Predictable Tuesdays
Tuesday nights this season were so stable, it was enough to make you want to vomit. Outside of NBC testing a huge number of new series, Fox, WB & CBS did not tweak their line-ups once. All were flying high, and its no wonder. But expect that to change the season, especially for the WB which is losing its trademark show "Buffy The Vampire Slayer." ABC went in two
different directions this season. It shelved the bad "Geen Davis Show" for the better "What About Joan?" and briefly aired "The Mole" in place of "Millionaire." UPN, meanwhile, found success with movies, but tried "Chains of Love" & "All Souls," late in the season with middling success. And on NBC. It was good- after 9pm. 8-9pm was a mess, with "3rd Rock," "The Fighting Fitzgeralds," "DAG," "The Michael Richards Show," all disgracing us with their presense. Hasta la vista, babies.

The (potential) new line-up...
      8:00          8:30          9:00           9:30           10:00    
CBS |           JAG            |       60 Minutes II        |(new drama)|
ABC | Dharma     | Millionaire | What About  | (new comedy) |(new drama)|
    |    & Greg  |             |     Joan?   |              |           |
NBC | Just Shoot | Fighting    | Frasier     | (new comedy) | Dateline  |
    |    Me      | Fitzgeralds |             |              |    NBC    |
Fox | That 70s   |   Titus     |         (new drama)        |
    |    Show    |             |                            |
UPN |          Buffy           | Special Unit 2 / Angel     |
WB  |         Felicity         | Angel / Roswell            |

Next season... Tuesday is not going to be so stable. Things are gonna change, so much so that not one network will come out with their line-ups intact. Starting with...

CBS: why would this net mess with ellusive Tuesday success? "Judging Amy" is doing fine in its Tuesday slot, so why would one dare to move it? Because, the slot is now strong enough to open another new drama, and that's why. Besides, "Judging Amy" can be used in other places, maybe clipping some angel's wings? Hint, hint.

Over on ABC, things are alot more up in the air, so we'll take the best stab at it we can. The alphabet recently renewed 9pm sitcom "Dharma & Greg," but on certain conditions. One: if the show stays at 9pm (against "Frasier"), ABC will pay $2.4 to $2.6 million an episode, but the show will only be guaranteed one more season. If the show is moved to a lesser slot, ABC will pay $2.0 million an episode, but the show will remain on the air for 2 seasons. We're thinking that there has to be a reason for that weird renewal deal. So this is our shot in the dark: ABC will move "Dharma" to 8pm. Following at 8:30 could be a new comedy, replacing the increasingly exhausted "Millionaire." However, if the net doesn't want to dump the gammer, to keep it from sliding into ratings oblivion, it may want to chop a few editions into half hour chunks, just as they started as in the summer of 1999. Let's face it, even a slow gammer like "Millionaire" would zip along at a half hour, and airing it at 8:30pm would be putting it in its strongest half-hour. "What About Joan?" would probably move to 9pm. Throwing it up against "Frasier" may sound crazy,  but NBC's hit is fading and the "Millionaire" lead-in guarantees "Joan" a fair sized audience. A new comedy at 9:30 wouldn't be a stretch, since its probably the same strategy that NBC will go with. And at 10pm, the alphabet won't air "Once & Again" there again, it was a disaster last season. Instead, they'll likely go with an entirely new drama.

NBC meanwhile, is the network in need of the most change on Tuesday. "Frasier" was the only bright spot for the net on the night, and even that started to slide late in the season. Unfortunately, the net will probably move "Just Shoot Me" out of its comfortable Thursday slot into the dangerous confines of Tuesday at 8pm. Following it could be a new comedy, or "The Fighting Fitzgeralds," which pulled okay numbers. And a new 9:30pm comedy? "Three Sisters" didn't light the world on fire, and only got worse as the season progressed. "Three" will likely be paired down to "None."

Fox flew early last season, but slumped later on. Some are guessing that the net will move "Malcolm In The Middle" to 9pm, but that could be messing with success a bit too much. More likely is a new drama, as there are already a tonne of comedies airing at 9pm.

The UPN has the most to celebrate this upcoming season. Not only did it steal the top rated "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" from the WB, but it got a solid new hit in "Special Unit 2." Line-up locked-in... unless the WB drops "Angel" like a hot potato. If so, the UPN would do backflips t pick it up. Line-up locked in.... unless. No, I think we're done.

The WB, conversely, has the most to cry about this upcoming season. Not only did it lose "Buffy," but it has to try to fill its big shoes. Not an easy task. Not having a plethora of strong series, the net might try "Felicity" against "Buffy." That might sound crazy, but it's really not. Even though "Buffy" slammed "Felicity" in viewers this season (4.7 million to 4.0), they tied in adults with a stong 2.0 rating. But just in case that doesn't work, the net will likely leave "Angel" at 9pm. "Buffy" & "Angel" fans are usually one and the same, so having them continue to air back-to-back (even on different nets) is a winning strategy. But if the net decides not to pick "Angel" up, Monday's unwanted child "Roswell" may get a third chance after all.
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