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[11/14/03 - 12:00 AM] Correction: FOX to Be 'Cracking' and 'Straight' on Mondays By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
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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."
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[12/04/25 - 01:31 PM] Heroes Rise Together! Disney+ Original Series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Official Branded Merchandise Now Available Inspired by the series' rich storytelling, the dedicated e-commerce store will feature a wide variety of Camp Half-Blood-themed merchandise tailored for enthusiasts of the acclaimed series.
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[12/04/25 - 12:56 PM] Video: HBO Releases Official Trailer for the Original Drama Series "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," Debuting January 18 From the world of Westeros comes an endearing tale centered on the adventures of an unexpected duo.
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[12/04/25 - 12:07 PM] Video: "Mo' Waffles" - Official Trailer - Tubi Original When a hip hop legend vanishes before his waffle joint's opening, his oddball crew must crack the case, wondering if one of them could be the culprit.
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[12/04/25 - 12:00 PM] Video: A New Generation of Camp Rockers Vie to Become the Opening Act for Connect 3 in First "Camp Rock 3" Teaser The teaser includes a first look at the Jonas Brothers' return as Connect 3 and the new generation of campers joining the iconic franchise.
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[12/04/25 - 11:02 AM] "The Masked Singer" Returns with an All-New Season of Epic Themes and Massive Unmaskings on FOX! Season 14 takes its beloved themed episodes to new heights, celebrating some of the most recognizable and nostalgic moments in pop culture history.
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[12/04/25 - 11:01 AM] Video: AMC Networks Debuts Official Trailer for Sports Docuseries "Rise of the 49ers," Narrated by Executive Producer Tom Brady The limited series event, exploring the dramatic and iconic run of the San Francisco 49ers during the '80s and early '90s, premieres with the first two episodes on Sunday, February 1 at 9pm ET/PT, followed by the remaining two episodes on Monday, February 2 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.
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[12/04/25 - 10:39 AM] Meryl Streep, Jon Batiste, Kathryn Hahn, Regina Hall, Parker Posey, Zachary Quinto, Kelly Ripa and Adam Scott to Present Honors in the 19th Annual "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" This year, the third annual CNN Heroes Legacy Award will continue the new tradition of honoring not-so-everyday people dedicated to a lifetime of service by recognizing Robert Redford with a special tribute and appearance by former Vice President Al Gore accepting the award on behalf of the Redford family.
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[12/04/25 - 10:31 AM] "The Hunting Wives" Season 2 Adds Kim Matula and Alex Fitzalan The duo joins previously announced 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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[12/04/25 - 10:28 AM] "A CNN Special Event: Roy Wood Jr.'s Very Very Very Merry Holiday Special" Airs Sunday, December 14 at 8pm ET on CNN Filmed in front of a live audience in the nation's capital, Wood Jr. will dive into the joy, and occasional chaos, of the holiday season with his signature blend of sharp wit and warm humor.
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[12/04/25 - 10:01 AM] The World Knew Him as Dirty John: New Documentary Series Exposes the Real John Meehan From Bunim/Murray Productions, a Banijay Americas company, and Empress Films, director Emma Cooper and executive producers Julie Pizzi, Jesse Daniels, and Melissa G. Moore, comes the definitive documentary series of the man behind the myth.
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[12/04/25 - 10:01 AM] Video: Trailer & Key Art Debut - Hularious Original "Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts" The latest special in the Hularious stand-up slate premieres Friday, December 19 on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the US, and on Disney+ internationally.
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[12/04/25 - 09:41 AM] Hallmark Media Announces That Matthew Lawrence and TLC's Chilli Will Host an All-New, Original Series "Second Chance Love" The all-new, unscripted series gives five couples, ranging from their 30's to 70's and who dated 5 to 40 years ago, a second chance to reconnect with the one who got away against the backdrop of a romantic Italian resort.
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[12/04/25 - 09:32 AM] Food Network Will Kick Off 2026 with a Fresh New Competition Series, "Baking Championship: Next Gen" Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown are the hosts and judges of the series, due on Monday, January 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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[12/04/25 - 09:31 AM] First Look - Bert Kreischer Stars in Netflix's "Free Bert" The new scripted comedy series, starring Bert Kreischer, premieres on Netflix in January 2026.
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[12/04/25 - 09:06 AM] PBS and WETA Announce Four-Part Documentary "Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History" with Henry Louis Gates Jr. to Premiere February 3, 2026 Black and Jewish Americans began on fundamentally different footing, but by the early 20th century, they were drawn together by entrenched racism and rising antisemitism.
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