For TV viewers, this fall will seem a lot like last fall.
ABC today (June 17) announced a schedule that has only three new shows — which still puts it at the top of the list. CBS will have two new ones … NBC will havbe one (a “Law & Order” spin-off) … Fox and CW will have makeshift line-up in the fall, with the big shows returning later.
The network also does some shuffling, including moving “The Bachelorette” (shown here with Clare Crawley) to fall. Such moves were needed because the coronavirus shutdown came just as producers were getting ready to shoot pilot films. The networks could:
– Use shows that had no-pilot, straight-to-series orders. ABC has three – “Big Sky,” with David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies,” “Ally McBeal”) writing a drama about a detective (Ryan Philippe) searching for his sister and others in Montana … “Call Your Mother,” a comedy with Kyra Sedgwick … and “Supermarket Sweep,” with Leslie Jones reviving the old game show.
– Move shows that were intended for this spring or summer, then delayed. CBS did that with “The Amazing Race” and Fox did it with two dramas; now ABC is doing it with “The Bachelorette.”
– Or simpy renewing shows that otherwise might have been left to die. Earlier, ABC had renewed several shows – “Stumptown,” “A Million Little Things,” “Black-ish,” “American Housewife” – with borderline ratings. Now it has also said “For Life” will be back at mid-season.
With “Modern Family” ending its run, ABC will have only one comedy nights (Wednesdays, anchored by “The Conners”) instead of three. Tuesdays will now get the transplanted “Bachelorette”; Fridays will see “20/20” expanded to two hours.
Here’s the line-up for fall, followed by the mid-season shows:
– Mondays: “Dancing With the Stars,” 8 p.m.; “The Good Doctor,” 10.
– Tuesdays: “The Bachelorette,” 8 p.m.; “Big Sky,” 10.
– Wednesdays: “The Goldbergs,” 8 p.m.; “American Housewife,” 8:30; “The Conners,” 9; “Call Your Mother,” 9:30; “Stumptown,” 10.
– Thursdays: “Station 19,” 8 p.m.,; “Grey’s Anatomy,” 9; “A Million Little Things,” 10.
– Fridays: “Shark Tank,” 8 p.m.; “20/20,” 9-11.
– Saturdays: College football.
– Sundays: “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” 7 p.m.; “Supermarket Sweep,” 8; “Celebrity Who Wants To Be a Millionaire,” 9; “The Rookie,” 10/
– Later: “American Idol,” “The Bachelor,” “Black-ish,” “Mixed-ish” and “For Life.”