NBC 2.0 lives! It really lives!
What's "2.0?"
The network's promise - or threat - earlier this year that it will lead off each night of the week (Thursday excepted) with a reality or game show. It all comes under the heading of "Money," as in what's cheaper, given the deteriorating economics of the network television business.
As promised, each night of the 2007-08 fall season on NBC will go reality (Thursday, as mentioned, excepted.) Here's the line-up, night by night, and a quick word on what it means and what you'll see:
MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Heroes"
10-11 p.m. "Journeyman"
My read: "Deal's" a major hit, so no need to move, while "Heroes" now owns 9. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is but a ghost memory, and for NBC a sober, grim reminder that "expensive," "buzz," "famous producer," "big stars," "fancy set," "press attention" are not what dreams are necessarily made of. Meanwhile, "Journeyman" is about a San Francisco reporter who time-travels.
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-10 p.m. "Chuck"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
My read: "TBL" heads over from Wednesday to this very tough night for the Peacock (and you'll note that Simon Cowell's "America's Got Talent," which was here, is no longer here.) What's "Chuck?" It - he - is from "The O.C.'s" Josh Schwartz, and...well, let NBC tell you: "When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at Buy More..."
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Bionic Woman"
10-11 p.m. "Life"
My read: What are the chances for success of two brand new back-to-back hours on NBC's Wednesday line-up? Even with another pump of "Deal or No Deal?" (Even if there was nothing else on any other network....?) "BW" is self-explanatory while "Life" is about a detective back on the force after serving years in prison.
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30-9 p.m. "30 Rock"
9-9:30 p.m. "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. "Scrubs"
10-11 p.m. "ER"
My read: Well, I guess this means Alec Baldwin has decided to return to "30 Rock." (He had - let's say - an emotional moment recently in the wake of well-publicized problems, when he declared that his TV days were behind him. "30 Rock," of course, doesn't exist without Alec, so NBC must have been very persuasive. (It's called "hey, bud, you're under contract...") Meanwhile, the rest of the night stays put (except, "Office" back formally at 9.) "Scrubs" is a pleasant surprise, but for the fact that there will now be endless stories asking "is this the last season...?"
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "1 vs 100"/"The Singing Bee"
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10-11 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"
My read: "Lights" gets a reprieve - no surprise there - and a good time period (for it.) "Singing Bee?" A karaoke show. This really is a hugely difficult night for NBC, so maybe a couple of signature shows will help matters (even if "L&O" could not.)
SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores
My read: Saturday seems like it's been repeat night forever, so even the merest whiff of "first run" - even if it's "Dateline" - suggests to me that Saturday's long-standing "turn-off-the-light" strategy was an invitation to affiliates to just take over the night themselves.
SUNDAY
(Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"
SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. "Medium"
10-11 p.m. "LIPSTICK JUNGLE"
My read: "L&O" is back - so much for the chatter about a cable venue - and on one of the most important hours/nights of the week. "Lipstick?" Comparisons with "Sex in the City" are beyond inevitable, as this is based on Candace Bushnell novel of the same name. NBC's begging comparisons too: "This fun dramedy follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game." The other headlines here: Members of the trio include Kim Raver and another by Brooke Shields.