Oh Snap! Fox Boss Takes Jab at Supernatural While Talking Fate of Fringe, Lie to Me, Idol and More

Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice tackle tough questions from reporters

By Kristin Dos Santos Jan 11, 2011 8:35 PMTags
Jensen Ackles, Joshua Jackson, Jennifer LopezThe CW; Smallz and Raskind/FOX; Tony Duran / FOX

Fringe is moving to (boooo—death slot?) Friday night. Lie to Me didn't get a back-nine pickup for the current season. Ratings Goliath Idol is taking on fan favorite Big Bang Theory. And in related news, a lot of die-hard fans are losing sleep at night. But fear not! Fox bosses Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice just said some groovy stuff to make you feel muuuuch better.

Reilly also said something that proves it is now game on for you Fringe and Supernatural fans! Fight! Fight! Guess which show Reilly just made fun of?

When asked if he's concerned about Fringe being up against Supernatural in its new Friday home, Reilly answered: "No. It's already been against much stiffer competition than it's gonna face on Friday. Even in [its] genre, that show is not a ratings powerhouse. By the way, is Supernatural on Friday? I'm not sure. [Laughs.]  Good to know. So, there's your answer."

It's all fun and games till the Supernatural fans catch wind, my friend. They are mighty!

Regardless, the most excellent news for you Fringe lovers? Reilly spoke very passionately about the show—perhaps more so than any other Fox series—while answering questions from TV critics today.

"I appreciate the [Fringe] support in this room," he told reporters. "I beg you not to write the eulogy prematurely. It's not a free night for us where we can hang out a ‘Gone Fishing' sign. I was very happy to see Fringe show up on a number of top 10 lists this year. They deserve it. They make a mini movie each week. It's been in the most competitive slot on Thursday night, and with the new structure we are looking to go a little broader. We are hoping all those fans stick with it even if the DVR usage goes up a little more on Fridays. It's a fantastic show, and honestly I'd be heartbroken if it went away."

Hear that? Heartbroken. That's the stuff of ratings-be-damned pickups...Right?

And while Lie to Me didn't get its back-nine episode order for the current season, Reilly said the show's fate is yet to be decided. "It could come back. Lie to Me is a very good show—it's really found its groove. We just need to get a little deeper into the spring and size everything up."

Big Bang Theory has been pulling in a considerable audience on Thursday night, but Fox chairman Peter Rice isn't concerned about the CBS sitcom affecting Idol's numbers in its new slot on Thursdays. "There was a lot of discussion about [the move]," Rice said. "It was something we started talking about in May when CBS moved Survivor. We viewed that as an opportunity." Reilly added, "I expect Big Bang to do what it's doing, and Idol will do the same. There is room for both."

What there isn't room for? Lone Star, which probably won't get a summer comeback, despite having six episodes left to air. "A show that had a tremendous amount of marketing and a good lead-in...I'm not sure how it could come back with a summer run," Reilly told reporters amid a lot of badgering regarding the show's early cancellation.

And as for Running Wilde, Reilly said this when asked why it didn't work, and whether executive producer Mitch Hurwitz has the right to blame Fox's over-involvement for ruining the show: "I think the show was slow to find itself. It was too little too late. I think it did find itself. I was very involved, and Mitch and I had a great relationship...you won't read about any sniping now. You know, I was probably involved more than I wanted to be...Mitch didn't resent it but the show was struggling to find its legs. There was funny stuff, but it was too little too late." 

Stand by for more scoop from Fox...