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[09/30/03 - 12:00 AM] FOX Shifts 'O.C.' to Wednesdays as Part of Major Fall Overhaul By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
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CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX has once again changed its fall schedule, this time making changes to three nights on its lineup: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The news was announced via press release yesterday. Here's a breakdown of all the moves:
After weeks of speculation, FOX has decided not to move its summer success story "The O.C." to Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c where it would have faced off against juggernauts "C.S.I." on CBS and "Will & Grace" on NBC. The series will instead move to Wednesdays at 9:00/8:00c beginning October 29.
To make room on the night, the network will hold back the final six episodes of "Cedric the Entertainer Presents" until midseason and shift its returning comedy "The Bernie Mac Show" to Sundays at 8:30/7:30c. And on Sundays, FOX has decided to bench the previously announced 8:30/7:30c time slot holder "The Ortegas" until midseason in favor of "Bernie Mac." Finally, FOX will fill the Thursday, 9:00/8:00c hour with same-week repeats of its new Monday drama "Skin," a strategy that worked well for "The O.C."
FOX executives stressed the moves were designed to capitalize on the success of "The O.C." and increase its chances at maintaining its strong summer numbers in the fall. As for the delays of "Cedric" and "Ortegas," the former was simply a disposable holdover from last season's production run while the latter's future is a little more fuzzy. FOX has decided to halt production on "Ortegas" after six episodes but is looking to extend its options on the creative talent involved with the series. The network had previously committed to 13 episodes but the rollback means the cast and crew will likely be free agents long before "Ortegas" makes it to air.
Meanwhile, FOX plans quite a bit of fanfare for "The O.C.'s" re-launch on Wednesday nights:
During the show's October hiatus, fox.com/oc will launch extensive new features found only on the show's official website. Every Thursday (Oct. 2, 9, 16 & 23) at 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT, various cast members from THE O.C. will participate in an online chat. Fox.com/oc will also give online visitors the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and see exclusive clips in conjunction with "character" and "soundtrack" commentaries provided by THE O.C.'s creators. Prior to THE O.C.'s return to primetime, fox.com/oc will premiere video footage from the premiere episode "The Rescue," which airs Wednesday, Oct. 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the site will also launch bonus features including an exclusive dvd-style producers' commentary of scenes in "The Rescue." The site will also feature character downloads including new wallpapers and screensavers.
In addition, FOX plans to encore the first six episodes of the series next week starting Tuesday, October 14. Back-to-back episodes beginning at 8:00/7:00c are scheduled to run from October 14-16, contingent upon League Championship play for this year's MLB playoffs.
In review, here's the complete list of changes to FOX's fall schedule:
Wednesdays beginning October 29
8:00/7:00c - "That '70s Show"
8:30/7:30c - "A Minute With Stan Hooper"
9:00/8:00c - "The O.C."
Thursdays beginning October 30
8:00/7:00c - "Tru Calling"
9:00/8:00c - "Skin" (encore presentations)
Sundays beginning November 9
(note that with the exception of "Bernie," all of FOX's Sunday comedies premiere November 2)
7:30/6:30c - "King of the Hill"
8:00/7:00c - "The Simpsons"
8:30/7:30c - "The Bernie Mac Show"
9:00/8:00c - "Malcolm in the Middle"
9:30/8:30c - "Arrested Development"
Lastly, while nothing is official yet, insiders are saying FOX is close to yanking its entire Friday lineup - "Wanda at Large," "Luis" and "Boston Public" - in favor of movies for November sweeps.
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[12/09/25 - 12:00 PM] FOX Kicks Off Its Winter Lineup with Special Advance Premiere Dates for New Series "Best Medicine" and Returning Comedy Series "Animal Control" Following FOX NFL Doubleheaders Plus: look for a two-night premiere event for new drama series "Memory of a Killer," starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperiloi, beginning immediately after the NFC Championship Game.
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[12/09/25 - 10:31 AM] John Stamos, Dale Dickey, and Cam Gigandet Join "The Hunting Wives" Season 2 The trio joins previously announced new cast members Kim Matula and Alex FitzAlan, alongside returning cast members Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Jaime Ray Newman, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit, George Ferrier, Karen Rodriguez, Hunter Emery, and Branton Box.
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[12/09/25 - 10:01 AM] BET+ Original Film, "A Soulful Christmas," Premieres Thursday, December 25 The film stars Kaci Walfall, Myles Truitt, Shanice, Kenny Lattimore, Taylor Symone, E. Roger Mitchell, Towanda Braxton, KB Holland, Kyler Chavis, Gail Everett-Smith, Gerard Catus, Ryan James, and Elijah Resurreccion.
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[12/09/25 - 09:31 AM] "The Upshaws" Returns to Netflix on January 15 with Final Season As Regina makes a run for office and Bennie's garage falls on hard times, the Upshaws will always find a way to keep it real, loud and full of love.
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[12/09/25 - 09:22 AM] Viaplay January 2026 Exclusive U.S. Premieres: "Sport vs. Money," "Stayer," "The Curse," "Scenes After a Marriage" "Slayer" follows an aging rock musician forced to confront his greatest challenge when the mother of his child dies tragically - struggling to balance fatherhood, fame, and the haunting choices of his past.
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[12/09/25 - 09:01 AM] Video: Official Trailer - "The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball" Season 2 The series, produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, returns on Monday, December 22 only on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.
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[12/09/25 - 09:01 AM] The History Channel's New Series "History's Deadliest with Ving Rhames" to Premiere on Monday, January 26 The 10-part series produced by Propagate Content will reveal the unbelievable details surrounding the world's most prolific and powerful killers.
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[12/09/25 - 08:10 AM] Roku Originals Hits the Road for Sophia Bush and Lauren Holly Comedy Feature "Broad Trip" From Muse Entertainment and Motion Content, the film recently wrapped production and will debut on The Roku Channel in May 2026.
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[12/09/25 - 08:09 AM] FOX Nation Taps Zachary Levi for New Docudrama "David: King of Israel" Slated for Early 2026 Released weekly, the program brings to life the thrilling, turbulent and deeply human story of David, the shepherd boy who rose to become the greatest king in Israel's history, and whom Christians regard as the ancestor of Jesus Christ.
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[12/09/25 - 08:08 AM] OWN Announces "Maxxed Out": A Bold New Financial Intervention Series Premiering January 10, 2026 This unflinching eight-episode series reveals how money (and mismanaged money) can strain even the strongest relationships.
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[12/09/25 - 08:01 AM] Tyrese Haliburton Joins "NBA on Prime" as Player Contributor Haliburton will make his debut tonight on "NBA on Prime's" postgame show, "NBA Nightcap," following the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals doubleheader featuring the Miami Heat at Orlando Magic (6:00 p.m. ET) and New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors (8:30 p.m. ET).
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[12/09/25 - 07:01 AM] Apple TV Reveals First Look at "Margo's Got Money Troubles" from David E. Kelley Based on Rufi Thorpe's bestselling novel of the same name, the eight-episode series will premiere globally on Wednesday April 15, 2026 with three episodes, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through May 20, 2026.
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[12/09/25 - 07:01 AM] Prime Video Reveals First-Look Images and Premiere Date for "56 Days," Starring Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia All eight episodes will be released on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
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[12/09/25 - 06:01 AM] Video: "Unlocked: A Jail Experiment" - Season 2 Official Trailer - Netflix At an Arizona correctional facility, a sheriff implements a bold experiment to grant incarcerated men more agency in this eye-opening reality series.
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[12/09/25 - 06:01 AM] The Game is Afoot! Prime Video Releases First-Look Images for "Young Sherlock" Series The thrilling series, brought to life by visionary director and executive producer Guy Ritchie, charts the origin story of Sherlock Holmes in an irreverent, action-laden mystery that follows the iconic detective's early adventures.
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