The Return of Must-See-TV?
Hoping to recapture the magic -- and the ratings -- of its once-dominant Must-See-TV night on Thursdays, NBC said Wednesday that effective November 30, it will air back-to-back comedies between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., followed by E.R. in the final hour of primetime. The programming change affects only the 9:00 p.m. hour, as My Name Is Earl and The Office will continue to occupy the 8:00 p.m. time slot. In the tough 9:00 p.m. hour, Scrubs and 30 Rock will go up against Grey's Anatomy on ABC and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on CBS.
NBC also announced on Wednesday that it plans to air its critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged Friday Night Lights on Monday next week instead of its usual time period on Tuesday, when it airs opposite ABC's Dancing With the Stars and CBS's NCIS.