Doing the show shuffle

The American networks will present their fall schedules next week and the scramble among British broadcasters will begin. Already its leaking out that some top shows face demotions in the schedules.

NBC are set to send ER packing. No long dominant on Thursday nights, the medical drama will move away from Thursday and is likely to be replaced by the new Matthew Perry/Bradley Whitford drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip". (Look for Channel Four to acquire that sharpish). ER has lost viewers to Without A Trace on Thursdays on CBS but may also be on the move, over to Sundays.

ABC are set to move Desperate Housewives away from the prime Sunday slot where it has underperformed in its second season, over to Mondays where it could face off with 24 at 9.

King of Queens may be over at CBS, while the network will renew the fledgling David Mamet drama The Unit and the new Julia Louis Dreyfuss show The New Adventures of Old Christine.
CBS are also set to commit to a vehicle for James Woods called Shark.

Alias fans will be pleased to hear that Victor Garber will be back next season, FOX have picked up the Jerry Bruckheimer legal series American Crime.