FOX’s 2012 midseason schedule is out, and now we know when some of the most anticipated series of the season will debut. J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz premieres as a two-hour pilot on Monday January 16 and the following week it will settle into its regular Monday night 9PM timeslot following House (which moves to 8PM when Terra Nova ends its 13-episode order). Alcatraz will have a 13-episode run and then Kiefer Sutherland returns to occupy his 24 timeslot with Touch on March 19. Note that FOX plans to air a “special preview” of Touch on Wednesday January 25 at 9PM following an episode of American Idol. When Glee goes on hiatus, FOX will air a slightly altered comedy block on Tuesday nights beginning March 6. The back-from-the-dead Christian Slater comedy Breaking In will air at 8:30PM, sandwiched between an encore and a new episode of New Girl; Raising Hope closes the night at 9:30PM. American Idol returns Wednesday January 18 at 8PM and will be paired with new reality series Mobbed for a spell. Beginning February 15 the singing competition will dominate FOX’s two-hour block Wednesday nights. Bones spinoff The Finder premieres Thursday January 12 at 9PM and the following week it will settle in its regular Thursday 9PM timeslot following American Idol. The latest addition to FOX’s animation domination is Napoleon Dynamite and that premieres in between The Simpsons and Family Guy (Allen Gregory‘s current slot) on Sunday January 15 at 8:30PM. Bob’s Burgers returns for a second season in that same slot on March 11. Bones returns in the spring (after a short fall run ending on January 12), along with new episodes of Glee and new comedy I Hate My Teenage Daughter. Last, Fringe and Kitchen Nightmares resume Friday January 13.
Jump after the break to see the premiere dates, and click here to preview all the new shows.
FOX 2012 midseason schedule
MONDAY
Monday, Jan. 16
8:00-10:00 PM: ALCATRAZ (Series Premiere)
Beginning Jan. 23
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Time Period Premiere)
Monday, March 12
8:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Two-Hour Episode)
Beginning March 19
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Series Premiere)
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TUESDAY
Beginning Jan. 17
8:00-9:00 PM GLEE
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE
Beginning March 6
8:00-8:30 PM NEW GIRL (encore)
8:30-9:00 PM BREAKING IN (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE
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WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Jan. 4
8:00-9:00 PM GLEE (encore)
9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED
Wednesday, Jan. 11
8:00-9:00 PM MOBBED (encore)
9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED
Wednesday, Jan. 18
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part One)
Wednesday, Jan. 25
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Special Preview)
Beginning Feb. 1
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED
Beginning Feb. 15
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Two-Hour Episodes)
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THURSDAY
Thursday, Jan. 12
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (encore)
9:00-10:00 PM THE FINDER (Series Premiere)
Beginning Jan. 19
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part Two)
9:00-10:00 PM THE FINDER
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FRIDAY
Friday, Jan. 6
8:00 PM-CC ET FOX SPORTS SPECIAL:2012 AT&TCOTTON BOWL CLASSIC (Live)
Beginning Jan. 13
8:00-9:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE
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SATURDAY
Beginning Jan. 7
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM DRAMA ENCORES
11:00 PM-Midnight ENCORES
Midnight-12:30 AM ENCORES
Saturday, Feb. 11
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED SPECIAL EDITION
11:00 PM-Midnight ENCORES
Midnight-12:30 AM ENCORES
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SUNDAY
Sunday, Jan. 8
7:00-7:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS (encore)
7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (encore)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
Sunday, Jan. 15
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Special Time)
Sunday, Jan. 22
6:00 PM-CC ET FOX SPORTS SPECIAL:NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME(Live)
10:00 PM ET/ AMERICAN IDOL (Special Broadcast; Approximate Start Time)
Beginning Jan. 29
7:00-7:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS (encore)
7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
Beginning March 11
7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
[Sched. via Deadline]