The peacock network held its upfront presentation this week and execs presented their new schedules to advertisers. NBC has been having a lot of trouble in the last couple of years so the network has decided to give Jay Leno a new show and air it five nights a week at 10pm. As a result, the network has five fewer primetime hours to fill with other shows.
New shows coming next season include medical series Trauma and Mercy; Day One, a show about a post-catastrophe world; a self-improvement series called Breakthrough with Tony Robbins; a reality-style show from Jerry Seinfeld about marriage called The Marriage Ref; a reality competition for a capella groups called The Sing-Off; a series about celebrity’s family trees titled Who Do You Think You Are?; a Friends-like sitcom called 100 Questions; and a comedy centered around a community college called Community. The new version of Parenthood also made NBC’s schedule.
America’s Got Talent will return this Summer. It’ll be joined by new shows like The Great American Road Trip, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Listener, Merlin, and The Philanthropist.
Shows that will be back next season include 30 Rock, Celebrity Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Dateline, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Southland, and Sunday Night Football.
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Can’t find your favorite NBC show among those lists? Well, here are more than two dozen that won’t be back next season…
America’s Toughest Jobs
A reality show in which contestants try difficult and dangerous occupations. The winner takes home the combined first year salaries of all of the sampled jobs. The series performed poorly in season one and was shuffled to Saturday nights for its final installments.
The Baby Borrowers
Based on a UK series of the same name, five young couples get a feel for what it’s like to take care of a baby for three days, then a toddler, a pre-teen, a teenager, and an elderly person. The network took a lot of flack for “borrowing” infants and didn’t even get good ratings.
Celebrity Circus
Pop culture stars are trained in circus acts and then perform for judges and home viewers to stay in the competition. Antonio Sabato, Jr. won the first season’s competition but there won’t be a second year.
Celebrity Family Feud
Al Roker (The Today Show) hosts the newest version of the classic TV game show with celebrity families competing for cash prizes that are given to charity. Six episodes were produced and aired but not enough people watched.
The Chopping Block
The Chef Ramsay-like reality show was pulled after three installments and terrible ratings. The network immediately began airing the remaining episodes online but will it back on Friday nights in mid-June.
Crusoe
Based on the classic Robinson Crusoe novel, this series never achieved good ratings and was stranded on Saturday nights. All 13 episodes aired.
Deal or No Deal
The game show was a great success initially but then the network overexposed it. Audiences became tired of it and ratings dropped off. After four years and 197 episodes, NBC has cancelled the game show. The syndicated version will continue to appear in daytime.
ER
The venerable NBC medical drama that follows doctors and patients at a Chicago hospital. The show lasted 15 seasons and lots of changes is castmembers.
Fear Itself
This series is an anthology of horror/suspense stories, directed by well-known directors like Stuart Gordon, Brad Anderson, John Landis, and Rob Schmidt. Unfortunately, the series couldn’t scare up many viewers and NBC only aired eight of the 13 produced installments.
Howie Do It
A practical jokes series, led by Howie Mandel, that lasted just a single season of 20 installments. The ratings didn’t make the network smile.
Kath & Kim
A remake of an Australian series, this sitcom revolves around a dysfunctional mother and daughter relationship. Low viewership doomed this series to a 17 episode run.
Kings
NBC had great expectations for this grandiose drama but it didn’t catch on. The final episodes will begin airing on Friday nights next month.
Knight Rider (2008)
This continuation of the 1982 David Hasselhoff series didn’t take off with enough viewers and has been cancelled after a shortened season of 17 episodes.
Last Comic Standing
A reality show competition that seeks to find the most talented stand-up comedian. The winner receives his own comedy special and a development deal with NBC. Created by Peter Engel (Saved by the Bell), Standing has been hosted by Jay Mohr, Anthony Clark, Bill Bellamy, and Fearne Cotton. The series ran for six seasons and 59 episodes.
Late Night with Conan O’Brien
The late-night talk show host is moving to the West Coast to take over The Tonight Show. O’Brien began as a veritable unknown but the show ran for 2,725 episodes and 16 seasons.
Life
The ongoing story of Detective Charlie Crew lasted just two seasons and 32 episodes. The ratings weren’t high enough for a third season, even for the struggling peacock network.
Lipstick Jungle
The series about three powerful and beautiful ladies from the big apple, lasted just two short seasons and 20 installments.
Medium
Though the show was still a decent performer for the peacock network, NBC cancelled the Patricia Arquette series after five seasons. Fortunately, CBS picked it up and will run season six on Friday nights.
Momma’s Boys
Co-executive produced by Ryan Seacrest (American Idol), this reality show centers around a group of mothers who help to choose a mate for their complacent sons. All six episodes of season one aired and there won’t be any more.
My Name Is Earl
NBC has cancelled the Jason Lee comedy about karma correction after four seasons. The show is currently being shopped to other networks and may end up on FOX.
Most Outrageous Moments
Used mostly as filler by the network, this series showcases humorous clips from television and everyday situations. A few unaired episodes will pop up in the coming months (July 21st, July 28th, August 26th, and August 28th) but no other original episodes will be produced.
My Own Worst Enemy
Christian Slater’s foray into series television was cut short after only nine episodes. Viewers were left hanging and were robbed of any resolution.
Nashville Star
A reality competition that ran for five seasons on USA Network before moving to NBC. Billy Ray Cyrus hosted the most recent run, season six. The show’s been cancelled by the peacock network and there’s been no mention of the series returning to its original cable home.
Superstars of Dance
A dance competition series that pits groups of eight international dancers against one another. Hosted by Riverdance veteran Michael Flatley, this show lasted five episodes. It won’t be coming back for season two.
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
After 17 years, the late night talk show host turns over the venerable program to Conan O’Brien. Leno will be moving to his own primetime series in September 2009.
Will you miss any of these cancelled shows? Has NBC made any mistakes or have they gotten these right? See any they shouldn’t have renewed but did? Leave your comments below!
Images courtesy NBC.
Hey ABC, CBS, USA, TNT, or what other network exec may be reading this. NBC cancelled the best show they had on the air. That show was called “LIFE.” Your viewership sure would increase quite handsomely if you would pick this show up. Everytime we get interested in a series on NBC, they up and cancel it. Take a chance on “LIFE,” and you will acquire a lot of loyal viewers. A lot of us are sick of this crappy reality programming. PLEASE,PLEASE, someone make a lot of us viewers happy again.
I don’t think Deal no Deal should be cancelled We love that show
CANNOT believe that you canceled “Life!” What a smart show – shows that you all are far from smart. Who wants to watch Jay Leno at 10 – rather switch to another channel or go to be.
I can’t believe NBC cancelled shows so great as Life and Medium. I wish someone would continue Life as CBS decided to pick Medium. It’s so frustrating having great series and enjoying them in other countries and then just because ratings in the US are not satisfatory, shows are cancelled. Why not to look at other countries and the audience there? Can’t it make a series profitable? And will NBC find competent decision-makers to take the station out of the whole? I was extremely disappointed to know that Life was finished for good. It’s frustrating!
I’m very sad to see the choices the network has made. There are tons of useless shows out there and you chose to get rid of two of the best your network ever had! I’ve watched Medium since it’s debut and all I can say is I’m glad CBS had the good sense to pick it up, I seem to be watching CBS for most everything now. Life was SUCH an excellent show, I wish you had left it alone and let people watch it! It felt like you were TRYING to set it up for it’s fall! Damien Lewis… Read more »
What the???!!!!
Why would they cancel a show that ended with lots of questions?
Lipstick Jungle is one of my fave shows on NBC.
Please bring it back! We need Nico, Victory and Wendy!
Hey, NBC,
Cancelled Lipstick Jungle?
Scared to have a woman on top???
Obviously!!
Of all the shows listed here that was cancelled by NBC the 2 that I enjoyed were actually new shows – Knight Rider and My Own Worst Enemy. Medium was ok I guess but it has had a few seasons at least to allow the show to evolve – Knight Rider I thought was awesome especially and I’m very disappointed it won’t be back for a 2nd season and that it was cut short. Jay Leno is a great guy and everything but if he didn’t want the Tonight Show anymore he should have retired instead of stealing a great… Read more »
I agree that most of those shows should have been canceled, especially Knight Rider and Kath and Kim, they were some of the worst TV I’ve seen in a while. But, Life and Medium? Seriously? NBC doesn’t have that many good shows on TV that they should get rid of two of their best ones. Life is especially good. As much as I like Jay Leno, I think it is stupid for them to have a nightly Leno show take up prime time space. Maybe they just shouldn’t have been so hasty to replace him with Conan on The Tonight… Read more »
Medium is a great show. No wonder NBC is doing poorly — they cancel shows with good ratings, good writing, good acting, the most realistic family on TV. I’ll definitely TiVo it on CBS.
Life! Cancelled!? How could they!? Life was a fantastic show! Clever, witty, etc. I don’t know how they judge ratings because I know a ton of people who watch this show! Why do they keep getting rid of good stuff!? Stupid move NBC, STUPID!
I can’t believe they canceled life! If they would have just kept it in a time slot when viewers would know when to tune in, it would have had a consistent following. I just bought season 1 of Life on DVD and I love it! Such a good show, and well written too.
I can’t believe Life is cancelled!!! Some of the stupid reality show should be cancelled
Well for once I have to agree witha network. Almost all of NBC’s cancellations are OK with me, especially Kath and Kim (what a waste). The only real disappointment will be LIFE. It was very good.
Life was a great show. NBC is really hitting bottom. The L&O’s are good and deserve to be renewed, but even they are getting long in the teeth. Chuck is a lot of fun to watch and thankfully will be renewed. The Life cancellation really gets me. What the heck were they thinking? At least there was some closure. I can’t stand another reality (yeah right) show. I have had it. These networks have to know by now people are sick of getting burned watching these scripted dramas only to have them canceled. Why invest the time to watch a… Read more »