The impending dog and pony show may include echoes of “business as usual,” a spiel offered to press earlier in the year, but the fact remains that no one really knows what is going to happen to Fox.
The 2018-19 season, if all goes according to plan, will see the completion of Disney’s acquisition of the network’s sister properties (read: the prolific TV studio, long its programming pipeline). A leadership change is almost guaranteed — and a new game plan with it. So the question of “Will Star get renewed?” seems kind of trivial in comparison.
One thing is certain: Fox has way fewer hours to fill next year. Its pact with the NFL for Thursday Night Football will suck up more than 30 hours of space previously occupied by original programming, lessening the recent pressure to find a reality hit to fill the void left by American Idol in 2016. And while Thursday’s game is the NFL’s least-enticing offer, it will still do a lot to lift the network’s modest linear returns of late.
As far as scripted programming is concerned, the playbook already seems a bit different. Studio 20th Century Fox Television original Last Man Standing, canceled at ABC in 2017, is being revived at Fox with hopes of courting its older, middle American audience. The order is an abrupt left turn for Fox’s comedy brand, which has long catered to millennials, with the quirk of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the late New Girl and acerbic cartoons such as Family Guy and The Simpsons. On the drama front, Ryan Murphy’s 911 was a surprise hit, and Empire continues to drive the bus. New orders will reflect the network’s desire to duplicate their success.
But, one year down the line, Fox may be something else entirely. So expect its May 14 play for advertisers to be one that focuses on reassurance, keeps its eye on the short game and hypes Thursday Night Football. Keep track of all the renewals, cancellations and new show orders with THR’s scorecards for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW and with all the latest pilot pickups and passes with our handy guide. For complete coverage, bookmark THR.com/upfronts.
THR will update this post with all the latest series orders, renewals and cancellations as Fox’s 2018-19 schedule takes focus ahead of its upfront presentation to Madison Avenue ad buyers.
RENEWED
Empire |T he Lee Daniels and Danny Strong hip-hop drama starring Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard and from 20th Century Fox Television will be back for a fifth season.
The Simpsons | The animated comedy from Matt Groening and showrunner Al Jean this season became TV’s longest-running primetime series and is in the second year of a two-season renewal, it’s 30th season overall. The 20th TV comedy is poised to become a Disney property should the $52.4 billion Disney deal earn regulatory approval.
The Orville | Seth MacFarlane’s live-action hourlong space dramedy had an impressive short-order run last fall and earned an early second season pickup. Meanwhile, MacFarlane continues to mull his future as his overall deal with 20th TV expires this spring.
911 | The Ryan Murphy-produced first responders procedural starring Peter Krause and Angela Bassett earned a speedy renewal after breaking out during its midseason bow. It will wind up being the prolific showrunner’s last series produced for Fox at 20th TV after his upcoming move to Netflix. Showrunner Tim Minear will remain at the helm after signing a new overall deal with the studio. Expect another big-name addition to the cast in season two, as Connie Britton eyes a reduced role after signing a one-year deal for the freshman call.
The Resident | The medical drama starring Emily VanCamp and Matt Czuchry has been a reliable performer for the network, averaging a 1.9 in the advertiser-coveted demo and nearly 8 million total viewers. The 20th TV drama from s exec producers Todd Harthan and Amy Holden Jones will be back for a second season.
NEW SERIES
No new pickups yet.
ON THE BUBBLE/AWAITING WORD
Bob’s Burgers | As animated comedies have become the next genre to be rapidly scooped up by streamers, Loren Bouchard’s Emmy-winning hit awaits word on a ninth season pickup. It is expected to return.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | While not a ratings breakout, the Andy Samberg cop comedy from exec producers Dan Goor and Mike Schur remains a critical favorite. Sources note the series went into its current fifth season with an eye toward an endgame, though the series remains firmly on the bubble and could earn a sixth season. That the single-camera comedy is produced by an outside studio — Universal Television — may eventually help its fortunes given the pending Disney pact.
The Exorcist | The second-year comedy starring Alfonso Herrera and Ben Daniels underwent a casting reboot in its second season as the anthology-like drama from 20th TV also lost leading lady Geena Davis. Ratings slipped year-over-year as the sequel to the 1973 feature film from showrunner Jeremy Slater remains on the bubble.
Family Guy | A 17th season renewal for the Seth MacFarlane animated comedy hinges on the showrunner’s future with the studio and new deals for its voice cast as the five-season deals for Seth Green, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis and Mike Henry expire this season.
Gotham | The Batman prequel from Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment stars Ben McKenzie and is awaiting word on its fifth season.
Last Man on Earth | The post-apocalyptic comedy created by and starring Will Forte may be this season’s New Girl as sources note the single-camera comedy from 20th TV could return for an abbreviated a fifth and final season — if it returns at all.
Lethal Weapon | The reboot of the feature film franchise of the same name would have been a slam dunk to return for a third season after serving as one of the network’s most-watched dramas. However, star Clayne Crawford’s bad behavior has turned the procedural into a bubble show as his apology may not be enough to score the Warner Bros. Television drama a pickup.
Lucifer | The DC Entertainment drama from Warner Bros. Television remains on the bubble for a fourth season renewal. The Tom Ellis and Lauren German starrer averages a 1.4 in the demo and 5 million total viewers with seven days of DVR.
The Mick | The Kaitlin Olson comedy from 20th TV remains an internal favorite and scored an additional seven-episode order in its sophomore season. With New Girl ending and broadcasters looking to program to middle America, The Mick appears poised for a third season.
Star | The musical Empire spinoff starring Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt crossed over with the flagship in its second season and helped to give Fox a larger piece of its hit franchise. In its second season, the series also changed showrunners with Karin Gist becoming the third to lead the series.
Ghosted | One of the hottest packages last development season, the Adam Scott and Craig Robinson X-Files farce averaged a 1.6 in the demo and 4 million total viewers, nearly doubling its same-day returns when factoring in seven days of DVR. Produced by 20th TV, it’s considered unlikely to return given the price tag on the series.
L.A. to Vegas | The Dylan McDermott airline comedy, which counts Modern Family‘s Steve Levitan among its exec producers, had a strong first flight with Fox handing out a quick three-episode pickup. The series, from 20th TV, grows 50 percent among viewers and the demo when adding DVR returns. It’s expected to earn a second season.
CANCELED
New Girl | Zooey Deschanel’s adorkable comedy from 20th TV is ending its run after seven seasons.
