NBC announced its mid-season schedule Monday, launching four new shows … and extending its Thursday-night comedy block into the 10 p.m. hour for the first time.
The launches will be highlighted by new super-hero drama "The Cape" (image below, right) which will make its two-hour premiere on Sunday, Jan. 9 before assuming its regular Monday 9 p.m. timeslot with an encore run the night after.
The network also announced that it will slide ensemble relationship comedy "Perfect Couples" into the Thursday 8:30 p.m. timeslot that "30 Rock" is currently occupying … but "30 Rock" isn't going away.
While announcing a sixth-season renewal for Tina Fey's Emmy-winning comedy, the network announced that it will schedule it at 10 p.m. starting Jan. 20. "Parks and Recreation" will return to the schedule that night, running at 9:30, with "Outsourced" moving to 10:30.
"The goal for our mid-season schedule was to keep us in original programming throughout the season and launch several promising new shows," said Mitch Metcalf, executive VP of program planning and scheduling. "We were looking to add more comedy to our schedule and we believe the best way to do so is to expand our already successful Thursday night."
The network is also making moves on Monday night, with the debut of new David E. Kelley legal drama "Harry's Law," which will make its premiere Monday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m.
"Parenthood" will return to the schedule on Tuesdays at 10 p.m., but will return to Mondays at 10 starting March 7.
One other show making its mid-season debut, alternative series "America's Next Great Restaurant" will premiere Wednesday, March 16 at 10 p.m.
Also returning to the schedule will be "The Biggest Loser," "Who Do You Think You Are?," "Minute to Win It," "The Marriage Ref" and "Celebrity Apprentice."
Here's the networks complete schedule. More to come.
MONDAYS
8-9 p.m. – “Chuck”
9-10 p.m. – “THE CAPE” will premiere with a two-hour episode on Sunday, January 9 (9-11 p.m.). New episodes start in its regular time period on January 17 (9-10 p.m.)
10-11 p.m. – “HARRY’S LAW’ (beginning January 17)
9-10 p.m. – “The Event” (returns on February 28, 9-11 p.m.; resumes in its regular time slot March 7)
10-11 p.m. — “Parenthood” (debuts in this slot March 7 with all originals)
TUESDAYS
8-10 p.m. — “The Biggest Loser: Couples” (beginning January 4)
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (beginning January 4 for four episodes)
10-11 p.m. — “Law & Order: Los Angeles” (beginning February 8)
WEDNESDAYS
8-9 p.m. — “Minute to Win It” (beginning January 5)
9-10 p.m. –“Chase” (beginning January 12)
10-11 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (originals beginning January 5 with two-hour episode, 9-11 p.m. ET)
9-10 p.m. – “AMERICA’S NEXT GREAT RESTAURANT” (beginning March 16)
THURSDAYS (all beginning January 20)
8-8:30 p.m. – “Community”
8:30-9 p.m. – “PERFECT COUPLES”
9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”
10-10:30 p.m. – “30 Rock”
10:30-11 p.m. – “Outsourced”
FRIDAYS
8-9 p.m. — “Who Do You Think You Are?” (beginning January 21)
9-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC” (beginning January 7)
SUNDAYS
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – “The Marriage Ref” (beginning March 6)
9-11 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice” (beginning March 6)
