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Fox‘s will be back for a second season.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterFox hopes to greet a big audience with its new small-town docu-comedy “Welcome to Flatch” when the Paul Feig and Jenny Bicks-produced show launches later this week. But if “Flatch” doesn’t bring in the viewers with its linear premiere on Thursday at 9:30 p.m., Fox execs won’t be talking about cutting the mockumentary from the network’s midseason lineup Friday morning.That’s because the broadcast network is launching the first half of the 14-episode Season 1 via Hulu and other digital platforms at midnight on Thursday, and promises it’s not going to be giving much weight to “Welcome to Flatch’s” Live + Same Day Nielsen ratings over those first seven weeks of airing, when the episodes will all be available for streaming well before they rollout weekly on Fox.

Oscar winner Marlee Matlin is set to make her directorial debut in an episode of Fox’s new anthology drama series Accused, from Homeland EPs Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and Howard Shore (The Good Doctor, House).

Fox is launching mockumentary comedy Welcome To Flatch on March 17 and will drop the first seven episodes on Hulu.

Fox has opted not to proceed with a second season of The Big Leap. The ballet drama-comedy, starring Scott Foley and Simone Recasner, had an 11-episode freshman run, which ended in December, with the network at the time deferring a decision on the show’s future until the spring.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterThe Scott Foley-led drama “The Big Leap” has been canceled after just one season at Fox, Variety has learned.A modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours,”The Big Leap” revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show featuring a modern reimagining of “Swan Lake.”“The Big Leap” starred Scott Foley, Teri Polo, Piper Perabo, Simone Recasner, Kevin Daniels, Ser’Darius Blain, Jon Rudnitsky, Mallory Jansen and Anna Grace Barlow.The drama from creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (“The Passage,” “Friday Night Lights”), director/executive producer Jason Winer (“Modern Family,” “Perfect Harmony”) and executive producer Sue Naegle (“Soundtrack,” “The Plot Against America”) premiered as part of Fox’s fall lineup. It averaged a 0.4 rating among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 2.8 million multiplatform viewers throughout its 11-episode run in Nielsen’s Live + Same Day data, which counts a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available.

Fox Entertainment’s MarVista Entertainment, a prolific producer and distributor of original movies for traditional and streaming networks worldwide, is continuing its expansion into Latin America, signing a major development and production deal with TelevisaUnivision.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Chiklis is set to star in the first episode of the upcoming Fox crime anthology series “Accused.”The series is based on the BBC crime anthology of the same name. Each episode opens in a courtroom on the accused, with the audience knowing nothing about their crime or how they ended up on trial.Chiklis will play Dr.

EXCLUSIVE: In his return to Fox, Emmy winner Michael Chiklis is set to headline the premiere episode of the network’s straight-to-series crime anthology drama, Accused, executive-produced by Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and David Shore. Fellow Emmy winner Michael Cuesta (Homeland) has been tapped to direct the premiere, reuniting with Homeland executive producers Gordon and Gansa.

Bloom County, Berkeley Breathed’s comic strip that ran in the 1980s, is being turned into an animated series at Fox.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFox Entertainment has acquired the rights to the Gumby franchise.The deal was made between Fox and the estate of Joseph Clokey, the son of Gumby creator Art Clokey. It gives Fox all rights to Gumby and associated characters across film, television and streaming, consumer products, licensing, publishing, and all other categories.“Competition for globally recognized intellectual property is fierce,” said Charlie Collier, CEO of Fox Entertainment. “Uncovering this gem, with its built-in awareness and affinity, and bringing it to Fox, adds meaningful value and creative possibilities to the IP itself and to multiple divisions of our company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDisney Branded Television has brought on Charlie Andrews to serve as executive vice president of live-action and alternative series, Variety has learned.Andrews joins Disney Branded TV from Fox Entertainment, where he most recently worked as head of drama development for the broadcaster before exiting in December. Andrews will begin in his new role on Feb.

Fox has dished up two more seasons of Hell’s Kitchen. The network has renewed Gordon Ramsay’s hit culinary competition series for its 21st and 22nd seasons.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Fox will sizzle and serve up two additional helpings of its hit culinary competition series “Hell’s Kitchen,” renewing the Gordon Ramsay-led show for Seasons 21 and 22. Last season, “Hell’s Kitchen” was the No.

Fox Entertainment and Hulu have set a comprehensive output deal enabling the Disney-owned service to stream all out-of-season episodes of many Fox series, including all of the network’s unscripted fare.

Dollface showrunner Michelle Nader is developing a hybrid multi/single-camera comedy at Fox.

Fox has given a script commitment with penalty to White House Doctor, a one-hour drama based on Dr. Connie Mariano’s memoir, from Alyssa Milano and her Peace by Peace Productions, A+E Studios, where Milano is under a deal, Range Media Partners and Fox Entertainment. There are no plans for Milano to star.

EXCLUSIVE: Fox has taken in for development Guys We F****d , a multi-camera comedy based on Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson’s Guys We F****d: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast, from Eric and Kim Tannenbaum’s The Tannenbaum Company (Two and a Half Men), and Lionsgate TV, where The Tannenbaum Co. is under a deal. The project is a co-production between Lionsgate TV and Fox Entertainment.

Fox is going its own way with Mick Fleetwood.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDespite the loss of country music drama “Monarch” on the midseason schedule, Fox executive Michael Thorn is still feeling upbeat about the broadcaster’s prospects going into the spring.“Really it’s so far, so good in terms of this midseason coming out of another really positive fall,” said Thorn, the president of entertainment for Fox Entertainment. “So moving ‘Monarch’ to September is obviously moving a big piece out of midseason to next year, but it was really in the best interest of the show and I’m really glad we made that decision.”In particular, Thorn touted the performances of new shows like “The Cleaning Lady,” as well as returning shows like “9-1-1: Lone Star” and “Call Me Kat,” as keeping the network afloat at midseason. “Monarch,” which boasts Susan Sarandon and Trace Adkins among its stars, was originally meant to debut immediately after the NFC Championship game on Jan.

Fox is developing a television version of Taylor Sheridan-penned feature film Hell or High Water.

EXCLUSIVE: Eva De Dominici has been tapped for a heavily recurring role opposite Adan Canto on The Cleaning Lady, Fox’s adaptation of the Argentinean drama starring Elodie Yung, from The 100 writer Miranda Kwok, Stargirl EP Melissa Carter, who is showrunner, Shay Mitchell’s Amore & Vita Productions, Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBrooke Bowman has been promoted to executive vice president of drama development and programming at Fox Entertainment.She succeeds Charlie Andrews in the role, with Andrews exiting the company. The parting with Andrews is said to be on good terms, with his contract simply coming to an end.Bowman was previously senior vice president in the Fox drama department.

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Entertainment has acquired MarVista Entertainment, the prolific independent studio which produces and distributes original movies for traditional and streaming networks worldwide. No one would comment but sources pegged the value of the deal at over $100 million.

Jon Hamm is getting animated at Fox.Michael Thorn, president of entertainment at Fox Entertainment, announced on Thursday that Fox has ordered “Grimsburg,” an all-new animated comedy starring and executive produced by Hamm.  Fully owned by Fox Entertainment and produced by its Emmy winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment, “Grimsburg” will premiere in 2023. The show will follow Marvin Flute (Hamm), who “may be the greatest detective ever to catch a cannibal clown or correctly identify a

EXCLUSIVE: Brett Tucker has joined the cast of Fox’s dance dramedy The Big Leap in a recurring role. He will appear opposite stars Scott Foley, Simone Recanser, Teri Polo, Piper Perabo and Anna Grace Barlow. The series hails from Liz Heldens, Jason Winer, Sue Naegle, 20th Television and Fox Entertainment.

Eva Amurri (Undateable, Californication), Susan Sarandon’s daughter, will join her mom in Fox’s upcoming straight-to-series music dynasty drama Monarch, produced by Fox Entertainment.

EXCLUSIVE: Shiva Negar and Jay Mohr have been tapped for recurring roles on The Cleaning Lady, Fox’s adaptation of the Argentinean drama starring Elodie Yung, from The 100 writer Miranda Kwok, Stargirl EP Melissa Carter, who is showrunner, Shay Mitchell’s Amore & Vita Productions, Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Mamie Coleman will lead all music creative for Fox Entertainment from Los Angeles. As the newly appointed exec VP of creative music for Fox Entertainment Music, she will also lead its free streaming AVOD platform and its animation production studio, Bento Box (“Bob’s Burgers,” “Central Park,” “The Great North”).Coleman’s responsibilities as head of Fox Entertainment’s music division include overseeing the creation of original music for usage across Fox properties.

Veteran Fox executive Mamie Coleman has been promoted to EVP Creative Music. In the newly created position, she will head Fox Entertainment’s music division, reporting to Fox Entertainment COO Amy Carney.