many problems as NBC (well, at least not the same array of problems), so this should be quicker.Fox has never had a third hour of primetime and they have a considerable amount of reality programming, so there really aren't a whole lot of shows to be fated... or whatever (that would be my English degree hard at work: I makes up words and I likes it). The midseason schedule is what really bulks up the slate. Anyway, as with the other network's, there's a would-be cagematch afoot: Lie to Me vs. Human Target. The prevailing notion was that it would likely be one or the other. See below for the exciting results! (Like how I try to make this seem like it's even moderately interesting? That English degree of mine is working overtime now! Finally, it's earning me all the wonderful things I... never ever thought it would...)
Aside from a handful of interesting pick-ups and drops (okay, not really), the biggest and BEST news to come out of the Fox Upfront? Less Idol. That's right, you heard me. Per my sources on the web, "Fox plans to shrink American Idol results show, cutting it to 30 minutes. The Tuesday performance show will be 90 minutes, which could be considered an expansion from its typically scheduled one hour, but Fox is known to frequently expand the show to two hours anyway." That may sound more like an expansion than anything else, but the real highlight of this is: Glee won't follow Idol anymore. Oh yes, Glee has been moved to Tuesdays at 7pm, which means it will anchor the night and not have to worry about Idol running long and ruining everyone's DVR plans. Me likey. :)
I'll put together a post about the new fall schedule and what pilots we have to look forward to, but for now, it'll just have to wait.
Well, I aimed for a more straight-forward approach this time, but here we are again. So, with just about as much blathering as ever, here's how things stacked up...
***SHOWS THAT WILL BE JOINING US AGAIN NEXT YEAR***
Lie to Me AND Human Target (surprise!)
In rather anticlimactic fashion, they both survived. A bit of a surprise, but no where near as bloodbathy (bloodbathic?) as one would have hoped. I had my money on Lie to Me surviving and Human Target getting the axe, but alas, they'll both be
back to 13 episodes a piece (with an option for the back 9... maybe... Fox's midseason schedule has always been a quagmire and now that they've expanded to summertime programming, who really knows). I tried to get into Human Target, but it just never grabbed me. Lie to Me got a whole hell of a lot better last season, but it'll still never be a top tier show (especially now that I'm hearing showrunner Shawn Ryan (who replaced someone else and improved the show considerably) will be leaving to do his own show). Not a good sign, but I'll keep it in mind for the future.American Idol
This juggernaut of horrible just keeps on truckin'. Much to my, and my DVR scheduler's chagrin. Bleckk. I'm hoping the new scheduling situation is as beneficial as I'd hope, but with Fox, you can just never be sure. They'll find a way to annoy me, you just wait and see.
Glee
With the highest key demo ratings for a scripted program just about anywhere, this was a foregone conclusion and the renewal was announced ages ago. I'm actually a little concerned for where things might go in season 2, but I can't wait to find out. Booyah!
So You Think You Can Dance
Never did I think I would ever care about dancing, but here we are. Even after last year's disappointing experiment with a fall
season of the show, I'm still devoted. The show will be back for this summer and mercifully will NOT be followed by another season a month later. Back-to-back seasons was a colossal failure and Fox knows it. I'm pretty stoked to see how the new format works out...Bones
It's a third tier show at best, but it's watchable... I suppose. It seems to be getting less and less watchable with each passing episode, but for whatever reason, I keep watching it. Apparently so does everyone else.
House
Another forgone conclusion for the network, House was rather obviously renewed. I wouldn't have been too sad to see this one go, I have to admit. The past few seasons have plummeted this once privileged show into the lower rungs of my third tier. Fox will be sticking with it next year, but I can't be sure that I will...
Fringe
I didn't hang in there long enough for this one, but I've been meaning to give it an
other go. I've heard it's gotten crazy good, but by now, I've missed so much that I'll have to Netflix it before I can really jump back in. I'm glad to see it's back. Even if just to prove that Sci Fi can work on network TV. Poor ABC... they tried. They really did...Kitchen Nightmares
You know, I can't stand this show, but after watching dozens of episodes of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (the original, British version, not the ersatz American version), I really love Gordon Ramsay. I wish to hell this show were more watchable. At any rate, it's back.
Family Guy, American Dad, The Simpsons, and The Cleveland Show
Yep, aside from Sit Down, Shut Up, the entire slate of animated comedies will be back next year. My god, how I wish The Simpsons would just be put out of its misery. I thought for sure that after more than a decade of being unwatchable, they'd finally end this once-stellar series, but no. Sad. Very sad.
***SHOWS THAT WON'T BE JOINING US NEXT YEAR (sarcastic tear)***
24
Finally! Good lord, even hard core fans of the show are ready for this sucker to be put out to pasture. I honestly haven't ever watched too
much of this one, but I've heard it's much better when viewed on DVD, so maybe someday I'll be in the mood for some jingoism and torture and will give it a shot. Longest day of your life, eh? Well, this has felt like about the longest decade of programming of my life, so what say we call it even? So long, schedule hog. Making room for better and brighter... or so one would hope. I've only seen and heard bits and pieces about Fox's new shows so far, but I'll let you know what I find out when I find it out.'Til Death
I have no words to describe my disappointment that this piece of shit lasted as long as it did. Finally, finally, finally it's over. What an embarrassment this was. Bleck. "'Til Death" indeed!
Sons of Tucson
I never even realized this one ever premiered... so you can see where I'm just heartbroken that it's gone.
Past Life
Far and away one of the worst pilots I've ever seen, and I think we all know I've seen a lot of pilots. I think this waste of time survived for 3
episodes. Which, in related news, was 3 episodes too many. Awful. Truly awful. Won't be missed. Oh, but wait! The insanely bland, seemingly drunk lead actress who dazzled us in Past Life has been cast in a new pilot! Squee! And if that weren't enough, it's a Jerry Bruckheimer production! (Sometimes the horsemen of the apocalypse come in twos, it seems...) Yikes. Seriously, The Chase couldn't look worse if it tried, and if I know Jerry Bruckheimer, he's already trying. Really hard. Seriously, I don't know how let that man be in charge of anything even, but he simply won't go away. Michael Bay, too... Blarg.
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