LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX handed out some coal to its freshman drama "Reunion" this afternoon as the series won't return to the network's schedule next year.
FOX had previously indicated it would burn off the show's four remaining installments beginning January 12. Instead, FOX has opted to move "The O.C." to the Thursday, 9:00/8:00c hour with back-to-back episodes of "That '70s Show" leading off the night at 8:00/7:00c (read the story).
Said development will send FOX's sophomore comedy "Stacked" on hiatus until Thursday, March 16 when it will resume its post-"70s" time period at 8:30/7:30c. As for the Wednesday, 8:00/7:00c hour, "American Idol" will fill slot beginning January 18. Initially, the network planned to move both "'70s" and "Stacked" from Wednesday nights to Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c and 9:30/8:30c respectively on March 2.
Through its five airings this season, "Stacked" has averaged a modest 4.98 million viewers including a 71.24% retention rate of lead-in "That '70s Show's" audience (6.99 million). More troubling however is that FOX's viewership grows back up to 7.48 million on average in the 9:00/8:00c hour thanks to "Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy."
As for "Reunion," the show's final broadcast on December 15 drew a measly 3.54 million viewers where it held just 56.91% of lead-in "The O.C." (6.22 million).
Meanwhile over on ABC, the network has scheduled new recap episodes of "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy" for next month. The pair join "All the Juicy Details," a "Desperate Housewives" recap special announced a few weeks ago (read the story).
The "Anatomy" special, entitled "Straight to the Heart," is scheduled to air Sunday, January 8 at 10:00/9:00c with new episodes resuming on January 15 ("Begin the Begin").
"Revelation," the third "Lost" recap episode, is due to broadcast on Wednesday, January 11 at 8:00/7:00c as a lead-in to its first fresh installment of 2005 ("The 23rd Psalm") at 9:00/8:00c. New episodes of "Invasion" ("Us or Them") also resume that night at 10:00/9:00c.
Note: This article was updated with additional information on Wednesday, December 21.
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