Will summertime TV become a blur of reality and reruns?
Well, mostly. Fox, however, will try some scripted shows – two cartoons– including the new “Housebroken” (shown here) — on Mondays and, sometime in August, a new version of “Fantasy Island.”
The Fox news came shortly after ABC announced an ambitious summer plan, filling five nights with reality (including “Bachelorette”), games and quirks. Fox’s plan, with more coming, has:
– SCRIPTED SHOWS: The cartoon turf expands into Mondays. “Duncanville” start its season on Sunday, May 23, but jumps to 9:30 p.m. Mondays, starting May 31, with “Housebroken” at 9. Another scripted show, a “Fantasy Island” reboot, will be sometime in August.
– FOOD SHOWS: Gordon Ramsay returns two shows, but each adds a twist. “Hell’s Kitchen: Young Guns” (8 p.m. Mondays, starting May 31) will be restricted to relative newcomers, 23 or younger; “MasterChef: Legends” (8 p.m. Wednesdays, starting June 2) will have fewer contestants and more celebrity-chef guests, including Emeril Lagasse, Paula Deen and Roy Choi. It will be followed at 9 p.m. by “Crime Scene Kitchen,” in which bakers must re-create a secret dessert, with only a few things – crumbs, a flour trail and clues from host Joel McHale – to indicate what it was.
– GAME SHOWS: There are three returning ones, each hosted by an actor who’s more famous than the show. Rob Lowe has “Mental Samurai” on Tuesdays (8-10 p.m. May 25, then 9 p.m.) … Will Arnett’s “Lego Masters” joins Tuesdays at 8 p.m. June 1 … and Jamie Foxx’s “Beat Shazam” is 8 p.m. Thursdays, starting June 3.