ABC Fall Report Card 2008

Rank: #2 -- 3.1 rating /  10.1 million / median age: 51

How does that compare to last year? Hey look over there, something shiny! OK, fine, down 16% in the demo due to the erosion of several returning scripted dramas.

Killer show: “Grey's Anatomy” has dropped like a drunk med student this season, yet the soap was still last week's highest-rated show.

Soft spot: Wednesdays have turned into a surreal writers strike flashback nightmare as sophomores “Pushing Daisies,” “Private Practice” and “Dirty Sexy Money” sink in the Nielsens. Plus, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. need a new occupant with “Opportunity Knocks” off the schedule.

Stealth strength: Airing Sundays at 10 p.m., “Brothers & Sisters” quietly defends its time period against broadcast competitors, as well as a trio of trendy cable series (“Mad Men,” “Californication” and “Entourage”).

Smartest move: “Supernanny” and “Wife Swap” are starting to draw an audience on Friday nights, fighting CBS' usual domination of the night. Yet the shows might get drafted into service to plug some schedule holes midweek.

Freshman update: “Opportunity Knocks” canceled; Second episode of "Life on Mars" in last place in its post-"Grey's" slot.

Analysis: ABC brought back several of its marginally rated strike-struck shows. Therefore it had only two holes to fill. So you would think the network could have found something better than weak-at-inception “Opportunity Knocks” for one of them. The problem now is that just about everything on ABC's schedule has dropped in the ratings, and some shows are still dropping. Luckily, the network has drafted myriad of midseason series that are waiting to hit the beach.

Burning questions: What will ABC do with Wednesdays? And will any of the new series catch fire and put ABC back on top?

If this network were an animal, what would it be? A giraffe. Still standing tall, but on shaky legs.   

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