TCA: FX says goodbye to Vic Mackey and McNamara and Troy

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It was a bittersweet morning for John Landgraf, president of FX Networks, who kicked off FX’s press tour session by announcing end dates for several of the network’s signature series.

As previously announced, ‘The Shield,’ the series that turned FX into a must-see network for original dramas, will begin its last season on Sept. 2. Landgraf spent a few minutes bragging about how ‘The Shield,’ the first basic cable show to win an Emmy, altered the TV landscape and gave HBO a run for its money.

FX’s other sweetheart, ‘Nip/Tuck,’ the top-rated basic cable drama, will end in early 2011, Landgraf said. The last eight episodes of the current season will premiere in January 2009. Creator Ryan Murphy, who will stay with the series through it end, will produce 19 more episodes as the final season, Landgraf said.

Admitting that the network has had a tougher time landing successful comedies, Landgraf announced that its darling, ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,’ will premiere its fourth season on Sept. 18 and produce 39 more episodes beyond that with the entire cast, including Danny DeVito.

In other news, Landgraf announced that 22 episodes of ‘Rescue Me’ will air next spring with the addition of Michael J. Fox, who will appear in four episodes as the new wheelchair-bound boyfriend of Janet Gavin (Andrea Roth).

‘Damages’ will return in January 2009 for a second season with new additions to the cast that include Marcia Gay Harden, Timothy Olyphant and William Hurt.

A new comedy, ‘Testees,’ about two friends in their early 30s who earn a living as medical guinea pigs, will premiere on Oct. 9.

Landgraf said he has not decided whether to renew ‘The Riches’ for a third season.

---Maria Elena Fernandez

Correction: An earlier version of this post contained two errors. It misspelled the name of a new comedy on the cable channel; it should have read ‘Testees,’ not ‘Testeees.’ The article also wrongly said that the show ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ will end in 2011. No decision has been made when that show will be over.