(1) Fox’s schedule is again laden with reality shows, which often have fickle fates.

    Reality shows may be here to stay as a genre, but individual shows can be pretty unpredictable, and that's true not just for new shows but for returning series as well. The gimmick that snagged viewers in the spring can easily become a turnoff when the show returns in the fall.
   Witness the spectacular failure of “Joe Millionaire 2” last fall, and of course there's this season's poor start for NBC's “The Apprentice.” It's certainly possible that "Apprentice" will recover, and it has shown some signs of doing do. But it's pretty clear the show has lost the huge buzz factor of its initial season.
   Then there's “The Next Great Champ,” the Richard Branson “Appentice” knockoff “The Billionaire,” and the second coming of “The Swan.” Should one or more of those shows tank, and "Champ" already has, the network will be left with sizeable holes in the schedule that could easily be plugged with the help of FX.

(2) FX’s dramas are better than almost any scripted drama Fox has to offer.

   The early buzz says that Fox has a hit in “House,” the “CSI”-meets-“ER” drama with British actor Hugh Laurie (“Blackadder”) as an acerbic doctor with a knack for solving medical mysteries. Fox is also counting on “The O.C.” to challenge NBC on Thursday nights.
   Problem is, “House” and the second season of “The O.C.” aren’t set to begin until November, while perennial hit “24” won’t return to the schedule until January.
   That leaves “North Shore” as the only scripted drama presently on Fox’s lineup. While “Shore” at least seems to revel in its frothy premise, it has not demonstrated any capacity to draw an audience. Even “The O.C.,” for all its youthful appeal, became ponderous late in its freshman year.
   Neither of these series has the kind of edginess that has driven the success of “The Shield,” “Nip/Tuck” and “Rescue Me” on FX.
    One might argue that “The Shield” and “Nip/Tuck” would be too intense and shocking for the tastes of many network viewers. But they could be snipped for language and nudity without losing any of their effect as compelling dramas.  And even if some of it were left in, would it matter that much?  As a network, Fox has always prided itself on its penchant for taking chances. It would not be the first time it ruffled viewers.

(3) Splicing in hit FX shows would be a win-win for Fox.
    
   As stop-gap measures go, primetime reruns of established series are a pretty safe bet. The core audience of a show is liable to tune in, even if they’ve already seen it. And as shrewd programmers know, reruns are a good way to build a show’s audience.
   In the case of shows like “The Shield,” “Rescue Me” and “Nip/Tuck,” encore showings on Fox would give those programs an opportunity to pick up new viewers who haven’t seen them yet because they do not have FX or aren't in the habit of watching it.
   Both Fox and FX would gain.
   Can it work? Sure.
   ABC employed this strategy two years ago with “Monk,” airing reruns of the USA hit on Thursday nights after “Dinotopia” crashed and burned. “Monk” helped ABC plug a hole, while the reruns helped “Monk” expand its audience. “Monk” continues to be one of the strongest dramas on cable.
   NBC also aired Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" during the slow summer months last year, giving the cable show a boost and pumping up its own ratings.