Fox is the last network to announce its Fall 2008 schedule, and like ABC, it is making just a few changes.
Only two new shows (an hour each) (Fringe, a drama, and Do Not Disturb a sitcom) are being introduced in Fall 2008. That compares to and six shows (K-Ville, Back To You, Kitchen Nightmares, Don't Forget the Lyrics, Next Great American Band, Nashville), comprising five and a half hours, introduced in Fall 2007.
Only two of the shows from last Fall (Kitchen Nightmares, Don't Forget the Lyrics) survive for a second season, but Fox has Moment of Truth and Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles coming back from a successful spring.
Fox's amount of unscripted programming (at 8 of 15 hours the highest % of any network) remains constant, but Moment of Truth moves in and the failed Next Great American Band moves out. In fact, removing the Sunday night animation block, Fox has only 6 hours a week programmed with shows written by WGA writers.
I like Fox's scheduled programming to do much better than it did last Fall, where its positive momentum was largely due to its ML baseball playoff numbers. With only 2 new shows, I don't see much potential for downside like last Fall. I still think it will take a back seat to CBS in total viewers, and ABC in total viewers and the age demos for the Fall, but the network should be in a better position at mid-season, when 24 and American Idol are set to return.
Fox Fall 2007 Schedule Shows vs. Fall 2008 Schedule Shows
|
2007 |
2008 |
|
| Monday | ||
| 8-9p | PRISON BREAK | TERMINATOR:SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES |
| 9-10p | K-VILLE | PRISON BREAK |
| Tuesday | ||
| 8-9p | Bones | HOUSE |
| 9-10p | HOUSE | FRINGE |
| Wednesday | ||
| 8-8:30p | BACK TO YOU | Bones (8-9p) |
| 8:30-9p | TIL DEATH | TIL DEATH (9-9:30p) |
| 9-10p | Kitchen Nightmares | DO NOT DISTURB |
| Thursday | ||
| 8-9p | ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? | THE MOMENT OF TRUTH |
| 9-10p | DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS | Kitchen Nightmares |
| Friday | ||
| 8-9p | NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND | ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? |
| 9-10p | NASHVILLE | DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS |
| 10-11p | ||
| Saturday | ||
| 8-8:30p | COPS | COPS |
| 8:30-9p | COPS | COPS |
| 9-10p | AMERICA'S Most Wanted | AMERICA'S Most Wanted |
| Sunday | ||
| 7-8p | THE O.T. | THE O.T. |
| 8-8:30p | Simpsons | Simpsons |
| 8:30-9p | KING OF THE HILL | KING OF THE HILL |
| 9-9:30p | Family Guy | Family Guy |
| 9:30-10p | American Dad | American Dad |
Shows in BOLD CAPS are/were new, shows in italics are unscripted, 2007 shows in strikethrough did not return.
The shows scheduled to premiere in mid-season or later are: American Idol, 24, Dollhouse, Secret Millionaire, Sit Down, Shut Up, The Cleveland Show, and a TBA comedy.
I didn't think it was worthwhile to compare the announced Winter 2009 and future schedules to this years for two reasons. One, this years Winter and Spring schedules were somewhat cobbled together in response to the writers strike. Two, schedules announced so far in advance have a habit of changing.
6/5 Update: Here are the premiere dates for the Fox Fall schedule.
I hate to tell you Robert, but T:SCC is a goner going up against Dancing with the Stars and the CBS comedies. Enjoy Summer while you can!
Andrea, I suspect it will be interesting and for reasons of the Terminator movie, I believe it winds up being pushed somewhere to the second half of the season anyway. That said, I’d *much* rather see it up against DWTS and CBS’ lesser viewed comedies than Heroes and CBS’ big hitter comedies at 9pm!
Andrea, I suspect it will be interesting and for reasons of the Terminator movie, I believe it winds up being pushed somewhere to the second half of the season anyway. That said, I’d *much* rather see it up against DWTS and CBS’ lesser viewed comedies than Heroes and CBS’ big hitter comedies at 9pm!
Poor Pushing Daisies has to face HOUSE now, so unfair!!!
Andrea, that’s an interesting proposition, but How I Met Your Mother and Two and The Big Bang Theory aren’t particularly strong. Two And A Half Men isn’t on till 9pm.
And DWTS is a strong overall viewer draw, but much weaker with adults 18-49, which is where T:SCC is strongest. I think their audiences may have little overlap.
Andrea, that’s an interesting proposition, but How I Met Your Mother and Two and The Big Bang Theory aren’t particularly strong. Two And A Half Men isn’t on till 9pm.
And DWTS is a strong overall viewer draw, but much weaker with adults 18-49, which is where T:SCC is strongest. I think their audiences may have little overlap.
I agree with Bill G.. I think the time slot fits pretty well for T:SCC. DWTS skews older and the CBS comedies are not that strong. For me, the biggest competition would be Monday Night Football for that demo but it doesn’t start until 8:30 est..
I agree with Bill G.. I think the time slot fits pretty well for T:SCC. DWTS skews older and the CBS comedies are not that strong. For me, the biggest competition would be Monday Night Football for that demo but it doesn’t start until 8:30 est..
First of all Andrea, still annoyed NA bit the dust…I wouldn’t worry about the comedies and DWTS. Especially DWTS attracks older viewers while TSCC get the younger audience. They should worry about being up against Heroes. Fringe gets a red carpet entrance paired with House and the same for Dollhouse paired with 24. TSCC only has Prison Break so I don’t think TSCC is gonna do well up against the newer shows.
First of all Andrea, still annoyed NA bit the dust…I wouldn’t worry about the comedies and DWTS. Especially DWTS attracks older viewers while TSCC get the younger audience. They should worry about being up against Heroes. Fringe gets a red carpet entrance paired with House and the same for Dollhouse paired with 24. TSCC only has Prison Break so I don’t think TSCC is gonna do well up against the newer shows.
I’m with Robert concerning Sarah Connor Chronicles. Going against Heroes and Two and a Half Men would be suicide, it’s much better to see it go against the lower performing CBS comedies. Especially Heroes would be a problem, because of the same viewership (both are sci-fi). For once, Fox did something right.
I’m with Robert concerning Sarah Connor Chronicles. Going against Heroes and Two and a Half Men would be suicide, it’s much better to see it go against the lower performing CBS comedies. Especially Heroes would be a problem, because of the same viewership (both are sci-fi). For once, Fox did something right.
Tony: Yes, I am still annoyed, but also believe that T:SCC (which I watched) will draw a similar number. T:SCC will be facing fresh competition for the first time since it ran against A Raisin in the Sun. T:SCC got a 2.7 in the demo with that movie, which had significantly less viewers than what DWTS draws. I’m willing to bet money that T:SCC does 13 eps max.
My views may change if, indeed, FOX moves this to midseason.
You guys seem to have high hopes for FOX next season, despite the network’s history.
Good luck.
Tony: Yes, I am still annoyed, but also believe that T:SCC (which I watched) will draw a similar number. T:SCC will be facing fresh competition for the first time since it ran against A Raisin in the Sun. T:SCC got a 2.7 in the demo with that movie, which had significantly less viewers than what DWTS draws. I’m willing to bet money that T:SCC does 13 eps max.
My views may change if, indeed, FOX moves this to midseason.
You guys seem to have high hopes for FOX next season, despite the network’s history.
Good luck.
One more thing: Bill, I do believe T:SCC will be a leader in DVR numbers. The demo will watch ABC or CBS live and then DVR T:SCC.
TSCC lowest rating had nothing to do with Raisin but with the horrible lead-in that week. They had the Royal family special the week after which drew the same if not more viewers and demo than Raisin and TSCC improved a lot because it was it’s own lead-in compared to the week before. Not to hurt your feeling but I gave NA a try (finally) and din’t like it at all. But I can understand why other people like it. To each his or her own.
Prediction: None of this actually airs the way they are claiming. Fox changes their schedules so much that it’s unrecognizable by the time it gets to the new season.
That said, I’m very excited for Sit Down, Shut Up, even though I would much prefer it to be live action than animated. But I’ll take what I can get!
Prediction: None of this actually airs the way they are claiming. Fox changes their schedules so much that it’s unrecognizable by the time it gets to the new season.
That said, I’m very excited for Sit Down, Shut Up, even though I would much prefer it to be live action than animated. But I’ll take what I can get!
Julia, my guess is that the Fall sched doesn’t change much before it *starts*.
After the horses leave the gate though, anything can happen.
Julia, my guess is that the Fall sched doesn’t change much before it *starts*.
After the horses leave the gate though, anything can happen.