15 Comments | Add
Rate & Share:
Related Links:
Info:
TV Wasteland: SARAH CONNOR GETS TO KEEP CHRONICLING
Could it be that FOX actually makes a good decision? By
Stephen Lackey
October 20, 2008
Fox Renews Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for the full season
© Fox
Fox is a hard network to love, and a hard one to hate. When no one else was doing interesting sci-fi TV, Fox was giving it a go. The problem is these days Fox still likes the genre but if the new series doesn’t immediately find a massive audience the network tends to give up on the show. This wasn’t always the method of operations for Fox but it has been for the last several years.
With that in mind, when an interesting series is in its formative episodes, slowly developing its fan base similar to the way the X-Files found its audience, fans are concerned. When a show gets misfired in the marketing by Fox and its ratings suffer fans get really scared. The Sarah Connor Chronicles started off strong this season but no one seemed to know that the series was actually coming back. As you might expect, the ratings dropped on the show. It has been on the bubble of cancelation all season long and many fans have been nailing the lid on the coffin for some time. In a surprising turn Fox has renewed the series for the rest of this season.
Digging deeper though the decision doesn’t seem to be as much of a surprise as you might believe. Fox had been banking on a 24/Dollhouse block in the Spring that’s just not going to happen because Dollhouse won’t be ready to premiere in the Spring. So, Fox is now falling back on Sarah Connor Chronicles as a part of a Monday night block with 24. Speculation has run rampant on the web, and here in this article, that Dollhouse may never even see the light of day. This new development makes that theory an even stronger possibility. While it doesn’t bode well for Dollhouse, it is good news that The Sarah Connor Chronicles will get a full season two.
As if things couldn’t be more busy on Monday nights, VH1 is premiering a new series on that night called Scream Queens. The show is a reality series where women compete to become a “scream queen” in the next SAW film. Based on all of the major activity already on Monday nights, it doesn’t make much sense for VH1 to drop a show for horror fans on this night. The Sarah Conner Chronicles is back with a new episode just in time to celebrate its full season renewal on Monday night. Heroes, Prison Break, and Chuck are all also new on Monday and all are recommended viewing. Fringe, Supernatural, and Sanctuary are also new this week.
Monday
CHUCK (NBC, 8PM EST) CHUCK VERSUS THE COUGARS
Sarah's teenage insecurities bubble to the surface when she runs into her school nemesis, Heather Chandler (Nicole Richie). But in order to stymie a plot involving bombs, Sarah must attend her high-school reunion and go face-to-face with Heather. Meanwhile, with Buy More bigwig Big Mike absent, Lester is left in charge of carrying out a new sales policy. Ben Savage guest stars.
TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (FOX, 8PM EST) THE TOWER IS TALL BUT THE FALL IS SHORT
Jesse (Stephanie Jacobsen), a woman from Derek's past, surfaces while Sarah, John and Cameron try to locate a person on their list.
PRISON BREAK (FOX, 9PM EST) THE PRICE
While Pad Man lays out the Company's next gambit to his underlings, Lincoln reaches into his past for a way to gain access to the final card, which is in Pad Man's possession, and Michael and Self have a meeting with their colleague-to-be: Gretchen. Meanwhile, Roland seethes at the treatment he has gotten from the gang since he lost the transcribing device in Las Vegas.
HEROES (NBC, 9PM EST) DYING OF THE LIGHT
Knox and Daphne recruit Hiro for a mission; Peter goes to Pinehurst for answers; Claire and Sandra plan to rescue Meredith; and Nathan and Tracy seek help from Suresh to find the origin of their abilities.
SCREAM QUEENS (VH1, 10PM EST)
Ten aspiring actresses compete for a role in "Saw VI." In the series opener, the ladies size each other up and must beg for their lives in a challenge involving a chainsaw-wielding maniac.
Tuesday
HOUSE (FOX, 8PM EST) LUCKY THIRTEEN
A woman with whom Thirteen had a one-night stand has a seizure at Thirteen's apartment, prompting intense curiosity (both professional and otherwise) about the women's personal lives from House and Foreman. Adding to the intrigue: Thirteen discovers why the woman wanted to sleep with her. Meanwhile, Lucas (Michael Weston) continues to snoop on Wilson.
FRINGE (FOX, 9PM EST) THE CURE
The reappearance of a missing woman with a rare disease puts everyone she meets in jeopardy and coincides with detections of dangerous radiation levels, raising suspicions of a link to illegal drug trials involving humans.
THE MENTALIST (CBS, 9PM EST) THE LADIES IN RED
When an investment banker is found murdered inside his locked safe room, the team unlocks the secret that he was stealing millions from clients. Jane sets a trap to catch one of the suspects. Virgil Minelli: Gregory Itzin. Jennifer Sands: Lisa Brenner.
Wednesday
KNIGHT RIDER (NBC, 8PM EST) KNIGHT OF THE HUNTER
Mike poses as a marine to thwart a rogue military officer's explosive scheme to blow up a dam. Helping him in the mission: a beautiful undercover agent. Elsewhere, Billy is tutored in the fine art of combat.
PUSHING DAISIES (ABC, 8PM EST) FRESCORTS
A popular escort at a friend-for-hire outfit is killed, and the team suspects the murderer may have been his socially awkward roommate (David Arquette). Meanwhile, Emerson gets a surprise visit from his mother (Debra Mooney), who's also a private investigator.
GHOST HUNTERS (SCIFI, 9PM EST) HOMETOWN HAUNTS
Two Massachusetts probes have the team investigating claims purported in Springfield and Leominster.
Thursday
SMALLVILLE (CW, 8PM EST) PREY
Clark suspects a recent murder at a theater may be the work of a meteor-infected serial killer, and he demands that Chloe give him names of people she's counseling at the Isis Foundation. A fearful Davis thinks he's the killer and confides in Chloe.
SUPERNATURAL (CW, 9PM EST) YELLOW FEVER
Several men die from fright after being infected with a mysterious illness that causes acute anxiety, which leads to total terror. Sam and Dean investigate, and Dean becomes infected. Sam desperately searches for a cure before Dean dies and is sent back to hell.
ELEVENTH HOUR (CBS, 10PM EST) AGRO
Hood and Rachel investigate food-linked cases of paralysis in northern California.
Friday
GHOST WHISPERER (CBS, 8PM EST) SAVE OUR SOULS
While Melinda tries to enjoy a romantic cruise with Jim, she encounters an angry ghost who is haunting a newlywed couple. Betty: Katherine LaNasa. Julia: Hillary Tuck. Rich: Seamus Dever.
CRUSOE (CBS, 8PM EST) SACRIFICE
Crusoe loses his wedding ring while making repairs. Later, Friday asks Crusoe for help returning a woman's spirit to the sea.
STARGATE ATLANTIS (SCIFI, 9PM EST) INQUISITION
Sheppard's team is seized and detained by an interplanetary council that wants to try them for crimes against the people of the Pegasus Galaxy, prompting Woolsey to intervene.
SANCTUARY (SCIFI, 9PM EST) KUSH
Helen and Will are marooned after their plane crashes on a return flight from the Himalayas.
Saturday
PRIMEVIL (BBC, 9PM EST)
Cutter sets a trap to catch a traitor on the team after the anomaly detector is sabotaged; Helen needs Stephen's help; Rex goes missing.
Sunday
TRUE BLOOD (HBO, 9PM EST) THE FOURTH MAN IN THE FIRE
Jason's latest girlfriend, Amy, is a hit at Merlotte's, but her mood darkens when the "V" runs out. Meanwhile, Bill asks Sookie to help Eric in his hunt for a Fangtasia thief; Tara marvels at her mother's transformation; and Rene proposes to Arlene.
LOGIN
REGISTER
RSS
HOME
Talk about your good news/bad news situation from Fox. I'm pleasantly surprised to see Sarah Connor get picked up, but I was eagerly anticipating Dollhouse. I knew that Fox had asked for a retooling of the series, but I didn't realize that the whole series is now likely to not see the light of day. I was really looking forward to seeing Whedon's latest on-screen effort.
Where's the listing for Life on Mars? Unless something pre-empted it at the last moment, it's supposed to be scheduled for a new episode this week. I thought I heard that it was doing well in the ratings.