AT THE MOVIES Returns, Full Circle, Back to PBS

[AndyDursin]

Nice...I can only hope the new critics are better than Mankiewicz and Lyons (Michael Phillips and AO Scott were pretty solid).

Following Disney-ABC TV Distribution's recent cancellation of the syndicated At the Movies after a 24-year run, veteran movie critic Roger Ebert just announced he will be launching a new review show, Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies, on PBS in January. It will be hosted by Christy Lemire, film critic of The Associated Press, and Elvis Mitchell of NPR.

"This is the rebirth of a dream," Ebert wrote on his blog. "I believe that by returning to its public roots, our new show will win better and more consistent time slots in more markets." A decade before it became syndicated, Ebert and the late Gene Siskel launched their review show on PBS' Chicago station WTTW in 1975 as Opening Soon at a Theater Near You and then in 1976 as Sneak Previews, becoming the highest rated entertainment show in PBS history.

At the Movies will bring back Ebert's copyrighted Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down rating system, which was taken out of the syndicated show after Ebert's departure amidsts his battle with cancer. Ebert, who cannot speak as a result of the cancer treatment, will produce the series with his wife Chaz Ebert. The show will debut in January. He will appear on the show in a segment titled Roger's Office, with the help of a computer-generated voice. He won't be giving out thumbs-ups though. "(The two hosts) will be awarding the Thumbs, and you can't have three Thumbs," he quipped.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/roger-e ... es-on-pbs/

[Eric W.]

Good news.