FALL PREVIEW 2012: Tuesday

Fall Preview week continues with Tuesday, a night where all four networks make adjustments and three comedy blocks square off against each other in the 9pm hour. If interested, check out my Tuesday preview from last year and 2010! Also, scroll two posts down to see reviews of Revolution and The Mob Doctor!

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars Results (15th edition)
9:00 Happy Endings (3rd season)
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2nd season)
10:00 Private Practice (6th season)

ABC is staying away from new shows on Tuesday night while shifting its family friendly 8pm comedy hour to a more adult 9pm comedy hour. The results edition of Dancing with the Stars has bounced back and forth between 8pm and 9pm but it will head to 8pm where it has to go head to head with The Voice. If it was a regular season, I think we could see some serious drops but it might do better than that if the All Stars edition gets some buzz and viewers back to the show. At 9pm is a pair of adult comedies that never really fit on ABC Wednesday. While third year show Happy Endings and sophomore Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 are good fits with each other, I'm not sure I trust them to survive outside of a comfortable Modern Family lead-in. I especially feel like B---- doesn't have enough of a built in audience to survive while ABC seems more invested in Happy Endings. As of now, the plan is to add new comedies in the 8pm hour during the break from Dancing but we'll see what happens when it gets closer. At 10pm is the sixth and possibly final season of Private Practice. The medical drama moved to Tuesdays last year and saw ok ratings but if ABC gets some new dramas to work, this could be an odd show out at the end of the year. For the first time ever, it will have a weak lead-in and I'm not sure it can survive that. It only has a 13 episode order so if it got extended to a full season, that would be a good sign. I'm thinking this will be it for the show.

CBS
8:00 NCIS (10th season)
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (4th season)
10:00 VEGAS

For the second year in a row, CBS will keep the NCIS twins together and launch a new drama at 10pm. NCIS remains a powerhouse in the 8pm hour even as it enters its tenth season. As with last year, there are some (including me) who thought NCIS: Los Angeles should fly on its own on another night or at 10pm. But CBS will keep it where it is where it will be facing off against comedies on the other big three networks. That might help it as it will be the only drama option. At 10pm, new period drama Vegas will try to do what Unforgettable could not and shore up a difficult time period for CBS. The high profile drama has an all-star cast including Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis which is an upside. A downside is that it doesn't fit the CBS mold for shows (and probably won't repeat well) plus period dramas have been a tough sell on network TV. This show isn't The Playboy Club or Pan Am though and the older CBS audience might be just the right  place.

NBC
8:00 The Voice (3rd edition)
9:00 GO ON
9:30 THE NEW NORMAL
10:00 Parenthood (4th season)

NBC has already gotten its Tuesday schedule underway and early results were promising as The Biggest Loser is not on the night for the first time in quite awhile. At 8pm is a second night of The Voice. Just like Monday, The Voice will most likely be down from last year but it is a fix NBC needs now and they can't afford to hold the show until midseason again. At 9pm is a pair of new comedies - Matthew Perry's Go On and Ryan Murphy's The New Normal. The early results were promising but it is going against comedies on ABC and FOX. Still, NBC has lower standards, the lead-in is good, and NBC would love to make these two shows work so they will certainly be given a good chance to succeed. At 10pm is Parenthood for a fourth season. While critically beloved, the show just can't seem to find a bigger audience. The story will probably be the same here as past years - if NBC can get some new dramas to work, this show is in trouble. If they can't, it might return yet again. So far it has benefited from NBC being completely inept in the drama department.

FOX
8:00 Raising Hope (3rd season)
8:30 BEN & KATE
9:00 New Girl (2nd season)
9:30 THE MINDY PROJECT

After a trial run last spring, FOX is going ahead with two hours of live action sitcoms, a genre that has been historically difficult for them but got new life last year with New Girl, which will be the anchor of the night. The problem is that New Girl really had trouble in the spring when FOX tried out the two hour comedy block so it's completely unknown if it can really carry the night. Earlier in the night is the third season of Raising Hope. While a cult hit, Hope doesn't have a big audience and may not be a suitable lead-off. FOX has added two promising sitcoms to the night to help its case. At 8:30pm is Ben & Kate which seems like it could have broad appeal but may need to be a self starter. At 9:30pm is the high profile The Mindy Project starring Mindy Kaling. The show seems like a perfect fit with New Girl and is FOX's top priority this fall. They will try hard to make this comedy block work and with better shows at the half hour mark than last year's I Hate My Teenage Daughter and Breaking In, they might succeed.

New Tuesday Show Survival Chances
Vegas (CBS) - Fair. This is a tough sell on the steady, tried and true CBS. I applaud them for changing things up but this timeslot has been rough for CBS shows. Still, the competition is not strong in the hour so there's an audience out there. I see this show's chances as 50/50.
Go On (NBC) - Good. NBC really wants Matthew Perry back for awhile and the early results have been promising. With the state of NBC shows, it can drop a fair amount still and be an easy renewal. I think NBC will be patient and generous to this show.
The New Normal (NBC) - Good. If Go On can work, I think they will try to let The New Normal work too. NBC has a ton of old, modest performing comedies on Thursday and less promising comedies on Wednesday. This is the night they have to make work and I think they do.
Ben & Kate (FOX) - Fair. Early reviews have been solid in a year where a lot of comedies seem disappointing to critics. But it must find an audience airing after a niche show that doesn't quite seem like it would have the same type of audience.
The Mindy Project (FOX) - Good. If anything is going to work on FOX with their sitcoms, it should be this show airing right after their buzzy hit New Girl. Many people love Mindy Kaling from The Office and her book and I think they will tune in to see her show.