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Fall 2005-2006 Fox TV Network Programming Schedule

 Descriptions and Analysis

New Series in blue.

Click on underlined titles for information.

Here's the link to Fox's own 2005 Schedule website.

Fall 2005 Schedule

January 2005 Schedule

New Series

Bones:  Emily Deschanel (Boogeyman) is a beautiful forensic anthropologist/novelist (a character based on a real woman scientist/writer) and David Boreanaz (Buffy, Angel) is the ex-Army sniper Special Agent who bugs her, in this mystery/crime/romantic adventure series.  This "Love Among the Maggots" premise has a Moonlighting-esque vibe, at least in the promos, which unfortunately aren't nearly as cute as somebody hopes.  Surrounding our two lovers-in-the-making are a troupe of brilliant but eccentric scientists, including Eric Millegan (theater's Harold and Maude musical) as the resident geek, TJ Thyne (How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Ghost World) as the conspiracy-nut entymologist, Michaela Conlin (The D.A., MDs) as the female computer-graphics whiz, and Jonathan Adams (American Dreams) as our heroine's crusty but benign boss.  I don't think I'd be as wary of this if I hadn't seen the promos, but as grim and uninspiring as deadly serious crime drama dialog can be, it may be that cutesy quasi-romantic banter is even more distasteful.  Will being the lead-in to newly-anointed hit House help liven up Bones chances?  And if not, can it hold on until it gets an American Idol lead-in in January?  Premieres 9/13.  Update 9/15:  First airing overnights were favorable for Bones, which no doubt benefited from a stellar performance from House in its 2nd season opener.  Update 10/12:  Bones has received a full-season pick-up order.

Head Cases:  Well, at least this one's a little different, though TV already has a couple of cuckoo lawyers on Boston Legal, but we're happy to see anything that isn't a cop drama.  The plot:  A handsome hotshot lawyer has a nervous breakdown after his marriage breaks up and he loses his job. As a part of his recovery, his therapist pairs him up with a support-buddy who's a fellow lawyer -- albeit with a much scruffier clientele -- recovering from an anger disorder, and they end up going into business together.  Chris O'Donnell (The Practice, Batman & Robin, Kinsey, Scent of a Woman) is the golden boy with a tarnished rep, Adam Goldberg (A Beautiful Mind, Saving Private Ryan, Running with the Bulls) is his less-golden new best friend, Krista Allen (Anger Management, Baywatch, Days of Our Lives, many Emmanuelle movies) is the sexy ex-wife, Jake Allen (Miracle Run) their son, and Rockmond Dunbar (Soul Food, Girlfriends) the therapist who brings the not-so-unlikely pair together.  Head Cases has a horrible time period...horrible if you want a show to succeed, anyway -- Wednesdays at 9pm, opposite a slew of dramas like ABC's Lost, the new Criminal Minds on CBS, and NBC's Pentagon drama E-Ring, not to mention UPN's deserving Veronica Mars.  This looks like a show that needs to be moved; I'd vote for throwing Bones into Wednesday and letting Head Cases pair up with House.  We'll see!  Premieres 9/14.  Update 9/26:  Yikes!  Head Cases is the first show to be cancelled this season.  A disappointing first outing, of course in a terrible time period, sealed the fate of this once-promising series.  

Killer Instinct:  More criminal mayhem, this time set in San Francisco, where TV's newest intrepid band of detectives has the mandate to rid the streets of SF of the most depraved and creepy evildoers.  It's enough to make you long for the good old days when Karl Malden and Michael Douglas used to walk the beat of a clearly less fiendish city, or at least when TV producers didn't get their kicks -- and ratings -- by wallowing in the gruesome details and human suffering that make up the plots today.  It's not fair to dump on Killer Instinct exclusively, but it's kinda sad to see so many good performers involved in such grim goings-on at every network.  Whether it's well-done or merely passable, the preponderance of vicious plotlines and the parade of tortured victims make for a mighty pathetic interpretation of mainstream television entertainment.  So be it.  At least Killer Instinct has a good cast, including Johnny Messner (Anacondas, The O.C., Tears of the Sun) as a troubled detective returning to the force after the death of his partner, Chi McBride (House; I, Robot) as his sympathetic boss, and Kristin Lehman (Judging Amy, Poltergeist: The Legacy) as a fellow detective who's just joining the department.  Maybe this is good, maybe it's bad, but undoubtedly it's all about sickos, and that's what I'm sick of.  And I hate the fact that it has a comedy lead-in on Friday night...that's inappropriate for sure.  Expect competition from CBS' new Threshold if that network gets a head start from its all-drama line-up, and of course NBC's Dateline.  Originally titled The Gate.  Premiere 9/23.

Kitchen Confidential:  Based on chef Anthony Bourdain's entertaining and revelatory bestseller, Kitchen Confidential goes for its setting where no comedy has gone since the ill-fated Emeril back in 2001, and let's hope that's no precedent.  Bradley Cooper (Alias, The Wedding Crashers, The Street, Jack and Bobby) is Jack, the former hotshot high-living chef getting a second chance to make it big in NY, with Bonnie Somerville (Friends, NYPD Blue, The O.C.) as his chief nemesis, the restaurant owner's hostile-but-beautiful daughter.  Jack's kitchen crew is played by Owain Yeoman (Troy, plus he had been set to take over the lead in last season's Commando Nanny when the whole show was cancelled before a single episode had aired, bad luck!), John F. Daley (Freaks and Geeks, Boston Public), and my favorite ex-Buffy cast member, Nicholas Brendon, and it's about time that boy had another hit show.  Gorgeous ex-model and ex-heroin addict (yikes!) Jamie King (Bulletproof Monk, White Girls) co-stars as the restaurant's hostess.  Darren Starr (Sex and the City) exec-produces, and if you like his style, and if the likeable Bradley Cooper can do comedy as well as Sarah Jessica Parker (and who couldn't, really?) Kitchen Confidential might find an audience.  It's lead-in is the quirky always-a-critical-success-but-never-quite-an-audience-favorite Arrested Development, a nice smarty-pants scheduling pairing but possibly not the surest recipe for guaranteed success.  It's most direct competition is CBS' new How I Met Your Mother, which is getting critics in its corner already.  Hey, I'm rooting for this one because of Nicholas Brendon, and, wouldn't you know, in the crazy karma of TV, he finds himself on opposite his Buffy cast-mate Allyson Hannigan in HIMYM.  . Premieres 9/19.  

The Loop:  Coming mid-season.

Prison Break:  Fox may have a success on its hands already; this series, which premiered in late summer, is getting good press and decent ratings even before the season officially begins.  Prison Break gives the old behind-bars concept another go, as a man gets himself sentenced to prison to save the life of his brother who's scheduled for the electric chair for a murder he didn't commit.  Saving his life actually means breaking him out of prison, an elaborate plan that moves the series forward.  It's an interesting premise that seems to be working thus far.  Wentworth Miller (The Human Stain, Dinotopia) is Michael, the brother with the plan, Dominic Purcell (the John Doe series, North Shore) the one who's clock is ticking, Robin Tunney (The In-Laws, The Secret Lives of Dentists) is Michael's lawyer and his brother's ex, Sarah Jane Callies (she was Jane in the ill-fated Tarzan from a few seasons back) is the prison doctor, the intriguing Peter Stormare (The Big Lebowski, Dancer in the Dark, Constantine) is a jailed mob boss, Amaury Nolasco (Mr. 3000, 2 Fast 2 Furious) is Michael's cellmate, Wade Williams (Ali, Erin Brockovich, much TV) is a helpful guard, and veteran actor Stacy Keach (Mike Hammer, American History X, Titus) is the imposing warden.  This isn't going to be an Oz -- and that's okay -- and though it has plenty of competition with football and CBS' strong comedy line-up, Prison Break is looking good so far for Fox.  Interesting fact:  Both the guys playing brothers here are actually English-born.  Premiered 8/29.  Update 10/12:  Prison Break has received a full-season order.  Update 12/1:  Prison Break will return with new episodes in March.

Reunion:  This high-concept series revolves around the lives of a group of high school friends at their reunion in 2005, then takes a time trip back to 1985 where every week another year will be explored, until we get back to the present.  TV has a fascination with time-shifting -- this season How I Met Your Mother also uses this device -- but it's not always easy to pull off.  Reunion also throws in a season-long mystery element, with the identity of one of the group, whose funeral and death figure in the pilot episode, kept a secret until the last episode.  Fox premiered Reunion early; reviews have been mixed for this soap opera/mystery with a foxy young cast, including Will Estes (American Dreams, Seventh Heaven), Sean Faris (Life As We Know It), Dave Annable (Little Black Book), Alexa Davalos (The Chronicles of Riddick, Angel), Chyler Leigh (The Practice, Girls' Club).  Will it turn out to be too difficult for viewers to catch onto this series?  And more importantly, can anything work against CSI or The Apprentice?  Premiered 9/8.  Update 12/1:  Reunion won't be producing episodes past its initial 13 order.

The War at Home:  This live-action comedy stuck in the midst of Fox's Sunday animated block may be a bit out of place, but it's got a great lead-in, which is theirs to lose -- precisely what happened in its debut outing.  The War at Home's premise is fairly typical -- a couple of groovy parents with bratty teenage kids; the gimmick is a direct address technique which reveals the characters' innermost thoughts.  Michael Rapaport (Comic Book Villains, Friends, Boston Public) and Anita Barone (The Jeff Foxworthy Show) are the parents; Dean Collins (Jack & Bobby), Kaylee Defer (The Mountain), and Kyle Sullivan (Malcolm in the Middle, Tuesdays with Morrie) are the kids.  It's definitely the only choice for the young comedy-seeking crowd in its time period, but better shows have come and gone in that slot.  Premiered 9/11.  Update 10/12:  The War at Home has received a full-season order.

Returning Shows

American Dad:  Now that Seth MacFarlane's long-cancelled The Family Guy rose from the grave via DVD and cable (and will be back on Fox in the near future), Fox is hoping to do it right the first time around with his new animated entry American Dad.  He's a CIA agent engaged in the war on terrorism, has a wife and a pair of teenage kids, along with an Area 51 space alien and a talking goldfish who live with their family.  Right at home on Fox's Sunday night comedy line-up, certainly all the Family Guy buzz won't hurt the profile of this new entry.    

Arrested Development:  Another nutty family show, this one's got an interesting cast -- Jason Bateman, Jessica "Play Misty for Me" Walter, cult comedy fave David "Mr. Show" Cross -- and a premise in which members of a well-to-do family come together after the father is put in jail for shady business practices.  Bateman is Michael, a widower with a young son, the most normal of the clan and the one who finds himself trying to help his eccentric family cope with their new circumstances, namely sans money.  Fox has a tremendous thematic flow going throughout their entire Sunday night line-up, and if Arrested Development and The Ortegas work, this could be the most successful and celebrated night of dysfunctional families on TV ever.  Update 6/19/03:  Actor Jeffrey Tambor (Hank on Larry Sanders) has been added as a regular in the role of the father, which was originally a limited guest role but has now expanded.  Premiere Date:  11/2/03.  Review 12/17/03:  Arrested Development is getting lots of love from the press for its definitely skewed take on family life and a surprisingly good performance from Jason Bateman and recent guest star Liza Minnelli.  The voiceover by Ron Howard brings to mind similar British comedies such as People Like Us which frankly make better use of it; Howard's voice is tremendously recognizable and more of a distraction than merely droll commentary here, but it doesn't hold back this nutty show that at least aspires to be something different and definitely succeeds on that front.  It's a great companion piece to the other Sunday night Fox comedies, where creativity is king.

House:  One of the best things to anticipate with this show is star Hugh Laurie, well-known and beloved by fans of British comedy from his roles in Jeeves and Blackadder.  He might be more recognizable to Yanks and their kids for his work in Stuart Little, but don't hold that against him -- he's brilliant no matter what he's doing..  House, a medical mystery/drama from one of the creators of Homicide, promises to make villains out of dastardly microbes and virulent viruses as a team of highly-trained physicians attempts to solve deadly outbreaks before countless lives are lost.  If you've ever thrilled to the genuinely fascinating true-life tales on Discovery Health's Diagnosis: Unknown, you'll want to catch this fictionalized version of the same kind of stories.  Promising an unconventional lead character -- and with Hugh Laurie playing him, it could be wonderful -- and a straight-ahead dynamic style which will hopefully set it apart from all the other medical/science investigation shows out there, House will get a great lead-in from American Idol (assuming the magic is still there in January).  For the presence of Laurie alone this one is worth watching, and advertiser interest in the show is reportedly high.  Could be the class act of the year.  Premiere Date: 11/16/04.  Update 6/05:  This surprise hit -- partly due to a late-season American Idol lead-in, partly due to a growing wellspring of popular acclaim for very deserving star Hugh Laurie -- will be back for a second season.

The O.C.:  In what looks like an attempt by Fox to offer something for teen viewers and others seeking more melodrama than you get during a makeover, an autopsy or NBC's sitcoms, The O.C. -- stands for Orange County, California -- makes its way into the very competitive Thursday prime environment.  Although those of us who are familiar with Orange County know that only a teeny bit of it is moneyed enough qualify for this show -- like maybe a few ultra-upscale beach communities -- this is TV, after all, and it's been a while since a genuine nighttime soap opera (non-reality, that is) caught on.  In TOC's dazzling sun-drenched world, we learn than money doesn't guarantee happiness, especially when you're a teenager, and that beautiful people are pretty perhaps only on the outside.  If continuing drama -- and main male adult lead Peter Gallagher -- hit your buttons, this is the show for you, but it's going to have a tough time surviving.  TOC is going up against the weeks' biggest NBC/CBS juggernaut, and it will take more than the flash of West Coast bling bling to make it through the season.  Fox plans to start airing the show in summer in an attempt to jumpstart the show, but if it flops, Thursday nights will look like a done deal even before the race has really started.  Update 6/16/03:  The O.C. will premiere on Tuesday August 5th at 9pm until it moves to its fall Thursday berth on 10/30/03.  Update 9/03:  The O.C. has been a hit so far for Fox, with continual growth since its early debut this summer.  The jumpstart appears to have worked; it's nice insulation against the fall competition but no guarantee of future success, of course.  Update 10/6/03:  Fox has decided to move The O.C. out of the murderous Thursday 9pm slot and into Wednesday at 9pm, displacing Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer.  Bernie Mac will move to Sundays, replacing The Ortegas which is on hold.  The O.C.'s former Thursday slot will be filled by encore plays of the Tuesday night drama Skin.  Update 10/15/03:  Fox has given The O.C. an early full season pick-up.  Update 6/04:  The O.C. is moving to Thursday night this fall, leading into Tru Calling.  Update 7/05:  Back for a third season.