Exclusive: Setback for AS-P's Jezebel James?

Well, this isn't the most encouraging sign. The episode order for Fox's The Return of Jezebel James, Amy Sherman-Palladino's eagerly awaited Gilmore Girls follow-up, has been trimmed from 13 to just seven. The half-hour comedy, which is essentially a female Odd Couple, stars Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose as estranged sisters who forge an unusual partnership.
Although no reason was given for the downgrade, a Fox spokesperson acknowledged in a statement that, "For several years, midseason has been a busy time at Fox as we prepare to launch new series and make room for returning favorites like 24 and American Idol. We have always planned to launch The Return of Jezebel James in midseason, and seven episodes are all we need to allow us to program the series through the current broadcast season. We are big fans of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino and the extremely talented cast and are looking forward to airing the show."
The news comes on the same day that it was announced that AS-P would make her feature directorial debut with The Late Bloomer's Revolution, starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Coincidence? I think not.
Stand by for much more on this developing story, including reaction from Team Palladino and my own theory as to why Jezebel's return got cut short.