Fall Schedules: NBC (Take Two)

This was announced last week but I didn't really catch it until the weekend (and didn't get around to writing about it until now, obviously): that silly fall schedule NBC announced a couple weeks ago is history. In its place is a brand new schedule, a reaction to what the grown up networks announced after NBC dove headfirst into an empty pool. (Check out the network's spin here.)

Good Move: Obviously something had to be done about sending Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 to the slaughter opposite CSI and a relocated Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights, and in the process NBC ditched its lame new-shows-at-9 "strategy." Studio 60 will now air Mondays at 10, following new series Heroes (the only new show that will air at 9). Studio has a better shot here—it was smart to capitalize on ABC's most obvious vulnerability: the returning What About Brian—but it's still doubtful to be a breakout hit, and CSI: Miami won't even have to break a sweat to dominate the hour.

Taking Studio's place in the nobody-wants-it Thursday at 9 slot is NBC's most popular show, Deal or No Deal. It probably won't stay NBC's most popular show in this new time but it should keep the network alive better than anything else would (like, say, The Apprentice, or, lord help us all, an hour of Scrubs). And DoND also airs Mondays at 8, where it should keep doing fine for the time being (and is a lot less embarrassing than previous timeslot occupant Fear Factor).

The other new series relocated before they even air are Kidnapped (moving to Wednesdays at 10 from Tuesdays at 9, which seems smart but could be risky if ABC's Lost helps its new lead-out The Nine become a hit) and the comedy block of Twenty Good Years/30 Rock (from Wednesdays at 9 to Wednesdays at 8; they'd be the only comedies on network TV in either hour but this takes them out of Lost's attack zone and avoids two full hours of new shows on Wednesday).

Bad Move: NBC clearly has no idea what to do with its Law & Order franchise anymore. Ratings may not be as strong as they once were but by moving the original series to Friday night (in a timeslot that claimed the only L&O spin-off casualty, Trial By Jury, and last season's L&O-variation Conviction) they essentially admit it's no longer anything more than a Crossing Jordan-type utility player. (Not coincidentally Crossing Jordan, which wasn't on NBC's original fall schedule, has been called back into action for the Friday at 8 slot. I think it's the first time the show has ever aired at such an early hour.)

And both L&O spin-offs, Criminal Intent and SVU, will air back-to-back on Tuesday nights. This is a really weird move but I expect one of the two will end up on Sundays after football ends anyway. (That's apparently also where NBC tentatively plans to put Medium, the only show removed from Fall Schedule Version 2.0.)