NBC’s 2007-2008 Primetime Schedule Heavy on Sci-Fi
Lowest-Rated Broadcast Network Continues Rebuilding with Imaginative New Dramas
And I like it. Yes, I do, if only because of the four inspired new science-fiction dramas, plus one hot superhero spinoff. But before we get to what’s included, what’s missing from the 2007–2008 schedule that the Peacock Network revealed earlier today at Radio City Music Hall in New York? Well, as predicted, six-year-old medical-crime drama Crossing Jordan, in addition to the majority of the most recent newcomers and midseason replacements: the sitcoms 20 Good Years and Andy Barker, P.I.; the improv comedy Thank God You’re Here; the game show Identity; the reality series Grease: You’re the One I Want and The Real Wedding Crashers; the crime dramas The Black Donnellys, Kidnapped, and Raines; and the drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
What’s new are the sci-fi-infused dramas Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman, and Life, as well as the Heroes spinoff Heroes: Origins; the female-centric dramedy Lipstick Jungle; the sitcom The IT Crowd; the game show The Singing Bee; and the reality series World Moves.
Besides the intact format of NBC’s Thursday Comedy Night Done Right lineup (although 30 Rock will be sandwiched between My Name Is Earl and The Office when the latter moves to 9pm EST), for the first time in nearly three decades, the fall season will notably not include a new sitcom in primetime. Moreover, star Donald Trump and executive producer Mark Burnett ‘s reality series The Apprentice is nowhere in sight. The last detail especially creates a conundrum for viewers—will the show ever air its promised though not officially announced seventh season, or is the end already sealed? Despite my vote for the latter, NBC will likely make a formal announcement about the fate of the show in the future, whether near or distant.
It’s also pretty clear that the network hopes to give ABC a run for the money on Sunday nights come January 2008, when NBC has scheduled two series against ABC’s strong female attractions Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters. The shows, returning supernatural drama Medium and freshman Candace Bushnell-based dramedy Lipstick Jungle, will air at 9pm EST and 10pm EST respectively, directly opposite ABC’s proven Sunday-night hits—that is, if ABC retains the shows in their current time slots when it announces its 2007–2008 schedule later this week.
Finally, how much do I hate the fact that the engaging Texas drama Friday Night Lights has been moved to Friday nights at 10pm EST after barely surviving its first-year ratings slump? A whole lot. Auspicious title aside, not only is Friday a notoriously difficult night on which to attract an audience, especially one comprised of the younger people who are usually beginning their weekend by then and who make up the target viewership for the high school drama, but 10pm is a decidedly un-family friendly start time for a family-oriented drama. I guess one could argue that NBC had to put the show somewhere, and fans should just be happy the network found a place. But how much better would it be if the series aired at 8pm or 9pm at least? Infinitely. Still, I wish Friday Night Lights the best of luck—it will probably need it in the present time slot.
As of today, NBC’s Fall 2007 primetime schedule takes the following shape:
Mondays
- 8pm: Deal or No Deal (RETURNING GAME SHOW)
- 9pm: Heroes (RETURNING SCI-FI DRAMA)
- 10pm: Journeyman (NEW SCI-FI DRAMA)
Tuesdays
- 8pm: The Biggest Loser (RETURNING REALITY SHOW)
- 9pm: Chuck (NEW SCI-FI DRAMA)
- 10pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (RETURNING CRIME DRAMA)
Wednesdays
- 8pm: Deal or No Deal (RETURNING GAME SHOW)
- 9pm: Bionic Woman (NEW SCI-FI DRAMA)
- 10pm: Life (NEW SCI-FI DRAMA)
Thursdays
- 8pm: My Name is Earl (RETURNING COMEDY)
- 8:30pm: 30 Rock (RETURNING COMEDY)
- 9pm: The Office (RETURNING COMEDY)
- 9:30pm: Scrubs (RETURNING COMEDY)
- 10pm: ER (RETURNING MEDICAL DRAMA)
Fridays
- 8pm: 1 vs. 100 (RETURNING GAME SHOW—Six Weeks)/The Singing Bee (NEW GAME SHOW)
- 9pm: Las Vegas (RETURNING DRAMA)
- 10pm: Friday Night Lights (RETURNING DRAMA)
Saturdays
- 8pm: Dateline NBC (RETURNING NEWSMAGAZINE)
- 9pm: Drama Repeat
- 10pm: Drama Repeat
Sundays
- 7pm: Football Night in America (SPORTS SPECIAL)
- 8pm: NBC Sunday Night Football (SPORTS SPECIAL)
Commencing with the January 2008 winter season, following the end of the pro football season, the Sunday-night lineup will change to:
- 7pm: Dateline NBC (RETURNING NEWSMAGAZINE)
- 8pm: Law & Order (RETURNING CRIME DRAMA)
- 9pm: Medium (RETURNING SUPERNATURAL DRAMA)
- 10pm: Lipstick Jungle (NEW DRAMEDY)
Related News: Both ‘Law and Order’ and ‘Law and Order: Criminal Intent’ Live On! | ‘Friday Night Lights’ Is a Go for Season Two | NBC to Debut ‘Heroes’ Spinoff ‘Origins’ | Smart NBC Renews ‘Scrubs’ for a Seventh Season | Supernatural Series ‘Medium’ and ‘Blood Ties’ Join ‘Lost’ in the Renewal Spotlight
All times are EST/Eastern Standard Time
