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The Loop (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Loop is an American sitcom that ran from March 15, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on Fox
. The show starred Bret Harrison
as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S. airline
. Set in the city of Chicago
, whose downtown loop area
acted as the setting for most of the show. The show's theme song is "Hockey Monkey" by James Kochalka
Superstar and the Zambonis
.
). The show is shot with a single-camera setup
instead of a multiple-camera setup
more typical for situation comedies
. The series follows Sam, his friends and his co-workers, as they try to survive both their personal and professional lives. In every episode most of the characters say many "situation comedy" style lines, which are often a result of improvisation
. A complete script is written for each episode of The Loop; however, actors are given opportunities to improvise their lines during the shooting process.
The series was filmed in 480i
(SDTV), 720p
(HDTV). The Loop lasted only two seasons, season 1 lasted only 7 episodes. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 13 episodes on May 12 by FOX
. It was one of only two live-action sitcoms
renewed for the 2006-2007 season on FOX, along with The War at Home
. The Loops second season took place mainly in the workplace, and less of it with Sam's friends. The producers stated they "found most of the comedy to be with Sam and his co-workers and they wanted to expand on that." On November 28, 2006, it was announced that the show's second season episode order had been reduced from thirteen to ten, with FOX's crowded spring schedule believed to be the main reason for the reduction. The show was cancelled on May 17, 2007, before the second season was even broadcast. FOX eventually burned off the remaining episodes on Sundays beginning June 10, 2007.
.
in the United States on March 15, 2006 at 8:30pm ET. The series finale of The Loop aired on July 1, 2007.
All 17 episodes of The Loop can be watched, for free, at The Loop's TV.com site
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. The show starred Bret Harrison
Bret Harrison
Bret Michael Harrison is an American actor and singer known predominantly for his work on comedies such as The Loop, Grounded for Life, Reaper and Breaking In.-Early life:Harrison was born in Tualatin, Oregon...
as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S. airline
Major carrier
Major carrier or major airline carrier is a designation given by the United States Department of Transportation to U.S.-based airlines that post more than $1 billion in revenue during a fiscal year.As of 2010, there were 19 major carriers....
. Set in the city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, whose downtown loop area
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
acted as the setting for most of the show. The show's theme song is "Hockey Monkey" by James Kochalka
James Kochalka
James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
Superstar and the Zambonis
The Zambonis
The Zambonis are a Connecticut-based indie rock band formed in 1991 by musicians Dave Schneider , Peter Katis, Jon Aley, and Tarquin Katis. The Zambonis write songs exclusively about hockey...
.
Premise
The Loop focuses on the life of its main character, Sam Sullivan (Bret HarrisonBret Harrison
Bret Michael Harrison is an American actor and singer known predominantly for his work on comedies such as The Loop, Grounded for Life, Reaper and Breaking In.-Early life:Harrison was born in Tualatin, Oregon...
). The show is shot with a single-camera setup
Single-camera setup
The single-camera setup, or single-camera mode of production, is a method of filmmaking and video production. A single camera—either motion picture camera or professional video camera—is employed on the set and each shot to make up a scene is taken individually...
instead of a multiple-camera setup
Multiple-camera setup
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, or multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneously record or broadcast a scene...
more typical for situation comedies
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
. The series follows Sam, his friends and his co-workers, as they try to survive both their personal and professional lives. In every episode most of the characters say many "situation comedy" style lines, which are often a result of improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
. A complete script is written for each episode of The Loop; however, actors are given opportunities to improvise their lines during the shooting process.
The series was filmed in 480i
480i
480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC...
(SDTV), 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
(HDTV). The Loop lasted only two seasons, season 1 lasted only 7 episodes. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 13 episodes on May 12 by FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. It was one of only two live-action sitcoms
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
renewed for the 2006-2007 season on FOX, along with The War at Home
The War at Home (TV series)
The War at Home is an American sitcom that ran from September 11, 2005 to April 22, 2007 on Fox. It follows the antics of a largely dysfunctional Long Island family...
. The Loops second season took place mainly in the workplace, and less of it with Sam's friends. The producers stated they "found most of the comedy to be with Sam and his co-workers and they wanted to expand on that." On November 28, 2006, it was announced that the show's second season episode order had been reduced from thirteen to ten, with FOX's crowded spring schedule believed to be the main reason for the reduction. The show was cancelled on May 17, 2007, before the second season was even broadcast. FOX eventually burned off the remaining episodes on Sundays beginning June 10, 2007.
Characters
| Name | Portrayed by | Description | Character status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Sullivan | Bret Harrison Bret Harrison Bret Michael Harrison is an American actor and singer known predominantly for his work on comedies such as The Loop, Grounded for Life, Reaper and Breaking In.-Early life:Harrison was born in Tualatin, Oregon... |
A young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways. | Regular (2006–2007) Episodes:17 |
| Russ McDonald | Philip Baker Hall Philip Baker Hall -Early life:Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, the son of a factory worker father who was from Montgomery, Alabama. He attended the University of Toledo. As a younger man, Hall served in the military, started a family, and became a high school English teacher. In 1961, he decided to become an actor... |
Head executive of TransAlliance Airways (Sam's male boss). | Regular (2006–2007) Episodes: 17 |
| Sully Sullivan | Eric Christian Olsen Eric Christian Olsen Eric Christian Olsen is an American actor. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS television series NCIS: Los Angeles.-Early life:... |
Sam's goofy, carefree and jobless older brother, he is also his roommate. | Regular (2006–2007) Episodes: 17 |
| Meryl | Mimi Rogers Mimi Rogers Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C... |
Sexual predator, and co-head executive of TransAlliance Airways (Sam's female boss). | Regular (2006–2007) Episodes: 17 |
| Darcy | Joy Osmanski Joy Osmanski Joy Kathleen Osmanski is an American actress. Her best known role to date is that of the role of Darcy on The Loop.-Career:Osmanski voices "Julie" on the FOX animated show Allen Gregory... |
Sam's personal assistant and former student at MIT, she frequently reminds the audience that most of her classmates are in space. | Regular (2006–2007) Episodes: 17 |
| Derek Renee Tricolli | Ian Reed Kesler | Derek is a jocky businessman for Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients... , who constantly gets under Sam's skin. |
Recurring (2006-2007) |
| DeKeyser | Howard Miller | Executive of TransAlliance Airways | Recurring (2006–2007) |
| Hibbert | Michael D. Roberts Michael D. Roberts Michael D. Roberts is an American actor.-Career:Roberts played the role of "Roosters" in the 1970s television series Baretta. Roberts starred in the short-lived 1980s television series Manimal, appearing in five of the eight episodes which aired, as Tyrone C. Earl... |
Executive of TransAlliance Airways | Recurring (2006–2007) |
| Piper | Amanda Loncar Amanda Loncar Amanda Loncar is an American film and television actress.The eldest of three siblings, Amanda attended High School in Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, and moved to New York City, New York, at the age of 18 where she studied at The New Actors Workshop with George Morrison, Mike Nichols... |
Piper is one of Sam's friends, whom he has had a crush on since they met freshmen year of college, she is also his roommate. In the first season she was studying to become a doctor. | Former regular (2006) Episodes: 7 |
| Lizzy | Sarah Mason Sarah Mason Sarah Fay Wright , sometimes credited as Sarah Mason, is an American actress and former fashion model who played the character of Paige Chase in the sitcom Quintuplets. She co-starred in the sitcom The Loop as Lizzy during the first season... |
Lizzy is one of Sam's friends, and roommate. Her job in the first season was a bartender. | Former regular (2006) Episodes: 7 |
U.S. television ratings
Below is a table of the seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of The Loop on FOXFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
.
- Note: Each U.S. network televisionTelevision networkA television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.
| Season | Episodes | Timeslot (EST Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) |
Season Premiere | Season Finale | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Wednesday 9:30 PM (premiere) Tuesday 9:00 PM |
March 15, 2006 | April 13, 2006 | 3.86 |
| 2 | 10 | Sunday 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM | June 10, 2007 | July 1, 2007 | 2.36 |
Episode list
The first season of The Loop premiered on FOXFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on March 15, 2006 at 8:30pm ET. The series finale of The Loop aired on July 1, 2007.
All 17 episodes of The Loop can be watched, for free, at The Loop's TV.com site
| Season | Ep # | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | March 15, 2006 | April 13, 2006 |
| 2 | 10 | June 10, 2007 | July 1, 2007 |
Online distribution
In the U.S., both the first and second seasons of the show are available for purchase on the iTunes Store, as well as the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace or for free on Hulu. In an aggressive marketing campaign by FOX, the pilot episode was released across a broad range of mediums from satellite broadcasting to popular social networking websites such as Facebook, shown on United Airlines flights, freely distributed on video on demand on about 30 cable and satellite systems including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Dish Network, on Yahoo, and from Amazon Unbox. Also, prior to the airing of The Loop in the United Kingdom the pilot episode was released as a free temporary download on iTunes.DVD release
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season One | 7 | March 6, 2007 | Bonus features include a featurette which has interviews from the cast and crew. |
| Season Two | 10 | TBA |
International airdates
| Country | TV network(s) | Series premiere | Weekly schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina ArgentinaArgentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
FX Network | March 2007 | Mondays 8:00 p.m. |
 Australia AustraliaAustralia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Seven Network Seven Network The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach... |
December 7, 2006 | Fridays 12:00 a.m. |
| The Comedy Channel The Comedy Channel The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:... |
July 14, 2009 | Tuesdays 9:00 p.m. | |
 Brazil BrazilBrazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
FX Network | September 2007 | Mondays 9:00 p.m. |
 Canada CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
CH | March 2006 | Sundays 9:00 p.m. (2) |
 Croatia CroatiaCroatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... |
RTL Televizija RTL Televizija RTL Televizija is a Croatian commercial broadcaster with national availability that has been broadcasting since April 30, 2004.RTL Televizija is 74% owned by the RTL Group.... |
March 2009 | Sundays 9:00 a.m. |
 Finland FinlandFinland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
MTV3 MTV3 MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials... |
January 13, 2010 | Wednesdays at 2:15 p.m. |
 Early Modern France FranceFrance The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
NRJ 12 NRJ 12 NRJ 12 is a French television network. It is available through digital terrestrial television "TNT".-External links:*... |
August 25, 2008 | Daily at 5:30 p.m. |
 Iceland IcelandIceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... |
Stöð 2 Stöð 2 Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting... |
2007 | |
 Republic of Ireland IrelandIreland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
RTÉ Two RTÉ Two RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of... |
June 8, 2007 | Fridays 9:00 p.m. Finished Now |
 Israel IsraelIsrael The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... |
yes Stars | February 7, 2007 | Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9:05 p.m. |
| UK | Trouble | 2006 | Mondays 12:00 a.m. |
| E4 | July 30, 2009 | Thursdays 10:30 p.m. | |
 New Zealand New ZealandNew Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
C4 | May 19, 2008 (Season 1) September 6, 2009 (Season 2) |
Mondays 9:30 p.m (first run) Sundays 8:00 p.m (second run) |
 Philippines PhilippinesPhilippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... |
Jack TV Jack TV Jack TV is a Philippine cable TV network owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation, test launched on May 2005, officially debuting on July 12, 2005. It offers Western comedy, animation, sports entertainment, drama series and reality shows, such as Cartoon Network, USA Network, The CW, MyNetworkTV,... |
September 5, 2007 | Wednesdays 9:00 p.m. |
 Russia RussiaRussia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
MTV Russia MTV Russia MTV Russia is a Russian language free-to-air 24 hour entertainment and music service seen in 22 million households in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk, Voronezh, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, among other cities.-History:... |
December 2009 | Weekdays |
 Ukraine UkraineUkraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
Novyi Kanal Novyi Kanal Novyi Kanal is a Ukrainian television channel.- History :The channel was launched on August 15, 1998. At first, it was broadcast only in Kiev, but since 1999, it has extended its range to six other regions of Ukraine, and from 2000, is received in more than 17 major cities... |
June 2009 | Weekdays |
 Thailand ThailandThailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... |
True Series True Series True Series is a Thai television channel owned and produced by TrueVisions. It features series, lifestyle programs and reality shows from around the world. Most of the shows air in their original English language audio with subtitles in Thai but there are also some dubbed shows... |
December 19, 2006 | Wednesdays 9:00 p.m. |
 Turkey TurkeyTurkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
ComedyMax ComedyMax ComedyMax is a television channel in Turkey, which broadcasts worldwide hit TV series as Turkish subtitled. It is exclusively available for Digiturk satellite package subscribers.-Shows:Some of the shows on ComedyMax:... |
January 27, 2008 | Weekdays 7:00 p.m. |
 Slovenia SloveniaSlovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
Kanal A Kanal A Kanal A is the first commercial television station in Slovenia. The television program, which has been operating within PRO PLUS d.o.o., has national coverage. In its primary target group of viewers , Kanal A is the second most watched TV programme in Slovenia... |
Mondays to Thursdays 10:35 p.m. | |
            Middle EastMiddle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East... |
Showtime Arabia Showtime Arabia Showtime Arabia, as it was called to distinguish itself from its U.S. counterpart , was a subscription television service in the Middle East and North Africa. It was a joint venture between KIPCO and CBS Corporation , CBS Corp being a minor partner... (ShowComedy) |
2007 | Mondays 6:30 p.m. |
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FX FX Latin America FX Latin America is a cable television channel and is the Latin American version of the popular American television network FX. The channel does not share the same logo as its American counterpart. FX Latin America is intended as a counterpart to Fox Life, the first being produced for the male... |
Mondays 9:30 p.m. |