Fox veterans The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers have never really been on the bubble because first, they remain strong performers for the network, and secondly, due to the longer lead time needed in animation, they would always get an early renewal. That was taken to a new level this year as all three, along with American Dad!, returning to Fox after an 11-year run on TBS, have just been given four-year pickups, keeping the 20th TV Animation-produced comedies off the bubble list for the foreseeable future.
Also safe are the two Fox-owned animated comedies, Krapopolis and Grimsburg, which are not as strong in the ratings as the three long-timers but still bring eyeballs while also making money for the network via international and streaming sales. Krapopolis, now in its second season, already has been renewed for a fourth season. Grimsburg, also in its second season, is expected to be renewed for a third, I hear.
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The same goes for another animated series, Sony TV/Fox Entertainment co-production Universal Basic Guys, which was renewed for a second season last May ahead of its series premiere. With the freshman ranking as Fox’s highest rated scripted series among adults 18-49 and most watched comedy in linear ratings, another early renewal is likely not far off.
With six current Fox animated series either already renewed for next season or expected to be and American Dad! rejoining Fox’s lineup, something’s got to give.
Missing from today’s mega four-year renewal was the fifth 20th TV Animation series for Fox, The Great North. Currently in its fifth season, the comedy is liked internally at the network but it’s flown largely under the radar. It also is at the bottom of the Fox scripted ratings and, following the unexpected pickup of American Dad!, The Great North is very much on the bubble.
Animal Control remains Fox’s live-action comedy flagship and calling card internationally as the first owned live-action Fox series to break out. A renewal of the Joel McHale series is considered a lock. After an extensive search, Fox finally launched a companion to Animal Control this season with Going Dutch. The midseason comedy starring Denis Leary has not been a standout on linear or streaming but has shown enough promise in its initial midseason run to earn a Season 2 renewal, I hear. If that happens, Fox may not be picking up a new half-hour series for next season.
On the drama side, Fox has renewed its hot freshman Doc with a rare 22-episode order and Canadian-made rookie Murder In a Small Town, a respectable performer which is part of the network’s international content strategy.
Fox is expected to pick up a couple of new drama series for 2025-26. As Deadline reported last month, heating up are Memory of a Killer, from writers Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone, and Liz Tuccillo’s Doc Martin, with the latter already looking at directors, I hear. Then there is the Baywatch reboot, which moved to a different track with the recent hire of Matt Nix to do rewrites but could still be ready for midseason 2026, sources said.
With multiple drama series projects on the runway, Fox will likely have to trim its existing slate to make room for the newcomers, even with 9-1-1: Lone Star ending this season.
Of those still awaiting to learn their fate, freshman Rescue HI-Surf is the strongest ratings performer. While not a breakout of the caliber of Doc, the Hawaii-set first responder drama produced by Warner Bros. TV and Fox Entertainment has been solid and comes from top producer John Wells, making it a good renewal contender. Its chances should not be affected by Baywatch as I hear Fox has a plan for both series running simultaneously, likely one in-season, one off in the summer.
Also looking promising is Fox’s missing person procedural Alert, starring Scott Caan, Dania Ramirez and Ryan Broussard. Alert, from Sony TV and Fox Entertainment, saw its ratings improve in its Season 3 return last week as it has evolved into a buddy cop show.
While neither of the outstanding Fox drama series is a complete shoo-in, two are more heavily on the bubble. That includes Sony TV/Fox Entertainment crime anthology Accused. A hot newcomer during the 2022-23 season, it was heavily impacted by the strike and had to skip 2023-24 altogether. The long gap between seasons has not been kind to the show, which returned way down in the ratings this past fall.
Also on shaky ground is WBTV/Fox Entertainment’s The Cleaning Lady starring Élodie Yung. The series only started its fourth-season run last week, so it is a little early to tell but its relaunch was soft. The Cleaning Lady‘s serialized nature has always been a challenge for a broadcast series, and it also faced tragic circumstances, losing its male lead Adan Canto to cancer last season. Last May, the drama landed an eleventh-hour reprieve with creative direction and showrunner changes. It will need another miracle this May.
