Getting a Look Inside FOX Through the Paley Preview Party

The last Fall TV Preview Party recently held by the Paley Center for Media was for FOX. These annual events honor a different network each night where the Paley hosts a screening of some of the network’s new shows and holds a panel discussion with some of the talent and creative minds behind those new shows.

New Girl

Representing FOX were Terra Nova Executive Producers Brannon Braga and Rene Echevarria; New Girl actress Zooey Deschanel and the comedy’s creator Elizabeth Meriwether; The X-Factor judge Paula Abdul and one of the executive producers from the reality series; Allen Gregory actor Will Forte and the animation show’s executive producers Andrew Mogel and Derek Hall; and I Hate My Teenage Daughter actor Kevin Rahm and the comedy’s executive producer Sherry Bilsing-Graham.

The panel was moderated by TV Guide Editor Deborah Birnbaum and much to my dismay quickly disintegrated into a haphazard Q&A that ranged from the absurd to the simply bizarre with the Allen Gregory team explaining the premise behind their new animated series, that, unfortunately, didn’t really seem to win over the audience to verbal flubs from the New Girl duo to broken sentences from Paula Abdul. Thankfully, the executive producers from Terra Nova were able to level off the strangeness of the night while not spoiling what to expect from their new drama that is probably unlike anything we have seen on TV in years.

It was soon enough time to begin the screenings with New Girl up first followed by I Hate My Teenage Daughter. Now, I will be the first to state that I am not a fan of the standard half-hour comedy and if these were the only comedies from which I could choose to watch on a weekly basis I would have to decline that invitation. But other audience members seemed to enjoy both of them, so I will let our readers watch and decide for themselves. Then the animated series Allen Gregory was screened; and I can state openly that, sadly, most of those in attendance – not just me – were less than enthusiastic about this series. Next was an inside look at the makings of The X-Factor as well as a few of the competitors who will be featured in the show.

Terra Nova

The night was saved by the full pilot episode of Terra Nova. The episode thrilled and captivated most of the audience and delivered on its premise, giving us a look inside a future that isn’t that far removed from what our own future could potentially become while showing us the heart of a family torn apart by unexpected circumstances only to be brought back together by an almost unbelievably time-travel-heavy possibility. This is one of the new dramas to be on the look-out for as it is not only another Steven Spielberg TV series, but it is action-packed with plenty of prehistoric creatures to marvel at and a rich family story that interest viewers of all ages.

To judge for yourselves, tune in to Terra Nova September 26 8/7c while the new comedy New Girl debuted this past Tuesday (September 20). I Hate My Teenage Daughter is set to debut on November 23 at 9:30/8:30c and the new animated series Allen Gregory will debut on October 30 at 8:307:30c.