2011 Upfronts

I've got a lot of good news (and a little bad news) for fans of The CW: the network has renewed fan favorite One Tree Hill and freshman series Nikita — but Hellcats didn't make the cut. The network will present its full Fall lineup later this week, but I've already got the details on the new pilots, which include the return of small-screen stars like Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rachel Bilson.

• The Secret Circle: From Vampire Diaries creator Kevin Williamson, this supernatural series revolves around a girl (Life Unexpected's Britt Robertson) who discovers she's a witch when she moves to a new town. The series is based on a trilogy by L.J. Smith, who also wrote The Vampire Diaries books.
• Hart of Dixie: The O.C. alum Rachel Bilson returns to TV as a doctor/native New Yorker who heads to the South when she inherits a new practice.
• Ringer: Sarah Michelle Gellar pulls double duty as a woman on the run who takes on the identity of her twin sister — but, as it turns out, her twin has problems of her own.
• H8ER: A reality show hosted by Mario Lopez that pits celebrities against their biggest haters. The pilot features Snooki and Kim Kardashian.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Upfronts are in full swing, and now ABC has its turn to announce its new schedule. The network has shuffled just a few things to make room for all of its new shows, as well as moving Cougar Town to midseason. I'll be giving you a peek at the new series later on, but to see how the full ABC schedule looks, just read more

The fun of upfronts week is moving right along, with Fox taking its turn today to discuss the plan for another year of TV. As expected, promising shows like Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova and Simon Cowell's The X Factor are on the way, along with a bunch of brand new series. There aren't a ton of major surprises here (except of course, the absence of canceled shows).

See the full schedule when you read more

As the upfronts rage on, the networks will be rolling out their new Fall schedules this week, showing us exactly how they'll make room for their new programs. First up is NBC, which will be introducing new series starring the likes of Will Arnett and more. The biggest changes are that Chuck will shift to Fridays for its final season, The Sing-Off will become part of the regular schedule, and 30 Rock has been shelved to midseason (but hey, at least we won't have to wait until January for Parks and Rec!)

To check out the schedule, just read more

CBS is getting in on the upfronts action with its own announcements of new Fall shows. They've picked up a couple of pilots so far with some very exciting casting to boot, like Thor's Kat Dennings and one of my favorite Lost alums. Check out the details on their upcoming respective series.

COMEDY

• Two Broke Girls: Two girls in their early twenties (Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs) struggle to get by in New York City and fulfill their dreams.
• How to Be a Gentleman: Focuses on an odd-couple pair of male best friends; one is uptight while the other is a little more brusque. David Hornsby and Kevin Dillon star.,

DRAMA

• Person of Interest: In this J.J. Abrams-produced drama, Jim Caviezel plays a former CIA agent who's presumed dead and starts working with a billionaire (Michael Emerson) to prevent crime in NYC.
• The 2-2: Robert De Niro is producing this drama about six rookie cops in NYC. The ensemble cast includes Leelee Sobieski and Adam Goldberg.
• Unforgettable: Poppy Montgomery stars in this series about an NYPD detective with the ability to remember everything.
• A Gifted Man: Patrick Wilson stars as a hotshot surgeon who changes his outlook on life after his ex-wife dies and begins giving him advice. Julie Benz also stars.

Upfronts news means that we're finding out about what will happen in the upcoming TV season. Each network is clearing room in its schedule by getting rid of current shows to make way for new series, like NBC, which just canceled The Event and Law & Order: Los Angeles. But let's look to the future — here are the pilots NBC has just picked up, which star a host of familiar faces like Debra Messing, Will Arnett, Amanda Peet, and more.

COMEDY

• Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea: Based on Chelsea Handler's best-selling memoir about her life as a twentysomething. Laura Prepon stars in the Chelsea role.
• Free Agents: A male and female PR agent who are both on the rebound (Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn) fight their attraction to each other in this remake of a British sitcom of the same name.
• Bent: Amanda Peet plays a divorced single mom who falls for the contractor she hired to do work on her house, played by Perfect Couples's David Walton.
• Best Friends Forever: A woman moves in with her best friend, even though the best friend is already living with her boyfriend.
• Up All Night: Christina Applegate stars as a woman juggling work and motherhood. Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett costar, and Lorne Michaels is producing.
• Whitney: Comedienne Whitney Cummings headlines this sitcom as one half of a young couple figuring out their committed relationship.

To find out about NBC's new dramas, just read more

Upfronts madness has officially set in, and the networks have been going crazy making their announcements about which shows are getting the ax and which pilots are a go for next season. ABC has pulled the plug on Brothers & Sisters and a few more, but what's coming next Fall? I've got the scoop on the new crop, which includes plenty of familiar faces like Kristin Chenoweth, Tim Allen, and more, so start getting to know ABC's new lineup now!

COMEDY

• Suburgatory: A family sitcom set in — wait for it — the suburbs. A father (Dodgeball's Alan Tudyk) uproots his daughter from Manhattan for a more provincial life in the 'burbs.
• Work It: Follows two guys who dress up like women for better jobs after they're laid off.
• Man Up: Focuses on a group of guys coming to terms with being middle-aged men.
• Apt. 23: Krysten Ritter plays an NYC party girl who clashes with her new good-girl roommate from the Midwest. James Van Der Beek also stars as himself.
• Last Man Standing: Tim Allen returns to TV as a man struggling to hang on to his traditional values in today's world. Nancy Travis will costar as his wife.

To check out the new dramas, just read more

Upfronts news continues to roll in, and now we have some big updates about ABC's fall lineup. First, the bad news: ABC has canceled V, Brothers & Sisters, No Ordinary Family, Off the Map, Mr. Sunshine, and Detroit 187. With the exception of Brothers & Sisters and V, the casualties were all within their first seasons.

And now, the good news: Happy Endings has been renewed! The midseason show just got its start in April, but it's gained a decent amount of fans and ratings and will be back for a second season. In addition, Body of Proof has also just been renewed.

Photo copyright 2011 ABC, Inc.

NBC's upfronts aren't until Sunday, but news about the network's Fall TV season is already leaking out. Word on the street is that NBC is renewing Chuck for a fifth season, saving it from its precarious spot on the bubble. Parenthood also looks like it'll be picked up for a third season of Braverman drama.

As for future TV shows, NBC is giving series pickups to a few newbies, including Whitney, a comedy starring Whitney Cummings; musical drama Smash; a remake of the British show Prime Suspect starring Maria Bello; and Up All Night, a comedy with Christina Applegate. NBC will be releasing more news soon on the fate of other new and returning shows, so stay tuned!

Photo courtesy of NBC