FOX yanks 'Dollhouse' for November sweeps

'Brothers' and ''Til Death' also depart Friday, if anybody cares

By HitFix Staff Thursday, Oct 22, 2009 12:17 PM

FOX yanks 'Dollhouse' for November sweeps

Eliza Dushku of 'Dollhouse'

Credit: FOX

A key FOX executive may have promised that the network would air all remaining episodes of "Dollhouse," but he never promised to give the struggling show prime November sweeps real estate.

According TheFutonCritic.com, this Friday's (Oct. 23) new "Dollhouse" will be the last episode of the Joss Whedon drama to air until December. Also departing Friday nights for the key ratings period are similarly low-rated comedies "Brothers" and "'Til Death." This news comes just days after FOX announced a November sweeps schedule that included all three shows, but FOX is known for reversing field, schedule-wise.

In the first Friday of November sweeps (Oct. 30) FOX will reair the two-hour "House" premiere, while subsequent Fridays will be home to "House" and "Bones" repeats.

After this Friday's "Dollhouse," the show will be shelved until December 4, the first of three straight weeks with back-to-back new episodes. That means that Dec. 4 will also be the night for both episodes of the two-parter featuring guest star Summer Glau. With two episodes on Dec. 4, 11 and 18, "Dollhouse" will then return for what looks to be a brief January engagement to complete its 13 episode second season, though its fate has yet to be officially determined.

As for "Brothers," the comedy will jump to Sunday nights at 7 p.m. in a time slot frequently preempted for FOX's NFL overruns.

And "'Til Death"? Well, TheFutonCritic doesn't know yet about "'Til Death," but given the number of unaired episodes FOX still has for the comedy, it's unlikely it will vanish forever.

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Jessie

FOX needs to grow a set. If you're going to renew a sci-fi show for a second season then have the balls to stay with it. How are you going to make any money off of it if you don't air it for sweeps? You're just shooting yourself in the foot. You won't get a steady audience by keeping "Dollhouse" off the air for three weeks and then layering the show for two hours a week until you fullfill your obligation. Suck it up and be different FOX.
October 22, 2009 at 2:50PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Jessie - That's not how sweeps works. The sweeps period is about establishing ad rates. It's an artificial and antiquated system, given that networks stack the deck during sweeps and then charge for it the rest of the year. Regardless, you need your highest rated programming on the air during sweeps. By no stretch of the imagination, alas, does that include "Dollhouse." And given how low the ratings are for "Dollhouse," pulling the show for three weeks won't make a lick of difference when it returns... The show's ratings really can't get that much lower... -Daniel
  October 22, 2009 at 2:57PM EST
douglas

doll house plainly reduces women to garbage,watch the show and you'll see how they are degraded.i can't believe they cancelled the sara conner chronicles and let this stay on,i've got more sense than to watch this dumb show any more,i dumped it in the toilet and flushed.dushy says she plays diff. characters on the show but she plainly plays a f**K doll that is pimped out to the world! sorry but that's about all you can say about it.
October 22, 2009 at 3:36PM EST Reply to Comment
Davis

FOX needs to give Dollhouse a chance.. I watch alot of T.V. and i rarely get stuck on a show, but dollhouse totally got me on board! I was so happy when sara conner got canceled.. I'm sorry but that shows have no potential compared to Dollhouse.. soo you know what douglas you can go SUCK IT! and cry in your room... lets face it Dollhouse is a better show than Sara conner.. because DOLLHOUSE IS STILL STANDING, AND SARA CONNER IS JUST A THIN OF THE PAST :D
November 3, 2009 at 11:03PM EST Reply to Comment
Davis

FOX needs to give Dollhouse a chance.. I watch alot of T.V. and i rarely get stuck on a show, but dollhouse totally got me on board! I was so happy when sara conner got canceled.. I'm sorry but that show had no potential compared to Dollhouse.. soo you know what douglas you can go SUCK IT! and cry in your room... lets face it Dollhouse is a better show than Sara conner.. because DOLLHOUSE IS STILL STANDING, AND SARA CONNER IS JUST A THING OF THE PAST :D
November 3, 2009 at 11:04PM EST Reply to Comment