The WB Announces 2003-2004 Primetime Schedule

(May 13, 2003 - New York, NY) — The WB Network unveiled its 2003-2004 primetime schedule this morning in front of 3,000 advertisers and national journalists in a presentation led by Jordan Levin, President, Entertainment and Jed Petrick, President and Chief Operating Officer for The WB. Two intense, unconventional dramas and four new comedies highlight the fall schedule. “TARZAN AND JANE” takes the Tarzan legend into fresh new territory by moving the setting to the urban jungle of New York City. Feature film star Rachael Leigh Cook appears in her first leading role on television in the FBI drama “FEARLESS.” Four new and four returning comedies will air on Thursday and Friday nights, including WB comedy veteran Steve Harvey’s new variety/talk show “STEVE HARVEY’S BIG TIME” and the sibling comedy “RUN OF THE HOUSE.” New Friday night comedies include “LIKE FAMILY,” starring another comedy talent familiar to The WB audience, Holly Robinson Peete, and an autobiographical series from comic actor Anthony Anderson, “ALL ABOUT THE ANDERSONS.” “Our fall schedule is designed to capitalize on our strong ratings growth this season and solidify The WB as a premier network brand built on a bedrock of scripted programming targeting the next generation of television viewers,” said Jordan Levin, President, Entertainment. “Established, star-driven shows lead off five nights with the sixth led by our most successful comedy performer, Steve Harvey, in a format currently absent from TV. “Another reason we’re excited about next season is the introduction of the next generation of WB talent, including Anthony Anderson, Rachael Leigh Cook and Travis Fimmel, whom we expect to become breakout stars with feature film exposure like our original faces of New Hollywood. “While we have proven we can develop and program youthful hit dramas that now fuel many successful cable networks, we plan to become a key destination for young viewers seeking comedy as well, with its long-range financial benefits to our production partners.” Wednesday Nights Take A Supernatural Turn When “Smallville” And “Angel” Team Up For An Evening Of Powerful Drama Clark Kent (Tom Welling) meets the vampire with a soul in the new Wednesday night lineup of hit drama “SMALLVILLE” followed by critical favorite “ANGEL.” The WB’s highest-rated program, “SMALLVILLE” scored 9 of the 10 highest adult 18-34 single-episode deliveries ever for the network last season. “ANGEL” scored on two different nights this past season, delivering double-digit time period gains in nearly every key demo, with the largest gains in the male demos. In the fall, Angel (David Boreanaz) will be reunited with his fellow vampire Spike (James Marsters). “Moving our number one show, ‘Smallville,’ to lead off Wednesday is a move we’re confident will anchor a critical night for years to come, just as ‘Dawson’s Creek’ did," said Mr. Levin. “Paired with ‘Angel,’ the show viewers and critics begged us to return, we have a formidable action-fantasy block with massive male appeal and stars women and teens love as well. In addition, James Marsters will join ‘Angel’ as Spike, and other visitors from Sunnydale will be seen in Joss Whedon’s world, which will take an uptown turn out of the darkness this fall.” Thursday Goes With An All Comedy Lineup One of The WB’s most beloved and enduring stars, Steve Harvey returns to the network with a new talk show that celebrates real people with extraordinary gifts in “STEVE HARVEY’S BIG TIME” at 8:00 p.m. Fresh off the success of his feature film, “Malibu’s Most Wanted,” Jamie Kennedy returns for a third season of “JKX: THE JAMIE KENNEDY EXPERIMENT” at 8:30 p.m. Also returning from her hit film “What A Girl Wants,” Amanda Bynes brings her sister act with Jennie Garth back to The WB for season two of “WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU” at 9:00 p.m., followed by the new sibling comedy “RUN OF THE HOUSE” at 9:30 p.m. “TV makes stars and we have a night full of them: Amanda Bynes, Steve Harvey and Jamie Kennedy,” said Mr. Levin. “This mix of light entertainment and traditional comedy will bring us the audience most available on this challenging night: teens, ethnic viewers and young adults.” The Friday Lineup Keeps The Laughs Coming The WB’s bona fide comedy hit, “REBA,” starring Reba McEntire, will move to 8:00 p.m. to kick-off the night, followed by the new crossover comedy “LIKE FAMILY” starring Holly Robinson Peete. Proven comedy hit “GROUNDED FOR LIFE” moves up to the 9:00 p.m. timeslot, with the new family sitcom “ALL ABOUT THE ANDERSONS” rounding out the evening at 9:30 p.m. “We have assembled the strongest group of comedies on one night in the history of the network,” said Mr. Levin. “’Reba’ has been a success two years in a row, flourishing creatively this season. Another returning show, ‘Grounded for Life,’ from the house of comedy, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, anchors the 9:00 p.m. hour. Joining these shows are two comedies we couldn’t be more proud of, our highest-testing comedies to date with the greatest potential for crossover youth exposure, ‘Like Family’ and ‘All About the Andersons.’ Anthony Anderson is a big-time performer and the talented ensemble cast of ‘Like Family’ includes breakout newcomer J. Mack and veteran WB comedy star Holly Robinson Peete. These are four quality comedies with broad appeal, multi-generational points of view and laugh-out-loud chemistry.” Sunday Night Kicks Off A New “Beginnings” Franchise And Features The Beautiful Witches Of “Charmed,” Followed By “Tarzan And Jane,” A Bold New Take On The Tarzan Legend From 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., as part of The WB’s Easy View, new drama “FEARLESS” will have an encore presentation, followed by a replay of “EVERWOOD” at 6:00 p.m., the same timeslot it occupied last year. Following the success of airing the encore seasons of “7th HEAVEN” and “GILMORE GIRLS,” The WB will air the first two seasons of “SMALLVILLE” on Sundays at 7:00 p.m. under the title “SMALLVILLE: BEGINNINGS.” This strong strategic concept for the time period is designed to bring new viewers to the hit drama focusing on the formative years of the future Man of Steel. Sundays heat up at 8:00 p.m. with the trio of beautiful and sexy witches played by Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan and Holly Marie Combs when “CHARMED” returns for season six. At 9:00 p.m., “TARZAN AND JANE,” an updated twist on the Tarzan legend, swings into a New York backdrop. This sexy new drama is from feature film producer Laura Ziskin and award-winning director David Nutter. Newcomer Travis Fimmel and stage actress Sarah Wayne Callies star in this thrilling and unconventional love story. “Following our 5:00-7:00 Easy View strategy into ‘Beginnings,’ which this year will be season one of ‘Smallville,’ ‘Charmed’ and ‘Tarzan and Jane’ offer an ideal tandem,” said Mr. Levin. “Aaron Spelling’s ‘Charmed’ has broken ratings records in every time period in which it has aired, and viewers are still entranced by Alyssa, Holly and Rose. The arrival of ‘Tarzan and Jane’ offers more of the same, with newcomers Travis Fimmel and Sarah Wayne Callies already generating heat. This is another spectacular drama pilot from Warner Bros. Television, and viewers can expect romance and action on a grand scale from executive producer Laura Ziskin, who brought ‘Spider-Man’ to life.” Monday Brings Quality Family Drama Home Mondays at 8:00 p.m. will continue to be the home address for the Camden family when “7TH HEAVEN” returns for its eighth season. Next season, Barry Watson will return for several episodes as oldest son Matt Camden. Last season, the pairing of “7TH HEAVEN” with compelling drama “EVERWOOD,” starring Treat Williams, proved a successful strategy, with “EVERWOOD” retaining more of “7TH HEAVEN’s” viewers than any previous 9:00 p.m. drama. “On Monday, we return ‘7TH Heaven’ and ‘Everwood,’ two terrific programs that join together to create a quality night of family television. I’m very pleased Brenda Hampton will be at the helm of the show she created for another two years, as she has a unique ability to reinvent and repopulate a show that has meant so much to The WB,” said Mr. Levin. “Treat Williams and the cast of ‘Everwood’ have had a memorable rookie season, and you can expect many more surprises next year from Greg Berlanti, one of the finest young writers in television.’’ Tuesday Night Continues To Empower Women As Acclaimed “Gilmore Girls” Leads Into Young FBI Drama “Fearless” Following two extremely successful seasons of the “GILMORE GIRLS”/”SMALLVILLE” combination on Tuesday nights, the witty and articulate “GILMORE GIRLS” will get a new dramatic partner in the Jerry Bruckheimer drama “FEARLESS” starring Rachael Leigh Cook. “GILMORE GIRLS” is the third highest-rated primetime drama on any network among female teens and The WB’s highest-rated program among females 12-34. “Amy Sherman-Palladino has one of the most distinctive voices heard on TV in many years,” said Mr. Levin, “and the world of Stars Hollow will continue to delight fans of Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, the ‘Gilmore Girls.’ Following that show, our New Tuesday will premiere ‘Fearless,’ a franchise drama from Jerry Bruckheimer about a woman who has no fear – literally. Rachael Leigh Cook leads a young ensemble cast as a woman born without the gene that makes us all afraid of the unknown.” Back-Up Series In addition to the two new dramas on the schedule for fall, The WB ordered two midseason dramas: “ONE TREE HILL” and the not-yet-titled “GILMORE GIRLS SPIN-OFF.“ “ONE TREE HILL” stars Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty in the story of two half-brothers who have grown up in a small town on opposite sides of the track. The “GILMORE GIRLS SPIN-OFF” stars Milo Ventimiglia and Rob Estes in the continuing story of young rebel Jess Mariano after he leaves Stars Hollow and joins his estranged father in Venice, California. The midseason comedies include “THE HELP,” an outrageous comedy about the haves and have-nots from “Married…With Children” producer Ron Leavitt. “THE MAYOR,” a comedy from writer/producer Adam Resnick, focuses on the political and social life of an 18-year-old small-town mayor. Hit reality franchises “THE SURREAL LIFE” and “HIGH SCHOOL REUNION” will both return for second installments and will be joined by a new hidden camera reality series “MAKE MY DAY,” which creates a dream-come-true day in the lives of unsuspecting people. # # #