NBC Fall Lineup: James Spader Drama to Follow ‘Voice,’ Michael J. Fox and Sean Hayes to Anchor Thursdays

J.J. Abrams series 'Believe' among shows debuting midseason

NBC will give the coveted Monday timeslot after "The Voice" to the new James Spader drama "The Blacklist" this fall, and will anchor its Thursday comedy block with new sitcoms from returning NBC veterans Michael J. Fox and Sean Hayes.

The network also said it will hold the new J.J. Abrams drama "Believe" until midseason, when it will also premiere the dramas “Crisis” and “Crossbones,” the long-planned John Malkovich pirate series.

Also read: New TV Season Scorecard (So Far)

The announcements come as NBC tries to recover from lower ratings this season — but also as it has surpassed ABC as the third-highest-rated network. It will try to launch new shows — and Jimmy Fallon's takeover of "The Tonight Show" — by targeting Winter Olympics viewers in February. It is also trying to build on the continuing success of "The Voice."

To that end, the post-"Voice" timeslot on Tuesday nights that is currently held by "Grimm" will go this fall to the returning drama "Chicago Fire."

NBC plans another drama block on Wednesdays, when it will air "Revolution," "Law & Order: SVU" and the new series "Ironside," starring Blair Underwood.

Also read: NBC's 'The Blacklist' Trailer Released (Video)

NBC plans family-themed Thursdays with the new comedies “Welcome to the Family,” “Sean Saves the World,” and “The Michael J. Fox Show,” joining the returning "Parks and Recreation" and, in a new timeslot, "Parenthood."

"Grimm" will return to its previous Friday timeslot, and NBC will offer a Friday-night fall horror block by pairing the show with the new limited-run series "Dracula," starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the vampire count. "Crossbones" will take its post-"Grimm" timeslot in the spring.

NBC will continue to fill Sunday nights in the fall with television's highest-rated show, "Sunday Night Football."

See photos: The New Shows of 2013-2014 TV Season

"Believe" and "Crisis" will air on Sunday nights beginning in February, and will get a promotional boost during NBC's coverage of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Their lead-in will be a new reality series hosted by Nate Berkus called "American Dream Builders."

The new comedies “The Family Guide,” and “About A Boy" are also on the schedule for midseason, when they will join "The Voice" on Tuesdays.

The dramas “Chicago PD” and “The Night Shift,” the comedy “Undateable,” and the reality show “Food Fighters” will also premiere in midseason, but do not yet have a place on the schedule, NBC said.

Also Read: NBC Cancels 'Smash,' 'New Normal, and 'Rock Center With Brian Williams'

The announcements came Sunday from NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt, a day before he unveils them to advertisers in New York City.

“The overriding strategy this year was to develop enough strong comedies and dramas to take advantage of the promotional heft of the Winter Olympics and devise two schedules for the upcoming season: one for fall and a slightly different one for midseason. I’m pleased to say that our development groups – headed by Jennifer Salke (scripted) and Paul Telegdy (alternative/reality) – really delivered,” Greenblatt said. “This is the most robust and highest-testing slate of new shows we have had in years.”

Greenblatt continued, “And aside from our Olympics planning, we also wanted to create better flow and compatibility on each night, and deploy our strongest lead-in (‘The Voice’) to maximum effect.  

Here is the NBC 2013-14 schedule.

FALL

(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY


8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”


10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”

TUESDAY


8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)


9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)


10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)

WEDNESDAY


8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)


9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: SVU”


10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE” 

THURSDAY


8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)


8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”


9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD” 


9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”


10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time) 

FRIDAY


8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”


9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”


10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”

SATURDAY


Encore programming 

SUNDAY


7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”


8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football”

MIDSEASON

(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY


8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”


10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”

TUESDAY


8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”


9-9:30 p.m. – “ABOUT A BOY”


9:30-10 p.m. – “THE FAMILY GUIDE”


10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire”

WEDNESDAY


8-9 p.m. – “Revolution”


9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: SVU”


10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE” 

THURSDAY


8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”


8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY” 


9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”


9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”


10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”

FRIDAY


8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC” 


9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”


10-11 p.m. – “CROSSBONES”

SATURDAY


8-10 p.m. – Encore and specials programming


10-11 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live” (Encore) 

SUNDAY


7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”


8-9 p.m. – “AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS”


9-10 p.m. – “BELIEVE”


10-11 p.m. – “CRISIS”

 

Comments