Okay. I'm starting this a little late with some shows arleady starting for the season but here's my take on Monday. Bold is what I'll either be watching or taping.

8:00

ABC Dancing with the Stars

CBS Big Bang Theory/How I met Your Mother

FOX Terminator

NBC Chuck

CW Gossip Girl

Not really interested in anything here. I might watch an episode or two of Dancing with the Stars. I'll also probably give Chuck a chance. I didn't hate it last year but I really didn't like it either. Ratings in viewers I think will be 1. ABC 2. CBS 3. NBC 4. FOX 5. CW

9:00

ABC DWTS/Samantha Who

CBS 2 1/2 Men/Worst Week

FOX Prison Break

NBC Heroes

CW One Tree Hill

Nothing at all here that I'll be watching. I guess I'll watch what I've got on my DVR.

Ratings in viewers will be 1. CBS 2. ABC 3.NBC 4. FOX 5. CW. I think Prison Break will continue to fall throughout the season. I could see NBC higher than ABC depending on how Samantha Who does. It managed decent numbers last fall after DWTS, but sunk terribly when it didn't have it as a lead in.

10:00

ABC Boston Legal

CBS CSI Miami

NBC My Own Worst Enemy

I can't wait to see My Own Worst Enemy. I've been looking forward to this one for a while.

Ratings in viewers: 1. CBS, 2. NBC 3. ABC. I think Boston Legal will continue to drop in the ratings as it has over the past few years. I'm glad ABC is finally getting rid of this one. CSI Miami has always been dominant, however I could see NBC beating it if MOWE is as good as I'm hoping it will be.

That's my take on Monday. I'll try to post Tuesday either later today or tomorrow.

I've been slow with posting these but here is what The CW is offering this fall:

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL

9:00-10:00 PM ONE TREE HILL

The CW will continue to struggle. Neither one of these shows perform well. Even after it's massive media blitz for the return of GG it still did about the same as it did before the strike.

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM 90210 (New Series)

9:00-10:00 PM SURVIVING THE FILTHY RICH (New Series)

I personally don't hold much hope for 90210. I'll give it a chance because I used to watch the original, my guess is I won't watch it a second time, but hopefully I'll be surprised. I have no desire to watch Surviving the Filthy Rich.

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL

9:00-10:00 PM STYLISTA (New Series)

When America's Next Top Model is one of your biggest hits you know you're in trouble. This night will be good for CW but awful compared to the other networks.

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM SMALLVILLE

9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL

This will be a steady but again very low night for them.

FRIDAY

8:00-8:30 PM EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS

8:30-9:00 PM THE GAME

9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL (Encore Presentation)

Hopefully they will promot Chris and The Game. They both did pretty well when it was on UPN, The CW has pretty much destroyed these two shows. Hopefully on a weak night they will finally find a decent sized audience.

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30 p.m. "Samantha Who?"
10:00 p.m. "Boston Legal"

Monday DWTS is declining but still solid. Samantha Who does well as long as it's after DWTS, so it will be okay until after DWTS ends. Boston Legal is going to finish up in I believe 13 episodes so we should see a new drama here at mid-season. Nothing here I'll be watching in the fall.

TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. "OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS"
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
10:00 p.m. "Eli Stone"

Definitely not a night I'll be watching ABC. Opportunity Knocks sounds like a horrible game show, probably will be in the Duel ratings. The results show should do okay. Eli Stone was a loser in its run this past season so I expect it only to do worse, it may have mediocre ratings until DWTS is over but once that's done the ratings will plumet.

WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Pushing Daisies"
9:00 p.m. "Private Practice"
10:00 p.m. "Dirty Sexy Money"

Wednesday last season was dropping each week, with the exception of Private Practice. Expect this to continue and DSM and Pushing Daisies gone at mid-season for new shows. Another night I won't be watching ABC

THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "LIFE ON MARS"

Ugly Betty is going down, I really only expect this to last this season, maybe next. GA is declining but is still a solid performer but terrible for launching new shows. Life on Mars looks really good, I've seen a few promos and has my favorite actor Jason O'Mara in it. I think LOM has a chance because it is different from GA, all the failed shows launched after GA were relationship dramas and it doesn't seem to work, maybe a procedural will. LOM is the only show on ABC Thursday I'll be watching.

FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Wife Swap"
9:00 p.m. "Supernanny"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"

While I won't be watching this is probably a good move for ABC, ratings for WS and Nanny are okay during the week and I think they'll be about the same which is very good for Friday.

SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"

I'll watch depending on who is playing.

SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9:00 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10:00 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"

Sunday's are getting old. I personally don't like any of the shows listed. DH is about the only show I see growing the rest should start to decline. I really think that ABC should have swapped B&S and LOM. DH is much better at launching shows then GA.

I know NBC actually has their upfront tomorrow but here is the schedule they released last month for Fall.

NBC OFFICIAL PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2008-09

*New programs in UPPER CASE (with the exception of "ER")

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Chuck"
9-10 p.m. "Heroes"
10-11 p.m. "MY OWN WORST ENEMY"

I really think NBC is making a mistake with Chuck. It rerally didn't do well last year and I doubt it will improve this season. Heroes was down some last year and unless they do something to fix it this year it will continue to decline. Which is not going to help new show My Own Worst Enemy. This show has some potential but I'll have to see it and make my decision then.

TUESDAY
8- 9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser: Families"
9:30-10 p.m. "KATH & KIM"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

I'm not really impressed with Biggest Loser now they're going to do families. I really think this is the year it will become the bigget loser rating wise. Kath & Kim I don't like Molly Shannon so I'll be passing on this one. L&O SVU is one of my favorites, I won't miss that one.

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "KNIGHT RIDER"
9-10 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
10-11 p.m. "Lipstick Jungle"

Knight Rider might have done well as a movie last season but I really don't see it lasting as a series. I think it's gone by midseason. Deal or No Deal I like this show but NBC is really burning it out. It's on too much each week and the ratings are starting to suffer because of it. Lipstick Jungle I really don't hold much hope for. I liked it but the ratings weren't there last season and I really doubt they will be this season.

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30-9 p.m. "30 Rock"
9- 9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. "The Office"/ "SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE"
10-11 p.m. "ER"

NBC really needs to fix My Name is Earl. I hardly watched this season and when I did, I was very disappointed. 30 Rock is such a waste I don't know why this is getting a 3rd season it didn't deserve the 2nd. The Office will continue to do well for them I personally don't like it. ER I think will do okay as it has in the past. If they bill it as the last season ratings should actually go up because fans will come back to watch the ending.

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "CRUSOE"
9-10 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
10-11 p.m. "Life"

I really don't have much interest in Crusoe. Overplaying DOND again. One night a week is plenty. Life's ratings will go down from last year here on Fridays. That's a shame because it is a good show. Hopefully enough will tune in to keep it going a few seasons.

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. "KNIGHT RIDER" (Encores)
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Encores)

I don't even talk about Saturday. There really isn't anything to say.

SUNDAY
7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC will dominate because of the Sunday Night games but they really need to do something about Football Night in America, it's ratings aren't good at all.

With the problems caused by the writer's strike it's hard to believe it's almost time for the upfronts, and nobody is really talking about it. Usually there is so much out there about new pilots and guesses about what will be picked up and what won't. Overall I think this year's upfronts will be kind of boring.

Not many pilots have been filmed yet so there just isn't all the buzz about what people liked and didn't on the various sites. NBC has already announced their schedule the other networks will next week, ABC on Tuesday May 13, CBS and CW on Wednesday May 14, and Thursday May 15 Fox.

Since there hasn't been too much buzz this year the only pilot I'm really pulling for at this point is Life on Mars. There have been a few articles lately that David E. Kelley might be stepping down but that ABC Studios wants to take over the project. The pilot has been filmed already and my guess is ABC wants it on their schedule or they wouldn't really care what Kelley was going to do.

Other pilots that I have some interest in but really haven't heard too much about are:

ABC: Castle, Section 8 and The Unusuals

CBS: Mythological X and Tower

CW: nothing really I'll probably check out 90210 just because I used to watch the original. I doubt I'll watch it a second time.

FOX: Courtroom K.

That's about it for now. I'll post next week what I think about the schedules. Let me know what you think about this year's upfronts.

I'm in Orlando for a few days so I won't be able to check my queue as often. It will probably just be once a day. If you send something through I'll get to it as soon as I can.

Happy New Year!

One of the first things to look at is the ratings, which my previous blog tells you where to look. The thing is many shows with low ratings actually do get undeserverd renewals for various reasons. Two years ago the only ABC new series renewed was What About Brian and if you look back it was the lowest rated of all the new series that season. That said here is what you really need to look for.

Each day or at least weekly the networks will release their spin on the ratings. This is where you need to look. As long as your show is mentioned each week it's got a good chance of going on. Believe me some of the things mentioned are certainly not things you would expect the network to be bragging about but at least they are trying to make the show look good.

Last week ABC in their spin said that Boston Legal had the best ratings in the time period since the end of May. Is this really a shock to anyone? All this shows is that ABC is behind the show and will say anything they can to make it sound good.

I usually will follow the ratings and read what the network has to say. A real sign that your show is in trouble is when you obviously see a week to week gain and the network says nothing. Then you know they've lost interest and will just let the show finish it's run or pull it.

www.thefutoncritic.com usually has all the press releases from the network each day and will have how the networks spin the ratings. That's a good place to look.

I've seen some people asking where they can find out about ratings, I know they can't be posted on tv.com but here is where I go and I do go to all of the sites I'm listing because you get different information from each. If you know of one I didn't list let me know.

zap2it.com

Here you can find a lot of information. Basically they offer daily, weekly and season to date.

Daily: They have a column that basically lets you know how the networks did overall in households and 18-49 demo. The the article will go through each timeslot to give that info for each show.

Weekly: They show how the networks did for a given week, plus their season to date. Then they have the top 20 shows for that week that can be sorted by households or viewers.

Season: This is a chart showing the top 20 shows for the season to date that can be sorted by households or viewers.

thefutoncritic.com

Here you can look back at the ratings for a week. Each day will give you the household and 18-49 demo for each show. This year they added a breakdown to let you know if a show gained or lost in the second half. One of the things I like about this site is they also let you know what the shows that were on last year did. You can see if a show is doing better or worse than what was in the timeslot last year.

The Programming Insider Feedback Forum

Here you can find a lot of information from Marc Berman. He will list winners and losers of the night, which you may or may not agree with. He will also give the ratings household and 18-49 demo but he usually gives the total viewers as well. So if that's what you want to know this is probably the best place to look. He will usually let you know if there were any significant comparisons to previous years. On this site you can look back for ratings up to when it started last year.

The new season begins. Here is how I think the shows will end up.

8:00 PM
1. Dancing With the Stars Season Premiere (90 minutes) (ABC)
2. How I Met Your Mother Season Premiere/Big Bang Theory Series Premiere (CBS)
3. Chuck Series Premiere (NBC)
4. Prison Break (FOX)
5. Everybody Hates Chris two episodes (repeats) (CW)

9:00 PM
1. Dancing With the Stars Season Premiere/The Bachelor Season Premiere (ABC)
2. Heroes Season Premiere (NBC)
3. Two and a Half Men Season Premiere/Rules of Engagement Season Premiere (CBS)
4. K-Ville (FOX)
5. Girlfriends/The Game (repeats) (CW)

10:00 PM
1. CSI Miami Season Premiere (CBS)
2. Journeyman Series Premiere (NBC)
3. The Bachelor Season Premiere (90 minutes) (ABC)

While I would personally love to see Journeyman beat CSI Miami I don't think it will happen however I do think Journeyman could be competitive.

At 8:00 Prison Break will continue to drop. Hopefully low enough for Everybody Hates Chris to take the lead when it shows new episodes.

Surprisingly I liked K-Ville. I think it will be okay because it will definitely have better ratings then Prison Break. The biggest thing was last week K-vill had no loss in the second half. Hopefully it's numbers will grow.

What do you think?

So far I've been able to watch 3 of the new pilots, Big Shots, Dirty Sexy Money and Journeyman.

First I'll start with Big Shots. I was very impressed and give it a 10. I thought the casting was great. The show touches on some serious problems but does so with a great sense of humor. The pilot really left me wanting to see more. I can't wait for this one to start. I think it really does deserve the post GA's slot and I think it will do well there.

Next I watched Dirty Sexy Money. I'd give it an 8. Here's my problem with it, I think it was too busy with too much going on. That could just be the pilot trying to get too much in there. I'll definitely watch it but hope they slow it down and give us some real stories and make the characters likable and believable. Look I know it's television but I think the characters need to be ones you can relate to. The cast was very good but like I said too much was thrown at you.

Journeyman another 10. I certainly hope this finds an audience. I thought I would like it but I really didn't realize how much. It is well written and the going back and forth in time is done very well. The casting is great. Reed Diamond and Kevin McKidd could definitely be brothers. This is definitely in my opinion a must see.

I'm planning on watching Life next then probably Women's Murder Club and Pushing Daisies. I'll let you know what I think then.

I'll be out of town for a week, I'm going back to California for a visit.

I will be checking my queue but it might not be everyday so if you submit something be patient. I will get to it.

I just recieved an e-mail from tvtracker.com about a pilot pickup for CBS. Here's what it said:

Network: CBS
Genre: Comedy
Title: WORST WEEK OF MY LIFE
Studio: Universal Media Studios
Commitment: Pilot Pick Up
Auspices: Matt Tarses (EP, W-Pilot), Marc Buckland (D-Pilot, EP N/W)
Logline: A single camera comedy series based on the British limited run series about a couple's nightmarish week before their wedding dealing with family and in-law politics.
Note: Originally developed at FOX for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 seasons.

My question here is what is CBS thinking? Isn't this what ABC's recent flop Big Day was about? The other thing FOX didn't go ahead with the project so they obviously think it's a waste of time. At least if you are going to copy a show, make it a succesful one.

Here's what I'll be watching on Friday. Let me know what you'll be watching each night as well. My choices are in bold:

Friday:

8:00 ABC – Men In Trees

CBS – Ghost Whisperer

FOX – The Search for the Next Great American Band

NBC – 1 vs 100/The Singing Bee

CW – WWE Smackdown

9:00 ABC – Women's Murder Club

CBS – Moonlight

FOX – Nashville

NBC – Las Vegas

CW – WWE Smackdown

10:00 ABC – 20/20

CBS – Numb3rs

NBC – Friday Night Lights

Friday nights are really bad in my opinion. Nothing here at all that I'm really interested in but the choices in bold are the ones that are the best of the worst.

I'll only watch MIT on the week's that Jason O'Mara is on. I've watched a few episodes and they are just bland. I really think ABC is showing their lack of faith in this show by moving it back to Friday, it will more than likely lose any of the extra viewers they had during the Thursday run.

At 9:00 I'll watch WMC only because last season Las Vegas just got horrible. With James Caan leaving those ratings should tank. Again from what I've read WMC only came out okay, the rumor mill said that ABC couldn't get the budget deal worked out with Marlowe so they went with WMC instead. Again sticking it on Friday nights shows they really don't expect much and I expect this show gone by midseason. The rumor also said that if Marlowe had been picked up it would have been on Monday 10:00, if WMC was to have any chance at all I think it would have to be in Monday timeslot.

10:00 I'll probaby end up watching cable realistically but if I had to pick a network show I would have to say FNL, the thing is this show did terrible last year and really shouldn't have been renewed and it's only going to do worse on Fridays.

I haven't posted for a while, but here's what's on and what I'll be watching Thursday. My choices are bold.

8:00 ABC – Ugly Betty

CBS – Survivor

FOX – Are You Smarter then a 5th Grader

NBC – My Name is Earl/30Rock

CW – Smallville

9:00 ABC – Greys Anatomy

CBS – CSI

FOX – Kitchen Nightmares

NBC – The Office/Scrubs

CW – Supernatural

10:00 ABC – Big Shots

CBS – Without a Trace

NBC – ER

Okay at 8:00 I love My Name is Earl, one of the only comedies that I actually think is funny. I really hated 30 Rock so at 8:30 I'll switch over to Are You Smarter then a 5th Grader. Nothing else really interests me in the 8:00 hour.

9:00 while I'm not really a huge fan CSI is the only show here that I have any interest in, unless they put Jason O'Mara in Greys Anatomy.

10:00 I'm very interested in Big Shots, the promo they have here on tv.com isn't a very good one, and doesn't make the show look like a must see, but here is a really good promo from yahoo: http://tv.yahoo.com/big-shots/show/40344

I really hate Without a Trace, I never liked it from the beginning. ER gets boring sometimes but it has been on so long it happens. From what I've been reading the buyers think Big Shots will be able to keep most of the GA audience. I hope so.

My choices are in bold:

8:00 ABC – Pushing Daisies

CBS – Kid Nation

FOX – Back to You/Til Death

NBC – Deal or No Deal

CW – America's Next Top Model

9:00 ABC – Private Practice

CBS – Criminal Minds

FOX – Bones

NBC – Bionic Woman

CW – Gossip Girl

10:00 ABC – Dirty Sexy Money

CBS – CSI NY

NBC – Life

8:00 Personally I think Pushing Daisies will be this year's Friday Night Light, critics love it but the fans are not going to. I think it will flop and might not even make the 13 episode order. I really think I'll like Back to You, Patricia Heaton and Kelsey Grammer should be good. Til Death isn't bad but I'll more than likely watch the second half of Deal or No Deal.

9:00 I really like both Bones and Criminal Minds but I like CM a little better but if Bones has a really interesting episode I will probably watch it that week. I have absolutely no interest in the Bionic Woman. I didn't like it when it was on in the 1970's and it really wasn't a big hit then, so why pick that for a remake? Why not use a show that was actually a hit? That's why I thik NBC is in trouble. Private Practice doesn't interest me at all. I'm not a GA fan so I won't be watching it at all. From what I've read the Grey's fans aren't all that pleased with it either so unless they fix it this show may flop also. If it does it could hurt DSM, but I do think at least for the first few episodes most of the GA fans will be watching so that should give DSM a chance.

10:00 I was really looking forward to Dirty Sexy Money, but the more I've read about it lately makes me think it will be good in the beginnning but fade quickly. Life I thought from the beginning sounded interesting. I'm afraid it won't do well in this slot but it might depending on how well DSM does. Law and Order did well in this slot for years. I happen to like police shows and this on has an interesting twist with the lead just getting out of jail after he had been wrongly convicted of murder and trying to get his life back. I'll have to watch both shows and see which one I like more.

Okay now that the fall schedules are set.  I'm sure we all have some shows that we are excited about and others that we are disappointed didn't make the cut.  I thought it would be fun to share what we will be watching each night.  Since I'm doing this on a Tuesday I thought that would be a good place to start.

Here's what will be on each network:

8:00  ABC – Caveman/Carpoolers

         CBS –  NCIS

         FOX –  New Amsterdam

         NBC – The Biggest Loser

          CW – Beauty and the Geek

9:00  ABC – Dancing with the Stars Results

         CBS –  The Unit

         FOX – House    

         NBC – Chuck

          CW –  Reaper

10:00 ABC – Boston Legal       

          CBS –  Cane

          NBC – Law & Order SVU

At 8:00 nothing here that really interests me. I will probably give Cavemen and Carpoolers a chance but doubt that they will be any good.  I will also watch New Amsterdam but it's really not the type of show I generally like but I will try it.  So I'm thinking it will be L&O SVU reruns on USA.

At 9:00 it's more promising.  I really like House so that will be what I will watch.  I will probably give Chuck a chance and see if it is any good.  I also like The Unit but wish it was on in another time slot.  8:00 would work for me.

At 10:00 it will definitely be Law and Order SVU.  I think it's one of the best on television.  I will probably give Cane a try, I like Jimmy Smits.  I've never been a fan of Boston Legal so it's fine with me that it is on against SVU.  

I think ABC and FOX will tie for dominance on Tuesdays come the fall.  Allthough once DWTS ends ABC will suffer.  The shows they have just won't cut it and I really think Cashmere Mafia will be terrible and won't make it too far before being canceled. 

Tell me what you think about Tuesday's schedule.   

I'll start with NBC first since they go first on Monday next week.  I'm not going to talk about the comedy pilots because to be honest I haven't seen any that appeal to me. 

NBC:

Rumor is that NBC is going to pick up all the dramas for at least 6 episodes.  Doesn't sound like NBC is really impressed with their pilots. Here is what they have and ones that have the highest buzz score to lowest according to thefutoncritic.com

Journeyman:  I've been hearing good things about this.  It kind of reminds me of Quantam Leap which I loved.  I'm thinking this will make the fall schedule.

Lipstick Jungle:  This will more than likely be on the fall schedule even though it's not a show that I'll watch.  I wasn't crazy about Sex in the City and I'm not a Brooke Shields fan.

The Bionic Woman:  I didn't watch it the first time around.  From what I've read it really came out horrible and tested very poorly.  They've reworked it which tells me they don't want to give up on it, I have a feeling it will be for mid-season.

Chuck: The premise sounds interesting to me.  I think this will show up around mid-season. 

Winters: From the creators of House, it seems to me like a female House who is a cop instead of a doctor.  Sounds like it could be a hit.  They should put it on in the fall with a good lead in.

Life:  I think this is a really interesting concept.  A cop just gets out of prison for a crime he didn't commit trying to put his life back.  I would watch it.  I think it will go at midseason.

Ft. Pit:  I'm hoping this will make the schedule but I think it could be a midseason show that might not ever make it on.  I've not really heard much about it, but so far I've liked everything Deni Leary has done so I'm thinking it could be very good.  Rescue Me in a police station.

M.O.N.Y.:  While not much has been said about it, the rumor was all dramas would be picked up except this one.  They didn't like the way it came out at all.

What do you think?

I'll try to post ABC's later today if not I'll do it tomorrow.

I've been reading a lot about NBC lately. I can understand that Law and Order is struggling in the ratings this year and has been down in the past few.  Law and Order is close to a major milestone, 400 episodes.  If renewed for next season it would make its mark early, I believe the 8th episode.

How can NBC even consider not renewing the show and letting it make this mark? How many shows have ever made it to 400 episodes?  Dick Wolf and his L&O franchise has made a lot of money over the years for NBC, they owe it to him and to the fans of the show to not only allow it to make this milestone but to give the show the type of send off it deserves.

It's hard to believe sometimes that L&O has actually been on for 17 seasons.  How many shows have come and gone since then?

Get a clue NBC.  The ratings will increase next year because it would be it's last year.  It's a win/win for everyone.