FOX tends to vary its fall launch strategy, depending on its baseball playoff commitments, its desire to premiere shows in summer, overpriced contracts signed with Simon Cowell, etc. For the 2014-15 season, most of the new and returning fall shows will be debuting within the month of September, with new reality series “Utopia” starting things early with a three-night premiere, the much-hyped “Gotham”/”Sleepy Hollow” pairing coming during the first night of the official broadcast network TV season, and other shows scattered around.
“Utopia” will air its first three episodes on Sunday, September 7, Tuesday, September 9 and Friday, September 12, to try to stoke interest in the new open-ended series where contestants try to build a new civilization from scratch. “Hell's Kitchen” comes back in the middle of that week on Wednesday, September 10.
Returning Tuesday comedies “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project” are back on Tuesday, September 16, while teen drama “Red Band Society” – about kids who bond during extended stints at the same hospital – premieres the next night, Wednesday, September 17.
The network season officially starts on Monday, September 22, which will have both the premiere of the “Batman” prequel series “Gotham” and the extended second season of “Sleepy Hollow.” “Bones” enters its 10th season on Thursday, September 25.
The reconfigured Sunday comedy night (no longer all-animated) begins to take shape on September 28 with “The Simpsons”/”Family Guy” crossover airing at 8 and 9, and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” moving to the night at 8:30.
“Gracepoint,” the adaptation of the acclaimed British mystery series “Broadchurch,” joins “Bones” on Thursday starting October 2, while “Mulaney,” starring former “SNL” writer John Mulaney, joins the Sunday lineup at 9:30 on October 5, along with the return of “Bob's Burgers” at 7:30 that night.
The only belated premiere: “Masterchef Junior,” which is being held til after the World Series, debuting Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.