Fox is stable

It's all about stability at Fox this fall — that being a relative term when it comes to the mercurial network and its schedule.

But Fox Entertainment president Peter Ligouri wasn't just blowing smoke when he called the network's 2006-07 schedule "the broadest, most stable and most vibrant schedule we've ever presented" — at least not in terms of "most stable." Fox features returning shows every night of the week and nothing but returning shows on Sundays, Fridays and Saturdays.

As a result of the network's coverage of the major-league baseball postseason, the schedule will be somewhat fluid in the fall. And "American Idol" and "24" will return in January.

The fall lineup features just five new shows, three dramas and two comedies.

NEW DRAMAS include:

Vanished (Mondays, 8 p.m.) is a serialized action/drama about an FBI agent (Ming-Na) leading the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a U.S. senator's wife. From a producer of "CSI."

Standoff (Tuesdays, 7 p.m.) is about a male-female pair of FBI crisis negotiators who are romantically involved.

Justice (Wednesdays, 8 p.m.) is about four very different lawyers who team up to handle high-profile cases. From the producers of "CSI."

NEW COMEDIES include:

'Til Death (Thursdays, 7 p.m.) stars Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") and Joely Fisher as a long-married, cynical couple who live next door to a just-married, idealistic, much-younger couple (Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kat Foster).

Happy Hour (Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.) is about a guy who's a happy, successful big fish in a small-town pond — and his life falls apart when he moves to the big city.

IN JANUARY, Fox makes its now-traditional schedule adjustments with the return of American Idol (Tuesdays, 7 p.m.; Wednesdays at 8 p.m.) and 24 (Mondays, 8 p.m.).

Also in January, the animated comedy King of the Hill returns Sundays at 6:30 p.m.; the sitcom The Loop returns Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.; and The Wedding Album, a comedy/drama about a playboy wedding photographer, premieres Fridays at 8 p.m.

Other midseason replacement shows include Duets (Thursday and Fridays, time TBA in September), a reality/competition show produced by Simon Cowell that pairs singing stars with nonsinging celebrities; The Winner (TBA), a sitcom about a 32-year-old (Rob Corddry, "The Daily Show") finally starting to live life (in the year 1994); and On the Lot (TBA), a reality/competition show for budding filmmakers produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg.

CANCELED SHOWS include "Arrested Development," "Bernie Mac," "Free Ride," "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Stacked." "That '70s Show" retired after eight seasons.

---

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com