'Timecop' runs out; '413' pulled

By JENNY HONTZ

The first new dramas of the season have crashed and burned. ABC on Tuesday canceled the Monday-night drama "Timecop," and Fox has pulled its Thursday drama "413 Hope Street" off the air during the November sweeps period.

ABC Entertainment prexy Jamie Tarses told Universal TV on Tuesday that "Timecop" will air for the last time next Monday. The cancellation of one of U's four network shows on the air this fall came just one day after the news that Barry Diller will be taking control of all Universal TV assets.

"Timecop" is the latest in a string of unsuccessful shows to be paired with "Monday Night Football" on ABC. The last one to really stick was "MacGyver," which aired in the Monday 8 p.m. slot from 1987-91.

In five episodes this season, "Timecop" has averaged a 4.9/8 in households and a 2.7/8 in adults 18-49. On Nov. 3, ABC will air an episode of "PrimeTime Live" in the Monday 8 p.m. slot, and specials will air there for the rest of the November sweeps.

Fox won't say it has officially canceled sister 20th Century Fox's drama "413 Hope Street," but yanking it for sweeps is certainly a bad sign. The show, one of only five new Fox series on this fall, will air this Thursday, but a string of reality specials will be plugged into the Thursday 9 p.m. timeslot during sweeps.

There's no word on when or if "413" will return to the schedule, but it's possible that "New York Undercover," which aired in the timeslot last season, will replace it. Fox ordered "New York Undercover" as a midseason backup.

In four episodes, "413 Hope Street" has averaged a 5.2/8 in households and a 3.4/9 in adults 18-49. During the same period last season, "New York Undercover" averaged a 7.0/11 in households (26% higher) and a 4.7/12 in young adults (28% higher) in the same timeslot.

Fox's Thursday schedule for sweeps is: "Video Justice: Crime Caught on Tape 2" at 9 p.m. Oct. 30, and "Cheating Death: Catastrophes Caught on Tape" at 9 p.m. on Nov. 6.

The 8-9 p.m. comedies also will be preempted for specials on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20. On Nov. 13, "World's Funniest ..." will air at 8 p.m., followed by a repeat of the Nov. 4 special "World's Scariest Police Chases." On Nov. 20, Fox will air "World's Deadliest Swarms" at 8 p.m., followed by a repeat of the Nov. 4 special "Prisoners Out of Control."