Ask Matt: Nov 26

Question: So I've noticed a real lack in dramas on Fox. Bones is coming into its final stretch and The Mob Doctor doesn't seem able to fill the void left by House, so that leaves The Following, Glee and Touch. Fox is so limited with their programming schedule since they don't air any prime time shows during the 10 pm/9c hour, with Sundays dedicated to their Animation Domination, and Wednesdays and Thursdays dominated by The X Factor and American Idol, so there isn't really any room to add more dramas to the network. I understand keeping the singing competition shows since they are major powerhouses in terms of ratings. What are your thoughts on either getting rid of the results episode that both shows air on Thursdays to add another drama or completely getting rid of the Animation Domination on Sundays, replacing it with comedies, and airing dramas on Tuesdays starting in the 2014-2015 season. Don't get me wrong, I love The Simpsons, but everything must come to an end sometime. These shows can live somewhere else. I can easily see another Simpsons movie coming out or having Bob's Burgers air new episodes on Adult Swim. — Justin

Matt Roush: If The Following lives up to its shocking and thrilling pilot, which pretty much upstages anything that aired on any network this fall (with the possible exception of Nashville, which has struggled to maintain the juicy vibes of its first episode), then Fox will be back in the drama game. But keep in mind that this is designed as a limited-run series, and unless they decide otherwise, it will be scheduled for half a season (15 episodes), much the way Parenthood has evolved, this time by choice. Fox's priority this fall was establishing a night of live-action comedy on Tuesday, with mixed results, but they're sticking with that for now. Your other suggestions fall under the heading of fixing what isn't broken, at least in Fox's eyes. The animation night is classic counter-programming for a younger audience on an overstuffed night, and I can't imagine Fox attempting dramas in that environment for the foreseeable future. The network's schedule has always been limited by its available real estate, which will become even more evident as American Idol takes hold in the winter with expanded audition episodes, but given how hard it is for the other networks to sustain 10 pm/9c programming, that's not going to change, either.
The real disappointment for Fox this season was the abysmal and inexplicable choice of The Mob Doctor to replace House in one of the few dedicated drama time slots the network has nowadays. (Once Fringe leaves, and Touch takes over, probably to collapse again, all bets are off whether that night ever sees a drama again.) The Following could go a long way to restore the network's luster in the midseason, but unless we hear otherwise, the network seems content with its emphasis on comedy and music-reality on other nights of the week.

Source: TV Guide
Tipsters:  lysaleelee, KATIARABREU