Michigan J. Frog is out and Don Johnson is in. That's the tack of the new WB. They smartly kept "Charmed," settled the salary dispute with Reba and are launching three new dramas and a new comedy. (They own part of all four new shows, which is not actually surprising since no matter what anyone says Warners is a studio first; if the WB vanished tomorrow, Warner Bros. would more than likely go on without much pain.)The former-Frog net is looking pretty good. I'm not thrilled with any of their new dramas, but none of them seem completely awful. The biggest change on the sked is moving two of its most popular shows ("Smallville" and "Everwood") from their familiar perches to essentially re-launch WB Thursday. It's a gusty move, putting "Smallville" against similarly-demoed "Alias" and moving "Everwood" from its post-"7th Heaven" slot.
(A note about "7th Heaven": I've caught a moment or two over the years, but I personally don't know anyone who has watched one episode of it. This season marks a significant milestone: it surpasses "The Waltons" (9 seasons, 221 total episodes) and "Little House on the Prairie" (9 seasons and 3 episodes, 221 total) as the longest-running family drama in television history. It's quite an accomplishment.)
They seem like they've finally built a viable Friday comedy block with the addition of "Twins." And, I'm biased for many reasons, but after watching "Gilmore Girls," can someone tell me why Lauren Graham or Amy Sherman-Palladino have not even been nominated for an Emmy?
They're set up pretty well.
