FOX picks up second seasons of dramas 'Accused, 'Alert: Missing Persons Unit'

Howard Gordon crime anthology and Jamie Foxx & John Eisendrath thriller series return in 2023-24

√ Carla Kettner Joins ‘Alert: Missing Persons Unit’ creative team as showrunner

FOX has renewed its hit mid-season dramas, the crime anthology “Accused” and procedural “Alert: Missing Persons Unit,” for sophomore seasons to air in 2023-24, it was announced by Michael Thorn, president, scripted programming, FOX Entertainment.

FOX said, “This season’s No. 1 new series and No. 1 new drama, and from Emmy Award-winning executive producer Howard Gordon, ‘Accused’s’ Jan. 22 premiere registered a 2.5 live + 35 day rating and 14.6 (million) multi-platform viewers, making it television’s highest-rated drama debut in two years. Based on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning series, season-to-date, ‘Accused’ averages 7.5 million multiplatform viewers, up 126% from its live + same day delivery.

“Starring Scott Caan, Dania Ramirez, Adeola Role and Ryan Broussard, and from co-creators and executive producers John Eisendrath and Academy and Golden Globe winning actor, singer and comedian Jamie Foxx, ‘Alert’s’ Jan. 8 debut posted 8.5 million multi-platform viewers, a lift of 112% from L+SD. Its 6.7 million multi-platform season one average represents a jump of 154% from L+SD. Carla Kettner (‘Panhandle,’ ‘The Blacklist,’ ‘Bones’) will serve as showrunner of ‘Alert’s’ second season, with Eisendrath and Foxx executive producing.”

Both “Accused” and “Alert” are co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and FOX Entertainment. Their pick-ups follow FOX’s recent renewal of “The Cleaning Lady” for a third season.

Regarding the renewals, Thorn said, “ ‘Accused’ and ‘Alert’ stand out as two of this season’s new broadcast and multi-platform success stories. Looking to 2023-24, we’ll continue to deliver on the powerful storytelling coming from both series, building on our incredible partnership with Sony and further solidifying FOX’s strong slate of dramas, giving our schedule tremendous season-to-season stability.”

“With ‘Accused,’ Howard Gordon has taken the crime anthology to new heights and acclaim, featuring an all-star roster of directors and talent headlining gripping episodes that entertain viewers with a provocative, fresh take on many of the most relevant, timely issues of our day,” Thorn added. “Scott, Dania, John and Jamie have done an incredible job launching ‘Alert’ and bringing its story into heart-pounding focus, giving us an emotionally intense procedural drama that’s primed for even more success as Carla takes the day-to-day reins, continuing the great work we’ve seen this season.”

“We are excited to continue our long partnership with FOX to bring more ‘Accused’ and ‘Alert’ to audiences around the world,” said Katherine Pope, president, Sony Pictures Television. “It’s wonderful to see these timely, poignant stories resonating with viewers, and we want to congratulate the writers, producers, cast and crew on their success. We are incredibly proud of their collective work and look forward to seeing where these series go next!”

Based on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning crime anthology, “Accused” is “a collection of 15 intense, topical and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment. Told from the defendant’s point of view through flashbacks, each episode is a fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast.” The series’ first season is anchored by Oscar, Tony and Emmy-winning talent, including Michael Chiklis, Abigail Breslin, Whitney Cummings, Margo Martindale, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Wendell Pierce, Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, Molly Parker, Rhea Perlman, Betsy Brandt, Keith Carradine, Aisha Dee, Jason Ritter and directors Billy Porter, Marlee Matlin, Tazbah Chavez and Michael Chiklis. 

Set in the Philadelphia Police Department’s missing persons unit, each episode of “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” features “a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person driven by police officers Jason Grant (Caan) and Nikki Batista’s (Ramirez), whose complicated personal lives are evolving after the loss of their son.” 

Kettner has written and produced hundreds of hours of television, primarily dramas. Most recently, she co-created and was showrunner on “Panhandle,” a “crimedy” for Spectrum Originals/Roku Originals starring Luke Kirby and Tiana Okoye. Prior to that, Kettner was executive producer of “The Blacklist,” “Bones,” “Vanished” and “Mob Doctor.”