Big Shots

Big Shots: Vartan on J-Lo and Malina in Poker Fundraiser

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:30:00 GMT

While there appears to be hope looming on the horizon for an imminent resolution to the three-month long deadlock between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, there doesn't seem to be any such positive outlook for ABC's Big Shots. The freshman series was canned in December, with three episodes still left for broadcast.

Big Shots co-star, Michael Vartan, who played James Auster on the cancelled program, recently commented on his former big-screen co-star, Jennifer Lopez's pregnancy. Lopez clearly made a good and lasting impression on the actor, with whom she shared the spotlight in the film, Monster-in-Law.

'Big Shots' Star Still Has Hopes for the Show

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT

ABC's Big Shots hasn't exactly become a hit with viewers and critics, but show star Joshua Malina is still hopeful that the dramedy will be renewed for a second season.

“It's a hot topic among the four of us. I'm doing an ABC promo shoot. I take that as hopeful,” Malina told TV Guide. “We're having so much fun together, it would be a shame to end. If I'm going to work, I'm going to laugh.”

Top 7 of '07: Worst Show #5 - Big Shots

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:01:09 GMT

Check out all our lists for BuddyTV's Top 7 of '07 to relive the best and the worst of the year in television.

To be fair, no one on the BuddyTV writing staff made it past the pilot episode of this show. In light of that, Big Shots making our list is an impressive achievement, because while other shows had entire seasons worth of suckiness, Big Shots crammed it all into one episode.

'Big Shots' Actress Acknowledges Lack of Security in Show Business

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Actress Nia Long has been in the entertainment industry for more than two decades, which has been more than enough time for her to realize that show business is an unpredictable environment.

“No matter how long you've been in it, there is no security,” Long said in the December issue of Essence Magazine, with the discussion revolving around being in-between jobs.

'Big Shots' Star Still Gets the "Jitters" When Doing Stand-Up

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:00:00 GMT

Christopher Titus has been doing stand-up comedy since he was 18 years old, but the Big Shots star admits that he still gets pretty nervous when he is up on stage.

"‘Jitters' is the nice word for it. It's more like anal-wrenching fear," the 43-year-old actor told the Pasadena-Star News. "But the audience is the perfect measure. You get some comedians that say, ‘Hey, they just didn't get it.' Well, maybe they got it and you just weren't that funny. I never, ever blame an audience."

'Big Shots' Pulled From the Air by ABC

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:31:49 GMT

Big Shots has been put out of its misery. The new series from ABC about four men (Christopher Titus, Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan and Joshua Malina) and their lady woes has been pulled from the air by ABC, with three new episodes remaining in the tank. The series received poor reviews out of the gate, and the viewing audience wasn't much kinder. Big Shots could realistically be described as a Sex and the City for men, but Big Shots didn't pop like the HBO comedy, nor even come close. The fact that ABC has decided to pull the three remaining episodes off the air during the writers' strike is a massive indictment of the network's lack of faith in the series. The series, which followed Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights, will, for the time being, be replaced by reruns of Grey's spin-off Private Practice.

'Big Shots' Episode 1.10 Spoilers

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Big Shots is taking another break this week, but fans of the show have the opportunity to take a peek into what's coming up ahead, particularly in the episode scheduled to air on Thursday, December 20.

Readers be warned, spoilers ahead.

'Big Shots' Star "Never Wanted to Act"

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Michael Vartan has been in the entertainment industry for almost two decades, but surprisingly, the 39-year-old actor claims he never dreamed of becoming an actor.

“I never wanted to act. To this day… it's the hardest thing I've ever done,” Vartan, who now stars on ABC's Big Shots, told Herald Sun. “It's very hard to be on screen with 30 people staring at you, a camera in your face, a boom up your rear end and another actor who half the time is fast asleep off camera and to pretend none of that's happening and cry and act like your mother's dying. That's a very hard thing to do.”

'Big Shots' Not Canceled, Plus Episode 1.08 Spoilers

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Fans of ABC's Big Shots will be relieved to know that dramedy has not been cancelled. Word comes from show star Christopher Titus himself, who told Hollyscoop TV that “the rumors of our demise are greatly exaggerated.”

Reports that Big Shots was canceled spread when the network pulled off the show last week and placed the new Angie Harmon-led drama, Women's Murder Club, in its post-Grey's Anatomy timeslot. This week, a sneak preview episode of October Road will be airing during Big Shots' hour, which means that the show will not return until next Thursday, November 29.

For the meantime, fans can tide themselves over with some spoilers for the upcoming episode of Big Shots.

'Big Shots' Stars Obsessed with Ratings

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Working on a television series can make an actor overly ratings-conscious. Just ask Christopher Titus, one of the stars of ABC's drama, Big Shots. The 41-year-old actor-comedian told Access Hollywood last month that his costars Dylan McDermott and Joshua Malina are always on top of things when it comes to analyzing the show's ratings.

“The funniest thing is to watch on Friday morning when [McDermott and Malina] have their PDAs out and they're just going at it. They're trying to analyze the ratings,” Titus said. “Malina is such a nerd. Malina will come in, literally, everyday with a new article.”

'Big Shots' Shooting Schedule Disrupted by California Blaze Plus Tonight's Spoilers

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:30:00 GMT

The scorching trail of blazes ravaging California since the weekend has claimed many victims in various ways. Some lives have been lost and properties have gone up in smoke, with damages now estimated to possibly go as high as a billion dollars. Aside from death and destruction, the raging inferno has also disrupted many businesses including the world of entertainment, where several television shows have been forced to cease production.

Shows like Cold Case, 24 and ABC's Big Shots have temporarily had to pack up due to the wildfire situation.

Christopher Titus Dishes on the 'Big Shots' Boys, Plus November 1 Spoilers

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:30:00 GMT

Michael Vartan, Dylan McDermott, Joshua Malina and Christopher Titus play dysfunctional executives who are the best of buddies on the new ABC series, Big Shots. It would have been a challenge to create the on-screen camaraderie their characters are supposed to share if the actors themselves didn't get on in a fashion. Fortunately for the freshman show, that is not a problem they have to tackle.

Off-screen, the four experienced actors actually do share a good chemistry that is not lacking in good-natured fun and humor.

Thursday Night Ratings Analysis - 10/11/07

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:46:22 GMT

Big Shots is not looking good. The ABC man drama, the Sex and the City clone, is having a hell of a time in the ratings. On the surface, the numbers may not seem too terrible. However, once you delve deep into what Big Shots did last night, things get ugly fast. Big Shots averaged around 10 million viewers, but from half-hour to half-hour the show lost an astonishing three million viewers. That means people were watching, gave the show a chance, and were then so disgusted that they had to turn their TV off. Of course, any show in the 10pm hour is going to lose viewers to sleep and whatnot, but losing almost a third of your audience does not bode well for your future. I watched the pilot of Big Shots (or tried to), and did the same thing: I stopped watching after a half hour. Besides that, the usual Thursday things went down last night. CSI, Grey's Anatomy, etcetera, etcetera.

'Big Shots' Star Talks about Dating Rules with Craig Ferguson

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:30:00 GMT

Nia Long plays Katie Graham on ABC's new series, Big Shots. The Brooklyn-born, Iowa-raised actress was on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Tuesday, where the Scottish talk show host grilled her on her personal life, dating rules and preferences.

Prior to joining Big Shots, Long was a regular on the police drama, Third Watch, as well as a guest on a few episodes on Boston Legal.

'Big Shots' Star Dylan McDermott Flying Solo after Parting Ways with Wife of 12 Years

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:30:00 GMT

On ABC's new series, Big Shots, which debuted last Thursday, former Practice star, Dylan McDermott, plays a newly divorced corporate executive. Nowadays, the actor may be experiencing a case of life imitating art, as his 12-year marriage to actress Shiva Rose appears headed towards splitsville.

The 44-year old McDermott and the 38-year old Rose wed on November 19, 1995 and have two daughters, 11-year old Collette and two-year old Charlotte. McDermott's representative confirmed to People last Thursday that the pair have decided to call it quits.

'Big Shots' Takes Off Tonight

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:30:00 GMT

Four familiar faces on television return to the small screen that has brought them fame and stardom tonight, when Big Shots debuts on ABC at 10. The Practice's Dylan McDermott, Alias' Michael Vartan, Titus' Christopher Titus and The West Wing's Joshua Malina star in the new drama about the lives of four dysfunctional corporate bigwigs.

Big Shots takes a close look at the personal and professional struggles of rising AmeriMart Industries executive, James Walker (Vartan), Reveal Cosmetics CEO Duncan Collinsworth (McDermott), Alpha Crisis Management senior vice president, Brody Johns (Titus) and pharmaceutical firm CEO Karl Mixworthy (Malina). While their careers appear to be on the upswing, their romantic entanglements often throw the rest of their lives into chaos and jeopardy.

ABC To Stream 'Big Shots' And Other Fall Shows

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Good news for people who won't be able to catch the premiere of Big Shots on Thursday, September 27 at 10/9c. ABC and Warner Bros. Television Group have decided to offer the season opener for free to consumers through the network's website the day after its initial broadcast.

Created by Jon Harmon Feldman, Big Shots is a pilot that follows four up and coming executives as they deal with the ups and downs of their friendship, relationship and careers. The series stars Michael Vartan (James Walker), Dylan McDermott (Duncan Collinsworth), Christopher Titus (Brody Johns), and Joshua Malina (Karl Mixworthy).

Exclusive Interview: 'Big Shots' Star Joshua Malina

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:48:51 GMT

In conjunction with our 2007 Fall TV Guide, BuddyTV will be publishing exclusive interviews with the stars of some of the hottest new shows this fall throughout the week. Check back all this week for interviews with the actors and actresses of the new shows.

Joshua Malina gained fame and notoriety as that guy in everything ever written by Aaron Sorkin. This fall, he'll be taking on a new role, that of successful CEO Karl Mixworthy in the ABC series Big Shots, premiering Thursday, September 27 at 10pm following the fourth season premiere of Grey's Anatomy. Joshua spoke to BuddyTV about his new shows, his work with Sorkin on the brilliant Sports Night and The West Wing, as well as his love of poker and the baddest beat he's ever had. Below you will find a transcript as well as the mp3 audio file of the interview.

Time Slot Wars: Thursday

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:01 GMT

In BuddyTV's 2007 Fall TV Guide, we assessed each night to see which shows the major networks were pitting against each other, and determined which ones would emerge victorious in the ratings war.

Big Shots is ABC's latest attempt at capitalizing on the vast popularity of Grey's Anatomy. Grey's Anatomy, which airs on Thursdays at 9pm, is currently one of the top two rated prime time dramas on television, tangling with time slot foe CSI for the number one slot.

Good Actor, Poor Show: Joshua Malina in 'Big Shots'

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:01 GMT

In BuddyTV's 2007 Fall TV Guide, we analyzed which great stars are working on shows that aren't worthy of their skill levels. The three to earn that distinction in 2007 are Fred Willard in Back to You, Jerry O'Connell in Carpoolers, and Joshua Malina in Big Shots.

The cast of ABC's new show Big Shots has a pretty decent track record. Dylan McDermott was great as a hard-nosed defense lawyer on The Practice. Christopher Titus created a surprisingly funny, self-titled FOX sitcom. And, of course, Michael Vartan was everyone's favorite CIA handler Michael Vaughn in Alias. Yet somehow they all fall flat in Big Shots, trying too hard to fill roles they are completely unfit to play.

Then there's Joshua Malina, a nerd's nerd playing a pharmaceuticals company president who uses his wealth to live out a teenage fantasy of sleeping with a hot young blonde. It's an awkward scenario with preposterous plot twists and bad writing, which is something this brilliant actor is simply not accustomed to.

Big Shots: BuddyTV Fall 2007 Preview

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Premiere Date and Time: Thursday, September 27, 10pm

Network: ABC

Time Slot Competition: Without A Trace, ER

Cast: Michael Vartan, Dylan McDermott, Christopher Titus, Joshua Malina, Nia Long, Paige Turco, Peyton List, Jessica Collins, Amy Sloan

Meet the Cast: ABC's Big Shots

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Big Shots is the latest dramedy from ABC and Warner Brothers Television. It will fill one of the network’s Thursday night timeslots this fall.

The show is about four CEOs who are ready to do anything to hold on to their position. At their country club, they talk about their businesses, share secrets, ask for advice and gossip about others. Most importantly, the four men find trustworthy companions in each other.

The pilot episode was written by Jon Harmon Feldman, who will also serve as the show’s executive producer. Charles McDougal has directorial reigns.

Read on to know more about the cast of Big Shots.

When will a series flourish in the post-Grey's Anatomy time slot?

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 17 May 2007 15:32:45 GMT

With the season finale of Grey's Anatomy just hours away, it means that fans will soon be eagerly anticipating next season. Fans will discuss the story over the summer and make predictions about where season four is headed. They'll probably have some reasonable idea of where the show is headed. However, one thing they won't know is the fate of Big Shots, the newest combatant in the fight to take over that coveted post-Grey's Anatomy time slot.

Men in Trees did well enough in that Thursday 10PM spot, but ABC decided to move it elsewhere. This fall, Men in Trees will air on Fridays. October Road debuted in the time slot late this season, and fared well enough for ABC to renew it. But, again, ABC didn't want to keep it on after Grey's. So, what is Big Shots and why has ABC placed it in one of the most sought after time slots on television? Here is the official synopsis of Big Shots from the ABC website: