Though few Fox programs will debut during the official start-of-season "premiere week" beginning Sept. 21, most of the network's primetime programs will begin within a few days of the traditional launch period.
This is a change in strategy from recent years. Fox kicked off its season on Sept. 1 last year. In 2007, Fox debuted one premiere on Aug. 30 and other shows in early September. In 2006, Fox's lineup started rolling out Aug. 21.
Whereas this fall, Fox's weeknight programming begins Sept. 16 with "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Glee."
Several factors go into deciding a premiere schedule, but one reason for the switch is that Fox expects fewer baseball pre-emptions next season in October. The network has typically debuted shows in late August or early September to give programs a longer running head start before Major League Baseball coverage interrupted its lineup.
One outlier in the plans is the debut of new late-night program "The Wanda Sykes Show," which will launch Nov. 7.
Here are Fox's fall premiere dates:
Saturday, Sept. 12
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (Season Premiere)
Wednesday, Sept. 16
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT GLEE (Series Premiere)
Thursday, Sept. 17
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT BONES (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT FRINGE (Season Premiere)
Friday, Sept. 18
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT BROTHERS (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT 'TIL DEATH (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT DOLLHOUSE (Season Premiere)
Monday, Sept. 21
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT HOUSE (2-Hour Season Premiere)
Sunday, Sept. 27
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY (Season Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT AMERICAN DAD (Season Premiere)
Monday, Sept. 28
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT HOUSE (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT LIE TO ME (Season Premiere)
Tuesday, Sept. 29
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT HELL'S KITCHEN (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Time Period Premiere)
Tuesday, Oct. 27
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Time Period Premiere)
Saturday, Nov. 7
11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (wt) (Series Premiere)
