NBC Sets Midseaon: Changes in Prime-TIme

Posted Nov 15, 2011 by Walt Belcher

Updated Nov 15, 2011 at 10:04 AM

  NBC plans to put “Community” and “Prime Suspect” on the shelf in January and will add three previously announced new series for mid-season.

A legal drama, “The Firm,” will replace the low-rated “Prime Suspect: on Thursdays and the returning “30 Rock” will take over the Thursday 8 p.m. time period from “Community” which is expected to return later in the season.

Three other previously announced freshman series—supernatural drama “Awake” and comedies “Bent” and “Best Friends Forever” are not on the midseason schedule.

New musical drama “Smash,” easily the most anticipated of NBC series this season, will follow “The Voice” on Mondays, as previously announced. Both series will debut the week of Feb. 5 when NBC has the Super Bowl.

Freshman comedies “Up All Night” and “Whitney” will swap time slots with “Up” following “The Office.”
“Whitney ” will be paired with “Are You There, Chelsea?” on Wednesdays starting Jan. 11.

New reality series “Fashion Star,” hosted by Elle Macpherson, will debut March 13 taking the place of “Parenthood” on Tuesdays to form an all-reality night paired with The Biggest Loser.

When “Smash” premieres Feb. 6, new newsmagazine “Rock Center With Brian Williams” will shift to Wednesdays at 9 p.m., with current time period occupant “Harry’s Law” moving to 9 p.m. Sundays.

Full midseason schedule below:

MONDAYS
8-10 p.m.—“The Voice” (season premiere Sunday, February 5; series resumes February 6)
10-11 p.m. - “SMASH” (beginning February 6)

TUESDAYS

8-10 p.m.—“The Biggest Loser” (beginning January 3)
10-11 p.m. - “Parenthood” (through February 28)
10-11 p.m. - “FASHION STAR” (beginning Tuesday, March 13, 9-11 p.m. ET with two-hour premiere; one-hour broadcasts resume March 20)

WEDNESDAYS

8-8:30 p.m. - “Whitney” (beginning January 11)
8:30-9 p.m. - “ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA?” (beginning January 11)
9-10 p.m. - “Rock Center with Brian Williams” (beginning February 8)
10-11 p.m. - “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

THURSDAYS

8-8:30 p.m. - “30 Rock” (beginning January 12)
8:30-9 p.m. - “Parks and Recreation”
9-9:30 p.m. - “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. - “Up All Night” (beginning January 12)
10-11 p.m. - “THE FIRM” (two-hour premiere Sunday January 8; Thursday time period premiere January 12)

FRIDAYS

8-9 p.m. - “Who Do You Think You Are?” (beginning February 3)
9-10 p.m. - “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. - “Dateline NBC”

SATURDAYS

8-9 p.m. - “Harry’s Law” (encore broadcasts)
9-10—“THE FIRM” (encore broadcasts)
10-11 p.m. - “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encore broadcasts)

SUNDAYS

7-9 p.m. - “Dateline NBC” (beginning January 8)
8-9 p.m. - “Harry’s Law” (beginning March 4)
9-11 p.m. - “The Celebrity Apprentice” (beginning February 12)