Nellie Andreeva

Right after NBC, it is Fox’s presenting its fall schedule tomorrow. After making some major scheduling moves last year with shifting American Idol to Wednesdays and Thursdays and launching a Glee-anchored comedy block on Tuesdays, the network is expected to bet on stability this year, especially after both gambles this season largely paid off. Idol is expected to keep its Wednesday-Thursday airing pattern, which would be mirrored in the fall by The X Factor, whose 90-minute Wednesday show will probably be used to launch a new comedy the way American Idol has done it.

I hear the most anticipated new Fox series, prehistoric drama Terra Nova, which had been rumored to launch either on Monday or Thursday, looks Monday-bound. Conventional wisdom has it that Fox should use a reliable performer like House to launch its highest-profile new series, and that has been the scenario most speculated about. But Terra Nova has tested great as a four-quadrant show with a very broad appeal, so I won’t be surprised if Fox decides to make a switch and put Terra Nova at 8 PM to capture the family audience. Terra Nova doesn’t really need a lead-in — after all, it’s a Steven Spielberg-produced show with dinosaurs — so it could be a self-starter like Glee proved to be this season. And House is probably better suited for 9 PM.

Speaking of Glee, it is expected to once again lead off the Tuesday comedy lineup, followed by two comedies, probably New Girl and Raising Hope as both are edgy single-camera half-hours, but Fox may also want to create a family comedy block with Hope and the multi-camera I Hate My Teenage Daughter. The new comedy that doesn’t join Fox’s comedy block will probably go after X Factor.

After numerous scheduling moves, I think utility player Bones will probably stay status quo on Thursdays, alternating with spinoff Finder. And Fringe is expected to stay on Fridays, setting up a genre show face-off with NBC’s freshman Grimm.

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