CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC is set to get onto the reality dating bandwagon as the network will premiere "Ultimate Dating" on Wednesday, June 25 at 10:00/9:00c.
The series (which previously ran under the titles "The Diary Affairs" and "Future Diary") is based on a Japanese format in which two strangers - one male, one female - are tossed together and literally told what to do and where to go each day via a pre-written "future diary." The project has been in the works for over two years at the Alphabet network as production was completed in August of 2001. ABC had originally scheduled the series to bow last summer but ended up holding off for unspecified reasons.
ABC has also outlined some other moves for the summer months:
-- The network has scheduled six mini-marathons of its returning comedies as two-hour blocks of a featured series will repeat Mondays at 8:00/7:00c beginning on June 16 with "My Wife and Kids." The following week "According to Jim" is spotlighted (June 23) with "Eight Simple Rules..." (June 30), "The George Lopez Show" (July 7), "Life With Bonnie" (July 14) and "Less Than Perfect" (July 21) rounding out schedule.
-- Once the NHL and NBA playoffs wrap, ABC is set to add a new movie night on Thursdays at 8:00/7:00c. "28 Days" kicks off things on June 19, followed by "One Fine Day" (July 26), "The Love Letter" (July 3), "Picture Perfect" (July 10), "Senseless" (July 17), "Road Trip" (July 24) and "Boys and Girls" (July 31).
-- ABC is also set to move its newly retitled drama "L.A. Dragnet" to its fall home of Saturdays at 10:00/9:00c this summer. Repeats of the series' first season will begin airing on the night beginning June 28 where it will be paired with the network's current movie night. Set to air with the Dick Wolf-produced series are "The 6th Day" (June 28), "Star Trek: First Contact" (July 5), "Deep Rising" (July 12), "Mighty Joe Young" (July 19), "Mary and Rhoda" (July 26), "The Three Stooges" (August 2), "Krippendorf's Tribe" (August 9) and "Mission to Mars" (August 16).
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