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NBC Heats Up Summer Lineup to Give O’Brien a Lift

Mar 12, 2009  •  Post A Comment

NBC is frontloading its summer schedule, packing June with a bevy of scripted and unscripted series as part of a bid to help boost Conan O’Brien’s premiere month as host of “The Tonight Show.”
The network’s just-announced summer schedule includes the long-delayed bows of scripted series “The Philanthropist,” “The Listener” and “Merlin,” as well as two miniseries and at least two new reality shows. “America’s Got Talent” remains an anchor for NBC on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
In the most direct bid to help Mr. O’Brien, NBC will hold back the season finales of three shows until the week of June 1. “Medium” (June 1), “Law & Order: SVU” (June 2) and “Law & Order” (June 3) all will air in their normal 10 p.m. timeslots during Mr. O’Brien’s first week in the 11:35 p.m. slot, while new Canadian import “The Listener” will have its premiere on June 4 at 10 p.m.
June 1 also will see the launch of “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!,” the failed ABC series that’s being revived by NBC. The network will air a two-hour premiere of “I’m a Celebrity” from 8-10 p.m. that night, and then strip the show over four weeks.
“I’m a Celebrity” will air Monday-Thursday at 8 for the first three weeks of the month; the fourth week of June, it will air Monday through Wednesday at 8 p.m., with a two-hour finale.
The last two nights of “I’m a Celebrity” will serve as a lead-in for the season premiere of “Talent,” which bows June 23-24, airing at 9 p.m. both nights.
A week after “I’m a Celebrity” wraps, NBC plans to unveil new reality series “Great American Road Trip” on Wednesday, July 1, at 8 p.m. The “Amazing Race” clone will air for eight weeks.
As for scripted series, “The Philanthropist,” starring James Purefoy, will air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. (with a “Talent” lead-in) beginning June 24. “Merlin” will premiere with two-hour episodes on Sundays, June 21 and June 28, from 8-10 p.m.; after that, it will air Sundays from 8-9 p.m.
New-to-NBC episodes of USA Network’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” will bow on NBC Monday, June 8, at 9 p.m., leading in to the return of “Dateline NBC” at 10 p.m.
NBC also has a pair of sci-fi-themed miniseries on tap. “The Meteor” will air on Sunday, June 7 and 14 (from 9-11 p.m.), while “The Storm” airs on Sunday, July 19 and 26 (also from 9-11 p.m.).
(2:10 p.m.: Corrected titles in third paragraph)

5 Comments

  1. WHAT A JOKE LAST PLACE NETWORK ALL REALITY FLOPS LIKE CHOPPING BLOCK, MOMMA’S BOYS, CELEB APPRENTICE ETC IT NEVER ENDS. TELEGDY BIG PROBLEMS WITH SILVERMAN.

  2. Aw, it’s not that bad. Granted we didn’t need yet another C-list celebrity reality show, but scripted programming is better than ALL-REALITY shows during the summer. Plus, one name missing from the list is American Gladiators. Guess the second season wasn’t a hit like the first round, eh?

  3. I have been a fan of the Tonight’s Show for 35 years! But I can not watch Conan! The show is not good, we need a change!
    Larry Jones

  4. I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?

  5. Love all the opinions expressed here! How is everyone? Love how everyone expresses whatr they feel 🙂

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