NBC: NBC made news on Thursday by moving its series around in a big way. How? Well, "The Apprentice" is going back to Thursdays at 9pm, "Will & Grace" is moving up to 8:30pm, "Scrubs" is going to Tuesdays at 9:30pm and "Whoppi" and "Happy Family" are both going back to where they started: the 8pm hour. So what? Does this reek of desparation? A bit, but it's also smart and shows NBC's hand in regards to next season. It looks increasingly like that "The Apprentice" will stay on Thursdays this fall- it's the first new show to show promise on the night since.... "Friends" and "ER" 10 years ago. Will "W&G" stick it out at 8:30pm? Probably not. I see the show going back to Tuesdays at 9pm to make way for a new show. "Joey" and another new show on Thursday nights is risky, yes, but "Joey" isn't really a new show. It's going to have an audience. And "Will & Grace" on Tuesdays? The night needs something- anything, really. "Scrubs" will likely come back to 9:30pm on Tuesdays, with "Whoppi" and 'Happy Family" sticking it out at 8pm. NBC might even go for a new night of sitcoms if it wants to rebuild its dwindling reserve, but probably not.  What's gone? "Tracey Morgan" and "Good Morning Miami," pretty much, but that was evident.

CBS: I've read so much lately about how cocky CBS is being, and we all know what happens to cocky networks.... For example, ABC was extremely cocky when it won the 1999-2000 season on the wave of "Millionaire," but quickly fell. NBC has been consistanly cocky and is headed down the slippery slop. Maybe all of that is true, but CBS should be cocky. Why? Well, ABC based their "deserved" success on a fleeting game show. NBC has based their pride on a younger-skewing line-up, even if it has consistantly failed to produce new, hit series to take the place of the old ones. CBS, on the other hand, has done none of that. It's consistantly produced quality, broad appealing series and it's waited. Maybe they didn't click at first, but eventually they did. It hasn't overdone it's successes (ie- "Survivor") and it hasn't crowed about even single victory it's had in any obscure demo (like the WB). Instead, CBS has taken the slow but steady approach, and it's more than paid off. Kudos to you CBS. Be as cocky as you want.
     As for "CSI: New York," why are the critics already dismissing it as a desparate attempt for ratings? Unlike "Law & Order SVU" and "CI," CBS doesn't need another "CSI." Sure, it'll be nice to have, but it's not trying to use it to launch an entire night. It's just using it to shore up weak time-slots, of which there are few. I mean, there's Wednesday at 10pm, Friday at 10pm, and Saturday 8-10pm, but what else? Anyway you look at it, CBS is solid through and through. And because it doesn't pander to the youngest possible audience through inane series and reality programming, it'll be minimally effected by "American Idol." Case closed.
    
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