letterten 2006-07 fall preview

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	7:00	7:30	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
Sun	America's Funniest...Videos Oct 1 ~Season 17 [debut: Jan 14, 1990]		Extreme Makeover: Home Ed. Sep 24 (7p, 2-hr premiere) Season 4 [Dec 3, 2003]		Desperate Housewives Sep 24 Season 3 [Oct 3, 2004]		Brothers & Sisters Sep 24 Season 1

	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
Mon	Wife Swap Sep 18 Iteration 3 [Sep 26, 2004]		The Bachelor Oct 2 Iteration 9 [Mar 25, 2002]		What About Brian Oct 9 Season 2 [Apr 16, 2006]
Tue	Dancing With the Stars Sep 12 Iteration 3 [Jun 1, 2005]		Knights... Oct 17 Season 1	Help Me... Sep 26 Season 1	Boston Legal Sep 19 Season 3 [Oct 3, 2004]
Wed	Dancing With the Stars Results Sep 13 Iteration 3 [Sep 22, 2005]		Lost Oct 4 (Sep 27, Recap Ep) Season 3 [Sep 22, 2004]		The Nine Oct 4 Season 1
Thu	Ugly Betty Sep 28 Season 1		Grey's Anatomy Sep 21 Season 3 [Mar 27, 2005]		Six Degrees Sep 21 Season 1
Fri	America's Funniest Home Videos Encore Presentation First Run on Sunday		Men In Trees Sep 15 (preview Sep 12, 10p) Season 1		20/20 Sep 8 Season 27 [Jun 6, 1978]
Sat	ABC Saturday Night College Football Sep 2


	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
Mon	Wife Swap Sep 18 Iteration 3 [Sep 26, 2004]		Supernanny January Season 3 [Jan 17, 2005]		What About Brian Oct 9 Season 2 [Apr 16, 2006]
Wed	George Lopez November Season 6 [Mar 27, 2002]	According...Jim November Season 6 [Oct 3, 2001]	Daybreak Nov 15 Season 1		The Nine Oct 4 Season 1

"Still The One" ABC tagline, 1978.

It's been quite awhile since the very misguided decision to place Who Wants to be a Millionaire four nights a week. It imploded and mired in fourth place without any prospects to get out. It took quite a few years, but they've made it.

Looking Back
From their Fall '02 sked, only 20/20 is on this year's sked (midseason adds George Lopez and According to Jim were on that schedule). All six new shows from that year are gone. None of the seven new shows from Fall '03 exist anymore, and only Hope & Faith made it past the first season. Three shows from the Fall '04 schedule are the ones that turned it all around: Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal and Lost. They didn't fare well with last season's new slate. The Fall '05 sked didn't do anything for ABC: nothing survived. The midseason slate gave Emily's Reasons Why Not an ignominious place in television history with the likes of South of Sunset for being cancelled after exactly one episode, but it also gave ABC the only series announced in the fall to still be on the air. What About Brian didn't even debut until April. (Grey's Anatomy was a March 2005 replacement and not on the fall sked.)

2006-07
This season looks to be better than last for ABC. They've taken the biggest chance of any network by moving superhit Grey's Anatomy to Thursday across from CSI, the #1 scripted show. (It was such a big deal that NBC changed their plans after learning of ABC's.) Dancing with the Stars looks to nearly give them Tuesday and the combo of Stars and Lost will be formidable. Nothing really screams breakout hit.