As all the “Community” cool kids are saying: It looks like February 7 is October 19.
NBC announced on Tuesday (October 30) that beloved cult favorite “Community” will be back on the schedule in February, part of a slew of midseason programming updates.
The rush of midseason announcements also included premiere information for “Smash,” “The Biggest Loser,” “1600 Penn,” “Ready for Love,” “The Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars,” the fourth season of “The Voice” and the retitled new drama “Deception.”
We’re going to start, though, with “Community,” which has already gotten the bulk of the social media attention. The comedy’s fourth season will launch on Thursdays at 8 p.m. starting on February 8, fulfilling the frequently repeated pundit prophesy that it would never air in the Friday home that it was shunted off to in May.
Thursdays will be undergoing a slew of changes in the spring. “Community” will, of course, be taking the place of “30 Rock” after that Emmy-winning favorite wraps its final season. Before that, though, the White House comedy “1600 Penn” will premiere in the 9:30 slot on January 10. That show, which features Bill Pullman, Jenna Elfman and Josh Gad, will be taking the place of “Parks and Recreation,” which will move to 8:30 starting on January 17. NBC announced earlier this week that current Thursday comedy “Up All Night” will take a midseason hiatus before returning as a redeveloped multi-camera comedy.
Let’s backtrack in the schedule for the other highlights.
NBC’s current Monday offerings will take a midseason break, with “The Voice” premiering its fourth season — with Usher and Shakira filling in for CeeLo and Christina Aguilera as coaches — and “Revolution” resuming its first season on March 25. In their place, NBC will premiere “Deception” (formerly titled “Infamous”), starring Meagan Good, on Monday, January 7. “Deception” will air after two hours of “The Biggest Loser,” which will actually have its two-hour premiere on Sunday, January 6.
Tuesdays will also get a shakeup with “The Voice” departing til March 26. “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” will premiere with back-to-back episodes on January 8 at 8 p.m. and will remain in that hour until “The Voice” returns. The second season of the heavily revamped “Smash” will have a two-hour premiere on February 5 at 9 p.m. and will settle into its new Tuesday 10 p.m. slot the following week.
And what about Sundays?
“Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars” will premiere on March from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will air four weeks of two-hour episodes before going into its regular slot at 10 p.m. on March 31. That night will also be the premiere of the Eva Longoria-produced “Ready for Love.”
Even with this busy schedule overhaul, NBC still has many shows on the shelf waiting for homes including the dramas “Hannibal” and “Do No Harm,” plus the comedy “Save Me.”