• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 16, 2006

After making a commitment at mid-season to return to a comedy-based Thursday night, a struggling NBC is reversing course. The network will debut a new drama at 9 p.m.--the Aaron Sorkin-produced "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"--this fall, and will further shake things up by alternating staple "E.R." with another new drama at 10 p.m.

Acknowledging that 12-year-old "E.R." is losing oomph, NBC will begin the new season with 13 original episodes of the medical drama--then replace it with new crime drama "The Black Donnellys" for a 13-episode run--before it returns with new episodes through the end of the season.

In January, NBC yanked "The Apprentice" from Thursday night in order to return to its traditional 8 to 10 p.m. comedy block, but the network continues to trail CBS on television's most lucrative night.

First-year hit "My Name is Earl" will lead the night off, starting in September, followed by "The Office" for the sole comedy hour.

NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said the new strategy was the result of a combination of the network's optimism for the new dramas and an industry-wide difficulty in finding comedy hits. "Comedy is a challenged genre," he said, adding that "it felt vulnerable to go with a four-comedy strategy right now."

Overall, fourth-place NBC--which saw ratings further decline this season--has slotted four new dramas and two new comedies as part of the new schedule unveiled Monday that will be sold to advertisers in the upfront.

Reilly said the general tack is to go with established shows at 8, followed by new ones at 9 and established programming again at 10. He called it "a 9 o'clock tentpole strategy."

The early-week schedule is designed to capitalize on the addition of "Sunday Night Football" to the lineup.

Game-show hit "Deal or No Deal" will return Monday at 8, followed by new sci-fi drama "Heroes" leading into "Medium," which returns at 10.

On Tuesday, "Friday Night Lights"--a drama revolving around a Texas high school football team--leads off Tuesdays, followed by new drama "Kidnapped" and returning hit "Law & Order: SVU" at 10.

"Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights" will have an appeal among young men, and will benefit from promotion during football, Reilly said.

Wednesday begins with the return of "The Biggest Loser," followed by two new comedies, "20 Good Years" and "30 Rock"--a show starring "Saturday Night Live"'s Tina Fey that, like drama "Studio 60," focuses on the behind-the-scenes workings of a television show--with "Law & Order" back at 10. Reilly said the crime drama will get an infusion from cast changes, and "Dick Wolf is going to reinvigorate it again."

On Friday--a night that networks have deemphasized in recent years but that NBC has said it's committed to upgrading--there will be three returning shows: a second weekly "Deal or No Deal," followed by "Las Vegas"--which Reilly said has changes coming--and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" on a new night and time at 10. "Criminal Intent" is being replaced on Sundays by football.

When the football season ends, NBC will launch a reality-based Sunday night with Simon Cowell's competition "America's Got Talent" at 8 and the return of "The Apprentice--now slotted for only one rotation a season--at 9. New drama "Raines" is scheduled for 10.

Mid-season replacement options include returnees "Scrubs" and "Crossing Jordan."

Reilly said NBC--which annually unveils its new schedule before its competitors--may alter its lineup based on what the competition announces this week.

Although Reilly was bullish on the new shows, NBC is returning only one first-year program--the comedy "Earl"--that it launched last fall.

Not returning are the mid-season Dick Wolf drama "Conviction" and "Fear Factor," which will finish its run this summer.

The full September schedule is as follows:

*New programs in capital letters.

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "HEROES"
10-11 p.m. "Medium"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS"
9-10 p.m. "KIDNAPPED"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-9:30 p.m. "20 GOOD YEARS"
9:30-10 p.m. "30 ROCK"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl" (new time)
8:30-9 p.m. "The Office" (new time)
9-10 p.m. "STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP"
10-11 p.m. "ER"/("THE BLACK DONNELLYS" in January 2007)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (new day and time)

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline Saturday"
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. "FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA"
8-11 p.m. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL