Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

FOX at 25: A quarter-century of risk-taking

Not every experiment works, but this is the network that gave us 'The Simpsons,' 'The X-Files' and a lot more

By Alan Sepinwall Wednesday, Apr 18, 2012 10:00 PM

"In Living Color" was one of many FOX successes that the other networks likely wouldn't have tried.

Credit: FOX

Television has changed so much in the 25 years since the FOX network launched in primetime — an anniversary(*) being celebrated with a primetime special on Sunday night — that it's hard to convey to someone under 30 what a big deal it was for a fourth network to not only debut, but endure.

(*) Technically, FOX launched in the fall of 1986 with Joan Rivers' "The Late Show." The anniversary being celebrated here seems to be of the primetime premiere, which was April 5, 1987.

Today, it seems like there's a new channel being launched every 30 seconds (usually in the 800s of your digital cable tier), but the TV universe in the spring of '87 was mainly about the Big Three broadcast networks. Cable was still something of a novelty, and if you had any independent broadcast stations in your area, they tended to show old movies and repeats, and/or have a signal so weak you'd have to put your TV antenna into your toaster to pick it up.

The DuMont Television Network had folded in 1956, and in the 30 years since, there were many attempts to launch a viable fourth network. A handful actually got on the air for a little bit before going away, but most of them — like Paramount's mid-'70s attempt to build a network around a new "Star Trek" series — were killed in the planning stage.

So when the Fox Broadcasting Company launched, it seemed simultaneously like a fool's errand and a big deal. There were only a couple of shows on that first April night — "Married... with Children" and "The Tracey Ullman Show" — with more being added until there was a full Sunday lineup, and then a Saturday lineup, and on and on. But the limited initial roster made it easy for a young TV nerd like me to keep track of all the network's shows for a while. I watched "Married," obviously (I was 13, and that show had both crude jokes and Christina Applegate), and "Tracey Ullman" (though mainly for those "Simpsons" shorts that aired in between the sketches), and "21 Jump Street," but also the ones that didn't endure like "Duet" or "The New Adventures of Beans Baxter," or "Second Chance."

After a while, some trends became clear, and the biggest one was that the most successful FOX shows — and usually, but not always, the best ones — tended to be ones that broke the mold, and that the more traditional ABC, CBS and NBC wouldn't have dared try.

At the start, there was "Married... with Children" being cited as evidence of the decline and fall of Western civilization: a family sitcom that didn't believe in hugs and tear-jerking and the rest of the false sentiment designed to make you forgive all the insults leading up to the "awww." Then there was "The Simpsons," which also started as an abomination — President Bush the first and his wife both condemned it in the early days — and is now an institution. There was "In Living Color," which showed that both "Saturday Night Live" and white actors shouldn't have a monopoly on sketch comedy.(**) "The X-Files" proved it was possible to have a commercially successful sci-fi show. For a couple of years, the quirky blend of legal drama, fantasy and music made "Ally McBeal" into a phenomenon. Etc., etc.

(**) For a while in the early-mid '90s, FOX made a concerted effort to program for African-American viewers, not only with "In Living Color," but the Thursday night bloc of "Martin," "Living Single" and "New York Undercover." As the network became more successful and mainstream, those shows dropped away, and would-be fifth networks UPN and the WB tried a similar strategy. Predictably, the WB (run by a lot of early FOX execs) also scrapped its minority-targeted shows once it began having success in other areas.

Every now and then, FOX would have a more conventional hit, but even they seemed to come out of nowhere. "Beverly Hills 90210," for instance, debuted in a season with a half-dozen other high school series and was largely ignored by the media compared to the likes of "Hull High" and "Ferris Bueller." It wound up running 10 seasons, launching an iconic spin-off in "Melrose Place," and eventually a low-rated sequel series on the CW.

"The Simpsons" kept the spotlight on the network in the early days, and then the acquisition of NFL broadcast rights in 1993 — an expensive but necessary gambit that elevated FOX even as it damaged CBS (which in turn had to buy the other NFL package away from NBC a few years later to become relevant again) — made it clear FOX wasn't going away.

And as the century changed, FOX's successes largely came from thinking outside the box. "24" and "American Idol" seem like obvious hits now, but both were greeted with tons of skepticism at the time. Before "Glee," the idea of a weekly musical seemed like a disaster-in-waiting (thanks in part to '90s failures like "Cop Rock" and the aforementioned "Hull High"), but FOX not only launched it successfully, but in an unconventional way.

Obviously, when you experiment that much, you'll fail, a lot. For every "X-Files," there are a few dozen sci-fi series that FOX canceled quickly, but they're still shows the network tried that their competitors never would. (For all the anger that "Firefly" fans have over how FOX scheduled the show, it wouldn't have gotten on the air at any other network.)

The extraordinary popularity of "American Idol" has changed that game quite a bit, though. When you've been the highest-rated network on TV for as many years in a row as FOX has, you can't quite play the brash upstart anymore. There are more shows that, regardless of quality, feel like they could easily exist on another network, and more extensions of familiar faces (Gordon Ramsay) and creators (Seth MacFarlane). There are still some genuine experiments, like the delightfully weird "Bob's Burgers," but other times even the shows that are risky from one angle are very conservative from another, like the expensive time travel series "Terra Nova," which was designed as a big-tent series with something to appeal to everyone in your family.

While it's possible to create art that satisfies everyone, more often than not, that approach leads to something that's not especially satisfying for anyone. Most of FOX's successes — and the existence of the network itself — came not from a belief that everybody would watch, but that enough people would to make things both interesting and profitable.

As the anniversary special approached, I began thinking about my favorite FOX shows ever, and most of them qualify as ones I'm not sure the other networks would have tried — or, in some cases, as ones the other networks would have killed far, far more quickly.

Even if you haven't been watching FOX since night one, I'm sure you have some favorites of your own, whether series, individual episodes, weird moments, etc. So fire away in the comments.

Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: The Simpsons, The X-Files, Firefly, Arrested Development, King of the Hill, 24, The O.C., Malcolm in the Middle, Undeclared

Next 89 Comments

Parker

I was six years old when The X-Files started airing, and in short order I was being scared out of my mind every Friday (and eventually Sunday) night thanks to the perhaps irresponsible leniency of my Dad, who also enjoyed the show. And of course, by the time The X-Files had entered its last couple seasons, I had begun to appreciate Agent Scully in a Christina Applegate sort of way.
April 18, 2012 at 10:14PM EST Reply to Comment
- Amanda Many of my early childhood memories involve that haunting x files theme in the background as well. Due to the irresponsible viewing habits of my parents, I grew up on x files and twin peaks. Of course this was in the pre dvr era, when they'd have to actually TAPE a show to watch it later
  April 19, 2012 at 12:34AM EST
- Mark I recall watching the episode Roland from season 1 with my brother that scared the bejesus out of us. I think our parents were out for the evening it was one of the first times they'd left us alone. We slept with the lights on that night.
  April 20, 2012 at 2:43PM EST
James

Recently watched the entire Malcolm in the Middle series. What a clever and innovative show that was.
April 18, 2012 at 10:18PM EST Reply to Comment
- SaveFarris How?
  
  I can't encapsulate in words how aggrivating it is that FOX refuses to release anything other than Season I to DVD.
  April 19, 2012 at 5:03PM EST
- DJ I recently watched it also on Netflix. Tremendous series. Watched it as a kid back then, but decided to watch it again.
  April 19, 2012 at 6:50PM EST
Adam B.

One innovation for which Fox deserves credit: launching season two of 90210 in July, just two months after the prior season had ended. Having fresh tv to watch in the summer was a whole new thing back then, at least as far as I can remember.

Other shows I'd mention in a Fox reminiscence: Herman's Head, Roc, Profit, and the In Living Color Super Bowl halftime.
April 18, 2012 at 10:18PM EST Reply to Comment
- nic919 And then NBC copied the working at a hotel aspect of that 90210 season with Saved by the Bell, another show aimed at the same age group. I used to always watch the new shows aired in the summer, because I would finally have time to watch more tv when school finished and did not want to watch all the reruns on the main networks.
  April 18, 2012 at 11:49PM EST
- joel Yeah, that was a huge seachange when FOX did that. It didn't really directly affect the big three networks for years, but it encouraged HBO to counter-program the standard TV "season," which opened the flood gates to all the other cable networks that followed. Before FOX did that with The Bev, TV only existed in 20-24 episode installments between Sept and May. It's truly shocking how different it is today.
  April 19, 2012 at 1:16AM EST
- Jason Potapoff Ya Herman's Head was a favourite of mine, although I am not sure if it holds up well or not. Haven't seen it since it aired.
  Andy Ritcher Controls the Universe is another favourite of mine and that does hold up well after watching it on DVD a year or two ago.
  April 19, 2012 at 12:37PM EST
thenightstalker

I haven't thought about Second Chance in years. It changed premises half-way through its short run.
April 18, 2012 at 10:37PM EST Reply to Comment
- chalmers Same thing happened to "Duet," which went from a romance show with Matthew Laurence to "Open House" a real-estate workplace comedy to take more advantage of Allison LaPlaca.
  April 19, 2012 at 8:21AM EST
- sepinwall And they did it with another show with a future Friends star, as Top of the Heap (father and son comedy with Joe Bologna and Matt LeBlanc) became Vinny & Bobby (buddy comedy with LeBlanc and no Bologna).
  
  My memory was that when Second Chance was turned into Boys Will Be Boys, they weirdly set the new show *before* the events of Second Chance, to avoid having to explain where Kiel Martin went. But the internet suggests otherwise.
  April 19, 2012 at 8:37AM EST
Mike

I believe The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. began its run at the same time as the X-Files in the 8 p.m. spot. The X-Files followed at 9. Many belived Brisco County would be the breakout hit and turn Bruce Campbell into a star. The X-Files snuck up on everyone and made David Duchovny a star.
April 18, 2012 at 10:40PM EST Reply to Comment
- Robin Yep, you're right. I was in college and a bunch of us would gather for the 2 hour block. Lots of talking during Brisco, and then everyone would have to shut up starting at 9.
  April 19, 2012 at 1:41PM EST
- odessasteps Yeah. I mentioned in one of the podcasts that I wrote an article at the time praising Brisco County and dismissing X-Files as a 90s version of Project Bluebook that Fox would cancel in 6 weeks. OOPS~! :>
  
  I always hoped Carlton Cuse would slip in a Brisco County reference on LOST.
  April 19, 2012 at 9:56PM EST
Omega the Unknown

Apart from the obvious (Simpsons, X-Files), I have fond memories of Flying Blind and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.
April 18, 2012 at 10:56PM EST Reply to Comment
nathan

I love Parker Lewis. It's one of my top five series. Another? Millennium. It did shock and sorrow so brilliantly. I embraced the darkness fully on that show. Hearing Mark Snow's chilling Celtic theme shakes me to my core. A beautiful show and I hope Spotnitz/Carter reboot it for FX as they've been talking about doing.
April 18, 2012 at 11:05PM EST Reply to Comment
- Omega the Unknown Millenium is another gem. The episode with the three devils is a Twilight Zone-esque classic.
  April 20, 2012 at 12:08AM EST
7s Tim

I keep waiting for someone to show some love for VR.5
April 18, 2012 at 11:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- Action_Kate Right here! Dang, that was a weird but awesome show.
  April 19, 2012 at 6:39AM EST
- Tracey Sorry, my techie friends and I could never get past laughing at the modem that she used, already ridiculously outdated by the time the series came on. (sticking the phone in the modem cradle -- that's how older modems worked, but technology was way past that by the time that show came on)
  April 19, 2012 at 4:02PM EST
Brubarian

Simpsons, Futurama, X-Files, Arrested.
April 18, 2012 at 11:24PM EST Reply to Comment
Captain Hammer

Whatever good Fox might've done, to me they'll always be the network that didn't give Firefly a chance. Can't help it.
April 18, 2012 at 11:26PM EST Reply to Comment
- Erin Agree.
  April 19, 2012 at 12:10AM EST
- berkowit28 Not to mention it's owned by Rupert Murdoch and run by a bunch of reactionary opportunists.
  April 19, 2012 at 12:17AM EST
- Ian Whitcombe They don't deserve any good will for greenlighting and airing the show?
  April 19, 2012 at 12:22AM EST
- Dr. Dunkenstein Yeah, wouldn't they be more accurately described as the network that did give Firefly a chance? Not a great one, no, but as Alan pointed out if Fox doesn't greenlight it in the first place then odds are that you never see it at all.
  April 19, 2012 at 7:40AM EST
- xavier Totally agree. Under your premise, it sounds like you're mad at Fox for 'Firefly' and almost wish they never put the show on in the first place, when ironically they were the only network willing to take the chance on it.
  April 19, 2012 at 9:32AM EST
- Mike Two things. One, I'm sorry to tell you this, but no matter what chance they gave it... even if it had come out a bit later and they gave it a slot after American Idol, the ratings still would have been dismal. It's an exceptional show, but if you think it's also not an incredibly niche show, I don't know what to tell you. Secondly, as Alan said, Fox was the only way a show like that ever would have got on a network in the first place, so bemoaning them for cancelling it is missing the forest for the trees.
  April 19, 2012 at 11:41AM EST
joel

It's funny you mention that "24" and "American Idol" seem like obvious hits now, but both were greeted with tons of skepticism at the time." I remember being one of the only people I knew that watched the first season of 24 as it aired. I'd even go so far as to suggest that if 24 aired today to the ratings it did then (in relative terms to viewership numbers dropping today overall), that 24 might have been cancelled after its first 13 episodes aired. Even the X-files was a ratings weakling for most of its first two seasons, until word-of-mouth and a rabid core (but tiny) fanbase set it off in its third season. You do an excellent job of reminding us how cutting edge and innovative FOX used to be, but those days are long gone. In the last ten years FOX has been willing to continue throwing whatever will stick at the wall, but it's become ever more risk-adverse (Lone Star is an embarrassing recent footnote). If anything, the FOX that was is long since dead. FOX has found it's demographic and ruthlessly exploits them the same ABC or CBS does theirs. Being cutting edge and inventive has been replaced by being profitable and predictable.
April 19, 2012 at 1:00AM EST Reply to Comment
- xavier At least that'll be the case until American Idol ceases to exist.
  
  I was between jobs for several months when the first season of '24' aired, but I'll admit what got me hooked on the show was that I had taped (ah yes, remember the days of videotape? lol) every episode and watched the entire 'day' over two days. That first season was extraordinary for the times, and served as a benchmark for other suspense-themed procedurals.
  April 19, 2012 at 9:38AM EST
- rageon I wonder how many people out there have a "I know where I was when I burned through season 1 of 24 in about 2 days" story?
  
  For me, it was Thanksgiving break during my first year of law school. I hadn't watched nearly any television in about 3 months, and decided to make sure I watched some and relaxed over the extra break. It ended up taking me about a day and a half total to get through the whole thing. At the time, the idea of a show like 24 being on the air was something that was just unbelievable to me.
  April 19, 2012 at 1:22PM EST
KobraCola

Actually, I was JUST planning on watching the season of Undeclared! Thanks for backing me up on that decision.

My personal favorite Fox shows of all-time: Arrested Development, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The X-Files
April 19, 2012 at 1:11AM EST Reply to Comment
- xavier Kobracola, you could always wait for 'Undeclared' to run on IFC again.
  April 19, 2012 at 9:43AM EST
- KobraCola @Xavier: Oh, it runs on IFC? Interesting. I've already started watching it online, but if I see it's on IFC again, I'll probably pick it up back up there, if possible.
  April 19, 2012 at 1:01PM EST
Chris

Didn't Fox have a sketch comedy show in the early '90s that featured Jennifer Aniston (pre-friends), Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Wayne Knight? They had this hilarious sketch in which Wayne Knight played Stephen King sitting at his typewriter coming up with all these bizzare story ideas from objects around his house. The Ben Stiller show - wasn't that a Fox show also?
April 19, 2012 at 6:43AM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall "The Edge."
  April 19, 2012 at 7:00AM EST
- Jason Potapoff Hmm that sounds like an interesting cast especially for a sketch comedy show. (I think Wayne Knight is under appreciated too many people just see him as Neiman)
  April 19, 2012 at 12:43PM EST
chalmers

As a Jersey guy, I always found myself watching "Down the Shore." Pre-"Friends," it had three single guys and three single women thrown together in a Belmar house each weekend. They even used Southside Johnny for the theme.

April 19, 2012 at 8:26AM EST Reply to Comment
Liz

I love your list of favorite Fox shows. I had completely forgotten that the OC was even on Fox. I also liked Parker Lewis back in the day and was glad to see that on the list.
April 19, 2012 at 8:34AM EST Reply to Comment
Mike

No love for Herman's Head?
April 19, 2012 at 8:37AM EST Reply to Comment
- tmb I'll add my love for HH - very underrated show and featuring the voices of Lisa and Moe from 'The Simpsons'. Loved the characters battling for #1 inside Herm's noggin!
  April 19, 2012 at 9:41AM EST
mp

I would have liked to see Bakersfield PD on the honorable mentions. Brilliant but cancelled indeed.
April 19, 2012 at 9:00AM EST Reply to Comment
- Sammy B seconded
  April 19, 2012 at 9:21AM EST
- Faye Whenever I read a headline about a single-donor fertility clinic (and they are out there!), or hear "Muskrat Love" I think of this crazy little show!!!
  April 19, 2012 at 2:08PM EST
Sammy B

Bakersfield PD!
April 19, 2012 at 9:21AM EST Reply to Comment
chairthrower

"Flying Blind" will always stand out to me as a quintessential early Fox show. Tea Leoni was just so iconic playing Alicia, I don't think anything else she's done has quite matched up to it.

I also can't help but think of "Herman's Head" which I didn't watch a lot, but the thought that Yeardley Smith was both in that and Lisa Simpson always gave me a chuckle.

Fox started just before I started college, and it was seen as the hip, alternative network with shows that college students watched. This was certainly true for "The Simpsons" but also the aforementioned shows and the quirky ones around them. Being alternative was important in college in the late 1980s/early 90s.
April 19, 2012 at 9:33AM EST Reply to Comment
Dave

Married With Children has the best family sitcom writing ever. And it's not even close.
April 19, 2012 at 10:17AM EST Reply to Comment
- FXKLM It depends on how broadly you define "family sitcom." I assume you're not including Arrested Development?
  April 19, 2012 at 12:03PM EST
Dave

Don't forget about "Get a Life". One of the best show openers ever.
April 19, 2012 at 10:18AM EST Reply to Comment
- ScottyJ FOX aired "Profit." Even now, 20 years later, I defy you to name a network aside from perhaps AMC that would have the balls to air a pilot that cut to its first commercial break immediately after the title character made out with an appreciably older woman, then pulled back from her and uttered the immortal line: "Hi ... Mom."
  April 19, 2012 at 10:59AM EST
- Marilyn Merlot Yeah, Get a Life might be the most insane thing aired on network television in decades.
  April 19, 2012 at 3:45PM EST
GMan

Feel like the world forgets how groundbreaking "Married...With Children" was in its philosophy. Though the popular perception was that it was nothing but crude jokes and T&A, at its core, and especially in its awesome middle seasons, it featured a fascinating portrait of a man trapped in an existentialist finger trap, pulled by his worthless kids on one side and his layabout wife on the other. And when Al Bundy did dare to dream, be it on a get rich quick scheme or a new busty broad working at the convenience shop across from his shoe store, inevitably the gods of fate would emerge to shove him back into his rotten station of life. What I'm saying is Mad Men and The Wire owe a lot to the Bundys.

Plus, it gave us the Nudie Bar Poem: "Where the beer gives you gas, but the Bundys kick ass..."
April 19, 2012 at 10:41AM EST Reply to Comment
- Jason Potapoff Agreed. "Married...With Children" has never been given its proper due. Part of the problem was that Rosanne came out not long after and it played on much of the same breaking the family sitcom mold except without the T&A so it was easier for people to look past the crude and shock aspects and acknowledge the depth. "Married" rarely gets the same respect despite the fact that if it weren't for Married's success Rosanne probably wouldn't have made it to air.
  April 19, 2012 at 12:50PM EST
- jizzmo2003@yahoo.com Yes, it just doesn't get the respect it needs. It was the "anti-Cosby".
  April 19, 2012 at 3:23PM EST
Kathie

Watching Melrose Place with my girlfriends on Monday nights..........awesome show

90210 and Hermans Head were good too
April 19, 2012 at 10:46AM EST Reply to Comment
AR

I loved the Tracy Ullman show because of Tracy Ullman and how talented and hilarious she was. The Simpsons spots were always like the cherry on top.

One show that hasn't been mentioned but which I still have very fond feelings for is The Sarah Connor Chronicles. That show was grim and melancholy in ways network tv (heck, any tv) doesn't do. It's stuck with me and I always wish it had gotten another season despite having a killer ending.
April 19, 2012 at 11:03AM EST Reply to Comment
Robinson

While I'm not surprised you didn't include it, I would have put Fringe as at least an honorable mention (especially considering how it started out trying to be a safe show until it become a more successful sci-fi experiment, even at the expense of ratings).
April 19, 2012 at 11:43AM EST Reply to Comment
- Ken Raining Glad I'm not the only one.
  April 20, 2012 at 12:14AM EST
Dan

Som of my favorites:

Simpsons, 24, Arrested Development, Family Guy, King of the Hill, House,
April 19, 2012 at 12:21PM EST Reply to Comment
gammaduck

I'm still waiting for Werewolf to come back. Two seasons and a 16-bit video game!!!
April 19, 2012 at 12:48PM EST Reply to Comment
Brian

More shows that Fox tried to use to appeal to a minority demographic: M.A.N.T.I.S., The Arsenio Hall Show (and doesn't Bill Clinton playing the sax on that show count as a cultural touchtsone), The Bernie Mac Show, and 21 Jump Street. And let's not forget Brothers. They launched MADtv to try to counter SNL. And Fox will always be the channel that airs COPS and America's Most Wanted on Saturday nights.

Growing up in the 90s, Fox meant some of the best weekday afternoon and Saturday morning cartoons too. The X-Men cartoon, Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, Batman: The Animated Series, Spider-Man, The Tick, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
April 19, 2012 at 12:51PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall "The Arsenio Hall Show" wasn't a FOX show. Arsenio was the last guest host of "The Late Show" after Joan Rivers quit, and FOX execs at the time realized that he might actually be a long-term solution for them. The problem was, after Rivers left but before Arsenio started his hosting stint, they had already committed to replacing "Late Show" with "The Wilton-North Report," which wound up being one of the biggest bombs in the history of the network. And Arsenio was then free to sign a syndication deal for his own talk show. It may have aired on FOX affiliates in some markets, but it wasn't part of the network.
  April 19, 2012 at 12:55PM EST
- Dan Don't forget Ducktales and Chip and Dales Rescue Rangers
  April 19, 2012 at 5:31PM EST
Andy Bogursky

Bakersfield P.D.! When can we get that on DVD?
April 19, 2012 at 1:23PM EST Reply to Comment
rum2runner

Flying blind.......
April 19, 2012 at 1:39PM EST Reply to Comment

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Option 1

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Amanda Many of my early childhood memories involve that haunting x files theme in the background as well. Due to the irresponsible viewing habits of my parents, I grew up on x files and twin peaks. Of course this was in the pre dvr era, when they'd have to actually TAPE a show to watch it later

Mark I recall watching the episode Roland from season 1 with my brother that scared the bejesus out of us. I think our parents were out for the evening it was one of the first times they'd left us alone. We slept with the lights on that night.

James Recently watched the entire Malcolm in the Middle series. What a clever and innovative show that was.

SaveFarris How? I can't encapsulate in words how aggrivating it is that FOX refuses to release anything other than Season I to DVD.

DJ I recently watched it also on Netflix. Tremendous series. Watched it as a kid back then, but decided to watch it again.

Jason Potapoff Ya Herman's Head was a favourite of mine, although I am not sure if it holds up well or not. Haven't seen it since it aired. Andy Ritcher Controls the Universe is another favourite of mine and that does hold up well after watching it on DVD a year or two ago.

thenightstalker I haven't thought about Second Chance in years. It changed premises half-way through its short run.

chalmers Same thing happened to "Duet," which went from a romance show with Matthew Laurence to "Open House" a real-estate workplace comedy to take more advantage of Allison LaPlaca.

Mike I believe The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. began its run at the same time as the X-Files in the 8 p.m. spot. The X-Files followed at 9. Many belived Brisco County would be the breakout hit and turn Bruce Campbell into a star. The X-Files snuck up on everyone and made David Duchovny a star.

Robin Yep, you're right. I was in college and a bunch of us would gather for the 2 hour block. Lots of talking during Brisco, and then everyone would have to shut up starting at 9.

odessasteps Yeah. I mentioned in one of the podcasts that I wrote an article at the time praising Brisco County and dismissing X-Files as a 90s version of Project Bluebook that Fox would cancel in 6 weeks. OOPS~! :>I always hoped Carlton Cuse would slip in a Brisco County reference on LOST.

Omega the Unknown Apart from the obvious (Simpsons, X-Files), I have fond memories of Flying Blind and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.

Omega the Unknown Millenium is another gem. The episode with the three devils is a Twilight Zone-esque classic.

7s Tim I keep waiting for someone to show some love for VR.5

Action_Kate Right here! Dang, that was a weird but awesome show.

Tracey Sorry, my techie friends and I could never get past laughing at the modem that she used, already ridiculously outdated by the time the series came on. (sticking the phone in the modem cradle -- that's how older modems worked, but technology was way past that by the time that show came on)

Brubarian Simpsons, Futurama, X-Files, Arrested.

Captain Hammer Whatever good Fox might've done, to me they'll always be the network that didn't give Firefly a chance. Can't help it.

Erin Agree.

berkowit28 Not to mention it's owned by Rupert Murdoch and run by a bunch of reactionary opportunists.

Ian Whitcombe They don't deserve any good will for greenlighting and airing the show?

Dr. Dunkenstein Yeah, wouldn't they be more accurately described as the network that did give Firefly a chance? Not a great one, no, but as Alan pointed out if Fox doesn't greenlight it in the first place then odds are that you never see it at all.

xavier Totally agree. Under your premise, it sounds like you're mad at Fox for 'Firefly' and almost wish they never put the show on in the first place, when ironically they were the only network willing to take the chance on it.

KobraCola Actually, I was JUST planning on watching the season of Undeclared! Thanks for backing me up on that decision.My personal favorite Fox shows of all-time: Arrested Development, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The X-Files

xavier Kobracola, you could always wait for 'Undeclared' to run on IFC again.

KobraCola @Xavier: Oh, it runs on IFC? Interesting. I've already started watching it online, but if I see it's on IFC again, I'll probably pick it up back up there, if possible.

sepinwall "The Edge."

Jason Potapoff Hmm that sounds like an interesting cast especially for a sketch comedy show. (I think Wayne Knight is under appreciated too many people just see him as Neiman)

chalmers As a Jersey guy, I always found myself watching "Down the Shore." Pre-"Friends," it had three single guys and three single women thrown together in a Belmar house each weekend. They even used Southside Johnny for the theme.

Liz I love your list of favorite Fox shows. I had completely forgotten that the OC was even on Fox. I also liked Parker Lewis back in the day and was glad to see that on the list.

Mike No love for Herman's Head?

tmb I'll add my love for HH - very underrated show and featuring the voices of Lisa and Moe from 'The Simpsons'. Loved the characters battling for #1 inside Herm's noggin!

mp I would have liked to see Bakersfield PD on the honorable mentions. Brilliant but cancelled indeed.

Sammy B seconded

Faye Whenever I read a headline about a single-donor fertility clinic (and they are out there!), or hear "Muskrat Love" I think of this crazy little show!!!

Sammy B Bakersfield PD!

Dave Married With Children has the best family sitcom writing ever. And it's not even close.

FXKLM It depends on how broadly you define "family sitcom." I assume you're not including Arrested Development?

Dave Don't forget about "Get a Life". One of the best show openers ever.

Marilyn Merlot Yeah, Get a Life might be the most insane thing aired on network television in decades.

jizzmo2003@yahoo.com Yes, it just doesn't get the respect it needs. It was the "anti-Cosby".

Kathie Watching Melrose Place with my girlfriends on Monday nights..........awesome show 90210 and Hermans Head were good too

Robinson While I'm not surprised you didn't include it, I would have put Fringe as at least an honorable mention (especially considering how it started out trying to be a safe show until it become a more successful sci-fi experiment, even at the expense of ratings).

Ken Raining Glad I'm not the only one.

Dan Som of my favorites:Simpsons, 24, Arrested Development, Family Guy, King of the Hill, House,

gammaduck I'm still waiting for Werewolf to come back. Two seasons and a 16-bit video game!!!

Dan Don't forget Ducktales and Chip and Dales Rescue Rangers

Andy Bogursky Bakersfield P.D.! When can we get that on DVD?

rum2runner Flying blind.......

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James

Recently watched the entire Malcolm in the Middle series. What a clever and innovative show that was.

SaveFarris How?

I can't encapsulate in words how aggrivating it is that FOX refuses to release anything other than Season I to DVD.

Jason Potapoff Ya Herman's Head was a favourite of mine, although I am not sure if it holds up well or not. Haven't seen it since it aired.
Andy Ritcher Controls the Universe is another favourite of mine and that does hold up well after watching it on DVD a year or two ago.

thenightstalker

I haven't thought about Second Chance in years. It changed premises half-way through its short run.

Mike

I believe The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. began its run at the same time as the X-Files in the 8 p.m. spot. The X-Files followed at 9. Many belived Brisco County would be the breakout hit and turn Bruce Campbell into a star. The X-Files snuck up on everyone and made David Duchovny a star.

odessasteps Yeah. I mentioned in one of the podcasts that I wrote an article at the time praising Brisco County and dismissing X-Files as a 90s version of Project Bluebook that Fox would cancel in 6 weeks. OOPS~! :>

I always hoped Carlton Cuse would slip in a Brisco County reference on LOST.

Omega the Unknown

Apart from the obvious (Simpsons, X-Files), I have fond memories of Flying Blind and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.

7s Tim

I keep waiting for someone to show some love for VR.5

Brubarian

Simpsons, Futurama, X-Files, Arrested.

Captain Hammer

Whatever good Fox might've done, to me they'll always be the network that didn't give Firefly a chance. Can't help it.

KobraCola

Actually, I was JUST planning on watching the season of Undeclared! Thanks for backing me up on that decision.

My personal favorite Fox shows of all-time: Arrested Development, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The X-Files

chalmers

As a Jersey guy, I always found myself watching "Down the Shore." Pre-"Friends," it had three single guys and three single women thrown together in a Belmar house each weekend. They even used Southside Johnny for the theme.

Liz

I love your list of favorite Fox shows. I had completely forgotten that the OC was even on Fox. I also liked Parker Lewis back in the day and was glad to see that on the list.

Mike

No love for Herman's Head?

mp

I would have liked to see Bakersfield PD on the honorable mentions. Brilliant but cancelled indeed.

Sammy B

Bakersfield PD!

Dave

Married With Children has the best family sitcom writing ever. And it's not even close.

Dave

Don't forget about "Get a Life". One of the best show openers ever.

Kathie

Watching Melrose Place with my girlfriends on Monday nights..........awesome show

90210 and Hermans Head were good too

Robinson

While I'm not surprised you didn't include it, I would have put Fringe as at least an honorable mention (especially considering how it started out trying to be a safe show until it become a more successful sci-fi experiment, even at the expense of ratings).

Dan

Som of my favorites:

Simpsons, 24, Arrested Development, Family Guy, King of the Hill, House,

gammaduck

I'm still waiting for Werewolf to come back. Two seasons and a 16-bit video game!!!

Andy Bogursky

Bakersfield P.D.! When can we get that on DVD?

rum2runner

Flying blind.......

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