Wednesday, May 18, 2005

The WB: Forwards and Backwards 2005

Today's topic covers The WB and all of its shows from this past season with a look ahead to next season.

Cancelled shows:

Drew Carey's Green Screen -- 1 Season/13 Episodes/8 Unaired -- Drew Carey's last gasp at TV stardom died a quick and painless death (maybe it was painless...I didn't see any episodes).

Grounded For Life -- 5 Seasons/91 Episodes/2 Unaired -- I really liked this show and in spite of some odd handling of bizarre casting situations (2 characters disappeared from the screen at various points but were mentioned as if they were still around on a regular basis) it always brought a smile to my face and gave me something to while away the time with on Friday nights.

High School Reunion -- 3 Seasons/21 Episodes -- Ha...the show didn't even make it past junior year before flunking out.

Jack & Bobby -- 1 Season/22 Episodes -- This was a really good show. Luckily, we did get some sort of closure to this story of two brothers who would eventually go on to successful political careers. It will be missed.

The Mountain -- 1 Season/13 Episodes -- Didn't see it. Must have been a very small mountain.

Summerland -- 2 Seasons/26 Episodes/4 Unaired -- Don't watch this either, so can't comment.

Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge -- 2 Seasons/43 Episodes -- Wow...a year with no Steve Harvey? What will The WB do?

Returning Shows:

7th Heaven -- 10th Season -- This is still on the air?

Gilmore Girls -- 6th Season -- I saw a bit of this its first year, it wasn't bad, but I haven't watched it since. Six years huh? Wow!

One Tree Hill -- 3rd Season -- Don't know. Don't care.

Smallville -- 5th Season -- Okay...coming off of an amazing 3rd Season, this show started strong and then spent most of the year spinning its wheels. Some plots were great (Lionel's supposed reformation, Chloe finding out Clark's secret, the intro of Lois Lane) while others were just abysmal (Lionel's evil side returning too quickly, the intro of Lois, Lana being possesed and the entire storyline involving Jason Teague and his mother). Add in a few "freak of the week" episodes too many and season 4 becomes the weakest of all. Luckily, some of this stuff corrected itself in the season's penultimate hour. But I have yet to see the season finale...so maybe that'll change things for the better even more.

Everwood -- 4th Season -- One of the things I liked about this show, the narration, was removed for this season. While I do miss it, it wasn't that important...it just added to the "homey" feel the show has. This season was just as wonderful as last and I'm glad its coming back. Treat Williams is one of the most underrated actors on TV today.

What I Like About You -- 4th Season -- I don't think I've ever even seen an episode.

Reba -- 5th Season -- It's cute, but it doesn't draw me on a weekly basis.

Living With Fran -- 2nd Season -- I have yet to see this. I watched all 6 years of "The Nanny" do I have to see this as well?

Charmed -- 8th Season -- This "Buffy"-ish show has now lasted longer than the show that inspired it. I haven't seen an episode in about 5 years, but I do remember enjoying it...so there must be a reason or three its still on.

Blue Collar TV -- 2nd Season -- If you watch this show, you just might be a redneck. Okay...it's BLUE collar TV and yet it's more popular in RED states...or is that correct...I can never remember which state is what color anymore. Eh...we're all living in the dark anyway does it matter?


New Shows:

Just Legal -- Jerry Bruckheimer brings us a new law show starring Don Johnson that mixes "L.A. Law" and "Doogie Howser" as we follow a 19 year old legal whiz and the law firm he's connected to.Do we really need another legal drama?

Supernatural -- Two brothers search for their missing father and encounter lots of evil supernatural forces along the way. Sounds like a weird clone of "Freakylinks" without "The Blair Witch" aspect. I'll give it a shot or three.

Related -- I think NBC did this show a number of years ago and called it "Sisters"...which would have been much more interesting had it been more like the Brian DePalma film of the same title...this sounds missable.

Twins -- Okay...this sitcom actually sounds interesting if only because it could be a train wreck of massive size. Sara Gilbert and Molly Stanton plays twins (hence the title) and their parents are Mark Linn-Baker (of "Perfect Strangers" fame) and...wait for it...Melanie Griffith???!!! Hmmm...I'll give it a shot just to see how bad this could be.

Mid Season:

Pepper Dennis -- Rebecca Romijn stars as a reporter. That's believable, no?

The Bedford Diaries -- Here's an odd show from the producers of "Oz" and "Homicide". Matthew Modine stars as a college professor teaching a class on Human Sexuality at a New York City college. We get to meet his students as we explore their lives outside of his class. How much sex can one network cram into an hour?

Misconceptions -- Jane Leeves stars as a single mother whose daughter finally decides to find out who her biological father was. It also stars French Stewart (who is just Leeves best friend and not the biological father). Hilarity ensues when the father turns out to be very opposite from the mother and the daughter really likes him. Meh.

Modern Men -- the renewal of "Jake In Progress" has already forced this show to recast the female lead (played by Wendy Malick)...so these three life-long friends will have to find a new life-coach to guide them through the different stages each one is at. At least they still have George Wendt.

So the full schedule reads as follows:

Mondays
8pm 7th Heaven
9pm Just Legal

Tuesdays
8pm Gilmore Girls
9pm Supernatural

Wednesdays
8pm One Tree Hill
9pm Related

Thursdays
8pm Smallville
9pm Everwood

Fridays
8pm Twins
8:30 What I Like About You
9pm Reba
9:30 Living With Fran

Sundays
5pm Easy View: What I Like About You
5:30 Easy View: What I Like About You
6pm Easy View: One Tree Hill
7pm Easy View: Reba
7:30 Easy View: Reba
8pm Charmed
9pm Blue Collar TV

Next up...yes...he's actually going to report on CBS even though he's still boycotting the network. Could the boycott be at an end? Will he really look at CBS' new fall lineup? Stay tuned and find out...

Be seeing you.

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