This past season has proven a big success for the Alphabet, thanks to two hit new series in the form of "Ugly Betty" and "Brothers and Sisters" along with still rating warhorses like "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Desperate Housewives" and "Boston Legal". Strong reality fare like "Dancing with the Stars," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "The Bachelor," and "Supernanny" kept up a good record for the network in this field.
Yet not all went well, many of last year's new series including high profile serials like "The Nine" and "Day Break" along with ensemble drama "Six Degrees" failed to find audiences, and have been summarily dumped. Others like "Traveler," one of the stronger pilots it had last year, were basically thrown out with little fanfare into an early Summer schedule to plug a hole.
In an odd move as well, soap-drama ensemble series "Men in Trees," "October Road" and "Notes from the Underbelly" have remained on the schedule and the network hopes to build an audience for these shows which are doing alright, especially with its key female 18-49 demographic which it is currently leading the networks in.
They mark the only real excess flab on the ABC's network line-up. Like previous years they've announced a raft of new shows including seven new drama series, four comedies and one reality show - essentially hoping that three or four of these dozen new entries will survive the annual culling.
Some notable high-profile pilots didn't make the cut. Amongst them were American remakes of British sexy soap "Footballers Wives" and time-travel cop drama "Life on Mars;" the TV version of the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie action film "Mr. and Mrs. Smith;" a contemporary update of legendary noir crime novel detective Phillip Marlowe in "Marlowe;" and the Guy Ritchie produced procedural drama "Suspect" with Carrie-Anne Moss in the lead.
Big Shots(Drama, Thursdays 10pm)
The line gets blurred between the boardroom and the bedroom in a new outrageous drama about four dysfunctional CEOs who will do anything to stay on top.
First we meet James (Michael Vartain), who is about to become the latest casualty in a corporate shake-up until a twist of fate makes him the newest member of the corner office club. Then there's Duncan (Dylan McDermott), a cosmetics CEO who can't resist sex with his age-defying ex-wife.
Next, Karl (Joshua Malina) is a loveable pharmaceutical big shot whose life turns upside down when his wife and mistress become best friends. And finally, Brody (Christopher Titus), the edgy Harvard B-school executive is so whipped, he spends more time planning his wife's birthday than running his company.
This foursome take refuge at their country club where they can discuss business, confide secrets, seek advice... and, yes, even men will gossip. It's lonely at the top and they have to trust someone to cover their back. And when you're a desperate executive, you may have to do everything wrong for the right reputation. Amy Sloan, Jessica Collins, Nia Long, Paige Turco, Peyton List, Wendy Moniz also star.
Carpoolers(Comedy, Tuesdays 8:30pm)
There are men who actively try and figure out the world - together. These men are more complicated than we might think - they have hopes, ambitions, families, careers, and insecurities.
These men are the Carpoolers; four guys, living different versions of the modern suburban family life who obsess, dream, and strategize as they rocket their way up and down the carpool lane every day. Like strangers on a train, Gracen, Laird, Aubrey, and Dougie can't stop what leaks out from their heads.
Fears: "Ever have that dream where your teeth don't fit..?" Obsessions: "I think my wife is making more money than me..." "I think my son does..." Inner-longings: "Think of all the girls in high school that we should have had sex with when we had the chance not that we had the chance." The comically mundane: "I'm a killer, I'm a man of action. I'm a dentist." To the just plain practical: "Never recycle your neighbors will just be able to see what a boozer you are."
We'll watch as these complimentary men (meaning they are flawed in different ways) muse and get entangled in each others lives and personal relationships. Their trek to and from work is the jumping off point each week as our four guys rile one another up and then attempt to deal with the complications and problems of life. Allison Munn, Faith Ford, Fred Goss, Jerry Minor, Jerry O'Connell, T.J. Miller and Tim Peper star.
Cashmere Mafia(Comedy/Drama, Mid-Season)
Their names are Dylan, Juliet, Caitlin and Zoe (Lucy Liu, Miranda Otto, Bonnie Somerville, Frances O'Connor). But you'll come to know them as the Cashmere Mafia four Manhattan women bonded by their Ivy League educations and executive success.
A thinking woman's "Sex and the City" mixed with the wit of The Devil Wears Prada, this one-hour drama assembles a cast of bright, driven, relatable women who support each other through rocky marriages, rival colleagues, kids' recitals and the hunt for the perfect loft. Ambition always comes with a price.
Consistently outpacing their male colleagues and husbands in salary and title, they also have to watch out for scheming bitches eager to bring them down. Fortunately, there's strength in numbers. These successful executives regularly bring their problems to the lunch table and use each other's strengths and resources to avert disaster, both personally and professionally.
With style, smarts and appeal, the Cashmere Mafia is about to bring sexy back to the boardroom, while unexpected heart and humor keep their stories compelling. Darren Star ("Sex and the City") produces whilst Julian Ovenden, Lourdes Benedicto and Peter Hermann also star.
Cavemen(Comedy, Tuesdays 8pm)
Over the last hundred thousand years, mankind has evolved from primitive creatures into the sophisticated beings we are today, with the exception of a small minority who unfortunately didn't physically evolve.
Meet Lauren, his younger brother Jamie (Dash Mihok), and his best friend Nick (Nick Kroll), three sophisticated cavemen living in modern-day Atlanta. These cavemen continually find themselves at odds with contemporary society as they struggle to overcome their physical appearance and the accompanying stereotypes. Lauren is content with his life while pursuing the American dream, and has recently become engaged to Kate (Kaitlin Doubleday), a lovely Southern Caucasian girl.
However, he must constantly vie for the respect of her conservative parents. Lauren's relationship with Kate and his personal contentment are constantly being put to the test by Nick and Jamie's emotional demands. Bill English, John Heard and Stephaanie Lemelin star.
Dirty Sexy Money(Drama/Soap, Wednesdays 10pm)
Power, privilege and family money are a volatile cocktail. Living proof: The Darlings of New York City, so absurdly wealthy they put the "upper" in Upper East Side.
This preeminent family's five spoiled adult brats, one of them a Presidential candidate (William Baldwin), are always getting mixed up with the wrong people, including freeloading spouses, illegal immigrants and transvestite hookers. It will take a miracle to keep this Kennedy-esque clan out of the tabloids and out of jail.
That miracle comes in the form of Nick George (Peter Krause). As a boy, Nick watched his father surrender his freedom and family as the Darling's trusted consigliere. Burned by his own boyhood encounters with the family, Nick did a 180 and became a lawyer for the disadvantaged. But the passing of his dad thrusts the daunting responsibility of protecting the Darlings' secrets onto Nick.
When the family's patriarch offers him an ungodly salary, Nick isn't sure if it's the chance of a lifetime - or a life sentence. In no time, he finds himself racing to plead with cops, hush the tabloids and furiously try to wipe the mud off the esteemed Darling reputation.
Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, Glenn Fitzgerald, Laz Alonso, Natalie Zea, Samaire Armstrong, Seth Gabel, Victoria Pratt and Zoe McLellan also star. Greg Berlanti executive produces.
Eli Stone(Legal Drama, Mid-Season)
Today, the worst thing happened to mercenary attorney Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller). A case made him care. As if that's not hard enough for a soulless shark, Eli's also hallucinating larger-than-life visions of pop stars and his dead relatives.
Could it be that Eli's not cut out to be a cutthroat lawyer but actually has a higher calling? Well, if the universe can bring his college girlfriend back to him, then maybe he needs to risk everything he's worked for, including gunning for partner and his relationship with the boss' daughter, to take on his own law firm. Eli's as surprised as anyone that it works and that it feels so good.
Now, instead of defending evil mega-corporations, he's fighting for the little guy in his law firm's new pro-bono department. As for those visions, his doctor thinks it might be an aneurysm, just like the one that tortured his father. But Eli sees a greater possibility, a destiny to become a spiritual prophet.
He might not have been anyone's first choice but, given his looks, charm and intelligence, it's an excellent one. Natasha Henstridge, Loretta Devine, Victor Garber, Laura Benanti, Sam Jaeger and James Saito also star. Greg Berlanti and Ken Olin executive produce.
Miss/Guided(Comedy, Mid-Season)
Becky Freeley (Judy Greer) thought she had left her teenage self behind when she returned to her old school to work as the guidance counselor.
It wasn't until Lisa (Brooke Burns), her gorgeous former nemesis, joined the faculty that Becky realized her cover was blown. In high school, Becky was an underachiever, a social bottom feeder and a dork. Today, she's attractive, confident and has an admirer in the school's male nurse. Becky, however, has her eye on Tim (Kristoffer Polaha), an earnest, single Spanish teacher.
Unfortunately, so does Lisa. When Lisa was in high school, she was beautiful, popular and smart. While Becky pined secretly for Lisa's boyfriend, Lisa barely knew Becky existed. This time around, however, Becky is determined to prove that she has changed and to help her students have an easier time than she did. In the pilot, Becky counsels a young girl in search of a date for the homecoming dance.
At the same time, Becky is looking for a date for herself and must confront the fact that she hasn't changed as much as she thought she had. As the guidance counselor, Becky provides us with an inside look at the lives of both the students and faculty. More importantly, Becky has the opportunity to answer the question: If you could go back, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
"Miss/Guided" is a show about second chances not only for Becky, but for Lisa and Tim, as well. Jonathan Sadowski and Earl Billings also star. Ashton Kutcher executive produces.
Oprah's Big Give(Reality Series, Mid-Season)
The first primetime series from Harpo Productions centers on the competition, drama and emotion as millions of dollars are given away to make a difference in people's lives across the country.
Each week contestants will face a "big twist" that will test their nerve, drive, ingenuity and passion. Big name stars will turn up throughout the series to join the "Oprah's Big Give" tour. During the eight episodes filmed in various U.S. cities, the field will be narrowed. The stakes will get higher and higher, with one person ultimately being chosen as The Biggest Giver.
Private Practice(Medical Drama, Wednesdays 9pm)
Tthe highly publicised "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off. Following a failed attempt at reconciliation and two disastrous affairs, neonatal surgeon Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery (Kate Walsh) craves a new relationship and journeys to Santa Monica to seek advice from her med school friends, Naomi and Jackson (Merrin Dungey & Taye Diggs).
But she finds her idealized view of their achievements successful marriage, 14-year-old daughter and a highly successful health cooperative doesn't match reality. Jackson's success as a TV health guru pushed him to divorce Naomi and now he's lonely. Fertility specialist Naomi wants love, but she doubts their boyish surfer/receptionist is the answer.
The rest of the Oceanside Wellness Group staff has their own life issues. The sexy alternative medicine doc is a widower masking his grief with one-night stands. The gynecologist who doesn't know a thing about women had his car stolen by this week's Internet hookup. And the therapist doubts she's doing any good at all.
Fortunately, together they're a formidable medical team doing cutting-edge work. Working with them, Addison realizes that moving to Southern California and joining her friends could be the right prescription for her own life. Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Chris Lowell and Paul Adelstein also star.
Pushing Daisies(Romance/Crime, Wednesdays 8pm)
It is a love story about a young man with a very special gift...the ability to return someone dead briefly back to life with just a simple touch. Ned (Lee Pace), a mild-mannered baker of fabulous pies, discovered his gift as a child.
Now he puts his gift to good use, working with his only friend, a private investigator (Chi McBride), to crack murder cases by asking victims to name their killers. But the tale gets complicated, as all tales do, when he saves his childhood sweetheart (Anna Friel) and she miraculously stays alive.
Each week, she encourages him to use his powers to solve mysteries and help others. Life would be perfect, except for one cruel twist: if Ned ever touches her again, she'll lose the life he gave her, for good this time. There's always a catch. Barry Sonnenfeld & Bryan Fuller executive produce. Swoosie Kurtz, Jim Dale and Kristin Chenoweth also star.
Samantha Who?(Comedy, Mondays 9pm)
How would you like to rewind your life, erase all the mistakes and cringe-worthy moments and start over with a clean slate? It's a common fantasy. But for Samantha Newly (Christina Applegate), the fantasy is far too real.
After a hit-and-run car accident puts her into an eight-day coma, she wakes up with retrograde amnesia. She can function in the world, but she can't remember a single fact about her own life! As Samantha digs through clues like a detective to find out who she is (or was), she's hindered by unreliable narrators: her parents and friends all seem to have something to hide from her.
Only Samantha's boyfriend Todd a stranger, now is trustworthy. Quickly, though, Samantha learns what everyone else knows: she was a horrible person. Vain, selfish, lacking conscience or heart, she had far more enemies than friends. She even cheated on her boyfriend. So when Samantha learns that her "accident" was actually an attempted murder, she is, unfortunately, not surprised.
If you could start over, would you do things differently? Could you do them differently? Can people change? Or are we just... who we are? These are the questions "Sam I Am" asks, as our heroine begins the long, comic process of starting over from scratch - fixing old mistakes, reconnecting with her not-so-loving family and rediscovering love.
While friends yank her in different moral directions... afraid of the "old Sam" returning... afraid that her would-be killer will try again... Samantha tries to remake herself through good, positive choices even though the bad ones are so much easier (and way more fun). Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, Kevin Dunn, Melissa McCarthy and Tim Russ also star.
Women's Murder Club(Drama/Mystery, Fridays 9pm)
Adapted from the best selling novels by author James Patterson ("Kiss the Girls," "Along Came a Spider"). San Francisco Detective Lindsay Boxer (Angie Harmon) can analyze a crime scene in seconds, but she's frustrated that investigating and prosecuting a crime can take months or even years.
To circumvent the Justice Department men's club, she assembles an all-female group of experts a medical examiner, a newspaper reporter and a young assistant district attorney. And because personal lives often blend into professional ones, they also become reliable friends. These women solve the latest homicides while unraveling the mysteries of their own turbulent romantic lives. Brett Ratner and Patterson executive produce, whilst Aubrey Dollar, Elizabeth Ho, Laura Harris, Paula Newsome, Rob Benedict and Tyrees Allen star.
Renewals include "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Boston Legal", "Brothers and Sisters," "Dancing with the Stars," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Grey's Anatomy," "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Lost," "Men in Trees," "Notes from the Underbelly," "October Road," "Supernanny," "Ugly Betty," "Wife Swap."
Cancellations include "According to Jim," "Big Day," "Daybreak," "Extreme Makover," "The George Lopez Show," "The Great American Vote," "Help Me Help You," "In Case of Emergency," "The Knights of Prosperity," "The Nine," "Show Me the Money," "Six Degrees," "What About Brian."
The nightly ABC schedule will be as follows:
MONDAY (Fall)
8pm: "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30pm: "Sam I Am"
10pm: "The Bachelor"
MONDAY (Spring)
8pm: "Wife Swap"
9pm: "Samantha Who?"
9:30pm: "Notes from the Underbelly"
10pm: "October Road"
TUESDAY
8pm: "Cavemen"
8:30pm: "Carpoolers"
9pm: "Dancing with the Stars Results" (Fall)
"Cashmere Mafia" (Spring)
10pm: "Boston Legal"
WEDNESDAY
8pm: "Pushing Daisies"
9pm: "Private Practice"
10pm: "Dirty Sexy Money"
THURSDAY
8pm: "Ugly Betty"
9pm: "Grey's Anatomy"
10pm: "Big Shots"
FRIDAY
8pm: "Men in Trees"
9pm: "Women's Murder Club"
10pm: "20/20"
SATURDAY
8pm: "Saturday Night College Football"
SUNDAY
7pm: "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8pm: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9pm: "Desperate Housewives "
10pm: "Brothers and Sisters"
