Fox Pauses Live-Action Comedy Orders While Searching for Viable Business Model

Fox is down to one live-action comedy series for the 2026-27 television season following the cancellation of Going Dutch, as network leadership hits pause on new comedy orders while it works to develop a business model that works for linear broadcast television.

The Details

Fox has opted not to renew Going Dutch, starring Denis Leary, for a third season. With that cancellation, the network is now left with a single live-action comedy on its upcoming schedule.

Animal Control, starring Joel McHale, is the lone remaining live-action comedy on Fox's roster. The series is owned by Fox and will join the Sunday animation block for its upcoming fifth season, positioning it alongside the network's established animated programming.

Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade and Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn indicated on an upfront call ahead of Fox's Monday upfront presentation that they are taking a step back from greenlighting new live-action comedies. The pause will remain in place until the network can build a sustainable financial framework that makes live-action comedy viable on a linear broadcast network in the current market.

"One of the things that Rob and I have spent a lot of time on is taking a look at, how do you do the best creative in the best model that's built for linear today?" Thorn said. "And candidly, we've spent a lot of time on both drama and unscripted... now we're taking a step back, and we're doing the same thing on live-action comedy."

Industry chatter suggests Fox has floated a $1.6 million per episode price tag for live-action comedies, but sources indicate the network has not yet settled on a firm number as the financial framework is still being developed. The figure remains subject to change as executives finalize their approach. New live-action comedy series orders are expected as early as June.

Thorn said the network's immediate priority is "cementing Animal Control status as a hit show, while we look at what's our next move in the live-action space." He added: "We believe in the genre, you'll see more from us in the future."

Context

Fox became an independent broadcast network without an in-house studio after Disney acquired 20th Television and other Fox assets. That transition removed Fox's traditional studio production arm and left the network dependent on license fees and wholly-owned productions to fill its schedule. In the years since, Fox has rebuilt its programming strategy around external licensing arrangements and shows it fully owns.

Fox previously established a $3 million to $4 million per episode range for drama series after becoming an independent broadcast network following Disney's acquisition of Fox studio assets. The network employs multiple drama production tiers to manage costs across its slate. The standard tier runs $3 million to $4 million per episode for shows such as Doc and Best Medicine. International co-productions come in under $1 million per episode, including Murder In a Small Town. Premium dramas exceed $4 million per episode, with current examples including Memory of a Killer and Baywatch.

Fox's fall 2026 schedule is heavily dominated by sports, reality television, and returning shows, with 90 percent of the slate consisting of returning programming. The limited presence of new scripted programming reflects a broader strategy of relying on proven franchises and lower-cost formats for the upcoming season.

Fox is not alone in pulling back on scripted comedy. NBC recently halved its comedy slate, reflecting broader industry contraction in the genre across broadcast networks as linear viewership and advertising revenue continue to face sustained pressure.

What's Next

New live-action comedy series orders from Fox are expected as early as June, indicating the pause is intended as a short-term recalibration rather than a long-term exit from the genre.

Wade echoed Thorn's comments on the network's comedy strategy. "We're confident that we will be seeing more comedy on the network in the future," he said, "and I think this just gives us an opportunity to pause and, as Michael says, really dig into that business model and work out how we can make it effective in the long term."