Entertainment, TV, Television - Marine Corps Times

Despite some setbacks, HBO promises a glittering fall lineup

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Battered by lots of bad luck and a few bad decisions, HBO still seems upbeat.

There are some good shows coming in the next two months, programmers told TV critics recently, and fresh pilots are on the way.

“We have an embarrassment of riches, really,” said Richard Plepler, HBO’s co-president.

That was supposed to happen sooner, said Michael Lombardo, the network’s programming president. Summer Sundays were supposed to be filled by the return of “Entourage” and the start of “True Blood,” the impressive series from “Six Feet Under” creator Alan Ball.

Then came the 14-week writers’ strike. Now both shows will arrive Sept. 7; other shows and pilots will be pushed back.

There have been more complications, including:

Mistakes. Plepler granted that HBO might have had a shot at the much-praised “Mad Men” before AMC grabbed it. “It’s a wonderful show. ... Sometimes that happens.”

More bobbles. HBO paid for six hours of “12 Miles of Bad Road,” from the “Designing Women” people, then “decided it wasn’t right for HBO,” Lombardo said.

And more. It had producer David Milch working on the failed “John From Cincinnati,” instead of doing the much-anticipated “Deadwood” finale. Now Milch is working on something else (set in the New York City Police Department of the 1970s), Plepler said, and “the likelihood of a ‘Deadwood’ (finale) movie happening is slim to none.”

All of that contrasts with the “Sopranos” and “Sex and the City” days, when HBO seemed to have a flawless touch.

Still, the network people say there’s a lot on the way, which includes:

“Generation Kill,” the seven-week miniseries about a Marine unit in Iraq. It debuted July 13.

“Real Time With Bill Maher.” It returns Aug. 29 and continues weekly, through the elections.

A big night Sept. 7, when “Entourage” finally returns and “True Blood” debuts. Set in rural Louisiana, the latter is comic, dramatic, sexual and sometimes creepy.

A comedy weekend. Chris Rock debuts his 90-minute special on Sept. 27. The next night has the animated “The Life and Times of Tim,” plus “Little Britain, USA,” which has the same people who made the British version a cult favorite.

Other comedy imports. “Summer Heights High” (Australian) and a stand-up special from “The Office” creator Ricky Gervais (British) debut in November; “Flight of the Conchords” (New Zealand) returns sometime next year.

More returning series. “Big Love” will be back early next year. Returning sometime next year are “In Treatment” (with new patients) and “Tell Me You Love Me” (with the same ones). HBO is hoping Larry David will start his next season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” by the end of 2009.

A new series, “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency”: The two-hour pilot (starring singer Jill Scott) was filmed by the late Anthony Minghella in Botswana; it airs sometime in 2009.

Two other films aimed at 2009. Kevin Bacon stars in “Taking Chance,” as a Marine colonel bringing a teen’s body home to Wyoming. Tom Hanks is producing “The Pacific,” a World War II miniseries.

And more possibilities. Just this week, Lombardo said, HBO approved the filming of three series pilots. One is a drama set in post-flood New Orleans, the second is a comedy based on the book “The Washingtonian” and the third (co-produced by Martin Scorsese) is set in 1920s Atlantic City.