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

Wednesday, July 9

Shifting Gears - "Gummies" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel and Stitch in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.

Shifting Gears - "Kiss" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Jimmy returns with a new job and a proposition for Riley and the kids to move into his house, Riley is torn between her past and her future. Meanwhile, Matt's feud with Eve flares up once again after she damages his car.

Abbott Elementary - "Volunteers" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava announces the school district is sending a group of volunteers to help out at Abbott; however, when they arrive, things don’t go as planned.

Abbott Elementary - "100th Day of School" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
During Abbott’s 100th day of school celebrations, Barbara receives a surprise from her daughter. Melissa, Jacob and Mr. Johnson join forces to conduct a search party.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary" (FXX and FX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Months after the Gang visited, Abbott's Principal Ava walks viewers through some of the unseen footage of the Gang's volunteerism and reveals their true intentions.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank Is in a Coma" (FXX and FX, 9:33PM ET/PT)
The five stages of grief set in for Dee as Frank lies on his deathbed; the Guys plot their new path forward by pitching their business ventures to Philadelphia's elite.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Wednesday, July 9

Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Watch Salma on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Cole Escola (Human Resources/Search Party/Mozart in the Jungle/Difficult People) - Cole appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Richie Moriarty (Ghosts), Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed/Animal Practice) and Punam Patel (Ghosts/Return of the Mac/Kevin from Work) - Richie, Betsy and Punam are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish/Final Space/The Game) - Tika sits down with the Tam Fam to talk about her new children's book I Got It From My Mama a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Isabela Merced (100 Things to Do Before High School/Growing Up Fisher) - Isabela chats about her film Superman on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Mindy Project) and Justin Bartha (The New Normal/Teachers) - Anna and Justin discuss their film Nuked on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) - Simon talks about Peacock's Poker Face on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.