FOX will bench original episodes of the Zooey Deschanel-starring series to expand Simon Cowell's new singing competition show from ninety minutes to two hours.
- October 11, 2011
AceShowbiz -
Having just broadcast three episodes, "New Girl" will be off the air until November. FOX has changed its October schedule to expand "The X Factor (US)" from ninety minutes to two hours, leading to three-week absence of the new favorite comedy series.
The first original episode to be shelved is a Wednesday special "Cece Crashes" which was planned to air on October 12. "Naked", which was supposed to air on October 18, is also pulled out of the line-up, while the network had previously decided to pre-empt the October 25 episode of "New Girl" for the new reality show from Simon Cowell.
"New Girl" recently added another actress to the cast ensemble. Former "Party Down" star Lizzy Caplan has been booked for a three-episode arc to play Julia Baker, a love interest for Jake Johnson's Nick. She is described as a highly educated young woman with a master's degree in art history and a highly cultured manner.
As for the U.S. version of "X Factor", it enters Judges' Houses stage this week where the 32 finalists, who are split into four groups, visit their mentors' homes. A week afterward, four of each team will be sent home.
