LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX is on track to renew "Lie to Me" for a second season while newcomers "Human Target" and "Sons of Tucson" have been ordered to series.
The news comes as the network preps for its upfront presentation on Monday.
The "Lie" pickup is said to be for 13 episodes. In addition, Shawn Ryan has been tapped as an executive producer where he'll work alongside Brian Grazer, David Nevins and creator Sam Baum next season. Ryan, who's also an executive producer of "The Unit," is still awaiting the fate of the CBS drama.
"Lie" wraps its season tomorrow night at 8:00/7:00c.
As for the freshman entries, "Target" is a drama based on the DC Comics character of the same name about a troubled bodyguard/private investigator (Mark Valley) who takes on dangerous assignments. Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which Simon West directed from a script by Jon Steinberg. Wonderland Sound and Vision's Peter Johnson and McG also serve as executive producers, as does Brad Kern ("Charmed").
"Tucson" then is a single-camera comedy about a charming but misguided hustler (Tyler Labine) hired by three brothers (Davis Cleveland, Frank Dolce and Troy Gentile) to act as their rich "father" while their real one serves time for a white-collar crime. Greg Bratman and Tommy Dewey co-created the half-hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. Natalie Martinez also stars while Todd Holland directed the pilot. Harvey Myman, Jason Felts and Justin Berfield of J2TV are the executive producers with Bratman and Dewey serving as supervising producers.
Meanwhile in other FOX news, the network has dumped its low-rated newcomer "Sit Down, Shut Up!" effective immediately.
The series, which was banished to the 7:00/6:00c slot last month, had one more airing scheduled for this Sunday.
A repeat of "King of the Hill" will instead sub in for the animated project. FOX is expected to formally pull the plug of the series once its 2009-10 plans are unveiled next week.
13 episodes have been completed of "Sit Down," meaning at least nine will sit on the shelf.
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