Nothing Funny About NBC's New Schedule
(Monday, May 17 09:52 AM)
By Daniel Fienberg

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The new network motto at NBC may be "Comedy Doesn't Live Here Anymore." The network's schedule for the fall of 2004 features NBC's lowest number of scripted comedies in decades. In all, NBC has ordered 12 pilots to series, with five going forward in the fall and the rest hovering in the wings as part of the network's efforts to provide fresh programming year-round.

None of last fall's new comedies return for a second season, with the demise of the likes of "Whoopi" and "Happy Family." In fact, the largest change to the NBC schedule is the demise of the Tuesday night 8 p.m. ET comedy block, which has been replaced by a reality wheel, leaving the network with only four scripted comedies for the fall.

"Out of our reality, we've gotten comedy," says Jeff Zucker, now the president of NBC Universal Television. "'Average Joe,' in many respects, has played as a comedy. There are elements of 'The Apprentice,' though highly dramatic, that played as a comedy. I think that there's plenty of laughs to go around."
On Monday nights, "Fear Factor" returns at 8 p.m. ET, where it's followed by "Las Vegas," which has the distinction of being the only returning member of NBC's scripted development season from last fall. The 10 p.m. slot goes to "LAX." The flashy airport drama, which stars Blair Underwood and Heather Locklear, was formerly know as "HUB."

"It's actually a very different show, but I think tonally it matches up real nicely," says NBC Entertainment President Kevin O'Reilly of the similar sounding shows that conclude Monday night.

Instead of beginning Tuesday with comedies, NBC will launch a new season of "Average Joe" at 8 p.m. and when that series completes its season, the network will premiere the highly anticipated boxing reality drama "The Contender" from Mark Burnett. While NBC announced earlier this year that "Average Joe" will reverse the gender roles with a "Plain Jane" season, network executives won't confirm whether that would be the twist in the fall.

"All we're going to say today is that 'Average Joe' will be back and there is a twist and viewers will learn that twist in the fall," Zucker says.

"Father of the Pride," one of NBC's two new comedies, will premiere at 9 p.m. in a later-than-anticipated slot for the animated offering from DreamWorks TV.

"The point is, quite frankly, this is an adult comedy, much on the level of 'Shrek,'" Zucker says. "'Father of the Pride' is made for adults. We think that kids will enjoy the unbelievable animation and seeing it, but really this is an adult comedy, otherwise it wouldn't be on NBC."

"Scrubs" will follow at 9:30 on Tuesdays with "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" returning to its 10 p.m. home.

Wednesdays will start with the "Hawaii," an island-set cop drama starring Michael Biehn, Sharif Atkins and Ivan Sergei. "The West Wing" will stay at 9 p.m., but the political veteran's season will be divided in half, with the limited run drama "Revelations," starring Bill Pullman, stepping into the slot. As always, the night will end with the flagship "Law & Order."

As expected, Matt LeBlanc's "Friends" spinoff "Joey" will anchor Thursday nights. NBC's confidence in the freshman comedy is so great that the network will screen the entire pilot for advertisers on Monday, a step only taken in rare instances, like "The Cosby Show." The rest of the Thursday schedule will remain fairly stable with "Will & Grace" leading into the second season of "The Apprentice," followed by "ER."

"Dateline NBC" remains at 8 p.m. on Friday with "Third Watch" moving up to 9 p.m. in the fall. The 10 p.m. slot goes to "Medical Investigation," a tentatively titled drama featuring Neal McDonough, Kelli Williams and Anna Belknap as doctors with the National Institute of Health.

NBC's weekend is unchanged. Saturday nights will be dedicated to movies and Sunday night will feature the solid foursome of "Dateline," "American Dreams," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Crossing Jordan."

The network has yet to announce plans for the other midseason offerings, beyond promising that they will role out in several waves throughout the year.

No The Office

Originally posted by Ted The Bug
So they are stretching out the Apprentice over a whole season instead of it just being a half-season thing? Oh boy.

• JasonF •

I'm going to miss Happy Family. The scripts weren't always up to snuff, but that was a great cast.

Originally posted by Red Dog
Gi


Not necessarily. I read in another article that NBC will have a inordinate amount of backup programming (The Office being one possibility) in case of trouble. Judging by these offerings and what they have coming back, I expect a lot of trouble for NBC outside of their Law & Order airings.

NBC Loads Up for Mideason
(Monday, May 17 10:42 AM)
By Daniel Fienberg


HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) - - "We all know on some level the midseason shows, more often than not, have been the leftovers," admits NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly.
In an effort to change that perception and as part of its year-round programming initiative, NBC has set aside a roster of seven programs, including six scripted offerings, for midseason. Those series include the latest installment of Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" franchise, the new boxing reality series from Mark Burnett and a trio of comedies led by the domestic adaptation of a British Golden Globe winner.

"What we're trying to do this year is say, 'You know what? Let's go pick up real shows, shows that would traditionally make the fall schedule, let's figure out where we can bring them out.' We have a strategy to the wave of these shows, when they're gonna come on," Reilly says.

Thus far, only two of the new series have assigned seats in NBC's schedule.

"The Contender," from Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Sylvester Stallone, will premiere on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET following the conclusion of the latest installment of "Average Joe." Many critics were quick to note that the slot will likely find the boxing series facing off against the fourth season of FOX's "American Idol." NBC Universal Television President Jeff Zucker insists that Burnett is happy with the move.

"Mark is fully on board and is incredibly excited about the schedule," Zucker says. "With regards to 'American Idol,' we're not gonna role over as we have the past two years. We think that in 'The Contender,' we have the next great unscripted drama."

The network has also set aside Wednesdays at 9 p.m. for the eight-episode apocalyptic drama "Revelations." Emmy winner "The West Wing" will divide its season into two halves, with "Revelations," starring Bill Pullman and Natascha McElhone fighting to prevent Armageddon, airing in the middle. If that drama is successful, it would return.

"'Revelations' is ordered as an eight-episode order now, but it's very much seen in the vein of 'The Lord of Rings,' that we could bring it back with eight additional episodes by the end of the season," Zucker says. "We're already going to order those scripts and be ready for that."

Other dramas looking at midseason are "Law & Order: Trial By Jury," the fourth member of the venerable procedural family, and "Medium" from Glenn Gordon Caron. The former will feature "Law & Order" veteran Jerry Orbach and will follow a weekly trial from the criminal arraignment through to resolution. "Medium," meanwhile, stars Patricia Arquette as a woman who uses her ability to hear the thoughts of the living and the dead, to solve crimes.

On the comedy side, NBC has picked up "The Office" for a six-episode run. Based on the British series that captured two Golden Globes earlier this year, the workplace comedy stars Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer. The network will also have "Crazy for You," starring Josh Cooke and Jennifer Finnigan, and "The Men's Room" with Scott Cohen and John Cho ready to premiere later in the year.

"The two big winners in this are the viewer, who will get original programming all-year-round, and the advertisers, who will know today what they will be buying next summer," Zucker says of the decision to announce the midseason slate as part of the network's upfront presentation to advertisers.

The 10 p.m. slot goes to "Medical Investigation," a tentatively titled drama featuring Neal McDonough, Kelli Williams and Anna Belknap as doctors with the National Institute of Health.

Originally posted by Jadzia
I'll watch this simply because of Neal McDonough ("Boomtown"), but I don't expect it to last long on Friday nights.

Following are program descriptions for NBC's new Fall and mid-season series.

NEW COMEDIES

JOEY -- The still-single Friend strikes out on his own as Emmy nominee Matt LeBlanc reprises his "Friends" role as charming Joey Tribbiani in this spinoff that continues the beloved "Friends" tradition. LeBlanc is backed by the award-winning writers and director who contributed to the unforgettable "Friends" phenomenon. Joey leaves New York for Hollywood in order to take his acting career to the next level. He also says goodbye to a time when his friends were his family and welcomes the chance to turn his family into his friends. After reuniting with his high-strung sister Gina (Drea de Matteo, "The Sopranos"), Joey moves in with Michael (Paulo Costanzo, "Road Trip"), his 20-year-old genius nephew, who unbelievably is literally a rocket scientist. However, what Joey lacks in book smarts he makes up for with people smarts - making him the best new friend his nephew could ask for. Ashley Scott ("Birds of Prey") also stars as Joey's attractive neighbor. "Joey" is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Kevin S. Bright ("Friends") returns as executive producer and director; Shana Goldberg and Scott Silveri (both "Friends") also return as executive producers and writers.

FATHER OF THE PRIDE -- NBC teams with the creative powerhouse studio that brought the world "Shrek," along with some all-star voices, to create a computer-generated-imaging (CGI) series of the highest caliber. Viewers will journey inside the lives of a pride of white lions who perform in the world-famous Siegfried and Roy show and will also explore their lush Las Vegas habitat. The lions are led by zoo-raised Larry (John Goodman, "Roseanne") and his wife Kate (Cheryl Hines, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"), a showbiz veteran. In fact, Kate's father, Sarmoti (Emmy winner Carl Reiner, "The Dick Van Dyke Show"), is a Las Vegas legend who is used to headlining the show. However, when Sarmoti's age begins to catch up with him, he reluctantly passes the crown to Larry -- and sets the Las Vegas "neighborhood" abuzz. Other animals in the mix include a mischievous gopher named Snack (Orlando Jones, "Magnolia"), a karaoke-performing orangutan, and an easily agitated pink flamingo. Oddly enough, their world is a lot like ours - except for the whole talking animals thing. CGI versions of Siegfried & Roy (voiced by Julian Holloway, "Michael Uncle Silas," and Dave Herman, "Office Space) will be featured in the series. Danielle Harris ("Rugrats Gone Wild") and Daryl Sabara, "Spy Kids") also star. "Father of the Pride" will be the first primetime television show with feature film-quality CGI animation. Created by Jeffrey Katzenberg ("Shrek") and developed by Jonathan Groff ("Late Night with Conan O'Brien"), the series is executive-produced by Katzenberg, Groff, Jon Pollack ("Spin City," "Just Shoot Me") and Peter Mehlman ("Seinfeld"). The series is produced by DreamWorks Television and DreamWorks Animation.

NEW DRAMAS

MEDICAL INVESTIGATION - Based on true accounts, these are the stories of the National Institute of Health, America's most elite unit of medical experts. But these doctors don't operate in a hospital. At a moment's notice, they're summoned anywhere in the country, authorized to take over treatment of any case. Each assignment is a life-or-death rescue against time and the leader is Stephen Connor (Neal McDonough, "Boomtown"), a doctor consumed by his job -- with a broken marriage to prove it. Equally passionate Dr. Natalie Durant (Kelli Williams, "The Practice") is the heart and soul of the team. Investigations are complicated by a harried government administrator who consistently pushes Bowman to go by the book, -- which is unlikely to happen. Completing the unit are a chief investigator Troy Winbush ("John Q."), the team's press liaison (Anna Belknap, "The Handler") and a young doctor (Christopher Gorham, "Jake 2.0") new to the team. A saltshaker, a cigarette butt, a flower petal -- anything could be the clue to crack the case. Part cop show, part medical drama - and a great hour of mystery. Michelle Ashford, Bob Cooper and Scott Vila are executive producers for this series from Paramount Network Television and NBC Universal Television. The pilot episode was written by co-executive producer Jason Horwitch and Michelle Ashford.

HAWAII - Hawaii can seduce just about anyone...cops and criminals alike. Murder, drug-running and organized cartels filter through the unique island culture to represent just some of the big-city casework that this big island police force confronts. Where else would cops discover a smoldering torso at the base of an active volcano? The diverse group of cops and detectives may work against a breathtaking backdrop of jungles and seascapes, but they can never take a vacation from the tangle of local and international criminals who constantly cross their paths. It's never a typical crime scene and these are not TV's typical cops - which is exactly what makes "Hawaii" so alluring. Michael Biehn ("Terminator"), Sharif Atkins (NBC's "ER"), Ivan Sergei (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"), Eric Balfour ("Six Feet Under"), Aya Sumika and Cary Tagawa star. Jeff Eastin is the creator and executive producer. Daniel Sackheim ("The Lyons Den") directs. "Hawaii" is from NBC Universal Television.

LAX - Television favorite Heather Locklear ("Spin City") returns to primetime -- full-time -- in this off-beat dramatic series centered in a world unto itself: a major international airport. Security breaches, tearful reunions, illegal immigrants, missing children, runaway animals, drug busts, drunken pilots -- there are countless stories to tell in "LAX." Whether it's the ongoing power struggle between the Airfield Chief (Locklear) and the Terminal Manager (Blair Underwood, "L.A. Law"), the romantic misadventures of the Airline Supervisor Tony (Paul Leyden, "As the World Turns") or the trial-by-fire of a young, naive Immigration Office clerk Nick (David Paetkau, "Final Destination 2"), viewers will be pulled into this unique world. Then there are the passengers, loading, unloading and passing through each episode. Each week will feature their compelling dramas -- from chance encounters between strangers to surprise reunions of long-lost lovers to - "the sky's the limit." Wendy Hoopes ("Daria"), Chad Todhunter ("Party of Five") and Frank John Hughes ("Band of Brothers") also star. "LAX" is from NBC Universal Television. Mark Gordon and writer Nick Thiel are the executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo ("Lucky") directed the pilot.

ADDITIONAL SERIES

LAW & ORDER: TRIAL BY JURY - The television benchmark of crime and justice arrives with the fourth edition of the history-making phenomenon. In many respects, "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" represents the pinnacle of executive producer Dick Wolf's remarkable franchise: it's courtroom justice - pure, but not so simple. The ripped-from-the-headlines stories will be entirely court-based, with a feel of contemporary "Perry Mason" mystery offering trademark twisting toward resolution. The complicated cases will begin with a criminal arraignment and will take viewers through all the twists and turns of a trial. Audiences will see the judges, prosecutors, public defenders and other legal players like never before - inside their chambers and offices, inside their minds and machinations. Stars from other "Law & Order" series may also appear, though the real star will be the stories as they unfold, weaving a fascinating tale of legal drama as only "Law & Order" can. This series is from Wolf Films and NBC Universal Television.

CRAZY FOR YOU -- Welcome to the funny and highly unusual courtship of New Yorkers Nate (Josh Cooke, "Century City") and Marni (Emmy winner Jennifer Finnigan, NBC's "Crossing Jordan"). On the surface, they couldn't appear more different; Nate's the heir apparent to a long line of geniuses whose mental ability has caused them all to go insane. Then there's Marni, an occupational therapist and perpetual optimist, who ponders whether to take one more dip in the city's dating pool. Somehow, they meet and ironically find a connection that could become love. Although he's negative to a fault, she's likewise positive to a fault, so these total opposites may just be made for each other. Now they just have to figure that out if they don't get in the way first. Darius McCrary ("Kingpin"), Tammy Lynn Michaels ("The L Word") and Tom Poston ("Newhart") also star. Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline ("Three Sisters") wrote the pilot and serve as executive producers. Gary Halvorson (NBC's "Friends," "Everybody Loves Raymond") directs the pilot for this series from NBC Universal Television.

THE MEN'S ROOM -- Along a sunlit stretch of Southern California beachfront paradise co-exist the not-always-idyllic lives of next-door neighbors Charlie (Scott Cohen, "The Practice"), Bob (John Cho, "American Pie") and Michael (Eric Lively, "Uprising"). Charlie -- 42 and married for 20 years -- wonders if life, love and those gorgeous, young roller-blading babes are passing him by. At the other end of the generational spectrum, Michael is 22 going on 50-something, trying to be less "responsible" and a lot more "fun." Both men have no clue how to grasp the happiness that eludes them, so they turn to Bob, a 32-year-old budding male guru, in this comedy about guys helping guys be better guys. Suzanne Cryer ("Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place") and Shelly Cole ("Prey for Rock") also star. "The Men's Room" is produced by NBC Universal Television. Danny Zucker is the executive producer and writer. Marc Cendrowksi is the director of the pilot.

MEDIUM - In this drama, Allison Dubois (Patricia Arquette, "Stigmata," "Flirting with Disaster") sees dead people - and in fact, she hears them constantly too. No, she's not crazy, although her husband Joe (Jake Weber, "U-571"), a rocket scientist, thought that was a possibility at first. So did Allison herself, until she realized that her "gift" could not only change fate -- but provide justice for those who no longer had a voice. Don't think Allison is totally comfortable with all of this -- in fact, she's as creeped out as everyone else. Imagine a dead father-in-law popping up unexpectedly at the foot of someone's bed. Plus, there are the jarring slices of disturbing crime scenes that pepper Allison's thoughts, added to her ability to sometimes know exactly what those around her (dead or alive) are thinking. Luckily, Allison has a great sense of humor along with her sixth sense. Even Joe, whose whole career is based on logic and fact, has become a bemused believer. The real challenge is convincing law enforcement agencies around the country that Allison is the real deal. "Medium" is from Picturemaker Productions and Grammnet Productions in association with Paramount Network Television. Glenn Gordon Caron ("Moonlighting") and Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") are executive producers.

REVELATIONS -- Bill Pullman ("Independence Day") stars as a scientist faced with the toughest personal, professional and philosophical challenges of his life. Dr. Richard Massey is searching for reasonable explanations -- to explain signs that seem to indicate the apocalyptic end as foretold in Scriptures is in motion. To save humanity, Massey will have to let go of scientific facts and embrace faith. His first step in his quest to conquer the impending evil is to align himself with a nun (Natascha McElhone, "Solaris") whose devout beliefs are unshakeable. Despite many obstacles, including their own fears and doubts, the two remain determined to prove that Man can regain control of fate. Time is literally running out in their thrilling, fast-paced race around the globe to thwart Armageddon -- and restore hope. Michael Massee ("Se7en"), newcomers Chelsea and Britney Coyle and Tobin Bell ("The Road to El Dorado") also star. "Revelations" is a production of Pariah. Vivian Cannon and Jessika Borsiczky will oversee the project for Pariah. "Revelations" is directed by David Semel (NBC's "American Dreams").

THE OFFICE -- Based on the popular British series of the same name, this faster-paced American version follows the daily interactions of a group of idiosyncratic office employees via a documentary film crew's cameras. Regional manager Michael (Steve Carell, "Bruce Almighty") thinks he's the coolest, funniest, best boss ever - which, of course, makes him the uncoolest, most obnoxious and annoying boss as far as his staff is concerned. His co-worker Jim (John Krasinski, "Kinsey") lusts after engaged receptionist Pam (Jenna Fischer, "Miss Match") when he's not sabotaging his "cube-mate" -- the know-it-all Dwight (Rainn Wilson, "Six Feet Under"). Meanwhile, the entire office is constantly worried about the impending staff cuts. Will there be layoffs? Will there be office romance? Will Michael ever shut up? If it's truly a typical office, then the answers are "maybe," "yes," and "absolutely not." B.J. Novak ("Raising Dad") also stars. Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, Howard Kelin, Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are the executive producers. Ken Kwapis executive-produced and directed the pilot. The series is produced by Reveille in association with NBC Universal Television.

THE CONTENDER - "The Contender" will follow 16 aspiring boxers from training camp through an evolving series of ring challenges and boxing matches over 16 episodes - with the final victor claiming a million dollar prize. The driving force behind the series will be the pursuit of the American dream and the natural trials, tribulations and heartbreak inherent in that quest combined with the drama and tension of the sweet science. The canvas of the show is much broader than boxing - it will give viewers a first hand look into the real life hopes, triumphs and defeats of the contestants. "The Contender" will be a joint production of Mark Burnett Productions, DreamWorks Television and Rogue Marble. Stallone, Burnett and Katzenberg are the executive producers.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY 4 - "For Love or Money 4" - the newest version of last summer's hottest unscripted drama -- returns for a fourth edition. Jordan Murphy ("Boston Public") returns as host of the series, guiding the 16 beautiful female contestants through the numerous twists and turns as they try to win the heart of a handsome and charming bachelor. The upcoming season of "For Love or Money" breaks new ground by introducing an all-new game and a whole new twist. This summer, they women are forced to answer the question "What is the price of love?," since they are each playing for an undisclosed amount between $1 and $1 million. Although the women do not know the value of their checks, their handsome suitor will, leading them all back to the ultimate question . . . who is in it for love and who is in it for money? "For Love or Money" is a production of Nash Entertainment & 3 Ball Productions. Bruce Nash (NBC's "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?," "Mr. Personality") is the executive producer, along with J.D. Roth ("Endurance," "Moolah Beach"), Todd Nelson ("Endurance," "Moolah Beach") and John Foy ("The Martin Short Show").

AVERAGE JOE - The next installment of the NBC smash series "Average Joe" that posed the challenge: Can a drop-dead gorgeous woman actually fall for an ordinary-looking guy? "Average Joe" is from NBC Universal Television; the executive producers are Stuart Krasnow ("Average Joe," "Weakest Link") and Andrew Glassman ("Average Joe").

Originally posted by CrashNBurn69
how long ago was the tracy morgan show cancelled?

THE OFFICE -- Based on the popular British series of the same name, this faster-paced American version

Originally posted by Achtung
Anyways, I'm not sure what "faster-paced" means here, but it already doesn't sound good.