The extra-busy week in the television industry wasted no time getting rolling, as news of network pickups spilled out in advance of official announcements.
Scoop out of Fox's headquarters was first out the gate, and it consists of a few unsurprising series pickups and one shocker of a cancellation.
Science-fiction wunderkind J.J. Abrams will add to his television portfolio--which includes Alias and Lost--with Fringe. Fox is eyeing the fall season for the show to premiere, says Broadcasting & Cable. The show will star Joshua Jackson as an FBI agent investigating unexplained phenomena.
Also reportedly scooped up by Fox are the comedies The Inn and Sit Down, Shut Up. The Inn is a half-hour multicamera comedy following the rough-around-the-edges staff of a posh New York City hotel. Sit Down, Shut Up is an animated adaptation of the live-action Australian series of the same name. The comedy, from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz and featuring the voices of Arrested's Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, centers on teachers at a high school who put their own lives way ahead of their students.
While the cast and crew of those shows are likely dishing out high fives all around, those involved in the freshman show Back to You are not. The newsroom comedy starring sitcom heavyweights Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) will not return for a sophomore season. Once thought to be a staple on Fox for years to come, the show was apparently deemed too expensive to keep around.
However, Grammer and Heaton may not be leaving their desks for good. TVWeek reports that CBS is considering picking up the show for its own schedule, as it looks to revamp its comedy lineup.
Fox also handed out a third-season order to the comedy 'Til Death, starring Raymond vet Brad Garrett, and, according to LA Weekly's Nikki Finke, shot down McG's Americanized version of the British classic Spaced (phew!).
I saw preaired of Fringe and i`m looking forward to see it in september. i love it thanks
Back to you needs to come back to us.
I like it more than 'til death!
Bring Back, Oh bring Back, Oh bring Back my "Back To You" to me......
FOX; listen to those whom you need to pay your way! :-(
Hooray! If they had butchered Spaced, I would have had to burn all my Spaced memorabilia.
I'm really geting fed up with Fox, why give a show 12 odd episodes then cancel it, i know ratings bring in revenue but it's the die hard fans of these shows that suffer, first New Amsterdam gets cancelled now Back to You. If it was'nt for Bones i'd give up completely on Fox
Anything from JJ will be great.
I was enjoying back to you
Have to admit I am interested in Fringe, always liked Joshua Jackson, and JJ Abrams is always a good one to bet on. I don't do animated shows, but an Arrested Development creator seems interested, the is one of the most robbed sit-coms in years and years.Fox just really needs to get 24 back on the air! and make sure they keep Bones, and House.Very strange Til Death stays and Back to you goes, I never watch them, but I might on CBS.
intresting
You got THAT right ... phew indeed!!! Leave "Spaced" alone!!!
This Mitch Hurwitz cartoon makes me salivate. The Simpsons-King Of The Hill-Sit Down, Shut Up...now THAT's a Sunday lineup.They can air Family Guy at 3 AM on Wednesdays or something for all I care. I think their publicist has accidentally been leaving the American Dad renewal in the releases the last couple of seasons, that's the only explanation for that one.
wow, am i the only one who likes back to you and til death?(Back to you still is better but til death to me still has some life)
I'm really looking forward to <i>Sit Down, Shut Up</i>.
...
Fringe sounds like Fox trying to cash in on the new X-Files movie.
"an FBI agent investigating unexplained phenomena."
Gee... where have we heard THAT before?
You know i didnt like Back To You a whole lot when it first aired, but i watched it because i liked Grammer.
Of course, TV.COM reported back then that it was already being picked up for a 2nd season, so what gives guys?
I guess it grew on me a little and since, again, TV.COM had reported on it being renewed sometime last year, i was prepared to get accustomed to it.
This kind of annoys me now, and this is not the first time tv.com has in my eyes made an error
spaced is a fantastic series and shouldn't be meddled with. americanizing british programmes rarely ever works.
I like Back to You and hope CBS will pick it up. Hey, they picked up J.A.G. when NBC pulled the plug and then it ran for 9 years.
Too bad good shows get cancelled 'cause they're too expensive or not getting great ratings from the start. Meanwhile, it feels like every cheap to make reality-crap gets greenlit...
I'm surprised til death is still on. It needed to go after the first episode lol.
Frige sounds really good :D
Although I really really like both Grammer and Heaton, Back To You just wasnt that good to me. I hope it gets picked up by CBS for the fans of it though.
Gee, I am so surpised.
Fringe and Warehouse 13 are probably the start of a whole bunch of X Files rip-off/cash-in shows that'll pop up after the movie comes out this year.
Hopefully it won't last, just like the waves of faceless X-Files-esque shows that popped up during the mid-to-late 90's.
Ok, I don't know why you're all judging Fringe as a rip-off when you have yet to see it. Yeh, they sound alike, but it's how it's executed that'll make it different.It's like saying Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs & House are all rip-offs of ER.Just stop judging it and wait & see!Also, if you're looking forward to Fringe, go to http://fringe-site.com The biggest site for Fringe.
Actually, I heard CBS was picking Back To You
Back To You is the fourth TV series about a man-woman anchor team the networks canceled in their 1st year on the air.
'Til Death should have reached its death by now. It is just not that funny. Back To You, however, was funny. While no where near as good as Frasier and not quite as funny as Everybody Loves Raymond, Back To You was developing into a good solid comedy. True, the cast changes half way through were a shame, but it still remained a quality show. Come on CBS - do the right thing and take on this show. FOX is mad to let it go.
And as to Fringe - what a brilliantly original idea that one is! I really don't know where Chris Cater, whoops JJ Abrams came up with this concept.
I only liked Patricia Heaton and the first Gracie. Oh well, I hope she gets picked up for something else soon. I didn't this show was very good at all. I do like Til Death. There have been some really good ones and some bombs so give it another try. This seasons 1st ep. was great. The Inn sounds like it may have some potential.
I watched Til Death once and it was horrible. I can't believe fox is keeping it for another season, and getting rid of other good shows.
That's so stupid! That was a wonderful show. Gosh, FOX always does this.
FBI agent that investigates unexplained phenomena. Such an original idea. Abrams must have stayed up all night thinking of that idea.
all the Everybody Loves Raymond fans rushed over to Til' Death, even though the two have nothing in common.
Glad this racist show is being taken off the air.
I AM WITH ALL OF YOU ON THIS ONE... I DONT GET IT... TILL DEATH IS STILL ON (NEVER SEEN ONE EPISODE NOR CARE TO)... YET BACK TO YOU, WHICH I THINK WAS JUST STARTING TO GET ITS LEGS IS LET GO.. MAKES NO SENSE!
I don't understand the way the exes at Fox think. Til Death is one of the worst comedies currently on the air. Back To You was fresh and funny. Too bad Fox didn't take into account how expensive the show would be before they even allowed it on the air. I have my fingers crossed that CBS has the common sense to pick up this show.
as long as they keep house, i'm fine. X-Files....I mean Fringe sounds interesting.
This is not fair Fox. King Of The Hill, Til Death are poison to the rest of the shows they shair on their night and they survive. Its just not fair because I like Back To You!
I absolutely adored Back to You! I didn't think Kelsey and Praticia would work well together but boy they do. Fox has dropped a few steps on my ladder. But with 24, terminator and Moment of truth they can't fall down far.
No big surprise. The Kelsey Grammer show never really hit a stride that was good. Good for JJ Abrams -- what a surprise!
sucks.
FOX, how could you do this? You have stooped to a whole new level of low. A "CW" kind of low. At least give us fans the satisfaction of releasing Back To You on DVD. It really is the least you can do.
Til Death is still on the air?! That show is horrible!
if they could just put back to you on Tuesday at 8 or 830 it would work but not at 930 on Wednesday but no american idol has to be on Tuesday they should cancel that show
cant believe till death is still onwhy?
Fox!! When did you become the new cw? :(
i hate fox,how dare they cancel back to you,pray that cbs takes the show cause its the only hope we have left,At least they will keep til death
Back to You may be gone from Fox but we have a good chance of seeing it back on tv next on CBS. What really bothers me is that the 2nd season was already ordered and episodes for season 2 were currently being filmed with 2 of those episodes scheduled to be recorded tomorrow (5/13) and next Tuesday (5/20)!
(PS. Even if they never are to get a 2nd season on Fox, Fox should at least honor their commitment of the FULL 24 episodes that THEY ordered for season 1! No matter the cost they screwed up, big deal, they should at least finish the show. But I'm perfectly fine seeing it go to CBS!)
No fair! <i>Til Death</i> gets a renewal but <i>Back to You</i> isn't coming back? I will miss <i>Back to You</i>, it was a really funny FOX show. How often can anyone say that with a straight face?