Don’t look for “Felicity” on the dean’s list. Yes, the WB today did formally (and finally) renew the struggling college series, but it also placed it on the equivalent of academic probation.
While “Felicity” will return for a third season next fall, it will share its time slot with another almost-canceled show, “Jack & Jill.” (The Keri Russell series will hold down the 9-10 p.m. Wednesday hour until January, at which time, “Jack & Jill” will be called on to serve your entertainment needs.)
The “Felicity”-lives storyline was the highlight of WB’s fall schedule announcments, unless you’re a “Roswell” fan, in which case your psyched that that almost-canceled show also did not get canned.
There’s something telling, of course, about a network that has a trio of almost-canceled shows. It tells you that the network needs some shows (specifically, some high-rated shows) it doesn’t want to cancel. To whit, the WB is importing a couple of ringers in its 2000-01 lineup. “The PJs,” Eddie Murphy’s slap-happy housing-project toon, climbs out of Fox’s basement to anchor WB’s Sunday night; “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” as previously announced, flies over from ABC.
Overall, the WB will launch just four brand-new series: “Hype,” a sketch comedy half-hour; “Nikki,” a sitcom starring “Unhappily Ever After” demi-icon Nikki Cox; “Gilmore Girls,” an hourlong drama set in the potboiler that is a New England bed-and-breakfast; and, “Grosse Point,” a sitcom set in the potboiler that is a soap-opera set.
In the roadkill department, that “Zoe, Duncan, Whoever, Change the Title ‘Til It Works” thing is finally, officially dead. As is that painful attempt at a Harry Hamlin sitcom (aka, “Movie Stars”).
Here’s a night-by-night look at WB’s new fall lineup:
SUNDAY: “The PJS,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “For Your Love,” “HYPE”, “NIKKI” MONDAY: “7th Heaven,” “Roswell” TUESDAY: “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” WEDNESDAY: “Dawson’s Creek,” “Felicity”/”Jack & Jill” THURSDAY: “GILMORE GIRLS,” “Charmed” FRIDAY: “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “GROSSE POINT”, “Popular”
