ENLISTED has been curiously scheduled, placed in the hinterlands of 9:30PM on Fridays after Raising Hope, where the upside is that at least expectations will be low  The show is written by Kevin Biegel, whose previous series have included Scrubs and Cougar Town, and it stars Geoff Stults as one of a trio of […]

  Our journey through the fall primetime schedule–and by “our,” I mean former head of NBC Scheduling Mitch Metcalf, former head of NBC Current Programming Ted Frank and myself–takes us to what may be the most competitive night of the new season:  Wednesdays.  (You can find our predictions here for Monday and Tuesday.)   Our […]

  UTOPIA:  Tuesday 8PM and Friday 9PM on FOX THE FACTS:  Based on a Dutch format and produced by unscripted specialist John de Mol, UTOPIA is a reality show that puts 15 people into an isolated area for an entire year and forces them to make up their own rules for their new “civilization.”  Viewers […]

  Other Nielsenwar Network Report Cards:  ABC, FOX, NBC Tried and True is starting to look more tried. Full Season To Date (thru May 3) 18-49 Rating Average:  1.81 (down 4.1% from last season)–note, however, that last season didn’t include Thursday Night Football. Grade:  B What Happened: Sunday:  Madam Secretary and The Good Wife are […]

  NBC has ordered what may just be the first batch of its pick-ups, which of course join the previously ordered MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW. Remember, for now we don’t know whether these shows will be on the air in fall or midseason, or when they’ll be scheduled.  Here are some quick descriptions: COMEDIES ABOUT […]

  ABC rounds out its new Wednesday with BACK IN THE GAME, placed in the 8:30PM hammock slot between The Middle and Modern Family  It’s pretty clearly inspired by the Clint Eastwood movie Trouble With the Curve, with a little Bad News Bears added for flavoring, about the grumpy relationship between an ex-ballplayer (James Caan) […]

  Nothing so far today matches yesterday afternoon’s high-profile pick-ups by NBC and FOX, but there’s nevertheless some news as we approach next week’s Upfronts: FOX Amid speculation that the network will cut back on its comedy commitment next season, FOX cleared its shelves of bubble sitcoms, officially canceling DADS, ENLISTED and SURVIVING JACK.  Jack […]

  MANHATTAN LOVE STORY:  Tuesday 8:30PM on ABC THE FACTS:  Boy (Jake McDorman) meets girl (Analeigh Tipton), but here’s the gimmick:  we hear all of the couple’s hidden thoughts throughout.  The series creator is Jeff Lowell, whose sitcom writing/producing career goes back to Cybill and Spin City. WHAT IT’S SAYING:  He’s cute, she’s cute, and […]