Upfronts, the annual ritual when TV network execs trek to NYC to pitch their upcoming television schedule and hope advertisers are enticed enough to buy time to run commercials during those shows.
In my preview of the 2016 Upfronts, I’ve taken a look at the pilots (aka first episode) under contention for a full series pick-up as well as the prospects for renewal/cancellation of the shows currently on air at each of the networks, the vast majority of which have already been revealed during the last two days.
In the last part of the Upfronts Preview, I’ll play backseat network executive and lay out how I would program the upcoming television schedule for each of the networks. It’s finally NBC’s turn after going over ABC, The CW, CBS, and FOX.
I’ve talked about the entertainment heads at pretty much all the other networks so why not talk about NBC’s: Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment since 2011. That Greenblatt is currently the longest-serving entertainment head out of the 5 major broadcast networks is a little surprising as he endured some of the roughest times in NBC’s ratings downturn (it also gives you an indication of how short a tenure being network entertainment head is given he’s “only” been chairman for 5 years) and his head was being called for on a nearly daily basis when NBC’s ratings were the butt of Leno’s jokes on a near-nightly basis.
But now, NBC is sitting pretty atop the potent combo of Sunday Night Football, the Chicago franchise, and The Voice to most likely make it the #2 network in the 18-49 demo for the season. That’s not even mentioning its domination in late night and the Today show clawing its way back in the news demo after viewers tuned out en masse after the botched Ann Curry ouster.
Which all goes to say, NBC has laid a solid foundation for itself, and is unlikely to suddenly plummet to last place in one season thanks to the strength of football, The Voice, and its Chicago shows. Still, as they say, you’re only as good as your last hit and NBC has a couple holes to fill.
Sunday
Current Schedule: Little Big Shots repeat/Little Big Shots/The Carmichael Show/Crowded/Dateline
Sunday Night Football.
Monday
Current Schedule: The Voice/Blindspot
The Voice stays, that part’s easy enough. But should NBC keep Blindspot in its place or move it elsewhere on the schedule? NBC has regularly launched shows in the post-Voice Monday slot only to relocate it after its initial season, which has consistently lead to a downturn in ratings (usually because the lead-out programs suck i.e. Revolution, The Blacklist). Blindspot started out hot, being the highest-rated new drama of the season when it premiered but losing steam throughout its run (y’know, because it sucked). Still, move it to Thursdays as even its current marginal ratings are an improvement for the night.
There are two contenders that stand out for the post-Voice spot (excluding comedies unless NBC wants to change things up): the new-but-familiar Blacklist spin-off and Timeless, Shawn Ryan’s umpteenth attempt to prove The Shield wasn’t a fluke. Either of them could conceivably end up on Mondays but give the edge to the buzzier Timeless and stick The Blacklist: Redemption on Wednesdays, where it might mesh better with NBC’s other cop procedurals.
Tuesday
Current Schedule: The Voice/Chicago Med/Chicago Fire
This is a stable-enough night, let’s not mess with it.
Wednesday
Current Schedule: Heartbeat/Law & Order: SVU/Chicago P.D.
Have The Blacklist: Redemption lead-off the night and hope it does better ratings than what had recently been filling the timeslot, keep Law & Order: SVU and Chicago P.D. in their timeslots.
Thursday
Current Schedule: Strong/The Blacklist/Game of Silence
This is a night that needs heavy fixing. Changing from a night of comedies to a night of dramas has been a mixed bag for NBC: On the one hand, The Blacklist regularly rates higher than whatever comedies preceded it, on the other, NBC has been unable to find compatible schedule-mates to bookend the night. Move Blindspot to kick off the night and hopes it does the same “hey at least it’s better than what we had before” ratings and end the night with Taken, because, sure, why not. Take the one thing people liked about that franchise (Liam Neeson), remove it, and try to make a show out of it. Sure. Couldn’t be worse than what NBC’s tried with the timeslot thusfar, right?
NBC also splits the Thursday Night Football package with CBS, with CBS getting the first 5 games and NBC getting the second batch of 5 games. It’s a little awkward to start a season only to interrupt it with 5 weeks off. Kick off the season with five weeks of two hours of Emerald City (and maybe premiere Taken behind it), because NBC doesn’t really seem to want (or know what to do with) this “event series” that they previously ordered, cancelled before premiering, then ordered again. This seems like an ideal way to burn it off.
Friday
Current Schedule: Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon/Grimm/Dateline
With the pickup of supernatural drama Midnight, Texas, NBC has another chance to schedule a compatible show with Grimm after striking out with Hannibal and Dracula. The rest of the night stays the same.
2016-17 NBC television schedule
new shows in italics
Sunday: Sunday Night Football
Monday: The Voice/Timeless
Tuesday: The Voice/Chicago Med/Chicago Fire
Wednesday: The Blacklist: Redemption/Law & Order: SVU/Chicago P.D.
Thursday: Emerald City (2-hours)/Taken
Thursday Night Football
(After football: Blindspot/The Blacklist/Taken)
Friday: Midnight, Texas/Grimm/Dateline
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