TV Upfronts: FOX's New Shows for 2010-2011

Day 1, or 2 since NBC got the jump on everyone yesterday, of the Network TV Upfronts was today, and FOX showed off its new slate of shows for fall 2010. At first glance they look like more of the same, but they have more potential that most of what NBC brought to the table.

Again, I really don't want to waste too much time posting videos of the shows that bore me, so check out thefutoncritic's FOX Video Gallery to watch a collection of trailers and clips. After checking out all of the previews, a few shows did stand out.

Lonestar

The first time I read the description for Lonestar (formally known as Midland), I knew that I would be checking out because a.) Midland is my home town, and b.) con-men shows/movie are pretty much the best genre ever. After checking out the trailer for Lonestar, it looks like I might have a new favorite show. Too bad it's scheduled for Mondays at 9/8c, which means it will more than likely go up against The Big Bang Theory. Since CBS sucks at putting Big Bang online, I might have to catch Lonestar via Hulu or fox.com, which is a shame. Or I could just stop watching The Big Bang Theory altogether.

Mixed Signals

I'm kind of over the young couples getting through life genre of sitcom, mostly due to the fact that How I Met Your Mother has broken my trust, but I have to admit that the preview for Mixed Signals had me laughing out loud (way more than anything NBC had to offer). I'm kind of bummed that FOX is keeping this show on the bench until mid-season in favor of the unfunny Running Wilde. It will get a post-Idol timeslot, which should be helpful.

Raising Hope

It looks like FOX is really trying to get back into the live-action sitcom game, and it looks like Raising Hope can fill the void left by Malcolm in the Middle. The blue-collar slacker trying to raise a child really isn't a new concept, but from what I've seen this could work. Plus, Raising Hope has Glee as a lead-in, so I might be willing to stick around on Tuesday nights.

Ride-Along

The only type of show that is starting to bore me more than the "young, yuppies dating one another" sitcom is the "gritty" cop show. I used to like shows like The Shield, but after a while all of the grittiness becomes too much to handle, so I'm a little weary about Shawn Ryan's new show Ride-Along. I was intrigued enough by the preview that I'll probably give it a shot.

Other Thoughts: The new addition to Animation Domination, Bob's Burgers, looks truly awful and will probably be gone faster than Sit Down, Shut Up was axed. Running Wilde looks tedious to watch, and I don't know why people keep giving Will Arnet shows, but Keri Russel is still cute enough to at least pique my interest.

Based on the new crop of shows it looks like I'll be tuning in to FOX a lot more next season as I add Lonestar, Mixed Signals, and Raising Hope to my must watch list that already includes Glee and Bones. I might even give Human Target a shot.