Fox Family Channel has ordered 20 pilots for primetime
series -- most of them comedies -- as part of its relaunch of the network, officials said
last week.
"The thread running through each one of the shows is
comedy -- that is the very solid core of their concepts," said Eytan Keller, senior
vice president of reality programming and specials for Fox Family.
The network -- which will roll out a new programming
schedule Aug. 15, aimed at families and kids -- will decide which pilots it will go ahead
with as full-fledged series in the next two or three weeks, according to Keller.
Fox Family will pick six of the half-hour pilots to go on
its schedule as series this summer, and it will also green-light several other pilots as
backup shows, Keller said. Fox Family, a division of Fox Family Worldwide Inc., plans to
strip its original series weeknights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., followed by movies each night
from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
"The number of backups depends on us looking at the
other pilots and seeing how they will mix with our six [chosen] shows," Keller said.
Some of the pilots on Fox Family's docket include: Big
Wolf on Campus, an edgy series about a teen-age boy who turns into a werewolf; Misguided
Angels, about a couple of bumbling angels sent to Earth to re-earn their wings; and Show
Me the Funny, clips of funny animals, sports goofs, home videos, hidden-camera stunts
and practical jokes.
Also on the roster of pilots are: Dear Jordan, about
a teen-age advice columnist who works for her dad; Suzie Q, about a prom queen from
the 1950s who returns to Earth to help a modern family; Storm the Castle, where
families compete in hilarious physical games; Rock and Roll Parents, about a famous
rock star who reunites with a daughter that he never knew; World Gone Wild, which
offers unusual animal footage; and Look Who's Talking, where two families
compete to figure out comedic secrets that both parents and kids have revealed about each
other.
Fox Family also announced several promotions and
appointments last week. Maureen Smith was promoted to the slot of general manager of
broadcast outlet Fox Kids Network and executive vice president of Fox Family Worldwide.
She will oversee day-to-day operations at Fox Kids and continue to oversee scheduling at
Fox Family.
Smith, formerly senior vice president of planning,
scheduling and station relations, will report to Rich Cronin, who becomes president of Fox
Kids and Fox Family July 1.
In addition, Julie Resh and Daniel Smith were named to the
newly created positions of vice president of development, reality-based programming and
specials for Fox Family. Resh came from Dove Four Point, while Smith just left Samuel
Goldwyn Co.
