NBC 2008-2009 Season

One thing that I surprising had not written about this year was the writer’s strike that impacted television. And now that it’s over it seems moot to even mention.

However, its impact is still being felt. In the most recent development, NBC today announced its fall season upfronts, a full six weeks before the other major broadcast networks. This definitely gives NBC a jump on its competitors, but I do wonder the real reason behind this move. One big development also happening is that NBC is starting to program series without even seeing a pilot – a big gamble when you consider they are programming based on concepts and the names attached, not on a previously produced episode.

Also, in a change for NBC, they announced new programming in an effort to bring new programming year-round. This allows advertisers to have a more complete picture of what to expect when it comes to the overall landscape of NBC. Fox has done this in the past, but to mixed results. Programs sometimes didn’t make it throughout their scheduled period, and some programs announced never made it to air. It’ll be interesting to see how this schedule works out.

NBC has dumped long running series such as Scrubs and Las Vegas, as well as new series such as the Bionic Woman remake. Some freshman series that did make it to a second season include Chuck, Life, and Lipstick Jungle.

Here’s a night-by-night, based on time of year, look at what the NBC schedule for next season has in store. Included are brief descriptions, partially taken from tvguide.com, eonline.com, and NBC.com. All times listed are Eastern.

Fall 2008

Mondays:

8pm-9pm Chuck

9pm-10pm Heroes

10pm-11pm My Own Worst Enemy

Henry and Edward lead two very different lives. The problem, they live them in the same body. And they must deal with the ramifications when the wall between the two begins to break down. Starring Christian Slater.

Tuesdays:

8pm-9pm The Biggest Loser: Families

9:30pm-10pm Kath and Kim

This comedy looks at the relationship between a mom and a daughter who are very different people once the daughter moves back home. The problem is that the mom will not cater to her daughter’s every whim. Based on the hit Australian comedy of the same name, starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair.

10pm-11pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Wednesdays:

8pm-9pm Knight Rider

Remake of the classic 1980s drama in which mysteries are solved by a man and his talking car.

9pm-10pm Deal or No Deal

10pm-11pm Lipstick Jungle

Thursdays:

8pm-8:30pm My Name is Earl

8:30pm-9pm 30 Rock

9pm-9:30pm The Office

9:30pm-10pm Saturday Night Live Thursday Nights/The Office

10pm-11pm ER

Fridays:

8pm-9pm Crusoe

This series is based on the book by Daniel Defoe. In this series a man ends up shipwrecked on an island for 28 years. He yearns to go home while befriending a man named Friday.

9pm-10pm Deal or No Deal

10pm-11pm Life

Saturdays:

8pm-9pm Dateline NBC

9pm-10pm Encores of Knight Rider

10pm-11pm Encores of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Sundays:

7pm-8:20pm Football Night in America

8:20pm-11pm NBC Sunday Night Football

Winter 2009

Mondays:

8pm-9pm Chuck

9pm-10pm Heroes

10pm-11pm The Philanthropist

In this series a man in love with money and power comes to a realization about his life after the death of his only child. He then becomes a “renegade billionaire” who does everything in his power to help those in need, including negotiating with nefarious individuals and dodging bullets.

Tuesdays:

8pm-9pm The Biggest Loser

9:30pm-10pm Kath and Kim

10pm-11pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Wednesdays:

8pm-9pm Knight Rider

9pm-10pm Deal or No Deal

10pm-11pm Law & Order

Thursdays:

8pm-8:30pm My Name is Earl

8:30pm-9pm 30 Rock

9pm-9:30pm The Office

9:30pm-10pm The Office spinoff

10pm-11pm ER/The Celebrity Apprentice

Fridays:

8pm-9pm Deal or No Deal

9pm-10pm Friday Night Lights

10pm-11pm Life

Saturdays:

8pm-9pm Dateline NBC

9pm-10pm Encores of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

10pm-11pm Encores of Law & Order

Sundays:

7pm-8pm Dateline NBC

8pm-9pm Merlin

This is a modern retelling of Camelot, Merlin, and Arthur. In this story Merlin and Arthur are just trying to fulfill their dreams, while making mistakes along the way.

9pm-10pm Medium

10pm-11pm Kings

In this series, a young soldier named David rescues the king’s son from the enemy. By doing so he sets in motion the events that will lead the land to peace. The soldier then finds himself a celebrity, and has earned the attention of the king’s daughter. But as he gains even more power himself David realizes that those in power will do whatever it takes to see him fail.

NBC Remake from the Early 1990s

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I'm actually excited about the return of what I consider a classic TV show. NBC has announced that starting January 6, 2007 we will see the return of the American Gladiators.

OK. I admit that the program is very cheesy. Muscle bound men and women in odd events challenging everyday people in an effort to win some money. But the original was quite fun to watch. Some of the events were fun to watch and everyone that watched had their favorite Gladiators.

Personally, I remember that I thoroughly enjoyed SkyTrak and the Pyramid and my favorite Gladiators were Siren and Viper.

The new version will be hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali. I just hope that I'm not disappointed.

NBC 2007-2008 Season Schedule

We are again at the time of year when the broadcast television networks announce their upfronts. Upfronts are when they first announce their schedules for the following television season to possible advertisers. This is when the networks attempt to sell as much of the advertising space in these programs as possible, even before any episodes air in the fall. For established series with proven track records networks are able to sell the ad space at a higher rate. For new series advertisers can often get in at a premium, only because the program isn’t yet a proven commodity.

This is the week when all broadcast networks will announce their 2007-2008 season schedules. I’ll continue to report on these announcements like I did last May.

Today NBC was the first to announce their programming schedule for next season.

NBC seemed to have a lot of misses during the 2006-2007 season. Failed shows include Kidnapped, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, 20 Good Years, and Andy Barker P.I.. While some few freshman series were picked up despite so-so ratings, such as 30 Rock and Friday Night Lights, the only true success story of the previous season is Heroes.

In addition, many proven programs were on the chopping block. NBC’s biggest franchise has been Law & Order. Only Law & Order Special Victims Unit had been renewed as of this past weekend (they received their pick-up months ago). It was announced just yesterday that Law & Order would return to NBC for an 18th season while Law & Order Criminal Intent has been picked up, but original episodes will air on the USA Network and then be repurposed (rebroadcast) later on NBC.

The only long running NBC show not to be renewed is Crossing Jordan, who has had a five season run.

Here’s a night-by-night look at what the NBC schedule for next season has in store. Included are brief descriptions, partially taken from tvguide.com. All times listed are Eastern.

Mondays:

8pm-9pm Deal or No Deal

9pm-10pm Heroes

10pm-11pm Journeyman

This program is a sci-fi, romantic drama that follows a San Francisco newspaper reporter who begins to travel through time in order to change other people’s lives. However, his travels through time begin to cause a strain at work and at home because he suddenly disappears for periods of time. In his travels he also reunites with a long-lost fiancée, which places a strain on his relationship with his wife and son. This series is from the Emmy Award winning writers, producers, and directors of the West Wing.

Tuesdays:

8pm-9pm The Biggest Loser

9pm-10pm Chuck

This is a spy thriller that follows a computer geek who becomes one of the U.S. government’s most vital secret agents. When Chuck accidentally opens an e-mail filled with encoded government secrets, he ends up downloading the information directly into his brain. Chuck goes from fixing people’s computer problems at the local electronics store to dealing with assassins and international terrorists. He ends up getting partnered with the CIA’s top agent. This is a produced by executive producers behind the O.C. and the Charlie’s Angels movie.

10pm-11pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Wednesdays:

8pm-9pm Deal or No Deal

9pm-10pm Bionic Woman

In a remake of the late 70’s series, this program follows Jamie Sommers who has cutting-edge technology implanted into her body following a devastating car accident. If not for the technology Jamie would have faced certain death. But not Jamie has a debt to repay by using her new technologies and abilities for good, which will unfortunately lead to some personal sacrifices. This series is produced by those behind such successful programs as the X-Files and Battlestar Galactica.

10pm-11pm Life

This program follows an offbeat detective who returns to the police force after spending years in prison. He is released from prison thanks to his attorney and friend who proves that he was convicted of a crime he did not actually commit.

Thursdays:

8pm-8:30pm My Name is Earl

8:30pm-9pm 30 Rock

9pm-9:30pm The Office

9:30pm-10pm Scrubs

10pm-11pm ER

Fridays:

8pm-9pm Game Night, including 1 vs. 100 and The Singing Bee

NBC has committed the 8pm hour on Friday nights for game shows. In this slot initially will be the returning Bob Saget hosted game 1 vs. 100. After eight weeks it will be followed for six weeks by the new variety/game show The Singing Bee where contestants are forced to sing popular, recognizable music accurately, even once the music stops playing. In order to win they must get every word of the lyrics correct.

9pm-10pm Las Vegas

10pm-11pm Friday Night Lights

Saturdays:

8pm-9pm Dateline NBC

9pm-11pm Encores of NBC Dramas

Sundays (Fall 2007):

7pm-8pm Football Night in America

8pm-11pm Sunday Night Football

Sundays (January 2008):

7pm-8pm Dateline NBC

8pm-9pm Law & Order

9pm-10pm Medium

10pm-11pm Lipstick Jungle

This series is based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell, who also wrote the novel the hit HBO series Sex & the City was based on. In this series three high-powered friends are followed as they face the ups and downs of their everyday lives in New York City. Starring Kim Raver (24) as the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine who wants to become CEO, Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) who must find a way to balance her career and her family, and Lindsay Price (Beverly Hills, 90210) who wants her dreams to come true including find Mr. Right.

Other series coming mid-season:

Baby Borrowers

In this reality series teenage couples experience what it is like to be a parent. These couples are given their own households and their own children, in different age groups, in order to see how they cope.

The IT Crowd

This comedy follows those individuals that come to your office to fix your computer when no one else is around. This series is based on a British comedy of the same name. These geeks are masters of the computer world, but lack any real social skills necessary to make friends.

World Moves

This reality competition, executive produced by American Idol’s Randy Jackson, searches the world for the best dance teams. The world’s best will come to Los Angeles and compete for a global championship and an international touring contract. Teams of five to seven members will compete live in order to demonstrate their creativity and athleticism. Viewers from around the world will vote on the Internet or phone for their favorites in order to eliminate one team each week.

Save My Shows

Next week are the upfronts. This is when the television networks reveal their fall schedules to the public. Advertisers are given their first opportunity to check out the new series and decide which ones they’d like to purchase ad time during. Last year I detailed the upfronts for each broadcast network, and this year I plan to do it again.

As I write this, however, network executives are making decisions about which new programs to order episodes of and which current programs they will keep around for another season.

The fates of many series have already been determined. Some of my favorites have already been picked up for another season. Shows such as Lost, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, Heroes, and 24 will all be seen during the 2007-2008 television season. Other series that debuted last season, such as Kidnapped, Smith, and The Nine have already been cancelled.

What I’d like to do now is make a plea for a few of the series that the networks are thinking about right now. These are series that I have not heard about their officially being picked up yet for next season. However, I’d like the networks to reconsider and bring these enjoyable programs back. My guess is that at least one of them will be back, but definitely not all of them.

Jericho is number one on my list of programs that I’m championing for next season. Jericho is smartly written and well acted. The program follows the residents of Jericho, Kansas as they deal with the aftermath of a nuclear invasion of the United States. There is nothing like it on TV right now, and hopefully it’ll remain on the air to entertain viewers next.

Scrubs has been on NBC now for six seasons. It is one of only two sitcoms currently airing that I find myself watching and consistently laughing at each and every week (30 Rock is the other). The producers would like one more season. Star Zach Braff has signed one for a seventh season. There is a glimmer of hope, though. If NBC does not renew it there is a very good chance that ABC will pick up the final season.

I’m a sucker for game shows. I’ve been a fan of so many over the years. From The Price is Right and Family Feud to Hot Potato and Tic Tac Dough, I love watching people playing for cash and prizes. The game show has been a genre that has been waning in popularity over the years. This year NBC recognized how inexpensive such programs are to produce, and decided to place a few on the air this season. And I enjoyed them both. 1 vs. 100 and Identity have unique concepts. While they could use some tweaking, I think both deserve a second chance.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is the longest shot on my list. It’s hasn’t received much of an audience the entire season. But it was smart and incredibly well written. As a liberal, even I found some of the stories to be a bit left leaning. But it should be given another chance. NBC stuck with Studio 60 on Mondays at 10pm. Maybe if given another time slot on another night it could generate a larger audience and more viewer interest.