• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, December 4, 2007

Networks never really like to brand themselves seven days a week -- but one day might do.

Any number of marketing themes might work: "Wondering Wednesdays," "Thumping Thursdays," or "Suck-up Saturdays." It's hard to get viewers to commit fully every night of the week to a network.

But one night? Maybe.

In that regard, NBC has been trying to recreate "Must-See TV," which really was all about Thursday night lures --"Cosby" and "Cheers" in the '80s to "Seinfeld" and "Friends" in the '90s.

Now NBC looks to recreate that ticket with a bunch of reality TV shows from the producer of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" and History Channel's "The Ice Road Truckers," Thom Beers. NBC has committed to a three-show series in a three-hour block of time (though it has the option of breaking it up -- just running a two-hour block, holding back the other hour as a replacement.)

It seems BermanBraun, the production company that brought NBC the project, chose the right approach. In an increasingly tough video marketplace, one that needs more and varied marketing support for TV shows, having one night branded can provide an instant platform to retain viewership with similarly themed programming. Cable networks work a lot this way.

Of course the big difference is cost for NBC. Those reality/documentary shows come a lot cheaper (some $500,000 an episode versus $1 million). Not surprisingly, it is NBC Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman that wants to take a shot at this, reality/documentary/spectacle programming that has a special place in his heart.

Thinking ice-themed shows: White-Out Wednesdays? Frosty Fridays?

It doesn't make a difference what you call it. In what will become a post-writers'-strike world, NBC is looking at different models -- which also salute its past.

Brand the night, keep costs low and maybe find yourself a real-life, truck-driving "Seinfeld" character: Newman!