NBC Upfront/General News and Discussion: 2024-25

[Pavan]

Blog story: https://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2024/...-schedule.html

THREE NEW SERIES, BREAKOUT COMEDIES AND FAN-FAVORITE DRAMAS
ANCHOR NBC’S FALL LINEUP BOOSTED BY LIVE TENTPOLE SPECIALS

Zachary Quinto-Led Drama “Brilliant Minds” and Comedy “St. Denis Medical” Join the Fall Lineup Along with More Laughs from Reba McEntire in the New Multi-cam “Happy’s Place”

“Saturday Night Live” Celebrates Iconic 50th Anniversary with Weekend Culminating in Live Three-Hour Special on Feb. 16

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Headline Behind-the-Scenes Special

“Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked” on Nov. 25

Tom Hanks-Narrated Event Series “The Americas” Debuts Feb. 23 with Special Two-Hour Premiere

New Unscripted Competition “Destination X” and Procedural Thriller “The Hunting Party” Set for Midseason

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- May 10, 2024 -- NBC unveils its 2024 fall schedule highlighting fan-favorite franchise dramas, two nights of laughs, huge unscripted hits and the biggest and best live specials and holiday programming.

Three new series are set to premiere in the fall: Drama “Brilliant Minds,” starring Zachary Quinto and inspired by the true story of the revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist Oliver Wolf and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier "the human mind" while also grappling with th their own relationships and mental health; “St. Denis Medical,” which stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman and David Alan Grier, and is from co-creators Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin, brings the laughs with a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity; and Reba McEntire returns to comedy with multi-camera “Happy’s Place,” in which her character inherits her father’s bar and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had.

All new series will stream next day on Peacock along with the rest of NBC’s entertainment lineup.

For the 2023-24 season to date, NBC has four of the top 10 new shows among the key 18-49 demo, more than any other network. Other highlights include the #1 entertainment program “Saturday Night Live,” the #1 most-watched unscripted program “The Voice,” the #1 returning drama “Chicago P.D.,” the #1 new fall drama “Found,” the #1 entertainment telecast of 2023 “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” and the #1 most-watched summer series “America’s Got Talent.”

NBC’s 2024/25 Schedule Highlights:

MONDAY: #1 most-watched alternative series “The Voice” leads off premiere week for its 26th cycle at 8 p.m., setting the stage for the debut of true life-inspired medical drama “Brilliant Minds,” starring Zachary Quinto, at 10 p.m.

TUESDAY: Laughs lead off the evening with the premiere of mockumentary “St. Denis Medical” at 8 p.m., followed by the return of hit comedy “Night Court” at 8:30 p.m. “The Voice” takes the stage at 9 p.m. followed by the highly anticipated second season of new hit drama “The Irrational.”

WEDNESDAY: Television’s #1 drama franchise returns with the #OneChicago lineup kicking off at 8 p.m. with “Chicago Med,” continuing with “Chicago Fire” and concluding with #1 broadcast drama “Chicago P.D.”

THURSDAY: Network television’s top-rated Thursday starts with the flagship “Law & Order” at 8 p.m. followed by the record-extending 26th season of “Law & Order: SVU.” The night concludes with the return of #1 new fall drama “Found,” starring Shanola Hampton.

FRIDAY: Reba McEntire kicks off a new comedy hour at 8 p.m. with the debut of “Happy’s Place,” leading into the return of fan-favorite “Lopez vs. Lopez,” followed by hit newsmagazine “Dateline NBC” from 9-11 p.m.

SATURDAY: “Big Ten Saturday Night” is back in primetime as an expanded conference of storied college programs vie for dominance.

SUNDAY: #1 primetime television show for a record 13 consecutive years, “NBC Sunday Night Football” will broadcast 20 regular-season games throughout the NFL season.

SPECIALS / HOLIDAYS

The 2024 “People’s Choice Country Awards” will once again air live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Thursday, Sept. 26 across NBC and Peacock.

Last year, NBC’s holiday programming reached more than 100 million people across the NBCU portfolio on the strength of an unrivaled lineup of dynamic live events, specials and beloved holiday classics. The festivities continue this season, highlighted by “Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked,” a special behind-the-scenes celebration of Universal Pictures’ upcoming feature film, led by superstars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and the all-star cast of “Wicked” on Nov. 25.

For the second year in a row, NBC comes to the Opry, now featuring a new master of ceremonies with “Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry,” a festive two-hour music special from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Join country music superstar group Little Big Town and friends for the holiday celebration of the year featuring performances and surprise special guests at the world-famous stage.

These lineup additions join annual favorites “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” with returning host Kelly Clarkson, “The National Dog Show” and “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” which reached a record-setting 40 million viewers as the #1 entertainment telecast of 2023. NBC will also return to Miami for an epic New Year’s Eve celebration.

MIDSEASON

The network’s highly anticipated, 10-part tentpole event series “The Americas” arrives on Feb. 23 with a special two-hour premiere. Narrated by actor, producer, and writer Tom Hanks with music by two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer, the natural history series is five years in the making and filled with extraordinary new discoveries. It marks the first time North America and South America, home to the largest variety of life on the planet, are at the center of a wildlife documentary series. The series features many iconic locations in the United States, which viewers and their families will instantly recognize, but experience like they’ve never seen before.

Also arriving in 2025 are two new pulse-pounding shows: reality competition series “Destination X,” which combines a spectacular adventure with immersive gameplay and the ultimate guessing game, and procedural drama “The Hunting Party” starring Melissa Roxburgh (“Manifest”), which will see a team of investigators attempt to capture the country’s most dangerous killers. “Deal or No Deal Island” returns a new set of contestants to the Banker’s private island for season two.

“Saturday Night Live” will mark its milestone 50th anniversary with a celebratory weekend culminating in a live primetime special on Sunday, Feb. 16 from 8-11 p.m. ET.

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As part of NBC’s rolling development cycle, the following projects have been picked up to pilot with decisions yet to be made on series pickup: Dramas “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” from Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs (“Good Girls”) and “Suits: L.A.” from the world of hit legal drama “Suits” and original creator Aaron Korsh. With NBC’s 52-week scheduling strategy, these pilots if picked up to series could air lateater in the 2024-25 season or roll over to the 2025-26 season.

Up-to-date photography can be found at http://www.nbcumv.com.

NBC FALL 2024-25 SCHEDULE

(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8-10 P.M. The Voice
10-11 P.M. BRILLIANT MINDS

TUESDAY

8-8:30 P.M. ST. DENIS MEDICAL
8:30-9 P.M. Night Court
9-10 P.M. The Voice
10-11 P.M. The Irrational

WEDNESDAY

8-9 P.M. Chicago Med
9-10 P.M. Chicago Fire
10-11 P.M. Chicago P.D.

THURSDAY

8-9 P.M. Law &; Order
9-10 P.M. Law & Order: SVU
10-11 P.M. Found

FRIDAY
8-8:30 P.M. HAPPY’S PLACE
8:30-9 P.M. Lopez vs. Lopez
9-11 P.M Dateline NBC

SATURDAY

7-7:30 P.M. ET Big Ten Pregame / Notre Dame Pregame (also live on PPeacock)
7:30-11 P.M. ET Big Ten Saturdaay Night / Notre Dame Football (also live on Peacock)

SUNDAY

7-8:20 P.M. ET Football NNight in America (also live on Peacock)
8:20-11 P.M. ET NBC Sunday Night Football (also livve on Peacock)

NEW COMEDY SERIES

“HAPPY’S PLACE”
Bobbi (Reba McEntire) inherits her father’s bar and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had. (Multi-cam)

The series stars Reba McEntire, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and Rex Linn.

Writer Kevin Abbott executive produces with Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, Julie Abbott and Reba McEntire.

“Happy’s Place” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

“ST. DENIS MEDICAL”

A mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.

The cast includes Wendi McClendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper and Kahyun Kim.

Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin will write and executive produce. Simon Heuer also executive produces with director Ruben Fleisher (pilot only).

Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, produces in association with Spitzer Holding Company.

NEW DRAMA SERIES

“BRILLIANT MINDS”

Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks, “Brilliant Minds” follows a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier "the human mind" while grapplinging with their own relationships and mental health.

The cast includes Zachary Quinto, Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears and Donna Murphy.

Michael Grassi serves as writer and executive producer. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Melissa Aouate, Henrik Bastin, Andy Serkis, Jonathan Cavendish and Will Tennant also executive produce.

Berlanti Productions, Fabel Entertainment, The Imaginarium, Grassi Productions and Tavala produce in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

“THE HUNTING PARTY”

A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist.

The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh. JJ Bailey and Jake Coburn will write and executive produce.

Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce.

NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES

“THE AMERICAS”

From BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the creators of the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning “Planet Earth” and “Blue Planet,” in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, comes the epic 10-part tentpole event series “The Americas.”

Marking the first time acclaimed actor, producer and writer Tom Hanks will narrate an unscripted entertainment series, “The Americas” will also feature music by two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer. This incomparable project will employ revolutionary filmmaking technology that will showcase the wonders, secrets and fragilities of the Americas Earth’s largest landmass and the only one to stretch between both poles and reveal extraordinary, untold wildlife stories that deeply connect with millions around the world.

“The Americas” is executive produced by renowned Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning wildlife producer Mike Gunton (“Life,” “Planet Earth II,” and “Dynasties”) for BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the world’s largest production unit dedicated to wildlife filmmaking, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.

“DESTINATION X”

Merging fantasy with reality in this larger-than-life adventure competition series, viewers will follow contestants as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime but have no idea of their location. In order to win, they must figure out their mystery locations. Once they're on the blacked-out Destination X bus, the journey transforms into a real-life game board, with challenges designed to offer clever clues as to their location, along with a few misdirects to keep them guessing.

At the end of each episode, the contestant who places an X on a map furthest from the actual location packs their bags. The first participant to reach Destination X will be crowned the winner. With high stakes and mind-blowing, spectacular gameplay, the series will keep viewers engaged and playing along on all screens.

Caroline Davies, Andy Cadman Dan Adamson and David Clews will executive produce. Shireen Abbott and Karen Hudson will oversee production.

Twofour and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce.

NEW SPECIALS 

“DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CURTAIN RISES ON WICKED”

In celebration of the generation-defining, cinematic event of the year, international superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead an all-star cast in a journey through a dazzling new vision of Oz, created for Universal Pictures’ “Wicked.” As they unveil some of the most spectacular sets ever created for film, “Wicked” stars Erivo and Grande are joined by Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey and more to host this thrilling behind-the-scenes special, sharing their personal memories, intimate video diaries and secrets of the making of “Wicked,” culminating in the debut of a world-exclusive scene from the film.

Andrew Smith will executive produce. Monkey Kingdom will produce.

[icecream]

With Law and Order: Organized Crime moving to Peacock, I think Found will move to Thursdays at 10:00 following SVU.

[blueberrymuffin]

Originally Posted by icecream

With Law and Order: Organized Crime moving to Peacock, I think Found will move to Thursdays at 10:00 following SVU.

Wow, they're moving it to streaming only?

They really want to kill TV.

[icecream]

Happy's Place should have been switched with St. Denis Medical. Go away mockumentaries! I am looking forward to The Hunting Party, too bad it won't be until midseason. Maybe that will give Melissa Roxburgh time to guest star on more Tracker episodes.

[TMC]

NBC reveals a "very stable" fall schedule

Here is NBC's “very stable schedule” for fall, as NBCU's SVP Content Planning Steve Kern described it, followed by analysis with input from ...

[James28]

Originally Posted by icecream

Happy's Place should have been switched with St. Denis Medical. Go away mockumentaries!

Yeah, I could never get into the mockumentary stuff myself, CatsRule, or any single-camera stuff, for that matter. Only mockumentary shows I've ever watched in my lifetime is a couple of full episodes each of The Office, Modern Family, and Abbott Elementary.

Who here thinks Happy's Place and St. Denis Medical should swap nights at midseason? And I've never been sure of scheduling freshman shows in an anchor slot, and veteran shows in a hammock slot leading out of that freshman show. Night Court 2023 being demoted to an X:30 hammock slot sounds like a burial for it, or perhaps any veteran show.

[icecream]

Fall premiere dates. Happy's Place could not premiere on a worse week, I doubt I will be able to watch it live then.

https://tvline.com/news/nbc-fall-pre...re-1235278898/

[James28]

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Will Scale Back to Four Nights of Originals Per Week Going Forward, Dropping Fridays

https://deadline.com/2024/09/the-ton...ls-1236080351/

[icecream]

For the first time since Simon Cowell became a judge, I did not watch America's Got Talent at all this season. I didn't miss it either, too much junk or so-so acts anymore.

[icecream]

My dad thought Found was a sequel to Lost.

[icecream]

NBC will be encoring the Happy's Place pilot which premieres Friday the 18th on Tuesday the 22nd. It will lead off the night pushing The Voice back a half hour to 8:30 for a 90 minute episode. Tuesdays at 8:00 is where Happy's Place should have been scheduled in the first place instead of mockumentary crap St. Denis Medical. However, Tuesdays are such a loaded night for me with Suits on My Network TV, FBI, and a bunch more. HP's only good competition on Fridays is S.W.A.T., which will be moving to 10:00 once Blue Bloods is over.

[icecream]

I think NBC was going to pull tomorrow's new episode of Happy's Place if the World Series had gone to a game 6. There were no ads for it during The Irrational Tuesday night. A lot more Happy's Place ads tonight after the clinching game from Wednesday was over.

[icecream]

Manifest's Melissa Roxburgh is returning to her former prime Mondays at 10:00 slot following The Voice. The Hunting Party premieres February 3 after Brilliant Minds finishes. Suits: LA will air Sundays at 9:00 starting February 23. Grosse Pointe Garden Society which sounds like a flop will air Sundays at 10:00 following Suits: LA. I like that there are no midseason new sitcom premieres, that should increase Happy's Place chance of renewal. Too bad it went down last week because of lousy good for nothing boxing.

https://tvline.com/news/chicago-fire...le-1235379127/

[icecream]

NBC ordered 5 additional episodes of Happy's Place, increasing its season 1 total from 13 to 18. It is NOT a full season like so many try to claim now. Shame on the rich networks who can afford it being so cheap they often refuse to order a standard 22 episodes anymore. I had thought NBC might be better than CBS since I heard Found will have a full 22.

[icecream]

St. Denis Medical had a strong premiere, but audiences must have hated what they saw. It fell over 24% in the demo for week 2. I just saw the ratings but knew something was up when there were no St. Denis ads during Found.