Critics Q&A with Kevin Reilly: 'Fringe,' 'Dollhouse,' 'Truth,' NBC, more ...
TCA (UPDATED) -- During the press tour executive session Q&A with Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly ...
>> "Fringe." Reilly seemed to heavily hint that the show will come back next fall.
"I already know 'Fringe' is a keeper," he says. "The show's been a bear creatively because it's been very ambitious. They've really found the storytelling model now ... what you're going to see in the second half in the year, if you follow the serialized story you will not be disappointed, yet the stories really do reset themselves each week. I would not expect it to take off after 'Idol,' but I do think it will tick up another level," he says.
That said, as for fall, "if I have a show that we love, but we don't think it can be protected on the fall schedule, we might not put any on the fall schedule."
>> On development plans: "We're doubling down our commitment to comedy," with animated shows, "and we're rebuilding the live-action comedy brand."
Post-panel, Reilly said he's aiming for five comedies for fall and at least five dramas. That said, Fox might not have any new non-animated comedies on the schedule for fall.
>> On renewing the low-rated " 'Til Death," yet again: "At a certain deal it makes sense for us in certain time periods. So we were able to make that deal ... and keep originals on the air versus repeats or filler."
>> On moving "Bones" so many times: "I'd like to stop moving it around. If it does what we think it's going to do on Thursdays, we will glue it there."
>> On "Secret Millionaire." "We're contemplating maybe doing some more."
>> On canceling "Prison Break": story here.
>> On "Family Guy" spinoff "Cleveland." "It's not a spin off. It's really become its own show ... with, frankly, a sweeter tone than 'Family Guy.'"
>> On why "Moment of Truth," which has shot a season, has not aired: "Fortunately, we have other options," he says, then quickly realizes how that sounds. "And I don't mean that pejoratively to that show" (hmm, is the lie-detection expert for the "Lie to Me" panel in the room?). "We have it as a tool when we need it over the summer or to fill a time period. We have a season of them on the shelf ... but I think it will come back on the air at some point."
>> On the chances of Fox's Osbourne family variety show being successful: "You're not going to mistake that for six other shows on the air ... and if it hits, I think it's going to hit big and be something really different."
>> When asked about the dramatic changes at competitor NBC, Reilly's previous network: "NBC for me is like the crazy ex-wife I can't get away from," he says, drawing big laughs.
"I was surprised to see that," Reilly says of the network giving up its 10 p.m. block in order to keep Jay Leno. "I think it's the a smart strategic move in a very, very troubled place ... just looking at the facts, the network historically has struggled to establish scripted shows at 8 p.m. You have to go back to 'Fresh Prince' to find a self-starting scripted hit. It's been historically a challenge for NBC even at their height. So if 8 p.m. is a place they're going to struggle with scripted shows, if they don't program Friday, Saturday or Sunday for half the year with scripted show, on a historic level you look and say for the network that was the premiere brand for scripted television, that's a little bit of a sad statement. Whether they make it go at a business level, we'll see."
By comparison, Reilly says, "We want to work smart through these [economic] challenges not start making rash moves ... this company is committed to not making massive layoffs. We're a very lean company in success and that prepares us for hard times."
>> On the recent success and stability of CBS: "I give CBS credit. ... I think it's one of the best stories of the year, is some of the growth they're not only seeing in stability, but 'How I Met Your Mother' actually growing this season ... and maintaining that [comedy] block."
>> On the short-lived "Do Not Disturb": "We made a lot of year-end lists with 'Do Not Disturb," he jokes.
>> On placing "Dollhouse" on Friday nights: "Joss Whedon does a certain kind of show. He’s right in the zone again on that. It's the kind of show that we know has a core passionate audience. In some other scheduling scenarios there could be enormous pressure on it ... we have a very compatible lead in with 'Sarah Connor'... we’re going to let the show play out for 13 episodes and hopefully it will catch on ... if we can do some business there, that would be a great thing for the future."
Post-panel, in the huddle:
>> Ron Moore's "Virtuality" pilot is being recut, possibly from two hours to one: "It could air as-is and a certain segment of the audience would flip for it. But it's a little dense."
>> Will the RemoteFreeTV experiment continue? If Fox has its way, yes, but the model that uses half as many commercials for shows like "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" remain a tough sell for advertisers. When asked if RemoteFree was a success, Reilly says, "For the most part, yes. Viewer feedback was great ... advertisers were very happy ... studies showed retention was high ... but not every advertiser wants to pay that premium." Plus, there's an additional production factor of doing shows that are slightly longer than usual.
>> The "Boldly Going Nowhere" pilot from the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" crew is being reshot. It will be a pilot for fall. "When we screened it, five minutes later we said, 'let's do it again," Reilly says.
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