Midseason Matchups 2011, Thursday

8/7c

Winter: Wipeout (ABC, 1/6) vs. The Big Bang Theory/$#*! My Dad Says (CBS) vs. Community/PERFECT COUPLES (NBC, 1/20) vs. American Idol (Fox, 1/20) vs. The Vampire Diaries (The CW)

Spring: TBA (ABC) vs. The Big Bang Theory/Rules of Engagement (CBS, 2/24) vs. Community/Perfect Couples (NBC) vs. American Idol (Fox) vs. The Vampire Diaries (The CW)

Notes: Idol will sort of take over the role that Survivor had for so long in this hour, the reality show that dominates a field of (mostly) scripted TV. It'll be a real test for The Big Bang Theory, but I feel it should hold up as well as Modern Family did last year. (Modern became the first regularly-scheduled show in years to frequently break a 4.0 demo against Idol competition.)

9/8c

Winter: Grey's Anatomy (ABC) vs. CSI (CBS) vs. The Office/Parks & Recreation (NBC, 1/20) vs. Bones (Fox, 1/20) vs. Nikita (The CW)

Spring: Same

Cable: Royal Pains (USA, 1/20)

Notes: Bones will regularly get the Idol lead-in for the first time in about a half decade, and it will be quite interesting to see what happens there, particularly with fellow crime drama competition CSI. Could this be another nail in the coffin for the declining procedural?

10/9c

Winter: Private Practice (ABC) vs. The Mentalist (CBS) vs. 30 Rock/Outsourced (NBC, 1/20)

Spring: Same

Cable: Jersey Shore (MTV, 1/6), FAIRLY LEGAL (USA, 1/20)

Notes: The thing to watch in this hour will certainly be NBC's third hour of comedy. Will people plug into three straight hours of sitcoms on the same night?

Bold indicates timeslot changes; ALL CAPS indicate this midseason's series premieres

All my other Midseason Matchups posts: Monday | Tuesday | Friday | Sunday