or


[07/31/03 - 12:00 AM]
FX Folds 'Lucky,' Adds 'Bernie Mac' for 2008
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- Despite earning basic cable's first ever nomination for comedy writing, FX has decided not to renew its freshman series "Lucky" for a second season.

The news doesn't come as much of a surprise however. The John Corbett-led dark comedy opened to a modest 2.5 million viewers back in April only to see its audience drop in half by its fourth episode. Even worse the series averaged a 0.77 rating in adults 18-49 for its entire 13 week run, with an almost invisible 0.55 average rating for its final month on the air.

That's a stark contrast from "The Shield," which averaged over 3 million viewers in its second season not to mention a 1.9 rating in adults 18-49 for its finale. FX executives nevertheless remain proud of the series. "I just think it's the most competitive time in the history of TV. Sometimes shows don't find audiences," FX topper Peter Liguori told Daily Variety. "Ultimately, we're in the business of delivering eyeballs and creating a profile. We're all proud of the show, but it never found the audience it deserved."

He added, "At the end of the day, we're really proud of it," Liguori said. "We thought maybe we'd use the resources we have and give something else a try." So far Liguori has been right: the first two weeks of newcomer "Nip/Tuck" have topped every episode of "Lucky" to date.

Meanwhile, the cable network has added to its off-network stable, picking up the exclusive cable rights to "The Bernie Mac Show." The four-year license term, set to begin in fall 2008, came at a relatively modest $235,000 per episode fee.

FX will follow "Mac's" three-year exclusive run on local stations beginning in fall 2005. Despite being two years away, distributor 20th Century Fox Television has already cleared the show in 75% of the country. In addition, 20th will also hold back 90 seconds of ad time from the series' FX run. That space could net the company an additional $200,000 per episode in the long run.

On FX, "Mac" will join a few familiar faces from its FOX run as "Malcolm in the Middle" (fall 2007, $600,000 per episode), "That '70s Show" (fall 2005, $490,000 per episode) and "King of the Hill" (fall 2004, $400,000 per episode) as well as "Dharma & Greg" (fall 2005, $400,000 per episode) will join the channel in the coming years. All five are relative bargains when compared to the network's current entries "The Practice" ($675,000 per episode), "Ally McBeal" ($745,000 per episode) and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" ($650,000 per episode) which, aside from "Buffy," have been massive disappointments for the network.

20th's pact with FX includes a drop in "Mac's" license fee should FOX broadcasting cancel the show before it reaches its fourth season. FX is also required to extend its exclusive deal six months for every year FOX renews "Mac" beyond the 2004-05 season, with a cap set at seven seasons.





  [july 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· ALLY MCBEAL (FOX)
· BERNIE MAC SHOW, THE (FOX)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· DHARMA & GREG (ABC)
· KING OF THE HILL (FOX)
· LUCKY (FX)
· MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE (FOX)
· NIP/TUCK (FX)
· PRACTICE, THE (ABC)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· THAT '70S SHOW (FOX)





[02/14/25 - 01:01 PM]
Max Renews "The Pitt," Starring Noah Wyle, for a Second Season
New episodes of the 15-episode first season debut on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET leading up to the season finale on April 10.

[02/14/25 - 01:01 PM]
"XO, Kitty" Renewed for a Third Season at Netflix
Season 2 premiered on January 16, 2025 and debuted at #2 on the English TV List with 14.2 million views.

[02/14/25 - 11:01 AM]
HBO Original Six-Part Documentary Series "Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015" Debuts February 25
Inspired by Henry Hampton's legendary documentary series "Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Movement," this new installment of the groundbreaking 1987 series illuminates the bold stories of people and communities who continue to work for equity and racial justice in the years since the birth of the American civil rights movement.

[02/14/25 - 10:06 AM]
"Farmer Wants a Wife" - Are You DTF? Meet the 32 Women Ready to Saddle Up and Take on the Farm Life, Premiering Thursday, 3/20 at 9/8c on FOX
This season, four new farmers - Matt Warren, Jay Woods, John Sansone and Colton Hendricks - bring the heat as all-new daters look to leave behind city life for the charm of the country as they embark on an adventure that could change the course of their lives forever.

[02/14/25 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Announces Returning Main Cast and New Cast Starring in Season Three of the Emmy-Winning Drama Series "Euphoria," As Well As New and Returning Key Crew Members
Returning series regulars include Emmy winner Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, SAG Awards winner Eric Dane, BAFTA Film Award nominee Jacob Elordi, Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow.

[02/14/25 - 10:01 AM]
Love Is in the Air! New Reality Dating Series "Bravo's Love Hotel" Coming Soon
The new reality dating series brings together some of "The Real Housewives" franchise fan favorites, including Shannon Storms Beador, Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby and Luann de Lesseps for the ultimate luxurious getaway in the hopes of finding true love.

[02/14/25 - 08:01 AM]
The Latest Season of "Yellowstone" Heads Exclusively to Peacock - Season 5: Part 2 Arrives March 16
The Dutton family fights to defend their ranch and way of life from an Indian reservation and land developers.

[02/14/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Bridgerton" Season 4 - Sneak Peek - Netflix
To celebrate the Season of Love, Netflix takes you behind the scenes of filming "Bridgerton" Season 4 with Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton) and Yerin Ha (Sophie Baek).

[02/14/25 - 07:01 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Focus Features' Gothic Tale "Nosferatu" Beginning February 21
From acclaimed director Robert Eggers, the film stars Bill SkarsgÄrd, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe and more.

[02/14/25 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "My Family" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A terminally ill father prepares his chaotic family to care for his two young kids and face life without him - but they must put old quarrels to rest.

[02/13/25 - 03:23 PM]
BYUtv Premieres Powerful, Fantastical New Zealand-Set Family Series "Secrets at Red Rocks"
The series follows the journey of Jake, an eccentric boy struggling to find belonging whose life is profoundly impacted by his discovery of mythical selkies who shapeshift from seal to human form.

[02/13/25 - 01:42 PM]
ESPN NBA Schedule Update: Memphis Grizzlies Visit Cleveland Cavaliers on February 23
This matchup replaces the previously scheduled Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks game.

[02/13/25 - 01:15 PM]
Showtime Original Series "Dexter: Resurrection" Adds Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Dominic Fumusa and Emilia Suarez
Production kicked off in January 2025 in New York and the series is set to launch in summer of 2025 on Paramount+ with Showtime.

[02/13/25 - 01:00 PM]
Video: "O'Dessa" - Official Trailer - Hulu
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, "O'Dessa" is an original rock opera about a farm girl on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom.

[02/13/25 - 12:01 PM]
Legendary Lineup Grows as "Saturday Night Live" Announces More Musical Guests and Comedians for "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert" Streaming Live on Peacock from Radio City Music Hall on February 14 at 8ET/5PT
The event celebrating 50 years of legendary "SNL" musical and comedy performances will also feature special appearances by Ana Gasteyer, Andy Samberg, Maya Rudolph, Paul Shaffer, Tracy Morgan, Will Ferrell, and more surprise guests.