Carat Programming’s Broadcast and Video Beat reported the latest on network prime programming and premieres, as the networks and studios scramble to resume production and pilots, post-WGA strike.
Here’s a look at official post-strike plans for ABC and Fox. Be sure to program your DVRs accordingly. ABC will be returning with new episodes of its popular scripted dramas in April. Freshman comedy SamanthaWho? (Mondays, 9:30 p.m.) returns for six episodes beginning Monday, April 7. Boston Legal (Tuesdays, 10 p.m.) returns the following night for the first of six episodes. Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy and Lost will return on April 24 with five new episodes each. Grey’s will go back to its former 9 p.m. timeslot. Lost, which will be returning after a four week hiatus, moves to 10 p.m. that night. Brothers & Sisters will come back with originals on April 20. Finally, Desperate Housewives (Sundays, 9 p.m.), is desperately shooting at a highly accelerated pace. The drama will be back with six originals including a two-hour finale beginning April 13. While Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money have been picked up for 2008/09, they won’t be around during this spring. Interestingly, ABC will be ending its season on Thursday, May 22, one day after the end of the May sweeps measurement period so it can air its finales of Ugly Betty, Grey’s and Lost.
Fox has put many of its scripted series back into production and will be launching some new ones. Bones’ time period premiere with post-strike originals is set for Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m. House returns on Monday, April 21 (9 p.m.) also on a new night and time. Post-strike originals of House will air as of April 28. Back to You airs its final two pre-strike originals on February 26 and February 27. Post-strike originals of Back to You will air beginning April 16. New dramas Canterbury’s Law and New Amsterdam launch on March 10 and new comedy, The Return of Jezebel James debuts on March 14.
See the primetime grids in the pdf link below.
