'Past Life' gets big launch

Upcoming Fox drama "Past Life" will launch in a big way, with its first four episodes airing in a 10-day stretch — two of them after "American Idol."

Having already decided to premiere the series after "Idol" Feb. 9 at 9 p.m., Fox announced today that it would repeat the pairing the following week.

"Past Life," which stars Kelli Giddish, Nicholas Bishop, Ravi Patel and Richard Schiff, will also air in its regularly scheduled 9 p.m. Thursday slot Feb. 11 and Feb. 18.

David Hudgins of "Friday Night Lights" is exec producing with Lou Pitt.

The top-heavy schedule of "Past Life" means that its first batch of originals will end March 11. The following week, "Fringe" will return to the 9 p.m. Thursday slot.

Fox also said it will air a repeat of "Glee" after "Idol" March 9. "Idol" will then air two-hour episodes on the next four Tuesdays, before "Glee" again takes residence in the 9 p.m. Tuesday slot with new episodes starting April 13.