Passionless—Despite a $300 million box office take, the networks are steering clear of Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ. All three major networks have passed on airing the controversial film. Gibson apparently laid down some rather strict guidelines for the film, which would have forced networks to air the entire R-rated epic uncut and without commercial interruption. FOX remains the only network in contention for the broadcast rights. The network has yet to “determine whether it fits with our programming.”
Return to Gilligan's Island—Cable station TBS is greenlighting an unscripted reality show based on “Gilligan's Island.” The show comes from the obviously fertile imagination of “The Bachelor” creator Mike Fleiss. The show will differ from “Survivor” in that … um. Well, we'll get back to you on that.
Nirvana Night—The WB has purchased the rights to Charles Cross' 2001 book Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain and plans to produce a TV movie later this year. No word yet on casting. I nominate former “My So-Called Life” star Jared Leto.
No Wonder—The Internet was recently flooded with rumors that the WB network was looking at picking up FOX's critically lauded, but quickly cancelled dramedy “Wonderfalls.” Sad to say, TV Guide Online has now quashed that rumor. The website quoted a network source as saying, “It's not true” late last week. Bummer. “Tru Calling” is still on, but “Wonderfalls” isn't? Who's running this network?
