Fox: Fringe in, Back to You out

By Tim Surette - TV.com

May 12, 2008 at 10:23:00 AM | more stories by this author

Network likes new show from J.J. Abrams, rejects Kelsey Grammer comedy; Inn, Sit Down also picked up.

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.

"We've asked you all here for an important announcement."

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!).

46 Comments

Page: 1

Previous | Next

Veyx

Back to you needs to come back to us.
I like it more than 'til death!

Posted 06/04/2008 5:16pm

bullpipe

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! :-(

Posted 05/21/2008 4:28pm

valeah

Hooray! If they had butchered Spaced, I would have had to burn all my Spaced memorabilia.

Posted 05/14/2008 12:41pm

D-LinkUK

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

Posted 05/14/2008 9:51am

Bloodbath_87

Anything from JJ will be great.

Posted 05/14/2008 9:43am

Jamin_Jamin

I was enjoying back to you

Posted 05/14/2008 3:56am

IronAddict

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.

Posted 05/13/2008 10:54pm

mammalazz

intresting

Posted 05/13/2008 7:47pm

LAntichristo

You got THAT right ... phew indeed!!! Leave "Spaced" alone!!!

Posted 05/13/2008 5:11pm

allsummerlong

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.

Posted 05/13/2008 4:15pm

robodog1000

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)

Posted 05/13/2008 3:46pm

Tru_Slayer

I'm really looking forward to Sit Down, Shut Up.

Posted 05/13/2008 3:21pm

X_FanGirl_X

...

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?

Posted 05/13/2008 2:19pm

Dirk13

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

Posted 05/13/2008 1:16pm

lornaforde

spaced is a fantastic series and shouldn't be meddled with. americanizing british programmes rarely ever works.

Posted 05/13/2008 12:33pm

MavericK1013

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...

Posted 05/13/2008 11:58am

txgirl75

I'm surprised til death is still on. It needed to go after the first episode lol.

Posted 05/13/2008 11:37am

efc91

Frige sounds really good

Posted 05/13/2008 10:12am

staind47

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.

Posted 05/13/2008 9:05am

LAURAMARIE63

Gee, I am so surpised.

Posted 05/13/2008 4:44am

shsteve

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.

Posted 05/13/2008 3:33am

domaholic

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.

Posted 05/13/2008 3:31am

smash_religion

Actually, I heard CBS was picking Back To You

Posted 05/12/2008 11:19pm

redthor

Back To You is the fourth TV series about a man-woman anchor team the networks canceled in their 1st year on the air.

Posted 05/12/2008 9:45pm

jbeauchamp17

'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.

Posted 05/12/2008 9:34pm

cynderbuster

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.

Posted 05/12/2008 8:40pm

bbyboop1977

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.

Posted 05/12/2008 8:20pm

triogirl

That's so stupid! That was a wonderful show. Gosh, FOX always does this.

Posted 05/12/2008 7:38pm

jxsilicon9

FBI agent that investigates unexplained phenomena. Such an original idea. Abrams must have stayed up all night thinking of that idea.

Posted 05/12/2008 7:34pm

Undernet01

all the Everybody Loves Raymond fans rushed over to Til' Death, even though the two have nothing in common.

Posted 05/12/2008 7:00pm

nyjunkie

Glad this racist show is being taken off the air.

Posted 05/12/2008 5:35pm

tifer1974

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!

Posted 05/12/2008 5:16pm

Dakotagirl823

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.

Posted 05/12/2008 5:13pm

killcoyle

as long as they keep house, i'm fine. X-Files....I mean Fringe sounds interesting.

Posted 05/12/2008 3:27pm

PerfectDark0Fan

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!

Posted 05/12/2008 3:17pm

jansenonline

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.

Posted 05/12/2008 3:14pm

bernsd3

No big surprise. The Kelsey Grammer show never really hit a stride that was good. Good for JJ Abrams -- what a surprise!

Posted 05/12/2008 2:45pm

tennisrobe26

sucks.

Posted 05/12/2008 2:06pm

tv247

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.

Posted 05/12/2008 1:52pm

BeachfrontGlass

Til Death is still on the air?! That show is horrible!

Posted 05/12/2008 1:23pm

nba4udude

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

Posted 05/12/2008 1:22pm

braspol

cant believe till death is still on
why?

Posted 05/12/2008 1:02pm

jamjavajunkie

Fox!! When did you become the new cw?

Posted 05/12/2008 12:56pm

robodog1000

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

Posted 05/12/2008 12:36pm

Hulkamaniac14

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!)

Posted 05/12/2008 10:59am

dude6363

No fair! Til Death gets a renewal but Back to You isn't coming back? I will miss Back to You, it was a really funny FOX show. How often can anyone say that with a straight face?

Posted 05/12/2008 10:41am

Page: 1

Previous | Next

Latest Headlines

updated 07/18/08

Emmy nominees warn against actors strike
Hollywood's leading actors union got a kick in the rear end Thursday from several Emmy nominees worried about the threat of a strike.

More News »

Latest music headlines from

Iriver's unsinkable MP3 player
The Speedo Aquabeat is a waterproof device made for the swimwear maker.

The Cure brings darkness, light to NY concerts

Punk fans brave heat for launch of Warped Tour

Creaky Boards vs. Coldplay

Lil Wayne crushes the competition on album chart

More music news »

Related Galleries

Related Shows

Back to You Back to You is a traditional live-audience sitcom starring sitcom veterans Kelsey Grammer ( Cheers , Frasier ) and Patricia Heaton ( Everybody Loves Raymond ) as co-news anchors who reunite at a...

Sit Down, Shut Up (Aus) Welcome to the Sit Down, Shut Up guide at TV.com. Sit Down, Shut Up was an Australian Sitcom set at Carpen High Secondary College which aired on Australia's Ten network between February and...

Sit Down, Shut Up Sit down, Shut Up is a new animated series, with animated characters against non-animated backgrounds, on FOX that depicts the lives and quirks of nine staffers at a high school in a small...

Fringe FBI agents Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop are faced with a rapidly spreading unexplained phenomenon of the threatening kind. In an attempt to stop the spread, they enlist the assistance of Bishop's...

Spaced Based on a British series of the same name, this single-camera comedy tells the story of a young man and woman who, though they are complete strangers, pretend to be a married couple in order to...

Do Not Disturb A glamorous New York hotel has a not-so-glamorous staff in this multi-camera comedy project from FOX. FOX has ordered 13 episodes for broadcast during 2008/2009 season. The show is being...

Spaced (1999) Spaced is a sitcom like no other. The premise is simple enough: Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim (Simon Pegg) are out of luck and love, so pretend to be a couple in order to rent a flat together....

TV.com: Fox: Fringe in, Back to You out

Tagging