You'll have to forgive FOX for sounding like a broken record. Each year, the network announces it has a new strategy to combat the programming interruption caused by the World Series. Each year, FOX insists that the network won't just be punting on the fourth quarter. Each year, FOX swears that it isn't just the "American Idol" (and "House" and "24") network.
Looking at FOX's fall, though, it's hard not to picture the network reaching January in third or fourth place, stumbling along until, as always, "American Idol" (and the Super Bowl this year) arrives to save the day. FOX's best hope for the fall is probably a seven-game World Series between the Red Sox and the Cubs.
After seeing the failure of most of its scripted shows last fall -- particularly "Vanished," "Justice," "Happy Hour" and, to a lesser degree, "Standoff" -- FOX has decided to only premiere "Back to You" and "K-Ville" before January, along with a variety of unscripted shows. "Back to You" is driven by its A-list stars (Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton), while "K-Ville" is fueled by an A-list backstory (it films entirely in New Orleans).
Viewers will have to wait until 2008 for shows like the "Terminator" spin-off "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and Amy Sherman Palladino's "The Return of Jezebel James."
