Fall 2010 TV Preview: What's coming back, what's moving timeslots, and what's gone for good

Posted by: Paul Little  •  May 25, 2010 @ 12:06pm

Filed under: Special Coverage

Last week, all five American networks held their respective "Upfronts" in New York City, where advertisers and the press are given a chance to take a look at the preliminary schedules for each network for the following year, and begin to decide where to spend their cash for the next television season. And for the 2010/2011 season, things are definitely moving and shaking at all five networks, with most of the potential changes being announced next week (remember, nothing in TV is ever set in stone).

First, there were some big cancellations across the board. Some, however sad they may have been, were completely expected, with factors such as struggling (or downright sad) ratings, rising expenses, and creative issues making these casualties almost certain weeks or even months ago: ABC's Scrubs, Better Off Ted, and FlashForward; NBC's Heroes, Mercy, and Trauma; CBS' Numb3rs, Cold Case, and Miami Medical; and the CW's Melrose Place). Others, meanwhile, took a lot of people by surprise: CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine and The Ghost Whisperer (though there's a chance ABC could grab it); FOX's 24; and the show that could've broken Gunsmoke's record for most TV seasons for a drama (instead, ending tied with the classic series), NBC's Law & Order.

There were also some somewhat shocking renewals announced last week, most notably FOX's pair of Lie to Me and Human Target (industry insiders were sure only one would survive) and, to a lesser extent, the CW's Life Unexpected and One Tree Hill (again a case where it seemed only one would be able to stick around). Seeing as how I'm personally a fan of both Human Target and Life Unexpected, I was very happy to see their respective networks take a chance on a second season for both these great but relatively low-rated shows.

As for what will be on the schedules this fall, with all the cancellations comes a bunch of new shows, particularly on the usually stable CBS (which is shaking up its line-up considerably in the fall) and the "needs to fill time that used to be Jay Leno 5 nights a week" disaster that is NBC prime time. There are also quite a few big-time moves around the schedule, especially on CBS, with Survivor moving to Wednesday's at 8pm, The Big Bang Theory moving from Mondays to Thursdays opposite NBC's Community, and 2 CSI spin-offs moving to Fridays (CSI: NY) and Sundays (CSI: Miami).

We'll tell you way more about the new shows coming up as the summer goes on -- which ones are likely to be instant classics, which ones to at least try out, and which ones are a waste of your time -- but for now, here is are the (tentative) fall schedules for your the five broadcast networks, in handy table form.

MON	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	Chuck		The Event [new]		Chase [new]
	Dancing with the Stars				Castle
	How I Met Your Mother	Rules of Engagement	Two and a Half Men	Mike & Molly [new]	Hawaii Five-O [new]
	House		Lonestar [new]
	90210 [new day]		Gossip Girl

TUE	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	The Biggest Loser				Parenthood
	No Ordinary Family [new]		Dancing with the Stars: Results Show		Detriot 1-8-7 [new]
	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		The Good Wife
	Glee		Raising Hope [new]	Running Wilde [new]
	One Tree Hill [new day]		Life Unexpected [new day]

WED	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	Undercovers [new]		Law & Order: SVU [new time]		Law & Order: Los Angeles [new]
	The Middle	Better Together [new]	Modern Family	Cougar Town	The Whole Truth [new]
	Survivor [new day]		Criminal Minds		The Defenders [new]
	Lie to Me [new day]		Hell's Kitchen [new]
	America's Next Top Model		Hellcats [new]

THU	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	Community	30 Rock [new time]	The Office	Outsourced [new]	Love Bites [new]
	My Generation [new]		Grey's Anatomy		Private Practice
	The Big Bang Theory [new day]	Sh*t My Dad Says [new]	CSI		The Mentalist
	Bones		Fringe
	The Vampire Diaries		Nikita [new]

FRI	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	Who Do You Think You Are? School Pride [new]		Dateline NBC		Outlaw [new]
	Secret Millionaire [new]		Body of Proof [new]		20/20
	Medium [new time]		CSI: NY [new day]		Blue Bloods [new]
	Human Target [new day]		The Good Guys [new day]
	Smallville		Supernatural [new day]

SUN	7:00	7:30	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
	Football Night in America			Sunday Night Football
	America's Funniest Home Videos		Extreme Makeover: Home Edition		Desperate Housewives		Brothers & Sisters
	60 Minutes		The Amazing Race		Undercover Boss		CSI: Miami [new day]
	The OT [new]		The Simpsons	The Cleveland Show	Family Guy	American Dad

Tags: pilots, preview, TV season, Outlaw, Love Bites, Undercovers, Running Wilde, Sh*t My Dad Says, Detroit 1-8-7, No Ordinary Family

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Paul Little is the founder and Managing Editor of ShowbizMonkeys.com. When not interviewing his favourite musicians and comedians, he can also be found putting on and promoting music and comedy events with The Purple Room in Winnipeg, or co-producing the live comedy game shows Pants on Fire and The Great Patio Showdown. (@comedygeek)

Original Comments Posted (13)

ariana says...

Those are good-looking tables, Paul.

May 25, 2010 1:15pm

Cameron McLeod says...

Are these times correct? Most of the shows I watch are all 1 hour earlier than these show. Perhaps these should've been labeled in eastern time?

May 25, 2010 2:14pm

Hutch says...

I heard TNT might pick up Law & Order, in case anyone cares

May 25, 2010 2:15pm

Hutch says...

And Cam, I think the fact that the table starts off the primetime evening with an "8:00" instead of a 7 would be a big hint for you! :P

May 25, 2010 2:17pm

crimson says...

Big Bang Theory deserved a Thursday night slot a long time ago.

May 25, 2010 2:22pm

Cameron McLeod says...

Right. It should be labeled somewhere. :)

May 25, 2010 2:48pm

metal2000 says...

TV schedules are always Eastern and Pacific. Us in the central time zone are the minority and thus assumed to be able to do math. :)

May 25, 2010 6:23pm

Hutch says...

If Big Bang Theory causes Community to be cancelled, we'll have a problem here. A "big" one. That show is pathetic, I'm ashamed to be a nerd or a geek when people talk about that show. But 95% of sitcoms suck anyways, so it's not THAT surprising that it does, too.

May 26, 2010 3:31pm

crimson says...

Then in that case, it's gonna be a good thursday night war.

May 26, 2010 9:59pm

Hutch says...

The mindless masses will undoubtedly side with their nerd fix, unless Community star Joel McHale gets naked more often to secure all the lady fans... and if it's comedically humorous, I'm more than ok with that.

May 27, 2010 12:29am

liane49 says...

I thought Old Christene was being picked up by ABC?

Jun 19, 2010 8:47am

lauryn1121 says...

I am highly upset that Flashforward is CANCELED!!!!
That was one of the best shows I had seen in a while and it kind of angers me that its gone. I mean it is sort of the same thing as Lost and that show last 6 seasons the least they can do is give Flashforward and second. :(

Jun 21, 2010 1:08pm

metal2000 says...

It was rumoured that Old Christine would be picked up by ABC, but unfortunately it wasn't, and it's now done.

I was also disappointed that FlashForward was cancelled, but its problem was it started really slow and the viewers just didn't come back. By the time it returned in the spring after its hiatus (which, by the way, I think is never a good idea if you want to keep momentum with a new show), its ratings were so bad it was being beat by shows on the CW.

So while I enjoyed the show, and wish it had continued (and hopefully improved), its ratings were so bad that it was a pretty easy decision for ABC, unfortunately.

Jun 21, 2010 2:11pm

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