Continue reading “Here’s your fall TV schedule. Sorta. Maybe.”
Category: upfront
Here’s what you’ll be watching on The CW this fall
There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
The CW changed ownership last year and they are shaking things up. Out are the superhero shows that defined the network for the past decade. In are more “adult”-friendly series from unconventional sources, including the raunchy, definitely-not-meant-for preteens reality series salvaged from HBO Max, FBoy Island, and the well-received crime drama, 61st Street, that AMC unceremoniously canceled last year. They’ve also added a dark sitcom from the UK, and a number of series from Canada: three family sitcoms and two female-led dramas.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on The CW this fall”
Here’s what you’ll be watching on ABC this fall
There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but one has to wonder if Disney isn’t just weaponizing ABC’s fall schedule against the striking writers. ABC seems to be signaling that they are settling in for a long strike by filling their entire schedule with reality series, and one (1) scripted rerun. There is a single new scripted drama but it is being saved for midseason. Whatever happens with this strike, it seems that Disney is letting folks know that they will not be the first studio to break.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on ABC this fall”
Here’s what you’ll be watching on Fox this fall (maybe)
There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
It’s hard to know which direction Fox is taking, as they are not revealing a schedule at all — which, I suppose, is one way to strike-proof yourself. Fox has added two new live-action dramas, two new animated series (one of which they have been promising for years now), two new games shows (which feel oddly familiar) and one reality series that has been brought back from the dead. There’s always hope — especially when a network is desperate for material.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on Fox this fall (maybe)”
Here’s what you’ll be watching on NBC this fall
There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
NBC seems to be confident this writers’ strike won’t last long enough to disrupt their fall schedule as it is chock full of scripted series with the one exception of The Voice. That said, you’ll note that no premiere dates have been announced. Also, there are two new reality competitions and a docuseries that they ostensibly might be saving for the midseason that they could press into service in the fall if the strike goes on longer than they hope. One is a reimagining of Deal or No Deal, the other an as-of-yet-determined spinoff of America’s Got Talent.
NBC has only added three new scripted series to their fall schedule, two safe procedural dramas, and one family sitcom. But the small number of new shows is more of a comment on the decline of the profitability of network TV than anything to do with the strike.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on NBC this fall”
Here’s what you’ll be watching on CBS this fall.
There is no such thing as a traditional Upfront season anymore. Last year, very briefly, it felt like the Upfronts — the events when the networks announce their upcoming fall schedules and new series — were back following the pandemic and the steady decline of network television in general. But now with a writers’ strike that could very well stretch through the summer, and potential strikes by the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on the horizon, the networks are having to play the upcoming fall season entirely by ear. With some networks, this looks like loading up on reality content; with others, it looks like they are moving forward with their scripted material and hoping for the best.
CBS is taking a bit of a mixed approach. The most popular network clearly hopes that the strike(s) will be over before production has to begin for the fall season, as all of their scripted hits are on the schedule. That said, they’ve super-sized Survivor and The Amazing Race, eliminating the need for at least one hour of prime-time programming. Not sure that will do the trick, but I suppose you have to start somewhere.
CBS has also added two new dramas to their fall schedule — a spinoff of one of their popular franchises, and a gender-swapped reimagining of a television classic. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait long for them to premiere.
Continue reading “Here’s what you’ll be watching on CBS this fall.”
UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on The CW This Fall
Welcome back to a proper Upfronts season, the moment when network TV reveals all their secret plans for the fall television season (such as it is anymore). In the wake of a destructive pandemic and in the face of the inevitable takeover of streaming, networks are playing it safer and safer: canceling fewer shows, ordering fewer comedies, and greenlighting familiar titles.
Our final entry is The CW, which, thanks to an unprecedented purge of shows, is introducing the largest slate of new programs: 5 new fall series, and 2 midseason shows. Of those 5 fall series, two are spinoffs of popular CW series, one is a ridiculous reality series, and two are Canadian series they’ve imported. It’s a weird mix, but what else would you expect from The CW?
Continue reading “UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on The CW This Fall”
UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on NBC This Fall
Welcome back to a proper Upfronts season, the moment when network TV reveals all their secret plans for the fall television season (such as it is anymore). In the wake of a destructive pandemic and in the face of the inevitable takeover of streaming, networks are playing it safer and safer: canceling fewer shows, ordering fewer comedies, and greenlighting familiar titles.
NBC is a great example of this, having ordered only three new series (so far); two of which are sequels to popular 80s titles, and the other helmed by a familiar name in the business. NBC still has a pretty lengthy list of pilots they are considering for the midseason, so stay tuned.
This post will be updated with trailers and premiere dates as they become available.
Continue reading “UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on NBC This Fall”
UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on CBS This Fall
Welcome back to a proper Upfronts season, the moment when network TV reveals all their secret plans for the fall television season (such as it is anymore). In the wake of a destructive pandemic and in the face of the inevitable takeover of streaming, networks are playing it safer and safer: canceling fewer shows, ordering fewer comedies, and greenlighting familiar titles.
CBS, like everyone else, is playing it safe. They’ve ordered four new scripted series — all one-hour dramas — two of which are traditional procedurals. The other two are more playful dramedies, but nothing is breaking new ground here. In fact, the most surprising addition to the fall lineup is a reality reimagining of a television classic.
Continue reading “UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on CBS This Fall”
UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on ABC This Fall
Welcome back to a proper Upfronts season, the moment when network TV reveals all their secret plans for the fall television season (such as it is anymore). In the wake of a destructive pandemic and in the face of the inevitable takeover of streaming, networks are playing it safer and safer: canceling fewer shows, ordering fewer comedies, and greenlighting familiar titles.
ABC remembered how Upfronts worked! There are promotional photos! There are teaser trailers! There is a schedule! Give ABC a sticker!
That said, ABC is playing it VERY safe this season. They have picked up three crime dramas that are structurally similar to other successful ABC projects, one comedy that sounds a lot like a very popular series on another network, and yet another “Celebrity” version of a daytime game show.
Continue reading “UPDATED WITH DATES: What You’ll Be Watching on ABC This Fall”