New Bosses Sign Up to Go ‘Undercover’

When UNDERCOVER BOSS, one of the surprise hits of last season, returns this fall, it’ll already have four companies signed up for undercover missions.

In the show, top executives go undercover in their own companies, posing as new hires, to get an idea of what it’s really like for the employees.  They also get to see firsthand how the decisions they make affect the real people working for them, and they meet the unsung heroes they might otherwise never notice.

The four companies are NASCAR, DirecTV, Chiquita Brands International, and Great Wolf Resorts.

UNDERCOVER BOSS was the #1 new series of the 2009-2010 season, averaging 17.7 million viewers.  UNDERCOVER BOSS premiered following the Super Bowl to 38.7 million viewers, the largest audience for a new series following the Super Bowl.  It also ranks as the biggest new series premiere since 1987 and the most-watched premiere episode of any reality series.

UNDERCOVER BOSS premieres in a special time period on Sunday, September 16th at 10:00pm on LIVE 5 WCSC, then moves to its regular time slot of Sundays at 9:00pm on October 3rd.

Survivor to Pit Young Against Old

“A battle for the ages…literally.”

That’s how producers of SURVIVOR are describing the newest cycle of the reality series, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The new edition will be played in Nicaragua, and the 20 new castaways will be split into two tribes of 10, divided by age.

The Espada tribe, made up of contestants over the age of 40, will try to outwit the younger contestants with their life experience and knowledge.

The La Flor Tribe, with its members aged 30 or younger, will bank on their youth and vitality for an advantage.

SURVIVOR: NICARAGUA returns to the time period where it all began in the summer of 2000:  Wednesdays at 8:00pm.  The new series premieres on Wednesday, September 15th on LIVE 5 WCSC.

Talk Show to Replace Canceled Soap

CBS is replacing its oldest soap opera, AS THE WORLD TURNS, with a new talk show, the network announced late Wednesday.

Julie Chen, currently hosting the summer reality hit BIG BROTHER, will be one of the moderators for the show, which will be similar in style to ABC’s The View, but will feature five moms around the table.

Other panelists will include reality star Sharon Osbourne,  and actresses Leah Remini, Holly Robinson Peete, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Sara Gilbert.

Gilbert, known for her role as back-talking daughter Darlene Conner on Roseanne, will also be an executive producer of the new show.  Osbourne is the wife of rocker Ozzy Osbourne, has been a talent judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.  Remini played Carrie Heffernan, foil to husband Doug on CBS’s THE KING OF QUEENS. Peete got her major break on the then-fledgling Fox Network’s crime series 21 Jump Street, and starred in Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper and Love, Inc. Winokur was host of a dancing competition show on NBC.

Chen will leave her regular duties on CBS’s THE EARLY SHOW, but will may continue to contribute to the show, according to the network.

AS THE WORLD TURNS leaves the air in September after 54 years on the air.  We’ll have more on the show as more information comes in.