FALL TV | 'Bionic Woman,' spy series could provide network with that elusive hit as comedies become an endangered species

May 15, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN
Television Critic

NBC wants to strike gold again like it did with its only recent hit, "Heroes." So its new fall dramas star a "Bionic Woman" and a super-brained spy. There's even a short "Heroes: Origins" spinoff coming next spring.

Things are so supernatural at NBC, even two producers from the austere "West Wing" are horning in on the action with "Journeyman," a fall mystery about a do-gooder newspaper scribbler who time travels. (Time traveling? Like in "Heroes"?)

The other big bulk of NBC's fall slate is filled by game shows. Four weeknights begin with "Deal or No Deal" and pals.

With NBC trying to buy viewers with competitions and superpowered heroes, comedies are dying. NBC will debut no new sitcoms this fall. The only four comedies will be Thursday holdovers "My Name Is Earl," "30 Rock," "The Office" and "Scrubs." All know acclaim. None is a Top 10 hit.

There will be one new "Office"-ish comedy, but not until January. "The IT Crowd" takes a crack at information tech geeks gone mild.

Avoiding comedies is a big pullback from the network that reinvigorated sitcoms with "The Cosby Show," "Seinfeld" and "Friends."

If you're curious what's supplanting laugh half-hours, look no further than a series NBC is slotting for 2008: "Lipstick Jungle." This is NBC traipsing ABC's terrain by blending light comedy with drama into a "dramedy" cocktail starring Brooke Shields.

"Lipstick" is based on a book by Candace ("Sex and the City") Bushnell. It knits a circle of women "determined to achieve their dreams and to do it on their own terms," says NBC.

Does that sound sidesplitting to you? Maybe not, but at least the women are only super on the inside.

Hello and goodbye
Canceled
"The Black Donnellys," "Crossing Jordan," "Identity," "Raines," "The Real Wedding Crashers," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Thank God You're Here." (Still undetermined: "The Apprentice")

On the move
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," to USA Network.
"Deal or No Deal," from 8 p.m. Sundays to 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
"Friday Night Lights," from 7 p.m. Wednesdays to 7 p.m. Fridays.
"Medium," from 9 p.m. Wednesdays to 8 p.m. Mondays (starting in January).

Schedule, new shows in bold
SUNDAY
6 p.m. "Football Night in America"
7 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"
MONDAY
7 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
8 p.m. "Heroes"
9 p.m. "Journeyman"
TUESDAY
7 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
8 p.m. "Chuck"
9 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
8 p.m. "Bionic Woman"
9 p.m. "Life"
THURSDAY
7 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
7:30 p.m. "30 Rock"
8 p.m. "The Office"
8:30 p.m. "Scrubs"
9 p.m. "ER"
FRIDAY
7 p.m. "1 vs 100"
8 p.m. "Las Vegas"
9 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"
SATURDAY
7 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
8 p.m. Reruns

NEW SHOWS
DRAMA
"Bionic Woman": The new Jaime Sommers (British actress Michelle Ryan) is a bartender who takes care of her teen sister.

"Chuck": A computer geek (Zachary Levi of "Less Than Perfect") accidentally downloads a bunch of government secrets into his brain.

"Journeyman": A newspaperman (Kevin McKidd of "Rome") inexplicably starts traveling through time.

"Life": A detective (Damian Lewis from "Band of Brothers") returns to the force after serving time for a crime he didn't commit.

"Lipstick Jungle": Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price play New York pals invented by Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell. (January)

COMEDY

"The IT Crowd": Our version of a British series about tech wizards who fix computers and stick to themselves. (Midseason)

REALITY

"The Singing Bee": In this karaoke game show, contestants lose points for messing up song lyrics. (Midseason)

"World Moves": So you think you can't watch another dance competition? Executive producer Randy Jackson thinks you will. (Midseason)