‘Flash Forward’ sets winter hiatus

ABC has called a long hiatus for the thriller “Flash Forward”. The show will take a three month long break this winter. According to promos aired on the channel, the show will return on March 4. While the finale was broadcast on schedule, the original return date was to be in January.

There are several reasons behind the decision to delay the show’s return.
The American Idol juggernaut returns in January to be followed by the Winter Olympics in February, so it seems to be logical to keep the show out of the fracas till the appropriate time. Producers of “V” also made the same decision way before the premiere of the show. “V” returns in late March and will move into a post “Lost” slot at 10 p.m. The Alphabet is not the only network to freeze shows; Fox has also given time off to “Glee” (four months in fact) and “Lie to Me”.

The late call for “Flash Forward” may be due to the fall in ratings the show has experienced since its decent opening. The critics are growing in numbers due to the direction the show is taking. These critics are former fans of the show who are growing wary of the story. The decision to let go of Marc Guggenheim from “Flash Forward” and faltering production in November to tweak the story are some of the reasons why fans are up in arms.

But more importantly, the burning question right now is how the break will affect the show’s April 29 episode, a date which is crucial in the show’s mythology.

Masterchef coming to Fox

A culinary ‘American Idol‘ is set to hit the United States. Masterchef, starring Gordon Ramsay will feature nonprofessional cooks who will compete to create that perfect dish. Ramsay will co-produce the show through his domestic banner. Production is due to begin soon, with Fox expected to order close to 12-15 hour-long segments of the show. Fox has so far only confirmed that it had sealed the deal with Reveille, but has declined to comment on other details.


Several manifestations of the MasterChef format have aired in the UK, with the oldest one dating back to 1990. The Australian edition is by far the most popular, with its finale one of the country’s most-watched program in a decade.

Howard T. Owens, Executive Producer, Reveille said, “This is a huge, nationwide search for the best amateur cook in America. It is about people who are lawyers, construction workers and stay-at-home moms, but whose real passion is to make great food. This is their shot to prove they have what it takes.”

Fox’s MasterChef is expected to closely follow the format of its Australian counterpart, with each season seeing a contestant create a dish for the panel of three judges to earn their respective spots in the semi-finals. The remainder of the contestants meanwhile compete for the rest of the weeks on team-based challenges.

The show is yet to be scheduled and tentative plans at Fox include a late spring edition of Hell’s Kitchen, which will go into summer, and then will be followed by the unveiling of MasterChef.