Following the NBC Upfront to market, observers note the network is trying to lure the same upscale, educated young audience it once had.
NBC has ordered Smash, a musical comedy set on Broadway, which is earning comparisons with Glee, that stars Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston and is produced by Steven Spielberg.
It also picked up the US adaptation of Prime Suspect, to star Maria Bello will play the lead, as well as comedies with Christina Applegate and Whitney Cummings.
Going into its third season, The Sing-Off will be paired with the new drama The Playboy Club, which will air Monday.
Prime Suspect, will premiere Thursdays, following NBC’s two-hour comedy block. Whitney, will take over the valuable post-Office time slot at 9:30/8:30c, bumping Parks and Recreation to 8:30pm.
In one of its bigger moves, NBC will launch a new comedy block on Wednesdays with Up All Night and Free Agents. Harry’s Law will follow, relocating to Wednesdays. Law & Order: SVU will round out the evening.
The network is also pushing Chuck to a new night, Fridays for its fifth and final season. The new fairy-tale-themed drama Grimm will follow.
Smash and The Firm will premiere during midseason along with The Voice and 30 Rock. Several new programs have yet to be scheduled, including Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, Bent, Awake and Best Friends Forever.
NBC’s fall lineup:
MONDAY
8 p.m. The Sing-Off
10 p.m. The Playboy Club
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. Biggest Loser
10 p.m. Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. Up All Night
8:30 p.m. Free Agents
9 p.m. Harry’s Law
10 p.m. Law & Order: SVU
THURSDAY
8 p.m. Community
8:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation
9 p.m. The Office
9:30 p.m. Whitney
10 p.m. Prime Suspect
FRIDAY
8 p.m. Chuck
9 p.m. Grimm
10 p.m. Dateline
SUNDAY
7 p.m. Football Night in America
8:15 p.m. NBC Sunday Night Football
final season ofChuck – about time! I’ve stuck with it, but its grown a little long in the tooth. Community and Parenthood are the only other shows I watch that are returning that I watch; I am wary of The Office with no Steve.
New shows; hands downn best looking series of the season, Awake, held back to midseason. Free Agents will be the only new series be watching come September at this stage.
wow. in america there’s gonna be plenty of choice on fridays (FringeVSGrimmVSSupernatural) Wonder who’ll win.
there was a rumour that Community would be held until Spring. Good that it’s not though!
It looks like most of the Chelsea Latelyt talent all got their own shows or bit parts in other shows, and the rest of them are doing After Lately season 2. I love it!
Of course the football will only happen if there is an NFL season.
Grimm banished to Fridays, what a pity.
Up All Night and Free Agents look great, Whitney looks terrible
Happy Chuck go 13 eps to finish off the series for once & all.
@dylan, im a dumbass lol
Very excited for Grimm!! Smash sounds interesting – will have to check it out!
@Peter Cougar Town is on ABC.
cant wait for whitney, looks hilarious
will cougar town not be part of the fall lineup?
Good to see Chuck go 13 eps to finish off the series, the season final in the US today look like a cliffhanger. And really glade to see Parenthood returning for a 3rd season, they left a few open stories at the end of S2 which ended a few weeks ago in the US.
Still so very thankful that Community got renewed.
Looking at some of the new TV trailers being released this week, Awake looks unique and quite an interesting drama.
The only new series I’m interested in so far are the CBS drama Person of Interest from JJ Abrams, and The CW’s Ringer with Sarah Michelle Gellar.
FOX and NBC look like they have more stable schedules for the 2011-2012 season than before, now that they’ve axed their bubble shows like Lie To Me, Human Target and NBC’s entire Monday lineup (excluding Chuck, which has been shafted to Fridays anyway..)
Ever since Friends went off the air NBC has gone down hill. Trying to copy Glee won’t do them any good.
This season should be interesting now they have new owners.
Good. NBC is a fantastic network. Glad to see it back.