TV Upfronts: NBC's 2013-2014 Schedule

The fates of most current shows and pilots have been determined, and now it's time to see where all of these programs are placed on the 2013-2014 network television schedule. NBC was the first out of gate on Sunday when it revealed its upcoming rotation.

2013-2014 Fall Line-up (NOTE: New shows are in UPPER CASE and times are Eastern Standard)

Sundays (fall)
7-8:15p: Football Night in America
8:15p-End: NBC Sunday Night Football

Sundays (after football)
7-8p: Dateline NBC
8-9p: AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS
9-10p: BELIEVE
10-11p: CRISIS

Initial Thoughts: Sunday nights on NBC are the easiest nights to program during the fall since it's all about football, but things take interesting turns come mid-season. I have no idea what American Dream Builders is, but it sounds like an uplifting reality show in the vein of Extreme Makeover, which isn't a horrible way to kick-off the night, but pairing a sci-fi program (Believe) with a political thriller/mystery (Crisis) seems like a bit of mismatch. That said, ABC proved that two different genres could work well together on Sunday nights... at least that's what NBC's probably hoping for.

Mondays
8-10p: The Voice
10-11p: THE BLACKLIST

Initial Thoughts: There were some rumblings about NBC moving The Voice later into the week to crush X-Factor, but it looks like its staying put which makes the most sense. In a somewhat surprising move (but not really when you think about it), The Blacklist (starring James Spader) got the cushy lead-in, which will hopefully get some eyeballs on it although I'm wondering how Revolution will fare without spinning red chairs in front of it.

Tuesdays (fall)
8-9p: The Biggest Loser
9-10p: The Voice
10-11p: Chicago Fire

Tuesdays (mid-season)
8-9p: The Voice
9-9:30p: ABOUT A BOY
9:30-10p: FAMILY GUIDE
10-11p: Chicago Fire

Initial Thoughts: It's clear that NBC needs The Voice to be a hit-maker, which is the only explination for why it'd be sandwiched in between The Biggest Loser and Chicago Fire. The latter was a very modest success for the Peacock, so I'm sure it wants to nurture it while it can. Then at mid-season, The Voice goes back to 8 to help out About a Boy and Family Guide (which should match up nicely).

Wednesdays
8-9p: Revolution
9-10p: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11p: IRONSIDE

Initial Thoughts: One of the biggest questions has to be whether or not Revolution can survive on its own. Honestly, I was sure NBC would have protected the post-apocalyptic drama for at least a half-season more, but instead it's in a lead-off position in front of SVU (which tends to not do well at 9) and another remake of an old cop show (Ironside). Curious move.

Thursdays
8-8:30p: Parks and Recreation
8:30-9p: WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
9-9:30p: SEAN SAVES THE WORLD
9:30-10p: THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW
10-11p: Parenthood

Initial Thoughts: Do you remember when NBC said it wanted to get out of the niche comedy business and go broader and we believed them? Suckers! I don't quite get this decision because not only does Parks and Rec stick out, but then there's a mult-cam sitcom smack dab in the middle of the entire night. It just doesn't make sense to me, especially when a line-up consisting of The New Normal, Welcome to the Family, The Michael J. Fox Show, and Go On seems like a no-brainer. I'll give NBC some credit though; Parenthood to Thursday nights feels right.

Fridays (fall)
8-9p: Dateline NBC
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: DRACULA

Fridays (mid-season)

8-9p: Dateline NBC
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: CROSSBONES

Initial Thoughts: Not much to see here besides the fact that NBC relegated the two genre shows it sent straight to series to Friday nights. I suppose back in the day, this move would've been a death knell, but Grimm's success on the night has proven that these kind of shows can be successful... when it's facing lowered expectations.

Mid-Season: Chicago PD, Community, The Night Shift, and Undateable.

I guess I should have expected NBC to go back to the drawing board after 2012-13 kind of floundered towards the end there, but I don't know if it improved anything because banking on stars from the 80's can only go so far. But NBC should also be commended for wiping the slate clean and trying different kinds of shows as well (sci-fi, fairy tales, vampires, and pirates all made the cut). Regardless, it should be funny watching what happens this time around.

News: More Renewals, Cancellations, and Pick-Ups

Pre-Upfront craziness continued as ABC finally announced its new slate of programming while the other networks continued to determine the fates of their current shows and pilots.

ABC announced that it picked-up Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Back in the Game, Betrayal, The Goldbergs, Killer Women, Lucky 7, Mind Games, Mixology, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Resurrection, Super Fun Night, and Trophy Wife. The Alphabet also renewed Castle, Grey's Anatomy, Last Man Standing, The Middle, Modern Family, Nashville, The Neighbors, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal, and Suburgatory. Unfortunately, Happy Endings was canceled along with 666 Park Avenue, Body of Proof, Don't Trust the B----, Family Tools, How To Live..., Last Resort, Malibu Country, Private Practice, Red Widow, and Zero Hour.

Meanwhile, CBS sent Crazy Ones, Hostages, Intelligence, The Millers, Mom, and We Are Men to series. As for those not coming back, CSI: NY, Golden Boy, Rules of Engagement, and Vegas joined the aforementioned axed shows.

NBC continued to shape its offerings by picking up The Blacklist, Chicago PD, Ironside, The Night Shift, Undateable, and Welcome to the Family while cancelling Go On, The New Normal, and Smash. Oh, and it renewed Community for a fifth season.

Whew! I'm sure that's it for now, but a few more announcements will probably leak out during the actual upfront presentations. Stay tuned for more.

News: Let the Renewals, Cancellations, and Pick-Ups Begin

It's been a busy couple of days as most of the major U.S. television networks have started making decisions on which shows will grace the small screen next season.

FOX got the ball rolling by picking up nine new shows: four dramas and five comedies. On the lighter side, the Andy Samburg cop show (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) from Parks and Recreation's Dan Goor and Mike Shur got picked up along with Seth MacFarlane's Dads, Enlisted (from Cougar Town's Kevin Biegel), Surviving Jack, and Us and Them (starring Parenthood's Jason Ritter and Gilmore Girl's Alexis Bledel). As for dramas, Bad Robot's Almost Human, Rake with Greg Kinnear, a modernized Sleepy Hallow, and Gang Related were all sent to series. These nine newbies will join the previously renewed American Dad!, Bob's Burgers, Bones, Family Guy, The Following, Glee, The Mindy Project, New Girl, Raising Hope, The Simpsons, and The X-Factor. Not coming back next season: Ben and Kate, COPS, Fringe, The Mob Doctor, and Touch (although 24 could be revived).

NBC joined the fun by picking up five new shows: About a Boy (starring Bent's David Walton), Believe (written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron and produced by J.J. Abram's Bad Robot), Crisis, The Family Guide (from Arrested Development's Jason Bateman), and Sean Saves the World (Sean Hayes' return to NBC). They will join recently renewed Parks and Recreation along with Chicago Fire, Grimm, Law & Order: SVU, Parenthood, Revolution, The Sing-Off, and The Voice. No word yet on Community, Go On, The New Normal, or Hannibal, but Deception, 1600 Penn, Whitney, Guys with Kids, and Up All Night were all canceled.

The 100, The Originals, Reign, Star-Crossed, The Tomorrow People were added to The CW's roster, which already includes America's Next Top Model, Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, The Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie, Nikita, Supernatural, and The Vampire Diaries. Unfortunately for some, 90210, Cult, Emily Owens, and Gossip Girl will not be returning.

Last but not least, CBS renewed Criminal Minds for a ninth season after contract negotiations concluded. The crime procedural will be tossed on the pile along with 2 Broke Girls, The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, CSI, Elementary, The Good Wife, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, The Mentalist, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: LA, Person of Interest, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, and Undercover Boss. That leaves Golden Boy, Vegas, CSI: NY, and Rules of Engagement on the bubble, and The Job, Made in Jersey, and Partners in the grave.

So, even though Upfronts do not technically start until Sunday when NBC reveals its schedule, we at least have an idea of where four of the major networks stand when it comes to the majority of their line-ups, and the fun is just getting started. Stay tuned for more.

TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - NBC

Last year, I foolishly tried to predict what the four English language networks would do prior to their official upfront presentations. Admittedly, I didn't not try to keep any kind of score because doing so would only drive me crazy, and it was all in the name of fun to begin with, so why sweat the details. With Upfronts just around the corner (week of May 13), I've decided to give it a go one more time.

For those new to this blog or have no idea what "upfronts" are, here's a little blurb I put together when I started this exercise in futility:

"Upfronts" refers to the period when the networks unveil their new programming line-ups to advertisers as a way to sell ad time. This is usually the time when fans will know if their favorite programs are coming back or not. While, the trend over the last couple of years has been for the networks to renew shows before their upfront presentations, these meetings tend to be the last word. This year's upfront presentations for the major networks are:

May 13, 2013 - NBC and FOX
May 14, 2013 - ABC
May 15, 2013 - CBS
May 16, 2013 - The CW

Unlike last year, I've decided to roll these Armchair Programmer write-ups in order of presentation date, which means NBC's up first. Over the last couple of seasons, NBC has been TV's favorite punching bag due to its abysmal ratings. Early on in 2012, it looked liked things changed for the Peacock as it could boast that it was the number one network, but their new found success was highly dependent on The Voice, Revolution, and Sunday Night Football. For some reason the network brass decided to bench the former two until March, and ratings plummeted back to Earth. That's a long-winded way of saying that NBC may not have fixed much and could be back to the drawing board for 2013-14.

Officially Renewed Shows
Chicago Fire
Football Night in America
Grimm
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
NBC Sunday Night Football
Parenthood
Revolution
The Sing-Off (winter only)
The Voice

Officially/Effectively Canceled/Finished Shows
30 Rock (final season)
Animal Practice
Do No Harm
Next Caller
The Office (final season)
Ready for Love

Possibly Renewed Shows
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Biggest Loser
Celebrity Apprentice
Dateline NBC
Go On
Hannibal
The New Normal
Parks and Recreation
Whitney

Possibly Canceled Shows
1600 Penn
Community
Deception
Fashion Star
Guys with Kids
Rock Center with Brian Williams
Smash
Take It All
Up All Night

Comedy Pilots
...Then Came Elvis/Family Guide
About a Boy
Assistance
Brenda Forever
Donor Party, The
Gates
Girlfriend in a Coma
Happiness
Holding Patterns
Joe, Joe & Jane
John Mulaney Show, The
MJF
Undateable
Untitled Craig Robinson Project
Untitled Jessica Simpson Project
Untitled Robert Padnick Project
Welcome to the Family

Drama Pilots
After Hours
Believe
Blacklist, The
Bloodlines
Hatfields & McCoys, The
I Am Victor
Ironside
Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, The
Sixth Gun, The
Untitled Chicago Fire Spin-off
Untitled Rand Ravich Project
Wonderland

While it's nearly impossible to predict which pilots will go the series, you can make a guess based on a network's particular brand and needs. Comedy should be a major concern for NBC, and I can see them picking up a ton of sitcoms to help them find a new identity. Right now, I'm going with: About a Boy, Assistance, Happiness, MJF, Undateable, Craig Robinson, Welcome to the Family. On the drama side: The Blacklist, Chicago Fire spin-off, Hatfileds & McCoys, Ironside, The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, The Sixth Gun.

Possible NBC Shows for 2013-2014
About a Boy
Assistance
The Biggest Loser
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Blacklist
Celebrity Apprentice
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire spin-off
Dateline NBC
Football Night in America
Go On
Grimm
Hannibal
Happiness
Hatfields & McCoys
Ironside
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
MJF
The New Normal
NBC Sunday Night Football
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
Revolution
The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives
The Sing-Off (winter only)
The Sixth Gun
Undateable
Untitled Craig Robinson Project
The Voice
Welcome to the Family
Whitney

Possible NBC Schedule for 2013-2014
Sundays
8-11p: Football

The easiest night to program. Once football's done, we'll probably see the return of reality fare (i.e. Celebrity Apprentice) and news programming, which means we could get more Rock Center even though I left it off my initial list.

Mondays
8-10p: The Voice
10-11p: Revolution

I see no reason why NBC would move The Voice at this point since it's such a hit, but what it leads into could get interesting. Common sense would dictate that the network try to launch a new drama at the 10 o'clock hour, but I think Revolution's still too dependent on big, red, swinging chairs so moving it would spell doom. My gut's telling me that Revolution will start off on Mondays but could be moved based on its ratings.

Tuesdays
8-9p: The Voice
9-9:30p: Happiness
9:30-10p: Undateable
10-11p: Parenthood

For some reason, I think it's too early for NBC to give up on expanding its comedy line-ups. Last season, The Voice helped out Go On and The New Normal (until it went on hiatus and those two shows suffered), and it's clear that they want to bring back multi-cam comedies. With Happiness, NBC gets Sean Hayes, and they get back into the Bill Lawrence business with Undateable. I don't know how those two shows will mesh, but it could work. As for Parenthood, why move it now?

Wednesdays
8-9p: Chicago Fire
9-10p: Chicago Fire spin-off
10-11p: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

NBC should take a page out of CBS' playbook and make Wednesday nights all Dick Wolf. Even though I think it's too soon for Chicago Fire to get its own spin-off, I get the feeling NBC wants to keep Dick Wolf happy and it'll get picked up. Might as well sandwich it between his other two shows.

Thursdays
8-8:30p: The New Normal
8:30-9p: Parks & Recreation
9-9:30p: MJF
9:30-10p: Go On
10-11p: The Blacklist

One of the most stable nights in television history could be a complete crapshoot next season. I don't see NBC straying away from an all-comedy line-up, but which comedies go where could be up in the air based on what kind of brand they're going for. The shows I went with could morph from workplace comedy to extended family, which could lead to a solid night. The 10'clock drama could also be tricky mostly because NBC's pilots don't jump out at me, and The Blacklist was the only one that sounded like it could anchor a night.

Fridays
8-9p: The Sixth Gun
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: Dateline NBC

The fact that Grimm's gotten three seasons is proof that Fridays are no longer a dead zone, and it also showed that a new series can be launched on Fridays and do relatively well. It'd make sense to keep with the sci-fi/fantasy genre and pair Grimm up with The Sixth Gun before Dateline. I also wouldn't be shocked if Grimm starts off the night, but I think NBC benefits more by letting it stay put for now.

Mid-Season: About a Boy, Assistance, Betty White's Off Their Rockers, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Apprentice, Hannibal, Hatfields & McCoys, Ironside, Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, The Sing-Off, Untitled Craig Robinson, Welcome to the Family, Whitney

As always, please note that these are just predictions and should not be taken as fact... unless I'm right. Next up, FOX.

TV Upfronts: NBC's New Shows for 2012-2013

With NBC's Upfront essentially in the books, it's time to take a look at the crop of new shows that it's offering viewers next season. The following are trailers for the upcoming fall series. If you want more about what's in store for mid-season, check out NBC's official site.

Animal Practice

For some reason, I'm getting a Scrubs with animals vibe from this trailer, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I'll definitely give it a shot (mostly because of the monkey), but I'm not going to have high hopes for it.

Chicago Fire

We already know that people are going to ship Chase and Mason Lockwood, so they might as well just cut out the subtext and have them hook up by the end of the pilot. Seriously, this one could have potential, but my interest will depend on what else is on at 10/9c on Wednesdays.

Go On

It' Matthew Perry at his Matthew Perry-iest, but that's always something I can get behind. From the looks of it Go On's a little more accessible than Studio 60 and Mr. Sunshine, which is a good thing, but it feels like it should be a 60-minute dramedy instead of a 30-minute sitcom. Maybe NBC's trying to replicate Showtime's success with this new format.

Guys with Kids

Since I'm a fan of Jimmy Fallon, I really wanted to like Guys with Kids, but I was underwhelmed by the trailer. There's a chance that I'll try it out just to be sure, but I won't be holding my breath.

The New Normal

Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler's new show also feels like it should be an hour long dramedy based on the trailer alone. I'll admit that I found myself laughing at most of the jokes, but it has a semi-serious tone that could be confusing. Plus, all of the familiar Glee faces made me wonder if I was watching a spec trailer for a spin-off. Odds on how long it takes before Matthew Morrison shows up as one of the guy's exes?

Revolution

Not gonna lie, I was intrigued by the Revolution trailer even though it looks like Falling Skies without aliens or The Walking Dead without zombies. These kind of post-apocalyptic shows can be wildly hit or miss, and I'm betting that Revolution's the latter, but it could be the surprise breakout of the year.

TV Upfronts: NBC's 2012-2013 Fall Schedule

Even though officially Upfront presentations don't start until Monday, NBC tends to get the ball rolling sooner than everyone else by announcing its schedule a day early, and this year was no different. All I can say is, next year's NBC schedule looks a little funny ... literally. Since most of its comedies are getting long in the tooth, NBC decided to schedule five hours of comedy a week to see if any of the new shows can gain traction.

2012-2013 Fall Line-up (NOTE: New shows are in UPPER CASE and times are Eastern Standard)

Mondays
8-10p: The Voice
10-11p: REVOLUTION

Initial Thoughts: I think we all knew that The Voice would get a fall start date instead of a mid-season one, but I can't help but wonder if NBC will really crank out two cycles in a year especially after it ran out of steam this season. I'm a little surprised that Revolution got such a plumb spot since it screams, "Friday night!" but I guess NBC liked it enough to give it a decent shot.

Tuesdays
8-9p: The Voice Results
9-9:30p: GO ON
9:30-10p: THE NEW NORMAL
10-11p: Parenthood

Initial Thoughts: NBC must really be hoping that Matthew Perry breaks his one-and-done streak since it's also giving Go On one of the better slots on its schedule. It apparently also sipped the Ryan Murphy Kool-Aid since The New Normal got a cushy placement. No surprises that Parenthood's staying put.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: ANIMAL PRACTICE
8:30-9p: GUYS WITH KIDS
9-10p: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11p: CHICAGO FIRE

Initial Thoughts: I'm not surprised that NBC's keeping the new Wednesday night comedy block, but I am a little surprised that they're having two new sitcoms kick off a night. Another minor surprise: moving SVU back to 9pm after it's shown that it does better at 10 o'clock, but I guess Chicago Fire needed some sort of lead-in.

Thursdays
8-8:30p: 30 Rock
8:30-9p: Up All Night
9-9:30p: The Office
9:30-10p: Parks and Recreation
10-11p: Rock Center with Brian Williams

Initial Thoughts: Ah, good ole Must See Comedy Night Done Right. NBC obviously wanted to keep to the tried and true formula, and this line-up makes a lot of sense (one that it should have been using the latter half of this season), but I'm a little surprised that a new comedy isn't getting the post-Office spot. Maybe the declining ratings convinced NBC that its biggest hitter can no longer launch new shows.

Fridays
8-8:30p: Whitney
8:30-9p: Community
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: Dateline NBC

Initial Thoughts: This is going to sound disingenuous, but Community to Fridays isn't all that shocking, and it's a move NBC should have tried once it came back from hiatus. Believe what you will. That being said, NBC should just announce that this is the show's final season because that's what the schedule's yelling at viewers. Let the "Community to TBS" campaigns begin.

Sundays (Fall)
7-8:15p: Football Night in America
8:15-End: NBC Sunday Night Football

Sundays (After football)
7-8p: Dateline NBC
8-9p: Fashion Star
9-10p: The Celebrity Apprentice
10-11p: DO NO HARM

Initial Thoughts: Yeah, no real reactions. Sorry.

Mid-Season: 1600 Penn, Betty White's Off Their Rockers, The Biggest Loser, Hannibal, Howie Mandel's White Elephant, Infamous, Next Caller, Ready for Love, Smash, Stars Earn Stripes and Surprise with Jenny McCarthy.

Well, you can't say that NBC didn't try anything new because having five hours of comedies is unheard of in this day and age. I'm not sure if such bold moves will translate to ratings success, but it will be entertaining to see what happens.

The Small Screen Podcast, Episode 28: And Here We Go

"The Small Screen Podcast" is back for Episode 28. With Upfronts right around the corner, the major networks renewed and canceled plenty of shows in preparation for the 2012-2013 season. Kristal and I talked about which shows are coming back and which didn't make the cut as well as what we've been watching and what we're looking forward to. Warning: we had some connectivity difficulties which led to some noise, so pardon the mess.

Episode Breakdown:

Intros: Start - 1:18

Renewals and Cancellations: 1:19 - 25:36

• ABC: 2:20 - 6:15
• CBS: 6:16 - 8:02
• The CW: 8:03 - 12:32
• FOX: 12:33 - 17:19
• NBC: 17:20 - 24:30
• Wrap-Up: 24:31 - 25:36

What We're Watching (SPOILER ALERT): 25:37 - 36:22

• Castle: 25:37 - 28:00
• The Vampire Diaries: 28:01 - 36:22

What We're Looking Forward To: 36:23 - 39:00

• How I Met Your Mother: 36:23 - 37:59
• Glee: 38:00 - 39:00

Closing: 39:01 - End

Check out the episode below, or download it over at iTunes:

For more, follow us on Twitter:
Kristal: @kristal_bailey
Marcos: @poppas2cents
Screen Invasion: @screeninvasion
Invasion Radio: @invasionradio

News: And the Floodgates Open

With Upfronts starting on Monday, every major network (and The CW) not named CBS or FOX firmed up their schedules for the 2012-2013. Granted, the Eye could still make some announcements before the day's over, but for the most part it let everyone else stand in the spotlight.

ABC
The only real news coming out of ABC was a-mah-ing (sorry, that joke's required) as it renewed Happy Endings for a reported 22 episode third season. With Cougar Town officially shipped off to TBS, it's up to the HE gang to headline the Alphabet's off-shoot brand of quirky, friends based comedies that don't mesh will with the rest of its family oriented ones. Still no word on Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 or the other bubble shows like Last Man Standing and Body Proof. UPDATE: Scandal was also renewed for a second season.

The CW
The perpetual also-ran, The CW, also made some moves today as it officially picked up Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, The Carrie Diaries, Cult and First Cut. It also renewed Nikita for a third season, Hart of Dixie for a second, and Gossip Girl for a possible last hurrah. Two shows that did not get a reprieve: Ringer and The Secret Circle. Honestly, the biggest surprise was Nikita's renewal since everyone pretty much had it dead, but somehow managed to stay afloat.

NBC
NBC continued to dominate the day as it announced that Parks and Recreation, Whitney and Up All Night will all be returning next season. Not making the cut: Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever and Harry's Law. It also picked up Next Caller starring Dane Cook which could help keep the office workplace sub-genre alive on NBC.

So, that's it for now, but I'm sure more news will break once I post this write-up. If it does, I'll make sure to jot some stuff down.

News: More Out of the NBC Camp

Pre-Upfronts craziness continued as NBC picked up more new shows while renewing some old favorites.

According to Deadline, Parenthood has been renewed, and both Community and 30 Rock will be coming back with shortened orders which will probably spark some interesting theories. It's been documented that 30 Rock would have only 13-14 episodes as a way for the show to put together an appropriate series finale. As for Community, it could be renewed for an additional 9 episodes based on how the newbies perform, but my guess is Dan Harmon and Company should start prepping for the end.

Speaking of newbies, NBC sent Do No Harm and Infamous (formally known as Notorious) to series. The former is supposed to be a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type medical drama while the latter's trying to build off Revenge's success.

As always, check back later for my more in depth takes once the schedules are finalized. Until then, don't forget the Armchair Programmer Series.

News: FOX Joins NBC in the Early Upfront Game

Yesterday unofficially kicked off the television upfront season as NBC picked up five new shows. The Peacock continued to chug along today, but this time FOX joined in on the fun by sending five newbies to series while renewing one show and cancelling two others.

Joining Grimm, Smash, Go On, Save Me, The New Normal, 1600 Penn, Animal Practice, Revolution and Hannibal on the 2012-2013 NBC schedule will be the Jimmy Fallon produced Guys with Kids, Chicago Fire and the returning Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. What's interesting about the Fallon pick up is the fact that it's a multi-cam show which means NBC is still committed to bringing back the format, but what will it be paired up with? Could this be a good sign for Whitney?

Meanwhile, FOX made its first moves since renewing Bones, Glee, New Girl, Raising Hope, Fringe and the entire Animation Domination line-up (sans Napoleon Dynamite and Allen Gregory). On the comedy side, the network picked up Mindy Kaling's It's Messy as well as Ben & Kate and The Goodwin Games from the HIMYM guys. As for dramas, the other no-brainer, the Kevin Williamson FBI/serial killer pilot, was added to the roster along with The Mob Doctor and Touch. Unfortunately, the news was not good for Alcatraz and The Finder; both were officially canceled. I won't go into my disappointment about the cancellation of The Finder because that's a topic for another blog post, but I can't say that I was surprised by any of FOX's moves.

Once again, I'll hopefully be sharing my thoughts on the entire 2012-2013 schedule once Upfronts are officially done, so come on back. Until then, don't forget to check out my Armchair Programmer Series.

News: NBC Picks Up 5 New Shows

Even though Upfronts don't officially start until next Monday, NBC has jumped the gun by officially picking up five new shows to join Matthew Perry's Go On and the straight to series Hannibal. According to the web, NBC has added Save Me, The New Normal, Revolution, 1600 Penn and Animal Practice.

What's interesting about these pick ups is the fact that four of them are comedies which takes the new crop to a total of five, and in turn could make things very interesting when it comes to which existing sitcoms will get renewed or canceled (although it looks like 30 Rock is close to a final season order). Another stray observation: most of the new shows stray away from the established workplace comedy sub-genre that's been NBC's go-to for some time now.

On the drama side, so far the only new show to be added to the NBC line-up is the J.J. Abrams produced Revolution which will be the Peacock's second attempt at getting into the Abrams business in the past few seasons. Since it has a sci-fi spin to it, I'll be interested to see where it lands on the schedule, but more on that later.

Check back next week as I delve a little deeper and share my thoughts on all of next season's new shows and schedules. Until then, take a look at my Armchair Programmer Series.

TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - NBC

Part 5 of the Armchair Programmer series will try to figure out how to fix NBC. Over the last couple of years, the Peacock has become a running joke, and it looks like the 2011-2012 will end up being another bust since most of its new shows didn't resonate with the general public. While I don't think NBC will wipe the slate clean, I can see a lot of changes on the horizon.

Officially Renewed NBC Shows
Grimm
Smash

Officially Canceled NBC Shows
Chuck
Free Agents
The Playboy Club
Prime Suspect

Possibly Renewed NBC Shows
30 Rock
The Apprentice
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Biggest Loser
Community
Dateline NBC
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
The Office
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
The Sing-Off
The Voice

Possibly Canceled NBC Shows
Are You There, Chelsea?
Awake
Bent
Best Friends Forever
Escape Routes
Fashion Star
The Firm
Harry's Law
Rock Center with Brian Williams
Up All Night
Whitney
Who's Still Standing?

Comedy Pilots
1600 Penn
Animal Kingdom
Downwardly Mobile
The Farm
Friday Night Dinner
Go On
Guys With Kids
Isabel
Ladyfriends
The New Normal
Next Caller Please
Save Me
Susan 313
Table for Three
Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot

Drama Pilots
Bad Girls
Beautiful People
Chicago Fire
County
Do No Harm
The Frontier
Hannibal
Midnight Sun
Mockingbird Lane
Notorious
Revolution

One last time, it's hard to anticipate which pilots will be picked up (except for Go On and Hannibal), but history and brand could give us an idea. NBC's bread and butter has been workplace comedies, and it needs a show to take over once The Office is dead and gone. It should be Parks and Recreation, but NBC's never really shown it much love. From the looks of it, the Peacock might be looking at Friends alum, Matthew Perry, to save the network, but we'll have to wait and see. Out of the crop of comedy pilots, I could see the following go to series (aside from Go On): Downwardly Mobile, The Farm, Go On, The New Normal, Next Caller Please and the Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot. As for dramas, I have no idea because NBC's lacked an identity since it got rid of all of the Law & Orders. I'll go with (in addition to Hannibal): Bad Girls, Chicago Fire, County, The Frontier, Mockingbird Lane, Notorious and Revolution. Regardless of which direction NBC takes, it's probably still doomed because this set of pilots seem very lackluster.

Possible NBC Shows for 2012-2013
30 Rock
The Apprentice
Bad Girls
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Biggest Loser
Chicago Fire
Community
County
Dateline NBC
Downwardly Mobile
The Farm
The Frontier
Go On
Hannibal
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mockingbird Lane
The New Normal
Next Caller Please
Notorious
The Office
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
Revolution
The Sing-Off
The Voice
Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot

Possible 2012-2013 NBC Schedule
Sundays
8-9p: Football/Mockingbird Lane
9-11p: Football/The Apprentice

Honestly, I have no idea why NBC would go with a Munsters reboot, so I don't know what to do with it, but it seems like Mockingbird Lane could be NBC's answer to Once Upon a Time.

Mondays
8-10p: The Voice
10-11p: Smash

I cannot see NBC going with full seasons of both The Voice and Smash, but who knows what they're capable of. Moving them to the fall could be a good move since it can keep building off what little buzz the shows still have, but bringing them back for the winter/spring could be a disaster. I just don't know what they'd replace them with.

Tuesdays
8-10p: The Biggest Loser
10-11p: Parenthood

Tuesdays could be NBC's most stable night with the combination of The Biggest Loser and Parenthood. I'm not sure if Season 3 of The Voice will also have an extra night, but it could easily be sandwiched in at the 9 o'clock hour if needed.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: Community
8:30-9p: The New Normal
9-10p: Bad Girls
10-11p: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

If NBC brings back Community, it cannot keep it on Thursday nights, and since they've already tried out a Wednesday night block, it makes sense to have it kick off the night. I also wouldn't be surprised if NBC jumped on the Ryan Murphy bandwagon even if it is going of the rails which is why I can see it picking up his show with Ali Adler. Bad Girls sounds awful enough to be right in NBC's wheelhouse, so don't be shocked if it's sent to series.

Thursdays
8-8:30p: 30 Rock
8:30-9p: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30p: The Office
9:30-10p: Go On
10-11p: County/Chicago Fire

Even though NBC needs to make some drastic changes, I don't seem them getting rid of theirThursday night comedy block, but this could be a very transitional year because I don't see The Office or 30 Rock getting more than one more season. Hopefully, Go On will be successful and can become the foundation of the line-up along with Parks and Rec. The combination of County and Chicago Fire could work by recreating the mystique of the ER days.

Fridays
8-9p: Revolution
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: Dateline NBC

Who would've thought that Grimm would be one of the few NBC shows to survive? Since it's been somewhat successful on Friday nights, there's no reason to move it. Revolution is a sci-fi series created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and EPed by J.J. Abrams, so it just screams Friday. Although putting it up against Alcatraz, Fringe or Supernatural could be problematic.

Mid-Season: Betty White's Off Their Rockers, Downwardly Mobile, The Farm, The Frontier, Hannibal, Mockingbird Lane, Next Caller Please, Notorious, The Sing-Off, Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot.

So there you have it; my thoughts on the major network's developmental slate and where they could go next season. As always, there are just my predictions and shouldn't be taken as fact unless I'm right. Quick reminder, the network upfront presentation dates are:

May 14, 2012 - NBC and FOX
May 15, 2012 - ABC
May 16, 2012 - CBS
May 17, 2012 - The CW

Thanks for putting up with my crazy ideas, and let me know what your thoughts are in the comments.

The Small Screen Podcast, Episode 11: COMMUNITY's Future is GRIMM

"The Small Screen Podcast" is back for Episode 11. This time around Kristal and I talked about NBC's mid-season schedule, awards shows, what we've been watching, and what we're looking forward to.

Episode Breakdown:

Intros: Start - 1:23

TV News: 1:24 - 17:26

• People's Choice Awards: 1:24 - 4:40
• The Oscars' Shake-up: 4:41 - 10:10
• NBC's Mid-Season Line-up: 10:11 - 17:26

What We're Watching (SPOILER ALERTS): 17:27 - 33:05

• New Girl: 17:27 - 25:35
• Grimm: 25:36 - 32:03
• Saturday Night Live Hosted by Emma Stone: 32:04 - 33:05

What We're Looking Forward To: 33:06 - 34:48

• Saturday Night Live Hosted by Jason Segel

Closing: 34:49 - End

Check out the episode below, or download it over at iTunes:

For more, follow us on Twitter:

Kristal: @kristal_bailey

Marcos: @poppas2cents

Or read our blogs:

Kristal: www.toointerestingfortwitter.com

Marcos: www.poppas2cents.com

TV Upfronts: NBC's 2011-2012 Schedule

So, NBC was out of the gates first as they announced their new line-up for next season, and much like their new shows, I was underwhelmed by the choices they made.

TV Upfronts: TV Pick-ups, Renewals, & Cancellations

Technically, the TV Upfronts start this Sunday as NBC announces its stable of shows for the 2011-2012 season, but this past week was filled with breaking news as the major networks picked up new shows while renewing and cancelling current ones. It was a busy week, and I thought I'd throw my two-cents in one some of the developments.

Watch: CHUCK-in' A, Season 4 Edition

I'll admit that I was a little unsure about Season 4 of Chuck, but I'm super pumped after seeing this preview, although I'm a little bummed that they gave away Dolph Lundgren's Rocky IV reference. That would've killed during the actual episode. Ah well, is it Monday yet?

For Fun: TV Draft

The TV as Sports analogies continue as tvbythenumbers.com introduced the idea of a Primetime TV Draft where each of the Big Four can pick one show from its competitors to add to its lineup. It's a fun idea that I wanted to explore on my own little piece of the Internet.

Based on the rules, each network's highest rated series are off the market which means House, The Office, The Big Bang Theory, Lost, and The Vampire Diaries will be staying put. Every other show is fair game, and this is where the fun begins.

Show Review: PARENTHOOD

Now, that White Collar has wrapped up its first season, I can now spend some time watching NBC's new family drama, Parenthood.

I caught the first two episodes online, and while they are kind of heavy-handed with the adulthood angst and melodrama, I can tell that it has the potential to be one of my favorite shows. It really shouldn't be surprising that I dig Parenthood so far since its creator, Jason Katims, has ties to another great NBC show Friday Night Lights.

While I like the show well enough now, I hope that future episodes do a better job at mixing in the comedy with the drama because like I mentioned, watching the show can be very emotionally exhausting. Although, the few glimpses of light-heartedness that were present during the first two episodes were genuine and sweet, which is always aces.

The biggest strength the show has is its cast, which is almost pitch perfect. No disrespect to Maura Tierney, whom I wish a speedy recovery to, but Lauren Graham owns her role, although she still has a little too much Lorelai coming through for my tastes. Peter Krause is also amazing as Adam, the eldest of the four siblings, and I see award nominations in his future if the show catches on.

Parenthood is not a perfect show by any stretch of the imagination, but it's more realistic than any reality TV show, it's has the potential to be funnier than most sitcoms, and its drama can be moving when you're not being slapped across the face by it. I'm definitely going to have to start watching this show regularly.

Watch: CALIFORNIA DREAMS Reunion on LATE NIGHT

Apparently, Jimmy Fallon's dream of reuniting the cast from Saved By The Bell is over, but he had the next best thing...a California Dreams reunion!

   

I admit it, I watched California Dreams as a kid, and I'm impressed that the cast members actually played their own music. At least that what it looked like. Sure, CD wasn't a huge pop culture phenom like its Saturday morning cohort, but it was still good, mindless, bubble gum fun. Watching the band back together took me back, and I'm ashamed to admit that...well not that much at least. Now, we just need a Hang Time or USA High reunion, and our lives will be complete.

Watch: 'Chuck'-in' A!

I can't wait until next Monday!