Ben Silverman Comes Out Swinging
Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/15/2007 9:31:00 PM
Ben Silverman and the new look NBC came out swinging Monday morning with a slew of announcements at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills.
First were several changes in the fall schedule:
- The Monday lineup in the fall will be Chuck, Heroes and Journeyman.
- Tuesdays will be a 90-minute Biggest Loser, then a 30-minute Singing Bee then Law & Order: SVU
- Fridays will be Deal or No Deal and then Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas
- 1 vs 100 is benched and could come back at midseason
“I don’t think we felt it needed a major overhaul, I was a fresh pair of eyes,” Silverman says.
Silverman then outlined several developmental issues:
- Former Grey’s Anatomy star Isiah Washington will appear in five of the first six episodes of Bionic Woman
- The Apprentice will return, possibly by mid-season, with a celebrity edition in which the money will go to charity
- Jerry Seinfeld will appear as himself on the premiere of 30 Rock
- Normal Lear is on board to oversee a one-hour comedy that has been fast-tracked
- In development is Phenomenon, a search for the next Uri Geller or Criss Angel, who are attached. The show was a hit in Israel under the title The Successor, and has been launched in 15 territories around the world. “If any of you can turn your computers on and off without touching them, this is your show,” Silverman says.
- NBC has greenlit Backyards and Bullets, a pilot from director Charles McDougal (Desperate Housewives, The Office and The Tudors)
- Las Vegas executive producer Gary Scott Thompson will take over adapted format Sin Tetas.
Michelle Nader (King of Queens) will executive produce comedy pilot Kath & Kim
- Independent film producer Charles Corwin (The Squid and the Whale, Half Nelson) has signed a first -look deal with NBC and Universal Media Studios
NBC also announced its schedule of 2007 fall premiere dates (new shows in caps except ER):
SEPTEMBER 11
"The Biggest Loser" (8-10 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 17
"Deal or No Deal" (8-9 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 24
"CHUCK" (8-9 p.m.)
"Heroes" (9-10 p.m.)
"JOURNEYMAN" (10-11 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 25
"The Singing Bee" (9:30-10 p.m.)
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10-11 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 26
"Deal or No Deal" (8-9 p.m.; marks Wednesday debut)
"BIONIC WOMAN" (9-10 p.m.)
"LIFE" (10-11 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 27
"My Name Is Earl" (8-9 p.m.)
"The Office" (9-10 p.m.)
"ER" (10-11 p.m.)
SEPTEMBER 28
"Deal or No Deal" (moves to new day, 8-9 p.m.)
"Las Vegas" (9-11 p.m.)
OCTOBER 4
"30 Rock" (8-8:30 p.m.)
OCTOBER 5
"Friday Night Lights" (9-10 p.m.)
OCTOBER 25
"Scrubs" (9:30-10 p.m.)
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