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, April 20

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Purse Dog" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin reluctantly agrees to dog-sit a glamorous little companion, only to face an awkward twist when someone else lays claim to it. Meanwhile, a joint celebration prompts Malcolm to question whether he and Mercedes are moving too fast. Amber Stevens West guest stars as Mercedes, Malcolm's Girlfriend.

DMV - "Drive-ory Tower" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Colette tries to bridge a growing divide at the office by bringing the driving examiners and counter clerks together. Meanwhile, Vic stubbornly avoids seeing a doctor after an unusual injury, forcing Barb to get creative to help him.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)

Monday, April 20

Kal Penn (The Santa Clauses/Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Watch Kal on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years/Black Monday/House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Don is a guest on 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 also talks about Hazardous History with Henry Winkler on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Aaron Tveit (Schmigadoon!) - Aaron is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
B.J. Novak (The Office) and Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Andy Cohen interviews B.J. and Jim on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
William Stanford Harris (Abbott Elementary) - William talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Ramy Youssef (#1 Happy Family USA/Ramy/See Dad Run) - Ramy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - NBC's Today catches up with Jane in the 9am hour.
Christopher Briney (Hacks) - Christopher talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair tells Sherri about his new memoir A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Phoebe Dynevor (Younger) - Phoebe is telling Drew about her new movie Thrash on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Dan Bucatinsky (The Comeback/Marry Me/Web Therapy) - Dan appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.