Now that ABC has announced its fall schedule, a few questions come to mind.
- Does ABC really think that Delta Burke can beat out Bart Simpson? The network has scheduled the former "Designing Women" star's new sitcom opposite "The Simpsons" on Thursdays at 7 p.m.With "Cosby" leaving the air, Thursday nights are up for grabs - but Burke vs. Bart? I doubt it.
- ABC News' loss is our gain. "Life Goes On" would probably be history if ABC's new news magazine were going to be ready for a fall premiere on Sundays at 6 p.m.
But ABC is still committed to putting the Forrest Sawyer-hosted magazine in that time slot by the end of the year, so don't be surprised if "Life" goes 13 episodes and out this fall.
- Hurrah! "Homefront" was renewed!
But any excitement over the return of this very good series has to be tempered by the fact that it's moving to Thursdays at 8 p.m. - opposite "Cheers" and "Beverly Hills, 90210."
- The pilot tapes won't start coming for a few weeks, but my first impressions of ABC's seven new series are that there are only a couple I'm looking forward to.
"Going to Extremes," the medical comedy/drama set at a Carribean med school, is from the producers who've brought us "St. Elsewhere," "A Year In the Life," "Northern Exposure" and "I'll Fly Away." That's impressive.
And the sitcom "Laurie Hill" is from the creators of "The Wonder Years." Ditto.
I'm also rather curious about "Covington Cross," the medieval comedy/drama about a knight and his kids.
- There are already reports that if "Young Indiana Jones" doesn't improve its performance on Mondays at 7 p.m., it will be yanked quickly in favor of "FBI: The Untold Stories" and "American Detective."
(And isn't it too bad that, because of "Monday Night Football," locally we won't see "Young Indy" until the following Sunday afternoon?)
- ABC has a midseason replacement sitcom titled "Home Free." It's possible that the network could end up airing "Home Free," "Home Front" and "Home Improvement" - not to mention the daytime show "Home" - all at the same time.
- I won't miss anything ABC canceled.
- Don't be surprised if there's some shuffling of this schedule once ABC gets a look at NBC's, Fox's and CBS' plans.HERE COMES `JULIE': ABC has scheduled the Julie Andrews sitcom "Julie" - finally.
This project has been completed for months and has been sitting around waiting for an airdate. Word is that ABC was so dissatisfied with the results that it held it back for the summer, when viewing levels are way down.
Anyway, this sitcom will begin airing Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. on May 30.
In this series, produced by Andrews' husband, Blake Edwards, she plays the star of a network variety show who marries a man from Iowa (James Farentino), moves to the Midwest with him and his children - and relocates her series to Sioux City.ANOTHER RENEWAL: NBC has announced that the hourlong drama "Sisters," which debuted as a mid-season replacement in early 1991, will return for its second full season in the fall.
That makes 11 series the Peacock has renewed. The others are "Blossom," "Cheers," "A Different World," "Empty Nest," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" "Law & Order," "Nurses," "Quantum Leap," "Seinfeld," and "Wings."
NBC announces its fall lineup next week.