Fox Shaking Up Its Schedule In March
The natives are again restless at the fourth network. Fox has announced a moderately big shakeup of its prime-time schedule, which will affect 3-1/2 hours of shows.
Coming: an interesting (OK, at least it sounds interesting) new drama from the brain of “China Beach’s” John Sacret Young about virtual reality.
And going: the stupefyingly bad “Models Inc.” as well as the sad, misguided reincarnation of “Get Smart.”
Here’s the roundup:
“The Great Defender” will hit the schedule March 5, replacing the “Simpson” repeats the network had been airing and “Smart.” It’s about a sassy blue-collar kind of lawyer who joins a stiff-upper-lip Boston law firm. This “fish-out-of-water” drama stars Michael Rispoli, Richard Kiley and Kelly Rutherford.
“Medicine Ball” bows March 13. This one is apparently Fox’s better-late-than-never grab at viewers’ new-found interest in hospital dramas. No one you’ve ever heard of is in the cast. It replaces “Models.”
“VR 5” is about a young woman (Lori Singer) who enters a computer world of virtual reality, where she can communicate with her dead father (David McCallum). It premieres March 10, replacing “M.A.N.T.I.S.”
Fox is also bringing back “The Critic” (March 5) replacing “House of Buggin’,” which will return sometime in April (different time period). Why all the changes now? A spokesman says March “is an ideal time to try new programs.”
More on `Just say No J’
Comedy Central is running a tongue-in-cheek public service campaign to counter the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial of O.J. Simpson. “Just Say No. J.” will include a series of 30-second spots and bumper stickers. One of the spots features a woman who lets out a bloodcurdling scream after reading an eye chart that spells out O.J. Simpson and Robert Shapiro.
Tarantino guests on `Girl’
Talk about typecasting. For his guest shot on ABC’s “All-American Girl” Feb. 22, “Pulp Fiction” director Quentin Tarantino will play Margaret’s (Margaret Cho) seemingly perfect boyfriend, Desmond Winocki. Naturally, Desmond turns out to be a criminal leading a double life. Title of the episode: “Pulp Sitcom.”
Conan gets new contract
Conan O’Brien, who looked like he was coasting to early retirement only a few months ago, has finally gotten a long-awaited vote of approval from the network. NBC has given the show a six-month order, which in effect means that it has been renewed for the rest of the broadcast season.
CBS going online
CBS has launched an extensive Internet service that will provide computer users with program information and allow the network to collect research on new and existing shows.
The service will be called CBS Eye on the Net, with a menu that will provide users with information and features that include an archive of “Late Show With David Letterman” Top 10 lists, hourly updated news texts from CBS News and background on CBS Sports’ NCAA basketball coverage.
The network will also set up an Eye on the Net Club, where users can receive additional information on CBS and special software from the network by providing an e-mail address.
NBC also online
NBC is launching an Interactive Viewers Club, which the network will use to electronically distribute information about its programs and advertisers to personal computer users.