LPWire: ABC's Fall Primetime Schedule
ABC Announces New Shows
Descriptions of the 12 new entertainment series joining ABC’s primetime schedule
next season, listed in alphabetical order, follow (all times are Eastern):
“Commander-in-Chief�? (one-hour drama, Tuesday, 9:00p) -- Mackenzie Allen
has a lot on her plate… She has twin teenagers and a six-year-old at home, an
ambitious husband at the office, and she is about to become the first female
President of the United States.
Before that happens, however, Mackenzie, who serves as Vice President, has to
decide whether or not to go against the dying wishes of the current President,
who has asked her to step down and let someone "more appropriate" fill his shoes
in the Oval Office. Not only does the President want her to resign, so does the
entire party that elected her in the first place.
But when the moment of truth arrives, Mackenzie isn't willing to be a mere
footnote in history. Instead of allowing her detractors to keep her down, she
decides to trust her instincts and accept the most powerful job in the world.
�?Commander-in-Chief�? stars Academy Award®-winner Geena Davis and comes from Rod
Lurie, acclaimed writer/director of the Oscar-nominated film “The Contender,�?
and creator of the critically acclaimed ABC series, “Line of Fire.�?
Cast:
Geena Davis (“Thelma and Louise�?): Mackenzie Allen
Donald Sutherland (“M*A*S*H�?): Nathan Templeton
Harry J. Lennix (“Ray�?): Jim Gardner
Ever Carradine (“Once and Again�?): Kelly Ludlow
Kyle Secor (“Homicide: Life on the Street�?): Rod Allen
Julie Ann Emery (“Line of Fire�?): Joan Greer
Andrew James Allen: Horace Allen
Caitlin Wachs: Rebecca Allen
Jasmine Anthony: Amy Allen
“Freddie�? (half-hour comedy, Wednesday, 8:30p) -- Four women to every
man are great odds when you're a single guy out on the town, but not ideal when
it comes to your living situation. Freddie is a young, successful chef with his
own restaurant, a stylish bachelor pad and a trust fund baby for a best friend.
The world should be Freddie’s oyster at this stage in life, but bachelorhood
isn’t working out exactly as he envisioned.
Freddie loved growing up in a house full of women. He loved the energy of
everyone running around, loved cooking for them all, but now he's finally
realizing why his father used to lock himself in the bathroom just for some
peace and quiet. Still, Freddie believes family always comes first, which is why
he insisted his sister, sister-in-law, niece and grandmother come live with him
after his brother passed away. Slowly but surely they are taking over his
domain, and voicing their many opinions about his love life. Freddie will have
to learn to balance his role as provider, brother, grandson and uncle, all while
trying to enjoy what should be his swinging single days.
The creative forces behind “The Drew Carey Show�? and “George Lopez�? serve up a
comedic dish based on the raucous femme-filled real life of star Freddie Prinze,
Jr. (“She's All That,�? “Scooby Doo�?).
Cast:
Freddie Prinze, Jr. (“Scooby Doo�?): Freddie
Jacqueline Obradors (“NYPD Blue�?): Sofia
Brian Green (“Beverly Hills, 90210�?): Chris
Jenny Gago: Grandma
Chloe Suazo: Zoey
“Hot Properties�? (half-hour comedy, Friday, 9:30p) -- In a Manhattan
real estate office, four very different women cater to high-end clients while
coping with their own personal predicaments. Married to a handsome 25-year-old, fortysomething Ava Summerlin
wants to start a family, while self-improvement junkie Chloe would settle for
any guy who can remember her the next day. Recently divorced after being married
ten years to a gay man, voluptuous Lola dreads jumping back into the dating
pool, and the latest addition to this eclectic work group is rich girl Emerson
Ives, who instantly bonds with the women upon learning that her supposedly
virginal fiancé was anything but. And the ladies' office neighbors from down the
hall, therapist Dr. Sellers Boyd and plastic surgeon Dr. Charlie Thorpe, help
keep things lively around the water cooler.
In the tradition of “Designing Women,�? “Golden Girls�? and “Sex and the City�?
comes an uninhibited comedy with real career women trying to have real
relationships. One of the Emmy Award-winning producers of the mega-hit “Frasier�?
reveals just how exciting the world of New York real estate can be.
Cast:
Audra Blaser: Emerson
Stephen Dunham (“Monster-in-Law�?): Charlie
Evan Handler (“Sex and the City�?): Sellers
Gail O'Grady (“NYPD Blue�?): Ava
Nicole Sullivan (“King of Queens�?): Chloe
Sofia Vergara (“Chasing Papi�?): Lola
“Invasion�? (one-hour drama, Wednesday, 10:00p) -- For centuries man has
searched the skies for signs of intelligent life… but to no avail.
What if the explanation lay in the fact that aliens were already here... already
among us? And what if all of the natural disasters we’ve been experiencing of
late were smokescreens designed to mask something far more ominous?
When yet another devastating hurricane threatens Florida, temporarily cutting
off a small town at the edge of the Everglades, U.S. Park Ranger Russell Poole
takes heroic measures to keep both the town’s
citizens and his family safe. In the middle of the violent storm, his young
daughter is the only one to see small lights floating towards the water,
seemingly unaffected by the vicious winds. At the time he thinks nothing of her
claim, but begins to suspect that something may indeed be amiss when his missing
ex-wife is found naked, with no memory of what happened during the storm.
As the tiny town struggles to recover while his nemesis, the Sheriff,
quarantines the entire area, Poole begins to investigate the strange goings on,
unwittingly beginning a fight for the survival of the human race.
Veteran writer/producer Shaun Cassidy and celebrated director Thomas Schlamme
(“The West Wing�?) bring you the suspenseful tale of a blended family that finds
itself at the center of a conspiracy to mask an alien takeover that is happening
one neighbor at a time.
Cast:
William Fichtner (“Black Hawk Down�?): Sheriff Underlay
Eddie Cibrian (“Third Watch�?): Russell
Kari Matchett: Mariel
Lisa Sheridan: Larkin
Tyler Labine (“That Was Then�?): Dave
Alexis Dziena: Kira
Evan Peters (“The Days�?): Jesse
Ariel Gade: Rose
“The Night Stalker�? (one-hour drama, Thursday, 9:00p) -- There are
things in the dark, things adults deny but children are right to fear…
When a pregnant woman is snatched from her home, the shocked citizens of L.A.
believe it’s an act of domestic violence. But crime reporter Carl Kolchak
suspects that the truth is far more complicated. That’s because 18 months ago
Kolchak’s wife was killed in a bizarre fashion and he has been the FBI’s no. 1
suspect ever since.
Kolchak's determination to find the truth behind his wife's mysterious murder
has led him to investigate other crimes that seem to have some kind of
supernatural component. But he's trying to piece together a puzzle that keeps
changing shape. Who or what is committing these crimes? How are they all
related? And why do some victims end up with a strange red mark on their hands
in the shape of a snake? With sidekick Perri Reed, a sexy if skeptical fellow
reporter in tow, Kolchak will go to any lengths to answer these questions. But
when he does discover the truth – will anyone believe him?
Cast:
Stuart Townsend (“League of Extraordinary Gentlemen�?): Carl Kolchak
Gabrielle Union (“Something the Lord Made�?): Perri Reed
Eric Jungmann (“Not Another Teen Movie�?): Jain McManus
Cotter Smith (“X2�?): Tony Vincenzo
MIDSEASON
“Crumbs�? (half-hour comedy) -- Family is enough to drive anyone a little crazy.
Children keep secrets from their parents so they won't upset them, dads leave
for other women and moms try to run over dads with the car. Actually, that was
the point that the Crumb family realized Mom was crazy.
Estranged brothers Mitch and Jody Crumb reunite in their small hometown to deal
with their mother, Suzanne, who is being released from a psychiatric country
club and has yet to discover that her ex-husband, Billy, is about to have a baby
with his new girlfriend. They have issues… major issues. Central to everything
is the dynamic between these two brothers: Mitch is the prodigal son who is
returning home after a failed Hollywood career, and Jody is the older brother
who has stayed in the confines of their small New England town to run the family
business. Together for the first time as adults, this family will have to stick
by one another despite their combustible relationships.
The creator of “Caroline in the City�? mines his own WASP family for comedy
that's smart, funny and surprising. The series stars Fred Savage (“The Wonder
Years�?) and Jane Curtin (two-time Emmy Award winner for “Kate & Allie,�? “SNL,�?
“3rd Rock from the Sun�?) and is from the producers of “Smallville�? and “One Tree
Hill.�?
Cast:
Fred Savage (“The Wonder Years�?): Mitch
Eddie McClintock (“The Sweetest Thing�?): Jody
Maggie Lawson (“Pleasantville�?): Andrea
William Devane (“Knot’s Landing�?): Billy
Jane Curtin (“SNL,�? “3rd Rock From the Sun�?): Suzanne
“Emily’s Reasons Why Not�? (half-hour comedy, Monday, 9:00p – after
“Monday Night Football�?) – Emily Sanders is a successful young woman with
terrific taste, great friends and a fabulous job in publishing. She didn’t get
to this place in life by accident. She worked hard and always followed a set of
self-imposed guidelines referred to as the “Reasons�?… reasons why not to take
that new job offer, reasons why not to tell a vacation fling to look you up if
he’s ever in Los Angeles, reasons why not to trust your crafty, back-stabbing
former assistant, Glitter Cho. However, when Emily crosses professional lines
and gets involved with the roguishly handsome, two-timing author of their new
bestseller, there’s no denying that somewhere along the way her internal GPS
system crashed. She’s got to get back on track, and once again be heedful of the
trustworthy reasons that help her navigate her way through life.
Based on the bestselling novel of the same title, Heather Graham stars in this
comedy about one independent woman’s adventures in life, friendship, love and
their infinite possibilities…
Cast:
Heather Graham (“Scrubs,�? “Boogie Nights�?): Emily
Nadia Dajani (“Ned and Stacey�?): Reilly
Khary Payton: Josh
Smith Cho: Glitter
“The Evidence�? (one-hour drama) -- People lie. The evidence doesn't. It's the
foundation of every conviction – with evidence, justice is possible; without
evidence, guilty men walk free.
Acclaimed producer John Wells, (“ER,�? “The West Wing,�? “Third Watch�?) and
director Gary Fleder (“Blind Justice,�? “Runaway Jury�?) put a twist on the
standard police procedural. At the top of each episode, all of the clues (a
locket, a phone, a severed finger) are revealed in a videotaped evidence log.
The show then flashes to the day the crime was committed and invites viewers to
play along with the heroes as they find each clue, determine its meaning, put
the pieces of the puzzle together and figure out who done it.
No one knows the importance of evidence more than Inspector Sean Cole. After he
lost his wife in a brutal murder, the only evidence the cops had was
accidentally destroyed, and it ruined his faith in the system. Fortunately his
partner and best friend, Bishop, is there for him, pulling him back to work,
pushing him forward, as they both try to solve these complex cases set against
the beautiful streets of San Francisco.
Cast:
Orlando Jones (“Mad TV,�? “Runaway Jury�?): Cayman Bishop
Nicky Katt (“Boston Public�?): Inspector Sean Cole
Martin Landau (“Ed Wood�?): Dr. Sol Gold
“In Justice�? (one-hour drama) -- There are a lot of procedurals on the air that
focus on putting people in jail. This is a show about getting them out.
Every year, hundreds of innocent men and women get convicted of crimes they
didn't commit. Sloppy police work. False testimony. Biased juries. In the blink
of an eye an innocent man can lose his life to the mistakes of an imperfect
system. And every year the number of innocents who live without hope behind bars
multiplies, while the real criminals walk free.
The innocent have finally found a champion in a blustery but charismatic
attorney named David Swayne. A legendary litigator, Swayne is the head of the
Justice Project, a high-profile, non-profit organization made up of hungry young
associates who fight to overturn wrongful convictions, liberate the falsely
accused and discover the identity of those really to blame. Whether the
ego-driven Swayne is doing this in the pursuit of justice or publicity remains
to be seen. Thank goodness he has his partner, crackerjack investigator and
ex-cop Charles Conti, to keep him honest. He's the serious to Swayne's swagger,
and together they work to rectify the mistakes of the justice system one case at
a time.
Using real life stories as inspiration, the producers of “life as we know it�?
have created a legal drama reminiscent of “Reversal of Fortune,�? in which
clients who are presumed guilty must ultimately be proven innocent.
Cast:
Jason O'Mara (“The Agency�?): Charles Conti
Kyle MacLachlan (“Twin Peaks,�? “Sex and the City�?): David Swayne
Constance Zimmer (“Good Morning, Miami�?): Brianna
Daniel Cosgrove (“Beverly Hills, 90210�?): Jon
Larissa Gomes: Tina
“The Miracle Workers�? (one-hour alternative series) -- “The Miracle Workers�? are
an elite team of physicians who embrace revolutionary medical treatments that
many of us never knew existed. Each week the show will focus on a single patient
with a serious medical condition and follow as this dream team of medical
professionals changes his or her life forever through treatment. The team will
utilize their extraordinary expertise in cutting edge medical technology to
restore not only the health but also the hope of the patient. Each episode will
feature some of the world's most renowned medical experts performing
breakthrough procedures to heal those who need it most. For individuals who
otherwise would never have access to elite medical specialists or the ability to
afford costly procedures, “The Miracle Workers�? will make possible what was
previously thought impossible.
“Sons & Daughters�? (half-hour comedy) -- Family is always unpredictable, so why
write a family comedy when you can live dangerously and improvise instead? Like
real families, you never know what will happen when you give characters total
freedom.
Adult siblings Cameron, Sharon and Jenna have many years of shared history in
this small town. Like every other family on the planet, their history includes
many mistakes. This is proven by the multiple marriages and many children in
their close extended clan. Sharon has postponed her mid-life crisis for the sake
of her kids, but her sexless marriage, slacker son and nosey daughter don't make
things easy for her. Jenna, the youngest, wanted to be a singer, but instead is
a single mom who still lives at home. Luckily her parents love babysitting their
grandson. Middle child Cameron, despite having kids from two marriages and a
difficult relationship with his oldest son, Henry, is the glue that holds the
family together. With all the messy interpersonal relationships, rivalries and
religious differences, everyone needs someone to be the family's designated
driver.
Leading this three-ring family circus is executive producer Lorne Michaels, the
comedy veteran behind the long-running “Saturday Night Live.�?
Cast:
Fred Goss (“Significant Others�?): Cameron Walker
Gillian Vigman (“Mad TV�?): Liz Walker
Alison Quinn: Sharon Fenton
Jerry Lambert: Don Fenton
Desmond Harrington (“Taken�?): Wylie Blake
Corri English: Jenna Halbert
Dee Wallace (“ET, the Extra Terrestrial�?): Colleen Halbert
Lois Hall: Aunt Rae
Noah Applebaum: Ezra Walker
Alexandra Gold Jourden: Marni Walker
Trevor Einhorn (“BASEketball�?): Henry
Eden Sher: Kerry
Greg Pitts: Tommy White
Max Gail (“Barney Miller�?): Wendal Halbert
“What About Brian�? (one-hour drama, Monday, 10:00 p – after “Monday Night
Football�?) -- Brian is the guy everyone wants as a best friend. He's the guy
who'll stand by you at your wedding, drive you to the hospital, cheer your kids
on at their little league game... the guy whom every wife dotes on and every
husband wants to either grab a beer with or live vicariously through. But as all
of his friends pair off and Brian emerges as the last bachelor standing,
questions begin to arise in his head: Is there such a thing as Mr. or Mrs.
Right? Why does love have to be so complicated? What is his problem with
commitment? And the most pressing question of all -- could all of his problems
stem from the fact that he is harboring a crush on his best friend’s girl?
At 34, Brian is the last single guy in his group of friends: his best friend,
Adam, was going to break up with picture-perfect Marjorie, but proposed instead.
Brian's sister, Nic, and her boy-toy husband, Angelo, are trying hard to have
kids. The bohemian Dave and Deena have three little girls and no sex life. And,
like all married people, they can't wait for Brian to join their "club," though
they're not exactly sure why. As for Brian, well, he's a serial monogamist but
still holds out hope that one day he'll open the door and be blinded by love.
�?What About Brian�? is from the producers of “Lost�? and “Alias�? and the
screenwriter of “City of Angels�? and “For Love of the Game.�?
Cast:
Barry Watson (“7th Heaven�?): Brian
Matthew Davis (“Legally Blonde�?): Adam
Polly Shannon (“Street Time�?): Marjorie
Rick Gomez (“Band of Brothers�?): Dave
Amanda Detmer (“Kiss the Bride�?): Deena
Raoul Bova (“Under the Tuscan Sun�?): Angelo
Rosanna Arquette (“Pulp Fiction�?): Nic
--Posted May 18, 2005
Source: ABC Networks