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[07/24/12 - 10:45 AM]
NBC at TCA: Greenblatt Announces "SNL" Election Specials, Pilot Sampling
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC will follow its election tradition this fall with two half-hour "Saturday Night Live" specials on Thursday, September 20 and September 27 at 8:00/7:00c. Said announcement was made by NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt at the start of the network's executive session at the TCA Summer Press Tour. Greenblatt also revealed all six of its new fall shows will be made available on NBC.com, Hulu; iTunes, Amazon and Xbox Live several weeks prior to their on-air premieres (read the story).

Other hot topics from the panel, which also included Jennifer Salke (President, NBC Entertainment) and Paul Telegdy (President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment):

-- Greenblatt on airing two cycles of "The Voice" per year: "One can argue that 'American Idol' and 'X Factor' are the same show in many respects, one in the fall and one at spring. So we're obviously cautious about expanding it. But we've also done some things to the format which I think are going to ensure that it is an even better show in the fall and can sustain through the spring." Telegdy added those changes include the show's trademark chairs: "We've found exciting ways to keep that kind of competition between the coaches going through the last stages of the competition."

-- Salke on what the title for "The New Normal" suggests: "The title isn't meant to push the idea that that's a more normal family than everyone else... as [co-creator Ryan Murphy] would say the 'Normal' family isn't a gay family, it's just a different family and I think we all see that, all around us, every day."

-- "I think we're in a transition with our comedy programming and trying to broaden the audience and broaden what the network does," Greenblatt said about its new comedy offerings. "Those Thursday comedies, which the critics love and we love, tend to be a bit more narrow than we also would like as we go forward."

-- "The reason we did 13 episodes of that - and a couple of our others shows - was because we really wanted to get more comedies on the schedule," Greenblatt indicated about "Community's" abbreviated order. Adding, "which isn't to say we couldn't decide at some point to extend those seasons longer."

-- Greenblatt on Dan Harmon's exit as showrunner of "Community": "I think the fans of 'Community' are going to get the same show they have loved from the beginning. Every so often it's time to make a change with a showrunner and you sort of evaluate the creative, how the show is run, how the writing staff works and sometimes you want to freshen the show. And we just decided that it was time to do that on 'Community,' no disrespect to anyone." As for the show's overall future, Greenblatt said, "I would categorically not rule out that it's not the last season, does that make sense? I would love nothing more than 'Community' to have a following on Friday and to be able to continue."

-- "These shows, especially the Thursday night shows, are just great shows... and we couldn't be prouder of them," Greenblatt said about the lineup. "And yet, I think given what's happened to the network over the past four or five years, in terms of just the general decline across the whole week and the loss of circulation, I think we just can't get the biggest audience for those shows." He would later add that, "I don't want to say anything negative about what Tina Fey does or 'Parks and Rec' or 'The Office,' those are great shows, but I think - and it's probably a challenge for every network these days, especially in comedy - to broaden and that's what we're trying to do."

-- On why the perennially low-rated "Rock Center with Brian Williams" is being kept on Thursdays: "You sort of look at what you have at the beginning of the week and you can't do everything in a season," said Greenblatt. "So Thursday is a challenge that we're going to continue to work on over the year."

-- "As a television producer and a Broadway producer, which I once was, I am in awe of what we can do on that show every week," Greenblatt said about "Smash." "That said, it's a big soap with a number of characters with arcing storylines." Adding, "I think where we didn't do as good a job as I hope we do this year - and I think with the new showrunner we'll do better - is the arcing of the storylines and the consistency of going in one direction with a character and continuing in a really interesting way with that arc. I think we were inconsistent going back and forth in some things."





  [july 2012]  
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· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· COMMUNITY (YAHOO)
· NEW NORMAL, THE (NBC)
· OFFICE, THE (NBC)
· PARKS & RECREATION (NBC)
· ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS (NBC)
· SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
· SMASH (NBC)
· VOICE, THE (NBC)
· X FACTOR, THE (FOX)





[03/27/25 - 11:04 AM]
Part Two of FOX Nation's "Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints" to Roll Out Through the Holy Season
FOX Nation will roll out part two of its hit docudrama series beginning on Friday, April 4 and through the Easter season.

[03/27/25 - 11:00 AM]
"Survivor" Hits Broadcast and Live Streaming Season Highs
The telecast averaged 4.50 million broadcast viewers up +7% from its season-to-date average, and up +13% from its season-to-date average live streaming on Paramount+.

[03/27/25 - 10:06 AM]
All-New Series "Red Bull Soapbox Race" Premieres Tuesday, April 29 at 9PM on Discovery Channel
Hosted by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and motorsports announcer Mike Bagley, the series features amateur teams as they design and build one-of-a-kind, gravity-powered soapbox racers that compete - and crash - on intricate, downhill courses.

[03/27/25 - 10:01 AM]
Viral Dating Series "Pop the Balloon" Is Coming Live to Netflix
Yvonne Orji will host the live edition of the series, streaming every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET beginning April 10, only on Netflix.

[03/27/25 - 10:00 AM]
"Jeopardy! Masters" Returns Wednesday, April 30, on ABC, Following New Episodes of Pat Sajak's "Final Spin" as Host on "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune"
Hosted by "Jeopardy!" G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings, the third annual "Jeopardy! Masters" 2025 tournament will feature an expanded lineup of the top-ranked current "Jeopardy!" contestants, each competing in two action-packed games per hourlong episode for the grand prize of $500,000.

[03/27/25 - 09:34 AM]
Lifetime Announces "The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy" A Two Part Movie Event Starring Felicity Huffman, Olga Petsa and Eric Johnson Premiering May 31 and June 1
The film is based on the extraordinary true story of Rena Chynoweth (played by Huffman as present day Rena and Petsa as young Rena), a brave survivor and former wife of a manipulative polygamist group leader, who escaped a life of oppression and dedicated herself to freeing others.

[03/27/25 - 09:01 AM]
Award-Winning Chef Andrew Zimmern Returns with an All-New Season of "Wild Game Kitchen" May 3 on FYI
20 all-new episodes will explore the art of creating easy and delicious meals while cooking wild food over open flame.

[03/27/25 - 09:00 AM]
Prime Video Reveals First Look and Premiere Date for "The Better Sister," Starring and Executive Produced by Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks
All eight episodes of the limited series produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Tomorrow Studios will premiere on Thursday, May 29 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[03/27/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Ransom Canyon" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Secrets, love and lies intertwine as rancher Staten Kirkland follows his heart, fights to protect his land and investigates a painful personal loss.

[03/27/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "You" - Series Trailer - Netflix
Joe's story comes full circle to New York, as a family conflict threatens his glamorous marriage and an alluring new crush revives his darkest impulses.

[03/27/25 - 07:01 AM]
Prime Video to Premiere "Octopus!" - A Documentary Special from Phoebe Waller-Bridge on May 8
The documentary, narrated by Waller-Bridge, transports viewers into the otherworldly depths of one of the most intelligent and mysterious life forms on Earth as it follows the Giant Pacific Octopus from birth to death.

[03/27/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Devil May Cry" - Official Lyric Video - Afterlife by Evanescence - Netflix
When a mysterious villain threatens to open the gates of Hell, a devilishly handsome demon hunter could be the world's best hope for salvation.

[03/26/25 - 04:01 PM]
New Netflix Series "Scandals" (wt) Brings a Risque Love Game to the Joseon Era
Set in a time when harboring desires was forbidden, the series depicts characters who challenge the strict order of society and engage in a risqué game of love and temptation.

[03/26/25 - 01:30 PM]
The Hit Freshman Drama Series "Watson" Renewed by CBS for a Second Season for 2025-2026
The series averages 6.79 million viewers each week according to Nielsen season-to-date most current data.

[03/26/25 - 11:08 AM]
New Series "Beer Budget Reno" & New Episodes of "Zombie House Flipping" Premiere this April on A&E!
Everyone dreams of a home makeover, but budgets often get in the way. Enter Kristen Coutts, who specializes in life-changing renovations for those told they can't afford them.