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”: May-August romance

This is it. Tonight’s episode of “Fringe” was a major event. A game changer. Going down in the history books. This is the first episode of “Fringe” I watched on my HDTV.

The Observers job is watching major events. From the Boston Massacre and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to Wednesday afternoon at the Grove. It only makes sense that he be around for my historic step into modern home entertainment. (Seriously, it looks awesome. Now I’m curious to go back and watch episodes like “Earthling” to see the effects in HD.)

Tonight’s episode wasn’t about our Observer. Instead it centered on another Observer, named August. That’s the start of what we learn about the Observers: There’s more than one. We also learn they have guns that fire some sort of force pulse; they can avoid a bullet with a wave of their hands; and they can start cars with their thumbs. Most “Fringe” fans (or Fringatics, as I just made up) won’t be surprised that an Observer can do all that — but would they be surprised to know an Observer can love?

'Fringe': Spot the Observers

If you had the feeling someone was watching you as you stopped for your morning Starbucks, you might not be crazy (this time). The Observers are out there, waiting, watching, and stopping by the Grove. To help promote the return of the sneaky bald stalker to the foreground in this week’s episode, “Fringe” has made a massively dynamic PR push featuring the normally shy Observer.

It started last week when media outlets started receiving mysterious boxes. Mine came a little late, but I’m sure that has nothing to do with my five things that could help “Fringe” last week. The boxes contained a page of strange writing, historic pictures and a bottle of Tabasco sauce.

The writing is the Observer’s unique notes, as we saw in his first unhidden appearance in “Fringe.” Luckily, the Observer was kind enough to include “The next all-new episode of FRINGE, 'August,' airs Thursday, Nov. 19 (9:00-10:00 ET/PT on FOX." Unless that just happens to mean something completely different in Observer-ese.

The pictures include a photo of Archduke Ferdinand, Marie Antoinette and an engraving of the Boston Massacre. If you look close enough (or have seen the promos for this week’s episode) you can spot the Observers standing in the background of each.

The Tabasco sauce is, or course, the Observer’s favorite condiment, and I guess he just likes to share.

'Fringe': Inside Massive Dynamic

Massive Dynamic. It’s almost like another character in the “Fringe” universe. Or universes. Massive Dynamic has always been a source of secrets and conjecture. Olivia said herself about Massive Dynamic that all her cases “lead back here.” Though not so much lately. Massive Dynamic had only played a part in one episode so far this season. Until Thursday night.

It all starts when the Fringe Division is brought in to investigate a hostage situation in which four police officers appeared to die by means of mind control. Tyler, the perceived hostage, was the son of a scientist at Massive Dynamic. I say perceived hostage because he turns out to be (twist) the kidnapper and then (twist) a Massive Dynamic experiment. I didn’t bother to warn you about spoilers because neither is really a surprise twist and knowing doesn’t spoil the episode (though why would you be reading this before watching the episode anyway?).

Five things that could help 'Fringe'

Last week, “Fringe” hit an all-time low in the Nielsens. Only about 5 million viewers tuned in to check out “Earthling.” Heck, “Hank” got a bigger share of the Thursday night audience. A show that's already been cancelled. What’s with that?

To be fair, “Fringe” wasn’t in a good position last week. After two weeks of being preempted by the World Series, viewers might not have known there was a new episode. There were reports all over the Web of TiVos and DVRs not recording the crazy science of the week, but that’s not going to stop me from taking this time to put out my list of the Five Things that could help “Fringe.”

‘Fringe’: Dusty

Yankees win! Woo ha!

I’m not a baseball fan. In fact, I couldn’t care less. But the Yankees winning does mean that the World Series is over. Fox can return to its normal schedule, and we get our first new “Fringe” in three weeks. About time. I was starting to go through withdrawal of Walter’s food cravings and inappropriately sexual comments.

“Fringe” has really been on a roll this season, and ‘Earthling’ is no exception. It delivered both on the level of crazy cool science and a little character development for the Fringe Division’s own stone-cold bossman, Agent Broyles.

'Fringe': Taking the show on the road. To Seattle.

You know what “Fringe” has gotten really good at this season? Side characters. That’s a good thing. Now that Charlie Francis is gone, there’s a gaping hole next to our stars. Last week, we got the dynamic Massive Dynamic scientist Brandon. This week, we get Seattle Bureau Agent Kashner. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again, but after how he got treated tonight, I’d understand if he wanted to avoid the Fringe Division.

Before Agent Kashner makes his appearance, we get to visit another one of Season Two's fun side characters: bowling-alley Yoda Sam Weiss. Last we saw Weiss, he was being so Mr. Miyagi-like that Olivia pulled her gun on him. Though she had to walk without her cane to do so, playing right into his annoyingly Zen plan. Just when Olivia was telling him she was all better, Weiss pulls another Jedi mind trick and knows someone close to her died. That’s enough to get Olivia to follow through with another one of his unorthodox treatments. As long as he’s not telling her to sand the floor. Then she’ll know he’s just messing with her.

We don’t hear what Sam asks Olivia to do, but how long did it take you to figure out it had something to do with the business cards and people wearing red? Pretty lucky that this week’s case took place in Seattle, giving Olivia a bunch of new people to meet and ask for their cards. It would have been strange if she tried to follow through in the FBI offices she worked in every day.

'Fringe': From whom the bell tolls

Finally! The scene we’ve been waiting for all season. Don’t get me wrong, the last three episodes have had their moments. I enjoyed all the fun with the shape-shifting soldiers from another dimension, the scary mole boy and the ex-colonel fighting his own war against the Observers, but since the finale of last season, I’ve been waiting to find out what happened in that meeting between Olivia and William Bell. Now we know, though it might be too late.

Who knew that the key to unlocking Olivia’s memories would be a tape worm smoothie? They need to make that an optional boost at Jamba Juice, with or without strawberries.

I’m not sure if I completely understand Walter’s science behind the worms. He explained that when worms trained to respond to light were fed to untrained worms, the second group gained the abilities of their consumed brethren. How that translates to Olivia remembering her time in the déjà vuniverse is beyond me, but I’ll gladly suspend my disbelief for more Leonard Nimoy.

The worms didn’t kick in right away. It took Walter ringing a bell. Not sure if that was a subconscious trigger, a bit of symbolism for William’s last name, or just a happy coincidence, but when Walter rang it, Olivia went down for the count and began reliving her meeting with Walter’s former’s lab partner.

'Fringe': Leonard Nimoy on William Bell

Normally, I watch “Fringe” like anyone else. Thursday night, I sit on my couch, give my TiVo a little head start so I can fast forward through commercials, and enjoy the episode, furiously scribbling notes onto a small notebook the whole time. That’s how everyone watches, right?

This week, I got a preview of the new “Fringe,” “Momentum Deferred.” They should have called it “Gratification Deferred.” This is the episode everyone has been waiting for since the new season began. I don’t want to spoil anything. Not for the episode tonight, and not for my Show Tracker tomorrow. So I’m not going to tell you what crazy experiment Walter does or where to find the Observer or about all the heads, and I absolutely won’t tell you who guest stars.

One a completely unrelated note, Leonard Nimoy took time yesterday to talk about “Fringe” and playing the part of the infamous Dr. William Bell.

'Fringe': Tin Man

Spot the Observer – I normally end my Show Tracker with “Spot the Observer.” Usually because it takes me forever to find the guy. Last week he was standing in a field miles away. I had to look it up online. So this week, I scoured every scene searching for baldy. Yeah. Thanks a lot, “Fringe.” You couldn’t give me a heads-up. Flash it at the bottom of the screen. It’s good enough for the “House” promo. Why can’t get just get a little “the Observer’s at the very end” crawl?

There were so many scenes that seemed like they could have been hiding places for the Observer too. The episode started out in a train station. Camera spinning around. Seemed like the perfect place for him to be hanging around. I watched it twice to make sure I didn’t miss him.

Then we rolled into our character development scenes. Olivia’s hanging out at the bowling alley with Kevin Corrigan, though they never get around to actually bowling. He teaches her to tie her shoes, and he measures her hands (finding them smaller than he expected), and spouts out a lot of what Olivia calls “Yoda crap.” I was thinking more along the lines of Mr. Miyagi. Training her by having her do mundane tasks. I was waiting for him to tell her to wax on/wax off the alleys.

Olivia makes the very un-Ralph Macchio move of pulling a gun on her own Pat Morita. And deep down, don’t you always kinda wish that would happen? Don’t you think if Ralph Macchio had a gun he wouldn’t have whipped it out and told Mr. Miyagi to just teach him karate already?