Dish Of Salt: Monday TV Dish (Changes Ahead For ‘SYTYCD’)

After a quick trip to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday and to host a panel on how the media affects the legal profession, I’m back this week with some TV dish.

Changes Ahead For “SYTYCD”
Executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe is shaking things up for season seven of “So You Think You Can Dance.” After a Fall run that didn’t seem to ignite the viewers, the show returns to its original summer time slot premiering Thursday, May 27 on FOX. Nigel told reporters, in a conference call this morning, that they will pare the dancers down to a Top 10 rather than have a Top 20 this season. In the past, the Top 20 dancers have partnered up with each other to dance, but the show has something very different up its sleeve now. The Top 10 dancers (five guys, five girls) will dance each week with a different partner from a pool of past “SYTYCD” contestants, which Nigel has coined the All-Stars. Nigel said he will reveal the names of the All-Star dancers via his Twitter page @dizzyfeet one at a time over the next few weeks. Contestants will pick the name of their All-Star out of a hat. Nigel explained in order to be considered an All-Star, “They had to be dominant in their genre of dance. They are the ones who are going to dictate what genre they [the contestants] will dance.”
So why all the changes for a successful show? Nigel explained the idea came from Mike Darnell, the head of alternative programming at FOX, but he also agreed it was time for a change. “I don’t believe in letting things get stale,” Nigel told reporters. “I don’t believe in letting audiences know what’s going to happen and be bored by it.”

Nigel revealed that Mia Michaels will return this season as a choreographer and judge and that Mary Murphy will remain as a judge. However Mary, a former ballroom champ, will have a chance to choreograph this season, as well. On those weeks, a replacement judge will be brought in and as always Nigel is hoping to woo Paula Abdul. “I love Paula to death. I feel like the person who put her on ‘American Idol. I think she is an absolutely fabulous, caring judge,” he said. However, he said while he has a open door policy for Paula, it ultimately has to be the right post-“Idol” move for her. “Whether it was right for her or not she and her management would have to decide.”

Fans Decide MTV Movie Awards
MTV announced today it will give its viewers the power of the popcorn and allow them to decide the nominees for the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. Starting today through Friday, April 9 at 6 PM ET, fans can log onto MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote in 13 categories for their favorite films, superstars and movie moments to be included in the final list of nominees during the May 11 – June 5 winner voting period. This year’s show will feature three all-new categories that include “Best Ass Kicking Star”, “Best Scared As S**t Performance” and “Global Superstar.” The 2010 MTV Movie Awards will air live on Sunday, June 6 at 9 PM ET/8 PM C from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif.

Foxx back on FOX?
Nearly 20 years after his breakout role on the sketch comedy show “In Living Color,” Jamie Foxx is set to return to his FOX roots. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the network has ordered a pilot for an untitled project executive produced by Foxx and former “In Living Color” writers said to be another urban-flavored sketch comedy show.

ABC Family Goes “Huge”
Tonight is the premiere of the second season of “Ten Things I Hate About You,” the half-hour comedy based on the hit movie that starred the late Heath Ledger. Today the network announced the premiere dates for several brand new show sure to get people talking. One is called “Huge” and it’s based on a book about the teens and staff at a weight-loss camp. The show is said to have an uplifting message about loving yourself for who you are and not what you look like. “Hairspray’s” Nikki Blonsky stars, as well as David Hasselhoff’s daughter Hayley. The series has been holding casting calls all this month looking for plus-size teens to play campers. The show is set for a June 28 premiere date.

Also new is “Pretty Little Liars,” a one-hour scripted drama about four friends who reunite after their best friend goes missing — only to discover they’re receiving messages from an anonymous person who knows all their dirty secrets. The show premieres June 8.