‘Hieroglyph’: Fox orders ancient Egypt-set drama from ‘Pacific Rim’ writer for 13 episodes

Fox has said in the past few months that it wants to be a little bit more like its sister network in FX when it comes to episode counts and pickups, and they are really backing up some of what they are saying. Today, the network confirmed that they are giving a 13-episode order to “Hieroglyph,” a show written and executive-produced by Travis Beacham (“Pacific Rim”), and set all around a very dangerous and fascinating time in ancient Egypt. Basically, it seems like a fantastical version of history in the same way as The CW’s “Reign” … but with sorcery. Think of this as a combination of this along with “Sleepy Hollow,” which is a show that did so well on Fox this fall that it already has a renewal for a 13-episode second season.

In explaining why this show was automatically sent straight to series, Fox’s programming head Kevin Reilly cited imagination and the thought process behind the show for it happening so soon:

“We wanted to do a show about deceit, sex, intrigue in the court and fantastical goings-on – no better place to set that than ancient Egypt. Travis Beacham has an inventive mind, and he has wrapped this all together in this intoxicating new drama.”

One of the reasons for Fox’s new strategy is simply that they are forward-thinking. What is the biggest difference between cable shows and what happens on the major networks? Quality. They have a little bit more time to craft some of their shows and develop them, and can do so without a whopping 22 episodes a year. Fox wants to get their shows to the same level as those on FX, and possibly prove in the process that they don’t need to be profane or rated TV-MA in order to make it happen. All of this excites us, given that the model of 22-episode seasons seems to be going away, with the exception of a few procedurals that are holding their ground.

What do you think about the idea of this series, and is Fox right to try and give themselves some more shows that are serialized like this? We want to hear some of your thoughts below!

Photo: Fox