Next for ‘NEXT’: A walk into the TV sunset
Q: Why did Fox cancel “NEXT” so quickly? I thought it had an interesting concept. – Joshua Barnes, Fremont, N.C.
A: The series had a lot placed on its shoulders to perform well fast, since the network held onto it (as well as “Filthy Rich”) from last season to be a fall starter when the coronavirus pandemic curtailed production of all of the network’s other scripted shows. The John Slattery-starring “NEXT” already had been made by that time, so it was done and ready to go.
It would have had a limited run anyway, since it had gotten a midseason order for starters, meaning fewer episodes. With Fox ready to launch its season proper in January, filling the schedule with such expected returnees as “9-1-1” and “The Resident,” “NEXT” would have had to get significant ratings in a short time to earn it a second season. And that just didn’t happen.
Q: Is “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” coming back? – Abby Bower, Grand Junction, Colo.
A: It is, and you don’t have much longer to wait for Season 2 of the musically inclined NBC comedy-drama. It will open the network’s Tuesday primetime lineup starring Jan. 5, making it the lead-in for “This Is Us.”
We’ll be interested to see how Peter Gallagher factors into “Zoey’s” this time, since as the show’s fans likely know, it seemed possible at the end of last season that he might not be back ... but we’ll be so bold as to say that we don’t buy that, whatever the very creative producers and writers need to do to ensure his continued presence.