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RIP Men in Trees

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:38:29 -0700

Granted, this news has probably been a long time in coming, but it's still a bummer: Men in Trees has been officially canceled after two years of life in Elmo, AK.

Of course, that's two years of airing on three different nights in numerous different time slots, with two long breaks — one when its first season came to an early end, another when ABC decided to save episodes of the show rather than air them during the writers' strike — in between. Not the easiest way to get a following, that's for sure.

It was bad news when Lifetime decided not to pick up the show when ABC offered it, but the show still had its promoters at the network — not to mention a dedicated (if relatively small) fan base that had organized a campaign to buy trees for developing countries. And coupled with the news that ABC didn't plan on premiering as many new series as normal in the Fall, it seemed like the show had a chance.

The one bright spot is that Trees did prepare an ending that could serve as a series finale; that last episode will air sometime this Summer, after the show returns May 28. In the meantime, what do you think about the decision? Did Trees deserve to be saved? Would you have wanted it to return for a third season even if it meant it would be shuffled all around ABC's schedule again?

Buzz News Roundup, 3/3

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:33:10 -0800

Access Hollywood reports from the Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice singing benefit in LA. You can watch some shaky video footage over here.
Speaking of Grey's, Eric Dane will join Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston in Marley and Me, writes ComingSoon.
ComingSoon reports that Tim Allen will make his directorial debut with the indie comedy Crazy on the Outside.
Anne Heche will replace Jennifer Jason Leigh in the "indie sex comedy" Spread, also starring Ashton Kutcher, writes Hollywood Reporter.
According to Variety, Al-Qaeda is calling for the execution of a Dutch filmmaker and a politician on account of their anti-Koran short film, Fitna.
Radiohead, Tom Petty, and Jack Johnson will headline the inaugural Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco in August, Billboard reports.
L.A. will host the first Brazilian Film Festival March 7-9 at the Landmark Theater, Variety reports.
CBS is no longer the No. 1 TV network, losing the most-viewed title to Fox, the LA Times reports.

TV Tonight: Men in Trees

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:38:48 -0800

Remember when ABC had a show called Men in Trees? You can be forgiven if you don't recall. The show has been shuffled around and treated more strangely than most, moving from Fridays to Thursdays and back again, being pulled before the end of its first season, and then finally resurfacing in October — only to leave again in December, despite having plenty of episodes to get through the writers' strike.

The show finally returns tonight at 10 p.m., and ABC has promised it 11 episodes back-to-back in the same slot. That's par for the course for any other show, but for Men in Trees, it's extraordinary. The show's audience is small (about comparable to Friday Night Lights), but they're devoted: They've organized a campaign to buy trees for developing countries in honor of the show, with hopes that the efforts will be recognized by ABC and help get the show a third season.

If you're not a regular viewer — or if you are but this latest break has taken you out of the rhythm of the show — here's a great guide to where all of the Elmo couples stand right now. Meanwhile, to check out a preview for tonight's episode, just

TV Tonight: "Women's Murder Club" and "Men in Trees"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:30:00 -0700

ABC kicks off its new Friday night lineup tonight with the premiere of a new show, "Women's Murder Club," and the return of an old favorite, "Men in Trees."

It pains me to recommend a show that airs at the same time as my beloved "Friday Night Lights," but "Women's Murder Club" is a pretty solid show. It's based on a series of books by James Patterson, and it centers on a sassy crew of women in various law enforcement roles solving crimes in San Francisco. It's not something I'd watch on a weekly basis, but the cast is appealing, the mystery in the pilot episode was reasonably compelling, and it has a built-in stable of stories to draw from. I'd still pick "FNL," but if that's not your speed (and you haven't been sucked — har har — into vampire show "Moonlight"), this one might be worth a look.

"Men in Trees" got some very strange treatment from ABC last year: It started on Friday nights and struggled, moved to the plum post-"Grey's Anatomy" time slot, grew an audience, got early renewal for a second season — and then disappeared from the air completely in favor of "October Road." The show had actually completed several episodes beyond the ones that aired, so fans will be treated to an extra-long season this year. The season premiere won't be one of those extra episodes, though; it will be an all-new one designed to get viewers back into the flow of life in Elmo, Alaska.

Will you be watching any of this Friday night fare? To check out a preview for "Women's Murder Club" and the official "Men in Trees" music video, just

"Men in Trees" Resurfaces — Sort Of

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Here's a piece of news that will make all the "Men in Trees" fans in North America wish you lived somewhere else: According to showrunner Jenny Bicks, the five episodes of the show's first season that ABC decided not to air until fall will be broadcast in some international markets as early as this week. The rest of us will have to wait until late September or early October to see what the folks in Elmo, Alaska, are up to.

But before you North American fans get too upset, here's some other news from Bicks to tide you over:

Reruns of the show will start airing June 28. ABC plans to show virtually all of the first season, minus an episode here or there.
The show has hired David Rosenthal, the writer who ran this year's final season of "Gilmore Girls." I suppose your opinion on that will vary depending on how you felt about this season of "Gilmore Girls."

I didn't watch "Men in Trees" in its first season, though I admit you all gave me some convincing reasons to check it out. Maybe I'll give it a shot once the reruns start.

Defend This Show: "Men in Trees"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 05:39:27 -0800

We all love things that others love to hate, whether it's a Counting Crows CD you can't get rid of or your "Degrassi Junior High" boxed set. Now I'm giving you a chance to explain yourselves in a new feature called Defend This. (Thanks to YumSugar for the idea.) First up, ABC's Thursday night show "Men in Trees."

OK, I admit that my main reason for not watching "Men in Trees" is that I think the title is lame. ("Thanks for watching 'Chimps at Sunrise' on the Discovery Channel. Next up, 'Men in Trees.'") And my second reason is that I still think of star Anne Heche as that girl who dated Ellen and then went nuts. I haven't actually seen an episode, and yet all season I've been rolling my eyes at the show, calling it a low-rent "Northern Exposure" or a "Sex and the City" clone deported to Alaska.

But now I'm actually hearing some good things about it. "Men in Tress" has moved into the time slot after "Grey's Anatomy." It's getting decent ratings. It even has a character named Buzz, for pete's sake. And yet I still can't get over the hump and tune in. So, "Men in Trees" fans: What's the deal with this show? On your marks, get set, defend!