FALL PREVIEW 2011: Sunday

Now the final day of the Fall Preview - Sunday, which has two new shows on ABC and a new cartoon on FOX plus a transplanted drama on CBS. For a night that barely saw any changes last year, there are several things to watch for on Sundays this year.

ABC 
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (23rd season)
8:00 ONCE UPON A TIME
9:00 Desperate Housewives (8th season)
10:00 PAN AM

ABC is the network making the biggest moves on Sunday. I criticized them for leaving their lineup in tact last year when it was clearly on the decline so I am very glad that they are trying new things including two of their buzzy new shows. After the long-running America's Funniest Home Videos, ABC will launch fantasy drama Once Upon a Time in late October (former time slot occupant Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airs until then). It seems a smart move to let it launch after the first couple weeks of the season because they can put more marketing behind it. They want it to work but it's certainly a gamble as Makeover was a steady performer in the slot. If it fails, they do have Super Millionaire on the shelf. At 9pm is the final season of Desperate Housewives. It may be able to see a little bit of a bump as it nears a series finale. This was the right time to end this season as it falls year after year in the ratings. They finally cancelled the dead weight 10pm show Brothers & Sisters and are trying to find a new soapy pleasure to replace Housewives with 1960s period drama Pan Am at 10pm. Of the two 1960s shows, this is getting better reviews than NBC's The Playboy Club and it might be good counter programming to football and CSI: Miami. ABC is making some much needed bold moves on Sunday. I hope it pays off.


CBS
7:00 60 Minutes (44th season)
8:00 The Amazing Race (19th Edition)
9:00 The Good Wife (3rd season)
10:00 CSI: Miami (10th season)
CBS is the home to veteran shows on Sunday night including the longest running show in primetime - 60 Minutes, which has been airing since the 60s. As usual, it will probably soar to high levels on nights it follows football while skew very old on nights it has to be a self starter. The Amazing Race follows and will also probably be affected by football. Two dramas follow - the biggest news being the relocation of The Good Wife after two years on Tuesdays. The most critically acclaimed network drama will have an interesting competition with Desperate Housewives. If it can get the same numbers it got on Tuesdays though, CBS will likely be very happy with its performance. CSI: Miami survived a move to Sunday night last year and gets a second season in the same slot. Which will be the first CSI series to end its run? With all three relocated in the last year to less pressuring timeslots, they all could last quite awhile.


NBC
7:00 Football Night in America (6th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football
The only thing that really continues to gain year-to-year on any network is football and if the beginning of this season is any indication, that will continue in 2011. With high profile matchups all season long, NBC's Sunday Night Football will help them win every single Sunday in the fall. NBC will also get the Super Bowl this season which will help them greatly as football helps their dreadful numbers the rest of the week look better in the overall totals. For now, the plan is to bring back Celebrity Apprentice at midseason and pair it with new drama The Firm. We'll see if that's still the plan come 2012.


FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Animated Encores
7:30 The Cleveland Show (3rd season)
8:00 The Simpsons (23rd season)
8:30 ALLEN GREGORY 
9:00 Family Guy (11th season)
9:30 American Dad! (7th season)

FOX is once again home to animation on Sunday nights including the longest running scripted series - The Simpsons. Just like CBS, this lineup will benefit greatly from the days that FOX has a doubleheader of football while they will be much lower on other nights. The Cleveland Show will start things at 7:30pm and could get yanked on football nights occasionally. On nights there won't be football, it will likely be low as this show hasn't lived up to a hot start. The Simpsons chugs along for another season that will include its landmark 500th episode. New cartoon Allen Gregory arrives at the end of October and with more football powered lead-ins, it might be able to get off to a more consistent start than last year's new addition Bob's Burgers. Family Guy remains a demo powerhouse at 9pm while American Dad! is a show that just doesn't die and will once again come back to 9:30pm where it should do well but lose a lot of the demo from Family Guy. The plan for now at midseason is to bring back Bob's Burgers as well as another new entry, Napoleon Dynamite.

New Sunday Show Survival Chances
Once Upon a Time (ABC) - Fair. It's a gamble for sure but it has a chance to find an audience as it will likely have a big debut. Still, it's a tough sell.
Pan Am (ABC) - Good. I think this show is coming on at the right time for ABC and has a chance to get an audience that isn't claimed in its hour.
Allen Gregory (FOX) - Good. FOX seems to be wanting to expand its animated shows and that would stand to benefit new shows. Plus, it will have some success on nights that football is a nearly direct lead-in.

This concludes the night by night preview! Check back later today for my official picks on what will and won't see a second season.