NBC Announces Staggered Season Premiere Strategy For Fall 2012

NBC announced today the premieres and sneak peeks of its new Fall 2012 primetime schedule that capitalize on the launch and promotional platforms provided by the network’s coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the finale of “America’s Got Talent” and the return of “The Voice” and “Sunday Night Football.” Most of the new fall shows will premiere in advance of the start of the season.

The rollout of NBC’s Fall 2012 season begins with commercial-free sneak previews of the new comedies GO ON (Wednesday, August 8) after the evening’s coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and ANIMAL PRACTICE on Sunday, August 12, following the Closing Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics.
One day after the conclusion of the Olympics, NBC will debut the new competitive series STARS EARN STRIPES with a special two-hour episode on Monday, August 13 (8-10 p.m. ET), followed on the same night with the advance season premiere of GRIMM (10-11 p.m. ET).

Continuing NBC’s launch strategy, THE VOICE returns on September 10 (8-10 p.m.), handing-off to encore sneak peeks of “Animal Practice” (10-10:30 p.m. ET) and GO ON (10:30-11 p.m. ET). The NFL Kick-Off Special 2012 and first NFL game of the season on Wednesday, September 5, followed by Football Night in America (7:00-8:15 p.m.) and Sunday Night Football’s (8:15-11 p.m.) return in their regular timeslots on September 9 kick off a launch week that includes the September 11 time-period premiere of GO ON (9-9:30 p.m.) followed by THE NEW NORMAL (9:30-10 p.m.), a sneak peek of GUYS WITH KIDS on September 12 (10-10:30 p.m.) after the next to last episode of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT, and the season premiere of PARENTHOOD on September 11 (10-11 p.m.). To provide additional sampling, the new comedy THE NEW NORMAL will re-broadcast its first episode on Thursday, September 13 (10-10:30 p.m. ET), following the season finale of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT.

Among other new NBC series for fall, the drama REVOLUTION premieres on Monday, September 17 (10-11 p.m. ET); and the drama CHICAGO FIRE debuts on Wednesday, October 10 (10-11 p.m. ET). “Animal Practice” will start in its regular day and time on Wednesday, September 26 (8-8:30 p.m. ET) followed by the time period premiere of GUYS WITH KIDS (8:30-9 p.m. ET).

Following are the premiere dates for NBC’s Fall 2012 primetime schedule (all times ET; new shows are in bold):

Wednesday, August 8
GO ON (sneak peek following Olympic Games coverage)

Sunday, August 12
ANIMAL PRACTICE (sneak peek following Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies)

Monday, August 13
8-10 p.m. STARS EARN STRIPES (two-hour premiere)
10-11 p.m. GRIMM

Wednesday, September 5
7:30-8:30 p.m. NFL KICKOFF SPECIAL 2012 (regular season)
8:30-11 p.m. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (regular season)

Sunday, September 9
7-8:15 p.m. FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA (regular day and time)
8:15-11 p.m. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (regular day and time)

Monday, September 10
8-10 p.m. THE VOICE

Tuesday, September 11
9-9:30 p.m. GO ON (time period premiere)
9:30-10 p.m. THE NEW NORMAL
10-11 p.m. PARENTHOOD

Wednesday, September 12
10-10:30 p.m. GUYS WITH KIDS (sneak peek after penultimate “America’s Got Talent”)

Friday, September 14
9-10pm - GRIMM (time period premiere)

Monday, September 17
10-11 p.m. REVOLUTION

Thursday, September 20
8:30-9 p.m. UP ALL NIGHT
9-9:30 p.m. THE OFFICE
9:30-10 p.m. PARKS AND RECREATION

Wednesday, September 26
8-8:30 p.m. ANIMAL PRACTICE (time period premiere)
8:30-9 p.m. GUYS WITH KIDS (time period premiere)
9-11 p.m.  LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT  (two-hour premiere)

Thursday, October 4
8-8:30 p.m. 30 ROCK

Wednesday, October 10
10-11 p.m. CHICAGO FIRE

Friday, October 19
8-8:30 p.m. WHITNEY
8:30-9 p.m. COMMUNITY