With the aim of attracting more viewers to its acclaimed but ratings-challenged freshman show Jack & Bobby, The WB Television Network is moving the drama to a friendlier 9 p.m. Wednesday slot.
Jack & Bobby, which has been airing Sunday nights at 9 p.m. against ABC’s red-hot soap Desperate Housewives, will swap slots with first-year soap The Mountain, which debuts in its new Sunday night spot Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. ET.
Jack & Bobby, recently picked up for a full 22-episode season, stands a better chance to build a following on its new night, where it will be paired with popular drama, Smallville. It will have to go up against CBS’ powerhouse, Survivor, always popular with younger viewers, but Jack & Bobby could poach young eyeballs from other network offerings, like NBC’s older-skewing Law & Order and ABC’s struggling The Bachelor.
While ratings for The Mountain have been soft, in a show of confidence, the WB said Wednesday it is ordering four more scripts.
Jack & Bobby, about a future President, will now be going up against, among other things, The West Wing, about a current President, while The Mountain, described as "a sexy adult serial with juicy plotlines," will go up against one of the new season's hits, Desperate Housewives, which is, well, a sexy adult serial with juicy plotlines.
