(Thursday, May 19 05:40 AM)
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) After the massive three-phase, year-round schedule that FOX presented to the networks at last year's upfronts, the two-prong schedule released on Thursday (May 19) is almost a relief. Having already announced that the network is cutting down on new scripted shows for this summer, FOX unveiled programming rosters for fall and then January launches.
Not surprisingly, the January schedule is based around the return of "24" and a little talent show called "American Idol." The fall schedule -- which will launch before FOX cuts away for playoff baseball and will pick up afterwards -- is built on five new dramas and two new comedies, which impact every night of the week.
On the drama side, FOX is adding "Prison Break," "Bones," "Head Cases," "Reunion" and "The Gate," with "Kitchen Confidential" and "The War at Home" leading the comedy front.
"FOX has achieved an amazing set of milestones this season, including finishing as the No. 1 network in Adults 18-49 for the first time in the network's 19-year history. This success is a testament to the dedicated team at FOX," says Peter Liguori, FOX's new entertainment president. "Additionally, we're launching a bold, balanced and stable schedule. We'll have returning shows on all seven nights of the week, and we're scheduling 12 comedies this fall - far more than any network. There is no question that we plan to be aggressive and competitive with this spectacular and youthful year-round schedule."
Starting in the fall, "Arrested Development" will kick things off on Mondays, setting up "Kitchen Confidential," a loose adaptation of Anthony Bourdain's memoir starring Bradley Cooper ("Alias"). The high concept drama "Prison Break," a heavily serialized offering about, fittingly, a prison break, takes the 9 p.m. ET hour.
Tuesday will be all about drama, starting with "Bones," a darkly humorous offering about a forensic anthropologist, with Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz ("Angel"). The hit medical drama "House" keeps its 9 p.m. slot to start the season.
Wednesday kicks off with returning comedies "That '70s Show" (now missing Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace) and "Stacked," which will be used to set up the frequently renamed legal series "Head Cases," which features Chris O'Donnell and Adam Goldberg as slightly unhinged lawyers.
"The O.C." has given FOX its best Thursday traction in years and on Thursday it shall stay, now serving as a lead-in to "Reunion" (featuring former "O.C." co-star Amanda Righetti), a high concept series that spans 20 years in a single season.
On Fridays, FOX will start with an hour comedy block of "The Bernie Mac Show" and "Malcolm in the Middle," which moves from Sunday. "The Gate" (formerly "Deviant Behavior"), about deviant criminals and the cops who fight them in San Francisco, will follow in what has affectionately become known as the "Friday Death Slot." Good luck to series stars Johnny Messner and Marguerite Moreau ("The O.C.").
Thankfully, FOX may never get rid of "COPS" and "America's Most Wanted" on Saturdays. Sunday, though, is almost entirely animation, beginning with random animation encores at 7 p.m., flowing into "King of the Hill." "The Simpsons" stars at 8, followed by "The War at Home," a live action comedy with Michael Rapaport. "Family Guy" and "American Dad" will continue to hold the 9 p.m. hour.
The beginning of the week changes come January.
In January, FOX moves "House" from its stable Tuesday home to Monday, where it will take the 8 p.m. hour, providing a strong lead-in for a new -- and presumably uninterrupted -- season of "24" in its 9 p.m. home.
No matter how bad the fall may be for FOX, "American Idol" returns to its Tuesday 8 p.m. lair, which means that everything will be alright. Provided it doesn't tank fast, "Bones" will be the lucky beneficiary of the "Idol" might, moving to 9.
On Wednesday, "That '70s Show" and "Stacked" will stick around, with "Idol" returning to fix things at 9. The new comedy "The Loop," with Bret Harrison, will be lucky enough to go in the 9:30 slot.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will remain the same.
FOX has the comedy "Freebirds" on hold for midseason, while unscripted offerings "Nanny 911" and "Trading Spaces" are ready to fill in whenever something fails. "The Simple Life" will also return somewhere at some point.
