As the network with the biggest need to attain credibility with the American public, is going for it! The network’s new drama schedule runs the gamut from traditional to way, way out there, with The Firm, a sequel to John Grisham’s The Firm, and an adaptation of Lynda LaPlante’s brilliant U.K. series, Prime Suspect. Other new series include Playboy Club, Awake [a police detective finds himself living in two worlds after a tragic car accident], Grimm [a world in which the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm were real] and Smash [the last being positioned for a mid-season premiere].
On the comedy side, NBC has taken six pilots to series: Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea!, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Free Agents and Up All Night.
Returning series [drama] include: the woeful Harry’s Law, Parenthood, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and a final season for Chuck [giving Chuck fans – Chuckers? – the chance to see their favorite series end with a planned finale].
Returning comedies include: Community, Parks & Recreation, The Office and 30 Rock. Newsmagazine Dateline NBC also returns.
Returning unscripted series are: The Voice, The sing-Off, Celebrity apprentice and The biggest Loser – each in two-hour formats.
According to the press release…
The new lineup combines schedule stability with strategic changes that position the network for future growth. Key facets of the schedule include a new hour of comedy with the Wednesday debuts of “Up All Night” (8-8:30 p.m. ET) and “Free Agents” (8:30-9 p.m. ET) and an update to NBC’s critically acclaimed Thursday lineup with the premieres this fall of the new comedy “Whitney” (9:30-10 p.m. ET) and the first-year drama “Prime Suspect” (10-11 p.m. ET). In addition, NBC has made a strong commitment to original scripted programming on Friday nights with the pairing of “Chuck” (8-9 p.m. ET) in its climactic season with the new drama “Grimm” (9-10 p.m. ET).
The #1 new series of the current season, “The Voice,” returns at mid-season on Monday nights (8-10 p.m. ET) and will serve as the lead-in to the new musical drama “Smash” (10-11 p.m. ET). In the fall on Mondays from 8-10 p.m. ET will be another growing NBC reality success, “The Sing-Off,” now in a weekly format following its strong December showings of the past two years.
Additional details unveiled in today’s announcement include a run of uninterrupted originals for “30 Rock” starting at mid-season and a post-football Sunday lineup of “Dateline NBC” (7-8 p.m. ET), “The Celebrity Apprentice” (8-10 p.m. ET) and the new drama “The Firm” (10-11 p.m. ET). Additional new series ready for mid-season include the drama “Awake” and the comedies “Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea,” “Best Friends Forever” and “Bent.”
The announcements were made by Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.
“Next season begins the rebuilding of the NBC primetime schedule, and our goal is to reinvigorate our audience with a line-up of appointment television that includes our best returning shows and a variety of innovative and attention-getting new series. We’ll be placing a great deal of emphasis on how we launch each one of our programs and on maximizing the network’s strengths throughout the fall and well into mid-season,” said Greenblatt. “Considering it’s only been three months since new management took over, I’m very pleased with what has resulted from a very strong pilot season. And with a powerful new asset like ‘The Voice’ already in hand, we go into the 2011-12 season with cautious but incredible optimism.”
NBC FALL 2011-12 SCHEDULE
*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Sing-Off
10-11 p.m. – THE PLAYBOY CLUB
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m. – Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – UP ALL NIGHT
8:30-9 p.m. – FREE AGENTS
9-10 p.m. — Harry’s Law
10-11 p.m. — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – Community
8:30-9 p.m. — Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 p.m. – The Office
9:30-10 p.m. – WHITNEY
10-11 p.m. – PRIME SUSPECT
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – Chuck
9-10 p.m. – GRIMM
10-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m. — Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m. — NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC 2012 MID-SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. – Dateline NBC
8-10 p.m. – The Celebrity Apprentice
10-11 p.m. – THE FIRM
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Voice
10-11 p.m. – SMASH