentice" turned out to be a bore, "Joey" is feeling tired already and "Will & Grace" doesn't generate as much laughter as it once did.

This is a network in freefall.

(To read the full article click here.)

Dick Clark Remains Hospitalized

Clark, 75, suffered what was described as a mild stroke and has been hospitalized since Dec. 6. Regis Philbin is filling in for America's oldest teenager on ABC-TV's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2005" on Friday.

"Even though I won't be in New York this year, I will be watching 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' on TV and there's one tradition I intend to maintain," Clark said in a statement Wednesday.

"As I always have in the past, at midnight I plan on kissing my wife Kari and wishing her a happy new year," Clark continued.

Clark has been "doing some rehab," publicist Paul Shefrin said without elaborating. He wouldn't give any details about the impact of the stroke or discuss whether there was paralysis or impaired speech, as reported in the supermarket tabloids.

"I will neither confirm nor deny what's in the tabloids but there are things in the tabloid reports that are false," Shefrin said, noting, "I talked with him last night."

The spokesman insisted there is no cause for alarm and said doctors are thrilled with Clark's progress. For privacy reasons, the name of the hospital has been withheld.

"He's still in the hospital and there's nothing definite on when he will be released," Shefrin said Wednesday. "He will be there through the new year. It's all up to the doctors when he'll get out."

Clark's wife and children have been visiting the entertainer at the hospital and there has been a huge outpouring of support from friends and fans, Shefrin said.

Clark, who went from hosting "American Bandstand," "Bloopers" and game shows to producing awards ceremonies, has been a television New Year's Eve tradition for 32 years with his shows from Times Square.

Clark also produces the American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Bravo Makes Verica, Schilling, Romano Latest 'Poker' Studs

The new season of "CPS" will premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 5 with a showdown featuring two "Everybody Loves Raymond" stars (Brad Garrett and Ray Romano), Catherine O'Hara, Sara Rue and World Series star Curt Schilling. No word on whether or not Schillings recently repaired ankle will have to be resutured for the night's round of No Limit Texas Hold 'Em.

After moving to Sunday in its last season, "CPS" will air on Tuesdays with its familiar format. Each of five episodes features a showdown between an eclectic group of stars, with the winner from each table moving onto a final game and the chance to donate the lion's share of the $250,000 prize pool to the charity of their choice.

This season's mixture of new and veteran players features Jason Alexander, Nicolas Gonzales, Allison Janney, Chris Kattan and Mary McCormack (all in Week Two), Lacey Chabert, Bonnie Hunt, J.K. Simmons, Robert Wagner and Scott Wolf (in Week Three), Brandi Chastain, Camryn Manheim, Colin Quinn, Tom Verica and Kevin Weisman (in Week Four) and Heather Graham, Jesse Metcalfe, Andrea Parker, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Fred Willard.

Dave Foley will be back as host, joined by expert poker commentator Phil Gordon.

Previous winners have included Nicole Sullivan ("King of Queens"), Maura Tierney ("ER"), Seth Myers ("Saturday Night Live") and Mekhi Phifer ("ER").

This season's featured sponsor will be Cadillac, taking over for NetZero.

Miami Herald: TV's Top 10

2. The Sopranos. Only quibble: It's a little hard to keep all those characters straight when the show disappears for 18 months at a time.

3. Carnivale. So that's what was wrong in the 1930s -- demons walked the earth. If John Steinbeck had written a ghost story, this would have been it.

4. Joan of Arcadia. Give it points for confronting the question of God, and more points for making Him a mysterious and not-entirely gentle Old Testament God instead of a New Age cosmic muffin.

5. The Shield. Rogue cops at the far edge of civilization, without a map.

6. The Wire. A stark weekly essay on the damage done not only by drugs, but the war on drugs.

7. Nip/Tuck. The maxim that beauty's only skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone has never been expressed so literally.

8. The O.C. Teen angst has never been so much fun.

9. Lost. Every time the sociology starts edging toward sappiness, somebody gets eaten.

10. Dead Like Me. A funny and painful reminder that life may suck, but it sure beats the alternative.

Clark Hands Off New Year's Ball to Philbin

Clark, who suffered the stroke Dec. 6, is out of the intensive care unit and "doing some rehab," said publicist Paul Shefrin. He will remain hospitalized through Christmas, and will be watching his annual New Year's Eve television special either from his hospital bed or at home in Malibu, Shefrin said.

"The doctors have told him how thrilled they are with his progress," said Shefrin, who wouldn't give any details about the impact of the stroke or discuss whether there was paralysis.

"His brain is 100 per cent there," Shefrin said.

He said doctors hadn't given Clark, 75, a release date yet.

"It's been overwhelming in terms of support and well wishes," Shefrin said of the avalanche of cards, letters and e-mails that Clark has received from friends and fans.

"There are hundreds, probably thousands, with the magic of e-mail. He's going to have an awful lot of thank-you cards to write," he said.

Regis Philbin will host ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2005 on Dec. 31 from New York's Times Square. Singer Ashlee Simpson will host the West Coast part of the show.

Clark went from hosting American Bandstand, Bloopers and game shows to producing awards ceremonies. He has been a television New Year's Eve tradition for 32 years.

Clark Hands Off New Year's Ball to Philbin

Clark, 75, suffered a mild stroke last week. He's expected to make a full recovery and had hoped to be well in time to host "New Year's Rockin' Eve" for the 33rd consecutive year. His doctors, though, put the brakes on such a speedy comeback.

"I'm so glad that Regis hadn't yet made any New Year's plans," Clark quips. "It'll feel strange watching it on TV, but my doctors felt it was too soon. I'm sure Regis will do a great job, and I'm thankful that he was able to step in on such short notice."

The 73-year-old Philbin, who holds the Guinness world record for most time in front of television cameras, calls the New Year's gig "the greatest temp job in the world."

"I just hope I can uphold the standards Dick Clark has set for this annual event, and I look forward to his return next year," he says.

Philbin will host the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" show from New York; pop star Ashlee Simpson will do the honors for portions of the show from the West Coast. Big & Rich, Ciara, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and Billy Idol are among the musical acts scheduled for the show.

FX Drafts Eight for 'Over There'

While there are no big stars in the ensemble cast, most of them are recognizable faces. The eight regulars are Erik Palladino, Keith Robinson, Josh Henderson, Luke MacFarlane, Sticky Fingaz, Lizette Carrion, Nicki Aycox and Sprague Grayden.

Palladino was a regular on "ER" from 1999-2001. Robinson, who plays Nathan Walker on NBC's "American Dreams," has also appeared in several "ER" episodes. Henderson co-stars on UPN's "One on One." Rapper Sticky Fingaz co-starred in the short-lived UPN series "Platinum" and had a recurring part on another FX series, "The Shield."

MacFarlane, a relative newcomer, appears in the feature film "Kinsey" and in the Sundance Channel miniseries "Tanner on Tanner." Aycox played Carol's (Julie Bowen) sister Stella on "Ed" and has guest-starred in recent episodes of CBS's "Cold Case." Carrion was a regular on FOX's "FreakyLinks," and Grayden has recurred on "Joan of Arcadia" and "Six Feet Under."

"Over There" will mix stories involving the unit in Iraq with ones showing the effect the war has on their families in the United States. Steven Bochco ("NYPD Blue") co-created the show with Chris Gerolmo, who wrote and will direct the pilot. Production is set to begin in January.

Dick Clark of 'American Bandstand' Suffers Stroke

"He did have a minor stroke and he's in the hospital for that reason but he'll be fine," spokeswoman Amy Streibel told Reuters.

Often called "America's oldest teenager" because of his youthful appearance and dedication to rock music, Clark suffered the stroke earlier this week.

The 75-year-old, who has for three decades hosted "New Year's Rockin' Eve" from New York City each Dec. 31, said in a brief written statement that he planned to be back at work in time for this year's show.

"The doctors tell me I should be back in the swing of things before too long so I'm hopeful to be able to make it to Times Square to help lead the country in bringing in the New Year once again," he said.

Clark, who grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, got his start in show business working in the mailroom of a radio station partly run by his father and uncle.

He became a household name in the late 1950s after "Bandstand," the local Philadelphia dance program he hosted, went national, becoming the first network TV show devoted to rock music.

He had taken over the Philadelphia program after its original host was arrested for drunken driving.

The national show became hugely influential with American teens and, with Clark's insistence on a clean-cut look, made rock palatable to Middle America.

At the same time "Bandstand" gave a well-timed boost to the careers of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Chubby Checker by giving them national television exposure.

Clark parlayed his success at "Bandstand" into a multifaceted career in music and television, launching a series of shows and the American Music Awards.

Jessica Collins Gets New Gig

Vote For American Dreams

Ever since Ralph Macchio first waxed on and off and swan-kicked his way to superstud-dom, I have always been a sucker for the underdog. (Not to mention '80s feather bangs...swoon!)

And while there have been some amazing success stories this season (Lost, Desperate Housewives), we must not forget those little shows that are just as deserving of mainstream props but haven't yet, well, arrived.

Which is why, ladies and gentletubers, we are kicking off our first annual...drumroll, please...Watch It, Already! Awards. Our mission? To inspire the world (or at least, the sorry souls who follow this column) to start watching the quality TV series they've been missing. Specifically, we'll pinpoint the one very best series that people aren't watching and spread the word in an effort to save it from the impending cancellation doom.

Now, because this column has always been about give and take, naturally, I want your input. So, please, take a second to email me with the one low-rated series you love best--using the name of that show as your subject line. The following are a few possible candidates, based on the support emails that many of you have already sent in, but you can pick any low-rated show you like.

American Dreams, NBC
Arrested Development, Fox
Jack & Bobby, WB
Life As We Know It, ABC
The Fountain, WB
Scrubs, NBC
Veronica Mars, UPN

The winning show of this year's Watch It, Already! Award receives an E! Online column touting its greatness, a segment hosted by moi on E! News Live, and a bunch of fancy little trophies that we'll send to the show runner(s) and stars.

By the by, in case you're skeptical, you should know that silly little kudos such as these do matter to the stars. Just this week, I spoke with the dearly departed Lauren Reed (aka Melissa George of Alias) who won two Tater Tops Awards (our fan-driven version of the Emmys) back in June. She called me herself (yes, she's that endearingly non-Hollywood) to request a replacement potato for her Golden Tater trophy, because it had fallen off (see, told you, they're fancy). She also mentioned that Jennifer Garner has hers displayed on the set.

Yes, my heart grew three sizes that day.

And we need to spread more love. So, email me the name of the show you want people to watch already! And remember, what you don't watch can hurt you.

To vote simply email: tvdiva@eonline.com and put "American Dreams" in the subject line.

The Salvation Army and DisneyHand Treat 2,400 to Sit-Down Turkey Dinner at Los Angeles Convention Center

Mayor James Hahn, Boxing Champ Laila Ali, and Tom Verica of "American Dreams," among Volunteers

WHO: This year, as the title sponsor of The Salvation Army Southern

WHAT: California's Thanksgiving Eve Dinner at the Los Angeles Convention Center, DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, will supply the meals for 2,400 homeless and low-income families and provide them with magical entertainment and toys for the children. The men, women and children receiving the turkey dinner with all the trimmings will come from The Salvation Army's social service programs and downtown LA skid row missions.

Mariachi Divas (multi-cultural musical ensemble), Side Effect (soul and funk vocal quartet) Judi Evans (Days of our Lives), Lonnie Ford (LA Avengers Player), Telma Hopkins (Half & Half), Kevin James (King of Queens), Councilmember Tom LaBonge (District 4), Kate Linder (The Young & the Restless), Constance Marie (George Lopez Show), Danica McKellar (West Wing, Wonder Years), Councilmember Bernard Parks (District 8), Paul Peterson (Donna Reed Show), Valarie Pettiford (Half & Half), Traco Rachel (LA Avengers Player), Leah Remini (King of Queens), Councilmember Anthony Villaraigosa (District 14), Casey Wasserman (LA Avengers Owner), Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky (Third District), William Alen Young (Moesha, Any Day Now), Councilmember Dennis Zine (District 3), The Salvation Army band, The Salvation Army Harbor Light Gospel Choir, and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will be among the 500 volunteers and entertainment.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 24th

WHERE: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. (BEST MEDIA WINDOW: 6:00 - 6:50 p.m.) Los Angeles Convention Center, SOUTH HALL G

SCHEDULE: 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. -- Volunteers arrive. Busses arrive with diners.
5:30 p.m. -- Reception for diners inside Hall G.
6:00 p.m. -- Crowd is welcomed and dinner is served.
6:25 p.m. -- Bob Saget kicks off entertainment show.
6:30 p.m. -- Entertainment from The Walt Disney Company and The Salvation Army.
6:50 p.m. -- Every Guest leaves with a Mickey Beanie

SPONSORS: DisneyHand will supply the meals for 2,400 homeless and low-income families and provide them with magical entertainment and toys for the children.

The Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles Convention Center waived the fee for rental of the hall. Employees of the Los Angeles Convention Center and the Convention Center's in-house catering team, Aramark Sports and Entertainment, are volunteering their time to help prepare and serve dinner.

Other sponsors include: Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Super Saver, Survival, Health Care Partners Medical Group, Shasta, Exhibit West Expo Service, Laidlaw, American Transportation, Cardinal Transportation, Executive Coach, Richard Hotaling, John Boething, and Costco.

BACKGROUND: Every year, during the holiday season, more and more people look to The Salvation Army for assistance. This year is no exception. In Southern California, The Salvation Army expects to serve more than 350,000 people. Many of them will be families in crisis, homeless women and children, older adults, the transient and the unemployed. In order to serve the needs of each individual, The Salvation Army in Southern California will be serving dinner, handing out toys, distributing food baskets and raising money to help support the work of the "Army."

We're Goin' Hoppin': Dick Clark and Co. Sign Off on 'American Bandstand - The Musical'

Dick Clark Productions Inc. and Theater Events Management Inc. have signed a deal which gives license for the television show to be musicalized for the stage. Michael Wulffhart and Michael Pratter will produce American Bandstand, The Musical set to debut in San Diego in April 2005.

"We are grateful for the confidence placed in the producers to guard this brand, identified with traditional American values, good clean fun, great music, and dance, " Pratter stated in a release. "In this day and age, people like being brought back to these a simpler, happier times."

John Thomas Oaks (Chipper) will compose for the musical with Wulffhart (Crazy Love) serving as writer and director. The producers hope to roll out the show nationally, operating in a number of simultaneous companies.

Nostalgia for music of yesteryear rates high as material for musicals lately. Broadway will soon be filled with productions of All Shook Up featuring the music of Elvis Presley, Good Vibrations with The Beach Boys songs and Lennon using the John Lennon catalogue will join current Rialto tenants Movin' Out (Billy Joel tunes set to Twyla Tharp dance) and Mamma Mia! (ABBA songs.)

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004

Ford Sends Holiday Homecoming Message to Consumers with 'American Dreams' Collaboration

The short film captures the anticipation of a young serviceman's return home from war -- and the parallel experiences of his father who had undergone a similar series of events many years earlier. It mirrors the storyline in "American Dreams" but brings the events into the modern day to communicate the continued importance of celebrating today's homecoming experiences for our servicemen and servicewomen.

"'American Dreams' is a show that's all about family and it complements the Ford brand in a very relevant way," said Rich Stoddart, Ford Division marketing communications manager. "The storyline that NBC's writers have pursued for this season speaks to the importance of homecoming for members of the armed services, and this holiday season Ford felt it important to underscore this importance with a short film that concludes the episode."

The commercial-free episode allows the show's producers to not break from the story's strong emotional content. And, in a twist since "American Dreams" takes place in the 1960's, a 1966 Ford Mustang will be featured in the episode rather than the all-new 2005 Mustang. A 2005 Mustang and a 2005 Five Hundred will co-star in "Homecoming."

In addition to the short film's debut on "American Dreams," it will also be distributed to military base theaters around the world, on NBC.com as a host film for the show's webpage and through Tivo's "Showcase" format, which allows customers to receive branded messages and content in an opt-in format.

Brand Integration

Ford has developed an extensive integrated marketing campaign for its all-new showroom of products that weaves traditional advertising and print advertising with strategic Internet exposure, puts the blue oval onscreen as well as on the playing field, and goes grass roots to introduce customers to the company's all-new products through a variety of innovative product experiences.

"Compared to 10 years ago, we have a lot more tools available to reach potential customers -- and it's up to us to use them wisely," said Marty Collins, general marketing manager, Ford Division. "Our cross-media plans include a supercharged emphasis in non-traditional outreach. During the next few months, you won't be able to pick up a newspaper or magazine, watch your favorite show or sports program, surf the Internet or shop your favorite brand without seeing and hearing about Ford's all-new showroom. Our product integration will be seamless and targeted to what specific consumers are watching and doing."

In addition the "American Dreams" collaboration, viewers tuning in to the hottest television shows this season are seeing Ford's new cars and trucks involved in ways they haven't seen before. Ford's presence in the fall television lineup reflects the company's collaboration with individual show producers to find meaningful ways to introduce the company's products into a program storyline.

One of the lead characters on Fox's "The OC" received a new Mustang in a recent episode, and her vehicle will continue to be featured prominently throughout the season. Viewers who tune into "Alias" on ABC will see the new Mustang in action and six families who benefit from "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" also will receive an additional surprise that helps get them on the road ahead -- a new garage that comes complete with a new Mustang, Freestyle, Five Hundred or Super Duty.

Beginning in January, Ford returns as a primary sponsor of "American Idol" for the fourth year. Mustang and other Ford vehicles will be integrated into the show this season.

Ford Motor Company Web site: http://www.ford.com/

Sixties For Sale

NBC's American Dreams may be set in the past, but exec producer Jonathan Prince's approach to the TV business is steeped in the future. This Sunday's episode will run with only one commercial break, from sole sponsor the Ford Motor Co. But the Ford Mustang — which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year — has a prominent role in the show.

The 1966 Mustang will be seen in vintage TV commercials on the sets in Pryor's appliance store. And guess what's waiting in the garage for J.J. when he makes his homecoming from Vietnam? It's the latest example of how Prince has boldly integrated products into Dreams. Campbell's Soup has also figured into the show's story lines this season.

Such product integration is being counted on as the silver bullet against digital video recorders such as TiVo, which enable viewers to fast-forward past commercials with ease. Media-buying firm Magna Global cited a Nielsen projection that 10 percent of all television households will have a DVR by the end of 2005. Among those who have already owned a DVR for one year or less, 56 percent say they fast-forward through the commercials when they play back shows. That figure goes up to 72 percent in homes that have had the devices for a year or more.

While product integration has become a staple of reality shows, there is still a general resistance to it among producers of dramas and sitcoms. "My friends who do what I do, who are show runners, are much more resistant for two reasons," says Prince. "Some don't have to play this game. If I'm executive-producing Desperate Housewives, Law & Order or CSI, I don't have to play this game. I will someday, but I don't now. Part of that is staving off the inevitable so that I can 'creatively hold my ground.' The other reason is fear that somehow they will get a note from Procter & Gamble saying, 'You can't use product here.' My feeling is, I get notes all the time. I get notes from the studio, I get notes from the network, I get notes from everybody. My job is to take those notes and integrate them in a way that does the show no harm."

Prince acknowledges that it's a little easier for him to work products into his family-oriented program than a cop show or a medical drama. When Ford did a similar product-integration deal with Fox on 24, there were lengthy discussions about how the cars were used. Precautions had to be taken to make sure no villains were behind the wheel.

"Families are consumers," says Prince. "That's what they do. They consume products. It gives us a gigantic advantage. I put the dad in a TV store and the daughter dances on American Bandstand. So TV commercials are everywhere."

The 1960s setting for Dreams helps as well. "We are locked into using brands that have lasted for 45 years," he says. "That means when you tell a story about Ford Mustang or Campbell's Soup, you are saying, 'This has been around for years.' We were here during the difficult times of the '60s, and we're still here now. It makes you dependable. It makes you a true blue-chipper."

American Dreams has a passionate, loyal group of fans who tune in every Sunday at 8 pm/ET. But it's been hurt this season by being up against ABC's red-hot Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the most warm-and-fuzzy reality show in prime time. Prince is hoping that his willingness to play ball with advertisers will keep his show — and others like it — alive.

"I'm not doing this because I'm vested in the future of Procter & Gamble or Ford," he says. "I'm much more vested in keeping a broadcast television model that works for shows that are marginally successful, and there are going to be more and more of these shows that cost more than a reality show and aren't doing CSI-like ratings. There is a group of viewers who are extremely loyal to our television show. But if you don't grow that group of viewers, you'd better find a different way to get revenue."

Translation: Big-name advertisers — come on down! "Here's a chance to have TiVo-proof advertising with a show runner who is friendly and knows his job is to sell soap, soup, cars, whatever," says Prince, adding, "I'm open for business."

Story Lines Have Feel of Recurring 'Dreams'

But "Dreams" creator/executive producer Jonathan Prince could not have imagined how the Vietnam story lines in his series revolving around the growing pains of the Pryor clan, a middle-class Catholic family living in Philadelphia in the 1960s, would mirror the headlines of 2004 as much as they have this season.

"Nobody else is telling stories (on TV) about how there's a war going on," Prince says. "We're telling the story of how this particular war affected this particular family. But even though it says '1966' on our screen, our stories are relevant today. We just sit in the writers room and marvel at the opportunity we have."

Because of its setting, "Dreams," now in its third season, routinely deals with weighty issues like racial discrimination, civil rights and social protest movements, all reinforced in you-are-there fashion by snippets of NBC News footage from the day.

After weeks of real-life headlines about insurgency and carnage in faraway places like Fallujah, there's a heightened drama to scenes like the one in the Nov. 6 "Dreams" episode in which patriarch Jack has to break the news to his prospective daughter-in-law that his eldest son, J.J., who enlisted in the Marines last season, has gone missing in the jungle.

In Sunday's episode, set to air commercial-free, Prince gets to exercise his writer's prerogative by bringing his small-screen Marine home, safe and sound. What has been most surprising to Prince about the feedback he's received from viewers regarding the war-related stories is how many people have urged him not to turn J.J. into the stereotypical Vietnam veteran basket case.

"We got a letter from a veteran who said: 'Please don't do the story about the guy who comes home and cracks up. A lot of us just came home and went back to work and mowed the lawn,"' Prince says. "In some ways, those are the most complex (Vietnam vet) stories of all."

The large ensemble cast of "Dreams," produced by NBC Universal TV Studio, is clearly anchored by Tom Verica. The actor brings an understated intensity to his role as Jack, a family man who's progressive enough to have a black business partner but traditional enough to resent the growing opposition at home to the war that his son is fighting overseas.

"It's really a small miracle that this show has stayed on the air," Prince admits. "It's not all that sexy. We're telling stories about a hard-working family guy whose world seems to be exploding. The 1960s did light a fuse in this country for civil rights, gay rights, women's rights, the anti-war movement and the counterculture, and we as a country are still dealing with the consequences of having blown things up without ever figuring out how to put the puzzle back together again."

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004

ABC grabbed first among adults 18-49, doing a 5.4 rating in the important demographic. CBS wasn't far off with a 5.1 rating. FOX had a 4.5 rating, to push NBC into fourth with a 3.7 rating. The WB wasn't even in the game with a 1.1 rating.

CBS moved into first for the night's second hour, as "Cold Case" posted an 11.7/17. ABC was second with the first hour of the American Music Awards. NBC's "American Dreams" (5.5/8) tied with FOX's season premiere of "The Simpsons" (6.6/10) and the season's second new "Arrested Development" (4.5/7) for third. On The WB, "Charmed" did a 2.5/4.

Tavis Smiley Show Transcript

Free for all: Rock to Yellowcard at Hard Rock

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004

Daphne Zuniga's Sexy Dreams

Although she acknowledges that the Pryors' free-spirited new neighbor has noticed how handsome patriarch Jack (Tom Verica) is, she hints that she will eventually cast her eye, and then some, on the younger model — his ne'er-do-well kid brother, Pete (Matthew John Armstrong). "Nothing gets too, um, juicy," the actress insists coyly, "but there's definitely a chemistry that those two feel.

"Matt has been married for six years and hasn't kissed anyone other than his wife [in all that time]," she adds. "So I taught him a trick or two. But it's American Dreams, not Melrose Place — let's not get confused! No torsos were involved!"

To hear the quick-witted showbiz vet tell it, a lust interest for Shelly couldn't have come quickly enough to suit her. Without one, scenes between her and her TV son, Gilmore Girls hottie Milo Ventimiglia — who's only 15 years her junior — were starting to get a little weird. "God, he's cute!" she observes with unrestrained enthusiasm. "Sometimes, I pretend he's my boyfriend instead [of my kid]. It makes for some interesting subtext!"

Alanis Morissette's American Dreams

The singer-songwriter will make a guest appearance on the NBC television show, "American Dreams," this Sunday, November 7, at 8 pm ET/PT. Morissette plays a singer and will perform a song called "Offer" on the show.

Also this weekend, watch for Morissette on Mad TV. She'll act in a couple skits on the comedy program. The episode airs Saturday night at 11:00 ET/10:00 CT on FOX.

Morissette's latest album, "So Called Chaos," is in stores now.

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004

New Recurring Character

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004

Among adults 18-49, FOX had a strong 7.8 rating, but ABC also did well in the key demographic, earning a 5.8 rating. CBS stayed third with a 3.2 rating, better than the 3.0 for NBC or The WB's 1.0 rating.

At 8 p.m. the World Series coverage improved to a 15.1/22 for FOX, well ahead of the 9.9/14 for CBS' "Cold Case." ABC improved to an 8.5/13 with "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which more than doubled the audience for NBC's "American Dreams." On The WB, a repeat of "Jack & Bobby" fooled a number of "Charmed" fans into doing a 1.9/3.

TV update: Milo Ventimiglia

"My dad did two tours in Vietnam," Ventimiglia says. "He was 20 and 21 [years old] when he went over there. He saw a lot of [stuff]."

The former co-star on the WB's "The Gilmore Girls" says he didn't have the need to get his father's blessing before taking the role of Chris Pierce, who will get caught up in the radical protests of "Dream's" Vietnam era this season.

When Ventimiglia did tell his father about the part, he thought the idea of his son playing such a role was "cool," Ventimiglia, 27, recalls.

"That will be the biggest thought on my mind in dealing with this character," he says. "Here's this kid who doesn't like his country is at war. He doesn't have friends in the war. He's not in the war.

"He's just working out of a general feeling. So for me, my dad was in this war. He told me what it was like to be in a war. He talks about it freely. He doesn't clam up. I know what is was like through him."

"Dreams" can be seen at 8 p.m. Sundays on NBC.

After a few seasons of playing hothead Jess on "Gilmore," Ventimiglia was ready for more of an acting challenge. He left "Gilmore" after a proposed spin-off failed to get past the drawing board.

Looking at his career now, he sees his "Dreams" role as being significant. On paper, Chris doesn't seem to be that far removed from Jess on "Gilmore." However, Ventimiglia says the "Dreams" character represents a milestone for him personally.

"This is a landmark character for me because it does tie into my father," he says.

His father has shared his Vietnam stories through the years with Ventimiglia. He recorded a reel-to-reel account of his life while in Vietnam. He also sent letters home and has written stories for his son about his experiences.

"When the current war with Iraq started, there was rumor of a draft," Ventimiglia says. "I was 25 then. That was one thing that made my dad very nervous. My dad said, 'You're not going to war.' And I said, 'Well, you did.' And he said, 'Yes, but the difference is that you are my son.' "

Ventimiglia, a Southern California native, is diplomatic when asked what he thinks of Operation: Iraqi Freedom.

"It's kinda tough," he says.

"Initially, you have to support your country. But when enough time goes by, it becomes a little unclear what we are doing and [what] the message is that we're putting out for the rest of the world.

"You kind of shake your head. The best thing you can do now is to vote for congressmen and senators" who support your opinion on the conflict, he says. "You have to support the people over there, but the reasoning [for the conflict] doesn't sound right." Ventimiglia says he has not participated in any anti-war protests in real life. However, working on "Dreams" has shown him the similarities between then and now.

"The world is a different place now, but so many similarities are still there," he says.

Introducing Ventimiglia's character, Chris, into the "Dreams" fray will also help the show's heroine, 17-year-old Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow), come of age. Her involvement with Chris will be a source of conflict within her own family.

On the show, Meg's brother is serving a tour of duty in Vietnam.

"His character is much different than anything Meg is used to," says Snow. "He's kind of in that hippie stage of life. Slowly, Meg is protesting the [Vietnam] war and getting into all that.

"She's a lot more rebellious now because of him. He will show her a new perspective of what it is like to be rebellious."

Lifetime Has More 'Sex' With 'Dreams' Star

Tentatively (but predictably) titled "Sex and the Single Mom 2," the new film will pick up where the original left off. As the 4.1 million viewers who watched the first movie will recall, the first telefilm focused on Jess (O'Grady), a single mom trying to teach safe sexual behavior to her teenage, who ends up pregnant after a fling with Alex (Show).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel will begin three years later and will go into production in December for a premiere in early 2005. Judith Paige Mitchell, writer on the original, will also script the second installment.

Don Enright, Les Alexander and Andrea Baynes will executive produce.

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004

Among adults 18-49, though, ABC grabbed the top spot, doing a 5.7 rating in the key demographic, beating FOX's 5.3 rating. CBS was third with a 3.4 rating as NBC stayed fourth with a 3.2 rating. The WB did a 1.3 rating.

"Cold Case" did a 10.9/17 to give CBS the 8 p.m. win, though FOX's baseball (9.2/14) and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8.6/13) both easily beat the forensic drama in the key demographics. Each of the top three networks double up NBC's "American Dreams." "Charmed" gave The WB its best hour of the night with a 2.9/4.

Soap Star's Son To Visit 'Dreams'

Two 'Idol' Winners Lead 'Dreams' Guest List

While its viewership has continued to drop from last season, averaging fewer than 8 million viewers through the show's first three airings, "American Dreams" continues to get a diverse roster of contemporary musical guests taking advantage of the opportunity to portray their heroes on the show-within-the-show of "American Bandstand."

Barrino, who won her "Idol" crown in May, will sing "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" in the guise of her own idol, Aretha Franklin. Clarkson will reprise her role as Brenda Lee, this time singing "Rock Around the Christmas Tree." Both "Idol" stars will appear in November.

Also doing November duty is Alanis Morissette, who will visit the show's alternative venue, the Lair, to perform her own original song "Feast on Scraps," which purists may view as something of a cheat.

Grammy winner Brandy will drop by in November, as will Michael Tocher, 112, and Phantom Planet as The Zombies. Power punk band Hawk Nelson will play The Who, covering "My Generation" and JoJo will be a young Linda Ronstandt, auditioning for "Bandstand" with "That Will Be the Day."

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004

Among adults 18-49, ABC scored an easy win, doing a 5.6 rating in the key demographic. The other three networks were in a clump with NBC's 3.3 rating in second, followed by FOX's 3.2 and the 3.0 rating for CBS. The WB trailed in the key demographic with a 1.3 rating.

At 8 p.m. "Cold Case" kept CBS on top with a 10.0/15. ABC grabbed second with "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" which went from a 7.4/12 in its first 30 minutes to a 9.2/14 in its second half. FOX baseball dipped to third. On NBC, "American Dreams" had a 4.5/7 for fourth, as "Charmed" was fifth with a 2.9/5 for The WB.

Official Website for the Actress Rachel Boston

'American Dreams' Creator Tackles Tara Reid for FOX

Prince will also serve as an executive producer of the project, which has a script commitment at the network, according to the Hollywood trade papers. Warner Bros. TV will produce.

The show's premise is a wink at Reid's party-girl reputation: She'll play a wild child who promises to clean up her ways for the sake of her family and friends. The project is a result of a holding deal the "American Pie" star signed with FOX earlier this year.

Should the show make it to series, it will be Reid's first regular prime-time role. She had a recurring part on NBC's "Scrubs" last season.

Prince worked on several sitcoms before creating "American Dreams" for NBC in 2002. The former actor's writing and producing credits include "Blossom" and the short-lived, late-1990s series "Grown Ups" and "Ask Harriet."

www.tommy2.net Cast Interviews

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004

Among adults 18-49, ABC scored a bigger win with a 5.5 rating in the key demographic. CBS stuck around in second with a 3.6 rating. NBC's 3.1 rating and the 2.4 for FOX followed. The WB stayed in fifth with a 1.2 rating.

At 8 p.m. CBS stayed on top with a 10.5/17 for "Cold Case." ABC improved to second with "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which did an 8.3/13. NBC was nearly off the radar in third with the 4.9/8 for "American Dreams." FOX's "Rush Hour 2" screening outperformed the 2.7/4 for "Charmed" on The WB.

Daphne Zuniga Has 'American Dreams'

There's more than that to her new role, though, as the actress joins the 1960s-set NBC drama series "American Dreams" Sunday, Oct. 3. The second episode of the show's third season introduces Zuniga as single mom Shelly Pierce, who moves with her teenage son Chris (Milo Ventimiglia, "Gilmore Girls") into the Pryor family's neighborhood.

Her liberal behavior is sure to impact the elder Pryors (Gail O'Grady, Tom Verica), just as Chris's rebellious streak will affect young "American Bandstand" dancer Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow), whose social awareness already is expanding in the era of the Vietnam War.

"She's traveled a lot and has had several husbands," Zuniga says of her new alter ego, who eventually will show up squeezed into the famous Playboy-bunny outfit. "I'm going to the gym every day, trust me," Zuniga confirms with a laugh. "I've been searching the Internet to find 'ex-bunny' sites, and I watched a Playboy documentary. I've waited a long time for such a good part. It's not a lawyer, it's not a cop, it's not even someone particularly book-smart. I just wanted to play a happy, sexy gal, and that's what really attracted me to this."

Hugh Hefner remains famous (or notorious, some may say) for the Playboy empire he built, but Zuniga stresses "American Dreams" deals with it "at a time when the clubs were the hottest thing around. Everyone went, men and women alike, and they were very glamorous places to be ... especially if you had a key (which entitled the holder to special privileges). To play the part in that time is not to play a 'bunny' who has been through hell and is at the end of her rope. The Playboy organization has been good to Shelly; she was a Playmate, and now she's more of a 'bunny supervisor'."

Zuniga also appreciates the mother-and-son relationship depicted by her "American Dreams" stint, which is set for at least eight episodes. She reports series creator-producer Jonathan Prince promised her she was "really going to have fun" with co-star Ventimiglia. "I wanted to have some sense of on-screen familiarity with him, so we got together and hung out before we started filming. He's very spiritually centered, and he doesn't drink or party, so this whole `bad boy' image he has is just an acting thing.

"Our characters aren't even aware what fish-out-of-water they are, and they shock the Pryors without even knowing it, just with the things they say and the language they use. As a single mother who had a son when she was so young, Shelly relies on Chris so much. They have to be very close without a crossing a border. There has to be a real best-friends, simpatico thing between them. It's just the two of them against the world."

The first season of "American Dreams" was released recently on DVD, but the series was basically new to Zuniga when she was hired: "I know Tom and Gail from the past, but I had seen the show maybe only once or twice, though I knew people liked it. I don't watch a lot of television, but when I got the call about this, I knew it was a quality show. That was the first thing I got excited about. Also, with the era that it's about, it's an interesting show visually."

It's also ripe with musical nostalgia, offering current celebrities in guest appearances as classic singing stars; Zuniga's first episode also features Nicole Richie ("The Simple Life") as a member of the `60s girl group The Exciters ("Tell Him").

A fan of oldies tunes anyway, Zuniga admits, "I'm learning more and more of the specifics. Since I was so young then, I wasn't aware of the cultural clash in the country in 1965. It was the end of innocence and the beginning of change, and it wasn't just rock music changing, it was everything. I get flashbacks when I remember a certain song. Music is somewhere in our emotional DNA. It just touches us."

Except for the occasional miniseries ("Pandora's Clock") or TV movie ("Ghost Dog: A Detective Tail"), Zuniga has done relatively little acting lately, so "American Dreams" marks her first big career move since leaving her "Melrose Place" role as photographer Jo Reynolds in 1996. At that point, she had been working steadily for well over a decade, also in feature films like "The Sure Thing," "Gross Anatomy" and the Mel Brooks "Star Wars" parody "Spaceballs." She felt she needed a long break, and she has no regrets about having taken one.

"The biggest thing that can bring change to an actor, or anyone else, is that a change has to happen internally first," Zuniga reasons. "After I finished'Melrose Place,' I figured I'd just go right into indie movies, but the Sundance gang didn't really want to hear from 'Melrose' people.

"Most importantly -- and I know this sounds like a cliche -- I really needed to find out who I was. 'Melrose' was so huge, I looked in the mirror and became confused about who I'd become to give people what I thought they wanted. I needed time to just travel and hang out and fade away a bit. I didn't necessarily want it all the time, but I know now how much I needed it."

Drama of 'American Dreams' echoes much of modern U.S. strife

The new century might be fraught with drama, but just about the only TV show to consistently address its issues is a Sunday night family show set in the 1960s.

The contemporary parallels in "American Dreams," which started its third season Sunday, sometimes stun even the show's creator.

"Here I am, it's 1965 in our show, and there's a Texas president sitting in the White House, promising a divided American public that this fairly unpopular foreign war will be over real soon, and he'll root the bad guys out," Jonathan Prince, executive producer, said from the set.

"Then there's a Catholic senator (originally) from Massachusetts telling him he's not doing the war right and that he would do it differently.

"At the same time, black people wonder where the fruits of Brown vs. the Board of Education are, since most are not getting the right education.

"There are people protesting the war and being called un-American. There are people against the war but for the troops. And there are people who say if it's not a good war, we still have to support our boys. Then suddenly there are revelations we are violating the Geneva Conventions."

The Vietnam War, which has become a focal point of the 2004 presidential election, is the lingering metaphor for Iraq on a show that follows the life and times of a family in Philadelphia, where "American Bandstand" is locally broadcast each weekday. (When the show went to ABC and moved to Los Angeles in 1964, it was broadcast every Saturday.)

As the third season of "American Dreams" began, the Pryor family's eldest son, JJ, was in a hospital in Vietnam learning the fate of his company members. A younger daughter, Meg, has to stand trial following arrests at an anti-war protest.

And though the war is Vietnam and not Iraq, the president Lyndon Johnson and not George Bush, and his critic is Robert Kennedy and not John Kerry, "it's hard to miss the connections," Prince said.

Although war in Iraq is sometimes mentioned in more topical crime shows, it's not the main story of any other ongoing series.

Much of the reaction he's gotten from the Vietnam story lines has been from veterans of the war thankful for the depiction of soldiers as something other than permanently traumatized and ill-adjusted.

But Prince said he's also heard from families of soldiers currently serving, because the show depicts the war's effects on the family.

He also hears from viewers who simply appreciate a show the whole family can watch together and discuss afterward. "I've always said this show is 'The Waltons' with a different time setting and a much cooler soundtrack."

Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Sept. 26, 2004

ABC did a 5.2 rating among adults 18-49 to trounce the competition. NBC was second with a 3.6 rating and FOX was third with a 3.5. CBS was a distant fourth with a 2.5 rating, still better than The WB's 1.6 rating.

ABC grabbed first at 8 p.m. with the 8.4/13 for the first hour of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." CBS was second for the hour with the tepid 6.1/10 premiere of the baseball drama "Clubhouse," which actually finished in fifth for the hour in the 18-49 demographic. The season premiere of "American Dreams" had a 5.6/9 on NBC. FOX was fourth with the "Fashion Rocks" special and The WB had a 3.0/5 for "Charmed."

'Dreams' takes us back to Vietnam

''So much of Vietnam is small things, like always having a fan going somewhere in the background, spraying everybody to make it like they're sweating,'' says Jonathan Prince, surveying his burned, bullet-riddled but surprisingly lively patients milling around the room during a break. ``Or you have a couple of women in the background, chattering softly in Vietnamese.''

This is not, happily, your father's Vietnam, but a more peaceful one built on a Hollywood backlot for American Dreams, the NBC drama about life in the 1960s that returns at 8 tonight for its third season. For only the third time in four decades, a TV series is daring to bring the Vietnam War to the small screen.

Though it was the first televised war, with the nightly news bringing into our living rooms grisly images of shootouts in the U.S. Embassy in Saigon or terrified refugees clinging to the skids of departing American helicopters, Vietnam has not been the stuff of much TV drama.

Prince, American Dreams' creator and executive producer, acknowledges he's defying the conventional TV wisdom on Vietnam, which goes like this: ``If you're going to tell a story about a war, like Band of Brothers, find a noble war. Find one we won. Go do World War I, do World War II, hell, do the Civil War or the War of 1812. Find anything but Vietnam, because that's an ignoble bloodstain on our country's military history, worse than anything we've ever been through.''

Making a weekly series about a war, any war, has always made television executives nervous. Not until 1962, more than 17 years after its end, did TV take a serious crack at World War II with Combat and The Gallant Men, each of which followed squads of GIs fighting their way through a ruined Europe.

But those shows instantly prompted a flock of imitators, from the steely bombardiers of Twelve O'Clock High to the dune warfare of The Rat Patrol. With Vietnam, the process has been the reverse.

After Hollywood discovered in 1978, with The Deer Hunter and Coming Home, that movies about Vietnam could draw big box office, several TV studios made pilots for series about Vietnam. But neither network suits nor preview audiences showed much enthusiasm.

15 YEARS LATER

It wasn't until 1988, more than 15 years after the peace treaty that ended American involvement in the war, that TV took a crack at Vietnam with a pair of grunt's-eye-view shows, China Beach and Tour of Duty. Critics loved both shows, but their ratings were only so-so. Both were gone within four years, and until American Dreams, nothing else has made the air.

Some TV executives believe that Vietnam triggers a sense of remorse among audiences. ''They still don't want to admit that they were not supportive of those of us who served there,'' says L. Travis Clark, who created and produced Tour of Duty. ``There's a guilt feeling in the hearts and minds of the American people about that.''

Others think it's just too difficult to return, week after week, to a story without a happy ending. ''How do you use the formulas Hollywood has used on a war we lost?'' asks TV historian Bill Kunkel. ``Korea was bad enough, and we didn't exactly lose it.

``China Beach has got to be the most depressing show in the history of television. I loved it and watched it constantly, but you didn't dare watch it if you were feeling low -- you'd slit your throat.''

American Dreams has skirted that trap because it's only partially set in Vietnam. The story of the Pryors, a working-class family in Philadelphia, it opened a Vietnam front last season when eldest son J.J. graduated and -- after an injury ended his hopes of attending college on a football scholarship -- enlisted in the Marines. He soon found himself on patrol in the jungle.

Since then, the show has alternated between Vietnam and the home front, where J.J.'s girlfriend Beth and younger sister Meg are turning into anti-war protesters, while his father Jack -- a World War II vet -- remains a staunch supporter.

Even so, Prince admits he took a huge gamble by sending one of his characters off to Vietnam -- not only defying the historical tides of television, but the simple rules of script-writing as well. In a family drama that depends on character interaction, he sent one member of the family 7,000 miles away.

``I think it [worked] last year because we were able to play the missing chair at the dinner table as a character. We were able to play the boy in Vietnam who wasn't there, the dream of college and being an astronaut deferred, for who knows how long.''

Not all viewers liked it. Prince got bags of mail from terrified fans, demanding J.J. come home in one piece, right now. Nonetheless, the Vietnam story line will not only continue this year, but turn more harrowing as American Dreams delivers a cram course in hot-button Vietnam issues: the secret CIA war in Cambodia; POWs; MIAs.

``We could have gotten J.J. into trouble last year, gotten him an injury, given him a million-dollar wound and brought him home. But then I'd miss some things that I wanted to talk about.

``I wanted to see something to do with those secret missions. It seems to me that once those guys got tapped to go into Cambodia or Laos, then they knew something was fishy with this war. The minute they were reporting to the CIA and not to their immediate military commanding officer, they knew something was rotten in the state of Denmark.

DIFFERENT STORY

``They didn't know it because they were reading the newspaper. They knew because this wasn't the way wars were fought. Their dads or their uncles or their brothers who fought in Korea taught them how wars were fought, and this is different. That's the story I want to tell.''

The gradual revelation about the nature of the Vietnam war -- undeclared, conducted secretively, with murky objectives, all ultimately to corrupting effect -- has been key to Prince's approach to American Dreams. All along, he has been determined not to view the 1960s through a modern lens. In 1965, where American Dreams starts this season, there was still widespread support for the war in a world where Father still knew best.

''I was committed to telling the story of the '60s as if they were happening now, and not through the filter and haze of reflection,'' Prince says. ``At the time, Jack Pryor is very proud of his son for fighting in Vietnam. At the time, [fathers say to sons], you go fight in that war like I fought in my war.''

It's not a mode of story-telling that's popular in Hollywood, Prince admits.

''We don't trust that the audience will get on board with the blind patriotism or loyalty to the mission,'' he says. ``We fear that because the audience knows that because Vietnam ended up being a total snafu, that they won't allow the story to be told because they're going to wanna jump to the end.''

Nonetheless, he believes the American Dreams approach will hit home with viewers who have sons or daughters in Iraq. Prince is careful not to draw political equations between Iraq and Vietnam, but he sees an important parallel on the human level: ``The notion of a good American boy or girl fighting in a war, doing the best job they can with the limited information they have, will resonate.''

'American Dreams' actor aims to 'make people think'

But the actor who plays Sam Walker in the hit drama said he thinks the social and political issues that the show — set in the tumultuous 1960s — tackles are relevant today.

''I made a vow that I would get into acting only if I could make people think,'' Escarpeta said. ''This show does that. It's a great forum for me to convey to people my age that we should be concerned about what's going on around us. It's not the Vietnam War now; it's the Iraq War. There are plenty of social issues in the show that are still relevant and being discussed today.''

Escarpeta, 24, has guest-starred in several TV shows, and appeared in the movie High Crimes. But it is his role in American Dreams that has made him a familiar name.

The program, which kicks off its third season on NBC on Sunday, centers on two Philadelphia families — one black (the Walkers), the other white (the Pryors) — and their interactions during the civil-rights and Vietnam era.

Not only has American Dreams become a dramatic pull for fans each week, it also has a good beat and you can dance to it. Credit that to Dick Clark, one of the show's executive producers.

Clark uses his once-popular American Bandstand dance show as the backdrop for American Dreams. Vintage footage of Bandstand is interspersed with contemporary R&B and pop musicians who portray many '60s-era singers.

This season, audiences will see Brandy portray Gladys Knight and American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino showing some respect to Aretha Franklin.

''The music definitely hooks you into the show,'' Escarpeta said. ''But I think it's the stories that make viewers stick around.''

Jonathan Prince, the show's other executive producer, said much of this season will focus on Sam at college. Sam's ''going to encounter racism not only from white people, but prejudice from affluent African-Americans on campus. There's a young co-ed that he has a romantic interest in and their relationship really gets tested,'' Prince said.

Escarpeta credits his mother for his success. Escarpeta was 3 years old when his father died. His mother moved from Belize and settled in Los Angeles.

''She suggested I get into acting even though I had my sights on athletics,'' said Escarpeta, who attended Hollywood High and ran track at Pasadena City College.

In American Dreams this season, he will play a college track star.

''I'm acting like a track star,'' he said with a laugh. ''I'm doing two things I love. For me, this really is an American dream.''

Official American Dreams Fan Club

I am a Bandstand Dancer on American Dreams, which is extremely cool, because AD is my favorite show on television.

Last season, I approached Jonathan Prince, AD's Executive Producer, about starting an official fan club for the show. He LOVED the idea and we, the fans, should let NBC know that we are interested in an "Official American Dreams Fan Club."

The projected time for the fan club to open is this Fall.

Let me tell you some of the benefits being considered for the fan club-

A membership kit you receive when you join - including fan club memorabilia and cast photos (one autographed). Also, a newsletter that contains cast and show features, photos, and updates. It will also include a trivia section where you can win American Dreams prizes.

You may even be able to win the chance to tour the set and meet the cast.

Are you interested?

Please go to the following link for more information: http://www.nbc.com/nbc/American_Dreams/fanclub_survey.shtml

Hawk Nelson To Be Featured On NBC Hit Show, American Dreams

NASHVILLE, TN- Flashing back to 1965, Tooth and Nail Records’ band Hawk Nelson recently returned from the taping of their national television debut for the NBC hit show, American Dreams, set to air October 10, 2004. The members of the band emulated legendary rock band, The Who, singing "My Generation." In addition to portraying The Who, Hawk Nelson also recorded their version of "My Generation", which will be available on the show’s soundtrack. “Just when you think you couldn’t be happier living a simple life, playing shows, trying to make a living for yourself, someone calls and asks you to re-enact a rock legend on American Dreams,” states lead vocalist Jason Dunn. “When we arrived on the set, it was so cool! Everyone was walking around like it was 1965."

The two-time Emmy winning drama features contemporary musicians as guest stars portraying 1960s icons on “American Bandstand.” Last season’s guest stars included Kelly Clarkson (as Brenda Lee), Nick Lachey (as Tom Jones), Alicia Keys (as Fontella Bass), and Hilary and Haylie Duff (as The Shangri-Las).

Since their debut release, Letters to the President, hit the streets July 13, Hawk Nelson has had much radio success and media acclaim. Currently, their single “Every Little Thing” is at #2 on the Christian Rock chart and at #20 with a bullet on CHR. Here’s what has been said about this hot new group:

"Letters to the President proves to be a well-executed, well-produced label debut. Also impressive is the variety of hooky anthems side-by-side with ballads and tongue-twisting fast punk songs…. Hawk Nelson does it right. If somebody has to take Simple Plan’s place as pop-punk radio darlings, it should be these guys.” -HM Magazine “…songs like “California,” “Every Little Thing,” “From Underneath” and the piano ballad “36 Days” brim with a creative energy that shows promise. Intelligent lyrics also give Letters a little more to say than a typical summer fare.” -Seven Ball Magazine “In short, right out of the gate they’re probably the most to-the-moment sounding punk band on the Christian scene. Lead vocalist Jason Dunn sounds like he was born to sing these songs. Letters to the President does embrace its roots with gusto, and the band manages to package it in a way that is undeniable appealing." -CMCentral.com

Hawk Nelson will be hitting the road beginning September 24 with Sanctus Real on their fall tour. They will be performing in 30 markets across the nation through the end of October. The tour will include Seven Places and Ever Stays Red. For more information on Hawk Nelson please visit http://www.hawknelson.com and http://www.toothandnail.com.

Celebrity Designed Envelopes to Be Auctioned Off on eBay September 22-29

Pitney Bowes Inc, the leading provider of integrated mail and document management solutions, has enlisted actors, musicians, athletes and politicians to design and autograph envelopes as part of its program to support literacy during National Literacy Month this September.

The "Pitney Bowes Pushing the Envelope to Support Literacy" program is a global initiative to raise awareness of and funding for select literacy charities in the U.S. and Europe through the auction of one-of-a-kind celebrity-designed envelopes. The envelopes will be auctioned off on eBay from September 22-29 (http://www.ebay.com/pitneybowesread), and all proceeds will go the following four literacy organizations: First Book, the National Center for Family Literacy, ProLiteracy Worldwide and Reading Is Fundamental. The U.K. auction will run from September 30 to October 8, and all proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust.

Bruce P. Nolop, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Pitney Bowes, explains that "Pushing the Envelope" is a natural tie to the company's business platform. "Our core business revolves around communications and supporting literacy is the focus of our philanthropic efforts. The ability to communicate effectively -- which includes being able to read and understand what is being communicated -- is the cornerstone of both personal and professional success. We encourage everyone to participate in the envelope auctions to support the literacy charities and the people they assist."

To date, contributors to the U.S. eBay auction include: **

-- Hank Aaron - Baseball Hall of Famer
-- Marcus Allen - NFL Hall of Famer
-- Dr. Maya Angelou - Poet, Author, Actress
-- Sean Astin - Actor and Director
-- Halle Berry - Oscar winning actress
-- David Broder - Political Columnist Washington Post
-- Janet Evans - 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist
-- Doug Flutie - San Diego Chargers football player
-- Jason Kidd - NJ Nets basketball player
-- Matt Lauer - Co-host Today Show
-- Lindsay Lohan - Actress, Mean Girls
-- Eli Manning - #1 Overall NFL Draft Pick
-- Christina Milian - Actress, Singer
-- Beverly Mitchell - Actress, 7th Heaven
-- Brittany Murphy - Actress, Little Black Book
-- Mike Myers -- Actor and Comedian
-- Jeff Probst - Host of Survivor
-- Al Roker - America's Most Loved Weatherman, Today Show-- Molly Shannon - Actress
-- Brittany Snow - Actress, American Dreams
-- Joe Torre - NY Yankees Manager
-- Bill Walton - NBA Hall of Famer
-- Sharon Stone - Actress
-- Ryan Seacrest - Host American Idol

As part of the program in the U.S., actress and writer Molly Shannon, best known for her many characters on the NBC-TV comedy show Saturday Night Live, will participate in a "Children's Reading Hour" at a New York City public school on Wednesday, September 22.

Pitney Bowes Inc. is the world's leading provider of integrated mail and document management systems, services and solutions. The $4.6 billion company helps organizations of all sizes reduce costs, increase effectiveness and enhance customer relationships. The company's 80-plus years of technological leadership has produced many major innovations in the mailing industry and more than 3,500 active patents with applications in a variety of markets, including printing, shipping, encryption and financial services. With approximately 33,000 employees worldwide, Pitney Bowes serves more than 2 million businesses through direct and dealer operations. More information about Pitney Bowes can be found at http://www.pb.com.

For a list of participants in the London auction, visit http://www.pushingtheenvelope.info

Dick Clark relives his younger days in TV show, American Dreams

The NBC show about a middle-class Philadelphia family offsets the politics of the era with music and footage from Clark's early years on American Bandstand. The central character is teenager Meg (played by Brittany Snow), who realizes her dream of becoming a regular dancer on Bandstand.

She interacts with archive footage of a 33-year-old Clark and performers such as the Beach Boys, the Everly Brothers and Martha and the Vandellas.

"It raised the hair on my arms," the now 74-year-old said. "The very first time I saw the set, I walked into that studio and it was overwhelming because I hadn't been in the (Bandstand) studio in 40 years - and it was all in colour. All I can see, my whole recollection, is black and white."

Clark also serves as an executive producer of the program.

One of the show's gimmicks is to occasionally substitute contemporary pop stars as famous singers from the '60s, such as Michelle Branch as Lesley Gore singing You Don't Own Me, or Usher as Marvin Gaye singing Can I Get a Witness?

The show's third season starts Sept. 26. Guest stars will include Brandy as Gladys Knight and American Idol winner Fantasia as Aretha Franklin. A DVD of the first season of American Dreams went on sale Tuesday.

American Dreams Preview

Seventeen-year-old Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow, “Guiding Light”) is shedding her “good girl” image as she and her outspoken best friend Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies, “Popular Mechanics for Kids”) continue to pursue their dreams of making a difference as they struggle through the transition from teenager to adult. While they continue to dance on Dick Clark’s locally produced “American Bandstand,” they find -- as seniors at East Catholic High School -- that the world around them is growing ever closer with issues of the war, racism, feminism, and even teen marriage and pregnancy.

At the same time, Meg’s mother Helen (three-time Emmy nominee Gail O’Grady, “NYPD Blue”) continues to face the challenge of the era’s modern woman, working and holding the family together. The family’s patriarch, Jack Pryor (Tom Verica, “Providence”), braces himself for the sociological and economic changes as he prepares to run for city councilman, and JJ (Will Estes, “7th Heaven”), a U.S. Marine fighting in Vietnam, struggles to find his way home to his family and his ex-fiancee, Beth Mason (Rachel Boston, “The Andy Dick Show”), who is pregnant with their child. In addition, adolescent Will (Ethan Dampf, “Collateral Damage”) tries to fit in at school after successful polio surgery, and smarty-pants Patty (Sarah Ramos) tries to find a balance between her brilliant mind and social acceptance among her high school peers.

African-American father Henry Walker (Jonathan Adams, “The American Embassy”) remains hopeful that his partnership in Jack Pryor’s electronics store is a sign of positive social changes to come. However, the politics of the time continue to show him that the needs of the black community are not being met. Meanwhile, his son Sam (Arlen Escarpeta, “The Shield”) has mixed feelings concerning the evolving events as he starts his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania on a track scholarship which forces him on a path of self-discovery.

New cast addition -- singer-songwriter Ben Taylor -- makes his acting debut in the season’s premiere as a love interest for Beth. Michael Rodgers (“The Patriot”) will also recur as Colin, the associate producer on “American Bandstand,” as the British invasion continues to hit the American shores with an unforgettable beat.

The drama continues to embrace contemporary musicians as guest stars who portray classic 1960s icons on “American Bandstand.” Last season’s guest stars include Kelly Clarkson (as Brenda Lee), Nick Lachey (as Tom Jones), Alicia Keys (as Fontella Bass), and Hilary and Haylie Duff (as The Shangri-Las).

Dick Clark (“American Bandstand”) and Jonathan Prince (“Wilder Days”) are the executive producers. “American Dreams” is from NBC Universal Television Studio.

Trio on Target for 'American Gun'

They will join the ensemble cast of the IFC Films project, which is described as "a powerful series of interwoven storylines that bring to light how the proliferation of guns in America dramatically influence and shape everyday lives."

Those previously cast include Forest Whitaker, Donald Sutherland, Marcia Gay Harden, Linda Cardellini and Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon.

The colorful characters include: a model student who carries a concealed handgun at school; a single mom (Harden) whose son is a suburban high school assassin; a principal at a dangerous inner-city high school; and Mary Ann (Cardellini), who reluctantly follows in the footsteps of her grandfather Carl (Sutherland), a Virginia gun shop owner.

"IFC couldn't be happier with the stellar cast that has been assembled for 'American Gun,'" says Holly Becker, IFC's Director of Production and Development. "This extraordinary ensemble is poised to tackle the topical and complex subject of this film. They put a distinct face to the issues raised and we are confident their remarkable talent will be showcased."

Freshman director Aric Avelino is currently shooting the project, which he also wrote, in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.

Escarpeta, 24, is best known for his role on NBC's "American Dreams." Fisk, 22, has appeared in a number of films including "The Baby-Sitters Club," "Snow Day" and "Orange County." Reed, 16, starred in and helped write the critically acclaimed "thirteen."

Family-Friendly TV Group Praises 'Joan,' Pans 'Everwood'

The PTC, in its annual rankings of the best and worst shows on television for families, puts The WB's family drama "Everwood" at the top of the "worst" list. The group says the list "does not examine artistic quality"; the rankings are based on incidents of violence, sex (including innuendo) and profanity in a given show.

"Everwood" tops the worst list primarily for its "careless and irresponsible treatment of sexual issues," but it also loses points for being sneaky. The show "gives every appearance of being a family drama, but it's nothing of the kind," the group says. "... 'Everwood's' reckless messages about sex without consequences are expressly targeted to impressionable teens."

The Emmy-nominated "Joan of Arcadia," on the other hand, earns PTC kudos as "the best new show of the 2003-04 season" and "one of television's most pro-family shows." The council also notes that while Joan (Amber Tamblyn) speaks to God on a regular basis and follows instructions given to her by the Almighty, her reward comes in seeing how what she does affects others, not in material terms.

Other shows on the best list include PAX's "Doc" and "Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye," CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond" and two reality shows -- "American Idol" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Repeat offenders on the worst list include "CSI" and "Will & Grace"; they're joined by newcomers "Cold Case," "Two and a Half Men" and "Las Vegas."

The PTC's most and least family-friendly shows for 2003-04 are:

BEST
"Joan of Arcadia" (CBS)
"Doc" (Pax)
"Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye" (Pax)
"Reba" (The WB)
"7th Heaven" (The WB)
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
"Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS)
"American Idol" (FOX)
"American Dreams" (NBC)
"The Bernie Mac Show" (FOX)

WORST
"Everwood" (The WB)
"That '70s Show" (FOX)
"Fear Factor" (NBC)
"Two and a Half Men" (CBS)
"CSI" (CBS)
"The Surreal Life" (The WB)
"Girlfriends" (UPN)
"Las Vegas" (NBC)
"Will & Grace" (NBC)
"Cold Case" (CBS)

Fahey and Zuniga Have 'American Dreams'

Fahey, whose credits include such testosterone heavy pics as "Hijack" and "Operation Delta Force" and "The Last of the Finest," will play a military operative who has dealings with Will Estes' JJ Pryor. Fahey has been seen on the small screen on "The Marshal" and in an episode of "Crossing Jordan" earlier this season.

In a casting choice bound to make a lot of people feel really old, Zuniga will play the Pryors' new neighbor and the mother of a rebellious teen played by Milo Ventimiglia ("Gilmore Girls"). In addition to her run as JoBeth Reynolds on "Melrose," Zuniga is beloved from "Gross Anatomy," "Spaceballs" and "The Sure Thing."

Also on NBC, newcomer Josh Stewart will become a regular on "Third Watch," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Eugene Byrd ("8 Mile") is joining "Crossing Jordan" in a recurring role as a new coroner.

In other NBC Universal casting news, Jarrad Paul will return to USA's "Monk" as Adrian Monk's (Tony Shalhoub) neighbor. Paul ("Action") first played the part in the show's second season premiere.

Ventimiglia Has 'Dreams'

Dream's Scoop

NBC Stars Party Down!

After valeting his car in the Frankenstein parking lot (yes, really), Party Boy flashed his invitation to get past the lookyloo tourists and proceeded straight to the red carpet. Everybody from Apprentice guru Donald Trump to Will & Grace's Eric McCormack and Sean Hayes to Las Vegas stars Josh Duhamel and Vanessa Marcil were smilin' and posin' as usual.

Later inside, I couldn't resist asking Duhamel what he thinks of shows like Fox's North Shore, which shamelessly ripped off the Vegas format. "You can never really duplicate us," Duhamel scoffed, "but it just means that our show's doing well. If they want to try to do something in the same vein, it's flattering. I just hope they fall flat on their face and never make it on the air again. Just kidding! You better write that I'm just kidding!"

Simmer down, Josh. By the way, here's an FYI for Las Vegas viewers who've been asking why the handsome Duhamel's still using crutches on the show. "NBC's been airing reruns!" he laughs. "I actually ruptured my Achilles' heel in real life, but I'm OK now. I'm lightning fast."

Movin' on... American Dreams honeys Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies were in the karaoke booth, singing golden oldies — badly. No wonder Dick Clark was downing cocktails in the corner. He remembers the real '60s crooners doing them right the first time around!

A spy whispered to Party Boy that Snow's solo was fine, but the sound soured when Lengies began accompanying her. "Who told you that?!" Snow laughed, then admitted the rumor was true. "When you're with friends, it's not fun if you're the only one singing well. But if you're by yourself, it's annoying to people if you're completely bad."

At 9 pm, Universal Studios closed off the rides just for NBC's guests. Whoopee! That meant Party Boy and pals got to ride Jurassic Park, with The Tonight Show's Ross — the super-queeny intern — screaming bloody murder in the seat behind us. And I hadn't truly lived till I'd ridden the Mummy roller coaster three times with Shawn-D and psycho Jan from Days of Our Lives! Party Boy doesn't remember the soap stars' real names, but he does recall one harsh lesson learned: A big prime-rib dinner with shrimp and mashed potatoes is not smart theme-park food. Trust me.

Gail's a Mother

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Vote for Dreams at the Teen Choice Awards

TV Show: Drama/Action Adventure
American Dreams

TV Actress: Drama/Action Adventure
Brittany Snow (American Dreams)

TV Sidekick
Vanessa Lengies (American Dreams)

And - don't forget to watch and see who wins the Teen Choice Awards August 11, 2004, 8pm/7c on FOX!

Dick Clark Joins 'Idol' Creator on New 'Bandstand'

Clark, whose company has produced such perennial events as the American Music Awards and the Golden Globes telecast, said on Monday he is shopping an update of "American Bandstand" to a number of networks, aiming for a summer 2005 debut.

He said the new Los Angeles-based show will incorporate the basic elements of the original, which started as a local program in Philadelphia and ran on the ABC network from 1957 to 1987, showcasing the era's hottest new recording acts and dances they inspired.

Borrowing a page from the singing-contest format of the Fox television hit "American Idol," Clark said the new "Bandstand" will feature a dance competition.

"We think there's a great opportunity to utilize television for the promotion of today's music and put some dancing in it, and run a competition and hopefully come up with a hit," Clark told Reuters.

A nationwide search has begun for a new host. Clark, 74, describing himself as "a little bit out of the demographic" to return as host, will serve instead as executive producer, along with Simon Fuller, whose 19 Entertainment company created and produces "American Idol."

They will be joined by Allen Shapiro, president of Mosaic Media Group, which led the investor group that bought Dick Clark Productions in 2002 for $140 million.

The old "American Bandstand" originated in 1952 and helped popularize "The Twist" and other dance crazes in the years before the Beatles burst on the scene. A recreation of the show serves as a backdrop for NBC drama series "American Dreams," which Clark helps produce.

The show began its 30-year ABC run in 1957 as a late-afternoon weekday entry -- and got a brief prime-time run on Monday nights that fall -- before moving to a weekly Saturday telecast in August of 1963.

Canceled by the network in 1987, the show remained on the air for about two more years, first in broadcast syndication, then on the USA cable network.

NBC 2004-05 Seaon

Joseph Lawrence Gets Married

The pilot casts Lawrence as a once-successful New Yorker whose recent job loss leaves him strapped for cash. Through an illegal website, he finds Sophia — a foreign woman in need of a green card — and marries her in exchange for $10,000. He expects to take the money and run (and they say romance is dead!) but a suspicious INS agent forces the fake couple to cohabitate with her 7-year-old son. Fun, huh?

"It's a great hot-headed romantic comedy," Lawrence says. "It's all about the relationship of these two people. The chemistry is there instantly, but they fight it from day one. It's like that Moonlighting thing. You know that they're going to get together eventually, it's just how long are they going to fight it? And hopefully, it's for a very, very long time!"

Speaking of moonlighting, Lawrence has been in talks to briefly revive his role as Michael, the original Bandstand producer on NBC's American Dreams. When we last saw Michael, he was heading to California to "pursue other opportunities." Talk about vague.

"The character was left wide open," Lawrence explains. "At some point, Bandstand moves to L.A. I don't know whether they're going to keep up with [this idea], but the plan was for the girls to move with the show and meet up with Michael again for a few [episodes]." Stay tuned...

Keith Robinson (Nathan) Appearance

Dick Clark Discusses Diabetes

TV Guide Online: How long have you had diabetes? How did you find out?
Dick Clark: Ten or 11 years ago, I went in for a normal physical checkup. The doctor said, "It looks like you've got Type 2 diabetes. We'll put you on a diet, have you do some exercise and, if necessary, we'll give you some medication." It's going well. The only change in my lifestyle has been my habits. I don't eat as much. I've been trying to lose another two or three pounds because the doctor says I've got to.

TVGO: How do you feel you will be perceived by the public, now that you've made your diabetes known?
Clark: I don't think it makes the least bit of difference. There are a lot of other famous people with diabetes: Halle Berry, Mary Tyler Moore... I'm just joining [them]. A lot of people say, "Well, if he's got it, maybe I'd better listen."

TVGO: How did your family and friends respond to your diagnosis?
Clark: In all honesty, it didn't cause a ripple, although we've never had diabetes in my family, to the best of my knowledge. It seemed like something controllable. Having diabetes is not the end of the world, nor should you feel sorry for the person or worry about them. But the alarming new news is that the leading cause of death in adults with diabetes is heart disease. Two-thirds of all adults with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. [Many] of us with diabetes don't realize what a problem it is. That's the main reason I'm out there shouting about it.

TVGO: Do you consider yourself the "captain" of your personal diabetes team — reading up on all the latest and participating in discussion groups — or do you leave your treatment primarily in the hands of your doctors?
Clark: In all honesty, I pay attention to what my doctor says. Sometimes a little knowledge in the hands of amateurs is a dangerous thing. I'd be inclined to give attention to the healthcare giver in your life.

TVGO: Do you need to test yourself with a glucose meter or take insulin shots regularly?
Clark: No, I don't do that. I'm not in that category yet. I go in for a mild physical checkup every couple of months where he checks my blood pressure, my heart and the rest of it.

TVGO: Is there any positive side to having diabetes?
Clark: [Chuckles] The only positive side that I can see is it's caused me to lose weight. Having my clothes fit is kind of nice!

Dick Clark Has Diabetes, Says PR Firm

Clark is working with the firms to launch "Diabetes: Know the Heart Part," a national public education campaign to alert Americans to the link between diabetes and heart attack and stroke.

Clark, the former host of "American Bandstand" and producer of the American Music Awards, declined to speak to The Associated Press Tuesday after word of his illness was first reported in a gossip column in the New York Daily News.

Nathan Film Casting Announcement

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Apr 4, 2004

New Pilot For Joey

Drew Gets New FOX Pilot

See Actor Who Plays Sam In Person

Evan and Jaron Go Retro

1. They're heroes. Well, Evan is, anyway. Although he ran late for the interview, he had the best excuse ever: The volunteer EMT had stopped to help out at the scene of a car crash. "He just had a baby," Jaron explained while we waited, "and he was like, 'After giving life, I don't ever want to be around an opportunity where I can't save one'." Of course, incorrigible Jaron was as quick to bust his sibling's chops as he is to give him props. "Saving lives... it's like [going to the bathroom]," he joked. "Doesn't it happen every day?"

2. They're not just well-cast, they're perfectly cast. "Ever since American Dreams came out, everybody's been saying, 'You guys are a shoo-in to play the Everly Brothers! What a no-brainer!'" Jaron said. "We've done their tunes for 10 years, so we walked in and recorded ['Wake Up, Little Susie'] in literally one hour, including setup." Added Evan with a laugh: "Yeah, we were well-prepared, so if we suck, we have no excuse!"

3. They respect their elders. "Maybe 'respect' is the wrong word; we love the music that came before us," Jaron clarified. So when they are mentioned in the same breath as the Everlys, say, or the Eagles, they aren't offended, they're elated. "If anyone's going to compare us to bands, the Everly Brothers are fantastic," exclaimed Evan. "If someone says, 'These guys are a modern version of Simon and Garfunkel,' then we're doing something right."

4. They give us the most bang for our buck. Instead of sticking with the major labels, the duo are independently releasing their new album in two parts, the first of which, Half Dozen, drops on April 13 with a sticker price of under six bucks. What's more, those who enjoy their Everly mimicry are likely to consider the platter as golden as any oldie. "We're much more like [recent Dreams weaver] Chris Isaak playing Roy Orbison than Nick Lachey doing Tom Jones," theorized Evan. "It's not so much of a stretch for us, so when people pick up our CD, it'll sound a little more fleshed-out, but basically like a modern-day version [of our predecessors]."

5. They'll be back. Dreams' producers "said that they want to bring us back next season," Evan admitted. Naturally, Jaron has a boffo storyline in mind. "They're going to have us play a different group every week!" he cracked. "Personally, I'd like to retell history à la Forrest Gump." But seriously... "No, my pitch to them would be to have the Everly Brothers fight over Meg (the American Bandstand dancer played by Brittany Snow)." Concluded Evan: "And that could wrongly explain why the band broke up for all those years!"

Brittany's New Movie

An American Dreams Nightmare

Meg and Sam might finally get together. Although thus far the era has made it impossible for the white American Bandstand dancer and her African-American friend to acknowledge, never mind act on, their feelings for one another, their moment could be coming. This fall, "Sam's going to college. In that world, away from East Catholic [High], so much more is possible," Prince says. "In fact, this week, you'll see a scene where someone at Penn actually mistakes Meg (Brittany Snow) and Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) for a couple... and of course, that lands on them strangely yet wonderfully."

JJ could die. Still stationed in Vietnam, the earnest soldier boy (Will Estes) will find himself "in the firefight of his life, trapped in a battle and unaware that a letter from [estranged fiancée] Beth (Rachel Boston) awaits him in his barracks — a letter that will give him the news that he's about to become a father." So he's going to be okay. He's got to be okay... right? "It would be so horrible for the Pryors [if he didn't come home]," Prince acknowledges, "but this was the time when so many families were losing their boys in Vietnam."

Religion takes center stage. "Jack (Tom Verica), Helen (Gail O'Grady) and Beth grapple with the role of the Catholic church in Jack's run for City Council, as well as Beth's decision to keep JJ's baby," Prince reveals. Plus, "Henry (Jonathan Adams) must help his brother's son, Nathan (Keith Robinson), deal with going to prison yet again — this time because his Muslim faith prevents him from fighting in the Vietnam War."

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

Hairspray More than a Musical for O'Grady

She portrays Helen Pryor, the mom on NBC's Sunday drama "American Dreams," in a shellacked flip that requires much teasing and spraying. O'Grady also played singer Georgia Lee on "China Beach" and secretary Donna Abandando on "NYPD Blue."

"I always have a bouffant," she says. "My hair falls into a bouffant. That's the way it is. My hair grows like a weed. On days off, I put it in a ponytail and wear it straight."

On days off, O'Grady has also been photographed wearing sexy clothes that show off her curvaceous size-4 figure, which she seems to keep by good genes and sheer luck. "I have the most incredible gym," she says. "I have everything ... a Pilates Reformer ... and it's all mirrored in there. It's a great gym. It's a nice place to hang a towel."

O'Grady, 41, concedes she has used the gym, but she will not succumb to the Hollywood pressure of starving herself. "In order for me to look like a Hollywood body, I have to be emaciated," she says. "I am not happy that way, and I don't think it's the prettiest look." When "American Dreams" started, O'Grady lost a few pounds and the show runner told her if she grew too thin, he would not write for her.

"To me, it is this vicious circle," O'Grady says. "When somebody is too thin, they rip them to shreds. And then, when they gain weight, they crucify them. It sends a real mixed message."

"I haven't done anything in months," she says of exercise. A good part of that could be because O'Grady is expecting her first child, a son, in June. In an initial telephone interview, during which she speaks of her childhood, acting, her house, dogs and "American Dreams," she never mentions her pregnancy. In a follow-up interview, she says, "My focus right now is to raise a happy, healthy baby."

She is not revealing the father's identity, and asks that people respect her privacy. Single, she remains friends with her three ex-husbands. Given that O'Grady has only gained seven pounds in seven months, it was not difficult to keep her pregnancy out of "American Dreams."

Set in the 1960s, the show traces the Pryor family dealing with the issues of the time -- the Vietnam War, race relations, teen rebellion and women beginning to define themselves outside of the house, all set to a terrific sound track of rock and roll.

O'Grady's character is in a longtime marriage to Jack (Tom Verica), and is the mother of four. Eldest son JJ (Will Estes) is on the front lines in Vietnam. Older daughter Meg (Brittany Snow) dances on "American Bandstand" and rebels against her father's rules. Younger daughter Patty (Sarah Ramos) is intent on tattling, and the youngest, Will (Ethan Dampf), was more defined by his polio but after a risky operation, he is finally without braces.

"I am so proud of it," O'Grady says of the show. "Tom Verica and I talk about how lucky we are to be working on something that you are proud to talk about and look forward to coming to work. When we do read-throughs once a week, we are so involved in what is happening to this family."

"When we walked on the set, the drawers were stocked with period items in them," O'Grady says. "In the kitchen, there are different pieces I remember growing up with, that my mother had. There isn't anything in that kitchen that is current. In the bedroom, on the vanity table, the makeup is old and crumbling, the original makeup."

This attention to detail is among the wonderful aspects of this rare drama, which can be watched with children. O'Grady has grown close to the children on the set, and to her on-screen husband, Verica, with whom she plays practical jokes.

In one scene, Jack was unloading groceries Helen just bought. During rehearsals, all went fine. Then O'Grady had the crew put 20-pound weights in the bags just before the taping.

"Here I am struggling," Verica says, "and I am supposed to be this macho Jack Pryor. We do stuff like that."

"She's a pain in the ass," Verica says lovingly. "She is terrific. She really is incredibly talented. To me, she is a throwback, especially to the classic actresses of the '40s and '50s, a classic beauty and that really comes across."

O'Grady resembles Kim Novak, Grace Kelly and other blond beauties who look as if they were born to wear tiaras. Incidentally, O'Grady has always proudly worn one. She started as a kid, and simply hasn't stopped. "People over the years have given them to me as a joke," she says. "You can't have too many."

Long before O'Grady knew what acting was, she was doing it as a child in Wheaton, Ill. "I used to play whatever I saw at the movies or on television for as long as I can remember," she says. She debuted on stage in ballet and oboe recitals as a girl, but there was a break during her teen years because O'Grady never made the high-school plays.

She modeled for Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs in Chicago, then acted in commercials. Her most memorable one starred Michael J. Fox, who careened off a fire escape and dodged traffic during a storm to fetch her a Pepsi.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 1986, O'Grady has worked steadily. After an initial adjustment, which included headaches from the pollution and missing her close-knit family, she put down roots. She has an exquisite house in Encino -- it has been featured in In Style magazine -- that looks like a villa in Tuscany.

With the pressure off because "American Dreams" is renewed for the fall, O'Grady finds herself in a novel position. Usually at this time, she ponders what to do on hiatus. The soon-to-be-mom says, "I have to keep reminding myself what I am doing this hiatus."

Tidbits

And what's the real-life Jackie doing these days? She is writing for a hot young band, "Detroit Cobras." Jackie says, "You might think it obvious, from the name, but they're actually from Detroit. You just never know, in music-people name their bands the craziest things."

ABC Family Sets 'Rules of Engagement'

Blossom's older brother and a former Nancy Drew will topline the upcoming ABC Family original movie "The Rules of Engagement." Production is set to begin in March and, given speedy ABC Family turnaround times, it'll premiere in June.

Joseph Lawrence ("Blossom," "Run of the House") and Maggie Lawson ("Nancy Drew," "It's All Relative") play a couple who become engaged after a year and a half of dating. They're planning a fun and off-beat wedding until her mother ("Taxi" and "Evening Shade" star Marilu Henner) throws a wrench in the works by telling them about the "rules of engagement" (whatever those are).

Soon their engagement is in shambles and their wedding is in jeopardy. Will they fall victim to the rules?

The telefilm will be shot in Toronto.

"The Rules of Engagement" was written by Alan Marc Levy and TV vet Steve Robman ("The O.C.," "Gilmore Girls") will direct with Joel Rice ("I Want to Marry Ryan Banks") executive producing.

Creating the stars on 'American Dreams'

A man begins lip-syncing to the track, which he recorded earlier. He sounds very much like Roy Orbison. He looks very much like Roy Orbison.

But wait! It's Chris Isaak.

On the "American Dreams" set, Isaak is recreating one of the historic moments of "American Bandstand," a regular feature of this NBC series chronicling the shifting cultural, social and political mores of the Pryor family of Philadelphia in the1960s.

Teenage daughter Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) and her pal Roxanne Bojarksi (Vanessa Lengies), both of whom are regular "Bandstand" dancers, are in the audience as "Orbison" sings his 1964 hit, now a classic.

"It's fun hitting the high notes," says actor-musician Isaak, who had recorded the song the previous day, with his brother, Nick, handling the famous Orbison growl.

Chris Isaak, whose own music can sound remarkably like Orbison's, performs on a set made to look like the Philadelphia studio where Dick Clark originally produced "American Bandstand."

"That's his real hair. Not a wig. How cool is that! Amazing!" exclaims Jonathan Prince, co-executive producer with Clark of "American Dreams," which airs 8 p.m. EST Sunday.

It took hairstylist Michelle Weiss about 45 minutes to create the distinctive Orbison coif. "Chris Isaak has your average modern male haircut. I colored it with mousse three times, teased it with a whole bottle of hairspray and then spray painted it black and then drew in hair on the forehead."

Beneath the thick helmet, Isaak wears Orbison's trademark dark glasses and black clothing, and his face has been lightened by makeup to achieve the Orbison pallor.

"I always loved Roy Orbison," says Isaak, star of his own behind-the-scenes rock series, now in its final season on Showtime. He notes they both grew up in "hot, flat, dusty places" -- Orbison in Vernon, Texas, Isaak in Stockton, California -- and "when I met him we just clicked."

He said performing was "a surrealistic moment ... I'm dressed up like Roy, who I liked as a kid and watched on TV, who I met as an adult and played and sang with and became a friend. I talked to his widow, Barbara, yesterday. Some place up high, if he's watching, he's going 'Wow, how strange!' "

Previous guest performers on "American Dreams" who have recreated the looks and sounds of earlier singers include India.Arie as Nina Simone, LeAnn Rimes as Connie Francis, Kelly Clarkson as Brenda Lee, Hilary Duff and her sister Haylie as the Shangri-Las and, earlier this month, Nick Lachey as Tom Jones.

The wardrobe, hair and makeup departments of "American Dreams," now in its second season, match up the era's look, not only for the musical guest stars but the show's regulars.

Weiss has "about 50 wigs, styled and prepped on blocks ready to be used at any time because it's 2004 and there's red hair, pink hair, spiked hair, corn-rowed hair, men with bleached blond hair _ none of that was 1960s. Anything goes today, but then it was very, very different -- for girls you just had a flip, a beehive, a French twist, a page boy and a pony tail."

"The '60s is such a beautiful period and we are right in the middle of it," says costume designer Vicki Sanchez as she sits in front of a rack that includes a fringed mini-dress worn by Jennifer Love Hewitt as Nancy Sinatra singing "These Boots Are Made For Walkin"' on a January show.

Love Hewitt is playing Sinatra again in Sunday's episode with Isaak as Orbison.

This time Sinatra is on a USO tour to Vietnam, performing for the troops, which include the Pryors' oldest son, JJ (Will Estes).

Love Hewitt, the former "Party of Five" star who filled the title role in the 2000 TV biopic "The Audrey Hepburn Story," loves the female empowerment of Sinatra's persona and song.

"It's a kind of really neat message and a fun thing to be part of -- to get to shake around, feel sexy, wear the boots and know I have all that power," she says.

She made her version of Sinatra's songs by listening to the originals and then recording verse by verse. It took about an hour and 15 minutes to properly capture "Boots."

She said hair and makeup took a little longer -- "adding lashes and lots of yummy eyeliner and big, blond hair."

Chris Isaak's American Tribute

It's too late for Isaak to do a gig with Orbison, but thanks to the magic of television, he can go back in time to share in his legacy. The rockabilly guest-stars on Sunday's American Dreams to sing "Pretty Woman" — as Orbison himself.

"That [song is] so much Roy, I usually wouldn't think to touch that," Isaak says. But he changed his mind after recalling a conversation he had with Orbison years ago. "I actually told him when he was alive [that] if the Martians came and said, 'Show us how to write a rock song,' 'Pretty Woman' is what we should give them. This is what rock and roll is supposed to be like."

Once Isaak accepted the Dreams gig — after receiving permission from Orbison's widow — he didn't need to do any research to deliver a pitch-perfect performance. "I knew everything there was to know," Isaak says, adding that he did eventually play with Orbison and the two became friends. He worried about appearing realistic, though. "I don't really look like Roy Orbison," Isaak says. "[But] they made [my hair] black, black, black, and sprayed it and puffed it up. They made my skin really white. And when they got done, I looked in the mirror and went, 'Roy!'"

Now that he's back to just being Chris, we wonder what's next for him and his band when Showtime's The Chris Isaak Show ends. (The two-hour series finale airs March 25.) "We're talking about maybe doing another TV show," Isaak reveals. "It would be comedy, and less of a drive to work. Variety with plenty of ham. I'm the ham."

On 'Dreams,' sonic boons and busts

The soundtrack is practically a character in its own right, though the writing and acting are good enough to go it alone.

"American Dreams" is no "Call to Glory" - the brilliant ABC series from 1984 (starring Craig T. Nelson, later of "Coach") that was set in the same tumultuous era - but it's a quality, wholesome family drama at a time when that's almost an endangered TV species.

Brittany Snow as teenager Meg, and Tom Verica and Gail O'Grady as her parents, are the strongest elements of "American Dreams," but the Vietnam experiences of Meg's brother JJ (Will Estes) also are compelling.

Since part of this series takes place on and around Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," the music isn't forced - at least when the producers play honestly (more on that later).

Each hour-long episode is loaded with as many as a dozen period songs. Most play in the background, which generally works just fine. The re-created performances, on the other hand, are not always as effective. Musical appearances by today's pop stars, impersonating those of yesterday, is a gimmick that is either a great success or a miserable failure.

When Chris Isaak channels Roy Orbison and sings "Pretty Woman" on Sunday's show, the casting is perfect. Jennifer Love Hewitt, making a second appearance Sunday as Nancy Sinatra, has the "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" vibe, hairdo and shimmy down cold.

Other treats over this show's two seasons of musical impersonations have included "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson as Brenda Lee, Hilary and Haylie Duff doing justice to the Shangi-Las' "Leader of the Pack" and, surprisingly, Lil' Kim going mod as Shirley Ellis on "The Clapping Song."

At the other end of the spectrum, Third Eye Blind did a not-very-dynamic impersonation of the Kinks and - most laughably of all - Nick Lachey made a horrifyingly unsuccessful attempt last week to act and sing like Tom Jones in a wretched version of "It's Not Unusual."

As enjoyable as the music generally is, the show places too much emphasis on the soundtrack and plays too fast and loose with its own time line. For example, one of the songs on the soundtrack of the current episode, set in 1965, is Simon & Garfunkel's "Bookends Theme," which wasn't released until '68.

The series doesn't need gimmicky casting or musical overkill; it can sing soul, but it also has heart.

Ricky Fante Contest!

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Snow Ready to Join Disney 'Pacifier' Clan

Diesel stars as an undercover agent hired to protect a government scientist and his family. Snow will play the eldest daughter in the clan that Diesel is watching over. Adam Shankman ("Bringing Down the House") will direct. Shooting is scheduled to start in mid-April.

Snow stars in NBC's "American Dreams" as a Philadelphia teen in the 1960s whose life revolves around "American Bandstand."

'Vegas,' 'Dreams' Hit Jackpot at NBC

In its first season, the James Caan-starring "Las Vegas" has averaged 12.3 million viewers and a 4.6 rating/11 share among adults 18-49, ranking as the highest-rated new drama this season in the key demographic.

Said executive producer Justin Falvey: "We feel like we're starting to hit our stride and finding what works (on the show), which is a combination of procedural elements and a little bit of fantastical and escape for the audience to come to Vegas for an hour"

Dennis Hopper is the latest big name tapped to guest star on the series following guest stints by Oscar nominee Alec Baldwin and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

In its second season, "American Dreams" has averaged 8.6 million viewers and a 3.2/8 in adults 18-49 in the Sunday 8 p.m. slot.

"It's tackling issues of family, race, class, sex and things that almost no other show on TV is dealing with," said Jeff Zucker, president of the NBC Entertainment, News and Cable Group.

The news Thursday was not as good for ABC's freshman drama "Karen Sisco," as the network decided to pull the plug on the critically praised drama. After an underwhelming ratings start, the show was put on hiatus in November. Sources said the network was unhappy with the creative direction of the scripts and scrapped its plan to relaunch the show. A total of 10 episodes of have been produced with three still in the can.

Gail O'Grady's Banana Bread Recipe

Really Good Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups/375 ml very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup/250 ml granulated sugar
1/3 cup/75 ml vegetable oil
1/2 cup/125 ml buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups/375 ml all-purpose flour
2 tsp/10 ml baking powder
1/2 tsp/2 ml baking soda
1/2 tsp/2 ml salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine bananas, sugar, oil, buttermilk and eggs; mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture, mixing just until combined. Pour into a greased 9- x 5 inch (2 L) loaf pan. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 1 hour or until tester inserted in center come out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes before turning out on rack to cool completely. Slice to serve. Makes 1 loaf.

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Mar 7, 2004

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Feb. 22, 2004

Nick Lachey Talks 'American Dreams'

"I think it's brilliant," Lachey said. "It's a lot of fun for singers who, you know, have their own image and have their own persona to step out of that and do something that's a period thing, you know, 40 years ago, and play someone else. It's a very cool idea and I think it works well the show and for singers."

Jason Mraz will appear on NBC's American Dreams on March 28, playing pop star Dion.

Revenge of the TV Nerds

Seth Cohen, The O.C.:Though his own mom has called this green wallflower a late bloomer, it wasn't long before he put away his toy horse to sow his own wild oats. After all, in the span of a Summer (pun intended), the Chrismukkah elf went from Newport's Most Unwanted to the guy atop two — count 'em, two! — hotties' to-do lists.

Marshall J. Flinkman, Alias: Apparently, the CIA's resident computer nerd knows how to push buttons on more than his PC. His crush, Sydney Bristow, was as shocked as we were to discover that, during her two years MIA, the average Joe had not only gotten himself a sweetheart — fellow operative Carrie Bowman — he'd gotten her pregnant!

Luke Foley, American Dreams: Over on NBC's 1960s-set drama, the times, they are a-changin'. Boy-crazy Roxanne Bojarski got her Dylan-loving, Beatles-bashing record-store coworker to doff his Coke-bottle glasses for a mod makeover. Ever since, the newly groovy dude had to look no further for a date than, of all people, her!

Fred Burkle, Angel: Despite her ability to solve physics problems in her head, Wolfram & Hart's mousy mathlete never comes up with the loneliest number. Since being rescued from an alternate dimension, she's divided two colleagues simply by factoring them into her lineup of suitors, and bewitched winsome Willow to boot.

Kirk Gleason, Gilmore Girls: This season, Stars Hollow's ultimate fifth wheel is on a roll. First, portrayer Sean Gunn got his props as an addition to the series' opening credits. Then, the jack-of-all-trades announced — with trademark subtlety — that his companion at a town meeting wasn't just another date, she was a significant other.

Luke Girardi, Joan of Arcadia: It's a miracle — Joan's kid brother pulled his nose out of his textbooks long enough to develop chemistry with androgynous lab partner Grace Polk. We suspect there's divine intervention afoot, but regardless, since he got himself a kiss, we'd say the honor-roll student deserves another A — this one for achievement.

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Feb. 15, 2004

1. It's Not That Unusual
   

   Nick Lachey will play Tom Jones on Feb. 15 and other sweeps episodes will see Chris Isaak as Roy Orbison and Jennifer Love Hewitt as Nancy Sinatra.

2. Teens! Your Music Lyrics Could Win Big
   

   Enter and you could win a role in NBC's "American Dreams"! That's right -- the winner of the 2004 USA WEEKEND/John Lennon Songwriting Contest for Teens will win a trip to Hollywood for a walk-on role in the acclaimed television drama. And there's more. Click here for details!

3. 'American Dreams' fans get gift from producers
   (From Gretchen)

   Those phone calls and e-mails paid off big time for local fans of the NBC series “American Dreams.”

   No one in Kansas City could watch the show's Nov. 30 episode because the local NBC affiliate pre-empted it for a movie.

   Dozens of viewers complained, but most simply assumed that the show wasn't airing that night or that there was nothing they could do except wait for the rerun.

   However, in an unusual gesture to the show's intensely loyal fan base, the network and the company that produces “American Dreams” have rented a Kansas City venue to show the unseen episode on a movie screen.

   “It's easy for us to do something like this,” said the creator and executive producer of “American Dreams,” Jonathan Prince. “At a time when people are saying TV doesn't care about them, we thought it would be great to show them we do.”

   Radio station Oldies 95, KCMO-FM (94.9) is giving out passes to the screening, set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Screenland, 1656 Washington St.

   Set in the 1960s, “American Dreams” revolves around a strict Catholic family in Philadelphia and the popular TV show “American Bandstand.” The series, which made its debut in September 2002, is best known for enticing modern music stars to dress up as pop icons of that era. Singer Kelly Rowland portrayed Martha Reeves performing her hit “Nowhere to Run” last season, and a coming episode features Chris Isaak as Roy Orbison warbling his classic “Pretty Woman.”

   The episode that didn't air on KSHB, Channel 41, was part of a crucial three-episode story arc in which J.J. Pryor, played by Will Estes, was on the verge of leaving for Vietnam with the Marines.

   KSHB pre-empted the show for the 1990 film “Another 48 Hrs.,” starring Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte. The station had scheduled the two-hour pre-emption months in advance.

   Though Prince said he “hit the roof” when he learned of the pre-emption, he calmed down after reading an article in The Kansas City Star explaining Channel 41's predicament.

   “They probably made the right decision,” Prince said. “We called the general manager at the NBC station in Kansas City and said, ‘We'd like to do the ultimate make-good. I think we should offer the opportunity to see this.'”

   Jim Swinehart, KSHB's general manager, said that his station has not been involved in plans for the local screening.

   “American Dreams” is rare among prime-time programs in that it is a serialized drama, like a soap opera, with story lines that unfold over weeks and months.

   “It is not the large audience watching ‘Fear Factor' and ‘Law & Order,' but it is loyal and passionate about the show,” Prince said.

   Estes, who has been to Kansas City numerous times to visit his mother's family, described the episode that will be screened Saturday as “not an action-packed show, but it's one of my favorites.”

   Also in the episode, 44-year-old Richie Sambora — a founding member of the rock group Bon Jovi — impersonates 19-year-old Eric Clapton performing “For Your Love” as a member of the Yardbirds.

   The “Long Goodbye” episode of NBC's “American Dreams,” which was pre-empted in Kansas City on Nov. 30, will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday at Screenland, 1656 Washington St., one block west of Broadway. KCMO-FM (Oldies 95) is giving away all the tickets. Call (913) 514-3000 for information.

4. 'Days Stars Guest-Star On 'American Dreams,' February 22
   

   NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” stars Frances Reid, John Aniston, Alison Sweeney, and Farah Fath will guest star on the network’s critically acclaimed drama “American Dreams” on Sunday, Feb. 22 (8-9 p.m. ET) while Jennifer Love Hewitt will also reprise her role as 1960s singing sensation Nancy Sinatra in the episode “Old Enough to Fight.”

   An original “Days of Our Lives” cast member, Reid makes her first appearance on primetime television in 20 years in this episode of “American Dreams.” She plays a patron of Pryor TV & Radio who will be browsing through the store. A veteran of “Days of Our Lives” since 1985, Aniston plays a man seeking employment at Pryor TV & Radio and a new display television catches his eye - and in a twist, he sees one of the first episodes of “Days of Our Lives” featuring Reid’s “Days” character of Alice Horton circa 1965. The viewing becomes the catalyst for an ironic conversation between them about the newly premiered soap opera.

   On the other side of the world, Sweeney and Fath entertain J.J. Pryor (Will Estes) and the troops on a USO tour, in Da Nang, Vietnam. Sweeney, who will participate in her second USO tour next week, dons a sash and crown as Miss USA. Fath's outfit is complete with bunny ears as a 1965 Playboy Playmate. They join Jennifer Love Hewitt, who sings and dances her way into the hearts of JJ and his fellow Marines as Nancy Sinatra during these, the early days of the Vietnam war.

   Emmy Award-nominated Reid, who has played ‘Alice Horton’ for the entire 38 years “Days of Our Lives” has been on the air, is daytime television’s most beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. As one of only two remaining original cast members, she is indisputably one of the most revered veterans in soap opera history.

   For her role as ‘Alice Horton,’ Reid has won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress/Mature Role in 1978, 1979, 1984 and 1985 and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986/87 and for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1978/79. Reid was inducted into the Television Academy’s archives in 2003 and will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Television Academy at the Daytime Emmy Awards in early 2004. Her additional television credits include “Prologue to Glory, the 1953 soap opera “Portia Faces Life,” “Eleventh Hour,” “Little Mister,” "Wagon Train” and the movie-of-the-week “Mercy or Murder?”

   Aniston has portrayed the nefarious Victor Kiriakis since 1985 on NBC’s #1 daytime drama “Days of Our Lives.” His acting career started on the New York stage in the original production of the hit musical “Little Mary Sunshine.” Aniston’s additional television credits include guest roles on shows such as “The West Wing,” a recurring role on “The Gilmore Girls,” and he applied his Greek heritage to an appearance on “My Big Fat Greek Life.”

   Known to “Days” fans as Salem’s resident bad girl since 1992, Sami Brady, Sweeney has won the Soap Opera Digest Award four times (1996, '98, '99 and 2001) and in an overwhelming show of fan support, Sweeney won for America's Favorite Villain at “The 29th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.” Playing Miss USA on “American Dreams” isn’t Sweeny’s first visit to prime time, most recently she appeared opposite Matt LeBlanc and Jennifer Aniston on the NBC hit comedy series “Friends.” Sweeney’s additional credits include a memorable worm-eating stunt on NBC's "Fear Factor," a celebrity edition of "Weakest Link" and a national commercial for Xenadrin.

   Fath was a fan of “Days of Our Lives” long before she was a cast member. Fath, who began modeling at the age of 5, landed the role of “Mimi Lockhart” in 1999.

   Love Hewitt will first appear as Nancy Sinatra performing her first hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walking," in the January 4, 2004 episode of "American Dreams." Best known for her role as "Sarah Reeves" on the long-running series "Party of Five," her film credits include "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "The Tuxedo." Last year, she released her critically praised fourth album, "BareNaked."

   “American Dreams,” which won two Emmy Awards in its freshman season last year, is set against the memorable, upbeat sounds of the 1960s as it depicts the American landscape -- as seen through the youthful Pryor family of Philadelphia as they brace for cultural turbulence ahead that still resonates in this contemporary era.

5. American Dreams Come True
   

   There's good news and better news for fans of NBC's superlative period piece, American Dreams. First, although last season, resident heartthrob Will Estes joked that executive producer Jonathan Prince "has ways to kill all of us off!" G.I. JJ Pryor will not become a casualty of the war.

   "JJ's is the story of survival," the boss explains to TV Guide Online. "Just as the Pryors are a family that will survive the '60s and a marriage that will make it through difficult times, so the story of Vietnam is told through the eyes of a boy who will come home to his family. And not only will he have changed, but so will they."

   "Expect to see [ex-Bandstand dancer] Jimmy Riley, who joined the Marines last season," he adds. "Expect to meet a new cast of good-looking Marines in JJ's unit, 'the Untouchables.' And expect to see Vietnam accurately portrayed as a place in which men and boys fought hard to stay alive, to fight for their country and to return to the United States changed — some for the better, some not."

   Meanwhile, back on American soil, now that retired rock-n-roll groupie Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) has come home, "she will return to work at the Vinyl Crocodile [record store]," says Prince. "And while she's helping [best friend Meg's old beau] Luke (Jamie Elman) get ready for a date with his new dreamgirl, she gives [the adorable dork] a makeover and finds herself.... Well, you might know where this is going!"

   We have a hunch we do, anyway — and man, is it ever fun! Without giving too much away, Elman offers, "It's kind of a delicate situation, but if they handle it right, I think it's a great idea." Translation:

   It's a really, really great idea. Stay tuned. It's gonna be a long, hot winter.

6. Pretty Cool
   

   Roy Orbison lives! Well, sort of. As reported in the current issue of TV Guide magazine, the late "Pretty Woman" singer is being resurrected by retro troubadour Chris Isaak in an upcoming episode of NBC's 1960s-set gem, American Dreams.

7. The Starr Report
   

   "American Dreams" star Will Estes (JJ) hanging out over at Brunelli's (75th and York) with Louis Vanaria and Lillo Brancato, Jr. ("Searching For Bobby D"), YES man Charlie Steiner and "Ed" regular Mike Starr (no, he's not related).

   Speaking of "American Dreams," Jim O'Heir - who recently wrapped a guest- starring role on "Friends" - just finished shooting an upcoming "AD" episode in which he plays fast-talking electronics blowhard "Big Arnie The Appliance King," who encounters Jack (Tom Verica) at a convention in Atlantic City and tells him that "mom and pop" shops (like Jack's) can't compete - prompting Jack to buy more merchandise than he can afford.

8. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004
   

   The football stayed hot at 8 p.m., giving FOX a 20.9/31, as CBS stayed in second with the 8.7/13 for "Cold Case." "American Dreams" kept NBC in third with a 4.7/7, still better than "10-8" on ABC. On The WB, "Charmed" had a 2.5/4 for fifth.

9. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004
   

   The lingering effects of the NFL game carried "The Simpsons" (19.7/29) and "The Bernie Mac Show" (9.5/14) to season highs (which will probably dip in the final Nielsen numbers). CBS's "Cold Case" was second with a 9.8/14, as NBC moved up to third with the 5.4/8 for "American Dreams" and ABC fell to fourth with "10-8." On The WB, "Charmed" earned a 3.1/4.

10. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Nov 30, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., CBS' "60 Minutes" (and "Cold Case" in some markets) had a strong 11.5/18 for the hour. FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons" (6.8/10) and the season premiere of "The Bernie Mac Show" (6.1/9). NBC was third with "American Dreams," which beat the 5.1/8 for "10-8" on ABC. The WB trailed with the 2.3/3 for "Charmed."

11. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004
    

    At 8 p.m., ABC moved into the lead with the 13.0/19 for the showdown between the Sooners and the Tigers. CBS dropped to second with the 10.2/15 for "Without a Trace." FOX's "The Simpsons" (6.7/10) and "The Bernie Mac Show" (5.1/7) were good enough for third, topping "American Dreams" on NBC. The WB stayed in fifth with the 2.9/4 for "Charmed."

12. Sambora Asks 'For Your Love' on 'American Dreams'
    

    Inside the re-created "American Bandstand" sets of NBC's 1960s Sunday-night drama, "American Dreams," the atmosphere is rockin'.

    With shaggy hair, a Nehru jacket, pegged pants and Beatle boots, Richie Sambora -- a 44-year-old New Jersey native and founding member of the rock band Bon Jovi -- is standing in for 19-year-old Eric Clapton to perform "For Your Love," recorded during Clapton's year-and-a-half stint with the Yardbirds. The segment appears in the Sunday, Nov. 30, episode, called "The Long Goodbye."

    Despite the age gap, executive producer Jonathan Prince doesn't see a problem. He says, "The leap you take, is that Richie is somebody of the era in the way he looks, and of the era in the way he plays the guitar."

    Currently in its second season, "American Dreams" focuses on Meg (Brittany Snow), a Philadelphia teen who, along with best pal Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies), dances on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand." The show combines black-and-white footage of Clark's original introductions with performances by contemporary artists posing as '60s musicians.

    "The great thing about walking onto the 'Bandstand' set, is you look at the audience, and it's like you're in a time warp," Sambora says. "It's like you just woke up in 1965."

    Looking at ease behind a vintage guitar, Sambora sings to a playback of his new version of the tune. "It's interesting, because when I recorded the track on Tuesday, we wanted to get as close to the original as we possibly could," he says. "Today, when I came in, I hadn't really listened to it. When I had to actually perform it, I didn't know if it was the original or if it was mine. That's how cool it was."

    Sambora says he taught himself to play guitar by listening to records by the Beatles, the Allman Brothers, Cream and others, imagining what he would do if he were a guitar player in the studio.

    Little did he know that, a couple of decades later, he would stand on stage with his teachers. "I was asked to give Eric this prestigious award, like the guitar god of all time, on 'The American Music Awards' or something like that," he recalls. "I got a chance to actually play with him.

    "It was me and him, Lou Reed, Joe Perry, and one other guy, I forget. Because of the genre of music that I was playing, they had no idea that I could actually play the blues.

    "We all stood in a circle. We were only supposed to rehearse for 15 minutes. We ended up playing together for 40. There were five lead-guitar players, with no one stepping on each other. It was a real beautiful moment. We all laughed our asses off, because lead-guitar players are egotistical sometimes, but there wasn't any of that.

    "Eric and I sat down, I just had to tell him, 'Look, man, you're one of my idols. I just wanted you to know -- thank you. I'm a kid from a dead-end street in New Jersey, and I grew up listening to you, and now I just sold 16 million records.'"

    At Sambora's request, for his first solo album, Clapton played on "Mr. Bluesman," and the guitarists became friends.

    Despite this, Sambora didn't immediately tell his pal about his "American Dreams" impersonation.

    "I haven't had a chance to call," Sambora says. "I'm going to just send him the tape, see what he says. He'll probably laugh like crazy, go, 'What're you doing? You're 44.'"

13. American Revolution
    

    As 1965 approaches on NBC's superlative period piece, American Dreams, the winds of change are picking up. But neither the battle over civil rights nor the war in Vietnam will set off the fireworks in Sunday's episode (airing Sunday at 8 pm/ET); rather, this fight is sparked by a simple conflict between a parent and child. And, in this case, by "simple," we mean "really, really intense and complicated."

    "When Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) openly defies Henry (Jonathan Adams), in front of [their boss], then goes to hear Malcolm X speak in Harlem after his father's told him not to, the Walker household is in full revolt," executive producer Jonathan Prince tells TV Guide Online. "This is a story about about a boy taking on his father in full-blown adolescent rebellion."

    Although race has led to more than one riot among the Walkers, this particular twist in the plot is more black-and-white, if you will, than black and white. "It's not about the color of Sam's skin," Prince elaborates. "Every boy — and girl — when they hit 16, 17, 18 years old, needs to show their parents just how independent they are. It's also about Henry losing it, unable to parent as well as he wishes he could, driving his son farther and farther away with each outburst.

    "Henry and Sam have been going at it for quite some time, and this is a house which has still not yet accepted the death of [Sam's mother] Gwen," he continues. "Without his wife, Henry, in the upcoming episodes, feels more lost than ever when it comes to taking care of Sam." In other words, it sucks to be Henry.

14. Macy Gray On Dreams
    

    She'll appear in an upcoming episode of NBC's "American Dreams" as Carla Thomas

15. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
    

    Thursday, November 27th 9AM (in all time zones) on NBC: Matt Lauer, Katie Couric and Al Roker host this holiday classic! With 42 balloons and over 25 floats, expect plenty of pageantry. Performers include: Simple Plan, Ruben Studdard, Hilary Duff, Chicago and Mya. Plus, a Bob Hope Tribute, The Rockettes, the cast of American Dreams and Santa Claus! Simulcast on Telemundo.

16. ’American Dreams’ wins award for polio episode
    

    Dr. Richard Bruno with the Post Polio Institute presented an award to Gail O’Grady for her portrayal of a mother with a son with polio on the TV show, ’’American Dreams’’ Friday November 14 on the Today Show.

17. New Brittany Interview
    (From Greg Feltes)

    I talked to Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor, American Dreams ) for my newspaper. Click here to read the interview: http://www.northernstar.info/features/star_living/brittany_snow/index.asp

18. An American Tragedy
    

    We were horrified when NBC's 1960s-set gem, American Dreams, bumped off stalwart Henry's wife late last month. (We optimistically thought the cancer patient would recover!) But imagine how series regular Jonathan Adams felt: Not only did he have to say good-bye to his on-screen better half, but her loss was his gain. Since the plot twisted, he has been given especially meaty material and has risen to the occasion, playing to the hilt his character's heartbreak and resilience.

    "I got kind of upset with myself," he admits to TV Guide Online, "because last year, when [executive producer] Jonathan Prince and I were discussing it, I got a little bit happy. 'They're going to kill my wife! Yea!' As far as [dramatic possibilities for Henry], I thought it was wonderful. It just felt really weird."

    The suddenly-single parent will need every ounce of his strength, not to mention his restraint, in this Sunday's episode (airing at 8 pm/ET), when he learns that his ill-fated mate's employers lied about having paid her in full. "It's a really great [confrontation]," Adams says, particularly in light of his character's evolution from a stand-up guy to a guy who'll actually stand up for himself. "We see a lot of Henry not really being aggressive toward the white people on the show, and I think this is one of the steps in his journey [toward assertiveness]."

    At the same time, Henry's teenage son, Sam, is growing increasingly distant and troubled, and there's no telling whether ne'er-do-well nephew Nathan's search for his footing in a sea of change will lead to enlightenment or incarceration (or, for that matter, both!). "[Being a father and mother] is really difficult for Henry, especially with his daughter," his portrayer observes. "He doesn't really know how to relate to her. I actually thought about telling the producers, 'You know, there's a big hair issue. Mom can do the hair and make it these beautiful, silken ropes, but when you get Dad in there, you're going to have some problems!'

    "Those perfectly aligned ponytails won't be so perfectly aligned anymore!" he continues, chuckling. "But they didn't go for it."

    Obviously — although Henry would be loath to admit it — he could use a hand. And, hints his portrayer, the widower may get one sooner than he — or viewers — might imagine. "He's not going to be ready when [a new relationship] happens," Adams teases. "All [I know is that there will be] an episode where a woman [as yet uncast] comes into the store looking for a radio and she's actually looking for Henry.

    "We'll see what happens from there," he continues. "They're not going to be 'officially dating' until the end of the season. We're going to see a slow courtship between two older people." On a lesser program, we might say, "Wake me when it's over"; with this one, we'll alert the TiVo, because we wouldn't miss it for the world.

19. NBC Trims 'American Dreams' Order
    

    NBC has rolled back its commitment to its sophomore drama "American Dreams" from 22 episodes to 18 this season.

    "Dreams" has averaged 8.4 million viewers for its six broadcasts this season, off a significant 30% from its average through six airings last season (12.0 million). Rolling back full season commitments isn't an entirely new practice for NBC. Last season, the Peacock trimmed its full season commitment to its freshman drama "Boomtown" from 22 to 18 installments.

    Dick Clark and Jonathan Prince are the executive producers of "American Dreams," a joint production of NBC Studios and Universal Network Television.

20. Actor Vanishes Without a Trace
    

    Fans of American Dreams's bespectacled boy next door, Luke, will be surprised, surprised again and then just plain shocked by his portrayer Jamie Elman's appearance in tonight's Without a Trace (airing at 10 ET on CBS). "You'll get to see me a) without glasses, b) without much of a sense of humor and c) without any of the sensitivity that [ex-girlfriend] Meg can bring out in Luke," the wry actor tells TV Guide Online. "I play a troubled rich kid, who is involved in some very shady things.

    "I hope, in a way, that fans of Luke won't even recognize me," he adds, "'cause I was going for something really different. Viewers who do know it's me... well, I just hope they can forget about some of the more malicious aspects of the character I play when they see me again as 'that record-store guy' on American Dreams.

    Luckily — well, sort of luckily — Dreams lovers will have a little time to adjust to the scene-stealer's Jekyll-and-Hyde routine: Elman is missing-in-action on NBC's superlative 1960s-set drama for a few weeks. "Luke makes a comeback in the first episode of 2004, on January 4," he says. After that, it seems, the music buff is in for the long haul. "[Roxanne's new part-time job] at the Vinyl Crocodile keeps Meg — and Roxanne — in Luke's life.

    "What does that mean?" he continues cryptically. "I'll just say this: Things are gonna get a little complicated for Luke in 1965... and it's really good. Trust me."

21. American Dreamboat's Darth Vader Connection
    

    Jamie Elman is a professional actor. He's been in show business for years. He's even got a regular gig playing nerdy dreamboat Luke on American Dreams. We make special mention of these facts because, after reading the following confession, you might be tempted to think otherwise. Ready? Okay.

    On the set of the feature Shattered Glass (opening Oct. 17), about the New Republic reporter whose fabricated articles predated the Jayson Blair scandal, the Star Wars fanatic had to use the Force to keep from going all ComiCon on co-star Hayden Christensen. "I wanted to tell him, 'Hey, it's another movie about Darth Vader and Luke,'" he admits to TV Guide Online. "Get it? Darth Vader [his big-screen counterpart] and Luke [my TV character]." Long pause. Dead silence. "Eh, I don't think even he would get that joke."

    Elman also refrained from challenging the erstwhile Anakin Skywalker to a light-saber duel. "No, I did not do that," the Canuck insists, deliberately wheezing as if through the villain's mask. "I didn't even bring up Star Wars at all until way, way into [production], when they were good and pregnant with me. They couldn't have gotten me out of there at that point [, because it would have required too many costly reshoots]."

    Now that the movie is in the can — and it's really too late to can Elman — he feels prepared to press the flesh with the boss: executive producer Tom Cruise. "I'm hoping that if there is an L.A. premiere, I can finagle a couple of tickets and get to meet him," he says. "I worship that guy. I wasn't even going to [audition for the film], then my agent called and said, 'What's your problem? It's being produced by Tom Cruise!'

    "At that point," he concludes with a laugh, "I didn't even have to read the script anymore. I wanted in. Tom Cruise is a man among men. He's a god!"

22. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Nov 23, 2003
    

    CBS kept the lead at 8 p.m. with "60 Minutes," 11.7/17. FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons," which posted a 7.0/10 for a new episode at 8 and a 7.1/10 for a repeat at 8:30. "American Dreams," 5.9/9, was third for NBC, beating ABC's "10-8." "Charmed" averaged 3.6/5 for The WB.

23. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Nov 16, 2003
    

    CBS moved to the front at 8 p.m. with the 9.3/14 for "Cold Case." ABC was second with the 8.2/12 for the first hour of the AMAs. Two episodes of "The Simpsons" averaged a 7.0/10 on FOX, beating "American Dreams" on NBC. On The WB, "Charmed" had a solid 3.2/5 for the hour.

24. Bandstand regulars on Dreams
    

    Folks of a certain age might remember "American Bandstand" regulars Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly, who danced on Dick Clark's rock 'n roll record show back in the day.

    Well, Bunny and Eddie are reappearing on "Bandstand" - or at least a close facsimile thereof. The two will guest star on the Oct. 5 episode of NBC's "American Dreams" playing sponsors of "Bandstand" who are in the control booth while Mary Wells (Monica) sings "My Guy."

    They're taping the episode this week in L.A. As an added bonus, Vanessa Lengies, who plays Roxanne, will wear the fake leopard jacket Bunny wore when she danced on the show back in the early '60s.

    "American Dreams," executive- produced by Clark, is entering its second season on NBC and revolves around a 1960s Philadelphia family (Tom Verica, Gail O'Grady, Brittany Snow, Will Estes). "American Bandstand" plays a supporting role in "American Dreams," with each episode featuring a current star reenacting a classic "Bandstand" performance.

25. Dreams Is An Emmy Winner
    

    The Emmy Winner's in Creative Arts were announced this past weekend. Dreams took home 2 awards.

    Costumes for a Series: "American Dreams: Where the Boys Are," NBC.

    Hairstyling for a Series: "American Dreams: I Want to Hold Your Hand," NBC.

26. NBC, 'Simpsons' Lead Creative Emmys
    

    Following Saturday night's (Sept. 13) Primetime Creative Arts Emmys, NBC is ahead in the trophy race, snagging 11 Emmys to HBO's 10. The cast of FOX's MadTV hosted the event, which has increased its visibility in recent years.

    While viewers certainly notice the work of sound editors, costume designers and lighters, the most prominent awards presented at the Creative Arts ceremony tend to be those given for guest acting.

    In the comedy acting categories, two old pros won their first Emmys on their first nominations. Christina Applegate took the actress laurels for her work as Rachel's sister Amy on NBC's "Friends," while Fred Willard was outstanding guest actor for appearing as Hank on CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond."

    On the dramatic side, the prizes went to two more seasoned recipients. Charles Dutton won for his guest role on CBS' "Without a Trace." This is the third Emmy for Dutton, who won in this category in 2002 for an appearance on "The Practice." That show proved golden for Alfre Woodard as well, now a four-time winner. In addition to this win for "The Practice," Woodard also won a guest actress prize for "L.A. Law" in 1987. Her other victories came for "Hill Street Blues" and the telefilm "Miss Evers' Boys."

    FOX's long-running and much-honored "The Simpsons" reigned supreme over the tough competition for animated series, beating the likes of "Futurama" and "SpongeBob SquarePants." This win, for the episode titled "Three Gays of the Condo," is the eighth for the series in this category.

    FOX also got multiple wins for "24," including triumphs for editing and dramatic underscore. Other multiple winners included NBC's "Will & Grace" and the network's Cher special, CBS' original movie "Hitler: The Rise of Evil" and TNT's telefilm "Door to Door."

    HBO was led by a clean sweep of the casting category, with "Sex and the City," "Six Feet Under" and "Live From Baghdad" receiving honors.

    The evening also provided some vindication for new shows that were snubbed in the higher profile categories or which will no longer be with us this fall. "Without a Trace" and NBC's "American Dreams" were expected by some to get more love in the major categories, but both shows were multiple winners on Saturday. Similarly, FOX's "Firefly" may no longer be with us, but it went out a winner, nabbing the honor for special effects (beating "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in its final nomination).

    Finally, the Creative Arts Emmys ensured that while FOX's "Fastlane" is now just a memory, it goes out the way it always should have -- as an Emmy winner. The drama won for its stunt work.

    The Primetime Emmys will air on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

27. EW Magazine on The Upcoming Season
    (From Goodlilgal)

    The hitmakers just keep on coming to jam for Meg (Brittany Snow) and the other ''American Bandstand'' dancers on the '60s-set drama: Alicia Keys covers Fontella Bass' ''Rescue Me,'' Monica does Mary Wells' ''My Guy,'' and the ubiquitous Kelly Clarkson channels Brenda Lee. Plus, ''Richie Sambora is gonna play Eric Clapton from the Yardbirds,'' reports exec producer Jonathan Prince. Off the set, high schooler Meg falls in love with a liberal Ivy League undergrad (''All My Children'' alum Sam Page). ''He's the perfect guy to be your first college boyfriend,'' says Prince. ''He's like a young Bill Clinton.'' And we know what a loyal mate he turned out to be.

28. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Nov 2, 2003
    

    The beginning of the network's "CBS at 75" special carried CBS to a 12.2/18 at 8 p.m., enough to win the hour. The "Treehouse of Horrors" episode of "The Simpsons" pulled in an 8.8/13 and a "Simpsons" repeat scored an 8.4/12 to give FOX second for the hour. ABC was third with "10-8," which held off the 5.1/8 for NBC's "American Dreams." On The WB, "Charmed" scored a solid 3.3/5.

29. Joey/Michael's Replacement Named
    

    Scottish actor Michael Rodgers has joined the cast of NBC's period drama "American Dreams," playing a British TV producer who takes the reins of "American Bandstand." He will fill the void left by the departure of Joseph Lawrence, who played "American Bandstand's" producer in the show's first season.

30. 'Dreams,' 'Rules' Honored at Family Television Awards
    

    Six programs were honored at the Fifth Annual Family Television Awards, which were handed out on Sunday night (Aug. 17) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The show will air on Monday, Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. ET on The WB.

    Two stars from The WB hosted the event, with Jenny Garth ("What I Like About You") and Holly Robinson Peete (new comedy "Like Family) doing the honors. Treat Williams of The WB's "Everwood" also picked up an award for acting achievement.

    The awards, presented by the Association of National Advertisers, salute the best in family-friendly entertainment. Two new shows actually picked up the top prizes, with NBC's "American Dreams" recognized as best drama and ABC's "8 Simple Rules" getting props for comedy.

    FOX's "American Idol" took the reality honors and TNT's "Door to Door" was lauded for original movie. Ensuring that no network was left out of the awards (with the exception of UPN), Patricia Heaton picked up a distaff acting nod for her work on CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond."

    "Last night we toasted a renaissance in television that began just five years ago," says Kaki Hinton, of the Family Friendly Programming Forum Executive Committee. "Family fare is quickly becoming a dominant force in primetime. The shows, producers and talent we honored should be proud of their accomplishments, but it is the American family that is the real honoree."

31. Casting News
    

    Sam Page (ex-Trey, All My Children) has landed a role on American Dreams. He'll play Drew, a potential love interest for Meg (Guiding Light alum Brittany Snow)

32. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Oct 26, 2003
    

    CBS took its second straight hour at 8 p.m. with the 9.6/15 for freshman drama "Cold Case." NBC was second again, with the solid 6.2/10 for "American Dreams," which easily held off ABC's "10-8." Over on FOX, "The Simpsons" (4.6/7) and "King of the Hill" (4.0/6) were fourth. "Charmed" had a 3.3/5 to stay competitive on The WB.

33. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Oct 19, 2003
    

    Baseball ratings grew in the game's second hour, taking an 11.7/18 for FOX. "Cold Case" had a 7.8/12 for CBS, in second place. "10-8" finished third on ABC, beating NBC's "American Dreams," which averaged a 4.8/8. Over on The WB, "Charmed" finished with a respectable 3.3/5.

34. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Oct 12, 2003
    

    The 8 p.m. hour went to CBS with a 9.0/14 for "Cold Case" (elevated by the end of "60 Minutes" in many markets). In a tight race for second, ABC's "10-8" had a 5.4/9 and beat NBC's "American Dreams" in total viewers. FOX was fourth with the beginning of "Varsity Blues," still edging the 3.2/5 for The WB's "Charmed."

35. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Oct 5, 2003
    

    "Cold Case," 9.0/14, dipped some from its premiere but still performed well enough to win the 8 p.m. hour for CBS. FOX's baseball coverage was second at 8.4/13. ABC's "10-8" edged up slightly from its debut with a 5.8/9. NBC's "American Dreams" was fourth, while "Charmed" came in at 3.4/5 for The WB.

36. All-American Boy's Big Date
    

    How big a stud is American Dreams co-star Jamie Elman? Although the quick-witted Canuck doesn't wind up with leading lady Charisma Carpenter in the ABC Family romantic comedy See Jane Date (premiering Saturday at 8 pm/ET), he tells TV Guide Online, "I'm one of the few guys who ends up with any girl. Let's put it that way."

    Considering that the TV movie's rogues' gallery of bachelors includes Antonio Sabato Jr., Evan Marriott and Less Than Perfect funnyman Zachary Levi, that's really sayin' something. Even more impressive, Elman not only gets a girl, he marries her! "I'm the groom at the wedding Charisma is looking for a date to bring her to," he explains. "I'm marrying Kim Schraner.

    "[Schraner] was beautiful, charming, great. I loved getting married to her. In fact," he adds wryly (or perhaps not), "if she wasn't married with a kid in real life — and, you know, just not really all that interested — I might have asked her out."

    If nothing else, the noncouple would have been one step ahead of the dating game when it came time for Schraner to meet Elman's folks. "My parents visited me on the set and took a picture of me and Kim standing by our wedding cake — you know, with the wedding band on my finger, her in the gown, me in my tux," he recalls. "They were so damn happy. I said, 'You'd better enjoy this picture, because I don't know when you'll get to see this for real!'"

    Yes, believe it or not, the sensitive Student Bodies heartthrob is unattached, or, as he puts it, "so single." "But it's a good time to be single," he says optimistically. "Of course, if I was, like, Tobey Maguire, it would be a really great time to be single. I would gladly take [love-life] tips from him." And, for that matter, leftovers. "If [his rumored Mrs. Robinson] Nicole Kidman is interested in calling, I wish she would."

37. Francis Capra joins Dreams
    

    Francis Capra ("44 Minutes") has taken a role in NBC's sophomore drama "American Dreams." Capra, the great-grandson of legendary director Frank Capra, will play a bully in the Army platoon in which JJ Pryor (Will Estes) serves. He's also set to appear in an upcoming episode of "CSI."

38. Teen Magazine
    

    Teen's awesome new issue, featuring American Dreams' BRITTANY SNOW is ON SALE NOW! Pick up a copy TODAY!

39. Recurring Dreams? Sweet!
    

    In case you nodded off the first time we told you, we'll repeat ourselves: Not only is American Dreams the rare family drama that you can actually watch with your family, but the 1960s-set sleeper hit is the only show on TV that leads you onto the dance floor by tugging at your heartstrings. Now you have no excuse not to tune in, either: Beginning Sunday, Aug. 3, NBC is replaying pivotal episodes from the first season, during which high school hoofers Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) and Roxanne Bojarksi (Vanessa Lengies) tried out for American Bandstand.

    Besides, if you don't get acquainted with the golden girls this summer — and trust us, to know them is to love them — you won't have any idea how funny executive producer Jonathan Prince's plans really are for boisterous, boy-crazy Roxanne. "I think what we want to do with her," he reveals to TV Guide Online, "is what most teenagers [of that bygone era] did, which is give her an after-school job."

    Hopeful romantics ought to make it a point to set their VCRs as well. Although Prince isn't quite ready to pair up Roxanne with a steady beau the way he has Meg and bespectacled dreamboat Luke (Jamie Elman), when Cupid finally gets the lovelorn adolescent in his crosshairs, he's sure to hit a bull's eye. "You hope for Roxanne to have somebody great," Prince suggests. "She deserves a really cool guy." And how. In the meantime, expect the male population of Philadelphia to turn Rox's head with such regularity that she's sure to get dizzy.

40. 'Dreams' Inks Musical Quintet
    

    NBC is lining up high profile cameos for two of its returning shows. A trinity of divas (and two singing sisters) will impersonate retro sensations on the sophomore drama "American Dreams," while a former "Fastlane" star will heat things up when "Good Morning, Miami" comes back for its second season.

    The casting announcements were made at NBC's presentation to reporters at the annual Television Critics Association press tour.

    "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson leads the way for the "Dreams" cameos, playing Brenda Lee and singing "Sweet Sensations." Monica will play Motown star Mary Wells, covering "My Guy." Multi-Grammy winner Alicia Keys will sing "Rescue Me" when she appears as Fontella Bass and Hilary and Haylie Duff will drop in as the Shangri-Las, performing a hit to be named later.

    American Dreams has made a dramatic impact by combining the past musical scene with the present, says NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker. We are thrilled with the mutually beneficial relationship that allows us to showcase musical stars such as Kelly Clarkson who relate to a contemporary audience.

    Tiffani Thiessen will guest star on three of the first four episodes of "Good Morning, Miami" this season. The former "Saved by the Bell" starlet and "Beverly Hills, 90210" bad girl will play a corporate manager whose harsh management style leads Mark Feuerstein's Jake to consider leaving Miami for a job in New York.

41. Madsen To Join Sideways
    

    Virginia Madsen, who co-stars on the NBC drama "American Dreams," is in final negotiations to come on board "Sideways" as the female lead, with shooting slated to begin in September in California's Santa Ynez Valley. The Alexander Payne directed movie is based on the upcoming novel by Rex Pickett, "Sideways" is about a man (Paul Giamatti) who is about to get married and decides to take a road trip with his best friend (Thomas Haden Church) up to vineyard country for one last blowout. During that week, the duo get into trouble with wine and women -- played by Madsen and Sandra Oh -- and come to some profound realizations in their pre-mid-life crises. Payne and Jim Taylor adapted the screenplay.

42. Three Emmy Nominations
    

    Nominees for the 55th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced. The awards will be handed out Sept. 21 on the Fox broadcast network.

    Casting for a Drama Series: "American Dreams," NBC; "Six Feet Under," HBO; "The Sopranos," HBO; "24," Fox; "The West Wing," NBC.

    Costumes for a Series: "Alias: Phase One," ABC; "American Dreams: Where the Boys Are," NBC; "Sex and the City: I Love a Charade," HBO; "Six Feet Under: Tears, Bones and Desire," HBO; "That '70s Show: Ramble On," Fox.

    Hairstyling for a Series: "Alias: The Counteragent," ABC; "American Dreams: I Want to Hold Your Hand," NBC; "MADtv: No. 805," Fox; "Sex and the City: Plus One Is the Loneliest Number," HBO; "Six Feet Under: Perfect Circles," HBO.

43. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Sept 28, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., CBS launched the new crime drama "Cold Case" to an impressive 10.4/16, making it the night's highest rated individual program. NBC was a distant third with the 6.0/10 season premiere of "American Dreams." The ABC cop dramedy "10-8" premiered with a 5.7/9, beating out the second hour of the Cameron Diaz movie on FOX. The season premiere of "Charmed" earned a strong 3.4/5 in its first hour on The WB. NBC actually took first in the demographic race, earning a 4.0 rating among adults 18-49. FOX was second with a 3.7 rating, while CBS and ABC tied at 3.3. The WB averaged a 2.0 rating.

44. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Sept 21, 2003
    

    The Emmy coverage began at 8 p.m. and FOX took over, scoring an 11.2/18 for the show's first hour. With a 6.1/10 between the end of "60 Minutes" and the beginning of "Without a Trace," CBS was second. ABC reaired the premiere of "Threat Matrix" and found a solid encore audience of 3.7/6, enough to beat the crowd for "American Dreams" on NBC.

45. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003
    

    A rerun of "Without a Trace" kept CBS in the lead at 8 p.m. with a 5.6/11. FOX moved up to second averaging 3.5/7 with repeats of "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill." NBC's "American Dreams" came in third, followed by the conclusion of ABC's movie.

46. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003
    

    CBS stayed in the lead at 8 p.m. with "Without a Trace," which earned a 6.8/12. ABC took second again with the youth baseball, as FOX moved up to third with "The Simpsons" (4.2/8) and "King of the Hill" (4.0/7). The WB's "Charmed" had a 3.1/5 for the hour, while "American Dreams" on NBC was at 3.0/5.

47. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 17, 2003
    

    CBS also captured 8 p.m. with a 6.5/12 for "Without a Trace." FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons" (4.0/7) and "King of the Hill" (4.1/7). "American Dreams" put NBC in third with a 3.4/6, beating the 2.6/4 for "Charmed" on The WB. ABC trailed with the X Games.

48. Jamie Elman Gets TV Movie
    

    Jamie Elman (Luke, American Dreams) has been added to the cast of the ABC Family movie "See Jane Date," which co-stars Holly Marie Combs and Charisma Carpenter. Elman will next be seen in the feature "Shattered Glass."

49. TV Review: 'Lucky 7'
    

    Airing Sunday July 20 on ABC Family Channel at 8pm ET.

    The premise of "Lucky 7" is as forced and artificial as the TV movie's opening few minutes.

    A dying but very beautiful and very loving mother (Gail O'Grady (news)) draws her very young daughter, Amy, a timeline indicating when the child will reach all the watershed moments in her life: when she will go to high school, enter college, get a career and fall in love. But, she stresses, the daughter will fall in love (probably) only with one man: lucky No. 7, the seventh boyfriend she meets.

    If any viewer has a problem with timelines or weak writing or films with absolutely no depth of character, these first few minutes are the best time to duck out.

    It could not have taken too long to think this one up. Jessica Barondes' script is overwhelmed by cliched dialogue and a self-absorbed and uninteresting heroine (meant to be perky and cute) behaving as if she were a prom queen arrested at age 18 or 16 instead of an adult who practices law.

    Harry Winer's direction follows the same course, pausing to focus on close-ups of his young star, Kimberly Williams (news)-Paisley, who also co-produced this piece of fluff. It's difficult to find one redeeming feature of this pic.

    Williams-Paisley is the grown-up Amy, now an attorney and struggling with the kind of dilemma that is almost impossible to care about.

    She has fulfilled all the watershed moments in the timeline left her by her mother, but she has one serious problem: She has met a boy (Brad Rowe (news)) she truly loves, but it seems he has arrived at the wrong time, or in the wrong order. He is No. 6, not No. 7 as her mother suggested long ago. What to do?

    The only sensible way out of this dilemma is to find another boyfriend really fast, sneak him in as No. 6 and that way move this guy she really loves to No. 7.

    But of course, as in all situation comedies, a complication occurs: The man Amy chooses to be No. 6 (Patrick Dempsey (news)) turns out to be a New Age Prince Charming, a Wall Street dropout she cannot help but like.

    Will Amy be true to her mother's timeline, therefore her mother's memory, or will she have to depart that route and go her own way? The equally pressing question is: How much of this meringue will be enough before the audience either doesn't buy it or, worse, starts to see the world through the same sugary glaze as our heroine?

    produced by Lions Gate Entertainment

    CAST:

    Amy: Kimberly Williams-Paisley
    Peter: Patrick Dempsey
    Daniel: Brad Rowe
    Amy's Mother: Gail O'Grady

    CREDITS:

    Co-producer: Kimberly Williams-Paisley
    Producer: Judy Cairo-Simpson
    Executive producer: Judith A. Polone
    Writer: Jessica Barondes

    Director: Harry Winer
    Music: Danny Lux
    Editors: David Simmons, Doug Clark
    Production designer: Jerry Wanek
    Director of photography: Jon Joffin

50. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 10, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., CBS won the hour with the 5.3/10 for "Without a Trace." FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons" (4.3/8) and "King of the Hill" (3.9/7). "Angels in the Infield" averaged a 4.1/8 for the hour to take third, leaving NBC's "American Dreams" in fourth. On The WB, "Charmed" had a 2.2/4.

51. Lawrence Steps Out of 'Dreams,' Into 'House'
    

    Whoa.

    Joseph Lawrence's part on The WB's new comedy "Run of the House" will mark the end of the actor's run on NBC's nostalgic sophomore drama "American Dreams." While rarely a main part of the drama, Lawrence, who played Michael Brooks, an associate producer at "American Bandstand," was one of the show's most recognizable faces at the beginning of its run.

    Lawrence has a much more central part in "House," which focuses on a trio of siblings forced to raise their younger sister when their parents leave them alone for the winter. The former "Blossom" star plays Kurt, the eldest and most responsible brother who believes he's now in charge.

    "It was a great opportunity for me, but honestly the plan was always to probably just do one year there and then look for something else," Lawrence says.

    Speaking to reporters at the TV Critics Association press tour, Lawrence explains that his "American Dreams" character will exit after only two episode.

    "The character is going to take a job offer out in Los Angeles to be an executive at a record label," he reveals. "And you know, 'Bandstand' moves to Los Angeles in 1965, so that's why he went out there. But it will be full-time Kurt from August on."

    From his earliest days on "Gimme a Break!," Lawrence played a string of parts he sums up as "the zany kid with the catch phrase." As "Joey" Lawrence, he recorded hit albums and was something of a teen heartthrob, but following the run of "Brotherly Love" (which costarred real-life brother Matthew and Andrew), Lawrence took some time off and returned to the public eye with his full name and a desire to be accepted as a mature actor.

    "You can call me whatever you want, but Joseph is what I want to see up there," he says. "It's as simple as that.

    Early "Joseph Lawrence" productions like "Urban Legends: Final Cut" may not have progressed that goal, but his turn on the critically admired "Dreams" convinced many people that the 27-year-old actor is capable of playing authority figures.

    "For me, the opportunity to play this kind of character who is sort of this surrogate father is sort of full circle for me in the half-hour world, and I just couldn't not do it," he says.

52. Which TV Shows and Stars Rocked Your World? Results Are In!
    (From www.brittany-snow.com)

    The results are in for this year's Tater Tops Awards, where tube fans and couch potatoes get the chance to weigh in on TV's best and worst. Nearly 50,000 of you voted, and once again, you've proven you are masterful tube connoisseurs--not to mention that you have an affection bordering on obsession when it comes to a certain fair-haired Slayer and multicolor-haired spy.

    This year, Buffy the Vampire Slayer received the most wins--eight total, including Breakout Star, Favorite Funnygirl and Show You'll Miss the Most. Coming in at a close second is ABC's Alias with a total of six wins, including Best Fight and Best (mmmmmm) Kiss. See, told ya you had good taste.

    You also gave big props to newbies like Everwood and American Dreams, paid homage to now gone Dawson's Creek and wisely panned the likes of A.U.S.A., Mr. Personality and (shudder!) Are You Hot?

    Breakout Star, Female
    27.60% Brittany Snow (Meg), American Dreams
    18.66% Gina Torres (Jasmine), Angel; (Zoe), Firefly
    18.18% Sarah Wynter (Kate), 24
    17.83% Emily VanCamp (Amy), Everwood
    17.73% Emily Procter (Calleigh), CSI:Miami

    Best New Show
    31.36% Everwood
    22.17% American Dreams
    20.74% Boomtown
    11.03% Lucky
    7.74% John Doe
    6.95% Miracles

53. Brittany & Vanessa Out And About
    (From www.brittany-snow.com)

    Brittany Snow (Meg), along with Vanessa Lengies(Roxanne) will start a mall tour across the US to promote American Dreams with Teen People magazine! Their first stop will be at the Mall of America in Minnesota on the 11'th and 12'th of July.

54. Teen Choice Awards
    

    The awards are scheduled to air Wednesday, Aug. 6 on FOX. Teens can vote on several categories at TeenPeople.com (a subscription is required). Here's a list of American Dreams' nominations:

    Actress -- Drama Series
    Jessica Biel, "7th Heaven"
    Jennifer Garner, "Alias"
    Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
    Katie Holmes, "Dawson's Creek"
    Kristen Kreuk "Smallville"
    Brittany Snow, "American Dreams"
    Tiffani Thiessen, "Fastlane"
    Emily Van Camp, "Everwood"

    Drama Series
    "24"
    "7th Heaven"
    "Alias"
    "American Dreams"
    "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
    "Dawson's Creek"
    "Fastlane"
    "Smallville"

    Breakout Female TV Star
    Kaley Cuoco, "8 Simple Rules"
    Elisha Cuthbert, "24"
    Tamyra Gray, "Boston Public"
    Sienna Miller, "Keen Eddie"
    Ashlee Simpson, "7th Heaven"
    Brittany Snow, "American Dreams"
    Wanda Sykes, "Wanda at Large"
    Aisha Tyler, "Friends"

    Breakout TV Show
    "8 Simple Rules"
    "American Dreams"
    "Everwood"
    "George Lopez"
    "Less than Perfect"
    "Oliver Beene"
    "Wanda at Large"
    "What I Like about You"

55. No More Drama: Emmy Contenders Revealed!
    

    In this last of TV Guide Online's series of helpful memos to members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, critic Matt Roush, Michael Ausiello and our bumper crop of professional couch potatoes pick the best of the tube's top dramas. Of course, we're not saying the Academy must nominate the shows we suggest. Us? No way. We wouldn't dream of doing a thing like that. As if! All we're implying is, if there is any justice whatsoever in the world, when the actual nods are announced on July 3, we'll find the Academy has given these programs the props they're due. And the contenders oughta be:

    24: By now, even as cool as the one-day-per-season gimmick is, we're over it. What we aren't — and can't get — over is the mind-blowing consistency with which this show surprises us. In a year in which the show's filthy-rich baddies sought to start WWIII, the only thing we could be sure of week in and week out was that, dang, there isn't a single thing that we can be sure of!

    Alias: Besides giving babe-watchers a post-millennial Emma Peel who's as stimulating to the mind as she is to the eyes, this spy game knocks us out by taking more chances in 60 minutes than many series do in their entire runs. This season alone, the show turned itself inside out by blowing up SD6 (aka Villain Central), then by ending the year with the theft of two years from heroine Sydney. Caramba!

    American Dreams: To appear edgy, some series flash a little skin, and others throw in the occasional curse word or engage in ultra-violence. But this show? Nope. It simply, frankly refocuses the tumultuous 1960s through the wide eyes of an American Bandstand teenybopper. The result? Surprise — it's profoundly affecting. Plus, it's got a beat, and you can dance to it.

    Boomtown: Its high concept notwithstanding — casework is played from a variety of points of view within the same episode — this cop show succeeds on the merits of its top-drawer acting and pitch-perfect writing. Moreover, while we may not always like the core crimefighters, we always get them — no mean feat, that.

    The Shield: In its sophomore season, this police drama has continued to pick up where NYPD Blue left off, eschewing watercooler flirtations in favor of gritty street conflagrations. Better still, in its adamant refusal to trade in black-and-white characterizations, it's reminded us that while black can be beautiful, shades of gray are dazzling.

56. TV Critics Association Awards
    

    TV critics like their cop shows complex and their news with a heavy dose of humor, based on nominations for the annual TV Critics Association Awards.

    HBO leads all networks with 10 nominations for the annual awards, voted on by the 200 or so members of the association. NBC got eight nods, PBS six and CBS five.

    Among individual programs, Comedy Central's "Daily Show" and NBC's "Boomtown" each earned four nominations, including nods for the TCA's top award, Program of the Year. FOX's "American Idol" and "24" and HBO's "The Wire" are also up for the award.

    "The Daily Show" pulled off the rare double of being nominated for both outstanding comedy and outstanding news and information program.

    The TCA Awards will be handed out Saturday, July 19 in Hollywood. Wanda Sykes is scheduled to host the ceremony.

    Here's a complete list of nominees:

    PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
    "American Idol" (FOX)
    "Boomtown" (NBC)
    "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
    "24" (FOX)
    "The Wire" (HBO)

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
    "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (FOX)
    "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
    "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
    "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS)
    "The Office" (BBC America)

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
    "Boomtown" (NBC)
    "The Shield" (FX)
    "Six Feet Under" (HBO)
    "The Sopranos" (HBO)
    "24" (FOX)
    "The Wire" (HBO)

    INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
    Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
    Brad Garrett, "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS)
    Bonnie Hunt, "Life With Bonnie" (ABC)
    Tony Shalhoub, "Monk" (USA)
    Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)

    INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
    Edie Falco, "The Sopranos" (HBO)
    James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos" (HBO)
    Jennifer Garner, "Alias" (ABC)
    Neal McDonough "Boomtown" (NBC)
    Kiefer Sutherland, "24" (FOX)

    OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
    "American Dreams" (NBC)
    "Boomtown" (NBC)
    "Everwood" (The WB)
    "Lucky" (FX)
    "The Wire" (HBO)

    HERITAGE AWARD
    "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (UPN)
    "Law & Order" (NBC)
    "Reading Rainbow" (PBS)
    "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
    "60 Minutes" (CBS)

    CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
    Larry Gelbart ("M*A*S*H")
    Don Hewitt ("60 Minutes")
    Carl Reiner ("Your Show of Shows," "The Dick Van Dyke Show")
    Aaron Spelling ("Charlie's Angels," "Beverly Hills, 90210")
    Oprah Winfrey ("The Oprah Winfrey Show")

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION
    David Bloom (NBC)
    "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
    "Frontline" (PBS)
    "Nightline" (ABC)
    "60 Minutes" (CBS)

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
    "Dora the Explorer" (Nickelodeon)
    "Liberty's Kids" (PBS)
    "Nick News" (Nickelodeon)
    "Reading Rainbow" (PBS)
    "Sesame Street" (PBS)

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES AND SPECIALS
    "Door to Door" (TNT)
    "Hitler: Rise of Evil" (CBS)
    "Live from Baghdad" (HBO)
    "Manor House" (PBS)
    "Taken" (Sci Fi)

57. Crowning Emmy's Drama Queens (and Kings)
    

    As members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences mull over the actors they'll choose to nominate for this year's 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, we have one teensy-weensy piece of advice: Listen to that little voice in your head. You know, the one that says it's not too late to make up for ignoring Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Farscape all these years. It's also the one that whispers names you might not realize you should know — mysterious monikers like Reiko Aylesworth and Neal McDonough. Perhaps most importantly, that voice belongs to people like us — TV Guide critic Matt Roush and your pals at TV Guide Online. So, without further ado, here's the drama-series acting lineup, which we suggest you peruse closely:

    Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    
    Ben Browder, Farscape: Far more than just another handsome mug, Sci Fi's lost-in-space cadet spent his final season in orbit coaxing out of his alien posse — and, in turn, viewers — attributes that are decidedly human. Whatever the constellation, this guy's a star.
    Michael Chiklis, The Shield: Not since Dennis Franz's NYPD Blue heyday has there been as complicated a detective on the beat as this white knight in a black hat... or is it the other way around? Either way, we marvel all the same at the way his portrayer deftly plays both good cop and bad cop.
    James Gandolfini, The Sopranos: Forget the Emmy, slip this really, really goodfella a Zoloft! While Tony's marriage came crashing down, the HBO made man made us understand why his salary demands were an offer that his bosses ultimately couldn't afford to refuse.
    Peter Krause, Six Feet Under: Although his mortician character's relationship with Lili Taylor generated no more passion than the average funeral march, HBO's brooding poster boy mustered up enough intensity to bring the whole show to life.
    Kiefer Sutherland, 24: As the hardest-working agent in counterterrorism, Donald's son plays everything from addled dad to action hero. And don't be fooled by how easy Sutherland makes the juggling act look: This sort of tour-de-force performance is not all in a day's work!

    Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    Amy Brenneman, Judging Amy: A soap-opera heroine couldn't ask for a broader range of calamaties than that which befell her honor this year: a custody clash, the murder of her stalker, the death of her would-be stepdaddy... Seriously, if Brenneman doesn't deserve an Emmy trophy, then at least her character ought to be allowed to carry one around — you know, for protection.
    Edie Falco, The Sopranos: If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then a woman scorned must take notes from Carmela's portrayer. The outrage she unleashed on James Gandolfini's two-timing Tony packed a bigger punch than the bruiser could possibly hope to deliver with his meaty fists.
    Jennifer Garner, Alias: Whether Sydney is up to her corset in espionage or under the covers with her baby-faced colleague, Garner keeps the action admirably rooted in real emotion. Heck, she even made us feel her pain when she was forced to finish off her beloved roommate's evil twin.
    Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Isn't it about time that Sunnydale's Chosen One was the Academy's chosen one, too? Not only has Mrs. Freddie Prinze Jr. been saving the world in halter tops since before girl power came into vogue, she's done so with a tongue that's as sharp as her wooden stakes.
    Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU: Due to the fact that Det. Benson deals with one horrifying case after another, it could be argued that, to do her job, all Hargitay need do is look... well, horrified. But watch closer, and you'll see the way she deftly hints at the mounting toll Benson's profession is taking, even as she maintains an air of femininity and righteous anger. It's a neat trick made all the neater by the fact that it's so easy to miss.

    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
    
    Xander Berkeley, 24: George Mason may have been one nasty SOB, but damn if, in the end, the contrarian's alter ego didn't make it hard for us to hate him. Sacrificing himself to save the life of his foil, Kiefer Sutherland's Jack, Berkeley made the g-man's final hour his finest one.
    Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos: We know we're supposed to just say no to drugs, but we can't deny it — when Christopher began his downward spiral, we were hooked. What's more, Imperioli's hopped-up high jinks made the episode in which the Sopranos laid down the law must-see intervention.
    Tom Lenk, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Thanks to erstwhile Nerd of Doom Andrew, although it was the end of the world as we know it (again) this year, we felt fine. Lenk's adorably dippy line readings broke up the maiming and killing, and made him a shoo-in for future sitcom stardom, if not an Emmy.
    Neal McDonough, Boomtown: D.A. David McNorris may be the most obnoxious tube good guy this side of Xander Berkeley's 24 alias, but if there's one thing he believes in, it's justice. That said, there is but one way that the Academy could see that justice is served: Give a nod to the guy who plays him.
    Donnie Wahlberg, Boomtown: The haunted look in Joel Stevens's eyes never lets us forget that if we were to walk a mile in this cop's shoes, we'd get a broken heart, as well as sore feet. So our hats off to Marky Mark's big bro, who has taken pains — and we do mean pains — to make this average Joel extraordinary.

    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    
    Reiko Aylesworth, 24: Dressler may be the least showy role in this category, yet Aylesworth — whom we once dubbed TV's best-kept secret — still manages to shine. Rarely moving from behind a computer, she makes a big impact by imbuing her character's little gestures with hidden meaning and untold import.
    Penny Johnson Jerald, 24: Turncoat. Traitor. Bitch. There's no end to the names you could call vengeful former First Lady Sherry. However, we can come up with only two words to describe the work of her portrayer: absolutely dazzling. Wickedness hasn't been this much fun since J.R. got out of the oil business.
    Gail O'Grady, American Dreams: On its face, NBC's Sunday-night sleeper hit looks at the 1960s through the eyes of its endearing teen heroine. But below the surface, it's mom Helen who is undergoing the more stunning awakening. Every time a radical notion occurs to her, and O'Grady's lovely peepers light up, we share her excitement and anxiety.
    Lena Olin, Alias: In any acting contest this year, Jennifer Garner's double-agent Mommie Dearest is bound to have an edge, because, for all practical purposes, she's playing a dual role. How do you top a double bill? Well, in Olin's case, she takes both of Irina's two faces and makes each of them fascinating.
    CCH Pounder, The Shield: Pounder has always been a performer of uncommon power and presence — and an entity that Hollywood has rarely been able to figure out what to do with. But at last, in Det. Claudette Wyms, she's found a part to which she can give her all. The results? Kaboom. The lady blows us away.

58. Season 2 of American Dreams
    

    NBC has finally made it official. American Dreams will be back for another season at 8pm on Sundays

59. Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 3, 2003
    

    CBS stayed in the lead at 8 p.m. as "Becker" and the beginning of the Sunday movie, "Instinct," averaged a 4.9/9. ABC was second with the conclusion of "Paulie." On FOX, "The Simpsons" (4.0/7) and "King of the Hill" (3.7/7) edged out the 3.5/7 for "American Dreams" on NBC. The WB's "Charmed" averaged a 2.3/4.

60. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, May 18, 2003
    

    The "60 Minutes" special held strong for CBS at 8 p.m. with a 9.9/17. FOX was second with two new episodes of "The Simpsons" earning a 6.4/11 and a 7.0/11 for the season finale. NBC was third with "American Dreams" at 5.9/10 and ABC again trailed with their Adam Sandler effort.

61. Dreams Come True
    

    If there were any relation between ratings and quality, American Dreams would be the No. 1 show on TV. But hey, we're not complaining; at least NBC has renewed the soul-stirring '60s-set dramedy for a second season. "We're the little engine that could," executive producer Jonathan Prince tells TV Guide Online. "It's hard to call yourself a hit on the network that gives us Friends and ER ... but I feel really good about what we've done, especially up against The Simpsons and such tough competition."

    Prince's boss, NBC prez Jeff Zucker, seconds that emotion. "He said, 'I'm going to make Sundays work,'" reveals Prince. Heaven knows he and his Dreams team are trying. For this week's season finale (airing at 8 pm/ET), they've recruited Destiny's Child vocalist Kelly Rowand to perform "Nowhere to Run" as Martha Reeves and teen queen Stacie Orrico to do the Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back." (Series regulars Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies sing backup on the cut from the just-released soundtrack, though for obvious story reasons their characters, American Bandstand dancers Meg and Roxanne, won't be seen doing so.)

    Dreams's freshman-year sendoff also features another landmark moment in history which has a profound impact on the future of the series' wide-eyed heroine: Meg gets caught up in the Philadelphia race riots. Afterward, her relationships with both African-American school chum Sam and boyfriend Luke are forever altered. "For a while, Luke felt like he was too sophisticated for Meg, then she caught up," Prince notes. "For next year, we keep thinking, 'Boy, having gone through what she's gone through, where would that put Meg?' She'd probably want to be around older people. Maybe through [big brother J.J.'s honey] Beth, she starts hanging out with college kids."

    So where does that leave Sam? As much as we love Luke, it's obvious that Meg has a soft spot for her pal. "Clearly, Sam is a big part of Meg's life," Prince acknowledges. "But it's 1964, so there's no way that we can pretend that these two people could be together [romantically]. A, they're teenagers, and B, he's black. Yet at the same time, it feels like we'd be lying if we didn't see that these two people are attracted to each other and want to be around each other.

    "But," he adds, "I don't think that even they could imagine that they should be together. It couldn't occur to them. So [their plot progression will be] about them trying to stay friends in an environment in which nobody wants them to. I want to play that like the ongoing desire to be together." Whatever he comes up with, we'll be watching. For 60 glorious minutes every seven days, he never fails to make our hearts skip to the beat of a bygone era.

62. An Interview with Danny Pelfrey
    (From Music Box)

    I have a confession to make. I’ve been listening to performances by Vanessa Carlton, Stacie Orrico, Vivian Green, India.Arie and — oh, this is so hard to admit — B2K. No, that’s not the confession. But this is: I’ve been enjoying them. There. I’ve said it. I hope you won’t think less of me for it. Please, let me explain. This isn’t the product of sleep deprivation. Nor is it the reluctant acceptance of today’s pop music that comes from the knowledge that, no matter how hard I try, my newborn daughter undoubtedly will succumb one day to peer pressure and groove to a boy band.

    Of course the music world has been full of boy bands and girl bands forever. The Beatles was a boy band. As were the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas was a girl group. So were the Chiffons and the Supremes. And even if the pop music world has gone astray over the past 40 years, the similarities to today are striking.

    That’s exactly the point of the recently released soundtrack to the television show American Dreams. It features classic hits such as The Zombies’ She’s Not There, Otis Redding’s That’s How Strong My Love Is, and The Impressions’ People Get Ready. And, right next to them sit Emerson Hart’s terrific theme song (Generation) as well as re-creations by contemporary artists of other brilliant moments from pop music history. Granted, none of the new versions can top the original renditions. That would be impossible. Yet, they fare superlatively well in comparison, and that’s a tough thing to do.

    "That’s part of the challenge of the show," said Danny Pelfrey, who produced the new songs and also composed the score of American Dreams. "How do you capture the ’60s and not sound too incongruous? You don’t want to sound trite either."

    For those who haven’t seen the program, you’re missing television at its finest. Set in Philadelphia, the show follows the family of Jack Pryor, a small business owner whose daughter Meg dances on American Bandstand. Just as important, however, is the story of Henry Walker, an African-American man who works in Jack’s electronics store. The program debuted last fall and has quickly become one of the finest shows on television, hitting home with both critics and fans. "It’s a family show, and it’s emotional in a lot of good ways. It touches on a lot of good values and things that I think people really identify with," said Pelfrey.

    The tales of the two families allow the writers to explore a variety of social and political issues from a deeply personal and frequently emotional perspective, and the change in each of their worlds as well as their overall loss of innocence provides a mirrored backdrop for life in America during the 1960s. Such topics, of course, can be heavy, but the stories from week to week are told in such a family-friendly way that one is easily caught up within the emotional turbulence of the times. Tempering as well as informing the serious nature of the events is the use of pop culture as viewed through eyes of 15-year-old Meg Pryor and her association with American Bandstand. Old footage from the legendary show is spliced into American Dreams, providing a seamless and realistic counterpoint to the contemporary artists who are brought in to portray the entertainers.

    "It’s interesting to deal with these contemporary artists," said Pelfrey. "They are very much from today, but they are also aware of their heritage. They are very respectful of the older material, and they have to belong to that while still sounding like themselves."

    One example Pelfrey relayed was in regards to Kelly Rowland’s portrayal of Martha Reeves. "Nowadays, [pop artists] tend to sing longer lines, adding, perhaps, a few more notes. [Kelly] would end a line, and sometimes she would just go on a little bit more. We would stop — we both had had that conversation before — and she would say, ‘I know that’s not it.’ By the time we got to the end of the song, she still sounded like herself, but she had adapted her style to make it sound realistic, like it was really done back then."

    Rowland’s performance is not included on the American Dreams soundtrack. But those that are featured are quite good. In particular, Duncan Sheik turns in a remarkable rendering of Bobby Darin on Beyond the Sea, and on Come Ye, Indie.Arie is captivatingly transformed into Nina Simone. "It’s like you are hearing these contemporary artists as they would have sounded in the ’60s," Pelfrey stated.

    Naturally, Pelfrey provided quite a bit of help. Because the new renditions of the songs needed to fit within the era of the program as well as sit alongside the original songs on the soundtrack — all without sounding out of place — Pelfrey had to painstakingly recreate the ambience and character of the early records. The echo of a drum beat, a particular string arrangement — it’s all been remarkably redone, even though he often wasn’t sure where to begin.

    "We’ve been finding our own way, to tell you the truth," said Pelfrey. "We had nothing to go on but our own inventiveness and ears. We’ve been using every piece of old equipment we can find — old microphones, especially — but we also record everything into Pro Tools. "There’s a lot of vintage equipment emulator plug-ins in Pro Tools, and while not the same as the old equipment, you can have a lot more occurrences of them. You can use 20 vintage equalizers, if you want to, even though you might not have that many sitting in a room."

    "The danger you run into," Pelfrey cautioned, "is that if you don’t do it just right, it ends up sounding like a lounge band. We had to make sure we did it correctly."

    "Fortunately, the artists that we brought in," he continued, "they were all great contributors to that. They were all willing to go there. They were all very into what we were doing."

    One person who very much enjoyed what Pelfrey had done with his song was Lamont Dozier, who penned countless hits for Motown including Nowhere to Run, a song made famous by Martha Reeves. "He thought [our interpretation] was great," said Pelfrey.

    "Meeting Lamont was like meeting Beethoven. He was at the Kelly Rowland shoot, and we were, of course, peppering him with questions. He’s a really nice man and was really generous with his time and experience," he added.

    Of course, this is just the beginning of the massive amount of work Pelfrey must put into each episode of American Dreams. In addition to producing the reconstructed pop songs, he also composes the musical score for each episode. "The songs tell the story in one way, and the score tells the story in another," he said. "They both don’t really interact with each other. I don’t use any of the themes of the songs in my scores."

    Indeed, given the attention-grabbing nature of the pop songs, it was necessary for Pelfrey to craft a score that would complement rather than compete with the rest of the music, while still adding flavor. "It’s very understated and very emotional" he said. "[The show] is an American story about an American family, and [the score] very much has a based-in-Americana kind of feeling."

    "There are various themes that we’ve developed throughout the season," he continued. "There’s a family theme, and there are various kinds of themes of unrest. Those themes are brought back in to help underscore whatever storyline we are in at the moment, and they evolve as the storylines evolve. As time goes on, they take on a life of their own. The need for them emerges and they almost dictate to you when they should be used and what kind of arrangement technique should be applied."

    "The ’60s was a very important time for people who lived through it," concluded Pelfrey. "It was a time of great change and a time that had great meaning in everyone’s life who was a part of it. I think American Dreams has been able to recall that for people, and through the use of contemporary artists, it’s been able to resonate through a new generation."

    So there you have it, the explanation for my apparent madness. Thanks to Pelfrey’s insightful understanding, the American Dreams soundtrack really is a terrific collection of songs that seamlessly blurs the line between yesterday and today. True, B2K’s rendition of My Girl can’t really compare with that of The Temptations. Nor can Vanessa Carlton truly replace Dusty Springfield. But that doesn’t make the new versions any less enjoyable to hear. Better still, they might provide some much needed hope for the future of pop music — if only today’s performers take to heart the simplistic nature of these classic songs and creatively begin to craft some magic of their own.

63. Rowland & Orrico To Appear On 'American Dreams' Season Finale
    

    Destiny's Child singer and solo artist Kelly Rowland will guest star as Martha Reeves of Martha & The Vandellas in the season finale of NBC's hit drama series American Dreams on Sunday (May 18).

    Pop singer Stacie Orrico will appear in the same episode as Peggy Santiglia of The Angels.

    In the episode titled, "City On Fire," Rowland will perform Martha And The Vandellas' hit song "Nowhere To Run," and Orrico will perform The Angels classic "My Boyfriend's Back."

    American Dreams airs from 8 to 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

64. Sweet Dreams
    

    In a last-minute move on the part of American Dreams, NBC's feel-good drama has tapped rising starlet Ashley Williams to guest as mod British singer Sandy Shaw in Sunday's episode (airing at 8 pm/ET). The Good Morning, Miami leading lady will perform "Always Something There to Remind Me" and, if there is a God, make us forget the wretched rendition that Nikki McKibbin once delivered on American Idol.

65. Williams Helps ABC Find Sexiness, NBC Find God
    

    Talk show host Montel Williams is on two decidedly different TV missions. On ABC, he'll be using his show to help "All My Children" find "The Sexiest Man in America." On NBC, he'll be playing a minister fighting racial discrimination in 1960s Philadelphia on "American Dreams."

    The "American Dreams" gig will air first, this Sunday (May 11). Williams will play Rev. Gillam, whose North Philly congregation includes the show's Walker family. In the midst of a city curfew aimed at keeping African-Americans off the street, Rev. Gillam preaches caution, but equality. Tensions will boil over in the show's season finale.

    Williams has been a regular television guest star over the years. He starred in "Educating Max Waters" and did a multi-episode arc on "JAG." He's also appeared on "Touched By An Angel," "Dave’s World" and "A Different World."

    Then, next Tuesday (May 13), "The Montel Williams Show" will see the beginning of "All My Children's" spring and summer contest. Rebecca Budig, Alicia Minshew, Finola Hughes, Terri Ivens and Amelia Heinle will be on hand to help Montel sort through a selection of "diamonds in the rough" searching for buried sexiness. The contestants will receive make-overs and test their "acting" abilities in test scenes with Minshew and Budig.

    The contest will continue through the summer and the winner will be announced in August and will appear on "All My Children" in September.

66. Stacie Orrico
    

    Stacie Orrico will appear on American Dreams on Sunday (May 18) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Orrico portrays Peggy Santiglia, the lead singer of the real-life '60s girl group the Angels. And she will be performing the group's hit single, "My Boyfriend's Back."

67. Will Estes Movie
    (From WillEstes.com)

    The horror movie "May" is now in very limited release in a few cities. In the film, Will (J.J., American Dreams) has a small role playing "Chris", a part that was written especially for him by writer and director Lucky McKee.

    To find out more about this film and check to see if it will be coming to your city in the future, visit the May Website.

68. Connie Francis on Rimes
    

    Connie Francis called from her home in Florida. Not about opening in our neighborhood later this month but about LeAnn Rimes who, on a recent TV show, impersonated her. Connie thought she "was adorable and sounded great" and wanted her number to say so. "But," added Connie, "I read where LeAnn said she was sad I was an alcoholic.

    "I'd like it known that alcohol is the one vice I lucked out on. I'm not proud of what I've been through but drinking is probably the only thing I haven't done. I get drunk on scotch tape. Would you clarify this for me?"

    Sure.

69. 'American Dreams' Spawns Soundtrack Album
    

    The NBC drama "American Dreams," which centers on the 1960s version of the classic music show "American Bandstand," has spawned a soundtrack.

    The 15 songs on "American Dreams Original Soundtrack: 1963-1964," due May 6 on Hip-O/Universal, include hits from such seminal '60s artists as the Beach Boys, Martha & the Vandellas, Otis Redding, and the Kinks.

    In addition to songs performed by the original artists, the soundtrack sports cover versions of songs by current pop artists who made guests appearances on "American Dreams" as '60s pop singers: Vanessa Carlton as Dusty Springfield, B2K as the Temptations, India.Arie as Nina Simone, Duncan Sheik as Bobby Darin, and Vivian Green as Brenda Holloway.

    Elsewhere, "American Dreams" co-stars Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies make their musical debut singing backup vocals on Stacie Orrico's version of the Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back." Also on the album is "Generation," the "American Dreams" original theme song performed by Tonic lead singer Emerson Hart.

    Here is the tracklist for "American Dreams Original Soundtrack: 1963-1964" (order to be determined):

    "Wishin' and Hopin'," Vanessa Carlton
    "Come Ye," India.Arie
    "My Girl," B2K featuring Marques Houston
    "Somewhere Beyond the Sea" Duncan Sheik
    "My Boyfriend's Back," Stacie Orrico
    "Every Little Bit Hurts," Vivian Green
    "Generation," Emerson Hart
    "Heat Wave," Martha & The Vandellas
    "She's Not There," the Zombies
    "The Sounds of Silence," Simon & Garfunkel
    "Don't Worry Baby," the Beach Boys
    "That's How Strong My Love Is," Otis Redding
    "People Get Ready," the Impressions
    "Gone, Gone, Gone," the Everly Brothers
    "You Really Got Me," the Kinks.

70. American Dreams Style Secrets
    

    Ashanti needs no psychic friends to channel Dionne Warwick. Nor is LeAnn Rimes the reincarnation of Connie Francis. NBC's American Dreams (Sundays, 8 pm/ET) uses Hollywood magic to transform today's chart toppers into yesteryear's musical acts who performed on American Bandstand. "It's a fabulous process!" enthuses costume designer Chrisi Karvonides, who gives '60s makeovers to contemporary pop idols everyday. Sometimes with only 24 hours notice — stunt-casting coups often happen very last minute — Karvonides must surf the Web, cull vintage fashion mags and watch old American Bandstand footage to recreate authentic star looks.

    "Connie Francis was the perfect lady on stage. She had a lot of influence on me," says Rimes, who wore a bubble bouffant brunette wig and endured three fittings for her demure Dior blue dress. "My mom walked in the makeup room and had no clue who I was. I was like, 'Hello? I'm here!' But Dick Clark was just taken aback by how much I looked like Connie."

    Usher played Marvin Gaye and wore a three-piece cream suit with a shawl collar. "Bandstand is all 64 colors in the Crayola box. We have every color on that set," says executive producer Jonathan Prince. "Put Usher in white and all eyes can't help but go to him. That episode was about the power of a black entertainer surrounded by the white people on Bandstand."

    Dressing as Dusty Springfield wasn't easy for feisty Vanessa Carlton. "It was a complete transformation," marvels Karvonides. Sighs Carlton: "On Bandstand, Dusty looked like the type of girl you'd take home to a conservative family. There was nothing rebellious about the costume of a singer then." Love Dusty's page fluff 'do — very Hairspray! "Oh my God, the wig," she chuckles. "I've never been blonde before — and for good reason."

    Backstreet Boy Nick Carter also entered a fashion time warp to play bygone boy-band star Jay Black of Jay and the Americans. "Nick wore an avocado green sweater that's got the stripes down the front, which was the beginning of the Jetson look," Karvonides grins. "That look became extremely popular because all the astronauts in the space program favored it. They wore Ban-Lon sweaters like that in Mission Control. It was huge!"

    This Sunday's petite guest, neo-soul singer Vivian Green ("Emotional Rollercoaster") gets pretty in vintage Schiaparelli pink as Motown star Brenda Holloway. Karvonides replicated the high glam gown off a classic album cover. "This dress is all about the pointy bust," Green giggles. "This is not me. I don't have this much up top! My boobs can't even fill up the bra I have on, it's so funny."

71. Cast and Crew Interpret 'American Dreams'
    

    When Jonathan Prince was pitching "American Dreams" a couple years ago, he ran into trouble because he was trying to sell a genre that nobody was buying (the family drama) set in a time period that nobody wanted to develop (the 1960s). The show finally got interest from NBC, but on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Prince got a call from an executive at NBC who said only, "I think your show just got a lot more relevant."

    At a Tuesday night (March 11) session of the Museum of Television and Radio's William S. Paley Festival, the cast and crew of "American Dreams" discussed how they keep their show fresh, relevant and in period.

    Prince, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, first tries for glib linkages between the show's 1964 setting and the world of 2003.

    "Well, we have a Texan in the White House planning for a short war," he tries, "And the Rolling Stones are on tour. Hell yes, it's relevant."

    Trying again, Prince notes that the kids who appeared on "American Bandstand" in Philadelphia in the '50s and '60s were the original reality show contestants.

    "They were just real people," he says. "They didn't have to eat bugs or jump out of buildings. They just danced."

    American Dreams focuses on the life of a white family (the Pryors) and an African-American family (the Walkers) as they deal with the most important signpost themes of the '60s. While the show can focus on the Civil Rights movement or the early growth of feminism, it also emphasizes how many of these issues of race and gender still remain unresolved today.

    While the series exists in a nearly irony-free world of nostalgia, the different levels of history let the producers approach controversial episodes with more pragmatism than network television would normally allow. Prince cites a recent episode in which Gail O'Grady's Helen expressed a strongly anti-abortion point-of-view as an example of the show's ability to use the context of the characters as a window to expressing both right and left leaning politics.

    Finally, though, the show's real resonance has nothing to do with the repetition of certain historical tropes, but with perpetually renewable aspects of the family dynamic. Sure, all around the Pryor and Walker families, a storm of cultural change is raging, but as Prince says, "The theory was that when you're going through a hurricane, sometimes you don't really know you're in it."

    The plots of "American Dreams" are about family relationships and life lessons, but the lessons have continued among the cast and even among the show's audience.

    Ethan Dampf, the show's 8-year-old co-star states the circumstances simply. "I'm really little. I haven't been alive that long," he says. "So I don't really know as much about the '60s as other people."

    Vanessa Lenges, the 17-year-old actress who plays spirited Roxanne Bojarksi, echoes that sentiment, saying, "It's hard in the aspect of knowing who the stars [of the period] are, but the actual stories are easy to relate to."

    Preternaturally youthful television icon Dick Clark, an executive producer on the show, looks at the issue from the position of experience. Upon walking onto the recreated "American Bandstand" set, Clark says, "Hair went up on my arms and I said, 'I wonder if other people will feel the same way?'"

    In order to get his young cast (and older co-stars O'Grady and Tom Verica) into the world of the story, Prince passed out voluminous packets full of articles on sports, politics and entertainment in 1964 and he hopes that a similar process of learning occurs in households across the country. He describes "American Dreams" as the perfect TiVo show, allowing parents to press pause to explain things to their children, and children to press pause to explain the contemporary guest performers (including Ashanti and Usher Raymond) to their parents.

72. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, May 11, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., the first hour of "Survivor" scored a 10.8/18. FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons," 5.7/10, and "Malcolm in the Middle," 5.4/9. "American Dreams" averaged 5.2/8 for NBC, while ABC's movie was fourth. The first half of a two-hour "Charmed" season finale conjured up a 3.9/6.

73. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, May 4, 2003
    

    The first hour of CBS' Lucille Ball biopic opened strongly with an 8.2/13. ABC was second with the special "Tim Allen Presents: A User's Guide to Home Improvement," which constructed a 6.6/11. FOX was third with a new episode of "The Simpsons" (6.3/11) and a repeat of the yellow family (6.6/11). NBC was fourth with "American Dreams." On The WB, a new "Charmed" cast a spell with a 4.2/6.

74. Singer Vivian Green's Bare Soul
    

    On Sunday, Vivian Green sang the blues on American Dreams. Indeed, sad songs come all too easily to this crooner. At the tender age of 23, she has ridden love's "Emotional Rollercoaster," the hit single of her gold-selling album, A Love Story.

    "This album is autobiographical," she tells TV Guide Online. "It focuses on two relationships. It's about this guy who broke my heart terribly. Then, it's about loving myself, and then, finding a guy who loves me. That's how the album plays. If you listen to it from front to back, you'll get it."

    The second guy she's talking about his her fiancé, Erik Tribbett, 24. "He's one of the producers on the record," she laughs, "and he's my musical director and drummer! We're close."

    Music critics have categorized Green's music as neo-soul. But what does that even mean? "I couldn't tell you," she smiles. "They don't know what to call my music. I just sing. My album doesn't have rappers on it. Everything is so hip hop driven now that if somebody comes out with something different where they can sing, and they're not doing duets with rappers, they call it neo-soul. India.Arie gets it and Erykah Badu gets it, too."

    Also unlike the shady ladies of hip-hop, Green doesn't market her music with naked ambition. In other words, she keeps her clothes on. "I like to be sexy," she says, "but I don't have my butt hanging out. Sony, my record company, would kill me! That's not me or my image. I would never wear Daisy Dukes... I do like to show my tummy, though."

75. Stacie Orrico To Appear On 'American Dreams'
    

    Singer Stacie Orrico will appear on an upcoming episode of the NBC nostalgia drama, American Dreams. Orrico will have a role on the show, and she will join in singing the Angels' 1963 chart-topper "My Boyfriend's Back" with series stars Brittany Snow (Meg) and Vanessa Lengies (Roxanne).

    Other modern-day acts scheduled to appear on future episodes of American Dreams include LeAnn Rimes, Duncan Sheik, B2K, and Vivian Green. Rimes and Sheik will perform on Sunday's (March 30) episode of the series. Rimes will portray Connie Francis and sing "Where The Boys Are," while Sheik will portray Bobby Darrin and sing "Beyond The Sea."

    Orrico's self-titled second album came out on Tuesday (March 25). The first single from the set, "Stuck," is at Number 24 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop chart.

    Orrico is scheduled for an in-store performance/autograph-signing session at the Virgin Megastore in Columbus, Ohio, at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday (March 27). She will also pay a visit to MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) on April 3 in support of her new effort.

76. B2K Lead New Slate of 'American Dreams' Guest Stars
    

    Part of the inter-generational appeal of NBC's "American Dreams" is the wide assortment of contemporary recording artists who have been recruited to play stars of the 1960s. The latest performers to time travel are B2K, Duncan Sheik and Vivian Green.

    Because one of the show's major plotlines is built around the set of "American Bandstand," producers have weekly opportunities to let many of today's hottest stars indulge in hero worship. Earlier this season, Usher played Motown legend Marvin Gaye, Michelle Branch played "It's My Party" chanteuse Lesley Gore and Ashanti impersonated Dionne Warwick. Art Garfunkel has also had a recurring role, albeit in a dramatic capacity.

    Duncan Sheik of "Barely Breathing" fame will show up in the Sunday, March 30 episode playing crooner Bobby Darin. Sheik, whose most recent highly regard album, "Daylight" was released last year, will sing the Darin hit "Somewhere Beyond the Sea." In the same episode, LeAnn Rimes will sing "Where the Boys Are" in a cameo as Connie Francis.

    On Sunday, April 6, Green will play Brenda Holloway. Green, whose first album, "A Love Story," was named one of the 10 best albums of 2002 by USA Today, will sing Holloway's classic "Every Little Bit Hurts."

    B2K will play The Temptations in an April episode. The "Bump, Bump, Bump" band will perform "My Girl" on the recreated "Bandstand" stage. Teeniebopper favorites B2K have been nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, two American Music Awards and won BET's coveted Viewer's Choice award.

    "We couldn't be luckier to find so many talented contemporary artists who choose to pay homage to their heroes on our show," says Jonathan Prince, "American Dreams" creator and executive producer.

    "American Dreams" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

77. Talk Shows
    

    The actresses who play Meg and Roxanne on "American Dreams" will each be on a talk show in the next couple weeks. Wednesday April 23 you can catch Vanessa Lengies on "The Wayne Brady Show" (syndicated) and Monday April 28 Brittany Snow will be the guest co-host on "The View" (ABC). Check your local listings for the time and station in your area.

78. Brittany on Caroline
    

    Mondayday May 5, 2003 - Actress Brittany Snow (Meg) talks about her NBC TV series, American Dreams on the syndicated Caroline Rhea Show. Check your local listings for the time and station in your area.

79. Brittany on The Today Show
    

    Monday April 28 on NBC 7:00 A.M. ET/PT - Today talks to actress Brittany Snow (Meg) about her NBC TV series, American Dreams.

80. Celebrity Jeopardy
    

    American Dreams co-star Will Estes (J.J.) will be a contestant on the April 30 edition of Jeopardy. He will be competing against country singer Brad Paisley and Linda Park (Star Trek Enterprise). Check your local listings for the time and station in your area.

81. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Apr 27, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., the second part of the "Touched by an Angel" finale won with an 8.8/15. FOX was second with a new episode of "The Simpsons" (6.7/11) and a repeat of the yellow family (7.1/11), coming in just ahead of the finale part of ABC's "Eloise at the Plaza." On NBC, "American Dreams" was fourth with a 5.0/8. On The WB, "Charmed" earned a 4.0/6.

82. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Apr 13, 2003
    

    CBS was able to hold on at 8 p.m. as well, with the "60 Minutes" carry-over and the season finale of "My Big Fat Greek Life," which continued its ratings slide with a 6.7/11. FOX was second with a new episode of "The Simpsons" (6.1/10) and a new "Oliver Beene" (5.0/8). "American Dreams" averaged a 5.3/9 for NBC, staying well ahead of the end of "Dr. Doolittle." On The WB, "Charmed" performed well with a 4.1/7.

83. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Apr 6, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., CBS stayed on top despite the lowest ratings yet for "My Big Fat Greek Life". The new sitcom earned a 6.8/11, only narrowly topping its follow-up, "Becker," which scored a 6.6/10. NBC was a close second with "American Dreams," which averaged a 6.4/10. FOX was third with a repeat of "The Simpsons" and a new "Oliver Beene." The conclusion of "Atlantis" averaged a 4.9/8 for fourth. On The WB, "Charmed" brought in a 4.0/6.

84. LeAnn Rimes Plays Her American Idol
    

    Singer LeAnn Rimes is a devotress of country music's great ladies, like Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette. On March 30, she'll guest star on NBC's American Dreams as another one of her childhood idols, Connie Francis. Natch, she'll sing "Where the Boys Are." We've got goosebumps already!

    "I've been singing that song since I was a little girl," the 20-year-old tells TV Guide Online. "At this opry in Dallas, there was a '50s and '60s night once a month, and I remember singing it at 7 years old. Every month, I'd have to sing it again because people would always want me to sing that song! So it was kinda funny when American Dreams sent me over different [options for] people to play on the show, and I saw that Connie Francis song. I thought, 'I would love to do that!'"

    Rimes is all about fulfilling childhood dreams. Last year, she married one of her backup dancers, Dean Sheremet, 22. The newlyweds are co-authoring two children's books, due out in September. "They're about Jag, who is a little girl jaguar," she explains. "She's meant to be a great role model. The first book talks about her first day at school, and how she stands up for herself when being put down. I went through being bullied as a kid in school. After the whole Columbine thing, you don't want to hide from bullies and then get mad and lash out. It's actually about standing up for yourself in the right way."

    This summer, the busy little lady plans to go on tour for her latest album, Twisted Angel. And she's already at work in the studio again, recording a Christmas album. "I've never done one," she enthuses. "There will be eight traditional songs, and then three originals that I've co-written. It's a big band jazz record, which is completely different for me. The Brian Setzer Orchestra is coming on to play three songs, to add swing flavor to them. It's gonna be neat."

85. Helen Pryor InStyle
    

    In the March issue of InStyle (Sherly Crow cover) there is an article and photo spread of Gail O'Grady and her home. She talks about her 3 marriages and how her and American Dreams' guest star Virginia Madsen were roommates of when she first moved to L.A. Tom Verica (Jack) also adds his comments in the article.

86. Paley Festival
    (From krbeck_29)

    For those in the L.A. area, Brittany Snow and the cast from "American Dreams" will be appearing as part of the Paley Festival at the DGA Theater on Tuesday, March 11th at 7pm.

    Also appearing will be:
    Jonathan Adams ("Henry Walker")
    Dick Clark (Executive Producer)
    Ethan Dampf ("Will Pryor")
    Arlen Escarpeta ("Sam Walker")
    Will Estes ("JJ Pryor")
    Vanessa Lengies ("Roxanne Bojarski")
    Gail O'Grady ("Helen Pryor")
    Jonathan Prince (Executive Producer)
    Sarah Ramos ("Patty Pryor")
    David Semel (Coexecutive Producer)
    Gregory Sill (Music Supervisor)
    Philip Toolin (Production Designer)
    Tom Verica, ("Jack Pryor")

    This event is open to the public. Ticket info can be found at either www.mtr.org or tickets.com

87. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Mar 31, 2003
    

    CBS stayed strong at 8 p.m. with quality results for "My Big Fat Greek Life" (8.9/14) and, to a lesser extent, "Becker" (6.2/9). On NBC, "American Dreams" was second with a 6.3/10. FOX was narrowly third for the hour with the combined efforts of "The Simpsons" (6.6/10) and "Oliver Beene" (5.3/8). ABC with fourth with the conclusion of "Disney's The Kid." On The WB, "Charmed" scored a 4.7/7.

88. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Mar 16, 2003
    

    At 8 p.m., CBS stayed in the lead with the comedy pair of "My Big Fat Greek Life," which continued its minor ratings ebb at 8.4/13, followed by the 7.4/11 brought in by "Becker." A new episode of "The Simpsons" scored a 7.4/12 and was followed by a decent showing for "Oliver Beene" (6.5/10) to give FOX second for the hour. With a 6.2/10, NBC's "American Dreams" was third, followed by ABC's conclusion of "The Emperor's New Groove." On The WB, "Charmed" conjured up a 2.9/4.

89. Wayne Brady Visits 'American Dreams'
    

    On Sunday, March 16, Wayne Brady will be the latest contemporary talent to channel a music star from the 1960s for the NBC period drama "American Dreams." Brady will play Jackie Wilson and sing Wilson's hit song "Baby Workout" on the re-created "American Bandstand" that features prominently on the show.

    Wayne joins Michele Branch (Lesley Gore), Ashanti (Dionne Warwick), Vanessa Carlton (Dusty Springfield), Usher (Marvin Gaye), India.Arie (Nina Simone) and LeAnn Rimes (Connie Francis) who have all played singers from yesteryear on the freshman series.

    "It was amazing to witness," Wilson's daughter Sabrina, who was on set the day Brady filmed his performance, says. "Wayne really did a great job imitating his song, moves and mannerisms. It was like watching my father perform again."

    "American Dreams" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

90. Roxanne's Song
    

    According to NBC the song is called "Another American Folk Song" and was written and performed by Warren Sroka (who plays Warren on the show). The producers at American Dreams loved the song and actor and created the part expecially for him.

    This site has an MP3 version of the song. The page takes a while to load, but once it does go down the page to episode 14 & it is right there: http://www.vidiot.com/AmericanDreams/quickref1.html or try http://www.sitcomsonline.com/americandreams/

91. Vanessa Carlton Set For 'American Dreams'
    

    Vanessa Carlton will appear on Sunday's (February 9) episode of the NBC nostalgia drama, American Dreams. The artist will portray Dusty Springfield in the episode titled "Heartache." Carlton will sing Springfield's 1964 hit, "Wishin' And Hopin'."

    In the spirit of American Dreams, LAUNCH asked Carlton what music influenced her. "I grew up on classical music," Carlton said, "a lot of Debussy, Chopin, Mozart, which I think influences my writing the most. But my father introduced me to rock music when I was young at the same time as my mom was introducing me to classical music. You know, he played a lot of Pink Floyd and Neil Young, and James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. I have this very diverse variety, this great variety from my parents about music and it kind of just seeps into my writing."

    Dick Clark (American Bandstand) and Jonathan Prince (Wilder Days) are the executive producers of NBC's American Dreams. The hour-long drama, which is set in Philadelphia during the '60s, airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

92. Leann Rimes
    

    The episode with Leann Rimes as singer Connie Francis will air Sunday March 30.

93. Former Soap Star To Guest Star
    

    Cari Shayne (ex-Karen, General Hospital) plays the girlfriend of Robbie Benson's character on AMERICAN DREAMS on Sunday, February 16, at 8 p.m. Will Helen Pryor be jealous?

94. InStyle
    

    Joe Lawrence's (Michael Brooks) wedding is in the February issue of InStyle magazine (Drew Barrymore cover). It has a photo and some details about the wedding. The issue is on stands now and look for Gail O'Grady (Helen Pryor) in the March issue of InStyle.

95. Art Garfunkel lands a Dream role
    

    Psst, pass it on: Art Garfunkel is about to join the cast of American Dreams.

    That was the buzz yesterday on the set of the NBC family drama, where the cast and crew welcomed TV critics from across North America.

    The series shoots on the same Sunset-Gower studio back lot where many of the Frank Capra films of the '30s were lensed. Real Philly steak sandwiches were served as reporters were led through the American Bandstand set and other Philadelphia back-street locales, circa 1964.

    Gail O'Grady, who plays '60s mom Helen Pryor, even offered Tastycakes as writers filed through the interior set of her house, a very close duplicate of the home used in the American Dreams pilot, shot on Vancouver's North Shore area.

    NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker just stopped short of announcing that the rookie Sunday night series would be back next fall. "It's my favourite show of the year so you know what that means," said Zucker.

    Montreal-native Vanessa Lengies, who plays eager teen Roxanne, has been asked to write a real life column for Seventeen magazine to correspond to her character's own foray into journalism. Look for it in the May issue.

    Bandstand creator Dick Clark, also an executive producer on this series, was on hand and says he is "a half step away" from bringing an updated version of American Bandstand back to television. He says all the gold records, pennants and other paraphernalia on the American Dreams' Bandstand set are exact duplicates of the ones he still has in his office. "Why I kept them all, I don't know," says Clark. (More on Art Garfunkel)

96. Wayne Brady
    

    Thursday January 30 on The Wayne Brady Show: Joe Lawrence (Michael Brooks). Check your local listings for the time & station in your area.

97. Cinematography Nominees
    

    In addition to being the biggest hit on TV, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" is also one of the best-looking shows on the air, with all its dark shadows and neon lights of Las Vegas at night.

    Accordingly, episodes of the show -- and the people who filmed them -- are up for two awards at the American Society of Cinematographers' annual honors. The series' crossover episode that launched the spinoff "CSI: Miami" is also nominated.

    The society's annual awards honor cinematographers in three categories: episode of a regular series; broadcast movie, miniseries or pilot; and cable movie, miniseries or pilot. CBS -- the three "CSI" episodes -- and NBC programs each earned three nominations, while FOX and ABC each got two. Seven other networks -- The WB, UPN, TNT, HBO, Showtime, Hallmark Channel and Sci Fi -- each earned one nod.

    Michael Barrett, who shot one of the two nominated "CSI" episodes as well as the "CSI: Miami" pilot, is nominated in two categories. He's only the second cinematographer to be nominated in more than one category.

    The society will hand out its awards Sunday, Feb. 16. Below is a full list of nominees ("ASC" after a name denotes a member of the society):

    EPISODIC

    Michael Barrett, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (episode "Snuff" ), CBS
    Michael Bonvillain, "Alias" (episode "Page 47" ), ABC
    Frank Byers, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (episode "Fight Night" ), CBS
    Thomas Del Ruth, ASC, "The West Wing" (episode "Holy Night" ), NBC
    Billy Dickson, ASC, "Ally McBeal" (episode "Reality Bites" ), FOX
    Robert Primes, ASC, "MDs" (episode "Wing and a Prayer" ), ABC
    Bill Roe, ASC, "The X-Files" (episode "Release" ), FOX

    BROADCAST MOVIE/MINISERIES/PILOT

    Michael Barrett, "CSI: Miami" pilot ("Cross Jurisdictions" ), CBS
    Victor Goss, ASC, "Carrie," NBC
    Clark Mathis, "Birds of Prey" pilot, The WB
    Brian J. Reynolds, "American Dreams" pilot, NBC
    Peter Wunstorf, "Haunted" pilot, UPN

98. Guest Stars Galore on NBC for Sweeps
    

    The guest-star parade on "Will & Grace" will continue in February sweeps.

    NBC announced Friday (Jan. 17) that Demi Moore and Minnie Driver will make appearances on the comedy during the month. In addition, Madonna will make her prime-time series debut on the show in May.

    Driver, an Oscar nominee for "Good Will Hunting," will play a woman who's dating Karen's (Megan Mullally) ex-husband. That doesn't bother her, but when Driver's character strikes up a friendship with Jack (Sean Hayes), Karen is apoplectic.

    Moore ("Charlie's Angels 2" ) plays Jack's former baby-sitter in a separate episode. Details of the episode involving Madonna aren't available yet.

    Also during sweeps, the drama "American Dreams" will feature three contemporary music stars playing singers from the show's 1960s period.

    Vanessa Carlton will play Dusty Springfield and sing the song "Wishin' and Hopin'." India.Arie will play singer/activist Nina Simone, who makes an appearance in the show's Vinyl Crocodile record store, and LeAnn Rimes will portray Connie Francis singing "Where the Boys Are."

    The episode featuring India.Arie will also mark the debut of Art Garfunkel, of Simon & Garfunkel fame, on "American Dreams." He'll have a recurring part as the owner of the Vinyl Crocodile.

99. Hairspray: Truly All-American
    (From TV Guide)

    If imitation is really the sincerest form of flattery, then NBC's sleeper hit American Dreams (Sundays, 8 pm/ET) is paying a doozy of a compliment to Hairspray, the 1988 cult-classic movie that's become the toast of Broadway as a musical. Not only do both have a beat and you can dance to 'em, but their story lines are so similar that Dreams executive producer Dick Clark ought to at least give an "inspired by" credit to Hairspray writer-director John Waters.

    Hairspray : American Dreams

    THE ERA
    Early-1960s Baltimore. Early-1960s Philadelphia.

    THE HEROINE
    Chunky Tracy Turnblad, who defies her mother's wishes to achieve her goal of becoming a dancer on The Corny Collins Show. Spunky Meg Pryor, who defies her father's wishes to achieve her goal of becoming a dancer on American Bandstand.

    HER SIDEKICK
    Mild-mannered Penny Pingleton. Wild-mannered Roxanne Bojarksi.

    THE HEARTTHROB
    Corny regular Link Larkin gives Tracy his ring. Bandstand regular Jimmy Riley gives Meg a kiss.

    THE HISTORY LESSON
    Tracy integrates The Corny Collins Show after befriending African-American Seaweed at Patterson Park High. Meg befriends African-American Sam Walker after East Catholic High is integrated.

    THE GIMMICK
    To play Tracy's mother Edna, cross-dressers (the late Divine in the feature, Harvey Fierstein on stage) break out the Nair. To play Meg's favorite singers, chart-toppers (Michelle Branch as Lesley Gore, Ashanti as Dionne Warwick) tease up their hair.

100. 'Sopranos,' '24' Top TV Critics' Poll
     

     For all the it's-not-as-good-anymore talk about "The Sopranos" in the early part of its fourth season, the show redeemed itself in the eyes of TV critics with its powerhouse final episodes.

     The show has reclaimed the top spot in the semiannual critics' poll taken by Electronic Media magazine. Because of its 16-month absence from HBO, it wasn't eligible for the past two polls taken by the trade publication.

     FOX's "24," which held the top spot in the previous two polls, dropped one spot to second. HBO's comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was third among critics, jumping up from No. 19 in the spring/summer 2002 poll.

     The magazine asked 41 TV critics from across the country to rate the 20 best and 10 worst shows on television. Original episodes must have aired in the summer or fall of 2002. A No. 1 ranking in the best-show category received 10 points, while a worst-show No. 1 vote received five points.

     The best-shows list is a mix of big hits -- "CSI," "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" are in the Nielsen top top 10 as well as the critics' -- and lesser-watched series like "Gilmore Girls," "Alias" and the cancelled "Robbery Homicide Division."

     Although "The Osbournes" made the top 20 list, critics showed a disdain for several other reality shows. E!'s "Anna Nicole Show" was rated the worst of all, with "The Bachelor" and "Fear Factor" also in the bottom 10.

     Five new series made the top 20, but overall critics say the quality of TV has suffered this season. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed say this season's prime-time lineup is worse than last season's.

     Following are the best and worst lists compiled by Electronic Media. Numbers in parentheses in the best list reflect each show's position in the spring/summer 2002 poll.

     THE BEST

     1. "The Sopranos," HBO (not eligible)
     2. "24," FOX (1)
     3. "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO (19)
     4. "Boomtown," NBC (new)
     5. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS (7)
     6. "The West Wing," NBC (3)
     7. "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS (11)
     8. "Six Feet Under," HBO (2)
     9. "Gilmore Girls," The WB (8)
     10. "Friends," NBC (6)
     10. (tie) "The Simpsons," FOX (15)
     12. "The Wire," HBO (new)
     13. "The Osbournes," MTV (new)
     14. "Scrubs," NBC (10)
     15. "Alias," ABC (12)
     16. "The Bernie Mac Show," FOX (5)
     16. (tie) "American Dreams," NBC (new)
     18. "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," FOX (not ranked)
     18. (tie) "Robbery Homicide Division," CBS (new)
     20. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," UPN (20)
     20. (tie) "The Daily Show," Comedy Central

     THE WORST

     1. "The Anna Nicole Show," E!
     2. "Bram and Alice," CBS
     3. "girls club," FOX
     4. "The Bachelor," ABC
     5. "Good Morning Miami," NBC
     6. "In-Laws," NBC
     7. "Hidden Hills," NBC
     8. "Fear Factor," NBC
     9. "Dinotopia," ABC
     10. "The Grubbs," FOX

101. Brittany Snow Shines on 'American Dreams'
     

     Few things can give you a holiday lift like the sight of Brittany Snow's smile.

     The 16-year-old star of NBC's family drama "American Dreams" refreshes that tired cliche "lights up the screen." As Meg Pryor, an all-American girl growing up in the early 1960s, she shines.

     "I use a special kind of `shimmer powder' to glow on the screen," says Snow, parrying a reporter's compliment. She giggles. "No, I'm just kidding.

     "Maybe it's just because I'm so really happy doing the show," she ventures. "If Meg is really happy about something, I bubble up inside with everything I love. I love my character. I love the scripts. I love going to work every day."

     ("American Dreams" airs 8 p.m. Sundays on NBC. And Wednesday at 8 p.m. on NBC, Snow is host of "Sarah Hughes: A Life in Balance," which showcases the Olympic gold medal figure-skating champion.)

     But besides the natural light emitted by Snow portraying a teen who lives her dream (Meg is a featured dancer on "American Bandstand"), there's another thing worth noting about the actress: a singular blemish, a tiny scar on her forehead.

     "I've never been asked about that," she says before eagerly explaining how she got it. "We had a front walk of bricks, and when I was 2, I tripped and fell. I cracked my head open, if you want to know the gory details. I got 14 stitches.

     "I was teased about the scar, and I had an acting teacher who said I'd never work because it was too distracting. We looked into plastic surgery. But I couldn't.

     "Now I love it," she says. "I've grown so accustomed to it."

     The mishap occurred in Tampa, where Brittany grew up and where, by the time she was 5, she had found her passion: acting.

     "I would make my friends put on a show that I directed, produced and starred in," she says. "And if they didn't get their lines right, I would yell at them: `It's not just a line — this is SERIOUS!'"

     At 6, she was traveling to Orlando to appear in commercials. After landing a New York agent, she joined the CBS daytime drama "Guiding Light" when she was 12. She reveled in her role as Susan Lemay, a brat who once tried to kill herself by downing a bottle of cough syrup.

     "But there was no tutor on the set in New York," Snow recalls, "so I would have to teach myself. Then my mother and I would fly home and I would go to school to take my tests and get my assignments for the next week. Then we would fly back up here and I had to memorize 30 to 40 pages of lines.

     "It was totally fine," she says. "I guess I didn't know better at the time."

     Even so, after three years she was ready for a breather.

     "I took a year off, just to do the normal high school things," she says. "But I went out for several pilots and got the script for `American Dreams,' which was called `Miss American Pie' then. It took my breath away."

     The series, set in Philadelphia in 1963, operates on a dual track of nostalgia. Pop culture is framed for Meg by the hometown "American Bandstand," a daily dance show serving the nation's kids as MTV does now.

     Meanwhile, beyond the studio and back in her loving but strict Irish-Catholic home, Meg confronts other forces at work: civil rights and women's movements, a war heating up, a slain president mourned, and moral codes shifting.

     "She is discovering herself in a world where everything was evolving," Snow says. "She's trying to find out what she loved and what was going to make her happy. I felt really connected to the character.

     "Besides, it was a period show! The '60s! How cool was THAT?!"

     The times they were a-changing, but most men still had Trent Lott hair and made all the big decisions. Good girls wore bulky cardigan sweaters, below-the-knee skirts and oppressive undergarments.

     "This has been an unbelievable history lesson for me," says Snow, dressed much more today in her jeans and suede jacket. "At first, I didn't really know a lot about that time period because in history class you only go up to World War II.

     "But people say to me, `Well, what did you have to do to prepare? How do you get into the mind-set of the '60s?' What are you talking about? With the clothes and the makeup and the hair, you just fall into it!"

     And as for the songs, it turns out Snow was already versed in golden oldies.

     "When I was little, my mom was always having me listen to music from that period, because it was her favorite. The Four Seasons. The Temptations. My favorite song was `Runaround Sue.'

     "So now I'll be listening to the music on the show, and I'll know all the words, even though I won't remember ever hearing the songs. That's kind of freaky, but I guess I just grew up with it."

     The charm of "American Dreams" is that, one way or another, so did everybody else.

102. Jamie Elman: Man of Your Dreams
     (From E!Online via Allen)

     If you've seen him as piano teacher Luke Foley on NBC's American Dreams, you'd think he is just a geek. After all, the producers have him wearing black-framed glasses that would make Urkel look suave.

     But don't let the spazzy specs fool you. Mention the name Jamie Elman in any Canadian classroom, and you're bound to see a few girls swoon. Before heading south, the 26-year-old Manattan-born, Montreal-bred actor spent three years playing the campus stud on the popular Canadian teen sitcom Student Bodies.

     So, which character is closer to the real Elman? "Heartthrob is not the first word I would use to describe myself," Elman says. "I was the stud on the show because I was hooking up with the pretty girl. For Luke on American Dreams, music is his creative outlet."

     And yet Elman's luck with the ladies seems to have followed him to the States. In American Dreams, he has set his sights on the lead character, Meg (Brittany Snow) and does get his shot.

     Next up, the Elman appears in Shattered Glass, the true story of a D.C. journalist (Hayden Christensen) who fabricated many of his articles. Elman plays a fellow reporter.

     Which got us to wondering...

     What was it like meeting fellow Canuck Hayden Christensen? "I didn't want to bring up Star Wars, even though I'm a big fan of the movies. I was self-conscious and didn't want to accidentally go, 'Hi, Hayden, nice to meet you. Jesus Christ, you're Darth Vader!' But I met him and then an hour later, he came up and said, 'Hey, I just placed you--you're Cody from Student Bodies!' "

     Does he get that a lot? "Well, our audience was predominantly teen girls. But then the network thought the show was kind of edgy and cool and put it on in prime time, and it got a bit more sexy and racy. Then people would come up to me at bars, slip me cocktail napkins discreetly and ask for my autograph. But it would be a 35-year-old guy, and I'm like, 'Why do you want this?' And he'd say, 'It's for my daughter, but make it out to Mike.' "

     How did he score the role on American Dreams? "There were, like, 15 producers in the room, and I had to play the piano and sing a song. We were supposed to play a tune from the '60s, and I thought I'd picked a good song--'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen. I was just about to play, and they shouted out, 'No show tunes!' so I launched into the entire score from Fiddler on the Roof. And that's probably the moment they decided we could work together."

     As someone who grew up in Canada, is it strange being on a show called American Dreams? "I'm very proud to be a dual citizen. As a kid, it was always cool and different to say, 'I'm an American.' For the first 23 years, I was an American living in Canada, even though, of course, I wasn't, because I moved there before I could talk. But I was obsessed with the States. I had an American flag in my room--and even American flag pillowcases."

     Dual citizenship. How cool is that? "It allows me to work here, but it also causes my friends--male and female--to propose marriage to me frequently. They're like, 'Please, I need your help, we'll go to Hawaii. I'll pay for the trip.' "

     Is he considering any of the offers? "Absolutely not. I'm waiting for that one special girl, for one thing. I'm single right now. Well, pretty much."

     Yeah, still playing the stud.

103. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Mar 9, 2003
     

     CBS also won comfortably at 8 p.m. thanks to the network's comedy line-up. Both "My Big Fat Greek Life" (9.0/14) and "Becker" (8.0/12) were down from last week, but both still held on to their half hours. FOX was again second with a new episode of "The Simpsons" (7.8/12) and the heavily touted premiere of "Oliver Beene," with scored a decent 7.2/11 opening. NBC was third with "American Dreams" earning a 5.7/9, followed by the conclusion of "Tarzan" on ABC. "Charmed" brought in a 3.1/5 on The WB.

104. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Mar 2, 2003
     

     CBS took 8 p.m. as well thanks to the strong "premiere" of "My Big Fat Greek Life." After a strong debut after "Everybody Loves Raymond" on Monday night, the Nia Vardalos sitcom showed legs with a 10.6/16, boosting ratings for "Becker," 8.6/13, as well. FOX finished second with two episodes of "The Simpsons." The new episode, with guest voice Helen Fielding, scored a 7.7/12, while a repeat landed a 7.4/11. With a 6.3/10, NBC's "American Dreams" was third, followed by ABC's "I'm a Celebrity!." A repeat of a two-hour "Charmed" brought The WB a 3.6/5.

105. Dreams Cast Lends Hand 'Pryor' To Kickoff
     (From StvHerbert)

     Cast members of the hit NBC television series "American Dreams" are set to attend Sunday's Arena Football League game at STAPLES Center, which pits the Los Angeles Avengers against the Georgia Force. Kickoff is set for noon (Pacific) and the game will be televised on NBC.

     The cast will participate in pregame activities.

     Keith Robinson will sing the national anthem. Brittany Snow, Vanessa Lengies, Rachel Boston, Sarah Ramos and Ethan Dampf will handle the coin toss at midfield. And Tom Verica, Will Estes, Arlen Escarpeta and Jamie Elman will deliver the game ball immediately prior to kickoff.

     "American Dreams" is an evocative drama set against the memorable, upbeat sounds of the 1960s. It depicts a more innocent America as seen through the youthful Pryor family of Philadelphia as they brace for cultural turbulence ahead that still resonates in this contemporary era.

     Dick Clark and Jonathan Prince are the executive producers of the show, which is from NBC Studios and Universal Television. It airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

     The Los Angeles Avengers (3-1) are off to their best start in franchise history and are currently in first place in the AFL's Western Division. The Georgia Force (2-2) and the Avengers met last season in Atlanta. The Avengers won that contest, 74-53, scoring 29 points in the final two minutes of the game.

     Six-game season ticket packages are still available by calling (888) AVENGERS. Single-game seats to all Avenger games are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, including www.ticketmaster.com, and the STAPLES Center box office.

106. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Feb 16, 2003
     

     Two new episodes of "The Simpsons" gave FOX 8 p.m.. The heavily hyped 300th episode, at 8 scored a 10.7/16, while the second episode, featuring the voice of George Plimpton, was the night's highest rated program at 11.2/16. "The Music Man" (averaging 7.9/12 for the hour) put NBC in second. CBS's comedy hour of "Becker" and a repeat of "Everyone Loves Raymond" came in third, trailed by NBC's "American Dreams" with a 5.8/9 average.

107. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Feb 9, 2003
     

     "Becker," 8.5/13, and "Everybody Loves Raymond," 8.5/12, kept CBS in first among households at 8 p.m., although FOX had more total viewers with two episodes of "The Simpsons," 7.1/11 and 7.0/10. "American Dreams," 6.5/10, gave NBC the No. 3 spot, ahead of ABC's movie. "Charmed" averaged 4.1/6 on The WB.

108. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Feb 2, 2003
     

     CBS held on to first at 8 p.m., thanks to "Becker," 7.7/12, and a special repeat episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond," 8.7/13, while FOX shot up to second with back-to-back episodes of "The Simpsons" averaging an 8.0/12. NBC slipped to third with "American Dreams," 6.6/10, ahead of football on ABC. The WB has the best ratings of its night with "Charmed," 4.5/7.

109. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Jan 12, 2003
     

     At 8 p.m., CBS again won the hour with the rest of the game and "60 Minutes," while NBC went with "American Dreams," 6.7/10. FOX moved up to third place with "The Simpsons," 7.2/11, and "The King of the Hill," 6.0/9, while ABC's movie slipped to fourth. The WB came in fifth for the hour with "Charmed."

110. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Jan 5, 2003
     

     At 8 p.m., FOX's NFL postgame pushed back the start times "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill"; the network averaged 10.9/16 for the hour. NBC moved up to second with "American Dreams," 7.0/11. CBS took third with "Becker," 6.6/10, and a "King of Queens" repeat, 6.8/10. ABC continued with "Willy Wonka," and The WB averaged 4.5/7 with a "Charmed" rerun.

111. Escarpeta On NBC's Boomtown
     

     December 22 at 10:00pm/9c NBC is repeating the "Pilot" episode of Boomtown which stars American Dreams cast member Arlen Escarpeta (Sam Walker)

112. NBC Pumps 'Dreams'
     

     NBC is beefing up its commitment to rookie drama "American Dreams" and saying goodbye to a pair of regulars on new comedy "Good Morning, Miami.".

     Industry insiders said the network has ordered three additional episodes of "Dreams," which has proven to be a solid performer for NBC Sundays at 8. It last month ordered nine new segs of the show; as a result, NBC will now have 25 episodes of the show to use this season.

     Elsewhere, two "Miami" regulars have been dropped from the series. Tessie Santiago, who played a dumb Latina anchor, and Brooke Dillman, who played a nun/weathercaster, did not have their options picked up after NBC gave a the show a full-season order of 22 episodes. It's possible the two thesps could still pop up on a recurring basis.

113. Recreating the ‘60’s
     

     Even though they weren’t around during the early 1960s, the teen stars of the hit NBC show, “American Dreams” wish a little bit of that era could be found in today’s society. Pencil News visited the set to talk with the teenage actors.

     I LOVE THE DANCES, admits 17-year-old Brittany Snow who plays Meg Pryor, the wide-eyed teenager from Philadelphia who loves to appear-what else?-dancing on the then new TV show “American Bandstand.

     I went to a club the other night and I just started doing the dances, you know, the Potato, the Twist and the Jerk,” relates Snow recently in between filming on the set. “Those dances are more fun and free than dances today. You could be silly back then and it was OK. Nowadays, everyone would think you were such a dork dancing like that!

     Indeed, along with the powerful changes that took place in America during the 1960s, the crazy dances are just one aspect of the show that appeals to the young actors and actresses. After they were cast in the show, all performers dove headfirst into research about the 1960s; many used the Internet and the library; all viewed episodes of the old “American Bandstand” shows; and all got first-hand accounts from older family members and friends.

     For 19-year-old Will Estes who plays Meg’s older brother JJ, the 1960s represented both a time of innocence and yet grown-up themes. “There were civil rights marches, women’s liberation and even the music went from being just bubblegum to something more serious and deep,” he says. “The stereotype of the early 1960s is that ‘Leave it to Beaver’ family, but that wasn’t the case.

     Estes sought advice from his uncle who was the exact age that Will’s character JJ is supposed to be in 1963. “He told me that the “Duke of Earl” was one of his favorite songs,” says Estes who added that he tries to imagine what it would be like to hear those well-known songs for the first time. “There was amazing music going on, like Martha and the Vandals and the Beach Boys,” he added.

     Classic movies, especially Paul Newman flicks-gave Estes a good understanding of ‘60s culture. “Man, those are good ones,” he says rattling off examples like “Hud,” “Sweet Bird of Youth” and “Cool Hand Luke.

     I love the fact that back then people were classy,” says Estes. “I mean, all men wore suits to work not just the bigwigs. People got dressed up just to go to work. You don’t see that these days.

     Sixteen-year-old Vanessa Lengies plays Meg’s best friend Roxanne Bojarski, a girl who’s quite a bit more daring and wild than sweet and innocent Meg. Bojarski also got a lot of first-hand advice from relatives who couldn’t wait to explain what life was really like in the 1960s.

     I didn’t even have to ask them,” jokes Bojarski. “They just called me up. My dad’s friend, my grandmother, everyone. They talked to me for hours on the phone. They were so willing to offer information. It was great.

     All performers say that the scripts and the writing on the show has been top-notch. All like their characters and have such high hopes for them.

     Meg is such a big dreamer and such an innocent in her world,” says Snow. “She has such an open heart and she does what seems right, like walking home with a black kid at a time when you just didn’t do that sort of thing. She’s going to have to figure out who she is in the course of the series. How she transforms into a woman, someone more confidant and sure of herself.”

     Before that happens, however Meg is tempted to be a little daring when she is around her best friend Roxanne. “I hope one day Roxanne can break away from her family,” says Bojarski. “I would like to see her get an apartment, a job and go to school. I think her family just keeps her down and she’s ready to move on.”

     The future is up for grabs for the young teenagers whose stories are told in “American Dreams.” Tune in and find out how history reveals-and maybe repeats-itself!

114. American Dreams Review
     (From The Cleveland Sun Press)

     Please excuse a nit-picking point about "American Dreams" from a Notre Dame alumnus. Early in the premiere, earnest Philadelphia father Jack Pryor (Tom Verica) professes his hope that son and prep star J.J. (Will Estes) will play football at ND "for Coach (Ara) Parseghian".

     That's spoken in November 1963, just a few days before President Kennedy was assassinated and near the end of Hugh Devore's only season as coach of the Fighting Irish. Parseghian, then in his eighth year at Northwestern, came to Notre Dame in '64.

     OK, it's a nit-pick, but it's huge considering this otherwise heartfelt drama bleeds nostalgia. Sharp images from the glorious black-and-white era of "American Bandstand" set a vivid background for the blossoming of 15-year-old Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow). Yet, even the musical homage is clouded when producers opt to close episodes under the dirge of the significantly later recorded "The Times They Are A-Changin'" or "Let It Be".

     Such factual flaws and too much syrup in the sentimentality take away from the best stuff of "Dreams", the acting. Verica and Gail O'Grady ("NYPD Blue") give surprising depth to parents in the dawn of an era that questioned authority. Fresh-faced Sarah Ramos is an innocent charmer as the studious younger daughter. Snow is simply dazzling, a gifted talent whose muted yet exciting portrayal provides this ambitious effort with its best hopes and "Dreams".

115. NBC's 'American Dreams' Seeks Dancers
     

     NBC is searching for people who can do the twist, jerk, monkey and mashed potato.

     The network's new series "American Dreams" is holding auditions for dancers to perform on the "American Bandstand" segments of the 1960s-era drama. Cast members including Brittany Snow, Will Estes, Vanessa Lengies, Joseph Lawrence and Rachel Boston will be on hand to serve as celebrity judges.

     Prospective "Bandstanders" are encouraged to dress up in period style clothing circa 1964 and display their knowledge of the period's best dances. Auditions will be held at Universal Studios Hollywood from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 16.

     Snow and Lengies star as fifteen-year-old best friends who become dancers on Dick Clark’s locally-produced "American Bandstand."

     Modern day musicians occasionally guest star as '60s performers on the show, as well. Singer Michelle Branch portrayed Lesley Gore in an early episode; Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and R&B star Usher will make guest appearances in upcoming broadcasts.

     "American Dreams" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

116. NBC Celebrities Will Drop By Macy's Parade
     

     A few NBC stars will be working this Turkey Day as they make guest appearances on the network's NBC’s 76th-annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

     The casts of new shows "American Dreams" and "Good Morning Miami" will join Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan") and Dennis Farina ("In-Laws") at the holiday event. Muppets Kermit and Miss Piggy will also drop by to plug their new NBC television movie, "It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie," scheduled to air in December.

     The "American Dreams" cast members appearing at the parade are Brittany Snow, Vanessa Lengies, Gail O’Grady, Tom Verica and Will Estes. Mark Feuerstein, Ashley Williams, Matt Letscher, Tessie Santiago, Jere Burns, Constance Zimmer, Brooke Dillman and Suzanne Pleshette will represent "Good Morning Miami."

     The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air Thursday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. ET on NBC.

117. NBC Picks Up New Dramas
     

     NBC has ordered full seasons of its new dramas "American Dreams" and "Boomtown," which have helped the network take a big step forward on Sunday nights this season.

     At the same time, NBC is turning the lights out on "Providence," which will go off the air with a two-hour series finale in December.

     "We've been thrilled with the quality and the performance of both of these new series," NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker says of "American Dreams" and "Boomtown." "Along with 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent,' [they] have finally put us on the map on Sundays. They represent the gold standard of what we hope for in a quality drama."

     The dramas are the first of NBC's five new series to get picked up for the full season. The network hasn't made a decision yet on new comedies "In-Laws," "Hidden Hills" and "Good Morning Miami."

     "American Dreams," which follows a family adjusting to the turmoil of the 1960s, has averaged 12 million viewers at 8 p.m. ET Sundays. "Boomtown," an L.A. cop show told from multiple points of view, has brought 11.4 million viewers a week at 10 p.m., doing respectable numbers against "The Practice" on ABC and CBS' Sunday movie.

     Both shows are also performing well in the coveted demographic of adults 18-49, with "Dreams" averaging a 4.4 rating and "Boomtown" a 4.3.

     "Providence," meanwhile, will end its five-season run on NBC on Dec. 20. The show premiered as a midseason replacement in 1999 and has helped NBC become the No. 1 network on Fridays for the past four seasons. ("Law & Order: SVU," a consistent top 20 show, had a lot to do with that as well.)

     "NBC owes a great deal of gratitude to the cast and crew of 'Providence,' which turned the lights on for the network on Fridays when it premiered," Zucker says. "This two-hour [finale] is a moving send-off that viewers won't want to miss."

118. Dick Clark Welcomes 2003
     

     Dick Clark will lead America into the New Year for the 31st time in a row, when he hosts three specials, beginning Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Clark will host a total of three and half hours of special programming.

     "Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve 2003" will start with Clark reporting live on the festivities in Times Square, New York, together with correspondents Steve Doocy ("Fox & Friends" ) and Mario Lopez ("The Other Half" ), who will be stationed around town to report on urban happenings. Clark will also guide viewers through a collage of highlight performances from some of this past year's most successful tours.

     During Part 1 of the special, Clark will inaugurate the new year by reporting on 2002's last minutes and lead his traditional Times Square countdown to midnight.

     "Spy TV" host Ali Landry will also participate, bringing segments of the show from Hollywood and introduce top recording artists B2K, Missy Elliott, Las ketchup, Nelly, Rod Stewart, Third Eye Blind and Uncle Kracker.

     With some of MTVs most prominent R&B/Hip-Hop and Pop stars, the show will be laden with melodious conclusions to a year of regeneration for America.

119. Beatle booking? In their 'Dreams'
     

     Happy just to dance with you: 'Dream'-ers Brittany Snow and Jesse Hutch.

     The Beatles were one of the few superstar music acts to never appear on "American Bandstand."

     But that won't keep the group from playing on "American Dreams," the NBC drama that uses the classic dance show to tell stories about a Philadelphia family in the 1960s.

     "American Dreams" creator and executive producer Jonathan Prince told the Daily News a clip of the Beatles' historic first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964 will be in a January episode.

     Footage of big-name '60s music acts has helped make "American Dreams" a Sunday night hit.

     Up to now, the series has drawn performances from the "Bandstand" archives owned by Dick Clark, an executive producer of "American Dreams."

     "You can't tell this story without telling the story of the Beatles," Prince said.

     To get the "Sullivan" footage, Prince said he had to make a pitch to Apple Corp., the company that manages Beatles-related business for the group's former members and their estates.

     Prince convinced Apple that the clip would introduce the group's music to younger viewers.

     "We said there will be a new base of fans - and we must reward our other fans who are expecting this to happen," Prince said.

     The effort to keep it real musically on "American Dreams" has paid off.

     Stacey Lynn Koerner, an analyst for ad-buying firm Initiative Media, said the show has tapped into the public's nostalgic yearnings after last year's terrorist attacks - even though it deals with the turbulent '60s.

     "It represents all of the themes that really came out of that post-9/11 experience - more concentration on family, a celebration of American pop culture in 'Bandstand,' and a harking back to a more innocent time," she said.

     But the show has also become an outlet for contemporary artists. Usher recently played Motown legend Marvin Gaye. The upcoming Christmas episode features Ashanti as Dionne Warwick.

     Soon "American Dreams" fans will be able to listen to those performances anytime - NBC is working on a deal to release a CD next year. A DVD of the series with uncut musical performances could follow.

     More of today's music stars are being lined up for "American Dreams," said Prince, who believes they give the show its cross-generational appeal.

     "A lot of kids will say, 'That's Ashanti,'" he said. "And the parents will say, 'That's Dionne Warwick. Who's Ashanti?'"

120. 'American Dreams' Tops Teen Survey
     

     Cheryl Gottlieb, a teenager from East Meadow, N.Y., watches NBC's 1960s-era drama, "American Dreams," for insight into two people not on television — her mom and dad.

     "My parents grew up during that time," she said. "It's interesting to see what they went through, and the similarities or differences with living in today's society. The main difference is the family spending a lot of time together and eating every meal together."

     At a time of resurgence in family television, a new generation of shows are stretching the genre's common definition. And families are seeking them out for unexpected reasons.

     Gottlieb was one of 1,000 teenagers surveyed by ElectricArtists, an online marketing firm, about which new television shows they were most excited about this fall.

     "American Dreams" and ABC's comedy, "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," topped the list.

     In their youth, Gottlieb's mom and dad might have watched a show because it annoyed their parents. But the teenagers who liked these new programs told ElectricArtists it was partly because they could see their parents in the characters.

     Stories that provide a window into the time their parents grew up, or focus on families that remind them of their own, are particularly compelling to these youngsters, said Marc Schiller, the company's CEO.

     "Shows about families are interesting, because you can see how normal your family actually is," Gottlieb said. "You see problems that other kids your age might face and that may make your problems seem real small."

     The creators of both of the new programs say they're fixed on an ideal that's much harder than it sounds: a family show that is equally appealing to both parents and their children.

     Traditional family shows tend to offer idealized characters that provide wish fulfillment for viewers, said Jonathan Prince, executive producer of "American Dreams."

     As a result, the characters aren't edgy enough for many teenagers. Prince appreciates the WB's "7th Heaven" as a good family show, but said it doesn't ring true to his teenage nieces and nephews.

     Some shows take one perspective at the expense of another. On "Dawson's Creek (news - Y! TV)," the teenagers are whip-smart and the adults usually simpletons. "Malcolm in the Middle (news - Y! TV)" and "The Bernie Mac (news) Show" are hilarious, but appreciated more by exasperated parents than their kids.

     More often than not, family shows have one portal for viewers instead of two.

     Prince has watched "8 Simple Rules" and appreciates how its creators have resisted the temptation to make John Ritter (news)'s character the goofy dad who can't keep up with his daughters.

     "That's why I think teens have wanted to see it," he said. "I think teens wanted to see a show about a mom and a dad and a real — albeit very cute — 16-year-old. It's fresh to these viewers. It makes them feel that they could be part of that house."

     That is exactly what he's shooting for, said Tracy Gamble, executive producer of "8 Simple Rules."

     He runs situations and dialogue for the show past his teenagers and their friends for a reality check. Most episodes are rooted in his life: a story line where the daughter drives without a license also happened in his family.

     Gamble once wrote for "Home Improvement," and he tries to follow that show's example by having something for everybody. He hopes young people who watch the show will leave with some empathy for their own parents.

     Parents look at their children the way their own parents looked at them, he said.

     "The character Paul continually struggles with his daughters, but really what he's doing is mourning that their time as his little girls is coming to an end," he said.

     Prince provides so many entry points for the different generations in "American Dreams" that it's almost dizzying. Adult viewers can relate to the parents, but also to the teenage characters, because the show depicts them growing up in the same era.

     "American Dreams" features contemporary music stars performing songs of the 1960s — Usher singing Marvin Gaye's "Can I Get a Witness," for instance.

     "If a parent says to their kid, `Who is this Usher guy?' I love idea that it's starting a conversation," Prince said.

     He hoped the program would be popular with the 18-to-49-year-old demographic that NBC loves. The way it has caught on with teenagers is a pleasant surprise.

     One of his viewers, 16-year-old Peter Mao of Ontario, Canada, said he is curious about the 1960s and wonders whether the stories told about his parents were true.

     "If I'm watching television, I always try to get my parents to watch with me," Mao said. "They say it's rotting my brain. I say it's giving my mind an intellectual hiatus.

     "When we do watch together as a family, we try to watch programs that interest all of us."

121. Prince of "Dreams"
     (By Steven Herbert from the Beverly Hills Weekly)

     BHHS alumnus and onetime actor Jonathan Prince finds success as writer, producer and director.

     Jonathan Prince starred in several Beverly Hills High School productions in the mid-1970s. Legendary drama teacher John Ingle considered him as one of his favorite students.

     “I remember wonderful productions we did at Beverly,” such as “Story Theater” and “Godspell,” Ingle said.

     Like many of Ingle’s students, Prince would find success professionally. After graduating from Harvard University, Prince co-starred in the 1981-82 CBS sitcom “Mr. Merlin.”

     However, acting soon lost its allure for Prince.

     “Here I was, a Harvard graduate playing a 16-year-old on ‘Mr. Merlin,’ and sitting around waiting for my close-up,” Prince, a 1976 Beverly Hills High graduate, recalled recently. “I felt it was time for a change and instead of waiting for the phone to ring as an actor, I decided to try writing. It turned out there were no close-ups, and I was still waiting for the phone to ring.”

     The phone would end up ringing with plenty of positive news for Prince’s movie and television pilot scripts over the years, beginning with the 1988 George Burns comedy “18 Again” he co-wrote with his Beverly Hills High classmate Josh Goldstein.

     Prince would go on to be a writer and producer on several television series, most prominently the NBC comedy “Blossom,” and the director of the 1994 film, “Camp Nowhere,” and episodes of the Fox Broadcasting drama “Party of Five” and HBO comedy “Dream On.”

     "I just want to do everything because it's good for the soul," Prince said. "I like to keep changing formats and assignments. I've been an actor, writer, director and producer in at least one of the following: hour drams, comedies, TV movies and feature films-- which probably means I just can't make up my mind."

     Prince’s current project is the new NBC drama, “American Dreams,” scheduled to premiere Sunday at 8 p.m., which he created and executive produces.

     “American Dreams” could bring Prince the most acclaim of his career.

     NBC has launched an extensive promotional campaign on behalf of “American Dreams,” behalf, billing it as, “The Next Great American Drama” in its advertising.

     “‘American Dreams’ [is] a show that we’re incredibly excited about,” NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker said in a Television Critics Association press tour news conference this summer.

     Zucker and other NBC executives are not alone in having those feelings.

     “It has the quality of a real winner,” said Ingle, who has portrayed Edward Quartermaine on the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital” since 1993, and had been asked by Prince to audition for a role on “American Dreams” as a priest/football coach, but was unable to because of a long-planned vacation.

     Several firms involved with buying television advertising have ranked "American Dreams" among the new series with best chances of becoming hits. The "OMD USA Fall 2002 Broadcast Primetime Review" gives "American Dreams" its highest score, predicting a renewal for a second season.

     "American Dreams has a unique look and feel that should do well in the plum 8 p.m. time slot," said the report, compiled by OMD USA, a unit of OMD, the world's largest full service media company and part of the Omnicom Group Inc.

     Prince has ambitious goals for “American Dreams,” which he has dubbed as “one family from Camelot to Watergate.” Issues from the period “American Dreams” plans to deal with include the civil rights revolution and the changing roles of women, Prince said.

     Although NBC’s initial order is for the industry-standard 13 episodes, Prince already has expressed plans for a story arc for what would be its fourth or fifth season.

     “American Dreams” opens in November 1963 and centers on Philadelphia’s Pryor family.

     Eldest daughter Meg (Brittany Snow) is a 15-year-old pursuing the dream of dancing on “American Bandstand.” Eldest son JJ (Will Estes) is a football standout at East Catholic High School, resenting his father (Tom Verica) imposing his dream of seeing him play for Notre Dame.

     Younger son Will (Ethan Dampf) wears leg braces a result of contracting polio. Younger daughter Patty (Sarah Ramos) is a top spelling bee contestant who often annoys other family members by spelling out words at the dinner table and in other situations around the house.

     Mother Helen (Gail O’Grady) will soon take courses at Temple University, encouraged by fellow book club member Rebecca (Virginia Madsen) to realize she has choices in her life.

     “American Dreams” also tells the story of the black Walker family, with father Henry (Jonathan Adams) working in Jack Pryor’s electronics store and son Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) receiving a track scholarship to attend East Catholic High.

     “The goal is for it to feel real,” Prince told a group of television critics and reporters at this summer’s Television Critics Association press tour. “It would be hard to [have] a show about the ‘60s and not have the story of a black family struggling to find its way as well.”

     Producing a series set in the past has its advantages, Prince said.

     “Because I know where we’re going for the next 22 episodes and maybe a few years, I can put a spice in it,” Prince said.

     Examples of that spice include a reunion of Jack Pryor’s World War II naval unit in the sixth episode, which includes a career naval officer disclosing the presence of U.S. military advisors in Vietnam, Prince said.

     Another storyline includes the real-life commercial failure of the initial introduction of microwave ovens into the American market, leaving Jack Pryor stuck with an abundance of them in his electronics store, Prince said.

     “American Dreams” genesis stems from a desire by NBC executives to have Prince create a family drama.

     However, what would become “American Dreams” would go through several permutations before finding its final form, said Chris Conti, the network’s senior vice president of drama development.

     "We did a Greek family, we did all these different modern-day families and it wasn't working,” Conti said. “One reason modern-day families don't work is it's hard to watch a modern-day family and believe they can solve problems. I have this belief if you want to watch a modern-day dysfunctional family, you'd turn off the TV and talk to the people sitting next you."

     Conti said he then suggested a period piece. Prince decided to set the series in Philadelphia and have one character want to be an “American Bandstand” dancer.

     “We said, ‘Great,’” Conti said. “As he was writing it, even before we began to see it, he began to see it as something much larger. Every day he would come in and talk about it and get more excited about taking this family through this time.”

     Prince said he took the idea to long-time “American Bandstand” host Dick Clark, who he had worked for as runner in 1981 on “Whatever Became of …?” a series of specials.

     Clark endorsed the idea and allowed “American Dreams” to use clips and music from “American Bandstand,” Prince said. Clark also serves as an executive producer on “American Dreams.”

     The title also went through a metamorphosis. The original plan was to call the series “Miss American Pie,” but that proved to be impossible when NBC was unable to get the rights to the title, Zucker said.

     Tapes sent to television critics and reporters this summer bore the title “Our Generation.”

     “American Dreams” was finally chosen because “it symbolizes the dreams of all Americans-- to dance on ‘Bandstand,’ to have a family, to live in a simpler time,” Zucker said.

     Although “American Dreams” is set in Philadelphia, its roots are in Beverly Hills, Prince said.

     “I grew up in a large family and we grew up around a dinner table that if it was not like this one, it smelled the same,” Prince said. “I wanted to do those smells and those tastes and what it was like to be in a loud, confusing family when the ‘60s were happening to us.

     “All I know is that my folks had no idea they were in the middle of this great social cultural revolution. They were just mad because I was ditching school. I wanted to tell a story about those people.”

122. Endquote
     

     "I don't really remember much, other than there was very little air, and it was really dark in there. It was sort of like reverting back to the womb" - Joey Lawrence in Entertainment Weekly on getting his face pressed into "Gimme a Break" co-star Nell Carter's ample bosom.

123. American Dreams Star Lives JFK Nightmare
     

     When our nation mourned the loss of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, actress Gail O'Grady was but a babe. While the NYPD Blue alumna obviously has no personal recollection of the tragedy, she feels like she's lived through it, thanks to her role as housewife Helen Pryor on NBC's American Dreams.

     For the drama's second episode airing Sunday at 8 pm/ET the cast strove to recreate the emotions Americans felt after learning of JFK's assassination in Dallas, Tex. "The set was sad that day," O'Grady tells TV Guide Online. "There was a feeling of what was going on because the producers played those tapes all day. As we did take after take and watched the news footage and everything, it was draining."

     Still, O'Grady came prepared to deal with such weighty subject matter when she signed on to do Dreams. In fact, she was prepped to handle nearly every aspect of JFK's era. "When we started the show," she recalls, "our producer, Jonathan Prince, sent us a packet on [the year] 1963 — and it had everything from what was on Broadway to what people were eating to what was going on politically. [Dreams] is a very palatable history lesson. The show is such a fun show, hung against the incredible backdrop of the beginning of the 1960s."

     Speaking of fun, O'Grady clearly loved the superficial advantages of traveling back in time: those bouffant 'dos and retro frocks! "Actors like playing dress up," she smiles, "so whenever you get to step into another period in time, and you get to really put on the hair and the wardrobe and everything, it is just a blast coming to work."

124. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Dec 22, 2002
     

     ABC moved into first place at 8 p.m., with "The Sound of Music" averaging 7.2/12 for the hour. FOX's movie, 6.5/11, was second. CBS dropped to third with a rerun of "Becker," 6.2/10, and the start of the movie "You've Got Mail," 5.5/9. NBC's "American Dreams" rerun was fourth, with The WB's "Charmed" in fifth at 2.7/4.

125. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Dec 22, 2002
     

     ABC moved into the top spot at 8 p.m., while CBS slipped slightly to second with the second half of "60 Minutes" and an episode of "Becker" averaging a 7.1/12 for the hour. FOX moved up to third with "The Simpsons," 5.8/10, and "King of the Hill," 5.2/9, while NBC dropped to fourth with "American Dreams," 3.6/6. The WB continued its movie.

126. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Dec 15, 2002
     

     FOX moved into the top spot at 8 p.m. with "The Simpsons," 8.2/13, and "King of the Hill," 7.0/11. CBS was second with "Becker," 7.9/13, and a "Yes, Dear" repeat, 6.8/11. NBC moved up to third with "American Dreams," 5.9/10, with ABC's movie sliding to fourth. The WB earned a 2.9/5 with a repeat of "Charmed."

127. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Dec 1, 2002
     

     "Becker" and "The King of Queens" averaged 17.7/13 on CBS at 8 p.m., well ahead of FOX in second place with "The Simpsons," 8.3/13, and "King of the Hill," 14.4/11. NBC was third with "American Dreams" at 6.9/10 for the hour. The WB came in fifth with "Charmed" at a 3.4/5 for the hour.

128. Snow & Lengies at Tree Light Up
     

     Michelle Branch, Sheryl Crow, Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, Kelly Clarkson, and Carly Simon and her son Ben Taylor will perform during the live national NBC telecast of Christmas In Rockefeller Center on December 4 from 8 to 9 p.m. ET.

     Among the performances scheduled for the show are Branch singing a medley of her hits; Crow performing a cover of the John Lennon holiday classic, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"; Groban singing "O Holy Night"; and Manilow performing selections from his new holiday album, A Christmas Gift Of Love. In addition, the Radio City Rockettes will perform.

     The 70th celebration of the world's most famous Christmas tree will be hosted by NBC's Today personalities Al Roker and Ann Curry. Several stars from NBC hit shows are scheduled to appear at the festivities, including Tom Cavanagh of Ed, Goran Visnjic of ER, John C. McGinley of Scrubs, and Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies of American Dreams.

     Prior to the airing of the network special, WNBC, NBC's New York flagship station, will broadcast an additional live hour of coverage of the special between 7 and 8 p.m. ET.

129. Former Soap Star Guest Dec 1
     

     Jessica Collins (ex-Dinah Lee, LOVING) guest stars on NBC's AMERICAN DREAMS on Sunday, December 1, at 8 p.m.

130. Regis & Kelly Update
     

     Brittany Snow's (Meg Pryor) appearance on the syndicated talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly" taped Friday November 8, 2002 will be airing on Friday November 22, 2002. Check your local listings for the time and station in your area.

131. Dick Clark Is Back in the Bandstand
     

     The producers of "American Dreams," a new NBC drama, used "the magic of television" to recreate "American Bandstand" exactly the way it was.

     "Bandstand" host Dick Clark is in the vintage scenes. But in the new scenes, Clark says there is "a double who is a young man live in the background. It's slightly out of focus and the illusion is there."

     But, Clark says the voice is his — in both the original footage and the re-created scenes with the body double."

     In the series, the father is upset that his daughter's biggest dream is to appear on "American Bandstand," a show that by 2002 standards was rather tame. But Clark explains that the show came out of a different era.

     "After all we played rock n' roll music which was lascivious and dirty and could make your teeth fall out and hair grow on your palms," Clark jokes. "I mean you can't believe what they used to say about this tawdry music we were responsible for. And a lot of people bought into it. It was a very strange period of time."

     NBC describes the series as the story of a Philadelphia family, set against the upbeat sounds of the 1960s, depicting a more innocent America as it braces for cultural turbulence ahead.

     NBC is airing two hour-long episodes of "American Dreams" on Sunday night, showing both the pilot aired last week and a new episode.

132. 'Dreams' dives into nostalgia
     

     My dream is that producers will someday learn when enough is enough.

     There's much to cherish in American Dreams ( * * * out of four, NBC, Sunday, 8 p.m. ET/PT), a family nostalgia-fest built around a young girl's desire to dance on American Bandstand. The cast is wonderful, the re-creations of TV's early era are amusing, and the show's simple good spirits are often infectious.

     It just doesn't know when to stop. Dreams seems to think it needs to cram every conceivable aspect of '60s life into every episode, from race relations to the race in space. The result is an hour that sometimes feels forced and phony -- and so close to Hairspray they should be paying royalties.

     The show's considerable strengths are centered on its primary family, led by Brittany Snow as the would-be dancer. Her father (Tom Verica), however, has dreams of his own, which include an obedient daughter, a son ( Will Estes) who plays football for Notre Dame and a wife (Gail O'Grady) who stays home.

     Though their problems multiply far too quickly, this appealing family -- and equally appealing cast -- would seem a good fit for viewers hungry for a gentle domestic drama. If the show will just stop trying so hard, we'll all dance a little easier.

     More time travel: Fans of family dramas and nostalgic trips have another option this weekend: ABC's time-traveling That Was Then ( * * , tonight, 9 ET/PT). Alas, the trip turns out to be unacceptably bumpy.

     Like WB's Do Over, Then is the story of a thirtysomething nothing who magically returns to his high school days in the '80s. Travis (James Bulliard) wants to change the past and marry the girl of his dreams -- who happens to be his brother's wife and the mother of his beloved nephew. It doesn't occur to Travis that preventing his brother's marriage will hurt his darling nephew -- but it will to you.

     It turns out you can't alter the past without altering the present, a lesson Travis learns each week, as he bounces into another alternate, undesirable future. Having learned it already, I'm traveling on.

133. Dick Clark Fulfills Providence Star's Dreams
     

     The producers of NBC's American Dreams — debuting Sunday at 8 pm/ET — hit a bullseye when they cast Tom Verica as patriarch Jack Pryor. After all, the actor's own upbringing in 1960s Philadelphia — where Dreams is set — closely parallels the Pryor family's story. Heck, Verica's mom even danced on American Bandstand — something his onscreen daughter Meg (Brittany Snow) gets a chance at, too.

     "I don't think [my mother, Betty Ann,] had quite the excitement that the Meg character has on our show," Verica tells TV Guide Online. Even so, Betty Ann "had a photo taken with Dick Clark a couple years after she had been on Bandstand and was paid to do a car ad with him."

     Clark, who hosted Bandstand from 1957 to 1987, also serves as exec producer of American Dreams. When Verica landed his role on the drama, he asked his mom to mail him her historic photo. "I brought it in and [Dick] was kind enough to re-sign it now, in 2002. It was a real trip for my mother, that's for sure!"

     Emboldened by that tiny coup, Verica is on a mission to reunite Betty Ann with her teen idol, who seemingly hasn't aged a day since they first met. "I think when my mother comes out to L.A., we'll have to plan some sort of reunion and recreate the shot that was taken 40 some-odd years ago." Winking, he adds: "I'm already working on it."

     Until then, Verica — who played Melina Kanakaredes's baseball-player beau for two years on Providence — is busy reliving his youth on Dreams. "I find myself walking around the set and finding certain toys and stuff," he says, "and it suddenly flashes me back to my childhood. It's like, 'Wow! I remember we had this and we had this lamp...'"

134. 'American Dreams' Review
     (NY Daily News)

     AMERICAN DREAMS. Sunday night at 8, NBC.

     The new NBC series "American Dreams" arrives with three attention-getting gimmicks:

     It's another of this year's nostalgia shows, taking us back to a more innocent time, in this case 1963.

     Much of its plot is built around, and takes place on, the set of "American Bandstand."

     And as the series progresses, many of today's popular young music artists will guest-star as, and perform the hits of, music legends of yesteryear.

     That last gimmick should generate attention on a regular basis. Already signed are Usher as Marvin Gaye, Michelle Branch as Lesley Gore, and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter as Jay Black of Jay and the Americans. The second gimmick, since "American Dreams" comes in part from Dick Clark Productions, will add some verisimilitude, since actual "Bandstand" footage shows up on studio monitors.

     But the primary gimmick, the nostalgia angle, is less distinctive. In fact, it's the same era examined in 1984's "Call to Glory," a superior drama series that, like Sunday's premiere of "American Dreams" (at 8), took its nuclear but evolving family through the tumult of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

     In "American Dreams," the conflicted dad and evolving mom are played by Tom Verica and Gail O'Grady - who, with supporting player Virginia Madsen as a budding feminist, are the best actors in the series. Among the younger generation, the clear standout is Brittany Snow, whose dream, quickly realized, is to dance on "Bandstand."

     The characters seem to have a bit too much sensitivity for their era, but what's more annoying about "American Dreams" is that it doesn't bother to get the musical details right. When a stupid sitcom like WB's "Do Over" plays fast and loose with its soundtrack, that's irksome enough. But in this show, with pop-music history as a primary backdrop, it's ridiculous.

     Having Martha and the Vandellas perform "Heat Wave" in the opening show is perfect: That song hit the charts in August 1963, three months before JFK was killed. But why have the same group also perform, in the same show, "Dancing in the Street," when that song didn't chart until September 1964?

     And why use footage of the Beach Boys singing "Don't Worry Baby," also from 1964, in scenes taking place before Kennedy was shot?

     But if this sort of stuff doesn't bother you, you're probably closer to the age group NBC wants to attract. If so, let me offer one note of explanation. Those things the kids are carrying to listen to music in Sunday's opener? They aren't Sony Walkmans without headsets. They're transistor radios.

135. Usher to Guest on 'American Dreams'
     

     R&B star Usher will guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC's new drama "American Dreams."

     Usher (last name Raymond) will play a young Marvin Gaye in the episode and perform one of Gaye's first hits, "Can I Get a Witness?"

     "American Dreams," set in early-1960s Philadelphia, uses the music of the era to help tell the story of the Pryor family, which struggling to change with the times. Daughter Meg (Brittany Snow) is a dancer on "American Bandstand," and the show -- which is executive produced by Dick Clark -- also incorporates old "Bandstand" footage.

     The 23-year-old Usher is the third young singer to sign on to a guest role as a pop star from a previous generation. Backstreet Boy Nick Carter will play singer Jay Black in a future episode, while Michelle Branch will portray Lesley Gore.

     Usher won a Grammy this year for best male R&B vocal performance. He's also dabbled in acting; his credits include the movies "She's All That" and "The Faculty" and the TV series "Moesha."

136. 'American Dreams' Sensational
     

     With a handful of films over the last few years, Hollywood has flirted with capturing the role music plays in individuals' lives. Television, though, hasn't truly followed suit in exploring music in any depth despite the recent avalanche of soundtracks related to TV shows ("Scrubs," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( news - Y! TV)" and "Gilmore Girls.

     The pop hits played on "American Bandstand" in 1963 give the sensational "American Dreams" a solid point of entry for the baby-boomer audience it should easily attract -- even if music only truly affects one character in this ensemble piece.

     The pilot for "Dreams" rumbles through an assortment of petty annoyances and the aspirations of unshaped lives butting up against the rigidity of 1950s morality and order; like "MASH," it's a period piece where the audience benefits from knowing how it all ends and turns a blind eye to notions gleamed from experience not available at the time. With the emotional tug of "The Wonder Years" presented with the production values of "The West Wing ( news - web sites)," "Dreams" should follow "Wing," "The Sopranos ( news - Y! TV)" and "24" as stellar shows that live up to the promise of its pilot.

     Series will pivot off the assassination of President Kennedy, the event that comes at the close of "American Dreams"' first hour. It could easily lead to some emotional hokum, but the structure of "American Dreams" -- intimate portrayals of mom, dad, four kids and a few friends -- opens the door for varying sentiments being struck over the course of 22 episodes. In the opener, all these characters ring true -- the writing is top notch, the performances range from good to potentially star-making (in the case of Brittany Snow), and the photography of Brian Reynolds hits the right notes in every setting. Using music of the era puts the icing on the visceral cake here: Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" gives the opening scenes a powerful energy, and Chris Montez's "Let's Dance" revs up show's middle segment.

     In the days prior to the Kennedy killing, we see Irish-Catholic Pryor family at odds with their electronics salesman father Jack (Tom Verica). Helen (Gail O'Grady) sees no need for more children and is starting to question whether there's more to life than her happy household, provocation for this search coming from new friend Rebeca Sandstrom ( Virginia Madsen). Son JJ ( Will Estes) quits the high school football team, dashing his father's dreams that the youth will some day play wide receiver for Notre Dame. Patty (Sarah Ramos) heads to a spelling bee and practices with everyone's dialogue. Meg (Snow) gets a chance to dance on "Bandstand," and Jack says no.

     It's the "Bandstand" drama that drives the pilot as Meg and her friend Roxanne Bojarksi (Vanessa Lengies) stand outside the WFIL studios in the hopes of dancing on Dick Clark's TV show. Bojarski gets them in via an unseen makeout session with the guy who says who's in and who isn't; Meg goes, gets asked to dance by a regular and is splashed on TV screens across Philly, including her father's store. He grounds her for disobeying and lying, though he shows a soft side by letting her go to another "Bandstand" after she gets a callback.

     To Meg, played with a captivating wide-eyed wonder by Snow, the show represents "something better," a way out, the fulfillment of a dream. Roxanne, while less loft in her ambitions, becomes Meg's springboard -- she's a doer, a person who doesn't accept no and forges ahead with chutzpah. As written so exquisitely in the pilot, Meg is perfectly poised for transition, a microcosm of American society embodied by a teenage girl whose sense of longing is not tied to any particular emptiness; she's just thrilled by the thought of a quest.

     Writers treat her gently -- she's the one in the clouds while JJ is being kicked around in the dirt. "Dreams"' only touch of heavy-handedness comes in the father-son confrontations; JJ doesn't see eye to eye with dad, who sees no room for compromise. They argue -- the hostility at the dinner table even leads to JJ losing his girlfriend -- and it takes the p.o.v. of the youngest Pryor, handicapped Will (Ethan Dampf), to shed new light on the situation.

     Estes plays JJ with considerable intensity; it's a bit much in the debut but could be a wellspring for this character as he deals with the death of the president and his own future. Patty is an out-and-out brat, and Ramos does it right, just as Dampf plays the unassuming youngest child. For once, children aren't upstaging the rest of the cast.

     Few shows are so technically splendid. The Philly streets, with a light snow falling, the electronics shop full of black-and-white TVs, the comfortable yet unassuming home -- sets, costumes and tenor are all spot on. Casting couldn't be better, even if O'Grady is still a bit too sexy to be playing the mother of four. In future episodes, contemporary musicians are cast in the roles of '60s stars -- Michelle Branch as Lesley Gore, for example -- that could be some of the season's best stunt casting.

     In the opener, show benefits from the presence of Dick Clark, who brings classic "Bandstand" videotape to the show. TV performances of Clark and the Beach Boys are artfully worked into the hourlong and, for some audience member, may well be a key in bringing them back for more. Missed opportunity though: Had the producers played at pilot's conclusion, the Beach Boys' "Warmth of the Sun," which Brian Wilson wrote upon hearing of Kennedy's death, series would have more neatly tied its generationally separated ends.

     Helen Pryor ........ Gail O'Grady

     Jack Pryor ......... Tom Verica

     Meg ................ Brittany Snow

     JJ ................. Will Estes

     Patty .............. Sarah Ramos

     Will ............... Ethan Dampf

     Roxanne Bojarksi ... Vanessa Lengies

     Henry Walker ....... Jonathan Adams

     Sam Walker ......... Arlen Escarpeta

     Rebeca Sandstrom ... Virginia Madsen

     Michael Brooks ..... Joseph Lawrence

     Filmed in Hollywood by NBC Studios and Universal Television. Executive producers, Dick Clark, Jonathan Prince; co-executive producers, David Semel, Becky Hartman Edwards, Jon Feldman; producer, Mark Grossan; co-producers, Rama Stagner, Gigi Coello Bannon; director, David Semel; writer, Prince; camera, Brian Reynolds; editors, Christopher Cooke, Tanya Riegel, Joanna Lovetti; music (theme), Emerson Hart; music, Danny Pelfrey, casting, Jason LaPadura.

137. Past Comes Alive for 'American Dreams' Stars
     

     Gail O'Grady was working in her kitchen recently when a commercial for her new series "American Dreams" played on TV.

     In the ad for the show set in early 1960s Philadelphia, her character, Helen Pryor, tells one of her children "You can do anything you want."

     "I whipped around, because I heard my mother's voice," O'Grady recalls, laughing. "That was something she used to say to us."

     O'Grady ("NYPD Blue") and co-star Tom Verica ("Providence," "State of Grace" ), who plays Helen's husband, Jim, have had several blast-from-the-past moments filming the series, which sets the Pryor family's struggles against the tumultuous events of the '60s.

     The NBC show also incorporates footage from newscasts of the era and from "American Bandstand," courtesy of Dick Clark, one of the show's executive producers. When Jim and Helen's daughter Meg (Brittany Snow) becomes a dancer on "Bandstand," for instance, viewers see real black-and-white images of the Beach Boys and a young Clark.

     O'Grady and Verica were small children in the early '60s, so they have few vivid memories of their own from the Camelot era. But they say the detail in the show's sets and wardrobe help take them back.

     "I find myself walking around the cet and finding certain wallpaper or certain toys that flash me back to my childhood," says Verica, a Philadelphia native whose mother once danced on "American Bandstand."

     In addition, executive producer Jonathan Prince gave each cast member a heap of background material from the era -- "everything from what was on Broadway to what people ate to political events," O'Grady says.

     "I think it's pretty true to the period," she says. "One of the things that's great for people who weren't around [then] is that this is a very palatable history lesson. It's such a fun show, hung against this incredible backdrop of the '60s."

     "American Dreams" premieres at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 29 on NBC.

138. Backstreet Boy Carter Has an 'American Dream'
     

     Backstreet Boy Nick Carter is growing up. In addition to the release of his first solo album, "Now or Never," on Tuesday, Oct. 29, the boy band member will be going back in time to play '60s pop singer Jay Black for the NBC drama "American Dreams."

     Set in Philadelphia during the early 1960s, Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies stars as teenage best friends Meg and Roxanne who become dancers on the popular dance show "American Bandstand." In Carter's episode, Meg meets the group during their rehearsal and invites them to a party at her house.

     Carter will perform two of Jay and the Americans' hits, "Come a Little Bit Closer" and "She Cried." Other of the popular group's hits include "Let's Lock the Door" and "Think of the Good Times."

     Singer Michelle Branch will also be getting nostalgic for "Dreams," playing Lesley Gore and singing Gore's hit "You Don't Own Me."

     "American Dreams" premieres Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

139. Frasier/American Dreams Star Takes On Suicide
     

     You know Dan Butler as Frasier's radio shock jock, Bulldog. On screen, he's the antithesis of Kelsey Grammer's genteel doc, a loudmouthed lug who loves the ladies — especially Roz (Peri Gilpin). Off screen, the openly gay actor just loves life. For two years, he has spent four hours a week volunteering as a phone counselor at L.A.'s Suicide Prevention Center. He's also helped out on The Trevor Helpline, a national crisis number for gay youth. "There's a lot of depression and suicide on my mother's side of the family," he tells TV Guide Online, "so being of service is a good way to process it.

     "Some calls are rough," Butler admits. "You're not going to be able to heal the person, but if you give them one other option for the night [besides suicide]... that's a big success. You never know. You just have to have faith that you're doing your best. It's nice being a nonjudgmental voice."

     On Sept. 18 in L.A., Butler will grand marshall "Alive and Running," a 5K/10K run to benefit the Suicide Prevention Center. Such volunteerism is on the rise since last year's terrorist attacks — people who feel helpless are empowering themselves by doing good. On today's solemn anniversary, Butler fondly recalls Frasier's late co-creator David Angell and wife Lynn, who died in the WTC plane crashes. "David and Lynn were amazing human beings," he says. "It's no accident that their last name is Angell. He was a talented, funny writer and they were so generous. In fact, last year I did both the AIDS Ride and the AIDS marathon in Honolulu, and they were major financial backers to me. They're sorely missed."

     Meanwhile, Frasier goes on. Look for Butler to next appear in this season's Halloween episode. "Frasier and Bulldog are trading pranks and trying to get the better of each other," smiles the 48-year-old actor, who also plays Father Ambrose on NBC's new drama, American Dreams. "It'll be a really good time!"

140. Arlen Escarpeta Guests on Boomtown
     

     Arlen Escarpeta (Sam, American Dreams) guests on the first episode of NBC's "Boomtown" airing at 10pm on September 29.

141. NBC Filming Disrupts Neighbors' 'Dreams'
     

     A recent nighttime shoot for NBC's new drama "American Dreams" apparently disrupted the dreams of residents who were trying to sleep.

     After complaints to the city council of Pasadena, where the filming took place, the show's producers face a fine from the city.

     The incident happened overnight Friday, Aug. 16. The cast and crew of "American Dreams" set up at Washington Middle School in Pasadena to film scenes of a high school football game. The show centers on a Philadelphia family in the early 1960s whose eldest son is a star player for his school.

     "My wife and I were awakened, along with the surrounding neighborhood, by the amplified sound ... of a football game, including an announcer, a large crowd and a marching band," resident David Gooler told the city council. "The time was 2:30 a.m."

     Producers had a permit for the nighttime shoot but didn't tell the city they would be using amplified sound, the AP reports. As a result, they will likely be fined $1,400.

     An NBC spokesman says the network is aware of neighbors' concerns and will work out a solution for future filming at the school.

142. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov 17, 2002
     

     ABC's movie moved up to first place at 8 p.m., while CBS slipped to second with the 100th episode of "Becker," 8.6/13, and a filler episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond." FOX moved up to third with new episodes of "The Simpsons," 7.4/11, and "King of the Hill," 6.4/10. Meanwhile, NBC saw the lowest ratings of its night with "American Dreams," 6.6/10, and a new episode of "Charmed" took a 3.9/6 for The WB.

143. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov 10, 2002
     

     "60 Minutes" took the eight o'clock hour for CBS, 11.9/20, followed by "American Dreams" on NBC, 7.5/12. ABC continued with its movie, and FOX went with the season premiere of "The Simpsons," 7.1/11, and "King of the Hill," 6.0/9. A new episode of "Charmed" brought in a 4.2/6 for The WB.

144. The Today Show
     (From Alan The Unofficial Brittany Snow Webpage)

     Friday November 8, 2002 actress Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor) will be on NBC's morning news program "The Today Show". Check your local listing for the time & station near you.

145. The Caroline Rhea Show
     

     Joseph Lawrence (Michael Brooks) is set to appear on The Caroline Rhea Show on Thursday November 14th. (Check your local listings for the time & channel near you.)

146. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Nov 3, 2002
     

     The 13th annual Treehouse of Horror "Simpsons" special, 8.9/13, and season premiere of "King of the Hill," 7.0/10, were tops at 8 p.m., while NBC moved up to second place with Nick Carter on "American Dreams," 7.4/11. ABC continued with its movie and CBS aired "Becker," 7.0/11, before giving up the rest of its night to the James Bond movie "The World Is Not Enough" (6.6/10 average from 8:30 to 11 p.m.). A new episode of "Charmed" brought in a 4.2/6 for The WB.

147. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct 27, 2002
     

     Baseball took a 16.4/24 during the 8 p.m. hour on FOX as NBC's "American Dreams" (7.2/11) topped CBS's hour of "Becker" (8.2/12) and "Bram and Alice" (5.9/9). ABC's movie finished fourth as The WB remained in fifth with "Charmed," 3.4/5.

148. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct 20, 2002
     

     At 7 p.m., Game Two of the World Series started with a 13.7/23 on FOX as CBS aired "60 Minutes," 9.5/16, in second. ABC's film, "Liar Liar," began as a distant third with 4.2/7 as NBC broadcast a repeat of "American Dreams" (3.3/6) in fourth. The WB came in fifth with a repeat of "Gilmore Girls" 3.0/5.

     Baseball took a 31.1/21 during the 8 p.m. hour on FOX as CBS came in second with "Becker" (7.9/12) and "Bram and Alice" (6.1/9). On NBC, "American Dreams" (6.9/11) topped ABC's movie for third. The WB remained in fifth with "Charmed," 4.8/7.

149. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct 13, 2002
     

     The last half hour of "60 Minutes" (9.9/16) and "Becker" (7.4/11) kept CBS in the lead for the 8 p.m. hour with FOX's baseball coverage in second. On NBC, "American Dreams" (6.8/11) topped ABC's movie for third. The WB remained in fifth with "Charmed," 4.6/7.

150. 18-49 Demos
     (From Sharon)

     According to Variety, NBC's "Hidden Hills" and "American Dreams" again won their timeslots in adults 18-49.

151. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Oct 6, 2002
     

     At 7 p.m., CBS' "60 Minutes" was the highest-rated program of the evening with 9.6/17. Baseball was second on FOX as ABC's movie, "Toy Story," was third. NBC aired a repeat of "American Dreams" in fourth, 4.0/7, as The WB came in fifth with a repeat of "Gilmore Girls" 2.8/5.

     A new episode of "American Dreams" (7.9/13) on NBC beat out the season premiere of "Becker" (7.8/13) and the debut of "Bram and Alice" (7.2/11) on CBS at 8 p.m. FOX's baseball coverage was third as ABC continued its film in fourth. The WB remained in fifth with "Charmed," 4.6/7.

152. Fast National Ratings for Sunday, Sept 29, 2002
     

     At 8 p.m., NBC's "American Dreams" got off to a good start, as the debut episode pulled in 9.0/14. CBS was second with "Becker" (8.7/14) and the beginning of its film, "Mission Impossible 2." The movies on ABC and FOX finished third and fourth, respectively, as The WB's "Charmed" finished a close fifth, 4.6/7.

153. O'Grady On Today
     

     Gail O'Grady (Helen Pryor) is set to appear on NBC's Today Show on Friday September 27th. (Check your local listings for the time & channel near you.)

154. O'Grady On Caroline
     

     Gail O'Grady (Helen Pryor) is set to appear on The Caroline Rhea Show on Friday September 27th. (Check your local listings for the time & channel near you.)

155. Brittany on Leno
     

     Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor) is set to appear on The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno on September 25th.

156. Michelle Branch's Cameo On 'American Dreams' To Air October
     

     Michelle Branch will guest star on the October 6 episode of NBC's new nostalgia drama, American Dreams. On the show, Branch sports a blonde wig to portray '60s pop star Lesley Gore, and performs Gore's hit anthem, "You Don't Own Me." Branch actually recorded the track, and she lip-syncs to her own version of the song on the episode.

     So, is acting a part of Branch's long-term plan? "Possibly. I won't rule it out," she tells LAUNCH. "You know, I started out wanting to do musical theatre, so if (it) gets back to that, I won't complain."

     Dick Clark (American Bandstand) and Jonathan Prince (Wilder Days) are the executive producers of NBC's American Dreams. The hour-long drama is set in Philadelphia during the 1960's. American Dreams debuts September 29 and will air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

157. Singer Branch Channels Gore for 'American Dreams'
     

     Pop singer and composer Michelle Branch will make a guest appearance as classic pop star Lesley Gore on the new NBC drama "American Dreams."

     The series is set in Philadelphia in the early 1960s and revolves around the life of teenager Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow), whose lifelong dream is to dance on the Dick Clark-hosted "American Bandstand." When Meg visits the show's studio, she sees Gore rehearsing her hit song, "You Don't Own Me."

     Other Gore hits include "It's My Party" and the follow-up song, "It's Judy's Turn to Cry."

     Branch's hit singles "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted" have both appeared in the Top 5 on Billboard's Hot 100. They are featured on her debut album, "The Spirit Room." In addition to her singing career, Branch has made a guest appearance as herself on the UPN show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and will be appearing in the feature film, "The Hot Chick."

     NBC's "American Dreams" premieres on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET.

158. 'American Dreams' Adds Pair to Cast
     

     Two actors have joined the cast of NBC's new drama "American Dreams."

     Jonathan Adams, who appeared briefly in the series pilot, will play Henry Walker, an employee in Jack Pryor's (Tom Verica) Philadelphia appliance store. Arlen Escarpeta will play Walker's son, Sam, who attends the same high school as Jack's kids.

     The series, set in 1963, uses the Philadelphia-produced "American Bandstand" and the music of the time as a backdrop to explore the lives of the Pryor family in the changing political climate of the '60s. In addition to Verica ("Providence"), Walker and Escarpeta, the show also stars Gail O'Grady ("NYPD Blue"), Brittany Snow, Vanessa Lengies and Will Estes.

     The show, which is executive produced by Dick Clark, incorporates real footage from Clark's "American Bandstand" into some scenes.

     Adams' credits include "The American Embassy" and guest roles on "Frasier" and "City of Angels." Escarpeta has appeared on "The Shield," "Boston Public" and "Judging Amy."