Cooper, Allred, Pinsky front new syndicated series
It's musical chairs again in a new TV season, as local stations tweak their schedules -- with our allegiance and their ratings on the line -- by adding, swapping and dumping syndicated shows that keep viewers occupied beyond network programming, DVR/TiVo faves and that voracious, thousand-channel beast called cable.
This fall? Follow the bouncing remote:
Major affiliates? Minor changes. Weekday lineups on those stations are dominated by local newscasts in early morning, midday, late afternoon, evening and late night, leaving little room for playing chess with their schedules.
However, KLAS-TV, Channel 8 had to cope with the talk-show retirement heard 'round the globe when "Oprah" amscrayed. That sets it up as the third Vegas station for "Live with Regis and Kelly," which hopscotched from KTNV-TV, Channel 13 to KVCW-TV, Channel 33 (Cox Cable 6) in 2009.
Now "Live" moves to Channel 8 at 9 a.m., triggering a small domino effect as it replaces "Let's Make a Deal," which bounces to 1 p.m. in place of "The Talk," which advances to 2 p.m. in "Oprah's" ex-slot.
Expect "Live's" title to change, though, given that Regis Philbin's last air date is Nov. 18. At press time, his replacement had not been announced.
On its weekend schedule, Channel 8 adds 14-year-old syndicated staple "The Electric Playground," an entertainment news show covering all things pop culture, Saturdays at 4 and 4:30 p.m.
Good news for anyone who hasn't seen enough "Law & Order" reruns. (Are there such people?) After years of the original rerunning on cable's TNT, cable-less viewers get their shot as the iconic series finally hits syndication. Listen for that chung-chung Sunday nights starting Sept. 25 on KSNV-TV, Channel 3 -- the only newbie on the NBC affiliate.
Tying Channel 3 for least changes is Channel 13, which adds only "We the People with Gloria Allred." Yet another courtroom show, this one puts a robe on the headline-grabbing attorney, described by her syndicator, Entertainment Studios, as "a great communicator with a heart" whom viewers are drawn to because "they know she will be fearless, informative and entertaining."
Allred's gavel comes down 3 p.m. weekdays starting Monday, replacing "America's Court With Judge Ross," which can still be found locally on KVMY-TV, Channel 21 (Cox Cable 12) weekdays at 9 and 9:30 a.m.
Adding more new programming weekdays is KVVU-TV, Channel 5, which grabbed Oprah protege "Dr. Oz" from Channel 33 and will double-pump it at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Fox-5's shiniest new bauble is "Anderson," as Anderson Cooper, CNN's silver fox, goes syndicated weekdays at 3 p.m.
What's he doing? Deep breath here, as his syndicator, Warner Bros., explains: The peripatetic newsman will "incorporate the breadth of 'Oprah,' the intensity of 'Donahue' and the fun of 'Ellen' covering social issues, events, pop culture and human interest stories while creating a daily destination for multiple generations of women looking to be informed, entertained and staying connected to the world around them." Hopefully, he'll be less long-winded than his syndicator.
Axed at KVVU is "Don't Forget the Lyrics," as well as "The Wendy Williams Show" -- though fans can find it at KVCW weekdays at 9 a.m. -- and "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace," now in the hands of court-show rookie and ex-Las Vegas Judge Jackie Glass. Her courtroom is in session at KVMY weekdays at 3 and 3:30 p.m.
Other Fox-5 changes: "American Dad" moves from the weekends to Monday-Friday at 2:30 a.m.; new on the weekends are "Dog the Bounty Hunter," airing 6-7 p.m. Saturdays and "TMZ Weekend" and "Extra Weekend" in the weekend overnight hours. Meanwhile, "Chappelle," "World's Funniest Moments" and "Elvira's Movie Macabre" were pink-slipped.
Five notable newcomers bow on KVCW. Emmy fave "30 Rock" makes its syndication debut and airs locally weeknights at 7:30 on Channel 33, as well as back to back Saturdays from 7-8 p.m. At 2 p.m. weekdays (repeated for insomniacs at 3 a.m.) look for "The Jeremy Kyle Show," an import from Great Britain, where it has aired since 2005, its host addressing family and relationship issues.
Ubiquitous TV shrink Drew Pinsky hosts "Dr. Drew's Lifechangers," described as "providing real, takeaway information from leading experts to help put guests on a path to life change." It might or might not change your life weekdays at 3 and 3:30 p.m.
Dating is the topic at 10 and 11 p.m. on "Excused." Hosted by Iliza Shlesinger, the youngest comedienne to win NBC's "Last Comic Standing," it's pitched as "a hilarious alternative to current late-night programming." (We should point out that 10 p.m. is not actually "late night.") In a two-hour block, it trades off at 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. with new-to-syndication episodes of FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," the crude-and-loving-it sitcom co-starring Danny DeVito.
Departing Channel 33: "Real Housewives of Orange County," "Law & Order: SVU," "Entourage," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Scrubs," "My Wife and Kids" and "Smash Cuts."
Sister station KVMY gets in on "30 Rock," airing it weeknights at 10. It also gets "The Big Bang Theory," new to syndication at 6 and 7 p.m. weekdays, with weekend four-plays Saturdays at 6, 6:30, 11 and 11:30 p.m. Gone: "Judge Pirro," "Judge Karen's Court" and "George Lopez."
Finally, at KTUD-TV, Channel 25 (Cox Cable 14), "Last Shot with Judge Gunn" stars ex-Arkansas Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn in a show modeled after her drug court in which she offers drug offenders alternatives to prison. She's in session weekdays at 1 and 1:30 p.m. "Til Death" lives at 4 and 4:30 p.m. (plus Saturdays at 5 and 5:30 p.m.), "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" owns a two-hour block from 8-10 p.m. and "Scrubs," bounced from KVCW, gets paged at 11 p.m. and midnight (plus 8 p.m. Sundays).
Banished from KTUD: "Steven and Chris," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Deadliest Catch," "The Hills" and "Punk'd."
That's the ins.
That's the outs.
Now watch.
Contact reporter Steve Bornfeld at sbornfeld@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0256.
