By David Bauder, Television Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --NBC is bringing back its "must-see TV" Thursday franchise this fall with the revival of "Will & Grace," and by moving its heartwarming hit "This is Us" to the same night.
The network announced its schedule Sunday, kicking off the annual week where broadcasters outline next season's plans to advertisers. NBC is the second most popular network behind CBS, first among the younger viewers it covets, and is bullish on next year since it will show the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl.
The comedy "Will & Grace," which first aired from 1998 to 2006, unites its ensemble of Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally with the original creative team. If the resumption goes well, NBC hopes there will be more than the 12 episodes now on order, said Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chairman.
"Will & Grace" will kick off Thursday's lineup, followed by "Great News," a sophomore comedy produced by Tina Fey. Greenblatt said Fey will appear periodically on air next season, too.
The key to reestablishing Thursday nights, which NBC dominated during the 1980s and 1990s, is bringing the fans who made "This is Us" the year's biggest new hit, to that night at 9 p.m. The show also gets the high-profile slot after next winter's Super Bowl. Greenblatt sounded conflicted about how much NBC will push the "must-see TV" concept promotionally.
"I'm not saying it's going to be emblazoned with 100-foot letters atop the Empire State Building, but we're going to use it," he said.
NBC will introduce eight new series next season but sprinkle them throughout the year. Only the "Will & Grace" reboot, a Dick Wolf-produced limited series on the Menendez murders and "The Brave," an action series starring Anne Heche as an undercover military hero, will begin in the fall.
Doing it that way illustrates the elastic nature of broadcast television, when shows drop on and off the schedule throughout the year, and the goal is to reduce repeats. As a result, Greenblatt wouldn't say when the other five new series will appear. Some established shows, like "Chicago Med" and "Little Big Shots" were renewed but don't have announced spots on the schedule yet.
The on-again, off-again way TV operates will be a barrier for NBC: the Thursday schedule it hopes becomes dominant will be pre-empted for pro football in the fall and the Winter Olympics.
NBC said it was offered "American Idol," which rival ABC announced it was bringing back next season. NBC said the strength of "The Voice," which will add former "Idol" stars Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson as coaches next year, and its other development led it to say no, thanks.
"The audience didn't tell us there was a compelling reason to bring it back, either," said Paul Telegdy, president of NBC's alternative and reality series.
NEW SERIES
Other new series ordered by NBC:
—"Good Girls," a drama about three suburban moms who rob the local supermarket. It's described as a mix between "Thelma & Louise" and "Breaking Bad"
—"Reverie," a thriller about a former hostage negotiator brought on to save people lost in a virtual reality program
—"Rise," a drama starring Josh Radnor as a teacher who revives a lackluster high school theater department
—"A.P. Bio," a comedy produced by Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers about a philosophy scholar who goes to work teaching biology in high school
—"Champions," a Mindy Kaling-produced series about a gym owner and his brother who must cope with a new teen-ager in the household.
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NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE
After first announcing the cancellation of the time travel series "Timeless," NBC bowed to fan complaints and said it would bring the freshman series back. NBC also didn't include some other series in its order for next season — "Chicago Justice," ''Trial & Error" and "The Carmichael Show" — but Greenblatt said that doesn't necessarily mean they're dead.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More