NBC Slates Heroes Reborn for Thursdays, Moves Comedy to Fridays

NEW YORK: NBC's newly unveiled 2015-16 prime-time schedule features a drama-heavy lineup, including the Heroes revival Heroes Reborn leading off the all-important Thursday night roster.

Mondays will see the return of The Voice in the 8 p.m. hour, giving a lead-in to the new mystery/drama Blindspot from Greg Berlanti.

The Voice also returns to lead the night on Tuesdays, with the new medical drama Heartbreaker getting the 9 p.m. slot immediately following. A new variety show starring Neil Patrick Harris, Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, will be airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. through November. After this, the slot will be taken over by Chicago Fire.

Wednesday nights remain in tact on the NBC lineup, with The Mysteries of Laura, Law & Order: SVU and Chicago P.D. all returning to their same slots.

The highly anticipated Heroes Reborn is leading off the Thursday night lineup this fall at 8 p.m. It will be followed by the return of The Blacklist, with the new Las Vegas-set thriller The Player, starring Wesley Snipes and Philip Winchester, holding down the 10 p.m. slot.

Fridays are where NBC is placing its comedies this time around. Undateable leads at 8 p.m., returning with a twist: every episode will be shot live. This gives way to the freshman series People Are Talking, from executive producer Will Packer (Ride Along). Grimm remains in the 9 p.m. slot on Fridays.

Saturdays are dedicated to Dateline Saturday Night Mystery and classic encores of Saturday Night Live. Sundays are for Football Night in America and Sunday Night Football.

High-profile dramas coming in 2016 include Chicago Med, the newest installment of NBC’s highly successful Chicago franchise from Dick Wolf, and Game of Silence, from CSI veteran Carol Mendelsohn and David Hudgins (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights). Jennifer Lopez stars in Shades of Blue.

Further new highlights include Superstore, led by Ugly Betty's America Ferrera; the one-hour You, Me and the End of the World, starring Rob Lowe, Megan Mullally and Jenna Fischer; Hot & Bothered, featuring Eva Longoria; and the revival of Coach, with Craig T. Nelson returning. Crowded comes from Hot in Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin.

As for alternative fare, Little Big Shots is hosted by Steve Harvey and features extraordinarily talented kids. The show is executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres and Harvey. For event programming, in a deal previously announced, Dolly Parton will be executive producing a selected number of movies, the first of which is Coat of Many Colors, based on her upbringing. NBC has also ordered The Reaper, a miniseries based on the best-selling memoir by Sgt. Nicholas Irving, a decorated African-American sniper who was deployed in Afghanistan for 100 days. This schedule will also see the holiday musical The Wiz Live!

“We’re attacking the new season with the same programming strategy that successfully turned NBC around—a slate of provocative and innovative series and events that cut through the clutter and will continue to build on our momentum,” said Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of NBC Entertainment. “We have several powerful new dramas and attention-getting new comedies, including the return of Undateable, which will be broadcast live every week next season. Live programming is one more way to make a show undeniable.”

“We can’t wait for the fall season and the chance to roll out our lineup of distinctive, innovative new dramas and comedies, scheduled with the kind of lead-in support that will give each of our new shows the optimum chance to find their audiences and deliver on their outstanding potential,” added Jennifer Salke, the president of NBC Entertainment. “The fall lineup gives you only half the story. We truly program on a 52-week basis and are putting virtually the same amount of programming muscle behind our midseason lineup, with some of the most high-profile concepts and biggest names on television joining the schedule starting at midseason and extending throughout the remainder of the broadcast year.”

“Unscripted programming has played a key role in NBC’s two consecutive season-long wins, from The Voice to America’s Got Talent to American Ninja Warrior,” said Paul Telegdy, the president of alternative and late night programming at NBC Entertainment. “We’re excited to build on that momentum with some of the most inventive breakthrough alternative concepts coming in the new season, including First Dates, Little Big Shots and Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, featuring one of America’s most phenomenal performing talents hosting the U.S. adaptation of a smash-hit British series.”

Said Ralph Oakley, the president andCEO of Quincy Newspapers, Inc., and chair of the NBC Affiliate Board, commented, “We are happy with NBC’s finish as the number one network in prime time this broadcast season are enthusiastic about the potential of the newly unveiled schedule and shows next year.”