Keep your Thursday nights free this fall.
Keep your Thursday nights free this fall.
NBC is reviving “must-see TV” Thursdays with the arrival of the “Will and Grace” reboot and the move of the overwhelmingly successful “This is Us.”
The network will pair the revived sitcom, starring Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, with the second season of the Tina Fey-produced “Great News, ” which stars Briga Heelen, Andrea Martin, Adam Campbell, Nicole Richie and John Michael Higgins.
“Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, ” from Dick Wolf, will round out the night.
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The phrase “must-see TV” was most recognizable as NBC’s strong lineup of shows in the 1980s and 1990s including “Cheers, ” “Friends, ” “Seinfeld, ” “Hill Street Blues, ” “L.A. Law” and “ER.”
The reign ended in the fall of 2013 when NBC canceled or ended nine of its 11 comedies, including hits like “30 Rock” and “The Office.” Fill-ins like “The Michael J. Fox Show, ” “Welcome to the Family” and “Sean Saves the World” failed almost immediately.
Now, the network is trying again.
“Given ‘Will and Grace,’ ‘This Is Us,’ Tina Fey and Dick Wolf of it all, it’s as close to Must-See TV as we’ve ever had in our history. We want to lead the audience and hopefully not force them to deny it. We feel really comfortable about that.” NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt said.
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“Must See TV is a label that we’re really proud of, ” he said. “If there’s a younger audience that’s never heard of that, doesn’t know what that is and has never heard of it, then it’s not a retread. And I think for the older audience that has watched the network for many years, I think it will be a welcomed return.”
The lineup will square off against Thursday night football on CBS once the season starts in the fall.
ABC has also made its mark on the night with an unstoppable Shondaland Thursdays, including “Grey’s Anatomy, ” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder.”
“Will and Grace, ” scheduled for just 12 episodes, will likely be replaced by “Superstore” and another comedy, Greenblatt told reporters Sunday.
“This is Us, ” which found huge success behind stars Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley, also scored NBC’s post-Super Bowl spot, as well as a Christmas special.
