NBC: Shows Will Share Time Slots

NBC's TraumaNBC is moving to what TV advertisers have already been expecting from networks in recent years -- shared time slots for shows during the season.

As part of its upfront scheduling announcement, NBC says a number of shows will share time slots, with one show running in the fall and another running in the same time period midseason.

On Mondays, for example, "Heroes" at 9 p.m. will start off in the fall, to be replaced by "Chuck" next spring. New shows "Parenthood" (fall) and hospital drama "Mercy" (spring) will share Wednesdays at 8 p.m. And new action dramas "Trauma" (fall) and "Day One" (spring) will split the Monday 9 p.m. time period.

Much of the shared time-slot format was accelerated for NBC with the disruption of the 2010 Winter Olympics games, scheduled for the last two weeks in February. That's when there will be pre-emptions of regularly scheduled prime-time shows.

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NBC also said it is making some significant changes to its Thursday night lineup. "My Name is Earl" is no longer on the schedule, replaced by "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" for a limited-run half-hour run starting in the fall. "Weekend Update" special shows earned strong ratings for NBC a year ago.

Also for the night, new comedy "Community" will get the 9:30 p.m. slot, looking for a major boost behind the network's top-rated "The Office." Returning in midseason in the 9:30 p.m. time slot will be "30 Rock." "Community" will then move to 8 p.m.

In regard to NBC's move of "Leno" to 10 p.m. every night, Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios, assured in a press release: "NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season, even with "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m."

Somewhat surprising was the return of "Law & Order" to the fall lineup Fridays at 8 p.m. (It was generally believed the longtime show would come back midseason.)

In launching "Trauma," NBC will use its big "NBC Sunday Night Football" as a promotional platform to drive highly desired male viewers to the new action drama.

Separately, "Chuck" -- which will make a return in midseason -- has signed on Subway as a major multiplatform advertiser that will get significant integration into the show, as well as traditional advertising tie-ins.

For some weeks now, TV critics and fans waged an online and Twitter "Save Chuck" campaign supported by Subway.

NBC Prime Time -- Fall 2009

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Heroes"
9-10 p.m. - "Trauma"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Parenthood"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m.- "The Jay Leno Show"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "SNL Weekend Update Thursday" (multi-episode run) 8:30-9 p.m.
"Parks and Recreation" 9-9:30 p.m.
"The Office" 9:30-10 p.m.
"Community" (moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. after multi-episode run "30 Rock" returns)
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Trauma" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7- 8:20 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8:20-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC Midseason 2010 Schedule

(After 2010 Winter Olympics, February 12-28, 2010)

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Chuck" (season premiere)
9-10 p.m. - "Day One"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

TUESDAY
8-9:30 p.m. "The Biggest Loser" (90-minute edition)
9:30-10 p.m. "100 Questions"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Mercy"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. "Community"
8:30-9 p.m. "Parks and Recreation"
9- 9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. "30 Rock"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland"
10-11 p.m. - "The Jay Leno Show"

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "The Marriage Ref"
9-11 p.m. - "The Celebrity Apprentice" (season premiere; two-hour edition)

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