NBC’s new fall line-up will look suspiciously like its old one.
The schedule, unveiled today (May 12), has only one new drama — starring Jimmy Smits, who became an NBC star 33 years ago. It also has two new comedies.
The bigger changes come at mid-season, when Sunday football ends and other hits (“This Is Us,” “The Voice”) rest. That will bring two new comedies (one starring “Saturday Night Live” veteran Kenan Thompson) and three new dramas (including one based on the “Bone Collector” novels and movie).
In addition, several existing shows will wait for mid-season, including “Manifest,” “Blindspot” (in its final season). “Good Girls.” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Will & Grace.”
That means there are no major cancellations to startle viewers. However, many of this year’s mid-season shows aren’t listed as returning, including “The Enemy Within,” “The Village,” “Abby’s,” “A.P. Bio” and “The Titan Games.” Here’s the line-up:
— Mondays: “The Voice,” 8 p.m.; “Bluff City Law,” 10 p.m. “Bluff City” is a new show, with an idealistic lawyer (Caitlin McGee) reluctantly working with her father (Smits).
— Tuesdays: “The Voice,” 8 p.m.; “This Is Us,” 9; “New Amsterdam,” 10.
— Wednesdays: “Chicago Med,” 8 p.m.; “Chicago Fire,” 9; “Chicago P.D.,” 10.
— Thursdays: “Superstore,” 8 p.m.; “Perfect Harmony,” 8:30; “The Good Place,” 9; “Sunnyside,” 9:30; “Law & Order: SVU,” 10. Two of the comedies are new: “Perfect Harmony” has Bradley Whitford as a former Princeton music professor, working with an inept choir. In “Sunnyside,” Kal Penn (who once worked in the Obama White House) plays an up-and-coming politician who ruined his reputation; now he’s living with his sister and trying to rebuild his life.
— Fridays: “The Blacklist,” 8 p.m., “Dateline,” 9.
— Saturdays: “Dateline” mysteries, 8 p.m.; “Saturday Night Live” reruns, 10.
— Sundays: Football.
— Mid-season returning reality: “World of Dance,” “Little Big Shots” (with Melissa McCarthy taking over as host), “Ellen’s Game of Games,” “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.”
— Mid-season returning comedies: “Will & Grace,” “Brooklyn Nine- Nine.”
–Mid-season new comedies: “The Kenan Show” has Thompson as a dad with two daughters and a troublesome father-in-law; Chris Rock produces and Andy Garcia co-stars. “Indebted” has young parents suddenly housing his parents, who are broke; it stars Fran Drescher, Steven Weber, Abby Elliott and Adam Pally.
— Mid-season returning dramas: “Manifest,” “Good Girls” and “Blindspot.”
— Mid-season new dramas: “Lincoln” has Russell Hornsby and Arielle Kebbel in the roles played by Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie in “Bone Collector” — a disabled detective and his protege. “Council of Dads” has a man facing a health scare and asking friends to help raise his kids. “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” has Jane Levy as a computer programmer who can suddenly hear people’s thoughts via music.