DATE: Thursday, May 29, 1997                TAG: 9705290059

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: LARRY BONKO

                                            LENGTH:  153 lines

NETWORKS JUGGLE, SET SCHEDULES SOME VIEWER FAVORITES WERE AXED, OTHERS FOUND NEW HOMES

This is a column for Melissa Lange, a reader in Virginia Beach who called me on Infoline to ask if Larry Hagman is coming back to CBS as the motorcycle-riding judge in ``Orleans.''

Melissa wonders, ``Has the network told Hagman to stay or hit the road? Am I the only one who liked `Orleans' ?''

``Orleans'' was dropped by CBS faster than a bowl of hot gumbo. And yes, Melissa, you are probably the only person who liked ``Orleans'' except for Hagman and his agent.

This is also a column for Jerry Hoover, Virginia Beach, and Betty Hazen, same city, who ask if ``Everybody Loves Raymond'' is returning to CBS.

Have no fear, Jerry and Betty. The lovable Barones and their relatives will be back on CBS Monday nights at 8:30 in the cushy time period between ``Cosby'' and ``Cybill.''

This column is also for Wendy White of Petersburg who has been sending the following e-mail to ABC on the Internet: ``I'm begging you. Please, please, please bring back `Clueless.' ''

Dear Wendy: ABC like, uh, totally ignored your pleas to keep ``Clueless,'' but UPN must have heard you because that network picked up the sitcom to air Tuesday night at 8.

Cancel ``Clueless''? As if.

I logged several calls on Infoline (640-5555, press 2486) from readers including Joyce Drew in Norfolk who wonder if that darn good show about trial lawyers who aren't rich (``The Practice'') made the cut at ABC. It did.

The show is on the Saturday night schedule at 10.

Also calling were readers hoping that ABC will continue ``Second Noah'' - sorry, it's history - and others who wanted UPN to retain ``The Sentinel.'' The rugged cop guy with super-sensitive senses, James Ellison, will return Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

Marie Evans in Suffolk heard a rumor that Warner Brothers was dropping ``Savannah.'' Said Evans, emphatically, ``I want it back.'' So does Aaron Spelling, the producer.

WB cut it loose. It's the night the lights went out in Georgia.

With the posting of the fall schedules by six networks earlier this month, shows that represent splendid drama (``Relativity,'' ``Murder One'') were tossed on the same scrap heap with witless sitcoms (``Homeboys in Outer Space'') and shows (``Sliders'') that were given every chance to catch on but never did.

The new season in an MTV minute:

UPN announced it will add a fourth night of programming early in 1998 - ``The UPN Thursday Night Sci-Fi Movie,'' which will include made-for-network films and theatrical features.

Two years ago, NBC's rivals scrambled to clone ``Friends.'' Last year, with the appeal of Fox's ``The X-Files'' strong among young viewers, creepy TV was in. This fall, the competition goes after the ``Touched by an Angel'' crowd on CBS with ``Good News'' (the pastor is a hunk), ``Nothing Sacred'' (offbeat priest) and ``Teen Angel'' (heavenly guardians in high school).

NBC ended a 29-year-old tradition when it dropped the Monday night movie from its fall schedule, replacing it with a fourth night of ``Dateline'' and four sitcoms (``Suddenly Susan,'' ``Fired Up,'' ``Caroline in the City'' and ``The Naked Truth''), all of which feature women in the lead roles. Must-she TV.

In the new TV universe of six commercial networks, where good ideas for new shows are as scarce as size 12s on ``Baywatch,'' a cancellation order doesn't necessarily mean you're dead. When ABC dropped ``Step by Step,'' CBS picked it up on the first bounce.

UPN grabbed ``Clueless'' from ABC faster than Cher whips out her credit card. ``Family Matters'' hops from ABC to CBS. Urkel lives!

When Suzanne Somers was in Richmond not long ago to film ``Love-Struck'' for the Family Channel, she said she expected ``Step by Step'' to be cancelled by ABC with no guarantee the sitcom would move elsewhere.

She worried.

``Getting picked up means the nice-sized paychecks keep coming every week, and getting picked up means you don't have to go out and hustle up a new series for yourself,'' she said. Not to worry, Suzanne. The checks will keep coming.

Andrew Dice Clay, who failed on CBS when he played a nice-guy sitcom dad, is closer to the real-life foulmouth Diceman as Jimmy Esposito in a supporting role on ``Hitz,'' a UPN sitcom produced by MTV. He's back to talking about ``hot chicks.''

It will be the season of old faces in new places - a trend of recent years.

Bryant Gumbel gave up the early shift on NBC's ``Today'' for a primetime magazine on CBS Wednesday night at 9. David Caruso, whose movie career did not take off after he left ``NYPD Blue,'' returns in a CBS drama, ``Michael Hayes,'' in which he plays a federal prosecutor. Annie Potts (``Dangerous Minds'') returns to ABC in a sitcom, ``Over the Top.'' NBC is bringing back to primetime Tony Danza and Kirstie Alley in comedies.

Tom Arnold gets a third try at making a sitcom work, this time on Warner Brothers - ``The Tom Show.'' Some say it's built on his marriage to Roseanne.

Remember Fred Savage of ``The Wonder Years''? He's a college frat boy now. NBC signed him for a sitcom called ``Working.'' Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch co-star in ``George & Leo'' on CBS while Bronson Pinchot leaves the cast of ``Step by Step'' to play an alien in ``Meego'' on CBS.

Steven Bochco, who saw his drama, ``Murder One,'' treated shabbily by the ABC schedule makers, swallowed his pride and will do another series for that network (``Total Security'' with Jim Belushi). He'll also produce a cop show, ``Brooklyn South,'' for CBS. He promises it will be edgier than ``NYPD Blue.''

Come the fall, five networks and umpteen producers will be pursuing NBC, which dominated the ratings in primetime, morning and late night.

Ed Munson, the vice president and general manager of NBC affiliate WAVY, said he returned from the network's affiliates meeting in Phoenix convinced that NBC stands for Not Being Complacent. Out went such so-so sitcoms as ``Boston Common'' and ``The Single Guy,'' and in comes Jenny McCarthy in ``Jenny'' and Ice-T in ``Players.''

NBC also made the bold move of dropping its Monday night movie, which attracted a big audience of young women, in favor of four sitcoms and another night of ``Dateline.''

The 1997-98 season at a glance:

NBC

Cancellations: ``The Single Guy,'' ``Boston Common,``The Jeff Foxworthy Show,'' ``Mr. Rhodes,'' ``Something So Right,'' ``Dark Skies'' and ``Unsolved Mysteries.''

New shows: Sitcoms ``Jenny,'' ``The Tony Danza Show,'' ``Built to Last,'' ``Working,'' ``Union Square,'' ``Veronica's Closet,'' plus the drama, ``Sleepwalkers,'' and an action hour, ``Players.''

CBS

Cancellations: ``Ink,'' ``Orleans,'' ``Pearl,'' ``Maloney'' and ``Dave's World.''

New shows: Newsmagazine hosted by Bryant Gumbel. Plus sitcoms ``George and Leo,'' ``Meego'' and ``Square One,'' plus dramas ``Brooklyn South,'' ``Dellaventura'' and ``Michael Hayes.'' CBS picked up ``Step by Step'' and ``Family Matters'' from ABC.

ABC

Cancellations: ``High Incident,'' ``Murder One,'' ``Second Noah,'' ``Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,'' ``Grace Under Fire,'' ``Dangerous Minds,'' ``America's Funniest Home Videos,'' ``Clueless,'' ``Coach,'' ``Roseanne,'' ``Step by Step,'' ``EZ Streets'' and ``Family Matters.''

New shows: Sitcoms ``Hiller and Diller,'' ``Over the Top,'' ``Dharma and Greg,'' ``Genie'' and ``Teen Angel,'' plus dramas ``Timecop,'' ``Nothing Sacred,'' ``Cracker,'' ``C-16'' and ``Total Security.'' ABC News expands ``20/20'' to two nights - Thursday and Friday night at 10.

ABC set the ``Disney Family Movie'' for Sunday at 7. ``Cracker'' is a remake of the British mystery series with Robert Pastorelli getting the lead when Robbie Coltrane, who created the role of police psychologist Eddie Fitzgerald, reportedly refused ABC's offer.

Fox

Cancellations: ``Married With Children,'' ``Sliders,'' ``Martin,'' ``Ned and Stacey,'' and on hiatus, ``Living Single'' and ``New York Undercover.''

New shows: Sitcoms ``Rewind'' and ``Between Brothers,'' plus the dramas ``413 Hope Street,'' ``The Visitor'' and ``Ally McBeal.''

Warner Brothers

Cancellations: ``Savannah,'' ``Brotherly Love'' and ``Life With Roger.''

New shows: Sitcoms ``The Tom Show'' and ``Ocean Drive,'' plus dramas, ``Dawson's Creek'' and ``Three.''

UPN

Cancellations: ``Homeboys in Outer Space,'' ``Goode Behavior,'' ``The Burning Zone.''

New shows: Sitcom ``Clueless,'' from ABC. Also sitcoms ``Hitz,'' ``Good News'' and ``Head Over Heels.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

CBS

From left: Patricia Heaton, Ray Romano, Peter Boyle and Doris

Roberts will return in ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' on CBS.

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