Thursday, October 06, 2011

The 90s Are All That Moves to 10PM; Network Notes: CBS Picks-Up 2 Broke Girls, Delays Rules of Engagement, ABC Schedules Game Show

Over a week ago we mentioned Hey Dude is coming to TeenNick and was supposed to start on Oct. 3 (and it hasn't), but now there is a bit of change...but it's good news! TeenNick super-serves '90s Nick fans with even more of what they want as "The '90s Are All That" programming block moves into primetime, seven days a week, with an updated lineup to include the much-requested Hey Dude! As we broke last week, the block also features a brand-new Friday night interactive segment, "UPick with Stick," hosted by the most famous popsicle stick from the '90s ever, Stick Stickly.
The rotating block of iconic Nickelodeon '90s shows will kick off its new 10pm-12am (all times Eastern) time slot THIS Friday (that's tomorrow, Oct. 7), with the inaugural viewer-voted "UPick with Stick" lineup. Every Friday night, "UPick with Stick" will be hosted by Stick Stickly, featuring the original voice actor in the role, Paul Christie. "UPick with Stick" will feature '90s Nickelodeon episodes chosen by viewers via Facebook and www.90sAreAllThat.com. As for the daily schedule, Hey Dude joins "The '90s Are All That" block on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 11pm (encores at 1am), along with All That, Kenan & Kel and Doug, with the replays now 12-2 a.m. on TeenNick (2-4am encores are now gone since the block starts at 10pm now). This line-up will air six nights a week (All That, Kenan & Kel, Hey Dude, Doug is the order from 10p-12a), except on Fridays since that is viewer's choice night.
"The '90s Are All That" on TeenNick has scored huge gains for the net, posting double-digit increases over last year with A18-34 (+50%) in the time period. Hey Dude aired from 1989 to 1991 and was one of Nickelodeon's first original live-action series. As of now, the planned Amanda Show and Are You Afraid of the Dark two-week runs are on hold, but they could pop-up on Friday nights if you pick them! Stay with us for further updates.

No surprise, CBS has given a full season order to new comedy 2 Broke Girls. As of three airings, 2 Broke Girls is the top new series in both viewers (14.18 million viewers, live+same day) and adults 18-49 (5.4 rating, live+same day), winning its regular Monday 8:30 PM time period in key demographics the past two weeks. The first airing aired after the highly-promoted Two and a Half Men season premiere with Ashton Kutcher which did a 10.7 18-49 rating, giving 2 Broke Girls huge sampling with a 7.1 18-49 rating for its premiere. The sitcom has settled for a solid 4.6 and 4.5 18-49 rating in its regular time period since, putting it neck and neck with Fox's new Tuesday comedy New Girl for top honors. 2 Broke Girls stars Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Matthew Moy, Jonathan Kite and Garrett Morris. Michael Patrick King is executive producer and Whitney Cummings is executive consultant for Warner Bros. Television. The series was co-created by King and Cummings.

As we first broke on Twitter, the season premiere of CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement has moved to Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8:00 PM ET/PT, one week later than previously announced (which was actually this coming Saturday). Instead, a repeat of Mike & Molly will air in the time period on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. A repeat of 2 Broke Girls follows at 8:30 PM. So why the change? Perhaps CBS is waiting to see how new Thursday comedy How To Be A Gentleman does in week two tonight after underperforming for its premiere last week. If it does poorly, CBS could have a short leash and pull the comedy and move Rules of Engagement back to Thursdays as early as next week (Oct. 13) and still call it a season premiere. If that happens, perhaps Gentleman will take the Saturday 8pm slot. Stay tuned for any further updates, but for now view our day-by-day schedule for CBS.

In another exclusive, we broke the news that ABC will burn-off the game show Million Dollar Mind Game on Sunday afternoons at 4pm ET/2pm PT starting Sunday, Oct. 23. The game show was in contention to air last season or summer on ABC, but never made it to air. ABC has 6 episodes to air and they will air it in six consecutive weeks from October 23 to November 27. In Million Dollar Mind Game, six teammates work together using smarts and logic to answer complex questions. The more questions they answer correctly, the more money they can win. The series is hosted by British host Vernon Kay (Skating with the Stars). Encores of Dancing with the Stars: The Results will follow at 5pm ET/2pm PT on these six Sunday afternoons. ABC has been airing encores of reality series on many weekend afternoons for some time now, but this will be the first time brand new episodes of a series will air (even a burn-off is still new).
In other ABC scheduling news, they have announced that the perennial classic It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will air on the first night of November sweep on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8pm. Charlie's Angels was already planned to be preempted on this night before it premiered. Look for the Angels to return the following week, ratings pending of course. Hello, Angels! View our day-by-day schedule for ABC.

SITCOMS AIRING TONIGHT (June 19)

SITCOMS AIRING TONIGHT (June 19)

The Middle - "The Name" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Frankie's sister, Janet (Molly Shannon), comes to the rescue and offers to help run the Heck household while Frankie studies for her dental assisting school finals. But the sheer amount of disorganization in the house throws perfectionist Janet for a loop. Meanwhile, when Cassidy's ex-boyfriend pays an unexpected visit from college, Axl tries to take the high road and not act like a jealous boyfriend; and Sue wants to legally change her middle name -- which is also Sue -- in order to have a normal name on her driver's license.

Family Tools - "The Big Event" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Jack and Darren get locked in a room at a client's house, their bickering reveals the underlying reasons for their continuous conflict. At home, Jack and Darren's unexplained absence has a ripple effect on Terry, Tony, Mason and Stitch as they prepare for the annual Mapleport Classic Car Parade.

Modern Family - "Open House of Horrors" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Claire has overdone it in Halloweens past and the neighbors definitely don't share her enthusiasm, so this year she's being forced to tone it down and keep it "kid-friendly," and Phil has an idea to hold an open house on Halloween night. Meanwhile, Mitch and Cam host a costume party while contending with Lily wondering who her real mom is, and Gloria's pregnancy hormones are on overdrive, making her even more hotheaded than usual.

How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) - "How to Help the Needy" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Polly is a hit at Elaine's birthday lunch, Elaine is left feeling uninteresting, so Polly gets her an audition for a movie to boost her ego. But Polly soon realizes she's fallen into an old pattern of putting her mother's dream before her own.

Melissa & Joey - "Oh Brother" (ABC Family, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Joe thinks Mel may be related to one of her childhood friends; Lennox learns that her blog sponsor uses unfair labor practices.

Baby Daddy - "The Slump" (ABC Family, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Danny meets with a psychologist to learn why his hockey game is suffering; Riley avoids Fitch in the hope that Danny will make a move; Ben's latest fling competes with Tucker for a promotion.

Hot in Cleveland - "It's Alive!" (TV Land, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Elka and Mamie's illegal business activities endanger the group; a local mobster and his mother offer help.

The Exes - "Toy Story" (TV Land, 10:30PM ET/PT)
The guys try to fix Holly's vibrator before she finds out they have broken it.

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