TV News: NBC Announces Fall Schedule with Six New Shows, Changes to Every Night

CHICAGO – When you’re in as much of a ratings struggle as NBC, it makes sense to shake things up and that’s exactly what they’re doing in the Fall with a new show or an old show in a new time every single night of the week. “Chicago Fire,” “Revolution,” “The Biggest Loser,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Parenthood” are moving. “Community” is being held until a midseason, 13-episode run. No decision yet made on “Celebrity Apprentice” or “Hannibal,” which isn’t that surprising as they are mid-season shows anyway although it shouldn’t give fans of either program confidence as NBC announced a midseason schedule as well and they’re not on it. Anything could still happen with either program however and they could be held as replacements for shows that fail. That may be the best shot for “Hannibal” fans now. The best new show on the network could be just a fill-in next season.

With their inability to find a hit on Thursday nights, the former home of Must-See TV, NBC has decided to completely overhaul the evening. They start with the familiar, putting “Parks and Recreation” in the anchor spot at 7pm CST but that leads into three new shows and a new home for “Parenthood” in the 9pm CST spot. The return of Michael J. Fox to the network and format that made him a star could actually serve as the lead-in that the 9pm timeslot needs and “Parenthood” seems like a perfect lead-out to “Fox.” “Revolution” jumps to Wednesday nights. “Chicago Fire” moves to Tuesdays. Six new shows are set for the Fall with several others scheduled for midseason (including “Chicago PD,” a spin-off of “Chicago Fire” that doesn’t yet have a day or timeslot).

Full schedule below along with descriptions for the new shows set for Fall. So much changes by midseason that it doesn’t make sense to me to include those right now but the net is planning on “About a Boy” & “The Family Guide” for Tuesdays, “Crossbones” for Fridays, “American Dream Builders,” “Believe,” and “Crisis” for Sundays…although if any of the Fall shows struggle, those could come earlier.

Come back all week as the other network schedules are announced. We’re just getting started.

*-new show

MONDAY
7pm “The Voice”
9pm “The Blacklist”*

TUESDAY
7pm “The Biggest Loser”
8pm “The Voice”
9pm “Chicago Fire”

WEDNESDAY
7pm “Revolution”
8pm “Law & Order: SVU”
9pm “Ironside”*

THURSDAY
7pm “Parks and Recreation”
7:30pm “Welcome to the Family”*
8pm “Sean Saves the World”*
8:30pm “The Michael J. Fox Show”*
9pm “Parenthood”

FRIDAY
7pm “Dateline NBC”
8pm “Grimm”
9pm “Dracula”*

Saturdays are repeats and Sundays are football

NEW COMEDIES

“The Michael J. Fox Shows”

The Michael J. Fox Show
Photo credit: NBC

Look who’s making the news again. One of New York’s most beloved news anchors, Mike Henry (Michael J. Fox, “Spin City,” “Family Ties”), put his career on hold to spend more time with his family and focus on his health after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But five years later, with the kids busy growing up and Mike growing restless, it just might be time for him to get back to work. Having never wanted Mike to leave in the first place, his old boss Harris Green (Wendell Pierce, “The Wire,” “Treme”) jumped at the chance to get him back on TV. The trick, as it’s always been, was to make Mike think it was his idea. Now the plan is in motion and Mike will be back to juggling home, family, and career — just like the old days, but only better.

Writer Sam Laybourne (“Cougar Town”), director Will Gluck (“Easy A,” “Friends with Benefits”) and Fox serve as executive producers. “The Michael J. Fox Show” is a production of Sony Pictures Television and Olive Bridge Entertainment.

“Sean Saves the World”

Sean Saves the World
Photo credit: NBC

Sean (Sean P. Hayes, “Will & Grace”) is a divorced gay dad who juggles a lot — his successful but demanding career, offbeat employees, pushy mom Lorna (Linda Lavin, “Alice”) and weekends with his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sami Isler). So when she moves in full-time, it’s a whole new world. Never one to do anything halfway, Sean’s intent on being the best dad ever, so he loads up on parenting how-to books and plans Pinterest-worthy family dinners. But it seems his company’s new owner has decided Sean and his team should work longer hours, putting a damper on his homemaking plans and throwing a kink in Sean’s perfectly constructed work/life balance. Ellie sees this development as a plus. She loves her dad, but he’s clearly going overboard. From keeping his boss happy, employees motivated and enduring his mother’s tactless “advice” to raising a smart, grounded and healthy kid, it’s going to be a growing experience, to say the least. But if anyone can handle it all, it’s Sean. Thomas Lennon (“Reno 911”), Lindsay Sloane (“Weeds”) and Echo Kellum (“Ben And Kate”) also star.

Writer Victor Fresco (“Go On,” “Mad About You”), director James Burrows (“Friends,” “The Big Bang Theory”), Sean P. Hayes (“Hot In Cleveland,” “Grimm”) and Todd Milliner (“Hot In Cleveland,” “Grimm”) serve as executive producers. “Sean Saves the World” is a production of Universal Television and Hazy Mills Productions.

“Welcome to the Family”

Welcome to the Family
Photo credit: NBC

Parents Dan Yoder (Mike O’Malley, “Glee,” “My Name Is Earl”) and wife Karina (Mary McCormack, “In Plain Sight,” “The West Wing”) find out on the day their daughter Molly (Ella Rae Peck (“Deception,” “Gossip Girl”) is graduating from high school with an acceptance to college, she announces she pregnant. Across town in East L.A., Junior Hernandez (Joseph Haro, “Glee,” “Awkward”), in the middle of his high school valedictorian speech, gets a text from girlfriend Molly that he’s going to be a daddy. Expectedly, Junior’s parents Miguel (Ricardo Chavira, “Desperate Housewives”) and Lisette (Justina Machado, “Six Feet Under,” “ER”) are also upset, as they now have Caucasians in the family. What follows is a crash course in culture blending as Molly and Junior decide they want to get married and, in doing so, bring together two very different families. The dads have the most difficult time reconciling while the moms take a softer approach to get to know one another. When the parents fully realize that their kids are serious about making a life together, the adults exhale and begin to come to terms with this new blended family and start to understand it will take, humor, love and tolerance to make it all work.

Writer Mike Sikowitz (“Rules of Engagement,” “Friends”) and Jamie Tarses (“Happy Endings, “Franklin & Bash”) serve as executive producers. “Welcome to the Family” is a production of Sony Pictures Television and FanFare Productions.

NEW DRAMAS

“The Blacklist”

The Blacklist
Photo credit: NBC

For decades, ex-government agent Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader, “The Office,” “Boston Legal”) has been one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as “The Concierge of Crime.” Now, he’s mysteriously surrendered to the FBI with an explosive offer: He will help catch a long-thought-dead terrorist, Ranko Zamani, under the condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth “Liz” Keen (Megan Boone, “Law & Order: Los Angeles”), an FBI profiler fresh out of Quantico. For Liz, it’s going to be one hell of a first day on The Job. What follows is a twisting series of events as the race to stop a terrorist begins. What are Red’s true intentions? Why has he chosen Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection? Does Liz have secrets of her own? Zamani is only the first of many on a list that Red has compiled over the years: a “blacklist” of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. He will help catch them all… with the caveat that Liz continues to work as his partner. Red will teach Liz to think like a criminal and “see the bigger picture”… whether she wants to or not. “The Blacklist” also stars are Diego Klattenhoff (“Homeland”), Harry Lennix (“Man of Steel”), Ryan Eggold (“90210”) and Ilfenesh Hadera (“Da Brick”).

Writer Jon Bokenkamp (“The Call,” “Taking Lives”), John Eisendrath (“Alias”), John Davis (“Gulliver’s Travels,” “Predator”) and John Fox serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by Joe Carnahan (“The A-Team,” “The Grey”). “The Blacklist” is a production of Sony Pictures Television and Davis Entertainment.

“Dracula”

Dracula
Photo credit: NBC

Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“The Tudors”) stars in this provocative new drama as one of the world’s most iconic characters. It’s the late 19th century and the mysterious Dracula (Rhys Meyers) has arrived in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. He’s especially interested in the new technology of electricity, which promises to brighten the night — useful for someone who avoids the sun. But he has another reason for his travels: He hopes to take revenge on those who cursed him with immortality centuries earlier. Everything seems to be going according to plan… until he becomes infatuated with a woman who appears to be a reincarnation of his dead wife. Victoria Smurfit (“About a Boy”), Thomas Kretschmann (“King Kong”), Jessica De Gouw (“Arrow”), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (“Mr. Selfridge”), Nonso Anozie (“Game of Thrones”) and Katie McGrath (“Merlin”) also star.

Writer Daniel Knauf (“Carnival”), Tony Krantz, (“24,” “Sports Night”), Colin Callender and Gareth Neame (“Downton Abbey”) serve as executive producers. “Dracula” is a production of Flame Ventures, Sky Living, Playground Entertainment, Universal Television, NBCUniversal International Television Production and Carnival Film & Television.

“Ironside”

Dracula
Photo credit: NBC

In the gritty world of the NYPD, no one’s tougher than Det. Robert Ironside (Blair Underwood, “The Event,” “In Treatment”). He’s a fearless cop who won’t stop until the guilty are brought to justice. He and his trusted, handpicked team of specialists — Virgil (Pablo Schreiber, “The Wire” “Lights Out”), Holly (Spencer Grammer, “Greek,” “As The World Turns”) and Teddy (Neal Bledsoe, “Smash,” “Ugly Betty”), as well as his former partner Gary (Brent Sexton, “The Killing”) and boss, Det. Ed Rollins (Kenneth Choi, “Sons Of Anarchy”) — will do whatever it takes to solve New York’s most difficult and notorious crimes. As a detective, Ironside’s instincts are second to none, and those around him have to stay on their toes if they want to keep up because when his spine was shattered by a bullet two years ago, Ironside swore he’d never let a wheelchair slow him down.

Writer Michael Caleo (“Rescue Me,” “The Sopranos”) Teri Weinberg (“Ugly Betty”), John Davis, John Fox, Ron West and David Semel (“Heroes”) serve as executive producers. “Ironside” is a production of Universal Television, Davis Entertainment, Yellow Brick Road Productions.

[13]	By BRIAN TALLERICO [14] Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com [13]