Joining Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, and Prince – Bruce Springsteen is going to headline the Super Bowl Half Time Show next year.

We all remember the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson debacle from several years ago. The networks have yet to recover from it, and are continuing to book older, more “safe”, acts for the Half Time show spectacle.

Frankly, I miss the days of the big marching bands and that sort of thing. Springsteen will be performing 3 songs during his Half Time run, and you can bet “Born in the USA” is going to make its way into the mix. Regardless of his age, Springsteen is and always will be a headliner, so you can bet the crowd will be lively for this set.

Well, I finally have something to look forward to on Superbowl Sunday. No offense to “the big game”, but I’ve never been into football all that much. Still, the Superbowl manages to find its way onto my television set almost every year. I have no idea why.

This year, however, I’ll be sure to tune in AFTER the show, for a very special hour-long episode of “The Office”. Many of you may remember that this slot was supposed to go to an “Office spin-off” this year – but that concept has been shelves for the time being, and the original show is going to take the slot in its place.

I love the hour long episodes of the series – and I honestly think they should just extend this show to an hour rather than do a spin-off to begin with. We know we’re getting at least 2 one hour episode of the series this season because the first new episode of season 5 will also be an hour long special when it airs in Sept.

Sara Gilbert and Johnny Galecki have a long history together. They first played love interests on the long running “Roseanne” and recently, Gilbert made a few guest apperances on Galecki’s new show “The Big Bang Theory”.

Well, apparently those guest spots were well received, because now Sara has been added to the cast of “Big Bang” as a series regular starting next season. When the series returns on Sept. 22nd, you can expect to see Gilbert and Galecki on the show…but not necessarily together.

Rumor has it that Galecki’s character “Leonard” may still be a bachelor when the show makes its return.

After Sci-Fi wraps the “Battlestar Galactica” story next year, you can still expect a little more “Galactica” on your television. In addition to working on a prequel series, there will be a 2-hour prequel movie directed by Edward James Olmos, and written by former Buffy scribe and series co-executive producer Jane Espenson.

So far Michael Trucco, Aaron Douglas and Dean Stockwell are all set to come back for the prequel film. The story will focus on the aftermath of the Cylon’s destructive forces.

The production will begin shooting in Vancouver soon.

Starting on the first day of September, all the way through to the 30th of October we have new shows debuting on all the major networks. Below you’ll find a complete list of all the new and returning shows and their premiere dates!

Be sure and check back here at TV Jab for reviews of these new programs as they premiere…we’ll be covering almost all of them this year!
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Things are looking very interesting for Sesame Street’s 39th season. Celebrities are coming out of the wood work for the show, including names like Jack Black, Jessica Alba, Brian Williams, Mike Rowe, Jonah Hill, Fiest, Will Arnett (as a magician no less!!!), and Neil Patrick Harris.

These celebrity guest stars, I assume, are meant to draw adults back into the show (with their children in tow) and get some eyeballs back on the long running series.

It looks like a new cast member or two will be joining the show from the preview above. Watching the whole thing kind of makes me sad that my daughter has moved passed the “Sesame Street” phase already.

I may still watch some of these episodes anyway.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen. Freddie Prince Jr. has joined World Wrestling Entertainment as a member of the creative team. Yes, you read that right. Freddie Prince Jr., husband of Sarah Michelle Gellar and star of “Scooby Doo” has joined the WWE in a creative capacity, and will be assisting in booking the weekly shows and ppvs.

Prince is a big fan of the WWE and I’m sure that his presence within the WWE will have a definite impact. I don’t think it will be long before he finds himself on screen. I’m actually kind of surprised that he wasn’t named the new GM on Monday’s show.

Where will Freddie Prince Jr. take the WWE?

Who knows…with World Wrestling Entertainment you never know what to expect.

We saw many interesting announcements at San Diego Comi-Con 2008, but one of the ones that I am the most excited about is the announcement that “The Phantom” is heading to Sci-Fi.

“The Phantom” is one of, if not THE, first super-heroes ever. He has had numerous tv and film versions over the years (including the vastly under-rated 90s Billy Zane vehicle), but this latest incarnation could be a fantastic addition to the mythos.

The Sci-Fi channel is prepping a 4 hour mini-series that could eventually lead to a full blown series on their network. While I truly despised what they did with Flash Gordon, I think it’s possible that they have learned their lesson. This incarnation of The Phantom is a modern take on the character, but it keeps in line with the long standing tradition of the hero, while also marking a great starting point for people not familiar with the franchise.

You kind full details and spoilers on exactly what they’re talking about doing right here, but the bottom line is that this sounds like it could be something special. I sincerely hope Sci-fi moves forward with this…I can’t wait to see it.

Everyone’s favorite Powers’ Girl is set to star in a new Reality Show focused on her life on a farm in an attempt to show viewers that she’s really a down to earth person.

Hurley and her husband Arun Nayar own a large country estate in Gloucestershire, England, and Hurley wants to show the cameras her everyday life on the farm. She says “People always imagine me with perfect hair…but that’s not who I am.”

There is no word just yet on when or where this new show is going to air. Hurley has been making a career of television hosting and appearance gigs since her last theatrical work in 2004.

For those of you who don’t like Spoilers, you should just stop reading right now, because there are some big spoilers in this post about the 8th season of Smallville.

They start…now.

Ok, the Comi-Con panel was wild, with many guest asking for actor’s name cards, and all kinds of other shenanigans, but the big info came from the talks about season 8, where the creative team behind the show was candid, and very revealing. Here are some highlights

* Season 8 still has a “No Tights” rule, but “No Flights” may be off the card

* Sam Witwer will play “Justin Bloom” who becomes Doomsday during blackouts.

* Clark will begin working on a secret identity this season, and use the Daily Planet as a resource for finding people that need his help.

* Michael Rosenbaum will NOT be returning this season, but the door is always open to him (and Same Jones as well) should he wish to return..

* The Legion of Super-Heroes will appear on the show this season, as will the Justice League (who will show up in the season opener).

* There will be more exploration of the Green Arrow character this season – who is now a regular cast member.

Originally I had heard that Rosenbaum was going to make an appearance this season, at least for an episode or two, but apparently that didn’t work out. It looks like things are getting a much needed shake-up on Smallville this year, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here.