Fox has firmed up its midseason sked, finding homes for new skeins "Drive," "The Winner" and "The Wedding Bells."
Net will premiere "The Winner" on Sunday, March 4, with a special airing in the plum post-"The Simpsons" time slot (pre-empting "King of the Hill"). It will return an hour later, at 9:30 p.m., in what will be its normal home (behind "Family Guy").
"The Winner," from exec producers Ricky Blitt and Seth MacFarlane, stars Rob Corddry as a thirtysomething loser who tries to better his life.
Also in March (on a date still to be determined), the David E. Kelley nuptuals drama "The Wedding Bells" will launch on Fridays at 9 p.m. Show will air following the return of frosh skein "Standoff," which moves to Fridays at 8.
Meanwhile, Fox will launch the Tim Minear/Ben Queen car race drama "Drive" on Mondays at 8 p.m. starting April 16. Show will actually debut the previous night, Sunday, April 15, with a special two-hour premiere episode.
"Drive" takes over for "Prison Break," which will conclude its second season on Monday, April 2. (A "House" repeat will air the following week.)
In other Fox sked news, the Brad Garrett laffer "'Til Death" moves to Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. (behind the "American Idol" results show) starting March 14.
Wedding Bells is already dead... because it will be on Fridays on FOX.
Has any live action comedy worked with the 4 show Animation block?
Drive may have the best chance on Mondays.
With Til Death getting THE spot after A.I., I wonder how much of a chance it will have for a 2nd season? What is the minimum percentage of lost viewers it handle while still getting a spot for 07-08?
Here's the sched: Sunday, March 4 8:00/7:00c - "The Simpsons" 8:30/7:30c - "The Winner" (Series Premiere, Special Time) 9:00/8:00c - "Family Guy" 9:30/8:30c - "The Winner" (New Series)
Sundays (as of March 11) 8:00/7:00c - "The Simpsons" 8:30/7:30c - "King of the Hill" 9:00/8:00c - "Family Guy" 9:30/8:30c - "The Winner" (New Series)
Sunday, April 15 8:00/7:00c - "Drive" (Two-Hour Series Premiere)
"The Winner," from exec producers Ricky Blitt and Seth MacFarlane, stars Rob Corddry as a thirtysomething loser who tries to better his life.
The Winner sounds a lot like that very weird Chris Elliot FOX comedy from awhile back called Get A Life. That was not a ratings success and this doesn't sound like one either, but i have not seen it so who knows. Oh wait, it's FOX - faggetaboutit.
No word about The Loop which also was supposed to return. I wonder if they still will bring it back.
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Posts: 5895 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 20 September 2006
Fox totally bailed on the Loop, a comedy that was three times as funny as Til Death. I bet it ends up on Thursdays with the horrid War at Home. Stupid Fox, they never learn. I won't even try David E. Kelley's Wedding Bells, even though I'm sure it will be good. No show that Fox puts on Friday has a shot.
Well, Standoff is finshed with the move to Friday. It barely brought in 5 million viewers on Tuesdays. And on Fridays it will probably sink to another series low.
I'm shocked about The Loop. They brought it back, cut the order, then moved it away from the post-Idol spot they said it was going to air in.
Why not just order more Arrested Development!? At least then Fox would still have a critically acclaimed comedy.
I cannot wait for DRIVE, though I do find it amusing that Fox's promos have scenes and actors from the original pilot that have been cut altogether. The show started reshoots on Monday 1/15, and then it will start shooting future episodes. I get they wanted to air promos during the 24 and Idol premieres... and good on Fox to do so! I've loved the promos. I just find it funny, since I've read both versions of the pilot script and seen the original pilot...
What did you all think of the DRIVE promos? I think they've beed great... Fox is actually advertising the incredibly cool hook!
Originally posted by mushu_jj: Fox totally bailed on the Loop, a comedy that was three times as funny as Til Death. I bet it ends up on Thursdays with the horrid War at Home. Stupid Fox, they never learn. I won't even try David E. Kelley's Wedding Bells, even though I'm sure it will be good. No show that Fox puts on Friday has a shot.
'Til Death has a recognizable star. While it currently is not anything I would watch, it has potential with the premise and better writing to get better. And being three times funnier than a not funny show is what exactly?
FOX BOOKS MIDSEASON TRIO, 'KITCHEN' RETURN FOR SPRING By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX is on track for a few surprises when it announces its spring schedule during its session at the TCA this weekend.
Several sources have confirmed the network plans to roll out three new series in the coming months - "Drive," "The Winner" and "The Wedding Bells" (a.k.a. "The Wedding Planners") - as well as new time periods for "'Til Death" and "Standoff" not to mention an early return date for "Hell's Kitchen."
Here's a breakdown of said plans:
-- The Tim Minear/Ben Queen-created drama "Drive" will kick off with a special two-hour premiere on Sunday, April 15 at 8:00/7:00c. The series will then settle into its regular Monday, 8:00/7:00c slot the following night as a lead-in to "24." To make room for the newcomer, current Monday, 8:00/7:00c occupant "Prison Break" will wrap its sophomore run on Monday, April 2 at 8:00/7:00c while a special Monday repeat of "House" will fill the hour on April 9.
-- "'Til Death" will make the move to Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30c starting March 14. As part of the move the series will follow two previously announced 90-minute editions of "American Idol" on Tuesday, February 27 and Wednesday, February 28. (A two-hour "American Idol" fills the night on Wednesday, March 7.)
-- The third season of "Hell's Kitchen" is on tap for Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c in March where it will take over for the departing "The O.C." Still to be determined is the 8:00/7:00c hour, however new episodes of "The War at Home" and "The Loop" as well as newcomer "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" are said to be options.
-- Fridays will see the return of "Standoff" at 8:00/7:00c in March followed by David E. Kelley's aforementioned "The Wedding Bells." ("The 38th Annual NAACP Awards" airs on March 2, meaning the earliest the two could bow is March 9.) Presumably the network's current Friday occupants "Nanny 911" and "Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy" will head to hiatus.
-- And finally, the Ricky Blitt/Seth MacFarlane-produced "The Winner" will launch on Sunday, March 4 with episodes at 8:30/7:30c and 9:30/8:30c that night. The show's remaining four episodes then will continue to run in the 9:30/8:30c half-hour in place of "American Dad," which returns in late April.
-- Remaining in their current slots: "24, "American Idol," "House," "Bones," "Cops," "America's Most Wanted," "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and "Family Guy."
Clearly, FOX is TRYING to kill David E. Kelley's show and save 'Til Death (for whatever reason), and I think Drive will be really good and fun to watch. I wasn't hankering on watching it before, but I saw some ads during American Idol, and it looks like a cool show.
Posts: 1216 | Location: Brookline, MA | Registered: 25 September 2006
I have only seen the 15 second drive promo but I loved it. I am so ready for this show.
If DRIVE doesn't become Fox's LOST (a serialized, massive and diverse ensemble show with a deep mythology and continuously high stakes)... I don't know what will. Yeah, yeah, 24 kind of already is... ish. It can restart itself (at least until the cliffhanger from Monday's 2nd hour) at the start of every season to bring new viewers in.
To me, one of the surprises on the Fox mid-season schedule was the addition of *Hell's Kitchen* opposite Grey's and CSI in March.
HK did well ratings wise, both overall and in the demos, its first two seasons when it aired opposite no competition Mondays at the 9 in the summer.
What is Fox thinking here, having Gordon Ramsey take on two neutron bombs in CSI and Grey's, as well as NBC sitcoms that have a decent youth following?
Fallout between Fox and HK producers? No room in the summer schedule due to So You Think You Can Dance, the Spielberg project, etc.?
Well, Fox can hardly let the screen go blank in this period and is certainly not going to throw a new scripted series in that hour to be devoured. HK would seem to me to be fairly good counter programming against dramas on CBS and ABC and comedies on NBC. And though results will likely be limited, the cost of production for HK is also fairly low.
quote:
Originally posted by jdinan: To me, one of the surprises on the Fox mid-season schedule was the addition of *Hell's Kitchen* opposite Grey's and CSI in March.
HK did well ratings wise, both overall and in the demos, its first two seasons when it aired opposite no competition Mondays at the 9 in the summer.
What is Fox thinking here, having Gordon Ramsey take on two neutron bombs in CSI and Grey's, as well as NBC sitcoms that have a decent youth following?
Fallout between Fox and HK producers? No room in the summer schedule due to So You Think You Can Dance, the Spielberg project, etc.?
Posts: 1224 | Location: Great White North | Registered: 10 November 2006
