Big TV News, Part 3: FOX

It turns out we also have news on what shows FOX is picking up, thanks once again to The Hollywood Reporter. Still, the net hasn't said anything officially, so just know that this is all speculative. Of course.

So let's get to it. FOX has evidently given series orders to a few pilots. They'll announce it definitively on Thursday. The winners are... Canterbury's Law, the "Terminator"-themed The Sarah Connor Chronicles (but didn't we all see that coming), K-Ville, Back To You, The Return Of Jezebel James, and New Amsterdam.

"Back To You" is the comedy pilot that got a 13-episode order way back when. It stars Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton — a winner right there — as news anchors at a quirky little TV station. I'm really looking forward to this one and I don't look forward to many comedies. "Jezebel James" is the Amy Sherman-Palladino-penned pilot about a couple of estranged sisters. "Gilmore Girls" wraps this season and despite Sherman-Palladino not being involved this year, it's still worth noting.

"Connor" I expected to get picked up and "New Amsterdam" I was incredibly surprised by. That just doesn't sound like a ratings-monger of a TV concept. But it's FOX, so it's okay. I like it when they screw around with what TV is. Remember when "24" premiered and everybody said, "shut up, that will never work"?

Speaking of "24," I'm rather disappointed to see that "Company Man" didn't make this list. I was really looking forward to that one. That and "The Cure" with Oded Fehr. But like I said, this isn't written in stone. It's hearsay and rumor. But I'm cool with that.

If you want to know the real story, check in Wednesday afternoon for the official news from FOX on the fall schedule.