Fox schedules midseason debut for quirky series 'Wonderfalls'

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The series, about an overeducated Niagara Falls souvenir-shop employee (Caroline Dhavernas) who wonders about her mental state when inanimate objects start talking to her, is scheduled to premiere at 9 p.m. March 12 (KCPQ). It will take "Boston Public's" spot for seven weeks, Fox Entertainment President Gail Berman announced.

Although its tone is generally lighter, "Wonderfalls" is similar to CBS' "Joan of Arcadia," which features a teenager who talks to God. It airs at 8 p.m. Fridays (KIRO). Berman hopes fans of that show might stick around for "Wonderfalls."

"The viewers are around, and I'd like to believe we'll be able to take advantage of that," she said.

"Wonderfalls" will be up against CBS' perennially strong "JAG" and ABC's freshman success "Hope & Faith," as well as another female-skewing comedy-drama, NBC's "Miss Match." Berman acknowledges it's a tough time slot — viewing levels are fairly low on Friday anyway — but "unfortunately, not every time period is a good one."

"The key was getting it on the schedule while it still felt like a real, viable show," Berman says. She also believes the promotional platform that "American Idol" is likely to provide could help expose the series to a large number of viewers.

While Fox has found a place for "Wonderfalls," the same can't yet be said for "The Ortegas" and "Still Life," two shows the network introduced to critics last summer. Six episodes of each show are finished, and there's a chance they could see the light of day this summer, but Berman would say only that "no decision has been made" about their fate.

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