LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Affluent and well-connected Black families are the focus of 鈥淥ur Kind of People,鈥� a new Fox drama series from 鈥淓mpire鈥� creator Lee Daniels.
Based on 鈥淥ur Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class," a 1999 nonfiction book by Lawrence Otis Graham, the series will join the network's fall schedule, while midseason's 鈥淭he Cleaning Lady鈥� will bring the rarity of an Asian lead character to TV.
Elodie Yung (鈥淭he Hitman鈥檚 Bodyguard鈥�) stars as a Cambodian doctor who is driven by family circumstances to work for mobsters as a crime scene 鈥渃leaner,鈥� Fox said Monday in announcing its 2021-22 schedule
鈥淥ur Kind of People,鈥� according to Fox's thumbnail description, is an 鈥渦napologetic celebration of Black resilience and achievement.鈥� Set on Massachusetts' fabled Martha's Vineyard island, it stars Yaya DaCosta (鈥淐hicago Med,鈥� 鈥淲hitney鈥�) and Morris Chestnut (鈥淭he Resident鈥�).
鈥淲e鈥檙e not only saying something culturally, we鈥檙e doing something culturally,鈥� producer Daniels told advertising buyers, who are rotating among virtual presentations of next season's offerings from Fox and other broadcasters this week.
Fox, which touted its success with young adult viewers favored by sponsors, will add four new dramas in total next year, along with two freshman sitcoms and an animated comedy. The singing contest 鈥淎lter Ego鈥� is set for a fall debut, with other reality shows waiting in the midseason wings.
The newcomers will fill shelf space created by the cancellation of "Bless the Harts,鈥� 鈥淣ext,鈥� 鈥淧rodigal Son鈥� and 鈥淔ilthy Rich,鈥� with 鈥淭he Moodys鈥� still 鈥渙n the bubble,鈥� or at risk of being axed.
The new series' themes reflect 鈥渉ope and second chances and reinvention,鈥� Charlie Collier, CEO of Fox Entertainment, said in a conference call Monday with reporters.
The other freshman dramas are fall's 鈥淭he Big Leap鈥� starring Scott Foley, Teri Polo and Piper Perabo, about unlucky people trying to change their lives with a reality dance show, and 鈥淢onarch,鈥� a midseason musical drama centered on 鈥淎merica鈥檚 first family of country music,鈥� the fictional Romans.
鈥淲elcome to Flatch,鈥� set in a Midwestern town that's under the eye of a documentary crew, and 鈥淧ivoting,鈥� about three childhood friends seeking a new path in life, are the new comedies coming midseason, along with the animated comedy 鈥淜rapopolis.鈥� Created by Dan Harmon (鈥淐ommunity鈥�), it's set in a mythical ancient Greece populated by humans, gods and monsters.
Returning series 鈥�9-1-1鈥� will air this fall, with 鈥�9-1-1: Lone Star鈥� taking over its Monday time slot at midseason.
Fox's full schedule this fall, all times Eastern:
Monday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥�9-1-1.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Big Leap.鈥�
Tuesday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Resident.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淥ur Kind of People.鈥�
Wednesday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Masked Singer.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淎lter Ego.鈥�
Thursday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭hursday Night Football.鈥�
Friday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淲WE鈥橲 Friday Night Smackdown.鈥�
Saturday:
7 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淔ox Sports Saturday.鈥�
Sunday:
7 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淣FL on Fox鈥�
7:30 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he OT鈥� and Fox repeats.
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Simpsons.鈥�
8:30 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Great North.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淏ob's Burgers.鈥�
9:30 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淔amily Guy.鈥�
___
AP Media Writer David Bauder in New York contributed to this report.
Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
