SitcomsOnline.com 2007-08 Upfront Preview: Fox; NBC Renews 'Lights', Picks Up Four New Series

Thursday, May 10, 2007

SitcomsOnline.com 2007-08 Upfront Preview: Fox; NBC Renews 'Lights', Picks Up Four New Series

Fox still has the strongest show in television right now but it doesn't premiere in January. But we just got late word that they might ask the creators of American Idol to do a show about the search for the next American Band that will start in August or so and I'd guess go until November. This makes things more complicated to predict for Fox fall.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com Fox 2007-08 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: Back to You (sitcom)
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Minister of Divine (sitcom), The Return of Jezbel James (sitcom), The Life & Times of Tim (animated sitcom), The Apostles (drama), K-Ville (drama), The Sarah Connor Chronicles (drama)
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Company Man (drama), Nurses (drama) and Animals (animated sitcom)

OUR FALL 2007 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM NFL Overrun / Animated Encores
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM The Life & Times of Tim (NEW)
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM American Dad

Mondays
8:00PM The Sarah Connor Chronicles (NEW)
9:00PM Prison Break

Tuesdays
8:00PM American Band (wt) (NEW!) / K-Ville (NEW)
9:00PM House

Wednesdays
8:00PM Back to You (NEW)
8:30PM 'Til Death
9:00PM American Band Results Show (NEW) / Minister of Divine (NEW)
9:30PM The Return of Jezbel James (NEW)

Thursdays
8:00PM Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9:00PM Trading Spouses

Fridays
8:00PM Bones
9:00PM The Apostles (NEW)

Saturdays
8:00PM Cops
8:30PM Cops
9:00PM America's Most Wanted

Comments: Fox is once again tough to figure out. Besides pre-empting regular series for the baseball playoffs and World Series in October, they will probably launch some shows in mid-August, like their Monday dramas and now with word that they will do an American Idol type show for the fall featuring a search for bands, it makes things more complex. Of course 24 and American Idol itself will come back in January. 24 will probably be aired with the mid-season drama Company Man, while Sarah Connor and Prison Break take a break..if Sarah is a hit, who knows maybe they will move it or even keep it in the same slot. Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be tough now with the Band series coming. I think it will inherit the Idol slots (Tuesdays at 8 and Wednesdays at 9...if it even has a results show, but most likely it will). House will probably stay put Tuesdays at 9 with all-comedies on Wednesday. I think Bones will be either benched until mid-season or put to Fridays...I went with the latter. Thursdays I think Fox will remain with the same line-up of 5th Grader and Trading Spouses, or maybe they try a drama at 9...even though it is a death slot against the two highest rated dramas. And so many series are goners: Drive, Happy Hour, Justice, The O.C., Vanished, The Rich List, Wedding Bells, The Winner, & War at Home. I think Nanny 911 will return at some point. Like when anything fails fast. As for mid-season, maybe House can take a 6-week break or something so they can try the new drama Nurses after Idol in January or March? I don't think King of the Hill will really be needed but they will probably bring it back in January or so for the 7-8pm hour and Fox will also try the Adam Sandler animated comedy Animals for mid-season. Fox is the most hardest to predict I think with the many schedule "blocks" of months they have.

Remember, next Thursday (May 17) is the actual date when we will find out Fox's plans for the 2007-08 season. So, come on back next Thursday 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 The CW's upfront.

Monday we gave our prediction on NBC's upfront. We had Friday Night Lights on our schedule and sure enough NBC made it official today that the show will return to NBC for a second season. No word yet if it will be for the fall or January. NBC also announced it has picked-up at least four new dramas to air for the 2007-08 season: Journeyman, Bionic Woman, Chuck and Life. I'm sure two of them at least will be for the fall.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 9

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Stuffed Monkey and an Ex-Girlfriend" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When CeeCee loses her favorite toy, Mandy and Meemaw (Annie Potts) take it as an opportunity to make some money. Meanwhile, Connor contemplates revisiting an old relationship.

Ghosts - "Michael Jackson Goes to HR" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Trevor lands himself in trouble when an inappropriate gift to a co‑worker forces him into an HR meeting only Jay can handle. Meanwhile, Pete unintentionally sparks drama with Alberta after casually mentioning a surprise visit to his ex.

Animal Control - "Scaredy Cats and Card Sharks" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
When Frank and Daisy lose $5,000 in union funds, they try to win the money back by gambling; Shred and Patel cover the late-night shift at the precinct.

Going Dutch - "The Heart Locker" (Fox, 9:32PM ET/PT)
After throwing out his back, the Colonel is ordered to bed rest; the base is sent to sweep for landmines at a local farm, where Major Shah suddenly finds himself in serious danger when he steps on one.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Thursday, April 9

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Catch Kerry on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Riz Ahmed (Bait) - Riz is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
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 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Jim appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy talks about Scrubs and High Potential on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Dany Levy (Big Mistakes/Schitt's Creek) - Dan talks about Big Mistakes on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Felicity Huffman (Sports Night) - Felicity dishes on Doc on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/Help Me Help You) - Bryan, Frankie and Jane talk about Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
John C. Reilly (Moonbase 8) - NBC's Today has "Head or Tails" with John in the 9am hour.
Billy Magnussen (The Franchise/Made for Love) - NBC's Today catches up with Billy in the 9am hour.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Terry and Rebecca King-Crews revealing for the first time Rebecca's health battle, so check your local listings.
Kenya Barris (blackAF) - Kenya talks about Prime's Jerry West: The Logo on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Juliette Lewis (Camping/I Married Dora) - Juliette tells Drew about her current run in Broadway show The Rocky Horror Show on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.