WB Juggles Lineup

Thanks to chrissie for sending this in!

From: Mr. ShowBiz

WB Juggles Lineup, Eyes PJs

Eddie Murphy’s critically acclaimed but low-rated cartoon comedy The PJs may move from Fox to the WB.

The claymation show, which revolves around a slow-witted building super voiced by executive producer Murphy, got off to a solid start when it debuted early last year on Fox. But numerous schedule shuffles and the lack of a suitable companion series led to disappointing Nielsens, and it did not make the fall lineup.

Now the show’s Disney-based producer, Imagine Television, is in serious negotiations to sell it to the WB for next season. Fox has let its option for The PJs expire, and will hold its decision about committing to another season after the ratings from a planned summer run are in.

While no final decisions are expected until May at the earliest, industry insiders say WB execs are seriously interested in buying 13 original episodes of the cartoon to air as part of the WB’s Friday night comedy block.

Fox execs have explained that they still have faith in The PJs, but that for the time being, they have higher expectations for the soon-to-return cartoon Family Guy.

With or without The PJs, the WB is revamping its lineups to make room for D.C., the new drama from Law & Order’s Dick Wolf. The net also wants to boost current underperformers Felicity and Roswell with new time slots.

As of April 5, Wednesday’s angst quotient will increase with Keri Russell-starrer Felicity moving to a post-Dawson’s Creek slot.

Filling Felicity’s Sunday 8 p.m. slot, as of April 2, will be the return of midseason sitcoms Movie Stars and Zoe.

Roswell moves to Mondays at 9 p.m., behind the WB’s top-rated 7th Heaven, April 10. The show, which stars Jason Behr and Shiri Appleby as literally star-crossed lovers � he’s an alien, she’s a human � will get a thematic make-over emphasizing the sci-fi elements of the show. Currently, the romantic yearnings of the high school students take center stage.

In its current Wednesday 9 p.m. slot, Roswell has formidable competition on that front from an offspring of the mother of all sci-fi TV franchises, Star Trek: Voyager on UPN.

“We think these moves strengthen us on all three nights,” WB entertainment president Susanne Daniels says. “The audience flow from Dawson’s Creek to Felicity is very compatible, and we think that this move gives us another signature night of television.”

Daniels adds that the network has high hopes for Wolf’s D.C., an ensemble about ambitious Gen-Xers in the nation’s capital, particularly with this being a presidential election year.

Reuters contributed to this story.