NBC Planning 'SNL' Specials, 'Dancing' For Mid-Season
Friday Night Lights returns beginning Jan. 16
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/25/2008 10:45:00 AM
NBC unveiled its mid-season schedule Tuesday. The new shows are Superstars of Dance, Momma’s Boys and Howie Do It.
In addition, NBC is prepping at least two more Saturday Night Live primetime specials, hoping to capitalize on the late night series resurgence this season, and the success of its SNLPresidential Bash special earlier this month. The two SNL specials airing in January focus on sports and film spoofs.
The schedule also sees the return of Friday Night Lights beginning Jan. 16, whose new episodes have been relegated to DirecTV’s Channel 101.
A miniseries event, The Last Templar, will be broadcast Jan. 25 and 26.
The full schedule is below, with new shows in bold.
MONDAYS (beginning January 5)
8-10 p.m. -- “Superstars of Dance”; premieres Sunday, January 4 (9-11 p.m.); season finale Monday, January 26 (8-9 p.m.)
10-11 p.m. – “Momma’s Boys”
(“Chuck” and “Heroes” return in February)
TUESDAYS (beginning January 6)
8-10 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser: Couples”
10-11 p.m. -- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
TUESDAY (January 20)
10-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”: Presidential Inauguration Special (10-11 p.m. ET)
WEDNESDAYS (beginning January 7)
8-9 p.m. -- “Knight Rider”
9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” encores (“Life” returns in February)
10-11 p.m. -- “Law & Order”
THURSDAYS (beginning January 8)
8-8:30 p.m. – “My Name Is Earl”
8:30-9 p.m. -- “Kath & Kim”
9:00-9:31 p.m. -- “The Office”
9:31-10 p.m. -- “30 Rock”
10-11 p.m. – “ER”
FRIDAYS
8-9 p.m. -- “Howie Do It” (series premiere January 9)
9-10 p.m. – “Friday Night Lights” (beginning January 16)
10-11 p.m. -- “Dateline NBC” (beginning December 5)
SATURDAYS (beginning January 10)
8-11 – “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” encores
SUNDAYS (January 4)
7-9 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live Sports Extra”
9-11 p.m. – “Superstars of Dance” (premiere)
“Sunday -- Event Specials”
8-11 p.m. – “The Golden Globe Awards” (January 11)
9-11 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live Film Festival” (January 18)
9-11 p.m. – The Last Templar -- (January 25 and Monday, January 26)
6:15-10 p.m. – Super Bowl XLIII (February 1)
