NBC SETS MIDSEASON PREMIERE DATES FOR "CROWDED," "HEARTBEAT," "GAME OF SILENCE" AND RETURN OF "THE CARMICHAEL SHOW"

"The Voice" Will Be Deployed as Lead-Ins to Previews of Several New Series

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Jan. 22, 2016 - Building on its extraordinary momentum this season where it's running 17% ahead of any other broadcast network in the 18-49 demo, NBC has announced the premiere dates of three new midseason scripted series, plus the anticipated return of its summer hit comedy, "The Carmichael Show."

The launch strategy includes previews in proximity to "The Voice" for "The Carmichael Show," "Crowded," Heartbeat" and "Little Big Shots," the previously announced reality series about extraordinary kids hosted by Steve Harvey, who executive produces with Ellen DeGeneres.

"THE CARMICHAEL SHOW" - Sunday, March 13, 9 p.m. with back-to-back episodes for week one; preview episode Tuesday, March 8, 10:30 p.m.

Inspired by the life of comedian Jerrod Carmichael, the series follows Jerrod and his opinionated North Carolina family as they navigate topics that all families face today in America. Nothing is too uncomfortable to explore, including police protests, guns and religion. Jerrod often finds himself debating such issues with his old-school father, Joe (David Alan Grier), his devoutly religious mother, Cynthia (Loretta Devine), his progressive live-in girlfriend, Maxine (Amber Stevens West), his recently separated brother, Bobby (Rel Howery), and Bobby's estranged and outspoken wife, Nekeisha (Tiffany Haddish). And somewhere in the middle of all of their disagreeing is the heart of this family.

The first season of "The Carmichael Show" received strong reviews, including the Los Angeles Times ("Devine and Grier are unfailingly funny") and New York Newsday ("one smartly crafted comedy").

Jerrod Carmichael, Nick Stoller, Ravi Nandan and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel serve as executive producers. "The Carmichael Show" is co-produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Universal Television.

The March 8 preview episode of "The Carmichael Show" at 10:30 p.m. will immediately follow a half-hour preview of "Little Big Shots," which will be preceded by a two-hour episode of "The Voice."

"CROWDED" - Sunday, March 20, 9:30 p.m.; preview Tuesday, March 15, 10-11 p.m.

From the executive producers of "Hot in Cleveland" and "Grimm" comes this very timely comedy that proves life is crazy with a full house, especially the second time around.

After 20 years of parenting, empty nesters Mike (Patrick Warburton, "Seinfeld") and Martina (Carrie Preston, "True Blood") are finally reclaiming their wild side. But when both of their two grown daughters (Miranda Cosgrove, "iCarly," and Mia Serafino, "Shameless") unexpectedly move back in and Mike's parents (Stacy Keach, "NCIS: New Orleans," and Carlease Burke, "Switched at Birth") scratch their plans to spend their golden years in Florida, their roost is full again.

Suzanne Martin serves as writer and executive producer. Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner and James Burrows also executive produce. "Crowded" is produced by Universal Television and Hazy Mills Productions.

The two preview episodes of "Crowded" at 10 p.m. March 15 will be coming out of a two-hour episode of "The Voice."

"HEARTBEAT" - Wednesday, March 23, 8 p.m.; preview Tuesday, March 22, 9 p.m.

"Heartbeat" is a character-driven medical series that follows the professional and personal life of world-renowned heart transplant surgeon Dr. Alex Panttiere (Melissa George, "The Slap"). There is nothing conventional about Dr. Panttiere, who is as cutting edge and unorthodox in the OR as she is with the two men in her life. Her approach to medicine is without boundaries, as is her approach to everything else in her world.

Between Dr. Panttiere's hectic hospital life where she is caught between two brilliant but stubborn surgeons (Dave Annable and Don Hany) and her household of two kids and a gay rock star ex-husband (Joshua Leonard), Alex is constantly striving to overcome numerous daily obstacles and be the best mother and doctor possible.

Jamie Kennedy, D.L. Hughley, Shelley Con, Maya Erskine, Joshua Leonard and JLouis Mills also star.

Inspired by the real life and achievements of Dr. Kathy Magliato, "Heartbeat" is executive produced by Jill Gordon, Amy Brenneman, Brad Silberling and produced by Universal Television.

On March 22, "The Voice" will serve as a lead-in to a preview of "Heartbeat."

"GAME OF SILENCE" - Thursday, April 7, 10 p.m.

Four best friends have a dark secret they thought was buried 25 years ago, but they soon discover that you can't hide your past forever. From the executive producers of "CSI" and "Friday Night Lights" comes a gripping new drama about friendship, love, revenge and the moral dilemma of how far one will go in the pursuit of justice.

Jackson Brooks (David Lyons, "Revolution") is a successful attorney who seems to have it all. He's engaged to a wonderful woman who happens to be his boss, Marina (Claire Van Der Boom, "Hawaii Five-O"), and he's on the fast track to becoming partner at his firm, but his world is turned upside down when his long-lost childhood friends unexpectedly reappear after 25 years.

Jackson, Gil Harris (Michael Raymond James, "True Blood") and Shawn Cook (Larenz Tate, "Rush") always stuck together, like brothers. They spent their boyhood summers in the small town of Brennan, Texas, swimming in the quarry, shooting bottle rockets and doing everything they could to mine the fun out of small-town life. But their idyllic world turned chaotic one fateful summer afternoon when a well-intentioned and heroic attempt to save their friend Jessie (Bre Blair, "Last Vegas") from her alcoholic mother ultimately cost the 13-year-old boys nine months at Quitman Youth Detention Facility where their lives were changed forever.

Now, 25 years later, the nightmare of the worst nine months of their lives has resurfaced, uprooting a mystery even deeper than their buried past. The brotherhood must now band together to right the wrongs of their shared past - a journey that will push the limits of their loyalty and ignite an unquenchable thirst for revenge.

The cast also includes Conor O'Farrell ("The Lincoln Lawyer"), Deidrie Henry ("Justified"), Demetrius Grosse ("Saving Mr. Banks") and Derek Phillips ("Friday Night Lights").

"Game of Silence" is executive produced by Carol Mendelsohn, David Hudgins, Julie Weitz, Tariq Jalil, Timur Savci, Deran Sarafian and Niels Arden Oplev (pilot). The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television.