Fox Orders Zooey Deschanel Pilot THE NEW GIRL – Update: J.J. Abrams Drama ALCATRAZ Likely Next
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: May 10th, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Upfronts are next week, which means every broadcast network has a day set aside to announce new series and renewal decisions. Fox is getting an early start with a series order for the comedy pilot The New Girl (formerly titled Chicks and Dicks). Zooey Deschanel stars as “a quirky teacher who moves in with three guys — the cynic, the player and the man-child — after being dumped.” Jake M. Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Damon Wayans Jr. play the three guys; Hannah Simone also stars. Wayans Jr. currently stars in the ABC sitcom Happy Endings, which is on the bubble. If ABC renews the series, Fox will have to recast Wayans’ role. No Strings Attached writer Liz Meriwether created the series. Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard) directed the single-camera pilot.
[Update: A new report suggests Fox is near a deal to pick up the J.J. Abrams-produced drama Alcatraz. Details after the break.]
[Update 2: Click here for more Fox scheduling news, including the cancellation of Breaking In, Traffic Light, The Chicago Code, and Human Target]
Hit the jump for more on the shape of Fox in the coming television year.

