By JOSEF ADALIAN
ABC will roll out four new shows in less than three weeks as
part of a spring sked shuffle set to start late next month.
The Alphabet's plans include an early end to the season for
the critically hailed but ratings-challenged half-hour dramedy
"Sports Night," which will now wrap its run for the year on
April 4. Twenty of the 22 segs ordered will have aired by
then; ABC will run the remaining two this summer.
Replacing "Sports" Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m., starting April
11, will be "Talk to Me," an ensemble laffer from
Touchstone Television starring Kyra Sedgwick
("Phenomenon"), Beverly D"Angelo ("American History
X") and Nicole Sullivan ("Mad TV").
ABC's spring rollout will start March 22 with the premiere
of 20th Century Fox TV"s "Then Came You," which was
originally skedded to bow last fall. Show, a romantic comedy
about a older woman-younger man relationship, will replace
"Norm" Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. for six weeks.
"Norm," which this week built upon its "Two Guys and a
Girl" lead-in among adults 18-49, will return in time for the
May sweeps.
ABC has skedded "Making the Band," a music-based
reality skein about a boy band, Fridays at 8:30 p.m., starting
March 31. Show will bow with an hourlong seg March 24 at
9 p.m. " immediately following a special Friday "Who
Wants to Be a Millionaire."
As anticipated, ABC has decided to replace "20/20
Downtown" with the Touchstone/Imagine hospital drama
"Wonderland" in the Thursdays at 10 p.m. slot starting
March 30 (Daily Variety, Feb. 10.)
That puts "Wonderland" opposite NBC"s still-mighty
"ER," but Alphabet execs are hoping a "Who Wants to Be
a Millionaire" lead-in and the usual glut of spring "ER"
repeats will give "Wonderland" a chance to find an aud in a
brutal slot.
Looking ahead to summer, ABC will bow the long-delayed
toon version of Miramax"s "Clerks" on Wednesday, May
31, at 9:30 p.m. ABC will air the hourlong season finale of
"Spin City" " which marks Michael J. Fox"s final
appearance as a series regular " May 24 at 9 p.m.
Meanwhile, UPN announced plans Thursday to bow the
hourlong "Secret Agent Man" on Tuesday, March 7, at 8
p.m., replacing "I Dare You: The Ultimate Challenge."
Show will preem opposite coverage of the Super Tuesday
primaries on the Big Four, allowing UPN to offer an
entertainment alternative.
"I Dare You" will air at 9 p.m. on March 7 and 14. As
previously reported, new drama "The Beat" moves into the
slot on March 21.
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