2003 Zap2it Fall Preview: Cable Series

ABC Family

"Tokyo Pig"
Produced by the Brothers Weinstein of Miramax, in conjunction with SME Visual Works, Inc., this anime series is utterly bizarre and completely compelling. Nine-year-old Spencer discovers that he can make things come true by writing them down in his diary. However, instead of getting a new bike like most kids would, he makes his mother cook fried pencil balls for dinner and pigs fly, resulting in his acquisition of a new pet, Sunny.
Premieres Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. ET

Animal Planet

"Beware of Dog"
This live-action sitcom follows the lives of the Poole family as seen through the eyes of the dog who adopts them. Jack the dog is there to listen to family members when they need a furry shoulder to cry on, but forget about putting him on a leash, he finds them to be "post-domestication tools of oppression."
Premieres Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. ET

BBC America

"What Not to Wear"
A makeover show crossed with "Trading Spaces," this series features an unsuspecting fashion victim nominated by her friends to receive a total overhaul. The blunt and often cruel assessments offered by the show's fashion journalists are tempered somewhat by the $3,000 check the woman receives toward a new wardrobe.
Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. PT

Bravo

"Gay Weddings"
This eight-part reality series takes a look at the poignant, dramatic, funny and surprising experience that four artistic gay and lesbian couples have when they plan and partake in their own wedding ceremonies. In addition to the usual marital dramas, these couples face the added stress of the widespread political and social disapproval of their lifestyles.
Premieres Monday, Sept. 2 at 10 p.m. ET

"Page to Screen"
This series takes a look at what is involved when filmmakers decide to turn a great book into a great movie. Unlike other behind-the-scenes shows, "Page to Screen" keeps the original literary text as its reference point. The film's writers, actors and directors give rare interviews about the films based on books, such as "Silence of the Lambs," "Jaws" and "Cider House Rules."
Premieres Monday, Oct. 28

"Second City Presents with Bill Zehme"
Former Rolling Stone reporter Bill Zehme conducts in-depth conversations with some of the world's most beloved comedians and comic actors in front of a live Los Angeles audience. Second city alumni such as Jim Belushi, Martin Short, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullman and Jon Lovitz will be on hand to discuss their career and craft, with large doses of spontaneous comedy thrown in. Think of it as "Inside the Actors Studio," only intentionally funny.
Premieres Monday, Oct. 14 at 10 p.m. ET

Comedy Central

"Chappelle's Show"
This weekly, half-hour underground comedy/variety series stars Dave Chappelle and includes such sketches as comic bloopers from epic miniseries "Roots." The writer and comedian currently lends his voice to the Comedy Central puppet show "Crank Yankers" and has appeared in such films as "Undercover Brother" and "200 Cigarettes."
Premieres January 2003

"Comic Groove"
"Saturday Night Live" comedian Tracy Morgan hosts the network's new half-hour stand up series featuring four comedians per episode. The hip-hop comedy is taped in front of a live studio audience with a club-style set and live music from New York DJ Beverly Bond.
Premieres Monday, Sept. 2 at 10 p.m. ET

Court TV

"Body of Evidence: From the Case Files of Dayle Hinman"
Capitalizing on the success of CBS' "CSI," this half-hour series follows renowned real-life forensic profiler Dayle Hinman as she attempts to solve crimes that have no eyewitnesses, little evidence and no apparent motive. Each episode will feature an actual case, which had previously stumped law enforcement officials.
Premieres Thursday, Dec. 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET

Discovery

"Monster Garage"
When "Monster Garage" debuted as a network special last June, it turned a Ford Explorer into a garbage truck, recreated a limousine as a fully functional fire truck, and retooled a Ford Mustang GT into a 60-mph lawnmower. Duly impressed, Discovery decided to turn it into a primetime series. Hosted by Jesse James, founder of custom motorcycle shop West Coast Choppers, the series shows what happens when design engineers, mechanics and freethinkers are given a fully equipped garage and instructed to change ordinary vehicles into extraordinary machines.
Premieres Monday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m., ET

Disney Channel

"That's So Raven"
Raven-Symone, perhaps best known as three-year-old Olivia from "The Cosby Show," is all grown up now and stars in her own teen comedy series. Rose (Symone) is a typical high school girl with psychic powers. In addition to worrying about a teacher who spits on students and her crush on a boy named Stacy, Rose fears that her friends may be using her as a free alternative to dialing Miss Cleo.
Premieres January 2003

E!

"The Anna Nicole Show"
This new reality series follows former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith as she returns to the limelight after the death of her elderly millionaire husband and the subsequent court battle over his money. Other "characters" caught in her path include her teenage son Daniel, lawyer Howard K. Stern, purple-haired assistant Kim and black poodle, Sugar Pie.
Premieres Sunday, Aug. 4 at 10 p.m. ET

Food TV

"Barefoot Contessa"
Hamptons resident and cookbook author Ina Garten invites viewers into her home as she prepares elegant party fare. She takes the cameras with her as she shops for the best ingredients. Surprise, surprise -- one of the frequent stops is her own specialty food store in East Hampton, New York.
Premieres Saturday, Nov. 30 at 12:30 p.m. ET

"Food Hunter"
Pete Luckett gets really excited about produce. If he got any more worked up about fruits and vegetables, this series would have to air on pay cable. In any case, he sings the praises of every tomato, tangerine and tamarind as he enthusiastically tracks down the exotic origins of viewers' favorite foods.
Premieres Wednesday Oct. 30 at 10:30 p.m. ET

"Paula's Home Cooking"
Paula Deen, the self-made restaurant owner and author of The Lady and Sons cookbook series believes that the simple pleasures of home cooking can lift the spirits. Hopefully, just watching her as she prepares uncomplicated recipes and tells stories about her small time life will do the trick.
Premieres Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10:30 a.m. ET

"Top 5"
Because everybody loves lists, The Food Network will be airing a show that counts down the top 5 entries in every imaginable food category in a show that bills itself as the "American Bandstand" of food. The series promises to tax the viewer's food trivia resources with each new installment. Care to guess what the top deep fried treat is? It's zeppoles, an Italian pastry.
Premieres Monday, Oct. 7 at 9:30 p.m. ET

Hallmark Channel

"Life Moments"
Veteran journalist Asha Blake of NBC's news program "Later Today" will host this series which features three or four real-life stories each episode. Each segment will center around life-changing events that all kinds of people experience, such as weddings, births, reunions, etc.
Premieres Monday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. ET Will air Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. ET.
Will air in national syndication starting Sept. 9

HGTV

"How's That Work?"
The ideal show for the infinitely inquisitive, this series takes a look at the inner workings of some of life's most indispensable appliances. Discover the mysterious forces that make microwaves, hair dryers and remote controls function.
Premieres First Quarter 2003

"The Collector Inspector"
Appraisal expert Harry Rinker tours homes across the country searching for priceless objects that are currently sitting unknown in attics, basements and closets. Find out which items only have personal value, and which are worth the big bucks.
Premieres Friday, Oct. 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET

"Public Places, Private Spaces"
This new series visits hotels, museums, stores, restaurants, public gardens, even universities and railroad stations that have an amazing look. Viewers will meet the country's leading designers and learn how they tackle the difficult job of making the public space they designed unique and beautiful and memorable.
Premieres Fourth Quarter 2002

"The Ultimate Collector"
Each episode of this new series features three avid collectors who have dedicated themselves to accumulating everything there is to be had relating to their obsession. One show features a Tennessee man who owns more than 1,200 Donald Duck artifacts and a Texas woman who has turned her home into a Dallas Cowboys museum.
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 10 p.m. ET

Sci Fi

"The Dream Team with Annabelle and Michael"
Annabelle Gurwitch ("Dinner and a Movie" ) and psychotherapist Michael Lennox explore the true meanings behind dreams in this half-hour series. An experienced dream analyst, Lennox will interpret dreams detailed by audience members. Find out what it really means when your teeth fall out as you give a naked book report to your company's board of directors.
Premieres 2003

"Quantum Leap"
This production is currently in development as a two-hour movie that will serve as a back-door series pilot. The new series promises to add a twist to the old "Quantum Leap" concept -- a time traveler journeys to different years to put right events that have gone wrong.
TBA

"Tremors"
Based on the cult-classic movies, this series brings back the fearless blue-collar heroes who saved their small desert community from giant alien worms. The worms are back, along with assorted new monsters for the guys to battle.
Premieres January 2003

TLC

"Beyond Tough"
Host Ice-T ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") travels across the United States to profile the most dangerous jobs in the world. Take a look at the country's oil rig firefighters, paramedics, stunt men, NASA astronauts, skydivers and alligator rescuers, and be glad that your only work hazards are the occasional paper cut and spilling coffee on yourself.
Premieres Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. ET

"Full Metal Challenge"
The multitalented actor, writer and performance artist, Henry Rollins, will be hosting this new series alongside "Junkyard Wars" host, Cathy Rogers. Teams from around the world have one month and $3,000 to create the driving machines of their dreams. The only requirement is that it fit inside a standard-sized international cargo crate. After the twisted creations are built, drivers field-test their monster machines.
Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. ET
Will regularly air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, with encores on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET

"While You Were Out"
Like the network's hit show, "Trading Spaces," this series documents the makeover of a room in someone's home. The catch is, this redecorating job will be a total surprise to the homeowner who has been tricked into leaving their house for a few days. A pop quiz portion of the show can result in prizes that enhance the room. Question No. 1: How attached are you to the moldy green recliner in the living room?
Primetime premiere Saturday, Sept. 21 at 10 p.m. ET

VH1

"Liza and David"
This new reality show will chronicle dinner parties at the home of camp classic Liza Minnelli and her shiny new husband David Gest. The singer and her concert promoter husband will host a wide variety of musical stars and other assorted celebrities. VH1 will document the preparation and the actual evenings in the couple's Manhattan penthouse. Liza may even cook.
Premieres October 2002

Cable Series | Cable Movies | Cable Specials