In one of the least aggressive schedules unveiled this week, The CW is telling us, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” No more repeats of America’s Next Top Model or 90210 to pad the schedule. Instead, the network moved many of their puzzle pieces around and filled in the few remaining gaps with two new series for the coming season.

Returning to the same time slot: America’s Next Top Model, Smallville (in its 10th and allegedly final season)

Returning to new time slot: 90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural

New series include…

Nikita
Reworking the original Luc Besson film, La Femme Nikita, and Peta Wilson television series of the same name, The CW gets themselves an Alias of their own. As a deeply troubled teenager, Nikita was rescued from death row by a secret U.S. agency known only as Division, who faked her execution and told her she will be given a new life in service to her country. What they didn’t mention is that she would be trained as a spy/assassin. Nikita was eventually betrayed, her dreams shattered by people she thought she could trust. Now, after three years in hiding, Nikita (Maggie Q) is seeking retribution, making it clear she will stop at nothing to expose and destroy her former bosses covert operation. Until then, Division continues to recruit and train young people, erasing all evidence of their previous lives, and turning them into killers. One new recruit, Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca), is just beginning to understand what lies ahead and why the now legendary Nikita decided to run. Co-starring Shane West, Aaron Stanford, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines, Melinda Clarke, and Xander Berkeley

Hellcats
Marti Perkins (Aly Michalka), a young pre-law student at Lancer University may be cool and hip and alt, but her world flips upside down when she loses her scholarship. The only way she can stay in school is by reigniting her old gymnastic skills to win a place on Lancer’s legendary cheerleading squad, thereby hurtling herself into a world of camaraderie, backstabbing, backroom academia, and big money. Marti’s new roommate, Savannah Monroe (Ashley Tisdale), a petite peppy Texan, is among the diverse cast of athletes, undergrads, family and friends, all set on the sprawling campus of a powerhouse college football program in the deep South. Heather Hemmens, Robbie Jones, Matt Barr, Sharon Leal, and Gail O’Grady co-star.

Cancelled series: Melrose Place and Beautiful Life.

Cleaning house and taking names, CBS shows more cojones than their network brethren by shaking up high performing series and introducing new/old friends to the mix, to become the Comedy/Crime channel.

Series returning to same time slot: How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men (Charlie Sheen agreed to return with a paycheck of $1.5 Million per episode), NCIS, NCIS: LA, The Good Wife, Criminal Minds, CSI, The Mentalist

Series returning to new time slot: Rules of Engagement, Survivor, Big Bang Theory (moves to Thursday to take on NBC’s Community), Medium, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami (which gets buried on Sunday night)

New series include…

Mike & Molly
Uber-producer Chuck Lorre goes for a network tri-fecta with this comedy focusing on a working class Chicago couple who find love at Overeaters Anonymous. Officer Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) is a kind-hearted cop who sincerely wants to lose weight. Mike’s partner, Officer Carl McMillan (Reno Wilson), is a thin, fast-talking wise-guy, who encourages Mike on his road to slimness and romance. While speaking at a meeting, Mike meets Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy), an instantly likeable fourth-grade teacher with a healthy sense of humor about her curves. For Molly, focusing on smart choices isn’t easy because she lives with her sexy older sister, Victoria (Katy Mixon), and their mother, Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz), both of whom flaunt their healthy appetites and slender figures. Thanks to their mutual love of pie and the desire to resist it, finding each other may have been worth the “weight.”

Hawaii Five-O
The classic Jack Lord series receives a 21st century update, as a new elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the Islands’ sun-drenched beaches. Detective Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), a decorated Naval officer turned cop, returns to Oahu to investigate his father’s murder and stays when Hawaii’s governor persuades him to head up the new team: his rules, no red tape, and full blanket immunity to hunt down the biggest “game” in town. Joining McGarrett is Detective Danny “Danno” Williams (Scott Caan), a newly relocated ex-New Jersey cop who prefers skyscrapers to the coastline, but is committed to keeping the Islands safe for his 8-year-old daughter; and Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), an ex-Honolulu Police Detective wrongly accused of corruption and relegated to a federal security patrol, who is also a former protégé of McGarrett’s father. Chin’s cousin, Kono (Grace Park), is a beautiful and fearless native, fresh out of the academy and eager to establish herself among the department’s elite. Together, McGarrett’s team is determined to eliminate the seedy elements from the 50th state.

The Defenders
Leading the law firm of Morelli & Kaczmarek are the local go-to guys with an eclectic client list who are still looking to hit their own jackpot. Nick Morelli (Jim Belushi), an earnest, hard-charging attorney who represents his clients to the best of his ability, no matter how big or small the case, and his partner, Pete Kaczmarek (Jerry O’Connell), whose passion for the law is matched only by his love of fast cars, beautiful women and expensive clothes. Joining them in their growing law practice is new associate Lisa Tyler (Jurnee Smollett), an enthusiastic young attorney looking to put her exotic dancing days behind her; and their young assistant, Sophie (Tanya Fischer), a spunky and sweet ingénue who is eager to please her bosses. As Lady Luck shines on their legal careers, the partners have their hands full when it comes to their personal lives. Pete is busy cruising the Vegas Strip for his latest romantic conquest. Nick is focused on repairing his fractured marriage, while remaining present in the life of their young son. No matter the offense, the partners aim to prove that when the stakes are high they’re willing to bet the house on the clients they defend in Sin City.

$#!@ My Dad Says
The creators of Will & Grace adapt the wildly successful twitter feed for television. Ed Goodson (William Shatner), a forthright and opinionated dad, relishes expressing his unsolicited and often wildly un-PC observations to anyone within earshot. Nobody is immune from Ed’s rants, including his sons, Henry (a role being recast, after Ryan Devlin tested poorly), a struggling writer-turned-unpaid blogger; and Vince (Will Sasso), the meek half of a husband/wife real estate duo with domineering Kathleen (Nicole Sullivan). When Henry finds he can no longer afford to pay rent to his pretty roommate (Stephanie Lemelin), Ed reveals a soft spot and invites Henry to move back in. Henry agrees, knowing the verbal assault will not abate and there will be no escape.

Blue Bloods
Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the NYC Chief of Police and patriarch of the Reagan family, which he manages as diplomatically as he does his officers, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry (Len Cariou), during his stint as Chief. A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), a seasoned detective, family man, and Iraqi War veteran who uses dubious tactics to solve cases. The sole Reagan woman in the family, Erin (Bridget Moynahan), is an Assistant D.A. and newly single parent, who also serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father. Jamie (Will Estes) is the youngest Reagan, fresh out of Harvard Law and the family’s golden boy. However, unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie has given up a law career and joined the force, a decision supported by his beautiful girlfriend and first year lawyer, Sydney (Dylan Moore). However, Jamie’s life takes an abrupt turn, when asked to become part of a clandestine police investigation that could impact his family’s legacy.

Cancelled series include Accidentally on Purpose, The New Adventures of Old Christine (which may find a home on another network), Gary Unmarried, Numb3rs, Cold Case, and The Ghost Whisperer (which is close to signing a deal with ABC).

It’ll be interesting to see if CBS’ bold move to create a comedy block on Thursday nights will be able to stand up to NBC’s now established power house.

With a handful of small victories in their pocket — most notably the single camera sitcoms Modern Family and Cougar Town — ABC marches proudly into the fall season with a mix of returning favorites and high profile newcomers. Then again, it’s been a while since the network launched a new solid-performing hour-long.

Returning to the same time slot: Dancing with the Stars, Castle, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, 20/20, Extreme Home Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.

Returning to a new time slot: The Middle.

New series include…

No Ordinary Family
After 16 years of marriage, Jim (Michael Chiklis) and Stephanie’s (Julie Benz) relationship lacks the spark it once had, and their daily life now consists of balancing work and two children, leaving little time for family bonding. During a family vacation set up to reconnect, their plane crashes into the Amazon River and they soon discover something’s not quite right — each possesses a unique and distinct superpower. Now they’ll have to balance saving the world and savoring their family life, as they embark on a journey to find out what defines and unifies them. Co-starring Romany Malco, Tate Donovan, Autumn Reeser, Christina Chang, Kay Panabaker, and Jimmy Bennett. Think live-action version of Pixar’s The Incredibles.

Detroit 1-8-7
What does it take to be a detective on America’s most dangerous streets? A documentary crew rolls with some of Detroit’s finest, offering an insider’s glimpse behind the curtain of a Homicide Unit. The cameras unearth the crisis and revelation, heartbreak and heroism of these inner city cops — moments of raw exposure when they address us directly, as well as private moments when they forget they’re being filmed. There’s the damaged but driven Detective Louis Fitch (Michael Imperioli), a wily homicide vet who’s the most respected and misunderstood of the group; Detective Damon Washington (Jon Michael Hill), Fitch’s new partner, who finds the first day on the job is a trial by fire; Detective Ariana Sanchez (Natalie Martinez), sexy, edgy and beautiful, who has emerged from a rough background to become a rising star; Narcotics undercover cop John Stone (D.J. Cotrona), a streetwise smooth talker who’s partnership with Sanchez is rife with conflict and sexual tension; Sergeant Jesse Longford (James McDaniel), a 30-year veteran struggling with his impending retirement from the force and partner Detective Aman Mahajan (Shaun Majumder) a fully Americanized son of Indian immigrants; all of whom report to Lieutenant Maureen Mason (Aisha Hinds), a strong-willed single mom struggling to balance home and work.

Better Together
Maddie (Jennifer Finnigan) and Ben (Josh Cooke) have been dating for nine years. They know each other inside and out, seeing their commitment as a “valid life choice.” Maddie’s younger sister, Mia (JoAnna Garcia), has been dating Casey (Jake Lacy) for seven weeks. Smitten with each other and thrilled to explore the many things they don’t know about each other, they catch everyone by surprise when they announce they’re getting married and having a baby. While Maddie is a bit put off by the news, the girls’ parents, Vicky (Debra Jo Rupp) and Joel (Kurt Fuller), couldn’t be more pleased, maybe because they’re getting older and have recently adopted a carpe diem sort of philosophy. With three very different relationships tightly intertwined in one family, will it be free thinkers vs. over-thinkers, or will each couple begin to view life a little bit differently?

The Whole Truth
This unique legal drama chronicles the way a case is built from the perspective of both the defense and prosecution. Showing each side equally keeps the audience guessing, shifting allegiances and opinions on guilt or innocence until the very final scene. Kathryn Peale, the product of a New England background and a sheriff father, is the Deputy Bureau Chief in the New York State District Attorney’s office. Jimmy Brogan (Rob Morrow), born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen and a friend of Kathryn’s since their days at Yale Law School, is one of New York’s rising criminal attorney stars. Buoyed by their respective teams, these evenly matched lawyers — each with a strong streak of competitiveness, a fervent belief in their clients and an equally intense passion for the law — go about creating two different stories from the same set of facts. But, in the end, the only thing that matters is what the jury believes. Eamonn Walker, Sean Wing (who DVD Verdict interviewed for his film IN THE DARK), Anthony Ruivivar, and Christine Adams co-star. In the pilot, the role of Kathryn Peale was played by Joely Richardson, who has since backed out of the project to spend more time with her mother and daughter. In the past year, the family has suffered the untimely deaths of Joely’s sister Natasha Richardson, uncle Colin Redgrave, and aunt Lynne Redgrave.

My Generation
What a difference ten years can make. In 2000, a documentary crew follows a disparate group of high schoolers from Greenbelt High School in Austin, TX as they prepare for graduation, then revisits these former classmates ten years later as they return home to rediscover that just because they’re not where they planned doesn’t mean they’re not right where they need to be. These students couldn’t wait to graduate and head out into the real world. But the world they were entering got very real very fast. As these classmates return home to revisit their old hopes for their future, they’ll discover that, even if you don’t get exactly what you thought you wanted out of life, it’s not too late to get what you need. The series stars Michael Stahl David, Kelli Garner, Jaime King, Keir O’Donnell, Sebastian Sozzi, Mechad Brooks, Anne Son, Daniella Alonso, and Julian Morris.

Secret Millionaire
This reality series follows some of America’s wealthiest people for one week as they leave behind their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and luxury jets, conceal their true identities, and go to live and volunteer in some of the most impoverished and dangerous communities in America. Surviving on welfare wages, their mission is to discover the unsung heroes of America — deserving individuals who continually sacrifice everything to help those in need. On the final day, they give away at least $100,000 of their own money, thus changing lives forever.

Body of Proof
Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) was a brilliant neurosurgeon at the top of her game, but her world is turned upside down when a devastating car accident puts an end to her time in the operating room. Megan resumes her career as a medical examiner, determined to solve the puzzle of who or what killed the victims, developing a reputation for graying the lines between where her job ends and where the police department’s begins. The series co-stars Jeri Ryan, Geoffrey Arend, John Carroll Lynch, Windell Middlebrooks, Nic Bishop, and Sonja Sohn.

Cancelled series include: The Deep End, Happy Town, Shark Tank, The Forgotten, Eastwick, Flash Forward, Hank, Ugly Betty, Romantically Challenged, Better Off Ted, and Scrubs.

Held for midseason: The second season of V, and new shows Off the Map, Happy Endings, and Mr. Sunshine.

Not doing much to mess with what’s already working, Fox heads into the fall with a few new faces, a couple change time slots, and more of what America already loves.

Returning to same time slot: House, Bones, Fringe, Cops, America’s Most Wanted, The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad.

Returning to new time slot: Glee, Lie to Me, Human Target, and The Good Guys.

New series this fall include…

Lonestar
A provocative soap set against the backdrop of big Texas oil. Bob/Robert Allen (newcomer James Wolk) is a charismatic and brilliant schemer who has meticulously constructed two lives in two different parts of Texas. He’s juggling two identities and two women in two very different worlds — all under one mountain of lies. As “Bob,” he lives in Houston and is married to Cat (Adrianne Palicki), the beautiful daughter of Clint (Jon Voight), the patriarch of an ultra-wealthy Texas oil family. More than 400 miles away in the suburban west Texas town of Midland, he’s “Robert,” living a second life with his sweet but naive girlfriend, Lindsay (Eloise Mumford). In Midland, he plays the perfect boyfriend while secretly bilking local investors of their savings. In Houston, he’s a devoted husband, charming Cat and her family while cementing his position in the rich family business he aims to clean out. Bob has lived both lives successfully for years without arousing any suspicions…so far. Beginning to fear his secret lives may unravel with the cons closing in, Bob is divided by his love for two women, loyalty to his father, and respect for his father-in-law, hoping he can beat the odds, leave the schemes behind, and keep two families afloat. Bryce Johnson, Mark Deklin, and David Keith co-star.

Raising Hope
This new single-camera family comedy follows the Chance family as they find themselves adding an unexpected new member to their already flawed household. At 23, Jimmy (Lucas Neff) is going nowhere in life. He skims pools for a living, parties every night, and still lives at home with his family, including his mother (Martha Plimpton) and father (Garret Dillahunt); his Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman); and his cousin (Skyler Stone). Jimmy’s life takes a drastic turn when a romantic encounter with Lucy (Bijou Phillips) goes awry and he discovers she’s a wanted felon. Months later, when Jimmy pays a visit to the local prison, he discovers Lucy gave birth to a daughter, who he is now charged with raising. Jimmy’s family may be less than enthusiastic about a new addition to the household, but he is determined to take care of his baby, who they name Hope. Created by Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl).

Running Wilde
This romantic comedy — as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl — stars Will Arnett as Steve Wilde, a filthy-rich, immature playboy trying desperately to win (or buy) the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Emmy (Keri Russell), the uber-liberal humanitarian who got away. The son of an oil tycoon, Steve hasn’t had to work a day in his life and always gotten everything he’s wanted… with one exception: Emmy. Daughter of the Wilde family’s housekeeper, Emmy is an earnest do-gooder who has spent her adult life trying to save the world. Though she is content living with indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest, her 12-year-old daughter, Puddle (Stefania Owen) — who hasn’t spoken in years — just wants to be a normal kid living a normal life. When Wilde company expansion into the rainforest threatens her adopted tribe, Emmy tries to convince Steve to help her cause… but that could mean putting his meal ticket in jeopardy. What does he go for: love or money? Joe Nunez and Jayne Houdyshell co-star. Created by Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development).

As we head into the new year, Fox moves some place settings and adds a couple more spices to the recipe. American Idol returns (sans Simon), adding 30 minutes to the performance show and stripping the same from the bloated results show. Glee moves back to its post-Idol slot, bookended by Running Wilde — assuming, of course, it doesn’t get cancelled before then. Friday sees the return of the action/adventure Human Target, chased down by more Gordon Ramsay. On Sunday, American Dad slides into the early prime time hour and The Cleveland Show shifts into the vacated slot, all to make way for a new animated series…

Bob’s Burgers
A man, his family, and a burger joint. A third-generation restaurateur, Bob Belcher (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) runs Bob’s Burgers with the help of his wife and three kids. Bob has big ideas, but only a few thoughts on customer service and business management. His wife, Linda (John Roberts), supports Bob’s dream through thick and thin, but she’s getting a little sick of the thin. Their eldest daughter, Tina (Dan Mintz), is a 13-year-old hopeless romantic with minimal social skills. Middle child Gene (Eugene Mirman) is an aspiring musician and a prankster who serves up more jokes than burgers. Their youngest, Louise (Kristen Schaal), is the most enthusiastic about her dad’s business, but an off-balance sense of humor and elevated energy level make her somewhat of a liability in the kitchen. Beyond the restaurant is a city with enough characters and wacky businesses to make Springfield green with envy.

The other new series slated for midseason will take over when Running Wilde finishes its run…

Mixed Signals
A new comedy about three longtime friends and their attempts to reconcile the irreconcilable: balancing relationships with a need for freedom. Ethan (Kris Marshall) is the perpetual bachelor. Charming, genuine, and hopelessly independent, he loves women, and when he’s in, he’s all in — for at least three weeks. Adam (Nelson Franklin) moves in with his girlfriend (Alexandra Breckenridge) and learns how vastly different “she comes over a lot” and “she lives with me” really are. Mike (David Denman) is a married lawyer still trying to figure out the male-female dynamic. He wants nothing more than to be a good family man to his wife (Liza Lapira) and infant son, but also carve out a little space for himself… namely his car, where he watches action movies in 15-minute chunks.

Cancellations include Dollhouse, ‘Til Death, Brothers, Sons of Tucson, and Past Life. Nothing too shocking there.

Jeff Zucker’s bloody and beaten network limps away from the 2009 season to lick its wounds, nurture its small victories, and regroup for the fall. The new schedule builds off the momentum gained from the end of this season and an arsenal of new programming from some very familiar names.

Returning in their same time slot: Chuck, Biggest Loser, Parenthood, Community, The Office, and Sunday Night Football.

Returning in a new time slot: Who Do You Think You Are?; Dateline NBC; 30 Rock moves into the spot previously occupied by Parks and Recreation, which is being held back for midseason due to Amy Poehler’s pregnancy.

New shows…

The Event: This high-octane conspiracy thriller follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter), an everyman investigating the mysterious disappearance of his fiancee, Leila (Sarah Roemer), and unwittingly exposes the biggest coverup in US history. Sean’s quest sends shockwaves through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including Sophia (Laura Innes), the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; newly-elected US President Martinez (Blair Underwood); and Sean’s shadowy future-father-in-law (Scott Patterson). Their futures are on a collision course that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.

Chase: Jerry Bruckheimer is behind this fast-paced drama which drops viewers into the middle of a game of cat-and-mouse between US Marshals and America’s most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish stars as Marshal Annie Frost, whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down these violent criminals. Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins, and Jesse Metcalfe round out Frost’s elite team.

Undercovers: JJ Abrams co-writes, directs, and executive produces this fun, sexy, action-packed spy drama that proves marriage is still the world’s most dangerous partnership. To untrained eyes, Steven Bloom (Boris Kodjoe) and his wife Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) are a typical married couple operating a small LA catering company with the help of Samantha’s younger sister, Lizzy (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Secretly, they were two of the CIA’s best spies until they fell in love on the job and retired five years ago. When their former colleague and friend Nash (Carter MacIntyre) goes missing while on the trail of a Russian arms dealer, the Blooms are reinstated by boss Carlton Shaw (Gerald McRaney) to initiate a search and rescue. The pair follow leads that span the globe, quickly realizing this supercharged, undercover lifestyle provides the excitement and romance their marriage has been missing.

Law & Order: Los Angeles: The latest edition to the franchise replaces the now retired original, following similar themes and ripped-from-the-headlines stories on the streets of Los Angeles. Casting has not yet been announced.

Outsourced: The Midwest meets the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash, as a company that sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers, and wallets made of bacon outsources its call center to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) is the manager transferred to run the operation and quickly discovers his new staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are to understand the product line and ramp up sales. But for as strange as America seems to his eclectic sales team, Todd has his own challenges understanding India. Rizwan Manji, Sacha Dhawan, Rebecca Hazlewood, Parvesh Cheena, Anisha Nagarajan, Diedrich Bader, and Jessica Gower co-star.

Love Bites: This hour-long romantic comedy anthology features three loosely connected stories of love, dating, sex, and marriage with an edgy, irreverent spin. Becki Newton (Annie) and Jordana Spiro (Frannie) star as the last two single girls from their group of now married friends. Annie, the infectiously bubbly optimist, and Frannie, the always-a-bridesmaid realist anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters come and go. Guest stars include Jennifer Love Hewitt, Greg Grunberg, Craig Robinson, Jason Lewis, Lindsay Price, Charlyne Yi, Kyle Howard, and Steve Howey. Think modern-day, land-locked Love Boat

School Pride: A proactive reality series of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. During the transformation, the cameras follow students, teachers, and parents as they roll up their sleeves and rebuild their own schools, while the community restores its sense of value and pride, concluding with the unveiling of a brand new school. Months later, cameras revisit the school to discover the lasting effects of the transformation. Think Extreme Home Makeover on a grander scale.

Outlaw: Jimmy Smits stars as Cyrus Garza, a US Supreme Court justice, playboy, and gambler who abruptly quits his post when he realizes the system he once believed in flawed. Returning to private practice, Cyrus is determined to represent the little guy and use his inside knowledge of the system to take on today’s biggest legal cases, making plenty of powerful people unhappy in the process. Jesse Bradford, Carly Pope, Ellen Woglom, and David Ramsey co-star.

Cancelled series include the original Law & Order, Trauma, Mercy, Friday Night Lights (which had been rebroadcast from cable), and Heroes (which will receive a special movie event later in the year to wrap up existing storylines).

The Spring Season begins March 2011, with the reality game show Minute to Win It, Celebrity Apprentice, The Marriage Ref, and new series The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry’s Law, The Paul Reiser Show, and America’s Next Great Restaurant with Bobby Flay.

If you were looking to The CW to lead the way in television revolution, forget it. The 2009 fall season motto is “more of the same, whether you want it or not.” Nowhere is this more evidenced than the return to the 1992 primetime lineup of 90210 and Melrose Place. The names and faces may have changed, but it’s still the same vapid conflama nearly 20 years warmed over.

Speaking of vapid, Gossip Girl and America’s Next Top Model marshal on, despite cast turmoil and tabloid conspiracies. They even get a new playmate in The Beautiful Life, an Ashton Kutcher produced drama about young male and female models thrust into the harsh world of fashion. Can you smell a cross-promotion with Bruno? I thought you could.

If you like things that go bump in the night, the network pairs fan favorite Supernatural with Twilight-lite in the form of Vampire Diaries. Those still reeling from the loss of CBS’ Moonlight and Joss Whedon’s Angel will find solace here. Of course, this means moving Smallville to the graveyard shift on Friday’s at 8p, which is the same as hospice for series waiting to die.

Finally, stalwart teen-turned-adult drama One Tree Hill — whose writing team includes former DVD Verdict staffer Terry Coli — looks to be on its last legs, jettisoning lead Chad Michael Murray for Season 7. But rest assured the network will nurture another similar series to take its place.

To summarize: The sitcoms are gone. Weekend programming is no more. And quirky new series like Reaper have been put to death. Long live The CW drama queens.

Riding high from this past season, CBS is doing very little to mess with the magic they have going. Like ABC, they aren’t planning a split season, so what you see is what you get… until ratings prove otherwise.

Monday’s comedy block remains in tact, with Big Bang Theory moving into the 9:30p slot, showing confidence in their rising star, while offering Sheldon and the boys an opportunity to become a bit more naughty. Dumping Worst Week and Rules of Engagement, a new player surfaces at 8:30p in the form of Accidentally on Purpose. The Jenna Elfman driven sitcom focuses on a San Francisco film critic who “accidentally” finds herself with child and all the comedy that ensues. Extras Ashley Jensen co-stars.

Tuesday remains heavily procedural with Mark Harmon’s NCIS, paired with its Chris O’Donnell / LL Cool J spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles, and followed by yet another legal-themed vehicle for ER’s Julianna Marguiles. This time, she’s a politician’s Good Wife who revives her career as a successful defense attorney.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday remain virtually untouched from 2008, with returning fan favorite The Mentalist taking over for the failed Eleventh Hour, and NBC’s castoff Medium filling in the Friday spot vacated by the dismal Ex-List.

Saturday warms two hours worth of leftovers, repeating hour-longs people might have missed during the week — a cheap but odd choice, given that so many shows are now available On Demand and online. And Sunday jettisons The Unit, moving Cold Case an hour later to make room for Three Rivers, a new medical drama about organ transplant patients.

It’s a tame, but solid schedule for the 35-85 age group. Then again, that’s what CBS has long been known for.

Of the major network schedules released thus far, ABC has hired the biggest cleaning team. While not playing their winter schedule hand just yet, ABC has unveiled no less than 8 new series for the fall, half of which are sitcoms. Who said the format was dead? Hank is a new vehicle for Kelsey Grammar, a Wall Street power broker who loses his job and is forced to return to his small town family. The Middle stars Patricia Heaton, Grammar’s most recent co-star, as the matriarch of a dysfunctional midwest family. Married with Children’s Ed O’Neill returns to primetime with Modern Family, a mockumentary which follows the lives of three suburban couples — traditional, multiethnic, and gay. Finally, Scrubs showrunner Bill Lawrence brings Courtney Cox center stage for Cougar Town, focusing on a newly single 40 year mom of a teenage son. The title has double meaning, in that the Cougar is also the high school mascot.

Fan favorites Castle and Private Practice have made the cut, holding onto their current time slots. But Ugly Betty has been given a slow death, moved to Friday night between Super Nanny and 20/20. Unless the diehards turn out in force, this one is not likely to make it to midseason. Better Off Ted and Scrubs both return for shorter seasons, with Scrubs to undergo a yet to be fully explained restructuring in format and cast lineup.

On to the new stuff. Producer Mark Burnett continues to play both sides of the pond, adapting the BBC’s reality series Dragon’s Den for ABC as The Shark Tank. Contestants pitch new business venture ideas to a team of investors and only the strongest survive. Jerry Bruckheimer gets another hour-long drama on the tube with The Forgotten, in which a team of quirky detectives work to solve cases involving unidentified victims. The real head-scratcher is that they already had The Unusuals and canceled it in favor of just another variation on a theme.

The undiscovered gem in this lineup is Eastwick, as series based on the John Updike’s Witches of Eastwick which was turned into a cult classic film starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Rebecca Romjin and Lindsay Price headline the new show, directed by the darkly inventive David Nutter (Supernatural, X-Files, Millennium).

The longshot here is Flash Forward, ABC’s attempt to hook Lost’s core audience before it disperses. The sci-fi series created by David Goyer (Batman Begins) and Brannon Braga (Star Trek franchise), explores the fallout of a global event in which the entire world’s population blacks out for 2 minutes, leaving millions dead in its wake and survivors with a disturbing glimpse into their own future.

ABC will be more willing to share their winter plans, once the fall starts to shake out, but rest assured the finale season of Lost will be the headlining act.

Source: Variety.com

Fox announces its Fall and Winter schedules today, with not a great deal of change from 2008. Fans of JJ Abrams’ Fringe and Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse will be happy to see their shows return for sophomore seasons. Seth MacFarlane increases his grip on Sunday nights with the introduction of Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show. The only other new entry is the sitcom Brothers, starring former NY Giants’ defensive end and current Fox commentator Michael Strahan. The show’s 13 episode run centers on Strahan’s relationship with his wheelchair bound brother (Daryl Chill Mitchell, Ed) and their mother (CCH Pounder, The Shield). Fox is bustin’ a big move on Tuesday’s by making So You Think You Can Dance? their companion to American Idol, which will return for its ninth season in January, with or without Simon Cowell.

Speaking of the winter, Fox opens up the schedule a bit with the introduction of three midseason replacements. Human Target revives the old DC Comics character with Watchmen’s Jackie Earle Haley and Pushing Daisies‘ Chi McBride fronting the action. Reaper’s Tyler Labine fronts the family comedy Sons of Tucson, in which three brothers hire a small-time hustler to play their dad, while their real father is in jail. And finally West Wing’s Richard Schiff headlines the paranormal drama Past Lives which follows a group of investigators who utilize their client’s past lives to help solve cases.

When other networks are cleaning house for increasing costs and low ratings, it’s nice to see Fox standing beside some of their fan favorites.

Source: Variety.com