Getting a one month head-start on upfronts season, FOX gave out a slew of renewals on Monday (April 9) morning.
FOX has ordered a fourth season for “Glee,” a third season for “Raising Hope” and a second season for “New Girl.”
The “Glee” and “New Girl” renewals were no-brainers.
Although it may not be quite the buzz magnet it was when it launched in the spring and then fall of 2009, “Glee” produces strong demographic numbers and solid audiences for FOX and remains a steady contender for various awards. It’s not a coincidence that after a brief winter hiatus, “Glee” will return to FOX on Tuesday night with the first of a string of new episodes leading to this season’s anticipated (by FOX’s promo department at least) graduation episode. It remains to formally announced how “Glee” will handle the next stage of life for the departing McKinley High students.
“New Girl,” meanwhile, earned Golden Globe nominations for Comedy Series and for star Zooey Deschanel and remains the season’s top new show among adults 18-34 and the second highest rated new scripted series among adults 18-49, despite rather large audience drops this spring.
The renewal for “Raising Hope” wasn’t shocking, but it continued FOX’s history of support for a series that has a devoted pocket of network, critical and audience support, but has never really attracted any sort of ratings momentum. FOX moved “Raising Hope” away from its “New Girl” lead-in earlier this spring and learned two things: First, that “Raising Hope” can draw at least semi-acceptable numbers as an hour-starter, and second that “Breaking In” wasn’t able to retain nearly as much of that lead-in. Presumably both factors led to FOX’s early renewal.
“Over the past season, ‘New Girl’ has become the hottest new appointment series for young adults; ‘Raising Hope’ has established itself as one of the smartest and most unique offbeat comedies on television; and ‘Glee’ has continued its success as a genre-defying, global cultural phenomenon,” states FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. “All three of these comedies add a fresh and distinctive flavor to our Tuesday nights, and I”m really happy to bring them back to our air next season.”
After coming into 2012 with a slew of programming question marks, FOX has begun the steady process of giving answers. The network has already announced, for example, the cancellation of “Terra Nova” and the upcoming series end for “House.”
Meanwhile, sorry “Fringe” fans… You’ll just have to keep holding your breath.