FLUMMOXED BY FOX

It's been a few weeks since I looked at the line-up of new shows from a particular network and tried to figure out what might be their best crossover options.

So we've tackled ABC and CBS; let's move on to that fair and balanced mothership of Rupert Murdoch's empire, FOX:

'The Partner'
'Renovate My Family'
'Next Great Champ'
'House'
'The Billionaire - Richard Branson's Quest For The Best'
'The Complex: Malibu'

ARE THEY BLEEPING ME????

You know, I was willing to play along and suggest a few links for a so-called "reality show" once in a while for each network..... But to have your line-up stocked with them?

Bleep that!

All save for 'House'. At least I'm looking forward to at least a few episodes of that; to test the waters. I'm a fan of Hugh Laurie and it sounds as if his character is meant to have the type of irascibility shown by Patrick McGoohan when he starred in the poorly received (and I admit it, poorly conceived) 'Rafferty'.

I just don't understand why he's being forced to adopt an American accent. Let the man revel in his natural British diction! Don't vocally castrate him like CBS did with Mark Addy!

Other than that, I'll wait to see a few episodes before I make a suggestion, but seeing as how they've loaded down the sked with so many reality shows, there aren't that many options for crossovers. Off the top of my melon, I'd say an hour in the day of Jack Bauer and '24' might be in order.

'House' - The title suggests it's either a home renovation program or another version of 'Big Brother'.

But it's a medical investigation series about Dr. Ian House.

This will never come up in the series, but I think Dr. House is related, albeit distantly, to Chief Inspector House, a British investigator. It's not exactly a relative Dr. House would be bragging about. (See 'Burke's Law' episode "Who Killed Supersleuth?")

I'd bet that except for my online allies at the Gene Barry website, I doubt that there's anybody else who would have remembered Chief Inspector House.

But as I am a great fan of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show', seeing Carl Reiner in the role of Inspector House made qute an impression on a fair-headed yet feather-headed young boy.

Yes! I'm talking about myself!!!!!!

BCnU!
Toby