Skip to main content

UPFRONTS 2015: What NBC Will Do

Check back all week for schedule predictions and updates on pilot pickups, renewals, and cancellations!

Last week, I suggested what each network should do. This week begins my predictions... what I think each network's schedule will look like. First up, NBC!

Past NBC Predictions: 2014   2013   2012   2011

Check out my Suggestion for NBC

MONDAYS
8:00 The Voice
10:00 THE PLAYER (formerly Endgame)
I suggested NBC should put the new Wesley Snipes drama here and I think that's they will do. Other contenders for this slot could be Shades of Blue, Blindspot, or maybe Heartbreaker. But I think The Player sounds like the biggest thriller and NBC will want that for this slot to recapture some of the magic The Blacklist had here at one point.

TUESDAYS
8:00 The Voice
9:00 TELENOVELA
9:30 SUPERSTORE
10:00 Chicago Fire
Despite failed attempts this season, I think NBC will try comedies again at 9pm Tuesday after The Voice because I don't think they'll think there's another place for them. They seem pretty high on the Eva Longoria vehicle Telenovela, which has already gotten picked up to series so I think it will get the post-Voice slot. The 9;30pm could really be anything but I'm going to take a stab and guess it'll be Superstore. I don't see any reason why they'd move Chicago Fire.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00 THE CURSE OF THE FUENTES WOMEN
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
10:00 Chicago PD
I think Wednesday at 8pm is one of the biggest toss-ups for NBC, but something tells me they'll try to go lighthearted here as they did with The Mysteries of Laura. The only lighthearted drama they have in development is The Curse of the Fuentes Women so I think that has a chance here. My suggestion of Heroes: Reborn here wouldn't be a big surprise either. I think the 9pm & 10pm hours will stay in tact.

THURSDAYS
8:00 HEROES: REBORN
9:00 The Blacklist
10:00 HEARTBREAKER
Thursdays obviously need yet another revamp. I think NBC is going to blame The Blacklist's failures on Thursdays as a result of not having anything around it with quick failures from The Slap and Allegiance. So I see them trying to give it a promising lead-in and launching the Heroes reboot at 8pm. I think they'll try to air a 10pm drama as well and I'm going to guess it'll be the recently picked up Heartbreaker. If that doesn't work, this could be eyed by NBC as a slot for Chicago Med at midseason.

FRIDAYS
8:00 The Mysteries of Laura
9:00 Grimm
10:00 Dateline NBC
NBC could go ahead and cancel all their newbies but I think The Mysteries of Laura will get a mercy renewal and a chance to air on Friday nights. I wouldn't be surprised to see it only picked up for 13 episodes (if it gets picked up at all). I think Grimm goes back to 9pm.

SATURDAYS
8:00 Encores

SUNDAYS
7:00 Football Night in America
8:30 Sunday Night Football
Of course. It'll be interesting to see what they try on Sundays at midseason as that has been a constant problem for them.

MIDSEASON: BLINDSPOT, CHICAGO MED, COACH, EMERALD CITY, SHADES OF BLUE, STRANGE CALLS, UNTITLED NEIL PATRICK HARRIS VARIETY, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Apprentice, The Sing Off, Undateable
I think NBC will pick up a lot of shows considering this year's disaster and the fact that they already have eight picked up. I think Coach and Undateable will pair together at some point. I already talked about Chicago Med while Blindspot or Shades of Blue could be a back-up if The Player doesn't work. They also could be Sunday contenders along with the Neil Patrick Harris variety show. Emerald City might get pushed to summer. Others can fill in where needed.

CANCELLED/ENDED: A to Z, About a Boy, Allegiance, American Odyssey, Bad Judge, Constantine, Marry Me, The Night Shift, One Big Happy, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, The Slap, State of Affairs

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2017-18 Miscellaneous Awards

As usual, I am ending the season with a few miscellaneous awards. The blog will be quiet this summer but I will continue to do the week ahead posts with broadcast TV news as it happens this summer. Then I'll be back for previews, pilot reviews, and more in the fall! BEST RETURNING COMEDY Superstore (NBC) - Superstore was awarded my "Best Returning Comedy" last year, but it only got better in season three. The funniest ensemble on TV took another step forward with some truly hilarious moments (the season premiere, the Golden Globes party, and the Christmas episode to name a few) and some major plot points moving forward. It also has the potential to be surprisingly sentimental at times. I think back to the first year of the show and how I felt like it had so many funny elements but didn't always bring it completely together. Well now it does on a weekly basis and it is one of those shows that just seems to be in the sweet spot of what will hopefully be a long run. ...

EPISODE GUIDES: Happy Days Season Five (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show by season. Today I am looking at Season 5 (Part 1) of  Happy Days ! HAPPY DAYS: SEASON FIVE 1977-1978 27 episodes Season Five is the year where Fonzie infamously jumps the shark. It happens at the beginning of the season and while  Happy Days  does eventually decline in quality, it is not this season. In fact, this season graded out slightly higher than the previous season even though it doesn't feel as strong. I think that's because there's not a lot of outright stinkers in this season. It's a very solid season with the show continuing to hum along. There are some signs of the troubles to come but it doesn't happen on a regular basis in the fifth season. Starring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham  (27 episodes) Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli  (27 episodes) Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham  (27 episodes) Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham  (27 episodes) Anson Williams as Potsie Webber  ...

EPISODE GUIDES: That 70s Show Season Seven

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Seven of  That 70s Show ! THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON SEVEN 2004-2005 25 episodes The seventh season of  That 70s Show  is the final season with Topher Grace as a series regular and also the final full season for Ashton Kutcher. Despite still having both of those cast member, the show finds itself flailing especially with Topher Grace's Eric, who is stuck in a terrible arc for most of the season. The show also brings many characters back at one point or another but everything just feels tired. This season actually graded out the worst for me. Even worse than the often maligned final season (more on that next week). Every title this season is named for a Rolling Stones song. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (25 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (25 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (25 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (25 e...