Post-Strike Update: When TV Shows Return (Tuesday UPDATE)
The latest rumors on the post-strike return of "Private Practice," "Prison Break," "House," "Gossip Girl" "Bones," "Women's Murder Club" and many other shows.
PRIVATE PRACTICE: The freshman medical drama is not expected to return with new episodes this spring. The Kate Walsh-fronted series will however be back with at least 13 new episodes next season, as will the rest of ABC's Wednesday night line-up ("Pushing Daisies" and "Dirty Sexy Money"). Surprisingly, "Women's Murder Club" may get canceled.
PRISON BREAK: Hollywood press reports FOX won't be ordering additional episodes of "Prison Break" this season - next Monday the drama concludes its current 13-episode arc. The show has gone down over 15% in the ratings this year.
HOUSE/BONES: Furthermore, the network now appears to be inching towards not ordering additional episodes of "House" this season (which has already run out of fresh installments) and "Bones" (the procedural has 4 episodes left in the can).
SMALLVILLE: The CW's veteran drama is now critical to survival of the young network. Following a series of flops and declining ratings, "Smallville" has become CW's top rated scripted hour, keeping eyeballs tuned into the struggling network on lucrative Thursday nights.
The show will have 3-5 new episodes beyond the original 15 pre-strike episodes, increasing the season total to 18-20 episodes. 3-5 new episodes are also expected for its lead-out "Supernatural" which filmed 12 pre-strike episodes, so its season total will be 15-17 episodes.
BLOCKBUSTER TV DRAMAS/DRAMEDIES: Tube's greatest hits like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives," will be coming back with at least 4-7 new episodes this spring.
CSI and other CBS procedurals: Hit CBS crime dramas are expected to follow the same pattern of other blockbuster TV series - they will be back this spring with 4-7 new episodes.
These shows help keep the Eye network on the top of the ratings (in total viewers, not among adults 18-49, that is), so expect to see more of "CSI," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: New York," "Without a Trace," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Criminal Minds" and "Cold Case."
HEROES: NBC's sci-fi drama from the producer Tim Kring was originally planning to open a new arc titled "Villains" in early 2008. Since the studio would probably not be able to film more than 3 new episodes this season, NBC is expected to delay the return of the drama till September, when season 3 launches. Next season may however contain more than the standard 22-23 episodes.
UGLY BETTY: ABC's sophomore comedy would come back this spring for 4 additional episodes, bringing the season total to 17. Executive producer Silvio Horta has said to Entertainment Weekly the writers would however have to tweak the planned storylines as they were originally mapped out for a 23-episode season. 13 episodes have aired thus far.
GOSSIP GIRL: The CW's teen drama based on the series of bestselling books is expected to return in late April with the at least 6 more episodes. Under that scenario, the struggling network may extend its official TV season into the summer. "Gossip Girl" was the first freshman drama to receive a full-season pickup last October.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Given its half-hour format and well-established production, CBS' flashback-laden comedy might (along with the network's top sitcom "Two and a Half Men" and its lead-out "The Big Bang Theory") return for as many as 7 new installments this spring. 11 episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" have aired so far.
24: This is a really tricky one. As you may have heard, 8 episodes had been filmed prior to the strike. Since bringing the show back for an abbreviated season is impossible due to its 24-hour format, the drama will most probably return in January 2009, which means the strike may have cost both fans and people who produce the series an entire season.
SAMANTHA WHO: The single-camera comedy starring Christina Applegate is expected to return March 24, following a new cycle of "Dancing with the Stars." 12 episodes have been filmed, 9 have aired through early December, the remaining 3 episodes will kick off the new batch. As many as 6 new episodes could be filmed this spring, bringing the season total to 18.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: The second season of "Friday Night Lights" (including last week's 15th episode) will be released on DVD April 22, and would therefore have no additional episodes. The show's future remains up in the air.
TO GET CANCELED: Shows like "Bionic Woman," "Journeyman" and "Big Shots" are not coming back with new episodes this spring and they are expected to get canceled when the new fall grids are announced in May.
The post will be updated/corrected when more information becomes available.
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Labels: Schedule, Writers Strike
posted by Justin Van De Kamp at
11:45 AM
17 Comments:
Great, DSM returns in september...WTF?
Do you have some new info about Smallville, Justin?
Not yet, but as soon as I do, I'll add it to the post.
justin, what about private practice? im dying for some info about that show. is it coming back in september or not?
I don't have any info on 'Private Practice' yet, but since that show is the most successful new drama, if I were ABC chief of programming, I would make sure 4-5 new episodes of that show were made this spring and I would air them back to back with those new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" on Thursday nights once "Lost" ends its limited run. But that's just my opinion. We'll see what actually happens.
I would have them do 4 more eps of PP as well. I personally think they could do more episodes of Lost, and it sounds like they might do just that.
DH has to wrap up this mystery and fast, lol. I wonder how they will do it. Maybe a small time skip?
What about my favorite sitcom, According to Jim? Any chance they'll get to film their final episodes?
Yes, I hear 'Lost' will also be able to add a few episodes. The last of the 8 they already have airs March 20, so I'm not sure if the new ones will be ready by March 27, but they've done it before. Some episodes, like season finales, had completed post-production just days before they aired them.
I really love the new season of 'Desperate Housewives,' especially Katherine Mayfair. I hope the resolution to the mystery won't feel too rushed. But, if you remember, last year they also had to wrap up Orson's mystery earlier than they originally planned, because of Marcia Cross' pregnancy/bed rest.
'According to Jim'? Why don't I channel a little Ben Silverman here... LOL... Watch '30 Rock'!
Thank you for the great updates!
And yet, leave fans of one particular series hanging: What about B&S, Justin? ;-)
Also 4-7 episodes ahead or just a mini-dose of Walkers which would be beyond regrettable.
How could I have forgotten the wacky Walkers, as I like to refer to them dearly?
Yes, "Brothers & Sisters" will be back this spring with minimum being 4 new episodes. However, I hear conflicting rumors about maximum being 5 or 6. I guess it's too early to tell.
B&S has however had 12 episodes filmed this season already, unlike "Grey's Anatomy" (11) or "Desperate Housewives" (10).
Maybe I missed it, but what of Lost or Eli Stone?
THX for the update, Justin...3-5 epis more for Smallville is better than nothing...
I'm not surprised by no more orders of Prison Break this spring. From what I understand the last episode next week will have a big cliffhanger. I personally believe FOX will bring it back next year. The ratings are not overwhelming but they are solid and pretty steady. It's not risky for FOX to keep it another year.
thanks for the fab news, justin :)
so glad that my two favourite shows heroes & lost will be BACK!
do you have any news on my other favourite show, which would be that hilarious medical comedy, scrubs?
Yes, Scrubs is coming back on April 10 with 5 episodes which are already in the can, but NBC has yet to decide if they will air any additional episodes. The show creator wishes to give the comedy a proper send-off.
I may have missed it, but is there any news on "Chuck" for NBC which was on before the strike? Is it coming back in the fall or sooner?
Chuck has been renewed for a full run next season. Rumors have it that since Bionic Woman hit the skids and is getting cancelled, chances are that Battlestar Galactica may actually have a chance to press on if it receives some overwhelming fan support. Also, Fox's hit "Back To You" should get a shot at returning in the fall as well.
The real bummer is that ABC's Brothers & Sisters wasn't cancelled. I can never seem to find anyone who has liked that show.
Thanks for the info, very, very helpful.
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