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Lots of drama for ABC — in more ways than one
By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — ABC gave a thumbs-down to Jessica Simpson but beamed up William Shatner for a drama-heavy fall schedule.
Jessica Simpson didn't make ABC's cut.
By Kevin Winter, Getty Images
The struggling network was still finalizing a lineup early Monday to be unveiled to advertisers today as ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson, on the job for less than a month, quibbled with executives at parent Disney over last-minute changes. The pressure is intense: Mired in fourth place, ABC's ratings are off 10% this season and down 14% among young adults.
ABC has ordered only two new sitcoms, both likely to air Fridays, and four dramas, with three more for midseason.
Casualties include sitcoms I'm With Her, It's All Relative, Married to the Kellys and, in a surprise move, Life With Bonnie. Replacements: The Savages, about a widower and his five unruly sons, mirroring producer Mel Gibson's brood; and That's Just Rodney, starring comedian Rodney Carrington. That will leave eight comedies, down from 10 currently, with George Lopez scheduled to move to Tuesday and 8 Simple Rules to lead off Fridays.
Other comedy prospects starring Simpson, John Stamos and Jennifer Love Hewitt didn't make the grade.
The laundry list of dramas is aimed at fixing a chronic problem: ABC hasn't launched a hit drama since The Practice, which ended its run Sunday. First up is Fleet Street, a Practice spinoff starring James Spader, Rhona Mitra and Shatner, who plays boss to Spader's Alan Shore. The show likely will inherit The Practice's Sunday 10 p.m. ET/PT slot.
There also is talk of moving cult fave Alias off its Sunday perch or holding it back until early next year to make room for other dramas on tap: :angry:
•Lost, from Alias producer J.J. Abrams, about a Survivor-style group marooned on an island.
•Blind Justice, with Ron Eldard (ER) as a cop blinded in the line of duty, from NYPD Blue producer Steven Bochco. Come spring, Justice is expected to replace Blue, entering its final season, in the Tuesday 10 p.m. ET/PT slot.
•Desperate Housewives, about sex and lies of suburban women, starring Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman and Teri Hatcher.
•Life As We Know It, a coming-of-age show about three sex-starved teens in Seattle.
•Eyes, a private-eye series that will probably surface early next year, starring Tim Daly (Wings).
•Gray's Anatomy, about female surgical residents.
In addition, reality series Wife Swap, about families that trade moms for a spell, is considered a strong bet for fall.
By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — ABC gave a thumbs-down to Jessica Simpson but beamed up William Shatner for a drama-heavy fall schedule.
Jessica Simpson didn't make ABC's cut.
By Kevin Winter, Getty Images
The struggling network was still finalizing a lineup early Monday to be unveiled to advertisers today as ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson, on the job for less than a month, quibbled with executives at parent Disney over last-minute changes. The pressure is intense: Mired in fourth place, ABC's ratings are off 10% this season and down 14% among young adults.
ABC has ordered only two new sitcoms, both likely to air Fridays, and four dramas, with three more for midseason.
Casualties include sitcoms I'm With Her, It's All Relative, Married to the Kellys and, in a surprise move, Life With Bonnie. Replacements: The Savages, about a widower and his five unruly sons, mirroring producer Mel Gibson's brood; and That's Just Rodney, starring comedian Rodney Carrington. That will leave eight comedies, down from 10 currently, with George Lopez scheduled to move to Tuesday and 8 Simple Rules to lead off Fridays.
Other comedy prospects starring Simpson, John Stamos and Jennifer Love Hewitt didn't make the grade.
The laundry list of dramas is aimed at fixing a chronic problem: ABC hasn't launched a hit drama since The Practice, which ended its run Sunday. First up is Fleet Street, a Practice spinoff starring James Spader, Rhona Mitra and Shatner, who plays boss to Spader's Alan Shore. The show likely will inherit The Practice's Sunday 10 p.m. ET/PT slot.
There also is talk of moving cult fave Alias off its Sunday perch or holding it back until early next year to make room for other dramas on tap: :angry:
•Lost, from Alias producer J.J. Abrams, about a Survivor-style group marooned on an island.
•Blind Justice, with Ron Eldard (ER) as a cop blinded in the line of duty, from NYPD Blue producer Steven Bochco. Come spring, Justice is expected to replace Blue, entering its final season, in the Tuesday 10 p.m. ET/PT slot.
•Desperate Housewives, about sex and lies of suburban women, starring Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman and Teri Hatcher.
•Life As We Know It, a coming-of-age show about three sex-starved teens in Seattle.
•Eyes, a private-eye series that will probably surface early next year, starring Tim Daly (Wings).
•Gray's Anatomy, about female surgical residents.
In addition, reality series Wife Swap, about families that trade moms for a spell, is considered a strong bet for fall.
