Fox announces its midseason lineup

Fox announced its midseason lineup today and it contains a couple of surprises. Dr. House and Jack Bauer will team up on Monday nights, "Fringe" will remain in its challenging Thursday night time slot, and "Glee" will be off the air until April 13, when it returns on a new night following "American Idol" but up against the last episodes of ABC's "Lost."

"American Idol" returns on Jan. 12 and will help launch "Our Little Genius," a new game show by Mark Burnett ("Survivor" and "The Apprentice") the following night. "Our Little Genius" then will shift to Tuesdays paired with "Idol" until April 13, when "Glee" returns for its remaining nine episodes at 9 p.m.

The new drama "Human Target," starring Mark Valley, premieres on Jan. 20 after "Idol."

As previously announced, "24" returns with a two-night premiere on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18 and then settles into its regular Monday 9 p.m. slot after "House" on Jan. 25.

"Fringe," which has taken a ratings hit on its new night, will remain on Thursdays but will take a break beginning Feb. 11, when Fox launches the new drama "Past Life."  "Fringe" returns to the schedule on April 1.

As previously announced, "Dollhouse" will end on Jan. 22. "Kitchen Nightmares" will take over its Friday time slot the following week.

The new comedy "Sons of Tuscon," starring Tyler Labine, will premiere March 14 at 8:30 p.m. when "The Cleveland Show" moves to 9:30 p.m. and "American Dad" is off the schedule.

Fox also ordered a complete second season of "Lie To Me."

--Maria Elena Fernandez

Photo: Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer on "24" / Credit: Fox

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Fringe looks for an identity in its second season

Mark Valley stars in "Human Target"

24: First Look of new season

Dollhouse is canceled

'Family Guy': I’m Outrageous!

I love holiday episodes. Whether it’s New Year's Eve on “Night Court” or Halloween on “The Real Ghostbusters.” One of my favorite “American Dad” episodes is the Christmas that Stan dies and crashes Jesus’ birthday (and the classic bit of what happened to Jim Henson when he tried to sneak into heaven). Now, “The Cleveland Show” adds to the classic tradition of holiday episodes with “A Brown Thanksgiving.” Brought to you by Cascade (not really brought to you by Cascade).

Cleveland is excited for his first Thanksgiving with his new family, especially since his mom, Cookie, is joining them. Unfortunately his father, Freight Train, has returned from running away with a waffle house waitress for the second time and comes for the holiday as well. Freight Train spends his time putting down Cleveland and Cookie, and in turn Cookie spends her time putting down Donna. It’s just like a real family!

Then Auntie Momma arrives. Donna’s outrageous aunt lightens everyone’s mood. That is until Cleveland finds out she’s pulling a Tyler Perry. Guess her name should be Uncle Daddy, though that sounds incredibly creepy.

'Family Guy': A blow-up doll, clones and wedding vows

Last week, Seth MacFarlane conquered Fox’s Sunday lineup like it was Russia in a game of Risk. But, like the largest landmass in that classic game of strategy, Sunday night isn’t meant to be controlled forever. Just get your extra seven pieces, and turn your focus to Australia. This week, “The Cleveland Show,” “Family Guy” and “American Dad” return to their normal routine. Thank goodness. Squeezing 2 1/2 hours of television into one post isn’t easy.

Starting off on “The Cleveland Show,” we finally get a taste of why Cleveland got married in his first episode instead of living his spinoff as a single dad. After watching this video on College Humor, I did start to wonder why all the MacFarlane animated shows were about guys with hot wives and loser kids, but Donna’s ladies’ night got us a little more face time with the new Mrs. Brown.

Donna isn’t interested in hanging out with the wives of Cleveland’s friends. Who could blame her? You have a conservative Christian bear who collects confetti, a morbidly obese woman on a Rascal and an Italian prostitute. Instead she ditches her wedding ring to go hang out with her old crew of divorcees. Drinking, dancing and stabbing guys in the hand. You know, ladies’ night.

‘Family Guy’: Roadhouse!

He finally did it. Seth MacFarlane finally took over the entire Sunday lineup on Fox. If you don’t count the 7 p.m. episode of “Brothers,” and who does? From 7:30 to 10 p.m. straight, you couldn’t escape MacFarlane’s voice, whether it be as Stan, Roger, Peter, Stewie, Brian, Tim the Bear or himself.

For this Evening of Seth, they decided to switch things around -- or flip the script as Federline Jones said.

First up, “American Dad.” Stan tries to push Steve from the youthful world of Slip 'N Slides and the Strawberry Princes into adulthood and the wonders of coffee, life insurance and insulation. When Stan stumbles into the inflatable wonderment that is the “Star Trek” Moonbounce, he realizes all the joys of childhood he missed out on. Meanwhile, Klaus yearns for his pre-fish days, when he could get a haircut, so Hayley gets him a dog wig and offers him a trim.

Fox and Gordon Ramsay team for reality series 'Master Chef'

Fox has ordered up "Master Chef," a new reality show that will pit amateur cooks against one another in a battle for culinary supremacy.

Gordon Ramsay, star of the network's other food-centric hours, "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares," will co-produce and headline "Master Chef," which is based on a format that originated in the U.K. but more recently shattered ratings records in Australia.

In the Australian version of the show, according to the Hollywood Reporter, contestants -- home cooks, not professional chefs -- audition by creating a dish for a panel of three judges to earn spots as semifinalists. The remaining contestants compete each week by way of team-based and individual cooking challenges until only one remains.

A premiere date has not yet been set. Reveille and Ramsay's One Potato Two Potato will produce. 

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Fox

NBC gets schooled after banning 'Glee' cast from Thanksgiving parade

"Glee" may look like an unassuming show about a bunch of high school dorks, but it's a killer. Seriously. Throw anything at it and the Fox show comes out on top.

The latest proof comes courtesy of NBC's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was foolish enough to cross the little show that could. If you are among the small band of desert-island dwellers who have not yet heard, allow us to recap: The entire cast of "Glee," including stars Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison, was invited to perform at the Nov. 26 event. This could have been a great promotional opportunity, given that last year's parade averaged 21.7 million total viewers, according to the Nielsen Company, or about three times what "Glee" has been doing.

But note that we said "could have been." Alas, it never was. Apparently parade organizers had extended the invitation without checking with NBC first. And surprise, surprise -- network executives thought it was a terrible idea. Since when does a network help promote a rival show? So before you could hum the opening riff of "Don't Stop Believin'," the "Glee" crew's invitation disappeared.

Others might have cried, but this is where the "Glee" people got tough. Stories started appearing everywhere. Deadline Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke opined that NBC was staffed by "morons." Observers started asking why "American Idol" runner-up David Archuleta was allowed to sing at last year's parade. And then "Glee" executive producer Ryan Murphy kicked in with a public statement to Entertainment Weekly: "I completely understand NBC's position, and look forward to seeing a Jay Leno float." Take that, Jeff Zucker! 

NBC has gotten totally drubbed in the media, which these days isn't that unusual. The network has probably made matters worse by not talking publicly about its decision. But the thing is, it does have a point. As an NBC insider says, it's standard operating procedure for networks to avoid showing talent from rival programs. The sole exception is news programs and late-night talk shows, and even there uneasy truces are easily broken, as we've seen recently with "The Jay Leno Show." And since the "Glee" performance was likely to be a virtual infomercial for the show, it's understandable why the thought made NBC programmers queasy. 

But the real point here is an object lesson in how "Glee" -- probably the most ingeniously and tirelessly flogged new show this season -- turned what could have been a minor reversal into a major PR windfall. As Jon Stewart might say, "Well-played, sir. Well-played." 

--Scott Collins

Twitter: scottcollinsLAT

Photo: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

'Family Guy': Superfriends

I’m still getting used to the idea of having new episodes of “Family Guy,” “The Cleveland Show,” and “American Dad” each week. Seems like it’s been so long. Though now it kind of feels like watching a Seth MacFarlane movie once a week. I’m not sure if it’s going to get tiring after a while, but for now, I’m fully enjoying it.

This week, Cleveland works to win over his new stepchildren in a perfect metaphor for “The Cleveland Show” trying to win over the 8:30 p.m. Fox time slot, which is much like the stepchild of the Sunday bloc. Of course, Cleveland only had to deal with killing the family dog, whereas “The Cleveland Show” killed “King of the Hill.

“The Cleveland Show” still feels a little like an extended “Family Guy” B story. It still needs to find its own voice. Though, “American Dad” was still making cut-away jokes in the first couple of episodes, and it seems to have found what makes it unique. I will say that “The Cleveland Show” did have some link-worth references. There was Cleveland’s version of Halle Berry’s Oscar acceptance speech, some ghost-riding the whip, and the ad for Men’s Warehouse. All funny. I guarantee it.

'Family Guy': MacFarlane's universes

Seth MacFarlane continues his slow expansion over the Sunday night schedule on Fox. It’s like a well-played game of Risk. First he solidified his hold on the 9 p.m. slot with “Family Guy,” which is like, say, taking over all of Asia. Sure there’s been some ups and downs, getting canceled or losing Ural, but once you have it secure, you’re getting those seven extra pieces per turn. Then you can’t help but branch out.

Four seasons ago, MacFarlane captured the 9:30 p.m. slot, or Europe, with “American Dad!” (Did you know there was an exclamation point in the title? No? Me either).

Then Sunday night as the 2009-10 season kicked off, MacFarlane seized the 8:30 continent with “The Cleveland Show.” All that’s left is the good old 8 p.m. “The Simpsons,” which sits there like Australia, but like any experienced Risk player will tell you from his parents’ basement, you can never overtake Australia. It’s there for good.

The night of premieres started off with the first episode of “The Cleveland Show.” Word got out last year that the Griffin family’s deli-owning neighbor from across the street was going to get his own show. Cleveland himself even mentioned it to Quagmire while they were chained up in the basement during an episode last fall. Tonight was the night when Cleveland finally made his move. After losing his house to his ex-wife and having Peter crash into his bathroom for the final time, Cleveland decides to pack up all his belongings and his formerly thin, hyperactive/now overweight, soft-spoken son to follow his dream of being a baseball scout in California.

If you’ve heard anything about the show or watched the opening title sequence, you know Cleveland’s life doesn’t quite pan out that way. Instead, he ends up in his fictional hometown of Stoolbend, Va., married to his high school sweetheart and combining families into their own “Brady Bunch,” though without the gay architect father and sexual relationship between mother and oldest son, as Cleveland points out.

Fox likely to pass on Obama address again [Updated]

President Obama’s plan to make his case for healthcare reform in an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday is forcing the broadcast television networks to upend their prime-time schedules yet again, much to their consternation.

Obama’s speech has been billed as the White House’s last and best chance to regain the upper hand on the roiling healthcare debate. But not all the networks are willing to cooperate. It appears unlikely that Fox, which is debuting the season premiere of “So You Think You Can Dance,” followed by its much-anticipated new comedy “Glee,” will carry the speech. Instead, the network’s sister channel Fox News will air the address. (A Fox spokeswoman said no decision has officially been made yet.)

It won’t be the first time that Fox ignored a presidential appearance. In July, the network opted to air “So You Think You Can Dance” instead of Obama’s prime-time news conference, a decision that helped it win the night in viewership.

So far, NBC is the only network that has committed to carrying Wednesday’s speech, which will air at 8 p.m. EDT, forcing that network to push back a new episode of “America’s Got Talent.” ABC, which was scheduled to air “Wipeout” in that hour, will also likely carry Obama’s address. CBS planned to run repeats of “New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Gary Unmarried” and has not yet announced whether it will change its plans.

Complicating the scheduling is the fact that the Republicans are demanding equal air time to respond to the president, which would likely force the networks to scuttle their 9 p.m. programming too.

Obama’s frequent addresses to the public in prime time since taking office are wearing on the broadcast networks, which have lost millions in advertising revenue from canceled entertainment programming -- no small matter during an economic downturn. But for the most part, the pressure to deliver live news on matters of major public significance has outweighed the networks' financial considerations.

On the other hand, the president's prime-time appearances have been welcome fodder for the cable news networks, which thrive on live news events.

[Updated at 9:16 a.m.: CBS will carry Obama's address, a CBS News spokesman said.]

[Updated at 10:13 a.m.: ABC News confirmed that it will air the president's speech and the Republican response from 8 to 9 p.m. ET, indicating that the networks remain hopeful that the event will only disrupt an hour of prime time.]

[Updated at 3:30 p.m.: Fox confirmed that the network will not carry Obama's speech. An on-screen graphic will alert viewers that the address is available on the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.]

-- Matea Gold 

Photo: Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg

No BBC show for Octomom

BBC executives said they are not in the Octomom business.

A story published Tuesday about an upcoming Fox special featuring Nadya Suleman and her 14 children said she was also participating in a BBC-produced reality show.

But executives at the BBC said no such show is in the works, and they have no projects planned with Suleman.

— Greg Braxton