2009-2010 Upfronts Part 1: FOX

I know its been a while since I've written, but life has been very crazy...that story (or stories) are for another time. Today we start tackling the TV Network Upfronts...something I used to do every year, but skipped last year (for a variety of reasons). But this year, we're back and in full force.

Today FOX has announced its new Fall lineup...so here it is (with my comments where they need to be):

MONDAY
8pm HOUSE -- returns for a 6th Season. Still remains a fun show to watch and in this day and age was able to pull a huge surprise off without everyone knowing it beforehand. This will remain on my viewing list.

9:00pm LIE TO ME (September)-- returns for a 2nd Season. I haven't watched all of the 1st Season episodes yet. My wife and I have seen enough that we enjoy it, but its not priority watching.

9pm 24 (January) -- returns for an 8th Season. Set in New York so you can assume that instead of never going to the bathroom during the show, Jack Bauer pees wherever he wants like the rest of the city. The actresses playing Agent Walker & President Taylor are returning as well -- so unless they're now playing other characters we can guess they both survive tonight's season finale.

TUESDAY
8pm SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show (September) -- I like to call this "I Don't Care If You Can Dance". I know my wife will be watching. I'll be doing something else I'm sure.

8pm AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show (January) -- Nope...don't care about this show either.

9pm PAST LIFE (January) -- This new show is about a team of "investigators" who research people's pasts to see if what is happening to them today is a result of who they were before. Between "Lost" and "Fringe" I don't have anymore brain capacity for shows that are gonna make me want to scream about the confusing issues of pseudo-science. Plus, there's no one in the cast who cries out "Watch Me!"

WEDNESDAY
8pm SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show (September) -- see above.

8pm AMERICAN IDOL Results Show (January) -- see above

9pm GLEE (September) -- The "previews" for this look interesting. I'll give the episode airing this week a shot (and maybe even review it) and we'll go from there.

9pm HUMAN TARGET (January) -- Mark Valley steps into the shoes of Rick Springfield to star as Christopher Chance, a man who impersonates people in danger to save them and solve the crime/mystery. At least that's what the premise has been in all the comics published by DC Comics. Now he's got two sidekicks, but they're played by Chi McBride & Jackie Earle Haley, and the premise sounds a bit muddy (early reviews are basically saying its not "Human Target" from the comics, but "Generic Action Show Premise #5"). The cast and the DC Logo get me watching. Now if the premiere of this show can get Warner Home Video to release the Rick Springfield version on DVD, I'd be happy. We all need the human touch.

THURSDAY
8pm BONES -- returns for a 5th Season (and I believe has also been renewed for a 6th as well). I stopped watching during Season 2. Miss the show, but not enough to pick it up again on a regular basis. Maybe here and there.

9pm FRINGE -- My favorite new show of last season returns for a 2nd round. It took a while to find its footing, but its everything the later years of "The X-Files" wanted to be and seems to know where its going (where it was obvious "The X-Files" didn't). I'm still wondering if FOX & Warner got any complaints about the final shot of the first season ender.

FRIDAY
8pm BROTHERS -- This new sitcom is about an NFL star who goes home again (or learns he can't go home again). The cast (which includes Daryl "Chill" Mitchell and CCH Pounder) sounds interesting, but not enough to make me watch on a Friday night.

8:30 'TIL DEATH -- Returns for a 4th Season...or maybe they're still burning off episodes from the 2nd & 3rd Seasons that have yet to air. Who cares? Not even sure why this show still exists...didn't they get rid of the young couple?

9pm DOLLHOUSE-- Returns for a 2nd Season. I've got all of Season 1 sitting on my DVR. The pilot bored me, but I meant to keep watching. Maybe this summer I will. We'll see how that goes.

SATURDAY
8pm COPS
9pm AMERICA'S MOST WANTED

SUNDAY
7pm THE OT (September -- gets replaced by Animation reruns after Football Season ends) -- An hour should be plenty of time to wrap up a damn football game and not intrude on my holiest day of the week. I just can't function properly when the animation lineup doesn't start on time. Throws my whole week off.

8pm THE SIMPSONS -- Returns for a 21st Season. Wow. Sure there are clunkers here and there, but I still find the show funny.

8:30 THE CLEVELAND SHOW (September)-- This spin-off from "Family Guy" finds Cleveland moving to his hometown in Virginia to start his life over. Expect the usual Seth MacFarlane humor. If you don't like it on his other two shows, don't watch this one. Will switch to 9:30 in January.

8:30 SONS OF TUCSON (January) -- Three brothers (aged 13, 11 & 8) hire a dad to replace their real one when he goes to prison. I guess since Tyler Labine plays the "dad-for-hire" we can assume THE CW has cancelled "Reaper". I'll watch since its sandwiched between other shows I watch (and Labine is funny).

9pm FAMILY GUY -- Returns for an 8th Season.

9:30 AMERICAN DAD -- Returns for a 5th Season. Will switch to 7:30 in January.

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES Will return at some point as well.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

King of the Hill -- 13 Seasons/253 Episodes -- There may be some more in production and the show may have a little glimmer of life left in it at some point this season...but its run its course and probably should have ended a while ago (how far did Fox Home Video get with the show on DVD? That's probably when it should have ended).

Prison Break -- 4 Seasons/81 Episodes (2 have yet to air but are being released on DVD/Blu Ray as "Prison Break: The Final Break" in August) -- I still believe the show should have ended 5 minutes before the end of Season 2 and you'd have a great show. Stopped watching mid-Season 3 as the show got sillier and sillier.

Sit Down, Shut Up -- 1 Season/5 Episodes -- From the creators of "Arrested Development" this should have been funnier.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -- 2 Seasons/31 Episodes -- Wanted to watch. Meant to watch. May eventually watch on Blu Ray. Good thing I'm not a Neilsen home and my viewing habits don't count for anything.

Do Not Disturb -- 1 Season/6 Episodes (3 Unaired) -- Anyone remember this show? Didn't think so.

Well...that's all for FOX. I'll be back tomorrow with ABC & NBC.

Be seeing you.