TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - FOX

Part 4 of the Armchair Programmer Series will be taking a look at FOX. I'll be honest, FOX could be one of the trickiest networks to predict because it can claim that it has one of the country's most watched shows in American Idol, but its new scripted dramas were mostly duds, and even its best performers are either down this year or leaving our screens (House). Sure, it can claim that it has one of the few breakout hits of the season in New Girl, but that's about it, so don't be shocked if the 2012-2013 looks very different than what you're used to.

Officially Renewed FOX Shows
American Dad!
Bob's Burgers
Bones
The Cleveland Show
Family Guy
Glee
Kitchen Nightmares
New Girl
Raising Hope
The Simpsons
The X-Factor

Officially Canceled FOX Shows
Allen Gregory
House
Terra Nova

Possibly Renewed FOX Shows
Alcatraz
American Idol
Fringe
Touch

Possibly Canceled FOX Shows
Breaking In
The Finder
Mobbed
I Hate My Teenage Daughter
Napoleon Dynamite
Q'Viva! The Chosen

Comedy Pilots
El Jefe
The Goodwin Games
Let It Go
Like Father...
Little Brother
Living Loaded
Mindy
Must Hire
Ned Fox is My Manny
Prodigy/Bully
Rebounding

Drama Pilots
The Asset
Guilty
Untitled Berman & Wright Pilot
Untitled Karyn Usher Project
Untitled Kevin Williamson Pilot

I'll say it again, it's hard to predict which pilots will be going to series but we can also take a look at the network's history and brand identity. FOX does best with animated sitcoms, edgy procedurals and music based shows, but it wants to get back into the live-action sitcom game. New Girl and Raising Hope have laid the foundation, so expect FOX to expand its comedy line-up. Out of the comedy pilots, I could see the following pick-ups: The Goodwin Games, Let It Go, Little Brother, Mindy and Rebounding. As for dramas: The Asset, Guilty and the Kevin Williamson pilot.

Possible FOX Shows for 2012-2013

Alcatraz
American Dad!
American Idol
The Asset
Bob's Burgers
Bones
The Cleveland Show
Family Guy
Fringe
Glee
The Goodwin Games
Guilty
Kitchen Nightmares
Let It Go
Little Brother
Mindy
New Girl
Raising Hope
Rebounding
The Simpsons
Touch
Untitled Kevin Williamson Pilot
The X-Factor

Possible FOX Schedule for 2012-2013
Sundays
8-8:30p: The Simpsons
8:30-9p: Bob's Burgers
9-9:30p: Family Guy
9:30-10p: The Cleveland Show/American Dad!

Sunday nights are probably the most stable for FOX since its Animation Domination line-up has become synonomous with the network. Technically, Bob's Burgers hasn't been renewed, but the leftover episodes from Season 2 will air during the 2012-2013 season, so I don't seen any reason to move it from the post-Simpsons spot. Oddly enough, FOX really doesn't have much of a choice since it doesn't have any other animated shows in development now that Seth MacFarlane's pushing back his Flintstones reboot.

Mondays
8-9p: Bones
9-10p: Kevin Williamson Pilot

Now that House is officially done, Bones can not take over the mantle, so FOX might as well keep it on Monday nights since that's where its predecessor spent its final years. Since Kevin Williamson's show also has an FBI spin to it, pairing it with Bones seems like a natural fit. Although, that could be too much crime drama for one night.

Tuesdays
8-8:30p: Let It Go
8:30-9p: Raising Hope
9-9:30p: New Girl
9:30-10p: Mindy

If FOX wants to expand its comedy brand, then Tuesday nights are the best time to do it since it can build around New Girl. Kicking off the line-up with a new show is risky, but Raising Hope still hasn't proven that it can be a hit, so trying something else might be safer than having Hope to lead off. Mindy seems like a natural fit with New Girl, so it could definitely benefit from having it as a lead-in.

Wednesdays
8-10p: The X-Factor/American Idol

The X-Factor and American Idol schedules can be so wonky that I didn't even bother coming up with possible lead-outs, but once the performances start they tend to go for 2 hours so that's what I went with. I'm sure a few shows will get shots at gaining an audience by airing after these two shows, but that's too much speculation for my mind to handle.

Thursdays
8-9p: The X-Factor/American Idol Results
9-10p: Glee

It could be argued that The Voice helped prop up Smash during its first season, and one of Glee's highest rated episodes had Idol as a lead-in, so I can see a situation where FOX puts one of its signature scripted shows after its heaviest hitters. Pairing up Glee with the two singing reality shows could be too much music for one night, but I do think it's time for it to play with the big boys on Thursday nights.

Fridays
8-9p: Alcatraz
9-10p: Fringe

I'll be frank; I don't think either Alcatraz or Fringe should be renewed, but I don't know if FOX has any other options. It's doubtful that it will want to cancel ALL of its new shows, and that's what's going to keep Alcatraz and Touch alive for one more year. Fringe has had its shot to make an impact, and it's failed to do so, but I can see Warner Bros. cutting a deal with FOX to keep it on the air for one last season like it did with Chuck. It just sucks that The Finder has to draw the short straw when it comes to low-rated FOX shows that could live on.

Mid-Season: The Asset, The Goodwin Games, Guilty, Kitchen Nightmares, Little Brother, Rebounding and Touch.

Once again, these are merely my predictions and should not be taken as fact unless I'm right. Next up: NBC.