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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, June 9

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Pickle" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Johnsons and Butlers are curious about their new neighbors’ lifestyle and their interest raises some surprising questions. Also, Marty feels pressure to enroll Daphne in the best preschool.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the e-Neighborhood" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A new community social app shakes up the neighborhood. Also, Marty and Courtney attend a family class with Daphne and unexpectedly bump into Marty’s high school sweetheart.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 9)

Monday, June 9

Ricky Gervais (After Life/The Office) - Watch Ricky on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) - Kaitlyn appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
William Shatner ($h*! My Dad Says) - William is a guest The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He is joining Drew and playing a round of Fast Five on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Monica Barbaro (FUBAR) - Monica appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She will also be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Pete Holmes (How We Roll/Crashing), Kurt Braunohler (Bob's Burgers) and Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) - Pete, Kurt and Gillian are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs), Cynthia Nixon (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City), Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) and Sarita Choudhury (And Just Like That...) - Sarah, Cynthia, Kristin and Sarita chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel swings by the studio to talk The 1% Club on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota talks about Materialists on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Greg Kinnear (Shining Vale) - NBC's Today catches up with Greg in the 9am hour.
Jay Ellis (Running Point/Insecure/The Game) - Jay guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Jurnee Smollett (Cosby/On Our Own/Full House) - Jurnee talks about Smoke on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny is telling Drew all about writing her new book, Lifeform, on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.