WB Press Confrence - Aliens - http://maxpages.com/roswell2k/WB_Press

THE WB 2000-2001 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

FIVE NEW COMEDIES MAKE THE GRADE "NIKKI," "HYPE," "GROSSE POINTE," "THE PJs" & "SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH" GIVE THE WB VIEWERS A LOT TO LAUGH ABOUT THIS SEASON

"FELICITY" & "JACK & JILL" WILL AIR ALL ORIGINAL EPISODES FOLLOWING "DAWSON'S CREEK" ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

THE WB's SIGNATURE DRAMAS ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHTS ALL COME BACK IN THEIR SAME TIMESLOTS

TGIWB AS "SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH," "GROSSE POINTE" & "POPULAR" ESTABLISH NEW YOUNG ADULT AND TEEN BEACHHEAD ON FRIDAY NIGHTS

JAMIE FOXX SIGNS ON TO HEADLINE HIS OWN VARIETY SERIES THIS SPRING

May 16, 2000 (New York, NY) - The WB Network unveiled its new primetime schedule this morning amid a great deal of surprise scheduling announcements that the network believes guarantees ratings growth for next season. The primetime schedule was announced this morning by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment and Jordan Levin, Executive Vice President, Programming.

As promised throughout the development season, the network put a strong emphasis on comedy, adding five promising new series. Those include three new series: NIKKI, created by Bruce Helford ("The Drew Carey Show," "Norm") and starring Nikki Cox and newcomer Nick von Esmarch; HYPE, an ensemble sketch comedy lampooning what and who is being overexposed in pop culture; and GROSSE POINTE, a comedy about the behind-the-scenes machinations of a primetime soap opera from writer/executive producer Darren Star ("Beverly Hills, 90210," "Sex and the City").

The WB also added two proven comedies, taken from ABC and Fox, that will be used to launch its two comedy nights. SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH, a top 20 program season to date in women 12-34, will anchor The WB's new Friday night line-up and THE PJs, featuring the voice of and executive produced by Eddie Murphy, will lead off Sunday nights.

"Comedy was our number one priority in development this season and we feel great about adding five new distinctive comedies that all have a chance to break out on our schedule next season," said Ms. Daniels.

The WB will revamp its Friday night schedule to take advantage of the addition of SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH at 8:00 p.m. ET. The new Darren Star comedy GROSSE POINTE, sure to get a great deal of attention, follows at 8:30 p.m. ET, POPULAR, the satirical one-hour comedy, rounds out the night from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET.

SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH will also be greatly advantaged this season with a tremendous promotional push slated for mid-September as the program airs in syndication for the first time. In all, 34 affiliates of The WB, covering 56% of the country, including the Tribune station group (a 25% owner of The WB) will carry the show in syndication.

"With ABC giving up on its TGIF franchise, who better than The WB to try to take over that space," said Ms. Daniels. "Tribune and ACME, our two biggest station groups, are launching the show in prime access this fall, giving us a tremendous added promotional push that will help insure success, as this very successful ABC comedy changes networks."

On Sunday nights, The WB will kick off the night with THE PJs at 7:00 p.m. ET, a show that played very well on the Fox schedule. THE PJs will be followed by THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW, THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW and FOR YOUR LOVE from 7:00-9:00 p.m. ET.

From 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, The WB will launch two exciting new comedies. HYPE, a new sketch comedy show that will poke fun at whatever is being overexposed in pop culture, is the type of topical, irreverent show that could become appointment television for those looking for a comedy alternative on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET. At 9:30 p.m. ET, Nikki Cox and newcomer Nick von Esmarch star in the Bruce Helford comedy NIKKI. Ms. Cox stars as a newlywed who wants to be a Las Vegas showgirl, while her husband (von Esmarch) tries to break into big-time professional wrestling.

In a major announcement, The WB will air all original episodes of FELICITY and JACK & JILL in the Wednesday night 9:00 p.m. ET time slot this season. The plan is for FELICITY to air an 11-episode story arc for 11 consecutive weeks running through December. In January, the network will replace FELICITY with JACK & JILL for 13 original episodes. In early April, FELICITY will come back for another 11 original episode story arc, running through May sweeps. This will give The WB viewers 35 consecutive weeks of original programming following DAWSON'S CREEK, a show recently regaining the momentum of its first season in quality and ratings performance. DAWSON'S CREEK will compete in the 8:00 p.m. ET time slot for the third consecutive year. This fall, the show will benefit from the retirement of "Beverly Hills, 90210," its chief rival for The WB's coveted 12-34 female audience.

"One of the most exciting things about our schedule this season is our plan for FELICITY and JACK & JILL," said Ms. Daniels. "These are two very smart, well-executed series that work much better when you don't break their story arcs with repeats. We believe this will enable both programs to reach their ratings potential on a night when viewers of the former Fox dramas are now available. Together, these shows boast two of the best casts on television including Golden Globe winner Keri Russell, Scott Speedman and Scott Foley, and on JACK & JILL, perhaps the hottest young actress in the business, Amanda Peet, and Ivan Sergei."

The strength of The WB's anchor dramas this season will be enhanced in the fall as every one of them is staying in their season-ending timeslots. On Monday, 7TH HEAVEN and ROSWELL; Tuesday, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL; Wednesday, DAWSON'S CREEK and FELICITY remain stet, with The WB's second highest-rated series, CHARMED, returning to its highly successful Thursday night timeslot at 9:00 p.m. ET.

"Stability in scheduling is always something that you strive for and we have accomplished that this season by keeping every one of our anchor dramas in their season-ending timeslots," said Ms. Daniels. "ROSWELL and FELICITY came into their own creatively and ratings-wise the last eight episodes of the year and they both earned their way onto the schedule. The Tabasco sauce, e-mail campaigns and demonstrations also got our attention."

On Thursday nights, The WB will debut GILMORE GIRLS, leading off the night in the same time slot in which POPULAR was able to cultivate a following. The first series to make it to air supported by the Family Friendly Programming Initiative's script development fund, GILMORE GIRLS is a sophisticated dramedy centered around a wonderful relationship between a 32-year-old mother and her 16-year-old daughter who live in a town populated with characters that would make "Northern Exposure" proud. Much like executive producer Brenda Hampton, Amy Sherman-Palladino executive produces the series, coming to drama from the world of sitcom writing for such acclaimed shows as "Roseanne."

"We developed a number of quality dramas this year, that in the past would have made our schedule," said Ms. Daniels. "GILMORE GIRLS is very special and has the potential to be a very important show for us for many years to come."

In addition to the five new comedies, The WB ordered two comedies for mid-season. In a surprise announcement, The WB has ordered a new variety show starring the multi-talented Jamie Foxx that will premiere in the spring. THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW, which is entering its fifth season, will produce 12 new episodes for the fall schedule, bringing the series to the magical 100 episode mark. THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW is already in production for next season and at the conclusion of the 100th episode, work will begin on the new series from the "In Living Color" alumnus.

"In Jamie Foxx, we have a proven sketch comedy actor who since his turn on 'In Living Color' has blossomed into a feature film, television and live-concert star," said Ms. Daniels. "We think Jamie can be the impresario to host a cutting-edge, weekly variety show that will highlight his many talents and include weekly guest stars and musical acts in a project we are very excited about for spring."

The 100-episode mark will be eclipsed this season by four series on The WB, all of which launched during the 1996-97 season. They include 7TH HEAVEN, THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW. That brings to seven the number of series that have reached 100 episodes or more on The WB as the network enters its seventh season in the fall. The other three series include UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER, THE WAYANS BROS. and SISTER, SISTER (SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH will also surpass 100 episodes this season).

"We have believed from the beginning that a new network needs stability in its programs from year to year, which advantages our audience, advertisers, and studio suppliers." said Ms. Daniels. "Our schedule this season reflects our emphasis on stability. Not only with the four series that will reach 100 episodes, but also by returning to the schedule every one of our quality dramas.

The second mid-season comedy is the previously announced THE OBLONGS, an irreverent animated comedy from prolific executive producer Bruce Helford and Jace Richdale.

"Bruce Helford brings us a mid-season animated comedy in THE OBLONGS that breaks all the conventions, but at the heart is an odd, but lovable family," said Ms. Daniels.

A unique one-hour midseason entry from the writers of "Grosse Pointe Blank" and "High Fidelity," DEAD LAST is an original one-hour comedic thriller with an attitude and style all its own, chronicling the misadventures of a struggling rock band with the unwanted power to see the spirits that walk among us.

"Continuing our goal of bringing fresh feature film voices to The WB, Steve Pink and D.V. de Vincentis are two of the hottest writers in feature films right now and an incredible addition to our roster of top executive producer talent," said Ms. Daniels. "Much like 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' four years ago, DEAD LAST gives us a very flexible one-hour program that could really ignite our schedule at mid-season."

The WB also announced original programming for the summer months, launching two new series: YOUNG AMERICANS, a provocative new one-hour drama series set at a prestigious New England boarding school, and BABY BLUES, an animated half-hour comedy based on the award-winning comic strip with stories for the whole family.

YOUNG AMERICANS is set to premiere in the post-DAWSON'S CREEK timeslot on Wednesday, July 12 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). In a special cross promotion between the two series, YOUNG AMERICANS cast member Rodney Scott recently appeared as his character Will Krudski in three episodes of DAWSON'S CREEK.

"The WB's core audience is looking for new entertainment during the summer, and launching new shows against largely repeat programming makes great sense for us," said Ms. Daniels.

THE WB's 2000-2001 PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
(All times ET)

Sunday
7:00-7:30 p.m. "THE PJs"
7:30-8:00 p.m. "The Jamie Foxx Show"
8:00-8:30 p.m. "The Steve Harvey Show"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "For Your Love"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "HYPE"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "NIKKI"

Monday
8:00-9:00 p.m. "7th Heaven"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Roswell"

Tuesday
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Angel"

Wednesday
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Dawson's Creek"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Felicity" / "Jack & Jill"

Thursday
8:00-9:00 p.m. "GILMORE GIRLS"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Charmed"

Friday
8:00-8:30 p.m. "SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "GROSSE POINTE"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Popular"

THE WB 2000-2001 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

Sunday

7:00-7:30 p.m. "THE PJs"
Blending Eddie Murphy's unique trademark comedy with the cutting-edge and vivid "foamation" style from The Will Vinton Studios, the Emmy Award-winning "The PJs" joins The WB's primetime lineup. This half-hour comedy is a satirical look at urban living in a big city housing project. The colorful ensemble comes to life with Eddie Murphy as the voice of Thurgood Stubbs, the irascible yet lovable superintendent at the center of the Hilton-Jacobs Projects. His wife of 26 years, Muriel (voiced by Loretta Devine, "Waiting to Exhale"), is his sane and rational balance in their marriage and Thurgood's general level of mayhem and madness. Occupying the Hilton-Jacobs Projects is the idiosyncratic, funny and demanding tenants who create the unconventional "extended family" of "The PJs." The series also features voice actors James Black ("Out of Sight"), Michael Paul Chan ("The Joy Luck Club"), Ja'Net Dubois ("Good Times"), who won an Emmy for her portrayal of Mrs. Avery in "The PJs'" first year, Cheryl Francis Harrington ("Legal Deceit"), Shawn Michael Howard ("The Velocity of Gary"), Jenifer Lewis ("Jackie's Back!") and Crystal Scales ("Kids from 402"). Created by Murphy and Larry Wilmore & Steve Tompkins, "The PJs" is produced by Imagine Television, Eddie Murphy Productions and The Will Vinton Studios in association with Warner Bros. Television.

7:30-8:00 p.m. "The Jamie Foxx Show"
Returning for its fifth season on The WB, the series stars Jamie Foxx, Garrett Morris, Ellia English, Garcelle Beauvais and Christopher B. Duncan. Bentley Kyle Evans, Marcus King, Jamie Foxx and Bennie Richburg serve as executive producers on the series produced by Bent Outta Shape Productions, Inc. and Foxxhole Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

8:00-8:30 p.m. "The Steve Harvey Show"
Returning for its fifth season on The WB, the series stars Steve Harvey, Cedric "The Entertainer," Wendy Raquel Robinson, Merlin Santana, William Lee Scott, Terri J. Vaughn and Lori Beth Denberg. Winifred Hervey and Stan Lathan serve as executive producers on the series produced by Universal Studios Network Programming, Winifred Hervey Productions and Lathan TV.

8:30-9:00 p.m. "For Your Love"
Returning for its fourth season, its third on The WB, the series stars Holly Robinson Peete, James Lesure, Tamala Jones, Edafe Blackmon, Dedee Pfeiffer and D.W. Moffett. Yvette Lee Bowser serves as executive producer on the series produced by SisterLee Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

9:00-9:30 p.m. "HYPE"
An innovative new half-hour sketch comedy show from former top "Mad TV" writers Scott King, Lanier Laney and Terry Sweeney (of the infamous "Felicity" parody "Intensity"), "Hype" skewers all things hyped, setting its sights on popular culture and the never-ending media frenzy that feeds it. Combining the talents of a diverse ensemble cast and three of television's hottest comedy writers, "Hype" serves up fast-paced, fearless satire and cutting-edge parodies as they lampoon television, movies, sports, fads, news, advertising, the internet and politics. A year-long talent search resulted in "Hype's" gifted ensemble of five men and five women: Michael Roof (Atlanta, Ga.), Frank Caliendo (Chicago, Ill.), Gavin Crawford (Toronto, Canada), Jennifer Elise Cox (New York, N.Y.) ("The Brady Bunch Movie"), Daniele Gaither (Los Angeles, Calif.), Nadya Ginsburg (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Steve Kramer (Kansas City, Mo.), Christen Nelson (Boston, Mass.), Shayma Täsh (San Francisco, Calif.) and Chris Williams (Westchester County, N.Y.). King, Laney and Sweeney serve as executive producers along with Joe Davola, Brian Robbins, Mike Tollin, Barry Katz, Michael Rotenberg and Dave Becky for Tollin/Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

9:30-10:00 p.m. "NIKKI"
Veteran comedy writer and Peabody Award-winning executive producer Bruce Helford ("The Drew Carey Show," "Norm," "Roseanne") reteams with star Nikki Cox ("Unhappily Ever After," "Norm," "The Drew Carey Show") in this unique take on young newlyweds living the American Dream set against the bright lights and unlimited optimism of the Las Vegas strip. Nikki (Cox) and her giant teddy bear of a husband Dwight (newcomer Nick von Esmarch) came to Vegas straight out of high school to pursue their ultimate dreams: to become a showgirl and a professional wrestler, respectively. Two years into paying their dues, their blue-collar existence is colored with the quirky pitfalls of their chosen professions, outrageous co-workers and Dwight's disapproving mother Marion (Christine Estabrook, "The Usual Suspects"). But love, and Nikki's unwavering sense of humor about life, may conquer all as these two stick together through thick and thin in this endearing working-class romantic comedy. Toby Huss ("Jerry Maguire"), world famous quick-change artist Arturo Brachetti, and Susan Egan ("Cabaret") also star. Opening with big-production dance numbers each week, "Nikki" was created by Helford, who serves as executive producer with Deborah Oppenheimer ("The Drew Carey Show," "Norm") and Bob Myer ("Cybill," "Roseanne") for Warner Bros. Television.

Monday

8:00-9:00 p.m. "7th Heaven"
Returning for its fifth season on The WB, the series stars Stephen Collins, Catherine Hicks, Barry Watson, David Gallagher, Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell and Mackenzie Rosman. Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent and Brenda Hampton serve as executive producers on the series produced by Spelling Television, Inc.

9:00-10:00 p.m. "Roswell"
Returning for its second season on The WB, the series stars Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl, Brendan Fehr, Shiri Appleby, Majandra Delfino, Colin Hanks, Nick Wechsler, William Sadler and Emilie De Ravin. Jason Katims, Jonathan Frakes, Kevin Kelly Brown and Lisa J. Olin serve as executive producers on the series produced by Jason Katims Productions in association with Regency Television and Twentieth Century Fox Television.

Tuesday

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Returning for its fifth season on The WB, the series stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Marc Blucas, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield and Anthony Stewart Head. Joss Whedon, Gail Berman, Sandy Gallin, Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui serve as executive producers on the series produced by Mutant Enemy, Inc., Kuzui Enterprizes, Inc. and Sandollar Television in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television.

9:00-10:00 p.m. "Angel"
Returning for its second season on The WB, the series stars David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter and Alexis Denisof. Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Gail Berman, Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui serve as executive producers on the series produced by Mutant Enemy, Inc., Kuzui Enterprizes, Inc. and Sandollar Television in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television.

Wednesday

8:00-9:00 p.m. "Dawson's Creek"
Returning for its fourth season on The WB, the series stars James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Mary Beth Peil, Meredith Monroe, Kerr Smith and Michael Pitt. Greg Berlanti and Paul Stupin serve as executive producers on the series produced by Columbia TriStar Television.

9:00-10:00 p.m. "Felicity" / "Jack & Jill"
Returning for its third season on The WB with 11 consecutive original episodes, then a 13-week break followed by 11 additional weeks of originals, FELICITY stars Keri Russell, Scott Speedman, Scott Foley, Amy Jo Johnson, Tangi Miller, Greg Grunberg and Amanda Foreman. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Krantz, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves serve as executive producers on the series produced by Imagine Television in association with Touchstone Television.

Returning for its second season on The WB with 13 back-to-back original episodes after "Felicity" completes its first run, JACK & JILL stars Ivan Sergei, Amanda Peet, Jaime Pressly, Sarah Paulson, Justin Kirk and Simon Rex. Randi Mayem Singer and Mark Canton serve as executive producers on the series produced by The Canton Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Thursday

8:00-9:00 p.m. "GILMORE GIRLS"
A light-hearted, multi-generational drama with comedic qualities about friendship, family and the ties that bind set in an idyllic Connecticut town, "Gilmore Girls" is

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