Fox Picks Up ‘Ben & Kate,' ‘Goodwin Games,' 'It's Messy' to Series

Dramas ‘Mob Doctor,' ‘The Following' also ordered; 'Alcatraz' canceled

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/9/2012 8:10:27 PM

UPDATED: 10:15 p.m. ET

Fox has begun its pickups, ordering single-camera comedies Ben & Kate, It's Messy and The Goodwin Games to series.

Ben & Kate (formerly Ben Fox Is My Manny) centers around a free-spirited guy who moves in with his "Type A" sister to be her daughter's nanny, while also helping his sister to re-enter the world. It stars Nat Faxon and Dakota Johnson.

The Goodwin Games is a family comedy about a father who leaves his fortune to his three children, but only if they agree to his terms. From How I Met Your Mother co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the series stars Becki Newton, Scott Foley, Felisha Terrell and Jake Lacey.

It's Messy is the pilot from The Office's Mindy Kaling, who also stars as an OBGYN doctor who navigates both her personal and professional life.

As for the dramas, The Mob Doctor is about a female surgeon who is forced to moonlight as a doctor for the South Chicago mafia. It stars Jordana Spiro, Zach Gilford and William Forsythe. The Following (formerly Mastermind), is from Vampire Diaries creator Kevin Williamson and stars Kevin Bacon as an ex-FBI agent who must track down a serial killer (played by James Purefoy), who creates a cult of fellow serial killers.

Following the pickup news also comes word that Fox has canceled freshman drama Alcatraz. The Warner Bros.-produced series had a strong premiere in January but fell to an average 2.3 rating with adults 18-49 and 7 million viewers by season-end, not enough to keep it alive.