ABC: 2006-2007 Primetime Schedule

May 16, 2006 News

The schedule-makers at ABC must have a new motto: "Change is good." How else to explain their fall schedule, which has 15 new shows? Based on the network's press release today, here's what we can expect:

Coming in Fall 2006

Betty the Ugly

Timeslot: Fri., 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Genre: Comedy
Premise: A smart young woman and her neophyte boss must keep their bearings in the world of high fashion.
Reminds me of: The Ugly Duckling and other "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" stories.
Famous names: Executive producer Salma Hayek.

Big Day

Timeslot: Thu., 8:00-8:30 p.m.
Genre: Comedy
Premise: A wedding day provides a whole season of melodrama and farce.
Reminds me of: Many, many wedding comedies.
Famous names: None.

Brothers & Sisters

Timeslot: Sun., 10:00-11:00 p.m.
Genre: Drama
Premise: Five siblings face sudden changes in their lives.
Reminds me of: Lots of dysfunctional-family dramas.
Famous names: Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths, Ron Rifkin.

Day Break

Timeslot: TBD
Genre: Drama
Premise: A detective framed for murder must live the same day over and over again until he finds the real killer and fixes his life.
Reminds me of: Groundhog Day and The Fugitive.
Famous names: Taye Diggs.

Greg Behrendt's Wake-Up Call

Timeslot: TBD
Genre: Other
Premise: Greg Behrendt dispenses humor and advice to couples having relationship issues.
Reminds me of: Frasier, without Frasier Crane's pretensions.
Famous names: None.

Help Me Help You

Timeslot: Tue., 9:30-10:00 p.m.
Genre: Comedy
Premise: Mixed-up people start attending group therapy, and figure out that their doctor is the most mixed-up of the bunch.
Reminds me of: An ensemble version of the play Beyond Therapy.
Famous names: Ted Danson, Jane Kaczmarek.

In Case of Emergency

Timeslot: TBD
Genre: Comedy
Premise: Four friends who met in high school try to get their post-graduation lives in order.
Reminds me of: Numerous examples of twenty/thirtysomething angst.
Famous names: Director-executive producer Jon Favreau, David Arquette.

Just for Laughs

Timeslot: TBD
Genre: Other
Premise: Practical jokes on unwitting victims are caught on camera.
Reminds me of: Candid Camera.
Famous names: None.

More Fall 2006 shows, predictions