Fox Dumps ‘Living Single,’ Brings Back ‘Undercover’

Fox on Monday announced programming moves that include a revamping of its Thursday night lineup, the premiere of a new comedy, “Ask Harriet,” and the return of “New York Undercover.”

Those series will replace the veteran comedy “Living Single” and the freshman drama “413 Hope St.,” both of which have struggled in the ratings this season.

“Living Single,” about four female friends living in New York City, will end its five-year run with two back-to-back episodes on Jan. 1, starting at 8 p.m. The final episode of “413 Hope St.,” about a youth center in New York City, will air the same evening at 9 p.m.

The remaining Thursday night Fox show, “Between Brothers,” will move from 8:30 to 8 p.m. starting Jan. 22.

Fox also announced that “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction,” a reality-based hour exploring improbable occurrences in everyday life, will return to the network on Fridays, starting Jan. 23, as a replacement for the previously canceled “The Visitor.” “Beyond Belief” premiered in May and ran several weeks during the summer on Sundays.

On a more promising note, “Ally McBeal,” the new legal comedy from producer David E. Kelley that has become a critical hit, has been renewed for a second season. Fox Entertainment President Peter Roth called the series “the cornerstone on our emerging Monday lineup.”

Fox’s new Thursday comedy, “Ask Harriet,” stars Anthony Tyler Quinn as a macho sportswriter who poses as a woman to write an advice-to-the-lovelorn column. It will premiere on Jan. 4, in “King of the Hill’s” 8:30 p.m. Sunday slot, then will settle in to its regular 8:30 p.m. Thursday time slot on Jan. 8.

“New York Undercover,” now in its fourth season, will return to its regular Thursday 9 p.m. time period starting Jan. 8. The police drama was pulled this season in favor of “413 Hope St.” It will have three new cast members: Tommy Ford, Marisa Ryan and Josh Hopkins. Original cast member Michael DeLorenzo has left the show.

In other TV news, UPN has canceled the freshman comedy “Hitz,” which was set at a record company. The low-rated series, which aired on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. and starred Andrew “Dice” Clay, aired its last original episode Nov. 11 and has been off the schedule since then. The show’s run will end with a repeat on Jan. 30. A replacement has not yet been announced.