CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) - ABC is set to announce the return of its TGIF comedy block at its annual upfront presentation on Tuesday. The news comes as the Alphabet network put the finishing touches on its fall 2003 schedule over the weekend.
A regular on its Friday lineup since 1987, TGIF was the home to such family comedies as "Full House," "Boy Meets World," "Family Matters," "Step by Step" and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" over the years. ABC abandoned the franchise in the fall of 2000 and has yet to duplicate its success since. While specific members of the block next season were not revealed, "The George Lopez Show" is considered the leading candidate to make the switch. To make room for TGIF's resurrection, current Friday mainstay "America's Funniest Home Videos" will then move to either Thursday or Sunday nights.
Also expected on Tuesday: the announcement that "The Wonderful World of Disney" will be bumped to Saturday nights at 8:00/7:00c along with a new or returning drama at 10:00/9:00c. ABC hopes that by making the switch it can provide a better lead-in to "Alias" at 8:00/7:00c on Sundays, most likely a new drama.
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