Wow! Not that the Upfront season isn’t usually an exciting time of year anyway. But NBC’s complete overhaul of their fall schedule yesterday sent shockwaves through the television industry that will be felt right into September. And all because of a former mid-season replacement called Grey’s Anatomy.
Basically, Aaron Sorkin wasn’t interested in the competition for his new drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. So Kevin Reilly, the President of NBC Entertainment, gave Mr. Sorkin his wish – moving Studio 60 to the much less vulnerable 10pm timeslot on Monday. Ironically, in the fallout of these sweeping changes, another NBC legend gets his feathers ruffled: Dick Wolf’s Law & Order moves to Friday. Ouch.
Predictably, though, the Studio 60 shift creates a domino effect that gives five nights of the week a facelift:
Monday
8 Deal or No Deal
9 Heroes
10 STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (from Thursday)
Tuesday
8 Friday Night Lights
9 L&O: CI (from Friday)
10 L&O: SVU
Wednesday
8 20 GOOD YEARS (from 9)
8:30 30 ROCK (from 9:30)
9 THE BIGGEST LOSER (from 8)
10 KIDNAPPED (from Tuesday)
Thursday
8 My Name is Earl
8:30 The Office
9 DEAL OR NO DEAL (from Friday)
10 ER
Friday
8 CROSSING JORDAN (replacing Medium, from Monday)
9 Las Vegas
10 LAW & ORDER (from Wednesday)
Saturday
8 Dateline
9 Drama encores
Sunday
7 Football Night in America
8 Sunday Night Football
Strongest Night(s): Thursday
Weakest Night(s): Wednesday
First New Show to Go: Heroes
My Take: This really doesn’t change my opinion of their schedule as a whole. Thursday’s still NBC’s strongest night, and their weakest night becomes to Wednesday. It also reaffirms how desperately they need breakout hits.
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Let me start by saying that NBC is, outside of Scrubs, not my cup of tea. Yet they made some bold moves, which are pretty much necessary as the years remove them further and further from the salad days of Friends and Must-see Thursday.
What they now have are modest comedy hits like My Name is Earl and The Office. Neither of which is capable of anchoring a #1 network, which of course is what they strive to be again. And it looks like they intend to regain that status with dramas.
Staying Put: The Apprentice*, The Biggest Loser, Crossing Jordan*, Deal or No Deal, ER, Las Vegas, Law & Order/L&O: CI/L&O: SVU, Medium, My Name is Earl, The Office, Scrubs*
Coming Soon: Andy Barker P.I.#, The Black Donnellys#, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Kidnapped, Raines#, The Singles Table#, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Sunday Night Football, 30 Rock, 20 Good Years
Say Goodbye: The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, The Book of Daniel, Conviction, E-Ring, Fear Factor, Four Kings, Inconceivable, Joey, Last Comic Standing, Surface, Teachers, Three Wishes, The West Wing, Will & Grace
* Not a full-season pickup
# Mid-season replacement
A little surprising in the reality world that The Biggest Loser stays and Fear Factor goes. Fear Factor sure fell off in a hurry. Deal or No Deal, the latest inane game show entry, was a hot show by season’s end. And unfortunately responsible for Howie Mandel’s return. Does anyone else feel that The Apprentice‘s days are numbered?
The most intriguing new NBC offerings are the two Saturday Night Live-influenced “behind the scenes” shows: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (a drama) and 30 Rock (a comedy). The former is the brainchild of Aaron Sorkin (creator of West Wing) – with West Wing‘s Bradley Whitford and Friends‘ Matthew Perry on board. The latter comes from SNL head-writer Tina Fey, and stars Alec Baldwin. Here’s hoping both are channeling The Larry Sanders Show.
Friday Night Lights, familiar from the movie and book of the same name, could succeed as well – although sports-based dramas have been known to struggle in prime-time. Remember Clubhouse? Didn’t think so…
The Black Donnellys comes from screenwriter-of-the-moment Paul Haggis (Crash), focusing on an Irish family in the violent Hells Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. And promising to be just as contrived as last year’s winner for Best Picture.
It can’t be ignored that NBC has Sunday Night Football, which will score some very favorable ratings. But they’ve gotta do something about the horribly titled pre-game show: Football Night in America?
Monday
8 Deal or No Deal
9 Heroes
10 Medium
Tuesday
8 Friday Night Lights
9 Kidnapped
10 L&O: SVU
Wednesday
8 The Biggest Loser
9 20 Good Years
9:30 30 Rock
10 Law & Order
Thursday
8 My Name is Earl
8:30 The Office
9 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
10 ER
Friday
8 Deal or No Deal
9 Las Vegas
10 L&O: CI
Saturday
8 Dateline
9 Drama encores
Sunday
7 Football Night in America
8 Sunday Night Football
Strongest Night(s): Thursday
Weakest Night(s): Monday
First New Show to Go: Heroes
My Take: NBC has actually done a pretty good job of building a schedule with no glaring weaknesses. But that’s counting on a few of their new dramas becoming breakout hits. And even their best nights (see Thursday) are still ruled by other networks (see CBS).
