Tuesday, May 09, 2006

SitcomsOnline.com Upfront Preview: ABC; 'Two and a Half Men' To Local Syndication and Their Websites in Fall 2007

The network with the best current dramas, looks to have even more good ones in store, plus some good comedies, too! We think ABC will have at least two or three nights with comedies on the map next fall. The question still remains if veterans According to Jim, George Lopez, and Hope & Faith can survive?
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

Friday, May 30

Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.

Happy's Place - "Fish Fry Monday" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Emmett sees Bobbie drowning in work, he devises a clever ruse to give her a much-needed day off fishing, all under the guise of reviving the tavern's Fish Fry Mondays; Isabella dives into the world of bartending with Gabby.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)

Friday, May 30

  • Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal/The Curse) - Watch Nathan on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph swings by for a chat about Karate Kid: Legends on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about Broadway's Real Women Have Curves: The Musical on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is telling Drew about the new venture she's taking on, where she's currently at with dating and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Don Darryl Rivera (Only Murders in the Building) - Don talks about Broadway's Aladdin on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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05/29 - Netflix's New Chuck Lorre Sitcom Leanne; Apple TV+ Season 4 Premiere of The Morning Show
05/28 - Max Renews Hacks for Season 5; Byron Allen Coming Back to CBS Late Night
05/27 - Antenna TV Summer 2025 Schedule; Rewind TV Summer 2025 Schedule
05/26 - Memorial Day 2025 TV Sitcom Marathons
05/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 26, 2025)
05/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Zach Braff Joins Scrubs Reboot; 7th Heaven Reboot in the Works
05/23 - Discovery Channel's Shark Week with Tom Bergeron; Apple TV+ Season 2 of Hit Series
05/22 - TV Legend Henry Winkler's New HISTORY Series; The CW Renews Family Law
05/21 - Remembering George Wendt of Cheers; Platonic Season 2 First Look
05/20 - The CW Renews Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble; Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life on Netflix May 26
05/19 - North to Shore Festival Returns This June in NJ; S.W.A.T. Sets Spinoff Series
05/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 19, 2025)
05/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Picks Up New Dan Levy Comedy; First Look at King of the Hill Reboot Artwork
05/16 - Michael J. Fox to Guest Star on Shrinking; The CW Picks Up Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent
05/15 - 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront; 2025 Netflix Upfront
05/14 - Chad Powers Premieres September 30 on Hulu; Upfront Premiere Dates for FX on Hulu
05/13 - ABC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Ted: The Animated Series Coming to Peacock
05/12 - NBC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule
05/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 12, 2025)
05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North