LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Ren茅e Zellweger is coming to network TV next season in a dramatization of a murder case recounted by 鈥淒ateline NBC."
The two-time Oscar winner's role in NBC's 鈥淭he Thing About Pam" is a sign of how broadcast networks are banking on eye-catching names and familiar stories to draw viewers in a TV universe increasingly packed with new streaming services.
The 鈥淒ateline NBC鈥� story about a wrongful conviction was one of the true-crime series most popular sagas, the network said Friday in announcing its slate of new and returning series for the 2021-22 season.
Zellweger's NBC series is set for midseason.
The fall will be dominated by dramas and reality shows, with NBC 鈥� once the home of 鈥渕ust-see鈥� comedies including 鈥淔riends鈥� 鈥� making the unusual decision to hold its sitcoms for midseason to give what its executives said is a better shot at success.
Those awaiting the sixth and final season of 鈥淭his Is Us鈥� will have to be patient, but for what the network called good reason: It will air in midseason so the family drama can complete its six-season run largely uninterrupted by holiday or other breaks.
鈥淲e know that saying goodbye to the Pearsons is going to be hard enough鈥� and this approach will honor its fans, said Frances Berwick, chairman of entertainment networks for NBCUniversal.
Three new dramas will be introduced, including 鈥淟aw & Order: For the Defense," giving the franchise from producer Dick Wolf all of the network's prime-time Thursday turf. The new series joins long-running 鈥淟aw & Order: Special Victims鈥� and 鈥淟aw & Order: Organized Crime,鈥� renewed for its second year.
Wolf's 鈥淐hicago鈥� franchise of medical, fire and police dramas set in the city will hold onto NBC's Wednesday night.
The genre drama 鈥淟a Brea" is about a massive sinkhole in the middle of Los Angeles that pulls hundreds of people into what's described as 鈥渁 mysterious and dangerous primeval land.鈥� It has the ring of 鈥淟ost鈥� about it 鈥� and may have the added benefit of appealing to those fond of dissing LA and California in general.
鈥淥rdinary Joe,鈥� the third new drama series, is described as the 鈥渓ife-affirming鈥� story about the effect that a single decision can have on a man's life and those around him.
The exception to the midseason comedy rule is 鈥淏rooklyn Nine-Nine,鈥� which returns for its final season in August, following the Summer Olympics. The intent is to have it draft off the games' expected audience boon, said Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content for NBCU television and streaming.
The sitcom-free fall schedule shouldn鈥檛 be perceived as 鈥渁 lack of commitment to the genre and, in fact, it is truly just the opposite,鈥� Rovner said. 鈥淚n recent years, some of our new comedies haven鈥檛 been strong performers in the fall and we want to fix that.鈥�
She and Berwick detailed the new schedule for reporters before introducing it to potential ad buyers and sponsors Monday, part of the week's so-called 鈥渦pfront鈥� presentations by networks and their corporate owners.
Returning sitcoms, including Dwayne Johnson's freshman 鈥淵oung Rock,鈥� will be joined by newcomers 鈥淎merican Auto,鈥� a workplace comedy, and 鈥淕rand Crew,鈥� about a group of friends who congregate at a wine bar 鈥� 鈥淐heers鈥� minus the beer?
Shows that are on 鈥渢he bubble,鈥� in danger of cancellation because of their ratings, include 鈥淒ebris,鈥� 鈥淓llen鈥檚 Game of Games,鈥� 鈥淕ood Girls,鈥� 鈥淢anifest,鈥� and 鈥淶oey鈥檚 Extraordinary Playlist.鈥�
鈥淲e want to give all our shows an opportunity to finish airing before we make those decisions," said Rovner, who didn't provide a time frame.
After a year of pandemic-caused production turmoil for the movie and TV industry, the network is confident that it's 鈥渇igured out production under COVID," Rovner said. "I'm happy to say we have full orders of all of our shows and our shows will be returning in a normal way in the fall.鈥�
The NBC night-by-night fall schedule:
Monday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Voice.鈥�
10 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淥rdinary Joe.鈥�
Tuesday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Voice.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淟a Brea.鈥�
10 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淣ew Amsterdam.鈥�
Wednesday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淐hicago Med.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淐hicago Fire."
10 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淐hicago P.D.鈥�
Thursday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淟aw & Order: For the Defense.鈥�
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淟aw & Order: SVU.鈥�
10 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淟aw & Order: Organized Crime.鈥�
Friday:
8 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淭he Blacklist."
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淒ateline NBC.鈥�
Saturday:
8 p.m. 鈥� Drama reruns.
9 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淒ateline Weekend Mystery.鈥�
10 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淪NL Vintage.鈥�
Sunday:
7 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淔ootball Night in America.鈥�
8:20 p.m. 鈥� 鈥淣BC Sunday Night Football.鈥�
Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
