FOX Announces Premiere Dates: American Idol, 24, Dollhouse, & More

FOX Network just released a stack of premiere and mid-season return dates for most of their shows. The biggest highlights are that of American Idol, 24, and Joss Whedon’s (Firefly) Dollhouse. Idol will return with a jumbo sized, 4-hour, two-night event on January 13th & 14th. Don’t forget Idol’s plans to include Kara DioGuardi as a fourth judge this season. 24 will precede Idol with a similar 2-night event starting on January 11th and 12th. But if you’re serious about returning to Jack Bauer’s storyline you’ll want to watch his season transition movie, “Redemption”, which airs later this month. Dollhouse, starring Eliza Dushku, will make a delayed air date on February 13th. I enjoyed Whedon’s Firefly, but am certainly not a fan of Dushku, so I doubt I’ll be watching that.

EW runs through the other list of “when does it come back” shows:

Here are other important dates from Fox’s midseason lineup to remember: the new drama Lie to Me (which stars Tim Roth as an expert who can tell whether people are fibbing) will bow on Jan. 21; Hell’s Kitchen resurfaces on Jan. 29; House shifts to Mondays starting Jan. 19; Bones moves to Thursdays on Jan. 15; and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will jump to Fridays on Feb. 13. And finally, the reality show Hole in the Wall, which is based on the Japanese Tetris series, will bow on Sundays beginning Jan. 18

Yikes. Sarah Connor is getting dumped off on Friday nights? That can’t be a good sign.

Source: EW

• FOX Announces 2009 – 2010 Television Schedule
• 2008-2009 Television Season Finale Dates
• Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” Takes A Production Break
• ABC Releases Fall 2009 Premiere Dates
• Move Over Paula, American Idol Makes Room For Fourth Judge