Air
Waves
By
Laura Nachman
Metro
August
25, 2005
In
what looks to be a lackluster syndicated fall season, this year’s major
newcomers are Martha, Tyra and “Sex.”
NBC10
airs Martha Stewart’s new show weekdays at 11 a.m.
It replaces “Jane Pauley,” who attempted to be a one-woman “The
View.” Though many feel Martha
got a raw deal with her jail sentence I know I don’t feel bad enough to
watch her new show five days a week.
Tyra
Banks of “America’s Next Top Model” tries the talk-show route on UPN 57
at 3 p.m. Tyra will probably
suffer the same fate as another prime time star that tried daytime, Ryan
Seacrest of “American Idol,” who failed with his daytime show.
Also
on UPN57, the sitcoms “The Bernie Mac Show” and “South Park” make
their syndication debuts. “South Park” has the potential to do well, since
like animated shows like “The Simpsons,” the characters don’t age.
“Sex
and the City” joins the WB17 lineup weeknights at 11 p.m. and 12 a.m.
Though I was initially skeptical that “Sex” could translate to a
non pay-cable world, the reruns on TBS were just as funny as the original.
“My
Wife and Kids,” a mildly successful sitcom on ABC until “American Idol”
blew it out of the water, makes its syndication debut. WB17 continues to be
the “Trash Talk” capital with “Jerry” and “Maury.”
NBC10
is realizing the error in its ways by bringing back the reality series
“Starting Over.” Last year,
it dumped “Starting Over,” which got better ratings for WB17 then “Jane
Pauley.” To make room for
“Martha” and “Starting Over,” NBC10 is dropping “Montel” which
moves to WB17. “Ellen”
continues at 3 p.m. Ellen DeGeneres will host the “Primetime Emmys” in
September.
CBS3
continues to have bad luck at 9 a.m. “Larry
Elder,” “Living it Up with Ali & Jack,” and “Crossing Over with
John Edward” all failed in that timeslot.
This year, “The Suze
Orman Show” was supposed to air at 9, but the show wasn’t ready for the
fall. Instead, CBS3 will air the previous night’s “Entertainment
Tonight” and “The Insider.” (Oh boy, two Pat O’Briens a day.)
6ABC
boasts an unchanged daily lineup. The
only main addition is the movie review show “Ebert and Roeper” on Saturday
at midnight. Its 7 p.m. block of
“Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” is in its second decade on the air. Pat
Sajak tried the talk show in the early 90’s, and wisely returned to the
safety of the wheel. Good move!
He has an awesome life. The
show only tapes a few months a year and he makes millions.