You could almost smell the desperation from the press release announcing the “first ever” premiere of a network television show on Apple’s iTunes. Fox, which usually keeps its first-run programming off iTunes, has released the pilot episode of “New Girl,” a series receiving lackluster reviews, as a free download on the service.
Releasing the series pilot on iTunes, rather than requiring viewers wait until Fox’s fall schedule, marks the “first ever network TV show available on iTunes before its broadcast premiere,” the network touts. However, the tactic isn’t so new. Last year, Fox tried the same thing with Lone Star. Despite the early previews, the series was quickly cancelled.
The “New Girl” pilot episode will also be available on cable on-demand, Fox.com, Hulu and a blog known as Hello Giggles, a site endorsed by series star Zooey Deschanel, according to Variety.
