UPFRONT: ABC Reveals 2007-2008 Primetime Schedule
By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/15/2007 4:12:00 AM
ABC will try to avoid getting marooned by the disappearance of Lost from its fall schedule when it launches eight new shows early next season.
The aggressive slate -- the network will add at least three more rookies later in the year -- comes one year after ABC launched two of the very few shows last season to find any traction in Ugly Betty and Brothers and Sisters.
As expected, ABC is staking out Wednesdays at 9 for its most talked-about new show, Grey’s Anatomy spin-off Private Practice. That sets up an early rookie showdown with NBC’s prized new recruit, Bionic Woman, should NBC decide not to move the freshman drama.
ABC entertainment president Steve McPherson says the new drama will be reworked from the two-hour back-door pilot that ran recently as a Grey’s Anatomy spin-off.
"We spent a lot of time introducing the characters and not enough time on the stories," he said. "We have to get the stories stronger."
ABC is also staring down the barrel of the industry’s comedy doldrums, rolling out three new half-hours in the fall and another at midseason. The move comes a day after NBC failed to introduce a single new half-hour.
Sam I Am gets the plush post-Dancing with the Stars spot Mondays at 9:30, while Geico commercial spin-off Cavemen and Carpoolers team up for an hour block Tuesdays at 8. Miss Guided is being held for midseason.
Getting the prime post-Grey’s real estate is rookie drama Big Shots, which ironically is a male ensemble drama on a network built on lighter female-skewing shows.
Betty and Brothers are not the only 2006-07 rookies to earn a second season for ABC. Late season 2006-07 additions October Road and Notes from the Underbelly are back, and both will run Mondays in between the network’s fall and spring runs of Dancing with the Stars.
Veteran comedies George Lopez and According to Jim did not make the schedule, though talks are still ongoing about a possible rebirth for the Jim Belushi comedy. Rookie comedy Knights of Prosperity was another show that narrowly missed the cut.
McPherson also said he was "bummed" that NBC decided to keep Scrubs, because had NBC passed the ABC Studios-produced comedy would have jumped to ABC.
ABC’s fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern, with new shows in bold):
MONDAY:8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
9:30 p.m.“Sam I Am” (new comedy series)
10:00 p.m.“The Bachelor”
TUESDAY:8:00 p.m.“Cavemen” (new comedy series)
8:30 p.m.“Carpoolers” (new comedy series)
9:00 p.m.“Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
10:00 p.m.“Boston Legal”
WEDNESDAY:8:00 p.m.“Pushing Daisies” (new drama series)
9:00 p.m.“Private Practice” (new drama series)
10:00 p.m.“Dirty Sexy Money” (new drama series)
THURSDAY:8:00 p.m.“Ugly Betty”
9:00 p.m.“Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m.“Big Shots” (new drama series)
FRIDAY:8:00 p.m.“MEN IN TREES”
9:00 p.m.“Women’s Murder Club” (new drama series)
10:00 p.m.“20/20”
SATURDAY:8:00 p.m.“Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:7:00 p.m.“America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m.“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
9:00 p.m.“Desperate Housewives”
10:00 p.m.“Brothers & Sisters”
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I still think you should give "KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY" more time. It's a hilarious show with a lot of colorful characters. Move it to Tuesday nights were it would fair very well.
MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER - 8/19/2007 8:35:00 AM EDT -
Per ABCMediaNet: “Cavemenâ€
Cavemen is a unique buddy comedy that offers a clever twist on stereotypes and turns race relations on their head. Inspired by the popular Geico Insurance commercials, the series looks at life through the eyes of the ultimate outsiders - three modern cavemen - as they struggle to find their place in the world. Joel, his cynical best friend, Nick, and easy-going little brother, Jamie, are contemporary cavemen who live in the suburban south and simply want to be treated like ordinary thirty-something guys. Despite their attempts at assimilation, Nick doesn’t believe Mainstream society will ever completely accept them, Jamie seems to take it all in stride and Joel traddles the middle, torn between his friends, his more traditional values and his loving fiancée.
Staring:
Bill English (“The Pavementâ€): Joel
Nick Kroll (“Arrangedâ€): Nick
Dash Mihok (“Hollywoodlandâ€): Jamie
Kaitlin Doubleday (“Catch Me If You Canâ€): Kate
John Heard (“Prison Breakâ€): Trip
Stephanie Lemelin (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigationâ€): Throne
EP: Daniel Rappaport (“Office Spaceâ€)
EP: Guymon Casady (“Hope & Faithâ€)
EP/Director: Will Speck & Josh Gordon (“Blades of
Gloryâ€)
EP: Bill Martin (“Grounded for Lifeâ€)
EP: Mike Schiff (“Grounded for Lifeâ€)
Co-EP/Writer: Joe Lawson
Production Company: ABC Studios
TJ Barnes - 5/15/2007 8:43:00 AM EDT -
Cavemen? I suspect that's the Geico cavemen show. I wouldn't put my money on that one lasting a full season. Will be interesting to see how many Geico references can be jammed into a half hour.
matt headley - 5/15/2007 8:07:00 AM EDT
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