CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- It looks like FOX will come through on its promise to launch some of its fall series early as the network will bow its new drama "The O.C." on August 5. The series will air Tuesdays at 9:00/8:00c for the remainder of the summer before moving to its fall home of Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c.
"The O.C." will replace "Keen Eddie" in the hour as the struggling drama is set to go on hiatus after its July 29 airing. The move will leave at least five episodes of "Eddie" on the shelf with no return date set. FOX hopes the drama, about a troubled teen (Benjamin McKenzie) who moves in with a well-to-do Orange County family, will be a better fit with "American Juniors" on the night. As for "Eddie," in its second week the London-based series dropped to a distant fourth place in households in its time slot, as well as third in adults 18-49 (2.3).
From Hypnotic, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc., "The O.C." is executive produced by Josh Schwartz ("Brookfield"), Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity"), McG ("Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,") Dave Bartis ("Todd McFarlane's Spawn") and Bob DeLaurentis ("Providence").
The network has also given a start date for its new half-hour reality project "The Simple Life." The series, a reality take on "Green Acres," stars hotel heiress Paris Hilton and daughter of pop icon Lionel Richie, Nicole Richie, as they move in with a hardworking farm family in Altus, Arkansas (population 817). The six-week series kicks off Wednesday, August 13 at 8:30/7:30c.
Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray ("The Real World," "Road Rules") are the executive producers of "The Simple Life," which is a 20th Century Fox Television production in association with Bunim-Murray.
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