Michael Ausiello posted the following on Twitter:
Exclusive: Hearing FOX will bench DOLLHOUSE for November sweeps and air back-to-back eps on Friday night in December.
Either way, I suppose the 13 episodes will wind up finishing at the same time either way. But if that's the way FOX goes, I don't see why they couldn't just have made that decision a week ago when they announced the November sweeps schedules.
We'll see.
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Update: it's true with FOX confirming (via The Futon Critic) the following schedule:
Friday, October 23
8:00/7:00c - "Brothers"
8:30/7:30c - "'Til Death"
9:00/8:00c - "Dollhouse"Friday, October 30
8:00/7:00c - "House: Broken" (Two-Hour Repeat)Fridays (as of November 6)
8:00/7:00c - "House" (Repeat)
9:00/8:00c - "Bones" (Repeat)Sundays (as of November 8 )
7:00/6:00c - "Brothers"
7:30/6:30c - (Various Programming)*Fridays (December 4-18)
8:00/7:00c - "Dollhouse"
9:00/8:00c - "Dollhouse"
No current return date for 'Til Death.
Wouldn’t surprise me. But its odd since a week ago they decide to put in sweeps……..maybe they’ll air back to back Brothers and Til Death during November to finish them off faster?
At least episodes will be aired. I’m not surprised they will burn it with back to back episodes like what they did with Arrested Development.
“I don’t see why they couldn’t just have made that decision a week ago when they announced the November sweeps schedules.”
That’s my confusion on this. As is the fact that I kind of suspect the “back-to-back” thing is Ausiello being confused about back-to-back reruns being scheduled for Christmas Day, December 25, which was announced a week or so ago.
If this is legit, it would be interesting to know (but likely impossible) what changed their mind. The Nov. schedule with Dollhouse on it was released 6 days ago, and Dollhouse hasn’t aired since then.
Wild guesses:
- Fox decided over the weekend that after never winning a November sweeps period that they finally have a shot at it and are jettisoning all the flotsam.
- Something Fox has in development had an unanticipated schedule acceleration
- Are You Smarter Than A Fourth Grader deal just signed
Well, they are rumours that they were supposed to air back to back Dollhouse on Christmas [Robert's Christmas pressie??] & they did say that it might not be shown during sweeps…but that was before the press releases like you say. I don’t think anyone would have been disappointed if they said at the time they were shelving them for sweeps & doubling up in Dec., so why didn’t they just do that instead of getting my hopes up of seeing the episodes one right after the other? I’m especially pissed that if this turns out true, they will be breaking up the Summer Glau 2-parter.
I really have just two questions:
1. When is the next fresh episode?
2. Should I post my eulogy for dollhouse now, or should I wait for December?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Nay! Negatory! Never! I refuse to believe this! Lalalalalalalalala I can’t hear you!
This just CAN’T be true! I’ve just arranged for a handy-dandy plane to cross the country with a skywriting message to get everyone and their brother to watch Dollhouse this November! (I believe I got the idea from this website, in fact! Thank you, TVBytheNumbers, for telling me about the awesome power of skywriting!) Now what ever will I do? WHATEVER WILL I DO?!
I just refuse to believe this is happening! If it did come true — and that’s a BIG if! — I’d be forced to cry and moan and rend my garments! And I didn’t want it to come to that! I’m such a happy, happy, happy person (particularly when I’m on my meds) and that could change if this is true! Which it’s not!
On the bright side, my gut says that ratings would rise, rise, rise if new episodes aired in December! Good things come to those who wait! Absence makes the heart grow fonder! If Joss builds it I will come!
Watch Dollhouse this week or else!!!!!
I’m hearing it now, too. Separate source.
Susan, this Friday is the next scheduled episode.
JBF, no rending!
Someone doesn’t know the difference between flotsam and jetsam
If I had to guess I’d say it’s an embarrassment of riches. 6 days ago we were less than a month into the season but we just passed that marker and everyone’s taking stock (including TVByTheNumbers: http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/10/21/cbs-fox-by-far-most-improved/31117)
Fox is within striking distance of CBS in the 18-49 demo and I think winning a non-American Idol sweeps would be a huge windfall for them (even if it’s only for bragging rights). But to accomplish that they’ll have to marshal every resource they have and that means benching anything that doesn’t perform well.
Dollhouse apparently also gets a new lead-in for January, as it seems Brothers and Til Death are going somewhere else.
Speaking of leads, I feel sorry for Dollhouse. Til Death looks so unbelievable bad, I cringe whenever I see its promos, and DH has it for a lead. In fact it has two sitcoms for a lead… blech. I do wonder if Til Death is just meant to be so horrific that it is actually funny. An example of that would be the summer TV disaster miniseries, that always star Luke Perry.
To be fair, Dollhouse isn’t great, but I’d actually watch it over virtually every sitcom on the air. The Office could be an exception, but I’d have to tune in once to be sure.
Here’s my projected schedule for the remaining episodes that would tie in well with Fox’s known January plans already:
10/23: Ep. 4
10/30: Ep. 5
12/4: Eps. 6, 7
12/11: Eps. 8, 9
1/8: Eps. 10, 11
1/15: Eps. 12, 13
And then Past Life will start airing in Dollhouse’s spot on January 22nd.
Are you sure about your source “The One True b!X” ?
(Especially what you’re writing at Whedonesque)
Isn’t this a done deal? I thought it said its pulled during sweeps and airing back to back on Fridays when it returns in December.
@Cheif
They’re having a new lead in during January for Dollhouse, so more like…
1/8: Eps. 10
1/15: Eps. 11
1/22: Eps. 12
1/29: Eps. 13
@ Tory,
The last official word from Fox was that the show is airing during November Sweeps. It seems very possible that they have now changed their minds, but all 3 Friday shows were on their November Sweeps Calendar.
What new lead-in Charles? Are they going to pair the last few episodes with Past Life on Fridays?
wow. this ruined my day. couldn’t they have at least waited until friday’s episode ratings to see if it was trending up?