• We predicted that Timecop had a slim chance of survival

• Alternatively, given the cast and CBS’s strong performance against older households, we felt that George & Leo had a good chance of surviving

• We also felt that Brooklyn South had a good chance of surviving given the success of dramas in the time period previously combined with the strength of the production team (led by Stephen Bochco)

• Although we really liked the pilot, we were unsure of Ally McBeal’s success given its offbeat premise against proven sitcom

• As predicted, Timecop was quickly cancelled

• After our viewing of the pilot, FOX slightly retooled Ally McBeal as well as added established star Courtney Thorne- Smith to the cast.  With Thorne-Smith bringing Melrose Place viewers to the show and thanks to heavy promotional support by FOX, Ally McBeal became a hit

• With Ally McBeal performing so well against younger viewers, George & Leo skewed older than CBS anticipated.  Although this was a top 30 show against older adults, its under-performance against younger adults resulted in its cancellation

• Unable to deliver its own hype, Brooklyn South proved to be a commercial failure

• All four networks are maintaining their same basic strategies in 1998/1999

• NBC maintains a sitcom/Dateline schedule with two new sitcoms replacing the cancelled Fired Up and Naked Truth

• CBS has also replaced cancelled sitcoms with new sitcoms from 8 to 10pm.  As for 10pm, CBS is returning to medical dramas at 10pm with L.A. Docs hoping to fill the ratings void left since the departure of Chicago Hope from the Monday night schedule

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•  Based on the strengths of the competitive schedules, we predicted that both Michael Hayes and Dellaventura would be cancelled

• Additionally, we also predicted that it was unlikely that Over the Top could survive in its time slot 

• Given its time slot and the fact that the stars were well known, we believed that Hiller & Diller would do well

• Over the Top, Michael Hayes, and Dellaventura were all cancelled as expected

• Hiller & Diller was a top 35 show against A25-54 and did outperform Michael Hayes as predicted.  However, its drop in audience (- 40%) from Home Improvement was too much for ABC and the show was cancelled

• ABC has maintained its same basic strategies of sitcoms followed by NYPD Blue.  However, they have moved the aging (yet still highly rated) Home Improvement to 8pm and new success Spin City to anchor the 9pm slot.  New programs fill the 8:30pm and 9:30pm slots

 
• CBS has switched to movies from 9-11pm having had no success with dramas in that time slot

 
• On the other hand, FOX has abandoned movies and is trying to establish itself with original programming on Tuesday.  Their hope is that King of the Hill will play as well Tuesday night as it did on Sunday (where it had a companion animation show with The Simpsons and no real sitcom competition)

 
• NBC is maintaining its sitcom/Dateline strategy (on yet another night).  With Frasier moving to the coveted Seinfeld slot on Thursday, Just Shoot Me (a runner-up for the Seinfeld slot) has inherited the Frasier time slot.  Filling out the schedule is Working (one of NBC’s two 1997/1998 success stories) and the new program Encore! Encore!.  NewsRadio, which made the schedule partially due to a financial agreement where NBC owns part of the show, has been moved to Wednesday
  

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• We felt that Dharma & Greg was superior to Built to Last.  Accordingly, we predicted that Built to Last would be cancelled while Dharma & Greg would have a fair chance of surviving 

• We also predicted that The Tony Danza Show and The Bryant Gumbel Show would not survive  

• Alternatively, based on the time slot and the pilot, we predicted that Working would have a fair chance of surviving

• As predicted, Built to Last wasn’t built to last.  Neither were Bryant Gumbel or The Tony Danza Show  

• On the other hand, Dharma & Greg did survive.  In fact, this program was ABC’s only 1997/1998 success ranking in the top 20 against both A25-54 and A18-49  

• Working also proved a success for NBC ranking in the top 40 against A25-54

• ABC is maintaining their Sitcom/ Newsmagazine strategy (with Primetime Live becoming 20/20) and The Secret Lives of Men replacing the departed Ellen  

• CBS, having had no luck with a newsmagazine has taken the risk of adding a drama at 9pm against proven time slot winning sitcoms  

• FOX has made no changes in their schedule while NBC has added another Dateline at 8pm where they previously aired sitcoms

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