Thursday, May 08, 2008

SitcomsOnline.com 2008-09 Upfront Preview: Fox; Flintstones Mother's Day Marathon on Boomerang

Fox's weak spot of the season is usually the fall line-up, but they could be better next season. They will probably go with stable shows with just a few new shows in the fall and more news shows for mid-season, when American Idol and 24 return.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com Fox 2008-09 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Starting Under (sitcom) and Fringe (drama)
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Dollhouse (drama), Spaced (sitcom) Sit Down Shutup (animated sitcom) and Cleveland (animated sitcom)

OUR FALL 2008 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM NFL Overrun / Animated Encores
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM King of the Hill
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM American Dad

Mondays
8:00PM Prison Break
9:00PM Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Tuesdays
8:00PM Fringe (NEW!)
9:00PM House

Wednesdays
8:00PM Back to You
8:30PM Starting Under (NEW!)
9:00PM Bones

Thursdays
8:00PM The Moment of Truth
9:00PM Kitchen Nightmares

Fridays
8:00PM Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9:00PM Don't Forget the Lyrics!

Saturdays
8:00PM Cops
8:30PM Cops
9:00PM America's Most Wanted

Comments: It'll be once again a tale of two seasons within a season for Fox. Look for their mid-season line-up probably to be a lot different from fall, since 24 and American Idol come in January. Sarah Connor and Prison Break will air Mondays I think in the fall, with both possibly taking a break in January when 24 comes, and Fox can launch Dollhouse, another promising drama they have. That will probably run for 6-9 episodes or so, and then they could being back Sarah for its final batch of episodes from like March-May, paired with 24. I don't think Prison Break will return after the fall ends...it doesn't really deserve to...maybe the potential spin-off could be introduced in an episode sometime in the fall. As for Tuesdays, I think the J.J. Abrams drama Fringe will likely be paired with Fox's House. If it hits, I wonder where Fringe will go in January when American Idol comes? Maybe Thursdays? More on that later. On Wednesdays, I think they will start with two comedies. Right now their best bet is Back to You and the new Bernie Mac comedy Starting Under...with 'Til Death likely a goner or saved for mid-season. I personally wouldn't bring back Back To You, but Fox really doesn't have anything good in the sitcom development, except animated comedies and some single camera comedies. I think Bones could be asked to air at 9:00pm. It could work, too. When January comes, we can expect American Idol's Results Show at 9 and possibly Bones moving down an hour to 8 or the comedies (perhaps one of the mid-season sitcoms in there)? Can they move Bones once again by January? Fox is hard to figure. Thursdays I think Fox will remain reality, but maybe something different. I'm not sure if they have more episodes of The Moment of Truth by the fall, since new airings are coming this summer, but that would be good for the fall at 8 followed by Kitchen Nightmares, which is coming back in the fall for sure. Now by January, if Fringe is indeed a hit, they might move it to Thursdays paired with maybe Bones? I think Fox will have comedies at 8 (maybe a traditional sitcom in The Inn or single camera ones like Spaced or Outnumbered could be aired here with either Back or Under) before Idol or maybe Moment of Truth, if it is not available in the fall. 5th Grader and Don't Forget the Lyrics could be on the move to Fridays for the full season. As for Sundays, animation domination will continue, with the same shows in the fall, but perhaps as much as two new animated comedies will come by mid-season, for sure Cleveland, the Family Guy spin-off, and another new one such as The Pitts or Sit Down Shut Up...I hope the latter. They will likely replace King of the Hill and American Dad! for awhile, if not the rest of the season.
As a recap, for Fox January, I'd do: Sundays: Animated Repeats, The Simpsons, Sit Down Shut Up, Family Guy, and Cleveland; Mondays: Dollhouse/Sarah Connor and 24; Tuesdays: American Idol and House; Wednesdays: Sitcoms/The Moment of Truth and American Idol Results; Thursdays: Bones and Fringe; Fridays: 5th Grader and Lyrics.
And so many series are goners next season: K-Ville, Nashville, Search for the Next Great American Band, New Amsterdam, Canterbury's Law, Return of Jezebel James, Unhitched, & possibly 'Til Death. I think Hell's Kitchen could likely return sometime in the season or next summer.
So, it looks like Fox will be decent year-round. Will American Idol fall more next season? It might. But before that, let's see how Fox does in the fall. I still think CBS and ABC will share leadership for the fall in viewers/18-49, and Fox will have to rely on mid-season again, but maybe it will be a bit better next season.

Remember, next Thursday (May 15) is the actual date when we will find out Fox's plans for the 2008-09 season. So, come on back next Thursday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned next week for the official fall line-ups for all the networks...will NBC edit anything on upfront day? We shall see. Also, we will try to give you all latest pilot rumblings on Saturday, so you will want to check with us! See if we have any inside buzz on this very slow development season.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own by clicking HERE!

TV Land is having their upfront today...so if they announce anything later today, you can check here. If it is bit late then we will have a write-up for you tomorrow. So check back either way!

Throughout time, mothers have been revered for their love, nurture and support...not to mention their hard work. To celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday, May 11, Boomerang (Cartoon Network's 24-hour commercial-free sister network) gives birth to a 7-hour tribute to that modern Stone-Age matriarch, Wilma Flintstone. During the Wilma Flintstone Mother's Day Marathon, which airs from 12-7 p.m. (ET), viewers will see Wilma Flintstone through the years-as she and Fred first court, during her pregnancy, as a new mother and, finally, as she becomes a grandmother. The holiday marathon kicks off with five and a half hours of Wilma-centric escapades from the original The Flintstones animated series and concludes with the 90-minute animated feature Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby (1993).
To see the episodes, click HERE! Wilmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow to the TV special TV's All-Time Funniest airing 8-10pm ET/PT on ABC! It should be a fun special for all sitcom/comedy fans of all eras. I suggest you tune in!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, July 12

Mind Your Business - "Love Child" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alfonso and Aaliyah's world is flipped upside down when their mother's secret love child comes into town, while Mia tries to figure out who is sending her gifts every hour on the hour.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Friday, July 11

  • Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Fairview/Corporate) and Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Aparna and Whitney are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Malachi Barton (Stuck in the Middle) and Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) - Malachi and Meg discuss Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and perform on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. They will also be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton talks about Black Coffee and Ice Water on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) and Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - CBS News contributor Lisa Ling talks with Margaret and Joel on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Tamron Hall (repeat) has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE sitdown with actress/director/author Krysten Ritter who recently released her new thriller/mystery novel Retreat, so check your local listings.
  • Maggie Q (Pivoting) - Maggie Q talks about Prime's Ballard on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (Poppa's House/The Game/Here We Go Again/The Steve Harvey Show/Minor Adjustments) - Tisha and Wendy chat about their film Operation: Aunties on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. They will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • David Zayas (The Bear/Saint George) - David appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

07/11 - The Office Spinoff The Paper Premieres September 4; Upload Season 4 Returns August 25
07/10 - The Big Bang Theory's Stuart Spinoff Ordered by HBO Max; Long Story Short Premieres August 22 on Netflix
07/09 - New Girl Summer on Hulu; Vir Das Gets Brand New Netflix Special
07/08 - Tubi Comedy Series Demascus Premieres in August; LEGO Masters Jr. Lines Up Celebs for 4-Week Event
07/07 - Digman! Season Premiere Moved to July 23; Hulu's Reasonable Doubt Returns September 18
07/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 7, 2025)
07/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Comedy Central Delays South Park and Digman! Season Premieres; Jackée to Appear in Guest Role in Netflix Series
07/04 - Happy 4th of July; Antenna TV's McHale's Navy Red, White and Navy Independence Day Marathon
07/03 - The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 3 Premieres August 6; South Park New Season Moves by Two Weeks
07/02 - FETV Acquires The Rookies; Hulu Renews The Bear for Season 5
07/01 - Bert Kreischer Gets Netflix Sitcom; NBC Gets Into Survival Mode This Summer
06/30 - The Comeback Makes Another...Comeback; First Look at Black Rabbit at Netflix
06/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 30, 2025)
06/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Comeback Returning for a Third and Final Season; South Park to Remain on HBO Max
06/27 - The White Lotus Star Teams Up with Netflix; Remembering Bobby Sherman, Lynn Hamilton, and Rick Hurst
06/26 - The CW's Fall Movie of the Week; First Look at New York Comic Con 2025
06/25 - Netflix Renews Ransom Canyon for Season 2; My Life with the Walter Boys First Look for Season 2
06/24 - Marc Maron Gets Second HBO Comedy Special; Outlander Prequel Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
06/23 - MeTV Summer Changes, Adds Adventures of Superman; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Summer Guest Hosts
06/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 23, 2025)
06/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Officially Dead After Not Finding New Home; Weigel Announces New WEST Network
06/20 - Great American Media Announces New Danica McKellar Movie; Jennifer Love Hewitt ID True Crime Series
06/19 - Bad Thoughts Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix; Zarna Garg Gets Hulu Special This July
06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
06/17 - Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife on A&E Series; Digman! Returns July 9 on Comedy Central
06/16 - Hulu's Chad Powers Teaser; Prime Video's Jesse Williams Series
06/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 16, 2025)
06/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Mulls Airing The Paper on Primetime Lineup; Fox Revives Baywatch Reboot Talk
06/13 - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Renewed for 2 More Seasons; Hanna-Barbera Developing Adult Animated Series
06/12 - Comedy Superstar Jack Black Is the King of Comedy at Nickelodeon; Doc Adds Felicity Huffman
06/11 - Celebrities for Celebrity Family Feud Season 11; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Starts Production