Fox Schedule Update, Loses NFL Lead-In for New Series; Friends Reunion Tonight on ABC's Cougar Town

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Fox Schedule Update, Loses NFL Lead-In for New Series; Friends Reunion Tonight on ABC's Cougar Town

The NFL for some reason changed the playoff schedule for Sunday, Jan. 17. Instead of Fox having the late afternoon playoff game, it will now be CBS, which was scheduled to have the early afternoon playoff game. However, Fox will now have the late afternoon playoff game (Green Bay at Arizona) this coming Sunday (Jan. 10) instead. But I'm sure Fox is pissed because now on Jan. 17, the premiere of new series Human Target will NOT get a direct NFL lead-in. Also airing that night on Fox is the season premiere of 24 from 9-11pm and it also won't have that inflated lead-in. A repeat of the season finale of 24 from last season will air in the 7pm hour opposite the ending of the NFL playoff game on CBS. CBS will use the huge NFL playoff lead-in for 60 Minutes at a special time of 8pm. It will be followed by an all-new Cold Case and a repeat of NCIS at 10pm.
As mentioned above, Fox will get to have a big NFL lead-in this coming Sunday though for the 450th episode of The Simpsons at 8pm followed by a one-hour 20th anniversary special, and an all-new Cleveland Show at a special time of 9:30pm. While that is good for Fox, but they would have preferred the huge lead-in for Jan. 17 instead, I'm sure. My guess is the 450th episode will do very well, but then the night will go back to normal levels quickly.
Here is the NFL playoff schedule for the networks the next two weeks: Saturday, Jan. 9 NBC late afternoon and primetime; Sunday, Jan. 10 CBS early afternoon and Fox late afternoon; Saturday, Jan. 16 Fox late afternoon and CBS primetime; Sunday, Jan. 17 Fox early afternoon and CBS late afternoon. Early afternoon is 1pm ET, late afternoon is 4:30pm ET, and primetime is 8:00pm ET.

Wishing for a Friends reunion? Well tonight on ABC, you'll probably get the best Friends reunion you can get right now. Lisa Kudrow guest stars tonight on the ABC comedy Cougar Town starring Courtney Cox at 9:30pm ET/PT. Yes, Phoebe and Monica together again...but on Cougar Town they will not be friends, they will be frenemies! Despite fearing the meanest and most unrelenting dermatologist in town, Dr. Amy Evans (Lisa Kudrow), Jules (Courtney Cox) and Ellie (Christa Miller) are willing to endure the harsh ridicule and wrath for an appointment with the best in the business. But when Jules learns Dr. Evans is seeing her ex-husband Bobby (Brian Van Holt), she's determined to stand up to her and protect him. I'll be there for you, indeed! Meanwhile, her son Travis (Dan Byrd) gets a job working for the cougar Barb (Carolyn Hennesy) that turns out to be more than he bargained for. Scott Foley also guest stars.
Maybe Jennifer Aniston is next? View the promo and a sneak peak for tonight's reunion:

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, March 31

Lopez vs. Lopez - "Lopez vs Dog Quinces" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A once-estranged father and daughter navigate dysfunction, reconnection and all the headaches and joy in between as they make up for lost time like only they can -- with the rest of their unique, offbeat family by their side.

Grand Crew - "Wine & Children" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Nicky and Noah find out their dad has a new boo; Anthony and Fay look after Wyatt's plants while he's away; Sherm dates a mommy, and there's wine.

Saturdays - "Too Many Cooks" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Paris asks if Simone and Ari can work at her parents' baking business, but before long, Paris is working overtime to clean up her friends' messes.

Saturdays - "Why Are You So Meme?" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paris and Sonia Little of 2-Cute-4-U show up at Saturdays with the same hairdo, touching off a "Who-Wore-It-Best" meme war.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 27)

Friday, March 31

Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about The Super Mario Bros. Movie on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
Ike Barinholtz (History of the World, Part II/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Animal Practice/Better with You/Reba) and Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - JoAnna and Morris guest co-host The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Heather Graham (Californication/Emily's Reasons Why Not/Scrubs) - Heather appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother) - Kyra talks about Space Oddity on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She will also be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
John Owen Lowe (Unstable) - John is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney talks about her new OnlyFans comedy roast series Whitney Cummings Presents on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Leslie Odom Jr. (Love in the Time of Corona/Big Dady) and Nicolette Robinson (Love in the Time of Corona/Perfect Couples) - Leslie and Nicolette talk about I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Christina Milian (Grandfathered) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know spotlights Celia Cruz as first Afro-Latina on a U.S. quarter with family and celebrity guests Christina Milian, Amara La Negra and Judy Reyes at 1pm.