Home » Film & TV » TV Show Reviews » Fall TV 2003: a brief summary

Fall TV 2003: a brief summary

© Steve Hatton

The most drastic network changes this fall come from ABC and Fox, who both feel they need to gain some ground, while NBC and CBS play it safe. Interestingly enough, despite the lower ratings at the WB and UPN, their changes don't appear to be as drastic as those at Fox and ABC. Some guys just don't mind being the underdogs. Here's a brief summary of the new line-ups. All times are eastern and pacific.

NBC: If isn't broken, don't try to fix it.

NBC's fall line-up will be unchanged on five out of seven nights as they are adding just five new shows, including three comedies and two dramas. "Just Shoot Me" moves to Tuesdays at 8:30 and "Scrubs" to Thursdays at 8:30. The creators of "Will & Grace" get to fill their own post time slot at 9:30 with "Good Morning Miami," a comedy about a talented young TV producer who must revamp a low-rated morning show. There are some interesting characters such as Sister Brenda, a weathercaster who seems like a lovely nun when she does her forecast but when the cameras stop rolling, she say things like "blow it out your... " well... something you won't hear on "7th Heaven." The two new NBC dramas are "American Dreams," and "Boomtown." which both seem to follow a standard formula.

CBS: The CSI Broadcasting System

Like NBC, there aren't any drastic changes to the CBS fall line-up, where new shows are based primarily on the success of "CSI." Those shows include a spin-off called "CSI: Miami" and other crime related dramas. Some new sitcoms are also planned, few of which look promising except for "Still Standing" which is about a hippy couple raising a family. It will air Monday nights. Flops not returning include "Max Bickford," "Citizen Baines" and "Wolf Lake."

ABC: We'll make you happy... from 8 to 9 p.m.

Jimmy Kimmel ("The Man Show") has a new late night show, "The Jimmy Kimmel Project" to start in January. It will premiere the night of the Super Bowl following late local news on ABC. Gone are "Spin City" and "Dharma." "Drew Carey" will boldly go where it has never gone before, to Monday nights in an attempt to create "Happy Hour," ABC's name for the 8 to 9 p.m. time slot.

"People will know that they can come home from a tough day at work, take their shoes off, relax, turn on ABC at 8:00 and have a great time," said Lloyd Braun, Chairman, ABC Entertainment Television Group.