LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX has pulled the lid off its Olympic counterprogramming plans, which include new episodes of "The Casino" and "Oliver Beene," NFL pre-season games and most of all, mini-marathons of its current series.

The news was announced via press release today:

GO FOR THE GOLD WITH FOX SUMMER GAMES!

EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK OF "ALIEN VS. PREDATOR" MOVIE AUGUST 12; MINI-MARATHONS OF "COPS" AUGUST 14, "FAMILY GUY" AUGUST 18 AND 25, "THE BERNIE MAC SHOW" AUGUST 20 AND "THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP" AUGUST 26; AS WELL AS ALL-NEW EPISODES OF "OLIVER BEENE," "THE CASINO" AND "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED;" PLUS NFL PRESEASON GAMES AUGUST 19 AND 27

Let the FOX Summer Games begin! FOX takes on the competition this August with special programming opposite the Olympics. FOX's dream team features slam-dunk original specials, heavyweight all-new episodes, a victorious season finale, perfect-10 NFL preseason games and goal-scoring mini-marathons of favorite FOX series, including the triumphant return of FAMILY GUY.

Here are the highlights for this August on FOX, followed by a calendar-at-a-glance recap:

FOX kicks off its own version of the Summer Games a day early with a night of epic battles on Thursday, August 12, as FOX salutes the return of two of the scariest movie franchises of all time with the premiere of the all-new, original special ALIEN VS. PREDATOR (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT). Hosted by the film's star, Lance Henriksen, ALIEN VS. PREDATOR gets up-close-and-personal with two of the most frightening creatures to ever hit the silver screen. Taking a look at the "Alien" and "Predator" franchises that made these creatures legends, the half-hour special will feature commentary from the filmmakers who brought them to life, never-before-seen footage, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the new 20th Century Fox film "Alien Vs. Predator," in theaters August 13.

Following the special, FOX presents a 90-minute encore of CELEBRITY BOXING 2 (8:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). Contenders facing off in the ring include Ron Palillo ("Welcome Back Kotter") vs. Dustin Diamond ("Saved By the Bell"), ex-basketball pro Manute Bol vs. former Super Bowl star William "Refrigerator" Perry, Olympic gymnast Olga Korbut vs. Darva Konger ("Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire") and wrestler Joanie "Chyna" Laurer vs. Joey Buttafuoco.

Other FOX Summer Games specials rivaling the Olympics this month include encores of MAN VS. BEAST (Friday, August 13, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and MAN VS. BEAST 2 (Friday, August 13, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), in which human participants go head to head against animals in a series of foot races, relays, strength competitions, obstacle courses and eating contests; and the first two NFL preseason games of 2004. NFL on FOX kicks off its 2004 coverage with an NFL preseason contest between the New York Giants and the NFC champion Carolina Panthers on Thursday, August 19 (8:00 PM-CC ET LIVE/5:00 PM-CC PT LIVE), with FOX Sports' Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth calling the action, live from Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Next up is the preseason showdown between the Washington Redskins and the St. Louis Rams (Friday, August 27, 8:00 PM-CC ET LIVE/5:00 PM-CC PT LIVE), live from the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO.

Racing out of the starting gate on Saturday, August 14 is the first of the FOX Summer Games mini-marathons, as COPS presents four special edition episodes, including COPS: RESISTING ARREST #2 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), COPS: BAD GIRLS #4 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), COPS: NAKED PERPS (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and COPS: HO! HO! HO! (9:30-10:00 PM ET).

In hot anticipation of new FAMILY GUY episodes airing in 2005, FOX aces the competition when it serves up two FAMILY GUY mini-marathons on Wednesday, August 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, August 25 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Show creator Seth MacFarlane hand-picked eight of his favorite episodes from the first three seasons for the mini-marathons, including an installment with guest voices Tony Danza, Valerie Bertinelli and Adam West (Wednesday, August 18, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT); an episode boasting the vocal talent of Andy Dick, Jon Favreau and Gene Simmons (Wednesday, August 18, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT); the "He's Too Sexy For His Fat" half-hour (Wednesday, August 25, 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), in which Brian experiments with plastic surgery; and the time Brian gets in touch with his feminine side with the help of guest voices Candace Bergen, Faith Ford and Jennifer Tilly (Wednesday, August 25, 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT).

Bernie Mac muscles in on the mini-marathon action with four Herculean episodes of THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, airing Friday, August 20 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The four-pronged Mac-attack includes encores of the "Hair Jordan" episode (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), in which Jordan gets thrown out of the barbershop for talking smack; the time Bernie gets a motorcycle (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT); the "It's A Wonderful Wife" episode (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), in which Wanda interferes with Bernie's preparation for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"; and Dr. Phil's house call (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).

The quest for the very best continues during FOX Summer Games with a mini-marathon of THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP. Paris and Nicole give new meaning to the term "gold medalist" on Thursday, August 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) in four hilarious episodes that see the girls giving the sons of a hippie host family a spray-on tan (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), coping with a religious host family's no-profanity rule (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), getting up-close-and-personal with a Texas biker family (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and taking the law into their own hands while helping out the local sheriff (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).

FOX also sprints ahead with all-new episodes of FOX series OLIVER BEENE, THE CASINO and AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK.

OLIVER BEENE leads the pack with its original, unaired pilot episode, debuting Sunday, August 15 (7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT). It's 1962, and 11-year-old Oliver Beene is embarrassed by his dentist father, Jackie Kennedy-worshipping mother and athletic brother. His worst fears are realized during the Cuban Missile Crisis � when he's forced to spend a weekend with his family in their extremely cramped fallout shelter. The following week (Sunday, August 22, 7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT) is another all-new episode of OLIVER BEENE, "Catskills." Then, a Beene family day trip to Coney Island turns into a 40-year war with neighbor George Novogroder � over a parking spot. Jerry and the boys cross the line and end up sending Novogroder to the hospital on the all-new "A Trip to Coney Island" episode, Sunday, August 29 (7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT).

This month, Sundays and Mondays are a winning, snake-eyes combination for all-new installments of THE CASINO. Canadian band Barenaked Ladies take center stage on the Sunday, August 15 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) episode, and jeopardize singer Matt Dusk's dream of moving from Zax's lounge into the casino's legendary showroom. The following night, Monday, August 16 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), tennis ace and minority Golden Nugget owner Andre Agassi and rat pack crooner Tony Bennett descend on THE CASINO for a blowout re-launch event for Vegas aristocrats and Nevada notables. Two additional all-new original episodes of THE CASINO, airing Sunday, August 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Monday, August 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), sprint all-out toward the gold-medal season finale on Sunday, August 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK takes on the nation's hottest crime issues � and the Olympics -- with two original, all-new episodes. The champion crime-fighting program presents the "Butchers of Brighton Beach Special Edition" on Saturday, August 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and another all-new, hard-hitting installment on Saturday, August 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

High-jumping to the winners' circle, FOX Summer Games present all-star encore episodes of FOX series, which feature award-winning, guest-starring turns by Betty White and Cloris Leachman on MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE (Sunday, August 15, 7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT); Glenn Close as Mother Simpson (Sunday, August 15, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Mr. T and Jackie Mason (Sunday, August 22, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) and Jon Lovitz as Artie Ziff (Sunday, August 29, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) on THE SIMPSONS; Liza Minnelli and Carl Weathers (Sunday, August 22, 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Henry Winkler (Sunday, August 29, 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT; Brooke Shields (Monday, August 16, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT; Tuesday, August 17, 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT; Tuesday, August 17, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT; and Tuesday, August 24, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), Seth Green (Tuesday, August 17, 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT; Tuesday, August 17, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT; and Monday, August 23, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Rachel Bilson (Monday, August 23, 8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Luke Wilson (Tuesday, August 24, 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and Morgan Fairchild and Shannon Elizabeth (Tuesday, August 24, 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on THAT '70s SHOW; and Tom Bergeron (Saturday, August 21, 11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT) and Fred Willard and David Alan Grier (Saturday, August 28, 11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT) on MADtv.

Additional FOX Summer Games schedule information will be announced soon.

CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE:

Thursday, August 12
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT ALIEN VS. PREDATOR/All-New Special
8:30-10:00 PM ET/PT CELEBRITY BOXING #2

Friday, August 13
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT MAN VS. BEAST
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT MAN VS. BEAST 2

Saturday, August 14
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS: RESISTING ARREST #2
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS: BAD GIRLS #4
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT COPS: NAKED PERPS
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT COPS: HO! HO! HO!
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT MADtv

Sunday, August 15
7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT OLIVER BEENE/All-New Episode
7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE/Guest Stars Betty White and Cloris Leachman
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS/Guest Voice Glenn Close
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT/Series Premiere
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE CASINO/Guest Stars Barenaked Ladies (All-New Episode)

Monday, August 16
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Guest Star Brooke Shields
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE CASINO/Guest Stars Tony Bennett and Andre Agassi (All-New Episode)

Tuesday, August 17
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT TRADING SPOUSES/Two-Part Series Premiere, Part 1
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Guest Stars Seth Green and Brooke Shields
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Guest Stars Seth Green and Brooke Shields

Wednesday, August 18
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY

Thursday, August 19
8:00 PM-CC ET Live/5:00 PM-CC PT Live NFL PRESEASON GAME/New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers

Friday, August 20
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE BERNIE MAC SHOW
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THE BERNIE MAC SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT THE BERNIE MAC SHOW/Guest Star Ellen DeGeneres
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT THE BERNIE MAC SHOW/Guest Stars Dr. Phil McGraw and Mo'Nique

Saturday, August 21
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS: COAST TO COAST
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS: COAST TO COAST
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT AMW: BUTCHERS OF BRIGHTON BEACH SPECIAL EDITION/All-New Special Edition Episode
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT MADtv/Guest Star Tom Bergeron

Sunday, August 22
7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT OLIVER BEENE/All-New Episode
7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE/Two-Part Season Finale, Part 1
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS/Guest Stars Mr. T and Jackie Mason
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT/Guest Stars Liza Minnelli and Carl Weathers
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE CASINO/All-New Episode

Monday, August 23
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Guest Stars Rachel Bilson and Seth Green
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE CASINO/All-New Episode

Tuesday, August 24
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT TRADING SPOUSES/Two-Part Series Premiere, Part 2
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/150th Episode, Guest Star Luke Wilson
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT THAT '70s SHOW/Guest Stars Morgan Fairchild, Brooke Shields and Shannon Elizabeth

Wednesday, August 25
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY

Thursday, August 26
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP/Encore
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP/Encore
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP/Encore
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT THE SIMPLE LIFE 2: ROAD TRIP/Encore

Friday, August 27
8:00 PM-CC ET Live/5:00 PM-CC PT Live NFL PRESEASON GAME/Washington Redskins vs. St. Louis Rams

Saturday, August 28
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS: COAST TO COAST
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS: COAST TO COAST
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT AMW: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK/All-New Episode
11:00 PM-MIDNIGHT ET/PT MADtv/Guest Stars Fred Willard and David Alan Grier

Sunday, August 29
7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT OLIVER BEENE/All-New Episode
7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE/Two-Part Season Finale, Part 2
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS/Guest Star Jon Lovitz
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT/Guest Star Henry Winkler
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE CASINO/Season Finale