SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline.com Upfront Preview: CBS; Joel Higgins and Chris Burke Interviews

The network with the most balanced line-up and most popular drama chain (CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY) looks to fix the small problems they have. I think they have sprung a leak in their comedy block on Monday in the opening hour, the CBS Sunday Movie needs to go, and maybe a bold move like moving Without a Trace.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com CBS 2006-07 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: The Class (sitcom) and Creature Comforts (animation for mid-season)
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Capital Law (AKA: In the Shadow of the Law) (drama), Jericho (drama), and Shark (drama).
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: AKA (drama), Company Town (drama), and You've Reached the Elliots (sitcom)

OUR FALL 2006 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM 60 Minutes
8:00PM Cold Case
9:00PM Capital Law (NEW)
10:00PM Without a Trace

Mondays
8:00PM How I Met Your Mother
8:30PM The Class (NEW)
9:00PM Two and a Half Men
9:30PM Inseparable (NEW)
10:00PM CSI: Miami

Tuesdays
8:00PM Navy NCIS
9:00PM The Unit
10:00PM Jericho (NEW)

Wednesdays
8:00PM The New Adventures of Old Christine
8:30PM Welcome to the Jungle Gym (NEW)
9:00PM Criminal Minds
10:00PM CSI: NY

Thursdays
8:00PM Survivor
9:00PM CSI
10:00PM Shark (NEW)

Fridays
8:00PM Ghost Whisperer
9:00PM Close to Home
10:00PM NUMB3RS

Saturdays
8:00PM Crime Repeats
9:00PM Crime Repeats
10:00PM 48 Hours Mystery

Comments: I actually think they will bring in three new sitcoms for the fall, while most experts say two. Since The King of Queens is said to be not returning, but my money is that it will return in the mid-season for its last batch of episodes, whether it be 6 or 13. The series deserves an actual series finale. I put The Amazing Race off the fall line-up. I think it will return in January, as it has shown signs of decline. Close to Home is on the bubble for CBS, yet it wins its slot regularly on Friday nights, so I think it will return. Maybe CBS can try it on Saturdays to spice up that night. The CBS Sunday Movie is one of few series that will not return I think for CBS. Other series canceled or will be include Courting Alex, Out of Practice, Threshold, Love Monkey, Yes Dear & Still Standing. I think CBS will be bold and move Without a Trace to Sundays at 10 opposite the NFL on NBC and whatever high profile drama that will air on ABC. Can Trace show its legs without CSI? CBS will be happy with 12-15 million...anything under will be a bust, anything over will be a surprise. The series gets 17-20 million usually from CSI. I think CBS should go a different direction on Saturdays. Forget crime repeats. I say for mid-season they should try that Creature Comforts animated half-hour series (it has been picked-up already, so why not?), then a few reality driven shows like Guess Who's Coming Over (which could be a half hour series) and A Hero's Welcome (which is an hour). CBS also has a half hour series with host Wayne Brady titled Jokes On You that could work--unless his CW sitcom pilot is picked up--maybe he can do both since CBS and CW are releated. Then they can still air 48 Hours Mystery at 10 p.m. to close the night, but from 8 to 10, they should plug and play with those alternative series. Sitcom wise, The Class has been picked-up already and should go well with How I Met Your Mother and Inseparable looks promising and matches Two and a Half Men's audience well I think. I picked Welcome to the Jungle Gym to pair up with Old Christine, as both are women driven. All of these are traditional sitcoms. CBS has only one single camera sitcom in the development stage, so it is unlikely it will make it. I think sitcom You've Reached the Elliots will come mid-season, along with dramas AKA and Company Town.

Remember, next Wednesday (May 17) is the actual date when we will findout CBS's plans for the 2006-07 season. So, come on back next Wednesday 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 Fox's upfront.

Our friends at JustMyShow.com has informed us that their latest episode includes Chris Burke from Life Goes On and Joel Higgins of Silver Spoons. Burke talks for about 9 minutes on his show coming to DVD. Life Goes On season one was out yesterday nationwide. Chris Burke likes Three's Company! And Joel Higgins talks about his latest musical opening June 2. Higgins also talks about Silver Spoon's status on DVD and the strange rumor that started that there is a reunion in the works. Some person on OUR message board actually started that--but don't worry it was none of our staff! Higgins talks for about 17 minutes, and it is a must listen. So head over here and click the play button to listen to both of these.