NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB Set Initial 2005-06 Season Orders

[Miss Golden]

Sunday, May 15, 2005 - 11:46 AM
NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB Set Initial 2005-06 Season Orders
By The Futon Critic Staff

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB have leaked their initial 2005-06 season orders as well as nearly all their renewals and cancellations of existing series.

The news comes with barely 12 hours until NBC presents its fall 2005 schedule to the advertising community, a presentation which for all intents and purposes remains a complete mystery. Nearly a half-dozen variations on NBC's schedule have floated around this weekend with everything from "The West Wing" moving to Sundays to "Joey" moving to Tuesdays. Nevertheless with executives and producers heading to New York City over the weekend, the series that did and didn't make the cut have become pretty clear.

Among the surprise renewals - FOX's "The Bernie Mac Show," ABC's "Jake in Progress" and "Less Than Perfect" - three shows widely considered longshots to return. Conversely, ABC has pulled the plug on "My Wife and Kids" and "Eight Simple Rules," two series thought to have brighter prospects than "Jake" and "Perfect."

Overall here's a breakdown of the pickups thus far. Note that this list comes from a complication of various trade publications and industry insiders. Look for the final rundown as each network presents this week:

NBC

NEW COMEDIES (3):
"four kings"
"my name is earl"
"thick and thin"

NEW DRAMAS (3):
"e-ring"
"fathom"
"inconceivable"

RETURNING SERIES (15):
"apprentice, the"
"crossing jordan"
"dateline nbc"
"er"
"fear factor"
"joey"
"las vegas"
"law & order"
"law & order: criminal intent"
"law & order: special victims unit"
"medium"
"office, the"
"scrubs"
"west wing, the"
"will & grace"

NOT RETURNING (13):
"american dreams"
"committed"
"contender, the"
"father of the pride"
"hawaii"
"last comic standing"
"law & order: trial by jury"
"lax"
"medical investigation"
"most outrageous tv moments"
"revelations"
"sports illustrated: swimsuit model search"
"third watch"

The WB

NEW COMEDIES (1):
"misconceptions"*

NEW DRAMAS (4):
"just legal"
"pepper dennis"*
"related"
"supernatural"

RETURNING SERIES (9):
"blue collar tv"
"charmed"
"everwood"
"gilmore girls"
"living with fran"
"one tree hill"
"reba"*
"seventh heaven"
"smallville"

NOT RETURNING (8):
"big man on campus"
"drew carey's green screen"
"grounded for life"
"high school reunion"
"jack & bobby"
"mountain, the"
"starlet, the"
"summerland"

STILL TBA (2):
"steve harvey's big time"
"what i like about you"

* all contingent on 20th Century Fox Television and the WB working out a deal

ABC

NEW COMEDIES (5):
"crumbs"
"emily's reasons why not"
"freddie"
"hot properties"
"sons & daughters"

NEW DRAMAS (6):
"commander-in-chief"
"the evidence"
"in justice"
"invasion"
"the night stalker"
"what about brian"

RETURNING SERIES (17):
"according to jim"
"alias"
"america's funniest home videos"
"bachelor, the"
"boston legal"
"desperate housewives"
"extreme makeover: home edition"
"george lopez show, the"
"grey's anatomy"
"hope & faith"
"jake in progress"
"less than perfect"
"lost"
"monday night football"
"rodney"
"supernanny"
"wife swap"

NOT RETURNING (8):
"benefactor, the"
"blind justice"
"complete savages"
"eight simple rules"
"eyes"
"life as we know it"
"my wife & kids"
"n.y.p.d. blue"

STILL TBA (7):
"20/20"
"bachelorette, the"
"extreme makeover"
"extreme makeover: home edition - how'd they do that?"
"life of luxury"
"primetime live"
"wonderful world of disney, the"

FOX

NEW COMEDIES (4):
"freebirds"
"kitchen confidential"
"the loop"
"the war at home"

NEW DRAMAS (4):
"bones"
"deviant behavior"
"head cases"
"reunion"

RETURNING SERIES (18):
"american dad"*
"american idol: the search for a superstar"
"america's most wanted"
"arrested development"
"bernie mac show, the"
"cops"
"family guy"*
"house"
"king of the hill"
"malcolm in the middle"
"nanny 911"
"o.c., the"
"renovate my family"*
"simple life, the"
"simpsons, the"
"stacked"
"that '70s show"
"twenty four"

* will continue to air new episodes this summer

NOT RETURNING (15):
"complex, the: malibu"
"jonny zero"
"kelsey grammer presents: the sketch show"
"life on a stick"
"my big fat obnoxious fiance"
"next great champ, the"
"north shore"
"point pleasant"
"quintuplets"
"rebel billionaire, the: branson's quest for the best"
"swan, the"
"totally outrageous behavior"
"tru calling"
"who's your daddy?"
"world's craziest videos, the"

STILL TBA (1):
"trading spouses: meet your new mommy"

[ClassicTV4Ever]

Wow! 8 Simple Rules and My Wife & Kids got canned? I'm shocked.

[TVJunkie101]

Wow, didn't expect ABC to renew Less Than Perfect. I'm *very* surprised 8 Simple Rules was canceled altogther. No midseason chance for it? Jake in Progress is either going to hit it's stride or collapse. I know it has it's fans, but I'm betting on the latter. So now ABC has *10* sitcoms? Interesting. Obviously not all will probably make the fall schedule (I guess they could). It's still too bad 8 Simple Rules didn't make the cut. What's so special about Rodney? It's just another "According to Jim".

The WB adding only ONE new comedy? Interesting.

In all my theories, not once did I ever figure NBC would drop Martha Stewart's Apprentice on Sunday, LOL. Oddly enough, I never suspected it would go there. Interesting variations on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I actually expected Joey to go to Tuesday's.

[vashti1999]

Jack and Bobby and My Wife and Kids are the biggest not-returning surprises for me. And maybe L&O Trial By Jury.

[Brent88]

Jake in Progress comes back over 8SR? Stunned, just stunned.

[Superbowl]

I think I am more stunned by Less Than Perfect coming back over 8SR. 8SR had better ratings and a better buzz. LTP cannot even hold the meager ratings from Hope and Faith. Personally, I am stunned and don't get it. I could have seen both either be canceled or both back, but if it had to be one I would have bet everything on 8SR over LTP.

In fact, I wonder did anybody have Less Than Perfect on their projected ABC lineup ? I can remember a few Rodney's on people's projection but I could not remember one single Less Than Perfect. I am still in a state of disbelief over this one.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by Superbowl

I think I am more stunned by Less Than Perfect coming back over 8SR. 8SR had better ratings and a better buzz. LTP cannot even hold the meager ratings from Hope and Faith. Personally, I am stunned and don't get it. I could have seen both either be canceled or both back, but if it had to be one I would have bet everything on 8SR over LTP.

In fact, I wonder did anybody have Less Than Perfect on their projected ABC lineup ? I can remember a few Rodney's on people's projection but I could not remember one single Less Than Perfect. I am still in a state of disbelief over this one.

Nope. I didn't have Jake, LTP or 8SR on my schedule. I did correctly predict MWAK would be gone though.

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by Brent88

Jake in Progress comes back over 8SR? Stunned, just stunned.

I didn't notice that. Jake In Progress coming back is a surprise.

[Mr. Monitor]

I'm shocked that MWAK was canned. I thought that it would at least comeback for a final season.

[Brian Damage]

I'm surprised L&O Trial by Jury is gone.

[James"Thunder"Early]

ABC and WB have shocked me by retaining low rated series and cancelling popular ones. I expected 8 Simple Rules to go down, but My Wife and Kids getting the boot surprises me since it still seemed to have some steam. Less Than Perfect, Rodney and Jake in Progress returning is a shock and I expect them to fall by mid-season. the WB's cancellation of Summerland and Jack and Bobby I didn't expect, because they seemed popular, but I guess their ratings were not good enough. NBC is right on the mark, although I disagree with Law and Order: Trial by Jury being canned, it seemed to be promising. FOX is not a surprise either, but I am anxious to find out what will happen to their plans for an American version of EastEnders.

[barwars]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I'm surprised L&O Trial by Jury is gone.

So am I. I wish I would have recorded every episode. Hopefully there'll be a DVD release.

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by barwars

So am I. I wish I would have recorded every episode. Hopefully there'll be a DVD release.

With the way they've pumped out all the various L&O dvds so far, I'd say you don't need to worry.

[Brent88]

FOX has ordered a second season of TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY.

In season two of the unscripted series, more moms and dads will try out the ultimate life change, leaving their own family to take over – for one week – a family much different from their own. While some parents are welcomed with open arms, others face mutiny from their new household. For all involved it's the ultimate chance to find out if the grass actually is greener on the other side.

Families participating in the show will again receive a $50,000 prize but, unbeknownst to the participants, how the cash is spent will be up to the surrogate parent. The twist is one of many in the unscripted FOX series that ups the ante on the classic fish-out-of-water story. TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY is from Rocket Science Laboratories, the producers of "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé" and "Joe Millionaire." Jean-Michel Michenaud and Chris Cowan serve as executive producers. Jeff Cvengros is co-executive producer. Charles Duncombe serves as executive in charge of production.

[barwars]

Im just thrilled about Arrested Development returning.