Fall TV coverage: FOX aiming to keep their cool points

The fall TV season is here, and that means it's time for a look into the future -- the near, near future, that is -- to identify the good, the bad and the rest on broadcast television. Over the next few weeks, I'll provide an overview of the fall offerings, and give my take on what will work, what won't, and where everyone will be standing at the midseason mark. This week, I'll give FOX the ol' once over.

FOX, now in easy-to-swallow capsule form: The steadiest of the broadcast networks (ratings-wise, anyway) last year was FOX, as they stayed flat year-to-year in the 18-49 ratings, holding at a 2.1, while upping their total viewers number by 175,000 to 6.165 million per night on average. They launched a surprise hit, too -- Monday night's "Sleepy Hollow," which finished last season in 15th place among the key demographic, ahead of the Thursday edition of "American Idol" (16th), plus FOX comedy staples "Family Guy" (18th) and "The Simpsons" (32nd). In addition, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's multiple hour-long reality programs ("Hell's Kitchen," "Masterchef" and "Masterchef Junior") have held up surprisingly well. But other shows, such as last year's best new sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and returning programs like "New Girl" and "Glee" have struggled. And Simon Cowell's "X-Factor" proved to be an expensive dud, finally put out to pasture last season.

Fall schedule outlook: Could be better, could be worse. FOX has invested in two pricey programs this fall to maintain their ratings -- Monday night's "Gotham," a Batman-before-Batman drama, starring Ben McKenzie as a younger Detective Jim Gordon, plus a slew of the famed Gotham City rogues' gallery in their earlier incarnations, and "Utopia," a twice-weekly reality show in which the contestants are charged with building a new civilization from the ground up. So far, only "Gotham" seems to be connecting with audiences. "Utopia," on the other hand, has received almost universal critical jeers -- and the ratings are just about as bad, whether on Tuesday or Friday. Another new and much-hyped drama, "Red Band Society," about a group of teenage patients living in a hospital, debuted early to avoid the Premiere Week crush, but isn't faring very well on Wednesday nights. New Sunday night comedy "Mulaney," starring John Mulaney and Martin Short, is yet to premiere. The marketing department has apparently decided that this could be FOX's "Seinfeld," and the ads for the show make this plain.

Time shifts: Sunday's "Animation Domination" block has ended -- FOX has inserted "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in the half-hour between "The Simpsons" at 7 p.m. and "Family Guy" at 8. "Hell's Kitchen," now in its 13th cycle, started airing Wednesdays at 7 on Sept. 10. "Bones" -- FOX's utility player of utility players -- enters its 10th year Thursday nights at 7.

Potential breakout: "Gotham" has been a sizable success in its first two weeks out of the gate, and it looks like a keeper.

First cancellation (over/under): While "Red Band Society" is a definite candidate, I think FOX is already regretting "Utopia." My guess is that once the baseball playoffs get into full swing, they'll quietly shuffle the reality show out of their lineup. (18 episodes)

Midseason projection: 4th place in total viewers, 2nd in 18-49.

Next up: NBC (or, "We're Number One! No, Really ... We're Number One?!")