Fox has decided to postpone its big gamble of a country music drama called “Monarch” starring Susan Sarandon and Trace Adkins from Jan. 30 until the fall, blaming COVID-19-induced production delays.
The series about a country music family, though set in Nashville, has been shot in metro Atlanta in recent months.
“Monarch” was supposed to air after the AFC National Championship game and remains a “top priority series,” the network said in a statement.
By moving the series to the fall, all episodes will be ready to go and will provide Fox more time to market and promote it. The downside is a major hole on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. starting next month.
The series already has had some behind-the-scenes issues, changing showrunners during its first season, according to Deadline.com.
“Monarch” is part of a new strategy by Fox to greenlight shows to series without a pilot like many streaming services already do.
The series is about the fictional Roman country music dynasty led by the talented, tough as nails Dottie Cantrell Roman, played by Sarandon, and her beloved husband Albie (Adkins). But their reign as country royalty is in jeopardy. Nicolette “Nicky” Roman, played by Anna Friel, will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy.
If the series sounds familiar, there was a similar show that aired on ABC for four seasons from 2012 to 2016 called “Nashville,” followed by two more seasons on CMT. It initially starred Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere.
