Edit: Schedule Grid updated on 5/27/08 for NBC's recent announcements.
Robert posted earlier about NBC's entire new 2008-9 schedule. I wanted to compare the schedule just announced for Fall 2008 with the schedule for Fall 2007. For all The Talk of change after the writers strike, they are surprisingly similar in structure. NBC's Fall 2008 schedule doesn't look all that different from its Fall 2007 schedule, in terms of new shows or reality shows.
Four new shows (and four hours of shows) (Chuck, Journeyman, Bionic Woman and Life) were introduced in Fall 2007 and four shows (and hours) will be introduced in Fall 2008 (My Own Worst Enemy, Kath & Kim, Knight Rider, Crusoe). I'm not going to count the 3 special SNL episodes to be broadcast on Thursdays as "new".
There were 9 hours of unscripted programming in Fall 2007 (The Biggest Loser, Singing Bee, Deal or No Deal, Dateline, NFL Sunday Football). All our readers worried about a tsunami of reality shows can breath easier, there will be only 8.5 hours of unscripted programming in Fall 2008 with Singing Bee not returning.
Let's not forget, NBC got absolutely crushed last Fall in the ratings, falling to nearly 20% below its Fall 2006 season to date ratings by early November . They actually began recovering once the writer's strike began to have an effect. I don't see anything in the announced schedule that would lead me to believe it will perform any differently and I would expect NBC to suffer badly again in Fall 2008. Good thing for Jeff Zucker he's got the #1 primetime cable network.
Update: Stuart Elliot at the NY Times, writes that NBC Entertainment's co-chair Ben Silverman is touting the family friendly nature of their schedule. It's lots of nice words from Silverman, but it all boils down to only one change to NBC's schedule from 8-9p in Fall 2008: Deal or No Deal gets moved to 9-10p, that's it. But it all sounds so lovely when it's couched as "Family Friendly".
Update 2: And it's also 'adult themes at 10'. The net result of that change? Nothing! Unless substituting My Own Worst Enemy for Journeyman is substantially more "adult". More talk with no action from NBC!
NBC Fall 2007 Schedule Shows vs. Fall 2008 Schedule Shows
|
|
2007 |
2008 |
| Monday | ||
| 8-9p | Chuck | Chuck |
| 9-10p | Heroes | Heroes |
| 10-11p | JOURNEYMAN | MY OWN WORST ENEMY |
| Tuesday | ||
| 8-9:30p | The Biggest Loser | The Biggest Loser (8-10p) |
| 9:30-10p | Singing Bee | |
| 10-11p | Law & Order:SVU | Law & Order:SVU |
| Wednesday | ||
| 8-9p | Deal or No Deal | KNIGHT RIDER |
| 9-10p | BIONIC WOMAN | Deal or No Deal |
| 10-11p | LIFE | Lipstick Jungle |
| Thursday | ||
| 8-8:30p | My Name Is Earl | My Name Is Earl |
| 8:30-9p | 30 Rock | 30 Rock |
| 9-9:30p | The Office | The Office |
| 9:30-10p | Scrubs | KATH & KIM |
| 10-11p | ER | ER |
| Friday | ||
| 8-9p | Deal or No Deal | CRUSOE |
| 9-10p | Friday Night Lights | AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS |
| 10-11p | Las Vegas | Life |
| Saturday | ||
| 8-9p | Dateline NBC | Dateline NBC |
| 9-10p | Drama repeats | KNIGHT RIDER (repeats) |
| 10-11p | Drama repeats | Law & Order:SVU (repeats) |
| Sunday | ||
| 7-8pm | Football Night in America | Football Night in America |
| 8-11p | Sunday Night Football | Sunday Night Football |
Shows in BOLD CAPS are/were new, shows in italics are unscripted, 2007 shows in strikethrough did not return.
I didn't think it was worthwhile to compare the announced Winter 2009 and future schedules to this years for two reasons. One, this years Winter and Spring schedules were somewhat cobbled together in response to the writers strike. Two, schedules announced so far in advance have a habit of changing.
“Family Friendly” is the new black. And it’s Nielsen itself who seems to be pitching it. Bizarre.
I’d ask you to compare NBC’s viewers per screen to the other networks, but OF COURSE it will still be last. Unless you count the CW.
“Family Friendly” is the new black. And it’s Nielsen itself who seems to be pitching it. Bizarre.
I’d ask you to compare NBC’s viewers per screen to the other networks, but OF COURSE it will still be last. Unless you count the CW.
Glad to see Heroes is coming back. I read one article though that speculated an actor strike might actually do that series in. Hope that doesn’t happen. I’d really like to see that show get back some of the magic that made Season One so cool.
I’m also a bit surprised to see that NBC decided to bank on Knight Rider. The TV movie apparently got great ratings, but it wasn’t really that good. I wonder if they aren’t mistaking viewer curiosity for enthusiasm?
Glad to see Heroes is coming back. I read one article though that speculated an actor strike might actually do that series in. Hope that doesn’t happen. I’d really like to see that show get back some of the magic that made Season One so cool.
I’m also a bit surprised to see that NBC decided to bank on Knight Rider. The TV movie apparently got great ratings, but it wasn’t really that good. I wonder if they aren’t mistaking viewer curiosity for enthusiasm?
Heroes started to suck the moment Mr. Bryan Fuller left. Season 2 was a complete waste of time. But I watched it, and will continue to watch. But if they don’t get their act together…
FNL and Life in friday night deathslots. The two shows are NBC’s best 2 hours of quality TV in the schedule.
Heroes started to suck the moment Mr. Bryan Fuller left. Season 2 was a complete waste of time. But I watched it, and will continue to watch. But if they don’t get their act together…
FNL and Life in friday night deathslots. The two shows are NBC’s best 2 hours of quality TV in the schedule.
@Jack, Heroes, while #36 overall on a season-to-date basis, is #8 overall on an 18-49 basis with a 5.0 rating in that demo.
Other than Sunday Night Football (#5 in 18-49 demo), it was NBCs highest rated demo show.
@Jack, Heroes, while #36 overall on a season-to-date basis, is #8 overall on an 18-49 basis with a 5.0 rating in that demo.
Other than Sunday Night Football (#5 in 18-49 demo), it was NBCs highest rated demo show.
Prediction: Knight Rider is the next Bionic Woman.
Prediction: Knight Rider is the next Bionic Woman.
Bill, I agree. 100%. It’ll get canceled after the first 13 episodes. Maybe even before.
Bill, I agree. 100%. It’ll get canceled after the first 13 episodes. Maybe even before.
My big question – how bad would it be for those of us who like TSCC to have that show air against either Heroes or The Ford Commercial Hour a/k/a Knight Rider? I assume, of course, that Fox renews Terminator – and it had better. (Robert, if you have any new news or insights on TSCC’s renewal prospects, hook us up!)
I’d hate for the “baby” to get “split” and for TSCC to get canned in its second season because 1/3 of its core audience gets purloined by frickin’ Knight Rider….
My big question – how bad would it be for those of us who like TSCC to have that show air against either Heroes or The Ford Commercial Hour a/k/a Knight Rider? I assume, of course, that Fox renews Terminator – and it had better. (Robert, if you have any new news or insights on TSCC’s renewal prospects, hook us up!)
I’d hate for the “baby” to get “split” and for TSCC to get canned in its second season because 1/3 of its core audience gets purloined by frickin’ Knight Rider….
Heroes key demo has always been its strong suit. Hopefully Season 3 wont be as bad as Season 2 (no more time wasting Hiro trips back in time please). Or even it could be in trouble. Its the same thing with Prison Break, even though its overall ratings are low it has a strong 18-49 demo. Also the same reason why Sarah Conner Chronicles will likely get another shot.
Heroes key demo has always been its strong suit. Hopefully Season 3 wont be as bad as Season 2 (no more time wasting Hiro trips back in time please). Or even it could be in trouble. Its the same thing with Prison Break, even though its overall ratings are low it has a strong 18-49 demo. Also the same reason why Sarah Conner Chronicles will likely get another shot.
@Bill, I think you might be right, but they had to try with Knight Rider.
Outlander, I have no updates re: TSCC since last writing about it a couple of months ago. Our speculation is they bring it back, there’s some numeric basis for our conclusions, but it it is still speculation nonetheless.
While I didn’t love season two of Heroes, beyond the premiere, the ratings largely were consistent overall and across the demos. See:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2007/11/18/heroes-ratings-2007-2007/1812
@Bill, I think you might be right, but they had to try with Knight Rider.
Outlander, I have no updates re: TSCC since last writing about it a couple of months ago. Our speculation is they bring it back, there’s some numeric basis for our conclusions, but it it is still speculation nonetheless.
While I didn’t love season two of Heroes, beyond the premiere, the ratings largely were consistent overall and across the demos. See:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2007/11/18/heroes-ratings-2007-2007/1812
Is LAW & ORDER coming back ?
Is LAW & ORDER coming back ?