NBC Upfront: Fall 2009

[Pavan]

Fall schedule to be announced during upfront week. (SEE BELOW)

Here is the "infront" announcement:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/20...k-ups-wgn.html

New Series Include Four Dramas: "Trauma," "Parenthood," "Mercy" and the Event Series "Day One" as Well as Two Comedies: "Community" and "100 Questions"

Returning Series Pickups Include "Heroes," "Southland," "Parks and Recreation" and Six New Episodes of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday"


NEW YORK CITY - May 4, 2009 - NBC unveiled today a strong lineup of broad and diverse quality programming for the 2009-2010 television season announcing the pickups of six new series featuring four new dramas including "Trauma," "Parenthood," "Mercy" and the event series "Day One," as well as two new comedies including "Community" and "100 Questions." Four returning series pickups were also announced today including "Heroes," "Southland," "Parks and Recreation" and the addition of six new episodes of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" skewering today's top stories in live half-hour primetime shows.

The new and returning series will launch next season and the epic event series "Day One" is slated to premiere out of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.


"The Jay Leno Show" will be broadcast Monday-Fridays, 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in the fall. Previously announced series pickups include "The Office," "30 Rock," "The Biggest Loser," "The Celebrity Apprentice," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Friday Night Lights," and new alternative series "The Marriage Ref," "Breakthrough With Tony Robbins" and "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Additional series pickups will be announced May 19, when NBC announces its 2009-2010 schedule.

NBC unveiled pickups for the upcoming broadcast season in the first of a series of presentations today and tomorrow to key advertisers from Studio 8H--the home of NBC's "Saturday Night Live"--at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Presentations will continue in Chicago on May 7 and Los Angeles on May 12.

"We are thrilled to be announcing such an awesome slate of new series that build on our existing quality brand and deliver emotional, human stories," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC will strive to make viewers feel and our shows represent the full range of human emotion from laughter to tears. We can't wait to share these concepts with our audience and our advertising partners."

"These new series will showcase fresh talent and bold, original concepts that are extremely well executed," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "We are grateful to the producers, casts and crews -- and our team -- who have delivered incredibly compelling and entertaining new series."

In response to an evolving media marketplace and the changing needs of advertisers, NBC has created a more innovative, client-centric approach to its traditional Upfront with a series of one-on-one client presentations, which began today in New York City. These presentations are interactive and, unlike other networks' Upfront presentations, will include a Q & A with advertisers and NBC sales and entertainment executives.

NBC will also host advertisers and affiliates at a "Night of Comedy" featuring appearances by some of its biggest comedy stars including Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Rainn Wilson and Tracy Morgan on Tuesday, May 19 in New York City.

Detailed new series descriptions are listed below.


2009-2010 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New Dramas

PARENTHOOD
From the executive producers of the box-office hit "Parenthood" -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.

TRAUMA
Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.

MERCY
"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.

DAY ONE
From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.



New Comedies

100 QUESTIONS (fka "100 Questions for Charlotte Payne")
Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") - who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.

COMMUNITY
From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.


















Shared Time Period Strategy Around NBC's Broadcast of 2010 Winter Olympics Along with Jay Leno at 10 p.m. Enables Network to Broadcast Original Programming Year-Round

Network Renews Returning Series "Law & Order" and "Chuck"


NEW YORK - May 19, 2009 – NBC announced today its 2009-2010 schedule featuring more original programming than ever before and a shared time-period strategy around NBC's Olympics platform that, along with "The Jay Leno Show" (Mondays-Fridays 10-11 p.m. ET), allows the network to broadcast all-new content year-round.

In addition, NBC issued renewals to "Law & Order" and "Chuck" (see accompanying release) as part of its strong slate of new and returning shows announced recently at the network's highly successful Infront.

"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m.," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "We're incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, 'Community' and 'Parenthood.' We can't wait for the fall."

"We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC's schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."

NBC's shared time period strategy will kick off this fall on Mondays with the premiere of "Heroes" (8-9 p.m. ET) continuing with all originals before "Chuck" assumes the time period after the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which will be a powerful launching platform with its broad, female appeal and strong ratings as the most-watched event of the year. Using "NBC Sunday Night Football's" potent promotional platform, the new high-octane drama "Trauma" will debut Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) with the epic event series "Day One" taking over the time period following the Olympics.

NBC's successful "The Biggest Loser" series continues Tuesdays (8-10 p.m.) and will help launch the new Wednesday lineup this fall, with the new family drama "Parenthood" debuting (8-9 p.m. ET) and the new hospital drama "Mercy" assuming the time period post-Olympics. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will air 9-10 p.m. ET following "Parenthood."

NBC's Thursday marquee comedy night will begin with the only live comedy between 8-10 p.m. on any network, "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" (8-8:30 p.m. ET), followed by "Parks and Recreation" (8:30-9 p.m. ET), "The Office" (9-9:30 p.m. ET) and the new comedy "Community" (9:30-10 p.m. ET). After "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" completes its multi-week run, "Community" will move to 8 p.m. and "30 Rock" will debut at 9:30 p.m., enabling NBC to feature more original comedy than ever before.

On Fridays in the fall, the enduring drama "Law & Order" will return for its record 20th season (tying "Gunsmoke" as the longest running drama series in primetime) and will lead off at 8-9 p.m. (ET) while "Southland" follows at 9-10 p.m. (ET), building a great crime block.

Saturdays will be a showcase for "Dateline NBC" (8-9 p.m. ET) and encore episodes of "Trauma" (9-10 p.m. ET) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10-11 p.m. ET).

"Football Night in America" (7-8:20 p.m. ET) and " NBC Sunday Night Football" (8:20-11 p.m. ET) – the number one show of the fall -- will return on Sundays in the fall with a fan-pleasing schedule of games to round out the fall season.

Utilizing the compatible demographics provided by the Olympics, NBC will launch the premieres of "The Marriage Ref" from executive producers Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Rakieten ("Oprah") on Sundays (8-9 p.m. ET) and the third season premiere of "The Celebrity Apprentice" on Sundays with two-hour editions (9-11 p.m. ET). In addition, the new comedy "100 Questions" will debut on Tuesdays (9:30-10 p.m. ET) following a 90-minute edition of "The Biggest Loser" (8-9:30 p.m. ET).

And coming in the summer 2010, NBC will telecast all original episodes of "The Jay Leno Show," "Friday Night Lights," "America's Got Talent," "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins," "Dateline NBC," with additional programs to be announced later.


To catch up on season finales, watch new "Heroes" and "The Office" web series, and more, please log onto NBC.com.


NBC FALL 2009 SCHEDULE
*New programs in UPPER CASE

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Heroes"
9-10 p.m.—"TRAUMA"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. – "The Biggest Loser" (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – "PARENTHOOD"
9-10 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. – "SNL WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY" (multi-episode run)
8:30-9 p.m. – "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. – "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. – "COMMUNITY" (moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. after multi-episode run "30 Rock" returns)
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. – "TRAUMA" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC MID-SEASON 2010 SCHEDULE
(2010 WINTER OLYMPICS preempt regularly scheduled programming from February 12-28, 2010)

*New programs in UPPER CASE

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Chuck" (season premiere)
9-10 p.m.—"DAY ONE"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

TUESDAY
8-9:30 p.m. – "The Biggest Loser" (90-minute edition)
9:30-10 p.m. – "100 QUESTIONS"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – "MERCY"
9-10 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. – "COMMUNITY"
8:30-9 p.m. – "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. – "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. – "30 Rock"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland"
10-11 p.m. – "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. – "Southland" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. – "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. – "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. – THE MARRIAGE REF
9-11 p.m. – "The Celebrity Apprentice" (season premiere; two-hour edition)

[Brian Damage]

Community sounds promising, but eh to these shows.

[Pavan]

Blog story: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/20...k-ups-wgn.html

Let's keep try to keep it quiet here until a schedule is released.

[robyrob]

seriously, if Chuck isn't in their plans for the fall they should just throw in the towel.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by robyrob

seriously, if Chuck isn't in their plans for the fall they should just throw in the towel.

Agreed

[clj2]

Bah.

If Chuck doesn't come back I won't be watching. They can go away (along with The CW) for all I care.

[JulieSomoski]

Having an Infront makes no sense to me at all. I guess renewals like Medium and Chuck aren't ready to be made yet . . .

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by JulieSomoski

Having an Infront makes no sense to me at all. I guess renewals like Medium and Chuck aren't ready to be made yet . . .

I don't get the point of it either. NBC is a total mess.

Chuck doesn't deserve to come back and I really don't see space for it with Leno taking up 5 hours a week and all the new shows.

Anyway, saw clips of the shows and I thought the best were Parenthood and Mercy. Community was okay, Trauma looked like a movie and very expensive that I'm not sure will work(reminds me of Southland which is failing even though it's renewed), and 100 Questions was dreadful.

[clj2]

Originally Posted by JulieSomoski

Having an Infront makes no sense to me at all. I guess renewals like Medium and Chuck aren't ready to be made yet . . .

I agree. NBC is one screwed up network.

I would imagine shows like Medium and Chuck are expensive to produce compared to some of the others. I don't get the point in renewing Southland either, the ratings aren't good at all.

[yankeesrj12]

Are both of the comedies single camera?

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by yankeesrj12

Are both of the comedies single camera?

100 Questions is multi-camera, but a bad one at that. Have you seen the previews? They're terrible.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by Brent88

I don't get the point of it either. NBC is a total mess.

Chuck doesn't deserve to come back and I really don't see space for it with Leno taking up 5 hours a week and all the new shows.

Anyway, saw clips of the shows and I thought the best were Parenthood and Mercy. Community was okay, Trauma looked like a movie and very expensive that I'm not sure will work(reminds me of Southland which is failing even though it's renewed), and 100 Questions was dreadful.

Chuck really doesn't deserve to be renewed, in all honesty. But, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see it return. Seems like NBC is going to want to stock up on extra shows of Leno ends up failing. They could get it out by January and get the 10pm hour back to shoes like Medium and Law & Order.

I really don't see where Chuck would even go if renewed. It really won't have a spot on the schedule to air. At best I could see it airing Sundays, maybe even Saturdays.

[Clint Eastwood Fan]

Originally Posted by robyrob

seriously, if Chuck isn't in their plans for the fall they should just throw in the towel.

I agree. NBC is just a joke of a network anyway. I can't believe they're giving 5 hours a week to Jay Leno. They should have kept him on the Tonight Show if they didn't want to lose him.

[Clint Eastwood Fan]

Originally Posted by JulieSomoski

Having an Infront makes no sense to me at all. I guess renewals like Medium and Chuck aren't ready to be made yet . . .

NBC is stupid. They didn't give out a schedule. They didn't announce all of the renewals. What was the point.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

NBC is stupid. They didn't give out a schedule. They didn't announce all of the renewals. What was the point.

I guess the point was to get advertisers more involved. But, I don't get that, either. The real reason: NBC thinks they're the most important networks, and wanted to getout their early pickups first. They are a stupid network