Justin Lubin/NBC(K)nooooo(pe)!
NBC's 2010-11 schedule has been leaked and in a surprise move, NBC has pushed back the third season of Parks & Recreation to midseason (likely January 2011), and moved 30 Rock to a different timeslot. Before you all start thinking what you're thinking, well-placed insiders tell me that Amy Poehler's (Leslie Knope) real-life pregnancy has nothing to do with the switcharoo.
So where is 30 Rock moving? Did Chuck make the cut for fall? Here's the scoop...
According to NBC insiders, the following 2011-11 season schedule is accurate. (It will be announced officially tomorrow.)
MONDAY
8-9 p.m: Chuck (13 episode pickup...Holler!)
9-10 p.m: The Event (new)
10-11 p.m.: Chase (new)
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m.: The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m.: Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.: Undercovers (new)
9-10 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11 p.m.: Law & Order: Los Angeles (new)
THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m.: Community
8:30-9 p.m.: 30 Rock
9-9:30 p.m.: The Office
9:30-10 p.m.: Outsourced (new)
10-11 p.m.: Love Bites (new)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: Who Do You Think You Are?/School Pride (new)
9-10 p.m.: Dateline NBC
10-11 p.m.: Outlaw (new)
SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m.: Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m.: NBC Sunday Night Football
We'll have to wait until tomorrow for NBC's official word on why Parks and Recreation is moving to midseason, but I'm told by insiders that Amy and the rest of the cast started shooting the third season early--they're already shooting the fourth episode now--in order to avoid such a delay.
The decision certainly seems bad timing to fans, given Parks and Rec's creative upswing this season...not to mention Amy's giddy-good return to SNL last week, and Aziz Ansari hosting the MTV Movie Awards in June, which could certainly give our Pawnee pals a nice push. (It worked for that 40-Year-Old Virgin guy's NBC show.)
Instead, NBC is using the 9:30 slot to launch Outsourced, an "East-meets-Midwest comedy" about a company whose call center has been outsourced to India. Love Bites, the new comedy from Sex and the City writer Cindy Chupack starring Becki Newton and Jordana Spiro will round out the Thursday night lineup, taking on ABC's Private Practice.
Make sure you're following me on Twitter @kristindsantos all this week for constant updates from the New York Upfronts. (I'm en route now.)
In case you missed NBC's previous announcements, here's a rundown of the new series for 2010:
The Event: NBC's attempt at the next Lost. Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancee. Also stars: Sarah Roemer, Blair Underwood, Scott Patterson.
Outsourced: All-American company Mid America Novelties sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers & wallets made of bacon & whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India. Stars: Ben Rappaport, Rizwan Manji, Sacha Dhawan, Rebecca Hazlewood, Parvesh Cheena
Love Bites: A romantic dramedy series from writer/producer Cindy Chupack (Sex & the City) starring Becki Newton & Jordana Spiro as the last women to get married out of their group of friends. The pilot's guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Greg Grunberg, Craig Robinson, Jason Lewis, Lindsay Price, Charlyne Yi, Kyle Howard.
Chase: U.S. Marshalls series from Jerry Bruckheimer. (Good guys hunting down fugitives.) Stars: Kelli Giddish, Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins, Jesse Metcalfe
Midseason:
Perfect Couples: Romantic comedy centered on three couples. Stars Kyle Howard, Christine Woods, Dave Walton, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Hayes MacArthur, Olivia Munn.
The Cape: Drama series starring David Lyons (ER) as Vince Faraday, an honest cop who gets framed for murders and is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, Life on Mars) and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, Flash Forward). He becomes "The Cape" his son's favorite comic book superhero and fights crime.
UPDATE: NBC Chairman Jeff Gaspin spoke to reporters today and hinted that Parks and Recreation will be back, and when it does it may earn the 9:30 slot after The Office. "It was our toughest decision to make. But to get new comedies on our schedule, Thursday is still the best place to launch. We expect Parks and Recreation to be back on the schedule Thursday and it's not any way an indication that we don't think it's as good as any other comedy. We've learned from cable that you can wait as long as a year, create more anticipation and not lose any momentum."