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Grey's Shift Shakes NBC, Idol in Cruise Control

Fri., Dec. 21, 2007 6:25 PM PST by Natalie Finn

As networks continue to toy with their weakened midseason schedules, there seems to be only one place to turn for stability, one ratings behemoth that is bigger than any man, beast or striking guild.

That...would be American Idol.

TV's most popular show returns to the airwaves with a vengeance Jan. 15, kicking off a two-night, four-hour premiere that should provide a breath of fresh air for those whose tube-watching lives have been turned asunder by the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, now in its seventh week.

While a handful of fresh episodes (that’s out of all of the scripted series that began in fall, not per series) will be airing in January, it will be up to a few new programs, such as Fox's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and ABC's Cashmere Mafia; a sprinkling of returnees, like NBC's Medium, ABC's According to Jim and CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine; and a plethora of reality shows to pick up the slack.

Lucky for Fox, American Idol lessons the need for a plethora. (Assumingly—people could still be really ticked off by that whole Sanjaya thing.)

The cringe-inducing audition period will last for four weeks before the top 24 singers are revealed Feb. 13. Then, starting the following week, Idol will take over for three nights until the competition's top 12 finalists are announced on Thursday, Mar. 6.

After which, it'll be back to the two-night format.

ABC, NBC and CBS won't be able to put up much of a Thursday-night fight in the absence of its usual scripted fare, although CBS will premiere a new season of Survivor on Feb. 7, but it doesn't mean that the major networks don't care about starting off on the right foot in 2008.

On Wednesday, ABC announced that it was moving its final new episode of Grey's Anatomy from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10.

In turn, NBC immediately reversed its decision to postpone the premiere of Celebrity Apprentice from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10, a move made in order to avoid what would surely be a swift kick to the crotch in terms of ratings if it had to air opposite the last installment of Grey's for who knows how long.

So, the Donald will trot out his motley high-profile protégées on Jan. 3, as originally scheduled. Instead of scalpels and heartache, Celebrity Apprentice will face off against the Orange Bowl and possible updates from the Iowa caucus.

ABC's switcheroo came after it opted to move the premiere of Cashmere Mafia to Jan. 6, where it will instead air after the last original episode of Desperate Housewives. The new Brothers & Sisters that would have aired Jan. 6 will now be on Jan. 15.

Are we clear?

Lost, bless its little eight-episode heart, still premieres Jan. 31 in its—what else?—new Thursday-at-10 p.m. timeslot.