ABC counting on 11 new series to pull it out of slump

ABC and the WB, two television networks badly in need of hits, announced extreme makeovers for their fall schedules Tuesday.

ABC is planning a whopping 11 new series, including only two new comedies (one from Mel Gibson) — a shift for a network that has tried with limited success to build behind laughs.

The WB will bring in six new series in the fall, including sketch comedies starring Drew Carey and Jeff Foxworthy and the first scripted series by reality show king Mark Burnett.

Both networks have suffered this season. ABC is entrenched in fourth place behind CBS, NBC and Fox. The WB has seen its young and hip reputation take a fall, with prime-time viewership declining from 4.1 million to 3.6 million.

New ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson swung an immediate ax, canceling four comedies — “It’s All Relative,” “Married to the Kellys,” “I’m With Her” and “Life With Bonnie” — along with the drama “The D.A.”

The comedy “8 Simple Rules” has survived for another season, a surprise after star John Ritter died in September. It will move to a Friday lineup geared to families.

The new season of “Alias” will be held until midseason to accommodate a tight shooting schedule. “NYPD Blue” will give way in January to another Steven Bochco-produced drama, “Blind Justice,” about a blind detective.

The spinoff series “The Practice: Fleet Street” will star James Spader and William Shatner. Other new ABC fall series include:

• “Savages,” a comedy, executive-produced by Gibson, about a single dad raising four boys.

• “Desperate Housewives,” a prime-time soap about suburban neighbors.

• “Life As We Know It,” a coming-of-age drama about three teenage boys. Kelly Osbourne co-stars.

• “Lost,” a drama about 48 plane crash survivors marooned in the South Pacific.

• “Rodney,” a sitcom revolving around the life of stand-up comedian Rodney Carrington.

ABC also will introduce two new reality series: “Wife Swap,” about real-life women who switch families, and “The Benefactor,” in which Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will give away $1 million.

The WB has completely revamped its Wednesday and Thursday nights, with only the drama “Smallville” returning.

On Wednesday, Foxworthy will star in “Blue Collar TV,” an adaptation of his popular concert/DVD series. “Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show” is an improvisational series, similar to one he did at ABC.

Burnett’s first scripted series is “Commando Nanny,” based on his own life as a former British paratrooper who moved to Los Angeles and worked as a nanny.

The WB’s most promising drama is “Jack & Bobby,” about the boyhood of a future president and his headstrong brother.

A reality-game show hybrid called “Studio 7” features eight college students brought to New York for a week to compete in a trivia contest for a $770,000 prize.

Steve Harvey’s show will be expanded to an hour, moved to Sunday, and be more of a variety show.