FALL PREVIEW 2017: Sunday

Here's my Fall Preview for Sunday

ABC
7:00 The Toy Box (2nd season)
8:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (28th season)
9:00 Shark Tank (9th season)
10:00 TEN DAYS IN THE VALLEY

ABC has upended its Sunday lineup but it seems to be a placeholder lineup before the expected arrival of American Idol on this night in the spring (if they can nail down some judges!) So it is unscripted from 7-10pm with the low rated The Toy Box getting the 7pm slot, America's Funniest Home Videos leaving its long-time 7pm home and heading to 8pm, and Shark Tank moving after many years on Fridays. This lineup won't do well, but it will be less of an embarrassment than the way things have been going with lineups of dramas. At 10pm is the lone scripted entry, a limited series Ten Days in the Valley starring Kyra Sedgwick. Despite decent reviews, this is in a no-win slot and I expect the ratings to be quite low.

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes (50th season)
8:00 WISDOM OF THE CROWD
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (9th season)
10:00 Madam Secretary (4th season)

CBS knows they can get some numbers on NFL Sundays in the fall so they are using the 8pm slot to launch a new drama. First up is 60 Minutes in its incredible 50th season. The longest running primetime show of all time is one of TV's top performers still on NFL Sundays. At 8pm is the new Wisdom of the Crowd, which seems right in the CBS wheelhouse but may not be all that appealing to NFL fans. Then again Madam Secretary isn't either and that did pretty well on NFL Sundays when it aired at 8pm. At 9pm is NCIS: Los Angeles, which held down the 8pm slot well last year. At 10pm is Madam Secretary, also moving back an hour and now in the dreaded slot that sometimes gets really late start times. As usual, this whole lineup will be scheduled half an hour later on nights when CBS has the NFL double header.

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America (12th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football

NBC will continue to dominate Sunday evenings in the fall with football, even if the NFL ratings drop again this season. As of now, the midseason plan is Dateline NBC, Little Big Shots, Ellen's Game of Games, and Shades of Blue so it looks like NBC will also be mostly unscripted like ABC.



FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Animated Encores
7:30 Bob's Burgers (8th season)
8:00 The Simpsons (29th season)
8:30 GHOSTED
9:00 Family Guy (16th season)
9:30 The Last Man on Earth (4th season)

FOX is keeping things mostly status quo on Sunday nights except they have a different 8:30pm comedy. Bob's Burgers, the 29th season of The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The Last Man on Earth are all staying put in their slots from at least part of last season. The new 8:30pm entry is Ghosted starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson. This seems a lot like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which did OK in the same slot before Son of Zorn and Making History shared it last season. But there could be major problems on non-NFL Sundays as there always is. And this year, they're premiering the lineup on a night without an NFL double-header.

New Friday Show Survival Chances
Ten Days in the Valley (ABC) - Poor. I know this is conceived as a limited series and I'm pretty sure the ratings won't do anything to change that notion.

Wisdom of the Crowd (CBS) - Fair. I like the timeslot but I don't think it's a great fit. It still could survive solely based on where its placed.

Ghosted (FOX) - Fair. I think I like this one's chances a little more than Son of Zorn or Making History, but I'm so skeptical of non-NFL Sundays on FOX.