As strike lingers, fall schedules range afar

All the major TV networks have now set their plans for next season.
That used to be a big deal, you know. It’s a smaller deal now (with viewers fleeing to streamers), but it offers an intriguing look at different approaches to the writers’ strike, ranging from family-friendly (“Wonderful World of Disney” revived) to frisky (“FBoy Island,” shown here, That includes:
— Three networks – ABC, Fox and CW – are already resigned to the strike lingering. They’ve assembled makeshift fall plans that can be devoid of new, scripted, live-action shows.
— The other two – CBS and NBC – show some optimism … which they might have to discard.
Many of the shows on their schedules are now paralyzed by the strike. That includes the Dick Wolf productions – three FBI shows on CBS, plus three Chicago shows and two of the “Law & Order” ones on NBC. Other endangered shows on CBS includes all four comedies, all three Friday dramas and the two remaining “NCIS” shows.
If the strike persists – as it’s expected to – all of those will have to be yanked or will be deep in reruns.
But yes, there will be a fall season. Lots of elements are being assembled for makeshift schedules:
— SPORTS: This is what gets viewers – even young ones – back to the broadcast networks.
The college football season starts Aug. 26, filling Saturdays for most networks. NBC has the season-opening pro game (Lions-Chiefs) on Sept. 7 and Cowboys-Giants that Sunday, Sept. 11. That’s the same day CBS and Fox stuff their afternoon with games; one day later, ABC and ESPN have the “Monday Night Football” opener – Aaron Rodgers’ Jets debut, hosting the Bills.
Then add in Fox with wrestling (every Friday) and baseball’s World Series (starting Oct. 27).
ANIMATION: The strike covers animation, but those scripts are written far in advance.
That gives Fox all four of its current Sunday shows – “The Simpsons,” “The Great North,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Family Guy” – and two new ones. “Krapopolis” is from Dan Harmon, the “Rick and Morty” co-creator; “Grimsburg” is produced by Jon Hamm, who does the lead voice.
NEW REALITY SHOWS: The dating-show world keeps expanding. Older singles will be on ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor.” Younger, lustier ones will have “FBoy Island”; formerly a streaming show, it’s moving to CW, with an “FGirl Island” spin-off at mid-season.
Fox has two new shows available. (It’s the one network that hasn’t set a fall schedule, but has announced the shows that could be part of it.) “Snake Oil,” hosted by David Spade, has people listening to outlandish pitches and trying to guess which are real. “We Are Family,” hosted by Jamie Foxx, has people trying to guess which celebrity a singer is related to.
The other networks have announced shows that aren’t on the schedule (yet). CBS has ones hosted (and produced) by actors Jaime Camil and Josh Duhamel; NBC is preparing mid-season variations of “America’s Got Talent” and “Deal or No Deal.”
CURRENT REALITY SHOWS: CBS is simply expanding two of them, “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” will be back-to-back, at 90 minutes apiece. NBC has “The Voice” – now with Reba McEntire taking Blake Shelton’s chair.
ABC has retrieved “Dancing With the Stars,” which it previously gave to Disney+; now the show will be simulcast. The network also has “Bachelor in Paradise” and “Shark Tank.” Also, “Judge Steve Harvey,” which has already started its summer run, will extend into the fall.
But the big push is on Fox, which has “The Masked Singer” and two Gordon Ramsay shows – “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Next Level Chef.” It also has “I Can See Your Voice,” “Name That Tune,” “Lego Masters,” “Farmer Wants a Wife” and “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.”
GAME SHOWS: This has become ABC’s domain – especially in the summers and on Sundays all year. This fall, ABC will fill Sundays with “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” “Press Your Luck” and “100,000 Pyramid”; it will also have “Celebrity Jeopardy” on Tuesdays.
Others mostly avoid games, but NBC plans to bring back “Password” at mid-season.
MORE NON-FICTION: The regular news magazines – “60 Minutes,” “48 Hours,” “Dateline,” “20/20” – continue. Also, ABC’s news people are reviving “What Would You Do?”
On weekends, CW tries magic and silliness: Fridays have “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Saturdays have “Masters of Illusion” and “World’s Funniest Animals.”
Also, ABC continues “America’s Funniest Home Videos” on Sundays. And NBC plans something big – a 10-hour “The Americas,” from the talented BBC documentary unit, with Tom Hanks narrating.
MOVIES: Twice during the pandemic, CBS brought back the notion of Sunday-night movies. Now two other networks are doing the same:
ABC has a three-hour block, reviving “The Wonderful World of Disney.” CW has the “I Am” documentary films, with portraits of Alfred Hitchcock, Burt Reynolds, Jacqueline Onassis and more.
INTERNATIONAL SHOWS: There are plenty of shows being made in other English-speaking countries. Some, led by the Canadian “Schitt’s Creek,” are popular here; most are ignored.
There are exceptions, though. NBC has more seasons available for “Transplant,” a Canadian medical show. And CW has often been using Canadian shows in the summer and (during the pandemic) beyond.
That became important after a corporate shift saw CW dumping all of its superhero shows. This fall, it will fill Wednesdays with Canadian, female-focused dramas (“Sullivan’s Crossing” and “The Spencer Sisters”). It will fill Tuesdays with comedies — the British “Everybody Else Burns” and the Canadian “Son of a Critch,” “Run the Burbs” and “Children Ruin Everything.”
ALSO: A few scripted American shows might be available in the fall.
Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady” started preparing early. CW is talking about having “All American” on Mondays, pairing it with both seasons of “61st Street”; the first was on AMC, the second never aired.
And all three of NBC’s new shows got an early start. That includes two dramas, “Found” and “The Irrational,” and the Jon Cryer comedy “Extended Family.”
Also available is NBC’s second 10-hour “Magnum P.I.” season. The first aired on Sundays after football season; the second might be needed sooner.