2014 Fall Schedules

[Raph's Girl]

GRACEPOINT

When a young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach, a major police investigation gets underway in the small California seaside town where the tragedy occurred. Soon deemed a homicide, the case sparks a media frenzy, which throws the boy's family into further turmoil and upends the lives of all of the town's residents. Welcome to GRACEPOINT, a new 10-episode mystery event series based on "Broadchurch," the U.K.'s critically acclaimed hit crime drama. GRACEPOINT is an expansion of the original series, introducing new characters, identifying new suspects and threading new storylines through the gripping narrative. Leading the investigation is Detective EMMETT CARVER (David Tennant, "Broadchurch," "Dr. Who"), who has just arrived in Gracepoint to fill a high position in the town's police force. That job previously had been promised to Detective ELLIE MILLER (Emmy Award winner Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"), who, in light of the tragedy, must put any resentment aside and work the case with her prickly new boss. Det. Miller must break the news to her doting husband, JOE (Josh Hamilton, "American Horror Story") and her son, TOM (newcomer Jack Irvine), who was the best friend of the murder victim, DANNY SOLANO (Nikolas Filipovic, "Falling Skies"). Danny is survived by his grieving parents, MARK (Michael Peña, "End of Watch") and BETH SOLANO (Virginia Kull, "Boardwalk Empire"), and his rebellious older sister, CHLOE (newcomer Madalyn Horcher), who has an older boyfriend, DEAN IVERSON (Kendrick Sampson, "The Vampire Diaries"), unbeknownst to her parents. All of Gracepoint is pulled into the investigation, including JACK REINHOLD (Emmy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Nick Nolte, "Luck"), a private man who runs the kayak rental service on the beach, as well as the local wildlife observation program, for which Danny volunteered. SUSAN WRIGHT (Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook"), a mysterious woman, lives in the RV park near the coast, with her dog. The town's minister, PAUL COATES (Kevin Rankin, "Justified"), becomes the de facto spokesperson for the community as the media descends on Gracepoint. Danny's death also impacts tourism, with the decline in visitors felt most harshly by hotel owner GEMMA FISHER (Sarah-Jane Potts, "Kinky Boots,"), a vivacious Brit with secrets of her own. Also touched by Danny's death is Mark's apprentice at his plumbing company, VINCE NOVIK (Stephen Louis Grush, "Lucky 7"). The investigation is followed closely by the town's local newspaper reporter, OWEN BURKE (Kevin Zegers, "Transamerica"), who is Det. Miller's nephew. Owen's ambition is fueled by San Francisco Globe reporter RENEE CLEMONS (Jessica Lucas, "Cloverfield"), who has a history with Detective Carver and sets up camp in Gracepoint to cover the case. The riveting crime series carves a powerfully dark wake through the town of Gracepoint with a startling conclusion, as the detectives piece together what happened on the night of Danny's death.

Totally loved Broadchurch. I just hope Tennant has worked on his American accent. I've heard his attempt at one and it wasn't pretty...

MULANEY

From Emmy Award-winning writer and comedian John Mulaney ("Saturday Night Live") comes MULANEY, a multi-camera ensemble comedy series about a rising stand-up comic trying to take his career to the next level and the friends and mentors who lift him up, hold him back and push him around. JOHN MULANEY is a 29-year-old comedian working the stand-up circuit and looking for his big break. But life drastically changes when self-centered comedy legend and game show host LOU CANNON (Emmy Award winner Martin Short, "SCTV," "Saturday Night Live," "Father of the Bride," "Primetime Glick") hires Mulaney as a writer. Lou may be John's entrée into the world of big-money show business, but he's also a total nightmare. Still, the job represents everything Mulaney thinks he wants. But does he really? And, at what cost? And what does it say about him if he quits? And what does it say about him if he stays? And has Lou had work done? Mulaney's life becomes a tug-of-war between the stress of his new job and his guilt over not being there for his two best friends and roommates: JANE (Nasim Pedrad, "Saturday Night Live"), a tightly wound, yet directionless personal trainer; and MOTIF (Seaton Smith, "Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell"), a powerhouse comic who shares nothing in common with Mulaney - except the world of stand-up. Rounding out this odd group of friends is ANDRE (Zack Pearlman, "The Inbetweeners"), a trust-fund baby who has a knack for showing up in Mulaney's life at the worst possible moments. If Mulaney has one refuge from the chaos that surrounds him, then it's his neighbor, OSCAR (Academy Award nominee Elliott Gould, "M*A*S*H," "The Long Goodbye," the "Oceans 11" franchise), a 71-year-old gay veteran of New York who has seen it all. Oscar is opinionated, refined, gentle, wise and sometimes extremely cantankerous, but most of all, he's an oracle of sound advice when Mulaney feels like life has gone off the rails. A unique mix of ensemble comedy, stand-up performances and an observational point-of-view, MULANEY is a show about the big questions in life: how hard they are to answer and how easy it is to maybe just ignore them and pray they go away.

You had me at Martin Short....

UTOPIA

From unscripted mastermind John de Mol, and based on the hit Dutch television series of the same name, comes television's biggest social experiment, UTOPIA. Since the dawn of time, humans have always wondered: does a perfect world exist? Now, we get the chance to build one. Will it be ultimate happiness or utter chaos? Fifteen pioneering Americans leave their everyday lives and move to an isolated, undeveloped location - for an entire year - where they are challenged to create their own civilization from scratch. With no existing power structures and limited amenities, these "pioneers" will be faced with rewriting the rules. Will they choose democracy or dictatorship? Fidelity or free love? Will they punish or forgive? Choose religion or rationalism? Share with others or hoard for themselves? What conflicts will emerge, what leaders will arise? What principles will guide their daily lives and inform their deepest decisions? As the Utopians build the new society, every decision counts. Each must try to become indispensable to the group, or risk being exiled to their former lives and replaced by potential newcomers from the viewing audience who have been vying to join. With cameras following the pioneers 24/7, viewers can watch their society unfold, both weekly on FOX and also online. As they observe the inhabitants living together, and building their new existence, viewers themselves will have the chance to become a valuable and powerful asset to the community, and ultimately to question whether Utopia remains an elusive but alluring fantasy, or whether the pioneers have truly realized their dream. A Dutch version of "Utopia" has been broadcast and streamed live on the internet since January 2014. It has become an instant sensation, ranking as its network's highest-rated unscripted premiere in six years, while maintaining its position as the network's biggest show for every episode.

Well now this should be interesting...