ABC Saves Once and Again While 20/20
Is Asked to Sit Out Two Months

The network keeps the critically acclaimed drama, cuts Millionaire to two nights a week and schedules a new comedy with Seinfeld alum Jason Alexander. But will Barbara Walters want a 'rest' when NYPD Blue comes back in November? NBC Adds Six Shows, Increases Weakest Link's Frequency

by Stephen Battaglio --
ABC will juggle two of its most dependable prime time franchises -- 20/20 and NYPD Blue -- in order to give another shot to its critically acclaimed drama Once and Again.

According to executives familiar with the network's new fall schedule, Once and Again will move from Wednesday to Friday at 10 p.m., a time period held since 1987 by 20/20, the newsmagazine anchored by ABC News superstar Barbara Walters.

Walters's 20/20 will move to Wednesday at 10, but only until November, when the network will put the durable Steven Bochco drama NYPD Blue in the time period. At that time 20/20 will be ''rested,'' as one network executive put it, until January, when it would return to Friday at 10. By then, NFL Monday Night Football will end its season, allowing ABC to move its dramas around the schedule.

Having eight weeks of NYPD Blue to sell will mean more revenue in the fourth quarter than ABC would get with a newsmagazine, which tends to attract lower ad rates.

While the schedule is in place, ABC still has to convince Bochco to deliver NYPD Blue in time for a November premiere. Over the past two seasons, Blue has premiered in January, which allows it to avoid reruns during the official TV season. It also gives Bochco more time to prepare and shoot the program, which will begin its ninth season in the fall. Blue has aired Tuesdays at 10 during its entire run, but that time period will go to a new Bochco show in the fall, a legal drama starring Kim Delaney called Philly.

The machinations are all aimed at giving Once and Again a shot at finding a broader audience in what will be its third season. The drama from thirtysomething producers Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick is a critical favorite, recently featured on a TV Guide cover as ''The Best Show You're Not Watching.''

The show is also liked by advertisers, who paid more than $200,000 for a 30-second spot on the Emmy-award winning program last season, and is the pride of ABC executives. But the adult 18-49 rating for the program -- the number by which most shows are judged -- eroded as the season progressed and put its future in doubt. The last few episodes rallied in the ratings, which probably made the decision to give the series another shot somewhat easier.

Of course, ABC will have to deal with the highly competitive Walters's reaction to being off prime time for two months. One news executive said Walters is an ''icon'' who the audience would quickly return to after such a hiatus.

But ABC also has to be thinking about the upcoming ''upfront'' market, during which advertisers buy the bulk of their ad time for the next television season. Having eight weeks of NYPD Blue to sell will mean more revenue in the fourth quarter than ABC would get with a newsmagazine, which tends to attract lower ad rates. All of the networks are skittish about how the current advertising slump will affect the market, which passed $8 billion last year. The market for the fall begins after the new schedules are presented this week.

As for the rest of the ABC schedule, it will carry two fewer editions of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. While still a dependable ratings draw, the show has lost many of the younger viewers who flocked to it when it first became a pop culture phenomenon.

ABC will also add three new dramas and two new comedies, including one starring Seinfeld alum Jason Alexander.

Monday will start off with Millionaire at 8 p.m., where it will be head-to-head with NBC's game show The Weakest Link. NFL Monday Night Football returns at 9 p.m.

Tuesday leads off with Dhama & Greg at 8 followed by What About Joan, the mid-season entry starring Joan Cusack. Bob Patterson, which stars Alexander as a motivational speaker, will air at 9, followed by Spin City and Bochco's Philly.

Wednesday begins with My Wife & Kids at 8 p.m., which leads into a new sitcom starring Jim Belushi. The Drew Carey Show is back at 9 p.m., followed by The Job, the mid-season comedy with Denis Leary. If all goes as planned, 20/20 starts the season at 10 with NYPD Blue replacing it in November.

Thursday opens with Whose Line Is It Anyway? at 8 p.m. The network will air a sketch comedy with Whose Line star Wayne Brady over the summer at 8:30. If it does well, it could stay on into the fall. Otherwise a second Whose Line will go into the time period. Millionaire returns at 9 p.m., followed by the newsmagazine Primetime Thursday at 10.

Friday has the reality-game show The Mole airing at 8 p.m. A new drama with John Stamos called Thieves is set for 9 p.m., followed by Once and Again.

Saturday is ABC's movie night. Sunday begins with The Wonderful World of Disney at 7 p.m. At 9, the network will try Alias a new drama from Felicity creator J.J. Abrams about a college co-ed who has a career as a spy. The Practice returns at 10.

ABC will present its schedule to advertisers Tuesday.__Inside.com (May 14, 2001)