Fall TV's Best New Bets | FOX | 'Scream Queens' & 'Grandfathered'

It's that time of year again, new fall programming is getting ready to begin and Eclectic Pop has picked at least two of the most promising new series from each network. Find out which of the new shows from FOX made the cut...



Scream Queens
Ryan Murphy’s latest project for FOX is a far cry from “Glee”, though it does feature that series’ breakout star Lea Michelle. A sort of episodic take on the slasher flicks of the 80s, “Sorority Row” and “Prom Night” chiefly coming to mind; “Scream Queens” takes place on a college campus that is ravaged by a rash of serial murders that link back to a mysterious incident that occurred at the KKT sorority house, 20 years ago.

One of the original silver screen scream queens, Jamie Lee Curtis stars as the university’s dean, a nice anchor to the series’ motif. While Emma Roberts stars as the president of the targeted sorority. There are a bevy of young stars along for the ride with her; Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer and Skyler Samuels among them. 

When it comes to an onslaught of recognizable guest stars, “Scream Queens” has an unparalleled roster. From some of TV’s most popular actors: “Buffy” star Charisma Carpenter, “One Tree Hill” alum Chad Michael Murray, “Growing Pains” dad Alan Thicke to pop stars Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas to the Terminator’s son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, “Scream Queens” has the pop culture stars of past, present and possible future, covered.

Murphy is sticking to the anthology route after striking gold with his FX series “American Horror Story” so expect a clean wrap-up to this season’s events. If MTV’s recent and terrifically realized adaptation of the “Scream” movies is any indication this could be a strong series for FOX, which is in need of one. A mystery series that will offer viewers guaranteed closure should be a huge draw. Series creator Ryan Murphy’s knack for dark humor, quick wit and crafty dialogue should fit the vibe of this horror comedy, like a glove. Premiere Date: Sep 22, airs Tuesdays at 9 PM est
Grandfathered
The last time John Stamos had an adorable baby girl thrust into his care, the result was the smash hit (and greatest sitcom of all time) “Full House”. A lot has changed since the 1987 debut of that beloved family sitcom and the number one thing viewers might notice is that instead of playing a fancy-free uncle, Stamos is portraying a recently divorced bachelor turned overnight father and grandfather. That’s twice the papa power! This means Stamos will now be playing the coolest grandpa on TV after conquering the title as coolest uncle, all those years ago. 

The premise of “Grandfathered” sounds fun (if not a tad similar to FOX’s cult hit “Raising Hope”) and Stamos’ return to television in a lead role is a huge incentive to watch. After his glorious guest stint on “Glee” a few years ago, the time for his TV return seemed imminent and the wait for a sturdy project has apparently paid off.  Josh Peck of Nickelodeon’s “Drake and Josh” stars as Stamos’ newly discovered son and the father of his granddaughter. One of the clever hooks for the show will be watching Stamos' grandfather learn to be a parent at the same time his son does, a running gag that should last quite a while without growing tedious. 

There’s really no downside to checking this one out. If you’re in need of a show to help tide you over until the highly anticipated debut of “Fuller House” on Netflix, “Grandfathered” should quench your thirst. In a preamble to the full blown “Full House” reunion in 2016, Dave Coulier (aka Joey) is slated to guest star, early on in the freshman season. So it will be a reunion before the reunion. Premiere Date: Sep 29, airs Tuesdays at 8 PM est

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