Last week, Fox cancelled what seemed like half of its lineup (it was actually one third of their series), includingBrooklyn Nine-Nine(which waspicked upby NBC),Lucifer,The Exorcist, and a host of others. That means, of course, that the network is clearing the way for a slate of new series, including the revival ofLast Man Standing(formerly at ABC), which will be matched up withThe Cool Kids"a multi-camera comedy about a rag-tag group of friends living in a retirement community who are willing to break every rule in order to have fun."
Fox is also expanding its NFL partnership to including football every Thursday in addition to Sunday, which also shrinks its scripted schedule.Dana WaldenandGary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group, said today that “With our increased investment in football, we’re going to use the powerful platform of the NFL to launch our new comedies. We’ll then take some big swings with dramas at midseason, which is a proven strategy for FOX.”
Other new series include another multi-cam,The Rel, on Sunday nights this fall (“a comedy starringGet Out’sLil Rel Howeryas a loving husband and father living in Chicago, who finds out his wife is having an affair, and must rebuild his life as a single father, following his divorce”) as well asThe Passage, a thriller from EPsLiz Heldens,Matt Reeves, andRidley Scottthat focuses on “a secret medical facility where scientists are experimenting with a dangerous virus that could lead to the cure for all disease, but also carries the potential to wipe out the human race. When a young girl (Saniyya Sidney) is chosen to be a test subject, a federal agent (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) is tasked with bringing her in, but ultimately, becomes her surrogate father, determined to protect her at any cost – even as Project Noah’s work threatens to unleash an unimaginable apocalypse.”
Empire co-creatorDanny Strongis also bringing a new drama to the network calledProven Innocent, starringRachelle Lefevre,Vincent Kartheiser, andRussell Hornsbythat “follows an underdog criminal defense firm led by a fierce and uncompromising lawyer, who was wrongfully convicted in a sensational murder case that made her an infamous media obsession, a household name and a national cause célèbre.”
As for returning series,Gotham’sfifth and final seasonwill return in midseason instead of launching in the fall, which is also true of Season 2 ofThe Orville, returning Sunday, December 30th. Also,The Giftedwill move to Tuesdays withLethal Weapon(featuringa new co-lead). Plus, Fox is bringing back a new installment ofCosmoscalled “Possible Worlds.”
As forPrison Break, it was revealed in a conference call today that it is in the early stages of development, and that fans should not expect announcements on it for several months. Also, while Fox is pleased with howThe X-Filesperformed, there’s no plan to bring it back at this time. As for bubble shows, Fox is still “developing around a24franchise,” though there’s no decision yet on whether or notLA to VegasorGhostedwill be renewed,(some of that will be determined on summer ratings and if there’s room in the schedule for them).
FOX FALL 2018 SCHEDULE
(All Times ET/PT)
8:00-9:00 PMTHE RESIDENT
9:00-10:00 PM9-1-1
8:00-9:00 PMTHE GIFTED
9:00-10:00 PMLETHAL WEAPON
8:00-9:00 PMEMPIRE
9:00-10:00 PMSTAR
7:30-8:00 PM ET/THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREGAME SHOW
4:30-5:00 PM PT
8:00 PM-CC ET/NFL FOOTBALL
5:00 PM-CC PT
8:00-8:30 PMLAST MAN STANDING(all-new episodes)
8:30-9:00 PMTHE COOL KIDS(new series)
9:00-10:00 PMHELL’S KITCHEN
7:00-10:30 PMFOX SPORTS SATURDAY: FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7:00-7:30 PMNFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PMTHE OT/FOX ENCORES
8:00-8:30 PMTHE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PMBOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PMFAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PMREL(new series)
