LPWire: ABC Television Network Announces Primetime Premiere Dates for the 2002 - 03 Season

ABC Television Network Announces Primetime Premiere Dates for the 2002 - 03 Season

The ABC Television Network has announced its 2002-03 primetime premiere schedule.

This season, ABC Entertainment's programming philosophy mirrors one that the network has embraced in years past ­ inclusive comedies (ones targeted at young adults but that the entire family can watch) from 8:00­9:00 p.m.; more adult comedies and escapist dramas from 9:00­10:00; and more provocative dramatic fare and hard-hitting newsmagazines from 10:00­11:00. This 'programming footprint' plays to the historic strength of ABC, and is one that viewers have come to expect from the network.

One of the key components of this new programming strategy is the creation of a horizontal block of programming in the 8:00 p.m. hour Monday through Friday. Deemed ABC's Happy Hour, this block is comprised of broad, inclusive programming targeted to entertain. With The Drew Carey Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway? on Mondays, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter and According to Jim on Tuesdays, My Wife and Kids and George Lopez on Wednesdays, Dinotopia on Thursdays and America¹s Funniest Home Videos on Fridays, ABC's Happy Hour is a cohesive, horizontal block of programming with broad appeal.

"With this new schedule, we've tried to return to the programming footprint that made ABC a powerhouse in the past -- inclusive, family programming in the 8-9 hour, comedies that actually make you laugh, and a true mix of dramas, from escapist to ground-breaking, later in the evening," stated Susan Lyne, President, ABC Entertainment. She continued, "We believe it¹s a strategy for success, and we¹re committing to it for the long haul."

The ABC fall primetime premiere dates and additional schedule highlights are as follows (all times shown are Eastern):

Monday, September 9 (as previously announced)

8:00-8:30 p.m. "The Drew Carey Show" (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Whose Line is it Anyway?" (Season Premiere)
9:00-11:00 p.m. "Monday Night Football" (Season Premiere)

Tuesday, September 17

8:00-8:30 p.m. "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Life with Bonnie" (Series Preview; Special Timeslot)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Series Preview; Special Timeslot)

Thursday, September 19

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Pilot Episode Rebroadcast)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Regular Time Period Premiere; Second Episode)

Tuesday, September 24

8:00-8:30 p.m. "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Life with Bonnie" (Special Timeslot) 9:00-10:00 p.m. "NYPD Blue" Retrospective (Title TBD)
10:00-11:00 p.m. "NYPD Blue" (Season Premiere; 200th Episode)

Wednesday, September 25

8:00-9:00 p.m. "My Wife and Kids" (One-Hour Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "The Bachelor" (Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. "MDs" (Series Premiere)

Thursday, September 26

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Second Episode Rebroadcast)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Third Episode Original Broadcast)

Friday, September 27

8:00-9:00 p.m. "America¹s Funniest Home Videos" (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "That Was Then" (Series Premiere)

Saturday, September 28

8:00-11:00 p.m. "ABC Saturday Night at the Movies" ­ (Season Premiere)

Sunday, September 29

7:00-9:00 p.m. ABC Original: Prince William
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Alias" (Season Premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. "The Practice" (Season Premiere)

Tuesday, October 1

8:00-8:30 p.m. "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "According to Jim" (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 p.m. "Life with Bonnie" (Regular Time Period Premiere)
9:30-10:00 p.m. "Less Than Perfect" (Series Premiere)

Wednesday, October 2

8:00-8:30 p.m. "My Wife and Kids" (Regular Time Period Premiere)
8:30-9:00 p.m. "George Lopez" (Season Premiere)

Thursday, October 3

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Third Episode Rebroadcast)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Fourth Episode Original Broadcast)

Sunday, October 6

7:00-9:00 p.m. "Wonderful World of Disney" (Season Premiere)

Thursday, October 10

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Dinotopia" (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Push, Nevada" (Fifth Episode)

--Posted August 20, 2002
Source: ABC Television