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In addition to its strong opening performance on iTunes and at Blockbuster, The Back-up Plan DVD also made the following charts after its first week on the market:
The last two stats were reported by Reuters. The Nielsen VideoScan chart is not yet showing the data for the week ending August 29.
Any additional DVD sales/rental news will be added as it arrives.
The second blog post from the Hawaii Five-0 writers’ office is up and it’s worth the extra wait! Mike Schaub appeases some of our boundless curiosity and walks us through the job profiles of those who work there, from the intern to the script coordinator.
Intern
If your show is lucky enough, which we are, you may be allowed to hire an intern to help out on the day-to-day routine. Much like a utility infielder in baseball, an intern provides relief in any area that is needed. PA’s dropping off scripts and the writers need coffee? Intern steps up. PA’s grabbing lunch and the room needs research on Tasmanian Devil Worship and its affects on the South Dakotan Economy? Intern’s got it. And they’re happy to do it, cause at this level, it’s all about proving you’re willing to do anything for the show.
Writers’ PA
The entry-level position of the writers’ office, the writers’ PA is the Gopher of the building. Armed with a supply of Petty Cash and a company credit card (God help you if you don’t grab a receipt), common tasks for the PA include stocking the fridge, grabbing coffee, picking up meals… basically, anything a writer wants done but doesn’t have time to do. A PA’s job consists of driving around town on runs, running across a lot hoping not to drop hot coffee on anyone, getting lunch back by 1:00PM sharp, and always being available if something needs to be done. They are the first person in the door in the morning, and are usually one of the last to leave. The job is tough, but if you work hard enough at it, you can move up to -
Writers’ Assistant
Hi! That’s me. (Waves).
A writers’ assistant is just that: and assistant to the writers. Every day, I walk into the office, by my desk (which I’ve sat at for a total of maybe 30 minutes since May), and into the Writer’s Room. This is the where the magic happens. I turn on my computer, set up a Word Document, and wait for the team to roll in. When everyone sits down and starts to talk about the story we’re working on, I type. Any idea, any thought, any line of dialogue pitched gets filed into the notes. Then, at the end of the day, I take these notes, clean them up, organize them, and put them in a coherent order so the writers can have a reminder of what they talked about the following day. Also, any notes call with the studio or the network has to be documented as well, so I’m in those meetings too. Basically, if someone says something about the show anywhere on the lot, I’m there to take it down. For the record, I’ve spent more time with my computer in the past year and a half than I have with any two people in my entire life.
Producers’ Assistants/Showrunner’s Assistants
The rest of team “Support Staff,” and an undeniably integral part of the writers’ office team. Though the PA works as a catch all for every staff member, the higher-ranking producers will sometimes have their own personal assistants to handle more elaborate affairs. Organizing daily calendars, cross-referencing schedules with other producers, dinners with cast, travel plans for the show… these things are generally handled by the personal assistants. And, as a person who can hardly handle his own life let alone someone else’s, I humbly salute anyone who works at this level and does it well.
Script Coordinator
One of the toughest jobs at the office, the script coordinator is tasked with responsibility of making sure that every treatment, outline, and script that leaves the writer’s office is absolutely perfectly edited. Any time a new draft is finished, the script coordinator will get a copy to go over. It’s a terribly difficult job. Also, the script coordinator generally handles the “background paperwork” of the show. That list of names of producer’s that pops up right after the credits? The coordinator compiles it. Someone needs a copy of the third draft of the outline for the sixth episode (not the morning one, the afternoon one)? Script Coordinator has that. And to top it all off, this person is also generally active in story breaks as well, which means that the total time they aren’t thinking about the show is pretty much equal to the amount of time they sleep.
For the full post, go to CBS.com.
In his next blog, Mike will tackle the topic of the writers, about whom he tweeted, “From my experience, all writers prefer the “weird” label to “normal.” haha It makes for better story!”
Thanks Mike, for whetting our appetite. We’re definitely looking forward to that one!
Not only is The Back-up Plan an iTunes bestseller – the DVD also heads not just one, but four Blockbuster charts!
According to a press release issued by Blockbuster Inc. today, the Alex O’Loughlin and Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy is number one for the week ending August 29 when it comes to DVD rentals and DVD sales at US Blockbuster stores, online DVD rentals at Blockbuster.com and digital sales on Blockbuster on Demand.
Additionally, The Back-up Plan is number 3 in the Top 10 Renting Blu-ray titles.
For a huge collection of high quality images of our gorgeous Aussie, posters and more, check out the The Back-up Plan gallery, the events gallery for premiere pictures and the publicity gallery for press conference images and clippings. HQ DVD screencaps will be added later this week.
Why We Love Him: Aussie actor Alex O’Loughlin had us swooning on the short-lived but much-loved vampire drama Moonlight, then in tears with the medical drama Three Rivers. And he showed off leading man chops opposite Jennifer Lopez in The Back-Up Plan. So we’re excited to see him head to a tropical locale (and maybe sport some board shorts) in CBS’s adrenaline-heavy remake of the detective dramedy Hawaii Five-O. Also bringing his signature smolder to the cast — and making Lost fans everywhere happy — is Daniel Dae Kim.
Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan team up as reluctant police partners Steve McGarrett and Danny “Danno” Williams. Lots of explosions and great scenery.
If you like … the original “Hawaii Five-O”, this series offers even better banter between McGarrett and Danno.
- Probably the most-talked-about fall series is CBS’s remake of “Hawaii Five-O.” It’s either going to be the year’s biggest new hit or its biggest bust. On the plus side, people who have seen the pilot say it’s very good. On the minus, the past few TV years have not been kind to revivals, such as “Bionic Woman” and “Knight Rider,” or to “Five-O” star Alex O’Loughlin. (Anyone remember “Moonlight” or “Three Rivers”?)
- Spike will run the first season of the original “Hawaii Five-O” next week, with episodes airing from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. According to Hollywood lore, Jack Lord was a last-minute pick to play Steve McGarrett. Richard Boone was the first choice, but he said no.
The good: “Hawaii Five-0.” It’s a crime show that actually looks good! The stellar cast, which includes Alex O’Loughlin and Daniel Dae Kim, was enough to get me interested. But more than that, the writing is smart, and the whole show looks pretty bad-ass.
A recent survey by the giant U.S. cable firm Comcast – think Rogers and Shaw combined – showed that the new Hawaii Five-0 is the most anticipated new show of the coming season, supplanting Comic-Con pick The Event as this fall’s Must See TV event.
Asked to rank new shows in order of preference, based on preview buzz, 40 per cent of those asked picked Five-0, well ahead of second-place finisher No Ordinary Family.
There could be more than a few disappointed viewers, though. The new Five-0 bears little resemblance – none, in fact – to the 1968-’80 original, but then the new Five-0′s target audience was barely born by the time original Steve McGarrett and his sidekick Danny “Danno” Williams collared their last suspect.
A bigger problem is that, despite the lush backdrop of Hawaii’s tropics, the new Five-0 itself looks, sounds and feels like countless other crime dramas that are already on the air, from CSI: Miami to NCIS: Los Angeles.
Alex O’Loughlin, as the new Steve McGarrett, has a suave sexiness to him, and the ensemble, led by Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Masi Oka and Vancouver native Grace Park, could grow into their roles. The real question remains, though: How much TV crime dramas is too much?
Question: I loved Alex O’Loughlin in Moonlight, and I loved the show’s blend of crime, mystery and romance. Have you seen any of the new Hawaii Five-0? I’m trying to decide if I should try it out, but I worry that it will be too much of just a cop show, which I don’t think I’d like. Does it have a fun side? Any romance? — Amanda
Matt Roush: More like “bromance,” at least in the pilot, which is all anyone has seen at this point. The new Hawaii Five-0 is more of an action than “cop” show — the heroes form an anything-goes task force that operates almost outside the law — and takes full advantage of the island’s native beauty, both natural and human. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before O’Loughlin gets a love interest if they haven’t developed one for him already, but the real relationship that matters in the early going is the fractious bantering between his character of Steve McGarrett and Scott Caan‘s scene-stealing sidekick, “Danno.” That’s where the fun and humor come in during a pilot that otherwise is pretty violent and is fueled by tragedy and revenge.
The dog days of summer are coming to an end, and we’d rather be back in school than forced to watch much more of the overwhelmingly crappy summer programming. But the fall TV season will kick off soon, which means we’re back on schedule with returning favorites like The Big Bang Theory and Community, as well as intriguing new shows like NBC’s The Event. CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot (co-starring Daniel Dae Kim from Lost!) and Shit My Dad Says, and The CW’s Hellcats, because it’s a show all about cheerleaders. Even though it’s cooling off outside, let the navel-gazing commence!
- Big Kahuna had a great day yesterday, celebrating his Birthday with his Five-0 family who love him dearly. Wish everyone could have come.
- @PLenkov Did he have to work on his bday? I know Scott did!
- @reebsreiswig He did…. but let’s make it up to him by making the show a hit
Saturday’s casting call for Hawaii Five-0 – attracted 2,000 hopefuls, with nearly 700 already waiting in line by 10 am!
The show’s search for 200-400 extras per episode brought locals from all walks of life and of all ethnicities and ages to Honolulu’s Aloha Tower Marketplace. It was the eighth open audition in Hawaii this year.
Each applicant had to complete a form and have their photo taken for later review. Extras can earn $65 to $200 per day, including lunch, but call backs may not actually happen until October.
Casting director Rachel Sutton told KHON2, “I think this is what’s going to create the palette of the show and really show the rest of the country and really show all the beautiful faces of our islands”.
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