ABC Delays "Men In Trees", Again

What is going on in the ABC scheduling department? Is this the way to treat a show that has already been renewed for a second season? You may think ABC is extending the 4-episode run of the current post-Grey's slot occupant "October Road". After all they do have 6 episodes in the can. If so, you are mistaken.

The Alphabet network has just announced that beginning April 12 it will run the new sitcom about a young couple coping with pregnancy called "Notes from the Underbelly" on Thursdays at 10pm, thus delaying the return of Anne Heche's romantic series "Men In Trees" until an undisclosed later date.

Alphabet opted to make the change after Fox expanded its "American Idol" results show on Wednesdays to an hour, a blow to "Underbelly's" Wednesday at 9:30 slot.

Obviously, ABC has high hopes for the single-camera "Underbelly," promoting it heavily during the net's hit reality competition "Dancing With the Stars."

Rather than watch it suffer opposite "Idol," ABC now hopes to attract some of "Grey's" loyal audience.

ABC will air two episodes of the sitcom back-to-back beginning at 10pm, a rather unusual timeslot for a half-hour comedy format.

The somewhat smaller but loyal fanbase of the Alaska-set "Men In Trees" may have to wait until the next season to see the new episodes.

This is TELEVISIONISTA