Days after renewing animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers for a sixth season, FOX is expanding its security blanket over three more of its series. Freshman Gotham and Empire, as well as sophomore sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, will be back next fall to unspool new episodes. And this renewal news shouldn’t really come as any sort of surprise: the Batman origin story and the hip hop soap opera both performed well out of the gate with popular pilots; in fact, Empire‘s ratings went up in its second week which these days is a rare feat indeed. As for the Andy Samberg laugher, that series is comfortably enjoying its new digs on Sunday nights stuffed between The Simpsons and Family Guy.
What about the fates of other FOX shows such as Bones and Sleepy Hollow? “We are in conversations on both,” FOX studio and network head Dana Walden told reporters at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour this week. “We’re at the end of our deal on Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. We’re very hopeful Bones will return. We can’t announce it today because deals aren’t closed, [but] nothing will make us happier.”
As for Sleepy Hollow, Walden said the network is “going to wait a little bit longer” to renew it as creative calibrations are made behind-the-scenes. “We’re excited about some creative changes on the show and bringing it back to something that feels a little more episodic in nature, that has closure and doesn’t feel quite so serialized,” said Walden. In sum, the network would like the series to take the serialization down a couple pegs and “return the fun to it” that was rampant in season 1. That being said, worry not, Sleepy heads–Fox brass holds the show in a special place in their hearts and wants to see it grow. “We really love the show,” she added. “We love Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie. They have fantastic chemistry. We feel like it’s a really unique series.”
And now for the juicy stuff. Walden and network/studio co-head Gary Newman shed a glimmer of light on the futures of classic FOX series like The X-Files, 24, and yes, even Prison Break. For more, jump after the break.
The FOX heads confirmed that they continue to maintain relationships with X-Files creator Chris Carter and stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. “We’re hopeful of being able to bring that back at some point,” said Newman. “We’re very hopeful, but it’s hard,” added Walden. “The actors are very busy. They have a lot going on. Chris has a lot on his plate, so it’s just trying to carve out the time.”
Following the success of this past summer’s reboot of 24, “We’d love nothing more than to do another [season],” said Newman. What’s really up in the air, though, is whether or not series star Kiefer Sutherland will return to reprise his role as Jack Bauer. Walden clarified: “First of all, we’re not talking about continuing the show without him. We’re talking about whether there’s one installment that he’s not in. I think if the storytelling is exciting enough, that real-time element that the show really owns–so many of the production aspects are so unique to that show–I do [think we could do it without him]. I think [it could be] great characters with that creative team. I look at everyone that’s surrounded Kiefer in the last installment and I think it could work.” 24 without Jack–is it possible? FOX brass think so–do you?
Saving the best for last: the network hasn’t forgotten about cult thriller Prison Break saying they would “bring [it] back in a heartbeat.” Newman added, “It’s probably the perfect event series. If our old partners in that show are interested, that would be great.” Paul Scheuring’s ABC drama Zero Hour failed to make a mark last season; perhaps the Prison Break creator will feel the inch to explore his legacy further.