It’s a new reality for ABC, WB

Even as reality shows such as “American Idol” and “The Apprentice” have become huge hits, network executives have generally been reluctant to put new unscripted series on their fall schedules, reasoning that advertisers and viewers expect a fresh round of scripted dramas and sitcoms every September.

But ABC and the WB Network, both suffering from bruising seasons, are about to take the plunge.

At a media briefing before its presentation to advertisers Tuesday in New York, ABC announced that it is scheduling “The Benefactor,” an “Apprentice”-like reality series starring billionaire Mark Cuban, on Mondays, opposite NBC’s gross-out reality hit “Fear Factor” (due to “Monday Night Football,” the series will air later in the Pacific and Mountain time zones). And “Wife Swap,” in which ordinary moms briefly trade places, will occupy the brutally competitive 10 p.m. Wednesday slot against NBC’s “Law & Order” and possibly “CSI: New York,” the second spinoff of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” CBS officially announces its fall schedule today.

Steve McPherson, tapped as ABC’s entertainment president last month, hopes the series can help the network retrieve viewers lost in recent seasons. “ ‘Wife Swap’ just jumped out at me,” he told reporters Tuesday morning. “The title certainly gets you at first.”

The WB, which also unveiled its fall lineup Tuesday, has booked “Studio 7,” a game show from “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” producer Michael Davies, for another ferociously busy time slot, 9 p.m. Thursdays. The network -- partly owned by Tribune Co., parent company of The Times -- is also adding two sketch comedies for Wednesday, Jeff Foxworthy’s “Blue Collar TV” and “Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show.” The moves represent a scaling back in the WB’s often-vexing bids to land traditional hit sitcoms.

Indeed, plenty of new unscripted shows will dot the prime-time landscape next season. Earlier this week, NBC revealed that it will place “The Contender,” the much-touted boxing reality series from Sylvester Stallone and producer Mark Burnett, at 8 p.m. Tuesdays, but that will happen later in the season, after another cycle of the dating show “Average Joe” finishes in that time period.

But there’s no shortage of scripted action, either. ABC will add to its TGIF sitcom block a new family comedy, “Savages,” from executive producer Mel Gibson. “Rodney,” a sitcom starring stand-up comic Rodney Carrington, joins a reconstituted Tuesday comedy night. For Thursday, there’s the teen drama “Life as We Know It,” and the network will kick off Wednesdays with “Lost,” a costly drama about castaways on a tropical island from “Alias” writer-producer J.J. Abrams.

“This the most ambitious show we’ve done in a long time,” McPherson said. “We didn’t want to put it up against other huge dramas.”

For midseason, ABC has producer Steven Bochco’s latest crime drama, “Blind Justice,” plus the hospital drama “Grey’s Anatomy” and the detective show “Eyes.”

The WB is putting Burnett’s first sitcom, “Commando Nanny,” in its Friday sitcom block. The network previously picked up two dramas, “Jack & Bobby” (Sundays) and “The Mountain” (Thursdays).

UPN, the WB’s rival, reveals its lineup Thursday morning. The network has picked up two dramas, the detective series “Veronica Mars” and the family drama “Kevin Hill.” The latter project is co-produced by Gibson’s Icon Productions, although the actor-director is said to have removed his executive producer credit from the series. Gibson’s spokesman, Alan Nierob, said he did not know details and could not comment.

Over at CBS, the Rob Lowe drama, “Dr. Vegas,” has officially been picked up for the fall.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Big changes at ABC

ABC made changes to six of its seven nights of programming. It has three new series and the return of “Alias” set for later in the season.

What’s new

“The Benefactor” (10-11 p.m. Mondays): Internet billionaire Mark Cuban is giving away $1 million to the stranger who makes the best case for it in this unscripted series.

“Rodney” (9:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays): A family comedy featuring stand-up comedian Rodney Carrington.

“Lost” (8-9 p.m. Wednesdays): This ambitious drama features the struggles faced by survivors of a plane crash on a Pacific island.

“Wife Swap” (10-11 p.m. Wednesdays): Matriarchs of two families swap places for 10 days in this unscripted series. Based on a hit in Britain.

“Life as We Know It” (9-10 p.m. Thursdays): Kelly Osbourne is part of the cast of this drama about adolescent boys, based on Melvin Burgess’ novel.

“Savages” (8:30-9 p.m. Fridays): Executive producer Mel Gibson loosely based this comedy about a single father and his large family of boys on his own experiences.

“Desperate Housewives” (9-10 p.m. Sundays): A drama about life in suburbia, told from the perspective of a woman who committed suicide.

“The Practice: Fleet Street” (10-11 p.m. Sundays): James Spader stars in this spinoff from “The Practice.”

What’s moved

“My Wife and Kids” (8-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays)

“George Lopez” (8:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays)

“Extreme Makeover” (8-9 p.m. Thursdays)

“Less Than Perfect” (9:30-10 p.m. Fridays)

What’s gone

(shows on ABC’s fall ’03 schedule):

“10-8,” “The Practice,” “I’m With Her,” “Primetime Monday,” “It’s All Relative,” “Karen Sisco,” “Threat Matrix,” “Married to the Kellys,” “Life With Bonnie” and “L.A. Dragnet”

What else

(shows ordered but not on the fall lineup):

“Alias”: Jennifer Garner’s series returns at midseason, when “Desperate Housewives” concludes.

“Blind Justice”: A new courtroom drama from Steven Bochco takes over the 10 p.m. Tuesday slot when his “NYPD Blue” ends its final run at midseason.

“Grey’s Anatomy”: A new medical drama, which will air Mondays after “Monday Night Football” concludes.

“Eyes”: Tim Daly stars in a new drama about a private investigator.

*

Rounding out the WB menu

The WB has added three comedies, two dramas and one reality series to its fall lineup.

What’s new

“Blue Collar TV” (9-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays): Comedian Jeff Foxworthy and others from the “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” star in a sitcom based on that humor.

“Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show” (9:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays): The “Whose Line Is It Anyway” star and an ensemble act out studio audience suggestions, which will be animated on the spot.

“The Mountain” (8-9 p.m. Thursdays): Barbara Hershey stars in this drama from director McG about a family facing betrayal, set in a mountain resort.

“Studio 7” (9-10 p.m. Thursdays): A combination pop culture game show and reality series about contestants living together, from the creator of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

“Commando Nanny” (8:30-9 p.m. Fridays): Reality king Mark Burnett used his own experiences to create this comedy about a former commando who becomes a child-care worker.

“Jack and Bobby” (9-10 p.m. Sundays): Christine Lahti plays the mother of two teenage boys, one of whom grows up to be president of the United States.

What’s moved

“Steve Harvey’s Big Time” (7-8 p.m. Sundays)

“Charmed” (8-9 p.m. Sundays)

“What I Like About You” (8-8:30 p.m. Fridays)

“Reba” (9-9:30 p.m. Fridays)

“Grounded for Life” (9:30-10 p.m. Fridays)

What’s gone

(shows on the WB’s fall ’03 schedule):

“Tarzan and Jane,” “Fearless,” “Angel,” “JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment,” “Run of the House,” “Like Family” and “All About the Andersons”

What else

(shows ordered but not on the fall lineup):

“Shacking Up”: Fran Drescher stars in this sitcom as a woman whose boyfriend is 20 years old, the same age as her son.

“Rocky Point”: A Hawaii-set drama in the “Everwood” mold.

“Global Frequency”: A new drama from Mark Burnett, based on the graphic novel series.

“High School Reunion”: The third installment of the unscripted series.

“Big Man on Campus”: Reality provocateur Mike Fleiss is behind this show aimed at picking the power couple at a college.

“Wannabes”: A reality show about aspiring starlets who share a house while competing for the same movie role.