TV Upfronts: ABC's 2013-2014 Schedule

Much like FOX, ABC decided to try out some new programs but pretty much crammed them in the same structure it used last season and ended up with a somewhat lackluster schedule for 2013-2014.

2013-2014 Fall Line-up (NOTE: New shows are in UPPER CASE and times are Eastern Standard)

Sundays
8-9p: Once Upon a Time
9-10p: Revenge
10-11p: BETRAYAL

Initial Thoughts: Last year, I was surprised when ABC put its two first year hits on the same night (Once Upon a Time and Revenge), and this time around I was surprised by the fact that they're still together. Ratings haven't been stellar for the two sophomore shows, and moving at least one of them wouldn't have been a horrible idea, but here were are with the exact same combo leading into a wannabe Scandal. Ho-hum.

Mondays
8-10p: Dancing with the Stars
10-11p: Castle

Initial Thoughts: Mondays would really be boring if not for the fact that ABC's trimming DwtS to one night a week. Other than that, same old stuff which shouldn't surprise anyone because it's clear that Castle will never leave its current home. Then again, it's not like Dancing's the juggernaut that it used to be so it's lead-out power has evaporated.

Tuesdays
8-9p: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
9-9:30p: THE GOLDBERGS
9:30-10p: TROPHY WIFE
10-11p: LUCKY 7

Initial Thoughts: Another head-scratcher from ABC: keeping its Tuesday night comedy block. It clearly didn't work last season, and it's probably going to be another bust by the looks of it. To be fair, I have no idea what Trophy Wife is about (probably about a trophy wife) but I don't care either. Ditto for a drama about poor people winning the lottery. Thankfully, there's S.H.I.E.L.D. but I'm not sure if this is the right spot for it.

Wednesdays

8-8:30p: The Middle
8:30-9p: BACK IN THE GAME
9-9:30p: Modern Family
9:30-10p: SUPER FUN NIGHT
10-11p: Nashville

Initial Thoughts: Since I'm a Maggie Lawson fan, I'm happy that her show was picked up. I would've preferred that it got the post-Modern Family spot, but it's blatantly obvious that ABC wants to grab onto Rebel Wilson's coattails so of course Super Fun Night gets the primo slot even though it sticks out like a show about six pretty people living in Chicago or a b---- in an apartment. And why is Nashville staying put? And where's Suburgatory?!?!

Thursdays
8-9p: ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
9-10p: Grey's Anatomy
10-11p: Scandal

Initial Thoughts: Wonderland's probably D.O.A. since it's going to be on Thursdsays at 8, but that's fine by me. Of course Grey's isn't moving, but I seriously thought ABC would've used Shonda Rhimes' other hit to help build another night instead of keeping it in big sister's shadow. Whatever.

Fridays
8-8:30p: Last Man Standing
8:30-9p: The Neighbors
9-10p: Shark Tank
10-11p: 20/20

Initial Thoughts: What's a natural companion to Tim "The Toolman" Taylor? Wacky aliens, of course. All kidding aside, I don't think this Friday line-ups a horrible one, maybe a scattered one, but not the oddest of choices.

Mid-Season: The Bachelor, Killer Women, Mind Games, Mixology, Suburgatory, The Taste, and The Quest.

Once you look past the smoke and mirrors, it's pretty clear that ABC didn't really learn anything after another disappointing season. It just plugged up the holes left behind by its mediocre/under performing shows  with spackle rather than shake things up. I guess it's OK with being fourth place in the key demo over and over again.

News: More Renewals, Cancellations, and Pick-Ups

Pre-Upfront craziness continued as ABC finally announced its new slate of programming while the other networks continued to determine the fates of their current shows and pilots.

ABC announced that it picked-up Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Back in the Game, Betrayal, The Goldbergs, Killer Women, Lucky 7, Mind Games, Mixology, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Resurrection, Super Fun Night, and Trophy Wife. The Alphabet also renewed Castle, Grey's Anatomy, Last Man Standing, The Middle, Modern Family, Nashville, The Neighbors, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal, and Suburgatory. Unfortunately, Happy Endings was canceled along with 666 Park Avenue, Body of Proof, Don't Trust the B----, Family Tools, How To Live..., Last Resort, Malibu Country, Private Practice, Red Widow, and Zero Hour.

Meanwhile, CBS sent Crazy Ones, Hostages, Intelligence, The Millers, Mom, and We Are Men to series. As for those not coming back, CSI: NY, Golden Boy, Rules of Engagement, and Vegas joined the aforementioned axed shows.

NBC continued to shape its offerings by picking up The Blacklist, Chicago PD, Ironside, The Night Shift, Undateable, and Welcome to the Family while cancelling Go On, The New Normal, and Smash. Oh, and it renewed Community for a fifth season.

Whew! I'm sure that's it for now, but a few more announcements will probably leak out during the actual upfront presentations. Stay tuned for more.

TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - ABC

Part 3 of this year's Armchair Programmer Series will focus on ABC. It's easy to take shots at NBC, but in all reality ABC didn't have a stellar season either since it didn't have a "hit" like it did last year with Once Upon a Time and Revenge, and even those shows aren't bringing in the viewers like they used to. When the dust settles, the Alphabet could look very different than it does now.

Officially Renewed ABC Shows
None to date

Officially/Effectively Cancelled/Finished ABC Shows
666 Park Avenue
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
Last Resort
Private Practice (final season)
Zero Hour

Possibly Renewed ABC Shows
20/20
The Bachelor
Body of Proof
Castle
Dancing with the Stars
Grey's Anatomy
How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life
Last Man Standing
Malibu Country
Modern Family
Nashville
Once Upon a Time
Primetime
Revenge
Scandal
Shark Tank
Suburgatory
The Middle
Wife Swap

Possibly Cancelled ABC Shows
Family Tools
Happy Endings
The Neighbors
Red Widow

Comedy Pilots
Adopted
Back in the Game
Bad Management
Divorce: A Love Story
Goldbergs, The
King John
Middle Age Rage
Mixology
Pulling
Spy
Super Fun Night
Trophy Wife

Drama Pilots
Betrayal
Big Thunder
Doubt
Forever
Gothica
Influence
Killer Women
Lucky 7
Murder in Manhattan
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Reckless
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Westside

Once again, it's hard to predict which pilots will be picked up but we can look at a network's history, identity, and needs to fill in the blanks. ABC has capitalized on family-based comedies and struck out on yuppie sitcoms like Happy Endings. With that in mind I see the following comedies getting picked up: Adopted, Back in the Game, The Goldbergs, Pulling, Spy, and Super Fun Night. On the drama side, ABC's struck it rich with female-led dramas, so I can see Betrayal, Gothica, Killer Women, Murder in Manhattan, and Westside getting picked up alongside S.H.I.E.L.D. I could also see the Once spin-off getting a series order in spite of the fact that it's way too soon for it to happen.

Possible ABS Shows for 2013-2014
20/20
Adopted
The Bachelor
Back in the Game
Betrayal
Body of Proof
Castle
Dancing with the Stars
Goldbergs, The
Gothica
Grey's Anatomy
How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life
Killer Women 
Last Man Standing
Malibu CountryThe Middle
Modern Family
Murder in Manhattan
Nashville
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Primetime
Pulling
Revenge
Scandal
Shark Tank
Spy
Suburgatory
Super Fun Night
Wife Swap
Westside

Possible ABC Schedule for 2013-2014
Sundays
8-9p: Once Upon a Time
9-10p: Revenge
10-11p: Gothica

Honestly, I was more confident about this line-up a few weeks ago before it became evident that Revenge was tanking in the ratings. I could easily see it moved to a new night in 2013, but for now I'm keeping the Sunday night anchors in place and leading into Gothica. Yes, this approach didn't work before but there's a chance that Gothica is a better complement than 666 Park Avenue was.

Mondays
8-10p: Dancing with the Stars
10-11p: Castle

I've been predicting Castle's move for years now, and ABC has yet to give another show a DWTS lead-in. Now that I have it staying put, it's going to be the year the ABC ships it to Sundays. I can just see it now.

Tuesdays
8-9p: Shark Tank
9-10p: Dancing with the Stars
10-11p: Scandal

One of the few success stories ABC can tout is how Scandal became a hit unto itself, and it should be strong enough to leave the shadow of the Shonda Rhimes mothership and take over for its predecessor (i.e. Private Practice). As for doubling down on reality TV to start the night... why not? Shark Tank's strong on Fridays, but I'm sure it could still do well on Tuesdays and could help the ailing DWTS.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: The Middle
8:30-9p: Suburgatory
9-9:30p: Modern Family
9:30-10p: The Goldbergs
10-11p: Westside

ABC Wednesdays has become the new NBC Thursdays, and the trick now is finding the right combination of family sit-coms. The Middle's a reliable lead-off hitter with Modern Family holding down the heart of the line-up, but what to do with Suburgatory and what will go in the 9:30 spot? As much as I'd like Suburgatory to get another vote of confidence and follow Modern Family, ABC needs to find another hit and its most reliable show could help with that. From the jump, The Goldbergs has been touted as an 80's era Wonder Years and could be a natural fit on Wednesdays, and if not I'd love to see Maggie Lawson's show get a chance to shine.

Thursdays
8-9p: S.H.I.E.L.D.
9-10p: Grey's Anatomy
10-11p: Betrayal

It's no secret that Thursdays at 8 has been a black hole for ABC, so why not use Disney's biggest franchise to help prop up the night? It's seems almost too much of a no-brainer to place S.H.I.E.L.D. here, which is why I'm somewhat hesitant to do so because there's no guarantees so why waste one of the most buzzed about shows on one of the worst timeslots when Mickey can jump start a new night? In the end, I see The Avengers spin-off starting off Thursdays, but I won't be shocked if it doesn't either.

Fridays
8-8:30p: Last Man Standing
8:30-9p: Malibu Country
9-10p: Nashville
10-11p: 20/20

ABC tried to bring back TGIF, and it wasn't a smash success but it was OK by today's standards, so I can see a scenario where both Last Man Standing and Malibu Country come back. Also, Nashville wasn't a massive hit either and could pair up nicely with a more traditional set of shows leading into it. Maybe it'll be too country/red state-ish but that could work out in the end.

Mid-Season: Anything that wasn't listed in the original schedule. Duh-doy.

As always, please note that these are just predictions and should not be taken as fact... unless I'm right. Next up, CBS.

TV Upfronts: ABC's 2012-2012 Fall Schedule

ABC was next to announce its schedule for 2012-2013, and at least it took some more risks than FOX did yesterday. We finally get the pairing of Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 but in a somewhat odd location, and the Alphabet made some moves in an attempt to completely dominate Sunday nights.

2012-2013 Fall Line-up (NOTE: New shows are in UPPER CASE and times are Eastern Standard)

Mondays
8-10p: Dancing with the Stars
10-11p: Castle

Initial Thoughts: I was positive that this would be the year ABC moved Castle to another night so it could use DWTS to help launch other shows, but it looks like that will never happen. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of Castle and happy it's getting support from the network, but it's time to try something new on Mondays at 10pm.

Tuesdays
8-9p: Dancing with the Stars Results
9-9:30p: Happy Endings
9:30-10p: Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
10-11p: Private Practice

Initial Thoughts: Not so surprising details: teaming up Happy Endings and Apt. 23 on their own night away from the family block. Somewhat surprising details: Giving them a DWTS lead-in AND pitting them against New Girl/Mindy Project and Go On/The New Normal. Talk about mixed messages, ABC.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: The Middle
8:30-9p: Suburgatory
9-9:30p: Modern Family
9:30-10p: THE NEIGHBORS
10-11p: NASHVILLE

Initial Thoughts: Honestly, I think it's a mistake to keep Suburgatory at 8:30 instead of moving it to the cushier post-Modern Family spot where it could grow. I guess there's something to say about consistency, yet ABC decided to move one of its few drama hits to a completely new night. Again with the mixed messages. Another aside: I don't understand why they'd use MF to launch a sitcom about aliens (sure families of aliens) instead of the more accessible  How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life).

Thursdays
8-9p: LAST RESORT
9-10p: Grey's Anatomy
10-11p: Scandal

Initial Thoughts: Part of me wonders if ABC has a total lack of faith in Last Resort based on its location on the schedule. For the last few seasons, Thursdays at 8 has been a black hole for ABC (FlashForward, My Generation, Charlie's Angels), so that's already a red-flag. Then you add the fact that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Sorry, but a show about a rogue nuclear submarine doesn't mesh well with any Shonda Rhimes vehicle. I'm interested to see how Last Resort performs, but Shawn Ryan could got 0 for 3 thanks to ABC.

Fridays
8-9p: Shark Tank
9-10p: Primetime: What Would You Do?
10-11p: 20/20

Starting in November
8-8:30p: Last Man Standing
8:30-9p: Malibu Country
9-10p: Shark Tank
10-11p: Primetime: What Would You Do?

Initial Thoughts: Yes, ABC Fridays look dreadfully boring, but things will get more interesting in November when Last Man Standing and Malibu Country debut. I'm all for a new TGIF, so I want LMS and Malibu to do well even if I don't watch them, and they very well could since they'll be going up against Touch and Whitney/Community. CBS will be the deciding factor.

Saturdays
8-End: Saturday Night College Football

Initial Thoughts: Let's just skip to Sundays.

Sundays
7-8p: America's Funniest Home Videos
8-9p: Once Upon a Time
9-10p: Revenge
10-11p: 666 PARK AVENUE

Initial Thoughts: And we finally get to ABC's plot to take over Sunday nights as it pairs up its two biggest sophomore successes. I can kind of understand moving Revenge to Sundays since ABC doesn't have a natural heir apparent to Desperate Housewives, but why couldn't they spread the wealth instead of piling everything on Sundays? Plus, Revenge doesn't seem like a natural fit with OUAT and 666, but whatever. Genre consistency's overrated in this day and age anyway.

Mid-Season: Body of Proof, Family Tools, How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life), Mistresses, Red Window, Wife Swap and Zero Hour.

While some of ABC's moves have me scratching my head, I do have to applaud them for taking some bigger risks than it would have done in the past. This schedule's a pretty clear sign that ABC's ready to make a comeback, so kudos.

The Small Screen Podcast, Episode 28: And Here We Go

"The Small Screen Podcast" is back for Episode 28. With Upfronts right around the corner, the major networks renewed and canceled plenty of shows in preparation for the 2012-2013 season. Kristal and I talked about which shows are coming back and which didn't make the cut as well as what we've been watching and what we're looking forward to. Warning: we had some connectivity difficulties which led to some noise, so pardon the mess.

Episode Breakdown:

Intros: Start - 1:18

Renewals and Cancellations: 1:19 - 25:36

• ABC: 2:20 - 6:15
• CBS: 6:16 - 8:02
• The CW: 8:03 - 12:32
• FOX: 12:33 - 17:19
• NBC: 17:20 - 24:30
• Wrap-Up: 24:31 - 25:36

What We're Watching (SPOILER ALERT): 25:37 - 36:22

• Castle: 25:37 - 28:00
• The Vampire Diaries: 28:01 - 36:22

What We're Looking Forward To: 36:23 - 39:00

• How I Met Your Mother: 36:23 - 37:59
• Glee: 38:00 - 39:00

Closing: 39:01 - End

Check out the episode below, or download it over at iTunes:

For more, follow us on Twitter:
Kristal: @kristal_bailey
Marcos: @poppas2cents
Screen Invasion: @screeninvasion
Invasion Radio: @invasionradio

News: ABC's Pick-Up-Palooza

Not only did ABC renew and cancel a bunch of shows today, but it also picked up a handful of new ones.

ABC gave series orders to: 666 Park Avenue, Family Tools, How To Live With Your Parents For The Rest Of Your Life, Last Resort, Malibu Country, Mistresses, Nashville, The Neighbors, Red Window and Zero Hour.

News: And the Floodgates Open

With Upfronts starting on Monday, every major network (and The CW) not named CBS or FOX firmed up their schedules for the 2012-2013. Granted, the Eye could still make some announcements before the day's over, but for the most part it let everyone else stand in the spotlight.

ABC
The only real news coming out of ABC was a-mah-ing (sorry, that joke's required) as it renewed Happy Endings for a reported 22 episode third season. With Cougar Town officially shipped off to TBS, it's up to the HE gang to headline the Alphabet's off-shoot brand of quirky, friends based comedies that don't mesh will with the rest of its family oriented ones. Still no word on Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 or the other bubble shows like Last Man Standing and Body Proof. UPDATE: Scandal was also renewed for a second season.

The CW
The perpetual also-ran, The CW, also made some moves today as it officially picked up Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, The Carrie Diaries, Cult and First Cut. It also renewed Nikita for a third season, Hart of Dixie for a second, and Gossip Girl for a possible last hurrah. Two shows that did not get a reprieve: Ringer and The Secret Circle. Honestly, the biggest surprise was Nikita's renewal since everyone pretty much had it dead, but somehow managed to stay afloat.

NBC
NBC continued to dominate the day as it announced that Parks and Recreation, Whitney and Up All Night will all be returning next season. Not making the cut: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever and Harry's Law. It also picked up Next Caller starring Dane Cook which could help keep the office workplace sub-genre alive on NBC.

So, that's it for now, but I'm sure more news will break once I post this write-up. If it does, I'll make sure to jot some stuff down.

News: ABC Renews 7 Shows

ABC finally got into the game by picking seven current shows for the 2012-2013 season.

According to TV Line, the Alphabet will be bringing back Castle, Grey's Anatomy, The Middle, Modern Family, Suburgatory, Once Upon a Time and Revenge. No word on the fates of Happy Endings, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 or any other bubble shows, but at least fans don't have to worry about Cougar Town.

Honestly, this has to be the most boring renewal update since all seven shows were expected to come back. Now, all of those millions of Modern Family fans no long have to wait on pins and needles.

TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - ABC

Sometimes I think I'm more interested in the business of television than the product itself. When I started watching Chuck, I became obsessed with ratings, development season and pilots, upfronts, scheduling and the whole she-bang. It's just fascinating to me, so I've decided to jot down some thoughts on the behind the scenes aspects of TV as we get closer to upfronts. Now, I'm by no means an expert, merely a fan, so don't take anything I write seriously and understand that this is more for my enjoyment than anything.

First off, "upfronts" refers to the period when the networks unveil their new programming line-ups to advertisers as a way to sell ad time. This is usually the time when fans will know if their favorite programs are coming back or not. While, the trend over the last couple of years has been for the networks to renew shows before their upfront presentations, these meetings tend to be the last word. This year's upfront presentations for the major networks are:

May 14, 2012 - NBC and FOX
May 15, 2012 - ABC
May 16, 2012 - CBS
May 17, 2012 - The CW

Since we're a month a way, I thought it'd be fun to be an armchair programmer over the next couple of days so I can pretend that I know a lick about the television business. First up, I'm going to share which shows have been picked-up, which ones might be renewed or canceled, and which pilots could be sent to series. It's going to be a lot of work, but it should be a good time, so I hope readers enjoy what I put together. I figured kicking off this series with ABC made the most sense, so here we go.

Really, ABC didn't have a horrible year since it had one of the few successful new dramas of the season in Once Upon a Time. It's just too bad most of the Alphabet's other new dramas didn't gain any traction, although the jury's still out on GCB and Scandal. Comedy wise ABC's fine, and it might be the strongest network of the bunch, but it still needs to find a fourth show for its Wednesday night line-up. I don't expect ABC to wipe the slate clean, but it's definitely going to have some large holes to fill.

Officially Renewed ABC Shows
None to date

Officially/Effectively Canceled ABC Shows
Charlie's Angels
Desperate Housewives
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Man Up!
Work It

Possibly Renewed ABC Shows
The Bachelor
Castle
Dancing with the Stars
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
GCB
Grey's Anatomy
Happy Endings
Last Man Standing
The Middle
Modern Family
Once Upon a Time
Private Practice
Revenge
Scandal
Shark Tank
Suburgatory
Wipeout

Possibly Canceled ABC Shows
Body of Proof
Cougar Town
Missing
Pan Am
The River

Comedy Pilots
American Judy
Awesometown
Counter Culture
Down to Earth
The Family Trap
How to Live with Your Parents For the Rest of Your Life
Malibu Country
The Manzanis
Only Fools and Horses
Prairie Dogs
Red Van Man
The Smart One
The Unprofessional

Drama Pilots
666 Park Avenue
Americana
Beauty and the Beast
Dark Horse
Devious Maids
The Gilded Lilys
Gotham
Last Resort
Mistresses
Nashville
Penoza
Scruples
Zero Hour

While it's near impossible to know which pilots are going to picked up, you can make guesses based on the network's brand and needs. That being said, on the comedy side I could see the following shows going to series: Counter Culture, The Family Trap, How to Live with Your Parents For the Rest of Your Life, Malibu Country, The Smart One. On the drama side: 666 Park Avenue, Beauty and the Beast, Devious Maids, The Gilded Lilys, Gotham, Last Resort, Mistresses, Nashville, Scruples.

Possible ABC Shows for 2012-2013
666 Park Avenue
The Bachelor
Beauty and the Beast
Castle
Counter Culture
Dancing with the Stars
Devious Maids
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
The Family Trap
GCB
The Gilded Lilys
Gotham
Grey's Anatomy
Happy Endings
How to Live with Your Parents For the Rest of Your Life
Last Man Standing
Last Resort
Malibu Country
The Middle
Mistresses
Modern Family
Once Upon a Time
Nashville
Private Practice
Revenge
Scandal
Scruples
Shark Tank
The Smart One
Suburgatory
Wipeout

Possible ABC Schedule for 2012-2013
Sundays
8-9p: Beauty and the Beast
9-10p: Once Upon a Time
10-11p: GCB

Beauty and the Beast seems like a natural fit with Once Upon a Time since ABC's in the fairy tale business now, and GCB has seen modest numbers but isn't established enough yet to be shifted around the schedule. This combination gives Beast a little cushion, allows Once to take centerstage and let's GCB grow.

Mondays
8-10p: Dancing with the Stars/The Bachelor
10-11p: The Gilded Lilys/Mistresses/Scruples

Castle is by far my favorite show on ABC, but even I've been shocked that it's been given four straight seasons behind Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor. I don't see ABC moving its flagship reality shows, but I do see them trying out a different show at the 10 o'clock hour. I couldn't decide between The Gilded Lilys, Mistresses or Scruples but I'd bet on of the three since they line up with the more female skewing DWTS and Bachelor.

Tuesdays
8-8:30p: Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23
8:30-9p: Happy Endings
9-10p: Dancing with the Stars Results
10-11p: Castle

ABC tried out a new comedy block this season with the combination of Last Man Standing and Cougar Town, and while it wasn't as successful as they would've liked I could see them bringing it back. I don't see CT coming back though, and putting Apt. 23 with Happy Endings makes sense but the time slot are problematic since the subject matter of both shows would be better suited for a later start time. The Tuesday 10pm slot has been a black hole for some time now, so why not try putting one of the most established shows there to see if it can be saved, hence Castle being shifted by a day.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: The Middle
8:30-9p: The Family Trap/How to Live With Your Parents For the Rest of Your Life
9-9:30p: Modern Family
9:30-10p: Suburgatory
10-11p: Revenge

Wednesday nights are by far the most stable for ABC, so why change things up too much? History has shown that Modern Family could be an effective lead in, but it's been squandered on incompatible shows like Cougar Town and Happy Endings (too soon to tell about Apt. 23). Suburgartory's been a nice surprise, so why not reward it by putting it behind MF. That leaves the 8:30 spot open for a new sitcom, and I could see either the Mandy Moore led The Family Trap or Sarah Chalke's How to Live With Your Parents filling it since they're both family oriented like the rest of the night. They might even do a timeshare like HE and Apt. 23. Revenge's been doing fine where it is so leave it be.

Thursdays
8-9p: Nashville
9-10p: Grey's Anatomy
10-11p: Private Practice

Another black hole on ABC's schedule has been the Thursday at 8pm slot, so we're definitely going to be seeing a new show in that space. With the relative success of Glee and Smash, I could see ABC jumping on the musical bandwagon by picking up Nashville. Putting it in the 8pm spot could be risky since it will more than likely be going up against X-Factor/American Idol, but its focuses on country music could be a blessing. Grey's stays put as does Private Practice if it's renewed.

Fridays
8-8:30p: Malibu Country
8:30-9p: Counter Culture
9-9:30p: Last Man Standing
9:30-10p: The Smart One
10-11p: 20/20

I still want ABC to bring back TGIF and revive the traditional, multi-cam, family sitcom. They already have Last Man Standing which could anchor the night, and they do have a few shows that could fit the new TGIF mold. I know that this move would be a long shot, but it could be a success if the rest of the networks keep their genre fare for Friday nights.

Mid-Season: 666 Park Avenue, Devious Maids, Gotham, Last Resort, Scandal, Shark Tank, Wipeout

Please note that these are just predictions and are shouldn't be taken as fact ... unless I'm right. Next up, I'll take a stab at CBS.

The Small Screen Podcast, Episode 12: HAPPY ENDINGS for COUGAR TOWN?

"The Small Screen Podcast" is back for Episode 12. It was slightly delayed due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but we didn't want didn't want to disappoint so here you go. This week Kristal and I discussed South Park's renewal, ABC's mid-season lineup, Arrested Development coming back from the grave, Grimm's full-season order, which shows we'd bring back if we could, and what we've been watching.

Episode Breakdown:

Intros: Start - 1:18

TV News: 1:19 - 20:18

• South Park Renewal: 1:19 - 4:33
• ABC's Mid-season Schedule: 4:34 - 11:22
• Arrested Development's Return to Netflix: 11:23 - 16:39
• Grimm's Full-Season Pickup: 16:40 - 20:18

Topic of the Week - Which Shows Would We Bring Back (Pushing Daisies and Firefly): 20:19 - 27:45

What We're Watching (SPOILER ALERT): 27:46 - 44:02

• Nikita: 27:46 - 33:19
• Saturday Night Live hosted by Jason Segel: 33:20 - 37:55
• Happy Endings: 37:56 - 44:02

Closing: 44:03 - End

Check out the episode below, or download it over at iTunes:

For more, follow us on Twitter:

Kristal: @kristal_bailey

Marcos: @poppas2cents

TV Upfronts: ABC's 2011-2012 Schedule

Tuesday was ABC's time to take center stage during the TV Upfronts, and their offerings for next season lack some imagination. Sure, there were some shows moved around the board, but I'm not sure this roster will help the Alphabet make any leaps forward.

TV Upfronts: TV Pick-ups, Renewals, & Cancellations

Technically, the TV Upfronts start this Sunday as NBC announces its stable of shows for the 2011-2012 season, but this past week was filled with breaking news as the major networks picked up new shows while renewing and cancelling current ones. It was a busy week, and I thought I'd throw my two-cents in one some of the developments.

News: ABC Renews MODERN FAMILY, COUGAR TOWN and CASTLE

What was shaping up to be a hectic day got a little bit brighter thanks to ABC. EW broke the news that the Alphabet Network gave early renewals to a handful of shows including three I watch regularly; Modern Family, Cougar Town, and Castle.

The Modern Family pick up wasn't shocking at all, but I was pleasantly surprised that ABC brought back Cougar Town and Castle so early. While neither show has been a ratings gang buster, they perform modestly and consistently, so a third and fourth season respectively seemed appropriate.

Now, the fun is figuring out where CT and Castle fit into the 2011-2012 schedule. While I'd hate CT to lose its Modern Family lead-in, it doesn't hold on to nearly enough viewers to warrant such a plumb spot, so it could either be moved to a new comedy block on a different night, or ABC could keep it at 10p/9c if their all-night comedy block ends up working. I suppose another option would be to stick it on Wednesdays at 8:30p/7:30c after The Middle, but that feels like a death sentence.

Castle may have some easier options. One of course is to keep it on Mondays at 10p/9c, but ABC might want to use Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor to build up new shows next fall. I'd hate for Castle to also lose its choice lead-ins because it is so reliant on them, but it may have strong enough legs to move to a new night. With Brothers and Sisters potentially on its way out, teaming Castle up with Desperate Housewives on Sundays seems like a good fit. I'd also like to see it shipped to Wednesdays at 10p/9c, a spot that's been tough on ABC, to get a Modern Family/Cougar Town/Castle two-hour mega block.

Where these shows is all speculation of course, but it's fun to think about especially since two of my favorite shows are definitely coming back in the fall. Thanks ABC for making my day!

For Fun: TV Draft

The TV as Sports analogies continue as tvbythenumbers.com introduced the idea of a Primetime TV Draft where each of the Big Four can pick one show from its competitors to add to its lineup. It's a fun idea that I wanted to explore on my own little piece of the Internet.

Based on the rules, each network's highest rated series are off the market which means House, The Office, The Big Bang Theory, Lost, and The Vampire Diaries will be staying put. Every other show is fair game, and this is where the fun begins.

Watch: CASTLE Returns

Words cannot describe how much I've missed Castle, and the new episode comes out on my birthday. SCORE!

My Love for CASTLE

By now, I'm sure everyone is aware of the fact that I love ABC's Castle.  For those who have never heard of this show, or do not understand its charms, they need to check out this post from televisionwithoutpity.com because it sums up everything that I love about it.  I know that I'm biased, but Castle is better than every CSI, Bones, and Psych combined.

News: CASTLE Gets 2 More Episodes

CasteTV.net broke the news that ABC ordered an additional 2 episodes of Castle to bring its season two total to 24.  I was excited about the news, but still held off totally geek-out status until it was official.  It was later confirmed by tvbythenumbers.com and ew.com that the pick-up was legit.

While I'm giddy about the additional episodes, I'm still not cocky enough to think that a third season is in the bag.  The show's ratings have grown slowly but surely, but the numbers are still not stellar enough to guarantee a renewal.

I'm encouraged, but you never know...

News: CASTLE's Best Ratings Ever

Last night, ABC's Castle had its best ratings ever, and it beat CSI: Miami for the first time ever (so what if it was a repeat).  It was the perfect episode to put up against a rerun of CSI:M because it jam packed full of Castle/Beckett stuff, which is the heart of the show.  I just hope last night episode earned the show some new viewers (and maybe some of CSI's too).  You doubt the show's greatness? Check out this week's episode...

News: ABC Plans on Burning Off SCRUBS and BETTER OFF TED

 

So, it looks like ABC isn't going to be too patient with its low-rated sitcoms.  News broke last week that the Alphabet Network is planning to burn off the remaining episodes of Scrubs and Better Off Ted and wrap up the current seasons by the end of January, which is shame if you ask me.

I know that the shows aren't everyone's cup of tea, and they probably shouldn't have been given an additional season based on prior history, but ABC did the unthinkable and brought them back.  Too bad their faith didn't last.

I guess I really cannot complain just as long as all of the ordered episodes see the light of day.  It's not like these two shows were going to get another miraculous renewal at season's end, so the end was just bumped up a few weeks.

Rather than being upset, I'm just going to enjoy the next couple of weeks before these two underrated shows have their final curtain calls (or second final curtain call for Scrubs), but I would have been nice if these sitcoms caught on with a bigger audience.  Then again, they've both defied all odds, and that's something not ever show can claim.

Catching Up On: LOST

One of my Blu-Ray player's best features is the ability to watch my Netflix Instant movies and TV shows on my HDTV rather than on my computer screen.  I can't believe I've been living my life without this option up until now.

Netflix has a pretty sweet collection of TV shows that you can easily stream to your Blu-Ray player including The Office, Friday Night Lights, and Leverage.  The one show that I've been meaning to catch up on is Lost, and when I saw it listed on Netflix Instant, I just had to add all of the seasons to my queue.

I did give Lost a shot during its first season, and I remember really liking it, but for some reason I just stopped watching it after a few season 2 episodes.  Once I fell behind, I knew it was going to be next to impossible to keep up with the twisty plot lines, and supernatural elements, so I moved on.  I probably shouldn't have...

With its final season coming up in February, I've decided to try to go through all five seasons of Lost via Netflix.  Sure, it's a lofty goal to have, but I'm confident that I can do it.  I just finished up season 1, and I remember why I liked it so much in the first place.

Not many shows can pull off a deeply character driven serial show to begin with, but when you add sci-fi and supernatural elements, the challenge becomes even harder.  Somehow Lost figured out the exact formula to make it all work.  The combination of well-crafted backstories, tension, and thrills make for some good television.

Also, one thing I liked about the first season is it's multi-layered without getting too convoluted unlike another J.J. Abrams creation, Alias.  From what I've heard, the remaining seasons do get kind of labyrinthine, but at least I'm prepared for that, which hopefully means I'll have more patience to let the plot develop.  Either way, it's been fun catching up on Lost, and I am kind of excited for February.