Adds Fridays to its program roster

by Andrew Wallenstein

   Intent on keeping its teen viewership from switching the channel, the WB will aggressively expand its primetime lineup this fall.
   At the network's upfront presentation yesterday, WB president Suzanne Daniels revealed plans to begin programming on Friday, its sixth night of original content. Six new series will premiere this fall, most of them next to shows that are only in their second year. It's an expression of confidence from a teen-targeted network unconcerned with household ratings (women 18-34 audience increased an impressive 19 percent over last year).
   But parts of the WB's strategy may be a bit too ambitious. The Thursday comedy block will move to WB's new Friday night. "The Steve Harvey Show", "For Your Love" and "The Jamie Foxx Show" will be joined by a new animated series at 8:30 p.m., "The Downtowners". With ABC jettisoning its "T.G.I.F." lineup on Friday, WB may find a warmer reception for these sitcoms, which clearly aren't WB's strong suit. Half-hours "Smart Guy", "Unhappily Ever After", "Sister, Sister", and "The Wayans Bros." were all sent packing.
   Two rookie sensations from the 1998-99 season, "Felicity" and "Charmed", are moving to new nights, where they will serve as lead-ins to new shows. "Felicity" shuttles from Tuesday's post-"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" time slot to Sunday, where it will be wedged between 7 p.m. reruns of "7th Heaven" and a new romantic drama at 9 p.m., "Jack & Jill". "Charmed" leaves its comfortable berth after "Dawson's Creek" on Wednesday to Thursday at 9 p.m., opposite NBC's "Frasier".
   Considering the challenges ahead for both shows, they represent extremely bold decisions from the WB. While there's room for a quality "dramedy" like "Felicity" on Sunday, its ratings never quite matched the hype it received last year, leaving it vulnerable without "Buffy" as a strong lead-in. "Charmed", which did manage to earn solid ratings, is getting a pilot, "Popular", as a lead-in, and on a night that is shaping up to be an all-out war among the networks this fall.
   Nevertheless, Michael Branch, media buyer at Mediacom, a division of Grey Advertising, likes how the WB is flexing its muscle. "I think they've got a new variety of shows that will build on the success they had last year, " he said. "A sixth night is a very aggressive statement to make."
   The lucky two new series are "Angel" and "Roswell", hour-long sci-fi shows that have the privilege of following "Buffy" and "Dawson" respectively at 9 p.m.
   They couldn't ask for better time slots but perhaps would have been better served switching nights, considering "Angel", a spin-off of "Buffy", would attract that cult favorite's loyal following even if it were on at 3 a.m. "Roswell", which seems especially promising, may be more compatible with "Buffy" than "Dawson".
   The WB's biggest success, "7th Heaven", will get the pilot "Safe Harbor" as a companion show following it Monday at 9 p.m. This time slot provided the network's biggest headache last year, with sexy dramas "Hyperion Bay" and "Rescue 77" failing to catch on, despite having the WB's highest-rated time slot as a lead-in (both were quickly yanked). Family-friendly "Harbor", which was created by "Heaven" executive producer Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling, should be a more compatible lead-out.
   For the mid-season, returning sitcom "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane", new animated series "Baby Blues" and new drama D.C. are waiting in the wings. On most networks that means second-class status, but the WB has a way with midseason launches. Exhibits A and B: signature series "Dawson" and "Buffy".