The new Fox network, following the acquisition by Disney, presented a larger than usual slate for 2019-20.
In addition to four new comedies (three of which are animated) and six dramas (just two of which start in the fall), they’re picking up WWE Smackdown weekly on Fridays.
“Empire” will be having their final season, and the relatively-new “9-1-1” already will have a spinoff set in Austin, “9-1-1: Lone Star,” with Rob Lowe.
They’re still building on the goofy “The Masked Singer” and launching third season after the Super Bowl (after a second season in the fall).
Entertainment chair Charlie Collier described the new season as “a startup” but began the star parade Monday by marching on the middle-aged cast of “BH90210,” the reboot of the old “Beverly Hills 90210” with most of the originals.
The biggest star at the upfront may have been Justin Timberlake, who will only be a producer of a quiz show coming this summer, “Spin the Wheel.”
New dramas announced Mondays are:
- “Not Just Me” — Brittany Snow finds out her father (Timothy Hutton), a fertility doctor, had fathered upwards of a hundred children. Megalyn Echikunwoke and Emily Osment are discovered to be sisters. It’s from Jason Katims of “Friday Night Lights” and Annie Weisman (“Desperate Housewives”). Wednesdays this fall.
- “Prodigal Son” — The umpteenth new series from Greg Berlanti (“Riverdale,” “The Flash”) is about a criminal psychologist (Tom Payne) who learned the business from his father, a notorious serial killer (Michael Sheen). With Bellamy Young, Halston Sage and Lou Diamond Phillips. Mondays this fall.
- “9-1-1: Lone Star” — The Ryan Murphy-produced original was enough of a hit to produce a spin-off in Texas, starring Rob Lowe, but apparently so new that the rest of the cast hasn’t been assembled. Midseason.
- “Deputy” — Stephen Dorff of “True Detective” stars as a cowboy hat-wearing cop who becomes Los Angeles County Sheriff in an action cop show that plays like a Western. From David Ayer of “Training Day,” it also stars Brian Van Holt, Siena Goines and Shane Paul McGhee. Midseason.
- “Filthy Rich” — A Southern Gothic soap from Tate Taylor (“The Help”) about a family of televangelists battling for inheritance, with Kim Cattrall, Melia Kreiling, Aubrey Dollar, and Gerald McRaney, based on a New Zealand format. Midseason.
- “neXt” — John Slattery stars in a a drama about a rogue artificial intelligence, from Manny Coto (“24: Legacy”). With Fernanda Andrade and Jason Butler Harner. Midseason.
The new comedies are:
- “Bless the Harts” — A new animated family from the South, written by Emily Spivey and using the voices of Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell and Ike Barinholtz. Sundays this fall, alongside the returning animated shows.
- “Outmatched” – Jason Biggs of “American Pie” and Maggie Lawson of “Psych” star as an Atlantic City couple raising kids who are much smarter than them. From the creator of “LA to Vegas.” Midseason.
- “Duncanvile” — Amy Poehler joins Mike and Julie Scully in presenting an animated show about a 15-year old boy, voiced by Poehler. Other voices include Ty Burrell and Riki Lindhome, with guest voices Rashida Jones and Wiz Khalifa. Midseason
- “The Great North” — An animated show about a family in Alaska from the creator of Bob’s Burgers and featuring the voices of Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Jenny Slate and Will Forte. Midseason.
Returning shows include “9-1-1,” “Beat Shazam”, “Bob’s Burgers,” “Cosmos,” “Empire,” “Family Guy,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Last Man Standing,” “The Masked Singer,” “MasterChef,” “MasterChef Junior,” “The Orville,” “The Resident,” “The Simpsons,” “SoYou Think you Can Dance,”
Gone from the schedule will be “The Cool Kids,” “Ghosted,” “The Gifted,” “Gotham,” “Love Connection,” “The Passage,” “Proven Innocent,” “Rel,” and “Star.”