NBC ready for ‘Super Season’
Network schedules are always subject to change, but NBC has mapped out a complete 52-week program strategy for 2008-09 that will stagger series premieres throughout fall, winter and summer.That way, NBC can take full advantage of its “super season” of events that includes the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Super Bowl XLIII.Here’s a list of shows that will and won’t return to NBC in 2008-09, as well as info on new ones to look forward to in fall, winter and summer.
►Will Return: The Biggest Loser, The Celebrity Apprentice (midseason), Chuck, Dateline, Deal or No Deal, ER, Friday Night Nights (midseason), Heroes, Law & Order (midseason), Law & Order: SVU, Life, Lipstick Jungle, Medium (midseason), My Name Is Earl, The Office, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock.
►Won’t Return: Amne$ia, Bionic Woman, Journeyman, Las Vegas, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, 1 vs. 100, Phenomenon, quarterlife, Scrubs (picked up by ABC), The Singing Bee.
►New Series (descriptions provided by NBC):
America’s Toughest Jobs (summer): This extreme competition series will test 12 people who venture out of their safe, comfortable careers and are injected into some of the most demanding jobs on earth – from logging high in the Oregon Forest to oil drilling on the Texas range.
Chopping Block (summer): Rock-star chef Marco Pierre White comes to America to host this reality competition set in the high-drama, high-stakes world of New York City restaurants. The teams, which are made up of couples, will be tested in challenges that vary from having less than a week to design and revamp a restaurant space to planning a menu and creating a signature dish.
Crusoe: In this new drama based on the “Robinson Crusoe” novel by Daniel Defoe, a young man leaves his true love to embark on an adventure — only to end up shipwrecked on a remote tropical island for 28 years. His desire to return to his wife and his strong and unlikely friendship with Friday are the only things that keep him sane.
Kath & Kim: Molly Shannon (“Saturday Night Live”) stars as Kath Day, a 40-something divorcee who finally has time for herself and her valiant search for love. Selma Blair “Hellboy”) plays Kim, her daughter, who is recently separated from her husband and decides to move back home. It is based on the most successful comedy in Australia of the same name.
Kings (winter): Christopher Egan (“Resident Evil: Extinction”) plays David Shepherd, a young soldier who rescues the king’s (Golden Globe winner Ian McShane, “Deadwood”) son from enemy territory and sets events in motion that will finally bring peace. Suddenly, David is thrust into the limelight, earning the affections of women — including the king’s daughter.
Knight Rider: On the heels of NBC’s hit movie, the iconic 1980s television classic comes roaring back to life as an updated drama series showcasing the new customized KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) Ford Mustang.
The Listener (summer): Craig Olejnik (“The Runaway”) plays a 24-year-old paramedic living with a secret: he can read people’s minds. This telepathic procedural takes viewers into the heart of a tortured hero who struggles to solve crimes with his unique gift.
Merlin (winter): This fantasy series is set in the mythic city of Camelot, but it is inspired by 21st Century storytelling. Before Merlin (Colin Morgan, “Doctor Who”) and Arthur (Bradley James, “Lewis”) became legends, they were ambitious young men looking for adventure, hoping to live up to their family’s expectations, discovering love and finding their own true destiny.
My Own Worst Enemy: Henry Spivey (Christian Slater, “Heathers”) is a middle-class efficiency expert living a humdrum life in the suburbs. Edward Albright is an operative who speaks 13 languages and is trained to kill with his teeth. Henry and Edward are polar opposites who share only one thing in common — the same body.
The Office Spin-Off (winter): The next chapter of what viewers have come to know and love about “The Office,” complete with new faces and new locations, but with the same unique sense of humor.
The Philanthropist (winter): Teddy Rist loves women, money and power. After the tragic death of his only child, Teddy has an awakening and becomes the world’s first vigilante philanthropist — a renegade billionaire who uses his wealth, connections and power to help people in need.
Shark Taggers (summer): This reality series follows daring marine biologists as they track down the ocean’s top predators and hand-tag them with cutting-edge satellite transmitters or investigate bull sharks’ sudden attacks on surfers.
SNL Thursday Night Live: With all of the excitement and attention around “Saturday Night Live” during the presidential primaries, the anticipation for the show’s take on this Fall’s election will be at a fever pitch, “SNL Thursday Night Live” will keep the momentum — and the laughs — going. — Penny TV
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