The Safe House - Expositions

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Fox has ordered a third season of its critically worshipped hit drama "24," while ABC has given early pickups to "Alias" and nine other series while shifting veteran comedy "The Drew Carey Show" to summer.

Early announcements by ABC and Fox seemed designed to send the message that both networks remain committed to scripted series, even as unscripted concepts continue to explode in prime time.

In addition to "Alias," ABC Wednesday confirmed 2003-'04 orders for freshman comedies "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," "Life With Bonnie" and "Less Than Perfect"; sophomore sitcoms "According to Jim" and "George Lopez"; and veterans "My Wife and Kids" and "America's Funniest Home Videos."

Unscripted juggernauts "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" will also be back. ABC already had renewed cop drama "NYPD Blue" for next season. All of the comedies and "Alias" are from Touchstone TV; "Lopez" comes from Warner Bros. TV.

ABC has a $3 million-plus-per episode deal in place with Warner Bros. TV for the 2003-'04 season of "The Drew Carey Show," but whether the comedy will be a part of the network's fall schedule remains up in the air.

The network has decided to put "Drew" on hiatus until summer, when it will return to its old 9 p.m. Wednesday slot with a run of 10 original episodes. Executives hope the sitcom, which has been struggling on Friday nights, will reconnect with its audience.

Even if ABC chooses not to put "Drew" on its fall lineup, instead pushing it to midseason, the network will likely still have to pay for another season of the show. Warner Bros. has no incentive to let ABC out of its deal, considering next season's episodes of the show are already sold into syndication.

'24' BREAKS THROUGH

As for the pickups, Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow said the early renewal of "24" comes as the series has had a major breakthrough with audiences.

"'24' is no longer merely the best drama on TV, it now ranks as the fifth highest-rated drama overall," he said, citing Nielsen data for adults 18-49. Fox Entertainment president Gail Berman said the renewal will help producers plan out next season's batch of episodes -- a big advantage for such a complex series.

ABC Entertainment TV Group chairman Lloyd Braun said he could not "remember a time when a network was able to bring back every new comedy it launched in the fall. We're thrilled to continue to watch them grow."

Braun said the early pickups weren't just window-dressing.

"We're going to be using this three-month head-start to take every one of these new shows up another level," he said.

Meanwhile, ABC is making room for two midseason comedies. "Regular Joe" will replace the on-hiatus "Drew Carey" Fridays at 9:30 starting March 28. Repeats of "8 Simple Rules" will air Fridays at 9. "Lost at Home" will bow Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. for four-weeks starting April 1, the same night "According to Jim" shifts to 9 p.m. Tuesday. "Jim" repeats will air in the series' current 8:30 p.m. Tuesday slot.

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