NBC Unveils Fall Grid

NEW YORK: NBC’s Jeff Gaspin said that the network is going "back to basics" with its 2010-2011 grid, which includes seven new dramas, five new comedies and one reality show.

Gone from the grid are Heroes, Trauma and Law & Order.

Chuck is back for a fourth season on Mondays at 8 p.m., leading into two new hour-long dramas: The Event, a conspiracy thriller, and Jerry Bruckheimer’s The Chase, about U.S. Marshals chasing down fugitives.

The Biggest Loser keeps its Tuesday 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. block as an opener to the returning Parenthood, back for a second season after its strong midseason premiere.

Wednesday nights open with J.J. Abrams new spy drama Undercovers, followed by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the recently announced spin-off, Law & Order: Los Angeles.

Comedies continue to dominate Thursdays, with Community, 30 Rock, The Office and the new pickup, Outsourced. Scheduled for 10 p.m. is the anthology series Love Bites from Cindy Chupack. Returning midseason is Parks and Recreation.

The format-based Who Do You Think You Are is back for a second season, kicking off Friday prime time. In midseason, the new alternative series School Pride, about rebuilding community schools, takes the 8 p.m. slot. Next at 9 p.m. is Dateline NBC, followed by a new courtroom drama, Outlaw, starring Jimmy Smits. On weekends, Saturdays will feature encore programming, while Sundays in the fall will be filled by Sunday Night Football. In March 2011, the competition series Minute to Win It returns at 8 p.m., leading into The Celebrity Apprentice.

Announced as midseason replacements are The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry’s Law, The Paul Reiser Show, a new version of The Apprentice, a second season of The Marriage Ref and the new Magical Elves competition series America’s Next Great Restaurant with Bobby Flay.



"This new schedule brings NBC back to basics with its commitment to quality scripted programming," said Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment.  "Our new shows are distinctive and feature a combination of the biggest talent, the brightest new stars and the strongest auspices in television. With this new schedule, we’re poised to take the next step toward our long-term goals with a lineup that has stabilized and has been building solid momentum through the second half of the season."



"Our team has been working tirelessly to achieve our ambitious goals and we are so pleased to see that these new series demonstrate tremendous upside for NBC," added Angela Bromstad, president of primetime entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.  "We feel that this development season introduces shows that will become part of the great programming legacy of our network."