CRAIG: The Middle at 8 and Modern Family at 9 seems to be a thing now, with Nashville at 10, but those 8:30 and 9:30 slots have been pesky, with a lot of turnaround. Instead of throwing something new into the mix of things, I’d put The Goldbergs on Wednesdays at 8:30. It’s a fun show, deserves a bigger audience, and I think it’d make a nice bridge between The Middle and Modern Family.
At 9:30, I’m going less with “what I’d like to see” and more with “what I’d expect to see” – Selfie. I love Karen Gillan, but then again I also love Rebel Wilson, and her show didn’t fit on Wednesdays at 9:30 either. Which is exactly why I expect ABC to do it, because they like to torture their audience once Modern Family is over.
SHILO: ABC’s comedy makeup really depends on what they do with The Goldbergs. I could easily see a world where they keep the period comedy on Tuesdays and use it as their fourth building block after The Middle, Modern Family, and Last Man Standing. However, the network has been high enough on The Goldbergs to where I think they’ll decide to nurture it on Wednesdays and hope that the show could one day inherit the Middle slot. ABC Wednesdays are in a bit of a danger zone, as there are no comedies strong enough to replace The Middle and Modern Family when the two end, and The Goldbergs gives ABC the chance to find their next generation of hits.
9:30, though, will see yet another incompatible comedy because ABC has yet to launch a family comedy behind Modern Family in the fall and I just don’t see them having an epiphany on the subject five seasons in. As such, I could see them going with Selfie from Suburgatory creator Emily Kapnek, about a woman obsessed with her social media standing who decides to rebrand herself with the help of a marketing guru. While Nashville’s live ratings have been quite soft in season two, it’s strong enough in other aspects (particularly music sales and touring) to where I think ABC sticks with it, particularly since they have bigger drama issues and Nashville is produced by ABC Studios. I could see the network moving it to a problem area during its fourth (and likely final) season, but for season three, I think it stays put. It would be greatly helped, though, if ABC would give it a solid 9:30 lead-in, since Nashville has been basically on its own during season two.
CRAIG: Nothing works at 8. But they’ve got to air something. What do I recommend? Shonda Night.
Grey’s Anatomy at 8 — yes, I know that’s awfully early for such a sexy show, but have you SEEN what they put on the Vampire Diaries in that same slot? Then, Shonda Rhimes’ new series How To Get Away With Murder at 9. Finally, Scandal at 10. If How To Get Away With Murder doesn’t work out, or needs a break, maybe that non-Shonda series Secrets & Lies could fit in. Or, who knows, Shark Tank substitutions back on Thursdays at 8!
SHILO: I believe there are two possibilities for ABC Thursdays – one where the network moves Shark Tank to the night and rejiggers Fridays into a new TGIF and one where it turns into an all Shonda Rhimes night. Considering how strong the buzz is for How to Get Away with Murder, I think ABC could chance it and use the legal drama as an anchor on their buzziest night, especially with CBS reverting to Thursday Night Football for the first 5-6 weeks of the season. How to Get Away will be able to get a foothold while the Tiffany network is out of the scripted game, while Scandal stays at 10:00 to please the affiliates (and its fans, as a move to 9:00 would cause the shocking political drama to make some content changes) and Grey’s moves to 8:00. The latter is a possibility, since the network hasn’t been shy about airing the show in repeats in that hour – most recently, this past Thursday, with a season three repeat leading into the reappearance of Isaiah Washington’s Dr. Preston Burke. Plus, it keeps them from having to throw away yet another new drama in the 8:00 hour, a time that has seen numerous new projects swallowed up by heavy competition.
Yup, time to hit that navigate button again…
1 Comment
I agree with Sunday’s Schedules although I would pair up Resurrection to share a time slot with Agatha. Hahaha in the Fall and Resurrection in the Spring.
Monday should stay as is.
Tuesday will be interesting SHIELD is likely moving to 9pm, with Agent Carter running midseason in that slot and SHIELD picking up after the Oscars. I think The Visitors sharing the 10pm slot with Secrets and Lies being congruent with Agent Carter would work well. The 8pm slot will be tricky maybe Cristela and
Wednesday needs more stability. Maybe The Goldbergs at 8:30 and Anthony Anderson’s comedy and 9:30. At 10 I would air Nashville for 10-13 episodes and air The Club midseason.
Thursday, yep exactly what you guys did.
Friday St.Francis at 8:30 because it is in house and fits the tone of Last Man Standing. Shark Tank and 20/20 as is.