Logo

ABC Adds Pickups, Sets Summer Schedule

May 2, 2005  •  Post A Comment

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.

  • On Wednesday, June 1, at 8 p.m. (ET), “Supernanny,” which currently runs on Mondays at 10 p.m., will begin its rebroadcast. At 9 p.m. the network will launch the six-part dance competition series “Dancing With the Stars,” in which six celebrities are paired with professional dancers for a ballroom dance competition. “Lost” will also rerun its first season at 10 p.m. starting June 1.
  • “The Scholar,” which has high school students competing for a college scholarship, will premiere Monday, June 6, at 8 p.m.
  • A two-hour premiere of “Empire,” which profiles the rise of Roman Emperor Augustus, premieres Tuesday, June 28.
  • In addition, “Brat Camp,” which profiles the rehabilitation of six troubled teens, and “Welcome to the Neighborhood,” which pits potential homeowners against their new neighbors for the chance to win a free house, are both slated for July debuts.
  • New episodes of the returning reality series “Wife Swap” are also slated for summer.

    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.

  • On Tuesday, June 21, at 8 p.m. (ET), NBC will launch the two-hour premiere of “I Want to be a Hilton,” which features Kathy Hilton (Paris and Nicky’s mom) picking one of 14 contestants to spend a year living as a member of the ubiquitous family. “Hilton” will move to a one-hour 9 p.m. run starting June 28. At 8 p.m. that day, the network will debut “Average Joe 4: The Joes Strike Back.”
  • David E. Kelley’s eight-episode foray into the unscripted arena begins Wednesday, July 27, at 8 p.m. with “The Law Firm,” in which trial attorney Roy Black supervises competing attorneys in trials that have real cases, judges and juries.
  • On Aug. 3 “Firm” moves to 9 p.m., with “Meet Mister Mom,” a show that has dads taking care of their families while their wives spend a week relaxing, opening the night at 8 p.m.
  • On Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m., “Biggest Loser 2” opens with a 90-minute premiere, followed at 9:30 p.m. by “Tommy Lee Goes to College,” featuring the M%F6;tley Cr%FC;e star.

    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.”