The Fox Broadcasting Company has been in intense competition with 'The Big Three' of television networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) since the network launched in 1986. Fox is named after the former 20th Century Fox company that was bought out by Disney in 2019.
Fox had a rocky start as a television network and its earliest shows were The Simpsons and the family sitcom Married... with Children. The Simpsons in particular continued to be a hit each week. Television shows created and produced in the 2000s for Fox have naturally attracted a large audience in recent years.
10 New Girl Revived The Comedy Sitcom Genre
New Girl brought hope back to the sitcom world after shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation ended. New Girl begins with recently single and quirky schoolteacher Jessica Day, and follows her life as she moves into a loft in downtown Los Angeles with three bachelors, who have completely different personalities.
Jessica ends up falling in love with her aloof law-school dropout roommate, Nick Miller, and New Girl depicts the twists and turns of their relationship. New Girl ran for seven seasons from 2011 to 2018 on Fox and was nominated for five Golden Globes and five Primetime Emmys.
9 Firefly Was Short-Lived But Beloved
Firefly is a space Western drama television series that follows the lives of nine crew members of spaceship Serenity. Firefly is set in the year 2517. One of the stars of Firefly is Nathan Fillion, who is known for his voice-acting in video games like Halo Reach.
Firefly aired on Fox in 2002 but was canceled after just 11 episodes premiered on the network. It is regarded as a sci-fi television series that was canceled way too soon. Despite being canceled, Firefly still won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. Firefly didn't stop at just a TV show – a film and comic series titled Serenity later debuted.
8 The O.C. Was Created By Gossip Girl Producer
The O.C. is your typical teen drama television series that is set in Orange County, CA. The show was created by future Gossip Girl producer, Josh Schwartz, The O.C. first premiered on Fox in 2003, and follows the life of a newcomer to Newport Beach, Ryan Atwood. Atwood had a rough upbringing and was adopted by a well-off family. He lives with his new brother, Seth Cohen, played by Adam Brody.
The O.C. lasted for four seasons before its cancellation in 2007. Coincidentally, Brody and it-girl of Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester, later got married after their respective shows had ended.
7 House Is Medical Sherlock Holmes
House, also known as House M.D., is a medical drama series that first aired on Fox in 2004. House is centered around the life of Dr. Gregory House, played by Hugh Laurie. House can be compared to a medical version of detective Sherlock Holmes for their levels of intelligence and reliance on pain medications.
House also has a similar personality to Holmes, which makes it difficult for him to get along with the fellow physicians on his diagnostics team. House ended in 2012 after eight seasons and received various accolades.
6 Bob's Burgers Is The Latest Cartoon Binge
Bob's Burgers is an animated sitcom which first aired on Fox in 2011. The series closely resembles another Fox animated comedy, The Simpsons, starring two parents with three children. Bob's Burgers is centered around the Belcher family and their burger restaurant.
The series follows the crazy antics that the Belcher kids, Gene, Louise, and Tina, get themselves into. Bob's Burgers is celebrated as one of the greatest TV cartoons of all time and has won two Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program.
5 Malcolm In The Middle Won 7 Emmys
Malcolm In The Middle is a family sitcom that first aired on Fox in 2000. The series ran for seven seasons before the show ended in 2006. Malcolm In The Middle stars Frankie Muniz as Malcolm. The family's surname is never spoken on the show. Malcolm was the third kid born in a middle-class family of five boys.
Because of his high intelligence and enrolment in challenging classes, Malcolm tends to get pushed around. During the show's run, Malcolm In The Middle managed to snag seven Emmy wins.
4 The Masked Singer Is Unique Competition
The Masked Singer is the latest entry on this list as it premiered on Fox in 2019. The show was first popularized in South Korea before it was developed in the United States. The Masked Singer is hosted by Nick Cannon and features a judging panel of Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, and Nicole Scherzinger.
Contestants on the show are famous celebrities and perform a song each week. The catch is, the celebrities are disguised under various costumes and judges have to guess their identity. A contestant's identity is revealed at the end of each episode.
3 Prison Break Was First Turned Down
Prison Break is a serial drama television series that first aired on Fox in 2004. Fox initially turned the series down in 2003, but the network changed its mind once it saw how other primetime televisions series were performing. Prison Break follows the life of two brothers, Lincoln and Michael, who are incarcerated. Lincoln was falsely convicted of a crime and is sentenced to life in prison. Michael deliberately lands himself in prison so he can create an escape plan for his brother.
2 Arrested Development Was Later Revived By Netflix
Arrested Development is a family sitcom that initially premiered on Fox in 2003. The series has a star-studded cast of Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, and various guest stars. Arrested Development follows the Bluth family, specifically Michael Bluth, and his father's recent arrest.
Arrested Development received many accolades but was canceled in 2006. Although, this was not the end of this sitcom. Netflix revived the series for two more seasons, ending in 2019.
1 Glee Addressed Various Social Issues
Glee became a favorite of every high school student who was either in glee club or appreciated acapella worldwide. The show follows the life of primadonna and frequent soloist, Rachel Berry. Berry, played by Lea Michele, is a high school student at William McKinley High School and member of the glee club, who dreams to become a Broadway superstar.
Glee featured several cast member additions throughout the show's six seasons. Glee tackled many social problems like race and sexuality. Despite several awards and positive reviews, Glee went off the air in 2015. The show had a total of 729 music performances in 121 episodes.