Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Associated Press
NEW YORK
NBC will give viewers a turn-the-page schedule next fall that attempts to erase the memory of this season’s failed Jay Leno experiment and another fourth-place finish by presenting new scripted programming each weeknight at 10 p.m.
That 10 p.m. schedule has four new programs and one, “Parenthood,” that has only been on the air for a few months. They include a Jerry Bruckheimer drama about catching criminals on the lam, another “Law & Order” spinoff, an unconventional hour-long comedy and a series where Jimmy Smits plays a U.S. Supreme Court justice who quits to return to private practice.
NBC said “Heroes,” a cult favorite for a while on Monday nights that faded badly, was canceled. The network had already said it was ending “Law & Order” after 20 years on its schedule.
The network’s announcement Sunday, and presentation to advertisers Monday, kicked off a busy week when fall television schedules are outlined. It’s in advance of the advertising sales period known as the “upfront,” in which some observers expect broadcast networks to rebound after some awful years.
Several years of programming on the cheap and the Leno experiment has left NBC intent on going back to old methods to make a comeback. Its executives put the word out to Hollywood creators, many of whom were alienated by Leno taking time away from scripted programming, that it was interested in new ideas.
NBC ordered 12 new scripted series overall for next season, with seven on the fall schedule and the rest to debut later in the season. Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television, said it’s an indication of the improving economy that NBC has more to spend on programming.
The Smits drama, “Outlaw,” shows grudges only go so far when you need programming; it comes from Conan O’Brien’s production company. It didn’t get a great schedule slot — Friday night — but NBC says it is trying to reverse a trend among broadcast networks to shy away from original programming that night. Smits’ character is said to be a playboy and gambler who fights for the “little guy.”
Angela Bromstad, NBC’s prime-time entertainment president, said the biggest risk was to program the hourlong comedy “Love Bites” on Thursday at 10 p.m. The series is a romantic anthology that stars two women who are the last of their group of friends to get married and brings in different stories each week.
NBC brought back “Chuck” for Monday nights at 8 p.m., but is launching two other dramas that night. “The Event” resembles Fox’s departing “24” in theme, a conspiracy thriller where a man discovers a government cover-up when investigating the mysterious death of his fianc e. “Chase” is the drama co-produced by Bruckheimer and Jennifer Johnson, who are behind the “CSI” franchise and “Cold Case.”
“Law & Order: SVU” returns Wednesdays, followed by the new “Law & Order: Los Angeles.” The change in venues is expected to bring a new cast and stories from the New York-based “Law & Order,” but NBC had few details.
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