Fall Season 2007/2008

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NBC Has Flair for the Dramatic
Network adds five shows -- including four dramas -- for fall

May 14, 2007

With critical acclaim and one new hit on its side, NBC will continue its rebuilding process in 2007-08 with a crop of new shows that lean heavily toward the dramatic.

The network is adding five new shows to its lineup in the fall, none of which are comedies. In fact, NBC has ordered only one new half-hour for next season, "The IT Crowd." It will likely appear at midseason. The new shows for the fall are the dramas "Bionic Woman," "Journeyman," "Life" and "Chuck" and an unscripted show called "The Singing Bee."

"Last year we promised a return to the NBC legacy of quality, and in terms of awards, buzz and critical acclaim, that's just what we delivered," NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly says. "We've got the class and next season we're ready to add some mass, with new shows that build on the creative accomplishments of last season and are as broad as they are good."

NBC has also done some shifting of its returning series, moving the critically beloved "Friday Night Lights" to its namesake night, Friday, at 10 p.m. ET. Returning shows "Law & Order" and "Medium" will be held back until midseason, where they will air on Sunday nights at 8 and 9, respectively. Another new drama, "Lipstick Jungle," will fill the 10 p.m. Sunday spot once the NFL season ends.

"Journeyman," a sci fi-tinged drama about a man ("Rome" star Kevin McKidd) who inexplicably travels through time, will get the 10 p.m. Monday spot after "Heroes," with NBC no doubt hoping it's found a compatible show for the first-year hit. "Chuck," a comedy-tinged spy drama from "O.C." creator Josh Schwartz, will air on Tuesdays, while "Bionic Woman" and "Life" will get Wednesday spots.

NBC's Thursday lineup will feature the same shows, in a slightly different order. "The Office" will move to 9 p.m. to anchor that hour, with "30 Rock" moving up to 8:30 following "My Name Is Earl." The seventh season of "Scrubs" will air at 9:30, leading into "ER."

"The Singing Bee" will share a Friday-night spot with returning game show "1 vs. 100." Another unscripted show, "World Moves," will be available for fall as well but doesn't have a spot yet.

Gone from the schedule are "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" -- which is moving to NBC sibling USA -- "Crossing Jordan," "Studio 60," "The Black Donnellys," "Raines" and "Identity." Donald Trump's reality franchise "The Apprentice" is not on the schedule either, but Reilly says there's a chance it will return sometime next season.

Here is NBC's schedule for 2007-08 (all times Eastern, new shows in bold)

Monday

8 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9 p.m. "Heroes"
10 p.m. "Journeyman"

Tuesday

8 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9 p.m. "Chuck"
10 p.m. "Law & Order: SVU"

Wednesday

8 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9 p.m. "Bionic Woman"
10 p.m. "Life"

Thursday

8 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30 p.m. "30 Rock" (new timeslot)
9 p.m. "The Office" (new timeslot)
9:30 p.m. "Scrubs"
10 p.m. "ER"

Friday

8 p.m. "1 vs. 100"/"The Singing Bee"
9 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10 p.m. "Friday Night Lights" (new timeslot)

Saturday

8 p.m. "Dateline"
9 p.m. Drama repeat
10 p.m. Drama repeat

Sunday (fall)

7 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8 p.m. "Sunday Night Football"

Sunday (January 2008)

7 p.m. "Dateline"
8 p.m. "Law & Order" (new timeslot)
9 p.m. "Medium" (new timeslot)
10 p.m. "Lipstick Jungle"

Thanks to www.Zap2it.com

Tomorrow is ABC's chance to show their new shows and new schedule at the Upfronts ...
 
ABC Set to Make Big Additions
Network likely picking up 10 new series
May 14, 2007

For the third year in a row, ABC is likely to be the busiest network at this week's upfronts.

The Alphabet is expected to announce the pickup of 10 new series for 2007-08 at its upfront this week. The new shows include the no-brainer "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice," a pair of dramas executive produced by Greg Berlanti, and "Cavemen," a comedy based on a series of car-insurance ads, the showbiz trade papers report.

ABC makes things official on Tuesday, when it presents its slate for next season to advertisers. The network is continuing a trend of picking up lots of shows, having ordered double-digit numbers of shows in both 2005 and '06.

"Private Practice" stars Kate Walsh, whose "Grey's Anatomy" character, Dr. Addison Montgomery, will be moving to Los Angeles to set up shop with a cast that includes Merrin Dungey, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman and Taye Diggs. Viewers got a look at the show in a two-hour "Grey's" episode on May 3, which scored big Nielsen numbers.

"Everwood" creator Berlanti, an executive producer of "Brothers & Sisters," is behind two offbeat dramas, "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Eli Stone." The former stars Peter Krause ("Six Feet Under") as the overworked lawyer for a privileged, often-in-trouble family, while "Eli" features Jonny Lee Miller ("Smith") as a man who becomes convinced he's a prophet.

Other likely drama pickups are "Pushing Daisies," about a guy (Lee Pace) whose touch can revive the dead; and "Big Shots," a show about four guys (Michael Vartan, Dylan McDermott, Josh Malina and Christopher Titus) with powerful jobs and a close-knit friendship.

"Cavemen," based on the Geico ads, has received a lot of attention during the development season -- not all of it good. As in the commercials, the show will focus on a cadre of prehistoric gentlemen trying to make their way in the modern world.

ABC is doing pretty much a complete revamp of its comedy slate, also picking up "Sam I Am," about an amnesiac (Christina Applegate) trying to put her life back together; and "Carpoolers," about friends who try to make sense of things on their daily ride to work. "Miss/Guided," starring Judy Greer, may get a midseason berth.

"George Lopez" looks to be on its way out, and "According to Jim" may join it, though there's a chance it will return next fall. The other likely returnee on the comedy side is "Notes from the Underbelly," which premiered in April and has drawn steady if unspectacular numbers.

Another midseason show, the drama "October Road," is also a good bet to return.
 
ABC Adds Nine Shows for Fall

Wednesday lineup all new; 'Big Shots' follows 'Grey's'

May 15, 2007

ABC pulled off a major revamp of its schedule on Tuesday, unveiling a lineup with nine new series and changes on every weeknight.

Among the changes are a Wednesday slate of three new dramas, anchored by the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice"; the comedy "Sam I Am" following "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday nights; and "Big Shots," a drama about the friendship among four high-level executives, getting the plum timeslot following "Grey's Anatomy" on Thursdays.

"We're heading into the new season with a strong lineup of returning shows that we've developed and nurtured over the past few years," says Stephen McPherson, head of ABC Entertainment. "That solid foundation will help us launch an exciting development slate as we continue our forward momentum this fall."

The network's biggest gamble is probably on Wednesday nights, where it will offer up three freshman dramas: "Pushing Daisies," "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money." The spinoff comes somewhat pre-sold -- it was introduced in a highly rated "Grey's Anatomy" two weeks ago -- but Wednesdays figure to be crowded in the fall. NBC has two new series there as well ("Bionic Woman" and "Life"), and the other three nets may unveil new shows on the night as well.

"Big Shots," which stars Michael Vartan, Christopher Titus, Joshua Malina and Dylan McDermott, will move into the 10 p.m. Thursday spot after "Grey's Anatomy." Although it focuses on four guys, McPherson says it's similar in tone to its lead-in.

ABC is also revamping its comedy offerings, with "Sam I Am" -- starring Christina Applegate as an amnesiac trying to rediscover her life -- getting the half-hour between "Dancing" and "The Bachelor" in the fall. Once "Dancing" and "The Bachelor" end their fall runs, "Sam I Am" will move back to 9 p.m. and second-year shows "Notes from the Underbelly" and "October Road" will move in at 9:30 and 10.

The other comedies on the schedule are the much-discussed "Cavemen," inspired by the Geico car-insurance ads, and "Carpoolers," about a group of guys who commute together. They'll air from 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays; another new show, "Cashmere Mafia," will air at 9 on Tuesdays after the "Dancing with the Stars" results show finishes in late fall.

At midseason, ABC will bring back "Lost" -- most likely on Wednesdays -- for an uninterrupted run. The drama "Eli Stone," comedy "Miss/Guided" and two unscripted shows, "Supernanny" and "Oprah's Big Give," are also on tap for midseason.

Here is ABC's fall 2007 schedule (all times Eastern, new shows in bold):

Monday

8 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30 p.m. "Sam I Am"
10 p.m. "The Bachelor"

Notes: Following the end of "Dancing with the Stars," the Monday lineup will be "Wife Swap" at 8 p.m., "Sam I Am" at 9, "Notes from the Underbelly" at 9:30 and "October Road" at 10.

Tuesday

8 p.m. "Cavemen"
8:30 p.m. "Carpoolers"
9 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" results
10 p.m. "Boston Legal"

Note: "Cashmere Mafia" will replace "Dancing with the Stars" later in the fall.

Wednesday

8 p.m. "Pushing Daisies"
9 p.m. "Private Practice"
10 p.m. "Dirty Sexy Money"

Thursday

8 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10 p.m. "Big Shots"

Friday

8 p.m. "Men in Trees" (new timeslot)
9 p.m. "Women's Murder Club"
10 p.m. "20/20"

Saturday

8 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"

Sunday

7 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"
 
CBS Opts For Stability
'Laughlin,' 'Moonlight' and 'Cane' are the three new dramas

May 16, 2007

After the myriad NBC additions and the ABC tumult, there's something soothing about the schedule CBS unveiled on Wednesday (May 16) morning.

While CBS will be introducing three new dramas, one new comedy and one new alternative series in the fall, no night features more than one fresh program and only two established shows are changing slots.

All four of CBS' new scripted programs are being launched behind established shows. The comedy "The Big Bang Theory" will be positioned between "How I Met Your Mother" and producer Chuck Lorre's hit "Two and a Half Men" at 8:30 p.m. on Mondays. The family ensemble "Cane," anchored by Jimmy Smits, will air at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, after "The Unit." The vampire/private investigator drama "Moonlight" will draw life from the occult-themed "Ghost Whisperer" on Fridays at 9 p.m. And while "60 Minutes" may seem like a somewhat odd lead-in for a musical thriller about gambling, CBS hopes that "Viva Laughlin" will be able to draw viewers at 8 p.m. on Sunday nights.

Only the unscripted "Kid Nation," in which a group of youngsters occupy a 19th century ghost town for 40 days, will have to be a self-starter, launching Wednesday nights in the slot occupied by the cancelled "Jericho."

The other minor variation on CBS' schedule is the return of "Without a Trace" to the Thursday night 10 p.m. position where it started its life. The network determined that after one season finding its audience after "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," the James Woods legal drama "Shark" was ready to move out on its own, taking the 10 p.m. hour on Sundays, where its lead-in will still be the robust "Cold Case."

"We approached our development this year with a specific goal in mind -- to be daring and different," says CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler. "The fall and mid-season series we have selected offer creativity and variety with great potential to excite and surprise television audiences everywhere."

Expected in many quarters to grab a fall slot, the Swingin' '70s ensemble drama "Swingtown" will be held for midseason, along with the Emmy-winning comedy "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and the Emmy-winning reality show "The Amazing Race."

In addition to the demise of "Jericho," the CBS upfront announcement formally spelled the doom of "The Class" and "Close to Home."

Here is CBS's fall 2007 schedule (all times Eastern, new shows in bold):

Monday

8 p.m. "How I Met Your Mother"
8:30 p.m. "The Big Bang Theory"
9 p.m. "Two and a Half Men"
9:30 p.m. "Rules of Engagement"
10 p.m. "CSI: Miami"

Tuesday

8 p.m. "NCIS"
9 p.m. "The Unit"
10 p.m. "Cane"

Wednesday

8 p.m. "Kid Nation"
9 p.m. "Criminal Minds"
10 p.m. "CSI: NY"

Thursday

8 p.m. "Survivor: China"
9 p.m. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
10 p.m. "Without a Trace" (New timeslot)

Friday

8 p.m. "Ghost Whisperer"
9 p.m. "Moonlight"
10 p.m. "Numb3rs"

Saturday

8 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
9 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
10 p.m. "48 Hours: Mystery"

Sunday

7 p.m. "60 Minutes"
8 p.m. "Viva Laughlin"
9 p.m. "Cold Case"
10 p.m. "Shark" (New timeslot)
 
I'm actually looking foward to some summer shows like Army Wives, Starter Wife, and the much anticipated Rescue Me. I missed a lot last season but my friend has the entire season on dvd. I'll somehow fit that into my summer schedule as well as all the other shows. Then the fall season will begin and I'll be happy with my favorites.
 
ABC Spreads Out New Series
Network plans staggered rollout for fall
July 25, 2007

ABC will debut nine new series in the fall, more than any of its broadcast-network competitors. So it's taking a little time in trotting them all out.

Though the network will roll out a good portion of its 2007-08 schedule in the traditional late-September premiere week, but only three of its new series: "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money" on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and "Big Shots" on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The following week will bring three more shows, comedies "Cavemen" and "Carpoolers" and the "forensic fairy tale" (as trailers describe it) "Pushing Daisies." The crime show "Women's Murder Club" follows on Friday, Oct. 12, and comedy "Samantha Who?" opens Monday, Oct. 15.

ABC has also flipped timeslots for its other two Friday shows: Newsmagazine "20/20" will go to 8 p.m., and "Men in Trees" will follow "Women's Murder Club" at 10 p.m.

The final piece of ABC's fall schedule, "Cashmere Mafia," will wait until Tuesday, Nov. 27, following the end of "Dancing with the Stars'" fall cycle.

The network hasn't set a premiere date yet for "Boston Legal" as it's still working out a few details. It will likely fall somewhere in the first two weeks of the season.

ABC also has several shows in reserve for midseason, including returnees "Lost," "Notes from the Underbelly" and "October Road" and newcomers "Eli Stone" and "Miss/Guided."

Here is ABC's premiere schedule (all times Eastern, new shows in bold):

Monday, Sept. 24

8 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" (90 minutes)
9:30 p.m. "The Bachelor" (90 minutes)

Tuesday, Sept. 25

8 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" (performance show)

Wednesday, Sept. 26

8 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" results show (special day and time)
9 p.m. "Private Practice"
10 p.m. "Dirty Sexy Money"

Thursday, Sept. 27

8 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10 p.m. "Big Shots"

Sunday, Sept. 30

7 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (two hours)
9 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"

Tuesday, Oct. 2

8 p.m. "Cavemen"
8:30 p.m. "Carpoolers"
9 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" results (regular day and time)

Wednesday, Oct. 3

8 p.m. "Pushing Daisies"

Sunday, Oct. 7

7 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"

Friday, Oct. 12

8 p.m. "20/20" (new timeslot)
9 p.m. "Women's Murder Club"
10 p.m. "Men in Trees" (new timeslot)

Monday, Oct. 15

9:30 p.m. "Samantha Who?"

Tuesday, Nov. 27

10 p.m. "Cashmere Mafia" (moves to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4)
 
NBC Shuffles Schedule, Sets Premieres
'Chuck' moves to Mondays, 'FNL' airs earlier - July 16, 2007

NBC has shifted a few pieces of its fall schedule around, sending "Chuck" to Monday nights to pair with "Heroes" and turning on the "Friday Night Lights" an hour earlier.

The network is also banking that last week's big premiere for "The Singing Bee" can carry over to the fall, pairing the show with 90-minute episodes of "The Biggest Loser" on Tuesday nights. Additionally, Thursday comedies "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" will kick off with hour-long episodes and "Deal or No Deal" will move one of its weekly editions to Friday.

The biggest headline in the scheduling changes is the move of rookie series "Chuck," which stars Zachary Levi as an underemployed twentysomething who inadvertently becomes a high-value government asset. The show, from executive producers Josh Schwartz and McG ("The O.C."), moves out of a difficult Tuesday-night spot and into the 8 p.m. Monday spot, where it will lead into "Heroes" and another new show, "Journeyman."

All three shows have some element of fantasy -- Levi's Chuck has a massive spy database downloaded into his head, the "Heroes" have their powers and the central character in "Journeyman" (Kevin McKidd) is a time traveler. The network is also hoping to use "Sunday Night Football" as a launching pad for the Monday lineup.

On Fridays, "Las Vegas" and "FNL" have swapped timeslots, with "Lights" moving into the 9 p.m. hour, following "Deal," and "Las Vegas" and new cast member Tom Selleck settling at 10 p.m. "Las Vegas" will get a two-hour premiere on Friday, Sept. 28, with "Friday Night Lights" opening the following week.

The premiere dates for NBC are as follows (all times Eastern, new shows in bold):

Sunday, Sept. 9

7 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:15 p.m. "Sunday Night Football"

Tuesday, Sept. 11

8 p.m. "The Biggest Loser" (two hours)

Monday, Sept. 17

8 p.m. "Deal or No Deal" (last Monday airing)

Monday, Sept. 24

8 p.m. "Chuck"
9 p.m. "Heroes"
10 p.m. "Journeyman"

Tuesday, Sept. 25

9:30 p.m. "The Singing Bee"
10 p.m. "Law & Order: SVU"

Wednesday, Sept. 26

8 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9 p.m. "Bionic Woman"
10 p.m. "Life"

Thursday, Sept. 27

8 p.m. "My Name Is Earl" (one hour)
9 p.m. "The Office" (one hour; new timeslot)

Friday, Sept. 28

8 p.m. "Deal or No Deal" (new timeslot)
9 p.m. "Las Vegas" (two hours)

Thursday, Oct. 4

8:30 p.m. "30 Rock"

Friday, Oct. 5

9 p.m. "Friday Night Lights" (new timeslot)

Thursday, Oct. 25

9:30 p.m. "Scrubs"
 
Don't know why this board won't let me quote today, but:

Here is ABC's premiere schedule (all times Eastern, new shows in bold):

...
Thursday, Sept. 27

8 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10 p.m. "Big Shots"

"Big Shots" is of course the new Michael Vartan series. It'll be interesting to see how it does.
 
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