Even though most broadcast comedies and dramas had their fates sealed prior to network upfronts presentations, with a slew of cancellations dropping in the week prior, Fox is taking things down to the wire with a pair of its popular scripted series, the action-packed rescue drama 9-1-1 and the emotional medical drama The Resident, which are two of the only big shows whose futures are still up in the air across the major networks. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like fans will be waiting too much longer for news, and Fox boss Charlie Collier makes it sound likely we’ll be hearing renewal confirmations when the next update arrives.
Charlie Collier and other Fox execs spoke with press on a conference call ahead of Fox’s upfronts presentation to advertisers, where he was asked what was up with 9-1-1 and The Resident by way of renewal or cancellation news. Here’s what the Fox Entertainment CEO said:
[To] comment on the two shows you mentioned, we're in good faith negotiations with 20th, and based on our long history with that company, we think we're in pretty good shape. You mentioned 9-1-1 and The Resident. . . . We adore Ryan. We're so pleased to have 9-1-1 Lone Star locked and loaded, and again, we're in good faith negotiations and feel good about it.
With both shows being produced through 20th Century Fox TV, negotiations with the studio are clearly the sticking point when it comes to moving forward with news on 9-1-1 and The Resident. But in Charlie Collier’s eyes, it doesn’t sound like things are sticky enough that the show’s won’t continue with new seasons. Sure, the TV industry is one where outsiders might not think much of “good faith” agreements, but if things weren’t optimistic at all, Collier’s comments probably would have reflected that in some way. Nobody likes implying good news to come, only to deliver disappointments.
It’s presumed that the negotiations for both of these shows are slightly more complicated than they were for 9-1-1: Lone Star and other series from 20th Century Fox TV, since we already know the spinoff will be returning after its explosive Season 3 finale. But hopefully it’s just a matter of making sure everyone is being compensated justifiably, and that there aren’t any underlying issues holding things back. After all, The Resident only just introduced Andrew McCarthy to Chastain Park Memorial Hospital, so it’s only proper to give him a shot at returning for more (assuming he isn’t killed off in some spectacular fashion).
Fox’s CEO Charlie Collier also talked about the change-ups in scheduling strategies going into this year’s upfronts, and was asked about the lack of a more formalized fall schedule being revealed ahead of time, as it’s gone in years past. He responded, saying:
We are doing a different type of upfront this year; we actually said early we were going to focus on a portfolio sell, and that's what we did. We have a feeling that you guys will have a schedule well in advance of when you need it. We're pretty confident about that.
It didn’t appear as if the 9-1-1 and Resident situations were wholly to blame for the lack of a tentative fall preview, but that could very well be the case. Whatever the reason, here’s hoping the wait for more news won’t be too long.
In the meantime, 9-1-1 will air its wedding-filled Season 5 finale on Monday, May 16, at 8:00 p.m. ET, while The Resident will welcome Emily VanCamp back for its Season 5 finale, which will air on Tuesday, May 17, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
