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Channel Surfing ~ Tribune staffer Albert Ching meticulously planned out his prime time television watching schedule back in elementary school. This blog is the natural progression.

Archive for the 'abc' Category

Upfront week - ABC announces fall schedule

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 by Albert Ching

And it looks like this:

MONDAY:
7 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
8:30 p.m. “Samantha Who?”
9 p.m. “Boston Legal”

TUESDAY:
7 p.m. “Opportunity Knocks”
8 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
9 p.m. “Eli Stone”

WEDNESDAY:
7 p.m. “Pushing Daisies”
8 p.m. “Private Practice”
9 p.m. “Dirty Sexy Money”

THURSDAY:
7 p.m. “Ugly Betty”
8 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
9 p.m. “Life on Mars”

FRIDAY:
7 p.m. “Wife Swap”
8 p.m. “Supernanny”
9 p.m. “20/20″

SATURDAY:
7 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”

SUNDAY:
6 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
7 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
8 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
9 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”

Given all the info that’s already leaked, no real surprises here. Only two new scripted shows in the fall - “Opportunity Knocks,” which is an Ashton Kutcher-produced reality show, and “Life on Mars,” a remake of an acclaimed BBC series executive produced by David E. Kelley (and showrun by the folks behind “October Road”). Sundays remain exactly the same, again. “Lost” is back in January, again.

Of note is that there is only ONE comedy on the fall lineup, which has to be something of a first. Apparently, “Scrubs” (now officially-officially confirmed to be going to ABC) is headed for midseason (things are so much better on ABC!), as is a new Mike Judge cartoon (”The Goode Family”), and inexplicably, the eighth season of “According to Jim.”

The Nine: ABC renews some shows

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 by Albert Ching

private.jpgGood news, “Private Practice” fans, “Pushing Daisies” fans, and fans of some other shows that don’t start with P! With the WGA strike looking to officially be over tomorrow, ABC has given both shows renewals for 2008-09. Though “Private Practice” has (deservedly so) gotten some critical knocks, it’s got the “Grey’s Anatomy” powerhouse franchise behind it, so no surprise there. “Pushing Daisies” isn’t a ratings juggernaut, but it’s done well, and a critical darling, so not totally surprising either.

Possibly surprising: Renewals of the good natured Christina Applegate-as-amnesiac comedy “Samantha Who?” and “Dirty Sexy Money.” Neither really lit the critical or ratings world on fire (though my mom does love “SW” for some reason) but given the nature of this past TV season, I alanshore.jpgguess they might as well keep going with some of that stuff given what is expected to be an anemic pilot season. Also renewed: Their huge hits, you know, your “Desperate Housewives,” your “Grey’s Anatomy,” your “Lost,” and hey, why not “Ugly Betty” and “Brothers & Sisters,” too.

The most notable omissions are “Boston Legal” and “Men In Trees;” not that either are in danger (upfronts are still a while away, this is just a vote of confidence to what ABC sees as the cream of the crop). “Boston Legal,” if I remember correctly, was a late renewal last year, too, and I’d be surprised if it wasn’t on the schedule next year, despite how dreadfully repetitive it’s become. I’m not even sure if “Men In Trees” aired more than five times this season, so perhaps ABC execs just forgot it existed.

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