or


[11/14/03 - 12:00 AM]
Correction: FOX to Be 'Cracking' and 'Straight' on Mondays
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

Correction: FOX has informed us that this information, taken from USA Today's Friday issue, is incorrect. No air date information has been announced yet for either "Cracking Up" or "Playing It Straight."

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX has provided the first glimpse at its midseason schedule as the network announced today the debuts of two new series. "Cracking Up," a new comedy featuring Molly Shannon and Chris McDonald, and "Playing It Straight," a new reality series that puts a straight twist on Bravo's "Boy Meets Boy," will both premiere Monday, January 12.

"Cracking Up," which will air at 8:30/7:30c, stars Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore") as Ben, "a psychology graduate student who lands the clinical opportunity of a lifetime when he moves into the guest house of a wealthy Beverly Hills family to counsel their introverted youngest son," according to a network press release. "Once settled into his new surroundings, Ben realizes that this seemingly perfect family home is actually a breeding ground for dysfunction, neuroses, and paranoia and his young patient is the least of his worries."

Schwartzman replaces Nicholas D'Agosto on the comedy, who exited the series in September to become a regular on NBC's "ER" (read the story). Shannon ("Saturday Night Live," "Superstar"), McDonald ("Family Law," "Happy Gilmore"), David Walton, Caitlin Wachs, Jake Sandvig and Nathan Norton round out the cast. Mike White ("School of Rock") created and is the executive producer of the series, a co-production of 20th Century Fox Television and Brad Grey Television, along with Brad Grey.

As for "Straight," which will fill the 9:00/8:00c hour, the reality series follows a single, straight woman as she looks for love among a pool of single men on a Western-style dude ranch. The twist in this case, along the lines of the aforementioned Bravo series, is that some of the men are gay pretending to be straight. If she ultimately chooses a straight mate, she wins a substantial cash prize (believed to be near $1 million) but if a gay man fools her, he gets the cash. Unlike "Boy" however, those involved with the series were aware of the twist at the start of production. Jeremy Mills and Ciara Byrne of Lion Television are the executive producers of the series, which was developed under the title "Who Will She Choose?"

It's not clear how many episodes of each series FOX has ordered or what will air in the Monday, 8:00/7:00c half-hour. FOX had previously announced at its upfront presentation (read the story) that the midseason dramedy "Wonderfalls" was being eyed for the Monday, 8:00/7:00c hour come January however that doesn't seem to be the case any longer. It also seems unlikely that struggling Friday drama "Boston Public" will return to its old Monday home any time soon based on this news.

As for the rest of its midseason schedule, FOX has yet to reveal the exact start date for the third season of "American Idol." Also on tap for midseason are the drama "Still Life," the comedy "The Ortegas," new episodes of "Cedric the Entertainer Presents" and the reality trio of "Love Again," "The Swan" and "The Complex."





  [november 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BOSTON PUBLIC (FOX)
· BOY MEETS BOY (BRAVO)
· CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER PRESENTS (FOX)
· COMPLEX, THE: MALIBU (FOX)
· CRACKING UP (FOX)
· ER (NBC)
· FAMILY LAW (CBS)
· LOVE AGAIN (FOX)
· ORTEGAS, THE (FOX)
· PLAYING IT STRAIGHT (FOX)
· STILL LIFE (FOX)
· SWAN, THE (FOX)
· WONDERFALLS (FOX)





[02/20/26 - 07:31 AM]
"Famous Last Words" Captures Interviews with Icons, Including the Late Eric Dane
Conducted by Emmy Award winner Brad Falchuk, the series presents an interview with the beloved "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria" star Eric Dane, which was filmed last November.

[02/20/26 - 07:03 AM]
Video: A First Look at "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Revealed Ahead of Disney+ Debut This Summer
The teaser debuted ahead of the all-new "Descendants/ZOMBIES Worlds Collide: Concert Special," available today on Disney+.

[02/20/26 - 06:46 AM]
Paige Desorbo and Scott Evans to Host The Actor's Red Carpet: The 32nd Annual Actor Awards Official Pre-Show Live on Netflix
During the pre-show, winners for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture and Television Series will also be announced.

[02/20/26 - 06:02 AM]
TV One Presents A Definitive Tribute to an Icon with "Luther Vandross: Never Too Much" Premiering This Sunday, February 22 at 6PM/5C
Hailed by critics and audiences as a moving and definitive tribute, the film honors the life, artistry, and enduring cultural impact of music legend Luther Vandross.

[02/20/26 - 12:01 AM]
"A Friend, A Murderer" Launches on Netflix on March 5, 2026
This is the story of how a series of horrific crimes affected a rural community in Denmark and how a Danish town's close-knit community was transformed into distrust and fear.

[02/19/26 - 11:50 AM]
ABC Wednesday Comedies Deliver Audience Milestones as Romance Blooms With Valentine's Day Episodes
"Shifting Gears" earned 6.90 million Total Viewers and 0.99 rating among Adults 18-49, after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.

[02/19/26 - 11:01 AM]
Oscar Winners Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldana Return to the Oscars Stage
All return to the Oscars stage after winning last year in their respective acting categories.

[02/19/26 - 10:32 AM]
Baseball Returns! ESPN to Stream More MLB Spring Training Games Than Ever
The offerings include four national games on ESPN, six games on ESPN Unlimited, and more than 250 out-of-market games via MLB.TV on ESPN platforms.

[02/19/26 - 10:00 AM]
Daring Dark Polish Comedy "The Stroke" Exclusive U.S. Debut Thursday, March 12, 2026 Only on European Streamer Viaplay U.S.
In a fearless performance, Jacek Poniedzialek plays a celebrated culinary critic and TV personality, brilliant and caustic, who built a career skewering bourgeois taste while privately unraveling.

[02/19/26 - 09:36 AM]
Nickelodeon to Air "Bedtime Stories with Ryan," Starring Ryan Reynolds, Beginning Monday, March 2, on Nick Jr. Channel
In the series, Ryan Reynolds reads new and classic bedtime stories as the tales magically come to life around him - creating a warm, playful and imaginative wind-down experience for kids and parents to enjoy together.

[02/19/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The series premieres on Thursday, March 19, 2026, only on Netflix.

[02/19/26 - 08:46 AM]
Netflix Announces New Adult Animated Comedy Series "DANG!", Starring Stephanie Hsu, Poppy Liu and Andrew Law
The series follows a brother and sister duo whose fun, messy lives in New York City are interrupted when their worst nightmare comes true: their high-achieving older sister shows up and wants to hang out with them.

[02/19/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "House of the Dragon" Season 3 - Official Teaser - HBO Max
From fire comes darkness.

[02/19/26 - 08:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces Season Two Premiere Date and New Key Art for "House of David"
Season two premiere will debut on March 27, 2026 globally on the service, with all episodes available to stream at launch.

[02/19/26 - 07:59 AM]
ESPN to Launch "Women's Sports Sundays," A First of Its Kind Summer Weekly Primetime Franchise Showcasing the Best of Women's Sports in Premium Windows
Debuting in Summer 2026, the new Sunday night destination will feature top-tier WNBA and NWSL on ESPN presented by Ally matchups, elevating the biggest moments, rivalries and stars across women's sports on ESPN networks in premium windows.