UPFRONTS 2019: FOX's Official Fall Schedule

Here is the FOX fall schedule!

Past FOX Upfronts: 2018   2017   2016   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 9-1-1 (3rd season)
9:00 PRODIGAL SON

FOX's many changes start on Mondays where one of their top shows, 9-1-1 slides from 9pm to the lead-off slot at 8pm. It will lead into the new crime thriller Prodigal Son. The trailer for Prodigal seems pretty dark so it will be interesting to see how it fits airing after a show that has some intense moments, but also a ton of comedic ones too. FOX made a last minute drama addition in a 9-1-1 spinoff: 9-1-1: Lone Star, which will launch out of the NFC Championship Game and presumably take 9-1-1's slot for awhile in the winter/spring.






TUESDAYS
8:00 The Resident (3rd season)
9:00 Empire (6th season)
Tuesdays are revamped yet again. It will kick things off with The Resident, which is the only FOX drama that aired a traditional full season this year. It was very stable throughout season two on Mondays but not will be on the move to Tuesdays. I don't see a reason why it would do much worse here. It is followed by the sixth and final season of Empire, once TV's breakout hit. Empire has declined every year following its meteoric season one rise, but it still remains a solid performer and will get a chance to go out on its own terms.




WEDNESDAYS
8:00 The Masked Singer (2nd season)
9:00 NOT JUST ME

There was a lot of questions about what FOX would do with The Masked Singer. Would they air it in the fall or would it get the post-Super Bowl timeslot and air in the spring? The answer is both! TV's breakout hit will air two editions in 2019-20. The first will air in the fall and will be followed by the new drama Not Just Me. The drama seems the most "off-brand" for FOX, but it is given a huge vote of confidence with this timeslot. Airing next to The Masked Singer was even good for Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back. Of course this is assuming that Masked can be a phenomenon again next season. One of FOX's other new dramas like Deputy or neXT seems like a likely spring companion.





THURSDAYS
8:00 Thursday Night Football
FOX will air football in the fall. The plan for now is to carve out a comedy hour at midseason with Last Man Standing and the new Outmatched followed by new drama Filthy Rich.

FRIDAYS
8:00 WWE Smackdown
As announced months ago, FOX will air the WWE Smackdown year round on Friday nights starting in October.

SATURDAYS
8:00 FOX Sports Saturday

SUNDAYS
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Encores
8:00 The Simpsons (31st season)
8:30 BLESS THE HARTS
9:00 Bob's Burgers (10th season)
9:30 Family Guy (17th season)
FOX is even switching up its Sunday lineup a bit and leaning all in on animation with a new entry in the fall and another two on deck. The Simpsons retains its 8pm slot for season 31(!) It will be followed by the new Bless the Harts, which seems like it could fit well into the dysfunctional family theme of the night. Bob's Burgers takes over the 9pm anchor from Family Guy in a sign of confidence for a show that always made the best of bad circumstances and now routinely outrates Guy. Family Guy will leave the 9pm timeslot in the fall for the first time since 2004 and will now take the 9:30pm slot, which is a better fit than once again trying to launch something new here, animated or otherwise.

MIDSEASON: 9-1-1: LONE STAR, DEPUTY, DUNCANVILLE, FILTHY RICH, THE GREAT NORTH, NEXT, OUTMATCHED, ULTIMATE TAG, Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back, Last Man Standing, Masterchef Junior, The Orville
FOX has a lot on deck for summer. Shows without confirmed or presumed landing spots include The Orville, unscripted Ultimate Tag, and the Gordon Ramsay shows. But there will be opportunities if things fail or with some other limited runs or winter hiatuses.

CANCELLED/ENDED: The Cool Kids, The Gifted, Gotham, Lethal Weapon, Mental Samurai, The Passage, Proven Innocent, Rel, Star

TO SUM UP:
A year ago, we were very worried that New FOX meant the beginning of the end of scripted programming on the network. Then they went ahead and ordered 10 new scripted series for next season so they clearly aren't giving up despite their biggest hit this season being an unscripted show. I am much more encouraged about the direction of New FOX and they did what I always want networks to do: pick up a ton of shows to see what works. This is also coming from a network that had a pretty stable arsenal of dramas even before these pickups. I know a lot of these shows won't work and will be on the cancellation list a year from now. But if even two of their six new dramas work and they can get something from Outmatched and one of their animated comedies, that's a great year. The odds go up for finding success with the more option they have. I think the new regime at FOX has a good head on its shoulders and I like where they're heading with the network.