FOX: Fall 2012
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The May Upfronts bring a slew of announcements by the networks. In this post we focus on the fate of shows you should care about at Fox.
Renewals
This was an excellent season at Fox when it comes down to the fate of shows that I care about. For the first time in recent memory, the network renewed all of the shows I watch. The show that was least likely to be renewed but ended up hanging on for one more year is the J.J. Abrams produced Fringe. The series will be back Fridays at 9:00 in the fall to air their last season. As discussed in a previous post, the series was given a 13 episode renewal to bring them to bring them to an even 100 and allow them to close the book on our heroes.
Raising Hope is a show that I wrote off during its first season without giving it a chance. Luckily, however, I caught up on Netflix with some friends because it has grown to become one of my favorite comedies on the air. This fall it will be kicking off the network’s Tuesday night comedy block at 8:00. The series is silly, fun, and always entertaining. Plus, who doesn’t love a cute baby? There is plenty of time to catch up before it returns this fall.
Rounding out the renewals you should care about at Fox is New Girl, which will be entering its second season Tuesdays at 9:00 this fall. Although the series kicked off with an extreme amount of press about Zooey Deschanel‘s “adorkability” and received some backlash from critics, the show became a great ensemble as the season progressed. With the emergence of Max Greenfield‘s Schmidt and Jake Johnson‘s Nick, the show has gained an excellent balance to both its comedy and to Zooey’s personality.
Cancellations
After months of not knowing Fox let its viewers know weeks ago that Terra Nova would not be returning at the network. Not long after that announcement rumors began to spring up about a possible life elsewhere for the series. Now we know that the show will not live on elsewhere and that the television adventures in Terra Nova are at an end.
Alcatraz was one of several recent J.J Abrams endorsed dramas that I just couldn’t get into. After watching two episodes and beginning a third, I was unable to get myself to tune back in. Hopefully those people who enjoyed the show will find a good series to follow of the new shows that will arrive next year. The J.J. Abrams names though still lives on at the network through Fringe.
Pickups
Tuesdays seem to be comedy central for the network, with it shoring up their already fairly fantastic lineup with new show The Mindy Project capping off the night at 9:30. The Mindy Project is created by and stars Mindy Kaling of The Office fame, and focuses on “a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life.” I know the log line seems generic, but Kaling has proven to be a very compentent comedic writer, and I’m more than willing to give her show a try. If you are on the fence about it I suggest checking out the teaser Fox released for the series.
Another comedy pickup for the network is The Goodwin Games. Created by How I Met You Mother executive producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, The Goodwin Games is a family comedy with a strong helping of Brewster’s Millions. Although I’ve fallen out of love with HIMYM over the last several seasons, I still look back fondly on the beginnings of that show. Given a new cast of characters to play with and an interesting premise, who knows how many laughs Bays and Thomas will be able to create. To catch The Goodwin Games you will have to wait until midseason, but until then you can sample the show by checking out the teaser trailer.
Last of the pickups that I will focus on is the only drama that made my list this year. The Following, which will air midseason on the network, is a new thriller from creator and executive producer Kevin Williamson and stars Kevin Bacon. The series focuses on a serial killer who escapes from prison and begins to not only kill again, but also create a network or cult of all serial killers in America. Kevin Bacon stars as a former FBI agent who is brought back in to track down the escapee. Although the series has a fairly boiler plate procedural premise, the creative direction of Williamson in addition to the screen presence of Bacon gives me hope that this could be one of the few that engages me on that deeper level. If you are interested in checking out a preview of the series, Fox has made one available here.
