December 10, 2009

CableFAX: 16. Encourage Your Enthusiasm: Richard Plepler, Michael Lombardo and Sue Naegle

Richard Plepler
Title: Co-President, HBO
Age: 49
Education: BA, F&M

Michael Lombardo (center)
Title: Pres, HBO Prog
Age: 41
Education: AB, Cornell; JD, U of CA, Berkeley

Sue Naegle
Title: President, HBO Entertainment
Age: 39
Education: BA, Indiana U, Bloomington

Why Them? This trio’s seats are a lot more comfortable than they were last year. True Blood has continued to deliver and neurotic author dramedy Bored to Death, while still a modest success, has been renewed — a sign of stability after last year’s cancel-athon. Seinfeld’s meta-reunion helped propel Curb Your Enthusiasm to record high ratings of 1.6mln.

Truth in Blood: Named stickiest series in Rentrack’s new stickiness index, True Blood is pulling in (and adhering) viewers like HBO hasn’t in years.

Year Ahead:

Though still carrying a skinnier hit list than in the golden years, HBO will reach for the heavy artillery. Tom Hanks’ The Pacific, a follow-up to WWII epic Band of Brothers — and the priciest piece in HBO history — debuts in March.