NBC Unveils 2009-2010 Schedule

NEW YORK: After announcing its new pickups at its Infront presentation earlier this month, NBC unveiled its fall and midseason grids today, as well as formally renewed Law & Order for a record 20th season.

The network presented two grids, for pre- and post- its coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics (from February 12-28), as part of its "shared time-period strategy." Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said in announcing the schedules: "NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with The Jay Leno Show at 10 p.m. We’re incredibly excited about our new and returning series and have more comedy programming than anyone else, as well as two of the most buzzed about new shows, Community and Parenthood. We can’t wait for the fall."

Angela Bromstad, the president of primetime entertainment at NBC and Universal Media Studios, added: "We are extremely proud to introduce these strong new series to NBC’s schedule next season in strategic timeslots that position them for success. They join some of the highest quality returning shows on television, which will serve as a strong foundation to the new schedule. I think viewers are going to be happy to see this lineup of great new shows that will truly fit the NBC legacy of quality, culturally defining shows."

In the fall, Heroes kicks off Monday prime-time at 8 p.m., leading into the new medical drama Trauma at 9 p.m. After the Olympics, Chuck comes back to the 8 p.m. slot, while 9 p.m. will be handed over to the new series Day One, which tells the story of life on Earth following a global catastrophe.

Tuesdays in the fall will have a two-hour edition of The Biggest Loser. When the show returns after the Olympics, it will become a 90-minute edition, with the half-hour comedy 100 Questions scheduled for 9:30 p.m.

On Wednesdays, Law & Order: SVU moves up to 9 p.m., with the new series Parenthood, based on the feature film of the same name, as its lead-in. In midseason, the 8 p.m. slot will be handed over to Mercy, a medical drama from the point of view of nurses.

Thursdays remain devoted to comedy, kicking off with SNL Weekend Update Thursday, followed by the returning Parks and Recreation and The Office, while the new series Community sits in the 9:30 p.m. slot. Community moves to 8 p.m. after the Winter Olympics, with the 9:30 p.m. slot going back to 30 Rock.

Law & Order heads to Fridays at 8 p.m. Also heading to Friday nights is the new John Wells cop drama Southland, which had been airing in ER‘s former slot, Thursdays at 10 p.m. The Jay Leno Show fills 10 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

On Saturdays, Dateline NBC leads into encore broadcasts of Trauma (and then Southland in midseason) and Law & Order: SVU. Sundays in the fall are home to football, while in March the network will launch The Marriage Ref, a new alternative series, followed by the return of The Celebrity Apprentice from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.