One of the most amazing facts of the new fall line-up in not that "Grounded For Life" made it back for a second season. No, one of the most amazing facts of the new fall line-up is the return of sitcoms to the good graces of the networks.
After finishing out the
2000/2001 season with just 16.8 per cent of the schedule (down from 
17.3
per cent at the beginning of last season), the airtime sitcoms will occupy
next season will total 24.5 per cent, a whopping 51 comedies. Dramas, widely
seen as the benefactor of last season, will increase to 43.2 per cent from
35.6 at the end of last season.
So if scripted series are
increasing, what's falling behind? Movies for one. At the end of last
season, movies compromised 21.1 per cent of the schedule. Next season they'll
fall to 11.5 per cent as NBC, CBS & Fox all eliminate long running
movie blocks. Reality is another loser. Sports, gammers & newsmagazines
will slip slightly from 21.6 per cent at the end of last season to 20.8
next season.
But will viewers welcome
sitcoms back into their homes with open arms? Its not likely. Despite 
occuping
even less air time last season, sitcoms averaged just 9.6 million viewers
this season, down from 9.9 million in 1999/2000 and 10.3 million the season
before that. Dramas, meanwhile increased to an average of 10.0 million
viewers, up 6 per cent in the last 2 years. Even more tellingly, for the
week of May 6-13, 2001, dramas ("ER," "The Practice," "CSI" & "Law
& Order") occupied the top 4 ratings spots, but only 2 sitcoms ("Friends"
& "Everybody Loves Raymond") landed in the top 10. And things could
get even worse next season. Logic says: the more sitcoms, the more flops.
And the networks aren't exactely showing confidence in their new shows.
Two of the three new sitcom blocks (CBS Friday & Fox Thursday) are 
composed
entirely of new series, while the third block (Fox Wednesday) may as well
be made up of unknowns- its main support beams consist of "Grounded For
Life" & "Titus."
But even if you are one
of those people who would take a sitcom over a drama anyday, good
luck finding your favorites. Of the 30 returning sitcoms, only 20 are being
coming back to their old slots, the most notable move coming from ABC in
moving "Dharma & Greg" back to an 8pm timeslot after 2 comfortable
seasons at 9pm.
Maybe viewers will return to sitcoms in record numbers next season. Maybe one of those new shows is the next "Seinfeld." But probably not.