The Canadians are south this week sussing out the new programming and trying to sort out what they’re going to buy. In the meantime, Media in Canada does a quick round-up of the U.S.’s new shows, almost all of which are bound to be picked up for this country. Coverage includes fall and midseason.
ABC
The alphabet net is heading into the new season with a trio of hits – Lost, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy. It will be building on this success with two new comedies and three dramas, plus seven more shows midseason. Supernatural dramas continue to be big and ABC will debut Invasion and The Night Stalker as its entries.
Shot down in action are the underrated Damon Wayans vehicle My Wife and Kids, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (which survived without John Ritter for a surprisingly long time), Extreme Makeover and (a redundancy) Complete Savages. Jake in Progress, loathsome reality show The Bachelor and the charming and unsung sitcom Less Than Perfect will be back midseason.
Tuesday
Commander-In-Chief: Geena Davis as the first female president of the United States. (I guess everyone has forgotten Patty Duke was already the first female president in Hail to the Chief in 1985.) 9 p.m.
Freddie: I guess I was the only one not dying to see more of the annoying Freddie Prinze, Jr., here as a young chef who invites his extended family to move into his bachelor pad. 8:30 p.m.
Invasion: A park ranger wonders what up when he finds his ex-wife naked and sans memory after a hurricane.
Thursday
The Night Stalker: A crime reporter investigates his wife’s murder in this update of the 1974-75 cult hit.
Friday
Hot Properties: Four women work in a Manhattan real estate office. Not to be confused with the actually engaging British game show Hot Property.
MIDSEASON
Emily’s Reasons Why Not: Based on the best-selling novel, a woman in publishing gets involved with a two-timing author. Monday, 9 p.m.
What About Brian: 7th Heaven hunk Barry Watson contemplates life as a single man after all his friends get married. Monday, 10 p.m.
Crumbs: Estranged brothers reunite to deal with ex-psych-patient mom Jane Curtin.
Sons & Daughters: Serially married siblings live in a small town in this Lorne Michaels production.
The Evidence: ER creator John Wells has viewers following the clues in this procedural crime drama.
In Justice: In this legal drama, clients assumed guilty must be proven innocent. Stars Kyle MacLachlan.
The Miracle Workers: Each ep a team of doctors copes with a seriously ill patient. Unscripted.
CBS
CBS has six new shows for 2005/06 – two comedies and four dramas. Only Thursday and Sunday remain unchanged.
More supernatural: Friday sees the introduction of Ghost Whisperer, in which Jennifer Love Hewitt chats with the dead; and Threshold, about alien life forms. In crime, we have Close to Home and Criminal Minds. Interesting note: half of the net’s 22 prime hours are crime-themed.
Given the heave this fall are Judging Amy, Joan of Arcadia, 60 Minutes‘ Wednesday version, JAG and, thankfully, Jason Alexander’s Listen Up. (Co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner must be relieved. He always looked embarrassed to be on the set.)
Monday
How I Met Your Mother: A family man looks back on his single life in this ensemble comedy from the producers of Letterman. 8:30 p.m.
Out of Practice: A family of doctors shows how little else they have in common. Stars the Fonz and West Wing‘s Stockard Channing. 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Close to Home: Soap star Jennifer Finnigan is a hotshot prosecutor with a perfect conviction record. 10 p.m.
Wednesday
Criminal Minds: An elite squad of FBI profilers (including, god help us, Mandy Patinkin. Please don’t let him sing.) analyzes criminal’s minds before they can strike again. 9 p.m.
Friday
Ghost Whisperer: I don’t know how Jennifer Love Hewitt can remain perky while communing with the dead, but I’m sure she’ll manage. 8 p.m.
Threshold: Experts deal with extraterrestrials. Features under-appreciated actor Charles S. Dutton (Rock). 9 p.m.
MIDSEASON
Everything I Know About Men: Erstwhile Dharma Jenna Elfman looks for love, a career and a good relationship with her father.
The Unit: Special agents, including Dennis Haysbert (24), circle the globe on dangerous undercover missions.
FOX
Fox is back to a traditional fall launch this year with five dramas, two comedies and, surprising, no new reality shows. American Idol won’t be back until January and two borderline shows are back: Bernie Mac, which moves to Fridays at 8 p.m. and the award-winning Arrested Development, which heads to Mondays at 8 p.m. Saturday is the only night that is unaffected by changes.
Monday
Kitchen Confidential: Based on the best-selling autobio of Anthony Bourdain, a young chef heads up the team at a top NYC restaurant. 8:30 p.m.
Prison Break: For some reason, a man thinks that getting himself put in prison will help his brother get out. Let’s see how much time they serve before they get cancelled. 9 p.m.
Tuesday
Bones: A female forensic anthropologist helps solve crimes with only bare bones to work with. 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Head Cases: Chris O’Donnell stars as a superstar attorney post-nervous breakdown. 9 p.m.
Thursday
Reunion: This drama follows six friends over 20 years, which each ep taking place in a different year. 9 p.m.
Friday
The Gate (working title): Two hard-boiled detectives from San Francisco’s Deviant Crime Unit solve bizarre crimes. 9 p.m.
Sunday
The War at Home: Fun is the name of the game when a couple try to cope with their obnoxious teens. (Is there any other kind?)
NBC
The Peacock Net’s bucking on three new dramas, one comedy and two unscripted series plus two new midseason comedies to jazz things up. Thursday and Saturday remain untouched. Highlights include Martha Stewart in an Apprentice spin-off and E-Ring, a new political drama from Jerry Bruckheimer the (really, really rich) guy behind the CSI franchise. My Name is Earl is the lone new comedy.
The axe has fallen on Third Watch, American Dreams, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, The Contender, Committed and Medical Investigation. Fear Factor (bad news) and Scrubs (good news) will return midseason.
Monday
Fathom: Disparate people discover seemingly harmless creatures living under the sea. 8 p.m.
Tuesday
My Name is Earl: A crook wins the lottery and decides to right the wrongs he’s committed. 9 p.m.
Wednesday
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart: A group of contestants compete for a job working for the tartar sauce tartar. 8 p.m.
E-RING: A political drama inside the Pentagon with counter-culture maven Dennis Hopper and Law & Order straight guy Benjamin Bratt. 9 p.m.
Friday
Three Wishes: A team of experts helps grant wishes for needy individuals in this unscripted offering. 8 p.m.
Inconceivable: Fertility clinic workers help couples try to get pregnant. 10 p.m.
MIDSEASON
Four Kings: From Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Matchnick, this comedy follows four lifelong friends as they enter adulthood.
Thick and Thin: Another Lorne Michaels venture, this comedy looks at a formerly fat woman embarking on a new life as a fit and single woman.
