NBC announces its fall and midseason lineups

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NBC unveiled a two-prong schedule today that will keep the network mostly in original programming all of next season by having its shows sharing time slots.

Capitalizing on the Winter Olympics in February, NBC scheduled its programming in two parts: pre- and post-Olympics, launching some of its new series in the fall and saving the rest for after the Games.

‘We have a unique opportunity with Olympics to develop a dual season strategy in which we’re tapping into broad circulation of Olympics,’ said Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. ‘We are committing to more original programming and more scripted shows than last year. Even with at 10 p.m having the best comedy talent driving a show every night, Jay Leno.’

The network has renewed ‘Law & Order,’ which will launch its 20th season next fall. ‘Chuck’ also will return, Silverman said, thanks to a campaign by fans, journalists and even advertisers to save the show. Already an integration partner with ‘Chuck,’ Subway entered into a new deal with NBC to save it.

‘It was coveted by us, the viewers loved it, and we went forward and struck an early deal to to bring ‘Chuck’ back,’ said Jim Hoffman, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

‘My Name Is Earl’ and ‘Medium’ were not so lucky. They’ve been canceled.

‘We had an abundance of extraordinary development this year and are obviously looking for shows without a ceiling that have unlimited growth,’ Silverman said. ‘We had a good run with those shows, but they have been on an aggressive downward trend, and it was time for us to commit to new fresh blood. Our core audience, and the online community, that is, Alan Sepinwall of the New Jersey Star-Ledger, drove people to demand that ‘Chuck’ be picked up. Unlike everybody else, we listen to both our audience and our advertiser and are able to make decisions collectively. And on the other side [we] didn’t get lobbying or requests of our audience or advertisers for the other shows.’

Here is the fall and midseason lineup, which reflects NBC’s new time-slot-sharing strategy. The second series in the time slots will premiere after the Winter Olympics concludes Feb. 28.

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Heroes”/’Chuck’
9-10 p.m.—“Trauma’/’Day One’
10-11 p.m. – “The Jay Leno Show’

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. – “The Jay Leno Show”
Note: After the Olympics, ‘The Biggest Loser’ will air from 8 to 9:30 p.m. to make room for the new comedy ‘100 Questions for Charlotte Payne’ at 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Parenthood”/’Mercy’
9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
10-11 p.m. – “The Jay Leno Show”

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “SNL Weekend Update” (multi-episode run)
8:30-9 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation’
9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. – “Community”
10-11 p.m. – ‘The Jay Leno Show’
Note: When ‘SNL Weekend Update’ concludes, ‘Community’ moves to 8 p.m., and ’30 Rock’ returns to the lineup at 9:30 p.m. ‘SNL Weekend Update’ will return for short runs throughout the season at 8 p.m.

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Law & Order”
9-10 p.m. – ‘Southland’
10-11 p.m. – “The Jay Leno Show’

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC” 9-10 p.m. – “Trauma” (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY (during football season)
7- 8:20 p.m. ‘Football Night in America’
8:20-11 p.m. ‘NBC Sunday Night Football’

SUNDAY (after football season)
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – ‘The Marriage Ref’ (reality series)
9-11 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice” (season premiere; two-hour edition)