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TV of Tomorrow: Fall TV Preview 2010

'V': ABC explains midseason decision

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May 18, 2010 10:37 AM ET

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v-fruition-320.jpg"V" will be back next season, but fans will have to wait a while for it.

ABC will hold back the sci-fi series, which ends its season on Tuesday (May 18), until midseason next year. Jeff Bader, the network's executive vice president for planning, scheduling and distribution, says doing that will accomplish a couple of things.

"Because it's a big, sci-fi event show, they could use the extra time to ramp up and get the show as good as it could possibly be," Bader tells Zap2it. "It's also a show we'd like to run as uninterrupted as possible, like we've done with 'Lost.' If it can run uninterrupted, it will play much better."

Bader also says that ABC will "swing for the fences" with two of its new dramas next season -- "No Ordinary Family" and "My Generation." Both shows will air at 8 p.m. ("No Ordinary Family" on Tuesdays, "My Generation" on Thursdays), and while they're both in competitive timeslots, Bader says the fact that they're a little different from most shows can help them break through.

The hope is that the two shows will hook viewers early on and "keep them there all night," Bader says.

"No Ordinary Family" stars Julie Benz ("Dexter") and Michael Chiklis ("The Shield") as a married couple who, along with their kids (Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett), suddenly develop superpowers. "My Generation" is a documentary-style drama that follows a group of high school graduates in 2000 and catches up with them 10 years later; the cast includes Jaime King, Kelli Garner, Mehcad Brooks and Michael Stahl David.

ABC's other fall dramas are all procedurals. Cop show "Detroit 1-8-7" and legal drama "The Whole Truth" will try to solidify the 10 o'clock hour on Tuesday and Wednesday, where ABC struggled this season, while "Body of Proof" will team with the unscripted show "Secret Millionaire" (an import from FOX) on Fridays in an effort to give the network some new life there.

"We know there's an audience that's home on Fridays," Bader says, citing the solid premiere numbers for "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" this spring. CBS has done well with its Friday drama lineup for several seasons, he notes, "but their shows are older now. The door is open for us."

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Photo credit: ABC

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 |  Comments (15)

It's also a show we'd like to run as uninterrupted as possible, like we've done with 'Lost.' If it can run uninterrupted, it will play much better."

Well no duh Sherlock. Too bad you didn't think to try that this past season with "FlashForward". And as for "V" ... its going to need all the help it can get ... the show sucks.

Just_Me | May 18, 2010 11:22 AM

I'd like to see ABC rerun V over the summer for those of us that missed it could catch up.

Bman | May 18, 2010 11:30 AM

re:Bman - they're releasing it to DVD. That's what they do now instead of replaying the shows.

I know this annoys people, but it's really just the same sort of thing that UK TV has been doing for years. It's not uncommon for a year - sometimes longer - to elapse between seasons. It's not a big deal with V.

Alex | May 18, 2010 11:32 AM

I don't understand why its coming back at all.

I tried to like it but I never felt a connection to the characters and waiting almost a year is sure to kill it once and for all. I know I'm not interested in waiting that long to see if it gets better.


PChat | May 18, 2010 12:16 PM

If Jeff Bader wanted to show it "uninterupted" then he shouldn't have interupted it from November 2009 to March 2010. This is stupid to wait until next midseason. People will forget about it and they will also get hooked on something else on another network in the same timeslot. They will NOT make the choice to go back to V midseason. Next thing you know we'll hear Jeff Bader defending his decision to bring back V on Friday nights at 9PM. How much do these execs get paid?

Kerry | May 18, 2010 1:16 PM

what were there 10 episodes total,what ABC went over budget lol

Timbo | May 18, 2010 3:05 PM

How much do these execs get paid?

Too much especially when you realize they're as stupid as the day is long.

Just_Me | May 18, 2010 3:08 PM

I'm surprised as well for ABC renewing V as this show is not very good and holding it off until mid-season is not smart as people will forget about the program once the season finale airs this evening.

Pierre | May 18, 2010 3:36 PM

I actually like V...beats the heck out of Stargate Universe. ABC is certainly working hard to kill the show though! 4 episodes, a long break for the Olympics and now another really long break - until next year? Why bother to even keep the show if they're going to leave viewers hanging that long? The execs there are imbeciles...

Joe | May 18, 2010 4:08 PM

Huh? V first aired in October with 4 episodes then went off the air for four months. Then it comes back on to air another four or five episodes and now it's going to go off air for seven months....? I don't know what ABC is trying to do but whatever the viewership numbers are now are going to be far less seven months from now. Bye Bye V. LOL.

No more V on ABC | May 18, 2010 4:10 PM
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