K.I.T! Have a kick-ass winter!
Hold on to your toupees, people! American Idol is coming back on January 12! Yes, the un-DVR-able hit will deliver a handful of new stars who will benignly nudge our emotions and pop our monocles into our cups o' tea—and because it will undoubtedly be TV's number-one show (again... snooze...), other things will get shoved out of the way.
Because now that Fox has announced its midseason schedule, the real story is more than just OMG NO PAULA! The waves from the Idol tsunami have hit far and wide, both within Fox and across television. In fact, one show that's been heavily soaked is Fox's own Glee, which wraps with a winter finale (we have winter finales now?) on December 4 and won't return until foliage returns from its slumber in mid-April. That's more than four months off the air for the new hit, making its first season one of the longest for any show, ever (the pilot first aired in May, and the finale will also air in May, a year later).
Of course, when Glee does return, it will have the power of American Idol to juice it up, as it will move to Tuesdays. But will the masses follow? I'm guessing yes (you Gleeks are something else).
So why is Glee, which is on a roll among fans and critics, being pushed back? So that the Idol-effect can be used to boost Our Little Genius, reality television's latest hellspawn. Fox is hoping that Idol will kickstart this show about little tykes proving they are smarter than you, but unless they throw them into a New Mexico ghost town to fend for themselves, I won't watch.
If a lengthy break is no good for Glee, then it's downright awful for a show like Fringe, which has hit hard times in the ratings despite being much better in its second season. Fringe will take a two-month break, from early February to early April, to allow for the debut of Past Life, a show about "detectives who investigate the world of the unexplained." Sounds like lambs to the slaughter, as the show—which doesn't sound good in the first place—will go up against tough Thursday night competition. Start the death watch... now.
Other than that, there are two new shows you should take note of. The first is Human Target, which will air a post-NFL-playoff series preview on January 17 before its official premiere on Wednesday, January 20. If you're a fan of Bruce-Willis-type action movies, this is the series for you. We saw it at Comic-Con and loved the mix of bonafide action and comedy. Plus, it stars Pushing Daisies' Chi McBride, who doesn't know how to not be awesome.
And on March 14, the comedy Sons of Tucson finally premieressmack dab in the middle of Animation Domination, despite the fact that it is not animated (it will dominate your funny bone, though). The show, from Wonderfalls co-creator Todd Holland, stars Tyler Labine—one of the funniest men working today—as a con man who fakes fatherhood to three boys while their real dad serves time for a white-collar crime. Methinks this will be the third great new comedy of late, after Modern Family and Community.
And finally, Dollhouse gets laid to rest on January 22. Let's hope Joss Whedon gets to wrap up everything nicely.
Comments (42)
"Yes, the un-DVR-able" Really, I did not know this, does that tell you how many times I have watched Idol...NEVER. I DVR everything and on Thursday night have 2 going to record 3 shows at a time.
As aways it seems the good shows get taken off and something that is insipid or showcases the worse possible human behavior replaces them. Glee, like Pushing Daisies was too wholesome and up-beat for the TV powers that be. Dollhouse has a very positive message: very anti-mind controll, pro think for your self, the truth will out, etc. Again too positive to survive. Fringe too is very SCIFI but again too upbeat and clean to survive. It also was in a very hard time slot--alot of tough competition. The Middle is great and so much like where and what I came from. I can't believe the TV set and storylines are so much like real middle America vintage late 50s to 60s! The two older kids are just like kids I grew up with. It's very funny now looking back. With all the good shows being taken off, TVland is looking better and better! Down with reality shows!moreless
These Networks are nuts! I may begin watching DVD series only forever!! They are out of touch with the viewers!! I want to watch a whole series every week!I agree with drwoowoocl .......and the networks wonder why they are losing viewers by the truck load!
Oh my god. No Glee for 4 months??? That's insane, if anything having Glee on with American Idol will only help it because nobody watches that anymore.
.......and the networks wonder why they are losing viewers by the truck load?
I was just wondering if it means anything at all that I hate American Idol and have never watched it for a full season? No, no it doesn't because I'm not a Nielsen Family. Who are these secret show stoppers? Why is it that I'm constantly confused with the vast amounts of people I talk to who enjoy certain shows (i.e. Fringe, Dollhouse) but for some strange reason, they have no ratings. The entire nielsen system really needs to be revamped. It's not doing it's job properly. Or the nielsen family's are just reality junkies. I hate reality tv. All of it. Unless it's a DYI or room design or cooking show.
I would just like ratings to be real. Not that hard with all the digital cable. If I thought that the networks were using Real data to cancel shows like Fringe and Pushing Daises and any SiFI. I would still be sad to see them go. But at least I would have more proof that I am not one of the mindless masses.
I am sooo not happy about not having Fringe for 2 friggin months! First they take it off a night that was golden and put it in a death match on thursday for no good reason and now this!? I'll go with someone else and pretends it's a good thing that it won't be competing with the olympics. "sigh" They better not axe it or they'll lose me completely, I only still watch Bones becuase it's a lead in to Fringe. I know no great lose but i'm not the only one who feels this way and it adds up after awhile.
I'm really nervous about Fringe now. I had thought ratings were quite good. If Fringe ever gets cancelled, I'm gonna' kick some Fox bum. Nothing else sounds terribly exciting.
Just looking forward to 24, Lost and Greys.
Obviously it'll be sad to see Dollhouse go. I'll eventually get around to watching Glee, maybe.
Glee is taking such a long break because they need that much time to get the episodes out. It takes time to pick the songs, get distribution rights to the song, produce them, choreograph the numbers, etc. Also, the thirteenth episode is airing on Dec. 9th not the 4th.
Glee is taking such a long break because they need that much time to get the episodes out. It takes time to pick the songs, get distribution rights to the song, produce them, choreograph the numbers, etc. Also, the thirteenth episode is airing on Dec. 9th not the 4th.
it makes me wonder how fox still makes money under conditions like this
Excited for next year, but it's gonna be a long December...*Shedding a tear for Dollhouse*
Sigh, I'll be missing Glee so much :(
Chi McBride back on TV, now that is fantastic news! And Sons of Tucson does sound rather interesting...
Thank god for torrents and dvr's, so we don't have to stay home and let the networks work us like they did with past generations!We can go about our business and still catch the shows at our leisure. And if the rating fall, advertisers drop off, then whose fault is it!!!!No one gets it, viewers schedules do not revolve around being home now! Maybe we come back and watch a show after months of layoffs, maybe we don't! Thats the chance they take!!!!
You have a typo: should be "Tyler Labine--one of the most annoying men working today."
Memizz, you will not be the only one who will miss Dollhouse. We need to start inundating Fox HQ with crates upon crates of bananas right NOW.
WAAAAAA Dollhouse... my beloved dollhouse!!! Why oh why did Fox put you at the place tv shows go to die? Aka friday!!!!
Wow im so used to seeing paula on american idol. her nicey-nice personality evens out randy's in-the-middle personality and simon's being overly harsh. I can't believe Glee is going to take a 4 month break! Thats longer than I'm willing to wait, and it was getting so good, too... And Fringe! the last thing it needs right now during its "time of crisis" is such a long break. What is FOX thinking?
*sigh* This is good for Fringe... (I have to keep telling myself that) it means it's not up against the Olympics, and Fox cares about it. I think that. I have to.*runs away crying*
If they think American Idol is THAT important to so many people, put in the 9pm time spot and see if draws. Leave Glee and Fringe ALONE!!!!
Noooo, I can't wait that long for Glee to return, I'll wither and die! And OMG I'm gonna miss Dollhouse :/ Am I the only one? I hate that there are winter breaks. We all have to ait months untlil the shows return and then we have to do it all over again in the summer!
I'm ready for American Idol. I think it'll be very interesting to see how everything plays out with the new judge. :)
Wow. I hope Fox knows what it is doing.
it sucks that there leaving glee for so long
I agree with you joy9585 this is gonna suck oh well let watch while we can
So unfair! Four months without Glee? That's longer than a summer break!
Having to wait till April for more Glee episodes just doesn't cut it.Personally I'd be very happy if this were a 25-episode season (like they once did for Grey's Anatomy or a couple other shows).FOX: hear ye, this is UNACCEPTABLE.
American Idol is back.. NOOOOO
I've heard good things about sons of tucson, can't wait.
This makes no sense. Why are two new shows (Fringe is in its second season, but still) being pushed back as opposed to freakin' Bones, which has been on the air for six seasons already?
I wasn't interested in sons of tuscon at all until I read the word 'wonderfalls'. I'll probably check out the first episode now.I am so sick of Glee being yanked around.
Glee and Fringe are being put off for AI??? I hate American Idol!!!! AS it is, the show is going down hill fast now. Why does it have to ruin other great shows in the process?
I don't know if I can survive that long without Glee Fox, you best be releasing new songs every week on Itunes anyway!
April?!! Are you freaking kidding me? I cant wait that long for Glee, damn you FOX!
I don't get these short seasons and "breaks", except for a network's attempt to "tease" the audience and hopefully engender some loyalty. In reality, it's called "marketing"; which paradoxically has little to do with reality. In my day, in high school? ...we had a name for "girls" like that...Perhaps the networks are forgetting what the masses historically do when they rebel, and free will reigns...
My poor Glee! I hope it doesn't ruin it's ratings!
Bones is back in January!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Man. The Glee and Fringe breaks are gonna suck ass.
Well, that ruins my Christmas. Both Glee and Fringe being put off for shows that dim in comparison. I am so seconding your idea about the New Mexican ghost town. That sounds awesome.
ugh really? Glee is being pushed back because of that annoying and 95 of the time borefest show? Really only the first auditions are entertaining, bring back glee earlier, it is an amazingly funny and smart show, which will without a doubt suffer if left off for too long