We are now a week away from the start of upfronts! Last week, I suggested what each of the big four networks SHOULD do. This week, I am making my official predictions on what I think they will do. I of course expect to be wrong in several areas but this is my best guess. I am starting with NBC. If you want to look back, here is what I suggested NBC should do. As I mentioned last week, NBC has lots of promising drama pilots and they need some to hit as they have had another terrible year (though the ratings for The Voice have helped with the sting a bit).
MONDAY
8:00 Parenthood
9:00 Harry's Law
10:00 PLAYBOY
Mondays need to be revamped as the only show that worked all season was Harry's Law. It's tempting to leave it at 10pm and maybe they should but I think this will slide it up to 9pm to lead into Playboy, which is clearly a 10pm show. I think this may be the year they move Parenthood after almost doing it at midseason. Maybe the young-skewing Parenthood and (likely) Playboy will rub off on Harry's Law, which does well in total viewers.
TUESDAY
8:00 The Biggest Loser
10:00 SMASH
I think NBC should shrink The Biggest Loser to an hour but something tells me they won't. Although some have said Smash will go Thursday at 10, I see it going here. The Biggest Loser is one of the most reliable lead-ins and Smash could be more competitive than Parenthood in this slot.
WEDNESDAY
8:00 WONDER WOMAN
9:00 PRIME SUSPECT
10:00 Law & Order: SVU
NBC needs to remake 8-10pm on Wednesdays and I say they will do it with two self-starters. Wonder Woman can lead off a night and could be successful or a colossal flop. Prime Suspect is also getting a lot of buzz and could be paired with the reliable veteran Law & Order: SVU.
THURSDAY
8:00 BENT
8:30 Community
9:00 The Office
9:30 Parks and Recreation
10:00 ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT'S ME CHELSEA
10:30 30 Rock
I really think NBC will stick with three hours of comedy on Thursdays and not try a new sitcom block yet on another night (maybe midseason). Community is doing nothing at 8pm so maybe NBC will launch a new show in that half hour and surround the suddently vulnerable The Office with existing shows. At 10pm, I think they may pair Chelsea Handler's new show with 30 Rock, which did not experience much of a drop in moving to the 10pm hour though it remains low overall.
FRIDAY
8:00 Minute to Win It
9:00 Who Do You Think You Are?
10:00 Dateline NBC
After trying Outlaw here this past season, I think NBC will stick with unscripted. Minute to Win It would be a cheap 8pm option while Who Do You Think You Are? could survive in the 9pm hour. I could also see NBC going with two hours of Dateline and holding off Who Do You Think until midseason.
SATURDAY
8:00 Encores
I don't see NBC trying scripted programming on Saturdays.
SUNDAY
7:00 Football Night in America
8:00 Sunday Night Football
NBC better hope football is here in the fall. If not, they've lost their most powerful entity.
MIDSEASON: The Sing Off, The Voice, Celebrity Apprentice, America's Got Talent, AWAKE (formerly REM), METRO, A MANN'S WORLD, UNTITLED KARI LIZER, UNTITLED WHITNEY CUMMINGS, UNTITLED EMILY SPIVEY
I see NBC picking up many shows with 3 dramas and 3 comedies waiting in the wings as the only other midseason pickups being their reality franchises. The Sing Off could be another adequate December filler. It wouldn't be surprising to see The Voice get a second season launch out of the Super Bowl. Celebrity Apprentice could come back to Sundays if Donald Trump doesn't run for president while America's Got Talent will likely be a summer show again. It's too hard to pick where the new shows may go but I wouldn't be surprised to see the two new multicamera shows (Kari Lizer and Whitney Cummings) go on another night. They could be joined by Chelsea Handler's show and 30 Rock if NBC doesn't stick to three hours of comedy on Thursdays.
CANCELLED: Chuck, The Event, Chase, The Cape, Law & Order: LA, Outsourced, Perfect Couples, School Pride, America's Next Great Restaurant, Undercovers, Outlaw, Friday Night Lights, The Paul Reiser Show
These all need to go and I think they will. The only ones I could see NBC picking up from this list are Chuck and Law & Order: LA but hopefully they realize that they need to cut their ties.
MONDAY
8:00 Parenthood
9:00 Harry's Law
10:00 PLAYBOY
Mondays need to be revamped as the only show that worked all season was Harry's Law. It's tempting to leave it at 10pm and maybe they should but I think this will slide it up to 9pm to lead into Playboy, which is clearly a 10pm show. I think this may be the year they move Parenthood after almost doing it at midseason. Maybe the young-skewing Parenthood and (likely) Playboy will rub off on Harry's Law, which does well in total viewers.
TUESDAY
8:00 The Biggest Loser
10:00 SMASH
I think NBC should shrink The Biggest Loser to an hour but something tells me they won't. Although some have said Smash will go Thursday at 10, I see it going here. The Biggest Loser is one of the most reliable lead-ins and Smash could be more competitive than Parenthood in this slot.
WEDNESDAY
8:00 WONDER WOMAN
9:00 PRIME SUSPECT
10:00 Law & Order: SVU
NBC needs to remake 8-10pm on Wednesdays and I say they will do it with two self-starters. Wonder Woman can lead off a night and could be successful or a colossal flop. Prime Suspect is also getting a lot of buzz and could be paired with the reliable veteran Law & Order: SVU.
THURSDAY
8:00 BENT
8:30 Community
9:00 The Office
9:30 Parks and Recreation
10:00 ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT'S ME CHELSEA
10:30 30 Rock
I really think NBC will stick with three hours of comedy on Thursdays and not try a new sitcom block yet on another night (maybe midseason). Community is doing nothing at 8pm so maybe NBC will launch a new show in that half hour and surround the suddently vulnerable The Office with existing shows. At 10pm, I think they may pair Chelsea Handler's new show with 30 Rock, which did not experience much of a drop in moving to the 10pm hour though it remains low overall.
FRIDAY
8:00 Minute to Win It
9:00 Who Do You Think You Are?
10:00 Dateline NBC
After trying Outlaw here this past season, I think NBC will stick with unscripted. Minute to Win It would be a cheap 8pm option while Who Do You Think You Are? could survive in the 9pm hour. I could also see NBC going with two hours of Dateline and holding off Who Do You Think until midseason.
SATURDAY
8:00 Encores
I don't see NBC trying scripted programming on Saturdays.
SUNDAY
7:00 Football Night in America
8:00 Sunday Night Football
NBC better hope football is here in the fall. If not, they've lost their most powerful entity.
MIDSEASON: The Sing Off, The Voice, Celebrity Apprentice, America's Got Talent, AWAKE (formerly REM), METRO, A MANN'S WORLD, UNTITLED KARI LIZER, UNTITLED WHITNEY CUMMINGS, UNTITLED EMILY SPIVEY
I see NBC picking up many shows with 3 dramas and 3 comedies waiting in the wings as the only other midseason pickups being their reality franchises. The Sing Off could be another adequate December filler. It wouldn't be surprising to see The Voice get a second season launch out of the Super Bowl. Celebrity Apprentice could come back to Sundays if Donald Trump doesn't run for president while America's Got Talent will likely be a summer show again. It's too hard to pick where the new shows may go but I wouldn't be surprised to see the two new multicamera shows (Kari Lizer and Whitney Cummings) go on another night. They could be joined by Chelsea Handler's show and 30 Rock if NBC doesn't stick to three hours of comedy on Thursdays.
CANCELLED: Chuck, The Event, Chase, The Cape, Law & Order: LA, Outsourced, Perfect Couples, School Pride, America's Next Great Restaurant, Undercovers, Outlaw, Friday Night Lights, The Paul Reiser Show
These all need to go and I think they will. The only ones I could see NBC picking up from this list are Chuck and Law & Order: LA but hopefully they realize that they need to cut their ties.
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