NBC schedules six comedies on Thursdays; debuts 'The Cape' and 'Harry's Law', and brings back 'Parks & Recreation'

Image Credit: NBCNBC, as first reported by EW, announced today that it will air six comedies on Thursdays beginning Jan. 20. The network will also debut new dramas like The Cape and Harry’s Law during the same month while making time period changes for Law & Order: Los Angeles, Chase, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Parenthood.

In other moves, NBC also announced the return of Parks and Recreation, The Biggest Loser: Couples, Who Do You Think You Are?, Minute to Win It, The Marriage Ref and The Celebrity Apprentice to the schedule. “The goal for our midseason schedule was to keep us in original programming throughout the season and launch several promising new shows,” said Mitch Metcalf, NBC’s head of program planning and scheduling, in a statement. ”We were looking to add more comedy to our schedule, and we believe the best way to do so is to expand our already successful Thursday night.”

This wouldn’t be the first time that NBC ran six comedies. During the 1990-91 season, then-NBC topper Brandon Tartikoff scheduled Parenthood, Working it Out, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Carol & Company and American Dreamer on Saturday nights.

The one show missing from NBC’s midseason lineup is Love Bites, the Cindy Chupack-penned anthology that’s similar to the old Love, American Style. An insider told EW that the network remains high on the dramedy, which could bow in the spring. Here’s the midseason schedule:

Mondays
8-9 p.m. Chuck
9-10 p.m.  The Cape (premiere with a two-hour episode on Sunday, Jan. 9 and new episodes start in its regular time period on Jan. 17)
10-11 p.m. Harry’s Law (Jan. 17)
9-10 p.m. The Event (returns on Feb. 28, 9-11 p.m.; resumes in its regular time slot March 7)
10-11 p.m. Parenthood (debuts in this slot March 7)

Tuesdays
8-10 p.m. The Biggest Loser: Couples (Jan. 4)
10-11 p.m. Parenthood (Jan. 4 for four episodes)
10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Los Angeles (Feb. 8 )

Wednesdays
8-9 p.m. Minute to Win It (Jan. 5)
9-10 p.m. Chase (Jan. 12)
10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Jan. 5)
9-10 p.m. America’s Next Great Restaurant (March 16)

Thursdays (Jan. 20)
8-8:30 p.m. Community
8:30-9 p.m. Perfect Couples
9-9:30 p.m. The Office
9:30-10 p.m. Parks and Recreation
10-10:30 p.m. 30 Rock
10:30-11 p.m. Outsourced

Fridays
8-9 p.m. Who Do You Think You Are? (Jan. 21)
9-11 p.m. Dateline NBC (Jan. 7)

Sundays
7-8 p.m. Dateline NBC
8-9 p.m. The Marriage Ref (March 6)
9-11 p.m. The Celebrity Apprentice (March 6)

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