FOX is announcing 2011-2012 midseason premiere dates for new and returning series, including the return of AMERICAN IDOL; the debuts of new dramas TOUCH, ALCATRAZ and THE FINDER; and the launch of new animated series NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.
Welcome AMERICAN IDOL back when its 11th season begins with a two-night premiere Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Featuring host Ryan Seacrest and returning judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, television’s No. 1 series continues with a special, extended primetime broadcast Sunday, Jan. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT) following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (6:00 PM-CC ET live/3:00 PM-CC PT live).
TOUCH, the distinctive new drama created by Tim Kring (“Heroesâ€) and starring Kiefer Sutherland (“24â€) will debut with a special preview Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), immediately following AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The uplifting drama, which makes its series premiere Monday, March 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), features Sutherland as a widower and single father haunted by an inability to connect to his mute 11-year-old son. But everything changes when he discovers that his son possesses the gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events.
J.J. Abrams’ (“Super 8,†“Star Trek,†“Lostâ€) chilling new thriller ALCATRAZ will debut Monday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) with a special two-hour premiere event. The series then makes its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), following all-new episodes of HOUSE (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The mysterious drama stars Sarah Jones (“Sons of Anarchyâ€), Jorge Garcia (“Lostâ€) and Sam Neill (“Jurassic Parkâ€) as a unique team investigating the shocking reappearance of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners, 50 years after they vanished.
THE FINDER, the one-hour procedural centering on a remarkable man with an extraordinary ability to help people find the unfindable, joins the schedule Thursday, Jan. 12 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The debut follows an encore episode of BONES (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), in which THE FINDER’s “Walter Sherman†(Geoff Stults, “She’s Out of My League,†“October Roadâ€) and “Leo Knox†(Michael Clarke Duncan, “The Green Mileâ€) were first introduced.
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, the new animated comedy based on the hit movie, joins the ANIMATION DOMINATION lineup with a double dose of DYNAMITE episodes Sunday, Jan. 15, beginning with the series premiere at 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT, followed by a second all-new episode at 9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT. Featuring the voices of the original cast, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE follows the continuing adventures of America’s most awesomely awkward teenager and his quirky family and friends, as they navigate small-town life in rural Idaho.
Beginning March 6, the Tuesday laughs keep coming with a new block of four half-hour comedies led by encores of NEW GIRL (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the Season Two return of BREAKING IN (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), the workplace comedy starring Christian Slater, Bret Harrison and new series regular Megan Mullally (“Will & Graceâ€). The Tuesday night of comedy continues with all-new episodes of NEW GIRL (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the all-new misadventures of the Chance family on RAISING HOPE (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
BOB’S BURGERS joins the ANIMATION DOMINATION menu when it makes its Season Two opening Sunday, March 11 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT). This season, Bob (the voice of H. Jon Benjamin) and the family test-drive the food truck industry, dive into the world of synchronized swimming, search for treasure in an abandoned taffy factory and get tied up with a very needy bank robber.
All-new episodes of fan-favorite series and specials return in January. Starting Tuesday, Jan. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), all-new installments of GLEE lead off a night of FOX comedies, followed by NEW GIRL (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and RAISING HOPE (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). MOBBED flashes back to the schedule with all-new episodes airing Wednesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8. KITCHEN NIGHTMARES begins serving up a full plate of fresh episodes on Friday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), followed by new installments of FRINGE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
COPS lays down the law with an arresting new episode Saturday, Jan. 7 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) and all-new episodes air back-to-back beginning Saturday, Jan. 14 (8:00-8:30 and 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT). Another AMERICA’S MOST WANTED SPECIAL EDITION airs Saturday, Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). On Sunday, Jan. 8, ANIMATION DOMINATION rules with all-new episodes of THE SIMPSONS (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), THE CLEVELAND SHOW (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), FAMILY GUY (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and AMERICAN DAD (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
FOX 2011-2012 MIDSEASON SCHEDULE
(Times for All-New episodes are ET/PT except as noted)
MONDAY
Monday, Jan. 16:
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ALCATRAZÂ (Series Premiere)
Mondays, beginning Jan. 23:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â HOUSEÂ (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ALCATRAZÂ (Time Period Premiere)
Monday, March 12:
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ALCATRAZÂ (Two-Hour Episode)
Mondays, beginning March 19:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TOUCHÂ (Series Premiere)
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TUESDAY
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 17:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â GLEE
9:00-9:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â RAISING HOPE
Tuesdays, beginning March 6:
8:00-8:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NEW GIRLÂ (encore)
8:30-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BREAKING INÂ (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â RAISING HOPE
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WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Jan. 4:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â GLEEÂ (encore)
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MOBBED
Wednesday, Jan. 11:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MOBBEDÂ (encore)
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MOBBED
Wednesday, Jan. 18:
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICAN IDOLÂ (Season Premiere, Part One)
Wednesday, Jan. 25:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TOUCHÂ (Special Preview)
Wednesdays, beginning Feb. 1:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MOBBED
Wednesdays, beginning Feb. 15:
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICAN IDOLÂ (Two-Hour Episodes)
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THURSDAY
Thursday, Jan. 12:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BONESÂ (encore)
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE FINDERÂ (Series Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 19:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICAN IDOLÂ (Season Premiere, Part Two)
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THE FINDER
***************************
FRIDAY
Friday, Jan. 6:
8:00 PM-CC ETÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FOX SPORTS SPECIAL:Â 2012 AT&TÂ COTTON BOWL CLASSICÂ (Live)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 13:
8:00-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FRINGE
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SATURDAY
Saturdays, beginning Jan. 7:
8:00-8:30 PM Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â COPS
8:30-9:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â COPS
9:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â DRAMAÂ ENCORES
11:00 PM-Midnight    ENCORES
Midnight-12:30 AMÂ Â Â Â ENCORES
Saturday, Feb. 11:
8:00-10:00 PMÂ Â Â Â Â &nb