Day 59: WGA's Strike; Fox Shuffles Mid-Season Schedule

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Day 59: WGA's Strike; Fox Shuffles Mid-Season Schedule

It is day 59 of the strike. Today is the big day that the late night talk shows go back on the air! Letterman and Ferguson will have writers, so they will have an advantage. But I'm sure viewers will sample Leno, Kimmel and O'Brien to see how they will be like without writers. The guests for tonight are:
Letterman: Robin Williams, Lupe Fiasco, Hilary Clinton
Leno: Gov. Mike Huckabee, Chingy
Kimmel: Helio Castroneves, Andy Dick, Kid Rock
O'Brien: Bob Saget, Dwayne Perkins, Robert Gordon & Chris Spedding
Ferguson: No guests
Carson Daly will be repeat. Comedy Central's Stewart and Colbert will return Monday without writers.

Fox has announced some changes to its mid-season lineup that will start in February. Due to the President's State of Union address on January 28, Fox will shift the pre-strike season finale of Prison Break from Feb. 11 to Feb. 18. Other changes include two "sneak preview" airings of the new drama New Amsterdam following American Idol on Tuesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 6 at 9:00PM. The series will then move to its regular night on Monday, March 10 at 9:00PM. Fox will give new sitcom The Return of Jezebel James a post-Idol preview also, airing Wednesday, March 12 at 9:30PM before settling into is normal night and time of Fridays at 8:30PM. Tired of post-Idol shows yet? Well we have more. Back to You returns with its finale two new pre-strike episodes Tuesday, Feb. 26 and Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 9:30PM (following Idol) before settling into its Wednesday 9:30PM time slot March 19 (also post-Idol, but as of now those will be repeats because of the strike). Yet more post-Idol preview slots include special airings of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (Thurs, Feb. 21 at 9pm) and Don't Forget the Lyrics! (Thurs, Feb. 28 at 9PM). And regular shows like Moment of Truth and Hell's Kitchen will air after Idol somewhat regularly. New drama Canterbury's Law will not get any Idol treatment, and will air Mondays at 9 starting April 14. While it is smart to have all these post-Idol previews...viewers will get confused I think. The schedule is so confusing. The following are the changes:

• MONDAY
Monday, Feb. 18:
8:00PM Prison Break (season finale)
9:00PM Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Monday, Feb. 25:
8:00PM The Moment of Truth
9:00PM Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Monday, March 3:
8-10:00PM: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (two-hour season finale)

Mondays, beginning March 10:
8:00PM House (time-period premiere)
9:00PM New Amsterdam (series premiere)

Monday, April 7:
8-10:00PM New Amsterdam (two-hour season finale)

Mondays, beginning April 14:
8:00PM House
9:00PM Canterbury's Law (series premiere)

• TUESDAY
Tuesday, Feb. 26 and March 25:
8-9:30PM American Idol
9:30PM Back to You

Tuesday, March 4:
8:00PM American Idol
9:00PM New Amsterdam (series preview)

Tuesday, March 11 and 18:
8-10:00PM American Idol

Tuesdays, beginning April 1:
8:00PM American Idol
9:00PM Hell's Kitchen (season premiere)

• WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Feb. 27:
8-9:30PM American Idol
9:30PM Back to You

Wednesday, March 12:
8:00PM The Moment of Truth
9:00PM American Idol (time-period premiere)
9:30PM The Return of Jezebel James (series preview)

Wednesdays, beginning March 19:
8:00PM The Moment of Truth
9:00PM American Idol
9:30PM Back to You (time-period premiere)

• THURSDAY
Thursday, Feb. 21:
8:00PM American Idol
9:00PM Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?

Thursday, Feb. 28:
8:00PM American Idol
9:00PM Don't Forget the Lyrics

Thursday, March 6:
8:00PM American Idol
9:00PM New Amsterdam (series preview)

Thursdays, beginning March 13:
8:00PM Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
9:00PM Don't Forget the Lyrics

• FRIDAY
Fridays, Feb. 22 and 29 and March 7:
8:00PM Bones
9:00PM House

Fridays, beginning March 14:
8:00PM 'Til Death (time-period premiere)
8:30PM The Return of Jezebel James (series premiere)
9:00PM Bones (time-period premiere)

• SATURDAY
As previously announced, no changes

• SUNDAY
As previously announced, no changes

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, February 26

The Goldbergs - "Body Swap" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Adam is torn between following Beverly’s rules when it comes to off-campus lunch or going to the mall food court with his friends. Meanwhile, after using Barry’s college ID to get food at the dorm, Geoff goes overboard and becomes the “student” Barry wishes he could be.

The Goldbergs - "WrestleMania" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Murray decides to buy WrestleMania tickets to spend time with Barry and Adam, but he buys fake tickets so they can’t get in. Meanwhile, Beverly forms her own neighborhood watch group when the Frentas decide neighbor Jane Bales will be the Watch Captain and not her.

Modern Family - "The Prescott" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Alex’s new company is putting her up at a new luxury apartment with full amenities and a list of high-profile residents that the family is eager to take advantage of, without her knowing. Phil is on a mission to review the restaurant’s famous sliders for his food blog, while Mitch and Cam sneak in separately to meet its most famous resident, David Beckham. Meanwhile, Luke and Manny head straight for the gym to try and pick up on older women and end up in some hot water with a few of the residents.

Single Parents - "Untz, Untz, Untz" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Angie uses Sophie as bait to get time with her crush Colin by setting up Sophie and Percy, Colin’s son, on a playdate at Angie’s house. Meanwhile, Poppy and Douglas navigate Douglas’ first night sleeping at Poppy’s house, which doesn’t go as expected; and Graham and Will go on a bro-date of their own to the pizza parlor.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 24)

Wednesday, February 26

Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother/Undeclared) - Watch Jason on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Nick appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Finesse Mitchell (Outmatched/A.N.T. Farm) - Finesse stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Beth Behrs (The Neighborhood/2 Broke Girls) and Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Beth and Tichina are guests on A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Wanda Sykes (The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Michael Rapaport (Atypical/The War at Home) - Michael stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
William Shatner ($h*! My Dad Says) - William appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Kristen Bell (The Good Place) - Kristen is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly/Samantha Who?) - Melissa drops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) - Soleil appears on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Bobby Cannavale (Angie Tribeca/Nurse Jackie) - Bobby talks about The Jesus Rolls on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on the BUILD Series at 12pm.
Mark Addy (Still Standing) - Mark talks about Hangmen on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.