After a Lady-Centric Season, Fox Gets Bro-Friendly

We’re in the midst of the network upfronts — during which new shows are announced — and over at Fox, four new comedies are skewing very male.

There’s Surviving Jack, based on a book called I Suck at Girls, which stars Christopher Meloni. There’s Enlisted, a comedy about three brothers in the Army. There’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Andy Samberg, about detectives at a New York police station; and Dads, which revolves around two best friends — Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi — whose “nightmare fathers” move in with them. That one comes from Ol’ Friend Of Boobs Seth MacFarlane.

For Fox, this is a decidedly different approach, since, as the Hollywood Reporter points out, last season the network pushed female-centered shows like New Girl, The Mindy Project and the now-canceled Ben and Kate. “What’s more,” THR notes, “female-focused comedies historically have struggled in syndication.” Sad face.

Still, Fox may be skewing more male because some other networks are killing it when it comes to shows for, about, and by women. Take ABC, for instance: Right now, the network has Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Bachelor, How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest of Your Life), Nashville, Once Upon a Time, Red Widow, Revenge and Suburgatory; Mistresses is in the pipeline. All starring women or expressly marketed to women; some with female creators and show runners. Not all of those are comedies, obviously, but maybe Fox figures that since ABC has got the ladies on lock, it’s better to go in a different direction?

[THR]