NBC's The Event, debuting Sept. 20.
Most of the big-network fall schedules are out, and the big news is what’s old about them. I’m referring not to the shows themselves but to the schedules.
Over the last decade or so, the networks have tried to become more creative with their fall schedule launches, moving away from the old “premiere week” strategy in which most everything launched the third week in September, with the official beginning of the Nielsen season. Networks launched shows in August, in October and later, either to schedule around events like the World Series or to put a spotlight on some new series, and avoid the pileup that comes from everything launching the same week.
Well, NBC, Fox and ABC have announced their schedules and… almost everything’s launching the same week. If doing everything in a week was good enough for the Lord God, it’s good enough for television! (CBS has not announced its dates—unless I missed it while on vacation—but they’ve always kept to the traditional premiere-week schedule, so I assume that will stay the same this year too.) The exception is The CW—if they’re big enough to count—which will as usual launch its shows early.
I’m not sure it’s a great idea media-attention-wise, but the big nets have decided there’s safety in running with the pack. Following is NBC’s schedule, which just came out: follow the links for fall schedules from ABC, Fox–as well as, as a bonus, FX:
NBC ANNOUNCES SERIES PREMIERE DATES FOR FALL 2010 SCHEDULE
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – July 15, 2010 – NBC announced today the premiere dates of its new Fall 2010-11 primetime schedule. Beginning the week of September 20, the premiere week schedule features the debuts of the network’s highly anticipated new series – including “The Event,” “Chase,” “Undercovers,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Outsourced,” “Outlaw” and “School Pride.” This schedule will be adjusted to accommodate specials and holiday programming.
In addition, NBC again launches the NFL season with NFL Kickoff on Thursday, September 9 at 8 p.m. ET when the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings in a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game. “Sunday Night Football” and “Football Night in America” officially debut on Sunday, September 12 when the Washington Redskins host the Dallas Cowboys in one of sports’ most storied rivalries.
Following are the premiere dates for NBC’s Fall 2010 primetime schedule (all times ET):
Monday, September 20
8-9 p.m. CHUCK
9-10 p.m. THE EVENT
10-11 p.m. CHASETuesday, September 21
8-10 p.m. THE BIGGEST LOSER
10-11 p.m. PARENTHOODWednesday, September 22
8-9 p.m. UNDERCOVERS
9-10 p.m. LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
10-11 p.m. LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELESThursday, September 23
8-8:30 p.m. COMMUNITY
8:30-9 p.m. 30 ROCK
9-9:30 p.m. THE OFFICE
9:30-10 p.m. OUTSOURCED
10-11 p.m. THE APPRENTICEFriday, September 24
8-9 p.m. SCHOOL PRIDE
9-10 p.m. DATELINE
10-11 p.m. OUTLAWSaturday, September 25
8-9 p.m. LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES (Repeat)
9-10 p.m. CHASE (Repeat)
10-11 p.m. LAW & ORDER: SVU (Repeat)Thursday, September 9
8-11:30 p.m. NFL KICKOFF – Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans SaintsSunday, September 12 (regular day and time)
7-8:15 p.m. FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA
8:15-11:30 p.m. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins