Fringe and Dollhouse get return dates

Neither series was looking particularly likely to get a second season run at one stage, but Fox nonetheless ploughed ahead and re-commissioned both JJ Abrams' Fringe and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse for new season runs. Granted, Fox also cancelled The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but we're finally just about coming to terms with that now.

Anyway, it's been confirmed, when rolling out its Fall schedule, when we can expect both shows to return, and there's not too long to wait.

Fringe returns first, and it's getting a Thursday night slot, at 9pm ET, straight after Bones has broadcast. It kicks off on 17th September.

Dollhouse seems to have drawn the short straw though, and will be in the Friday night slot of death, commencing 18th September. It's going out at 9pm ET, following Brothers and ‘Til Death the hour before. We hate to say it, but we really don't fancy its chances. Happy to be proved wrong, though.

Also, if you're interested, the new series of The Simpsons will kick off on Sunday 27th September, while House - heck, we dig Hugh Laurie, what can we say - hits US TV screens again for its sixth season from Monday 21st September.