The Daily Beast: "2013 TV Upfronts Wrap-Up: Bring On the New Television Shows"

The broadcast network upfront presentations are over. Jace Lacob on the 51 new scripted shows heading to television next season. What will you watch?

At The Daily Beast, you can read my final upfronts post, "2013 TV Upfronts Wrap-Up: Bring On the New Television Shows," in which I wrap up our broadcast network upfronts coverage and take a look at the 51 new scripted series heading to ABC Television Network, CBS, NBC, FOX, and The CW for the 2013-14 season.

The upfront presentations are (finally) over.

Now that the dust has settled, it's easier to get a larger picture of what's going on for next season. The numbers: 51 scripted series have been ordered by the broadcast networks for the 2013–14 season. There are 29 new dramas for next season and 22 comedies. Thirty-one shows will launch in the fall, and 20 are being held for a later date, should some of the fall offerings fail to enflame the public's imagination. On the network level, ABC picked up 12 new scripted series; CBS ordered eight; NBC issued series pickups to 14, while Fox did the same for 12 scripted series. The CW claimed five new scripted shows.

ABC picked up a slew of pilots, including a Rebel Wilson sitcom Super Fun Night, and issued a series order to The Avengers spinoff series, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. CBS ordered several pilots, including a Sarah Michelle Gellar–Robin Williams comedy from David E. Kelley, Josh Holloway–led cyberprocedural Intelligence, and Hostages, a political conspiracy thriller starring Toni Collette, among others. NBC ordered a bunch of pilots, including J.J. Abrams’s supernatural drama Believe (which will feature Twin Peaks's Kyle MacLachlan), an adaptation of Nick Hornby's About a Boy, and global conspiracy thriller Crisis, from creator Rand Ravich, to name a few.

Elsewhere, Fox ordered a handful of pilots, including: J.J. Abrams’s futuristic police drama Almost Human; Sleepy Hollow, a modern-day update of Washington Irving's classic thriller; cop drama Gang Related, starring Lost’s Terry O'Quinn and RZA; and legal drama Rake, a remake of an Australian drama which will star Greg Kinnear. The CW ordered a remake of 1970s British science-fiction drama The Tomorrow People, a period drama following Mary Queen of Scots called Reign, and an interspecies sci-fi/romance drama called Star-Crossed, along with a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries and an adaptation of The 100.

The odds are not in these new shows' favor, however: many of these new shows will fail, and some—the networks hope, anyway—may succeed to see a second season (or longer, if they're truly lucky).

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The Daily Beast: "The CW Reveals Its 2013-14 Primetime Schedule: Hart of Dixie to Monday, Supernatural to Tuesday, The Carrie Diaries to Friday"

I examine The CW's 2013-14 primetime schedule, which includes five new dramas and moves around returning shows (Supernatural, The Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie) across the week.

At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest upfront report, "The CW Reveals Its 2013-14 Primetime Schedule," in which I take a look at The CW's fall schedule. (Videos and comments from Mark Pedowitz tk.)

The CW took the wraps off of its 2013-14 primetime schedule on Thursday morning, marking the final day of the broadcast network upfronts.

Among the changes afoot at the nearly seven-year old network: Hart of Dixie and Beauty and the Beast are moving to Mondays, Supernatural moves to Tuesdays, and The Carrie Diaries gets pushed to Fridays at 8 p.m. Nikita, which will have its final season of a six episodes, will be held until midseason. The network ordered five new dramas for next season, which will be scattered throughout Tuesdays (The Vampire Diaries spin-off The Originals), Wednesdays (The Tomorrow People), and Thursdays (period drama Reign) when The CW begins its fall season in October. Two additional dramas—Star-Crossed and The 100—will be held until midseason along with newly ordered reality show Famous in 12; their timeslots are still to be determined.

“We had a terrific season last year, growing our audience on-air, digitally and socially," said The CW President Mark Pedowitz in a statement. "Now we are building on that success by continuing to add more original programming all year long, and by adding high-concept, exciting shows to our schedule that will help us continue our mission of broadening out our 18-to-34-year old audience. Arrow was one of the breakout hits of this season, and we’re using that show and The Vampire Diaries, our two highest-rated series, to launch our new dramas The Tomorrow People and Reign, on Wednesday and Thursday nights."

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The Daily Beast: "CBS Announces 2013-14 Primetime Schedule"

CBS's 2013-14 schedule is here, and it's largely the same, save moving Hawaii Five-0 to Friday and Person of Interest to Tuesday, while Mike & Molly returns in midseason.

At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest upfront post, "CBS Announces 2013-14 Primetime Schedule," in which I explore the new primetime 2013-14 schedule at CBS, recount some of what CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler said to reporters at the network's traditional press breakfast, and offer up some quick thoughts on the changes to the schedule.

CBS on Wednesday drew back the curtain to reveal its 2013-14 primetime schedule during its traditional breakfast with reporters ahead of its official upfront presentation at Carnegie Hall.

Stability seemed to be the rationale behind CBS's primetime schedule, which returned pretty much intact with a few notable exceptions: Hawaii Five-0 will move to Fridays at 9 p.m., in order to take over the timeslot left vacant by the cancellation of CSI: New York, and Mike & Molly is being held until midseason.

Eliminating the lull of repeats, was one of the network's key strategies for the 2013-14, which will see four new comedies and two dramas (one for fall and one for midseason) join the schedule.

"Comedy was a priority for us," CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler told reporters. "We shot 23 pilots this year… and our studio really delivered a lot of great content… With comedy, you rely on chemistry and all the right elements coming together at the right time. The shows reflect a perfect alchemy."

As for drama, "there are some departures for us, in terms of genre and the new faces you’re going to see," Tassler said. "The goal this year was to have more originals, fewer repeats."

To that end, returning comedy Mike and Molly isn't on the schedule right now but will return in midseason with 22 episodes in order to ensure that there are more originals and less repeats throughout the season. "We have this show ready to air in midseason," said Tassler. "Melissa's popularity continues to grow. She'll be even more popular when we air this." Also turning up halfway through the season: James Van Der Beek-led comedy Friends with Better Lives and sultry Southern soap Reckless will also turn up later down the line.

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The Daily Beast: "ABC Announces 2013-14 Schedule: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Gets Tuesday Berth, Super Fun Night Gets Modern Family Lead-In"

I examine ABC's primetime schedule for 2013-14, which includes Joss Whedon's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a Once Upon a Time spin-off, and Kyle Killen's Mind Games. Plus, read what Paul Lee had to say about the cancellation of Happy Endings and why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is perfect for Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest upfronts update, "ABC Announces 2013-14 Schedule: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Gets Tuesday Berth, Super Fun Night Gets Modern Family Lead-In," in which I report on ABC's fall 2013 primetime schedule, sum up Paul Lee's remarks to reporters this morning, and issue some quick reactions to the scheduling announcements.

ABC took the wraps off of its 2013-14 schedule on Tuesday morning, following speculation about where the network would slot its highly anticipated television series spin-off of feature film franchise The Avengers, entitled Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Yes, there are a lot of periods there for one title.) Elsewhere, ABC announced that Rebel Wilson's sitcom Super Fun Night would get the plum post-Modern Family timeslot on Wednesdays and its upcoming spin-off of Sunday evening's successful fantasy drama Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, would be heading to Thursdays. And comedy The Neighbors, which received an eleventh hour reprieve, is now headed to Fridays.

The biggest news, however, was that Dancing With the Stars would be reduced to just one night a week.

The announcements were made by ABC Entertainment Group President Paul Lee, ahead of Tuesday's official upfront presentation at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. “We are taking some big swings with groundbreaking shows this season, and staying close to our roots with smart and sophisticated storytelling," said Lee in a statement. "ABC is known for its combination of innovation and stability, and our new schedule reflects that. We’re bringing back the shows that viewers have embraced and enhancing the lineup with a slate of exciting new series."

Among the new shows heading to ABC's lineup next season: Back in the Game, Betrayal, The Goldbergs, Killer Women, Lucky 7, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mind Games, Mixology, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Resurrection, Super Fun Night, Trophy Wife and new alternative series The Quest.

Speaking to the press ahead of Tuesday's upfront presentation, Lee said that he sees ABC as having a "smart, strong, sophisticated brand," and that the network is "starting to add some other pieces this year," including things like Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Our job is to be hugely inclusive. It’s a big, broad network that does overdeliver on upscale audiences… It's a smart, emotional brand."

As for the difficult decision behind cancelling comedy Happy Endings, one of Lee's personal favorites, Lee was honest about the challenges. "I do think Happy Endings is absolutely on brand… It was just too narrow. It was a very hard decision. I loved that show and found it hard to make that decision.”

Lee said that they are striving to bringing a lot of innovation to scheduling next season. "Originals are being run in batches of 12 [episodes] with a gap," explained Lee. Limited run series are being built to air in that gap in between clusters of original episodes. Reality entry The Quest will run between the two halves of Once Upon a Time.

In fact, ABC is looking to make "quality launches throughout the season away from the clutter of the fall. Resurrection is an extraordinary piece of filmmaking... I’ve left that to midseason so it could flourish away from that slugfest of September. Mind Games is also for midseason [and features] an extraordinary performance from Steve Zahn." The same will hold for Tricia Helfer-led Killer Women, a character-driven procedural that Lee described as "very romantic, very tough, irresistible."

As for the other limited run series that will bridge the halves of ABC's original dramas, Lee wouldn't comment beyond Betrayal and Resurrection (and reality entry The Quest) for now: "We’ll be announcing them a little later."

Midseason will also see the return of Suburgatory and the launch of new comedy Mixology. Lee touted the latter, which is set at a Manhattan bar: "The whole season takes place in one night. We won’t know who goes home with whom until the end of the season."

All in all, said Lee, the 2013-14 season is looking like "a pretty strong season for us."

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The Daily Beast: "Fox Unveils 2013-14 Schedule: 24 Returns, Sleepy Hollow and Almost Human to Mondays"

Fox has revealed its 2013-14 primetime schedule. My take on the changes afoot at the broadcast network next season, including the launch of 24: Live Another Day.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "Fox Unveils 2013-14 Schedule: 24 Returns, Sleepy Hollow and Almost Human to Mondays," which includes full details on FOX's 2013-14 primetime schedule, including comments from Kevin Reilly on the return of 24 and much more.

On Monday morning, Fox unveiled its primetime schedule for the 2013-14 season, which included several changes to its current lineup and the confirmation of rumors that 24 will be returning to the network.

Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly confirmed the news earlier today on a conference call with members of the press. 24 will return in early May as tentpole event drama 24: Live Another Day, which will "arc through the summer." Speaking on behalf of 24 executive producer Howard Gordon, Reilly said that Gordon had asked himself, “'Why are we killing ourselves trying to crack a feature when this is the perfect format?'” The spine of the proposed 24 feature film occurred over the course of 12 hours and translating the thrust of the film to television was "so liberating for us." The decision will allow the show's producers to take what they saw as the best of the 12 hours and translate for television.

"We’ll still go in chronological order, but we will skip hours," said Reilly. "It will be dictated by the plot.” Details are still coming together, but expect some high-wattage stars for the rebooted 24: "We’re getting just about a Who’s Who of Hollywood wanting to participate in this," Reilly said. And it's possible that this reboot, given what Reilly calls its "franchise-ability," could spur further sequels down the line. "There could be sequels," said Reilly. "I don’t know if it could be yearly," but possibly 18 or 24 months later, should it score with viewers.

(Following the press call, Reilly added a few additional remarks about the launch of 24: Live Another Day. “It’s great to have Jack back," he said in a prepared statement. "24 redefined the drama genre, and as we reimagine the television miniseries, this iconic show will again break new ground for the network. The series remains a global sensation, and everyone at Fox is thrilled to be back at work with Kiefer, Howard and the incredibly creative 24 team.”)

Glee, which was renewed for two more seasons, will be benched in midseason in order to accommodate new drama Rake, starring Greg Kinnear, which will take over the musical-drama's timeslot on Thursdays at 9 p.m. Fox intends to keep its comedy programming block on Tuesdays, which will see female-skewing comedies New Girl and The Mindy Project staying put at 9 p.m., leading out of new (and much more male-centric) comedies Dads and Brooklyn Nine-Nine at 8 p.m. However, in "late fall," Bones will move to Fridays at 8 p.m., where it will be joined by a new hour-long Friday night comedy block consisting of returning comedy Raising Hope and new comedy Enlisted.

Among the new series heading to Fox next season: the J.J. Abrams-executive produced futuristic cop drama Almost Human and a modern-day take on Washington Irving's classic thriller, Sleepy Hollow, from executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Joining the schedule in 2014: "intense, mind-bending" thriller Wayward Pines, from M. Night Shyamalan (based on Blake Crouch's novel Pines), which will star Matt Dillon.

"We had some challenges this season," Reilly told reporters on a press call early Monday morning. "Next season, we’ve got the Super Bowl… and we’re making the biggest investment of entertainment programming that we’ve ever made at Fox," including "two new event series franchises, the first of which will be going into production for 2014."

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The Daily Beast: "NBC Unveils Its 2013-14 Schedule: Parenthood to Thursday, Revolution to Wednesday, and More"

I examine NBC’s fall and midseason 2013-14 schedule, which shifts around a lot of returning shows. Plus, watch trailers for The Black List, Ironside, and more.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "NBC Unveils Its 2013-14 Schedule: Parenthood to Thursday, Revolution to Wednesday, and More," in which I offer full details on NBC's 2013-14 primetime schedule, complete with video trailers for their new fall dramas and comedies (sadly, the network isn't releasing the midseason trailers that they showed at today's upfront yet), thoughts, and reactions.

On Sunday, NBC unveiled the sweeping changes hitting its 2013-14 primetime schedule, which includes several night and time changes to pre-existing shows: Parenthood will move to Thursdays at 10 p.m., following the network's traditional two-hour block of comedies (though there was no word on when Community would be returning to the lineup), Chicago Fire will get relocated to Tuesdays, and freshman hit Revolution will be moving to a new Wednesday programming block with an emphasis on dramas, including Law & Order: SVU and the new Ironside reboot.

Those aren't the only changes afoot at NBC, however. Critical darling Parks and Recreation will move to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, while The Biggest Loser will move to Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

Elsewhere, two of the potentially strongest new entries, J.J. Abrams' Believe (pictured above) and Rand Ravich's Crisis, are being held for midseason launches. Also on tap for midseason: Crossbones and comedies About a Boy and The Family Guide.

“The overriding strategy this year was to develop enough strong comedies and dramas to take advantage of the promotional heft of the Winter Olympics and devise two schedules for the upcoming season: one for fall and a slightly different one for midseason," said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a prepared statement. "I’m pleased to say that our development groups—headed by Jennifer Salke (scripted) and Paul Telegdy (alternative/reality)—really delivered. This is the most robust and highest-testing slate of new shows we have had in years.”

“And aside from our Olympics planning, we also wanted to create better flow and compatibility on each night," he continued, and deploy our strongest lead-in (The Voice) to maximum effect."

Read on for a look at NBC's new primetime schedule for fall and midseason 2013-14 and read what Greenblatt had to say about each night. Details for each of NBC's new shows can be found here.)

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The Daily Beast: "TV Upfronts 2013: Bring On the New Shows!"

With the broadcast networks' upfront presentations less than a week away, I look at what new television shows the broadcast networks have ordered for the 2013-14 season.

At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "Bring On the New Shows!" in which I start to round up what new television shows the broadcast networks have ordered so far for the 2013-14 season. (It will continue to be updated with each new series order over the next week.)

It's that time of year again! I take a look at the new series that are coming to television next season, as the broadcast network upfront presentations get underway next week.

The orders started coming in late Thursday night. Fox has so far ordered four comedies and four dramas, including: J.J. Abrams' futuristic police drama Almost Human; Sleepy Hollow, a modern day update of Washington Irving's classic thriller; cop drama Gang Related, which will star Lost's Terry O'Quinn and RZA; and legal drama Rake, a remake of an Australian drama which will star Greg Kinnear.

Keep checking this space for the latest updates as the broadcasters prepare to unveil several dozen new shows for the 2013-14 season.

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The Daily Beast: "TV Upfronts 2013: NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and The CW By the Numbers"

Is your favorite show safe? I take a look at what’s on tap for the broadcast networks for the 2013-14 season, which shows are coming back, and which ones have gotten the axe.

At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature,
"TV Upfronts 2013: NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and The CW By the Numbers," in which I offer a running total (which will be updated throughout the next week) at all the broadcast network shows that have been renewed, ordered, and cancelled as we move into upfront presentations week for the broadcast networks.

Every May, advertisers and members of the press descend on New York City as the broadcast networks host their annual upfront presentations, where they will unveil their fall schedules, trot out talent, and announce which shows will be coming back next season and which ones won’t.

The Daily Beast will be reporting on every move being made by ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and The CW as they prepare to launch their 2013-2014 schedules. As the week wears on, The Daily Beast will continue to update its gallery of new shows as the individual networks present their schedules and programming and report on what the networks’ top executives are saying.

This year’s crop of pilots was heavy on literary adaptations, period dramas, foreign formats (particularly of British, Spanish, and Israeli series), and remakes of movies (About a Boy! Beverly Hills Cop! Bad Teacher!) and old television shows (Ironside! The Tomorrow People!). Plus, there was not one, but two takes on Alice in Wonderland, proving that fairy tales are again a hot commodity this year. Will Joss Whedon’s white-hot Avengers television spinoff, Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., make it to the airwaves? Will NBC take a chance on J.J. Abrams’ supernatural drama Believe, which revolves around a girl with unique abilities and the man who is assigned to protect her at all costs? Or will it be yet another year of doctors, lawyers, and cops?

Below you’ll find a guide to the week’s schedule of upfront presentations:

Monday, May 13: NBC
Monday, May 13: Fox
Tuesday, May 14: ABC
Wednesday, May 15: CBS
Thursday, May 16: The CW

In the meantime, here’s a scorecard—broken down by network—to help you keep track of which of the 100-plus network pilots have been picked up to series, which current shows will be returning next season, and which shows are now six feet under. (As renewals and cancelations come in, we will continue to update this list throughout the week or so.)


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The Daily Beast: "Bring on the New Shows!" (Upfronts 2012)

Over at The Daily Beast, we're keeping you up-to-date with all of the news, renewals, cancellations, and series orders coming out of this week's broadcast network upfronts.

You can read our Network Scorecard, which keeps track of all of the renewals and cancelations as well as reactions to the scheduling changes and check out video promos for all of the networks' new shows. And you can read detailed descriptions--as well as insider information--about all of the new series heading to your television in the fall and spring.

Jace Lacob and Maria Elena Fernandez take a look at what’s coming up and what’s coming back on TV this fall as television's network upfronts week comes to a close. The CW moved Supernatural to Wednesdays, ordered five new shows, renewed Hart of Dixie, and canceled Secret Circle and Ringer. CBS moved Two and a Half Men to Thursdays and The Mentalist to Sundays, while The Good Wife is staying put. ABC renewed Revenge (moving it to Sundays at 9 p.m.), Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, Suburgatory, and several others. Fox renewed Touch (and it moved it to Fridays), canceled Alcatraz, moved Glee to Thursdays, and ordered Kevin Williamson's The Following and several comedies, including one from The Office's Mindy Kaling. NBC renewed Community (which moves to Friday this fall), Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and 30 Rock, and ordered 10 new shows, including a comedy with Matthew Perry, serial killer drama Hannibal, the Dick Wolf-produced Chicago Fire, and J.J. Abrams action drama Revolution. Read our analysis of all of the networks' 37 new series and counting!

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CW Announces Primetime Schedule, Orders Four Series, Shifts "Smallville" to Friday Nights

Welcome to Day Four, the last day of the 2009 network upfronts. Up last is netlet the CW, which has now unveiled its primetime schedule for advertisers.

As expected, the CW has ordered three new series for fall, with Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries, and The Beautiful Life joining the schedule and drama Parental Discretion Advised (formerly known as Light Years) getting a midseason berth.

Melrose Place gets the post-90210 spot, echoing the original pairing of the two series when FOX launched Melrose Place way back in 1992.

And it was widely believed that the CW would pair new drama The Beautiful Life--about the personal and professional lives of young models--with reality franchise America's Next Top Model on Wednesdays and, sure enough, they did. (No surprises there.)

More intriguing, however, is that the CW will break up its combination of Smallville and Supernatural on Thursdays and bump Smallville, returning for its ninth and final season, to Friday nights in order to pair Supernatural with new drama series Vampire Diaries at 8 pm.

Meanwhile, the network confirmed the cancellations of such series as Reaper and Privileged and comedies Everybody Hates Chris and The Game.

UPDATE: The full press release from the CW, announcing the primetime schedule, as well as new series descriptions, photography, and video clips can be found below.

CW FALL 2009-10 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8-9 pm: Gossip Girl
9-10 pm: One Tree Hill

TUESDAY
8-9 pm: 90210
9-10 pm: Melrose Place

WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm: America's Next Top Model
9-10 pm: The Beautiful Life

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: Vampire Diaries
9-10 pm: Supernatural

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Smallville
9-10 pm: America's Next Top Model Encores

MIDSEASON: Parental Discretion Advised

For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the CW schedule stacks up.

Returning Series:
90210, America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural

New Series:
The Beautiful Life, Melrose Place, Parental Discretion Advised, Vampire Diaries

New Timeslots for Returning Series:
Smallville

Midseason Launches/Returns:
Parental Discretion Advised (fka Light Years, Life Unexpected)

Cancelled/Ended:
4Real, 13: Fear is Real, Easy Money, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, In Harm's Way, Privileged, Reaper, Stylista, Valentine

Reactions:
To be honest, there were absolutely no surprises with the CW's schedule, save maybe its decision to shunt Smallville--entering its final season--to Friday nights in order to make room for new series Vampire Diaries. But, really, where else was the CW going to be able to program this series?

Certainly not on Mondays, where the CW will retain its drama combo of Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. Nor on Tuesdays, the new home of flashback soaps 90210 and Melrose Place, or Wednesdays, where it will pair reality franchise Top Model with new model drama The Beautiful Life. Which leaves Thursdays as the only logical place (no way would they attempt to use it to launch a new night of dramas on Fridays).

(Still, from a demo standpoint it does make sense as Vampire Diaries is extremely female-oriented and could tap into lead-out Supernatural's female fan base, even though I probably would have aired it at 9 pm in order to give it some cushioning from an established lead-in.)

All in all, a rather predictable schedule that will keep the network's lineup stable and use their key strengths to launch three new dramas, as well as another drama--Parental Discretion Advised--in midseason.

THE CW ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR 2009-2010 SEASON

A NEW SEASON OF TV TO TALK ABOUT LAUNCHES IN THE FALL WITH RETURNING HITS "GOSSIP GIRL," "90210" AND "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL," ALONG WITH HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SERIES "MELROSE PLACE," "THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE" AND "THE VAMPIRE DIARIES"

Monday Night Stays Strong with Winning Team of Hit Dramas "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill"

Tuesday Night: "90210" Returns for a Second Season in The Zip, Followed By New Updated Version of Iconic Drama "Melrose Place"

On Wednesdays, "America's Next Top Model" Leads Into New Fashion-Fueled Drama "The Beautiful Life" From Producer Ashton Kutcher

New Drama "The Vampire Diaries" From Producers Kevin Williamson ("Dawson's Creek") and Julie Plec ("Kyle XY") Teams with "Supernatural" For a Spine-Tingling Thursday Lineup

Fan-Favorite "Smallville" Moves to Friday Night, Followed by an Encore of "America's Next Top Model"

New Drama Premieres Midseason: "Parental Discretion Advised"

May 21, 2009 (New York, New York) - The CW Network unveiled the schedule for its 2009-2010 season today at a presentation for advertisers, affiliates and national media in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The announcement was made by Dawn Ostroff, President of Entertainment, The CW.

"In just three years, The CW has become TV to talk about, with culturally current, quality programming," said Ostroff. "Next fall, we will have great flow from Monday through Friday, starting with the Monday pairing of Gossip Girl' and One Tree Hill,' which made The CW one of the top destinations for young women this season. Tuesday night gives us a perfect match with 90210' and Melrose Place.' And what could be better than our Wednesday night shows from Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher the all-model lineup of America's Next Top Model' and The Beautiful Life.' On Thursdays, The Vampire Diaries' taps into the continuing fascination young women have with all things vampire, and makes the perfect lead-in for Supernatural,' which is coming off its strongest year ever. Moving Smallville' to Fridays gives us a major player with a loyal fan base to kick off the night. Top all that off with our heartwarming and humorous midseason drama Parental Discretion Advised,' from writer/producer Liz Tigelaar, and we have a full slate of great programming to keep our viewers watching, chatting, texting and tweeting all next season."

On Monday, the powerhouse combination of GOSSIP GIRL and ONE TREE HILL will remain in place. Last fall, this winning team made The CW the Number One network with women, and sent Monday night ratings up 118 percent in women 18-34. GOSSIP GIRL, which continues to be one of the most talked-about shows on television, will return to its 8:00-9:00 p.m. slot, followed by ONE TREE HILL from 9:00-10:00 p.m.

On Tuesday, 90210 returns for its sophomore season in the 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot. Last season, 90210 gave The CW its highest-rated series premiere ever and improved the 8:00 p.m. time period by 35 percent in women 18-34. The highly anticipated, updated version of the 1990s monster-hit drama MELROSE PLACE will premiere in the 9:00-10:00 p.m. timeslot. The new MELROSE PLACE features a dynamic ensemble of up-and-coming stars, along with two original cast members reprising the roles they made famous: Laura Leighton as Sydney Andrews and Thomas Calabro as Dr. Michael Mancini. MELROSE PLACE promises to deliver all the backstabbing and sizzle of the original series. And, as they did once before, 90210 and MELROSE PLACE will combine for a great night of television.

On Wednesday, AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL returns in its successful 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot, followed by the glamorous new drama THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE. Last season, AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL ranked second in its time period with young women. Tyra Banks is one of the few women who is seen regularly on both daytime and primetime television. Beginning this fall, The CW's daytime block will feature two hours of THE TYRA BANKS SHOW, with an encore episode from 3:00-4:00 p.m. and an original episode from 4:00-5:00 p.m. AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL and THE TYRA BANKS SHOW provide perfect symmetry and a natural fit for The CW brand by targeting the same audience in both primetime and daytime.

New drama THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE joins TOP MODEL on Wednesdays. From producers Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke, Mike Kelley and Carol Barbee, the fashion-based series gives viewers an exciting, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the cutthroat world of a group of young, beautiful and very sexy models living together in a models' residence in New York City. The show features a stunning ensemble cast, featuring Sara Paxton ("Last House on the Left"), Mischa Barton ("The O.C.") and supermodel Elle Macpherson ("Friends"). Together, AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL and THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE will be television's most fashionable night.

Thursdays go Goth with the new teaming of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES from 8:00-9:00 p.m., followed by SUPERNATURAL in the 9:00-10:00 p.m. hour. Based on the best-selling series of books, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is the story of two vampire brothers obsessed with the same beautiful girl, and battling to control the fate of an entire town. Starring Nina Dobrev ("DeGrassi: The Next Generation"), Paul Wesley ("Mad Men"), Ian Somerhalder ("Lost") and Steven R. McQueen ("Everwood"), THE VAMPIRE DIARIES makes the perfect new lead-in to SUPERNATURAL. Last season, SUPERNATURAL's Winchester brothers gave the network ratings growth across key young demos, despite the highly competitive timeslot.

Big changes are in store on Fridays when SMALLVILLE relocates to the 8:00-9:00 p.m. hour, bringing young viewers from Thursday into Friday nights. With non-stop action and classic DC Comics characters from Lois Lane to Doomsday, SMALLVILLE continues to give loyal viewers the stories and characters they love.

The heartwarming and humorous drama PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED will premiere midseason. From writer/producer Liz Tigelaar, ("Brothers and Sisters"), PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is the story of a young girl who finds her biological parents and how that discovery changes all their lives. The show stars Britt Robertson ("Swingtown"), Kristoffer Polaha ("Mad Men"), Shiri Appleby ("E.R.") and Kerr Smith ("Eli Stone").

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 P.M. "GOSSIP GIRL"

Returning for its third season, GOSSIP GIRL is a one-hour drama based on an exclusive group of privileged teens on Manhattan's Upper East Side whose lives revolve around the blog of the all-knowing albeit ultra-secretive Gossip Girl. No one knows Gossip Girl's identity, but everyone in this exclusive and complicated vicious circle relies on her website and text messages for the latest scoop. The series stars Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen, Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf, Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey, Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald, Taylor Momsen as Jenny Humphrey, Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass, Jessica Szohr as Vanessa Abrams, Kelly Rutherford as Lily van der Woodsen and Matthew Settle as Rufus Humphrey. Filmed in New York and based on the popular series of young-adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, GOSSIP GIRL is from Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Josh Schwartz ("Chuck," "The O.C."), Stephanie Savage ("The O.C."), Bob Levy ("Privileged"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Privileged"), John Stephens ("Gilmore Girls," "The O.C."), and co-executive producer Joshua Safran.

9:00-10:00 P.M. "ONE TREE HILL"

In season seven of ONE TREE HILL our beloved characters learn the struggle to live an exceptional life doesn't end once you've achieved your dreams. Whether they found true love, answered a call to greatness, or sought redemption for sins of the past, nothing that's come before compares to the challenges our characters now face to keep their dreams alive, their friendships intact and their lives full in the place they call home. ONE TREE HILL was created by Mark Schwahn and is executive produced by Schwahn, Joe Davola, Greg Prange, Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins. ONE TREE HILL is a Mastermind Laboratories and Tollin/Robbins Production in association with Warner Bros. Television.

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 P.M. "90210"

The second season of "90210" focuses on the West Beverly group as they begin their all-important Junior year. They'll go through all the ordinary teenage struggles and triumphs crushes, sexual discovery, academic pressure, evolving friendships, shunning and isolation, love and relationships, family issues, SATs, STDs, a desire to fit in, a desire to stand out, fear and humiliation, joy and exultation but they'll do so in the extraordinary world of LA a world of movie stars and overnight success, glamour and glitz, surfing and sunshine; a city where the American dream is writ large in the Hills and yet failure could come around any corner of the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. We'll follow Naomi, the well-meaning, but delightfully narcissistic rich girl with a heart of cubic zirconium; Adrianna, the gifted, artistic drama queen whose personal life is as dramatic as any role she could hope to play; Silver, the outspoken free spirit who marches to the beat of her own drum machine; Annie, the good girl from Kansas who has gotten a bit lost in the land of Oz; Dixon, her charming, good-natured brother who adapts easily to any challenging situation and yet is still struggling to find his own voice; Navid, whose geeky charm makes all the Blaze girls swoon; and Liam, the troubled New York transplant who abhors the decadent materialistic world of Beverly Hills. These stories could only happen in LA...and only on "90210." The series stars Rob Estes as Harry Wilson, Lori Loughlin as Debbie Wilson, Shenae Grimes as Annie Wilson, Tristan Wilds as Dixon Wilson, AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi Clark, Ryan Eggold as Ryan Matthews, Jessica Stroup as Silver, Michael Steger as Navid Shirazi, Jessica Lowndes as Adrianna Tate-Duncan and Matt Lanter as Liam Court. 90210 is produced by CBS Television Studios with executive producer Rebecca Sinclair.

9:00-10:00 P.M. "MELROSE PLACE" (New Series)

In an elegant Spanish-style apartment building in the trendy Melrose neighborhood of Los Angeles, a diverse group of 20-somethings have formed a close-knit surrogate family. Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton, the original "Melrose Place") is the landlady, still beautiful at 40, and a central figure in the lives of all her tenants, especially handsome and rebellious David Breck (Shaun Sipos, "Shark"). Sydney started an affair with David despite her turbulent history with his estranged father, Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro, the original "Melrose Place"). Both father and son learned through experience that Sydney was not above using blackmail to control people. Another tenant, high-powered publicist Ella Simms (Katie Cassidy, "Supernatural"), once considered Sydney her mentor, but their friendship was destroyed by betrayal, and Sydney threatened to evict Ella and ruin her career. Sydney also played a pivotal role in the career of Auggie Kirkpatrick (Colin Egglesfield, "All My Children"). After they met at an AA meeting, she became Auggie's sponsor and encouraged his dream to become a chef. Now a successful sous chef at the trendy restaurant Coal, Auggie has been avoiding Sydney since she began drinking again. The other tenants include Lauren Yung (Stephanie Jacobsen, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), a medical student in desperate need of money to pay her student loans, and Jonah Miller (Michael Rady, "Swingtown"), an aspiring filmmaker who has just proposed to his live-in girlfriend Riley Richmond (Jessica Lucas, "Cloverfield"), a first-grade teacher. The newest tenant, 18-year-old Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, "7th Heaven"), has just arrived in LA with her own secret connection to Sydney. When a bloody body is found floating in the courtyard pool, David is the leading suspect. However, as the police are soon to discover, almost everyone living at Melrose Place had a reason to want the deceased out of the way. An updated version of the popular 1990s series, MELROSE PLACE is from CBS Television Studios with executive producers Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer ("Smallville"). Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth") is the director and executive producer of the pilot.







WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 P.M. "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL"

Returning with its thirteenth and fourteenth cycles, the runaway runway hit series stars Tyra Banks. The show gives real people an opportunity to prove that they can make it in the high-stress, high-stakes world of supermodeling. With mentoring by Tyra Banks and exposure to high-profile fashion-industry gurus, young women of various backgrounds, shapes and sizes must endure a highly accelerated modeling boot camp and face weekly tests to determine who will make the cut as they vie for a professional modeling contract. The executive producers are Ken Mok ("Making the Band"), Tyra Banks and Daniel Soiseth ("Hell's Kitchen"). The reality series was created by Tyra Banks and developed by Mok and Kenya Barris. AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL is produced by 10 by 10 Entertainment in association with Bankable Productions.

9:00-10:00 P.M. "THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE" (New Series)

The life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy, but as every new model quickly learns, behind the beautiful faade is a world of insecurity and cutthroat competition. Two teenage models who are about to discover this world for themselves are Raina Collins (Sara Paxton, "Last House on the Left"), a stunning beauty with a secret past, and Chris Andrews (Benjamin Hollingsworth, "The Line"), a strikingly handsome Iowa farm boy. When Raina makes an unforgettable impression at a show introducing the new line from designer Zac Posen (appearing in a cameo role), she steals the spotlight from her friend Sonja (Mischa Barton, "The O.C."). Sonja has been out of the country for mysterious reasons and is now desperate to reclaim her standing as the reigning supermodel. While Raina and Sonja live at the top of the fashion food chain, Chris is starting at the bottom, having just been discovered by agent Simon Lockridge (newcomer Dusan Dukic) of the Covet Modeling Agency, which is owned by former supermodel Claudia Foster (Elle Macpherson, "Friends"). At his first photo shoot, Chris' inexperience almost derails his career until Raina comes to his rescue, showing him how to relax and work the camera. That afternoon, Raina brings Chris to the "models' residence" where she lives along with other young hopefuls, including Marissa Delfina (Ashley Madekwe, "Secret Diary of a Call Girl"), Egan (Jordan Woolley, "As The World Turns"), Issac (Corbin Bleu, "High School Musical 2") and the current alpha-male-model known as Kai (Nico Tortorella, "Twelve"). At an exclusive industry party that night, Chris is again impressed by Raina's generosity when she steps aside to make sure Sonja lands a job that will resurrect her career. However, after an ugly scene with Simon, Chris is left to question whether he can survive in this world of dangerous excess and fleeting fame. THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE is from Katalyst Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Ashton Kutcher & Jason Goldberg ("True Beauty," "Punk'd"), Karey Burke ("True Beauty"), Mike Kelley ("Swingtown," "Jericho") and Carol Barbee ("Swingtown," "Jericho"). Christian Duguay ("Coco Chanel") directed the pilot.





THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 P.M. "THE VAMPIRE DIARIES" (New Series)

Four months after the tragic car accident that killed their parents, 17-year-old Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, "DeGrassi: The Next Generation") and her 15-year-old brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen, "Everwood") are still trying to cope with their grief and move on with their lives. Elena has always been the star student; beautiful, popular and involved with school and friends, but now she finds herself struggling to hide her sadness from the world. As the school year begins, Elena and her friends are fascinated by a handsome and mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley, "Army Wives"). Stefan and Elena are immediately drawn to one another, and Elena has no way of knowing that Stefan is a centuries-old vampire, struggling to live peacefully among humans, while his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder, "Lost") is the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality. Now these two vampire brothers - one good, one evil - are at war for Elena's soul and for the souls of her friends, family and all the residents of the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is from Alloy Entertainment and Bonanza Productions Inc in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson ("Dawson's Creek," "I Know What You Did Last Summer"), Julie Plec ("Kyle XY," "Wasteland"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged") and Bob Levy ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged"). Marcos Siega ("Dexter") directed the pilot.







9:00-10:00 P.M "SUPERNATURAL"

Returning for its fifth season, this haunting series follows Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers bound by tragedy and blood to their dangerous, other-worldly mission. This past season, Dean was rescued from Hell by the angel Castiel, who told Dean he was meant to avert the impending Apocalypse, as well as Lucifer rising from Hell. As the brothers were caught up in the epic battle between angels and demons, Sam and Dean found their relationship was strained almost to the breaking point until ultimately, both brothers were betrayed. Now, in season five, they must battle the Devil himself. The series stars Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester, Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester and Misha Collins as Castiel). SUPERNATURAL is from Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, with executive producers McG ("Charlie's Angels," "The O.C."), Eric Kripke ("Boogeyman") and Robert Singer ("Midnight Caller").

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 P.M. "SMALLVILLE"

Returning for its ninth season, last season SMALLVILLE was filled with twists and surprises, starting with the disappearance of Lex Luthor. However, someone quickly arrived to take his place the enticing Tess Mercer. As Tess maneuvered her way through town, she flirted with her old flame Oliver Queen, discovered Clark's true identity and unleashed a new world of danger. As if that hurdle wasn't enough for Clark, he also met his greatest match Doomsday. SMALLVILLE explored the origins of Doomsday, revealing a sympathetic guy named Davis Bloome, who battled an inner demon the Doomsday character fans have loved to hate for years. When Clark wasn't busy battling the beast, he was knee-deep in work at the Daily Planet. Last season threw Clark and Lois Lane together literally across the desk from each other. As Clark's persona as the cub Planet reporter emerged, so did his feelings for Lois, the fated love of his life. The series stars Tom Welling as Clark Kent, Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan, Erica Durance as Lois Lane, Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen and Cassidy Freeman as Tess Mercer. Reinterpreting the Superman mythology from its roots, SMALLVILLE was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar ("Shanghai Noon," "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"), based on the DC Comics characters. Copy/pasted from Futon Critic Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola. The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television. SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

9:00-10:00 P.M. "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL" (Encore Presentation).

MIDSEASON

"PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED" (New Series)

After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux (Britt Robertson, "Swingtown") has decided it's time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate "Baze" Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha, "Mad Men"), who owns a bar, lives like an aging frat-boy with two slacker roommates, and is astonished to learn that he has a teenage daughter. Lux is equally astonished when Baze reveals that her mother is Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby, "E.R."), a star on the local "Morning Madness" radio show, along with her on-air partner and real-life boyfriend, Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith, "Eli Stone"). Lux has been listening to Cate's voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she's never met. Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care, but thrilled to finally meet her beautiful daughter. When a judge decides that Lux isn't ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves. PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is produced by Mojo Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Liz Tigelaar ("Brothers and Sisters," "What About Brian") and Gary Fleder ("October Road"). Gary Fleder directed the pilot.

And that's a wrap for the 2009 network upfronts!

CBS Announces Fall Primetime Schedule, Picks Up "Medium" from NBC, Orders Eight New Series

Welcome to Day Three of the 2009 network upfronts. Up next is CBS, which has unveiled its fall schedule to advertisers.

Not too many surprises for CBS, which once again sticks with overall stability and picks up a bunch of new drama series (and one lone comedy holdout).

Turning around the shortest series cancellation ever, CBS has picked up supernatural drama series Medium for another season. Medium, produced by CBS Television Studio, had been axed yesterday by NBC and will now shift networks and join fellow chiller drama Ghost Whisperer on Friday nights.

The network also ordered several new series including comedy Accidentally on Purpose, legal drama The Good Wife, medical dramas Miami Trauma and Three Rivers, NCIS: Los Angeles, and unscripted series Arranged Marriage and Undercover Boss.

While not on the schedule, Canadian co-production Flashpoint will return--in Summer 2010--and CBS will launch another CTV co-pro, The Bridge, in midseason. Also scheduled to join the schedule in the spring: Miami Trauma, Undercover Boss, Arranged Marriage, and Rules of Engagement.

UPDATED: The full press release from CBS, announcing the schedule, full descriptions for the new series, and photography can be found below.

CBS FALL 2009-10 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8-8:30 pm: How I Met Your Mother
8:30-9 pm: Accidentally On Purpose
9-9:30 pm: Two and a Half Men
9:30-10 pm: The Big Bang Theory
10-11 pm: CSI Miami

TUESDAY
8-9 pm: NCIS
9-10 pm: NCIS: Los Angeles
10-11 pm: The Good Wife

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 pm: Old Christine
8:30-9 pm: Gary Unmarried
9-10 pm: Criminal Minds
10-11 pm: CSI:NY

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: Survivor
9-10 pm: CSI
10-11 pm: The Mentalist

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Ghost Whisperer
9-10 pm: Medium
10-11 pm: Numb3rs

SATURDAY
8-9 pm: Crime Drama Encores
9-10 pm: Crime Drama Encores
10-11 pm: 48 Hours

SUNDAY
7-8 pm: 60 Minutes
8-9 pm: The Amazing Race
9-10 pm: Three Rivers
10-11 pm: Cold Case

MIDSEASON: Miami Trauma, The Bridge, Flashpoint, Undercover Boss, Arranged Marriage, Rules of Engagement

For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the CBS schedule stacks up.

Returning Series:
48 Hours, 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, Big Brother, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Flashpoint, Gary Unmarried, How I Met Your Mother, The Mentalist, NCIS, New Adventures of Old Christine, NUMB3RS, Rules of Engagement, Survivor, Two and a Half Men

New Series:
Accidentally on Purpose, Arranged Marriage, The Bridge, The Good Wife, Medium*, Miami Trauma, NCIS: Los Angeles, Three Rivers, Undercover Boss

New Timeslots for Returning Series:
The Big Bang Theory, Cold Case, How I Met Your Mother, Medium (new network, in fact), The Mentalist

Midseason Launches/Returns:
Arranged Marriage, The Bridge, Flashpoint (Summer 2010), Miami Trauma, Rules of Engagement, Undercover Boss

Cancelled/Ended:
Eleventh Hour, The Ex List, The Unit, Without a Trace, Worst Week

Reactions:
Overall, a rather strong schedule from a network that thrives on consistency and stability. The new series would seem to complement their current ones, although I can't help but wonder if a double dose of Ghost Whisperer and Medium back-to-back on Fridays could be female-driven supernatural overkill.... or just the thing for Friday nights. Given the studio affiliation with Medium, it seemed natural that CBS would snap up the series when NBC balked at bringing it back once more.

A slight switcheroo with the comedies on Monday but overall the comedy block shows stability, based upon the performance of newcomer Accidentally on Purpose at 8:30 pm. How I Met Your Mother, meanwhile, relocates to 8 pm (where it landed earlier in its run) to kick off the night and provide Accidentally with a proven lead-in while The Big Bang Theory shifts later to air after Two and a Half Men.

Not sure whether shifting The Mentalist out of its highly rated berth is the strongest move, however, though CBS did seem to want to pair NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles in a two-hour block in order to properly cushion the spin-off with its predecessor as a lead-in.

Having read the script for The Good Wife, I assumed the Eye would schedule it in an earlier hour rather than at 10 pm. There's nothing in there that screams post-watershed hour and I think they would have been better off deploying it in an earlier timeslot.

I'm glad that CBS is opting to keep The Amazing Race in its Sundays at 8 pm timeslot, which I think is the absolute perfect place for the series (and an ideal way to wrap up the weekend). Plus, the combo of Three Rivers and Cold Case give the network a nice lineup that's definitely distinct from ABC's more female-driven lineup of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.

All in all a pretty stable schedule that doesn't deviate from CBS' usual penchant for procedural dramas and doesn't include the type of mind-boggling risk of recent seasons. (No vampires, swingers, or gangsters here.)

The full press release from CBS as well as new series descriptions can be found below.

CBS ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
America's #1 Network Adds Four New Series to Top-Rated Lineup

New Dramas Star Chris O'Donnell and LL COOL J,

Julianna Margulies and Alex O'Loughlin

New Comedy Stars Jenna Elfman

"The Mentalist" Moves to Thursday at 10:00 PM Pairing TV's #1 New Show With TV's #1 Drama ("CSI")

"The Big Bang Theory" Moves to Mondays at 9:30 PM Forming a Comedy Power Hour With "Two and a Half Men"

Ordered for Midseason:
New Dramas "Miami Trauma" and "The Bridge"
New Alternative Series "Arranged Marriage" and "Undercover Boss,"
Comedy "Rules of Engagement"

CBS, the only major broadcast network to grow its audience in all key ratings measures this season, announced today the addition of four new series to strengthen its already top rated primetime lineup for the Fall 2009-2010 season.

The new series include three dramas and one comedy. Chris O'Donnell and LL COOL J star in NCIS: LOS ANGELES, a spinoff from the hit drama NCIS; THE GOOD WIFE stars Emmy® Award winner Julianna Margulies in a legal drama about a steadfast wife and mother who boldly returns to work as a lawyer when her husband is imprisoned for a high profile political scandal; THREE RIVERS, a medical drama that stars Alex O'Loughlin as the head of a renowned transplant surgery team, and ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE stars Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman in an ensemble comedy about a successful, single journalist who accidentally gets pregnant by a much younger man.

The freshmen series will join 18 returning series on the current CBS schedule.

CBS will return the season's #1 drama/scripted program - CSI; #1 comedy - TWO AND A HALF MEN; #1 new series - THE MENTALIST and the #1 news magazine - 60 MINUTES, along with two franchise reality series - SURVIVOR and the six-time Emmy Award winner THE AMAZING RACE.

The other returning series include: THE BIG BANG THEORY, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, CSI: MIAMI, NCIS, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE; GARY UNMARRIED, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: NY, GHOST WHISPERER, NUMB3RS, 48 HOURS MYSTERY and COLD CASE.

Ordered for midseason is a new fast-paced medical drama, MIAMI TRAUMA, from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer; the new police drama THE BRIDGE; the returning comedy RULES OF ENGAGEMENT; and the new alternative series ARRANGED MARRIAGE and UNDERCOVER BOSS.

On the strength of its scripted series, and the success of its two reality franchises, CBS will win the 2008-2009 television season in viewers, its sixth victory in the past seven years, and in adults 25-54 (projected tie with Fox). CBS is the ONLY network to post ratings gains over the last season in all key measures: +12% in viewers, + 3% in adults 18-49, and +8% in adults 25-54.

This top-rated schedule will serve as the springboard to introduce four new series - all of which have established franchises as a lead-in.

The 2009-2010 schedule:

On Mondays at 8:00 PM, the critically acclaimed ensemble comedy HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER opens the night and serves as a strong lead-in for the new comedy ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE at 8:30 PM. From 9:00-10:00 PM, television's top comedy TWO AND A HALF MEN and the genius comedy THE BIG BANG THEORY form a power comedy hour. CSI: MIAMI, a perennial time period winner, completes the night at 10:00 PM.

On Tuesdays, NCIS kicks off the night at 8:00 PM, providing a seamless lead-in for its spin off NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 9:00 PM, followed by new legal drama THE GOOD WIFE at 10:00 PM.

Wednesday returns intact with the comedy block THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE and GARY UNMARRIED from 8:00-9:00 PM, as well as the crime drama tandem of CRIMINAL MINDS and CSI: NY from 9:00-11:00 PM.

On Thursdays at 8:00 PM, SURVIVOR returns to the time period it has won every year since 2004. And from 9:00-11:00 PM, CBS is pairing television's #1 drama, CSI, with television's #1 new series, THE MENTALIST.

On Friday, CBS plans to add the popular drama series MEDIUM at 9:00 PM, starring Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette, to its top-rated Friday night lineup, forming a hauntingly compatible two-hour block with GHOST WHISPERER at 8:00 PM. NUMB3RS caps the night at 10:00 PM.

The Saturday night lineup remains intact, anchored by the night's highest-rated show, 48 HOURS MYSTERY.

As always, 60 MINUTES kicks off Sundays at 7:00 PM, followed by the six-time Emmy Award winning reality series THE AMAZING RACE at 8:00 PM, which leads into the new medical drama THREE RIVERS at 9:00 PM. The crime drama COLD CASE anchors at 10:00 PM.

The new DRAMAS:

NCIS: LOS ANGELES is a drama about the high stakes world of undercover surveillance at the Office of Special Projects (OSP), a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals that pose a threat to the nation's security. By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets. Special Agent "G" Callen (Chris O'Donnell) is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld. His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J), a former U.S. Navy SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and a surveillance expert who uses state of the art monitoring equipment to look out for those in the field and feed them crucial information. Both Callen and Hanna report to Special Agent Lara Macy (Louise Lombard), the OSP team leader responsible for directing the operations and making life-or-death decisions. Assisting the team is Special Agent Kensi Lo (Daniela Ruah), the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenalin rush that comes with undercover work, and Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), adept at getting into anybody's head, profiling the target and monitoring agents' states of mind before, during and after missions. Armed with the latest in high tech gear and sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit team relies on each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests. Shane Brennan ("NCIS") is the executive producer for CBS Television Studios.

THE GOOD WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing public humiliation caused by her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Alicia Florrick (Margulies) starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney. As a junior associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner (Josh Charles), who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm's top litigator, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has conditions and realizes she's going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia's main competition among the firm's 20-something new recruits is Cary (Matt Czuchry), a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but will use any means to ensure that he, not Alicia, secures the one full-time associate position that's available. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), the firm's tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia transforms herself from embarrassed politician's scorned wife to resilient career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year-old Zach (Graham Phillips) and 13-year-old Grace (Makenzie Vega). For the first time in years, Alicia trades in her identity as the "good wife" and takes charge of her own destiny. Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, Robert King, Michelle King, Dee Johnson and David Zucker are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

THREE RIVERS is a medical drama that goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country where every moment counts. However, dealing with donor families in their darkest hour and managing the fears and concerns of apprehensive recipients takes much more than just a sharp scalpel. Leading the elite team is Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O'Loughlin), the highly-skilled workaholic lead organ transplant surgeon, whose good-natured personality and sarcastic wit makes him popular with his patients and colleagues. His colleagues include Dr. Miranda Foster (Katherine Moennig), a surgical fellow with a rebellious streak and fiery temper who strives to live up to her deceased father's excellent surgical reputation; Dr. David Lee (Daniel Henney), a womanizing surgical resident who's broken as many hearts as he's replaced; Ryan Abbott (Christopher J. Hanke), the inexperienced new transplant coordinator who arranges the intricately choreographed process of quickly and carefully transporting organs from donor to patient; Dr. Sophia Jordan (Julia Ormond), the head of surgery and a dedicated medical professional; and Pam Acosta (Justina Machado), Andy's no-nonsense operating assistant and best friend. In this high stakes arena, in which every case is a race against the clock, these tenacious surgeons and medical professionals are the last hope for their patients. Carol Barbee, Curtis Hanson and Carol Fenelon are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

The new COMEDY:

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE is a comedy starring Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman as Billie, a single woman who finds herself "accidentally" pregnant after a one-night stand with a much younger guy, and decides to keep the baby... and the guy. A newspaper film critic, Billie is barely surviving a humiliating breakup with her charming boss, James (Grant Show), who's still trying to resume their relationship. Suddenly expecting a child with her "boy toy," Zack (Jon Foster), Billie and Zack make an arrangement: to live together platonically. Billie's party girl best friend Olivia (Ashley Jensen), and Abby (Lennon Parham), her conventional, younger married sister, eagerly look forward to the new addition and offer their own brands of advice and encouragement. But when Zack and his freeloading friends, including Davis (Nicolas Wright), start to turn her place into a frat house, Billie isn't sure if she's living with a boyfriend, a roommate, or if she just has another child to raise. Lloyd Braun, Gail Berman, Gene Stein and Claudia Lonow are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Pamela Fryman directed the pilot.

The new MIDSEASON DRAMAS:

THE BRIDGE is a drama about a tough and dedicated police officer who is voted to become the police union's dynamic leader. To serve the public as well as his 8,000 fellow officers, charismatic Frank Leo (Aaron Douglas) battles criminals on the street, corruption in the ranks and his own bosses. On the force is his able partner and confidante Tommy Dunn (Paul Popowich), who rides with Frank across the bridge that spans the divide between the rich and the poor in the area they patrol; Staff Sergeant Bernie Kantor (Frank Cassini), a voice of reason and moral sounding board; Jill (Inga Cadranel), a detective with a lot of attitude who is moving up the ranks; Billy (Theresa Joy), a young female cop who is determined to prove herself to the guys; and Ed Wycoff (Michael Murphy), the shrewd Chief of Police. Abby St. James (Ona Grauer) is a sharp prosecutor who begins working with the police union, and shares a mutual attraction with Frank. In his new position, Frank Leo takes on the politically-motivated department brass... and makes many powerful enemies in the process. Craig Bromell, Adam J. Shully, Laszlo Barna, Alan Di Fiore and Robert Wertheimer are executive producers for E1 Entertainment, 990 Multi Media Entertainment Company and Jonsworth Productions in association with CTV and CBS Television Studios.

MIAMI TRAUMA is about a team of expert surgeons who work at one of the premiere trauma facilities in the country, where only patients with life threatening injuries are treated. Dr. Matthew Proctor (Jeremy Northam) is new to the trauma team, after a tour of duty in a MASH unit during the Gulf war. Dr. Eva Zambrano (Lana Parrilla) is a workaholic surgeon who is more comfortable in her scrubs than she is out in the real world. Dr. Christopher Deleo, "Dr. C.," is a playboy who thrives on the high-stakes of trauma medicine and is, by his own description, a genius redneck. Dr. Serena Warren (Elisabeth Harnois) is fresh out of medical school, and head nurse Tuck Brody (Omar Gooding) keeps the doctors on track and the patients' families updated in this chaotic corner of the medical profession. Together, this team of doctors excels in the "golden hour," the 60 minutes after being critically injured, when a patient's life hangs in the balance. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jeffrey Lieber and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution.

The new MIDSEASON ALTERNATIVE series:

ARRANGED MARRIAGE is a series that brings the tradition of arranged marriages, which is still practiced successfully by many cultures throughout the world, to the U.S., where it is virtually an inconceivable option for most single Americans. Three adults who are anxious to get married, but who have been unsuccessful in their own search for a mate, choose a life-altering path. They rely on their closest family and friends, those who love and know them best, to choose someone for them to marry based on shared goals, values, experiences and the commitment to make it work. The series intimately documents these three arranged marriages, starting with the first meetings of the families and the wedding day; and then follows the couple through the day-to-day joys, challenges, and emotional tumult that results from their arranged union. Emmy Award nominees Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth are executive producers for Magical Elves Inc.

UNDERCOVER BOSS is a new reality series that follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the lowest level jobs within their companies. Once undercover, they'll get their hands dirty with the rank and file, find out what their employees REALLY think of them and discover how smoothly their companies are REALLY run. In the process, these senior executives learn about themselves, the perception of their company and the spirit of their work force. Stephen Lambert is the executive producer for Studio Lambert, Ltd.

Tomorrow: CW.

NBC Unveils Fall and Spring Schedules, "Chuck," "Day One," and "Mercy" to Midseason, "Friday Night Lights" to Summer

Day Two of the 2009 network upfronts continues as NBC (finally!) announced their 2009-10 primetime schedule.

"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with The Jay Leno Show at 10 pm," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "We're incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, Community and Parenthood. We can't wait for the fall."

"We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC's schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."

As previously reported, NBC ordered several new series including Mercy, Trauma, Day One, Parenthood, 100 Questions, and Community and renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation back on May 4th, when it also ordered six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday. (The pickups and renewals joined The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Apprentice, and Friday Night Lights, all of which received early pickups a few months back.)

NBC made news earlier today when it officially announced, via press release, that it would be bringing back Chuck for a third season, although it would hold off on returning the series until after the Winter Olympics, when it would rejoin the schedule in its Monday nights at 8 pm timeslot. Also joining Chuck in midseason are dramas Day One and Mercy and unscripted series The Marriage Ref, all of which will turn up following the Olympics.

Heroes will wrap its season in the fall, vacating the Mondays at 8 pm timeslot for Chuck. My Name is Earl has been officially canceled by NBC, as has Medium. It's unclear at the moment whether CBS will pick up Medium for their own schedule.

Also left off of the midseason schedule: Friday Night Lights, which will instead return to NBC in Summer 2010 after its run on DirecTV's Channel 101.

UPDATED: NBC's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network.

NBC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8-9 pm: Heroes
9-10 pm: Trauma (new drama)
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

TUESDAY
8-10 pm: The Biggest Loser
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm: Parenthood (new drama)
9-10 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

THURSDAY
8-8:30 pm: SNL Weekend Update Thursday
8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 pm: The Office
9:30-10 pm: Community
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

THURSDAY (after SNL ends)
8-8:30 pm: Community
8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 pm: The Office
9:30- 10 pm: 30 Rock
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Law & Order
9-10 pm: Southland
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

SATURDAY
8-9 pm: Dateline NBC
9-10 pm: Trauma repeats
10-11 pm: Law & Order: SVU repeats

SUNDAY
7-8:20 pm: Football Night in America
8:20-11 pm:Sunday Night Football

NBC MID-SEASON 2010 SCHEDULE
(N.B.: 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS preempt regularly scheduled programming from February 12-28, 2010)

MONDAY
8-9 pm: Chuck
9-10 pm: Day One (new drama)
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

TUESDAY
8-9:30 pm: The Biggest Loser
9:30-10 pm: 100 Questions (new comedy)
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm: Mercy (new drama)
9-10 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

THURSDAY
8-8:30 pm: Community
8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 pm: The Office
9:30- 10 pm: 30 Rock
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Law & Order
9-10 pm: Southland
10-11 pm: Jay Leno

SATURDAY
8-9 pm: Dateline NBC
9-10 pm: Southland repeats
10-11 pm: Law & Order: SVU repeats

SUNDAY
7-8 pm: Dateline NBC
8-9 pm: The Marriage Ref (new reality)
9-11 pm: Celebrity Apprentice

For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the NBC schedule stacks up.

Returning Series:
30 Rock, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Football Night in America, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Southland, Sunday Night Football

New Series:
100 Questions, Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, Community, Day One, The Jay Leno Show, The Marriage Ref, Mercy, Parenthood, The Sing Off, Trauma, Who Do You Think You Are?

New Timeslots for Returning Series:
Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Southland

Midseason Launches/Returns:
Chuck, Day One, Friday Night Lights (Summer 2010), Mercy, The Marriage Ref

Cancelled/Ended:
America's Toughest Jobs, Chopping Block, Crusoe, ER, Kath & Kim, Kings, Knight Rider, Life, Lipstick Jungle, Momma's Boys, My Name is Earl, My Own Worst Enemy

Reactions:
I've gone into enough detail in the past about what I think of the decision to air Jay Leno five nights a week at 10 pm, so I won't say anything more about it here other than I think it's a sad state of the industry when we're seeing a major broadcast net give up the 10 pm hour to a daily talk show rather than schedule scripted programming. Sigh. Will NBC's gambit pay off? We'll see this fall and we'll see just how happy the advertisers are versus their spending on scripted first-run programming in the same timeslot last year.

I think it's a good decision to program shorter runs of scripted drama series, with Heroes and Trauma set to air their full seasons before the start of the Olympics, after which we'll see Mondays turned over to Chuck (yay!) and Jesse Alexander's sci-fi drama Day One. With the reduction of available real estate (thanks to the Jay Leno deal), I think it's a smart decision and will hopefully produce a higher concentration of quality episodes than in a typical 22-episode season.

I am, however, a little concerned about yet another huge hiatus between seasons for Chuck, which saw significant downturn in the ratings when it wasn't returned quickly enough to the schedule after the WGA strike. Given its current momentum and fan and critical support, I would have thought that NBC would have wanted to rush this back on air as quickly as possible. Hmmmm.

No surprise that NBC would keep reality competition series The Biggest Loser in a two-hour edition on Tuesdays, though I do think that the combination on Wednesdays of Parenthood and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an odd one, to say the least. Will the same audience really stick around for SVU after watching a family drama? I don't know. The same applies to Mercy in midseason as well.

SNL Weekend Update Thursday is a no brainer. It worked quite well for NBC in the lead-up to the presidential election last fall and gives the net more of a lead-in cushion for floundering comedy Parks and Recreation at 8:30 pm and allow Community to get some sampling after The Office for a few weeks before it kicks off the night roughly six weeks later. Happy to see that NBC didn't mess around with its 9 pm combo of The Office and 30 Rock, which will join the schedule after SNL Weekend Update Thursday wraps its run.

Friday nights will either be a blessing or a curse for NBC, with their new lineup of veteran drama Law & Order and newbie Southland taking over the graveyard shift. Given Southland's plummeting ratings on Thursdays at 10 pm this season, I fully anticipate the series' viewers to flee once it moves to a less desirable Friday evening locale.

The full press release from NBC, announcing their lineup can be found below. Photos and video promos for the new NBC series, including Mercy, Trauma, Day One, Parenthood, 100 Questions, and Community, can be found here.

NBC ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE BOLSTERED BY MORE ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING THAN EVER BEFORE

Shared Time Period Strategy Around NBC's Broadcast of 2010 Winter Olympics Along with Jay Leno at 10 p.m. Enables Network to Broadcast Original Programming Year-Round

Network Renews Returning Series "Law & Order" and "Chuck"

NEW YORK CITY -- May 19, 2009 – NBC announced today its 2009-2010 schedule featuring more original programming than ever before and a shared time-period strategy around NBC's Olympics platform that, along with "The Jay Leno Show" (Mondays-Fridays 10-11 p.m. ET), allows the network to broadcast all-new content year-round.

In addition, NBC issued renewals to "Law & Order" and "Chuck" (see accompanying release) as part of its strong slate of new and returning shows announced recently at the network's highly successful Infront.

"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m.," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "We're incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, 'Community' and 'Parenthood.' We can't wait for the fall."

"We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC's schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."

NBC's shared time period strategy will kick off this fall on Mondays with the premiere of "Heroes" (8-9 p.m. ET) continuing with all originals before "Chuck" assumes the time period after the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which will be a powerful launching platform with its broad, female appeal and strong ratings as the most-watched event of the year. Using "NBC Sunday Night Football's" potent promotional platform, the new high-octane drama "Trauma" will debut Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) with the epic event series "Day One" taking over the time period following the Olympics.

NBC's successful "The Biggest Loser" series continues Tuesdays (8-10 p.m.) and will help launch the new Wednesday lineup this fall, with the new family drama "Parenthood" debuting (8-9 p.m. ET) and the new hospital drama "Mercy" assuming the time period post-Olympics. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will air 9-10 p.m. ET following "Parenthood."

NBC's Thursday marquee comedy night will begin with the only live comedy between 8-10 p.m. on any network, "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" (8-8:30 p.m. ET), followed by "Parks and Recreation" (8:30-9 p.m. ET), "The Office" (9-9:30 p.m. ET) and the new comedy "Community" (9:30-10 p.m. ET). After "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" completes its multi-week run, "Community" will move to 8 p.m. and "30 Rock" will debut at 9:30 p.m., enabling NBC to feature more original comedy than ever before.

On Fridays in the fall, the enduring drama "Law & Order" will return for its record 20th season (tying "Gunsmoke" as the longest running drama series in primetime) and will lead off at 8-9 p.m. (ET) while "Southland" follows at 9-10 p.m. (ET), building a great crime block.

Saturdays will be a showcase for "Dateline NBC" (8-9 p.m. ET) and encore episodes of "Trauma" (9-10 p.m. ET) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10-11 p.m. ET).

"Football Night in America" (7-8:20 p.m. ET) and " NBC Sunday Night Football" (8:20-11 p.m. ET) – the number one show of the fall -- will return on Sundays in the fall with a fan-pleasing schedule of games to round out the fall season.

Utilizing the compatible demographics provided by the Olympics, NBC will launch the premieres of "The Marriage Ref" from executive producers Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Rakieten ("Oprah") on Sundays (8-9 p.m. ET) and the third season premiere of "The Celebrity Apprentice" on Sundays with two-hour editions (9-11 p.m. ET). In addition, the new comedy "100 Questions" will debut on Tuesdays (9:30-10 p.m. ET) following a 90-minute edition of "The Biggest Loser" (8-9:30 p.m. ET).

And coming in the summer 2010, NBC will telecast all original episodes of "The Jay Leno Show," "Friday Night Lights," "America's Got Talent," "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins," "Dateline NBC," with additional programs to be announced later.

Photos and video promos for the new NBC series, including Mercy, Trauma, Day One, Parenthood, 100 Questions, and Community, can be found here.

Tomorrow: CBS.

ABC Unveils Fall Schedule, Creates Comedy Block on Wednesdays, "Flash Forward" Lands on Thursdays, "Ugly Betty" Heads to Fridays

Welcome to Day Two of the 2009 network upfronts. Up next is ABC, which has unveiled its fall schedule to advertisers.

So far, the Alphabet has picked up the most new programming out of any broadcast network to date, with orders for Cougar Town, The Deep End, Eastwick, Flash Forward, The Forgotten, Hank, Happy Town, The Middle, Modern Family, Shark Tank, and V as expected.

Returning series include America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Saturday Night College Football, Scrubs, Supernanny, True Beauty, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap, and 20/20.

"Our focus is always on delivering the best stories with the most memorable characters on TV, whether that’s established audience favorites or innovative new shows," said ABC Entertainment Group president Steve McPherson. "This year we’ve got the best of both. We’re headed into the season with a strong slate of returning series as well as great new shows from one of our best development seasons ever."

Immediately noticeable is the creation of a two-hour comedy block on Wednesdays, with Hank, The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town airing between 8-10 pm, followed by Eastwick. The comedy block comprises ABC's "biggest risk but also our biggest upside," said McPherson on a conference call with press this morning.

Meanwhile, ABC has shifted Ugly Betty to Friday nights at 9 pm. Given the dwindling ratings for the series, which will enter its fourth season this fall, I had anticipated ABC moving Betty to a softer timeslot and opening up the timeslot to a more competitive series... like Flash Forward, which will air at 8 pm on Thursdays.

Genre fans will be happy as, so far anyway, Flash Forward will air at 8 pm on ABC, followed by Fringe at 9 pm on FOX. McPherson described Flash Forward as an "intimate, personal story about the nature of fate... love, loss." He also noted that the series has "an extensive multi-season arc" and that "each season has its own cycle."

Hotly anticipated sci-fi series V will air in four season-long arcs and will have "a beginning, middle, and end," according to McPherson. Whether each season will be comprised of 13 episodes or 22 remains to be worked out, though McPherson did tease that Elizabeth Mitchell may be seen on both V and Lost next season.

Not on the schedule: According to Jim, Samantha Who, The Unusuals, and Cupid, all of which have been officially axed. "It was really frustrating," said McPherson of Samantha Who's decline this year. "It launched really well and then ran out of steam. This year, it was really hurt when we couldn't get In the Motherhood to be really viable and it was hurt by that."

UPDATED: ABC's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network, promo videos, and photography for the new series.

ABC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE

ABC’s fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern):

MONDAY
8-10 pm: Dancing with the Stars (two-hours)
10-11 pm: Castle

TUESDAY
8-9 pm: Shark Tank
9-10 pm: Dancing with the Stars Results Show
10-11 pm: The Forgotten

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 pm: Hank
8:30-9 pm: The Middle
9-9:30 pm: Modern Family
9:30-10 pm: Cougar Town
10-11 pm: Eastwick

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: Flash Forward
9-10 pm: Grey’s Anatomy
10-11 pm: Private Practice

FRIDAY
8-9 pm: Supernanny
9-10 pm: Ugly Betty
10-11 pm: 20/20

SATURDAY
8-11 pm: Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
7-8 pm: America’s Funniest Home Videos
8-9 pm: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9=10 pm: Desperate Housewives
10-11 pm: Brothers & Sisters

N.B.: The Bachelor will air Monday nights from 8-10 pm following the run of Dancing with the Stars, and Scrubs and Better Off Ted will air at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, following the run of Dancing with the Stars Results Show.

For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the ABC schedule stacks up.

Returning Series:
20/20, America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Scrubs, Supernanny, True Beauty, Ugly Betty, Wife Swap

New Series:
Awesome Hank, Cougar Town, The Deep End, Eastwick, Flash Forward, The Forgotten, Happy Town, The Middle, Modern Family, The Shark Tank, V

New Timeslots for Returning Series:
Supernanny, Ugly Betty

Midseason Launches/Returns:
The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, The Deep End, Happy Town, Lost, Scrubs, V

Cancelled/Ended:
According to Jim, Boston Legal, Cupid, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Homeland Security USA, In the Motherhood, Life on Mars, Opportunity Knocks, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who, The Unusuals

Reactions:
ABC's fall schedule shows the network setting into some stability while also determined to take some risks, as seen by their decision to launch a night around scripted comedies on Wednesday, with the launches of new series Hank, The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town. Whether this strategy will pay off remains to be seen but, given the network's problem this past fall on Wednesdays with the ratings hit of strike-affected series like Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money, I think it's a good sign that they are looking to do something different on the night after situating Scrubs and Better Off Ted on the night this spring. Scripted comedies are a Good Thing and it's a genre that networks have gotten too comfortable bypassing altogether.

No one expected ABC to change up its Sunday night lineup or shift Dancing with the Stars and Sundays and Monday nights look exactly the same as it did this season with Mondays comprised of Dancing from 8-10 pm, followed by Castle, which gets a shot at a second season. Not sure that The Forgotten will win viewers over at 10 pm on Tuesdays, given the difference in key demo with lead-in Dancing, but thanks to less competition over at NBC (thanks to Jay Leno at 10 pm), this could score with viewers looking for scripted post-watershed drama.

It makes sense for ABC to hold onto such new dramas as V, Happy Town, and The Deep End until midseason and it will be interesting to see how Flash Forward (easily my favorite project of the season) will perform at 8 pm on Thursdays. It doesn't have a lot of competition on the drama side and ABC did originally launch Lost at 8 pm, so it will likely get a lot of sampling initially. (And, as I mentioned above, I love that genre fans will get back-to-back sci-fi on Thursdays with Flash Forward at 8 pm and the Fringe at 9 pm on FOX.)

Ugly Betty moving to Fridays? I've assumed for a long time that ABC would dump the declining Betty on a less competitive night, where it will go up against FOX's Dollhouse in the hour. (Do the two series really share the same fan base?) Given the creative and ratings decline this series has faced in recent years, I was surprised when ABC picked it up but judging from McPherson's tone this morning on the press call, it seems like Betty's days are numbered after this year, unless they can turn things around.

All in all, a promising lineup that boasts a slew of proven ratings hits as well as some risky new ventures, many of which are exciting and original.

The full press release from ABC, announcing their fall schedule along with official series descriptions, can be found below.

ABC UNVEILS 2009-10 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

New Series Include “Cougar Town,” “The Deep End,” “Eastwick,”
“Flash Forward,” “The Forgotten,” “Hank,” “Happy Town,” “The Middle,”
“Modern Family,” “Shark Tank” and “V”

“Better Off Ted,” “Castle,” “Scrubs” and “True Beauty”
Join Previously Announced Returning Series “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty,” “Wife Swap” and “20/20”

Stephen McPherson, president, ABC Entertainment Group, today outlined ABC’s plans for next season and unveiled the network’s 2009-10 fall schedule before the advertising and media communities at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.

New fall and midseason series include “Cougar Town,” “The Deep End,” “Eastwick,” “Flash Forward,” “The Forgotten,” “Hank,” “Happy Town,” “The Middle,” “Modern Family,” “Shark Tank” and “V.”

“Better Off Ted,” “Castle,” “Scrubs” and “True Beauty” join previously announced returning series “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Bachelor,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Supernanny,” “Ugly Betty,” “Wife Swap” and “20/20.” “Saturday Night College Football” will also return.

“Our focus is always on delivering the best stories with the most memorable characters on TV, whether that’s established audience favorites or innovative new shows,” said McPherson. “This year we’ve got the best of both. We’re headed into the season with a strong slate of returning series as well as great new shows from one of our best development seasons ever.”

For the 2008-09 TV season, ABC claims four of the top 10 highest-rated TV series in Adults 18-49, including the top two scripted shows with “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” For the fourth straight season, the Network remains a top destination for upscale viewers, delivering five of the top 15 highest-rated TV series and three of the top four scripted shows among Adults 18-49 in homes w/$100K+ annual income. During the fall, the Net finished No. 1 in the November Sweep among Adults 18-49 for the fourth year in a row. ABC’s audience is growing in 2009, delivering across-the-board gains over the same point last year: Total Viewers +2%, Adults 18-34 +14%, Adults 18-49 +4% and Adults 25-54 +3%.

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. However “Shark Tank” will premiere over the summer following the special 10th anniversary primetime return of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” and will then move to Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2009-10 season.

NEW FALL AND MIDSEASON SERIES:

DRAMA

THE DEEP END

Each year one of LA’s most prestigious law firms recruits four young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. The only way for these first-years to survive is to support each other…even as they compete against one another in the cutthroat arena of high-end law. Sex, greed, romance, betrayal – it’s all part of being a first year associate at Sterling Law.

“The Deep End” stars Matt Long as Dylan Hewitt, Ben Lawson as Liam Priory, Tina Majorino as Addy Fisher, Norbert Leo Butz as Rowdy Kaiser, Leah Pipes as Beth Bancroft, Billy Zane as Cliff Huddle, Sherri Saum as Susan Oppenheim and Clancy Brown as Hart Sterling.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. David Hemingson is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by Michael Fresco.



EASTWICK

Three very different women find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them, and this small New England town will never be the same. The series is based on the popular movie “The Witches of Eastwick” and on the novel of the same title by John Updike.

“Eastwick” stars Rebecca Romijn as Roxie Torcoletti, Lindsay Price as Joanna Frankel, Jamie Ray Newman as Kat Gardener, Paul Gross as Darryl Van Horne, Sara Rue as Penny, Veronica Cartwright as Bun, Johann Urb as Will, Jon Bernthal as Raymond and Ashley Benson as Mia.

The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Maggie Friedman is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by David Nutter.



FLASH FORWARD

When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled.

Adapting award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer’s revolutionary novel, executive producers David S. Goyer (visionary co-writer of “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”) and Brannon Braga (“24,” “Star Trek: Enterprise”) invite you to embark on a journey to answer the question, “if you knew what your future held, what would you do?”

“Flash Forward” stars Joseph Fiennes as Mark Benford, John Cho as Demetri Noh, Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe, Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford, Courtney B. Vance as Stan Wedeck, Brian O’Byrne as Aaron Stark, Christine Woods as Janis Hawk, Zachary Knighton as Bryce Varley and Peyton List as Nicole.

The series is from ABC Studios. David S. Goyer is executive producer/writer/director. Brannon Braga is executive producer and co-wrote the pilot. Other executive producers are Marc Guggenheim, Jessika Goyer, Vince Gerardis and Ralph Vicinanza. Guggenheim will be the showrunner, along with Goyer.



THE FORGOTTEN

From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes a crime show in which a team of dedicated amateurs work on cases involving unidentified victims. After the police have given up, this group must first solve the puzzle of the victim's identity in order to then help catch the killer. They work to give the deceased back their names, lest they become -- The Forgotten.

“The Forgotten” stars Rupert Penry-Jones as Alex, Reiko Aylesworth as Linda, Michelle Borth as Candace, Bob Stephenson as Walter, Anthony Carrigan as Tyler and Rochelle Aytes as Detective Grace Russell.

The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Mark Friedman is executive producer/writer, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producers, KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer and Danny Cannon is executive producer/director.

HAPPY TOWN

Haplin, Minnesota, “Happy Town,” is approaching almost a decade of peace after being riddled for years by unsolved kidnappings. But in the wake of this small town’s first crime in seven years, some dark truths are being revealed about some familiar faces. They say every town has its secrets… that doesn’t even begin to describe Happy Town.

“Happy Town” stars Geoff Stults as Tommy Conroy, Lauren German as Henley, Amy Acker as Rachel Conroy, Dean Winters as John Haplin, John Patrick Amedori as Andrew Haplin, Sarah Gadon as Georgia Bravin, Jay Paulson as Larry ‘Root Beer’ Rogers, Robert Wisdom as Roger Hobbes and Sam Neill as Merritt Grieves.

The series is from ABC Studios. Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg are executive producers and co-writers. The pilot was directed by Gary Fleder, who is also an executive producer.



V

V is a re-imagining of the 1980’s miniseries about the world’s first encounter with an alien race in which the aliens call themselves The Visitors, and have a seemingly friendly agenda that may or may not be a cover for something more malevolent.

“V” stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack Landry, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie Stevens, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker.

The series is produced by HDFilms in association with Warner Bros. Television. Scott Peters is executive producer/writer and Steve Pearlman and Jace Hall are executive producers. The pilot was directed and executive produced by Yves Simoneau.



COMEDY

COUGAR TOWN

Courteney Cox stars as a recently divorced single mother exploring the honest truths about dating and aging in our beauty and youth obsessed culture.

“Cougar Town” stars Courteney Cox as Jules, Christa Miller as Elle, Busy Philipps as Laurie, Dan Byrd as Travis, Brian Van Holt as Bobby, Josh Hopkins as Grayson and Ian Gomez as Andy.

The series is from ABC Studios. Bill Lawrence is executive producer/writer/director, Kevin Biegel is writer/co-executive producer, and Courteney Cox and David Arquette are executive producers.



HANK

Kelsey Grammer stars in this timely comedy as Hank Pryor, a titan of industry who suddenly finds himself out of work, almost out of money and around a wife and kids for whom he's never made much time. Despite his recent setbacks, however, Hank is confident he's on the road back to the top. He knows he is destined to return to greatness. And he is — just not the greatness he imagines.

“Hank” stars Kelsey Grammer as Hank, Melinda McGraw as Tilly, David Koechner as Grady, Macey Cruthird as Maddie and Ryan Wynott as Henry.

The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with McMonkey Inc., Grammnet Productions, Werner Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. It is written by Tucker Cawley. Tom Werner, Tucker Cawley, Kelsey Grammer and Mike Clements serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by James Burrows.



THE MIDDLE

The Hecks are a middle class family living in the middle of Indiana, just trying to keep their heads above water. Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars as a wife and mother of three in a comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations.

“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Eden Sher as Sue, Atticus Shaffer as Brick and Charlie McDermott as Axel.

The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline are executive producers/writers and Werner Walian is producer. The pilot was directed by Julie Anne Robinson.



MODERN FAMILY

Today’s American families come in all shapes and sizes. Shot from the perspective of an unseen documentary filmmaker, this comedy takes a modern look at the complications that come with being a family in 2009.

“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sofía Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Ty Burrell as Phil, Julie Bowen as Claire, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Nolan Gould as Luke and Ariel Winter as Alex.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd are executive producers. The pilot was directed by Jason Winer.

ALTERNATIVE SERIES

SHARK TANK

From Mark Burnett, executive producer of “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” and Sony Pictures Television comes “Shark Tank,” an exciting new reality show that gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and become successful – and possibly wealthy – business people. But the entrepreneurs must first try to convince five tough, multi-millionaire tycoons to part with their own hard-earned cash and give them the funding they need to jumpstart their ideas.

In these trying economic times, it’s difficult for an individual possessing a dream or even a working small business poised for growth to get a loan for a risky venture. Whether it be an imaginative enhancement for an existing product, a family recipe that has all the ingredients to become a profitable culinary treat, or the latest technological gadget that could take the world by storm, most of these dreams die an early death because no one dared take a financial chance on someone with an unproven and oftentimes outrageous proposal. Many of these people now see “Shark Tank” as their last chance at success. Some have been laboring on their ideas for years or even decades, have invested large amounts of money, and are being pressured to throw in the towel by friends and family. Others have simply never had access to the means to live out their dreams, until now.

Enter the Sharks of “Shark Tank” – Barbara Corcoran (Manhattan real estate titan), Kevin Harrington (king of infomercials), Robert Herjavec (technology tycoon), Daymond John (fashion mogul) and Kevin O'Leary (venture capitalist) – five multi-millionaires who lifted themselves up by their bootstraps to make their own entrepreneurial dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.

Each week ambitious entrepreneurs from across the country will present their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to the panel of ruthless investors. Their goal is to convince these merciless moguls to invest their own dollars in the concept. Convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, “I’m out!” -- sending them running for the exit.

But these Sharks aren’t just out for blood, they too have a goal: to own a piece of the next big idea. Entrepreneurs will be asked to give up a percentage of their companies’ equity to the Sharks in order to get the investment they need. But when the Sharks hear a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them will erupt. Then the once-desperate entrepreneur can rejoice when the Sharks reveal their true interest in the product and bid up the price of the investment.

RETURNING SERIES:

DRAMA

“BROTHERS & SISTERS”
“Brothers & Sisters” continues to follow the California-based Walker family through the complicated maze of American life today. The compelling one-hour drama series is about a collection of five enmeshed and somewhat damaged adult siblings, their spouses and their strong and passionately devoted mother, Nora Holden (Oscar and Emmy Award winner Sally Field).

The Walkers’ lives have not been without challenge; romance, parenting, divorce, infidelity, addiction, war, birth and even death have pushed each of them to the limit, but they continue to work toward living their lives as individuals, while loving each other unconditionally and trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy after the loss of their larger-than-life family patriarch, William Walker.

“Brothers & Sisters” stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Balthazar Getty as Thomas Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon, Rob Lowe as Senator Robert McCallister, Sarah Jane Morris as Julia Walker, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden, Emily VanCamp as Rebecca Harper and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

The series produced by ABC Studios. Ken Olin (“Alias,” “thirtysomething”), Greg Berlanti (“Dirty Sexy Money,” “Everwood”), Monica Owusu-Breen (“Alias”), Alison Schapker (“Alias”), Sarah Caplan and Molly Newman are executive producers.

“CASTLE”
When viewers first met Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) -- a famous mystery novelist and divorced father raising his teenage daughter (Molly Quinn as Alexis), while being kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother (Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers) -- he was bored with his own success. He then found out that a real-world killer was staging murder scenes depicted in his novels. Castle was questioned by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), a bright and aggressive detective who kept her investigations under tight reins, especially the years-old unsolved murder of her own mother. Though they instantly clashed, sparks of another sort began to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle stepped in to help find the copycat killer. Once that initial case was solved, together Castle and Beckett built on their new relationship investigating more strange homicides in New York – as much fun as one could have with death and murder. In the season finale, Castle, against Beckett’s direct order to stay out of her mom’s case, unearthed information in that homicide which may end his relationship with her forever.

Also starring in the series are Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe serves as executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, Armyan Bernstein and Laurie Zaks.

“DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES”
After jumping five years ahead into the lives of the women of Wisteria Lane, critically acclaimed series “Desperate Housewives” returns for its sixth season on ABC. Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike (James Denton) are brought together by their worst fears; Lynette’s (Felicity Huffman) unexpected pregnancy tests her family; as Bree’s (Marcia Cross) marriage dissolves, she finds herself in the arms of another man; Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker) is in for a surprise when she and Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) welcome their niece into their home; and Katherine (Dana Delany) struggles over the thought of losing Mike.

“Desperate Housewives” stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge, Eva Longoria Parker as Gabrielle Solis, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Doug Savant as Tom Scavo, Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van De Kamp, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Charlie Carver as Porter Scavo, Max Carver as Preston Scavo, Joshua Moore as Parker Scavo, and Kendall Applegate as Penny Scavo.

Marc Cherry serves as executive producer and creator. Sabrina Wind, George Perkins, Larry Shaw and David Grossman are executive producers. “Desperate Housewives” is produced by ABC Studios and is the winner of both the 2005 and 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

“GREY’S ANATOMY”
“Grey's Anatomy” is the recipient of the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and multiple Emmy nominations including two for Outstanding Drama Series.

The doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital deal with life-or-death consequences on a daily basis - it's in one another that they find comfort, friendship and, at times, more than friendship. Together they're discovering that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white. Real life only comes in shades of grey.

“Grey's Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Katherine Heigl as Isobel “Izzie” Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George O’Malley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Eric Dane as Mark Sloan, Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey and Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt.

“Grey's Anatomy” was created and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes (“Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”). Betsy Beers (“Casanova”), Mark Gordon (“Saving Private Ryan”), Krista Vernoff (“Law & Order”), Rob Corn (“Chicago Hope”), Mark Wilding (“Jake: 2.0”) and Allan Heinberg (“The O.C.) are executive producers. “Grey’s Anatomy” is an ABC Studios production.

“LOST”
After Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, its survivors were forced to find inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. But they discovered that the island holds many secrets, including a mysterious smoke monster, polar bears, housing and hatches with electricity and hot & cold running water, a group of island residents known as “The Others,” and a mysterious man named Jacob. The survivors have also found signs of those who came to the island before them, including a 19th century sailing ship called The Black Rock, a downed Beechcraft plane from a failed drug run, the remains of an ancient statue, as well as bunkers belonging to the Dharma Initiative -- a group of scientific researchers who inhabited the island in the recent past. They also encountered a freighter stationed off the island that some thought would lead to their rescue, but ultimately almost caused their extinction. The band of friends, family, enemies and strangers must continue to work together against all odds if they want to stay alive. But as they have discovered during their journey, nothing is what it seems, and danger and mystery loom behind every corner, with even those they thought could be trusted turning against them. Even heroes have secrets.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Michael Emerson as Ben, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet and Terry O’Quinn as Locke.

A 2008 recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award, “Lost” was created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof. Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz and Carlton Cuse serve as executive producers. “Lost,” which is filmed entirely on location in Hawaii and premiered on September 22, 2004, is from ABC Studios.

“PRIVATE PRACTICE”
From Shonda Rhimes, the Golden Globe-winning creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” comes a story about finding a way to begin the rest of your life. Addison Forbes Montgomery is a renowned neonatal surgeon at the pinnacle of her profession. Having left behind Seattle Grace Hospital and a broken marriage, Addison has moved to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. Now reunited with her friends from medical school, Naomi and Sam Bennett, Addison has joined their co-op practice at Oceanside Wellness Group in Santa Monica. The practice’s resident pediatrician is Dr. Cooper Freedman, Dr. Pete Wilder is the alternative medicine specialist, psychiatrist Dr. Violet Turner and office manager/nurse, William Dell Parker, round out the tightly knit group of professionals. The doctors of Oceanside work together to find solutions to their patients’ needs, but along the way they encounter medical cases that challenge their ethical and moral ideals and their abilities as doctors. For Addison, an old friend’s invitation has brought her to a new city and a new life full of promise - now it’s up to her to take chances in dating and find her place in this new medical environment. At Oceanside Wellness Group, the doctors are dedicated pros; it’s their private lives that need a little practice.

“Private Practice” stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery, Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder, Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett, Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman, KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King, Chris Lowell as William Dell Parker, with Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett and Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner.

“Private Practice” was created and is executive-produced by Shonda Rhimes. Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Mark Tinker, Jon Cowan and Robert Rovner are executive producers. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

“UGLY BETTY”
In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the super thin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl from Queens possibly fit in? Sweet, intelligent, hard-working and – undoubtedly – fashion-challenged, Betty Suarez dreams of a successful career in magazine publishing. After taking a job at Mode Magazine, the bible of the fashion industry, Betty's indomitable spirit and bright ideas win over the respect of her Mode cohorts despite continuous predictions of failure. She thrives in the ultra-competitive environment in spite of her lack of fashion sense. Betty forms an unlikely team with her boss, Daniel Meade, the co-editor in chief of Mode Magazine, as they help one another navigate the choppy waters of NYC’s shark infested fashion scene. Now she must prove that she is not just a super assistant with no fashion sense, but an aspiring career woman and editor-to-be while balancing her tumultuous love life and her family responsibilities.

“Ugly Betty” stars America Ferrera as Betty Suarez, Eric Mabius as Daniel Meade, Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater, Ana Ortiz as Hilda, Tony Plana as Ignacio, Becki Newton as Amanda, Mark Indelicato as Justin, Michael Urie as Marc and Judith Light as Claire Meade.

Based on “Yo Soy Betty La Fea,” the groundbreaking Colombian telenovela that became an international phenomenon, “Ugly Betty” is from ABC Studios. The series has been awarded the Golden Globe, Peabody, NAACP, ALMA, GLAAD and Imagen awards and earned 3 Emmy awards and 17 nominations. Executive producers are Silvio Horta (“Urban Legend”), Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award winner Salma Hayek, Jose Tamez, Richard Heus, Ben Silverman, Teri Weinberg, Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally.


COMEDY

“BETTER OFF TED”
“Better Off Ted” is a satirical office comedy about successful good guy, Ted, who runs research and development at the morally questionable Veridian Dynamics. No achievement is too far-fetched and no invention too unorthodox for Veridian. Need cow-less meat grown in a test tube? Done. Need pumpkins that also double as weapons of mass destruction? No problem. Ted’s a single dad to a seven-year-old girl, and he loves his job, but he’s starting to take a closer look at the company’s extremely dubious practices. Do you manufacture the best teeth whitener ever if it could also kill off all of the planet’s fish? Probably not, but...

Ted’s also fighting an attraction to co-worker Linda, who enjoys small acts of rebellion against Veridian (she’s secretly stealing and hoarding all the company’s creamer packets). But he holds back about his true feelings. He’s already had his self imposed “one office affair” with überboss Veronica. Incredibly beautiful (if seemingly devoid of conscience and also emotion-free), Veronica lets nothing get in her way when it comes to serving Veridian’s needs… even if it means doing something like cryogenically freezing an employee for testing purposes. And after all, the employee, research scientist Phil, survived (after he thawed out). So what if he screams like an eagle at the slightest provocation? He and his best friend, fellow research scientist Lem, are both geniuses and when they’re not bickering, they’re responsible for many of Veridian’s miracles of weird science.

“Better Off Ted” stars Jay Harrington as Ted, Portia de Rossi as Veronica, Andrea Anders as Linda, Jonathan Slavin as Phil, Malcolm Barrett as Lem and Isabella Acres as Rose.

“Better Off Ted” is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. Victor Fresco (“My Name Is Earl,” “Andy Richter Controls the Universe”) is executive producer and creator of the series.

“SCRUBS”
This irreverent and offbeat comedy received two consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2005 and 2006, and was named TV.com’s “Best of 2007” in Comedy.

“Scrubs” focuses on the unique point of view of Dr. John Dorian, or “J.D.” (Zach Braff). After surviving his internship and residency, and year as an attending physician with his own class of unmanageable interns at Sacred Heart Hospital, J.D. is moving on to greener pastures. He continues to face many challenges in his personal and professional life trying to balance his roles as doctor, father to Sam, devoted live-in boyfriend and friend to his very quirky companions at Sacred Heart.

In its debut year, “Scrubs” was nominated for two Emmy Awards and a People’s Choice Award. It has received a total of 16 Emmy nominations, and it won an Emmy for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing in 2005 and another for Outstanding Sound Mixing in 2007. In 2004 the series was honored with a prestigious Humanitas Prize. Beginning that same year, it received three consecutive Producers Guild Award nominations, from 2004-2006.

“Scrubs” is produced by ABC Studios. Bill Lawrence (“Spin City”) is the executive producer and creator.

ALTERNATIVE

“AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS”
“America’s Funniest Home Videos” will celebrate its 20th season when it returns in the fall. Hosted by Tom Bergeron, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” is the longest-running primetime show in ABC history and has been entertaining viewers for decades by showing what happens when adults, children and even inanimate objects are at their spontaneous best, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has given


away over $10 million in prize money and evaluated more than half a million videotapes from home viewers. Viewers wishing to submit home videos to “America’s Funniest Home Videos” should visit www.ABC.com for details.

Vin Di Bona is executive producer, with Todd Thicke and Michele Nasraway serving as co-executive producers.

“THE BACHELOR”
ABC’s “The Bachelor” is the original primetime romance reality series that offers one lucky man and 25 lucky women the unique opportunity to find true love. The new Bachelor will get to know 25 women via a series of social gatherings and exotic, romantic dates – some in groups, some individually. He will introduce some of the women to his family, and will visit their hometowns for a slice of their life in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible.

“The Bachelor” is hosted by Chris Harrison and produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers.

“DANCING WITH THE STARS”
Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) and Samantha Harris (“The Insider”), “Dancing with the Stars” challenges celebrities from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, and beyond, to perform choreographed ballroom routines ranging from the foxtrot to the cha cha cha. Celebrities are paired with some of the top professional ballroom dancers in the world and their live televised performances are judged by renowned ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

“Dancing with the Stars” is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, “Strictly Come Dancing.” This version is produced by BBC Worldwide Americas. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Rob Wade and Matilda Zoltowski are co-executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs.

“EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION”
Put together one very run-down house, a deserving family, several opinionated designers, seven days and what do you get? The answer is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The show has won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program, plus the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Reality Show/Makeover and the Family Television Award for Best Alternative/Reality Program. Each episode is self-contained and features a race against time on a project that would ordinarily take at least four months to achieve, involving a team of designers, contractors and several hundred workers who have just seven days to totally rebuild an entire house – every single room, plus the exterior and landscaping. The lives of the lucky families are forever changed when they learn that they’ve been selected to have their home walls moved, their floors replaced and even their facades radically changed. The result should be a decorator’s delight… if it can be done in time.

The design team includes team leader Ty Pennington, with designers Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney, Ed Sanders, Tracy Hutson, Eduardo Xol, John Littlefield, Rib Hillis and Didiayer Snyder.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The executive producer is Anthony Dominici (“America’s Next Top Model,” “The Amazing Race”).

“SUPERNANNY”
“Supernanny” is in its fifth season with Jo Frost criss-crossing America, taking on some of its toughest parenting challenges. She can tame the wildest toddler, soothe the savage six-year-old and get the most difficult child to overcome problems with behavior, sleep, mealtime, potty training and other



challenges that have vexed parents around the world for centuries. The series debuted in America in early 2005 and captivated the country with Jo’s practical, no-nonsense style, honed over 20 years of nannying. “Supernanny” is now an international phenomenon; it airs in 172 territories, almost all of them with Frost as Supernanny. The series has been nominated for a People’s Choice Award.

Nick Powell is the creator and executive producer of both the American and British versions of the show. Nick Emmerson and Stephanie Schwam are executive producers of the American version. “Supernanny” is produced by Shed Media US.

“TRUE BEAUTY”
What makes a person truly beautiful? From executive producers Tyra Banks (“The Tyra Banks Show,” “America’s Next Top Model”) and Ashton Kutcher (executive producer of “Punk’d” and “Beauty and the Geek”), beauty is redefined in the popular ABC series “True Beauty.”

Gorgeous female and handsome male contestants assume they’re being judged solely on their outer appearance, but they’re only half right; outer beauty is just one component the judges are looking for. Contestants, unbeknownst to them, are also being evaluated for their INNER beauty as they’re tested in challenging situations that require them to make moral decisions.

Each episode will showcase an outer beauty and an inner beauty challenge, during which contestants will be judged on everything from how well they perform in photo shoots to how well they respect their elders. The three judges will observe and critique the contestants’ behavior and eliminate one person each week. Only after someone is eliminated will the truth about the show be revealed to him/her, as they watch a video montage of their behavior captured by a hidden camera during the shoot. At the end of eight episodes, one winner will be declared, a person who is truly beautiful inside and out. That person will receive a cash prize and a spot in PEOPLE magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People issue.

Executive producers of “True Beauty” are Denise Cramsey (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), Tyra Banks and Laura Armstrong for Bankable Productions, and Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke and Rod Aissa for Katalyst Productions. The series is a production of Warner Horizon Television.

“WIFE SWAP”
Each week two very contradictory families from across the country participate in a two-week-long challenge: The wives exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover daily life in another woman’s shoes. This astonishing experiment repeatedly changes lives and redefines families.

In the first week of the swap, the wives move in and adopt their new family’s lifestyle, no matter how different it may be. They agree to follow a manual written by the departing wife that sets out the rules of their new household – how they parent, shop, do the house work, manage their budgets and their social life. In the second week, everything changes. The new wives take charge. They introduce their own set of rules and get to run the new household their way. It’s a radical shock to both families. The results are explosive, enlightening, emotional and often comical.

At the end of the show, the two couples meet for the first time. In a highly-charged exchange of views, both couples make a frank assessment of each other and talk about what they’ve learned from the experience.

“Wife Swap” is an RDF USA production. The show was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Mike Gamson, and Michael Davies of Embassy Row (“Who Wants to be a Millionaire”). Neil Regan, Julie Cooper and Will Nothacker are co-executive producers.


“20/20”
ABC News’ acclaimed series “20/20” has distinguished itself as one of the most esteemed news programs in broadcast journalism. Amid the heated, competitive environment of primetime entertainment, “20/20” has demonstrated its ability to consistently attract a significant segment of the viewing audience by offering viewers more choices and more chances to learn about the world around them. For over three decades, “20/20” has continued to combine hard-hitting investigative reports, newsmaker interviews and compelling human interest and feature stories that have changes lives.

The program is co-anchored by the broadcast team of Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel, both award-winning journalists.

Later today: NBC.

FOX Unveils Fall Schedule, Shifts "Fringe" to Thursdays, Holds New Scripted Series for 2010

Welcome to the first day of network upfronts 2009.

FOX is up first and this morning announced its plans both for fall and midseason, unveiling a schedule that includes several new scripted series, including dramas Past Life, Glee, and Human Target and comedies Brothers and The Cleveland Show.

What's immediately noticeable is the decision to shift sophomore drama series Fringe to Thursdays (where it will be paired with Bones) and hold off launching the majority of its new scripted series (other than Glee, The Cleveland Show, and Brothers) until the New Year, a wise move considering the massive promotional machine that is American Idol. (Traditionally, FOX has had a hell of a time trying to launch new series in the fall.)

Fridays, meanwhile, will remain the home of Dollhouse at 9 pm ET/PT, this time being paired with two live-action comedies, Brothers and 'Til Death, which take over the 8 pm timeslot vacated by the now-canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

"As the No.1 network for the last five years, FOX is the first place viewers go to connect with the stories and characters they love," said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment in a statement. "With next year's slate of distinctive shows, we're continuing to invest in creativity to give viewers the rich, emotional experience they can only get on television."

"The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off," said Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. "We've created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we're bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive."

UPDATED: FOX's full fall and midseason schedules can be found below, along with the official press release from the network and photos and descriptions for the new fall and midseason series.... and now video promos as well.

FOX FALL 2009 SCHEDULE:

MONDAY
8-9 pm: HOUSE
9-10 pm: LIE TO ME

TUESDAY
8-10 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show

WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show
9-10 pm: GLEE

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: BONES
9-10 pm: FRINGE

FRIDAY
8-8:30 pm: BROTHERS
8:30-9 pm: ‘TIL DEATH
9-10 pm: DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8-8:30 pm: COPS
8:30-9 pm: COPS
9-10 pm: AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11-12 am: THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
12-12:30 am: ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7-8:00 pm: THE OT (NFL post-game)
8-8:30 pm: THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9 pm: THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9-9:30 pm: FAMILY GUY
9:30-10 pm: AMERICAN DAD

FOX also unveiled their midseason schedule:

MONDAY
8-9pm: HOUSE
9-10 pm: 24

TUESDAY
8-9 pm: AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show
9-10 pm: PAST LIFE

WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm: AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9-10 pm: HUMAN TARGET (January) / GLEE (spring)

THURSDAY
8-9 pm: BONES
9-10 pm: FRINGE

FRIDAY
8-8:30 pm: BROTHERS
8:30-9 pm: ‘TIL DEATH
9-10 pm: DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8-8:30 pm: COPS
8:30-9 pm: COPS
9-10 pm: AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11-12 am: THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
12-12:30 am: ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7-7:30 pm: ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8 pm: AMERICAN DAD
8-8:30 pm: THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9 pm: SONS OF TUCSON
9-9:30 pm: FAMILY GUY
9:30-10 pm: THE CLEVELAND SHOW

For those of you keeping track of such things, here's how the FOX schedule stacks up.

Returning Series:
24, American Dad, American Idol, America's Most Wanted, Bones, COPS, Dollhouse, Family Guy, Fringe, Glee, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Lie to Me, The Simpsons, So You Think You Can Dance, 'Til Death

New Series:
Brothers, The Cleveland Show, Human Target, Past Life, Sons of Tucson, The Wanda Sykes Show

New Timeslots for Returning Series:
Fringe, So You Think You Can Dance, Lie to Me, 'Til Death

Midseason Launches/Returns:
American Idol, 24, Sons of Tucson, Human Target, Past Life

Cancelled/Ended:
Do Not Disturb, Hole in the Wall, Osborunes: Reloaded, Prison Break, Secret Millionaire, Sit Down, Shut Up, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Reactions:
Overall, not too many shocking announcements and I think that FOX was wise to hold off on launching its new series until the spring when it has the added support of American Idol. I don't necessarily agree with the thought that more So You Think You Can Dance in the fall (right after the conclusion of the summer cycle) is a good thing, as reality franchises typically do well resting between cycles. Will it be overkill? That remains to be seen; FOX clearly wants to mirror its spring schedule with So You Think You Can Dance taking over for American Idol as a launchpad and ratings boost.

I'm more curious about the decision to shift Fringe to Thursdays, where it will go up against ABC's Grey's Anatomy and CBS' CSI. While Grey's has a higher female audience, this move will either make or break Fringe, which returns for a second season. Will viewers follow Fringe to another night, where it doesn't have the support of an American Idol as a lead-in?

Fridays are another odd evening, with Dollhouse airing out of two live-action comedies, the dismal 'Til Death (somehow resurrected yet again) and new comedy Brothers. Not sure this is the best way to keep Dollhouse afloat on a tough night but I don't know what else they would have paired Dollhouse with as the network was upfront about its decision to keep Dollhouse put on Fridays. And the ratings didn't exactly sing when Dollhouse was paired with fellow genre series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Smart decision to hold off on Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares and deploy these at a later date, giving FOX the ability to replace a sagging series with one of these series at any given time (they have a cycle of each already in the can). All in all, we're seeing a FOX making some safe moves and implementing scheduling that attempts to achieve stability in both the fall and spring segments.

The full press release from FOX, announcing its primetime schedule, can be found below:

FOX ANNOUNCES PRIMETIME SLATE FOR 2009-2010 SEASON

FOUR NEW COMEDIES, TWO NEW DRAMAS AND ONE LATE-NIGHT SHOW JOIN SCHEDULE

RYAN MURPHY'S NEW COMEDY "GLEE" TO PREMIERE IN FALL AFTER UNPRECEDENTED PREVIEW EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT

NEW COMEDIES "BROTHERS" AND "THE CLEVELAND SHOW" DEBUT IN FALL

NEW SATURDAY LATE-NIGHT ENTRY "THE WANDA SYKES SHOW" (working title) SLATED FOR FALL LAUNCH

NEW ACTION DRAMA SERIES "HUMAN TARGET," MYSTERIOUS DRAMA "PAST LIFE" AND COMEDY "SONS OF TUCSON" DEBUT MIDSEASON

"SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" Returns in the Fall

"HUMAN TARGET" and "24" Premiere Sunday, January 17 Following NFC Divisional Playoff Game

New York (Monday, May 18, 2009) Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment; and Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2009-2010 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at New York City Center.

"As the No.1 network for the last five years, FOX is the first place viewers go to connect with the stories and characters they love," said Rice. "With next year's slate of distinctive shows, we're continuing to invest in creativity to give viewers the rich, emotional experience they can only get on television."

Reilly added, "The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off. We've created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we're bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive."

After a special preview event airing Tuesday, May 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE, the distinctive new comedy from Ryan Murphy ("Nip/Tuck") starring Jane Lynch ("The 40 Year Old Virgin") and newcomers Matthew Morrison (Broadway's "Hairspray"), Lea Michele ("Spring Awakening") and Cory Monteith ("Kyle XY"), will enter its freshman year this fall. Combining biting humor with a soundtrack of hit music from past to present, the inventive series follows an optimistic high school teacher who against all odds attempts to restore McKinley High's fading Glee Club to its former glory, while helping a group of underdogs realize their true star potential.

Two additional new comedies will premiere this fall. From the producers of FAMILY GUY, comes THE CLEVELAND SHOW. The new Sunday night animated comedy follows everyone's favorite soft-spoken FAMILY GUY neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), who moves with his son back to his hometown in Virginia and settles down with his high school sweetheart and her unruly kids. Copy/pasted from The Futon Critic BROTHERS, starring Michael Strahan ("FOX NFL Sunday") and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell ("Ed," "Veronica's Closet"), is a new half-hour comedy about a former big-city NFL hot shot who returns home to his family and his mother's house to get his life back on track.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 (11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT), late night will never be the same when Emmy Award winner Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The irreverent Saturday late-night series will feature Sykes' outspoken comedic perspective on current events along with topical, high-energy roundtable discussions.

The new event drama, HUMAN TARGET, premieres with a special preview Sunday, Jan. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) following the NFC Divisional Playoff game. HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle, action-packed thrill ride from executive producers McG ("Terminator Salvation") and Simon West ("Con Air," "Tomb Raider"). Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel and starring Mark Valley (FRINGE), Chi McBride ("Pushing Daisies") and Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley ("Watchmen"), the series follows CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Valley), a unique private contractor who will stop at nothing even if it means becoming a human target to keep his clients alive.

The other drama for midseason is PAST LIFE, a fast-paced emotional thriller inspired by the book "The Reincarnationist." The series stars Kelli Giddish ("All My Children") as a gifted psychologist and Nicholas Bishop ("Home and Away") as a former NYPD detective who work together to explore and unravel mysteries that must be solved in both the past and the present.

One new comedy is scheduled to premiere in midseason. From three-time Emmy Award winner Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle"), the non-traditional family comedy SONS OF TUCSON stars Tyler Labine ("Reaper") as a charming but wayward schemer hired by three young brothers whose father is in prison.

Summer sensation SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE moves to the fall with its sixth season. Hosted by Cat Deeley and featuring renowned judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, the original dance competition series will continue to inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America's Favorite Dancer.

It was also announced that the eighth season of 24 will return to the FOX schedule with a two-night, four-hour premiere as part of a special extended primetime on Sunday, Jan. 17 (9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT), immediately following the premiere of HUMAN TARGET. The next installment of the Emmy Award-winning series starring Kiefer Sutherland will unfold in New York City, amidst the shadows of the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations.

Other FOX series returning in 2009-2010 include: AMERICAN DAD, AMERICAN IDOL, AMERICA'S MOST WANTED, BONES, COPS, DOLLHOUSE, FAMILY GUY, FRINGE, HELL'S KITCHEN, HOUSE, KITCHEN NIGHTMARES, LIE TO ME, THE SIMPSONS and 'TIL DEATH. Specials returning to the FOX schedule include: THE 41st NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE and TEEN CHOICE 2009.

NEW SERIES SYNOPSES

The following new comedies will premiere this fall on FOX:

GLEE

McKinley High School's Glee Club used to be at the top of the show choir world, but years later, it has turned into a haven for misfits and social outcasts. But at McKinley, things for the Glee Club are about to change. From Ryan Murphy, the creator of "Nip/Tuck," comes GLEE, an uplifting comedy musical series with biting humor that features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. The show follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion for singing while reinventing the school's glee club and challenging a group of underdogs to realize their star potential. WILL SCHUESTER (Matthew Morrison) has offered to take on the Herculean task of restoring McKinley's Glee Club to its former glory with the help of fellow teacher and germaphobe EMMA PILLSBURY (Jayma Mays). It's a tall order when the brightest stars of the club include KURT (Chris Colfer), a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; MERCEDES (Amber Riley), a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up; ARTIE (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist who spends more time avoiding bullies than chasing girls; and TINA (Jenna Ushkowitz), an awkward girl who needs to suppress her stutter before she can take center stage. Will's only hope lies with two true talents: RACHEL BERRY (Lea Michele), a perfectionist firecracker who is convinced that show choir is her ticket to stardom; and FINN HUDSON (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks and a Motown voice who must protect his reputation with his holier-than-thou girlfriend and head cheerleader, QUINN (Dianna Agron), and his arrogant football teammate, PUCK (Mark Salling). Driven by his secret past, Will is determined to do whatever it takes to make Glee great again, even though everyone around him thinks he's nuts. He's out to prove them all wrong from his tough-as-nails wife TERRI SCHUESTER (Jessalyn Gilsig) to McKinley's scheming cheerleading coach SUE SYLVESTER (Jane Lynch) to an ber-hip world that thinks jazz hands and sequined tuxedos litter the road to infamy rather than pave the way to Hollywood dreams.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Century Fox Television, Ryan Murphy Television

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto

CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ian Brennan, John Peter Kousakis

DIRECTOR: Ryan Murphy

CAST: Dianna Agron as Quinn, Chris Colfer as Kurt, Jessalyn Gilsig as Terri Schuester, Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury, Kevin McHale as Artie, Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson, Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, Amber Riley as Mercedes, Mark Salling as Puck, Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina



THE CLEVELAND SHOW

THE CLEVELAND SHOW is a new animated series that follows everyone's favorite soft-spoken neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son, CLEVELAND JR. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Many years ago, Cleveland was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named DONNA (Sanaa Lathan). Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he'd be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna's husband ran off, leaving Donna with a teenage daughter and a young son. Now she's open to Cleveland and has offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously reunites with Donna, and he and Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to join their new family. Once in Virginia, there are a few surprises in store for Cleveland, including ROBERTA (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; RALLO (Henry), his new 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, LESTER (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, HOLT (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a religious pair of talking bears, TIM (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife ARIANNA (guest voice Arianna Huffington).

PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television

CO-CREATORS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Seth MacFarlane, Rich Appel, Mike Henry

VOICE CAST: Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown, Rallo and others; Sanaa Lathan as Donna Tubbs; Reagan Gomez-Preston as Roberta Tubbs; Kevin Michael Richardson as Lester and Cleveland Jr.

GUEST VOICES: Arianna Huffington as Arianna, Jason Sudeikis as Holt



BROTHERS

Starring Michael Strahan ("FOX NFL Sunday") and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell ("Ed," "Veronica's Closet"), BROTHERS is a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think. MIKE TRAINOR (Strahan) seemingly has it all he's a good-looking, wealthy and recently retired NFL player living the high-life in New York City, but he's about to get sidelined. When Mike gets a phone call from his MOM (CCH Pounder, "The Shield") who orders him home to Houston, he quickly realizes the more his life has changed, the more his family has stayed the same. His brother CHILL (Daryl "Chill" Mitchell), whose life was altered drastically after a car accident left him in a wheelchair, is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat with the help of his loudmouth associate, ROSCOE (Colton Dunn, "MADtv"). The dynamics between Mike and Chill are the same as when they were kids, and their sibling rivalry hasn't lessened with age. If they can stop their bickering, put aside their differences and learn to be teammates, the brothers might just turn out to be each other's biggest asset. Copy/pasted from The Futon Critic Wedged between Mike and Chill are their parents. Their father, whom everyone refers to as COACH (Carl Weathers, "Rocky"), is the local high school football coach and the conservative, opinionated alpha male of his clan. Coach thinks he runs the show, but really it's Mom who calls the shots. Saucy, stern and a schemer, she is the mastermind of the family. And when she learns that Mike's business manager took off with all his money, she orchestrates a plan to keep Mike in Houston, save Chill's restaurant and bring the family back together under one roof again all without anyone realizing what she's up to. Mom's plan helps Mike realize that his family however dysfunctional they may be is the only family he's got. And although he may not have a penny to his name, as long as he's surrounded by people who love him, he'll always be a rich man.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Sony Pictures Television; Tantamount Studios; Impact Zone Productions, Inc.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Mitch Hurwitz, Don Reo

DIRECTOR: Ted Wass

CAST: Michael Strahan as Mike, Daryl "Chill" Mitchell as Chill, CCH Pounder as Mom, Carl Weathers as Coach, Colton Dunn as Roscoe



The following new late-night series will premiere this fall:

THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)

Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The high-energy one-hour show will feature biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series' unique format will highlight Sykes' outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Fox Television Studios

HOST: Wanda Sykes

The following new dramas are slated for a midseason launch:

HUMAN TARGET

It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a "human target" in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it's about one thing only: saving his clients' lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can't be solved through "normal" means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients' lives to become the human target. If you're a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you're the president of a bank who's been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, "Pushing Daisies") and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, "Watchmen"), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance's dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bonanza Productions Inc., Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Television

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jon Steinberg, McG, Simon West, Brad Kern

CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Peter Johnson

DIRECTOR: Simon West

WRITER: Jon Steinberg

CAST: Mark Valley as Christopher Chance, Jackie Earle Haley as Guerrero, Chi McBride as Winston



PAST LIFE

Have you ever experienced dj vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins ("Friday Night Lights"), and inspired by the book "The Reincarnationist" by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before. DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish, "All My Children") is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can't begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop, "Home and Away"), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It's a volatile relationship, but with Price's solid detective skills, and Kate's penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team. A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff, "The West Wing") is Kate's mentor and the center's namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel, "Scrubs") is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bonanza Productions Inc., Warner Bros. Television

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: David Hudgins, Lou Pitt

DIRECTOR: Deran Sarafian

WRITER: David Hudgins

CAST: Kelli Giddish as Dr. Kate McGinn, Nicholas Bishop as Price Whatley, Richard Schiff as Dr. Malachi Talmadge, Ravi Patel as Dr. Rishi Karna



The following new comedy is slated for a midseason launch:

SONS OF TUCSON

In the tradition of "Malcolm in the Middle" and "The Bernie Mac Show," SONS OF TUCSON is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we've ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, RON SNUFFKIN (Tyler Labine, "Reaper"), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. ROBBY GUNDERSON (Davis Cleveland, "How I Met Your Mother"), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn't respond well to authority; GARY GUNDERSON (Frank Dolce, "Doubt"), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and BRANDON GUNDERSON (Troy Gentile, "Entourage"), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. MAGGIE MORALES (Natalie Martinez, "Saints & Sinners"), Robby's second-grade teacher and the object of Ron's affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While SONS OF TUCSON is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Justin Berfield, Jason Felts, Harvey Myman, Todd Holland

DIRECTOR: Todd Holland

WRITERS: Tommy Dewey, Greg Bratman

CAST: Tyler Labine as Ron Snuffkin, Davis Cleveland as Robby Gunderson, Frank Dolce as Gary Gunderson, Troy Gentile as Brandon Gunderson, Natalie Martinez as Maggie Morales



Tomorrow: ABC and NBC.

NBC Infront News, Plus Fighting the Good Fight for "Chuck"

There wasn't much in the way of news at yesterday's NBC Infront, which I attended at the Globe Theatre on the Universal backlot, although I will say that I did tell Ben Silverman to please renew Chuck. (Yep, right to his face.)

The second annual NBC Infront presentation, overseen by Ben Silverman, Mike Pilot, Dick Ebersol, Angela Bromstad, Vivi Zigler, and Paul Telegdy, was pretty similar to the one given in New York last week (and likely the one in Chicago as well).

Silverman said that the fall schedule was still not locked and urged advertisers to speak up about their support for bubble series like Chuck and that there were still negotiations going on behind-the-scenes on these series. After hearing Silverman (and confronting him later on the red carpet), I do feel like NBC will be bringing back Chuck... if they can reach a financial agreement that makes sense for all concerned parties.

Silverman's reaction to my heartfelt pleas to renew Chuck certainly indicated that he's not only aware of the fan and critical support for the series. (Silverman smiled and laughed and turned to the head of NBC Agency and said, "*This* is what I am talking about!") Methinks that the advertiser love has certainly improved Chuck's chances, but it's all going to come down to dollars and cents at this point. Still, no decision is still good news at this point.

Much of NBC's presentation focused on the controversial decision to schedule Jay Leno five nights a week at 10 pm and execs were quick to point out that the move is not bringing late night to 10 pm, but rather Jay Leno to primetime. Silverman said that Jay Leno is "topical, live on tape, comedic, and branded" and said that the use of Leno at 10 pm weeknights would allow NBC to "schedule more aggressively and surgically between 8 and 10 pm."

Trailers were shown for each of the new scripted series which include Trauma, Mercy, Parenthood, Day One, and comedies Community and 100 Questions. With the exception of a new trailer for Jesse Alexander-created Day One (which I have yet to see anywhere online), the clips were very similar (or identical, in some cases) to those shown to advertisers in New York. Particular mention was paid to unscripted series such as I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, The Marriage Ref, and Who Do You Think You Are?, as well as the Vancouver Olympic Games.

Silverman said that having a "focused lineup between 8 and 10 pm" will allow the network to "build themes across nights." It's still not clear what those themes will be but Silverman offered a slight taste of what we can expect to find on NBC each night, ahead of the release of the official schedule next week.

Mondays: Heroes and a new series (as yet undetermined)
Tuesdays: Biggest Loser
Wednesdays: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Thursdays: Comedies, including six episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (which Silverman seemed to indicate would air at 8 pm)
Fridays: High-end scripted programs
Saturdays: Drama Encores, Dateline, Saturday Night Live
Sundays: Football, special events like Golden Globes

Execs also heralded the return of freshman series Southland and Parks and Recreation, which it lauded as upholding the high comedic bar set by 30 Rock. (The series' Aziz Ansari and Ben McKenzie, meanwhile, were on hand to open the event and introduce Mike Pilot and Ben Silverman.) Silverman pointed to patience with comedy paying off, believing that Parks and Recreation could join the ranks of slow-to-catch-on NBC comedies like Seinfeld, The Office, and 30 Rock, and said their mission was to offer programming to "inform, entertain, and inspire."

Responding to a question from an advertiser, Angela Bromstad was quick to say that she didn't anticipate any content-related issues at the 8 pm or 9 pm hours stemming from such post-watershed series like Law & Order: SVU airing at an earlier hour. Silverman himself said that Law & Order: SVU now plays around the country around the clock and they did not anticipate any issues with airing the series before 10 pm.

NBC will announce its schedule and any additional series renewals and pickups on May 19th.

NBC Announces Six New Series, Renews Four Returning Series... But No News for "Chuck"

NBC unveiled part of its plan for the 2009-2010 season just a few hours ahead of its infront presentation to advertisers in New York.

The Peacock ordered six new series including dramas Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy, and Day One (described as an "event series") and comedies 100 Questions and Community.

NBC also officially announced that it had renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation, as well as ordering six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.

As expected, there was no mention of on the bubble series like Chuck, Law & Order, and My Name is Earl, although the network was quick to acknowledge that additional renewals and pickups will be announced May 19th, when NBC announces its full 2009-2010 schedule. (Also missing: Medium, which some news outlets had reported as already being renewed.)

It's a rather full offering (with the potential for further orders), considering that NBC has lost its 10 pm hour during the week. Just how all of these series, along with the slew of programs that the Peacock had already renewed ahead of its infront presentation (including The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Biggest Loser,Celebrity Apprentice, and Friday Night Lights), will fit into the complicated rubric that is NBC's primetime schedule remains to be seen.

The full press release from NBC, along with descriptions, photos, and featurettes about the new series, can be found below.

NBC ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS LINEUP OF PROGRAMMING DOMINATED BY NEW SCRIPTED SERIES FOR 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SEASON THAT EXTENDS THE NETWORK'S QUALITY BRAND

New Series Include Four Dramas: Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the Event Series Day One as Well as Two Comedies: Community and 100 Questions

Returning Series Pickups Include Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and Six New Episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday

NEW YORK CITY – May 4, 2009 – NBC unveiled today a strong lineup of broad and diverse quality programming for the 2009-2010 television season announcing the pickups of six new series featuring four new dramas including Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the event series Day One, as well as two new comedies including Community and 100 Questions. Four returning series pickups were also announced today including Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and the addition of six new episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday skewering today's top stories in live half-hour primetime shows.

The new and returning series will launch next season and the epic event series Day One is slated to premiere out of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The Jay Leno Show will be broadcast Monday-Fridays, 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in the fall. Previously announced series pickups include The Office, 30 Rock, The Biggest Loser, The Celebrity Apprentice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Friday Night Lights, and new alternative series The Marriage Ref, Breakthrough With Tony Robbins and Who Do You Think You Are?

Additional series pickups will be announced May 19, when NBC announces its 2009-2010 schedule.

NBC unveiled pickups for the upcoming broadcast season in the first of a series of presentations today and tomorrow to key advertisers from Studio 8H-the home of NBC's Saturday Night Live-at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Presentations will continue in Chicago on May 7 and Los Angeles on May 12.

"We are thrilled to be announcing such an awesome slate of new series that build on our existing quality brand and deliver emotional, human stories," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC will strive to make viewers feel and our shows represent the full range of human emotion from laughter to tears. We can't wait to share these concepts with our audience and our advertising partners."

"These new series will showcase fresh talent and bold, original concepts that are extremely well executed," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "We are grateful to the producers, casts and crews -- and our team -- who have delivered incredibly compelling and entertaining new series."
In response to an evolving media marketplace and the changing needs of advertisers, NBC has created a more innovative, client-centric approach to its traditional Upfront with a series of one-on-one client presentations, which began today in New York City. These presentations are interactive and, unlike other networks' Upfront presentations, will include a Q & A with advertisers and NBC sales and entertainment executives.

NBC will also host advertisers and affiliates at a "Night of Comedy" featuring appearances by some of its biggest comedy stars including Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Rainn Wilson and Tracy Morgan on Tuesday, May 19 in New York City.

2009-2010 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New Dramas:

PARENTHOOD

From the executive producers of the box-office hit Parenthood -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.



TRAUMA

Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.



MERCY

"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.



DAY ONE

From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.



New Comedies:

100 QUESTIONS (fka 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne)

Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.



COMMUNITY

From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.



Stay tuned.

FOX Finally Announces Fall Schedule, Ends Days of Speculation

After days of speculation and very little news about how their actual schedule would shake out, FOX has finally announced their new primetime lineup for the 2008-09 season, just a few hours ahead of unveiling the sked to advertisers.

While I was hoping there would be an eleventh hour reprieve for a fall slot for Joss Whedon's highly anticipated new drama Dollhouse, such was not to be; the series will launch on Monday nights in January, but we will be getting a full season of J.J. Abram's drama Fringe beginning in the fall. (That's got to count for something, no?)

Let's take a look at how the schedule breaks down night by night.

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR 08-09:

MONDAY
8 pm: Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Midseason: Dollhouse)
9 pm: Prison Break (Midseason: 24)

TUESDAY
8 pm: House (Midseason: American Idol)
9 pm: Fringe

WEDNESDAY
8 pm: Bones (Midseason: House)
9 pm: 'Til Death (Midseason: American Idol Results)

9:30 pm: Do Not Disturb (formerly known as The Inn) (Midseason: TBA Comedy)

THURSDAY
8 pm: Moment of Truth (Midseason: Hell's Kitchen)
9 pm: Kitchen Nightmares (Midseason: Secret Millionaire)

FRIDAY
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (Midseason: Bones)
9 pm: Don't Forget the Lyrics (Midseason: 'Til Death/Do Not Disturb)

SATURDAY
8-9 pm: COPS

10 pm: America's Most Wanted

SUNDAY
8 pm: The Simpsons

8:30 pm: King of the Hill (Midseason: Sit Down, Shut Up)
9 pm: Family Guy
10 pm: American Dad (Midseason: The Cleveland Show)

Contenders for Midseason Orders:
Lie to Me, Courtroom K, Boldly Going Nowhere, Outnumbered

New Series:
Dollhouse, Fringe, Do Not Disturb, Secret Millionaire, Sit Down Shut Up (midseason), The Cleveland Show (midseason)

Renewed Series:
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Prison Break, 24, House, American Idol, 'Til Death, Moment of Truth, Hell's Kitchen, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, Don't Forget the Lyrics, COPS, America's Most Wanted, MADtv, Talkshow with Spike Feresten Show, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy, American Dad, So You Think You Can Dance

Canceled Series:
K-Ville, Back to You, Canterbury's Law, Nashville, Next Great American Band, New Amsterdam

Reactions:
I'm actually very pleased with the strength of FOX's schedule. While we all know that much of it will change over the coming months (not to mention the arrival of ratings juggernaut American Idol), I really love the combination of Fringe and House on Tuesdays (though the folks at Warner Bros. TV must not be too happy with their baby Fringe going up against fellow WBTV drama The Mentalist). Fringe is simply put: dazzling visionary television. But don't take my word for it: you can watch the trailer for Fringe right here.

Holding Dollhouse for the midseason may be a wise cautionary move but it does make me sad not to get my Joss fix now. Following the trailer for Fringe, the sneak of Dollhouse looked a little less glossy and polished but that might be just because the first episode wrapped late last week and they've had less time to get a trailer ready for airing. Still, I have every confidence in Joss and in this brilliant drama project.

Otherwise, it's a mixed bag. I don't think that Do Not Disturb will be around for very long, regardless of however many name changes the series has. I have the pilot episode in my possession so will have to watch it before I give my final judgment but I wasn't impressed with what I've seen so far. I want to like Sit Down, Shut Up because of the pedigree of the creator and talent but I'm having a hard time finding the funny. Though having Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Henry Winkler together again (even in animated form) is pretty darn awesome.

What I am very excited about is the Remote-Free TV initiative that Ligouri unveiled today, which will add six minutes of commercial ad time back into the program. That means, rather than 42 minutes of content, select FOX series (like Dollhouse) will run 48 minutes out of a one-hour slot. To call this a gamechanger is to completely underestimate what this will mean for creative, compulsory series and for ad revenues (supply and demand, my friends).

What do you think? What are you excited for? What do you think of Fringe? And were you as mostly underwhelmed by the upfronts this year as I was? Talk back here.

CBS Launches New Night of Comedy, Cancels "Moonlight" and "Shark"

Following days of speculation (and a whole slew of series orders and renewals), CBS has finally announced its schedule, which it will unveil to advertisers later today.

One notable omission is freshman drama Moonlight, which CBS determined yesterday afternoon would not be returning for a second season; it joins fellow canceled series Shark in the bin, though it's been suggested that Media Rights Capital could resurrect the vampire drama for its Sunday night programming block on the CW.

As expected, the Eye has launched a second night of comedy programming on Wednesdays, anchored by eleventh hour (heh) returnee Old Christine, which was picked up yesterday with a full 22-episode order for the 2008-09 season; it will kick off the night with new comedy Project Gary (formerly known as untitled Ed Yeager comedy starring Jay Mohr).

Let's take a look at how the schedule breaks down night by night.

CBS PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR 08-09:

MONDAY
8 pm: Big Bang Theory
8:30 pm: How I Met Your Mother
9 pm: Two and a Half Men
9:30 pm: Worst Week
10 pm: CSI: Miami

TUESDAY
8 pm: NCIS
9 pm: The Mentalist
10 pm: Without a Trace

WEDNESDAY
8 pm: Old Christine
8:30 pm: Project Gary
9 pm: Criminal Minds
10 pm: CSI: NY

THURSDAY
8 pm: Survivor
9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
10 pm: Eleventh Hour

FRIDAY
8 pm: Ghost Whisperer
9 pm: The Ex-List
10 pm: NUMB3RS

SATURDAY
8-10 pm: Drama Repeats
10 pm: 48 Hours Mystery

SUNDAY
7 pm: 60 Minutes
8 pm: The Amazing Race
9 pm: Cold Case
10 pm: The Unit

TBA
Rules of Engagement
Harper's Island

New Series:
Eleventh Hour, The Mentalist, The Ex-List, Worst Week, Project Gary, Harper's Island (midseason)

Renewed Series:
The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, CSI: Miami, NCIS, Without a Trace, Old Christine, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Survivor, CSI, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, 48 Hours Mystery, 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, Cold Case, The Unit

Canceled Series:
Cane, Jericho, Moonlight, Shark, Viva Laughlin, Welcome to the Captain, Kid Nation

Reactions:
I think CBS has done a pretty good job this time around at launching a schedule that's ambitious but builds on the successes of the past. No suburban swingers, vampires, Latino rum barons, or musical murder mysteries here this time around; hell, they even are playing it safe and launching heavily serialized murder mystery/horror series Harper's Island in midseason rather than bow it now. (Personally, I thought the script for Harper's Island was one of the weakest of this past development season and cannot believe that it was ordered to series.)

CBS is smart to launch a second night of comedy on Wednesdays, a night which is lacking in any laughs on any other network. Will the combo of Old Christine and male-driven Project Gary be the ones to crack this? I'm not sure. I probably would have skedded Project Gary after Two and a Half Men and swapped its slot with Worst Week. But that's just me.

As for the other additions, it had been bandied about that The Ex-List would launch on Sundays at 9 pm, which would have been disastrous. (Hello, ladies of Wisteria Lane!) I'm glad to see that they used my line of thinking and shifted Ghost Whisperer to 8 pm and then slotted in Ex-List behind it at 9 pm, creating a female-oriented two-hour block on Fridays and allowing the series the opportunity to grow with some, let's say, diminished expectations, given that it's a weak night.

Speaking of Sundays, I was surprised that they did decide to move Cold Case back to 9 pm and not in the 10 pm slot (which it will occupy this summer) that many thought it would have. I do think The Unit is very good counter-programming against ABC's Brothers & Sisters. I'd be curious to see how the series goes in this new timeslot, especially given the strength of Shaun Ryan's pitch for Season Five.

All in all, a structurally sound schedule that gives CBS some breathing room this fall and the opportunity to take some calculated risks (rather than the foolhardy and unnecessary ones it made last fall). Not a fan of The Mentalist (which was like nails on the chalkboard to me) but very much looking forward to the US adaptation of UK mini Eleventh Hour. This is the one series to keep an eye on as it might just end up being the Eye's next breakout hit.

CW Unveils its Schedule to Yawns

With little fanfare, netlet the CW unveiled its schedule yesterday to advertisers and press in New York. (An LA-based presentation is set for Thursday.) The reason behind the lack of trumpets was that the CW only had three drama pilots in contention for a fall berth and most of its programs would be returning for the 2008-o9 season anyway.

It was hardly a surprise or shock to anyone that the CW picked up its two rich teen dramas, 90210, the Beverly Hills 90210 spin-off (originally written by Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas) and Surviving the Filthy Rich (formerly known as How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls), which like its predecessor Gossip Girl is based on a series of young adult novels from Alloy.

So how does the schedule look for the second year of the CW, scheduled to kick off a little earlier than expected, on September 1st? Let's take a look.

CW PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR 08-09

MONDAY
8 pm: Gossip Girl
9 pm: One Tree Hill

TUESDAY
8 pm: 90210
9 pm: Surviving the Filthy Rich

WEDNESDAY
8 pm: America's Next Top Model
9 pm: Stylista

THURSDAY
8 pm: Smallville (Midseason: Reaper)
9 pm: Supernatural

FRIDAY
8 pm: Everybody Hates Chris
8:30 pm: The Game
9 pm: America's Next Top Model (repeats)

SUNDAY
TBA - Network has leased the Sunday programming real estate to Media Rights Capital, which will announce its programming at a later date, which may include comedies Surviving Suburbia and Book of Murphy and dramas I.M. Valentine Investigation and FAT City: Fugitive Apprehension Team. (Yes, those are, um, actual titles under discussion.)

New Series:
90210, Surviving the Filthy Rich, Stylista

Returning Series:
Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, America's Next Top Model, Smallville, Supernatural, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, Reaper (midseason)

Canceled Series:
Life is Wild, Aliens in America, Beauty and the Geek, Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants, CW Now, Girlfriends, Online Nation, Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious

Reactions:
Um, not many. It's pretty much what everyone in the industry had worked out on paper ahead of the upfront. I think it's risky to launch two new scripted series together on a new night, but ABC managed to do just that with three dramas this past season to much success. Seems like CW is looking towards massive brand identification as well as focusing on its core teen female audience with things like 90210 and Surviving the Filthy Rich. And I can't say I am surprised about the last-minute renewal for Reaper, which will fill in for Smallville once the latter wraps its series run later this year.

As for the deal with MRC to outsource its Sunday night, it smacks of desperation to me and it is never a good idea to give up your programming real estate to a third party like that, especially as the series under discussion seem like those that may have appeared on the first year of the WB. (Ouch.) Dawn Ostroff has once again to have quite a lot of work on her hands.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC; 8-10 pm); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); 'Til Death/Back to You (FOX)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); Farmer Wants a Wife (CW); Supernanny (ABC); American Idol (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); Boston Legal (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: America's Next Top Model.

On tonight's episode ("And the Winner is..."), Cycle Nine winner Saleisha Stowers flies into Rome to spend some time with the contestants during their Cover Girl commercial and print ad shoot; one of the girls fails to deliver the goods and is sent packing, while the final two face of on the runway in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion event.

9 pm: MI-5 on BBC America.

If you missed MI-5 (aka Spooks) when it aired on A&E a few years back, you can catch it tonight on BBC America. On tonight's installment ("The Suffering of Strangers"), the gripping third season finale, Danny and Fiona are taken hostage by a ruthless terrorist who demands that the British government withdraw from Iraq or they will execute one of their prisoners, leaving Adam with a moral dilemma.

10 pm: Top Chef on Bravo.

On tonight's episode ("Serve and Protect"), the chefs are tasked with reformulating the humble salad and then must trim calories and fat with a reinvention of a classic entree. Oh, and former cheftestant Sam stops by as well.

Solid as a Rock: ABC Remains Stable with New Fall Schedule

In advance of its network upfront later today (I'll let you know how it is sans Ugly Betty cast-led musical numbers this year), ABC has announced its fall schedule.... with sadly lacked any real surprises in this lackluster upfront season.

The fall schedule looks astonishing like last fall's sked, but we all knew that out of the Big Four, ABC would likely have the most stability going into the new season, with many of its series already earmarked for renewals and very few new projects to choose from. (ABC's current crop of pilots won't be shot until Phase Two this summer, so look for decisions about additional midseason entries later this year.)

ABC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: 08-09

MONDAYS
8 pm: Dancing with the Stars (Midseason: Untitled Tyra Banks/Ashton Kutcher Reality Series)
9:30 pm: Samantha Who?
10 pm: Boston Legal (Midseason: The Bachelor)

TUESDAYS
8 pm: Opportunity Knocks
9 pm: Dancing with the Stars Results Show (Midseason: Scrubs and The Goode Family)
10 pm: Eli Stone

WEDNESDAYS
8 pm: Pushing Daisies
9 pm: Private Practice
10 pm: Dirty Sexy Money

THURSDAY
8 pm: Ugly Betty
9 pm: Grey's Anatomy
10 pm: Life on Mars (Likely Midseason: Lost, but TBA)

FRIDAY
8 pm: Wife Swap
9 pm: Supernanny
10 pm: 20/20

SATURDAY
Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
8 pm: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9 pm: Desperate Housewives
10 pm: Brothers & Sisters

TBA: According to Jim Primetime: What Would You Do?

New Series:
Life on Mars, Opportunity Knocks, Scrubs* (picked up from NBC), Untitled Tyra Banks/Ashton Kutcher Reality Series (midseason), The Goode Family (midseason)

Cancelled Series:
October Road, Women's Murder Club, Oprah's Big Give, Big Shots, Carpoolers, Cashmere Mafia, Cavemen, Miss/Guided, Notes from the Underbelly

Renewed Series:
Dancing with the Stars, Samantha Who?, Boston Legal, The Bachelor, Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Dirty Sexy Money, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Lost (midseason), Life on Mars, Wife Swap, Supernanny, 20/20, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, According to Jim (midseason), Primetime

Reactions:
Not all that much, to be honest. It's a pretty stable schedule and I am glad, on the one hand, to see that ABC isn't taking unnecessary risks just to shake things up a little at this point, especially as the net has seventeen high-profile pilot projects waiting in the wings as it were to pick up the slack come midseason, should they be ordered to series. (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Rob Thomas' Good Behavior.)

While some of the renewals come as a surprise (who is still watching According to Jim?), I am happy that ABC chose to keep their sophomore drama series--Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, and Dirty Sexy Money--all on Wednesday night, which will make it a little easier to market their relaunches as a collective three-hour block. While my expectations for the US adaptation of Life on Mars are pretty dismal (why would the creators of October Road be a natural fit for this twisty, metaphysical time-travel cop series?), I do think the network was smart to give it the plum post-Grey's Anatomy slot while we anxiously await the return of Lost until next winter. And moving Wife Swap and Supernanny to Friday nights, to create a three-hour block of family-oriented reality fare with 20/20, could be a real gamechanger on an always underwhelming evening.

All in all, some smart decisions, programming stability (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday are all basically the same as last season), and foresight, without needless complexity, 65-week schedules, or undue riskiness (ahem, scheduling series without seeing a minute of film).