The networks have started working on new fall series, which means pink slips are coming for some of your old favorites. Here's what could be on the chopping block.
NBC Did you ever imagine the day when Law & Order would be canceled? We're not saying it's going to happen — it probably won't. But costs on the show have risen while its ratings have dropped, which means its renewal is no longer automatic every year. NBC's other middling crime dramas — Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Crossing Jordan and Medium — are more vulnerable. The network has also yet to decide on another season for The Apprentice
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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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Question: Hope you had some quality time off! I've been enjoying It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia during Fox's airing of reruns on Sunday nights. I like that the network is exposing it to a wider audience. (I'd heard about it, but not seen it.) What a hoot! Great characters and great writing. How's it doing in the time slot? Might we see more of it? Many times funnier than The War at Home.
Answer: First, I did enjoy a little break, going to Indiana by way of Kentucky for a family reunion. And we're agreed on the last point regarding Philly vs. Home, but from what I gather, Philly hasn't attracted much business on Sundays, where it's stunting in advance of the second-season premiere on June 29. (I've seen the first few episodes of the new season, now featuring Danny DeVito, which could help boost the show's numbers. Pretty funny and very politically incorrect stuff.) I wouldn't worry about its performance on Fox affecting its future on FX. This is an unassuming, low-concept comedy o ...
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Fox isn't doing too much tinkering with its schedule. The complete press release is below.FOX ANNOUNCES PRIMETIME SLATEFOR 2006-2007 SEASONTHREE NEW DRAMAS AND TWO NEW COMEDIES JOIN NETWORK’S SCHEDULE ADDITIONAL DRAMA AND COMEDY ANNOUNCED FOR MID-SEASON NEW SATURDAY LATE-NIGHT ENTRY HOSTED BY SPIKE FERESTENUNSCRIPTED SERIES INCLUDE SIMON COWELL’S “DUETS” AND MARK BURNETT AND STEVEN SPIELBERG’S COMPETITION “ON THE LOT” New York (Thursday, May 18, 2006) – FOX today unveiled its primetime schedule for the 2006-2007 television season, featuring the network’s most stable and balanced slate in years. Three new dramas and two new comedies will complement returning favorites on every night of the week this fall, announced Peter Liguori, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company.The new dramas premiering this fall are VANISHED and STANDOFF from 20th Century Fox Television and JUSTICE from Warner Bros. Television and hitmaker Jerry Bruckhe...
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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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