ABC last week added the Tuesday sitcom “According to Jim” and Sunday night family show “America’s Funniest Home Videos” to its list of early pickups for the 2005-06 season. The network also announced its summer slate of programming.
ABC will premiere four new reality series and the six-hour ancient Rome drama “Empire” this summer and run repeats of its current top 10 drama “Lost” and reality series “Supernanny” in new time periods, with hopes of introducing the shows to an additional audience.
ABC has already picked up “Alias,” “Boston Legal,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Lost” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” for next season.
NBC Announces Summer Reality Slate
NBC announced last Thursday it would premiere four new reality series and bring back new installments of its “Average Joe” and “Biggest Loser” franchises.
Fox Picks Up `Nanny 911′
Fox picked up a second season of its unscripted Granada America-produced series “Nanny 911.” In its Monday 8 p.m. (ET) time period, “Nanny” has been a performer among adults 18 to 49 and teens.
New Series in Development for Bravo
Bravo has more than 30 new series and specials in development and production and plans to increase its original programming slate by 25 percent from last year, network President Lauren Zalaznick said at a press briefing last week. Beginning in June, the network will launch series and specials including “Sports Kids Moms and Dads,” “Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance,” “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” “Situation: Comedy,” “Being Bobby Brown” and “Battle of the Network Reality Stars.” Ms. Zalaznick said the network posted its best first quarter ever, adding viewers and lowering its median age while retaining its status as No. 1 among upscale households. The new series are designed to further diversify Bravo’s program lineup so the network can avoid being pigeonholed as the “Queer Eye” network, Ms. Zalaznick said. Returning shows, however, will be a foundation of the network’s lineup. Those shows include “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” “Celebrity Poker Showdown,” “Blow Out,” “Project Runway” and “Inside the Actors Studio.”