ABC’s announced schedule for Fall 2008 adds only 2 new shows to its lineup. That’s similar to the few changes announced by NBC, but the difference between the two being that ABC’s Fall 2007 schedule was somewhat successful, unlike NBC’s.
ABC’s two new shows for Fall 2008 are Opportunity Knocks (an Ashton Kutcher produced game show) and Life on Mars (a science fiction/crime drama about a 21st century cop transported into the 70’s, Journeyman meets New Amsterdam)
Of the eight shows ABC introduced in the Fall of 2007, four will be returning (Samantha Who?, Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money). ABC is keeping their Wednesday night block of sophomore drama shows intact.
Last Fall ABC introduced 6.5 hours of new programming, the most among the top 4 networks, but next fall will see only 2 new hours of shows added to the schedule. As with NBC, the writers strike may have pushed back some changes to mid-season.
In Fall 2007, ABC had 9.5 hours of unscripted programming in its 22 hour primetime schedule. Fall 2008 will increase that total to 11 hours. I’m sure the writers who walked the picket lines for 100 days are disappointed to see 1.5 hours of scripted programming removed from ABC’s schedule. ABC has gone to an entirely unscripted Friday night lineup next fall.
Unlike NBC, who’s failure in Fall 2007 seems likely to be repeated in Fall 2008, I like ABC to show ratings improvement. It had the best turnout of new shows in 2007 and they’re coming back, and it’s disasters (Cavemen, Carpoolers), should be easy to improve upon by Opportunity Knocks. Big Shots set a somewhat higher bar in failure, so Life on Mars may not be much of an improvement.
ABC Fall 2007 Schedule Shows vs. Fall 2008 Schedule Shows
|
2007 |
2008 |
|
| Monday | ||
| 8-9:30p | Dancing With The Stars | Dancing With The Stars |
| 9:30-10p | Samantha Who? | Samantha Who? |
| 10-11p | The Bachelor | Boston Legal |
| Tuesday | ||
| 8-8:30p | Cavemen | Opportunity Knocks (8-9p) |
| 8:30-9p | Carpoolers | |
| 9-10p | Dancing With The Stars Results | Dancing With The Stars Results |
| 10-11p | Boston Legal | Eli Stone |
| Wednesday | ||
| 8-9p | Pushing Daisies | Pushing Daisies |
| 9-10p | Private Practice | Private Practice |
| 10-11p | Dirty Sexy Money | Dirty Sexy Money |
| Thursday | ||
| 8-9p | Ugly Betty | Ugly Betty |
| 9-10p | Grey’s Anatomy | Grey’s Anatomy |
| 10-11p | Big Shots | Life on Mars |
| Friday | ||
| 8-9p | 20/20 | Wife Swap |
| 9-10p | Women’s Murder Club | Supernanny |
| 10-11p | Men In Trees | 20/20 |
| Saturday | ||
| 8-11p | Saturday Night College Football | Saturday Night College Football |
| Sunday | ||
| 7-8p | America’s Funniest Home Videos | America’s Funniest Home Videos |
| 8-9p | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition |
| 9-10p | Desperate Housewives | Desperate Housewives |
| 10-11p | Brothers & Sisters | Brothers & Sisters |
Shows in BOLD are/were new, shows in italics are unscripted, 2007 shows in strikethrough did not return for Fall 2008, but some may later in the year.
Shows that will enter the ABC lineup later in the 2008-9 year include: Scrubs, Lost, The Goode Family, The Bachelor, Untitled Ashton Kutcher/Tyra Banks Project, According to Jim, and Primetime: What Would You Do?.
I don’t think it was worthwhile to compare the announced Winter 2009 and future schedules to this years for two reasons. One, this years Winter and Spring schedules were somewhat cobbled together in response to the writers strike. Two, schedules announced so far in advance have a habit of changing.
7/16 Update: ABC has announced its fall premiere schedule.
10-11 p.m. “20/20″
Monday, Sept. 22
8-10 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars” (special two-hour performance show premiere)
10-11 p.m. “Boston Legal”
Tuesday, Sept. 23
8-9 p.m. “Opportunity Knocks” (new series debut)
9-11 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars” (special performance show)
Wednesday, Sept. 24
8-9 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars Results Show Special” (special day and time)
9-11 p.m. “David Blaine Special”
Thursday, Sept. 25
8-9 p.m. “Ugly Betty”
9-11 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy” (special two-hour season premiere)
Sunday, Sept. 28
7-9 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (two-hour season premiere)
9-10 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10-11 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”
Tuesday, Sept. 30
9:10 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars Result Show” (regular day and time period premiere)
Wednesday, Oct. 1
8-9 p.m. “Pushing Daisies”
9-10 p.m. “Private Practice”
10-11 p.m. “Dirty Sexy Money”
Friday, Oct. 3
8-9 p.m. “Wife Swap”
9-10 p.m. “Supernanny”
Sunday, Oct. 5
7-8 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8-9 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (regular time period premiere)
Monday, Oct. 6
9:30-10 p.m. “Samantha Who?”
Thursday, Oct. 9
9:10 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy” (regular time period premiere)
10-11 p.m. “Life on Mars” (new series debut)
Tuesday, Oct. 14
10-11 p.m. “Eli Stone”
“Two, schedules announced so far in advance have a habit of changing.”
Particularly in this case. According to Nikki Finke, ABC still has 17 pilots that are under consideration for mid season, and most have not even been shot yet.
From the moment I heard there was even a pilot for Life on Mars I knew America would ruin it. Just the pictures alone have confirmed my fears.
I want my Men In Trees back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the only good c.l.r is a dead c.l.r.
I was looking forward to more Women's Murder Club?! Will it be aired later in the season?
Kathy, Women's Murder Club was cancelled, it's not coming back
When did they cancel Women’s Murder Club? That was one of the best shows last season!
I’m upset because I liked Big Shots and Women’s Murder Club. Both shows left on a sort of cliffhanger and I wanted to know what happened. This is very disappointing. ABC gets a sad face!
I really enjoyed Women’s Murder Club. One of the best shows last season. How can a show like Supernanny make it and this one didn’t. Hope ABC will consider bringing it back.
Please bring womans murder club back.
How can you cancel one of the best shows last season…I want my Women’s Murder Club. I have been looking forward to it all summer
im very upset that you are keeping Super Nanny and not Women’s Murder Club. Who wants to hear a bunch of whining brats.
Pat, who is the “you” you are talking about? Bill and Robert certainly aren’t doing anything with regards to ABC’s schedule.
I want Men in Trees back, why is it all the shows we like you take off and leave the stuff that makes no sense like Pushing Up Daisies.
i loved men in trees and womens murder club! ABC needs to stop changing time slots for really good shows bc then people dnt know when there on. Is there ne way they would come back?
PLEASE BRING BACK WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB. The cast was excellent. I’m totally bummed.
Bring back WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB. Why is it not on the 2008 lineup. Wifeswap is not a good substitute for WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB.
I am really mad that abc took off men in trees. I love that show, in fact at the end it was better than desperate housewives or grey anatomy. So is private practive
I want to see episodes of “Wildfire”. This is the one show that my family enjoy.
Men in Trees and Big Shots need to be brought back.
What, no Men in Trees?!?!?!?!?! I liked Women’s Murder Club too but Men in Trees is an absolute MUST! That’s 1 show we NEVER missed!
Get ridd of Pushing Daisies or Samanatha Whooo??. ” MEN IN TREES” IS A MUST
IT’S BETTER THAN ANYTHING!!!!
Men in Trees, Women’s Murder Club ~ bring them back!! The only night you didn’t mess up is Sunday. Dancing with the Stars, pushing daisies, just stupid nonsense.
Bring Men in Trees back – it was one of the best shows on ABC. Who determines this stuff – certainly not mainstream America! Please bring it back!
Women’s Murder Club was one of the best shows on TV!! ABC is making a BIG mistake if they don’t bring it back!! Men in Trees was also great! Stop with the nonsense. Who cares about Wife Swap and The Nanny….let’s get back to good programming.
Please bring back Womens Murder Club, why do we have to put up with these crappy reality shows, when these good dramas like Men in trees and the like are cancelled. I just don’t get it. Wife swap is rubbish and so is the Nanny. If people can’t raise their own kids they need a swift kick. Whats the matter with these people for God’s sake.
I can not believe your not bringing back Womens Murder Club!!!! It was the best show you had on Fridays. Are we ever going to find out what happens with the “Kiss Me Not Killer”? You cant leave us hanging. Please bring it back!!!
Susan, I didn’t watch the show, but I know it was based on a series of books by James Patterson. Perhaps the “Kiss Me Not Killer” is from the books and you can find out that way.
I was really looking forward to both “Women’s Murder Club” and “Men in Trees” this year!! I think ABC should really re-think these moves…
If you want more “Women’s Murder Club” there is a series of books written by James Patterson (8 I believe, I’ve read them all) and they are GREAT!!!
ABC is like ignoring us. . . I say if they don’t listen, lets all send emails to ABC telling ‘em that we ain’t weak and we want our shows back!! WE all have to send emails, I bet ABC will be soooo overwhelmed they’ll have to bring our shows back.