NBC Brings Back Community, Adds 3 New Comedic Series; Nick at Nite Celebrates The Oscars

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

NBC Brings Back Community, Adds 3 New Comedic Series; Nick at Nite Celebrates The Oscars

NBC announced the premieres of the new comedies Bent (March 21) starring Amanda Peet and Best Friends Forever (April 4), as well as the comedic hidden-camera series Betty White's Off Their Rockers (April 4) to its spring lineup. Community also will return to the Thursday schedule starting March 15. Bent will premiere on Wednesday, March 21 at 9:00 PM followed by a second episode at 9:30 PM. The series will continue with original back-to-back one-hour blocks on Wednesday, March 28 and April 4 on both nights, finishing off its six episode order. It is either that bad that NBC wants to finish it off in just three weeks or NBC is trying to capture Modern Family viewers, since it looks like 2 of the 3 weeks that series is in repeats. But in just 3 weeks, what is the point of trying to make something work? Currently airing at 9 is Rock Center with Brian Williams, but that will move to 10:00 PM from March 7 through April 4, as Law & Order: SVU will be on hiatus. Rock Center and Law & Order: SVU will return to their 9:00 and 10:00 PM timeslots on April 11 though May 23.
Following the season finales of Whitney and Are You There, Chelsea on March 28, Betty White's Off Their Rockers premieres the following week on Wednesday, April 4 at 8:00 PM followed by new comedy Best Friends Forever at 8:30 PM. Betty White's Off Their Rockers has a 12 episode order and had a sneak preview on January 16 so eleven episodes will be available to air and NBC will air ten of them as of now. It will air for 6 straight weeks through May 9 then on May 16 & May 23 a full-hour (8-9PM) will air both weeks, giving it ten episodes since its launch on April 4 (so one will be left to air for now). As for Best Friends Forever, NBC has a six episode order for this series, like Bent, and will air it for six straight weeks through May 9, instead of double-pumping it in three weeks.
On to Thursdays, Community returns on Thursday, March 15 at 8:00 PM as NBC re-sets the night with 30 Rock shifting to 8:30 PM followed still by The Office at 9 and Up All Night at 9:30 PM. Parks and Recreation goes on hiatus after the March 8 episode but comes back on Thursday, April 19 at a new time of 9:30 PM for four weeks to finish its season after Up All Night has ended its 24-episode original season run in the time period. The Parks & Recreation season finale is scheduled for May 10 (as The Office is likely having a two-episode finale on May 17). Community has 12 episodes to air and as of now NBC has booked it through May 24, so that's eleven weeks, but possibly it will be two episodes on one week.
View the complete NBC comedy changes for this spring. And stay with us for further information!

Nick at Nite will celebrate the Oscars with a marathon of sitcom episodes the night before the big night. On Saturday, February 25, Nick at Nite will air episodes of their sitcoms featuring award-winning actors. The line-up will air from 10pm-2am with Friends, George Lopez and That '70s Show episodes. Friends will start off the marathon with episodes guest starring Brad Pitt, Billy Crystal, Reese Witherspoon and Alec Baldwin. In fact, as you all know, Billy Crystal is hosting this year's Oscars for the ninth time! Then it is back-to-back episodes of George Lopez featuring Sandra Bullock, who also is a producer on the show. And finally two episodes of That '70s Show will feature the timeless Betty White. All of these stars have been nominated for an Oscar or have won an Oscar except Billy Crystal and Betty White. Crystal has taken home Emmy's though for his hosting of the Oscars and Betty White has won many Emmy's and Golden Globes, so this night is all about award-winning actors.
View more on this Nick at Nite event this Saturday and don't forget to watch the Oscars on Sunday night on ABC starting at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 9

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Stuffed Monkey and an Ex-Girlfriend" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When CeeCee loses her favorite toy, Mandy and Meemaw (Annie Potts) take it as an opportunity to make some money. Meanwhile, Connor contemplates revisiting an old relationship.

Ghosts - "Michael Jackson Goes to HR" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Trevor lands himself in trouble when an inappropriate gift to a co‑worker forces him into an HR meeting only Jay can handle. Meanwhile, Pete unintentionally sparks drama with Alberta after casually mentioning a surprise visit to his ex.

Animal Control - "Scaredy Cats and Card Sharks" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
When Frank and Daisy lose $5,000 in union funds, they try to win the money back by gambling; Shred and Patel cover the late-night shift at the precinct.

Going Dutch - "The Heart Locker" (Fox, 9:32PM ET/PT)
After throwing out his back, the Colonel is ordered to bed rest; the base is sent to sweep for landmines at a local farm, where Major Shah suddenly finds himself in serious danger when he steps on one.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Thursday, April 9

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Catch Kerry on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Riz Ahmed (Bait) - Riz is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Jim appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy talks about Scrubs and High Potential on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Dany Levy (Big Mistakes/Schitt's Creek) - Dan talks about Big Mistakes on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Felicity Huffman (Sports Night) - Felicity dishes on Doc on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/Help Me Help You) - Bryan, Frankie and Jane talk about Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
John C. Reilly (Moonbase 8) - NBC's Today has "Head or Tails" with John in the 9am hour.
Billy Magnussen (The Franchise/Made for Love) - NBC's Today catches up with Billy in the 9am hour.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Terry and Rebecca King-Crews revealing for the first time Rebecca's health battle, so check your local listings.
Kenya Barris (blackAF) - Kenya talks about Prime's Jerry West: The Logo on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Juliette Lewis (Camping/I Married Dora) - Juliette tells Drew about her current run in Broadway show The Rocky Horror Show on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.