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

Wednesday, January 21

Shifting Gears - "Toys" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Riley’s new relationship feels perfect until Matt crashes in, throwing some unexpected obstacles her way. Meanwhile, Matt’s toy car project is derailed when he and Gabe are tasked with working together. Jesse Williams and Maria Bamford guest star.

Abbott Elementary - "Mall Part 3: Heroes" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After the faculty finds surprising success operating the school in the mall, they quickly realize they are being taken advantage of. Meanwhile, a new custodian arrives to join Mr. Johnson.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 19)

Wednesday, January 21

Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) - Watch Martin on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - Jane is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jessica Williams (Shrinking/Love Life/Just for Kicks) - Jessica stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Bert Kreischer (Free Bert) - Bert appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also chats about Unfunny Bunny and Saturday Night Live with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan share details of his new children’s book, Unfunny Bunny, and more on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Scott Foley (The Goodwin Games/A.U.S.A./Scrubs) - Scott talks about Will Trent and It's Not Like That on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Sarah discusses her love of reading and protecting her vision with Lara Spencer on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Jennette McCurdy (Sam & Cat/iCarly) - Jennette talks about Half Her Age on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Arden Myrin (Free Bert/Working/Still the King) - Arden dishes about her new Netflix series Free Bert on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) and Meaghan Rath (Children Ruin Everything/Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life/The Assistants) - Jason and Meagahn talk about their film Untitled Home Invasion Romance on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim talks about Netflix's The Upshaws on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.