NBC will offer broadcast and online viewers an advanced sneak peek at the network’s new and returning series for this Fall as Greg Grunberg of the Emmy Award-nominated hit drama “Heroes” hosts “The NBC Primetime Preview Show” — a 30-minute program showcasing an upfront look to be conveyed on a variety of media platforms beginning August 11 through September 23.
The annual Fall program will be offered to NBC’s 232 television stations (check local listings) as well as other channel entities such as USA, SCI FI, Bravo, UniHD, Chiller, mun2, MSNBC, CNBC, Sleuth, NBC2Go, on-demand and broadband. NBC stations can also run it on their websites while NBC.com will also run it as well. In addition, the program will be screened on selected United Airlines flights. It will be broadcast on the NBC Network on Saturday, September 8 (8:30-9 p.m. ET).
In addition, cable, satellite and telco affiliates can offer consumers a two-week advance screening of “Bionic Woman,” “Chuck,” “Life” and “Journeyman” in standard definition, as well as in high definition. The on-demand and broadband offering will also include behind-the-scenes segments for “Bionic Woman” and “Life”; two-minute previews of four new NBC Fall shows; a two-minute preview of “Heroes”; one exclusive scene from “The Office” and “30 Rock,” and five “Chuck” viral videos.
Among the new and returning stars that will appear on the special are Kevin McKidd, Gretchen Egolf and Moon Bloodgood (all from the new drama “Journeyman”), Damian Lewis and Sarah Shahi (both from the new drama “Life”), Brian Baumgartner and Angela Kinsey (both from “The Office”), Michelle Ryan (“Bionic Woman”), and Zachary Levi, Joshua Gomez and Yvonne Strahovski (all from “Chuck”).
NBC’s 2007-08 Fall Premiere Week begins Monday, September 24.
On that night, NBC tees up its new season with the action-comedy “Chuck” (8-9 p.m. ET), a new hour-long series from executive producer Josh Schwartz (“The O.C.”) and executive producer-director McG (Charlie’s Angels, We Are Marshall), who deliver a comedic spy thriller about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, “Less Than Perfect”) — a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government’s most vital secret agent. Adam Baldwin (My Bodyguard), Yvonne Strzechowski (Gone), Joshua Gomez (“Without a Trace”) and Sarah Lancaster (“What About Brian?”) also star.
Then, later that night, comes the much-anticipated second season premiere of “Heroes” (9-10 p.m. ET) as the epic ensemble drama reveals the fates of Grunberg’s gravely wounded character Matt Parkman, a police detective with the ability to hear the thoughts of others, along with Peter (Milo Ventimiglia), Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) and others who witnessed the Petrelli brothers explode above New York City in last season’s cliffhanger as the series moves “Four Months Later..,” by executive producer-creator Tim Kring.
Monday, September 24 will also serve as the premiere of the new drama “Journeyman” (10-11 p.m. ET). From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls (“The West Wing”) and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves (“The West Wing”), “Journeyman” is a romantic mystery-drama about Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, “Rome”), a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people’s lives. Egolf (“Martial Law”) also stars as his long-suffering wife while Bloodgood (“Day Break”) co-stars as Vasser’s long-lost fiance.
“The NBC Primetime Preview Show” also will feature the new drama “Bionic Woman,” which debuts on Wednesday, September 26 (9-10 p.m. ET). The series stars Michelle Ryan (“EastEnders”) as a young woman whose life is radically altered and empowered after a car crash. Also premiering on the same night, the new drama “Life” (10-11 p.m. ET) features a complex police detective (Damian Lewis, “Band of Brothers”) who’s given a second chance on the force after serving years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Shahi (Rush Hour 3) also stars as his suspicious police detective partner.
In addition to the new series, the special will focus on returning series as well, particularly “Heroes,” “Sunday Night Football” and NBC’s acclaimed Thursday night comedies – “My Name Is Earl,” “30 Rock,” the Emmy-winning “The Office” and “Scrubs.” “My Name Is Earl” (8-9 p.m. ET) and “The Office” (9-10 p.m. ET) will premiere with hour-long episodes on Thursday, September 27. “30 Rock” will debut on Thursday, October 4 (8:30-9 p.m. ET) and “Scrubs” begins its seventh season on Thursday, October 25 (9:30-10 p.m. ET).
Preceding Premiere Week, the traditional Thursday Night “NFL Kickoff” marks the start of the entire NFL season on Sept. 6 as Peyton Manning and the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts host Reggie Bush and the reinvigorated New Orleans Saints, with special performances by Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson and John Mellencamp at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. NBC kicks off the season with the debut of the second year of “Sunday Night Football” beginning with a classic rivalry, the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants on Sunday night, Sept. 9. “Football Night” coverage begins with the “Football Night in America” studio show at 7 p.m. ET followed by “Sunday Night Football” at 8 p.m. ET.
In addition, “The Biggest Loser” returns with a two-hour premiere on Tuesday, September 11 (8-10 p.m. ET) while the popular competition series “Deal or No Deal” will get a head start on its third season on Monday, September 17 (8-9 p.m. ET).
“The NBC Primetime Preview Show” is produced by The NBC Agency.
