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Fox unveils fall schedule

'Think You Can Dance' is major centerpiece
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

Fox announced a fall schedule Monday morning featuring a major centerpiece in "So You Think You Can Dance."

Net is also bullish on Thursdays, where sophomore series "Fringe" is heading. And it will take another stab at creating a live-action comedy block, this time on Fridays.

Also, Fox will hold off on launching most of its new fare - including new dramas "Human Target" and "Past Life" - until midseason. Among laffers, "Brothers" gets one of those new Friday slots, but "Sons of Tucson" will hold back for midseason too.

Fox is set to announce its fall schedule this afternoon at New York's City Center theater. It's the first upfront presentation for new Fox Entertainment chairman Peter Rice, who will be joined on stage by net entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly.

"As the No.1 network for the last five years, Fox is the first place viewers go to connect with the stories and characters they love," Rice said. "With next year's slate of distinctive shows, we're continuing to invest in creativity to give viewers the rich, emotional experience they can only get on television."

As first reported by Daily Variety last week, Fox has opted to bring the hit summer competish into the fall in order to mirror its winter success with "American Idol." Net hopes to use the show to launch the new music-minded drama "Glee" and also help promote its Thursday night sked.

If "So You Think You Can Dance" is a safe bet, then Fox's biggest gamble rests on Thursday, where "Fringe" will now do battle against CBS' aging "CSI" (unless the Eye moves that show to 10 p.m.), NBC's comedies and ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (again, unless the Alphabet has plans to shift that show as well).

The net finally got back into the scripted game on the night this past season with "Bones," a utility player that just scored a two-year renewal - and finally seems to have a permanent home on the night.

As a result, Fox will keep key drama players "House" and "Bones" in their respective Monday and Thursday 8 p.m. spots in order to help boost the sophomore prospects of "Lie to Me" (which, as expected, lands behind "House" on Mondays) and "Fringe."

As for laffers, Fox will pair new comedy "Brothers," starring ex-NFL star Michael Strahan, with returnee "Til Death," which had received an early 22-episode pickup.

Fox's other new laffer, the animated "Family Guy" spinoff "Cleveland," takes over the Sunday 8:30 p.m. spot as expected.

As for the midseason shows, "Human Target" is set to get a plum launch on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m., directly following the NFC divisional playoff game. Also that night, the new season of "24" will begin at 9 p.m., as part of a four-hour, two-night launch (similar to past years). "Target" will then segue to its normal slot Wednesdays at 9 p.m. behind the "American Idol" results show (while "Glee" takes a break).

Also, frosh drama "Past Life" will get a strong boost, launching in January on Tuesday nights behind "American Idol."

"Sons of Tucson" will also debut in January behind "The Simpsons," as "Cleveland" moves to 9:30 and "American Dad" jumps down to 7:30.

Meanwhile, Fox announced that new Saturday night gabber "The Wanda Sykes Show" bows at 11 p.m. (replacing "MadTV") on Nov. 7. Fox will fill the midnight slot vacated by "Talkshow with Spike Feresten" with animation series repeats for now.

All told, Fox has announced four new comedies and two new dramas for next season.

"The strategic moves we made last year to build off of our biggest assets are paying off," Reilly said. "We've created stability and consistently strong performance across the week. Next season, we're bringing back two top-rated sophomore dramas and using our hits to introduce a broad and compelling slate of new shows that will make our air even more vibrant and alive."

The Fox fall 2009 schedule:

Monday - 8 p.m., "House"; 9 p.m., "Lie to Me"

Tuesday - 8 p.m., "So You Think You Can Dance" (two hours)

Wednesday - 8 p.m., "So You Think You Can Dance" results show; 9 p.m., "Glee"

Thursday - 8 p.m., "Bones"; 9 p.m., "Fringe"

Friday - 8 p.m. "Brothers" (new comedy); 8:30 p.m., "Til Death"; 9 p.m., "Dollhouse"

Saturday - 8 p.m., "Cops"; 9 p.m., "America's Most Wanted"

Sunday - 7 p.m., Football OT; 8 p.m., "The Simpsons"; 8:30 p.m., "The Cleveland Show"; 9 p.m., "Family Guy"; 9:30 p.m., "American Dad"

The Fox winter 2010 schedule:

Monday - 8 p.m., "House"; 9 p.m., "24"

Tuesday - 8 p.m., "American Idol"; 9 p.m., "Past Life" (new drama)

Wednesday - 8 p.m., "American Idol" results show; 9 p.m., "Human Target" (new drama)/ "Glee" (returns in spring)

Thursday - 8 p.m., "Bones"; 9 p.m., "Fringe"

Friday - 8 p.m. "Brothers" (new comedy); 8:30 p.m., "Til Death"; 9 p.m., "Dollhouse"

Saturday - 8 p.m., "Cops"; 9 p.m., "America's Most Wanted"

Sunday - 7 p.m., Animation repeats; 7:30 p.m., "American Dad"; 8 p.m., "The Simpsons"; 8:30 p.m., "Sons of Tucson" (new comedy); 9 p.m., "Family Guy"; 9:30 p.m., "Cleveland Show"