TV Hot Spot: News

ABC picks up 'Supernanny,' 'Wife Swap,' 'Videos'

Post by: Sal

Families with especially bratty children, a desire to switch spouses or just adorable video footage of your cat, do not despair: There's still a place for you on ABC.

The network announced Friday that it's picking up three of its unscripted series -- "Supernanny," "Wife Swap" and "America's Funniest Home Videos" -- for the 2007-08 season. All three shows pull down decent if unspectacular ratings, with "Swap" and "Supernanny" holding down the fort on Monday nights and "Videos" filling in wherever it's needed.

ABC hasn't made a decision about next season for its other reality series. "Dancing with the Stars" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," both of which are top-25 shows, seem like pretty sure bets. The 10th edition of "The Bachelor" is scheduled to air in the spring, but beyond that its prospects are uncertain.

"America's Funniest Home Videos," currently in its 17th season, is the longest-running prime-time entertainment program in ABC's history (though its 17 years aren't consecutive; it was off the air between 1999 and 2001). It's drawing 9.5 million viewers per week on Sundays this season, up a little from last year's 9.1 million, and has also filled in on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Ratings for "Supernanny," in its third year, are also up this season. It averages 8.12 million viewers per week opposite the likes of "Heroes" and "24" on Mondays, an improvement of about 600,000 over 2005-06.

The overall numbers for "Wife Swap" have fallen to 7.32 million this season from 8.27 million last year.