2006 Fall Season Thread (2 Viewers)

[Jason Seaver]

Actually, King of Queens is on the bench because Kevin James is going to be shooting a movie late summer/fall (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, I think), so CBS is ordering 13 episodes to play in 2007. It's not in trouble except in terms of how crowded CBS's schedule is; it's going to be tough to find a spot for much of their bench if the new shows do well.

 

[Jeff'Reys]

I have a sneaking suspicion HOUSE will be on the move to, I think, WED @ 8. The special that aired there this past month did better than anything FOX has programmed there outside of AI in recent memory. If they want to be bold, without denting AI, they'd move HOUSE there and replace TUE @ 9 with something fresh. There've been rumors of HOUSE moving to SUN but if it moves at all, my bet is on the scenario I just mentioned.

 

[Ray Chuang]

There's been much criticism that the Thursday 2100 hours slot could be a bloodbath, with CBS' CSI, ABC's Gray's Anatomy and NBC's new Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip severely splitting viewers. CSI and Gray's Anatomy getting 11 million viewers per week is a real possibility.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Fox!

Lots of stuff only pencilled in for half a season and lots of scheduled moves that possibly won't happen - remember how House was going to move to Monday nights when Idol and 24 came off the bench this year? I'm guessing Duets starts in August and airs until baseball starts, and if I remember correctly, Fox is shifting a lot more playoff games to cable so that they won't completely become The MLB Channel in October.

Not many of the new shows look all that exciting. Vanished is another serial conspiracy thriller; The Winner is the second go-around at a concept whose previous pilot was pretty dire. It's annoying, because usually the Fox schedule is where the really neat new stuff is, but it looks pretty weak this year.

 

[Scott-S]

What is happening to the sitcoms? It appears that the hour long cookie cutter shows are taking away the slots. I like the majority of 1/2 hour comedies that are missing. :frowning:

Courting Alex
Out of Practice
Teachers

And I can't beleive they are going on with Old Christine. I can't stand that show. I watched the first 4 or 5 episodes, but I never could like the main charactor. She is just not likable. But she must have had a better contract to survive the dumping of the sitcoms. I can't beleive it had better ratings that Out of Practice!

 

[MarcoAD]

Looks like I'll stick with my past FOX favorite "Prison Break". Beyond that they don't seem to have a great selection of new shows. I'm some what curious about "VANISHED" so I'm sure I'll give it atleast a shot. Otherwise that is about it for new stuff from Fox.

 

[David Williams]

Now that I've seen every networks upfronts, the only scripted show I'm interested in tuning in for this fall is Heroes, which looks really good. Quite a bit different than this past fall when I was sampling almost a dozen new shows. I'll also be checking out the unscripted Duets.

 

[Kevin Grey]

No spoilers please but does it look like they have a plausible way to stretch it into another season? I saw the first few episodes last year and enjoyed it but I'm waiting on the DVD. Still, it seems like a premise that couldn't really be sustained. Then again, I thought the same about Showtime's Sleeper Cell and it was recently awarded a second season.

 

[MarcoAD]

I am fully confident in Season 2 being just as good as Season 1. They have a very interesting story going and there seems to be plenty of material left for another season.

 

[CherylJ]

Gosh, I would be so happy if your suspicion came true.

Veronica Mars will be in the Tuesday at 9 slot on the CW, and it would be great if it didn't have to compete with House. I don't think VM has much crossover with the Unit, but I know a lot of VM fans also like House because both shows have sarcastic leads and lots of clever, witty dialogue.

 

[Jason Seaver]

CW

How can you tell that the folks who were running UPN rather than the ones in charge of the WB are in charge? The incredibly short bench, which on the one hand isn't likely to be terribly necessary since most shows are returning and around for a full season, but on the other hand means that we'll probably see lots of reruns/encores when things don't go well. They are not healthy long-term, either - Gilmore Girls and 7th Heaven aren't likely to continue beyond 2007 (and I don't know about Smallville, either). Also, Runaway doesn't exactly look sustainable for more than a year or so.

(Besides, when I heard that CBS had passed their pilot Ultra over, I was looking forward to that)

It's very short-term thinking, which has been UPN's trouble all along.

 

[MarcoAD]

So I take it ULTRA has been completely wiped off the board? Man I honestly would have thought that it would be a winner. Great comic series and could have easily translated well to the small screen.

Either way no surprises here, Supernatural I feel is doing good after Smallville on Thursdays but that 9-10pm slot can be a tough one.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Looks like. Ticks me off, because I liked the comics a lot more than I expected, and I think it could be a real crossover hit if handled well. Of course, handled anything short of perfectly, it could be a complete disaster.

 

[Brook K]

Are they trying to kill Everybody Hates Chris? 7:00pm ET on Sundays?!

With the earlier start times for the shows I watch, looks like I'll be watching more via DVR.

 

[MikeMO]

Has King of Queens been cancelled??

 

[Scott_J]

King of Queens has been picked up for a full 22 episode order, beginning in midseason.

 

[Jason Seaver]

And now, for the "what I'll be watching" portion of the thread...

SUNDAY
08:00 (CBS) The Amazing Race
08:00 (FOX) The Simpsons
08:30 (CW) The Game
09:00 (ABC) Desperate Housewives
09:00 (CBS) Cold Case
10:00 (CBS) Without a Trace

There's a good chance I'm done with Desperate Housewives; it's just not holding together nearly as well without the central story. The Game has an interesting premise, but I bail the second I hear a laugh track.

MONDAY
08:00 (FOX) Prison Break
09:00 (CW) Runaway
09:00 (FOX) Vanished
09:00 (NBC) Heroes

In descending order of priority at 9pm: Heroes, Vanished, Runaway. Heroes seems to have the most potential, although Vanished has 24 potential in telling a new story each year. Runaway seems to have a movie premise to me, but Donnie Wahlberg and Leslie Hope are a nice cast to build on.

TUESDAY
08:00 (CW) Gilmore Girls
08:00 (FOX) Standoff
09:00 (CBS) The Unit
09:00 (CW) Veronica Mars
09:00 (FOX) House
09:00 (NBC) Kidnapped
10:00 (CBS) Smith
10:00 (NBC) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

I've only got three recording devices, so something's got to give at 9pm - probably The Unit, which I sort of bailed on this year hoping for summer repeats. I'm not hugely enthused about Standoff; Ron Livingstone has never appealed to me in anything he's done.

WEDNESDAY
08:00 (CBS) Jericho
08:00 (FOX) Bones
09:00 (FOX) Justice
09:30 (NBC) Rock 30
10:00 (ABC) The Nine
10:00 (NBC) Law & Order

Jericho and Justice are maybes. The Nine has a heck of a cast, but I don't know what it's about as it goes forward. Tina Fey's show has a nice cast, too, but I'm sort of off the conventional sitcom. Law & Order is getting at least one new cast member, and I've heard Waterston may be leaving along with Parisse (something I've been ready to see happen for a while).

THURSDAY
08:00 (CW) Smallville
09:00 (ABC) Grey's Anatomy
09:00 (CW) Supernatural
09:00 (NBC) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
10:00 (ABC) Six Degrees
10:00 (CBS) Shark

I'm really looking forward to Shark - James Woods as a celebrity lawyer-cum-prosecutor with Jeri Ryan as the DA and Spike Lee directing the pilot? Sold. Meanwhile, Six Degrees worries me something fierce. I hate the lame unlikely coincidences on Lost and the idea of an entire show built on them? Ick.

Meanwhile, Studio 60 has Aaron Sorkin and a fantastic cast. Ridiculously good, really.

FRIDAY
08:00 (ABC) Betty the Ugly
09:00 (NBC) Las Vegas
10:00 (NBC) Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Ugly Betty is a one-hour comedy, which usually works for me as a format. I like the D'Onofrio Criminal Intent much more than the Noth, but I'd like to see some more "crossovers".

THE BENCH
(ABC) Day Break

- Taye Diggs & Adam Baldwin? Sold. But it really sounds more like a movie than a TV show; how many times can the same day be repeated?

(ABC) Traveler

- Lots of conspiracies this year.

(CBS) 3 Lbs.
(CBS) Waterfront

- Stanley Tucci and Joey Pants. Someday, Joe Pantoliano is going to have a show stick.

(CW) Beauty & The Geek (Wednesday 8pm)

- I've heard they might be doing girl geeks and lifeguard types this year, which could be interesting. It's been fun twice.

(FOX) Duets (Thursday/Friday during the fall)

- This could be a heck of a train wreck (and thus fun)

(FOX) The Loop (Wednesday 9:30pm; see American Idol)

- Hopefully it's rerun over the summer. Looked good, but never fit for me.

(FOX) On the Lot

- Short films! I love short films! And Spielberg, too.

(FOX) 24 (Monday 9pm)

- I've talked to three people who have independently come up with the idea of 24 doing a horror-movie season with zombies or vampires or something next. Not necessarily as an in-continuity regular season, but maybe something to run in the fall, maybe without Sutherland and much of the core cast.

(NBC) Andy Barker, PI

- Andy Richter! It's got to be closer to Controls the Universe than Quintuplets with Conan O'Brien involved.

(NBC) The Black Donnellys (Thursday 10pm)

- Paul Haggis has done some great TV in his day; how involved will he be here?

(NBC) Crossing Jordan

- You know what I'd like back? The funny B-plots.

(NBC) Raines (Sunday 10pm)

- Plus side: Jeff Goldblum. Minus side: Less-than-cool gimmick.

 

[Robin_B]

Numbers up against Law & Order: CI? Who do you have to shoot to get decent scheduling around here?

 

[Brad Porter]

Summer Schedule

ABC - Nothing
CBS - Nothing
NBC - Sample Windfall
Fox - Nothing
UPN - Nothing
WB - Pepper Dennis, maybe catch some of the Smallville eps I missed (which is most of them)
TNT - The Closer, sample Saved
FX - Rescue Me, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
SciFi - Sample Eureka
USA - Monk, Psych, The 4400, The Dead Zone
Com Central - Chappelle's Show
HBO - Deadwood, sample Lucky Louie

Fall/Spring Schedule

ABC
Monday - Nothing
Tuesday - Sample Let's Rob... if it premieres before the CBS and NBC offerings
Wednesday - Begrudgingly, I'll probably keep watching Lost
Thursday - I'll probably start out watching Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees, but neither of them are particularly compelling to me at this point
Friday - Nothing
Saturday - Depends on the college football game
Sunday - Maybe Desperate Housewives, although I haven't watched a single episode of season 2 yet...

Verdict: ABC sucks. Even the shows that I claim that I will watch are being listed here more out of habit than anything else.

CBS
Monday - How I Met Your Mother and probably The New Adventures of Old Christine
Tuesday - The Unit and Smith
Wednesday - I'll sample Jericho since there's nothing else on in that time slot that I'm interested in watching.
Thursday - Survivor, CSI and I'll sample Shark
Friday - Numb3rs
Saturday - Nothing
Sunday - The Amazing Race

Verdict: I must be getting old... I'm watching CBS more than any other network. Well done, CBS.

NBC
Monday - Heroes
Tuesday - Sample Kidnapped and watch Scrubs whenever it resurfaces
Wednesday - Sample 20 Good Years and 30 Rock, still sticking with Law & Order
Thursday - My Name Is Earl, The Office, Studio 60...
Friday - Law & Order: CI
Saturday - Nothing
Sunday - Sunday Night Football!!!

Verdict: A respectable lineup. I hope that Studio 60... can get a fair shot in that very competitive time slot. Otherwise, get Andy Barker, P.I. on the schedule ASAP.

Fox
Monday - Prison Break and 24
Tuesday - Sample Standoff
Wednesday - Sample Justice
Thursday - Nothing
Friday - Nothing
Saturday - Nothing
Sunday - All the animated shows

Verdict: I'm only sampling the new shows because I've got the time slot available on the TiVo. Fox shouldn't expect to gain many new viewers this year.

CW
Monday - Nothing
Tuesday - Gilmore Girls
Wednesday - Nothing
Thursday - Nothing
Friday - Nothing
Saturday - Nothing
Sunday - Nothing

Verdict: Merge two networks and I still will only watch one show. I guess this means that Pepper Dennis won't be back, eh?

Other networks:
Monday Night Football on ESPN, Extras, Real Time, The Wire, and Rome on HBO, Nip/Tuck and The Shield on FX, South Park on Comedy Central

Brad

 

[MarcoAD]

This is for the most part what it's looking like for me:

Monday:
8:00PM – Prison Break (FOX)
9:00PM – Heroes (NBC)
9:00PM - Vanished (FOX)

Heroes really has an interesting premise for me so I'm hoping it pans out. I like the idea of Vanished so we shall see. Prison Break is a Mainstay!

Tuesday:
8:00PM – Friday Night Lights (NBC)
9:00PM – House (FOX)
9:00PM - The UNIT (CBS)
10:00PM – Smith (CBS)

I'll give Friday Night Lights a shot, who know's. I liked the movie but we all know that doesn't mean a hell of a lot for a TV show adaption. HOUSE has been and will be a mainstay for me. I really got into the UNIT so it will stay on the TiVO. Smith has a very cool sounding premise and Ray Liotta is worth a shot for me.

Wednesday:
8:00PM – Jericho (CBS)
9:00PM – LOST (ABC)
10:00PM - The NINE (ABC)

Jericho definitely sounds like an interesting idea. LOST again has been and will be a mainstay, especially with my uncle working on the show. Gotta support the family, lol. The NINE could be good, I'll give a few episodes and see.

Thursday:
8:00PM – My Name is Earl (NBC)
8:30PM – The Office (NBC)
9:00PM - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC)
9:00PM - Supernatural (CW)
10:00PM – Six Degrees (ABC)

Love Earl and The Office! Studio 60 has a damn good cast so I'm hoping it gets an honest shot. Supernatural will be a mainstay for me and Six Degrees sounds interesting so I'll give a few episodes and see.

Friday:
9:00PM - Las Vegas (NBC)

Sunday:
8:00PM – Amazing Race (CBS)

Beyond those I'm sure I'll throw in the random reality show like A. Idol & Beauty and the Geek plus Deadwood on HBO and Nip/Tuck on FX.