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Prior to this appointment McPherson was president of Touchstone Television, where he was responsible for all day-to-day operations of the studio. He reports to Anne Sweeney.
Sweeney was named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business by Fortune Magazine. She is co-chairman of Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company, and president of Disney-ABC Television.
ABC’s plans for the 2004-2005 fall schedules include two new comedies, seven new dramas and two new alternative series, plus three midseason dramas.
Monday nights in September will start out with a new reality show “The Benefactor” (7:00-8:00 p.m., CST). 16 contestants vie to win 1 million dollars from billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Why? Because he can’t wait to figure out how America’s applicants will prove to him that they deserve it. Sounds dumb to me but then I’m not into reality shows. “Monday Night Football” will follow “The Benefactor” through January and then a whole new line-up will take over. ABC’s “Monday Night Movie” (7:00-9:00 p.m., CST) will lead off the night followed by a new hour drama, “Grey’s Anatomy” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST); which revolves around three young women doctors in a surgical training program. Patrick Dempsey from “Once & Again” and Ellen Pompeo from “Catch Me If You Can” are two of the stars from this medical series. This sounds like a show that I could get involved with.
“My Wife and Kids” (7:00-7:30 p.m., CST) opens Tuesday night which, is a new day for this show, and is followed by “George Lopez” (7:30-8:00 p.m., CST) also at a new day and time. “According to Jim” (8:00-8:30 p.m., CST) is back and will be a lead-in to the new sitcom “Rodney” starring stand-up comedian Rodney Carrington.
“Rodney” (8:30-9:00 p.m., CST) is about a down-to-earth guy much like in “Home Improvement” and “Roseanne.” Rodney keeps getting fired from jobs he hates while doing stand-up in dive bars at night. If it’s half as good as “Home Improvement” and “Roseanne” it has a shot at being a hit.
Steven Bochco’s “NYPD Blue” holds down the 9:00-10:00 p.m., CST slot as usual but it will share the time slot later in mid season with the new Bochco produced drama “Blind Justice.” Ron Eldard (“ER”) plays Detective Jim Dunbar who takes a bullet in the line of duty that blinds him. Most officers would end up with a desk job or early retirement but not Dunbar he comes back a better cop than before. I’m not much on cop shows but this sounds interesting and worth a look.
Opening Wednesday nights is a new one hour drama that I’m really excited about and can’t wait to review, called “Lost” (7:00-8:00 p.m., CST) starring Matthew Fox (“Party of Five”). Fox has been a favorite of mine, he’s an excellent actor, and that’s one good reason to watch but another reason is the show is written by J.J. Abrams of “Alias.” The story line is different and exciting. It’s about 48 survivors of a plane crash that are stranded on a mysterious Island. Stripped of everything, the survivors scavenge what they can from the plane for their survival. Some panic. Some pin their hopes on rescue. A few find inner strength they never knew they had.
The rest of the evening is lost on reality shows “The Bachelor” (8:00-9:00 p.m., CST) and “Wife Swap” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST) which is new; two moms swap households for 10 days.
Where Wednesday night leaves off, Thursday night picks up with reality show “Extreme Makeover (7:00-8:00 p.m., CST). The good news is that following is a new one hour drama that looks like it could have real potential to be winner for ABC. If you were a “Freaks and Geeks” fan “Life as We Know It” (8:00-9:00 p.m., CST) could fill that void of loss. This coming of age drama is produced by “Freaks and Geeks” writer’s Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs who also wrote for “Just Shoot Me.” The series is about three hormone-charged teenage boys who are trying to do something even harder than losing their virginity, and that’s to grow up without totally freaking out. Kelly Osbourne is one of the young stars in the show.
Finishing out Thursday night is the ever popular “Primetime Live” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST)
Friday’s “TGIF” is comedy night on ABC and has been shuffled around a little. “8 Simple Rules” (7:00-7:30 p.m., CST) which was moved from Tuesday will lead the night off. I’m happy yet surprised that this show has done so well after losing John Ritter, but it has definitely kept its loyal viewers.
A newcomer joins “TGIF” called “Savages” (7:30-8:00 p.m., CST) starring Keith Carradine as a fireman single dad raising five boys. Mel Gibson is one of the executive producers of this series and the story is based on some of his real-life experiences as a dad.
“Hope and Faith” (8:00-8:30 p.m., CST) returns for its second season followed by “Less Than Perfect” (8:30-9:00 p.m., CST) at a new time and night. Topping the evening off is “20/20” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST).
Saturday evening remains the home of ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney.”
That leaves Sunday night and “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6:00-7:00 p.m., CST) starts everything out followed by another, you guessed it, returning reality show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7:00-8:00 p.m., CST).
“Desperate Hours” will move into the time previously reserved for “Alias,” which will return to that slot sometime midseason. This series is about a young housewife who commits suicide and then proceeds to take us into the lives of family, friends and neighbors commenting from her elevated POV.
Last but not least an hour drama from David E. Kelly, “The Practice: Fleet Street” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST). It’s a spin-off of James Spader’s Alan Shore character, but viewers were losing interest in “The Practice” so I’m not quite sure why ABC is taking a chance on a similar type show.
That’s a look at ABC’s schedule and I think it shows real promise and a start in the right direction. At least they’re making a real effort to keep the hour drama alive and healthy and that’s good considering all the reality shows we’re being hit with. Until my next column let your voice be heard.
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The
ABC network needs to make some major changes in their programming in order to
compete with the other networks so they started out with a massive executive
shake-up. ABC Entertainment chairman, Lloyd Braun and Entertainment president,
Susan Lyne did a hasty exit and were replaced with newly appointed President
Stephen McPherson and newly appointed Chairperson Anne Sweeney. 
The
remaining two hours of Sunday night are two new dramas: “Desperate Housewives”
(8:00-9:00 p.m., CST) and “The Practice: Fleet Street” (9:00-10:00 p.m., CST).