Mark Your Calendar: FOX Announces Winter Premiere Dates

After a somewhat disappointing start to the new Fall season marred by lower than expected ratings (cough*MOBDOCTOR*cough) and momentum-killing hiatuses as a result of the seemingly never-ending MLB playoffs, it should come as no surprise that Fox is the first of the major broadcast networks to unveil their Winter plans. Details of which can be found after the jump.

PRESS RELEASE: FOX is announcing the winter season and series premiere dates for new and returning series, including the returns of AMERICAN IDOL and TOUCH, and the debut of new thriller THE FOLLOWING.
 
Featuring host Ryan Seacrest and new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, along with returning judge Randy Jackson, the 12th season of AMERICAN IDOL begins with the exciting two-night premiere Wednesday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Jan. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).
 
THE FOLLOWING, a psychological thriller created by Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “Scream” franchise) and starring Golden Globe Award-winning actor Kevin Bacon (“X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Frost/Nixon”) and James Purefoy (“Rome”), launches Monday, Jan. 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The intense, spellbinding drama follows RYAN HARDY (Bacon), an ex-FBI agent called out of retirement to track down JOE CARROLL (Purefoy), a devious and diabolical serial killer, and the mastermind behind an ever-growing web of killers.
 
Season Two of TOUCH, starring Emmy Award winner Kiefer Sutherland (“24”), kicks into gear Friday, Feb. 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). As the action shifts dramatically from New York to Los Angeles, single father MARTIN BOHM (Sutherland) and his gifted son, JAKE (David Mazouz), find themselves at the center of a global conspiracy involving a mother in search of her missing teenage daughter, a mathematical genius and a religious zealot assassinating others with abilities like Jake’s. Joining the cast this season are Maria Bello (“ER”), Lukas Haas (“24”), Said Taghmaoui (“G.I. Joe: The Rise of The Cobra”) and newcomer Saxon Sharbino.
 
FOX WINTER SEASON AND SERIES PREMIERE DATES
(Times for All-New Episodes are ET/PT Except as Noted)
 
Wednesday, Jan. 16:
8PM: AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part One)
 
Thursday, Jan. 17:
8PM: AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part Two)
 
Monday, Jan. 21:
9PM: THE FOLLOWING (Series Premiere)
 
Friday, Feb. 1:
9PM: TOUCH (Season Premiere)

[Editor’s Note: THE GOODWIN GAMES premiere date will be announced at a later date.]