NBC adjusts its mid-season program lineup beginning the week of January 2 as the hit freshman comedy “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office” move to Thursdays to join a new two-hour comedy block that includes the new comedy “Four Kings” and “Will & Grace.” In addition, the new limited drama series “The Book of Daniel” will premiere, “Scrubs” will return to Tuesdays and the “The Biggest Loser” will come back as a series of themed specials titled “The Biggest Loser: Special Edition.”
Thursday nights will return to NBC’s storied comedy roots starting on January 5 with an 8-10 p.m. block that includes “Will & Grace,” “Four Kings,” “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office.”
“The Book of Daniel,” which begins with back-to-back episodes on Friday, Jan. 6 (9-11 p.m.), will be featured as a limited series that will run until Friday, Feb. 3rd the week prior to the start of NBC’s exclusive coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics on Friday, Feb. 10. “Most Outrageous TV Moments” will now become a series starting on Friday, Jan. 6 (8-9 p.m.).
NBC’s “The Apprentice” and “Joey” will return following the Winter Olympics (additional details about NBC’s post-Olympic program schedule will be revealed during the network’s January Press Tour).
The announcements were made by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment.
“These mid-season adjustments allow us to showcase the season’s top-rated new comedy in ‘Earl’ as well as the increasingly popular ‘The Office’ on Thursdays along with the new ‘Four Kings’ while we also introduce a great new drama series in ‘Book of Daniel’ on Fridays” said Reilly. “In so doing, we have the pieces in place to fulfill one of our goals — to bring back a block of quality comedy to Thursday nights.”
“Four Kings” and “The Book of Daniel” were previously announced as mid-season series. “Four Kings” will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 5 (8:30-9 p.m.).
After “The Book of Daniel” debuts with its back-to-back episodes on Friday, Jan. 6 (9-11 p.m.), it returns the following week (January 13) in its regular time from 10-11 p.m. “Dateline NBC” will then return in its new Friday time (9-10 p.m.) on January 13. “Most Outrageous TV Moments” — originally a series of NBC specials — will begin its weekly run as a series on Friday, Jan. 6 (8-9 p.m.).
“Scrubs” returns to NBC’s primetime lineup with back-to-back original episodes on Tuesdays (9-10 p.m.) following “Fear Factor” starting Tuesday, Jan. 3.
Fresh off its record-setting season finale on November 29, “The Biggest Loser” will now return as a series of self-contained and themed specials in “The Biggest Loser: Special Edition,” beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 4 (9-10 p.m.). The series will then run for five more weeks prior to the start of NBC’s exclusive coverage of the Winter Olympics on February 10.