ABC and The CW 2008-09 Upfronts: Fall 2008 Schedules; Fans Create Save Back to You Campaign

Your FIRST look at ABC's official line-up!

ABC 2008-09

Fall 2008

Sundays
7:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00PM Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00PM Desperate Housewives
10:00PM Brothers & Sisters

Mondays
8:00PM Dancing with the Stars
9:30PM Samantha Who?
10:00PM Boston Legal

Tuesdays
8:00PM Opportunity Knocks (NEW!)
9:00PM Dancing with the Stars: The Results
10:00PM Eli Stone

Wednesdays
8:00PM Pushing Daisies
9:00PM Private Practice
10:00PM Dirty Sexy Money

Thursdays
8:00PM Ugly Betty
9:00PM Grey's Anatomy
10:00PM Life on Mars (NEW!)

Fridays
8:00PM Wife Swap
9:00PM Supernanny
10:00PM 20/20

Saturdays
8:00PM College Football


Mid-Season:

New series for midseason include Scrubs (Tuesdays at 9 in January), The Goode Family (Tuesdays at 9:30 in January) and Untitled Ashton Kutcher/Tyra Banks Reality Project (Mondays at 8 in January).
More new mid-season series will be announced at a later date, likely in July during the TCA Tour.
Other returning series include According to Jim, The Bachelor, Lost and ABC News' Primetime: What Would You Do?

Discuss ABC's 2008-09 line-up here.


The CW's Fall Line-Up will come very shortly.


Fox has canceled freshman sitcom Back to You, as we reported a few days ago, and now fans right here at SitcomsOnline.com have created a campaign to bring back the show! While I'm certainly not a fan of the show, I'm always willing to help to save a show needed to be saved, especially a sitcom. And the way fans think of how to save a show is the most important thing. Sure, an online petition is a good way to gather fans, but I know for a fact that they don't really help. Online petitions are usually ignored by networks. However, really creative ideas do work. We all know that because CBS executives last year canceled freshman drama Jericho after one season, and fans were outraged and they sent "nuts" to the CBS offices. To make a long story short, CBS was pleased how the fans reacted and brought the series back from the dead...but it didn't really help as the show is once again canceled after this season do to low ratings. I don't think nuts will work again.
Fans of Back to You on our message boards were outraged by the cancelation and created a petition. I told them that wouldn't really work...something more creative is needed. So I suggested they come up with one. We recently were all for a fan campaign to bring back October Road, a personal favorite of mine. Some fans from abc.com's message boards contacted me and I was very intrigued by their campaign that I even did a story on it right here on the blog. Basically that campaign was going to help local libraries, which is always a good cause. There was also another campaign to save MEN IN TREES, where fans helped to plant trees to save trees. Another good cause. They don't always work though, as both of those series have been canned, but it is better than not trying.
Well, anyway, the fans took my suggestion and brainstormed a few ideas and came up with a pretty funny (and good) one. Their idea is to send Fox (or even CBS) bottled water! Why bottled water? Because on the last episode that aired, fan TJL (who came up with this idea) says, "as part of the new station manager's cost cutting initiative, she eliminated some things, parking spaces, vacations, and free bottled water in the fridge." So what better way to save costs for Fox (since they canceled Back to You to save costs), then to give free bottled water to Fox.
A leader has emerged on this fan campaign and her name is Julie. She is big fan obviously and posts on our message boards daily. She has created a webpage for this campaign and you can find all the details there, such as where to send the bottled water and what note to put on it so they know what this is for. So check out her web campaign. She has an address for CBS but not Fox (she should add it on there I think)...I think fans should send bottled water to BOTH networks. CBS should get actual water filled bottles (since fans are trying to persaude them to buy the series), while Fox gets empty water bottles just for canceling the show...since they don't deserve free water Don't forget to include the note, because I doubt CBS would know what this means, since the show is not on their network. A local Pittsburgh newspaper also published this campaign.

SitcomsOnline.com 2008-09 Upfront Preview: Fox; Flintstones Mother's Day Marathon on Boomerang

Fox's weak spot of the season is usually the fall line-up, but they could be better next season. They will probably go with stable shows with just a few new shows in the fall and more news shows for mid-season, when American Idol and 24 return.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com Fox 2008-09 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None
New Series We Think That Are Almost Good To Go: Starting Under (sitcom) and Fringe (drama)
New Series Perhaps Picked-Up for Mid-Season: Dollhouse (drama), Spaced (sitcom) Sit Down Shutup (animated sitcom) and Cleveland (animated sitcom)

OUR FALL 2008 PREDICTION:

Sundays
7:00PM NFL Overrun / Animated Encores
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM King of the Hill
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM American Dad

Mondays
8:00PM Prison Break
9:00PM Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Tuesdays
8:00PM Fringe (NEW!)
9:00PM House

Wednesdays
8:00PM Back to You
8:30PM Starting Under (NEW!)
9:00PM Bones

Thursdays
8:00PM The Moment of Truth
9:00PM Kitchen Nightmares

Fridays
8:00PM Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9:00PM Don't Forget the Lyrics!

Saturdays
8:00PM Cops
8:30PM Cops
9:00PM America's Most Wanted

Comments: It'll be once again a tale of two seasons within a season for Fox. Look for their mid-season line-up probably to be a lot different from fall, since 24 and American Idol come in January. Sarah Connor and Prison Break will air Mondays I think in the fall, with both possibly taking a break in January when 24 comes, and Fox can launch Dollhouse, another promising drama they have. That will probably run for 6-9 episodes or so, and then they could being back Sarah for its final batch of episodes from like March-May, paired with 24. I don't think Prison Break will return after the fall ends...it doesn't really deserve to...maybe the potential spin-off could be introduced in an episode sometime in the fall. As for Tuesdays, I think the J.J. Abrams drama Fringe will likely be paired with Fox's House. If it hits, I wonder where Fringe will go in January when American Idol comes? Maybe Thursdays? More on that later. On Wednesdays, I think they will start with two comedies. Right now their best bet is Back to You and the new Bernie Mac comedy Starting Under...with 'Til Death likely a goner or saved for mid-season. I personally wouldn't bring back Back To You, but Fox really doesn't have anything good in the sitcom development, except animated comedies and some single camera comedies. I think Bones could be asked to air at 9:00pm. It could work, too. When January comes, we can expect American Idol's Results Show at 9 and possibly Bones moving down an hour to 8 or the comedies (perhaps one of the mid-season sitcoms in there)? Can they move Bones once again by January? Fox is hard to figure. Thursdays I think Fox will remain reality, but maybe something different. I'm not sure if they have more episodes of The Moment of Truth by the fall, since new airings are coming this summer, but that would be good for the fall at 8 followed by Kitchen Nightmares, which is coming back in the fall for sure. Now by January, if Fringe is indeed a hit, they might move it to Thursdays paired with maybe Bones? I think Fox will have comedies at 8 (maybe a traditional sitcom in The Inn or single camera ones like Spaced or Outnumbered could be aired here with either Back or Under) before Idol or maybe Moment of Truth, if it is not available in the fall. 5th Grader and Don't Forget the Lyrics could be on the move to Fridays for the full season. As for Sundays, animation domination will continue, with the same shows in the fall, but perhaps as much as two new animated comedies will come by mid-season, for sure Cleveland, the Family Guy spin-off, and another new one such as The Pitts or Sit Down Shut Up...I hope the latter. They will likely replace King of the Hill and American Dad! for awhile, if not the rest of the season.
As a recap, for Fox January, I'd do: Sundays: Animated Repeats, The Simpsons, Sit Down Shut Up, Family Guy, and Cleveland; Mondays: Dollhouse/Sarah Connor and 24; Tuesdays: American Idol and House; Wednesdays: Sitcoms/The Moment of Truth and American Idol Results; Thursdays: Bones and Fringe; Fridays: 5th Grader and Lyrics.
And so many series are goners next season: K-Ville, Nashville, Search for the Next Great American Band, New Amsterdam, Canterbury's Law, Return of Jezebel James, Unhitched, & possibly 'Til Death. I think Hell's Kitchen could likely return sometime in the season or next summer.
So, it looks like Fox will be decent year-round. Will American Idol fall more next season? It might. But before that, let's see how Fox does in the fall. I still think CBS and ABC will share leadership for the fall in viewers/18-49, and Fox will have to rely on mid-season again, but maybe it will be a bit better next season.

Remember, next Thursday (May 15) is the actual date when we will find out Fox's plans for the 2008-09 season. So, come on back next Thursday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned next week for the official fall line-ups for all the networks...will NBC edit anything on upfront day? We shall see. Also, we will try to give you all latest pilot rumblings on Saturday, so you will want to check with us! See if we have any inside buzz on this very slow development season.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own by clicking HERE!

TV Land is having their upfront today...so if they announce anything later today, you can check here. If it is bit late then we will have a write-up for you tomorrow. So check back either way!

Throughout time, mothers have been revered for their love, nurture and support...not to mention their hard work. To celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday, May 11, Boomerang (Cartoon Network's 24-hour commercial-free sister network) gives birth to a 7-hour tribute to that modern Stone-Age matriarch, Wilma Flintstone. During the Wilma Flintstone Mother's Day Marathon, which airs from 12-7 p.m. (ET), viewers will see Wilma Flintstone through the years-as she and Fred first court, during her pregnancy, as a new mother and, finally, as she becomes a grandmother. The holiday marathon kicks off with five and a half hours of Wilma-centric escapades from the original The Flintstones animated series and concludes with the 90-minute animated feature Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby (1993).
To see the episodes, click HERE! Wilmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow to the TV special TV's All-Time Funniest airing 8-10pm ET/PT on ABC! It should be a fun special for all sitcom/comedy fans of all eras. I suggest you tune in!

Some Late Night Nick at Nite Schedule Changes; Fox Picks-Up Sarah Connor for 2008-09 Season

Nick at Nite has announced it has edited their late night marathons for Wednesday nights and Saturday nights (that's early Thursday mornings and Sunday mornings). Currently it was Full House on both of those nights, 3-6am on Wednesday nights and Saturday nights, but now Nick at Nite is pulling that starting this week. Cosby Show will air 3-4am on Wednesday nights followed by Roseanne from 4-6am. On Saturday nights it will be Roseanne from 3-6am. So, now Full House will just be late Friday nights (early Saturday morning) from 5-6am. If you're confused on what air late nights on Nick at Nite, click HERE. Late nights are considered everything after the Home Improvement, George Lopez and Fresh Prince airings...which usually air two hours each before the late nights start. Roseanne is getting a lot of late night play now...every night but Friday nights.
Also, for the million of you who are wondering, Family Matters is coming to Nick at Nite this summer...we will let you know when it is official, as we don't want to give more tentative dates, as you all know it changes a lot. I didn't mention this, but it was being planned for May even...and now that was decided it wasn't for the best. My bet is June or July...but it will air for sure, I assure you.

Fox has picked up 13 episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for the 2008-2009 season. Brian Austin Green will now also join the cast as a series regular. No idea yet if it will air in the fall or winter, but we will know for sure by next month when Fox has its annual upfront presentation.
The explosive, season-ending cliffhanger left Cameron (Summer Glau) rocked by a car bomb and Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) close to locating an important Skynet component. Viewers were left with unanswered questions regarding Derek's (Brian Austin Green) true intentions and John's (Thomas Dekker) fate as the savior of mankind. These questions and more will be answered in season two.

Diff'rent Strokes Gets Additional Slot on BET; Fox Summer Schedule; Network Notes

BET has announced it will add an additional hour of Diff'rent Strokes to their weekday line-up beginning next week, Monday, April 14, 2008. They will repeat the 9-10am hour now from 3-4pm ET/PT. What a nice way to start your afternoons! Maybe kids will watch after school! The 3-4pm hour will replace repeats of Hell Date, which will still remain in its other time slots. No other BET changes will be made besides this...so we get an additional sitcom hour!

Fox has announced its summer plans. All-new episodes of reality shows The Moment of Truth, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Hell's Kitchen, So You Think You Can Dance, Cops and America's Most Wanted will air throughout the summer on Fox. In addition, Don't Forget the Lyrics! will get encore airings starting Sunday, June 1 at 7:00pm. Among the scripted series, we will see repeats of House, Bones, and the Sunday animated comedies. Missing from the Fox summer line-up is sitcoms Back to You and 'Til Death...is this a sign they could be on the bubble for renewal for next season?
Here is the full summer schedule:
Mondays, beginning June 2:
8:00pm Bones repeats
9:00pm House repeats
Tuesdays, beginning May 27:
8:00pm The Moment of Truth (All-New Episodes)
9:00pm Hell's Kitchen (All-New Episodes started April 1 will run into mid-July) Wednesdays, beginning May 28 (As Previously Announced, No Changes):
8:00pm-10:00pm So You Think You Can Dance (All-New Episodes)
Thursdays beginning May 22 (As Previously Announced, No Changes):
8:00pm-10:00pm So You Think You Can Dance (All-New Episodes)
Beginning June 12 on Thursdays:
8:00pm Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (All-New Episodes)
9:00pm So You Think You Can Dance (All-New Episodes)
Fridays will have Movies, as previously announced.
Saturday line-up will remain the same, as previously announced.
Sundays will also remain the same, with animated repeats from 8-10pm, but encores od Don't Forget the Lyrics! will lead off the night in the 7pm hour.

Lifetime Networks and The Weinstein Company have entered into a groundbreaking partnership that will move cable's top reality series, Project Runway, from Bravo to the top network for women, Lifetime Television, beginning November 2008 with the premiere of season six. The deal is a 5-year deal. Bravo still has another season planned sometime this spring/summer.
Bravo is really upset by this and has issued this statement:
NBC Universal has continuing legal rights related to Project Runway, including a right of first refusal to future cycles of the series, which The Weinstein Company unfortunately has refused to honor. NBC Universal regrettably had no alternative but to bring legal action to enforce its rights to this program, including the right to decide whether it is in the best interest of the company to continue to air the show under the proposed financial terms.
Wonder what will happen?

The N Revamps April Schedule Again; King of the Hill Returns for Season 13; RTN Coming to Palm Springs, CA

On Monday, we gave you details on The N revamping its schedule and adding Brothers Garcia and trimming All That to just one airing a day. Well, it seems The N has once again edited their schedule and All That is NOT being trimmed now. In the previous version, weekdays from 6am-3pm was not being changed at all, but that is not true now. Some minor edits will occur...Brothers Garcia will air at 7am, All That moves to 8am, and the three in a row shots of One on One and Moesha from 9am-12pm is reduced to just back-to-back episodes from 9-11am, as a result, Growing Pains will move back an hour to 11am-12pm. Radio Free Roscoe takes the 12pm hour and Instant Star takes the 1pm hour...so no more Clueless from 1-3pm, but it will remain 2-3pm. 3-4pm will now be Brothers Garcia, instead of the previously announced 4-5pm slot. All That will remain 4-5pm weekdays and will also air on weekends in that slot. Brothers Garcia will remain 9-10am and 12-1pm on weekends as previously announced.
For the FULL schedule click HERE!

Fox has ordered an additional season (season 13) of the animated series King of the Hill. One of the longest-running comedies currently on primetime television, the series depicts the life and times of Hank Hill, his family and his neighbors in the fictional town of Arlen, TX. King of the Hill currently airs Sundays at 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox.
Since the episodes are done well in advance, we will likely not see these 13 episodes start until February 2009 or March 2009 because still a lot of episodes from season 12 are left to air. I even heard some that were produced for season 11 still remain, too...don't quote me on that, though.

Retro Television Network (RTN) announced today that it will add a Palm Springs, CA affiliate next month on KDPX-TV. The station is available over-the-air on Channel 45 and on Time Warner Cable on Channel 14.

Don't forget BET's 8-hour star-studded Diff'rent Strokes marathon this Sunday from 1-9pm ET/PT. BET has even put some fun facts on their website for it!

Fox Cancels Jezebel James; ION Picks-Up Family Feud, Quantum Leap, and More in April 2008

Fox has pulled new sitcom The Return of Jezebel James after just two weeks and three episodes airing. The sitcom was just averaging a bit over 3 million on Friday nights. Fox will replace the 8pm hour on Fridays with repeats of Bones, which will lead into new episodes of Canterbury's Law starting this Friday. If Jezebel James was still airing this Friday, Fox would probably have had historic lows on that night as James leading into Canterbury would have been a disaster. Unhitched could be next on the cancelation block as that sitcom also did terrible this week in two airings on Sunday with just 3 million someodd viewers.
Meanwhile, Fox has picked up a fourth season of Prison Break, the action-packed series starring Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller as on-the-lam brothers Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield.
After spending the first season filming on location in Chicago, followed by two seasons on location in Dallas, production on the upcoming fourth season of Prison Break will move to Los Angeles.

ION Television has picked up rights to Family Feud starting April 7. It will be the current version hosted by John O'Hurley. On your marks... let's start The Family Feud! The long- running, popular family-oriented game show is back with a new host and a new look. Hosted by television personality John O'Hurley, Family Feud is a fast-paced game show that pits two families against one another in a contest to name the most popular responses to survey-type questions posed to a 100 people. O'Hurley's quick wit and sophisticated style resonates with viewers who remember the Richard Dawson era. Although the set is now in a theatre in the round setting, it is somewhat of a throwback to the Dawson era when the families posed inside a living room setting.
ION will air Family Feud Mon-Thurs at 7:00pm & 7:30pm, replacing Alice, which will leave the line-up. ION has also picked up the drama Quantum Leap. After theorizing that man or woman could time travel within his or her lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into his Quantum Leap accelerator and was launched into an unknown abyss. It was upon awaking he realized he was trapped in the past, seeing a mirror image that wasn’t his and feeling driven by an unknown force to change the course of history for the better. Guided on this journey by Admiral Al Calavicci, an onlooker from his own time who only appears in the form of a hologram, Dr. Beckett leaps from one life to another, hoping that ultimately his next one will be the leap that takes him home.
Quantum Leap will also start on April 7 and air Mon-Wed at 9:00pm, leading into The Drew Carey Show's new timeslot 10 & 10:30pm Mon-Wed. ION will expand a bit, too! Instead of starting 6:00pm, they will start 5:00pm now...at least Mon-Fri (Saturday and Sundays it will still start at 6:00pm). The Wayans Bros. will move to 5:00pm & 5:30pm Mon-Fri. 6:00pm hour is still to be determined, which was Wayans' old slot. The aforementioned Family Feud follows at 7 Mon-Thurs, followed by Mama's Family for an hour at 8, but only Mon-Wed now. ION has something planned on Thursday nights from 8-10pm, which is still to be determined. Following that on Thursday nights at 10:00pm will be 48 Hours (it will still air Sundays at 6:00pm, too). The qubo kids block on Fridays will move up an hour now from 2:30-6pm to 1:30-5pm now. Baywatch will remain Saturdays at 6:00pm, which it moves to starting this coming Saturday. RHI programming will still air Fri-Sun from 7-11pm, and among the titles we will see in April are all four parts of Return to Lonesome Dove, new movie Praire Fever and Lone Rider, and classics such as Gullilver's Travels.
We will have more on those "to be determined" slots when we find out. Will it be a sitcom or a game show maybe to lead-into Family Feud? Or what is going to on Thursday nights from 8-10pm? We don't know yet, but as soon as we do, we will let you know!
For the entire April schedule in a list form and more highlights, click HERE! Please discuss as well!

TV Rebels: Smothers Brothers; Fox Moves New Drama to Fridays; Baseball Time For SitcomsOnline

It is time for our monthly TV Rebels essay! We have gotten special permission to publish at least 6 different essays on TV shows and actors that will be featured in the upcoming book TV Rebels: 100 People and Programs That Shaped the Medium by author Lou Orfanella. The book is in the works and will be released in 2009.

So without further adieu, we bring you the fourth column of TV Rebels:

The Smothers Brothers: You Can’t Do That on Television

In 1967 when CBS was looking for a program for the time slot against NBC's longtime Sunday ratings champ Bonanza the network turned to the popular comedy/singing brother duo Tom and Dick Smothers. The network ended up with more than it bargained for. In addition to their trademark folk music and "Mom liked you best" sibling rivalry banter, they brought with them an alternative/counter-culture point of view on the state of American society that triggered weekly battles between The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the CBS censors.
Lampooning public figures, particularly political personas did not have a long history on American television when the Smothers Brothers debuted. That Was the Week That Was ran for a season and a half on NBC in 1964 and 1965 to some initial attention but faded relatively quickly. In addition to the presidential race between Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, the escalating war in Vietnam gave the brothers an unending stream of material. "With hundreds of G.I.s dying every week in Vietnam, those who opposed the war were widely seen as betraying America, and that was the dilemma the Smothers Brothers presented to a network that already took flak every time Walter Cronkite dropped so much as a hint of bad news. The Smotherses were recruited specifically to help CBS appeal to The Young People. But when they started to use words Young People used, like 'mindblowing' well, CBS wasn't about to let a word like that on the air when nobody at CBS was sure what it meant" (Hinckley).
To Tom Smothers the show's comedy reflected a society where young people wanted more of a voice. "Things had heated up in the Vietnam War and protests were out there, so we started reflecting more of what younger people were thinking. We were in our late twenties at that time and most of our writers were in their early twenties, so there was a certain passion there, and it showed up in sketches on the war and voter registration...we expressed those alternative points of view that weren't being reflected, and it became a battle with the network censors" (Lasswell 161).
Those battles with the censors over both the comedic and musical (singer/activists like Pete Seeger were welcomed by the brothers but not embraced by the network) content of the show continued through its cancellation in 1969. The reason for cancellation has been debated over the years. Some believe both the outgoing Johnson administration and the incoming Nixon administration put pressure on the network. Others believed that the duo attempted to push the envelope a bit too far. "Were they sacrificial lambs-as an incensed New York Times article claimed shortly after their dismissal-victims of behind-the-scenes political maneuvering? Or did they do themselves in by displaying a mixture of bravado, immaturity, and youthful rebellion intolerable to their network and sponsors? However their war ended, while it raged it was indisputably a clash of two generations, with TV's old guard being challenged to put up their dukes for the first time" (Neuwirth 32).
Attempts to revive The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour by ABC in the summer of 1970 and by NBC in the winter of 1975 met with lukewarm receptions, the political unrest of the 1960s already becoming a memory. Their irreverent legacy, however, is preserved in everything from Saturday Night Live to The Daily Show. Tom and Dick Smothers never faded from view, becoming nightclub and concert hall fixtures. They even resurfaced on CBS from 1988-1989 with yet another version of their comedy hour.

Works Cited
Hinckley, David. Line of Responsibility: The Smothers Brothers. The New York Daily News 20 May 1991: 39.
Lasswell, Mark. TV Guide: Fifty Years of Television. New York: Crown, 2002.
Neuwirth, Allan. They'll Never Put That on the Air. New York: Allworth, 2006.


Fox has made a schedule change starting this Monday (March 24). New drama Canterbury's Law, which seems to skew very old, will be on the move to Fridays at 9pm starting March 28. House repeats were airing in that Friday slot and now Fox will move those repeats into Canterbury's Law old slot of Mondays at 8pm starting this Monday. I am afraid to see how Canterbury will do following the low-rated new sitcom The Return of Jezebel James.

Don't forget to tune into the second episode tonight of new sitcom Miss Guided. Over 9.2 million saw the premiere at a later than usual time for a sitcom, so hopefully tonight it will match that or do better. Tonight will be the premiere of its regular night and time of Thursdays at 8:00pm. Ashton Kutcher and Jamie Lynn Spears guest star. It is a very good and funny episode. Better than the pilot, I think...see my review if you missed it. Tune in tonight at 8 on ABC!

Finally, we leave you today with some off topic news. Every year at SitcomsOnline.com we have various online fantasy sports seasons (provided by Yahoo!), such as Fantasy NBA, NCAA March Madness Pick'em, NFL Pick'em, and Fantasy MLB. We only have 7 teams thus far for our upcoming Fantasy MLB league and we need 12 teams...so 5 spots are open. Whoever joins first will be in. The live online draft will be tomorrow (Friday) at 11:15pm ET, so if you want to join, please play with us. If you can't make it to the online draft, you can pre-rank your players that you want. To find out how to join click HERE. Todd and myself will be in the league as well, along with other sitcom fans. You know this is a sitcom league as we have one team called "Furley's Ascots." So, sitcom fans, come join other sitcom fans in playing some fantasy baseball...this isn't like the Happy Days softball team, but still fun! Let's see if you all can beat me ;)

TV Land May 2008 Highlights; RTN Adds 2 More Affiliates; Hulu.com Launches

As promised, we will bring you TV Land May 2008 highlights today! No schedule changes are being made thus far, so we should expect the same changes that happened on March 10. New original series The Big 4-0 will continue through May 14, Wednesdays at 10. It starts April 16, of course, as we mentioned in the April highlights. For every mom whose ever wanted to sit back and watch dad do the work, TV Land's Movie Land block offers Three Men and a Baby, celebrating Mother's Day Weekend on May 9 and 10. Tom Selleck, Ted Danson and Steve Guttenberg star as three swinging bachelor roommates who find a baby girl on their doorstep. Moms everywhere can sit back and relax as they watch three ill-equipped men try to tackle a job that normally only take one woman to accomplish!
The TV Land Movie Week for May has a lot of fun. Grab your popcorn and kick back as Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline lead an all-star cast of diamond thieves in the hilariously funny A Fish Called Wanda on Monday. Tuesday, the star power continues with Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson and Tom Selleck who find themselves thrust into fatherhood in Three Men and A Baby. Sigourney Weaver and Melanie Griffith duke it out in the workplace on Wednesday with Working Girl. Thursday brings an out of this world experience with Christopher Lloyd, Elizabeth Hurley, Jeff Daniels and Darryl Hannah in My Favorite Martian, based on the '60s TV series.
The regular Friday Movie Land block in May features movies such as E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Working Girl, A Fish Called Wanda, Flashdance.
TV Land will feature all of the best and brightest M*A*S*H episodes the weekend of May 17-19. They're fun, odd and unforgettable! If that wasn't enough, TV Land has got the highest rated episode in television history, the M*A*S*H Finale, plus the 20th & 30th anniversary M*A*S*H Reunions!
This Memorial Day, it's a day full of TV Land's newest and brightest originals. Starting at 8am, it's enjoyable and adventurous birthday celebrations with The Big 4-0. Then at 11am the fun never ends with the classmates from High School Reunion and at 5pm Myths and Legends reveals stars best kept secrets and some of the greatest stories in Hollywood. A primetime marathon of Andy Griffith rounds out the night.
Finally, on Saturday, May 31, there's only one "fabulous", "chic" and "sassy" man who can take TV Land's fashion head-on–celebrity stylist and judge of TV Land's new original reality series, She's Got The Look (premiering June 4) ... Robert Verdi! Integrated in surprising "pop-up" flags, Robert entertains viewers with his lovably-snarky fashion commentary of everyone's favorite TV Land characters, from the mile-high trousers of Jethro Bodine to the super shoulder pads of our Designing Women and Miami Vice.
For more on TV Land May 2008, click HERE!

Retro Television Network (RTN announced that it plans to add an RTN affiliate in Evansville, IN. The new affiliate will launch this summer on a digital stream of WEHT-TV, Evansville's ABC affiliate that is owned by Gilmore Broadcasting Company. Evansville will see James Garner in Rockford Files, Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E., Raymond Burr in Ironside, Jack Lord in Hawaii 5-0 and Don Adams in Get Smart on weekdays. On the weekends, viewers will see The Partridge Family, The Monkees, The A-Team, Knight Rider, Kojak, Airwolf, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West and many more.
Meanwhile, Retro Television Network (RTN) announced today that it will partner with Trans-America Broadcasting Corporation to launch an RTN affiliation in Fresno, CA. The network will begin airing in April on a digital stream of KAIL-TV. Hit shows like Perry Mason, The Rockford Files, Magnum, P.I. and Hawaii 5-0 will air weekdays, while the weekend lineup will include Emergency!, Kojak, Airwolf, The A-Team, Knight Rider and The Wild Wild West.

Hulu.com, a joint venture between News Corp. (Fox) and NBC Universal has launched! Obviously it will have current Fox and NBC shows on here such as 'Til Death, The Simpsons, House, Law & Order, ER and The Office, but it has SO much more from other outlets. Hulu.com is a vast online library of ad-supported TV shows and movies. Other networks on Hulu are Bravo (The Real Housewives of New York City, Make Me A Supermodel , etc), NBC Universal's Chiller (Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Tremors, etc), E! (Pop Fiction), Fox Reality Channel (Paradise Hotel 2), Classic Fox (Arrested Development, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Bob Newhart Show, etc), FX (Dirt, 30 Days, etc), MGM (Addams Family, Fame, etc), Sony's Minisode Network (Facts of Life, Dilbert, Married with Children), MyNetworkTV (Decision House), Classic NBC (A-Team, Knight Rider, The Munsters Today, Problem Child animated, etc), NBC Universal (Jerry Springer, etc), Sci-Fi Channel (Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, etc), NBC Universal's Slueth Network (Simon & Simon, Miami Vice), Sony-owned (Benson, Archie Bunker's Place, What's Happening Now!!, Married with Children, Who's the Boss?, etc), Universal Media (Major Dad, Adam-12, Airwolf, etc), USA Network (Monk, Psych, Starter Wife, etc), and Warner Bros. (Welcome Back Kotter). Wow! Most of the shows are full episodes, but some are clips as well. This will be a treat for everyone as it will have something you like, I'm sure! Check it out!

Fox Mid-Season Pilot Review: The Return of Jezebel James - Premieres March 14

The Return of Jezebel James - Fridays at 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox
Premieres March 14 with a one-hour premiere from 8:00-9:00PM ET/PT

Imagine, if you would, that you have everything you ever wanted in life. But what if there is just one thing that is missing, like a child? And what if you were unable to have that child on your own because your doctor just isn't possible? Well, then you have to turn to your sister for a little help, and that is exactly what happens in The Return of Jezebel James.

This is a comedy that answers the question of whether polar-opposite sisters can live together when one agrees to carry the other’s baby. Bright, optimistic, successful children’s book editor Sarah turns to her estranged and free-spirited younger sister, Coco, when she learns she cannot conceive a child herself.

Cast Details:

Parker Posey as Sarah Tompkins, Lauren Ambrose as Coco, Scott Cohen as Marcus, Ron McLarty as Ron, Michael Arden as Buddy, Dianne Wiest as Talia

It seems uncommon to find sitcoms with star-studded casts these days, and this series is not an exception to that rule. There really aren't any well-known people in the series, aside from Parker Posey, who plays Sarah Tompkins (the starring role). She has played in several movies that, while not blockbuster hits, are pretty well known, such as Dazed and Confused and Scream 3. Additionally, she has been on the series Boston Legal.
Lauren Ambrose (of Six Feet Under fame) plays her sister Coco.
Ron McLarty, was a regular on Spenser: For Hire and has appeared more recently on The Practice, Law & Order and Sex and the City, he plays her father, who is named Ron.
Scott Cohen plays Marcus and is best known for his role as Wolf in the miniseries The 10th Kingdom and for his recurring role as Max Medina on Gilmore Girls.
Rounding out the cast are Michael Arden (he recently guest starred on Grey's Anatomy and NUMB3RS) as Buddy and Oscar-winning actress Dianne Wiest as Talia.

Pilot Plot:

The pilot doesn't really get into much of a plot, but instead gives us a general overview of the series. And it is pretty simple. Sarah wants to have a baby and discovers that she can't, and turns to her sister for help. Of course, like any normal person would do if they were asked to carry a baby, her sister was against the idea. But, like any sitcom idea requires, her sister figures that she will go ahead and give it a try and moves into her sister's house to get started.
Guest Cast: Dylan Blue as Aaron, Amy Hohn as Evelyn and Jasika Nicole as Dora.

The review copy that I received also included the episode "Paragraph Two, Section Three," which is currently scheduled to air about a month after the first episode. In this episode, Sarah and Coco struggle to work out a legal agreement for Coco's plan to carry Sarah's baby, as both have their own selfish (and sometimes ridiculous) ideas.

Analysis:

I'm REALLY not sure where they are planning to go with this series. The whole premise of the series is that the main character wants a baby, and can't have it, so she wants her sister to have it. Now, that would make for a typical (not necessarily GREAT) episode of a sitcom, but this is a series. Either her sister will or won't do this. So if she does, then what is the point of the whole series? And if she doesn't, how long can they keep coming up with story lines about Sarah wanting her sister to have a baby for her? Clearly, this is a half baked premise for a series, and I can not see any possible way of it making just on that idea. Perhaps, though, the creators have something up their sleeve and this isn't the whole concept behind it after all. But all of the press says that it basically IS the idea.

Even if the series could be a success as it is, there is one other important thing missing from the series. The laughs. I didn't really laugh one time while watching this, which is just not a good sign, particularly since this is a standard sitcom that even has a laugh track. All of the jokes seemed to be lame jokes.

Conclusion:

Yep, it is another typical sitcom from FOX... that could be either a compliment or insult depending upon what you think of FOX sitcoms. This reminds me of a sitcom that Lifetime aired about ten years ago called Oh Baby, where a woman wanted to have a baby by artificial insemination before her biological clock ran down. And she did just that... and the series was promptly canceled. I'm seeing the same thing happen with this series, except it'll be sooner rather than later.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3/5
Funiness: 1.5/5
Overall: 2.5/5

-- Reviewed by Skees53 on 03/12/08

Discuss the show after you watch it on Friday on our message board.

Related Links:

FOX.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

The Return of Jezebel James Photo Gallery

Fox Mid-Season Pilot Review: Unhitched - Premieres March 2; Solomon's Weekly Rant

Today instead of our regular Saturday Mini-DVD Review we have a pilot review for a new sitcom premiering tomorrow on Fox! We still have Solomon's Weekly Rant right below the review, so not to fret!



Unhitched - Sundays at 9:30PM ET/PT on Fox
Premieres March 2 at 9:30PM ET/PT

Dating in your 20s is like going to the farmers’ market – if you get there early, there’s plenty of fruit, all ripe, juicy and yours for the taking. But dating in your 30s is like getting there at closing time. The remaining fruit has been sitting in the sun all day. It’s been dropped, squeezed and handled by a thousand different people.

From the creatively fruitful minds of the Farrelly Brothers (Something About Mary, Dumb & Dumber, Stuck on You), UNHITCHED follows a group of newly single friends living in Boston and learning the painful lessons of starting over in their 30s. They’d all love to get remarried, if they could just find their true loves.

JACK “GATOR” GATELY (Craig Bierko) is a charismatic, optimistic guy who never expected to be single again. But now that he is, he’s determined to make the best of it until he finds “the one.”

Joining Gator in bachelorhood redux are his best friends: thrice-divorced TOMMY (Johnny Sneed), the founder and brewmaster of an upstart microbrewery, who has a voracious appetite for food, beer and women; and DR. FREDDY SAHGAL (Shaun Majumder), a successful surgeon who can execute a triple bypass in his sleep, but is all thumbs when it comes to the opposite sex.

Rounding out the group is KATE (Rashida Jones), a smart, successful attorney who handled all three of the boys’ divorces. Having just turned 30, Kate finds herself dumped after a seven-year engagement and reluctantly joins the guys in negotiating the treacherous waters of dating. With Kate owning the brownstone next to Gator’s, this pair, over time, may find that “the one” is just a brick wall away.

UNHITCHED is a 20th Century Fox Television production in association with Conundrum Entertainment and Watson Pond Productions. Bobby and Peter Farrelly directed the pilot and serve as executive producers. Bradley Thomas, Brad Johnson and Mike Sikowitz are executive producers. Chris Pappas and Michael Bernier are co-executive producers.

Cast Details:

Craig Bierko as Jack "Gator" Gately, Rashida Jones as Kate, Johnny Sneed as Tommy, Shaun Majumder as Dr. Freddy Sahgal.

Craig Bierko (Jack "Gator" Gately) - A versatile performer in both comedy and drama on the stage and screen, Craig Bierko’s Broadway debut as Harold Hill in Meredith Willson’s legendary The Music Man garnered him critical acclaim and attention; he was nominated for the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama League Award, and received the Theater World Award. Bierko’s television credits include a recurring role on Boston Legal as well as memorable guest appearances on Nip/Tuck and Sex and the City. He also guest-starred on Ally McBeal and as Paul Reiser's prospective agent on Mad About You.

Rashida Jones (Kate) - Rashida Jones has quickly established herself as one of Hollywood’s bright young stars. Jones portrayed ambitious saleswoman “Karen Filippelli” in the Emmy Award-winning comedy The Office, opposite Steve Carell. Jones starred on FOX’s Boston Public as “Louisa Fenn” and in the cable drama Wanted as Detective Carla Merced. Her television credits also include Freaks and Geeks, If These Walls Could Talk 2, The Chappelle Show, Second Opinion and the British television series NY-LON. Jones also was a weekly correspondent on the talk show Vibe TV.

Johnny Sneed (Tommy) - A native of Gulfport, MS, Johnny Sneed left his home and his career as a lawyer in 2001 to pursue acting in Los Angeles, landing roles on both the big and small screens. Sneed was seen in the Farrelly brothers’ feature comedy The Heartbreak Kid, opposite Ben Stiller. Sneed also starred in The Farrelly Brothers’ film Fever Pitch. His television credits include House, CSI and CSI: NY, Boston Legal, ER and My Name is Earl.

Shaun Majumder (Dr. Freddy Sahgal) - Raised in Burlington, Newfoundland, Canada, Gemini Award-winning actor and comedian Shaun Majumder co-starred in the feature films Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Ladies Man, Pushing Tin and Purpose. Majumder was a series regular on the Canadian comedy series This Hour has 22 Minutes. Additional television credits include roles on Season Six of 24, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Relic Hunter and John Woo's Once a Thief.

Pilot Plot:

We have received the first two episodes of this sitcom, "Pilot" and "Woman Marries Horse."

"Pilot" - March 2, 2008
In the series premiere, Jack "Gator" Gately finds himself ill-prepared to re-enter the dating scene as a blind date goes bananas for him; his friend and neighbor Kate finds big things come in small packages when she dates a member of the Boston Celtics; and Indian-born Dr. Freddy learns that love isn't cheap with the woman of your dreams.
Writer: Kevin Barnett, Mike Bernier, Chris Pappas
Director: Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly
Guest star: Paul Pierce (Himself), Ryan Gomes (Himself), Eliza Coupe (Julia), Lauren Bowles (Annie), Kate Hodge (Katherine), Erinn Bartlett (Nikki), Ben Giroux (Tim), Dan Murphy (Herb)

"Woman Marries Horse" - March 9, 2008
Gator is hung up on his new girlfriend's minor physical flaw, leading Tommy to take drastic measures. Freddy befriends a bouncer; Kate dates a musician whose talents are not what they seem.
Guest star: Christina Moore (Barbara), Reid Scott (Bobby), Daron Fordham (Alonzo)

Analysis:

Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly and Mike Sikowitz serve as executive producers alongside Brad Johnson and Bradley Thomas, with Katy McCaffrey producing. The pilot was directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. They reportedly had a budget of $3 million to shoot the pilot. The show was originally titled "The Rules for Starting Over," but perhaps they thought that was too similar to CBS's "Rules of Engagement." Fox originally ordered 13 episodes, but due to the strike only 6 were shot and will air this season.

If you've seen some of the Farrelly brothers movies, you know they put a lot of sight gags into their films. There are some in the first two episodes, but not as many as I expected. Another trademark of their films is that they put a lot of heart into the stories. That is also evident here. The pilot episode begins with a funny scene between Gator and his date. If you saw Craig Bierko on Jimmy Kimmel Live, you saw this clip involving an orangutan. Talk about the show starting off with a bang... an oranguabang! The rest of the cast is also solid. I loved Rashida Jones on The Office. She plays a different type of character here. Her comedic timing is great. I'm not too familiar with Johnny Sneed or Shaun Majumder, but they do a decent job in the first couple of episodes. The cast appears to have developed some good chemistry. The characters they play are likable, realistic and relatable.

This is a single-camera comedy that is shot without a studio audience. There is no laugh track. The show features a catchy opening main title theme called "Hey" by Timothy Alan Pagotta and Ryan Gilmor. There are also several songs by various artists used in the first two episodes. Boston is the location for the show. In the pilot episode, Rashida Jones (Kate) goes to a Celtics game with her date. Paul Pierce and Ryan Gomes make cameo appearances. You can tell this pilot was shot last spring because Gomes is now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Conclusion:

I've always been a fan of the Farrelly brothers movies. Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, There's Something About Mary and Fever Pitch are among my favorites. This is their first real attempt at television. These episodes feel more like mini movies than a traditional sitcom. There are some sight gags and montages. I wonder if this show could be improved a bit if they did some of the writing instead of just being executive producers. The show could use a little quicker pace and more funny jokes.

Fox will be airing 6 episodes on Sunday nights. I'm not sure how this live-action comedy will fit in with Fox's animated comedies. They've never really had a lot of success with them on Sunday nights in recent years. I think this show would have a better chance at developing an audience if it premiered after American Idol or if it was paired with another comedy such as Back to You or 'Til Death. This show may not be the next Seinfeld or Friends, but it could become a minor hit if it is given a chance to develop. With the way the show is set up, there should be a lot of guest stars. It will be interesting to see who appears in episodes 3-6. The first two episodes feature a bevy of beauties.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

-- Reviewed by Todd Fuller on 03/01/08

Discuss the show after you watch it on Sunday on our message board.

Related Links:

FOX.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Unhitched Photo Gallery

---

Solomon's Weekly Rant
Saturday, March 1, 2008
"ION Hits a New Low; Stop The Crying On Idol; Fox's Poor Handling of Back to You"
By Solomon Davis

Can you believe that ION has been airing episodes this past week with an unclear view? The picture looked like someone already recorded the episode from another TV station and mailed the tape to ION and they just put in the tape and hit play, at least on my ION affiliate. First it was the editing, then the strange TV show pickups of 2008, and now crappy picture quality, which is very unacceptable for viewers who pay a monthly cable bill. I just want to say, "great work once again" by the ION programming staff.

Why do the girls on American Idol get emotional every time someone gets eliminated off American Idol? You mean to tell me they didn't know that an elimination was every week? I just think it's so dumb to get emotional when you know that someone will be gone each week of the American Idol season. I have news for the remaining females on American Idol, "THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ELIMINATION NEXT THURSDAY SO GET OVER IT!!"

Why did Fox have to air the first new episode of Back to You on a Tuesday night? It threw me off because I missed Wednesday's episode because I'm only used to seeing one episode of Back to You during the week not two days in a row. Fox could have aired one new episode this past week and one next week or could have aired both episodes on the same night...why do they need two nights of 90-minute American Idol's? They don't have 90-minutes for next week! So on top of missing Wednesday's new episode of Back to You I now have to wait 7 weeks to see the next new episode, because Fox likes to play mind games...they should have held these two episodes until they start again in 7 weeks! Thanks a lot Fox!

Agree or disagree with Solomon? Discuss it here.

DISCLAIMER: Remember, Solomon is not the voice of SitcomsOnline. He is just stating his opinions and does not reflect what SitcomsOnline says or thinks. It is just his 'View' but it is always quite entertaining.

TV Rebels: That Girl; Network Notes: Scrubs to ABC?, Family Guy Spin-Off?, Quarterlife to Bravo?

It is time for our monthly TV Rebels essay! We have gotten special permission to publish at least 6 different essays on TV shows and actors that will be featured in the upcoming book TV Rebels: 100 People and Programs That Shaped the Medium by author Lou Orfanella. The book is still in the works and will be released in 2009.

So without further adieu, we bring you the third column of TV Rebels:

That Girl: It's Not a Man's World Anymore
Before Mary Tyler Moore tossed her hat into the Minneapolis wind, before Murphy Brown changed secretaries like other people change underwear, before Carrie sought sex in the city, Ann Marie climbed aboard the suburban commuter train from Brewster, New York to seek fame, fortune, and romance in the big city.
A young single girl living on her own in Manhattan and trying to make it in show business may seem like pretty tame fare in the twenty-first century, but when Marlo Thomas debuted as That Girl in 1966, television was still a man's world. From Father Knows Best's Margaret Anderson to Leave it to Beaver's June Cleaver, a woman’s place was in the home, or perhaps in a case like Our Miss Brooks, in the classroom. But on her own on in a New York City apartment? Not in TV Land. The men went to work and the women stayed home cooking up schemes to trick their men or getting into predicaments from which their men could rescue them.
During its five year run on ABC, That Girl did not necessarily tackle feminist issues head on or include ground breaking storylines. There were the traditional sitcom trappings. Ann gets her toe stuck in a bowling ball. Ann meets "special guest star" Ethel Merman. Ann takes a temporary job and chaos ensues. The program did however present a young girl who was not afraid to embrace life with little more that ambition and self-assuredness. Sure, there was a dichotomy of sorts to Ann Marie. Her father, restaurateur Lou Marie (Lew Parker) was always hovering nearby overprotecting and offering advice and boyfriend magazine writer Don Hollinger (Ted Bessell) would bail her out of jams, yet through it all, Ann did things on her terms and spoke her mind. That represents the turning point for the modern TV woman.
In That Book About That Girl Stephen Cole sites That Girl as a conduit of sorts between the traditional female lead television character and the contemporary. "...Ann and her crew forged a place in the hearts of American television viewers. She wasn't Lucy (of I Love Lucy) and she wasn't Margie (of My Little Margie). She was something new and contemporary. One part Doris Day, two parts Jean Arthur, and all parts Marlo Thomas. She was the bridge to Murphy Brown (1988-1998) and all other modern women in the sitcoms of today. She was Ann Marie. That Girl!" (13)
Speaking in an online interview with Lynn Sherr, Marlo Thomas discussed the influence of her Ann Marie character on television history. "I think That Girl made a journey through Kate and Allie (single moms), Cagney and Lacey (women working in traditionally male roles), Murphy Brown, who was the first imperfect woman hero on television (she had a drinking problem, she yelled at people who worked for her, she had a baby out of wedlock), and now the young women on Friends. I think that all of those women are links in a chain of the depiction of females on television ("That Girl").

Works Cited
Cole, Stephen. That Book about That Girl. Los Angeles: Renaissance Books, 1999.
"That Girl was a Pioneer." That Girl on the web. May 2002. 28 July 2007 http://thatgirltv.com/interview.html


Moving on to some news. There are reports all over the place (Hollywood Reporter, Variety, TV Guide, etc), that ABC is close to picking up 18 episodes of Scrubs for next season. The comedy is in its 7th season currently and has aired on NBC all 7 seasons. NBC has promoted this as the final season but they might not air an actual series finale because of the strike and that it might go right to DVD instead. ABC Studios produces the series and they are mulling a deal to bring the show to ABC next season. NBC is upset and has threatened legal action because they say they have first rights. I think this is a ploy by ABC Studios to bring the show back...and it looks to be working because no one thought Scrubs would be back next fall, and now it seems like it will, whether it is on NBC or ABC! And if it does return, YES Zach Braff will be a part of it. We shall have more on this for sure, so come on back.
Fox is developing a spin-off of Family Guy based on the Cleveland character. The show will be titled Cleveland. If it makes it on air, it could be paired with Family Guy on Sunday nights or for sure somewhere on the Sunday schedule. This could be bad news for Ame