TVSquad

Utilizing the same international cost-cutting model that brought us Mental and Defying Gravity this summer, FOX is moving forward with Jack and Dan, a comedic procedural from Matt Nix. Nix is best known for being the creator of Burn Notice, a smoking hit for USA. J&D is more a straight-up cop drama, telling the story of two partners on the street.

Jack is ambitious and follows the rules. Dan is a drunken lech who should have been fired years ago. Probably would have been, too, if it weren't for a heroic act earlier in his career. I have to say, lighter fare is a better direction for these lower budget direct-to-series projects than what we saw this summer.

Cable has it right. People want fun and sexy for summer. The shows under this model get a 13-episode commitment; so why not go all the way with it and try to compete directly with cable? After all, cable is winning summers right now.

It's impressive that FOX got Nix for this project. It'll be interesting to see if America goes for it. Maybe it will feel too "cable"-y or something. If this new programming model is going to continue, it desperately needs a win in its corner. Nix has proven he can get a win, and he's proven he knows how to do light-hearted procedurals. That sounds like a win-win.

Get this cast just right, and maybe FOX can establish a recurring summer scripted series. I know you bring back all your reality crap summer after summer, but why not have a 13-episode summer series that comes back? You know we're used to the long wait with those cable series, and I think we just proved we're willing to wait. The networks need to get in on some of that action.