It was just the other day (Friday, if we're being precise) that I said how much I wished NBC would come to their senses and move freshman comedy 30 Rock (a Televisionary fave), using The Office as a lead-in, rather than the much loved if somewhat underperforming Scrubs.Looks like someone at the Peacock was listening.
NBC announced that it would do just that, shifting 30 Rock a half an hour earlier, to 9 pm, beginning April 5th.
Wait, what's that you say? You thought the cruelly imposed hiatus of 30 Rock (intended to deny us our fix of such random oddities as Ray Ray's Mystery Garage) was supposed to last much longer than that?
Fortunately, NBC has surprised us again and will be returning 30 Rock to the schedule a little earlier than can be expected. (My prayers to Jack Donaghy were apparently answered.) April 5th will feature a 35-minute "super-sized" episode of 30 Rock (along with The Office and Scrubs).
NBC's lineup for April 5th will be the following:
8 pm: The Office (40 mins): "The Negotiation"
8:40 pm: 30 Rock (35 mins)
9:15 pm: Scrubs (35 mins)
9:50 pm: Andy Barker, P.I. (30 mins)
10:20 pm: My Name is Earl (repeat; 40 mins)
(Meanwhile, Scrubs will vacate its 9 pm timeslot to move to 9:30 pm, where it will air for a few weeks, followed by two back-to-back episodes from 9-10 pm on May 3rd.)
Could this be a positive sign that NBC is willing to commit to second season of the hysterical and addictive 30 Rock? Only time will tell, but I'm looking upon this move as a sign that NBC has more than a little confidence in 30 Rock.
Comments
"'This year, we really love a lot of our new shows, some of which aren't performing at levels we wish they would,' says NBC scheduling chief Mitch Metcalf. 'But we love their quality.'
That's particularly true of frosh faves '30 Rock' and 'Friday Night Lights.' Both shows are averaging about 1 ratings point below the net's average, but the consensus inside NBC is that both stand a very good shot at returning next fall.'"
I felt like 30 Rock was in ok shape... the quality of the show had been improving, which I feel like executives do sometimes pay attention to (The Office), and that might be enough of an excuse to give it a 13 episode order for season 2 and see what happens... but I had just assumed Friday Night Lights was done. It's been consistently good all year and never gained any kind of following, even with a shot at following Heroes once. So that'd be awesome if both get picked up.
Honestly, words can't describe how much I love this show...it's that good!