TV Interview!
Interview with FOX Entertainment Executives by Suzanne 5/17/21
This was FOX’s press conference/interview before their Upfronts announcement. I was happy to be there, but they only took a few questions.
FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: FOX 2021 Executive Press Conference Call
May 17, 2021/1:30 p.m. CDT
SPEAKERS
Charlie Collier – CEO, FOX Entertainment
Marianne Gambelli â President, Advertising Sales, FOX
Michael Thorn – President, Entertainment, FOX Entertainment
Rob Wade â President, Alternative Entertainment & Specials, FOX Entertainment
Farhad Massoudi – CEO and Founder, Tubi
Dan Harrison â EVP, Program Planning and Content Strategy, FOX Entertainment
Jean Guerin â EVP, Corporate Communications & Publicity, FOX Entertainment
PRESENTATION
Moderator                  Welcome to the FOX 2021 Executive Press Conference Call. At this time, your telephone lines are on a listen-only mode. Later, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers, with instructions [background noise]. [Operator instructions].
I will now turn the conference call over to your host, Jean Guerin. Please go ahead.
Jean                            Thanks so much. And thank you, Alan. Good morning, and good afternoon for some of you.  Thanks for joining us here today. You should have all received our press release this morning. There are a few photos attached to that. But before we get started, just a few reminders.
Todayâs press release and all comments made during todayâs call are under embargo until after FOXâs upfront, after the presentation at five p.m. Eastern today. So, please hold on all posts [background noise] until then, with the exception, of course, of live tweeting during the presentation.
Following the presentation, all program descriptions and photos will be available on our press site, which, as you know, is FOXflash.com. Available trailers from our new series were sent to each of you to post immediately following our presentation today.
Joining us today to talk about the 2021 and â22 season are Charlie Collier, CEO, FOX Entertainment; Marianne Gambelli, President of Advertising Sales, FOX; Michael Thorn, President, FOX Entertainment; Rob Wade, President, Alternative and Specials, FOX Entertainment. We also have Farhad Massoudi, CEO and Founder of Tubi, and Dan Harrison, EVP of Program Planning and Content Strategy, FOX Entertainment.
With that, Iâm going to hand it over to Charlie, who, prior to opening up to Q&A, heâll walk through our FOX Entertainment strategy and fall schedule.
Charlie                       Thanks, Jean, and good morning, everyone. Iâll go off the record to start. I know youâre really busy, and weâre not going to just [indiscernible] up front with this, but off the record, we bought Discovery this morning, and weâre going to announce it after the upfront.
So, now back on the record, before I begin, I hope everyoneâs doing really well. Itâs been, not even trite to say, an unbelievable year, and Iâm really happy to be speaking with all of you in person again. And I hope weâre in person sometime soon, in the truest sense of the word, back at the beacon. Itâs hard to believe it was more than a year ago when the world was shut down back in March of 2020. FOX immediately went to work to produce TVâs first living room concert hosted by Sir Elton John. And if you remember, it was Sir Elton John from his kitchen. It featured Billy Eilish and Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato and more. And for us, that was a truly moving and confidence-inspiring moment, at a time when I think a lot of people really needed it.
And then over the summer and under the strictest of protocols, Robâs team really just dove in and they produced a new series, I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE, as well as a new season of THE MASKED SINGER. And all this is to say that when the pandemic hit last year, we pivoted quickly, and under extraordinary conditions we kept building. Our FOX structure, as a nimble and more agile entertainment company, really enabled us to adapt and innovate under the circumstances. The pandemic, in many ways, gave us the chance to build on our strategic strengths, fortifying our operations, and creating new business models.
So, for example, throughout our development process this season, we were able to pivot to work with creators in ways we hadnât before, capitalizing on the extra time during the lockdown. We opened things like virtual writerâs rooms to refine, polish, and shape multiple scripted series in numerous ways across numerous projects, and we did so with care and attention, and some terrific rooms that probably wouldnât have been the case, if not for the pandemic.
At the same time, we were broadening our broadcast model with the acquisition of our AVoD streaming service, Tubi. As you heard from Jean, Farhadâs on the call. That was back in April. And like FOX, weâre so pleased to say Tubi is free. There are no paywalls, no subscriptions, and itâs an example of our commitment to, especially in the upfront context, commitment to our advertising partners.
And so, as FOX focuses on going broad in its programming, Tubi goes deep, and we announced, I think you heard, 140-plus hours of original programming next season to speak to viewersâ passions. Iâd be remiss if I didnât also mention Bento Box, which is our animation company. Theyâve also thrived growing our wholly-owned businesses for FOX, but also well beyond FOX, and theyâre launching new businesses, like the NFT and Blockchain companies weâll be announcing today.
In a much more traditional sense, FOX is on track to win the season again. We have the number one new entertainment series, the number one new comedy, the number one new unscripted show, actually the number one entertainment series overall in THE MASKED SINGER. We got there with a strategy that I really laid out two years ago at the Beacon Theatre, which was about putting the biggest night of American sports next to the best of entertainment night after night.
Another part of that strategy was taking our strongest shows and building new programming off the strength of those existing shows. And no surprise, weâre deploying that strategy once again using the 9-1-1 franchise, both 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 LONE STAR; but, of course, THE MASKED SINGER, THE RESIDENT, and some of our biggest sporting events to help launch new dramas. Youâve probably heard or read about most of them, but including THE BIG LEAP, OUR KIND OF PEOPLE, MONARCH, THE CLEANING LADY, and new comedies, PIVOTING, KRAPOPOLIS, and WELCOME TO FLATCH.
Thereâs also new unscripted series, ALTER EGO and NEXT LEVEL CHEF, among quite a few others.
So, look, we believe in entertainment that reflects the culture. For example, our new shows have themes that speak to hope and second chances and reinvention. We believe people want to watch shows that give voice and value to those who have often been left out or gone unheard. And FOX is known for putting shows on like that that you wouldnât find anywhere else, and the lineup weâre announcing today continues to build upon that legacy.
At its best, broadcast can connect millions of people across the country doing the same thing at the same time, all tuned in to programming that pierces popular culture and brings us closer together.
Michael Thorn is to my right, FOXâs Head of Scripted Entertainment, and Rob Wade, fresh off his second vaccination shot, is FOXâs President of Alternative Programming. Theyâre both here with us, and they can certainly talk about those themes and expand upon them. I will take the opportunity to say theyâve done just an amazing job to take advantage of the unusual time thatâs been presented to us, working largely virtually with our creators to refine and plan for the future of these shows, and so many more youâre about to hear about.
Jean mentioned that also with us is my partner in crime and FOX EVP of Program Planning and Content Strategy, Dan Harrison. So, if you have any schedule questions or other, please fire away. And Farhad Massoudi, as I said, our CEO and Founder, and just a great fast friend and partner from Tubi is here as well; as is the most important person in New York, Marianne Gambelli, who obviously runs all of our ad sales efforts.
So, look, weâre looking forward to great and continued success next season, as we build what we call the FOX Entertainment of the Future. Weâre working with some of the industryâs top talent and creators. Thatâs what drives us. And weâre continuing to build the company on a platform, a content-focused, and an audience-first basis.
And with that, please, why donât we open the call for questions.
Moderator                  [Operator instructions]. Weâll first go to the line of Rick Porter with The Hollywood Reporter. Go ahead, please.
Rick                           Good afternoon, everybody. You guys ordered a lot more new series than you did at this point last year, which I know, in part, was due to the pandemic and everything. Iâm curious also, though, if youâre sort of building up the library in anticipation of not having football in a yearâs time.
Charlie                       Iâll start, and then, Michael, I donât know if you want to join. This is Charlie, Rick. Good to hear from you. Thanks for the question. We very much were focused on developing year-round, and doing some of the things I just mentioned in my opening remarks, which is really trying to build on the legacy of some of our stronger franchises, and then build complementary, both scripted and unscripted, on top of that.
But, no, of course we knew that Thursday Night Football would not be returning before we announced it, but weâve been very much focused on this year, and then doing our traditional development for next year. And as weâve been focused on that Thursday night specifically, which you asked about in the second part of your question, thereâs nothing to announce today, but weâve very much been working on trying to bring urgency and spectacle to a night like that, just knowing in advance that we have so much time to plan.
Michael                      Yes, and as part of all-year-round development strategy, I know youâve heard us talk about this, but we donât believe thereâs a one-size-fits-all process for development. So, just to give a recent pickup example, our new series ACCUSED is for â22-â23, and the best way we believeâwhen I say we, I mean FOX and Sony and Howard Gordon and Alex Gansaâbelieve to set that show up for success is to really get ahead of it in the scripts, and really take our time to kind of cast this unique crime anthology series.
And so, weâre getting ahead of it for the next season, and we believe this kind of all-year-round strategy allows us to continue to be in business with people like Howard and Alex, or Lee Daniels and some of the other people that weâve just announced pickups with. It leads into our nimbleness, we believe.
[Technical difficulties caused a delay]
Moderator                  âŚand weâre going to go ahead and open the line of Brian Steinberg. Go ahead, please.
Mr. Steinberg, if youâre still connected, please press one then zero again at this time. One moment, please. Brian, your line is open. Go ahead, please.
Brian                          Can you hear me?
Charlie                       We got you.
Brian                          Wow. Hi, everyone. Thanks for taking my question. I appreciate it. I really just wanted to ask, given how the worldâs changing, what percentage of your viewing do you think [indiscernible] Tubi of your new programming this year? And maybe even from Marianne, what percentage of ad sales will you be aiming at Tubi, do you expect to have from Tubi this year?
Charlie                       Thanks so much for the question. We are really focused onâand especially today with announcing the FOX schedule, and for anything thatâs FOX owned, you will see it appear on Tubi the way you do THE MASKED SINGER and Gordon Ramsay shows, and that sort of stuff. On the other hand, the original programming for Tubi, the 140-plus hours we talked about, obviously, that is solely for Tubi and directly to Tubi, based on the data and audience information we have there.
Marianne, I donât know if you want to jump in on the ad sales sideâ
Marianne                    Sure. I mean, we are looking at Tubi as the perfect broadcast extension to our FOX linear products. It extends audience to younger, more diverse audiences, obviously like TV viewers. So, while I donât have exact percentages for you, Brian, itâs a big focus of ours to match the growth of the audience in this space, and I think the shift that weâre going to see of dollars to support AVoD, given the comfort [ph] that people have gotten and the great results theyâre seeing on the platform.
We do expect it to be a big part of how we go to market. Itâs a perfect extension for what we sell.
Charlie                       Iâd say similar to that, we see, so often, where weâre promoting something on the network for its network premieres, the like-minded shows and the similar series back seasons start to perform even better on Tubi. So, itâs pretty remarkable how easily the viewers adapt to going broad with us, and then going deep with Tubi.
Moderator                  We will go next to the line of Tony Maglio from the TheWrap.  Go ahead, please.
Tony                           I wanted to ask about THE MASKED DANCER. I didnât see it anywhere. Normally I would expect to see will wait until midseason, so this makes me wonder what weâre doing with it. Is it summer? Is it something that you just want to plug in where you need it? What are your thoughts? I donât want to get ahead of myself and assume that you have a spot for it.
Rob                            Yes. So, obviously, weâre really happy with THE MASKED DANCER.  Thought it was a great show. Currently, we are just figuring out where it fits into our âMaskedâ strategy. As you saw, weâve announced the singer for the fall, and really weâre just looking to see where and when that will play best at the moment. MASKED DANCER, as well, we filmed kind of right in the middle of the pandemic. It was in October time, and we took a lot of lessons from it.
We have some really nice ideas should there be a Season Two, and weâre figuring out when and where that might be.
Jean                            Weâre ready for the next question. Alan, can you hear us?
Moderator                  My apologies. Thatâll be from the line of Eric Deggans with National Public Radio.  Go ahead.
Eric                            Thanks so much for doing this, even through all the technical difficulty. Even now, as upfront week is beginning, itâs being overshadowed a little bit by this news about the AT&T and Discovery deal that seems to be centered on streaming.  And it just strikes me that you guys at FOX almost seem to be the antithesis of what the media industry is focused on, which is big streaming companies, like Netflix and Disney, and a turn away from broadcasting.
So, how do you guys make the argument to the industry and to the public that a network like FOX is still relevant, and the smaller scale stuff that youâre doing since the sale of assets to Disney is the future of television, from your perspective? How do you make that case?
Charlie                       Well, first of all, thanks for the question. Good to hear from you. I should lead by saying weâre in this space deliberately, and itâs been a strategic choice, if you think about, you mentioned the big guys. Itâs been well-documented. I think [indiscernible] said it recently on one of his conference calls, that it was seeing that Disney, the combination of the 20th assets with Disney would allow them to compete in this space, and would allow us to construct a more nimble and focused company. And the choice was to focus on free and ad-supported.
So far, Iâll say it in the context, because todayâs upfront day, in the context of broadcasting, weâre going to be the number one network on the key demo for the second year in a row. It happened quickly, and I believe because we were focused on. And then, obviously, Tubi, as ad-supported, free streaming service, puts (audio dropped here) space, but again, focused on what makes us special, which is free and ad-supported.
And so, you look at what we do best, I talk about the strategy a lot, which is the best of live sports, next to the best of entertainment, and we think we can have both cultural [indiscernible] live events, and pierce popular culture with our original programming in meaningful ways.
I also will point out that a phrase weâre fond of is that you canât corner the market on creativity. And if you look at the incredible creative minds that weâre working with on both sides of the camera, if you look at whoâs attracted to our platforms as the place to bring their passion projects, obviously weâve brought Lee Daniels back to the network. We have Dan Harmon joining with his next animated series. We feel like we are a place where everyone knows weâre focused on elevating their work, not in bulk, but doing fewer things better, and combining, is pretty great to have a startup mentality and the Super Bowl and World Series. Thatâs been our strength, and itâs going to continue to be.
And now with Tubi, I think weâre powered for both breadth and network leadership.
Moderator                  Weâll go next to Mike Hughes with TV America. Go ahead, please.
Mike                           Charlie, this is a much smaller scale question here. So far, youâve been going with 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 LONE STAR together on Mondays. Now, you donât say it specifically, but Iâm kind of guessing that youâre going to have 9-1-1 on Mondays, and then after that youâre going to have 9-1-1 LONE STAR later on in the year in the same time slot, so you can springboard other shows after it.
But kind of talk a little bit about that. First of all, would you plan on running 9-1-1 all the way through, and then go to LONE STAR, or would you stop for a while and go? And second of all, why do you like this approach better, to make the 9:00 open for new shows?
Charlie                       Well, Iâll start, and then to my left on your radio dial is Dan Harrison, and he can add to it, because we obviously place a lot of emphasis on our schedule.
To start with, we think the Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear shows are two of the most exciting broadcast offerings out there, and they are powerful together and apart. This yearâs schedule, we get the best of both of those. One of the things you mentioned, and itâs an insightful question, is that we are eliminating what we sometimes refer to as the bridge, but basically, youâre right. Weâre going to run right from 9-1-1 into 9-1-1: LONE STAR, and weâll take advantage of, obviously, in the fall, the World Series, and in the, as we get into the football season, the NFL and then the NFL playoffs.
So, there are just amazing opportunities to keep the 9-1-1 franchise vibrant throughout the year with far fewer weeks without originals in them.
Dan, you want to go from there?
Dan                            Yes. Thank you, Charlie. We build nights, and having a night where we can launch new drama assets that will be with us for hopefully seasons to come was an important priority when we constructed the fall schedule. Monday night is a night of drama; Tuesday, drama; Wednesday, reality. We have our Sunday animation franchise, but creating room to hopefully produce a long-running asset for the network with a BIG LEAP in the fall, meant that we needed to find a place for LONE STAR. And we only have 18 episodes of both series. So, we thought that we had constructed a clever way to both maximize the power of the 9-1-1 franchise, and create new assets that would be with us.
Moderator                  Weâll go next to the line of Adam Buckman with MediaPost. Go ahead, please.
Adam                         I appreciate this very much. I appreciate this very much, but my question was asked by a previous questioner, and it has been answered adequately. So, thank you.
Charlie                       Well then, let me ask you a question.
Adam                         [Overlapping voices] you want to know.
Moderator                  [Operator instructions]. Weâll go next to the line of Jennifer Mass with TheWrap. Go ahead, please.
Jennifer                      Actually, circle back to 9-1-1 and LONE STAR, I did want to ask if this will limit the potential to do another crossover episode, because having them back-to-back [indiscernible] this time around. Do you have any ideas on that and what you might give Tim the ability to do since they wonât be airing back-to-back?
Charlie                       Itâs a great question. This is Charlie, and then Iâll turn it over to Michael. But like I said, in this schedule, which, obviously, we donât just look at the fall, but we look all the way through the season, we, as Dan said, are taking advantage of using the 8:00 slot to really lead 9-1-1 into 9-1-1: LONE STAR, and then after football season, theyâll be back-to-back again from 8:00 to 10:00 on Mondays.
Michael, you want to add to the question?
Michael                      You know our bag of tricks. While weâre using those to launch new shows, as Charlie and Dan said, it will still be almost half of the schedule will be paired in a really powerful block in the second half, which, as Charlie said, itâs a win-win. But somewhere as weâre bringing the show back, keep an eye out forâspoiler alert, keep an eye out for a crossover in the back half of the season.
Charlie                       Itâll be about disaster of a phone call, where it drops off in the middle of an upfront phone call. Youâll love it.
Moderator                  Weâll go next to the line of Carissa Pavlica with TV Fanatic. Go ahead, please.
Carissa                       Thank you so much for taking my call. I really appreciate the renewals today. Along those 
lines, Iâm wondering with Morris Chestnut on both THE RESIDENT and the new show, is that going to continue, and was that a recent, like a determining factor for why those two shows are paired together?
Michael                      [Audio muffled]. Itâs certainly a nice benefit. Weâre thrilled to have Morris on both shows. Weâre really excited about OUR KIND OF PEOPLE, and just announcing Morris is one of the leads in that, along with Yaya DaCosta. We think itâs going to be an incredible cast from incredible creators with Karin [Gist] and Lee [Daniels].
And to your point about having Morris in both shows, schedules permitting, we do hope to keep Morrisâ character in THE RESIDENT. His storyline is terrific. THE RESIDENT is a big broad show for us. Weâre really proud of it, and we think itâs a great pairing with OUR KIND OF PEOPLE in the fall, and our country music drama MONARCH in spring.
Jean                            We have time for one more question. I know that we had that interruption, so weâre just going a little beyond the time right now just to make up for that.
One more question, Alan.
Charlie                       Alan, you still there?
Moderator                  Yes, my apologies. I had actually closed out the Q&A session. If you did want to take one more question, we can have participants press one then zero at this time.
Jean                            Well, if there are no more questions actually, then we can actually, this will be a good time for us to wrap our call. So, we thank everybody so much for joining us today. We really do appreciate everybody taking the time to join us today to talk about the 2021-2022 programming schedule and slate.
We look forward to having you guys enjoy our upfront presentation later this afternoon at one p.m. Pacific Time, four p.m. Eastern. Thatâs in 55 minutes, so please tune in. Weâll talk to you in a little while.  Thank you.
Moderator                  Ladies and gentlemen, this conference will be made available for replay beginning at 10:30 p.m. tonight, May 17th, and running until May 20, 2021 at four p.m.
That will conclude our conference call for today.
MORE INFO:
FOX ANNOUNCES NEW PRIMETIME SCHEDULE FOR 2021-2022 SEASON
FOUR NEW DRAMAS, TWO NEW COMEDIES, FOUR NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES AND ONE NEW ANIMATED COMEDY JOIN LINEUP, TAPPING INTO THEMES OF HOPE, SECOND CHANCES AND REINVENTION
UPLIFTING DRAMEDY âTHE BIG LEAP,â STARRING SCOTT FOLEY, TO PREMIERE THIS FALL
FAMILY DRAMA âOUR KIND OF PEOPLE,â FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS LEE DANIELS AND KARIN GIST, AND STARRING YAYA DaCOSTA AND MORRIS CHESTNUT, ALSO TO DEBUT THIS FALL
ALL-NEW SINGING COMPETITION SERIES âALTER EGOâ LAUNCHES THIS FALL,
FOLLOWING THE #1 SHOW ON TELEVISION, âTHE MASKED SINGERâ
GORDON RAMSAYâS NEW COOKING COMPETITION SERIES, âNEXT LEVEL CHEF,â PREMIERES MIDSEASON
COUNTRY MUSIC FAMILY DRAMA âMONARCHâ BEGINS ITS TWO-NIGHT PREMIERE EVENT, FOLLOWING THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, AND CONTINUES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
THRILLING DRAMA âTHE CLEANING LADY,â STARRING ELODIE YUNG, TO PREMIERE MIDSEASON
SMALL-TOWN DOCU-COM âWELCOME TO FLATCH,â FROM DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
PAUL FEIG AND WRITER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JENNY BICKS, TO LAUNCH MIDSEASON
ELIZA COUPE, GINNIFER GOODWIN AND MAGGIE Q TO STAR IN
NEW COMEDY âPIVOTING,â PREMIERING MIDSEASON
Contemporary Version of Iconic Drama FANTASY ISLAND to Launch In August
THE GREAT NORTH Renewed for Third Season;
All-New ANIMATION DOMINATION Returns in Fall for Night of Great Comedy
Season Five of Top Drama 9-1-1 Anchors Monday Nights in the Fall;Â
Season Five of THE RESIDENT Returns to Tuesdays this Fall; 9-1-1: LONE STAR Renewed for Season Three, Premieres Midseason; Season Two of CALL ME KAT Set for Midseason
Additional All-New Unscripted Series Premiering Midseason Include DOMINO MASTERS,
hosted by Eric Stonestreet, and DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS!, hosted by Niecy Nash;
Hit Unscripted Series I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE, hosted by Ken Jeong, Also Returns at Midseason
Additional New Programming Includes Crime Anthology Series ACCUSED, from âHomelandâ and â24â Executive Producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa and âHouseâ Creator David Shore;
and All-New Animated Series KRAPOPOLIS, from âRick and Mortyâ Creator Dan Harmon
KRAPOPOLIS to Serve as First-Ever Animated Series Curated Entirely on the Blockchain,
as FOX Enters NFT Business to Create, Sell and Manage NFTs, Tokens and Digital Goods
Los Angeles, CA â Charlie Collier, CEO, FOX Entertainment, today will unveil the FOX primetime slate for the 2021-2022 television season to the national advertising community during its virtual Upfront Presentation. FOX, televisionâs #1 network for the second year in a row, is adding four new dramas, two new comedies, four new unscripted series and one new animated comedy to its lineup, tapping into themes such as renewal, second chances and reinvention. As FOX goes broad, its free, AVOD streaming service, Tubi, is going deep with 140+ hours of original programming next season that speaks to viewersâ passions. Tubiâs original programming will include original documentaries from FOX Alternative Entertainment; animated titles from Bento Box Entertainment; and premium independent-minded titles across Black Cinema, thriller, horror, sci-fi, romance and western genres.
âWe are presenting a fall lineup that builds upon FOXâs legacy of bold stories and truth-telling-characters; stories that meet and reflect the cultural moment. FOX believes itâs a time for series that offer hope and to speak to American audiences with themes of reinvention and second chances,â Collier said. âAlongside our programming focus, we are forging ahead with a clear, 100% ad-supported vision. FOXâs acquisition of free-ad-focused Tubi has allowed us to expand our broadcast offering, bringing scale across both linear and streaming, all without any paywalls or subscriptions. This is a strategy that deepens FOXâs relationship with our audience and advertising partners, and it will continue to set FOX apart.â
The all-new dramas joining the already strong lineup of dramas, animated comedies and unscripted on FOX are THE BIG LEAP and OUR KIND OF PEOPLE.
THE BIG LEAP is a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back whatâs yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (âThe Passage,â âFriday Night Lightsâ), director/executive producer Jason Winer (âModern Familyâ) and executive producer Sue Naegle (âThe Plot Against Americaâ), the show revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of âSwan Lake.â Inspired by a U.K. reality format, THE BIG LEAP is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance and empowerment at any age. The series stars Scott Foley (âScandalâ), Teri Polo (âMeet the Parentsâ franchise), Piper Perabo (âCovert Affairs,â âCoyote Uglyâ), newcomer Simone Recasner, SerâDarius Blain (âJumanji: Welcome to the Jungleâ), Jon Rudnitsky (âCatch-22â), Raymond Cham Jr. (âFive Pointsâ), Mallory Jansen (âGalavantâ), Kevin Daniels (âModern Familyâ) and Anna Grace Barlow (âThe Goldbergsâ).
TRAILER FOR âTHE BIG LEAPâ
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Grahamâs provocative, critically acclaimed book, âOur Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,â the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Marthaâs Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for over 50 years. From executive producer Lee Daniels (âEmpire,â âThe United States Vs. Billie Holidayâ) and writer and executive producer Karin Gist (âStar,â âGreyâs Anatomyâ), OUR KIND OF PEOPLE follows a strong-willed, single mom as she sets out to reclaim her familyâs name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her own motherâs past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever. The show is a soapy, thrilling exploration of race and class in America and an unapologetic celebration of black resilience and achievement. The series stars Yaya DaCosta (âChicago Med,â âWhitneyâ) as Angela Vaughn and Morris Chestnut (THE RESIDENT) as Raymond DuPont.
The new unscripted series premiering this fall is ALTER EGO.
From FOX Alternative Entertainment and executive-produced by Matilda Zoltowski (âDancing with the Stars,â âWorld of Danceâ), ALTER EGO is an all-new original singing competition where lost dreams and second chances are reignited when singers from all walks of life become the stars theyâve always wanted to be. However, these contestants wonât perform as themselves. Rather, theyâll be given the chance to show how theyâve always wanted to be seen, creating their dream avatar ALTER EGO to reinvent themselves and perform like never before.
The new midseason dramas are THE CLEANING LADY and MONARCH.
From executive producer/writer Miranda Kwok (âThe 100â), executive producer/showrunner Melissa Carter (âQueen Sugarâ), executive producer/director Michael Offer (âHomeland,â âHow to Get Away with Murderâ) and executive producers Shay Mitchell (âYou,â âPretty Little Liarsâ), Rose Marie Vega and Paola Suarez, THE CLEANING LADY is a thrilling and emotionally driven character drama about a whip-smart Cambodian doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save her ailing son. However, when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, she becomes a cleaning lady for organized crime, using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld. The series stars Elodie Yung (âThe Hitmanâs Bodyguardâ), Adan Canto (âDesignated Survivor,â), Martha Millan (âThe OAâ) and newcomers Valentino and Sebastien LaSalle.
TRAILER FOR âTHE CLEANING LADYâ
MONARCH is an epic, multi-generational musical drama about Americaâs first family of country music. The series debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 30, immediately following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP, and continuing on Tuesday, Feb. 1. In MONARCH, from FOX Entertainment, the Romans are passionate and fiercely talented, but while their name is synonymous with honesty, the very foundation of this family’s success is a lie. When dangerous truths bubble to the surface, the Romansâ reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy. Nicky Roman, the brilliant and fierce heir to the crown, already battling an industry and world stacked against her, will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy. Itâs finally her turn. But is it too late? MONARCH is produced by FOX Entertainment. Melissa London Hilfers (âInstinctâ) serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Michael Rauch (âRoyal Painsâ) is an executive producer and showrunner. Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady (The Jackal Group) and Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment) also serve as executive producers.
The new midseason comedies are WELCOME TO FLATCH and PIVOTING.
Inspired by BBC Studiosâ BAFTA-winning BBC format, âThis Country,â WELCOME TO FLATCH (fka âThis Countryâ) is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy Award winner Jenny Bicks (âSex and the City,â âThe Greatest Showmanâ) and directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (âThe Office,â âBridesmaidsâ). When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town â their dreams, their concerns â they stumble upon the midwestern town of Flatch, which is made up of many eccentric personalities. Itâs a place you want to visit and maybe even stay. If there was a decent motel. Which there is not. The series stars newcomers Chelsea Holmes and Sam Straley, Seann William Scott (âLethal Weapon,â âAmerican Pieâ franchise), Aya Cash (âThe Boys,â âYouâre The Worstâ), Taylor Ortega (âSuccessionâ) and newcomers Krystal Smith and Justin Linville.
TRAILER FOR âWELCOME TO FLATCHâ
PIVOTING is a single-camera comedy about how we deal with life, death and all the crazy things that happen in between. Set in a small, middle-class town in Long Island, NY, the series follows three women â and close-knit childhood friends â as they cope with the death of the fourth member of their group. When faced with the reality that life is short, these women pivot, and alter their current paths, by way of a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions. These pivots will strengthen their bond and prove itâs never too late to screw up your life in the pursuit of happiness. Written and executive-produced by Liz Astrof (âThe Conners,â â2 Broke Girlsâ), the series stars Eliza Coupe (âHappy Endingsâ), Ginnifer Goodwin (âOnce Upon a Timeâ), Maggie Q (âDesignated Survivorâ), Tommy Dewey (âCasualâ), JT Neal (âBless This Messâ) and Marcello Reyes (âModern Familyâ).
TRAILER FOR âPIVOTINGâ
The new midseason unscripted series are NEXT LEVEL CHEF, DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS! and DOMINO MASTERS.
Gordon Ramsay is back with NEXT LEVEL CHEF, the next evolution in cooking competitions. Produced by FOX Alternative Entertainment and Studio Ramsay, the series features a one-of-a-kind culinary gauntlet â which Chef Ramsay designed — set on an iconic stage like youâve never seen. Over three stories high, each floor contains a stunningly different kitchen. From the glistening top floor to the challenging bottom of the basement, the ingredients will match the environment, because Ramsay believes the true test of a great chef is not only what they can do in the best of circumstances, but what kind of magic they can create in the worst! With a level playing field, Chef Ramsay has opened up the competition and scoured the country for the very best line cooks, home chefs, social media stars, food truck owners and everything in between, all competing against one and other with the goal of finding the food worldâs newest superstar. Joined by two elite names in the food world, chefs Nyesha Arrington and Gino D’Acampo, Ramsay and his co-mentors will leave no stone unturned, as they each recruit a group of the talented young chefs and take them under their wings. Ramsay and his friends will attempt to bring out the very best in their cooks, as they all try to find âthe one.â
Emmy Award nominee Niecy Nash hosts the all-new version of the popular game show DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS!, challenging contestantsâ musical memory, as they get one song closer to winning $1 million if they DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS! Contestants will choose songs from different genres, decades and musical artists, then theyâll take center stage to sing alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen â but suddenly the music will stop, and the words will disappear. Will the contestants belt out the correct missing lyrics, or freeze under pressure? If they sing nine songs correctly, they are presented with a No. 1 hit and sing the final missing lyrics for the top prize of $1 million. Itâs that simple: 10 songs, some missing lyrics, $1 million.
Hosted by multi-Emmy-Award-winning actor and comedian Eric Stonestreet (âModern Familyâ), DOMINO MASTERS brings imagination and creative ingenuity to life when teams of domino enthusiasts go head-to-head in a toppling tournament to create mind-blowing masterpieces, with infinite possibilities and thousands of tiles and unique kinetic devices. Stonestreet is joined by a panel of judges, including best-selling author and actress Danica McKellar (âMatchmaker Mysteriesâ), NFL Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis (âThe Challengeâ) and professional domino artist Steve Price, as 16 skilled teams compete against each other in ambitious building challenges to be crowned the countryâs most talented amateur domino topplers. In each episode, the teams will be given a bold theme and exciting custom.
elements to incorporate into their topple. The competing pairs who most impress the judges will progress to the next round, until the finale, during which the top teams will face off for a cash prize, the ultimate trophy and the grand title of DOMINO MASTERS.
Additional recently announced series include:
From executive producers Howard Gordon (â24,â âHomelandâ), Alex Gansa (â24,â âHomelandâ) and David Shore (âThe Good Doctor,â âHouseâ), ACCUSED is based on the BBCâs BAFTA-winning crime anthology, in which each episode opens in a courtroom on the accused without knowing their crime or how they ended up on trial, the drama is told from the defendantâs point of view. In ACCUSED, viewers discover how an ordinary person got caught up in an extraordinary situation, ultimately revealing how one wrong turn leads to another, until itâs too late to turn back.
KRAPOPOLIS is an animated comedy set in mythical ancient Greece from Emmy Award-winning creator Dan Harmon (âRick and Morty,â âCommunityâ). Centered on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters that tries to run one of the worldâs first cities without killing each other. Fully owned and financed by FOX Entertainment, the comedy will be produced by its Emmy Award-winning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment. Additionally, KRAPOPOLIS will serve as the first-ever animated series curated entirely on the Blockchain, as FOX and Bento Box enter the NFT business. The company will launch a dedicated marketplace for KRAPOPOLIS that will curate and sell digital goods, ranging from NFTs of one-of-a-kind character and background art and GIFs, as well as tokens that provide exclusive social experiences to engage and reward super fans.
This August, FOX travels to FANTASY ISLAND, with an all-new version of the classic show. A modern drama series, FANTASY ISLAND takes place at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Delving into the âwhat ifâ questions — both big and small — that keep us awake at night, each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who arrive with dreams and desires, and depart enlightened and transformed through the magical realism of Fantasy Island. Serving as steward of this mysterious island is ELENA ROARKE (Roselyn Sanchez, âDevious Maids,â âGrand Hotelâ), a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Elena set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her familyâs legacy. Sophisticated, insightful and always charming, her calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed. Assisting Elena is RUBY OKORO (Kiara Barnes, âThe Bold and the Beautifulâ), a young woman with an old soul who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness, and is given a new lease on life there; and pilot JAVIER (John Gabriel Rodriquez, âMirandaâs Rights,â âRosewoodâ), who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades.
FOXâs full 2021-2022 programming slate is â Dramas: 9-1-1, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, THE BIG LEAP, THE CLEANING LADY, FANTASY ISLAND, MONARCH, OUR KIND OF PEOPLE, THE RESIDENT; Comedies: BOBâS BURGERS, CALL ME KAT, DUNCANVILLE, FAMILY GUY, THE GREAT NORTH, HOUSEBROKEN, PIVOTING, THE SIMPSONS, WELCOME TO FLATCH; Unscripted:Â ALTER EGO, BEAT SHAZAM, CRIME SCENE KITCHEN, DOMINO MASTERS, DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS!, HELLâS KITCHEN, I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE, LEGO MASTERS, THE MASKED SINGER, MASTERCHEF, MENTAL SAMURAI, NEXT LEVEL CHEF.
Additional schedule information and specials to be announced.
FOX FALL 2021 SCHEDULE
(All Times ET/PT)
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 9-1-1
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE BIG LEAPÂ (new series)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE RESIDENT
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â OUR KIND OF PEOPLE (new series)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE MASKED SINGER
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ALTER EGO (new series)
THURSDAY, Beginning Oct. 7
8:00 PM-CC ET/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON FOX
5:00 PM-CC PT
FRIDAY
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WWEâS FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN
SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FOX SPORTS SATURDAY
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE OT / FOX ENCORES
8:00-8:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE GREAT NORTH
9:00-9:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BOBâS BURGERS
9:30-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FAMILY GUY
FOX 2021-2022 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
FOX 2021-2022 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
NEW SERIES SYNOPSES
The following dramas will debut this fall on FOX:
THE BIG LEAP
THE BIG LEAP is a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back whatâs yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (âThe Passage,â âFriday Night Lightsâ), director/executive producer Jason Winer (âModern Familyâ) and executive producer Sue Naegle (âThe Plot Against Americaâ), the show revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of âSwan Lake.â On the heels of his latest show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Scott Foley, âScandalâ) reluctantly signs on to produce âThe Big Leap,â a brand-new contest series filming in Motor City. The show, which brings together dancers from every age, background and body type, is the brainchild of aging dancer WAYNE FONTAINE (Kevin Daniels, âModern Familyâ). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Mallory Jansen, âGalavantâ) on board to help Nick mount the production, he begins his search for not only the best dancers, but also the ones that could stir up the most drama. GABBY LEWIS (newcomer Simone Recasner), once dreamt of becoming a professional dancer, but her dreams were sidelined when she got pregnant right out of high school. In the midst of the monotony that is her 9-to-5 office job, she stumbles upon âThe Big Leap,â reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN REYES (Raymond Cham Jr., âFive Pointsâ), Gabbyâs former dance partner and high school boyfriend…that is, until he came out of the closet (to the surprise of no one, except Gabby). Their fellow contestants include REGGIE SADLER (SerâDarius Blain, âJumanji: Welcome to the Jungleâ), a famous pro football champ whom Nick believes could give the show the star power and controversy it needs to break through; BRITTNEY LOVEWELL (Anna Grace Barlow, âThe Goldbergsâ), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive ballroom dancer paired with her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE DEVRIES (Jon Rudnitsky, âCatch-22â), whose gradual unraveling recently led his wife, to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Piper Perabo, âCovert Affairs,â âCoyote Uglyâ), a high-powered corporate executive; and former ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Teri Polo, âMeet the Parentsâ franchise), now a social-media-obsessed mom who focuses more on her Instagram than on her teenage girls or husband; Inspired by a U.K. reality format, THE BIG LEAP is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Television, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Liz Heldens
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jason Winer
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sue Naegle
CAST: Scott Foley as Nick Blackburn, Simone Recasner as Gabby Lewis, SerâDarius Blain as Reggie Sadler, Jon Rudnitsky as Mike Devries, Raymond Cham Jr. as Justin Reyes, Mallory Jansen as Monica Sullivan, Kevin Daniels as Wayne Fontaine, Anna Grace Barlow as Brittney Lovewell, with Piper Perabo as Paula Clark, and Teri Polo as Julia Perkins
OUR KIND OF PEOPLE
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Grahamâs provocative, critically acclaimed book, âOur Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,â the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Marthaâs Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for over 50 years. OUR KIND OF PEOPLE follows strong-willed, single mom ANGELA VAUGHN (Yaya DaCosta, âChicago Med,â âWhitneyâ) as she sets out to reclaim her familyâs name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her own motherâs past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever. The show is a soapy, thrilling exploration of race and class in America and an unapologetic celebration of black resilience and achievement. OUR KIND OF PEOPLE is produced by 20th Television and FOX Entertainment. The project is written and executive-produced by Karin Gist. Lee Daniels and Marc Velez (Lee Daniels Entertainment); Pam Williams and Claire Brown (The Gist Of It Productions); Ben Silverman and Drew Buckley (Propagate); and Montrel McKay also serve as executive producers.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Television, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Karin Gist
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Lee Daniels, Marc Velez, Pam Williams, Claire Brown, Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, Drew Buckley, Montrel McKay
CAST: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn, Morris Chestnut as Raymond DuPont
The following unscripted series will debut this fall on FOX:
ALTER EGO
In this all-new original singing competition, lost dreams and second chances are reignited when singers from all walks of life become the stars theyâve always wanted to be. However, these contestants wonât perform as themselves. Rather, theyâll be given the chance to show how theyâve always wanted to be seen, creating their dream avatar ALTER EGO to reinvent themselves and perform like never before.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: FOX Alternative Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Matilda Zoltowski
The following dramas will debut in midseason on FOX:
THE CLEANING LADY
From executive producer/writer Miranda Kwok (âThe 100â), executive producer/showrunner Melissa Carter (âQueen Sugarâ), executive producer/director Michael Offer (âHomeland,â âHow To Get Away With Murderâ) and executive producers Shay Mitchell (âYou,â âPretty Little Liarsâ), Rose Marie Vega and Paola Suarez, THE CLEANING LADY is a thrilling and emotionally driven character drama about a whip-smart Cambodian doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save her ailing son. However, when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, she becomes a cleaning lady for the organized crime, using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld. THONY (Elodie Yung, âThe Hitmanâs Bodyguardâ) had it all â a successful career, a handsome husband and a child on the way. But when their son, LUCA (newcomers Valentino and Sebastien LaSalle), was diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder, her husbandâs own secrets begin to emerge, leaving Thony to save the boy on her own. Now in Las Vegas with her sister-in-law, FIONA (Martha Millan âThe OAâ), Thony waits for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. Then, through an unexpected connection with the mobster ARMAN MORALES (Adan Canto, âDesignated Survivorâ), Thony learns she can now save Luca â even if it means sacrificing her own soul in the process. Crossing into a world of moral greys, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law. Based on the original Argentine series, THE CLEANING LADY is a story of empowerment, resilience and the human spirit that asks us all if the ends justify the means.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Miranda Kwok
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/SHOWRUNNER: Melissa Carter
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Offer
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Shay Mitchell, Rose Marie Vega, Paola Suarez
CAST: Elodie Yung as Thony, Adan Canto as Arman Morales, Martha Millan as Fiona, Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle as Luca
MONARCH
MONARCH is an epic, multi-generational musical drama about Americaâs first family of country music. The Romans are passionate and fiercely talented, but while their name is synonymous with honesty, the very foundation of this family’s success is a lie. When dangerous truths bubble to the surface, the Romansâ reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy. Nicky Roman, the brilliant and fierce heir to the crown, already battling an industry and world stacked against her, will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy. Itâs finally her turn. But is it too late? MONARCH is produced by FOX Entertainment. Melissa London Hilfers (âInstinctâ) serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Michael Rauch (âRoyal Painsâ) is an executive producer and showrunner. Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady (The Jackal Group) and Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment) also serve as executive producers.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: FOX Entertainment
CREATOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Melissa London Hilfers
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/SHOWRUNNER: Michael Rauch
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gail Berman, Hend Baghdady, Jason Owen
The following comedies will debut in midseason on FOX:
WELCOME TO FLATCH
Inspired by BBC Studiosâ BAFTA-winning format âThis Country,â WELCOME TO FLATCH is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy Award winner Jenny Bicks (âSex and the City,â âThe Greatest Showmanâ) and directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (âThe Office,â âBridesmaidsâ). When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town â their concerns, their dreams, their lives â they stumble upon the midwestern town of Flatch, a place you want to visit and maybe even stay. If there was a decent motel. Which there is not. Flatch is made up of many eccentric personalities, including two cousins who donât have much, but they do have each other. Twenty-year-old KELLY MALLET (newcomer Chelsea Holmes) has never left her hometown and doesnât want to. Outwardly tough, sheâs really a softie with dreams of being an entrepreneur, and the wardrobe of an aging male sports fan. SHRUB MALLET (newcomer Sam Straley) is Kellyâs 21-year-old cousin and best friend. He has the soul of an artist and the body of an artist with a mineral deficiency. Hoping to guide Kelly and Shrub is FATHER JOE (Seann William Scott, âLethal Weapon,â âAmerican Pieâ franchise), the townâs new pastor and a recent transplant from Minneapolis. He loves his adopted town and its odd inhabitants and always believes things can be made better with a good chat and a hug, even though heâs not sure itâs okay to hug anymore. Actually, Joe arrived in Flatch with his girlfriend, CHERYL (Aya Cash, âThe Boys,â âYouâre The Worstâ), but they broke up soon after they moved. A reporter back in Minneapolis, Cheryl is surprised to find that she is blossoming here as editor of the townâs newspaper (circulation 751). Other residents of the town are NADINE PETERSON (Taylor Ortega, âSuccessionâ), who went to high school with Shrub and Kelly and is everything they are not â beautiful, married, successful; BIG MANDY (newcomer Krystal Smith), Kellyâs neighbor and a magnetic force of nature; and MICKEY (newcomer Justin Linville), an old classmate of Shrub and Kellyâs who works at the fireworks store.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Lionsgate, BBC Studioâs Los Angeles production arm, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Jenny Bicks
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Paul Feig
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Angie Stephenson (BBC Studios), Charlie Cooper (creator of the original BBC series âThis Countryâ), Daisy May Cooper (creator of the original BBC series âThis Countryâ),
CAST: Chelsea Holmes as Kelly Mallet, Sam Straley as Shrub Mallet, Seann William Scott as Father Joe, Aya Cash as Cheryl, Taylor Ortega as Nadine Peterson, Krystal Smith as Big Mandy, Justin Linville as Mickey
PIVOTING
PIVOTING is a single-camera comedy about how we deal with life, death and all the crazy things that happen in between. Set in a small, middle-class town in Long Island, NY, the series follows three women â and close-knit childhood friends â as they cope with the death of the fourth member of their group. When faced with the reality that life is short, these women pivot, and alter their current paths, by way of a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions. These pivots will strengthen their bond and prove itâs never too late to screw up your life in the pursuit of happiness. For AMY (Eliza Coupe, âHappy Endingsâ), the fearless producer of a local cooking show, managing a hundred employees comes easily. Yet, when it comes to caring for her own children â seven-year-old LUKE (Marcello Reyes, âModern Familyâ) and 18-month-old JULIA â sheâs absolutely terrified. Despite her lack of maternal instincts, her husband, HENRY (Tommy Dewey, âCasualâ), a contractor who never loses his cool, perfectly counter-balances Amy in all of her flaws. Her pivot is to be a more active, present mother. JODIE (Ginnifer Goodwin, âOnce Upon a Timeâ) is a stay-at-home mom of three in a loveless marriage. Her husband is a controlling, finance-obsessed jerk, but Jodie has never even considered that the grass might be greener anywhere else. When she does, her pivot means getting in shapeâŚand maybe more with her hot 25-year-old trainer, MATT (JT Neal, âBless This Messâ), who gives her the attention, affection and excitement she didnât realize she had been craving for years. SARAH (Maggie Q, âDesignated Survivorâ) is a successful doctor â an MD and PhD, as she will readily let anyone know. For Sarah, the loss of their friend is compounded by the recent divorce from her wife. After a life filled with stress, Sarah is sent into a tailspin, that launches her pivot to a simpler, and thus happier life â working as a grocery store employee.  Written by Liz Astrof (âThe Conners,â â2 Broke Girlsâ), PIVOTING takes a real look at three intelligent, empowered and seemingly enlightened women who decide to stop and hit the reset button. For all three of these women, the untimely and heartbreaking death of their friend was the wake-up call they didnât know they needed, but might be just the thing that helps them live their best lives.
PRODUCTIONÂ COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Liz Astrof
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Tristram Shapeero
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor
CAST: Eliza Coupe as Amy, Ginnifer Goodwin as Jodie, Maggie Q as Sarah, Tommy Dewey as Henry, JT Neal as Matt, Marcello Reyes as Luke
The following unscripted series will premiere midseason:
NEXT LEVEL CHEF
Gordon Ramsay is back with NEXT LEVEL CHEF, the next evolution in cooking competitions. The series features a one-of-a-kind culinary gauntlet â which Ramsay designed — set on an iconic stage like youâve never seen. Over three stories high, each floor contains a stunningly different kitchen. From the glistening top floor to the challenging bottom of the basement, the ingredients will match the environment, because Ramsay believes the true test of a great chef is not only what they can do in the best of circumstances, but what kind of magic they can create in the worst! With a level playing field, Ramsay has opened up the competition and scoured the country for the very best line cooks, home chefs, social media stars, food truck owners and everything in between, all competing against one another with the goal of finding the food worldâs newest superstar. Joined by two elite names in the food world, chefs Nyesha Arrington and Gino D’Acampo, Ramsay and his co-mentors will leave no stone unturned, as they each recruit a group of the talented young chefs, and take them under their wings. Ramsay and his friends will attempt to bring out the very best in their cooks, as they all try to find âthe one.â
PRODUCTIONÂ COMPANIES: Studio Ramsay, FOX Alternative Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Edwards, Matt Cahoon
MENTORS: Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, Gino DâAcampo
DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS!
Emmy Award nominee Niecy Nash hosts the all-new version of the popular game show DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS!, challenging contestantsâ musical memory, as they get one song closer to winning $1 million if they DONâT FORGET THE LYRICS! Contestants will choose songs from different genres, decades and musical artists, then theyâll take center stage to sing alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen â but suddenly the music will stop, and the words will disappear. Will the contestants belt out the correct missing lyrics, or freeze under pressure? If they sing nine songs correctly, they are presented with a No. 1 hit and sing the final missing lyrics for the top prize of $1 million. Itâs that simple: 10 songs, some missing lyrics, $1 million.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Apploff Entertainment, Bunim/Murray Productions
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jeff Apploff, Rupert Dobson, Niecy Nash
HOST: Niecy Nash
DOMINO MASTERS
Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Eric Stonestreet (âModern Familyâ) hosts new unscripted competition series DOMINO MASTERS, featuring teams of domino enthusiasts facing off in an unbelievable domino toppling and chain reaction tournament. Throughout the competition, Stonestreet, alongside the judges, will encourage the domino aficionados, introduce incredible challenges and put the creations to the test until one team is crowned the DOMINO MASTERS.  DOMINO MASTERS brings imagination and creative ingenuity to life when teams of domino enthusiasts go head-to-head in a toppling tournament to create mind-blowing masterpieces, with infinite possibilities and thousands of tiles and unique kinetic devices. Sixteen skilled teams will compete against each other in ambitious dominoes building challenges to be crowned the countryâs most talented amateur domino topplers. In each episode, the teams will be given a bold theme and exciting custom elements to incorporate into their topple. The competing pairs who most impress the judges will progress to the next round, until the finale, during which the top teams will face off for a cash prize, the ultimate trophy and the grand title of DOMINO MASTERS.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: FOX Alternative Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gail Berman, Danny Schrader, Hend Baghdady
HOST: Eric Stonestreet
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