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Fall 2003-2004 WB TV Network Programming Schedule

 Descriptions and Analysis

New Series in blue.

Click on underlined titles for information.

Here's the link to the WB's Fall Schedule website.

Midseason:  Fearless, The Help, The Mayor, The Surreal Life, High School Reunion, Make My Day

  New Series

All About the Andersons:  Another wacky family comedy, but at least this one has some really terrific performers in Anthony Anderson (Barbershop, Me, Myself & Irene), and veteran actor John Amos (West Wing, The District, and of course Good Times), and a cute if vaguely familiar TV-type premise.  Anderson plays a single father who returns home to establish a solid home environment for his young son, but naturally he and his father (Amos) easily pick up their old bickering relationship right where they left off.  Even worse, Dad has rented out his room to a white medical student, so Anthony gets the garage.  The appealing thing about this sitcom is the chance to see the likeable Anderson and John Amos go at it.  The ultimate fate of All About the Andersons depends on how well the entire WB line-up does, because at 9:30pm there's not much chance that AAtA can do it alone.  Premiere Date 9/12/03.   

Fearless (midseason):  Rachael Leigh Cook (Josie and the Pussycats) portrays Gaia, an agent working within the FBI's mysterious Y unit, a special group designed to fight today's new breed of supercriminal.  What makes Gaia so incredibly good at the job is her unique DNA, perfect in every way except one -- she is incapable of feeling fear.  The real secret weapon behind Fearless is its stellar production team, namely the guys from CSI and Without a Trace.  It will be interesting to see their successful brand of straight formula procedural drama applied to a show designed to attract younger viewers, and it will get them used to the format, if nothing else.  In addition to her co-stars Bianca Lawson (Dawson's Creek), Eric Balfour (24, Six Feet Under), TV and movie veteran Erich Anderson, and Greg Itzin (Profiler), Rachael gets a handsome hunk to play against in the form of actor/model Ian Somerhalder.  While it's certainly a tougher world than that of its lead-in Gilmore Girls, the WB is betting that an attractive cast, intriguing concept and proven production values will give Fearless the edge necessary to battle successfully against 24 and the rest of the very competitive Tuesday line schedule.  Update 7/11/03:  Fearless has been pushed back to midseason, with the series One Tree Hill taking its place on Tuesday nights.

Like Family:  This season we've got straight families, gay families, black families and white families, and in Like Family we've got a black and white family.  Amy Yasbeck (Mrs. John Ritter, Wings) stars as a divorced mother with a teenage son who moves in with her old married friends Holly Robinson Peete (21 Jump Street, For Your Love) and Kevin Michael Richardson (a mega-prolific cartoon voice artist and actor), and their two kids.  With an attractive cast and a premise that at hasn't been done to death, along with being one of the few shows really attempting to attract a crossover audience, Like Family has a nice lead-in in Reba but unfortunately is one of five new series that will be vying for audience in the timeslot.  At least there's a slight tonal difference between the comedy offerings, with WB going for family comedy, Fox for sassy, and ABC for bigger, more mainstream laughs with their TGIF line-up.  Like Family's situation is more like... D-Day than anything else.  FYI, this series is somewhat based on creator Dan Fogelman's own life.  Update 6/16/03:  Amy Yasbeck is out, actress-writer Diane Farr (The Job, Roswell, The Drew Carey Show, Loveline) is in as the divorced mother with son character.  Premiere Date 9/19/03.  

One Tree Hill:  OTH has moved into Fearless' fall Tuesday night timeslot, and the emphasis has changed from kick-ass grrls to adolescent guys with the addition of this high-school basketball drama to the schedule. At the heart of the tale are two teenage boys -- one rich and popular, one poor and brooding -- and the secret that they share:  they have the same father.  These at-odds mystery half-brothers play basketball on the same team, are sweet on the same girl, and have plenty of time to explore the complex nature of their new-found relationship/rivalry.  Chad Michael Murray (Dawson's Creek, Gilmore Girls, Freaky Friday) is Lucas, the kid from the wrong side of the court; James Lafferty (Once and Again) plays privileged Nathan.  MTV VJ (Total Request Live) Hilarie Burton is their mutual sweetheart, with thesp vets Barry Corbin, Craig Sheffer, Moira Kelly, and Paul Johansson around to provide the adult supervision.  From the folks that brought you Smallville, One Tree Hill's guy duo may have the requisite hottie chops to keep the Gilmore Girls fans tuned in, and the court action could admit some young gentleman to the audience.  Premiere Date 9/23/03.  Review and Update 10/21/03:  Despite early episodes that were zinged for being just a tad too basketball-oriented, One Tree Hill has settled down into another well-produced WB young people's drama, complete with loads of heartfelt rock music and extremely photogenic performers.  It's a soap opera, no doubt, but if you're don't mind seeing this age-old plot come around again, it's well-produced and Chad Michael Murray is plenty heartfelt as the left-out Nathan.  Moira Kelly's good, too, as his mom who refuses to beg for the respect -- and financial support -- that's due her from Nathan's rich dad.  All the other adults are fairly well drawn too, so it's not painful to take a look at this if you're over 35, but it IS a high school-oriented show, after all.  One Tree Hill is not half bad.  Update 11/7/03:  WB has given One Tree Hill a full season order, citing its critical reception and growing buzz.

Run of the House:  One of a several comedies this year revolving around older kids who return to live back at home, Run of the House at least has good provenance in creator Betsy Thomas (the legendary-if-probably-overhyped My So-Called Life).  Margo Harshman (Disney Channel's Even Stevens) stars as Brooke, a fifteen-year-old whose parents are frequently AWOL as they travel for her father's health.  Filling in the parental void are her older siblings -- two brothers and a sister -- and thus another television unconventional family unit is born.  Brooke's brothers are played by Joseph Lawrence (as Joey a kid star in Gimme a Break!) and Kyle Howard (Boston Public, Providence), and her sister by Sasha Barrese (The Hulk movie).  Raucous comedienne Mo Gaffney (That '70s Show) also is around to spice things up.  Okay, odds are definitely against the show becoming any sort of a breakout, and what could you expect against CSI, NBC's naughty comedies and everything else?  It's a demographic call here and let's see if the target responds.  Premiere Date 9/11/03.

Steve Harvey's Big Time:  Popular comedian/actor Steve Harvey returns to the WB in this throwback to TV's gentler age concept, a primetime reality/talk/variety show where real people are the stars.  Does he want to be the post-Millennium Art Linkletter?  From watching a clip, it sure looks that way.  Sounds a lot like Real People from the late '70s, too.  Goodness  knows the reality genre has taken a beating the past year or so with increasingly desperate formats, and a little sunshine couldn't hurt.  Harvey's likeability will help this agreeable outing make its mark, but don't expect anything too big from Steve Harvey's Big Time, considering it will be up against the Survivor/Friends behemoth.  The only thing I worry about -- are there actually any real people left in America?  Premiere Date 9/11/03.

Tarzan aka Tarzan and Jane:  This time around, Tarzan looks more like Fabio than Johnny Weismuller, but that's just fine; the teenage girls who are supposed to fall in love with this newest version of the Lord of the Jungle enjoy that model look.  And Travis Fimmel is definitely a model, a Calvin Klein underwear model at that, and certainly this fella has what it takes to fill out a loincloth, if you know what I mean.  Producer Laura Ziskin, who bulked up gentle Tobey Maguire and spun him into Spiderman, knows what it takes to make a great contemporary superhero; let's see if she can do it again with Fimmel.  I'm just a tad skeptical of a show where the male lead is prettier than the female -- old joke but never as valid as here -- and the lovely Sarah Wayne Callies (Queens Supreme) will have to do some serious scene-stealing to turn eyeballs her way.  In Tarzan and Jane Fimmel is John Clayton, regal and yet alone in his battle against crime in the hostile skyscraper world of New York City.  Callies is the beautiful police detective who's torn between lust and the law as she yearns to learn more about this mysterious figure.  The show will no doubt benefit from the stalwart presence of Mitch Pileggi (The X Files) in the cast, as well as other costars Sarah Jane Potts (Felicity), Johnny Messner and Miguel Nunez.  Of course it's easy to make fun of a show like this, but if you're a teenage female and you've just finished watching the grrrl witches on Charmed this might be a easy transition.  It's definitely the only thing targeted towards romantics in the time period, and except for Fox's comedies the only one that might attract young people.  Silly, sure, but if I were twelve, I guess this might do the trick.  Premiere Date 10/5/03.  Update:  Show title is now Tarzan.  Review 10/21/03:  Tarzan is well-made and like I said before, just right if you're a young teenage girl.  I found it hard to follow some of the fight action, what with Tarzan's flowing wavy locks being flung about like something out of a shampoo commercial, and indeed, Travis Fimmel is prettier than the amazingly pretty Ms. Callies.  Tarzan is really serious stuff, heavy on the melodrama and with big bad evil incessantly hammering at our young hero's doorstep, but it's harmless fantasy for young women who definitely could use a touch of adventure after losing Buffy this year.  You've also got to give Fimmel agility points for being able to squat and run, monkey-style, for long periods during each episode.  At least this boy -- or his stunt double -- is getting quite a workout.  The basic story of Tarzan has been a winner for a long time, since when Edgar Rice Burroughs first handed Lord Greystoke his vine back in 1912, and it's rather comforting to think that it still retains the ability to entertain new generations.  Update 11/7/03:  WB has stopped production on Tarzan, but hasn't yanked it off the schedule yet.  Update 1/9/04:  The WB has officially cancelled the show.