Thursday, May 12, 2011
SitcomsOnline.com 2011-12 Upfront Preview: The CW; Classic Animated Series Network PBJ Launches in Summer
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com The CW 2011-12 preview:
New Series Already Picked-Up: None.
Already Renewed Returning Series: 90210, America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Supernatural, and The Vampire Diaries.
Likely Returning Series: One Tree Hill and Nikita.
Likey To Be Canceled or Already Canceled: Life UneXpected, Shedding for the Wedding, Hellcats and Smallville.
Likely New Series: The Secret Circle (drama), Hart of Dixie (drama), Heavenly (drama) and Awakening (mid-season drama).
OUR FALL 2011 PREDICTION:
Mondays
8:00PM 90210
9:00PM Gossip Girl
Tuesdays
8:00PM One Tree Hill
9:00PM Heavenly (NEW!)
Wednesdays
8:00PM America's Next Top Model
9:00PM Hart of Dixie (NEW!)
Thursdays
8:00PM Vampire Diaries
9:00PM The Secret Circle (NEW!)
Fridays
8:00PM Nikita
9:00PM Supernatural
Comments: The CW once again had a weak season and saw declines in America's Next Top Model and long repeat breaks hurt their dramas. And once again there are no comedies being developed once again. They could use a change and try to bring a more mass appeal series rather than go after just women 12-17 or 18-34. For Mondays, I would certainly change the night but I am predicting 90210 and Gossip Girl stay put in their timeslots. I would personally have Gossip Girl into a new series, like Josh Schwartz' Hart of Dixie. If they do that, good for them in taking a chance.
For Tuesdays, they will probably lead-off with veteran One Tree Hill at 8 again possibly into a new series like Heavenly. I would step away from that though and try something more different, perhaps move Supernatural to this night into a new series like the cop pilot Copper & Stone, but I just don't see The CW picking that up.
Wednesdays will of course have America's Next Top Model leading off the night followed possibly by another try of launching a drama, perhaps the pilot Hart of Dixie. As I mentioned, I'd rather have that with Gossip, and put something like 90210 here. Top Model hasn't produced any drama hits anyway, so what is the point in keep trying? Hellcats is not likely to return. Even reality series after Top Model hasn't worked. Maybe just encores at 8pm into new episodes at 9pm is the best way to go, as this way they have more shows available in the middle of the season.
For Thursday, that is The CW's biggest night and what I predict is what I would actually do, too. Highest rated drama The Vampire Diaries will continue to lead off the night at 8pm. They should and will likely go with the drama The Secret Circle. It comes from Kevin Williamson and he produces The Vampire Diaries as well. Natasha Henstridge is one of the stars in the series.
And finally on Fridays, with Smallville ending, something will be needed on Fridays. Perhaps Supernatural will be paired with Nikita, which has a good shot of returning.
For mid-season, they could pick-up another new series such as Awakenings, which seems like it would benefit by airing repeat free for 13 weeks. I wish they would hold either 90210 or One Tree Hill for mid-season as well, as they would need something fresh other than one new series.
I still don't get why 90210 is returning. But the bigger question is, how will The CW solve the two long breaks for each show? Will they end the season earlier, like in March? Or will they just continue what they do now and come back to lower ratings? This is why a sitcom hour at least would be good as they would repeat well. I'm not too big of a CW watcher, so not sure what they could do to cut down on repeats, but sound off on our link below.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own.
Remember, next Thursday (May 19) is the actual date when we will find out The CW's plans for the 2011-12 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).
And as a reminder, stay tuned starting Sunday evening (through Thursday) for all the final schedules released by all the networks! We will put them up as soon as they are released by the networks, so this will be your home to see them first!
Luken Communications, owner of Retro TV Network (RTV) and TUFF TV, has teamed up with Classic Media to create a new network, PBJ. PBJ will offer iconic characters and shows from the 1950s, '60s, '70s and '80s, 24 hours a day. PBJ is set to launch nationwide this summer with well-known titles from Classic Media's portfolio including The Archies, Mr. Magoo, The Lone Ranger, Gumby, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids and more. Luken will make PBJ available to broadcasters, cable and satellite.
PBJ is bringing back the very enduring and extremely popular animated and live action shows from the past five decades, and now you can watch wake up with these shows all over again. So get out your peanut butter & jelly kids!
The RTV network first went on the air in July 2005 in Little Rock, Ark. RTV currently reaches over 77 million homes and features classic live action television programming from the 1950s through the 1980s such as The A-Team, Dragnet, McHale's Navy and The Rockford Files. TUFF TV launched in June 2009 and offers original programming targeted at men and their specific interests, hobbies and pursuits. Among the series they air are I Spy and Daniel Boone.
Stay tuned for further information as we get it!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Tuesday, August 16
What We Do in the Shadows - "Pine Barrens" (FX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Nandor and Lazslo air out their differences on a hunting trip at an isolated cabin; Nadja has a girls' night; Guillermo reconnects with his family for the first time in 12 years.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 15)
Tuesday, August 16
- Bob Odenkirk (The Larry Sanders Show) - Catch Bob on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Al Franken (LateLine) - Al guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Murray Bartlett (Physical/Looking) - Murray is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Vanessa Bayer (I Love That for You) - Vanessa will be on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Brett Gelman (Fleabag/Married/Go On) - Brett appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kyle Richards (Down to Earth) - Kyle is a guest on a repeat of Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She guest hosts a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling talks about Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House/Hollywood Darlings/Full House) - Jodie is a guest on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
- Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland/Big Day/Jake in Progress/Just Shoot Me!) - Wendie talks about her new movie Mack & Rita on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- Melba Moore (Melba) - Melba will be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
- Suraj Sharma (How I Met Your Father) - Suraj appears on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (April-August)
04/05 - Up All Night - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
04/26 - The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room for Daddy) - The Complete Fourth Season
04/26 - Jackie Gleason TV Treasures - 70th Anniversary Collection (including Honeymooners Rarities)
05/03 - No Activity - Season Three
05/13 - The Donna Reed Show - The Complete Seasons 1-5 (Time Life)
05/31 - Becker - The Complete Series (2022 Release)
06/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Eleventh Season
06/14 - Hacks - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/14 - Rutherford Falls - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season One / Season Two
07/19 - The Neighborhood - Season Four
07/19 - Reno 911! - The Hunt for QAnon (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/26 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Three / Season Four
08/16 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season (Warner Bros. - Canada)
08/16 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fourth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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