Tuesday, May 09, 2006
SitcomsOnline.com Upfront Preview: ABC; 'Two and a Half Men' To Local Syndication and Their Websites in Fall 2007
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com ABC 2006-07 preview:
New Series Already Picked-Up: In Case of Emergency (sitcom) and Masters of Science Fiction (drama mid-season)
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Brothers AND Sisters (drama), Help Me Help You (sitcom), Him & Us (sitcom), Men in Trees (drama), The Nine (drama), Patricia Heaton Show (sitcom), Secrets of a Small Town (drama), Six Degrees (drama), Women of a Certain Age (sitcom).
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Ugly Betty (drama), October Road (drama), and Pink Collar (sitcom)
OUR FALL 2006 PREDICTION:
Sundays
7:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00PM Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00PM Desperate Housewives
10:00PM Secrets of a Small Town (NEW)
Mondays
8:00PM Supernanny
9:00PM Grey's Anatomy
10:00PM Six Degrees (NEW)
Tuesdays
8:00PM In Case of Emergency (NEW)
8:30PM Help Me Help You (NEW)
9:00PM Boston Legal
10:00PM Brothers AND Sisters (NEW)
Wednesdays
8:00PM Wife Swap
9:00PM Lost
10:00PM The Nine (NEW)
Thursdays
8:00PM Dancing with the Stars
9:00PM The Patricia Heaton Show (NEW)
9:30PM Women of a Certain Age (NEW)
10:00PM Primetime Live
Fridays
8:00PM Dancing with the Stars: The Results
8:30PM Him & Us (NEW)
9:00PM Invasion
10:00PM 20/20
Saturdays
8:00PM George Lopez
8:30PM Freddie
9:00PM According to Jim
9:30PM Hope & Faith
10:00PM Men in Trees (NEW)
Comments: I went the aggressive path with ABC on Saturdays. I feel something new is needed on this night where every network is giving up (sorry news magazines do not count!). Men in Trees is a nice high profile drama that has tested well, so maybe Fridays would be more suitable, but I'm being aggressive and scheduling it on a Saturday--who knows ABC could actually win this night. I have brought back Invasion because it is one damn good show. It deserves another shot. As does sitcom Sons & Daughters, which I think ABC will try once again, probably mid-season. A few of my other favorites such as What About Brian and Commander in Chief probably will not get another shot; others that will be canceled or are ending include: Alias, Crumbs, Less than Perfect, Rodney, Hot Properties, The Night Stalker, The Evidence, Jake in Progress, Emily's Reasons Why Not, Miracle Workers and In Justice. I will bring back on the bubble sitcoms Jim, George, Freddie and Hope & Faith one last time, and put them on a night where there is no pressure--Saturdays. It worked for NBC in the late '80s and early '90s with Facts of Life, Golden Girls, 227 and Amen--so why not try again? I think The Bachelor and American Inventor will both return for mid-season. One of them will probably give Dancing with the Stars a break in January, but Dancing will have two installments this season (Sept-Dec and March-May probably) I think. Looking at the fall line-up, ABC has at least one strong show each night (such as Desperate Housewives, Lost) and hopefully they can build or maintain ratings with new shows such as Six Degrees and Secrets of a Small Town. Moving Grey's Anatomy maybe be a risk, but it will help ABC a lot on Mondays and we can look for it to be number one in its time-slot. New sitcom wise, I have penciled in two single camera sitcoms to lead-off Tuesdays, two traditional sitcoms on Thursdays, and a high profile single camera sitcom geared towards women on Fridays from Elton John. On the bench for mid-season I have picked up two new dramas and one new sitcom (single camera). The one new sitcom for mid-season is Pink Collar. I wanted to pick up also Separated at Worth (traditional sitcom) and Let's Rob Mick Jagger, but I don't think they will be picked-up. ABC has Masters of Science Fiction for mid-season probably, could work Fridays or Saturdays. It should be another ratings plus for ABC in the fall. They just have to find a way to maintain it for mid-season.
Click here to see our detailed information on all of ABC's sitcom pilots. And here for ABC's drama pilots.
Remember, next Tuesday (May 16) is the actual date when we will findout ABC's plans for the 2006-07 season. So, come on back next Tuesday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on CBS's upfront.
In a syndication first, CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men will be available in syndication in fall 2007 not only on local channels, but their websites, too! Warner Bros. Television announced Monday that they will start selling the show to locals this week. And the locals will also put the show online for free on their websites. You'll see the episodes premiere on TV on the local channel, then a week later the episode will be online anytime you want to view on the local channel's website. It is an interesting move and I like it. I'm liking all this free online on demand viewing. I just wish Sony would do it too, so we can watch their classic library online anytime (you know, Diff'rent Strokes, What's Happening!!, Facts of Life, Silver Spoons, Jeffersons, etc). I'm enjoying Warner Bros. programming on In2TV very much and hopefully Paramount's innertunbe puts classic TV programming. Back to Two and a Half Men, the show will be available for cable (bets are on for TBS) in fall 2010, and Warner Bros. will also allow the cable channel to put the episodes on their websites a week later. Cool!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, September 10
The Conners - "Jeoparde, Sobriete and Infidelite" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Darlene makes a decision about her trip to Hawaii, leading to a heated encounter with Barb; Becky gives a presentation on addiction to Mark's class.
The Conners - "Two Proposals, a Homecoming and a Bear" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Two proposals bring change to the Conner family; Jackie uses her "Jeopardy!" infamy to her advantage.
The Conners - "Trucking Live in Front of a Fully Vaccinated Studio Audience" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners continue to deal with the pandemic while navigating breakups and newfound sobriety, all while planning an upcoming wedding.
The Conners - "Education, Corruption and Damnation" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Ben declines Darlene's proposal, she starts to ponder why she tends to be so negative in life, prompting her to start a journey of self-discovery, which leads to Pastor Phil.
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love Yourz" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin, worried about his son Calvin Jr.'s math struggles, recruits his eccentric friends Pookie and Peanut to help.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "To The Left" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vinny's nightmare causes him to want to get saved and Mr. Brown will do the baptizing, while Lindor is up to his neck in everyone's IT needs.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 9)
Tuesday, September 10
- Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - Catch Jane on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building), Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - Steve, Martin and Selena are guests on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kevin Hart (Die Hart/The Big House/Undeclared) - Kevin appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Caitlin Reilly (Hacks) and Rickey Thompson (Foursome) - Caitlin and Rickey are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kelly Ripa (Hope & Faith) and Mark Consuelos (Alpha House/Hope & Faith) - E! News has interviews with Kelly and Mark at 11pm on E!.
- The Cast of Emily in Paris) - E! News has interviews with the cast of Emily Paris at 11pm on E!.
- Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma will be on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew is introducing the newest Drew-crew member, Valerie Bertinelli! Plus, Valerie is making a shrimp and veggie cups recipe from her latest cookbook, Indulge, on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Zoë Kravitz (High Fidelity) - Zoë is joining Drew to talk about her directorial debut Blink Twice. She's spilling on what it was like working with fiancé Channing Tatum and her take on their viral NYC bike photo on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam discusses his mockumentary series Mr. Throwback on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/21 - Frasier (2023) - Season One
06/11 - The Jeffersons - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
06/11 - Welcome Back, Kotter - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
07/05 - Letterkenny - Season 12 (Final Season)
07/30 - Ted Lasso - The Richmond Way (The Complete Series) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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