Fox Populi: They're Cutting Ad Time Just for You, Little Guy

But Fox will launch more new series in the first quarter of 2009, when "American Idol" and "24" return to the lineup. And Fox once again says its "Idol" results show will be only 30 minutes long, by way of reminding us the network still has a sense of humor.

"Broadcast television needs a jolt. We feel it's our responsibility as the number one network for the last four seasons to provide that electricity," Liguori said earlier in the day in a phone news conference. He did not mention the jolt was Remote-Free TV, leaving reporters to guess whether it was:

Briefcase No. 1 -- Fox lands new shows from J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon.

Briefcase No. 2 -- No. 1 network to add more new shows next season than any other broadcaster.

Briefcase No. 3 -- Fox will begin rolling out its fall lineup the week of Aug. 25 -- in the teeth of the Democratic National Convention.

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Fox's fall schedule brings back "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" Mondays at 8, followed by "Prison Break" at 9. Network suits insisted "Sarah Connor" was successful because it was not rejected by "Terminator" fans. (Remember, it opened after a big football game with 18.4 million viewers; about 10 million had bailed by the final two-hour broadcast.)

Tuesdays, "House" at 8 will provide a lead-in for "Fringe" at 9. The drama is from Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind the flicks "Star Trek" and "Mission: Impossible III" and ABC's almost-but-not-quite-successful series "Alias" -- but try to put that out of your mind.

"Fringe" will "thrill, terrify and explore the blurring lines between science fiction and reality," Fox said.

A show about Priscilla Presley's face, you ask?

No! A show about an international flight that lands at Boston's Logan Airport, only the passengers and crew all have died grisly deaths!

This calls for investigation by FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, to be played by newcomer Anna Torv because, Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said, Abrams is soooo good at identifying ingenues, which we're sure he meant in the best possible sense.