May 13, 2001

ABC Unveils Fall Sked Tuesday

By Cynthia Littleton

Excerpt

LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- ABC and the WB Network have placed their fall series bets in preparation for their upfront schedule unveilings Tuesday.

ABC is expected to add two new comedies -- the Jason Alexander starrer "Bob Patterson" from 20th Century Fox TV/Touchstone and the untitled Jim Belushi family comedy from Touchstone/Brad Grey TV -- and at least three dramas: Steven Bochco's "Philly," Touchstone's "Alias" and Warner Bros. TV's "Thieves."

"The Runner," the elaborate reality series produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, also is expected to be on the fall schedule, possibly in varying hour and half-hour configurations on different nights.

There also was talk of midseason orders for the Peter Tolan comedy "The Web" and the Sally Field-led ensemble drama "The Court."

ABC also has renewed all three of its midseason comedies: Damon Wayans' "My Wife and Kids," Joan Cusack's "What About Joan" and Denis Leary's "The Job." Freshmen series that didn't make the cut include "The Geena Davis Show" and the critically embraced medical drama "Gideon's Crossing."

ABC's fall scheduling plans were still murky Sunday, with the big drama centering on whether the "Wonderful World of Disney" Sunday movie franchise will move possibly to Friday or be tabled altogether.

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© The Hollywood Reporter 2001

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