NBC unveiled its fall schedule today, more than a month later than they typically would. They have decided to go the CBS route instead of the NBC route. That is to say they are not "coronavirus-proofing" their schedule the way that FOX and the CW have. They are instead gambling that they can get back into production sometime this summer and have programming ready for fall. To be clear, fall does not necessarily mean the third week of September but it does appear that NBC thinks they can get shows on sometime before January. That might be reasonable given the green light in California to resume filming although many hurdles remain. Like all networks, NBC has a very conservative plan especially with new shows as none of their pilots have completed filming.
MONDAYS
8:00 The Voice (19th edition)
10:00 Manifest (3rd season)
Perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries of the shutdown and lack of pilots was Manifest. Not only did it get renewed for a third season but it actually gets to return to the Monday 10pm slot in the fall (if it can resume production). This is back to where it started when it was hot out of the gate in Fall 2018. It did okay when it returned in January to the slot but it's never going to get back to where it was. The Voice is coming off an interesting spring. It got a major bounce once everything shut down and people were home but then it had to go to remote shows and the ratings plummeted. I'm sure they'll plan some sort of remote edition if they can't film in person but that would probably not be good for its ratings considering how this past edition ended.
TUESDAYS
8:00 The Voice (19th edition)
9:00 This is Us (5th season)
10:00 New Amsterdam (3rd season)
Tuesday nights are status quo with The Voice being a full time Tuesday entry at least to start followed by This is Us and New Amsterdam. This is Us cast member Jon Huertas made some headlines when he said they didn't expect to be back in production until 2021. He walked back those statements but it's certainly a possibility especially with a show that hops timelines and can't incorporate coronavirus into all their plots. On the other hand, New Amsterdam is probably well equipped to incorporate the guidelines into its premise. Both This is Us and New Amsterdam are renewed beyond next season (This is Us for one more and New Amsterdam for two more past next season).
WEDNESDAYS
8:00 Chicago Med (6th season)
9:00 Chicago Fire (9th season)
10:00 Chicago PD (8th season)
#OneChicago Wednesdays continues after another strong season. This is top to bottom broadcast TV's strongest night of scripted programming. With the Chicago shows actually filming in Chicago, they will be under different guidelines that shows filmed in California or New York. If current trends hold, that could help them get back to production sooner but you never know.
THURSDAYS
8:00 Superstore (6th season)
8:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (8th season)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (22nd season)
10:00 LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME
The only new show on NBC's fall schedule is the Law & Order: SVU spinoff focused on Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler. Meloni departed SVU in 2011 but now will reprise the character in a new show. As a result, SVU will move to 9pm to let Organized Crime take over the 10pm slot and the comedy block is cut to one hour with Superstore and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Brooklyn has been held for midseason the past couple years and probably would have been again if not for the coronavirus but will instead air in the fall. All of these shows seem poised to address either the coronavirus (the comedy hour) or policing (Brooklyn and the L&O shows) so this is a night that might have a lot of commentary on the world in 2020.
FRIDAYS
8:00 The Blacklist (8th season)
9:00 Dateline NBC (30th season)
Friday nights are staying put like so many other nights with The Blacklist leading into Dateline NBC. If things get back to normal by next year (and even if they don't), I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being the final season for The Blacklist.
SATURDAYS
8:00 Dateline Mystery
10:00 SNL Encores
SUNDAYS
7:00 Football Night in America (15th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football
NBC is betting that they will have football for the fall. I think that's a pretty safe bet at this point although fans in the stands seems much more questionable. Either way, having football would help them get through the early part of the season if other shows are not ready to return.
MIDSEASON: KENAN, MR. MAYOR, SMALL FORTUNE, THAT'S MY JAM, TRUE STORY, YOUNG ROCK, Good Girls, Making It, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Midseason offerings include a few scripted series that got straight to series orders: the long delayed Kenan, the Ted Danson comedy Mr. Mayor and the Dwayne Johnson vehicle Young Rock. That coupled with some unscripted series, some returning series and perhaps some yet to be picked up pilots could make for a busy spring.
CANCELLED/ENDED: Blindspot, Bluff City Law, The Good Place, Indebted, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, Perfect Harmony, Sunnyside, Will & Grace
TBD: Council of Dads
NBC has not made a call on Council of Dads, currently airing on Thursdays, but its chances are not good.
MONDAYS
8:00 The Voice (19th edition)
10:00 Manifest (3rd season)
Perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries of the shutdown and lack of pilots was Manifest. Not only did it get renewed for a third season but it actually gets to return to the Monday 10pm slot in the fall (if it can resume production). This is back to where it started when it was hot out of the gate in Fall 2018. It did okay when it returned in January to the slot but it's never going to get back to where it was. The Voice is coming off an interesting spring. It got a major bounce once everything shut down and people were home but then it had to go to remote shows and the ratings plummeted. I'm sure they'll plan some sort of remote edition if they can't film in person but that would probably not be good for its ratings considering how this past edition ended.
TUESDAYS
8:00 The Voice (19th edition)
9:00 This is Us (5th season)
10:00 New Amsterdam (3rd season)
Tuesday nights are status quo with The Voice being a full time Tuesday entry at least to start followed by This is Us and New Amsterdam. This is Us cast member Jon Huertas made some headlines when he said they didn't expect to be back in production until 2021. He walked back those statements but it's certainly a possibility especially with a show that hops timelines and can't incorporate coronavirus into all their plots. On the other hand, New Amsterdam is probably well equipped to incorporate the guidelines into its premise. Both This is Us and New Amsterdam are renewed beyond next season (This is Us for one more and New Amsterdam for two more past next season).
WEDNESDAYS
8:00 Chicago Med (6th season)
9:00 Chicago Fire (9th season)
10:00 Chicago PD (8th season)
#OneChicago Wednesdays continues after another strong season. This is top to bottom broadcast TV's strongest night of scripted programming. With the Chicago shows actually filming in Chicago, they will be under different guidelines that shows filmed in California or New York. If current trends hold, that could help them get back to production sooner but you never know.
THURSDAYS
8:00 Superstore (6th season)
8:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (8th season)
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (22nd season)
10:00 LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME
The only new show on NBC's fall schedule is the Law & Order: SVU spinoff focused on Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler. Meloni departed SVU in 2011 but now will reprise the character in a new show. As a result, SVU will move to 9pm to let Organized Crime take over the 10pm slot and the comedy block is cut to one hour with Superstore and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Brooklyn has been held for midseason the past couple years and probably would have been again if not for the coronavirus but will instead air in the fall. All of these shows seem poised to address either the coronavirus (the comedy hour) or policing (Brooklyn and the L&O shows) so this is a night that might have a lot of commentary on the world in 2020.
FRIDAYS
8:00 The Blacklist (8th season)
9:00 Dateline NBC (30th season)
Friday nights are staying put like so many other nights with The Blacklist leading into Dateline NBC. If things get back to normal by next year (and even if they don't), I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being the final season for The Blacklist.
SATURDAYS
8:00 Dateline Mystery
10:00 SNL Encores
SUNDAYS
7:00 Football Night in America (15th season)
8:30 Sunday Night Football
NBC is betting that they will have football for the fall. I think that's a pretty safe bet at this point although fans in the stands seems much more questionable. Either way, having football would help them get through the early part of the season if other shows are not ready to return.
MIDSEASON: KENAN, MR. MAYOR, SMALL FORTUNE, THAT'S MY JAM, TRUE STORY, YOUNG ROCK, Good Girls, Making It, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Midseason offerings include a few scripted series that got straight to series orders: the long delayed Kenan, the Ted Danson comedy Mr. Mayor and the Dwayne Johnson vehicle Young Rock. That coupled with some unscripted series, some returning series and perhaps some yet to be picked up pilots could make for a busy spring.
CANCELLED/ENDED: Blindspot, Bluff City Law, The Good Place, Indebted, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, Perfect Harmony, Sunnyside, Will & Grace
TBD: Council of Dads
NBC has not made a call on Council of Dads, currently airing on Thursdays, but its chances are not good.
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