Tue May 19, 2009 12:15PM5 comments ›
Tue May 19, 2009 — by Mike Gold
Upfronts Day Two: NBC and Some Guy Named "Leno"
Law & Order Now A Family Show
With Jay Leno sucking up the entire 10 PM (Eastern) block on NBC weekdays, one would think the venerable and ever-mutating Law & Order would be in trouble.
Nope. It dodged the bullet. It’ll be in the family hour on Fridays. Law & Order: SVU (their sex crimes show, not their tribute to gas guzzlers) will be on Wednesdays at 9 PM, preceded by a new “family drama,” Parenthood. Southland will follow L&O, and Jay Leno follows everything.
The Biggest Loser grabs two hours on Tuesday, followed by Jay Leno. Monday will see Heroes return for a while, followed by a new medical drama, Trauma, which will be followed by Jay Leno. Chuck will bump Heroes after the winter Olympics.
A new comedy called Community will start off following The Office on Thursdays. Thursday editions of Weekend Update will take the 8 PM slot for about a month or so, at which time 30 Rock will return and take Community’s valued position. At that time, Community will take the Thursday Weekend Update slot, although Update will return from time to time. Parks and Recreation will take the in-between slot at 8:30, and everything will be followed by the omnipresent Jay “Mr. Overexposed” Leno.
Dateline gets moved to Saturdays to make room for Sunday Night Football on – wait for it – Sundays. Jay Leno will probably guest host both shows.
In NBC’s post-Olympics on-deck circle: the comedy 100 Questions, the reality show The Marriage Ref, and the medical show Mercy.
In a bit of non-network news, HBO has ordered 13 episodes of an animated series starring Ricky Gervais, based on Gervais's podcasts.
Jump to comments (5) 
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Comments (5)
Tony Isabella (1:29 PM on Tue May 19, 2009)
You forgot to mention that Jay Leno will be playing a judge on several episodes of Law and Order and Law and Order SVU, Liz Lemon's uncle on 30 Rock, the head of the CIA on Chuck, and a resident on the new version of ER being prepared for next fall. NBC will also be changing its name to JayBC.
Mike Gold (1:42 PM on Tue May 19, 2009)
I hear he'll also be taking over from Jeff Goldblum on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. And he's taking Freema Agyeman's part on Law & Order: UK. Sadly, this means he had to turn down the lead in the next Daredevil movie.
Amy Goldschlager (2:25 PM on Tue May 19, 2009)
I'm just happy they're bringing back Chuck. Or least I will be happy until the whole "Chuck Knows Kung Fu" thing gets old. More Scott Bakula!
Vinnie Bartilucci (3:10 PM on Tue May 19, 2009)
Two hours of Biggest Loser.
TWO hours of Biggest Loser.
Two HOURS of Biggest Loser.
ecch.
I have this sneaking suspicion that NBC will live to regret the Leno move. The moves of other shows to accomadate it, the all but free reign the other networks will have to compete against them with other shows, not to mention the fact that it keeps Conan and Fallon in a subjective #2 and #3 position...it's just a facepalm of astounding magnitude.
Jeremiah Avery (5:09 PM on Tue May 19, 2009)
I have no problem with Jay Leno having a 10pm show, may be fun. I'm certainly not watching "The Tonight Show" anymore when he leaves. Though NBC isn't having the show on to be a competitor, mainly as a cost-cutting maneuver. Plus, they didn't want Jay to jump ship to another network (which is what I think he should have done).
"Law & Order" on Fridays, that seems like a bad timeslot. I remember one of the spin-offs had that slot and it didn't go so well. Sort of a weird dichotomy to have a "family-friendly" show like "Parenthood" be the lead-in for "SVU". Parents better make sure to put the kids to bed before it starts up!