Episodes of 'Happy Hour' and 'Justice' vanish from FOX's schedule

With most of its regular programming about to go on a leave-of-absence for playoff baseball, FOX isn't pressing the panic button, but there are signs of network concern.

First onto the shelf is the Thursday comedy "Happy Hour," which was scheduled to have its final pre-baseball airing this week (Sept. 28), but will instead be replaced by a second episode of "'Til Death," which is struggling slightly less.

FOX is taking great pains to emphasize that "Happy Hour" hasn't been cancelled.

Also in the uncancelled-but-pulled category is the Wednesday legal drama "Justice," which was set to have two more pre-baseball airings. Instead, the episode scheduled for Oct. 4 will move to this Wednesday and the Oct. 4 hour will be filled by a repeat of "House."

Sources at FOX say that the "Justice" move was simply to avoid using a new episode of the show against the season premiere of "Lost" and that "Justice" will still return in November as planned.

Coming from TV procedural titan Jerry Bruckheimer, "Justice" is more likely to get the benefit of the doubt than "Happy Hour," which received some of the fall's most savage reviews and has failed to find even minimal traction on Thursday nights.

But "Justice" and "Happy Hour" aren't the only shows undergoing changes.

Anemic viewership has led FOX to cut Friday's "Celebrity Duets" finale down to a single hour, dedicating the second hour to a reairing of the pilot of "Justice."

In addition, the industry trades are reporting that "Standoff" is shutting down production for 10 days. That extra time will allow new consulting producer Tim Minear ("Angel") to get up to speed ("You see, Tim, they're hostage negotiators and they're sleeping together. There. You're up to speed."). "Standoff" will have its last pre-baseball airing tonight.