NBC will play it safe this fall, then get only a tad friskier as the season goes on.
Its line-up, announced today (Monday), has only two new shows, both with familiar names. One is a reboot of “Quantum Leap,” with Raymond Lee (shown here) as the new star; the other has George Lopez, now paired with his daughter in the comedy, “Lopez vs. Lopez.”
Another reboot arrives at mid-season: “Night Court” has John Larroquette returning to his Emmy-winning role, now with Melissa Rauch (“Big Bang Theory”) as the judge.
Otherwise, NBC – once boasting must-see comedies — will be low on laughs. Its only two fall comedies – “Lopez vs. Lopez” and “Young Rock” – will wait until November; first, their Friday slot goes to Peyton Manning hosting “College Bowl.” Two other comedies, “American Auto” and “Grand Crew” wait until mid-season; there’s no word of “Mr. Mayor” returning.
NBC will also be a tad lower on prestige. Its 9 p.m. Tuesday slot now holds the final season of the much-loved “This Is Us.” In the fall, that spot goes to “La Brea,” the much-mocked show about people who fall through an opening and seem to land in 10,000 BC.
And the network will be long on Dick Wolf productions. Wolf continues to have all three “Chicago” shows on Wednesdays and all three “Law & Order” ones on Thursdays; at mid-season, he’ll add the non-fiction “LA Fire and Rescue.”
Also coming at mid-season are two new reality shows (“The Wheel” and “Million Dollar Island”), two returning reality shows (“The Wall” and “That’s My Jam”) and the 10th season of “The Blacklist.” NBC also plans a Christmas movie from Dolly Parton and a New Year’s Eve party from Miley Cyrus. The fall schedule:
— Mondays: “The Voice” (Camila Cabello is the new judge, alongside Black Shelton, Gwen Stefani and John Legend), 8 p.m.; “Quatum Leap,” 10.
— Tuesdays: “The Voice,” 8; “La Brea,” 9; “New Amsterdam,” 10.
— Wednesdays: “Chicago Med,” 8; “Chicago Fire,” 9; “Chicago P.D.,” 10.
— Thursdays: “Laws & Order,” 8; “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 9; “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” 10.
— Fridays: “College Bowl” (replaced by “Lopez vs. Lopex” and “Young Rock” in November), 8; “Dateline,” 9-11.
— Saturdays: Drama reruns, 8; “Dateline” mysteries, 9; “Saturday Night Live” reruns, 10.
— Sundays: Football.