2016-17 Preview: Monday Nights

With all five broadcast networks upfront presentations done, Let's have a look at each night of the 2016-17 fall line ups. We'll start with Monday night, which will feature four new shows and two returning series on new nights.

NBC is poised to stay the #1 network on the night as THE VOICE still commands a strong audience, especially in the A18-49 demographic. Timeless, the new 10 PM series, will try to duplicate what THE BLACK LIST and BLINDSPOT could do and not be another STATE OF AFFAIRS. The 10 PM time slot will feature all new shows to the hour, from all three networks.

ABC should continue to challenge NBC for the top spot of the night and stay ahead of CBS. DANCING WITH THE STARS is a solid and fairly stable franchise, but a wrong batch of d-list celebrities could always hurt the series. CONVICTION should continue what CASTLE was able to hold at 10 PM, if not challenge for the lead in the 10 PM slot.

CBS has the most aggressive schedule of the night, with all new programs in every half hour. The two new sitcoms, KEVIN CAN WAIT and MAN WITH A PLAN, is a good move for CBS to get viewers back on the night. As always writing will be the key to draw AND keep viewers, despite the big names attached to each series. The 9 PM hour has two of the shakier comedies in 2 BROKE GIRLS and THE ODD COUPLE. I could easily see CBS placing 4th in the hour. SCORPION has a good shot at winning the hour as the lone veteran series in the time slot, but success doesn't always follow a time slot move.

FOX is keeping its spring lineup in tact for this coming fall. It will not challenge for a top spot on the night, but could be a third place network, ahead of CBS.

There really isn't anywhere else to go but up for the CW, on Monday nights and SUPERGIRL may just be the series that starts the trend upward. If SUPERGIRL can generate half what it did ob CBS, the CW could be poised a strong fall season.

Net	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
ABC	Dancing With The Stars				Conviction
CBS	Kevin Can Wait	Man With A Plan	2 Broke Girls	The Odd Couple	Scorpion
NBC	The Voice				Timeless
FOX	Gotham		Lucifer
CW	Supergirl		Jane the Virgin

New series in italics