‘The Big Leap’: Cast, release date, trailer and everything else we know about the Fox dramedy

The Big Leap
(Image credit: Fox)

The Big Leap will dance its way to Fox this fall as one of the newest shows for the network. The show, which was created by Liz Heldens (The Passage, Deception), has received a 10-episode order from Fox, which believes that it could have a Glee-sized hit on its hands, per Deadline.

Here is everything we know about The Big Leap so far.

What is ‘The Big Leap’ about?

The Big Leap is loosely based on the U.K. reality TV show Big Ballet that aired in 2014. The original reality series followed 18 amateur dancers that were told at one point that they were too fat to perform ballet. Over 20 weeks and under the tutelage of a former Royal Ballet principal they worked to put on a production of Swan Lake.

The Big Leap will take the essence of that series, seemingly combining elements of former Fox hits American Idol and Glee.

The specific plot follows a group of underdogs from different walks of life that compete in a reality series to take part in a modern remake of Swan Lake.

Who is in ‘The Big Leap’ cast?

The official synopsis makes sure to emphasize that the group of characters in The Big Leap are a diverse bunch, and the cast for the first season looks like they did a pretty good job living up to that.

The Big Leap cast will feature some familiar faces like Scott Foley (Scandal), Teri Polo (Meet the Parents) and Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs), as well as some fresh faces to TV, like newcomer Simone Recasner. The rest of the cast is made up by Mallory Jansen, Ser’Darius Blain, Anna Grace Barlow, Jon Rudnitsky, McKenzie Chinn, Kevin Daniels and Raymond Cham Jr.

When does ‘The Big Leap’ air?

The Big Leap has danced its way onto Fox , with the one-hour dramedy fitting in the Monday at 9 p.m. time slot. That is the same time slot that the canceled John Slattery crime-drama Next had last year. Fox is hoping that The Big Leap will have better luck. A well established Fox hit, 9-1-1, will serve as The Big Leap’s lead in.

Is there a trailer for ‘The Big Leap’?

Fox unveiled a full trailer for The Big Leap during its upfronts presentation, and there is plenty to dig into. The trailer definitely highlights a full ensemble of hopefuls for the reality competition at its center, but it puts the biggest spotlight on Simone Recasner’s character. Check out the full trailer below. 

Are there 'The Big Leap' reviews?

A few reviews have been made available thus far for The Big Leap, all of which have been positive.

The Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper gave the Fox show three our of four stars, and summed things up by saying, "sometimes you just have to take a big leap on a feel-good series that’s equal parts sentimental, goofy, inspiring and escapist, and the Glee-ful Fox drama The Big Leap perfectly fits that bill."

Meanwhile, industry trades Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, have also weighted in, and given the show a passing grade; the former particularly praised the performance of Simone Recasner.

How to watch 'The Big Leap'

The Big Leap airs live on Fox, meaning that anyone with a basic cable/satellite pay-TV subscription or TV antenna can watch the show right away as Fox is one of the four major networks that is available in all U.S. TV markets. Live TV streaming services, including Fubo TVHulu with Live TVSling TV and YouTube, will also offer the show live to its subscribers.

The latest episodes of The Big Leap will also be available to watch after they premiere live on broadcast via Fox.com. However, you still need a subscription to one of the above services to watch online.

The Big Leap will be available via streaming, with episodes arriving on Hulu following their broadcast TV airing.

A VPN, or virtual private network, is also an option to be able to watch The Big Leap, or any program, from anywhere. A VPN is designed to route network traffic through a specific set of servers in a specific country, allowing viewers to watch content on an encrypted feed over a computer. 

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Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.