Nellie Andreeva

Following Premiere January 21The upcoming 12th season of American Idol, featuring new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, will open with a two-night premiere on Wednesday, January 16 (8-10 PM) and Thursday, January 17 (8-9 PM). The following Monday, January 21, Fox’s anticipated new drama The Following, starring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy, will make its series debut in the 9 PM slot, following Bones. And Touch, originally slated for a fall launch in the Friday 8 PM slot, will premiere its second season February 1. It will air in the Friday 9 PM slot, succeeding departing Fringe and likely getting a Gordon Ramsay lead-in. (Fox will run Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares in the hour beginning this Friday.) The only remaining scripted Fox series with no premiere date is comedy The Goodwin Games, which will likely replace Ben And Kate in Fox’s comedy block in midseason.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.