FOX has decided to move up the premiere of Past Life. Originally it was scheduled to debut on Thursday February 11 as a two hour premiere. Now it will air a one hour premiere on Tuesday February 9 at 9pm after American Idol. It will then make its 9pm Thursday time slot debut on February 11 following a Bones rerun.
It will also get more boosting from Idol when Idol airs special Thursday 8pm editions in late February and early March.
Here's the description of Past Life from FOX:
PAST LIFE
(Thursdays, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT)
Have you ever experienced déjà vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? Have you ever had an out-of-body experience?
From writer David Hudgins (“Friday Night Lights”), and inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series that investigates the world of the unexplained through the eyes of a doctor and a former detective who must work together to solve decades-old mysteries.
DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish) is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients by investigating their consciousness. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can’t begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drum.
Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It's a volatile relationship, but with Price's solid detective skills and Kate's penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, albeit somewhat dysfunctional, team.
An emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff) is Kate’s mentor and the center’s namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel) is the rookie of the group, an energetic M.D. who loves bad TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.
Produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, PAST LIFE is executive-produced by David Hudgins and Lou Pitt. Hudgins also serves as writer. Deran Sarafian directed the pilot.
Interesting, it gets at least one Idol boost, possibly others, but its time slot premier has its lead in as a rerun? That’s not exactly helpful. I thought this show was supposed to be basically DOA?
UKD, though I did not editorialize above, I am surprised FOX did this.
Does this mean no Kitchen Nightmares behind Idol?
Huh? Idol is not a repeat that night what do you mean?
RJ, KN still is scheduled for one Idol boost on 2/2.
No Idol isn’t a repeat, it has Idol as a lead in for its Tuesday “preview” but for it’s time period premier (it airs on Thursday, replacing Fringe on the schedule) it has a rerun of Bones as a lead in. So Fox is sending a conflicting message, Idol boost for its first showing but a rerun of Bones for its time period premier.
More confusingly…from futoncritic.
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) — FOX is giving “Past Life” an extra boost as the midseason drama will now launch Tuesday, February 9 at 9:00/8:00c following “American Idol.”
The series will then settle into its regular Thursday, 9:00/8:00c home on February 11. FOX had originally planned for a two-hour launch on February 11.
A network spokesperson confirmed the moves this afternoon.
As previously announced “Idol” will also serve as “Past Life’s” lead-in on Thursday nights on February 25, March 4 and March 11 as part of the show’s initial round of results shows.
To recap:
Tuesday, February 9
8:00/7:00c – “American Idol”
9:00/8:00c – “Past Life” (Series Premiere – Special Night)
Thursday, February 11-18
8:00/7:00c – “Bones” (Repeats)
9:00/8:00c – “Past Life” (Time Slot Premiere)
Thursday, February 25-March 11
8:00/7:00c – “American Idol” (Special Night)
9:00/8:00c – “Past Life”
So basically for 4 of its 7 episodes the show will have an Idol lead in, boosting its numbers, for the other 3 episodes it will have a repeat as its lead in, how will this even give fox a decent idea about the shows ratings potential?
@UKD you are certainly right. I am looking forward to this show. I am dissappointed in Human Target’s quality/writing/scripts.
The only concern I have about all these post-Idol special episodes and shows moving around the schedule is will people be able to find anything? It seems like FOX has a differently lineup each week from now through March.
Gotcha Robert, thanks. Still quite confusing!
Sounds like an interesting show. Like Dee, I’ve been disappointed in Human Target so I hope this one is a lot better. Fox ought to launch all their midseason shows after AI. Why not take advantage of that audience?
It looks like Ghost Whisperer to me. I’ll check it out.
Sounds almost like a Medium/Cold Case cross.
What about that show that just came out called Human Target?
great i thought this show was DOA and was gonna pass even though the concept interested me now i will definately give it a shot
I’ve seen the Past Life pilot and it is excrutiatingly awful. If you’re disappointed in Human Target don’t even bother with this show because it makes HT look brilliant.
Looks like Fox is going to try to do some damage to Survivor early on in Survivor’s season. That battle should be interesting. If successful, Bones should be the benificiary when it returns at 8:00PM.
Is Fringe going on a break during this time?
Hopefully Past Life will truly bomb in the Thursdays at 9 slot, making Fringe look all the sweeter!
I thought the promos looked horrible. Of course, I watch Supernatural at 9 on Thursdays, so I’ll never see it, won’t bother with the Tuesday showings either.
Am I understanding that its getting an Idol boost during the Olympics?
With a female lead, it should attract the female skewing bones, but yeah, it’ll probably get DeepEnd numbers.