Over the next week or so, I will be giving my midseason schedule suggestions for the networks starting today with FOX!
It has been a rough fall for FOX. Minority Report was DOA, Scream Queens has been a huge disappointment, the Tuesday night comedies are doing very little, the Sunday lineup is weak even on football nights, and even Empire has dropped each week though it remains the top show in the demo. So, there is a lot to do and FOX honestly does not have enough on the bench to make a difference. Of course, I thought the same thing last year and Empire then set the TV world on fire. They have The X-Files, but that is only six weeks. Other than that, everything just gets a shrug from me. This was a hard schedule to put together because I just don't think there's much they can do that will make things work well.
MONDAYS
8:00 (Jan) The X-Files/(Mar) Gotham
9:00 (Jan) Lookinglass/(Apr) Lucifer
FOX already has a plan for Mondays with The X-Files returning for its six episode "event" series bowing in late January after the NFC Championship Game. They also plan to pair it with Luther, which is supposedly a bigger priority for them. But I would go with Lookinglass. Neither drama seems too strong but Lookinglass seems like it could be a better pair with X-Files, which will surely be hot out of the gate. Gotham can return in March after the short run of The X-Files. If Lookinglass doesn't work or when its 13 episode order comes to an end, Lucifer can slide in (or vice versa, I suppose).
TUESDAYS
(Jan)
8:00 New Girl
8:30 New Girl
9:00 Scream Queens
(Feb)
8:00 New Girl
8:30 The Guide to Surviving Life
9:00 Grandfathered
9:30 The Grinder
We know New Girl is returning in January. I'm not sure if it has a 22 episode order or not but if it does, I would double pump it in January leading into the final episodes of the season for Scream Queens. Then I would leave it at 8pm and make a night of comedy. Yes, Grandfathered and The Grinder aren't doing much but give them a chance in a full comedy block because it's not like FOX has a ton on the bench. If they don't improve, cancel them in May. The 8:30pm slot can be the newest comedy option, The Guide to Surviving Life.
WEDNESDAYS
(Jan)
8:00 American Idol
(Feb)
8:00 American Idol
9:00 Empire
With this being American Idol's final season, I could see a small bounce for it and I just don't see anything on FOX's schedule that could pair with Empire anyway, so why not let its long running hit go out in a better situation. Air two hour Idol episodes until Empire returns from its winter hiatus.
THURSDAYS
8:00 Bones
9:00 Rosewood
I would put the two procedural dramas on Thursdays. Rosewood probably can't survive without Empire, but FOX needs to see if that's the case. If it could work with any other show, it would probably be Bones. This would be an old skewing night but it could probably keep its head afloat especially with Idol editions once in awhile.
FRIDAYS
8:00 Masterchef Junior
9:00 (Jan) Sleepy Hollow/(Feb) World's Funniest
I would bench Sleepy Hollow to Fridays sooner rather than later. Masterchef Junior may need to go save another night in which case FOX could air World's Funniest at 8pm Fridays to lead into Sleepy Hollow.
SUNDAYS
7:00 Animated Encores
7:30 Bob's Burgers
8:00 The Simpsons
8:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9:00 Family Guy
9:30 (Jan) The Last Man on Earth/(Mar) Bordertown
Despite its miniscule ratings, I don't think there's much tinkering FOX can do with this lineup this year except bring on the new Bordertown so I would add that after The Last Man on Earth finishes its episode order.
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