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[12/17/04 - 12:00 AM]
FX Year in Review 2004

[via press release from FX]

FX YEAR IN REVIEW 2004

Fueled by the Strength of Its Three Critically Acclaimed Drama Series The Shield, Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me Network Closes Out Year as Top-10 Rated Network in HH and A18-49

Basic Cable Record Six Golden Globe� Nominations Wraps Up Banner Year

LOS ANGELES, December 17, 2004 � As 2004 comes to a close, FX is closing out what will go down as the best year in its decade-old history. Having launched its third hit drama series Rescue Me this summer, FX is now home to the most distinctive original series on basic cable.

Fueled by those three original drama series, FX now ranks in the top-10 among all 58 Nielsen-measure basic cable networks in primetime household rating and also Adults 18-49 rating for the calendar year ending 2004 (Mon-Sun, 8-11 PM, 12/29/03�12/15/04).

Over the past three years, FX has successfully launched what are three of the most critically acclaimed drama series on television�The Shield, Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me � and the most successful original dramas on basic cable.

Earlier this week, the network received a basic cable record six Golden Globe� nominations to cap off a banner year.

FX is ramping up its development of new original programming for 2005 and the network is poised to build in this year�s success.

Listed on the following four pages are FX highlights for 2004 and a preview of 2005.

FX 2004 PRIMETIME HIGHLIGHTS/RATINGS

Nip/Tuck completed its 16-episode second season as the most-talked about show on cable this year and its ratings reflected the buzz. Creator/Executive Producer Ryan Murphy delivered extraordinary plot twists that kept fans on the edge of their seats throughout the season. With a cast featuring brilliant leads Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon and Joely Richardson, the season was highlighted with a star-studded roster of guest stars including Vanessa Redgrave, Famke Janssen, Jill Clayburgh and Alec Baldwin. For the second consecutive year, Nip/Tuck finished the year as basic cable�s #1-rated Adults 18-49 series (2.6 A18-49 rating). The season finale delivered 5.2 million total viewers, the most ever for a single episode of a series on FX. Also, the season finale registered the highest delivery of Adults 18-49 (3.6 million A18-49) of any single episode of a basic cable series in 2004. For the season, Nip/Tuck averaged 3.8 million total viewers and 2.6 million Adults 18-49, which marked a 16% increase in total viewers and an 18% increase in Adults 18-49. Nip/Tuck was the only drama to be nominated for a Golden Globe� Award that also received Best Actor in a Drama Series (Julian McMahon) and Best Actress in a Drama Series (Joely Richardson). Its three Golden Globe� nominations were the third most of any show on television. Season three is scheduled to return in summer of 2005.

In July, FX launched its third original drama series Rescue Me, starring Denis Leary. Created by Leary and Peter Tolan, the show revolves around the life of a New York City firefighter and his crew set in post-9/11 Manhattan. Rescue Me was an instant hit and was one of the most critically-acclaimed series of 2004. An editorial in The New York Times proclaimed that Rescue Me �provides a better measure of the 9/11 in our blood than anything that has come before it on television.� For his outstanding performance, Denis Leary earned a Golden Globe� nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series, and producers Leary, Tolan, Jim Serpico and Kerry Orent were honored with the 2005 Visionary Award from the Producers Guild of America. The series averaged 1.9 million Adults 18-49 and ranks #1 in that demo among all new basic cable series in 2004 (minimum five episodes). Season two is set to return in summer of 2005.

The Shield closed out its third season once again as one of televisions most critically acclaimed series. The show received its second Television Critics Association nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and Michael Chiklis, who won the Emmy�, Golden Globe� and TCA award in the show�s first season, earned his third consecutive Golden Globe� nomination. The 15-epsiode third season ranked number five in delivery of Men 18-49 (1.1 million M18-49) among all original series in basic cable. The fourth season of The Shield, the first series ever on FX to receive a fourth-season order, returns in March of 2005 and Golden Globe�-winning and Academy Award�-nominated star Glenn Close will join the cast for its entire 13-episode run.

The FX original movie Redemption (April) starred Jamie Foxx as San Quentin Death Row inmate Stanley �Tookie� Williams who was co-founder of the notorious �Crips� street gang but who has received Nobel Prize for Peace and Nobel Prize for Literature for authoring children�s books preaching an anti-gang message. The movie was the second most-watched original movie ever on the network (4 million) and ranks #5 for the year in delivery of Adults 18-49 of all basic cable movies and miniseries (2.4 million A18-49). Jamie Foxx received a Golden Globe� nomination for Best Actor in a movie or miniseries for Redemption, to go along with other two nominations for the feature films Ray (Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical) and Collateral (Best Supporting Actor in a Drama). Redemption won the Festival Award for Best Film at the Pan African Film Festival and it was FX�s first movie ever to be accepted into the Sundance Film Festival.

As a complement to its NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series racing coverage, FX successfully launched its sports documentary-style series NASCAR Drivers: 360. The show was a seven- episode weekly chronicle of NASCAR�s superstars and rising stars including Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeremy Mayfield, Jamie McMurray, Ward Burton, Casey Mears, Scott Wimmer, Brian Vickers, Kenny Wallace and Rusty Wallace. Airing before and after NASCAR racing on FX, the show received ratings success.

The three NASCAR Nextel Cup races that aired on FX averaged a 4.0 HH rating and 5 million total viewers, while the 13 Busch Series averaged a 1.3 HH rating and 1.4 million total viewers.

For the first time ever, FX will close out an entire year ranked in the top-10 in household ratings and its target of Adults 18-49 ratings for an entire calendar year.

FX averaged a 1.0 HH rating in primetime, tied for 10th among all basic cable networks. That represents a 13% increase versus previous year and the first time in its history the network hit that threshold.

FX averaged a 0.6 Adults 18-49 rating in primetime, for 6th among all basic cable networks. That represents a 17% increase versus previous year.

Over the final 10 months of 2004, FX posted year-to-year increases every month in total viewers and Adults 18-49 viewers.

The third quarter of 2004 marked the highest single quarter in FX history with a 1.1 HH rating and 0.8 Adults 18-49 rating, which ranked #5 among ad supported cable.

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS

FX received six 2005 Golden Globe� Awards nominations, setting a record for the most ever in a single year for a basic cable network. Best Drama Series: Nip/Tuck; Best Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Chiklis (The Shield), Denis Leary (Rescue Me), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck); Best Actress in Drama Series: Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck); Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Jamie Foxx (Redemption)

FX received three nominations in the Best Actor in a Drama Series category (Chikils, Leary and McMahon), the first time that feat has ever been accomplished by a basic or pay cable network, and the first time it�s happened in 13 years (NBC in 1992).

The three nominations for Nip/Tuck tied for the third most of any program and it was the only series nominated for best drama that earned both Best Actor and Best Actress nominations (McMahon and Richardson).

FX�s total of six nominations tied for the third highest total of any network behind HBO and ABC.

2004 EMMY AWARDS

FX received six Emmy� nominations.

Ryan Murphy, Creator/Executive Producer of Nip/Tuck, received an Emmy� for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series becoming only the second director for a basic cable series ever to receive a nomination (Clark Johnson of The Shield was nominated in 2002).

Nip/Tuck won the Emmy� Award for Outstanding Prosthetic Make-up.

OTHER AWARDS RECOGNITION / HIGHLIGHTS

Nip/Tuck and The Shield were named to AFI�s list of the 10 Best TV Programs of the Year. It�s the second consecutive year Nip/Tuck has received that distinction the first time that The Shield has received that honor. FX�s two AFI selections tied with ABC for second most of any network.

Rescue Me received the 2005 Visionary Award from the Producers Guild of America, recognizing a film or television production that has a �unique or uplifting quality.� Past recipients include Angels in America, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and A Tribute to Heroes.

Jamie Foxx received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actor in a Film for Redemption.

David Greene received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography for Redemption.

J.T. Allen received a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for original screenplay for Redemption.

Rod Holcomb received the network�s first Directors Guild of America nomination for the FX original movie The Pentagon Papers.

CCH Pounder (The Shield) received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series.

DEVELOPMENT OF ORIGINAL SERIES AND ORIGINAL MOVIES FOR 2005

FX�s original programming development is on an aggressive track with the goal of adding one new drama series to the schedule in 2005, a one-hour comedy block consisting of two half-hour scripted series, and a new unscripted series and higher profile event movies.

Drama Series Pilots

Thief � Focuses on a team of robbers during a period of dangerous personal and professional crisis. Thief stars Andre Braugher as the leader of the crew, and the pilot was written and created by Norman Morrill (The Visitor). Fox Television Studios, Regency TV and Pariah produce.

Over There � Set to shoot next month, Over There is an ensemble drama created by Steven Bochco and Chris Gerolmo (Citizen X) about the members of an Army unit sent to Iraq on their first tour of duty that also looks at the effects of war on those soldiers' families at home. 20th Century Fox Television and Steven Bochco Productions produce.

Comedy pilots

Human Animals � A mockumentary concerning a husband-and-wife wildlife documentary team who film the �human� animals involved in a bizarre murder trial. Andrew Gurland (Frat House) created the series, along with Huck Botko (Mail Order Bride), and co-starred & directed the pilot. The OC�s Doug Liman (Swingers) and David Bartis are executive producers, with Principato Young Entertainment producing.

Starved � Follows the misadventures of four 30-something friends � a bulimic cop, an obese writer, a commodities broker and an anorexic bisexual songwriter � as seen through the country�s obsession with food and the loneliness of single life. Eric Schaeffer (My Life is in Turnaround) wrote, directed and co-starred in the pilot, and serves as executive producer with Basic Elements� Dan Pasternack.

It�s Always Sunny in Philadelphia � Rob McElhenney created, directed and co-stars in the pilot that follows a diverse group of friends who own a bar in Philadelphia. Nick Frenkel, Michael Rotenberg, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day and McElhenney are exec producing.

Untitled Jamie Foxx sketch project � Jamie Foxx says, �This sketch show will be dangerous!� Foxx, Marcus King and Bentley Evans are serving as executive producers.

Unscripted

30 Days (Series Premieres Summer 2005) � FX recently placed a six episode order from award-winning filmmaker Morgan Spurlock for 30 Days, a documentary-style unscripted series. The adapted-for-television format is based on Spurlock�s award-winning documentary Super Size Me, will place an individual in a living environment that is antithetical to their upbringing, beliefs, religion or profession. Topics for the six episodes will deal with social and behavioral differences in America ranging from ethnic to religious to economic. Spurlock, who created the concept, will host and narrate the series.

Original Movies & Miniseries

100 Days of Darkness � Currently in development, the movie follows the love story of an American relief worker who risks her life during the 1994 Rwandan genocide to find the man she�s fallen in love with � an embattled Tutsi whose family is forced to flee during the tribal wars. Stuart Beattie (Collateral) and Peter Silverman (Something the Lord Made) penned the script. Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth, Four Feathers) will direct.

The Ten Commandments � FX is teaming with Section Eight principals George Clooney and Steven Soderberg on a 10 Commandments-themed event miniseries. The 10-hour project will explore the spiritual and moral issues facing modern America. Each episode will center on one of the biblical laws put to the test in today�s climate. All ten episodes will feature different settings and different characters or families in different cites.





  [december 2004]  
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· 100 DAYS OF DARKNESS (FX)
· 30 DAYS (FX)
· HUMAN ANIMALS (FX)
· IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FXX)
· NASCAR DRIVERS: 360 (FX)
· NIP/TUCK (FX)
· OVER THERE (FX)
· PENTAGON PAPERS, THE (FX)
· REDEMPTION (FX)
· RESCUE ME (FX)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· SOMETHING THE LORD MADE (HBO)
· STARVED (FX)
· TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE (FX)
· THIEF (FX)





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