My need for sleep and then to catch up on pilots (FX’s “Terriers” is going to be one of my new favorite shows) meant I couldn’t do a press tour schedule post in advance. Today is NBC (and NBC-affiliated cable channels like USA and Bravo). We already had a breakfast-time schmooze with the cast of “Covert Affairs,” and I’m writing this in the middle of the panel for NBC’s “The Event,” yet another post-“Lost” show with a complex mythology and a teasing style of narrative. (The creator has already used the very familiar phrase, “You have to go on faith that we know what we’re doing.”) After the jump, a run-down of the rest of the day…
9:45-10:15 a.m.: “Undercovers,” the latest JJ Abrams show that JJ has very little to do with. NBC isn’t even bothering to put him on the panel, but instead we get the likable cast (Boris Kodjoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Gerald McRaney) and actual hands-on producer Josh Reims.
10:30-11 a.m.: An executive session with Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstad, in which they get to be relieved that for once, another network (ABC, with Steve McPherson’s abrupt eve-of-TCA resignation) is the one with the dysfunctional leadership.
11-11:40 a.m.: A writing break.
11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m.: “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” with Skeet Ulrich and producers Rene Balcer, Blake Masters and the always-quotable Dick Wolf. Wolf is famous at press tour for keeping a notecard in his pocket with some kind of pre-written rant/monologue on it, and if a reporter says the magic words, he will pull it out and read it aloud for us. (And no cheating; I once tried the direct approach of asking if he had something he wanted to share, and he just smiled and said no, he was just thrilled to be here.)
12:20-12:50 p.m.: “Facing Kate,” a new USA drama with Sarah Shahi from “Life.” I may miss a bit of this while I go to interview Anne Dudek from “Covert Affairs” about her awesomeness, but if anything memorable happens, Fienberg will be in the ballroom.
12:50-2:10 p.m.: Lunch, plus an MSNBC session with Lawrence O’Donnell.
2:10-2:40 p.m.: “Outsourced,” the new comedy that has been by far the most-reviled new sitcom pilot. Could be ugly, or the producers and stars may be verbally nimble enough to defuse the outrage.
2:40-2:55: A “Biggest Loser”-themed break. These breaks often feature ice cream or candy or other junk food. I’m guessing not here.
2:55-3:15 p.m.: Jimmy Smits in “Outlaw” (previously known as “Garza”).
3:15-3:35 p.m.: Another themed break, this time tied to “Top Chef Just Desserts.” Ah-ha! This is where we’ll get junk food to undo everything we learned during the “Biggest Loser” break.
3:35-3:55 p.m.: “Chase,” a generic new Jerry Bruckheimer drama about a U.S. Marshals squad specializing in fugitives. 20 minutes is awfully brief for a new network series, but I’ll be curious to see if we have enough questions to fill even that much time.
4:10-4:25 p.m.: “Hunting Hollywood,” the first of two mini-panels for Syfy. This one’s a reality show about movie memorabilia.
4:40-4:55 p.m.: A “Destination Truth” panel with Josh Gates and producer Brad Kuhlman.
5:10-5:30 p.m.: “School Pride,” an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”-style NBC reality show produced by Cheryl Hines from “Curb.”
5:45-6:15 p.m.: A combined panel for “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” and the Emmys, which Fallon will host this year.
7-10 p.m.: The non-party party on the hotel rooftop.