Day 4: WGA's Writers' Strike - Fox and ABC Updates; ION Goes HD

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Day 4: WGA's Writers' Strike - Fox and ABC Updates; ION Goes HD

We are now in day four of the strike. Still no resolution. In light of the strike by The Writers Guild of America, Fox has revised its lineup for January and the remainder of the 2007-2008 season. The new schedule is subject to change, pending resolution of the strike. The seventh season premiere of 24 is being postponed to ensure that "Day 7" can air uninterrupted, in its entirety.
The highly anticipated drama Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will have a two-night premiere on Sunday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Monday, Jan. 14 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the show's regular time period. Prison Break, which has its last November airing on Monday, Nov. 12 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), returns to Mondays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) beginning Jan. 14, ealier than planned.
Fox's new schedule is pretty confusing. So, I won't recap it anymore, so here's is a list of it:

Mondays, beginning Jan. 14:
8:00-9:00 PM PRISON BREAK
9:00-10:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (Time Period Premiere)
Monday, March 3:
8:00-9:00 PM WHEN WOMEN RULE THE WORLD (wt) (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES
Mondays, beginning March 10:
8:00-9:00 PM WHEN WOMEN RULE THE WORLD (wt)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)

Tuesday, Jan. 15:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 1)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 22:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE
Tuesdays, beginning April 1:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM HELL'S KITCHEN (Season Premiere)

Wednesday, Jan. 16:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 2)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 23:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (Series Premiere)
Wednesdays, beginning March 12:
8:00-9:00 PM THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:30-10:00 PM BACK TO YOU encores (Time Period Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 10 (No changes to lineup):
8:00-9:00 PM ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?
9:00-10:00 PM DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS!

Fridays, beginning Jan. 4:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE encores (Time Period Premiere)
Friday, Feb. 22:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM (Series Premiere)
Fridays, beginning March 7:
8:00-8:30 PM TIL DEATH (Time Period Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM
Fridays, beginning April 11:
8:00-8:30 PM TIL DEATH
8:30-9:00 PM THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES
9:00-10:00 PM CANTERBURY'S LAW (Series Premiere)

Saturdays, beginning Jan. 5: (No changes to lineup)
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
11:00 PM-Midnight MADtv
Midnight-12:30 AM TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN

Sundays, beginning Jan. 6: (No changes to lineup)
7:00-7:30 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES
8:00-9:00 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
Sunday, Jan. 13:
7:00-7:30 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only)
7:30-8:00 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only)
8:00-9:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
Sunday, Feb. 3 (Super Bowl Sunday):
6:00 PM ET SUPER BOWL XLII (Approx. 4 hours, LIVE)
Approx. 10:00 PM ET HOUSE (Original episode; guest star Mira Sorvino)
Sundays, beginning March 2:
7:00-7:30 PM COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only on 3/2 due to NASCAR)
7:30-8:00 PM COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only on 3/2 due to NASCAR)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM UNHITCHED (Series Premiere)
Sundays, beginning April 13:
7:00-7:30 PM COMEDY ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM COMEDY ENCORES
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

In other strike news, ABC still plans to air Lost come this February. 8 of the 16 episodes will be available, but ABC will still air those. The eighth episode does have a cliff-hanger, in case that will be the last episode of the season. Other news: The classic special Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town is scheduled to air on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 from 8:00- 9:00 PM ET/PT. ABC Saturday Movie Of The Week Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas is scheduled to air on Saturday, December 8, 2007 from 8:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT. The only thing really left Christmas wise is The Santa Clause 2, which I'm betting will be on a Sunday (Dec. 16 likely). Cavemen is preempted on Nov. 20 for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, but now Carpoolers will be, too. He's a Bully, Charlie Brown, the last animated special created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, will air at 8:30 p.m. ET immediately following the classic A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. And finally, Big Shots will be pre-empted on Dec. 6. Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007, an
hour-long ABC News special highlighting some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, sports, politics and business, will air at 10pm on Thursday, Dec. 6. So, the next Big Shots episode will air Nov. 29 at 10pm as of now, unless ABC bumps that also...they should just save it for January.

ION Media Networks, Inc. today announced the launch of ION Television HD, the high definition television (HDTV) version of the company's flagship network, ION Television. ION Television HD will air ION Television's full lineup of programming in high definition beginning in the first quarter of next year.
ION Television HD will be transmitted in 720p HD, and will be delivered over-the-air via DTV broadcast, cable, telco-TV and satellite. The network will feature native and up-converted HD programming, and will be carried on all 60 of ION Media Network's television stations around the country.
ION Television HD will dramatically enhance viewers' experience with the breathtaking visual clarity and rich, lifelike color characteristic of high definition. Viewers will discover a new level of enjoyment with the flagship network's daily programming lineup, which includes popular family shows, like Mama's Family and Who's the Boss?, and sports and reality programs, such as NFL Game of the Week and 48 Hours. ION Television HD will also enable audiences to experience, as never before, the network's exciting RHI Entertainment award-winning movies and original miniseries, such as Lonesome Dove and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 25

Young Sheldon - "A Fancy Article and a Scholarship for a Baby" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Sheldon’s published paper leads to a frenzy of grad school recruiting, and Georgie tries to speak more properly in front of his daughter.

Ghosts - "The Traveling Agent" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Pete discovers a power that he never knew he had – one that brings him closer to his buddy Jay (and further apart).

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)

Thursday, April 25

Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Catch Rob on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Carol Burnett (Palm Royale/Mad About You/Mama's Family) - Carol appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Tim Robinson (Digman!/Detroiters) - Tim is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits in with The 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - E! News has an interview with Jerry at 11pm on E!. He also talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny guest co-hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am. NBC's Today catches up with Jim in the 9am hour.
Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about Not Another Church Movie in the 10am hour.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about her new book Indulge: Delicious and Decadent Dishes to Enjoy and Share on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Pam Grier (Bless This Mess) - Pam talks about Prime Video's Them: The Scare on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Luenell (Lopez) - Luenell stops by before her performance at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.