The James Morgan Show (S1E7)

Another week in the books for Last Resort Television means another edition of the James Morgan Show!

Last week's ratings were called mildly disappointing by an anonymous writer in our inbox… and to be honest, I like the term. While a few shows stood out, some shows crumbled under pressure and only achieved a low rating. Here are this week's ratings, with a little comparison with last week's. Mo Buck will react after.

1. Rolling Stone : 8.08 (-3%)
2. Hitman : 7.52 (-6%)
3. Gauntlet : 5.83 (+8%)
4. Miami Vice : 5.78 (+1%)
5. Survivor : 4.98 (+1%)
6. Nez Perce : 4,94 (-13%)
7. Drive : 4.59 (-27%)
8. Search Here : 3.98 (+7%)
9. Fa-Sass : 3.86 (+2%)
10. Lady of the House : 3.85 (-2%)
11. Brimstone : 3.79 (-5%)
12. Leaving Everything : 3.58 (-7%)

Mo Buck's reaction: Most of our shows achieved worse ratings than last week, but that's understandable and we were expecting it, as last week was the season opener and it would draw higher ratings. Some underperforming shows stepped up a bit, but nothing eye-popping. I'm glad to see Gauntlet improve its rating after the freefall between the two parts last weeks. Our two top dogs fell a bit, but are still ratings powerhouse for us. Right now, I would say that some shows are in danger if they don't improve their ratings drastically.

Last week, I talked about our next season, who's still a couple of moons away, but still, it's already time to talk about it. I said that writers could reserve their spots for next season starting right now and I was disappointed to learn that no one pitched anything, so let's change that this week people! However, your devoted insider has learned that Leaving Everything writer, Ann Morrow, who previously announced that her show will end after the first season, is the first writer to involve her clause to replace her show for next season. She will reportedly write an original story set in the 16th century Europe and will be based on the life of a uncharacteristic woman living in those times. It is not set in stones, however, but word is Mo Buck is very fond of the idea.

I recently got in touch with Mo Buck and he expressed his intention to write a series for next season. He says it will be an adaptation. He tried to adapt the material in the past into a feature film and felt that he couldn't fully tell the story in a movie and he feels like a television series is the perfect medium to finally release his sci-fi crime thriller.

I've also heard whispers that writer D.R. Cobb has pitched a new pilot to the studio, but I still don't know the studio's final decision on the matter, or if the rumor is indeed true.

As I was looking to add a new segment to my weekly show, I've decided to pick a page out our old playbook and to introduce the newest segment of the James Morgan Show: The Prestige Trivia! In this section, I will give trivia about the films that have been released by our parent studio, Last Resort Films in the past week. 

Halo: The Fall of Reach : As writers Dominic Wilkins and Mo Buck were writing the film, they realised that there was a canon error in the Halo franchise. In fact, in the Halo: Reach game, the goal is to retrieve Cortana on Reach to give it to the UNSC Pillar of Autumn. However, in the Fall of the Reach book, Cortana is placed inside John-117's helmet and therefore is already on the Pillar of Autumn, as the Master Chief boards it at the end of the novel. 

Isla Vista : Here's a fact that very hard to fact check, but I'm going to risk it anyway. I believe that Isla Vista is the movie based on a real life mass murderer that has been released the soonest after the crime has been committed. Don't fact check that, but I think I'm right. I have to admit, I had no idea what to say about that one.

Newbury Street : This film marks a series of comeback for the studio. It is Lon Charles' first film since Crowley, all the way back to Season 8. Matt Damon last worked for the studio in Season 1, when he starred in the Ludlum adaptation The Osterman Weekend by Mark Newton. Norbert Leo Butz last worked for the studio in Season 6's Death Dream and all the other talents involved were working for us for the first time.

The Troop : It looks like Ethan Hawke did a favor to director James DeMonaco to star in The Troop. The pair previously worked together in DeMonaco's 2009 directorial debut Staten Island and in 2013's The Purge. This is their third collaboration.

Bioshock : A film based on the game has long been in gestation at Universal with Gore Verbinski attached to direct with a $200 M budget, but when the studio wanted to take control of the production, he dropped out, as he didn't want to repeat the mega bomb Rango all over again. In 2013, it was confirmed that the film was indeed cancelled. The poor box office performance of the 2009 rated-R film Watchmen drew the studio away and wanted to reduce the budget down to $80 M less than half the previous amount and Verbinski dropped out as he thought he couldn't do the material justice with this amount of money. The studio hired another director and changed the rating to PG-13, but 2K Games, the developers, didn't like the direction this was going and pulled the plug on the whole thing. 

Now for the final segment of the show, let's see which guest stars had the highest salaries this week!

Tie : Jane Lynch (Search Here) and Andre Holland (Rolling Stone) : $75,000

The veteran TV actor and the up and coming star each bagged $75,000 for their roles as Emily Harmony's mother, Cruella and famed guitarist Jimi Hendrix, respectively. 

See you next week!