NBC: It’s Games on for ‘Go On’

In between Michael Phelps' butterfly and Usain Bolt's sprints, NBC will carry something a bit different during these Summer Games.

The network is using the Olympics as a platform to launch two new shows, the comedies "Go On" and "Animal Practice," which will debut during the hugely popular 16-day sporting event.

It's a no-lose strategy for NBC, which has struggled to launch successful new scripted series over recent years.

Though the network always has hyped its new shows with promotions during the Olympics and often launched those programs in early August to get a jump on the competition, it has never actually debuted a show during the Summer Games.

The bows will come after the network's full slate of Olympic coverage, with the new Matthew Perry comedy "Go" airing Wednesday, Aug. 8, and "Animal," about an unhappy veterinarian, airing Sunday, Aug. 12.

The shows will not air until the day's Games coverage is complete, so it could be quite late. Four years ago NBC routinely aired events well past primetime, until 11:30 p.m. or later.

So the shows may not get the sort of audience they'd have if they aired earlier in the night, but they will get a good deal of sampling they would not have otherwise had.

NBC is smart to try to leverage the Olympics to boost its fall schedule. The network drew huge viewership for the 2008 Summer Games and 2010 Winter Games, but they didn't help the network's primetime lineup to any lasting gains.

NBC also slated premiere dates for the rest of its fall lineup, becoming the first network to do so. It will indeed be rolling some shows out early in an attempt to build on the Olympic momentum.

The new reality series "Stars Earn Stripes" will bow at 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 13, followed at 10 p.m. by the second-season premiere of "Grimm." "Grimm" will move to its regular Friday slot on Sept. 14.

"The Voice" will return for a third season Sept. 10, two weeks before the traditional premiere week. The next night "Go On" will settle into its regular timeslot at 9 p.m., followed by fellow new comedy "The New Normal."

The third-season premiere of "Parenthood" will air at 10.

A sneak preview of "Guys With Kids" will air Sept. 12 at 9 p.m. following the penultimate episode of summer hit "America's Got Talent."

The much-buzzed-about new drama "Revolution" will debut on Monday, Sept. 17. Three days later, most of the Thursday comedy lineup will return, including "Up All Night" (8:30 p.m.), "The Office" (9 p.m.) and "Parks and Recreation" (9:30 p.m.).

"Animal" finally makes its in-season debut on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m., followed by the real premiere of "Kids." And "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" returns with a two-hour episode at 9 that night.

"30 Rock" bows its final season on Thursday, Oct. 4, and new drama "Chicago Fire" premieres Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Finally, "Whitney" and "Community" return at 8 and 8:30 p.m., respectively, on Friday, Oct. 19.
 

Tags: animal practice, debut, fall season, go on, matthew perry, nbc, nbc fall, nbc olympics, nbc schedule, new shows, olympics, premiere, primetime, season premiere, summer, summer games