Fox picks up "Fringe" and "Sit Down"

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It has been a busy weekend at Fox. After ordering 13 episodes of the comedy "The Inn" on Friday, the network on Saturday picked up animated comedy "Sit Down, Shut Up."

Additionally, Fox quietly ordered "Lost" co-creator J.J. Abrams' sci-fi drama "Fringe."

On the renewal front, Fox picked up sitcom "'Til Death," starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher, but opted not to bring back for a second season the TV newsroom comedy "Back to You," starring Kelsey Grammer and Patrica Heaton.

"The Inn" is described as "Upstairs/ Downstairs" set at a hip New York hotel. The cast includes Niecy Nash, Jerry O'Connell, Molly Stanton, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jolene Purdy and Brando Eaton. At the helm, Jason Bateman has received high marks for his pilot directorial debut.

"Sit Down" is an animated comedy based on a live-action Australian series. It chronicles the lives of seven staff members at a high school in a small northeastern fishing town who are preoccupied with their own needs and agendas, which means that the students always come second.

The series marks the return to Fox's primetime schedule of "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz, who penned "Sit Down."

The voice cast of the series includes three "Development" alums -- Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler -- as well as Cheri Oteri, Will Forte, Regina King, Nick Kroll, Tom Kenny and Maria Bamford.

"Sit Down" joins another new animated series already picked up for next season, the "Family Guy" spinoff "Cleveland."