NBC Announces the 2009-10 Television Lineup
A decade ago, NBC was the hottest network on television. In recent years, NBC has become the butt of many industry jokes as the network continued to slide further down the ratings ladder. What happened to this successful network? CBS moved in with a whole lineup of procedural dramas in 2000, quickly capturing that coveted demographic from NBC.
Will NBC ever reclaim that ratings crown? Four new dramas are coming our way this fall and they certainly sound much more promising than last year's offerings.
Canceled:Life, Knight Rider, Kings, Lipstick Jungle and Medium (may move to CBS).
New Dramas Coming to NBC
Day One
An epic drama following the tragic events of what NBC describes as "a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures." The series focuses on a group of survivors who lived in an apartment complex in Van Nuys, California and how they deal with the aftermath of this tragedy. Will they be able to help rebuild a society? Who will emerge as the true heroes?
Cast: Adam Campbell, Catherine Dent, Julie Gonzalo, David Lyons, Derek Mio, Carly Pope, Thekla Reuten and Addison Timlin.
Mercy
With the absence of ER from the schedule, NBC adds this new medical drama in hopes that lightning will strike twice. Mercy follows the lives and loves of a group of nurses at Mercy Hospital. Nurse Veronica Callahan, who has just finished a tour of duty in Iraq and knows more about medicine than most of the other nurses, appears to be the primary character. Imagine Grey's Anatomy told through the eyes of the nursing staff -- oh the stories they could tell!
Cast: Taylor Schilling as Nurse Veronica Callahan, Jamie Lee Kirchner as Sonia Jimenez, Michelle Trachtenberg as Chloe Payne, James Tupper as Dr. Chris Sands, Diego Klattenhoff as Mike Callahan and Guillermo Diaz as Nurse Angel Lopez.
Parenthood
The blockbuster movie from the '80s comes to the small screen for the second time. This latest incarnation centers around the Braverman family's four grown siblings (played by an impressive cast of TV and movie stars) who are desperately trying to navigate through the trials and tribulations of parenthood, as well as their own personal issues.
Cast: Peter Krause as Adam Braverman, Maura Tierney as Sarah Braverman, Craig T. Nelson as Zeek Braverman, Dax Shepard as Crosby Braverman, Bonnie Bedelia as Camille Braverman, Monica Potter as Kristina Braverman, Erika Christensen as Julia Braverman, Sarah Ramos as Haddie Braverman, Mae Whitman as Amber and Miles Heizer as Drew.
Trauma
NBC doubles up on medical dramas with this fast-paced, thrilling series that centers around the first responder paramedics from San Francisco General. Known for being one of the most dangerous medical professions, these paramedics will "travel by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time," even in the most extreme conditions.
Cast: Billy Lush as Bailey, Anastasia Griffith as Nancy, Cliff Curtis as "Rabbit", Aimee Garcia as Marisa, Kevin Rankin as Tyler, and Derek Luke as Boone.
**NBC Fall Programming Schedule At a Glace**
(new shows in bold)
SUNDAY
8:00 NBC Sunday Night Football
MONDAY
8:00 Heroes
9:00 Trauma
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
TUESDAY
8:00 The Biggest Loser - (two-hours)
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Parenthood
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
THURSDAY
8:00 SNL Weekend Update Thursday
8:30 Park & Recreation
9:00 The Office
9:30 Community
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
FRIDAY
8:00 Law & Order
9:00 Southland
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
**NBC Midseason Programming Schedule At a Glace**
(new shows in bold)
SUNDAY
8:00 The Marriage Ref
9:00 The Celebrity Apprentice (two-hour edition)
MONDAY
8:00 Chuck
9:00 Day One
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
TUESDAY
8:00 The Biggest Loser - (90 minute edition)
9:30 100 Questions
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Mercy
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
THURSDAY
8:00 SNL Weekend Update Thursday
8:30 Park & Recreation
9:00 The Office
9:30 30 Rock
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
FRIDAY
8:00 Law & Order
9:00 Southland
10:00 The Jay Leno Show
**Friday Night Lights will air on NBC in the summer of 2010, but new episodes can be found on DirecTV this fall.
More Fall TV 2009-10 Resources