Fox bets big on return of live sports in fall 2020 schedule

In addition to a slate of original and returning programming, Fox’s fall 2020 broadcast schedule includes three nights of sports, a hopeful and perhaps premature outlook amid the coronavirus crisis.

The schedule, announced this morning, includes slots for NFL Thursday Night Football, WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown, as well as Fox Sports Saturday, which traditionally televises NCAA football. The lineup also includes reality series, animated comedies and just two nights of scripted series.

“The effects of this global health crisis leave no business unaffected,� said Charlie Collier, chief executive of Fox Entertainment. “In remote meetings with advertising and marketing partners over recent weeks, we sought to listen first and understand each partner’s unique concerns.�

Renewals include the Sunday night Animation Domination block of “The Simpsons,� “Bob’s Burgers,� “Bless the Harts� and “Family Guy.� The competition series “The Masked Singer� and Gordon Ramsay’s cooking show “MasterChef Junior� have also been renewed and paired on Wednesdays.

New scripted programming includes the psychological thriller “Next,� starring John Slattery, at 9 p.m. Mondays, and the Southern gothic soap “Filthy Rich,� starring Kim Cattrall, at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. The network will also air the broadcast premiere of the Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba-starring “Bad Boys� spinoff “L.A.’s Finest,� which was acquired from Sony Pictures Television, at 8 p.m. Tuesdays; and “Cosmos: Possible Worlds,� the third installment of the science exploration series hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Midseason series include “911� and “911: Lone Star,� along with the new Mayim Bialik comedy “Call Me Kat� and the animated comedies “The Great North� and “Housebroken.� Returning with new episodes are Amy Poehler’s animated “Duncanville� and Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen.�