Networks shuffle the deck carefully

By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
Stability is the watchword for fall's new TV season, filled with new shows about computer geeks, foursomes and sci-fi/fantasy.

Unveiling their lineups to advertisers last week in New York, the networks took fewer risks, keeping hit shows in current time slots and, for the most part, carefully launching their series behind established players.

The new season will again have few comedies, with just 17 on the four major networks. (Ten years ago, NBC alone had 18). In response to economic pressures, there are more reality shows, filling 22 time slots on all five networks, up from 18 last fall.

Some will butt heads: NBC's Deal or No Deal will face CBS' new Kid Nation and CW's America's Next Top Model on Wednesdays, while on Fridays, Fox's Search for the Next Great American Band is pitted against NBC game show 1 vs. 100.

But the real battleground is in dramas.

There's no bold move like last year, when ABC put Grey's Anatomy against CSI. But Wednesdays at 9 ET/PT will see five dramas head-to-head, as CBS incumbent Criminal Minds dukes it out with Grey's spinoff Private Practice, NBC's Bionic Woman remake, CW hopeful Gossip Girl and Fox's relocated Bones.

Usually low-wattage Fridays will see three new series at 9 ET/PT facing NBC's Las Vegas: ABC's Women's Murder Club, CBS' Moonlight and Fox's reality soap Nashville.

And in a potentially risky move, ABC's entire Wednesday lineup consists of new series, with Private Practice sandwiched between fantasy drama Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money, about a lawyer for a wealthy family.

In time-slot shifts, CBS hopes to solidify its Thursday strength with the return of Without a Trace after a one-year Sunday stint, and NBC will try Friday Night Lights on Fridays, where low ratings are more easily tolerated.

Overall, advertisers were impressed with CW's new series, after last year's disappointing start.

And some welcomed CBS' sharp departure from crime dramas.

"They need to change it up if they want to attract different types of viewers," says Shari Anne Brill of the ad-buying agency Carat.