NBC Upfront 2021-22: Fall 2021 Schedule; Fri-Yay: ABC and CBS Comedy Renewal Decisions

Friday, May 14, 2021

NBC Upfront 2021-22: Fall 2021 Schedule; Fri-Yay: ABC and CBS Comedy Renewal Decisions

NBC 2021-22

Fall 2021

Mondays
8:00PM The Voice
10:00PM Ordinary Joe (NEW!)

Tuesdays
8:00PM The Voice
9:00PM La Brea (NEW!)
10:00PM New Amsterdam

Wednesdays
8:00PM Chicago Med
9:00PM Chicago Fire
10:00PM Chicago P.D.

Thursdays
8:00PM Law & Order: For the Defense (NEW!)
9:00PM Law & Order: SVU
10:00PM Law & Order: Organized Crime

Fridays
8:00PM The Blacklist
9:00PM Dateline NBC

Saturdays
8:00PM Drama Encores
9:00PM Dateline Weekend Mystery
10:00PM SNL Vintage

Sundays
7:00PM Football Night in America
8:20PM NBC Sunday Night Football

Unscheduled Mid-Season/Summer 2022:
New Comedy: American Auto, Grand Crew
New Drama: The Thing About Pam (Limited)
New Reality/Unscripted:: AGT Extreme, American Song Contest, That's My Jam, LA Fire and Rescue, The Wheel, Home Sweet Home
Returning Comedy: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Kenan, Mr. Mayor, Young Rock
Returning Drama: This Is Us, Transplant
Returning Reality/Unscripted: The Wall, Weakest Link, Who Do You Think You Are?

NOTES: Returning shows for the 2021-22 schedule include The Blacklist, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D, Dateline NBC, Kenan, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Mayor, NBC Sunday Night Football, New Amsterdam, This Is Us, The Voice, The Wall, Transplant, Weakest Link, Young Rock.

After kicking off with a special post-Olympics send-off for Brooklyn Nine Nine this summer, comedy returns to the schedule in midseason. New series American Auto and Grand Crew will join sophomore successes Kenan, Mr. Mayor and Young Rock for two big nights of funny. Hit comedies Kenan, Mr. Mayor, and Young Rock will also air special holiday episodes.

Decisions are yet to be made on Debris, Ellen's Game of Games, Good Girls, Manifest and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

As part of NBC’s rolling pilot process this year, the following projects have been picked up to pilot with decisions yet to be made on series greenlights: Dangerous Moms, Getaway, Hungry, Night Court, Someone Out There and the Untitled Nick Wootton/Jake Coburn Project. With the NBC’s 52-week scheduling strategy,these pilots could be possibilities for later in the 2021-22 season or could roll over to the 2022-23 season.

Discuss NBC's 2021-22 lineup and view the full press release.

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

The Conners

by Vincent

Well, it's hard to believe, but we are already at the time of year where networks are getting ready to renew and cancel the remaining shows that they still need to make decisions about for the next TV season. Given this season's truncated nature, it feels so early - although "Upfronts" (as they still exist given they are virtual again this year) are actually later this year than usual, and the network TV season is extending into June for many shows given the late start they had. Looking at the sitcom landscape, there are only a handful of sitcoms left on the bubble, with most shows having their fates sealed one way or the other.

The network with the most questions remaining is ABC. Their entire sitcom slate remains technically in limbo, although some shows are likely a lock to return, such as The Goldbergs, The Conners and black-ish. It will be interesting to see if any of those shows have announced final seasons, given the fact that all three saw significant ratings declines this year (in addition to the fact that The Goldbergs and black-ish are pretty old and probably expensive). Less certain for ABC is the next tier of sitcoms. American Housewife, Home Economics, and mixed-ish are all classic bubble shows, with disappointing-to-OK viewership numbers. It seems likely at least one, maybe two, will return, but it's hard to see room being made for all three. American Housewife is the oldest and probably priciest, but its ratings do edge out the remaining two, so it will be interesting to see which direction ABC goes with. Finally, Call Your Mother is a freshman sitcom that had mostly disappointing ratings and little buzz, and I wouldn't expect it to return. Other than ABC, the only sitcoms left on the bubble are B Positive and United States of Al on CBS - two mediocre rated shows that I'd call a true toss up. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out in the near future.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 29

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Tire Convention and the Moral High Ground" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie discovers that Jim’s annual tire convention trip isn’t what he says it is. Meanwhile, Mandy has doubts about the strength of her and Georgie’s marriage.

Ghosts - "The Not-So-Silent Partner" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam and Jay are forced to cover when Mark demands to meet the silent investor in Jay’s restaurant who has been holding up construction.

Bob's Burgers - "Like a Candle in the Gym" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Linda forces everyone to go on a family walk; the kids stumble onto a bizarre conspiracy theory.

Grimsburg - "Blue Light District" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Roles get reversed in Flute and Summers' partnership after male sex workers start turning up dead.

Family Guy - "Cool Hand Lois" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Peter suspects Lois of betraying his trust with Quagmire at a swanky vacation resort.

The Great North - "Sunset Beeflevard Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Judy joins the cast of a dinner theater production; Wolf and Honeybee help Moon sell jerky door-to-door.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)

Thursday, May 29

Ricky Gervais (After Life/The Office) - Catch Ricky on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) - Kaitlyn appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Glenn Howerton (Sirens/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/A.P. Bio/The Mindy Project/That '80s Show) - Glenn appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
The Cast of And Just Like That... - E! News has an interview with the cast at 11pm on E!.
Tia Mowry (Family Reunion/The Game/Sister, Sister) - Tia has a big announcement to help you plan your summer vacation on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. Plus, she catches us up on family and her hit TV show Tia Mowry: My Next Act.
Megan Hilty (Sean Saves the World) - Megan joins the hosts for a chat about Death Becomes Her on Broadway on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Featured host Vlad Duthiers attends an acting class and partners with Chloe Fineman, actor and comedian, in an attempt to land a film role on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina talks about the Broadway musical Real Women Have Curve on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Paul Scheer (Black Monday/Fresh Off the Boat/The League) - Paul is telling Drew all about his new memoir and answering questions from his wife June Diane Raphael on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jack Innanen and Malik Elassal (Adults) - Jack and Malik talk about Adults on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.