TVSquad

Upfront week is that time of year when all of the networks get together for an ice cream social and announce which new shows they'll have in the fall, which old shows are returning, and which shows have been, well, sent to TV heaven. That week is this week! Some networks have toned down their presentations and parties this year.

NBC had their official upfront last month, but today they'll be making more announcements about their fall schedule (I'll have a post up about it later today). ABC and The CW will hold their upfronts on Tuesday. On Wednesday, CBS will hold their upfront, and on Friday Thursday FOX will have theirs.

TV Squad will have full coverage all week, so check back (you're checking back every single day anyway, right?).

It's getting hard keeping track of what's going on at NBC. The Peacock Network first announced that they weren't going to do an upfront presentation this year. Then came word that they would. And now comes word that they, well, aren't doing an upfront presentation, but they are doing is changing their programming from a "fall to spring" schedule to a "52 weeks, year round" schedule.

Remember all that talk about NBC not having an upfront this year, and maybe not have them ever again? Never mind.

Maybe it was just strike-induced crazy talk, but NBC has changed its mind about having an upfront this year, and the other networks are going to have one too. It sounds like ABC, CBS, and FOX are going to have the regular upfronts in New York City that they have every year, while NBC hasn't really disclosed what they are going to do. It might be a stripped-down upfront or it could be the same big presentation they give every spring. The network will probably make an annoucement later this week.

We cover the network upfronts (that week in may when ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX unveil their new shows) pretty extensively here at TV Squad. But that's a May tradition that might have seen its last days.

NBC head Jeff Zucker says that because of the writers strike, NBC might not do an upfront at all this year. They certainly won't do a big presentation at Radio City Music Hall, though they will still use that time to "sell the inventory." In fact, Zucker says that the upfronts might be a thing of the past even if there wasn't a writers strike going on.

• I guess Bill and Geraldo have made up.
• Best Week Ever lists the Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys, then readers weigh in on the Sexiest Nerd Boys they forgot. And hopefully that's the last time I have to type the phrase "Sexist Nerd Boys."
• Aaron Barnhart gives a rundown of what we learned at last week's network upfronts.
• Radar has a gallery of stars giving the finger, including David Schwimmer, Paris and Nicky Hilton, and Jeremy Piven.
• Anne Heche's divorce is starting to get nasty.
• PETA dumps something on Gordon Ramsay's doorstep (and I do mean "dumps").

We thought the show was over. It was announced way back in November of 2005 that this would be the last season of the WB's family drama 7th Heaven. Then, The CW came along, which merged the UPN and WB networks into one, and there were new rumors of the show being renewed. The rumors became truth this past week when The CW announced an 11th season of the show during its upfronts.

This, of course, led everyone else to the most logical question to ask about this whole situation:  What the hell?

It turns out that the executives at The CW were probably asking the same question themselves, since they didn't know the status of the show until the last minute. According to statements made at Thursday's upfronts the renewal decision was made sometime between the promotion of and airing of the series finale and the upfront presentation. After looking at the show's ratings (7 million for the finale and 5.2 million during the rest of the season, making it the most-watched show on either the WB or UPN) the cost of the show, and the rest of the new CW schedule, the decision was made to bring back the Camden brood.

• Over at his Bastard Machine blog, Tim Goodman isn't sure he believes that Lost will answers a bunch of questions in the season finale (as the ads have promised), but what the hell, is on for the ride anyway.
• TeeVee has some typically wiseass reactions to the CBS and NBC upfronts (that's a compliment, by the way - we like wiseass).
• TV writer Ken Levine tells his favorite casting story ever, when he had to audition actors for a 1993 show called Big Wave Dave's. But damn it, he still won't say who actor is!
• TV Newser has the story of Katie Couric's first appearance for CBS, at the upfronts.
  

Okay, who gave the executives over at NBC the sensibility pills?

In what seems like an extremely logical move (at least for now), NBC has produced a Thursday night schedule for the new fall season that may make the phrase "Must See TV" truthful once again. As mentioned by the amazingly talented Bob Sassone in his post on the NBC fall upfronts, comedies My Name is Earl and The Office will be pushed back one hour to the 8-9 pm slot. Following will be the new Aaron Sorkin drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (which Aaron will hopefully shorten to just Studio 60). Network stalwart ER will round out the night in its usual 10 pm slot.

Notice something here? For the first time in many years, NBC may have a very solid Thursday primetime. With Earl  and The Office anchoring the night, you are getting away from a curse the network had for many years; pairing a successful sitcom (such as Friends) with a mediocre or poor sitcom (Single Guy, Four Kings, or any other forgettable show). Both shows compliment each other and have been steady performers this past season.

To the wonderfully talented executives at NBC:

You can move ER to another night, you can hire Star Jones to anchor the NBC Nightly News (take that, ABC), you can even cover every open schedule spot with an episode of Deal or No Deal; however, there is one thing that I'm asking... no, pleading... no, demanding you not to do. Do NOT split up My Name is Earl and The Office!

For once in God knows how long you have two shows on Thursday night that are a near-perfect match for each other. One leads very smoothly into another. I can't remember when there was a pair of win-win shows together on Must-See-TV. This may fall on deaf ears; networks are notorious for moving successful shows to other nights to boost ratings. However, if you split Earl and The Office, you risk losing a strong viewer base for whatever may allegedly replace ER that evening.

So, when you present your upfronts on Monday, please make sure you don't split up these two gems on your schedule. If you want to move them, go ahead. But, move them together.