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

Saturday, September 6

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 1)

Friday, September 5

  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Watch Jesse on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Pete Davidson (Bupkis) - Pete appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Caitlin Reilly (Hacks) and Rickey Thompson (Foursome) - Caitlin and Rickey are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Charlie Sheen (Anger Management/Two and a Half Men) - Charlie discusses his new book The Book of Sheen on ABC's >Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Mariska Hargitay (Can't Hurry Love) - Mariska talks about My Mom Jayne on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ruby Cruz (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Ruby talks about The Threesome on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Issa Rae (Insecure) - Issa talks about Seen & Heard on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Lamorne Morris (Woke/New Girl) - Drew is chatting with Emmy-winning Lamorne on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


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)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (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

09/05 - Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
09/04 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 Schedule; Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast
09/03 - Live Staged Reading of Three's Company Episode; Freeform Acquires According to Jim for October
09/02 - Hulu's Chad Powers Trailer; BET's The Hospital Premieres September 10
09/01 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2025 Include Archie Bunker's Place and George Lopez
08/31 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 1, 2025)
08/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Cast Changes Loom; NBC Renews Password for Third Season
08/29 - HBO's Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television; Adult Swim Slates Two Series for October
08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership
08/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 18, 2025)
08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings
08/15 - Catchy Comedy Acquires Hot in Cleveland; Netflix's Animated Comedy Strip Law Premieres in 2026
08/14 - Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series Cast; Betty la Fea: La Historia ContinĂșa Season 2 Premieres Friday
08/13 - Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building
08/12 - Netflix's Comedy Kiss or Die Premieres September 9; Lori Harvey Joins Reasonable Doubt
08/11 - Roku Originals Books a Return Trip with Season 2 Renewal of Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross; Netflix's Fixed Trailer
08/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 11, 2025)
08/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for The Paper; ABC Gives Pilot Order to Do You Want Kids?
08/08 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 Premieres September 12; The Paper Trailer for Peacock
08/07 - Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4 Celebs; Sweetpea Season 2 Stars
08/06 - Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell Golf Comedy Series; Netflix's Season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
08/05 - Disney+ Musical Comedy Electric Bloom Premieres; NBC Renews American Ninja Warrior for Season 18