Question: I know it's still summer, but have the networks announced tentative dates for their season premieres?
Answer: As of now, the only network not to announce premiere dates is CBS, which will likely launch most of its new and returning shows the weeks of Sept. 17 and 24.
Here's how the others shape up: The season kicks off early on Fox, with Prison Break and Vanished on Aug. 21; then the limited reality series Duets on Aug. 29; Justice and Bones on Aug. 30; House and Standoff on Sept. 5; the comedies 'Til Death and Happy Hour on Sept 7; Nanny 911 on Sept. 8; Cops and America's Most Wanted on Sept. 9; Fox's animated comedy lineup plus The War at Home on Sept. 10; and MADtv Sept. 16. (The O.C. won't return until after postseason baseball on Nov. 2.)
On ABC, 20/20 officially kicks off Sept. 8; Dancing with the Stars returns Sept. 12 and 13; Wife Swap premieres Sept. 18; Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees on Sept. 21; Ugly Betty and Men in Trees on Sept. 22; Extreme Makeover: Home
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After attending the networks' upfront presentations all week, the Biz has this analysis of the coming season. (Click here for next fall's grid and new-show descriptions.)
CWYou've got to wonder what went wrong in CW's new-series development process if the network had to bring back 7th Heaven — even though the show lost a reported $16 million for WB this past season.
But the decision to have CW's inaugural schedule made up of established shows from WB and UPN may end up being a blessing. Many of the shows have small but rabid followings, and promoting new shows on a new network will be tough. The fans of shows like One Tree Hill and Veronica Mars will track them down on their own. Viewers in the 18-to-34-year-old demographic that CW targets don't watch networks, they watch shows. (According to recent survey, only one in four 1
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Per the Hollywood Reporter, Madeleine Stowe has scored the lead in the Fox drama Southern Comfort, playing a woman who takes over her mobster husband's biz when he gets sent to prison.... Jonathan Silverman has joined the ABC comedy In Case of Emergency.... Christine Taylor has been cast in the ABC comedy 52 Fights.... Adam Baldwin is joining Taye Diggs in ABC's Day Break.... Regina King is in talks to join Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and Kelli Williams in ABC's legal comedy Women in Law.... Tia Mowry has replaced Cynthia Addai-Robinson in CW's Girlfriends spin-off, The Game.... and speaking of the new network, CW has given its first pilot order to Runaway, a drama from Sex and the City creator Darren Star.
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Joey has lost his gal pal: Per the Hollywood Reporter, Andrea Anders has left the shelved Friends spin-off to join Jason Ritter on CBS' The Class. Also, Jay Harrington (aka Desperate Housewives' Dr. Ron) has been cast on CBS' Capitol Hill comedy Sex, Power, Love & Politics, and Wendy Raquel Robinson has been tapped to star in UPN's (CW's?) Girlfriends spin-off, tentatively titled The Game.
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