Fox, UPN announce their new shows

Fri., May 21, 2004

David Bauder Associated Press

Fox schedules

» Fox's prime-time schedule for the fall (separate schedules start in June, November and January):

» Monday: 8 p.m., "North Shore" (June/November), "Athens" (January); 9 p.m., "The Casino" (June), "The Swan" (November), "24" (January).

» Tuesday: 8 p.m., "The Bernie Mac Show" (June), "The Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best" (November), "American Idol" (January); 8:30 p.m., "Method & Red" reruns (June-October only); 9 p.m., "The Jury" (June), "House" (November/January).

» Wednesday: 8 p.m., "That '70s Show"; 8:30 p.m., "Quintuplets" (June/November), "Related By Family" (January); 9 p.m., "The Simple Life 2: Road Trip" (June), "The Bernie Mac Show" (November), "American Idol" (January); 9:30 p.m., "Method & Red" (June/November), "The Bernie Mac Show" (January).

» Thursday: 8 p.m., "North Shore" reruns (June), "The O.C" (November/January); 9 p.m., "Tru Calling."

» Friday: 8 p.m., "Totally Outrageous Behavior" (June), "The Next Great Champ" (November), "The Inside" (January); 8:30 p.m., "World's Craziest Videos" (June-October only); 9 p.m., "The Jury" (June/November), "Jonny Zero" (January).

» Saturday: 8 p.m., "COPS"; 8:30 p.m., "COPS"; 9 p.m., "America's Most Wanted."

» Sunday: 7 p.m., "Oliver Beene" (June), "King of the Hill" (November), "Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show" (January); 7:30 p.m., "King of the Hill" (June), "Malcolm in the Middle" (November), "King of the Hill" (January); 8 p.m., "The Simpsons"; 8:30 p.m., "Arrested Development" (June/November), "Malcolm in the Middle" (January); 9 p.m., "Malcolm in the Middle" (June), "The Partner" (November), "Arrested Development" (January); 9:30 p.m., "Quintuplets" reruns (June-October only), "American Dad" (January).

Fox will kick off new series in June, November and January — but none during the traditional September start of a new TV season.

The network’s unconventional announcement to advertisers on Thursday shows how serious it is about a year-round scheduling strategy. It says this reflects the way people follow television today, but it’s also done out of necessity: Fox series have gotten off to a terrible start the past two years because the schedule is pre-empted for baseball in October.

The network released three separate schedules: one for June, another for November and a third for January.

Two of Fox’s most popular comedies — “The Bernie Mac Show” and “Malcolm in the Middle” — were given new time slots, though “Malcolm” stays on Sunday nights. “The O.C.” moves to Thursday nights in November, and “24” will start its fourth year on Mondays beginning in January.

One of Fox’s most critically acclaimed shows, “Arrested Development,” was renewed despite poor ratings.

Five new series will debut next month, the same time Fox’s rivals essentially shut down for reruns. Rap stars Method Man and Redman will star in a new comedy, while Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie hit the road for the second season of “The Simple Life.”

Other new June shows include “The Jury,” a courtroom drama; “North Shore,” a drama focusing on the 20-something employees at a luxury hotel in Hawaii; “The Casino,” a Mark Burnett-produced reality series about behind-the-scenes dramas at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas; and “Quintuplets,” starring Andy Richter as the father of 15-year-old quints.

In November, Fox will premiere “House,” a medical mystery series, along with three new reality shows: “The Next Great Champ,” with Oscar De La Hoya trying to spot boxing talent; “The Billionaire,” with Virgin founder Richard Branson joining NBC’s Donald Trump and ABC’s Mark Cuban as rich guys looking to give away money; and “The Partner,” a law-firm job contest reminiscent of Trump’s “The Apprentice.”

Three dramas and three comedies will premiere in January, including a sketch comedy show inspired by “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in” featuring “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer, and a new cartoon, “American Dad,” from “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane.

Other new January shows are “Athens,” a drama from the creator of “The O.C.” about a New England college town; “The Inside,” about a high school student working as an undercover federal agent; “Jonny Zero,” about a New Yorker fresh out of prison torn between returning to his old life or joining the FBI; and “Related By Family,” a comedy about teenagers who work and hang out at the mall food court.

Meanwhile, UPN, the last of the six broadcast networks to unveil its new fall schedule, is banking on “Kevin Hill,” with Taye Diggs as a lawyer who inherits a baby. Another new drama, “Veronica Mars,” is about a teenage girl in a class-conscious town.

With Tyra Banks and “America’s Top Model,” UPN has a genuine hit that reaches its target audience of 18- to 34-year-olds, particularly women. “Model” will shift from Tuesday to Wednesday, with a weekly rerun airing on Fridays.

UPN has renewed “Star Trek: Enterprise,” thought to be on the edge of cancellation, but moved it to Fridays.

And with “The Parkers” retiring, UPN is adding “Second Time Around,” about a couple getting married for the second time, to its Monday lineup.