Today, it was ABC and The WB's turn to pitch their fall season to advertisers. The ABC fete was at the New Amsterdam Theatre, home of the long-running "Lion King" musical.
All of the info can be accessed here.The Alphabet's launching two new game/reality series in the fall--"The Benefactor," the Mark Cuban knockoff of "The Apprentice"/update of "The Millionaire," and the non-competition show "Wife Swap," Michael Davies' Americanization of the British series.
"The Benefactor" will be running in the slot before (ET/CT) or after (PT) "Monday Night Football" and will be finished by the end of football season.
"Wife Swap" is getting the semi-prime post "Bachelor" slot on Wednesday nights (semi-prime since they still have to deal with "Law and Order Original Recipe").
"Extreme Makeover Original Recipe" has been given the hard slot against "Survivor" and "Joey" and "Will & Grace" on Thursday nights.
"AFHV" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" are staying in their present Sunday night slots.
How the ABC press release describes the two new shows:
“The Benefactor” (one-hour alternative series, Monday, 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) – What would you do for a million dollars? Billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is about to find out because he is “The Benefactor,” and he’s set to give away a million bucks to a complete stranger. Why has he agreed to give away such a large sum of money? Because he can’t wait to figure out how America’s applicants will prove to him that they deserve it! Sixteen contestants will vie for the money in a competition full of emotional, dramatic challenges – tests of character, intelligence, heart and maybe a little bit of luck.
Credits:
Executive Producers: David Young, Clay Newbill and Todd Wagner
Production Entities: 12 Yard Productions, 29 29 Productions
12 Yard is the British production company behind "Without Prejudice?" and several other shows, including the recent "Come and Have a Go..." Before he started 12 Yard, I believe Young helped develop "TWL" and "DED" at the BBC. 29 29 is Cuban's production company. Clay Newbill was showrunner for "The Mole."
Continuing:
“Wife Swap” (one-hour alternative series, Wednesday, 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) -- Already a smash hit in the UK and most recently awarded a BAFTA, the UK’s most prestigious television award, “Wife Swap” gives two families the rare opportunity to witness what it’s like to live someone else’s life and experiences. Two matriarchs from two households trade places for 10 days. For the first five days of the challenge, they must obey the rules of the new family’s lifestyle and adopt their daily routine – parenting, shopping, housework, creating budgets and social life. For the remaining five days, these women get to run the new house their own way – a radical shock to both families. This intense new series taps into America’s voyeuristic tendencies and desires to judge how others run their households, raise their children and treat their spouses. Never before has a reality series taken such an honest inside look at the American family.
Credits:
Executive Producers: Michael Davies, Stephen Lambert, Jenny Crowther
Production Entities: RDF Media, Diplomatic
[Dave Letterman] It is an exhibition, not a competition--please, no wagering! [Dave]
The WB fall will be coming shortly.
