Upfronts 2009: Fox Sets Slate
Network using returning shows as a platform to launch four new comedies and two new dramas
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/18/2009 11:25:56 AM
Click here to watch trailers from Fox's new shows.
Related: Fox's Peter Rice Adds Voice To Broadcast Vs. Cable Battle
Complete 2009 Upfront Coverage
Fox is using its returning shows as a platform to launch four new comedies and two new drama series.
The network has ordered four comedies, including Brothers, starring former New York Giants football star Michael Strahan, as well as previously announced series The Cleveland Show, Sons of Tucson and Glee.
Brothers will be paired with returning comedy ‘Til Death on Friday nights from 8-9 p.m., leading into Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, which is getting a second season pickup.
Glee is getting a preview this Tuesday after American idol, and will be shifted to Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. in the Fall, following the results show of So You Can Think You Can Dance. As expected, The Cleveland Show will be slotted in Fox’s Sunday night animation block at 8:30 p.m. Sons of Tucson will premiere midseason in the same Sunday 8:30 p.m. timeslot.
The Wanda Sykes Show (wt) will run from 11 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays, replacing MadTV, and will be followed by a replay from one of the network’s animated show’s from 12-12:30 a.m.
The two new dramas are Human Target and Past Life. Both will launch midseason, with Human Target getting the 9-10 p.m. slot after the American Idol performance show on Tuesdays and Past Life airing after the Idol results show at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Lie To Me is getting a sophomore season, and will be scheduled after new episodes of House at 9 p.m. on Monday nights come the Fall.
Meanwhile, Fringe will be moving to Thursday nights at 9 p.m. in the Fall, following Bones.
“The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off,” said Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly, announcing the schedule. “We’ve created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we’re bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive.”
The team behing the new shows follows:
--Brothers, starring Michael Strahan and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell. Sony Pictures Television produces the series, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Mitch Hurwitz, Don Reo are executive producers.
--Glee, starring Jane Lynch and Matthew Morrison. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Dante Di Loreto executive producers.
--The Cleveland Show, featuring the voices of Mike Henry and Sanaa Lathan. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Seth MacFarlane, Rich Appel and Mike Henry are executive producers.
--Human Target, starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley. Bonanza Productions and Warner Bros. productions produce the series, Jon Steinberg, McG, Simon West, Brad Kern are executive producers.
--Past Life, starring Kelli Giddish and Nicholas Bishop. Bonanza Productions and Warner Bros. productions produce the series, David Hudgins and Lou Pitt are executive producers.
--The Wanda Sykes Show (wt) produced by Fox Television Studios
--Sons Of Tucson, starring Tyler Labine and Davis Cleveland. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Justin Berfield, Jason Felts, Harvey Myman and Todd Holland are executive producers.
The full Fox schedule is below:
FALL
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM LIE TO ME
TUESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE
FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
MIDSEASON
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (January) / GLEE (spring)
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE
FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
-
And we continue to call this a network?
MediaMark - 5/19/2009 10:35:56 AM EDT -
I still cannot get over the fact that Dollhouse, with its measly 2 million viewers got a second season over Terminator which had 5 million on average. As usual, Fox gets it wrong. Other than that, no surprises here. Most of their new shows will tank, if for no other reason than zero promotion and constant time / day switching. That's Fox's MO. Glad to see Fringe again, though I hate that they changed the night. Now I'll have to DVR it, because it's up against my ABC lineup on Thursdays.
Madeleine Vitale - 5/18/2009 12:31:20 PM EDT
