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| The Practice News - January 2002 |
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The Practice might go to another Network - David E Kelley not happy
about the move to Monday nights.
Kelley Slams ABC over "Practice" Move
Kelley Charges ABC with Mal-'Practice'
The Practice' Time Change Irks Producer
David E. Kelley Fuming Over 'The Practice'
Lara Flynn Boyle - Not so pretty in pink.
ABC's 'The Practice' Moves to Monday
Irish Eyes Smiling as Kelley Shops Pilot
Kelley thinking small in return to eye network
Kelley Series Set for CBS
ABC Seeking 'Practice' Pay Cut
CBS Goes
Home with David E. Kelley
ABC playing tough on 'Practice' renewal
ABC's 'The Practice' Moves to Monday
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 1:51 p.m. ET
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- When ABC announced last month it planned to bump the
legal drama ``The Practice'' from Sunday to Monday, the verdict came
swiftly.
``We are very concerned about this move,'' David E. Kelley Productions
said of its 6-year-old series that has been performing successfully at 10
p.m. EST Sunday since 1998.
On the eve of the shift, Kelley sounds resigned. ``The Practice'' airs at
9 p.m. EST Monday starting next week (Jan. 27), with newcomer ``Dragnet''
claiming the Sunday slot on Feb. 2.
``It's a change we will deal with. We weren't happy at first, naturally,''
Kelley said. ``Sunday at 10 has worked well for us and I guess we were
figuring that would be home, at least for another year or two.
``After the shock wore off, we just got together and said, 'OK, how do we
make this work?'''
Stay the course is the answer, say Kelley and series star Dylan McDermott.
The inaugural Monday night episode has trademark elements, including a
big-name guest star and provocative cases.
Alfre Woodard plays a mentally ill woman who's facing execution and
defended by Ellenor Frutt (Camryn Manheim). Bobby Donnell (McDermott) and
Eugene Young (Steve Harris) are suing a liquor manufacturer over an
alcoholic's death.
``We've always lived by the rule of thumb that we make quality
television,'' McDermott said. ``We don't make a Saturday or Sunday or
Monday show, we just make a quality show.''
The series, about a small but scrappy Boston law firm, won back-to-back
Emmy Awards as best drama in 1998 and 1999.
Kelley is used to success: He created Emmy winners ``Picket Fences'' and
``Ally McBeal'' as well as Fox's ``Boston Public'' (his recently canceled
``girls club'' on Fox was a rare flop). He also knows about the vagaries
of TV networks and scheduling decisions.
``Dragnet,'' a remake of the police drama that first aired from 1952-59,
initially was scheduled for Monday along with other midseason debutantes
``Veritas: The Quest'' (8 p.m. EST) and ``Miracles'' (10 p.m. EST).
Facing the task of luring viewers to an all-new lineup, the network's eye
fell on ``The Practice.'' It was one of the few proven commodities
available to ABC, which is fighting its way out of a ratings slump and
already had several new dramas fail.
``We were informed at the last second at the last minute'' about the
switch, Kelley said, which seemed to be done ``without a lot of
planning.''
Had ABC consulted him at all?
``We're technically supposed to be consulted, but the consultation took
the form of 'This is what we're doing.' I think I was too stunned to form
much of an argument.''
McDermott wasn't pleased with the news.
``We're essentially being uprooted at this point. ... You're asking people
to change their television habits and that's a hard thing to do,'' the
actor said.
ABC executives say they're aware ratings for ``The Practice'' likely will
take a hit, especially against the concluding episodes of Fox's hit
reality show ``Joe Millionaire.''
Reality TV is a thorn in the side of another critically acclaimed drama,
NBC's ``The West Wing,'' which has seen its ratings slide against ABC's
``The Bachelor'' and ``The Bachelorette.''
``We're not expecting 'The Practice' to win that time period,'' ABC
Entertainment President Susan Lyne told reporters recently. ``We'd be very
happy with 'West Wing'-level numbers against 'Joe Millionaire.'
That drew a caution from Lloyd Braun, ABC Entertainment Television Group
chairman. While ABC would be ``ecstatic'' with ``The West Wing'' ratings,
he said, ``We do not expect to get that.''
McDermott doesn't appreciate such reduced expectations.
``It's not fair to the show at this point; it's a veteran show that has
been there for ABC in very lean times and we've been very good for the
network,'' he said.
``The Practice'' hopscotched across ABC's schedule from the start, Kelley
noted, debuting in 1997 on Tuesday and then going to Saturday, to Monday
and then to Sunday in less than two years.
That's serving as preparation for the latest move, Kelley said. ``Early
on, we had grouped together and said, 'We'll make the best show we can and
hope we survive.'''
ABC has promised to support ``The Practice'' with advertising and
promotion, Kelley said, adding, ``We're optimistic that they'll fulfill
that commitment.''
That is crucial, according to McDermott. ``We don't want to lose viewers
and then lose momentum. That's how TV shows get canceled.''
At least one of his co-stars, however, professes to be unconcerned about
the future.
``David's great magic happens when somebody puts him under the gun,'' said
Lara Flynn Boyle, who plays prosecutor Helen Gamble. Even if the ratings
slip, she said, ``That's not our problem. Our problem is episode to
episode to put on a good show.''
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On the Net:
http://abc.com
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