TV Patrol: NBC’s New Fall Line-Up

New show news!

Warning: As with every TV season, these programs are subject to change at the discretion of the network after the first airing of each show, due to poor or non-existent ratings.

NBC, promising to “reinvigorate us with a line-up of appointment television”, has given us six new comedies and also six new dramas. Chairman Bob Greenblatt proclaims that the new line-up combines schedule stability with strategic changes that position the network for future growth. What? Ok, I think that means just what I said in the first place. They are prepared to change everything at a moment’s notice.

The Voice, NBC’s #1 show right now, will return mid-season to Monday night at 8pm and serve as a lead-in for its new mid-season musical drama series Smash, at 10pm. Also starting at mid-season, NBC promises 30 Rock will have a run of uninterrupted originals (as if that’s a major accomplishment). Other new series scheduled for mid-season are the drama, Awake and three comedies, Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea, Best Friends Forever, and Bent.

With so many new shows not airing till mid-season, you must be asking, WTF? What about the NEW Fall Line-Up? Exactly what I was asking! Well they have plenty left for us to mock. More drama than comedy. Drama includes Prime Suspect, The Playboy Club, The Firm, and Grimm. Comedies are Up all Night, Whitney, and Free Agents. Remember football is NBC’s strong point in the fall.

The returning shows include the dramas Parenthood (yah), Law & Order: SVU, and Harry’s Law. Chuck will return for it’s 5th and final season for 13 episodes. The returning sitcoms are Community, Parks and Recreation, and The Office. Reality shows are still 2 hours and they are Biggest Loser, The Sing-Off, and Celebrity Apprentice. Last, but not least, ratings winner, NBC Sunday Night Football with Dateline returning after football season.

Here’s what it will look like:

Monday:

8-10pm: The Sing-Off

10pm: The Playboy Club (new drama) Set in the 60′s, it’s NBC’s take on Mad Men, but add a Hef character and the mob. Oh and don’t forget the bunnies!

Mid-season:

8-10pm: The Voice

10pm: Smash (new drama) Debra Messing and Christian Borle play a song writing duo trying to get a musical play about Marilyn Monroe on Broadway.

Tuesday:

8-10pm: The Biggest Loser

10pm: Parenthood

Wednesday:

8-8:30pm: Up All Night (new sitcom) Christina Applegate and Will Arnett try to raise a baby.

8:30-9pm: Free Agents (new sitcom) Stars Hank Azaria (Moe from “The Simpsons) and stolen from a UK sitcom of the same name.

9-10pm: Harry’s Law

10pm: Law & Order: SVU

Thursday:

8-8:30pm: Community

8:30-9pm: Parks and Recreation

9-9:30pm: The Office

9;30-10pm: Whitney (new sitcom) A couple in love who don’t want to get married. Hilarious! Why do I think of Whitney Houston every time I see this title? Don’t you?

10pm: Prime Suspect (new drama) Another UK rip-off. Stars Maria Bello as a tough female detective in a male-dominated police force in New York City.

Friday:

8-9pm: Chuck

9-10pm: Grimm (new drama) Homicide detective Grimm finds out he is a descendant of the Brothers Grimm, an elite group of hunters, who fight to keep the balance of humanity safe from the supernatural creatures of the world.

10pm: Dateline

Saturday:

“REPEATS”

Sunday:

7-8:15pm: Football Night in America

8:15-11:30pm: NBC Sunday Night Football

MId-season

7-8pm: Dateline NBC

8-10pm: Celebrity Apprentice

10pm: The Firm (new drama) If you’ve seen the movie of the same name, then you’ve got the idea.

The other four new shows don’t have time slots yet. They may be replacements sooner than you think. You never know in the TV world. Here’s a really quick description of them.

Best Friends Forever (new sitcom) I’m sure it will be shortened to BFF soon, right? Two BFF’s move back in together leaving the new boyfriend, who’s also just moved in, feeling like he’ll be spending alot of time alone in the bathroom.

Bent (new sitcom) I wasn’t sure what the title meant. It means  “bent, not broken”, that is where it comes from. I thought it meant “get bent!” Basically it’s a romantic comedy where opposites attract when these two people meet who hate each other. I think my meaning is more suitable.

Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea (new sitcom) Longest and dumbest title since !@#$ My Dad Says. It stars Laura Prepon (Donna from “That 70′s show) and is based on Chelsea Handler’s book of the same title. Ensemble cast of twenty-something smart-asses carrying on like idiots. This one all depends on chemistry.

Awake (new drama) A detective returns to consciousness after a family car accident to find his wife dead but his son has survived, but in another reality, his son has died but his wife is alive. Thus he begins to live in parallel worlds to keep them both alive, returning to police work and solving crimes in both worlds with the help of two different partners.

Well, what do you think? Anything interesting? Me personally, I’m liking Awake and Up All Night. I’m also thrilled that Parenthood is back for another season and I don’t know why.