Last season, FOX lost a good chunk of its popular and/or acclaimed comedies (Arrested Development, Malcolm In The Middle, The Bernie Mac Show, That 70's Show). At the same time, it continues to become a great place to find cutting-edge drama (Prison Break, 24, House). American Idol, the only real reality show phenomenon left, keeps FOX near the top of the ratings race and the yearly hiatus that comes with the MLB playoffs still annoys viewers. FOX has more quirks than any of the other networks. What will it do to keep viewers coming back?
(All times are Eastern. New shows are in bold.)
Monday
8-9 p.m.: Prison Break
9-10 p.m.: Vanished
From FOX's Press Release:
VANISHED (Mondays, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT): SARA (Joanne Kelly, "Whiskey Echo") is the beautiful young wife of prominent Georgia Senator JEFFREY COLLINS (John Allen Nelson, "24"), and she has gone missing. But before the FBI can solve the mystery of where she is, they first need to figure out who she really is. Through the eyes of Senior FBI Agent GRAHAM KELTON (Gale Harold, "Queer as Folk," "Martha Behind Bars"), ambitious reporter JUDY NASH (Rebecca Gayheart, "Nip/Tuck," "Harvard Man") and the distraught members of the Collins family, viewers will journey inside a sensational, mysterious national soap opera. Kelton, working with Agent LIN MEI (Ming-Na, "ER"), uncovers enigmatic clues that suggest Sara's disappearance may be part of a large, sinister conspiracy. Created by Josh Berman ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") and directed by executive producer Mimi Leder ("The Peacemaker," "Deep Impact"), VANISHED combines the investigative twists and turns of "CSI," the nonstop pace and tension of FOX's "24" and the scope of "The Da Vinci Code."PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Paul Redford
CREATED BY: Josh Berman
DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mimi Leder
CAST: Gale Harold as Kelton, John Allen Nelson as Jeffrey, Joanne Kelly as Sara, Rebecca Gayheart as Judy, Margarita Levieva as Marcy, John Patrick Amedori as Max, Chris Egan as Ben, Robert Hoffman as Adam, Ming-Na as Lin Mei
My Thoughts: Prison Break was one of the breakout dramas of last season but it didn't really find a companion show until 24 came back. FOX may have found one in its new drama Vanished. Like Prison Break, it looks to be a serial, high-concept drama that revolves around a singular goal. Hopefully, Vanished won't be so similar in style that viewers tune it out.
Tuesday
8-9 p.m.: Standoff
9-10 p.m.: House
From FOX's Press Release:
STANDOFF (Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - in fall): There's no crisis situation they can't handle ... unless it involves each other. MATT FLANNERY (Ron Livingston, "Sex and the City," "House") and EMILY LEHMAN (Rosemarie DeWitt, "Cinderella Man") are the top-ranked negotiators in the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU). They're trained to talk their way through volatile situations. They're experts at knowing what makes other people tick. They're also sleeping together a secret that they agreed to keep to themselves, until Matt reveals it to the entire world during a tense hostage standoff.
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