SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline.com 2007-08 Upfront Preview: ABC; Some ABC, NBC Notes; DVD News AND MUCH MORE!

The network with the most talked about pilots will be once again ABC! Again dramas will rule but the one comedy probably getting the most buzz is actually on ABC this year. Will ABC bring back any of their returning comedies? We shall see...
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com ABC 2007-08 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None.
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Private Practice (drama, GA spin-off), Dirty Sexy Money (drama), Perfect Gentlemen (drama), Pushing Daisies (drama), Football Wives (drama), Marlowe (drama), Sam I Am (sitcom).
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Cashmere Mafia (drama), Eli Stone (drama), Cavemen (sitcom) and Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office (sitcom)

OUR FALL 2007 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00PM Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00PM Desperate Housewives
10:00PM Perfect Gentlemen (NEW)

Mondays
8:00PM Dancing with the Stars
9:30PM Sam I Am (NEW!)
10:00PM Brothers & Sisters

Tuesdays
8:00PM Marlowe (NEW)
9:00PM Dancing with the Stars: The Results
10:00PM Dirty Sexy Money (NEW)

Wednesdays
8:00PM October Road
9:00PM Private Practice (NEW)
10:00PM Pushing Daisies (NEW)

Thursdays
8:00PM Ugly Betty
9:00PM Grey's Anatomy
10:00PM Football Wives (NEW)

Fridays
8:00PM Men in Trees
9:00PM Boston Legal
10:00PM 20/20

Saturdays
8:00PM College Football

Comments: For the fall ABC is not likely to have a lot of sitcoms. One at most I think, and that is the most buzzed sitcom probably, Sam I Am, starring Christina Applegate. It will probably not debut until a few weeks after the season starts as ABC is likely to run a few two-hour Dancing with the Stars episodes...I think Brothers & Sisters would do well on this night after Stars those few weeks. I think ABC should keep Stars Mondays at 8 ad Tuesdays at 9, and launch a procedural Tuesday at 8. I would have preferred Women's Murder Club, but it doesn't look like that pilot will make it and Marlowe will. Tuesdays at 10 is what ABC should go after. Boston Legal is declining and I think a Friday move would be ideal...it would draw there, as ABC can make headways in the Tuesday at 10 slot with a high power project, so it is worth the risk. Maybe Dirty Sexy Money could take the hour away from the once unstoppable Law & Order: SVU. Wednesday will also be big if Private Practice does at least 75% of GA's numbers. Lost will return in February most likely for 16 straight weeks, maybe Wednesday at 8 would be good. ABC is likely going to air repeat free for most of its shows, so they can test new mid-season shows more than usual. Hope to see Cashmere Mafia, Eli Stone, etc. Will ABC get Scrubs? And do they really need it? The only thing I can see is Wednesdays at 8, followed by something like Knights of Prosperity or the new Cavemen, then Lost and then maybe Private Practice moving to 10PM for the rest of the season to avoid Idol? I guess ABC will worry about that when the time comes, first priority is the fall. Look for Football Wives to do big...they have to pick it up, I guarantee it will be a BIG hit. Series that will be canceled or are ending include: What About Brian, Six Degrees, The Nine, According to Jim, Show Me the Money, Day Break, The Great American Dream Vote, Big Day, In Case of Emergency, George Lopez and Help Me Help You. I will bring back on the bubble sitcoms Notes from the Underbelly & The Knights of Prosperity and try them somewhere. The Bachelor, Wife Swap & Supernanny will all return for mid-season or maybe December. Looking at the fall line-up, ABC has at least one strong show each night (such as Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy...their 9pm shows are very strong and they anchor the nights well) and hopefully they can build or maintain ratings with new shows such as Dirty Sexy Money and Perfect Gentlemen. It should be another ratings plus for ABC in the fall. They just have to find a way to maintain it for that little lull from December to February. I think they have a plan and will do well, by airing alternate series, movies, and specials in December and January.
Anyway, this season ABC had some decent hits like Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters and to some extent Men in Trees and October Road. But this coming year will be bigger I think. I see Private Practice, Football Wives and Dirty Sexy Money breaking out big time...maybe the way Lost, Desperate Housewives & Grey's Anatomy did in 2004-05 season and Perfect Gentleman will be also pretty big maybe.
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 15) is the actual date when we will find out ABC's plans for the 2007-08 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.

As for some network news, as we mentioned up top, ABC has decided to air 16 episodes next season of Lost. The series will end in May 2010, so ABC will air three more seasons of 16 straight episodes...that's the final 48 episodes. Everything will be answered and it will not just end without anyone knowing. There is a planned ending. Can't wait, but I surely want the time to go slow so we can enjoy it!
Meanwhile, NBC has picked up Medium for 2007-08, which is no surprise. And in immediate news, NBC has pulled The Real Wedding Crashers from Mondays at 10 and will move Law & Order: Criminal Intent there for its final two episodes of the season. Its current Tuesday at 9 slot will be encores now. So maybe it looks good for that show to return next season and the original will be on the bubble?

Warner Home Video had their annual chat last night at HTF. While there were no definite news on sitcoms, series such as Perfect Strangers & Family Matters are being evaluated for a release in 2008. Finally! Warner will consider season two's of Night Court, Growing Pains, but there are no plans yet. And they flat out said nothing in the works for sitcoms such as Hogan Family & Head of the Class. You can read the full chat transcript here. TVShowsonDVD.com has a good highlight item, if you want to read that instead.

Mother's Day is on Sunday, but the Biography Channel is celebrating the day all-week with bios on your favorite TV moms past and present! The week-long stunt started last night actually with a Biography on Julia Louise-Dreyfus, the mom on The New Adventures of Old Christine. The Bios air all week at 8pm ET/9pm PT: Tonight it is Carolyn Jones from The Addams Family; Wednesday it is Elizabeth Montgomery of Bewitched; Patrica Heaton of Everybody Loves Raymond is Thursday; and Donna Reed of The Donna Reed Show is on Friday.