ABC's Turn

Upfront week continues....

While NBC seems to have decided the route to success means little innovation, ABC seems to be taking a different track.

MON - DANCING WTH THE STARS, SAM I AM, THE BACHELOR - That's a reality competition, a sitcom starring Christina Applegate as an amnesia victim who wasn't a very nice person before her condition, and an aging relationship/reality piece of poo. (Wonder what would happen if Sam I Am hooked up with My Name Is Earl....)

TUE - CAVEMEN, CARPOOLERS, DANCING RESULTS and BOSTON LEGAL - a sitcom based on a commercial (which is getting VERY bad buzz on Madison Avenue) a comedy about guys who share a ride to work, more DANCING and an solid lawyer show.

WED - PUSHING DAISIES, PRIVATE PRACTICE, DIRTY SEXY MONEY - An entire night of new shows! Wow! That's a drama about a fellow who solves crimes by temporarily bringing the victims back to life (GHOST WHISPERER meets CSI), a spinoff from GREY'S ANATOMY and
a soap about the lawyer of a rich and powerful family. LOST will return at a time period 'to be announced' on this night in January.

THUR - UGLY BETTY, GREY'S ANATOMY and BIG SHOTS - Two successes and a soap about powerful CEO's who are putty in their wife's hands. Surprised that PRIVATE PRACTICE didn't get this slot.

FRI - MEN IN TREES, WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB, 20/20 - That's a so-so chick drama, better suited to pairing up with GREY'S or HOUSEWIVES, a new show about four women who use their collective professional expertise to solve crime, and a newsmag.

SAT - COLLEGE FOOTBALL - 'nuff said.

SUN - AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, BROTHERS & SISTERS - No changes, a wise decision.

My take, SAM I AM will have a great led-in, but that 9:30/8:30c start time could be trouble.

CAVEMEN is a horrible idea - Geico is actually going to pull the great ad campaign for the two weeks this show will be on the air.

CARPOOLERS will struggle as a result of its lead-in.

DAISIES could be interesting - might be a tough TiVo choice is FOX keeps BONES in that slot.

The only other ABC show I come close to watching is FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS. Is it me or is ABC slowly becoming a chick drama network? Doesn't mean it's not working, though.

5 hours of non-scripted reality stuff - 22% (36% if you count football)

Repurposed programming - ZERO

Reruns - ZERO

(See, NBC? It can be done.)

More to come...