NBC execs, on the other hand, do not.
Remember last year's NBC summer lineup? Centered around the Olympics, NBC went all red-white-and-blue with "NBC's All-American Summer," which included American Gladiators and Nashville Star. The network pushed its lineup hard, presumably while wearing an Uncle Sam mask and holding sparklers, but both of those shows are long buried.
So what's in store for this summer from NBC? Not much better from the looks of it. NBC is assaulting our senses into submission with the comeback of I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, in which 10 "celebrities" are plopped down in the jungle and left to fend for themselves (or at least as much as producers would like us to believe they are).
And NBC--which calls this a "bold scheduling move"--isn't simply trickling the show out; Get Me Out of Here will get the Jay Leno treatment and air four nights a week (from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.) for the first three weeks of June (I repeat: four nights a week!!), and only (only!) three night for its final week. The participating celebrities will be announced at a later time.
The network is also holding back the finales of Medium, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order until the first week of June to provide a boost for the debut of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.
America's Got Talent returns June 23 for its fourth season. NBC is also trotting out two miniseries: UK import Merlin, about the famed wizard, and Meteor, about a gigantic space rock that threatens Earth.
NBC does have a few scripted programs ready for debut during the hot months. The Listener will debut on June 4, and The Philanthropist finally premieres June 24 (it was originally planned for midseason). The Listener centers on a paramedic who also happens to be telepathic, and The Philanthropist follows a billionaire who goes incognito to help those less fortunate.
Summer used to be a time networks threw away, but things have changed since the family vacation went out of style (and became too expensive). NBC spent much of last year talking about abandoning the traditional fall/midseason format in favor of year-round programming, and now it's come to this? How the mighty have fallen.
NBC's summer schedule is below.
Monday, June 1
I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!--premiere (8-9 p.m.)
Medium season finale (10-11 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 2
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit--season finale (10-11 p.m.)
Wednesday, June 3
Law & Order--Season Finale (10-11 p.m.)
Thursday, June 4
The Listener--Premiere (10-11 p.m.)
Sunday, June 7 And June 14
Meteor--Miniseries (9-11 p.m.)
Monday, June 8
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC Season Premiere; 9-10 p.m.)
Dateline NBC (10-11 p.m.)
Sunday, June 21
Merlin (Premiere 8-10 p.m.; June 28 Airs 8-10 p.m.; July 5 Resumes Regular Time 8-9 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24
America's Got Talent (9-10 p.m. Both Nights)
Wednesday, June 24
The Philanthropist – Premieres (10-11 p.m.)
Wednesday, July 1
Great American Road Trip--Premieres (8-9 p.m.)
Saturday, July 4
Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks Spectacular (9-10 p.m.)
Sunday, July 19 And Sunday, July 26
The Storm--Miniseries (9-11 p.m.)
I'm still mad at NBC for ditching Top Gear! The reason for NBC existence is like why pot it still illegal... because it's been like that for years. At least ABC is trying with their new schedule.
NBC needs to go the way of UPN and WB, become extinct. Everything on that channel sucks and gets terrible ratings.
This sounds rather boring to me. Im not a Conan fan, I dont watch any shows that finish that first week of June, and none of the new shows sound good. Guess I'll be watching old TV shows and movies on DVD all summer.
As for NBC holding back its main (for now) 10:00 PM ET/PT shows to help Conan:
Keep in mind, while Conan has his audience at 12:35 AM ET, the 11:35 PM ET/PT slot has a considerably older audience as a rule, and like when Leno replaced Johnny Carson in May 1992, there likely is major concern in this case as to whether Conan can hold what has been Leno's audience, especially since there is the likelyhood otherwise that some of Leno's fans will defect to David Letterman on CBS at 11:35.
Otherwise, holding back the season finales to early June is a smart move in my opinion, and a precursor to what I think may be to come in 2010 as I think NBC is going to go more to a year-round format: With "Criminal Intent" having enough success last summer on USA Network to have part of its season air in the summer again this year on USA Network (and all of it on NBC starting June 8), I can see for instance for the 2009-'10 season the original "Law & Order" (assuming it does come back for a 20th season) not premiering until as late as March 14th and airing on Sunday nights at 10:00 PM ET/PT (the lone night where new episodes of an original series would be airing on NBC at 10:00 PM ET/PT, after the NFL season in this case) and continuing in that time slot all the way to August 1, the Sunday before the NFL preseason gets underway (with the "July Sweeps," which until a few years ago were solely about daytime and local programming in most instances becoming much more important). Up until now, besides vacations, one reason networks have been reluctant to stretch seasons into the summer in part because of having to go opposite the NBA Finals in June, but with those ratings dropping and having to compete more and more with cable, I suspect we will see a lot more of show's seasons being extended into June and July.moreless
As cheesy as I'm a celebrity is, I am actually looking foward to it, I always say I would love to see a celebrity BB like the UK, I know the so called "celebs" will be d-listers but I don't mind, Also looking foward to Merlin, although I know I will get invested and it will be cancelled, Shows like these seem to not do to good, especially in summer, the listener seems like following in the steps of the mentalist and lie to me which were a rip-off of the original Pshyc.
I'm going to check out Merlin, The Philanthropist and The Listener. I saw a trailer for Merlin and it looks great.
More junk from NBC.
It all sounds awful. Merlin wasn't bad though.
NBC seems to be making some of the stupidest decisions these days. I don't think they're going to survive much longer like this.
Desperate Times..call for desperate Measures!!
Why would NBC take an ABC show that failed over five years ago and not only revive it but give it saturation treatment? Between this and Celebrity Apprentice, someone high up in NBC must really, really, really like celebs and wants the viewers to think so as well...ick...
hmmmm....Law and Order:CI's season premiere begins April 19 on the USA network. Seems like NBC plans to rebroadcast the new season in June. I'm not surprised that they are holding back the season finales of both Law & Order and Law & Order:SVU but to provide a boost for The Tonight Show with Conan O Brian? Is the network that unsure of Conan's ability to attract an audience. Please, the guy isn't funny and his old show was terrible. The only show I'm looking forward to is The Philanthropist.
I'm a celebrity get me out of here???? Kill me now and send me to heaven where they have Life on Mars, Journeyman and Traveler.
I'm going to try out Merlin, The Philantropist and The Listener.
I'm SUPER excited for Merlin finally airing on US tv!
L&O:C.I is being advertised as starting April 19th. Are they delaying this series yet again? Or is this the date for it premiering on NBC (as opposed to USA) in which case aren't the episodes repeats?I don't know how NBC plans to retain or attract viewers when all they seem to be to doing is screwing the few they have left over. Good luck with that NBC.
Oh its amazing how the listener already started and wont premiere after 3 months!!
Well I know one thing- I won't need to watch NBC this summer.
more stupidity from NBC.
How will holding the SVU season finale until jun make us watch conanc @ 11:30pm? There is the 11pm news in the middle..DUH.