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 – President, Advertising Sales, FOX
Michael Thorn – President, Entertainment, FOX Entertainment
Rob Wade – President, Alternative Entertainment & Specials, FOX Entertainment
Farhad Massoudi – CEO and Founder, Tubi
Dan Harrison – EVP, Program Planning and Content Strategy, FOX Entertainment
Jean Guerin – 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.
Today’s press release and all comments made during today’s call are under embargo until after FOX’s 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 ’22 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, I’m going to hand it over to Charlie, who, prior to opening up to Q&A, he’ll walk through our FOX Entertainment strategy and fall schedule.
Charlie Thanks, Jean, and good morning, everyone. I’ll go off the record to start. I know you’re really busy, and we’re not going to just [indiscernible] up front with this, but off the record, we bought Discovery this morning, and we’re going to announce it after the upfront.
So, now back on the record, before I begin, I hope everyone’s doing really well. It’s been, not even trite to say, an unbelievable year, and I’m really happy to be speaking with all of you in person again. And I hope we’re in person sometime soon, in the truest sense of the word, back at the beacon. It’s 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 TV’s 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, Rob’s 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 hadn’t before, capitalizing on the extra time during the lockdown. We opened things like virtual writer’s 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 wouldn’t 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, Farhad’s on the call. That was back in April. And like FOX, we’re so pleased to say Tubi is free. There are no paywalls, no subscriptions, and it’s 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 viewers’ passions. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Bento Box, which is our animation company. They’ve also thrived growing our wholly-owned businesses for FOX, but also well beyond FOX, and they’re launching new businesses, like the NFT and Blockchain companies we’ll 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, we’re 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. You’ve 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.
There’s 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 wouldn’t find anywhere else, and the lineup we’re 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, FOX’s Head of Scripted Entertainment, and Rob Wade, fresh off his second vaccination shot, is FOX’s President of Alternative Programming. They’re both here with us, and they can certainly talk about those themes and expand upon them. I will take the opportunity to say they’ve done just an amazing job to take advantage of the unusual time that’s been presented to us, working largely virtually with our creators to refine and plan for the future of these shows, and so many more you’re 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, we’re looking forward to great and continued success next season, as we build what we call the FOX Entertainment of the Future. We’re working with some of the industry’s top talent and creators. That’s what drives us. And we’re continuing to build the company on a platform, a content-focused, and an audience-first basis.
And with that, please, why don’t we open the call for questions.
Moderator [Operator instructions]. We’ll 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. I’m curious also, though, if you’re sort of building up the library in anticipation of not having football in a year’s time.
Charlie I’ll start, and then, Michael, I don’t 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 we’ve been very much focused on this year, and then doing our traditional development for next year. And as we’ve been focused on that Thursday night specifically, which you asked about in the second part of your question, there’s nothing to announce today, but we’ve 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 you’ve heard us talk about this, but we don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all process for development. So, just to give a recent pickup example, our new series ACCUSED is for ’22-’23, and the best way we believe—when I say we, I mean FOX and Sony and Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa—believe 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, we’re 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 we’ve just announced pickups with. It leads into our nimbleness, we believe.
[Technical difficulties caused a delay]
Moderator …and we’re going to go ahead and open the line of Brian Steinberg. Go ahead, please.
Mr. Steinberg, if you’re 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 world’s 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 on—and especially today with announcing the FOX schedule, and for anything that’s 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 don’t know if you want to jump in on the ad sales side—
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 don’t have exact percentages for you, Brian, it’s a big focus of ours to match the growth of the audience in this space, and I think the shift that we’re going to see of dollars to support AVoD, given the comfort [ph] that people have gotten and the great results they’re seeing on the platform.
We do expect it to be a big part of how we go to market. It’s a perfect extension for what we sell.
Charlie I’d say similar to that, we see, so often, where we’re 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, it’s 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 didn’t see it anywhere. Normally I would expect to see will wait until midseason, so this makes me wonder what we’re 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 don’t want to get ahead of myself and assume that you have a spot for it.
Rob Yes. So, obviously, we’re really happy with THE MASKED DANCER. Thought it was a great show. Currently, we are just figuring out where it fits into our “Masked” strategy. As you saw, we’ve announced the singer for the fall, and really we’re 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 we’re figuring out when and where that might be.
Jean We’re ready for the next question. Alan, can you hear us?
Moderator My apologies. That’ll 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, it’s 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 you’re 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 we’re in this space deliberately, and it’s been a strategic choice, if you think about, you mentioned the big guys. It’s 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, I’ll say it in the context, because today’s upfront day, in the context of broadcasting, we’re 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 we’re fond of is that you can’t corner the market on creativity. And if you look at the incredible creative minds that we’re working with on both sides of the camera, if you look at who’s attracted to our platforms as the place to bring their passion projects, obviously we’ve 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 we’re 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. That’s been our strength, and it’s going to continue to be.
And now with Tubi, I think we’re powered for both breadth and network leadership.
Moderator We’ll go next to Mike Hughes with TV America. Go ahead, please.
Mike Charlie, this is a much smaller scale question here. So far, you’ve been going with 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 LONE STAR together on Mondays. Now, you don’t say it specifically, but I’m kind of guessing that you’re going to have 9-1-1 on Mondays, and then after that you’re 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, I’ll 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 year’s schedule, we get the best of both of those. One of the things you mentioned, and it’s an insightful question, is that we are eliminating what we sometimes refer to as the bridge, but basically, you’re right. We’re going to run right from 9-1-1 into 9-1-1: LONE STAR, and we’ll 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 We’ll 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]. We’ll 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 won’t be airing back-to-back?
Charlie It’s a great question. This is Charlie, and then I’ll turn it over to Michael. But like I said, in this schedule, which, obviously, we don’t 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, they’ll 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 we’re 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, it’s a win-win. But somewhere as we’re bringing the show back, keep an eye out for—spoiler alert, keep an eye out for a crossover in the back half of the season.
Charlie It’ll be about disaster of a phone call, where it drops off in the middle of an upfront phone call. You’ll love it.
Moderator We’ll 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, I’m 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]. It’s certainly a nice benefit. We’re thrilled to have Morris on both shows. We’re really excited about OUR KIND OF PEOPLE, and just announcing Morris is one of the leads in that, along with Yaya DaCosta. We think it’s 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 Morris’ character in THE RESIDENT. His storyline is terrific. THE RESIDENT is a big broad show for us. We’re really proud of it, and we think it’s 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 we’re 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. That’s in 55 minutes, so please tune in. We’ll 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 “THE BIG LEAP,” STARRING SCOTT FOLEY, TO PREMIERE THIS FALL
FAMILY DRAMA “OUR KIND OF PEOPLE,” 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 “ALTER EGO” LAUNCHES THIS FALL,
FOLLOWING THE #1 SHOW ON TELEVISION, “THE MASKED SINGER”
GORDON RAMSAY’S NEW COOKING COMPETITION SERIES, “NEXT LEVEL CHEF,” PREMIERES MIDSEASON
COUNTRY MUSIC FAMILY DRAMA “MONARCH” BEGINS ITS TWO-NIGHT PREMIERE EVENT, FOLLOWING THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, AND CONTINUES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
THRILLING DRAMA “THE CLEANING LADY,” STARRING ELODIE YUNG, TO PREMIERE MIDSEASON
SMALL-TOWN DOCU-COM “WELCOME TO FLATCH,” 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 “PIVOTING,” 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;
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 DON’T 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 “Homeland” and “24” Executive Producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa and “House” Creator David Shore;
and All-New Animated Series KRAPOPOLIS, from “Rick and Morty” 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 – 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, television’s #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 viewers’ passions. Tubi’s 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.
“We are presenting a fall lineup that builds upon FOX’s legacy of bold stories and truth-telling-characters; stories that meet and reflect the cultural moment. FOX believes it’s a time for series that offer hope and to speak to American audiences with themes of reinvention and second chances,” Collier said. “Alongside our programming focus, we are forging ahead with a clear, 100% ad-supported vision. FOX’s 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 FOX’s relationship with our audience and advertising partners, and it will continue to set FOX apart.”
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 what’s yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (“The Passage,” “Friday Night Lights”), director/executive producer Jason Winer (“Modern Family”) and executive producer Sue Naegle (“The Plot Against America”), 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 “Swan Lake.” 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 (“Scandal”), Teri Polo (“Meet the Parents” franchise), Piper Perabo (“Covert Affairs,” “Coyote Ugly”), newcomer Simone Recasner, Ser’Darius Blain (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”), Jon Rudnitsky (“Catch-22”), Raymond Cham Jr. (“Five Points”), Mallory Jansen (“Galavant”), Kevin Daniels (“Modern Family”) and Anna Grace Barlow (“The Goldbergs”).
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s provocative, critically acclaimed book, “Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,” the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for over 50 years. From executive producer Lee Daniels (“Empire,” “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday”) and writer and executive producer Karin Gist (“Star,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), OUR KIND OF PEOPLE follows a strong-willed, single mom as she sets out to reclaim her family’s 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 mother’s 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 (“Chicago Med,” “Whitney”) 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 (“Dancing with the Stars,” “World of Dance”), 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 they’ve always wanted to be. However, these contestants won’t perform as themselves. Rather, they’ll be given the chance to show how they’ve 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 (“The 100”), executive producer/showrunner Melissa Carter (“Queen Sugar”), executive producer/director Michael Offer (“Homeland,” “How to Get Away with Murder”) and executive producers Shay Mitchell (“You,” “Pretty Little Liars”), 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 (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard”), Adan Canto (“Designated Survivor,”), Martha Millan (“The OA”) and newcomers Valentino and Sebastien LaSalle.
TRAILER FOR “THE CLEANING LADY”
MONARCH is an epic, multi-generational musical drama about America’s 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 Romans’ 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. It’s finally her turn. But is it too late? MONARCH is produced by FOX Entertainment. Melissa London Hilfers (“Instinct”) serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Michael Rauch (“Royal Pains”) 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 Studios’ BAFTA-winning BBC format, “This Country,” WELCOME TO FLATCH (fka “This Country”) is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy Award winner Jenny Bicks (“Sex and the City,” “The Greatest Showman”) and directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (“The Office,” “Bridesmaids”). When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town – their dreams, their concerns – they stumble upon the midwestern town of Flatch, which is made up of many eccentric personalities. It’s 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 (“Lethal Weapon,” “American Pie” franchise), Aya Cash (“The Boys,” “You’re The Worst”), Taylor Ortega (“Succession”) and newcomers Krystal Smith and Justin Linville.
TRAILER FOR “WELCOME TO FLATCH”
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 – and close-knit childhood friends – 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 it’s never too late to screw up your life in the pursuit of happiness. Written and executive-produced by Liz Astrof (“The Conners,” “2 Broke Girls”), the series stars Eliza Coupe (“Happy Endings”), Ginnifer Goodwin (“Once Upon a Time”), Maggie Q (“Designated Survivor”), Tommy Dewey (“Casual”), JT Neal (“Bless This Mess”) and Marcello Reyes (“Modern Family”).
The new midseason unscripted series are NEXT LEVEL CHEF, DON’T 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 – which Chef Ramsay designed — set on an iconic stage like you’ve 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 world’s 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 “the one.”
Emmy Award nominee Niecy Nash hosts the all-new version of the popular game show DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!, challenging contestants’ musical memory, as they get one song closer to winning $1 million if they DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS! Contestants will choose songs from different genres, decades and musical artists, then they’ll take center stage to sing alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen – 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. It’s that simple: 10 songs, some missing lyrics, $1 million.
Hosted by multi-Emmy-Award-winning actor and comedian Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”), 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 (“Matchmaker Mysteries”), NFL Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis (“The Challenge”) and professional domino artist Steve Price, as 16 skilled teams compete against each other in ambitious building challenges to be crowned the country’s 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 (“24,” “Homeland”), Alex Gansa (“24,” “Homeland”) and David Shore (“The Good Doctor,” “House”), ACCUSED is based on the BBC’s 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 defendant’s 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 it’s too late to turn back.
KRAPOPOLIS is an animated comedy set in mythical ancient Greece from Emmy Award-winning creator Dan Harmon (“Rick and Morty,” “Community”). Centered on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters that tries to run one of the world’s 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 “what if” 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, “Devious Maids,” “Grand Hotel”), a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Elena set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s 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, “The Bold and the Beautiful”), 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, “Miranda’s Rights,” “Rosewood”), who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades.
FOX’s full 2021-2022 programming slate is – 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: BOB’S BURGERS, CALL ME KAT, DUNCANVILLE, FAMILY GUY, THE GREAT NORTH, HOUSEBROKEN, PIVOTING, THE SIMPSONS, WELCOME TO FLATCH; Unscripted: ALTER EGO, BEAT SHAZAM, CRIME SCENE KITCHEN, DOMINO MASTERS, DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!, HELL’S 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 PM 9-1-1
9:00-10:00 PM THE BIG LEAP (new series)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE RESIDENT
9:00-10:00 PM OUR KIND OF PEOPLE (new series)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE MASKED SINGER
9:00-10:00 PM ALTER EGO (new series)
THURSDAY, Beginning Oct. 7
8:00 PM-CC ET/ THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON FOX
5:00 PM-CC PT
FRIDAY
8:00-10:00 PM WWE’S FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN
SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT / FOX ENCORES
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE GREAT NORTH
9:00-9:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:30-10:00 PM FAMILY GUY
FOX 2021-2022 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION
| ALTER EGO | @AlterEgoFOX | @AlterEgoonFOX | @AlteregoonFox |
| THE BIG LEAP | @TheBigLeapFOX | @BigLeapFOX | @bigleapfox |
| THE CLEANING LADY | @TheCleaningLadyFOX | @CleaningLadyFOX | @cleaningladyfox |
| DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS! | @LyricsonFOX | @LyricsonFOX | @lyricsonfox |
| DOMINO MASTERS | @DominoMastersFOX | @DominoMastersFOX | @dominomastersfox |
| MONARCH | @MonarchonFOX | @MonarchonFOX | @monarchonfox |
| NEXT LEVEL CHEF | @NextLevelChefFOX | @NextLevelFOX | @nextlevelcheffox |
| OUR KIND OF PEOPLE | @OurKindofPeopleFOX | @OurKindFOX | @ourkindofpeoplefox |
| PIVOTING | @PivotingFOX | @PivotingFOX | @pivotingfox |
| WELCOME TO FLATCH | @WelcomeToFlatch | @WelcomeToFlatch | @kellyandshrub |
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 what’s yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (“The Passage,” “Friday Night Lights”), director/executive producer Jason Winer (“Modern Family”) and executive producer Sue Naegle (“The Plot Against America”), 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 “Swan Lake.” On the heels of his latest show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Scott Foley, “Scandal”) reluctantly signs on to produce “The Big Leap,” 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, “Modern Family”). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Mallory Jansen, “Galavant”) 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 “The Big Leap,” reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN REYES (Raymond Cham Jr., “Five Points”), Gabby’s 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 (Ser’Darius Blain, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”), 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, “The Goldbergs”), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive ballroom dancer paired with her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE DEVRIES (Jon Rudnitsky, “Catch-22”), whose gradual unraveling recently led his wife, to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Piper Perabo, “Covert Affairs,” “Coyote Ugly”), a high-powered corporate executive; and former ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Teri Polo, “Meet the Parents” 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, Ser’Darius 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 Graham’s provocative, critically acclaimed book, “Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class,” the series takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s 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, “Chicago Med,” “Whitney”) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s 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 mother’s 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 they’ve always wanted to be. However, these contestants won’t perform as themselves. Rather, they’ll be given the chance to show how they’ve 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 (“The 100”), executive producer/showrunner Melissa Carter (“Queen Sugar”), executive producer/director Michael Offer (“Homeland,” “How To Get Away With Murder”) and executive producers Shay Mitchell (“You,” “Pretty Little Liars”), 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, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard”) had it all – 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 husband’s 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 “The OA”), 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, “Designated Survivor”), Thony learns she can now save Luca – 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 America’s 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 Romans’ 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. It’s finally her turn. But is it too late? MONARCH is produced by FOX Entertainment. Melissa London Hilfers (“Instinct”) serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Michael Rauch (“Royal Pains”) 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 Studios’ BAFTA-winning format “This Country,” WELCOME TO FLATCH is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy Award winner Jenny Bicks (“Sex and the City,” “The Greatest Showman”) and directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (“The Office,” “Bridesmaids”). When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town – their concerns, their dreams, their lives – 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 don’t have much, but they do have each other. Twenty-year-old KELLY MALLET (newcomer Chelsea Holmes) has never left her hometown and doesn’t want to. Outwardly tough, she’s really a softie with dreams of being an entrepreneur, and the wardrobe of an aging male sports fan. SHRUB MALLET (newcomer Sam Straley) is Kelly’s 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, “Lethal Weapon,” “American Pie” franchise), the town’s 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 he’s not sure it’s okay to hug anymore. Actually, Joe arrived in Flatch with his girlfriend, CHERYL (Aya Cash, “The Boys,” “You’re The Worst”), 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 town’s newspaper (circulation 751). Other residents of the town are NADINE PETERSON (Taylor Ortega, “Succession”), who went to high school with Shrub and Kelly and is everything they are not – beautiful, married, successful; BIG MANDY (newcomer Krystal Smith), Kelly’s neighbor and a magnetic force of nature; and MICKEY (newcomer Justin Linville), an old classmate of Shrub and Kelly’s who works at the fireworks store.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Lionsgate, BBC Studio’s 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 “This Country”), Daisy May Cooper (creator of the original BBC series “This Country”),
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 – and close-knit childhood friends – 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 it’s never too late to screw up your life in the pursuit of happiness. For AMY (Eliza Coupe, “Happy Endings”), the fearless producer of a local cooking show, managing a hundred employees comes easily. Yet, when it comes to caring for her own children – seven-year-old LUKE (Marcello Reyes, “Modern Family”) and 18-month-old JULIA – she’s absolutely terrified. Despite her lack of maternal instincts, her husband, HENRY (Tommy Dewey, “Casual”), 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, “Once Upon a Time”) 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 shape…and maybe more with her hot 25-year-old trainer, MATT (JT Neal, “Bless This Mess”), who gives her the attention, affection and excitement she didn’t realize she had been craving for years. SARAH (Maggie Q, “Designated Survivor”) is a successful doctor — 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 — working as a grocery store employee. Written by Liz Astrof (“The Conners,” “2 Broke Girls”), 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 didn’t know they needed, but might be just the thing that helps them live their best lives.
PRODUCTION 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 – which Ramsay designed — set on an iconic stage like you’ve 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 world’s 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 “the one.”
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Studio Ramsay, FOX Alternative Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Edwards, Matt Cahoon
MENTORS: Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, Gino D’Acampo
DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
Emmy Award nominee Niecy Nash hosts the all-new version of the popular game show DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!, challenging contestants’ musical memory, as they get one song closer to winning $1 million if they DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS! Contestants will choose songs from different genres, decades and musical artists, then they’ll take center stage to sing alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen – 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. It’s 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 (“Modern Family”) 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 country’s 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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I know it’s been awhile since I last posted the blog… no excuses this time! OK…well, there was this little thing called the 
no board of directors to answer to). My time is my own, and sometimes I’m bad at prioritizing. For another thing, there are many other duties that I have on my site that require daily or weekly updating. They don’t leave much time for other writing. Also, it’s been harder and harder to get more volunteers for our site. Right now I have no one to write “
Another thing that took up a lot of my time was all of the 
at least 50 years. It happens on all TV networks, not just broadcast – even cable and streaming.
channels and streaming) or from funding (PBS). Most people know this, somewhere in the back of their minds, but they don’t really think about it. Their emotions about their show override everything else.
oup has the most 
part. I don’t know why it bothers me so! It’s just my personal pet peeve.
out. It should be interesting!
It used to be done in person, of course. Like most things this year – it’s virtual. I will be attending the FOX upfront next week. I’m still waiting to get an invitation for the NBC upfront, so my fingers are crossed!
interesting shows on TV that the other networks would never touch. So if not for FOX, we might not have had any episodes of “Prodigal Son,” or “The X-Files,” “Firefly,” “Fringe,” “9-1-1,” “The Resident,” “The Gifted,” “Lucifer,” “Glee’ and many other fun shows. As I said above, they don’t cancel any more shows – or any sooner – than any other network. I would also guess that because FOX aired some of the successful groundbreaking scifi/fantasy shows, it’s pushed the other networks to have more of these types of shows, which is why we now have “
to boycott. What is the point? It rarely helps anything. They’re not going to keep your show on if it’s losing them money.
They don’t like to fire people, either. It’s just the nature of their jobs. FOX is not one guy, and the people who canceled “Firefly” years ago are not the same people who canceled “Prodigal Son.” They just go by the same rules. If it doesn’t make money, they stop buying/airing it – in the same way that companies stop making a product if it doesn’t sell.
Now I’m just waiting to see if NBC cancels those two shows I mentioned before, plus “Debris,” or not. I have my fingers crossed! 
hat they’re in at the end of the episode (Yes, I’m being deliberately vague). It’s not exactly shocking, either. At least, it wasn’t to me. There was plenty of foreshadowing. I hope that someone does pick it up, though. I just love this show, and I’ll miss it.
h that one. It’s coming back for a second year, thank goodness. I was happy to interview some of the cast (
wish I had found this before I watched “The Boys” and some other shows!
about the lack of romance in the show! I hope they can improve that.
!["Justice Society: World War II" [Blu-ray] DVD cover](https://tvmeg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/justicesocietydvd.jpg)
Victoria
Olli Hasskivi appears in the latest episode of “Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Olli plays the name on everyone’s lips this week, Dr. Wilfred Nagel. He is the doctor responsible for the super soldier serum, having reverse-engineered Dr. Abraham Erskine’s (Stanley Tucci’s character in the franchise) serum. This was a pivotal episode and character for the series as the hunt for the super soldier serum is in full force, and Dr. Nagel comes face-to-face with Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Daniel Brühl (Zemo), Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter) and Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier) in his lab, who all want to know the truth.
