ABC Dumps Comedies, Adds 11 New Shows

Back to the drawing board. ABC canceled a bunch of comedies, and announced 11 new shows -- more than twice that NBC did yesterday. Four of the 11 are sitcoms -- including one with the Geico caveman and a new Christina Applegate comedy -- while NBC didn't roll out any new comedies Monday.

Say goodbye to "George Lopez," "In Case of Emergency," "Help Me Help You," "Knights of Prosperity, " "Big Day," "What About Brian," "In Case of Emergency, " "Six Degrees," "The Nine," "Day Break" and William Shatner's short-lived game show, "Show Me The Money." No surprises here, except for maybe "What About Brian."

Still on the bubble is Jim Belushi's "According to Jim." It may be back for midseason.

Back for sure are two spring tryouts, "October Road" and "Notes from the Underbelly." Not on the fall schedule is "Lost," which will return sometime in early '08 to run without repeats into May sweeps. Also back are "Supernanny" and "Wife Swap."

See the ABC announcement at
http://www.abcmedianet.com/Web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=051507_01#

The four comedies are:
--"Caveman," a "unique buddy comedy" (I love the TV PR lexicon) about three modern cavemen in Atlanta.
--"Sam I Am," with Christina Applegate with amnesia, and discovering that she wasn't a very nice, honest or loving person before her eight-year coma.
--"Miss/Guided," from Ashton Kutcher, about a woman (Judy Greer, "Arrested Development") who returns to her alma mater as a guidance counselor.
--"Carpoolers," about four guys who carpool. Hey, that should last three weeks. Stars include Fred Goss (from "Sons & Daughters," fictionally set in Hamilton last year), Jerry O'Connell and Faith Ford.

The seven new dramas are:
--"Private Practice," the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff with Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman and Taye Diggs.
--"Pushing Daisies," from Barry Sonnenfeld ("Men In Black") and Bryan Fuller ("Heroes") about a detective (Lee Pace) whose touch brings dead things back to life. With Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth, Swoosie Kurtz.
--"Dirty, Sexy Money," an idealistic lawyer (Peter Krause) goes to work for a filthy rich family (Donald Sutherland, Jill Cralburgh, William Baldwin).
--"Eli Stone," a San Francisco lawyer who becomes a prophet after some hallucinations. Only in San Francisco? With Jonny Lee Miller, Victor Garber.
--"Women's Murder Club," based on James Patterson's novels, about a San Francisco detective, district attorney, newspaper reporter and medical examiner who join forces to solve crimes. With Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome. What's up with San Francisco on ABC this fall?
--"Big Shots," about four CEO buddies, with possibly the strongest cast of fall so far: Dylan McDermott, Joshua Malina, Michael Vartan and Christopher Titus.
--"Cashmere Mafia," about four career girlfriends. With Lucy Liu, Bonnie Somerville, Mirando Otto and Frances O'Connor. Will debut after "Dancing with the Stars" and "The Bachelor" fall season ends in November.

So here's something to talk about: Did you watch the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff? Will you watch more? Do you disagree with any of the ABC shows canceled? Which of these new shows sound most promising?
Cavemen???