Kudos to FOX for milking two days of news reports out of an otherwise unified announcement of its midseason schedule.
After we reported yesterday that “American Idol” and “Empire” will premiere on January 7, FOX rolled out its entire midseason overhaul, including premiere dates for new drama “Backstrom,” new comedies “The Last Man on Earth” and “Weird Loners,” a new reality offering called “World's Funniest Fails” and returns for new seasons of “MasterChef Junior,” “The Following” and “Hell's Kitchen.” FOX also revealed plans for the final season of “Glee.”
After a fairly rough fall — “Gotham” and “MasterChef Junior” are among the few unvarnished positives — it's no wonder that FOX's changes touch every night of primetime.
Let's look at the winter/spring premieres, jumping between chronological order and night-by-night. There will be a handy, but complicated, chart at the bottom of the page when this confuses you.
Up first is the January 6 premiere of “MasterChef Junior,” remaining on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. “But wait,” you're saying, “Didn't 'MasterChef Junior' just premiere?” Well yes. That's the second season of “MasterChef Junior.” The third season is premiering in January. “But isn't that a lot of 'MasterChef Junior' airing in a short period of time?” you're asking. Yes. Enjoy. Staying on Tuesday, a new season of “Hell's Kitchen” will premiere on March 3 in the 8 p.m. hour, while the ensemble comedy “Weird Loners” will premiere on March 31 in the 9:30 slot, taking the place of “Mindy Project.”
On Friday, January 9, “Glee” will begin is final season with a two-hour premiere. The following week it'll be joined in the 8 p.m. Friday hour with something called “World's Funniest Fails,” based on the FailArmy YouTube channel and finally offering people the chance to laugh at stupid things other people do on the Internet, or finally offering people and comedians the chance to laugh at stupid things other people do on the Internet on FOX. So “World's Funniest Fails” is premiering on January 16, while “Glee” will have its two-hour series finale on Friday, March 20.
“American Idol” will have two weeks of two-hour Thursday episodes leading up to the January 22 premiere of “Backstrom,” starring Rainn Wilson and created by Hart Hanson, in the 9 p.m. hour. “Idol” will depart Thursdays on March 26, with “Bones” returning to the 8 p.m. hour.
The Will Forte comedy “The Last Man on Earth,” which is produced and directed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, has a one-hour premiere on Sunday, March 1 at 9 p.m. and then moves into its regular Sunday 9:30 slot the following week.
And speaking of “following,” “The Following” will launch its third season with a two-hour premiere on Monday, March 2. It'll go into its regular 9 p.m. hour after “Gotham” on March 9.
Where is “Wayward Pines”? I know not, sir.
And in case you didn't understand any of that…
Here are FOX's 2014-2015 Midseason Dates:
FOX 2015 RECAP
(Times for All-New Episodes are ET/PT Except as Noted)
Sunday, Jan. 4:
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (All-New Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM BOB”S BURGERS (All-New Episode)
Mondays, beginning Jan. 5:
8:00-9:00 PM GOTHAM (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (All-New Episode)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 6:
8:00-9:00 PM MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (All-New Episode)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 7:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL XIV (Season Premiere, Part One)
9:00-10:00 PM EMPIRE (Series Premiere, with Limited Interruption)
Thursday, Jan. 8:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL XIV (Season Premiere, Part Two)
Sundays, beginning, Jan. 11:
7:00-7:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Encore Episode)
7:30-8:00 PM MULANEY (All-New Episode)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (All-New Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM BOB”S BURGERS (All-New Episode)
Friday, Jan. 9:
8:00-10:00 PM GLEE (Two-Hour Season Premiere)
Thursday, Jan. 15:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL XIV (All-New Episode)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 16:
8:00-9:00 PM WORLD”S FUNNIEST FAILS (wt) (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE (Time Period Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 22:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL XIV (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM BACKSTROM (Series Premiere)
Sunday, March 1:
7:00-7:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Encore Episode)
7:30-8:00 PM BOB”S BURGERS (Time Period Premiere)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (One-Hour Premiere Event)
Monday, March 2:
8:00-10:00 PM THE FOLLOWING (Two-Hour Season Premiere Event)
Tuesdays, beginning March 3:
8:00-9:00 PM HELL”S KITCHEN (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (All-New Episode)
Sundays, beginning March 8:
7:00-7:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Encore Episode)
7:30-8:00 PM BOB”S BURGERS (All-New Episode)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (All-New Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (Time Period Premiere)
Mondays, beginning March 9:
8:00-9:00 PM GOTHAM (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM THE FOLLOWING (Time Period Premiere)
Friday, March 20:
8:00-10:00 PM GLEE (Two-Hour Series Finale)
Thursday, March 26:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Spring Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM BACKSTROM (All-New Episode)
Tuesdays, beginning March 31:
8:00-9:00 PM HELL”S KITCHEN (All-New Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM WEIRD LONERS (Series Premiere)