In case you haven't noticed, the 42 series on the four broadcast networks and two network wannabes yielded exactly zero breakout hits.
Oh, NBC will try to tell you that "The Single Guy" and "Caroline in the City" are big hits, but if they want to prove that point they'll have to move the two rather weak sitcoms out of their cushy Thursday-night time slots first.At any rate, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB are still searching for the big hit of the 1995-96 season. Here's some of what to expect in the way of new (and returning) programs in the coming months.
ABC: The network's biggest fall disappointment, "Murder One," returns to the air on Monday at 9 p.m. (Ch. 4). It promises to focus more on the main case and less on the extraneous secondary story-lines - but the damage has probably already been done. After it got destroyed by "ER" on Thursdays, don't look for "Murder" to become a big hit on Mondays.
- "Champs," (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. beginning next week) is a mediocre new sitcom from the creator of "Family Ties," premieres Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. - giving it the benefit of being hammocked between "Home Improvement" and "NYPD Blue."
- The network has pretty much thrown in the towel against NBC's Thursday-night juggernaut, opting for a pair of low-cost fillers. ABC is trotting out "World's Funniest Home Videos" (debuts Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.), an international version of "America's Funniest Home Videos."
- And "Before They Were Stars" (debuts Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.) is a continuation of the series of specials with embarrassing clips of various stars' early days.
- "Second Noah" (debuts Monday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m.) is an hourlong drama that features two parents, eight kids and lots of animals.
- "The Dana Carvey Show" (TBA) features the former "Saturday Night Live" star in a sketch comedy show.
- "Aliens in the Family" (TBA) is a comedy about a single human father who marries a single extraterrestrial mother. Really.
- And be on the lookout for "Muppets Live" (TBA), which will revive the old "Muppet Show" with new characters and put them in charge of a TV station.
- Meredith Baxter ("Family Ties") returns in a new sitcom, "The Faculty" (TBA) - which had a really crummy pilot that was screened for critics last summer.
- And the buddy comedy "Buddies" (TBA), which almost premiered last spring but was yanked at the last minute for recasting and retooling, is also on the slate.
CBS: "Matt Waters," the hourlong drama that stars Montel Williams as a crusading teacher, premiered Wednesday (Ch. 2). And "American Gothic" returned on the same night.
- "Central Park West" (TBA) is supposed to be back sometime this month. It is going to try to grab older viewers by adding stars like Gerald McRaney and Raquel Welch, but - once again - the damage has been done by the show's disastrous first outing. Chances for success are slight.
- So is the outlook for "The Bonnie Hunt Show," which is also supposed to return from hiatus at some point.
- "The Cube" (TBA) is a sitcom set in a New York City advertising agency.
- "Bridges" (TBA) features "Miami Vice" star Don Johnson as a San Francisco detective.
- "My Guys" (TBA) is a comedy about two brothers, ages 11 and 15, growing up in New York City.
- "The Louie Show" (TBA) features comedian Louie Anderson as a therapist. It's from the creator/
producer/writer of "Murphy Brown."
NBC: "3rd Rock from the Sun," a sitcom about aliens who assume human form, premieres Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on Ch. 5. Despite the presence of John Lithgow and Jane Curtin, this is a rather dopey show full of sexual humor.
- "Raising Caines" (TBA), a new family sitcom from the producer of "The Wonder Years," stars Mel Harris ("thirtysomething") and Judge Reinhold as the parents of four and Barry Corbin as the grandfather.
- "Malibu Shores" (TBA) is the latest teen soap from Aaron Spelling - this one pits the kids from the "cool" high school in Malibu against the kids from the "uncool" school in the San Fernando Valley.
FOX: The fourth network has half a dozen new series ready to plug into its schedule, although none have received air dates yet.
- "The Last Frontier" (TBA on Ch. 13) is a promising new sitcom about three guys living in Alaska and the woman who moves into the guest house behind them.
- "Local Heroes" (TBA) is a comedy about a group of, um, "Friends" in their 20s who hang out together.
- "Profit" (TBA) is an offbeat but promising hourlong drama about a corporate climber who's sort of a psychopathic J.R. Ewing.
- "Kindred: The Embraced" (TBA) is an hourlong drama about a San Francisco detective (C. Thomas Howell) who investigates a coven of vampires that operates like the Mafia.
UPN: This network wannabe is not only expanding to a third night - Wednesdays - but making some changes to Tuesdays as well.
- "Moesha" (debuts Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. on Ch. 14) is a comedy about a teenage girl (pop singer Brandy Norwood) growing up in the '90s.
- "Minor Adjustments" (debuts Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m.) is the same insipid sitcom NBC recently canceled.
- "The Sentinel" (debuts Wednesday, March 13, at 8 p.m.) is an hourlong drama about a detective who survives a plane crash to emerge from the jungle with special sensory powers.
- "Swift Justice" (debuts Wednesday, March 13, at 9 p.m.) is another crime drama, this one about an ex-cop who works outside the system to solve crimes the police can't handle. (Can you say vigilante?)
THE WB: "Savannah" (debuts with a two-hour movie on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. on Ch. 30) is a glitzy soap opera about three female friends that's full of lying, cheating, stealing, back-stabbing and murder. All in the first two hours. But, as soaps go, this one shows promise.