NBC released its fall schedule Monday afternoon. The Peacock network has fallen off the high perch it once had over the other major networks. ABC’s resurgence this past season and CBS’s continued success NBC needs to really shake things up to keep up.
Even with its flagging ratings NBC did not make any major changes to its fall lineup. The major new addition for the upcoming season being the spinoff of reality show, The Apprentice, with the new version recently released convict Martha Stewart.
Other then the much-talked about return of Martha Stewart NBC also introduced out three new scripted dramas, one new sitcom and another unscripted/reality series.
On Monday nights NBC tries to grow on the success of second-year show Las Vegas and mid-season hit Medium. A new drama, Fathom, will start off the night at 8 p.m. followed by Vegas and Medium. The descriptions of fathom strike me a bit like Seaquest DSV minus the boat. The drama deals with the introduction of a new mysterious sea life that appears around the globe. It stars a bunch of people no one has really heard of. The main star being, Lake Bell (who?), she was apparently in Boston Legal and before that Miss Match.
Whereas on Monday nights one can see a theme/plan of attack Tuesdays seem like a mismatch. The night starts off with the return of the reality show The Biggest Loser at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m. NBC brings out its only new sitcom announced, My Name is Earl. The always funny Jason Lee, from Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Almost Famous fame takes his shot at a weekly sitcom staring as Earl. Earl, a recent lottery winner, decides he wants to right the wrongs of his past. Yeah sounds more like a TV movie then a comedy. At 9:30 NBC brings back The Office, ripped off from the British hit. At 10 p.m. the improving Law and Order: SVU sticks in its timeslot from last year.
On Wednesday NBC has essentially declared war against Lost. It boldly (and perhaps stupidly) has placed its one new series that has generated a lot of buzz, The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, against ratings king Lost. How fans react to Stewart will be interesting. NBC puts another new show they have high hopes for in the 9 p.m. slot. E-ring, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI’s, Without a Trace), is a drama set in the Pentagon. No doubt the political intrigue will capture some of the fans of The West Wing, which previously held this timeslot. The show stars former Law and Order detective Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper (what hasn’t he been in?). Bratt’s old show, Law and Order, continues its run in the 10 p.m. slot.
NBC’s formerly dominate Must See Thursdays sticks to what it had last year. Joey at 8 p.m. followed by Will and Grace. Donald returns for ANOTHER Apprentice at 9 p.m. (how many apprentices does this guy need) and old faithful ER sticks around at 10 p.m. despite not resembling anything like it did when it first came out.
On Friday night NBC brings out what will no doubt be the cheesiest new show of the year, Three Wishes. An unscripted series hosted by Amy Grant, yes that Amy Grant the one who somehow has a music career, well she has a TV career now. Basically Grant, with some “experts” go to a small town and grant wishes. This show would only be good if people would learn the old lesson, “Sometimes you get what you wish for” and things turned out bad. Now THAT would be entertaining TV. Dateline NBC is shifted to 9 p.m. as NBC refuses to put Stone Phillips out of his, and viewers, misery. In the 10 p.m. slot NBC brings out the new drama, Inconceivable. No sadly its not some cool show about magicians and it does not star Vizzini from The Princess Bride. The drama deals is set in a fertility clinic where each week viewers get to see a couple try and conceive a baby. No big stars in the show but a few faces you might recognize, including Ming-Na who played Dr. Chen in ER.
Saturday night NBC resorts to movie of the week…blah!
On perhaps the toughest night of the week, Sunday, NBC makes one major change. Dateline NBC starts things off at 7 p.m., where it will no doubt continue its strong reputation for journalistic integrity by faking more crash tests. At 8 p.m. NBC puts a revamped The West Wing sans Martin Sheen to fend off attacks from those Desperate Housewives. 9 p.m. brings another L&O show, this one Law and Order: Criminal Intent, which is followed up by another crime drama Crossing Jordan.
The biggest disappointment with the schedule is the diapperance of the cult-hit Scrubs, which along with Fear Factor are slated as mid-season replacements.
If Martha can top Lost NBC may salvage things but if Martha gets whooped by the castaways then NBC looks to be in for another year of third place. The surprise hit may very well be Three Wishes, America loves sappy crap like that.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wedneday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 PM | Fathom | The Biggest Loser | The Apprentice: Martha Stewart |
| 9 PM | Las Vegas | My Name is Earl The Office |
E-Ring |
| 10 PM | Medium | Law and Order: Special Victims Unit | Law and Order |
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Dateline NBC | |||
| 8 PM | Joey Will & Grace |
Three Wishes | Saturday Night Movie | The West Wing |
| 9 PM | The Apprentice | Dateline NBC | Law and Order: Criminal Intent | |
| 10 PM | ER | Inconceivable | Crossing Jordan |
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