As the TV “upfront” continues in New York City, ABC has announced its fall schedule, adding three new dramas, two new sitcoms and cutting back Who Wants to be a Millionaire to two nights a week.
CBS also has its schedule falling into place, with the network making its official announcement Wednesday. Fox Television will reveal its schedule on Thursday.
Here’s a look at ABC’s lineup:
The Wonderful World of Disney will stay put on Sundays in the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. slot. Alias, about a college student (Dude, Where’s My Car?‘s Jennifer Garner) who moonlights as a secret agent, will replace Millionaire at 9 p.m. Rounding out the evening, the top-rated Emmy-winning drama The Practice will remain in the 10 p.m. spot.
Mondays will still lead with Millionaire, followed by Monday Night Football.
Tuesdays will begin with Dharma & Greg, followed by the midseason hit What About Joan?, starring Joan Cusack. Jason Alexander‘s new sitcom, Bob Patterson, about a motivational speaker, will most likely end up in the 9 p.m. spot, doing battle against NBC’s Frasier. Spin City or ABC’s other midseason hit, The Job, starring Denis Leary, will follow at 9:30 p.m. Whichever sitcom is not on the Tuesday night 9:30 p.m. slot will be take the 9:30 p.m. slot on Wednesdays. Tuesdays will end with the new Steven Bochco legal drama, Philly, starring NYPD Blue alum Kim Delaney.
Wednesdays will begin as family night with Damon Wayans‘ sitcom My Wife and Kids, followed by the new Jim Belushi sitcom, The Dad, from Touchstone/Brad Grey Television. The Drew Carey Show will stay put in the 9 p.m. slot, with the 9:30 p.m. slot to be taken by either Spin City or The Job. Bochco‘s NYPD Blue will return in November to take the 10 p.m. Wednesday spot, replacing 20/20. The Barbara Walters-hosted newsmagazine will return midseason.
Thursdays will start with Whose Line Is It Anyway?, followed by a new sketch series from popular Whose Line … player Wayne Brady. The second installment of Millionaire takes the 9 p.m. slot, with the Primetime Live newsmagazine ending the evening.
On Friday, ABC will dump its comedy lineup. The night will kick off with the second installment of the reality show The Mole, followed by the new Warner Bros. drama Thieves, starring John Stamos. Emmy-winning drama Once and Again will take the 10 p.m. slot.
Saturdays will remain a movie night for ABC.
Midseason orders include a new Sally Field drama, The Court, and possibly two new comedies from Peter Tolan, The Web and HMO. Also planned is another reality show, The Runner, produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The show revolves around one person’s race around a country, looking for prizes and trying not to get caught.
Saying goodbye is The Geena Davis Show and the medical drama Gideon’s Crossing.
CBS also is shaping up its fall schedule with a planned five new dramas and two new sitcoms. One of the more anticipated new shows is the Lou Diamond Phillips-headlined Wolf Lake, a spooky X-Files-esque drama about investigators who look at the mysterious doings of wolves in the Pacific Northwest.
Also included on the drama list is: The Agency, delving into the CIA; a Richard Dreyfuss vehicle, The Education of Max Bickford; and The Guardian, about an attorney who works for child advocacy. On the new sitcom list is another Ellen DeGeneres starrer, Ellen, Again, and a Daniel Stern comedy, Community Center. Stern stars as a newly separated father who runs a community center.
Fox is looking at a few new dramas, including 24, Pasadena and Emma Brody, with new comedies being Bernie Mac, Andy Richter Controls the Universe and Greg the Bunny.
