17 May 2007

Upfronts: Day 4: Part 1


FOX’s ADD style of scheduling can sometimes be frustrating, as they either quick to move or cancel a show sooner than most. And, as you will see, you’ll need to keep a score card to find out where all your shows will be, as the mini-network offers a fall and winter schedule. Pay close attention:

Sunday remains their most stable day and starts with the overflow of football and will start the 7pm hour with season 18 of The Simpsons, followed by King of the Hill, Family Guy and American Dad. (When Football is done, expect King of the Hill to lead off the night followed by a relocated American Dad, then The Simpsons and Family Guy. At the 9pm hour, FOX will debut its first new 1-hour drama since the demise of The X Files. As expected, The Sarah Jane Chronicles will begin, with the intention of this series to fill in the gaps between the second and third Terminator films; Sarah Connor and her son John, humanity's future savior, must fight to stay alive in a dangerous world full of threats both from the present and the future.

Monday brings back one trick pony Prison Break, which the network hopes can come back from its slide this past season. K-Ville will be next and is set two years after Hurricane Katrina, where New Orleans is far from rebuilt, and is a city full of criminals with an under-manned and unprepared police force. Two partners patrol the streets of the Big Easy, doing their part to save the city. (In January, K-Ville will move to Prison Breaks timeslot {which will go on hiatus until the spring} and the next season of 24 resides in its old timeslot)

Tuesday leads off with New Amsterdam about a man named John Amsterdam, who in the 17th century served as a Dutch solider in the colony of New Amsterdam. That makes it really strange that in 2007, he's still working as a New York City homicide detective. Funny what a little immortality will do. House returns for what could be its biggest season yet. (In January, New Amsterdam moves to Friday, and American Idol will take over its slot)

Wednesday begins with the return of Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton in the new comedy Back to You, a series about what happens when a big city news anchor makes an embarrassing incident, forcing him to retreat back to his old market, where he has to reteam with his former co-anchor, who also happens to be his ex. ‘Til Death returns for season two, followed by the third year of the offbeat Bones. (In January, Bones moves to Friday, and the American Idol results show will air at 9. Now, in the spring, the results show hour will be cut in half and ‘Til Death will take over the later slot. Meanwhile Gilmore Girls creators new comedy The Return of Jezebel James will take over the post Back to You slot. Jezebel James is about a busy book editor who turns to her estranged younger sister to help carry her baby). Wow.

Thursday has Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? now as a regular series, followed by Kitchen Nightmares, where former Hell’s Kitchen chef Gordon Ramsey travels the country visiting restaurants in crisis and helping them get their kitchens back in order. (When Kitchen Nightmares ends its run in January, Canterbury's Law debuts and is about a rebellious female defense attorney, stuck in a strained marriage to a law professor, but is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the wrongfully accused

Friday launches the new gameshow/reality program The Search For the Next Great American Band from the creators of American Idol.]Laguna Beach creators have Nashville,that finishes out the night, and is a (wink, wink, nudge nudge) unscripted soap opera set amongst the Nashville music scene and its highly dysfunctional high society.

Saturday remains the same: Two episodes of COPS followed by America's Most Wanted

Into the cancellations bin go these fine programs: Drive, Happy Hour, Justice, The Loop (which never made it to the fall schedule, but is slated to start its second season in June), The O.C., The Rich List, Stand-off, Vanished, The Wedding Bells, The War at Home,The Winner.

Later on, The CW

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