"The Goodwin Games" is family comedy debuting as a late midseason replacement with only a seven-episode order.
So even at Fox, a network not known for hit comedies, hopes are not high.
On the other hand, there is a lot of talk these days of rethinking the old models of American television, including making the standard network season (22 to 24 episodes) more like the cable model of 10 to 12. At this year's upfronts, where networks roll out their new fall lineups for advertisers in New York City, Fox discussed several "limited" or "event" series.
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On British television, a three- or four-episode season is not unheard of, although more customary on government-funded BBC. A shorter season, the argument goes, takes the pressure off, allowing writers and actors to create more intricate and vivid stories.
Which, it must be noted and quickly, is not what's happening with "The Goodwin Games."
The story, however, does seem particularly well suited for a finite...