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Shows to be rotated in and out of time periods

NBC is splitting the next TV season into two halves, making good on its promise to rotate shows in and out of time periods throughout the year.

That means returning Monday night skeins "Heroes" and "Chuck" will now share a Monday at 8 p.m. time slot - with "Heroes" in the fall and "Chuck" in the spring. Ditto new skeins "Parenthood" and "Mercy," which will split the seasons ("Parenthood" in fall, "Mercy" in spring) on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

And new actioners "Trauma" and "Day One" will split the Monday 9 p.m. spot.

According to the Peacock, the split seasons are necessary because of the Winter Olympics, which will carve the year into clean halves for the net. But it's also a function of the net having limited shelf space, thanks to "The Jay Leno" strip at 10 p.m.

"NBC has picked up more scripted shows than last season even with "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m.," said NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios co-chair Ben Silverman.

Despite speculation that NBC might split "The Biggest Loser" into two nights, the reality show will remain a two-hour Tuesday night block in the fall. In the spring, "Loser" will collapse to 90 minutes, so that the net can launch the new laffer "100 Questions" behind it. (That follows a similar model employed by ABC on Monday nights with "Dancing with the Stars" in recent years.)

Keeping "Loser" intact is a safer bet, ratings-wise - but it now means that NBC, ABC and Fox will now all be battling each other with reality shows on Tuesday nights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. - a competish that likely puts a smile on CBS exec faces.

On Thursdays, Peacock will use its "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" limited-run half-hour to launch its two-hour comedy block; new laffer "Community," which has already earned strong buzz, will bow in the 9:30 p.m. slot behind "The Office."

But once "SNL" finishes its Thursday tour of duty, "Community" will be immediately tested - by taking over that lead 8 p.m. slot. That's because "30 Rock" will nestle back into its traditional 9:30 p.m. home.

In one surprise, the "Law & Order" mother ship - thought to be benched until midseason - will show up in the fall, at 8 p.m. on Fridays. That will set up a night of justice for the net, as "L&O" will be paired with the return of "Southland."

"Law & Order: SVU," meanwhile, will stay on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. throughout the year.

As for Sundays, after football completes its run, the net will turn the night into a reality showcase. New unscripted skein "Marriage Ref" will air at 8 p.m., leading into the return of the two-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" in midseason.

Saturday will continue to be the home for repeats, with "SVU" at 10 p.m. and a mix of "Trauma" (fall) and "Southland" (spring) at 9 p.m. "Dateline NBC" will air on the night at 8 p.m.

NBC airs the Winter Olympics from Feb. 12 to 28, 2010; NBC's midseason sked will launch after that.

Not on the schedule: "My Name is Earl" and "Medium," both of which have been canceled by NBC. But neither show is dead quite yet: 20th Century Fox and its sister Fox net plan to hold meetings in the coming weeks to see if they can come to a deal on moving "Earl" there. And "Medium" may very likely move to CBS, where the Eye could easily stick the show on Friday nights, pairing it with the like-minded "Ghost Whisperer."

Here are NBC's two schedules:

FALL:

Monday: 8 p.m., "Heroes"; 9 p.m., "Trauma" (new drama), 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Tuesday: 8 p.m., "The Biggest Loser"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Wednesday: 8 p.m., "Parenthood" (new drama); 9 p.m., "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Thursday: 8 p.m., "SNL Weekend Update Thursday"; 8:30, "Parks and Recreation"; 9 p.m., "The Office"; 9:30, "Community"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Thursday (after "SNL" ends): 8 p.m., "Community" (new series); 8:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation"; 9 p.m., "The Office"; 9:30, "30 Rock"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Friday: 8 p.m., "Law & Order"; 9 p.m., "Southland"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Saturday: 8 p.m., "Dateline NBC"; 9 p.m., "Trauma" repeats; 10 p.m., "Law & Order: SVU" repeats

Sunday: 7 p.m.: "Football Night in America"; 8:20, "Sunday Night Football"

MIDSEASON:

Monday: 8 p.m., "Chuck"; 9 p.m., "Day One" (new drama), 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Tuesday: 8 p.m., "The Biggest Loser"; 9:30, "100 Questions" (new comedy); 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Wednesday: 8 p.m., "Mercy" (new drama); 9 p.m., "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Thursday: 8 p.m., "Community" (new series); 8:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation"; 9 p.m., "The Office"; 9:30, "30 Rock"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Friday: 8 p.m., "Law & Order"; 9 p.m., "Southland"; 10 p.m., "Jay Leno"

Saturday: 8 p.m., "Dateline NBC"; 9 p.m., "Southland" repeats; 10 p.m., "Law & Order: SVU" repeats

Sunday: 7 p.m., "Dateline NBC"; 8 p.m., "The Marriage Ref" (new reality); 9 p.m., "Celebrity Apprentice"

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118003928.html?categoryid=14&cs=1