NBC has kicked off Upfronts Week – where the five major networks announce their fall schedules – today with it’s line-up come crisp air and falling leaves time. A few items of note:
– Chuck has been renewed (yay) for its final season of 13 episodes, but has been moved to Friday night (not yay). As no small fan of the show, I’m fine with a 13-episode final season. Chuck has been a fun show that should get out before it runs the concept into the ground. This most recent season has been on the downside, but with a definite goal to build towards, I’m confident Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak will end the show on a high note.
– The buzzworthy Grimm will follow Chuck on Friday nights.
– NBC is expanding comedy night to Wednesdays with the new Christina Applegate show, Up All Night and the new Hank Azaria show, Free Agents.
– Comic Wendy Cummings gets her new sitcom, Whitney, in the cherry slot behind The Office on Wednesday nights, in place of the axed Outsourced.
– 30 Rock is being held for midseason due to Tina Fey’s pregnancy.
– The American remake of Prime Suspect, which was a British show starring Oscar-winner, Helen Mirren, will get the coveted Thursday night 10:00 PM slot. The show stars Maria Bello.
The entire schedule (New programs in UPPER CASE):
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
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