ABC to Lost: Later, man
12/05/06 09:13 PM
ABC stations could benefit in a big way from Hurley's new time slot.
By ED BARK
ABC affiliates received an early Christmas present Tuesday, with the network announcing that Lost will move back an hour Wednesdays when it returns on Feb. 7.
Late night local newscasts craving a big lead-in audience on that night at last will get one after enduring sizable ratings dropoffs from post-Lost attractions such as last season's Invasion and this fall's The Nine. In closely fought markets such as Dallas-Fort Worth, a Lost boost could be a difference-maker. Belo8, D-FW's ABC station, lost November's 10 p.m. newscast battle by just two-tenths of a rating point (4,760 homes) to NBC5. Lost will begin its run at 9 p.m. central (10 eastern) just in time for the February sweeps.
Lost's replacements are two new comedies, both premiering on Jan. 3. The Knights of Prosperity originally scheduled for the fall, features a gang of bumblers plotting to rob Mick Jagger's apartment. The still rockin' Rolling Stone has a cameo appearance in the first episode, with Donal Logue (Grounded for Life) otherwise heading the cast.
In Case of Emergency also goes the hapless misfit route. David Arquette fronts a quartet of "emotionally and physically injured oddballs" who resume their old high school friendships after a series of misfortunes throw them together.
ABC plans to lead off Wednesdays with back-to-back episodes of According to Jim from Jan. 3-17. Then George Lopez will return on Jan. 24 to team with Jim.
Left unmentioned is the serial drama Day Break, which replaced Lost on Nov. 15 and has been averaging just 7.6 million viewers compared to Lost's 17.8 million. ABC so far has Day Break episodes scheduled through Dec. 20.
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