• by Wayne Friedman , May 16, 2007

Judging from ABC's massive upfront programming announcement, you would think the network is in trouble--or it's just rolling the dice and full of confidence for an even bigger season.

The Alphabet Network is kicking off a massive 12 new series: seven new dramas and four new comedies, and one limited reality series from Oprah Winfrey. "Oprah's Big Give," a reality show, will have contestants vying to make the biggest difference in people's lives, with millions of dollars being given away.

ABC's major programming change is a totally revamped Wednesday night, anchored at 9 p.m. with the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice," starring Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery. At 8 p.m., "Pushing Daisies" is a fantasy tale about a man who can touch dead things and bring them back to life. At 10 p.m., "Dirty Sexy Money" is the story of a well-to-do but troubled young New York attorney and his wealthy family--think "Falcon Crest" for the metropolitan set.

On Tuesday, ABC will try two comedies. It's putting those crazy cavemen from the Geico commercials into "Cavemen," an 8 p.m. half-hour comedy the network says will be a twist on stereotypes and race relations. At 8:30 p.m. is the new "Carpoolers," about four male commuters who mull their disparate lives.

One catch--the show's timing competes with the program-crushing "American Idol." Although Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment, says little seems to stop the Fox mega-hit, research has shown that male-targeted comedies seem to offer some alternative.

"Cashmere Mafia" is ABC's big effort at 9 p.m., another riff on "Sex and the City" that follows four ambitious women. It is executive-produced by Darren Star, who did the same chore for "Sex and the City." Veteran "Boston Legal" will go for the 10 p.m. Wednesday slot.

On Monday, when ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" takes a breather, Christina Applegate will return to TV in a single camera comedy, "Sam I Am." She plays Sam, who comes out of a coma to discover she wasn't the nicest of people. That airs at 9 p.m. to be paired with "Notes from the Underbelly" at 9:30 p.m. "Wife Swap" will start at 8 p.m. This year's limited series "October Road" will move into the 10 p.m. time period.

ABC's McPherson said Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the network's major concerns, with the exception of "Dancing with the Stars: Results Show," at 9 p.m.

The net's strong Thursday will stay generally the same with "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy" at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., respectively. Then at 10 p.m., a new show, "Big Shots," will focus on the dysfunctional high-powered business executives and the women in their lives.

In the procedural crime drama category, ABC is launching "Women's Murder Club," about four women in San Francisco: a detective, distinct attorney, medical examiner and reporter. That show gets a go in a less risky Friday night 9 p.m. time slot. "Men in Trees," this season's rookie show that bounced around a bit, will move back to Fridays at 8 p.m.

ABC already announced that "Lost" will return in January and run continuous original episodes. McPherson believes the show might return either to its Wednesday 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. time slot. The press reported that "Lost" had slipped in the ratings, but McPherson noted it was one of the most time-shifted of all network shows. He said viewership is actually on par with numbers of a year ago. For example, the show gets a 4.2 live-only rating in Los Angeles, but when adding seven days of DVR playback, those numbers jump to a 7.2.

Other mid-season or come-off-the-bench players include: "Eli Stone," a drama about a successful San Francisco corporate lawyer who has hallucinations and "Miss/Guided," a comedy about a woman who returns to high school as a guidance counselor.

ABC's Prime-Time Schedule (new shows in bold):

MONDAY
8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
9:30 p.m. "Sam I Am"
10:00 p.m. "The Bachelor"

TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. "Cavemen"
8:30 p.m. "Carpoolers"
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
10:00 p.m. "Boston Legal"

WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. "Pushing Daisies"
9:00 p.m. "Private Practice"
10:00 p.m. "Dirty Sexy Money"

THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Big Shots"

FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. "Men in Trees"
9:00 p.m. "Women's Murder Club"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"

SATURDAY
8:00 p.m. "Saturday College Football"

SUNDAY
7:00 p.m. "Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Extreme Makeover"
9:00 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10:00 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"