TBS unveils firstrun pix, sitcom skeds

By RAY RICHMOND

After having all but dropped its "Superstation" designation as part of its attempt to re-create itself as a basic cable network and extract fees from operators, TBS has done an about-face and is now re-committed to branding itself as "The Superstation"--- making it a generic term identifying the network beginning next year.

TBS president Bill Burke made the announcement while unveiling programming strategies Tuesday morning at a breakfast for advertisers in Beverly Hills. Included in the announcements:

* The first three films to air on TBS, which are from Turner's deal in which the cabler obtained the network TV premiere rights to 55 theatrical releases, will be "Dumb & Dumber" (from Turner's New Line subsid), "The American President" (another Turner-owned release via Castle Rock Entertainment) and "Mortal Kombat" (from New Line). All will premiere this fall.

* The post-syndication window of "Coach" will fill the important early-prime hour on TBS weeknights at 7:05 p.m., with double runs going until 8:05, "America's Funniest Home Videos" moving to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and "Saved By the Bell" and "Family Matters" running at 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.

* "Roseanne" and "Full House" join the TBS lineup in fall '98, with "The Cosby Show" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" coming in 1999 and "Friends" in 2000 as TBS builds itself into the off-network comedy showplace.

* A slate of six new documentary projects have been added to the Turner Original Prods. slate, including "Mind Control" (about the world of hallucinogenic drugs), "America's Best Kept Secrets," "CIA," "Twins" (dealing with the phenomenon of identical twins), "Zoo Tales" and "Lifeguard Stories."

* Having their network TV premieres on TNT beginning this fall (and running through 1998) will be the features "Corrina, Corrina," the Oscar-winning "Fargo," "Dolores Claiborne," "Forget Paris," "Lone Star" and "Rumble in the Bronx."

* "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" premieres this fall on TNT, with "Babylon 5" kicking off in January with a two-hour original series "prequel" and "ER" slated to begin its syndication-bypassing weeknight run beginning in fall '98.