ABC Upfront: Fall 2011

[Pavan]

Good schedule and shows. Brent, that leaked schedule was very fake. I never saw that anywhere. Who "leaked? it? I didn't have anything last night. ABC was tight-lipped.

[Pavan]

Upfront presentation was great. Recap to follow later tonight.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by Pavan

Good schedule and shows. Brent, that leaked schedule was very fake. I never saw that anywhere. Who "leaked? it? I didn't have anything last night. ABC was tight-lipped.

"ABC Insider" over at Zap2it. In past years they had been pretty good... Oh well, life goes on.

[Pavan]

ABC Primetime Schedule Announcement presentation outline:

- Power of ABC video montage
- Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks and President of Disney-ABC Television Group
- Geri Wang, President of Ad Sales
- Video montage of ABC series
- Paul Lee, President of ABC Primetime Entertainment
* Goes over Fall schedule starting with Thursday
* First clip shown: Charlie's Angels
* Once Upon a Time clip shown - Lee says please watch the pilot, it is an incredible show
* Pan Am clip shown
* Dancing with the Stars with its best year ever, Castle #1 in time period
* Tim Allen comes up on stage to discuss his ABC past and now returning to ABC
* Clip of Tim Allen in Last Man Standing is shown
* Clip of Man Up is shown - will appeal to both men and women
* Cougar Town will air in between Dancing cycles at 9pm
* Clip of Apartment 23 shown - Lee says tested very well among younger audience - Lee says it is outrageous and he hopes deeply inappropriate
* Clip of Suburgatory is shown - Jane Leevy is going to be a breakout star
* Modern Family remains at 9pm, best and #1 comedy on TV. Clip shown along with a brief sneak peek of what is to come this season during the final two episodes
* Clip shown of Mid-season comedy Work It (under the Wednesday presentation) - Lee says it is silly and hilarious
* Jimmy Kimmel Live! clip shown to introduce Jimmy Kimmel
* Jimmy Kimmel is his usual hilarious self at upfront with jokes about NBC's upfront presentation, Donald Trump, CBS' old viewers, The X-Factor, ad money and so much more.
* Clip of Revenge is shown - an absolute gem
* Fall schedule recapped and what each night means (Monday hits, Tuesday family comedy, Wednesday TV's best comedy block, powerful dramas on Thursday, family night on Friday, powerhouse ESPN on Saturday and appointment TV on Sunday)
* Mid-season: launches in winter, spring and summer
* Missing sizzle with interview with Ashley Judd shown, launching just after the new year
* Clip of Scandal shown - all about character, launches after the new year as well
* Clip of The River shown - launching in spring and is quite a ride and utterly original
* Clip of Good Christian Belles shown - great storytelling
* Upfront closes with a special message from Brick of The Middle

[Family Ties Forever!]

That's good that Private Practice is staying in the same day and time slot (Thursdays' at 10pm/9pm central). I think it would hurt the show to move it to Fridays.

[Brent88]

Hey Pavan, are there any fall promos coming up during the season finales? I saw the Charlie's Angels one during DH Sunday but was hoping to see others.

[Pavan]

Charlie's Angels 5 second bumper airs again next on Grey's Anatomy finale during first break.

[Pavan]

We got info on ABC's pickups for comedy, drama and alternative series, but here are the details of specials and movies:

Specials

CMA Music Festival
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
8:00-11:00pm ET
Nashville is the true home to country music, and in this one-of-kind special, top country performers hit the stage to showcase their amazing talent during this four-day party and music celebration. In addition to incredible, never-before-televised music performances, this special captures the heart of the CMA Music Festival – the unique bond between country music artists and their fans.
The CMA Music Festival is celebrating its 40th year, and the tradition continues to be legendary with only the best country singers and songwriters invited to perform. Artists will rock out in Tennessee from June 9th - 12th, including performances by Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, Sheryl Crow, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, and Lady Antebellum, among many more!
The three-hour special will incorporate all the best moments of the festival with everyone's favorite country stars.

45th Annual CMA Awards
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
8-11pm ET
'Country Music's Biggest Night' returns live from the Sommett Center in Nashville on November 9 with more music, more stars – and an estimated 33 million viewers, expected to tune in to some or all of the broadcast based on last year's time-period winning performance.
Expect another dynamic performance when the nation tunes in to honor country music's top performers, songwriters, record producers and music video directors, as determined by the 6,000 industry professional members of Country Music Association.

2011 American Music Awards
Sunday, November 20, 2011
8-11pm ET
"With a performer-list which read like a who's-who of the music industry, the show – which took place at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles – most definitely hit a home-run in terms of star power." – thatgrapejuice.net
Live performances of the hottest pop, rock and country artists continue to make American Music Awards one of the country's top specials with young adults. With appearances by Taylor Swift, who won five awards, and show-stopping performances by Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, and other talented performers, last season's telecast rocked as the season's third-highest ranked Awards show (behind the Academy Awards® and the Grammys®). More than 33 million viewers tuned in to watch some, or all, of the broadcast – and that's music to advertisers.
American Music Awards are presented to artists in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Contemporary Inspirational. Winners are determined by online voting.
The show, founded by Dick Clark in 1973, will again be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre L.A. A live pre-show on the red carpet will be streamed by dick clark productions before the telecast.

Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011
December, 2011
1-Hour
TBD

Prep and Landing: Naughty Vs. Nice (NEW!)
December, 2011
Half-Hour
The yuletide adventures of Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne continue in an ABC holiday special for 2011 in Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice. With the Big 2-5 fast approaching, Wayne and Lanny must race to recover classified North Pole technology which has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking Naughty Kid! Desperate to prevent Christmas from descending into chaos, Wayne seeks out the foremost Naughty Kid Field Expert to aid in the mission: a bombastic member of the Coal Elf Brigade who also happens to be his estranged brother, Noel.

The original Prep & Landing special and last season's seven-minute animated short Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa, will also air this holiday season.

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
December, 2011
1-Hour
You better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not pout, I'm telling you why ...
Santa Claus is comin' to town.
This classic animated holiday special, based on the traditional Christmas standard, continues to delight generations of viewers.
The perennial favorite features Fred Astaire narrating the timeless tale of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for others. In his home village of Sombertown, Kris has started a gift factory where he builds toys and gives them to all the local children. But when the evil ruler, Burgermeister Meisterburger (Paul Frees) bans toys from the land, Kris is forced to go directly to Mother Nature and ask her for assistance. With the help of magical elves and several special reindeer, Kris overcomes the Burgermeister and delivers toys to children all over the world – earning him the name Santa Claus.

Shrek the Halls
December, 2011
Half-Hour
'Twas the night before Christmas
And I spent all the day
Finishing up on my Christmas display.
Now missing all this
Would be nothing but tragic,
So just follow me and I'll show you the magic.
It is Shrek's first Christmas, and wife Fiona (Cameron Diaz) wants it to be one to remember. But Shrek wants to do things his way, and just spend some quiet time with the kids. As Christmas Eve draws nearer, his plan for a sedate gathering explodes into a raucous party attended by all of the world's fairy-tale personalities. And Shrek learns to love this divine and chaotic time of the year.
DreamWorks' half-hour animated special features the Shrek characters putting their own spin on holiday traditions. And "like the movie sequels, Shrek the Halls keeps the gags flying..." "...for a made-for-TV version of a theatrical blockbuster, it looks utterly polished..." – Variety (Nov. 27, 2007)

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2012 with Ryan Seacrest
December 31, 2011
3.5 Hours
Television's most popular New Year's bash is an annual tradition for millions who tune in to ABC's non-stop, bi-coastal entertainment show filled with special guests, musical performances, and celebrations from around the globe. Again, Ryan Seacrest will team up with Dick Clark at New York City's famous Times Square, where large crowds gather to count down to the New Year as the lighted ball drops. But the fun doesn't end there for viewers at home... ABC's event festivities continue until 2am ET.
Another tradition is the special's strong ratings performance. Last year's telecast delivered its largest Adult 18-49 audience in three years and topped every other Primetime entertainment program during the week by wide margins.
The celebratory broadcast consists of three specials: Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve 2012 with Ryan Seacrest (10-11pm, ET); Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2012 with Ryan Seacrest Part 1 (11:35pm - 1:05am, ET) and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2012 with Ryan Seacrest Part 2 (1:05-2:05am, ET).
This December, viewers and advertisers can expect another exciting, high-performance New Year's showcase.

2012 Miss America Pageant
January, 2012
Two-Hour
The 2012 Miss America Pageant promises to be an exciting event, after successfully returning to ABC last year. The 2011 pageant saw a 47 percent increase in viewers over last year, and surged by 2.5 million viewers from its first half-hour to its final half-hour. A panel of seven esteemed judges will evaluate the contestants from the preliminaries through the final night of competition, which will broadcast live from Las Vegas and hosted by Chris Harrison and Brooke Burke.

2012 Oscars Red Carpet
Sunday, February 26, 2012
7pm ET/4pm PT

Before Hollywood's top film stars, producers, directors and writers enter the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Vine for television's largest entertainment event – the Academy Awards® – they make their way up the world's most famous red carpet in front of hundreds of cameras, thousands of fans, and millions of viewers tuned into ABC. This pre-show scheduled prior to big show is a buzz-worthy event unto itself, filled with enough mega-watt glamour, glitz and star power to provide an organic environment for Oscar®-quality advertisers.

84th Annual Academy Awards
Sunday, February 26, 2012
8:30-11:30pm ET/5:30-8:30pm PT
3 Hrs
The biggest night of the year for Hollywood and for entertainment advertisers returns to ABC-TV in 2012 with more movies, more film stars... and more ratings momentum.
The Academy Awards® telecast is one of the best platforms to reach a high concentration of affluent and educated viewers. In March 2010, indices among adults 18-49 were higher than those of all other specials, including Super Bowl (170 index/HHI $100K+ and 167 index/4+ Years College).
The ceremony will once again take place at the prestigious Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood. It all begins with a fashionable walk down the famous red carpet.
Glitz, glamour, buzz, and consumers. The Academy Awards® delivers them all.
NTI/NAD, 3/7/10 (Adults, Women, Men 18-34, 18-49, 25-54; C3 ratings)

TBD Specials: Beyonce and the Wold, and CMA Country Christmas



Charlie Brown Specials
This season, ABC will again air special animated Peanuts programs. Each has a personality as unique as the notable characters created by award-winning cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. These engaging family favorites, based on Shultz' classic syndicated comic strip that began in the 1950s, impart worthwhile lessons while engaging large young audiences.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
October, 2011
One Hour with Bonus Special
There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin. – Linus
In this Emmy-nominated Peanuts classic, Charlie Brown's security blanket-toting best friend Linus believes the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch on Halloween night and gives toys to all the good little children, just like Santa does at Christmastime. As Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin, the rest of the Peanuts gang go trick-or-treating, while Snoopy, dressed up as the famous World War I flying ace, focuses on shooting down the infamous Red Baron – from the top of his doghouse.
ALSO: You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
Linus runs for class president with Lucy and Charlie Brown managing his campaign. This bonus PEANUTS feature has Chad Webber as Charlie Brown, Robin Kohn as Lucy, Stephen Shea as Linus, Hilary Momberger as Sally and Todd Barbee as Russell.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
November, 2011
One Hour with Bonus Special
There's no problem so big you can't run away from it. – Linus
It's Thanksgiving at Charlie Brown's House! The true meaning of Thanksgiving is at the heart of this special, as Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty and the rest of the Peanuts gang celebrate the traditions of Thanksgiving Day in a non-traditional way: having dinner at the ping-pong table with toast, popcorn and desserts! Despite much turmoil, Thanksgiving ends happily for the group with Charlie Brown's grandmother.
ALSO: The Mayflower Voyagers
This PEANUTS feature originally aired as part of an eight-episode, animated mini-series called "This Is America, Charlie Brown," which had the Peanuts gang visiting important events in United States history. To help celebrate Thanksgiving, ABC brings viewers The Mayflower Voyagers to explore how the pilgrims came to America.

A Charlie Brown Christmas
December, 2011
1 Hour
Lights… That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. – Linus
In the first-ever primetime animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip, the ever– unlucky Charlie Brown tries to do good by directing the Christmas school play. He tries to find a tree for the play and he chooses a pitiful little twig. At first the gang makes fun of Charlie for choosing such an ugly tree for the holiday but an assist from Linus makes the true message of the season come shining through. In the end, everyone realizes that a little affection can make all the difference in the world...even to a tree.
The popular TV special is considered a timeless holiday classic by millions of viewers. Its soundtrack by jazz composer Vince Guaraldi has become as well-known as the story itself, especially the piece entitled "Linus and Lucy," which has become seen as the signature musical theme to Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang.

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
December, 2011
1 Hour
Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement. – Snoopy
Linus' younger brother Rerun wants a dog for Christmas and involves the Peanuts gang in his quest. Will his mom allow him to get one? Can he handle the responsibility of caring for a dog? Find out in this post-Charles Schulz Christmas special based on his timeless Peanuts characters.

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
December, 2011
One Hour with Bonus Special
"You know how I always dread the whole year? Well, this time I'm only going to dread one day at a time."– Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown is looking forward to Christmas vacation, until his teacher assigns the class to read "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy over the Christmas Holiday, and then write a book report on it. Things turn from bad to worse when Peppermint Patty calls to invite him to a New Year's party and Lucy enrolls their friends in a dance class, to learn how to dance properly.
ALSO: She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown
In the first Peanuts special in which the adults actually speak words rather than be represented with the plunger-muted trombone sounds, Peppermint Patty spends hours at a frozen winter pond practicing skating routines, as Snoopy, her "skating coach," barks and snarls orders. When the tape containing her music breaks at the competition, Snoopy's little bird friend Woodstock saves the day when he steps up to the microphone and whistles a beautiful rendition of Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro."

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Valentine
February, 2012
One-Hour
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown: Hearts are fluttering on Valentine's Day at Birchwood School, and Linus has brought a huge box of candy for his homeroom teacher. Thinking that the candy is for her, Sally reciprocates with a homemade card for Linus. Lucy meanwhile, demands some affection from Schroeder, and Charlie Brown waits for his cards in the mail - and waits - and waits.
A Charlie Brown Valentine: Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love. – Charlie Brown
Love is in the air and Valentine's Day is a week away. Charlie Brown hopes to get a Valentine from the little red-haired girl, as does Sally from Linus...Lucy from Schroeder...and Peppermint Patty from Charlie Brown. The usual heartbreak with all these relationships comes to a head on Valentine's Day, ending with the ill-fated Valentine's Dance.

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
April, 2012
Half Hour
Some Easter Beagle! He gave me my own egg! – Lucy
Easter is fast approaching, and that means there is a lot to do for the "Peanuts" pals. Charlie, Sally, Lucy and Marcie try to get ready for the big day by making several unsuccessful – yet creative – attempts to prepare eggs for coloring: frying, waffle-ironing, toasting, roasting, and finally soup, while Linus insists there is no preparation necessary. Not to worry…. The Easter Beagle steps in to save the day!
This classic Emmy nominated springtime special returns to ABC in the Spring of 2012.

More specials are also available.


Theatricals


TBD


Original Movies


Titanic
Spring 2012
Four-Hour Mini-Series
From the creative minds of BAFTA-winning producer Nigel Stafford Clark and Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, the highly anticipated four-part miniseries Titanic begins production this May in Budapest, Hungary. Titanic is an extraordinary re-telling of the doomed voyage that cleverly weaves action, mystery and romantic plots. It features both fictional and historical characters, ranging from steerage passengers to upper class guests, who come together in an explosive and unforgettable finale. Each point of view culminates in a cliff-hanger, as the ship begins to flounder, building to an explosive conclusion that draws together all the stories. Viewers will be taken on a heart-wrenching journey through Titanic's last hours, as it's revealed which of the characters they've come to know so well will survive, and which will not.

Starring
Linus Roache
Geraldine Somerville
Noah Reid
Linda Kash
David Eisner
Celia Imrie
Toby Jones
Perdita Weeks
Lee Ross
Jenna-Louise Coleman
Sophie Winkleman
Steven Waddington
David Calder
James Wilby
Antonio Magro
Dragos Bucur
Stephen Campbell Moore
Lyndsey Marshal
Mark Lewis Jones
Ruth Bradley
Peter McDonald
Slyvestra Le Touzel

Produced in association with ITV Studios, Shaw Media, Deep Indigo Productions, Lookout Point, Sienna Films Inc., Mid Atlantic Films
Executive Producers: Nigel Stafford Clark, Chris Thompson, Simon Vaughan, Kate Bartlett, Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny, Howard Ellis, Adam Goodman, David Collins
Writer: Julian Fellowes

[Pavan]

I began watching the picked-up pilots this weekend. So far I have watched these, but I'm not allowed to review them yet. So here are just some quick thoughts (I posted these on Twitter):

Last Man Standing: Rough cut of Tim Allen's #LastManStanding pilot is good. Nancy Travis not used much. Can't say more, not for review.

Charlie's Angels: #CharliesAngels pilot is fun and has a ton of action! @MinkaKelly is stunning! A nice mix of the original series and the movies.

Revenge: starring Emily VanCamp is Dynasty/Dallas style. High class primetime soap that is just purely addicting! I'm in for it! will suck you in. Very intriguing and you'll want to know what will happen next!

Pan Am: another great pilot. Next season is going to be truly quality TV. Pan Am was excellent. Great story and interesting premise!

More to come, as soon as I have some time to watch. But so far, 4 for 4.

[Pavan]

Fall premiere dates are announced. Check back in a bit on page one for the day-by-day schedule.

ABC ANNOUNCES FALL SERIES PREMIERE DATES


ABC announced the following Fall premiere dates for the 2011-2012 season today. All times listed are ET.


Friday, September 16
10:00 p.m. “20/20”

Monday, September 19
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Castle”

Tuesday, September 20
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Body of Proof”

Wednesday, September 21
8:00-9:00 p.m. “The Middle” (special one-hour premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Modern Family” (special one-hour premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Revenge”

Thursday, September 22
8:00-9:00 p.m. “Charlie’s Angels”
9:00-11:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy” (special two-hour premiere)

Sunday, September 25
7:00-9:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (special two-hour premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Pan Am”

Wednesday, September 28
8:30-9:00 p.m. “Suburgatory”
9:30-10:30 p.m. “Happy Endings”

Thursday, September 29
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Private Practice”

Sunday, October 2
7:00-8:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”

Tuesday, October 11
8:00- 9:00 p.m. “Last Man Standing” (special one-hour premiere)

Tuesday, October 18
8:30-9:00 p.m. “Man Up!”

Friday, October 21
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (time period premiere)

Sunday, October 23
8:00-9:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”

[Pavan]

Day-by-day schedule announced:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...60&postcount=2

More to come on the blog tomorrow.

[icecream]

I'd like to see the Castle season premiere be the Tuesday encore the first week. It would be easier for me to see it there than on Monday.

[Pavan]

The ABC Fall Preview Special

Look for it on your local ABC affiliate between 8/27/11 - 9/18/11

Spotlights ABC’s four new one hour dramas: Charlie’s Angels, Once Upon A Time, and two 10PM dramas Pan Am and Revenge. Also, the special features a preview of ABC’s returning Fall dramas, direct from beautiful Miami, FL, home to ABC’s Charlie’s Angels and the host, Ramon Rodriquez, also known as "Bosley."

[Pavan]

Friday, September 23, 2011
8:00PM Modern Family (special one-hour season premiere ENCORE)
9:00PM Revenge (series premiere ENCORE)

See the full day-by-day schedule: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...60&postcount=2

[tvcrazed]

I don't understand why they are blowing two Modern Family reruns in the first week (since they only get three airings). They didn't do all that well last year on Fridays the first few weeks. Not more than a 1.0. Also why even give a few people incentive not to watch on Wednesday when there is a live show - X factor- that many will want to sample. If it's to give revenge encore a lead in, there are many other shows that will provide the same 1.0 lead in for that.