Andrew Eccles/ABC*Check for more updates after the jump *
¡Ay, caramba! Just barely made it into my seat after getting lost on the wrong side of town, accosted by a hot dog vendor, stuck inside the worst traffic ever in Central Park and finally over to Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Phew! At least I have a reward for my efforts: Vartan and McDermott and Krause, oh my! They're all in the house at ABC's upfront presentation. I'm armed with my Crackberry to blast you the deets as they happen, and the lights are dimming...Here we go!
Mark Indelicato from Ugly Betty (love him!) takes the stage in a little tux and top hat to sing "One Singular Sensation." Now, Becki Newton and Michael Urie...and holy crap they all can sing and dance—like gangbustahs! Seriously, I predict Ugly Betty: The Musical coming someday to a theater near you! Miss America is now out on stage in a purple evening gown doing high kicks. Followed by Christopher Gorham and more high kicks and oh my...why can't you all be here?! I'm actually tearing up. Man, I'm lame.
On to the new-show previews...Stand by!
HILARITY ENSUES (5:27 p.m. update)
Up first, comedy, and the big show ABC is hot on: Sam I Am. Christina Applegate, aka Sam, comes out of a coma and realizes she was a terrible person. The upside? She's got Barry Watson as a love interest. Guess they knew What About Brian wasn't coming back fairly early, given that he's on this and Sarah Lancaster is on NBC's new dramedy Chuck. Regardless, Sam looks funny and entertaining, and the really amazing cast includes Jean Smart!
Cut to: Jerry O'Connell and three guys singing, "I'm All Out of Love." Big laughs from the crowd. We see these guys are Carpoolers and that the show's from Bruce McCullough, best known as one of the Kids in the Hall. Now, I don't want to oversell since this is just a preview, but this could very well be smart and hilarious in the vein of Arrested Development—not to mention the fact that Jerry O'Connell and Jason Bateman are often mistaken for each other!
Up next, Miss/Guided, which seems something akin to 13 Going on 30—not only does it have that fun, youthful vibe but also Judy Greer, who is playing a geek who returns to high school as an awkward guidance counselor. She teaches her students about popping and locking. Looks cute.
UP NEXT, DRAMA...
The Walkers are here! The Walkers are here!
Huge, raucous applause that just won't die down. The entire Brothers & Sisters cast is onstage doing a funny little nostalgic bit on what a year it's been been for them.
Rob Lowe then introduces a clip reel of the stars who are "gone but not forgotten," showing all the people who died on ABC this year. (Hey, did they get that idea from our Tater Tops?) The clips end with Denny and Meredith and...holy frak! The Fray is onstage performing "How to Save a Life" in front of big screen of touching clips of ABC shows!
(Okay, either I'm PMSing or ABC is just that good, 'cause dammit I'm teary again. Me = sap. I love TV).
First new drama presented is Private Pra...Wait, no, Pushing Daisies, yay! The "forensic fairy tale" from Bryan Fuller, about a guy who can bring the dead back to life. Audience is riveted. Laughing. Gasping. Engaged. McPherson is right: This show looks and feels totally different than anything else on television. I've seen the pilot, and you guys are gonna love it.
Now Private Practice. This one you know. All about Addison's life crisis that brings her to Los Angeles.
Cashmere Mafia is about four women living in New York City, from the creator of Sex and the City...from the clip, it looks very SATC-esque, but somehow not in an annoyingly knockoffish way. Lucy Liu, Miranda Otto, Frances O'Connor and Bonnie Somerville, who—whoa!—is kissing a girl. This show looks juicy and watchable.
The promo for Dirty Sexy Money doesn't do it justice, in my opinion. I've seen the pilot for this one and went absolutely ape dung over it. Peter Krause is the lawyer for a nutty cuckoo rich family. And according to the promo man, it's "From the producers of Brothers & Sisters and Six Feet Under and the director of Grey's Anatomy." You sold? Thought so.
The Angie Harmon starrer Women's Murder Club, about four friends solving cases, is based on the James Patterson books. Looks intriguing.
Big Shots, about four CEOs "living the dream," stars Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Chris Titus and Josh Maloney. It's getting some laughs from the audience. I've seen this one and loved the casting. Definitely feels a bit like a male version of Desperate Housewives.
Steve McPherson encourages crowd to watch the finale of Lost, which is "one of the best episodes they've done—not this season, but of the whole series." I second that emotion.
Bingo! Yes, we are playing bingo, in honor of new show National Bingo Night. You are sooo jealous. And, we have a winner—and a marching band and confetti, no joke. The cleaning lady's gonna be pissed. And speaking of pissed, I gotta scoot! Presentation is over, party is starting, and I gotta see who's doing too many shots and willing to dish.
PARTY TIME! EXCELLENT! (6:31 p.m. update)
Sara Ramirez is here! She's standing with Eric Dane, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr. and Justin Chambers in a photo booth, taking pictures with fans—so, it looks like those five from Grey's Anatomy are safe. This shindig is all about next season, you see.
Speaking of...over in Lost land, it's Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly (with highlights—looking gorge), Josh Holloway, Emilie de Ravin, Naveen Andrews and Michael Emerson. And wow, mob scene! Some girl just pushed me into a platter of shrimp while screaming "Jooosh!" The upfronts just became a Beatles concert. Where is security?
I just got elbowed and roughhoused by three more Lost fangirls...I am stepping away from the Lost booth—unless, of course, I can find an opening somewhere between Josh and Naveen.
ABC...XYZzzzzz... (7:43 p.m. update)
Holy sauna. I need a shower after that too-hot ABC shindig! Especially after running into Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh (they showed!) and the entire casts of Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives.
Then—the kicker: While I was walking down 62nd Street after the party, I heard someone call out "Kristin!" and I turned around to see Tim Daly big pimpin' in his limo...asking me if I needed a ride somewhere.
All in a day's work.
(Go ahead. Hate me. I hate me a little, too.)
Signing off until CBS tomorrow...See you then!