NBC has finally announced its plans for summer – a season that has already started.
That’s a time the network has dominated in the ratings for 10 straight years, with strong prospects to do it again. It has “America’s Got Talent” and “American Ninja Warrior” and more now, pauses for the Olympics in July, then adds some goofier shows in August.
Unlike other networks, NBC waited until Wednesday (May 26) – the last day of the official TV seasons – to announce its full summer plans. “Making It” (shown here), for instance, has been listed by some sources as starting June 3; instead, it will wait until June 24. Plans include:
STILL WRAPPING UP: Some of the regular-season dramas started late and are sliding slightly into the summer. Current plans have the two “Law & Order” shows ending June 3; “Blacklist,” June 4; “New Amsterdam,” June 8; and “Manifest,” June 17 or with a two-parter June 10.
RETURNING SHOWS: “American Ninja Warrior” and “America’s Got Talent” arrive first, from 8-10 p.m. Monday(May 31) and Tuesday (June 1). “Making It” – the amiable home-workshop show with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman – will be 8 p.m. Thursdays, starting June 24.
OLYMPICS: That’s from July 23 to Aug. 8, taking over NBC and several cable channels.
NEW SHOWS: There are four planned, plus a special:
– “Small Fortune,” 10 p.m. Mondays (starting May 31). Lil Rel Howery hosts a show adapted from England. It has action games with three-person teams, including first-responders and Olympians.
– “College Bowl,” 10 p.m. Tuesdays (starting June 22). This began as a radio quiz show in 1953, then had a TV run from 1959-70. Now it’s back, with two of the Manning brothers (Peyton and Cooper) hosting. It will have teams from big universities – Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, UCLA, etc. – but will also have Morehouse College and Xavier of Louisiana.
– “Olympic Dreams,” July 21. In a one-shot special, the three Jonas brothers train for Olympic events, then compete with each other.
– “Ultimate Slip ‘n Slide.” As soon as the Olympics closing ceremony ends (10:30 p.m., Aug. 8), this will start. The next night, it takes the 8 p.m. slot on Mondays. Bobby Moynihan and Ron Funches host a show that goes beyond the usual, backyard slide, setting up elaborate water-park schemes.
– “Family Game Night.” When the Olympics end, “America’s Got Talent” will switch to live shows – performances from 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays, results of viewer voting from 8-9 p.m. Wednesdays. That leads into this show, starting 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11. Kristen Bell and her husband Dax Shepard host, but then split off. Each joins one of the two four-person families, competing for $100,000.