Three New Series; Changes On Four Nights

NBC has unveiled its primetime programming plans for next fall (or, perhaps, later in the season due to the expected delay caused by the current writers strike). Three new series are slated to launch: dramas The Irrational and Found; and the multi-camera comedy Extended Family.

Two additional series, both non-scripted, have been announced for midseason: another spin-off from America’s Got Talent (untitled at press time) and the game show reboot Deal or No Deal Island, which according to the description brings the show to the “Banker’s private island for the biggest prize in series history.”

Monday, as expected, will kickoff with veteran The Voice (minus Blake Shelton) into The Irrational at 10 p.m. ET. Scroll down below for the new program descriptions.

Tuesday will open with season two of the reboot of Night Court into Extended Family. The second night of The Voice remains in the 9 p.m. ET hour into season two of the revival of Quantum Leap, now capping off Tuesday.

Wednesday, as anticipated, is unchanged with the trio of Chicago-set dramas intact. But Thursday, surprisingly, will feature newbie drama Found at 10 p.m. ET out of the returning Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU. Current occupant Law & Order: Organized Crime will return later in the season. For those keeping score, Law & Order: SVU is heading into season 25 and parent Law & Order into season 22.

On Friday, granddaddy newsmagazine Dateline will remain from 9-11 p.m. ET. But next fall it airs out of relocated game show The Wall (which, in reality, is nothing more than time period filler).

Saturday, a veritable wasteland for any broadcast network, will be occupied by college football. Translation: don’t expect much. And Sunday, of course, is the network’s big attraction, Sunday Night Football (which will be available simultaneously on streamer Peacock).

In addition to Law & Order: Organized Crime, also returning on NBC in midseason are dramas La Brea, Magnum P.I. and the medical-themed Transplant, sitcom Lopez vs. Lopez, and the reboot of Password hosted by Keke Palmer and featuring Jimmy Fallon.

NBC is still undecided on the futures (if any) of comedies The Rock, American Auto and Grand Crew.

The following potential series have been picked-up to pilot with decisions yet to be made: comedies Non-Evil Twin and St. Denis Medical, and dramas Wolf and the untitled pilot from Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs.

The bottom line: Mirroring any fall TV season, NBC’s strength is dependent on Sunday Night Football, which in this fractured TV landscape should have no trouble easily topping the traditional rating charts by significant margins. First quarter 2024 and beyond, of course, will be more of a challenge for NBC minus the NFL. But never rule out anything produced by the prolific Dick Wolf, which will give the Peacock net leverage on Wednesday and Thursday (and, on Thursday, an opportunity to get new drama Found sampled.

While The Voice is a shell of its former self (as are most network TV shows), it is still a competitive option in the diluted broadcast network environment. But Night Court lost considerable steam after a promising start, Quantum Leap has only a small cult following, and The Wall coupled with Dateline further indicates how these broadcasters do not necessarily care about Friday. Saturday is not even worth mentioning for any network, unfortunately.

Here is the NBC fall 2023 primetime line-up followed by the new program descriptions.

(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

Monday

8:00 p.m. The Voice

10:00 p.m. THE IRRATIONAL

Tuesday

8:00 p.m. Night Court

8:30 p.m. EXTENDED FAMILY

9:00 p.m. The Voice

10:00 p.m. Quantum Leap (new day)

Wednesday

8:00 p.m. Chicago Med

9:00 p.m. Chicago Fire

10:00 p.m. Chicago PD

Thursday

8:00 p.m. Law & Order

9:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU

10:00 p.m. FOUND

Friday

8:00 p.m. The Wall (new day and time)

9:00 p.m. Dateline

Saturday

8:00 p.m. Big Ten Saturday Night (also live on Peacock)

Sunday

7:00 p.m. Football Night in America (also live on Peacock)

9:00 p.m. NBC Sunday Night Football (also live on Peacock)

New Program Descriptions

COMEDY

EXTENDED FAMILY

Jim and Julia, after an amicable divorce, decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim when Trey, the owner of his favorite sports team, enters the picture and wins Julia’s heart.

The cast includes Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer, Sofia Capanna and Finn Sweeney.

Mike O’Malley will write and executive produce. Tom Werner, Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari and George Geyer also executive produce.

Lionsgate will produce in association with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

DRAMA

FOUND

In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. A public relations specialist, who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team now make sure there is always someone looking out for the forgotten missing people. But unbeknownst to anyone, this everyday hero is hiding a chilling secret of her own.

The cast includes Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta and Karan Oberoi.

Nkechi Okoro Carroll will write and executive produce. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Sonay Hoffman, Lindsay Dunn and Leigh Redman also executive produce.

Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions produces in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

THE IRRATIONAL

Based on the bestselling author Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational, Alec Mercer is a world-renowned leader in behavioral science who lends his expertise to an array of high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement and corporations with his unique and unexpected approach to understanding human behavior.

The cast includes Jesse L. Martin, Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi.

Arika Lisanne Mittman will write and executive produce. Mark Goffman, Samuel Baum and David Frankel also executive produce.

Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce.

NON-SCRIPTED

THE AMERICAS

From BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the creators of Planet Earth and Blue Planet, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, comes the 10-part tentpole event series The Americas.

Marking the first time Tom Hanks will narrate an unscripted entertainment series, The Americas will also feature music by two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer. This project will employ revolutionary filmmaking technology that will showcase the wonders, secrets and fragilities of the Americas – Earth’s largest landmass and the only one to stretch between both poles – and reveal extraordinary, untold wildlife stories that deeply connect with millions around the world.

The Americas is executive produced by wildlife producer Mike Gunton (Life, Planet Earth II and Dynasties) for BBC Studios Natural History Unit, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.

UNTITLED AMERICA”S GOT TALENT SERIES

Building off of America’s Got Talent: The Champions and America’s Got Talent: All-Stars comes the next special edition. The new series will be co-produced by Fremantle and Syco Entertainment. Simon Cowell, Sam Donnelly and Jason Raff are the executive producers.

DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND

Deal or No Deal is back. This new format transports audiences to the Banker’s private island where he makes the rules and there are twists behind every palm tree. Hidden on the island are over 100 cases with millions of dollars split between them, which teams must retrieve so that they can play a game of Deal or No Deal against the Banker. Only one team will survive until the very last episode, where they’ll compete to beat the Banker for the biggest prize in Deal or No Deal history.

Deal or No Deal Island is produced by Endemol Shine North America and is based on the Banijay format, “Deal or No Deal.” Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre and Howie Mandel will serve as Executive Producers. .