FALL PREVIEW 2017: Wednesday

Here is my Fall Preview for Wednesday, a night with just two new shows but still a decent number of storylines across the networks.

ABC
8:00 The Goldbergs (5th season)
8:30 Speechless (2nd season)
9:00 Modern Family (9th season)
9:30 American Housewife (2nd season)
10:00 Designated Survivor (2nd season)

Wednesday night for ABC has just one change but it is not an insignificant change. While The Goldbergs, Speechless, Modern Family, and Designated Survivor all stay in the same spots, the 9:30pm slot will now be American Housewife, which is moving on up from the Tuesday night lineup. It seems as though ABC is trying to groom new shows to become anchors the way they did with Black-ish for three years before sending it to Tuesdays. I'm not convinced Speechless is strong enough to become an anchor and while American Housewife could be, I already talked about the potential perils of this new slot in my returning sophomores post on Sunday. This will be a very interesting show to watch ratings for this fall.

CBS
8:00 Survivor (35th edition)
9:00 SEAL TEAM
10:00 Criminal Minds (13th season)

After 12 years airing on Wednesdays at 9pm, CBS is finally moving Criminal Minds, but just back an hour to 10pm. First on CBS though is Survivor, which is now a Wednesday night staple. At 9pm is the new military drama SEAL Team starring David Boreanez. This is a decent slot especially with Empire gone from the hour and this show seems to fit right in the CBS wheelhouse so I'm more optimistic about this military drama than the ones on NBC and the CW. Then Criminal Minds takes over 10pm. Once one of the top rated dramas, it can still pop from time to time but it wasn't all that impressive at 9pm anymore. If it doesn't drop much in its move to 10pm, it has the potential to be one of TV's top 10pm dramas.

NBC
8:00 The Blacklist (5th season)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (19th season)
10:00 Chicago PD (5th season)

NBC is keeping the status quo from 9-11pm but the new 8pm show is The Blacklist, coming off of three years on Thursdays. This is no longer a high priority show for NBC but they didn't bench it to Fridays or midseason so they still must value it some. It is followed by Law & Order: SVU entering its incredible 19th season. With Empire out of the hour and the similar Criminal Minds also gone, there might be a chance for this show to be the go-to drama in the hour. At 10pm is Chicago PD, which lost series regular Sophia Bush but is one of TV's most consistent dramas.

FOX
8:00 Empire (4th season)
9:00 Star (2nd season)

FOX has the lineup on Wednesdays this season that everyone thought they would last year: Empire leading into Star. Now in season four, Empire will move to 8pm and it will be interesting to see what happens with the ratings since this was a show that was already showing steep declines from its incredible numbers at the end of season one and beginning of season two. It will lead into Star, which had an OK run as the Empire fill-in last winter. These shows are certainly compatible so they have that going for them but I just don't understand why FOX didn't make this move last fall.

CW
8:00 Riverdale (2nd season)
9:00 DYNASTY

The CW is revamping their Wednesday night and banishing superheroes to other nights of the week. Instead, they will go with a soapy feel in a night that feels like it belongs on the CW in 2009 or 2010. At 8pm is the second season of Riverdale, which hasn't done well but has a small cult following. It leads into the glitzy reboot of hit 1980s primetime soap opera Dynasty. This show seems to have a mixed reception so far but I just don't see it breaking through on the CW. It's still their highest profile newbie so they will do everything they can to help it succeed.

New Wednesday Show Chances
SEAL Team (CBS) - Good. I'm feeling pretty good about this being the military drama that works. Partly because it's on the network where a military drama should work, CBS, and partly because it has the best timeslot of any new CBS drama.

Dynasty (CW) - Fair. I'm mixed on this one. I think with it being a high priority, it could get a pity renewal especially because I think Valor will bomb. But I'm not optimistic on this show actually doing well for the CW.