The big news during ABC’s presentation here of the current version of its plans and dreams was that the network is going cable, in a fashion.
In one of the boldest and most intriguing network moves in recent memory, comedian Bill Maher and the “Politically Incorrect” talk show to which he plays host on Comedy Central are moving to ABC in January 1997, and will air weeknights as a kind of partner to Ted Koppel’s “Nightline,” the network announced at the annual midseason gathering of television writers.
Comedian Jonathan Katz, star of Comedy Central’s animated critical darling, “Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist,” has been signed to a development deal by ABC–meaning he gets money to come up with a show idea, and if the network likes it, they’ll make a pilot.
Dan Cortese, that smug ex-MTV sports guy, is another talent the network has signed and may show up on an ABC show next fall, ABC Entertainment President Ted Harbert said.
And Dana Carvey and former “Saturday Night Live” writer and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” producer Robert Smigel are making a new prime time sketch comedy series that will debut on the network, probably in March, even though more typically such a show would land on cable.
This network emulation of pay TV motivated Comedy Central to whip up a press release charging that “Comedy Central is (ABC’s) chief fuel for its entire programming effort.” The release also mock-helpfully included the phone number for the executive producer of “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” another popular Comedy Central show.
Other information from ABC’s portion of the press tour that will affect what you see and hear on the network in the coming months:
– Despite star Roseanne’s earlier protestations that this would be her last year, and despite John Goodman’s decision to leave the show after this season, Harbert said he expects “Roseanne” to be back for 1996-97 after all.
“Roseanne called and said, `I want to keep going,’ ” Harbert said. While praising Goodman’s work, he termed the change “creatively very exciting” and said “the options are anything from a job in another place to divorce to death.”
– A new Muppets show, “Muppets Tonight!” is currently in production for debut this season. Set at a television station run by Kermit and featuring guest stars including Michelle Pfeiffer, the show will likely join ABC’s “TGIF” block of four Friday family comedies, leaving at least one of the current shows on the chopping block.
– A new, Steven Spielberg-produced, police action series called “High Incident” is expected to go on the air in March. One of its writers said that the pitch for the show, set in suburban Los Angeles, was ” `Adam-12′ meets `Pulp Fiction.’ “
– Yet another mini-series featuring the “Lonesome Dove” characters is coming in February. Author Larry McMurtry was on hand to promote the prequel, “Dead Man’s Walk,” and said/threatened that we can expect a fourth one, to be set in a time between “Dead Man’s” and the beloved and by now besmirched original.
– Relatively thin in the area of drama, ABC is bringing some of TV’s more renowned drama producers into the fold for next fall. “My So-Called Life” and “thirtysomething” producers Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick have a one-hour pilot for a series called “Relativity,” a drama about two families. And David Kelley (“Picket Fences,” “Chicago Hope”) is also doing a series for the network for next fall.
– As for “Murder One,” the ratings-poor Steven Bochco drama about a single murder case, Harbert gave it a qualified vote of support, saying he wouldn’t want to frustrate viewers by not airing the conclusion, but he also wouldn’t want to make an absolute promise that all 23 shows produced for this season will air. Bochco said he is shooting three different endings for the series to try to keep the outcome of the trial under wraps.
– Harbert described “Second Noah,” a new series making its debut Feb. 5, as an attempt to find a show that parents and children would watch together, after what he characterized as the TV industry’s overreaction last season in trying to skew most shows toward the 18-49-year-old viewers that advertisers covet. The hour drama is about a couple who adopt children and animals aplenty.”
Harbert also promised that he was interested in “Politically Incorrect” as is. The freewheeling half-hour talk show, featuring a quirky celebrity panel and Maher as host, blends topical humor, current events and issues and celebrity in a manner that makes it one of TV’s consistent pleasures.
As Harbert said, alluding to the program’s panels, “When you have Hugh Downs against David Lee Roth, it just is fun to watch.”
