Law & Order
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
read more
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
read more
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 ...
read more
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...
read more
Brad Garrett, 'Til Death
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
read more
Kevin James, The King of Queens
This week the networks began meeting with ad-agency execs to talk about what's in development for the 2006-07 season. That means it's time for producers of current shows with less-than-robust ratings to start worrying about getting picked up for next season. Here's what industry insiders are telling the Biz.
ABC: The network's comedies are having a tough year in the ratings, but you can't cancel all of them. Rodney, Hope & Faith, Crumbs and Less than Perfect aren't likely to make the cut. According to Jim, George Lopez and Freddie have a chance of returning. Since ABC has two more hours to program in the fall now that football has moved to NBC, shows that would otherwise be doomed have a chance. We're talking Invasion and Commander in Chief. Their survival depends on the strength of the network's new-program development.
CBS: Another season of The King of Queens depends on whether the n
read more
The LoopThis show made me think. Really. It made me think that if I hadn't moved in with my buddies Dave and Jeremy right after college, I too might have ended up sharing a sweet, spacious apartment with two buxom lasses who parade around in little tank tops and are prone to fits of giggles. And that perhaps I overvalue Dave's and Jeremy's friendship.
But enough about my problems — we're here to talk about The Loop, Fox's latest foray into the magical land of Quirk. Come, come, friends! Into the Quirk! I'm happy to say that last night's premiere exceeded my expectations — though, to be honest, they weren't sky-high (did you see The War at Home? Yeah.). But The Loop has plenty going for it: It's genuinely funny (a scarce commodity these days), employs
read more
March Madness isn't confined to the NCAA's countdown to the Final Four. Nearly every night this month, we've seen the premiere of some new show getting a mid-season test run on network or cable. (Some are shorter than others: ABC's The Evidence is only scheduled for four episodes until Invasion thankfully returns April 19.) Here's a quick look at some of the more notable newcomers and a gauge of their long-term potential. It's worth remembering that ABC didn't introduce Grey's Anatomy until the last week of March a year ago, and we all know how well that turned out.
The Loop Thursdays, 8:30 pm/ET, FoxWhy to watch: To see if Fox can launch a new noncartoon hit comedy.The lowdown: Not qui
read more
Question: Just saw your website for the first time. Gosh, you are an egomaniac! I always wondered. Answer: What's that you ask, Marissa? What are my picks for the 10 worst shows of 2005? I thought you'd never ask!
1. 2005 MTV Video Music Awards: A three-hour pile of overproduced horse poop. Note to viewers: Next time the VMA host feels the need to repeatedly tell you that "anything can happen," trust me: Nothing will.2. The War at Home: Turns out War is hell and horribly written.3. The West Wing (debate episode): Just like a real presidential debate, only duller.4. Saturday Night Live: The women still rock, but the rest of the show feels about as desperate as one of Horatio Sanz's midskit giggle fits.5. Queer as Folk ser
read more
Question: In a recent column you asked someone to explain The War at Home to you. I can explain it in one sentence. It's between The Simpsons and Family Guy.
Answer: Good point. But The Simpsons lead-in didn't really help Arrested Development, did it? (Still, that was before Family Guy returned to Sundays last May.) It's kind of reminiscent of when NBC used to be able to get away with putting any old junk between its hit Thursday comedies. Hope this eventually backfires on Fox as well.
[Editor's Note: If you missed Friday's column, you'll find it here.]
read more
