Upfronts - Fox

Fox introduced five new shows, two of which will likely be the most talked-about going into the season, given who's involved.

What's gone? - no real surprises, as most of last season's new shows were cut.

What's back? - Kitchen Nightmares and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are back. Marginal surprises both, as the former wasn't as good as the BBC original, and the latter didn't quite have the ratings Fox was hoping for.

All the older shows are back, with Bones and House moving in 2009 when American Idol comes back. Kudos (for now) to Fox for cutting the Idol results show to a half-hour, but I fear it'll bloat back to an hour given the "to be announced" slot that's currently after it.

24 will also be back in the fall with a two hour prequel of season 7, whetting our appetites for another crazy day with Jack Bauer.

What's new - Five shows, two with notable creators. Dollhouse comes to use from Joss Whedon of Buffy fame. It focuses on people who are being used by a shadowy organization for a variety of missions, after which the agents have their minds wiped clean and reprogrammed for their new mission. Buffy alum Eliza Dushku stars. As it's the lead show from 24, expect a quick hook if it can't deliver ratings.

The other notable show is Fringe, J.J. Abrams' latest show to involve an airplane flight turned sinister. In this case, the flight arrives at its destination (Boston, woo!), but all the passengers and crew have died in grisly fashion (first mystery - how did the plane land?). This sets of an investigation that's more than it seems, etc. Joshua Jackson (known to most as Pacey from Dawson's Creek is the most notable cast member, playing the son of a mentally unstable genius who becomes part of the investigation.

From what I've read the pilot for the show cost $10 million, so it better be pretty damn good. It should help that Fringe will follow House and Idol during the year.

Fox's latest sitcom to avoid seems to be Do Not Disturb, a hotel-based show starring Jerry O'Connell. Between the DOA Welcome to the Captain and O'Connell's flop turn on Carpoolers, this sounds probelmatic from the go. It'll follow Til Death on Wednesdays, though both follow Bones, which makes this an odd night (and one that will likely disappoint if the shows do all get transplanted to Friday in 2009, though I expect this one to be gone by then).

Secret Millionaire will follow Hell's Kitchen on Thursdays in 2009. It will take rich people and move them into less affluent areas, where they'll try to live on minimum wage and become involved in their communities. At the end, they'll decide what people or groups are worthy of getting some of their fortune. It's like an ambush version of Oprah's Big Give, but with it being on Fox I somehow expect that it will explot the poor more than help them.

Sunday's animation block brings two new shows - Sit Down, Shut Up is about the staff at a high school whose personal lives come before the kids. It's from the Arrested Development folks, so this may be pretty interesting. The other offering is The Cleveland Show, which puts Cleveland from Family Guy moves from Quahog to Stoolbend, Virginia to reunite with an unrequited love. It can't be worse than American Dad, even with the likely hillbilly jokes.

Prognosis? - Fox will do fine with its existing shows, and I figure at least one of the new high-profile dramas will do well, though both may stick if fans of other Whedon/Abrams shows come along. I'm less high on any of the comedies, though the animated shows should both last for the season at least. I'm a little irritated that Bones may get shunted to Friday, though I expect something will get canceled to open up a spot somewhere else.