(Check out the fall schedules for ABC, CBS and NBC.)
Fox announced a fall schedule Monday that was marked by bullishness for reality show “So You Think You Can Dance,” bold ambition to expand its profile on Thursday nights -- and no sense of urgency regarding its new slate of shows.
Notable Monday was the network’s holding back of much of its new series until midseason, with dramas “Human Target” and “Past Life," and comedy “Sons of Tucson” not premiering until early 2010.
New shows that are going forward in the fall include “Brothers,” a family comedy about a retired pro footballer featuring former New York Giants star Michael Strahan, CCH Pounder and Carl Weathers. That series will air Friday’s at 8 p.m., followed by Fox’s journeyman comedy “ ‘Til Death.”
Joss Whedon-produced Sci-Fi drama “Dollhouse,” which barely survived cancellation, will run at 9 p.m.
“We still believe in Fridays,” declared Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting.
On Saturdays, Fox will attempt to compete in the late-night arena with hourlong variety show starring comedian Wanda Sykes, fresh off her biting, headline-making turn at last week’s White House Correspondence Dinner.
“Wanda’s been on fire lately,” Reilly noted.
And on Sunday, the network will add to its animation block in the fall, with “Family Guy” spinoff “The Cleveland Show” leading out of “The Simpsons” at 8:30.
Also new this fall -- but making its premiere Tuesday night following “American Idol” -- musical dramedy “Glee” will run Wednesdays at 9 p.m., following a results installment of “So You Think You Can Dance.”
“We see (Tuesday night’s screening of ‘Glee’) as the biggest grassroots screening of all time,” Reilly noted. “If half of ‘Idol’s’ audience sticks around to sample it, that will be great.”
“Dance” has established itself over the years as a solid reality-competition performer during the summer, but Fox will try to extend it into the fall this year by giving it “Idol”-like tentpole positioning. The series will have a two hour performance episode on Tuesdays, with the hourlong “results” installment running Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, Fox will further develop its incursion into Thursday nights, an initiative it began last year when it moved “Bones” to 8 p.m.
Next fall, the network will move the J.J. Abrams-produced sophomore sci-fi drama “Fringe” from Tuesdays to Thursdays, where it will compete against NBC’s “The Office,” CBS’ “CSI” and ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” at 9 p.m. -- assuming those three networks don’t move their shows when they make their upfront presentations later this week.
On Mondays, the network will have “House” lead into “Lie to Me,” with Shawn Ryan taking over as showrunner of the latter project this year.
In January, “Lie to Me” will give way to “24” Mondays at 9 p.m., with new reincarnation-themed hourlong “Past Life” debuting at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays following “American Idol.”
On Wednesdays, McG-produced thriller “Human Target," starring Mark Valley, Chi
McBride and Jackie Earle Haley as proprietors of a high-end security firm, will premiere at 9 p.m.,
