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

Tuesday, April 1

St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.

Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Tuesday, April 1

Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.