James Tupper and Anne Heche in Men in Trees by Michael Courtney/ABC
Some head-scratching is in order upon looking at ABC's latest round of midseason shuffling. On one hand, I get why the network would try to give Women’s Murder Club some exposure on a night that isn’t Friday. But in announcing its return with three new episodes on Tuesdays at 10 pm/ET, starting April 29, you can’t help but wonder if the show is being given a favor after all. This scheduling puts it head-to-head against NBC’s powerful Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which you’d think targets much of the same audience. Not only that, but April 29 is the night SVU airs its 200th episode, featuring Robin Williams as a guest villain. (And it has been previously announced that Mariska Hargitay will be getting a steady boyfriend in Bill Pullman, adding even more juice to this already potent franchise.)
Quick check of tea leaves. Yep. SVU is going to murder Club first night out.
The return of Women’s Murder Club shifts Boston Legal to Wednesdays at 10 pm/ET, which means — and don’t act surprised — the charming but underperforming Men in Trees will disappear yet again starting April 30. (A storyline for the April 16 Trees episode has just been issued, so it looks like the show will stay put for now.) Whatever Trees episodes remain will air on Wednesdays starting May 28, conveniently outside of the regular season (such as it is). Boston Legal will no doubt pull a bigger audience than Trees could as it faces classic Law & Order and CSI: NY through most of the May sweeps. It will take a Friday Night Lights-sized miracle for Trees to rebound from this latest setback. I’d say enjoy this sweet little show while you can.
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