UPN's Ostroff Looks For Flow, Consistency
In UPN President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff's first development season, the goal was to add some flow to the struggling network, because Mondays urban comedies weren't doing flowing an audience into Tuesday's Buffy
block, which in turn didn't flow into Wednesday's sci-fi night and so on with Thursday's Smackdown!
So this season, fixing flow became job one.
Now Mondays and Tuesdays will comprise sitcoms, with UPN's most popular show, One on One, moving over to anchor an otherwise all-new Tuesday lineup. That will be followed by what appears to be the network's most promising new show All of Us
and Rock Me Baby
and The Mullets, a show that Ostroff says is "like [the movie] Dumb and Dumber but even dumber."
UPN still has a flow problem on Wednesdays, although it hopes The Mullets
will attract young men who watch Enterprise
at 8 p.m. ET. Sci-fi action thriller Jake 2.0
follows in the tough 9 p.m. time slot.
Ironically, UPN picked up all its comedies from Warner Bros. Television, the same studio that is producing 100% of rival net The WB's new shows.
Thursdays and Fridays remain intact, with WWE Smackdown! on Thursdays and movies on Fridays.
New for the Fall
4 sitcoms / 1 drama
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The Opposite Sex
(sitcom, Monday, 8:30)—Hip-hop artist Eve stars as a fashion designer navigating the 21st century world of love, romance and career. Executive-produced by Robert Greenblatt, David Janollari and writer Meg DeLoatch. From Greenblatt-Janollari Studio with Warner Bros. Television.
All of Us
(sitcom, Tuesday, 8:30)—Based loosely on the life of Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith. A man must figure out a way to relate to his soon-to-be wife and his ex while raising the son they all adore. Executive-produced by the Smiths, James Lassiter and writer Betsy Borns. From Overbrook Productions with Warner Bros. Television Productions.
Rock Me Baby
(sitcom, Tuesday, 9)—Radio shock jock (Dan Cortese) deals with life changes after he becomes a father. Executive-produced by Tony Krantz, Bob Myer and writer Tim Kelleher. From Flame Entertainment with Warner Bros. Television.
The Mullets
(sitcom, Tuesday, 9:30)—Blue-collar guys with really ugly hairstyles live and love and fall down a lot. Executive-produced by Eric and Kim Tannenbaum and writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein of The Simpsons. From The Tannenbaum Co. with Warner Bros. Television.
Jake 2.0
(drama, Wednesday, 9)—Computer technician is transformed into a secret agent with superpowers when he is accidentally infested with microscopic computers. Executive-produced by Gina Matthews, Grant Scharbo and Silvio Horta. From Roundtable Entertainment with Viacom Productions.