Fox’s ‘The Chicago Code’ will go on active duty Feb. 7

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Fox’s ‘The Chicago Code,’ the much anticipated cop drama from producer Shawn Ryan (‘The Shield,’ ‘Terriers’) will premiere on Monday, Feb. 7, which is the night following the network’s coverage of the Super Bowl, in the 9 p.m. time slot.

The show, which stars Jason Clarke as a rule-bending veteran Chicago detective juggling work, an ex-wife, a son and a much younger girlfriend, will get a big promotional boost by Fox during the network’s coverage of the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. A post-Super Bowl time slot would have been nice, but Fox is reserving that spot for its hit ‘Glee.’

Originally titled ‘Ride-Along,’ Ryan promises that ‘The Chicago Code’isn’t the typical cop show.

‘There are a lot of cop shows on TV and a lot of them are similar. There is a dead body at the start and a guy in handcuffs hauled away at the end of the episode,’ he cracked. ‘The Chicago Code,’ which will probably have its fair share of dead bodies, will also look at political corruption and how it trickles down into the lives of the cops on the street. Besides Clarke, who starred in Showtime’s ‘Brotherhood,’ ‘The Chicago Code’ also features Jennifer Beals (‘The L Word’) and Delroy Lindo.

The last new program that Fox tried in that time slot was the ill-fated ‘Lone Star,’ which was adored by critics but flamed out after just two episodes earlier this fall. That show, about a con man juggling two families, didn’t connect with viewers. But the time slot isn’t jinxed. Its previous occupant for several years was ’24.’

Though a heavy promotional blitz during the Super Bowl and having ‘House’ as a lead-in could help, Ryan knows that won’t be enough.

‘The idea that they are going to stick around and watch your show just because they like the show in front of yours doesn’t hold water anymore,’ he said. ‘Yeah, they’ll be a lot of people at 8:59, but will they be there at 9 p.m.?’

You can view a trailer of the show below:

-- Joe Flint

Video Credit: Fox