This week, ABC axed Tom Arnold's "Jackie Thomas Show."
But wait. Arnold says that he told network executives this past Friday that he was tired of waiting for them to make a decision on the show so he was quitting.That seems rather suspect. Arnold probably saw the handwriting on the wall and was trying to save face.
On the other hand, in all likelihood our boy Tommy is going to be back on prime time before long. He's going to star in a midseason replacement sitcom on CBS that will be created and produced by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason ("Designing Women," "Evening Shade" and "Hearts Afire").
As Ricky Ricardo would say - Ai yi yi yi yi!
And, while both Arnolds - Tom and Roseanne - have been quiet this week, Roseanne's threat to quit ABC after this coming season and take "Roseanne" elsewhere still stands.
But, at the same time, industry reports say the Arnolds are about to sign a multi-series contract with ABC, giving that network first right of refusal on any new shows they create and produce. But, unlike the deal they were working on earlier, this would be a non-exclusive pact, meaning the Arnolds could take their shows elsewhere.
Stay tuned . . .
BIG CHANCE: Yesterday I told you that ABC was taking a big chance by adding 11 new series to its prime-time schedule in the fall.
And there's a very simple reason why - the percentage of new shows that succeed is surprisingly low.
Of the 32 shows that debuted last fall on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, 19 have already been canceled.
That's almost 60 percent.
Another three haven't officially been axed, but are out of production and are expected to be dumped when CBS, NBC and Fox announce their schedules later this month.
That's nearly 69 percent.
Another three shows are in extreme danger of not making the fall schedule. Barring a miracle, they're goners too.
That would mean that more than three out of four - 78 percent - of the series the four networks added last fall won't make it to this fall.
And ABC's record was even worse. Of the seven programs that network debuted last fall, six have been dumped - a mere 14 percent success rate.
Now, maybe ABC really does have great shows. But the fact remains that, for whatever reason, American viewers are increasingly reluctant to try new shows.
So, yes, ABC is taking a big chance by replacing more than a third of its prime-time schedule.
ADVANCE NOTICES: The most-talked about new show on ABC's schedule is "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," which is getting good advance word in the business.
And the people in charge certainly know television. One of the executive producers is David Jacobs ("Dallas," "Knots Landing" and "Homefront"), while the co-executive producer/creator is Deborah Joy Levine, who wrote for the under-appreciated "Equal Justice" a couple years back.
Reportedly, this '90s updating of the Superman story - "He's a superman trying to be an average guy. She's an average gal trying to be a super career woman." - works surprisingly well.
ABC has enough confidence in the show to put it on Sundays at 7 p.m., opposite ratings juggernaut "Murder, She Wrote."
I'M STILL MAD: One last time - ABC executives should be ashamed of themselves for sabotaging, then canceling "Homefront."
BEATLEMANIA: Fox will air Paul McCartney's first live TV concert - which will no doubt be on tape-delay locally - from Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, June 15.
In addition to recent material, McCartney will also be performing some old Beatle songs.
STILL MORE `CHEERS': The final episode of "Cheers" keeps getting longer and longer.
First announced as an hourlong episode, it quickly became 90 minutes. Now it's up to 98 minutes, believe it or not.
That extra eight minutes will cut out of the Bob Costas-hosted retrospective.
So, remember, that final episode of "Cheers" is now set to begin at 8:22 p.m. on Thursday, May 20.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: ABC has saved us from going more than a few months without a Kennedy miniseries - "JFK: Reckless Youth," based on the controversial book by Nigel Hamilton, will air sometime this coming season.
Oh, NBC is also doing a miniseries based on Ted Kennedy's life sometime next season.
Soon, we'll probably be seeing a miniseries based on the lives of the Kennedy pets.
FOX SUMMER: "Danger Theatre," a half hour comedy that lampoons TV police and detective shows, will join the Fox schedule for a summer run on Sunday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m.
Fox is also going to air reruns of "Beverly Hills, 90210" on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. for the summer as of June 1; new and repeat episodes of "Key West" return to Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on that same date; and reruns of the "Tribeca" will air Sundays at 9 p.m. beginning July 25.