Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the Peacock’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.
NBC’s 2011-12 schedule includes 12 new series. New comedies include All Night, Free Agents, Whitney, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, Bent and BFF. New dramas include The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, Grimm, The Firm, Smash, and Awake.
When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! On Monday and Tuesday, NBC is pairing new and returning dramas (respectively) with returning reality shows. On Monday The Sing-Off airs from 8-10PM and is followed by The Playboy Club. On Tuesday, The Biggest Loser airs from 8-10PM and is followed by Parenthood. Wednesday serves as a hybrid comedy/drama block for the network. New half-hour comedies Up All Night and Free Agents are followed by returning series Harry’s Law and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Thursday is packed with four half-hour comedies–Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office, and freshman Whitney and closes the night with the new drama Prime Suspect. The confirmed final season of Chuck (which will consist of 13 episodes) moves to Friday and is followed by new genre drama Grimm and Dateline NBC. Saturday is home to encore programming, and Sunday has NFL-related programs Football Night in America and NBC Sunday Night Football.
A number of NBC shows are being held for mid-season premieres. 30 Rock will return to Thursday at an unspecified time-slot; the post-football Sunday lineup will consist of Dateline NBC, The Celebrity Apprentice (Trump announced he is not running for president so he will return as the boss), and new drama The Firm; on Mondays The Sing-Off and The Playboy Club will make way for the second season of The Voice (in a two-hour format) and new musical drama Smash; and the following new series will enter the fray around this time as well: comedies Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, BFF, Bent, and drama Awake.
And if you’re keeping track, the following NBC shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: The Cape, The Event, Chase, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Outsourced, and Perfect Couples.
*As specified above The Event will not be returning to NBC next season, however it may not be 100% dead yet. Executive producer Steve Stark is apparently not giving up on the show so fast. According to various sources he is shopping the underwhelming sci-fi drama to various cable and digital entities including Netflix. Universal Media Studio is providing “full support” for a potential move. Says Stark, “NBC has been an amazing partner, it launched the show beautifully.” Added creator Nick Wauters, “We have a dedicated fan base, and we promised them we will deliver one way or another and will continue to tell our stories.” If The Event does get picked up for a second chance at life, you’ll find out as soon as I get wind of it.
NEW DRAMAS
The Playboy Club — It’s the early ’60s, and the legendary Playboy Club in Chicago is the door to all your fantasies… and the key is the most sought-after status symbol of its time. Step inside the seductive world of the Bunny, the epitome of beauty and service, and rub shoulders with the decade’s biggest mobsters, politicos and entertainers (like Tina Turner and Sammy Davis, Jr.) With all these larger than life ambitions, there are even greater secrets. Like when innocent new Bunny Maureen – who wants to take the world by storm – accidentally kills one of the Windy City’s most powerful mafia bosses… and the only person capable of covering it up and protecting her is Nick Dalton, a man who once worked for the mob but is about to run for district attorney. Bunny Alice is married but hiding an explosive personal life while Bunny Janie is running from a past that threatens to catch up with her. It seems everyone has a secret – none more so than Maureen, who may not even be the innocent orphan she appears to be. Thank goodness Hef’s Playboy Mansion is open after hours for a little R&R… and burying your past. From Academy Award-winning Executive Producer Brian Grazer, Executive Producer Chad Hodge (Tru Calling), and Director Alan Taylor (Mad Men) comes a provocative new series about a time and place that challenged the social mores, where a visionary created an empire, and an icon changed American culture.
Starring Amber Heard, Eddie Cibrian, Leah Renee, Jenna Dewan, Laura Benanti, David Krumholtz, Naturi Naughton, and Wes Ramsey.
Airs Monday nights @ 10PM.
Prime Suspect — If being a homicide detective in New York isn’t tough enough, having to contend with a male-dominated police department to get respect makes it that much tougher. And that’s exactly what Jane Timoney has to do. She’s an outsider who was just transferred to a new precinct where a fraternity of cops isn’t willing to give her the benefit of the doubt – especially given the way they think she got the job after an illicit affair with her boss. Jane is by no means perfect, and with her own vices and questionable past she can be forceful, willful, rude, and downright reckless. She’s also a brilliant cop with an uncanny ability to see what others miss, and get inside a criminal’s head like no one else. While she wouldn’t admit it, she wants the respect of the men in her life – including her commanding officer, her fellow detectives, and her complicated boyfriend and his young son – but above all, she keeps her eye on one thing: the prime suspect. From director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) comes the re-imagining of the British television hit starring Maria Bello (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, A History of Violence, The Cooler) as the tough-as-nails detective who doesn’t know when to quit.
Starring Maria Bello, Aidan Quinn, Brian O’Byrne, Tim Griffin, Kirk Acevedo, Joe Nieves, Damon Gupton, and Peter Gerety.
Airs Thursday nights @ 10PM.
Grimm — Remember the fairy tales your parents used to tell you before bedtime? Well, those weren’t stories, they were warnings.
Detective Nick Burkhardt thought he was ready for the grim reality of working homicide in Portland, Oregon. That is, until he started to see things… things he couldn’t quite explain. Like a gorgeous woman suddenly transforming into a hideous hag, or an average Joe turning into a vicious troll. Then, after a panicked visit from his only living relative, Nick discovers the truth about his visions: he’s not like everyone else, he’s a descendant of an elite group of hunters known as “Grimms” who are charged with stopping the proliferation of supernatural creatures in the world. And so begins his new life journey – albeit a reluctant one at first – as he solves crimes with his partner who knows something about Nick has radically changed but can’t quite put his finger on it. Along the way, Nick finds himself unexpectedly getting help on some of the more difficult cases from Monroe, a guy who seems normal at first but is soon revealed to be what you might call a “big bad wolf.” Literally! While the Brothers Grimm wrote fairy tales that children have adored for generations, imagine if the villains were real, and Nick was the only one who could stop them. From executive producers David Greenwalt (Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jim Kouf (Angel, National Treasure) comes a new world of police work where all cases have a storybook connection… but not always happily ever after.
Starring David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, and Reggie Lee.
Airs Friday nights @ 9PM.
The Firm — Picking up 10 years after the events of the 1993 feature film, this new series finds lawyer Mitch McDeere, who worked with the FBI to bring down a Memphis law firm associated with the Chicago mob, coming out of near total isolation after his family spent a decade in the Federal Witness Protection Program. The McDeeres are ready to return to their old lives and leave the past behind them – but the mob has a long memory. Add that to Mitch’s new association with another firm that may or may not be involved in something illicit, and the path ahead is dangerous and unknown. As old enemies return and new threats emerge, Mitch has no choice but to fight back if he ever hopes to return to some sense of normalcy. But can one man fight a criminal conspiracy? At least Mitch has one thing going for him: he’s done it before.
Cast TBD.
Airs Sunday nights @ 10PM starting mid-season.
Smash — There’s nothing more exciting than the opening night of a hit Broadway musical, except maybe what happens getting there. While Wicked and The Lion King pack audiences in on the Great White Way, Julia and Tom, a successful songwriting team played by Debra Messing and Christian Borle, begin work on a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. When a tenacious producer (Anjelica Houston) jumps aboard, so begins the difficult task of casting the silver screen icon. Ivy Lynn, a tough Broadway veteran, seems like the obvious choice. But enter Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee), a young girl from Iowa with a dream of making it on Broadway who walks in and blows everyone away. So who will get the part and begin a journey that will change their lives? It’s an age-old story, but a star just might be born once again. While everyone is consumed with putting the show together, real life has a tendency of getting in the way. Julia and her husband are in the middle of a complicated adoption; the producer’s husband begins divorce proceedings which could threaten the finances of the show; and the brilliant but womanizing director could derail everything if he puts the young star in a compromising position. This will be a rollercoaster ride that culminates on opening night when the audience gets to determine whether or not the show is a smash! In the era of The Voice and Glee, executive producers Steven Spielberg and Craig Zadan & Neil Meron (producers of Chicago and Hairspray), and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray), bring you the blood, sweat, and tears of the making of a Broadway musical.
Starring Debra Messing, Christian Borle, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Megan Hilty, Jaime Cepero, Anjelica Huston, Raza Jaffrey, and Brian d’Arcy James.
Airs Monday nights @ 10PM starting mid-season.
Awake — Lots of people find themselves leading some kind of double life… but none quite like this. After Detective Michael Britten wakes up from a car accident with his wife and teenage son, he learns the devastating news that his wife died in the crash. Trying to put the pieces of his life back together, he wakes up a few days later to realize that his wife is very much alive and his son died in the accident! Did he lose his wife or his son? Or neither of them?? What if your life split in two in the face of a situation like this, and you could actually have everything you wanted, just not all at the same time? Michael goes back to work solving crimes while trying to put things back on a “normal” track, but alternating between realities provides some challenges – one moment he and his wife are grappling with having another child to replace their loss, and the next moment he’s finding himself attracted to his son’s tennis coach to fill the void from the loss of his wife. At the same time, he is solving crimes in each world which sometimes overlap in fascinating and inexplicable ways. Is he dreaming or going mad? Michael begins seeing two different therapists to help him sort things out, but then again why would he want either “reality” to go away when the totality of both means having his family complete? From groundbreaking writer Kyle Killen (Lone Star) and starring Jason Isaacs (Brotherhood, Harry Potter) comes a drama about the power of the mind, where the inception of life is a mystery and reality might just be overrated.
Starring Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, Dylan Minnette, Steve Harris, Wilmer Valderrama, Michaela McManus, Cherry Jones, and B.D. Wong.
Airs TBA starting mid-season.
NEW COMEDIES
Up All Night — Life is all about balance. So what happens when you throw a new baby into it? Reagan (Christina Applegate) and her husband, Chris (Will Arnett), are the proud new parents of baby Amy. She may have been unexpected, but life’s curve balls can be a godsend, literally. Unless you have a career that needs attention, which is exactly what Reagan has. So, bucking tradition, they decide Reagan’s the one going back to work while Chris is going to be the stay-at-home dad. Easy, right? Well, not quite. Back at work at her high-pressure job, Reagan immediately feels the push and pull of motherhood and career while her self-involved co-worker, Ava (Maya Rudolph), can’t believe her best friend now has a baby (nor can she even remember if it’s a boy or girl!) Then her Facebook-generation assistant reminds Reagan of the free-wheeling lifestyle she and Chris once had. She also remembers that no matter how rowdy the partying once was, she always managed to get home, something that makes her very proud. Determined to prove that she and Chris still have a hot love life, and that she can be the perfect wife, mother, and career woman, Reagan spins a little out of control. But she eventually realizes that Amy is her new number one priority and somehow everything (except maybe Chris) is going to take a backseat to their new bundle of joy. Written by Saturday Night Live’s Emily Spivey, executive produced by Lorne Michaels, and directed by James Griffiths (Episodes), Reagan and Chris are about to find out whether it’s really possible to have it all.
Starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, and James Pumphrey.
Airs Wednesday nights @ 8PM.
Free Agents — Alex is recently divorced, and Helen lost her fiance a year ago. Obviously, these two are definitely not ready to be dating again. So naturally, they end up in bed together one night. Oops. And they’re co-workers. Double oops. At least they have one thing in common: they’re both in need of getting back on the horse again but unable to figure out how. Despite their little romantic encounter, however, they decide to just remain friends. Helen insists this has nothing to do with Alex crying like a baby after sex. And Alex tries to reassure Helen that she’ll have no trouble finding a new boyfriend as soon as she removes the pictures of her dead fiance that are all over her apartment. The rest of the office tries to get Alex back out there… but no matter how many douchey shirts they make him buy, he’s never going to be a ladies’ man. His colleagues aren’t actually much help: from the boss who can’t wait to hear about Alex’s sexual exploits to the eternal “player” who wants Alex as his new wing man. When he finally gets up the courage to go on a date, Helen finds herself just a little jealous… which is what Alex secretly wanted all along. And one drunk-dial later, they end up back in bed together. Looks like this might be the start of something (awkward) big. This crooked workplace/romantic comedy written by John Enbom (Party Down) and directed by Emmy Award winner Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle) proves you can try to put yourself back out there, but sometimes what you need is right in front of you. Even if it’s a really bad idea.
Starring Hank Azaria, Kathryn Hahn, Mo Mandel, Al Madrigal, Natasha Leggero, Anthony Head, and Jo Lo Truglio.
Airs Wednesday nights @ 8:30PM.
Whitney — They say marriage is the number one cause of divorce. For Alex and Whitney, it’s one of many reasons they’re determined not to take the plunge. After going to yet another one of their friends’ weddings, Whitney realizes that she and Alex are dangerously close to relationship boredom. She sees it happen all the time: pretty soon you’re not dressing up for each other, you’re not having enough sex, and you start fighting. Determined not to let that happen to them, Whitney consults her close circle of (opinionated) friends and snaps into action. A few awkward sexy costumes and one botched seductive evening later, they end up in the ER after Alex gets a concussion from a compromising position. Not exactly the mind-blowing experience she wanted, but you know what? That’s all right. Their relationship might not be perfect on paper, but it works and they really do love each other. Bright young comedian Whitney Cummings (Chelsea Lately) brings her unique and hilarious perspective on love to this new comedy series that proves there’s no right way to be together… but there are plenty of wrong ways.
Starring Whitney Cummings, Chris D’Elia, Zoe Lister-Jones, Maulik Pancholy, Dan O’Brien, and Rhea Seehorn.
Airs Thursday nights @ 9:30PM.
Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea — Do you remember where you were when you had a life-changing realization? (In other words, a DUI? ) For Chelsea Newman, it was in the drunk tank at her local jail. And maybe “life-changing” is a slight exaggeration – her version of a wake-up call is realizing that the way to avoid driving drunk is to get an apartment within walking distance from work! But hey, baby steps, right? Chelsea is young, strong-willed, and a force of nature determined to live life to the fullest and make no apologies. Her friends are along for the ride, but they all know it’s Chelsea’s way or the highway. Her fiery Cuban BFF accuses her of “collecting weirdoes,” but to Chelsea, different types of people – including Todd, (a little person) who always has her back – just make life more interesting. Into her posse comes a new roommate who is Chelsea’s polar opposite (sheltered, shy, a virgin) so you can probably guess which way the influence will go. Chelsea works at her local bar (how appropriate!) where her co-workers are just as crazy as she is. Starring Laura Prepon (That ’70s Show) in the title role and based on the outrageous number one best-selling book by Chelsea Handler, this is one prayer that should definitely not be taught in schools.
Starring Laura Prepon, Chelsea Handler, Angel Laketa Moore, Jo Koy, Mark Povinelli, Natalie Morales, Lauren Lapkus, and Lenny Clarke.
Airs TBA starting mid-season.
Bent — It’s amazing what you can find when you’re a little bit lost – and how ironic at a time like this that you suddenly find yourself attracted to exactly what used to repel you! That’s the situation for Alex and Pete. On the surface, they could not be more different. Alex is strong, resilient, tough-as-nails and recently divorced, now raising her eight-year-old daughter as a single mom. She’s also a lawyer, which is funny because her ex-husband is in jail for fraud. Determined not to let anything do her in, she stays the course by not taking grief from anyone… oh, and she’s just decided to redo her kitchen. Enter Pete, the contractor she hires for the job. Pete is a recovering gambling addict, avid surfer and unapologetic womanizer. His vices have ruined his relationships with his old construction team, and Alex’s kitchen job is his last chance to prove that he won’t just blow it all again. But he’s not quite prepared for what’s about to hit him when he encounters the force that is Alex; nor does she realize that her rigid facade is about to crumble at about the same time her kitchen gets demolished. And if Pete didn’t have enough to deal with, his father – played by the inimitable Jeffrey Tambor – is competing with him for womanizer of the year and it’s clear to see the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. From writer Tad Quill (Scrubs, Spin City) and starring Amanda Peet comes a new romantic comedy about two people who may be bent, but are definitely not broken.
Starring Amanda Peet, David Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, Margo Harshman, and Joey King.
Airs TBA starting mid-season.
BFF — Jessica and Lennon, best friends forever, live on opposite sides of the country with the different men in their lives. But when Jessica is served divorce papers, she reluctantly moves back to New York and back into Lennon’s apartment. It doesn’t take long for the girls to fall back into old habits: beloved traditions, Steel Magnolias marathons, epic girl-talk sessions… none of which is good news to Lennon’s live-in boyfriend, Joe. He’s trying to be understanding, but begins to feel like a stranger in his own home. It doesn’t help that his new houseguest accidentally keeps seeing him naked. Meanwhile, Jessica is just trying to get used to the single life again. She’s doing everything from buying new underwear to reconnecting with old friends, like Rav, who may or may not have feelings for her. She hasn’t spoken to him since he punched her ex-husband in the face at their wedding… but somehow, that doesn’t seem like such a big deal anymore. Girls will be girls and men will forever be on the outside looking in! From Executive Producer Scot Armstrong (Old School, Hangover 2) comes a new comedy about old friends, new beginnings, and awkward situations.
Starring Lennon Parham, Jessica St. Clair, Stephen Schneider, and Daija Owens.
Airs TBA starting mid-season.
NBC FALL 2011-12 SCHEDULE (New programs in UPPER CASE)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Sing-Off
10-11 p.m. – THE PLAYBOY CLUB
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m. – Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – UP ALL NIGHT
8:30-9 p.m. – FREE AGENTS
9-10 p.m. – Harry’s Law
10-11 p.m. – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – Community
8:30-9 p.m. – Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 p.m. – The Office
9:30-10 p.m. – WHITNEY
10-11 p.m. – PRIME SUSPECT
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – Chuck
9-10 p.m. – GRIMM
10-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m. – Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m. – NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC 2012 MID-SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. – Dateline NBC
8-10 p.m. – The Celebrity Apprentice
10-11 p.m. – THE FIRM
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – The Voice
10-11 p.m. – SMASH