Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Can ABC Rebound With Its New Shows?

ABC has really been in a sort of free fall ever since it honorably retired Lost.
I'm astonished neither NBC nor ABC picked up CSI Miami just dumped from CBS--look it happened over the years from Father Knows Best to Taxi and might succeed today.
I haven't seen any of the new pilots as yet  but neither have Canadian programmers already in L.A. tossing up to $700 million in Canadian dollars on series the majority of which will stiff in the fall ratings.
The big ABC news was the move of Revenge to Sunday nights which has the toughest most competitive time slots of the week --look at the ratings droop when CSI Miami was dumped there. Revenge takes over the old Desperate Housewives slot.
Once Upon A Time made in Vancouver stays put on Sundays in the old Disney time slot opposite 60 Minutes.
ABC has unveiled only five new fall shows with five more held back for January 2013.
ABC has renewed a lot of aging shows already starting to droop ratings wise: Dancing with the Stars, Grey's Anatomy, Castle.
Private Practice will be back but on Mondays --it has thrived so far by following Grey's Anatomy.
Cancelled shows include Cougar Town, CGB, Missing and The River --the last two were very expensive but lost numbers by the week. Body Of Proof will be coming back later. Or so ABC promises.
The five new series include 666 Park Avenue which is described as a gothic thriller and stars Lost's Terry Quinn.
Last Resort comes from The Shield's Shawn Ryan and stars Toronto's Scott Speedman --it concerns a nuclear sub marooned on a small island.
Friday Night's Connie Britton stars in a country drama titled appropriately enough Nashville.
ABC is bringing back its Friday night comedy lineup where it once reigned supreme with the likes of  Full House.
Tim Allen 's returning series will be followed by a new Reba McEntire sitcom. titled Malibu Country.
On Wednesdays a new comedy about aliens living in a Jersey gated community will follow the ratings smash Modern Family.
It's hard to say if there are any break out hits in this mixed bag.
But don't worry all the shows old and new will be bought by Canadian networks in expensive bidding wars and simulcast this fall and some will crash with a mighty boom just like this season's ultra expensive Prime Suspect.




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