No retreat: FX plans a one-of-each fall

With some basic-cable channels in full retreat, FX remains fairly ambitious.
The network has set a plan for this fall with one of everything, It has an edgy comedy, a one-shot documentary, a documentary mini-series, a scripted mini-series and the return of the fierce drama, “The Old Man” (shown hre in its first season).
As streaming grows and cable declines, many key channels – TNT, TBS, USA, etc. — have been dropping scripted shows. Even FX Productions makes some shows — “The Bear,” “Reservation Dogs,” “Clipped,” etc. — that are only for Hulu, not for the FX network.
But there are still some key shows that will air first on FX, reaching Hulu the next day. Chronologically, they include:
— Aug. 23: “Lie to Fly,” a documentary under the “New York Times Presents” banner. It asks whether federal rules are so strict that pilots cover up their mental-health problems, endangering passengers.
— Sept. 2: “English Teacher,” an eight-episode comedy that will remind viewers of “The Bear.” Brian Jordan Alvarez created the series and stars as a gay and idealistic teacher, with unbudging parents and adminstrators on one side and overly aware students on the other.
— Sept. 12: “The Old Man” retrurns for its eight-episode second season. Jeff Bridges (shown here) and John Lithgow play former colleagues and/or enemies, now attempting a seemingly impossible rescue in Afghanistan.
— Sept. 17: “American Sports Story” debuts. This is from Ryan Murphy, who already has “American Crime Story” and “American Horror Story” on FX. The first one is a 10-parter following the tragic arc of the late Aaron Hernandez, a pro football player.
— Sept. 25: “Social Studies,” which sort of becomes a non-fiction companion to “English Teacher.” The five-part documentary follows high school students in the Los Angeles area who are surprisingly frank about their use of social media during and after the pandemic.